Movies
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41
I once watched a remake I quite liked, but never took the effort to watch the originals. Shame on me, I guess, because this was quite the experience. I probably should've started with the first one, but this isn't what you call complex entertainment. If you like your violence stylized and gritty, you're in the right place.
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The cinematography and use of color are downright impressive. The performances are also solid, but Meiko Kaji's performance is by far the most captivating. This is exploitation cinema, so don't expect any rosy, light-hearted narratives, but it's not just plain, cheap entertainment either. I'm interested in watching the rest of the series now.
Lupin III: Farewell to Nostradamus
As a longtime anime fan, a more serious exploration of the Lupin film catalog was long overdue. I'm not going to do it chronologically, so I ended up with Farewell to Nostradamus as my starting point (of this current push that is, I've already seen some of the more prominent Lupin films throughout the years).
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Farewell to Nostradamus is a bit crazier than the other entries I'd seen so far. It's incredibly action packed, with Lupin landing in all sorts of outlandish situations. Lupin isn't a stranger to a bit of weirdness, but the combination of sci-fi, mysticism and over-the-top action in a single film was new to me.
The quality of the animation is decent, definitely not up to par with the best in the series though it gets a bit better near the end. All the craziness makes it feel a bit fragmented too, at the same time it ensures there isn't a dull moment to be found. Not the best Lupin film I've seen, but very amusing, light entertainment.
Amusing murder mystery involving a Japanese bordello. The plot isn't that great, the mystery never truly manages to catch on. Luckily the styling of the film is pretty interesting, with deliberate camera work and fine use of color. It's a bit dated and not terribly memorable, still decent filler.