Movies
An amazing collection of shorts, brought to life by superb actors and featuring strong and diverse styles. A true sight to behold and without a doubt one of the best Japanese horror projects around.
A peculiar mix of arthouse and genre cinema, blending a deep love for the artistic and the philosophical with some B-level genre elements. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that there's an infamous pinku director behind this film, this is typically what happens when they direct something outside of their comfort zone. There are some superb scenes here. The cinematography is fun, the mix of genres is interesting, and although a bit slow and pandering in places, the film kept surprising me. There's a lot to like here, but the balance between both worlds is a bit off and the film lacks that little extra touch of magic to make it unforgettable.Read all
A really cool find. The Eye's Dream is a semi-punk offering, mixed with an arthouse aesthetic, pinku elements, and some horror bits at the end. An eclectic mix for sure, and Sato has some trouble keeping everything under control, but there are some very cool scenes here that are sure to stick with me for some time to come. The cinematography is pretty edgy, with stark colors and contrasts. The story is a little fuzzy and the pinku elements are a bit too present at times, but the story is intriguing, the film kept surprising me and the finale was worth the wait. Fans of Japanese punk and horror cinema should definitely give this one a try.Read all
The Gods Have a Nervous Breakdown
A fascinating title for a dire pinku film. The pinku genre is often seen as a hotbed for talent and the freedom that comes with the format has yielded some great directors, many of which went on to become lauded arthouse favorites. But that's just the top of the iceberg, sadly the genre also hides a lot of crap. The pinku scenes aren't very enticing, the plot is nonsensical, and the film looks terribly cheap. Even so, Sato would end up directing a short for the Rampo Noir anthology, one of my absolute favorites, so I guess it was all worth it in the end. I would skip this film if I were you though, there's really nothing of interest here.Read all