Movies
Jam Films
The Jam Films anthology is worth exploring if you like contemporary Japanese cinema. This first one isn't the best of the bunch, but it features some big-name directors and offers a nice variation of themes and styles. It's certainly not the most consistent anthology, nor the most creative, but there are some nice shorts on display. I liked the mix of different genres, though it lacked one or two shorts that tried to do something entirely different. Most directors remained within their comfort zone and delivered something predictable. That's not what anthology films are about, on the other hand, there weren't any weak entries either. Good fun.Read all
The one Ringu film I hadn't seen yet. The series has been messy from the very start, with different adaptations and split narratives competing for attention. Spiral is an alternative sequel to the first Ringu, separate from Nakata's films, closer to the original novels. It's not a typical Sadako scare flick, but a slightly weirder and more fantastical take on Ringu lore. The film starts off basic enough and the first half is pretty much what you'd expect from a Ringu film, though without some of the more obvious scares. The finale is quite something else though. A pretty radical switch not everyone will appreciate, I felt it was a welcome variation on a by now worn out formula. Performances are decent, the cinematography and score a little lackluster, but if you're looking for a more challenging take on Ringu, this one doesn't disappoint. Read all
While the premise of Another Heaven sounds interesting enough (a police thriller with supernatural overtones), the film itself comes off a little uninspired. Iida spends too much time on a setup that doesn't deliver anything original, while skipping through the supernatural elements without too much conviction. The film takes too long to get going, the cinematography is a little basic and Eguchi makes a pretty boring lead. Luckily Miwako Ichikawa adds some spice to the film and the ending turns it up a notch, but it's not enough to turn a 130-minute police thriller into a riveting film.Read all
When the budget isn't there, one easy way to deal is by simply decreasing the runtime. But even that can't really save Cyclops. It's just 52 minutes long, still the first half drags quite a bit, to the point where it was just boring to sit through. That's not what you want from a 50-minute film. Get past the dull first half, and some zany splatter horror awaits. The practical effects are insane the and the film does go into complete overdrive, it's just a shame it took director Iida so long to get there. The final 15 minutes are lots of fun, stick around to see it, or just skip ahead if you're very impatient.Read all
Tokyo Babylon is a familiar franchise, but I never actually read or watched anything from it. It's one of those titles that was around during my early years of manga/anime discovery, I just never got around to it. A live-action spin-off probably isn't the best place to start, but it crossed my path, so I figured I'd just give it a go. These early 90s Japanese horror films offer a sneak peek of what was to come, but they lack refinement and their low production values are a serious blow to the overall enjoyment. There are some freaky moments, but it's mostly just bad acting, poor visual effects and a lame plot. Short and well-paced, but far from great.Read all
