alain-kapel5 Reviews

Chime (2024)

Powerful short horror

[8/10 · 10 May 2024]

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest psychological horror is a masterful exercise in suspense and terror.

Provided you can get onboard with its enigmatic (and nearly incomprehensible) plot, there's much to enjoy here for fans of the director. The running time is short (only 45 minutes), making this something of a compact version of Kurosawa's usual, subtle horror filmmaking. There's a lot of atmosphere and intrigue present throughout, but little to no answers to some of the film's central questions.

While this is certainly a violent little film, it's not focused on gore, but rather its capability to disturb by mere suggestion. It's pretty great to see Kurosawa back at directing unsettling films that turn the mundane into terrifying, and Chime shows he's still got some interesting ideas to share with the rest of us.

Recommended.

Revolution+1 (2022)

Interesting biographical drama

[6/10 · 9 April 2024]

An experimental Japanese drama about Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who murdered former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

It is a rather short (75 min) piece of indie filmmaking by veteran director Masao Adachi. It tries to examine the assassination from the perspective of this enigmatic man, delving into his past before getting to the act itself. Yamagami's hatred towards Abe stems from the minister's endorsement of the controversial Unification Church, which Yamagami's mother blindly supported to the point of neglecting her own family. Yamagami himself was, the film suggests, a lonely soul who felt like he was drifting through life, ultimately needing to pin the blame on something, and Abe was it. Of course, Adachi makes no attempts at openly sympathizing with Yamagami, but the film's more intimate approach humanizes this character so we can at least try to understand his actions.

The guerrilla style filmmaking was obviously done on a low budget, and it was shot in a rather short time (about two weeks, I think), lending the film a rough, almost DIY feel. The casting is adequate, with Soran Tamoto as Yamagami being the only notable character with more than a few minutes' screentime. The film was, overall, just kinda there for me, though. Decent but never quite gripping or otherwise surprising, taking a shorter, slightly different route for a biopic than we normally see. There's a feeling that it could've achieved more with a bigger budget and a more expansive approach, rather than trying to capture the brunt of a man's life in a mere hour's worth.

Long story short, a good film that feels like it could have had a much stronger impact. Nevertheless, I'd suggest indie film fans to give this one a look if they're interested in the subject.

Abang Adik (2023)

Moving Malaysian drama

[8/10 · 1 April 2024]

Social realism meets crime drama in Abang Adik, an impressively gritty Malaysian indie flick.

The two titular brothers live in a poor Kuala Lumpur district with no identity cards and basically no stable income. Abang is a deaf mute who tries to live as honestly as he can, while his younger brother Adik dabbles in the underworld and is prone to impulsive behavior. Both are understanding of each other and share a strong brotherly love, despite not actually being brothers by blood (they adopted each other, in a way). A terrible incident suddenly upends their lives and complicates them even further.

Essentially a simple story about two orphan brothers and their mutual struggle to eke out a living, the film takes a well-worn premise and extends it into a terrific showcase for director Jin Ong, its naturalistic actors, and generally the whole production crew. This is a quietly powerful work that lingers long after being seen, avoiding sensationalism and violence in favor of a bleak, despairing mood and character building. It has a slice-of-life feel, but lightly mixed with genre elements in order to accentuate the hardship of the brothers' lives. Indeed, these people are decent, driven to tough choices by circumstances out of their control, Abang Adik argues. And they are easy to sympathize with even when you can't quite understand them.

The cinematography here is pretty great, with its strong camerawork and vibrant colors. When the very pretty soundtrack joins in, it becomes obvious a lot of care has gone into creating this indie film. It's a testament to strong filmmaking coming from a country that's prone to heavily censoring its artists. And I must not forget to mention Jack Tan and Wu Kang-ren, who play their roles to near perfection. The latter, especially, delivers a moving monologue that won't leave people untouched, and in sign language no less!

Definitely recommended for fans of gritty dramas.

The Abandoned (2022)

Generic serial killer film

[4/10 · 7 March 2024]

This Taiwanese police procedural is a dull, lifeless film that simply goes through the motions without reaching any discernible high points.

It begins with the usual hook for this genre: a serial killer makes life hard for a depressed detective, who has to come to terms with herself while chasing the madman with the help of her rookie colleague. That would be fine if the plot presented at least a few fresh ingredients throughout the runtime, but it just settles into a predictable rut and never manages to lift above it.

I can't quite say this is a terrible film since it is competently shot and acted well enough, I guess. But the writing is unexceptional, and even pretty weak at times, given that a few scenes come across as comical when they were obviously meant to be serious. Absolutely no surprises or interesting character work are at store for the viewer, and I believe that won't cut it for many genre fans.

It is available on Netflix for anyone interested, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Remote de Korosareru (2020 TV Movie)

Begins well enough, but ends terribly

[4/10 · 7 March 2024]

Hideo Nakata's pandemic-set little mystery thriller begins solidly enough, but later devolves into a childish slasher. That's too bad knowing that Nakata is behind the camera.

With a compact runtime of 45 minutes, this could have been a tight ride in the vein of American screenlife films like Searching or Host. But while it does manage to set up a reasonably involving mystery, it falls apart in the last 15 minutes. That's still a fairly big chunk of the film, mind you. Silly twists are introduced left and right, and it has big logical gaps that are hard to overlook.

So, overall, this was a missed opportunity. Too bad.

Mad Fate (2023)

Not quite a winner

[6/10 · 7 March 2024]

Pou-soi Cheang's follow-up to Limbo is a messy, slightly underwhelming thriller that dabbles in themes of fate and occultism. It's a curious piece as it just leaves almost no impression after watching it. Coming from a director whose films tend to be visceral and entertaining, that makes it a disappointment.

It begins promisingly, with Lam Ka-tung's manic character performing rituals to avert an upcoming calamity in a woman's life. Themes of fate and possible changing of it enter the film in style and in a slightly bonkers way. But then other characters get introduced, a serial killer and a young man on the path to become one himself. The film starts to get sidetracked and slowly loses focus, with most of the tension dissipating by the time it reaches its conclusion.

Without even mentioning terrible CGI (especially regarding a cat), this just can't keep up with Cheang's past films. Despite all the shortcomings, I wasn't bored, chiefly because its themes are interesting and Lam's character entertainingly unhinged. But it fades from memory fast and leaves an impression of unfulfilled potential.

Nobody (1999)

Average thriller

[5/10 · 7 March 2024]

This little Japanese suspenser revolves around three businessmen who get into a fight with three mysterious men during a night out. It soon becomes obvious the businessmen are in over their heads and they'll have to think of ways to survive.

It's most definitely not a forgotten gem, as it has too many flaws to count as one. But it has a few decent scenes and manages suspense fairly well. Towards the end it starts to grow a bit dull, but it wakes up for a finale that pays homage to John Woo. Even then, however, it is undermined by unconvincing plot turns.

Overall, a decent watch if you're into suspense thrillers, but you're not really missing out if you skip it.

Hitokowa (2012 Video)

Solid anthology

[7/10 · 7 March 2024]

A straight-to-video Japanese horror anthology by prolific director Kazuto Kodama.

A collection of 5-10 minute long tales that keep things simple and creepy, without relying on gore or jumpscares for effect. Refreshingly, it also manages to avoid overused J-horror genre tropes like the long-haired ghost. Capably directed by Kodama, most of these tales are unsettling, if a bit undercooked. For some of them, the short length is perfect, for they need no additional storytelling to be effective. Others might use a bit more context. But given the film's short runtime (59 minutes), it's understandable that they might be a bit lacking in that department.

Recommended if you like J-horror anthologies.

3 Extremes II (2002)

Underwhelming horror omnibus

[5/10 · 7 March 2024]

This cross-cultural Asian horror anthology is a precursor to Three Extremes (2004). Curiously, it was marketed as Three Extremes II after its rerelease in order to cash in on its successor's popularity, despite being older.

I've seen the 2004 version a long time ago, and scarcely remember it. That's why I can't quite compare it to this one at the moment. But I do know that this one is, unfortunately, rather unimpressive as a whole. Only the first segment was interesting enough to be truly enjoyable IMO. I'll try to break the stories down a bit.

1. Memories - dir. Kim Jee-woon The Korean entry in the anthology is also the best for me. Kim already displayed his directing chops in his early days, so Memories is slick and stylish with strong atmospherics, acting like a preview of what's to come. Its story is insubstantial and kinda routine, but the visuals and mood largely compensate for that fault.

2. Wheel - dir. Nonzee Nimibutr The second entry is a Thai folk horror revolving around cursed puppets. This entry is only sporadically interesting, and only from a visual standpoint, mostly because of its unique setting. But it's completely lacking in execution, being marred by weak horror elements and a totally uninvolving story. The weakest segment in the anthology.

3. Going Home - dir. Peter Chan The final entry comes from Hong Kong and, like the second one, it is forgettable and underwhelming. In this case, the plot is actually promising, with good actors to complement it. The technicalities are also proficient. But it's the longest entry (around 50 minutes) and very patience testing. I don't expect constant shocks, but in this case they would be welcome to shake things up. The segment itself is more of a supernatural drama than horror, which might have contributed to my disappointment. I wanted something scary after that second segment, and this one failed to deliver too. But as I said, it has a few things going for it, at least, so it's not a total waste of time.

Overall, this just wasn't good enough to be recommended. If I had to choose, Kim's entry is the easy winner here because of its creepiness and psychological aspect. Otherwise, you're not missing much by skipping the film.

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023)

An uneven, but often impressive crime thriller

[8/10 · 3 March 2024]

This extremely entertaining Taiwanese neo-noir works both as a pitch-black comedy and as a slick action thriller.

Lone hitman Chen Kui-lin, the film's protagonist, enters the scene with swaggering charisma, murders a gangster, then proceeds to daringly escape from policemen through buildings and rooftops. All of this shot with plenty of energy and bravado. And that's just the first 15-20 minutes of the film.

Soon he learns he's got stage four lung cancer, news that, understandably, put him in a depressive mood. But then he finds out he's only the third most wanted criminal in Taiwan, so he sets out to eliminate his competition before time runs out.

The premise is promising and lets you know you're in for some premium east Asian fatalism. You know that mix of melancholy and unpredictable, extreme violence that permeated the works of, say, Kim Jee-woon or Park Hoon-jung? Couple that with some twisted humor and you've got a winner.

In fact, I've mentioned those directors because this film has distinct two halves, and the first one resembles A Bittersweet Life or Night in Paradise somewhat. Until the second hour, it's a crime thriller with bursts of solid action, polished to a fault. Then it turns into a contemplative drama that reveals the film's more spiritual, reflective side. But surprises are still in store for the viewer.

I love tonally uneven genre films and this one sure fits the bill. Some might not like how it swerves into so many directions before settling down, but I felt like it only added to its charm. Director Wong Ching-Po isn't new to this type of film (if you've seen Revenge: A Love Story, you'll have some indication about how this one turned out), and his script extracts some great performances from the actors. Ethan Juan, as a homicidal protagonist, and Yi-wen Chen, very memorable as a spiritual leader, are standouts.

In all, this is a technically polished, fantastically shot and scored crime thriller which offers more than just surface-level genre pleasures. It's also got a deeply cynical worldview and an aura of eccentricism that work in its favor. Big recommendation.

Only the River Flows (2023)

Engrossing, occasionally surreal murder mystery

[8/10 · 28 February 2024]

A welcome treat for fans of Chinese neo-noir cinema, Only the River Flows follows in the footsteps of genre items by directors like Diao Yinan and Li Xiaofeng; artsy, compelling but also demanding films for a very specific audience.

In essence a psychological murder mystery, the film tracks detective Ma Zhe as he investigates a mysterious murder on the outskirts of a small town. Of course, not all is what it seems, and he will have to be especially inquisitive to get some answers for this case. He is not helped by his superiors who demand answers fast just so they can deem the case closed, consequences be damned. The pressure put upon detective Ma starts to take a toll on his psyche as the line between reality and fiction begins to blur.

Cleverly written screenplay makes sure you take all of the plot's details in before pulling the rug under you. And I don't just mean in the narrative sense (answers don't come easy and none of them are immediately clear), but also in the way the film plays with structure. It's a noir with many familiar elements present; from complicated characters to an insistent avoidance of resolution. But there's more than just that here. As the story progressively delves into Ma's mind, events happen that make sense only in a Lynchian, logic-defying way. This touch of surreal helps the film distance itself from its peers, but will also limit its appeal to audiences who enjoy analyzing metaphors in addition to brainstorming about the killer's identity.

Shot on film, Only the River Flows is technically marvelous, looking appealingly muddy and retro (more than adequate regarding its early 1990's setting) with a strong classical soundtrack to boot. This industrialized, impoverished area is quite stunningly captured, being both memorable and fitting for a story of an unraveling mind. The film earns a big recommendation if you're into the genre like I am.

Yami Douga (2012 Video)

Average found footage horror

[6/10 · 9 February 2024]

This Japanese found footage horror anthology is only the first entry in a long (10+) series of films.

The first thing you notice is how Youtube-ready this film is. I'm not sure, but I think it might have been uploaded on that platform first. And it is well suited for something like that, being an almost context-free series of short creepy vignettes. It's only an hour long, too.

So, this first entry doesn't really impress in any way, shape or form. It's a Noroi-lookalike in a sense that it zooms in on every little uncanny detail, but given its episodic nature, sometimes that's all it has time to do before ending a segment. Some of them end very abruptly, while others get a deeper analysis, but none of them really amount to much. The effects are less than great, too.

All the criticism aside, it's OK as a time waster. I wasn't very thrilled by it, but it still kept my attention. I'm hoping the sequels will do a better job of creeping me out, though.

On a side note, Koji Shiraishi's Ura Horror is a very similar comparison, with this one being a slightly inferior version. If you enjoyed that one, you also might like this, but be prepared for rather weak English subtitles.

Badland Hunters (2024)

Terrible, watered down action film

[2/10 · 9 February 2024]

Wow, what a waste of time. Simply a watered-down, mainstream-pandering excuse for an action thriller. This film is to Concrete Utopia what Peninsula was to Train to Busan: a hugely inferior sequel no one asked for. And by the way, the connection between the two is almost entirely unnecessary; you can change the setting to any random dystopian land and the results would be the same, that's how generic this is.

It's incredibly obvious how the weak script sets things up; who will heroically fight without ever sustaining any serious injuries themselves, which characters will just blindly follow orders only to be dispatched... Not to mention the civilians who are so naive it's unbelievable.

It's so easy to envision how this story will turn out early on, as stock good guys and villainous caricatures are introduced one by one, with no interesting background or character shading. Even the action itself starts to become underwhelming, as there is no investment whatsoever. I guess that's the expense for favoring trailer-ready, CGI-filled sequences over actual character work or social commentary (something that Concrete Utopia did exceptionally well, IMO). This also shares some similarities with Project Wolf Hunting, in a sense that it introduces only the most generic traits of action horror to increase the bloodletting.

I'd say just watch Concrete Utopia and forget that this thing exists. You'll be better off not wasting your time on pointless sequels.

Endless Journey (2023)

Fine Chinese crime drama

[8/10 · 9 February 2024]

A Chinese police procedural about a former squad of police officers who reunite after jailtime to pursue the murderer who evaded their capture years ago.

A solid, well made crime film that details a supposedly fact-based story of cops who just wouldn't let go. Despite a few contrived scenes and occasional sentimentality, this is mature and engrossing filmmaking that rarely lets you out of its grip. In the beginning, it is something of a classic Asian detective drama in the vein of Memories of Murder, with chaotic policework undermining the case and constant rainfall. Later on, it takes a bit of a different, calmer feel with more male bonding, but the squad's manhunt still continues, despite not yielding great results.

As the story draws to a close, themes of sacrifice and determination at a heavy cost come to the fore, and the film takes on an almost poetic aura. Its thoughtfulness becomes more apparent, and it starts to engrain itself into your mind.

While not without its share of flaws, Endless Journey is yet more proof of quality cinema from Mainland China, even if one has to sift through tons of patriotic fluff to find one of these. I recommend it if you like genre films and detective mysteries that have more on their mind than routine case solving.

City of the Rising Sun (1998)

Passable Korean drama

[6/10 · 9 February 2024]

This dynamic drama was the first collaboration of Korean stars Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung.

While I appreciate the stars' acting and the film's sometimes gritty approach, I wasn't too satisfied by the execution. Despite showcasing a lot of energy, the cinematography often lurches into MTV-video mode, complete with common slo-mo effects and sometimes frenetic cutting. It undermines the story and makes it feel like a fashion advertisement rather than a serious slice-of-life drama. Not to mention Lee and Jung posing like models for like half the film. :)

Would be recommended if you can get past its too obvious adoration for its actors. It isn't bad, but it does kinda meander in its second half. Thankfully this wasn't their last collab, for they seriously upped their game for 2022's Hunt.

12.12: The Day (2023)

Awesome political thriller

[9/10 · 9 February 2024]

Wow... This electric political thriller by Kim Sung-su is a masterwork in the genre and the single best I've seen since The Spy Gone North (or maybe The Man Standing Next which is, coincidentally, a great companion piece to this film). Like in Kim's Asura, both Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung star in the main roles, and they kill it.

The film follows infamous events in 1979. When corrupt general Chun Doo-hwan incited the coup d'état that aimed to overthrow the current leadership. Korean audiences are familiar with the event, but everyone else should do a bit of light reading to get up to speed with the era's political situation, just to avoid possible confusion while watching. Otherwise, this is dynamic, seriously impressive filmmaking that will grip anyone who enjoys the political drama/thriller genre and shows an interest in historical events.

Both Hwang and Jung are great in the main roles, and they're aided by a small army of capable supporting actors who perform admirably. Chun is quite a despicable figure from Korea's past and Hwang embodies him as a charismatic but scheming villain not unlike his mayor role in Asura. Jung's commander Lee, in contrast, evokes pathos as a man willing to stand his ground in the face of tyranny, despite everyone's pleads.

This is a lengthy, talky film that begins as a slowly boiling pot that gains considerable speed by the halfway mark and never lets up. It's very involving and brilliantly shot, with explosive violence that occasionally erupts after long buildups, making it all the more effective. The coup's initial stage is skilfully filmed as several events happen all at once, and is arguably one of the film's high points.

Huge recommendation for what is definitely among the best Korean films of 2023.

Ura horâ (2008 Video)

Entertaining, occasionally creepy mockumentary

[8/10 · 29 January 2024]

Prolific J-horror director Koji Shiraishi made this really solid found-footage anthology back in 2008. I recommend it as it is an entertaining and varied example of its genre.

Most of the short chapters in this anthology work as standalone little stories with their own ideas, supernatural or not. I'm yet to be disappointed by Shiraishi and he sure as hell delivered here too. The film is only about 70 minutes long with about a dozen chapters, meaning that most of them are about 5-10 minutes long. That's one of the reasons why this is so entertaining, there's no padding whatsoever as you bounce from one creepy idea to the next. However, some of these chapters seem like they could easily be expanded to a full feature, and the final one hints at Okaruto and Karuto, Shiraishi's subsequent FF films that were pretty successful on their own.

I'm really looking forward to watching more films like this one from Shiraishi, he churns them out on a yearly basis and never disappoints with his unique mockumentary approach.

Goodbye Cruel World (2022)

Decent gangster drama

[6/10 · 29 January 2024]

Director Tatsushi Omori's 2022 film is a serviceable crime drama about the bloody aftermath of a bold robbery.

The plot concerns 5 people gathered to steal the yakuza's laundered money, a plan which they pull off well enough, but as usual for this type of film, the consequences are more severe than they imagine. As the robbery already happens in the beginning of the film, we follow these people immediately after the job going about their daily lives. The story's effectiveness hinges on these characters as they're the backbone of all the proceedings, but not all of them are interesting enough for the film to work as well as intended.

Hidetoshi Nishijima's character is the most well rounded for me personally, and his portrayal of a former yakuza trying to escape from his past and reconnect with his family is solid. Others, such as two wayward teens and a banker-type talky dude don't really satisfy with their narrative arcs, for their own reasons. Either they're not quite well fleshed out, or they're too hysterical to at least appear relatable.

The film looks good, is solidly performed and isn't quite a cheap Tarantino wannabe that it would have you believe with a few of its scenes. It isn't a home run either, for it definitely could have used a tighter edit and a more distinctive story, with added intrigue about its characters. But, if you're not too picky, it's not too bad for a one time watch.

Marui Video (2023)

Average, sporadically intriguing mockumentary

[6/10 · 29 January 2024]

This Korean found-footage horror follows a documentary crew investigating a mysterious murder.

Much like Japanese director Koji Shiraishi's engaging mockumentaries, Marui Video begins as a true-crime documentary before plunging into the paranormal realm. It's more polished than you might expect, with a lot of expository info dumping that might be hard to follow if you're not closely paying attention. Later on, it becomes something similar to Incantation or The Medium, introducing shamanism into the story but slowly losing its feet toward the conclusion. It does pick up a bit near the climax, but the place where it ends up is slightly more underwhelming than what preceded it.

Unlike Shiraishi's films, this one somehow feels too polished and fabricated. It doesn't leave a lasting impression even if it does manage to present a few pretty creepy moments. It's still a bit better than that average 5.0 suggests, and I think some found-footage enthusiasts will find it worthwhile.

Tales of the Unusual (2000)

Quirky anthology

[6/10 · 29 January 2024]

This Japanese anthology is something of their own version of Twilight Zone; from its narrator to the way each story is presented.

A group of people find themselves stuck on a train station waiting for the heavy rainfall to stop. A mysterious stranger suddenly shows up and offers to tell them different stories. Now, I expected these stories to contain horror, comedy, or a mix of both. Turns out only the first story (out of four, not including the wraparound segment) is somewhat horror-adjacent. The other three are mainly sci-fi tinged comedic dramas.

Whatever their genre, the stories themselves are nothing to write home about. Some have surprising twists, others are quirky and whimsical, but overall each one of them leaves something to be desired. They mostly last about 30 minutes and still manage to feel sluggish and slow. They're sporadically entertaining if you can vibe with the film's light hearted nature. However, I must praise the audio-visual presentation, as the film looks really good with surprisingly elaborate sets at times and some larger-than-life soundtrack choices.

Overall, this was watchable, but not quite impressive enough to be easily recommended. Only for anthology film completionists.

Dark Tales of Japan (2004 TV Movie)

Fun anthology

[7/10 · 29 January 2024]

I'm currently on a roll with Japanese horror anthologies, this being the third one after Ura Horror and Tales of the Unusual in the last two days. I thought this one was pretty fun overall. I'll try to break it down segment by segment.

"Spiderwoman" - dir. Yoshihiro Nakamura The first segment is a cheesy, but rather entertaining chase for a mysterious spiderwoman who only appears in her true form during the night. Not quite scary or surprising, but it's good enough for a start.

"Crevices" - dir. Norio Tsuruta This one was about 5-10 minutes long and I wished it was actually longer. It's similar to Dark Water, but hasn't got enough time to flesh out its main idea. Still, it's a good one, creepy the whole time.

"Sacrifice" - dir. Koji Shiraishi Ah yes, my favorite J-horror director of the moment. His segment is possibly the best one here (bias or no bias), as it inserts some pretty horrific imagery into a plot that revolves around curses and mysterious illnesses, with a duration just long enough to wrap it up effectively.

"Blonde Kaidan" - dir. Takashi Shimizu This one is short like Crevices, but weaker. It's yet another standard ghost story from a director who often tries to replicate his success with Ju-on, with predictably duller results. It's not too terrible given that it's mercifully short, but it's definitely unexceptional.

"Presentiment" - dir. Masayuki Ochiai The last story is a fun one, it follows Teruyuki Kagawa (in a very solid performance) as a nervous businessman stuck in an elevator with 3 mysterious persons. I don't want to spoil it, but it's a worthwhile closer to an entertaining anthology.

So yes, in conclusion, I have to say I rather liked this film; it's definitely not high art, but it's a nice choice if you're looking for horror that doesn't always take itself seriously.

Kidan Piece of Darkness (2016)

Creepy anthology

[7/10 · 29 January 2024]

Continuing with J-horror anthologies, I've stumbled upon this one that seems to have flown under the radar for many. It reunites some directors from Dark Tales of Japan (like Koji Shiraishi and Yoshihiro Nakamura) but this time they're joined by other notable names such as Mari Asato and Eisuke Naito.

The film consists of 10 short segments, each lasting between 5 to 10 minutes. They all share that suffocating mood that J-horror is chiefly known for and, with a few exceptions, revolve around ghosts. I don't want to break down each of them, as that way I could spoil their magic, and I think they should be seen with as little knowledge as possible. I'll say that the most notable entry (for me) is an early one called Shadow Man, and boy is it creepy. If you ever had a nightmare of someone randomly banging on your door, you'll definitely be chilled by this one.

As I mentioned, the atmosphere is heavy and I appreciate that they didn't try to break the flow with forced humor or elements from other genres. These short vignettes really benefit from the sustained mood. I would have liked a bit more variety regarding the spooks, though. Also, predictably, a few of the shorts aren't quite satisfying like the rest but that's what you usually get with anthologies. In general, I enjoyed them all anyway, so I'd definitely recommend this one to J-horror afficionados.

Chô Akunin (2011)

Exploitation in the form of a mockumentary

[6/10 · 29 January 2024]

Koji Shiraishi's nasty, exploitative mockumentary about a serial rapist looking for his 108th victim.

Unlike the director's infinitely more complex supernatural horror offerings, this one is as simple as that premise sounds; the only notable characters in the film, aside from the titulary antagonist and one unfortunate girl, are two documentary crew members who follow him as he commits his misdeeds. He celebrates his "serial rapist lifestyle" and decides to find a special girl for its 10th anniversary. He wants to rape her and have it all filmed and even narrated (?!).

Even if the film isn't at all gory as you might expect (not a drop of blood through all this), it is still uncomfortable and degrades everyone to the most primal level. The atrocious rapist character is reminiscent of the antagonist from Record of Sweet Murder, but you couldn't quite place him this easily. The supernatural aspect of that film helped it create an aura of mystery, while here none of that's present. You simply have this crazy guy who humiliates, rapes and kills anyone he pleases, and no one wants to stand up to him.

Shiraishi dedicates this to "all the dirty bastards out there", so at least he knows his audience. If a depraved, exploitative mockumentary sounds like your thing, check this one out. Otherwise, stay far away.

Bursting Point (2023)

Welcome return to form for Dante Lam

[8/10 · 29 January 2024]

Dante Lam's return to Hong Kong action cinema is a most welcome addition to the genre, and one of my favorite action films recently.

The plot follows Nick Cheung's narcotics detective on the hunt for a drug lord and his associates, while at the same time handling an undercover officer. There's also a few subplots concerning the detective's son, now involved with dangerous triads, and one of the drug kingpin's female associates who tries to find a way out of the underworld.

I came for the shootouts and brawls and that's exactly what I got, performed with a degree of excitement and enthusiasm I hadn't seen since Raging Fire. While the storyline is same old, same old, the pacing is relentless and plot turns satisfying, so I can't complain too much. Nick Cheung shows no signs of age as he mercilessly pursues his foe, while Lee Jung-jae lookalike Shaun Tam presents a formidable character who stops at nothing to get what he wants.

In fact, this single-minded, nihilistic determination describes the film as a whole. Its no-holds-barred approach leads the film to some very dark places, even for a HK actioner. It seems Lam's newfound inspiration brought him right back to the same playground he was in until he shifted to Mainland China. Finally we get the same guy who once directed Beast Stalker, That Demon Within and the likes. And he's obviously honed his action directing chops even more, so we get some finely choreographed fistfights and plenty of intense shootouts and explosions.

Welcome back, Dante Lam. We missed you.

Across the Furious Sea (2023)

High speed chase thriller

[8/10 · 15 January 2024]

Chinese director Cao Baoping's relentless crime thriller is simply more proof that there's ample life in Mainland China's genre cinema.

A propulsive, intense flick that barrels forward with numerous inquiries and high-speed pursuits, never letting up for at least two thirds of its duration. Anchored by Huang Bo's committed turn as a desperate father searching for his missing daughter, the film is quite successful in creating a chaotic atmosphere that swallows it whole, for better or worse (but mostly the former). In that light, it often reminded me of The World of Kanako.

So, the positives first; the performances are uniformly good, the pacing just about as relentless as it gets, the chase scenes as expertly filmed as anything in modern Chinese thrillers. And the story is quite an emotional rollercoaster too; despite the film's structural deficiencies, it still manages to hit the required story beats. The most impressive sequence here marries both cathartic emotions and visceral action, coinciding a freeway chase with an incoming storm, complete with a huge tornado and fish that rain from the sky.

However, parts of this film fail to completely satisfy, for example its barely coherent storytelling that is partly masked by enthusiastic filmmaking, but reveals its weaknesses upon later reflection. Some events happen almost randomly, characters disappear without further explanation and/or circumstances regarding their fates remain unclear. I've encountered these problems in other Chinese thrillers too, so it's not like I was too surprised by their appearance. Transitions between some scenes are abrupt and editing sometimes feels off; altogether more proof this film needed some more time in post-production.

That being said, Across the Furious Sea is one of China's more successful genre efforts in the last few years; both commercially and creatively. Cao Baoping isn't new to crime thrillers, so this will serve just fine to further boost his profile. Genre enthusiasts would do well to check this one out, provided they keep their expectations realistic.