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Reviews
Kill by Inches (1999)
Eraserhead meets Pi
Even though this film is in color, I couldn't help but notice the darkly subtle touches which reminded me of early David Lynch (Right down to the main character Thomas being Henry'esque from Eraserhead) and Darren Aronofsky's "?". Tension, paranoia, and overall uneasiness shape this movie from beginning to end. The soundtrack is also highly effective in conveying Thomas' descent into measuring madness. I recommend this if my description seems interesting to you.
Irréversible (2002)
Try watching this without subtitles!
The DVD I purchased unfortunately had no English subtitles so I was stuck trying to interpret the annoying flip floping camera work in the gay club (which was effective but extremely overdone) and the rapid fire dialog in a language I do not understand. I knew the basic premise of this film in advance and some if not most of what is witnessed is self explanatory.... and admittedly gruesome to watch.
Much has already been said about the extended rape scene and the skull bashing scene in the gay club so there's no point in me adding to that... and anyone who reads the 200+ reviews prior to mine is not going to discover any spoilers not already leaked... but like so many other things... we all have to see them for ourselves....
Regarding the so called 'titilation factor' others have suggested about what valid purpose the 10 minute rape scene could have... I just don't see it... I felt nothing but rage and pity for what the character was experiencing.. and only after watching the fire- extinguisher scene again did I realize she was not avenged. The film definitely dredges up similar feelings as "I spit on your grave" due to the subject matter... and obviously it borrows the backwards time line concept from other films like Following and Memento but so what???? Not all original ideas are good and not all 'borrowed' ideas are bad.... I for one appreciated what I was seeing for the power it portrayed and that was enhanced due to not knowing what precisely they boyfriend and his friend were saying/yelling throughout the search of 'the rectum'. It was obvious they were looking for the rapist.... what wasn't obvious to me is how they tracked him to the club? (would someone who say this with English S/T please explain how these two outraged civilians could solve a crime while the police were still conducting investigations back at the crime scene? Did the 'tape worm' tell his victim his name before she passed out??? Somehow I doubt he said "tell the police this was the work of 'the tape worm'...."
In closing... The crazy camera work, red lights... maddening sound effects and lack of subtitles in a language I knew added to the surreal, helplessness I felt while watching it... It definately made me feel a sense of unease.. and that is effective film making.
Ôdishon (1999)
"Kitty, kitty, kitty"
Ok, not totally original heading but who doesn't know what that phrase invokes after seeing this masterpiece? Audition was the first Miike film I saw and probably stands the test of time more than some of his other works. What can be said about this that hasn't been yet a hundred times? It IS slow starting at first... and the unusual humor elements during the audition itself seem VERY out of place in the eyes of most Westerners.. and for all I know Far Easterners was well.. (I found myself wondering if it was a comedy, a drama, or some new genre unknown to me) but in the last 30 get wrenching minutes the whole thing comes together.
After the first hour I began to think that the obvious homicidal tendencies the lead actress appears to have (based on the box cover) ... are some sort of deceptive marketing gimic.... or possibly from some hallicunatory episode in the film... and we'd ALL like to believe that.... but 'taint' so I'm afraid. This innocent looking young lady obviously had the kind of childhood that the darkest nightmares are made of and she seems intent on making the protagonist pay... I'm surprised she didn't slip that garrote wire around his testicles... Of course every man watching across the world would have passed out then.. haha...
Watch this movie.
Nekeddo burâddo: Megyaku (1996)
Interesting idea... but farfetched - spoilers.
Certain parts of this movie seemed amateurish and silly (The windex-esque 'my son' elixir, as well as his "Doogie Hauser like diary entries and his very adult sex scene toward the end... previously we were led to believe he was a precocious, bicycle riding teenager until he demonstrates the 'lotus' from the Kama Sutra! haha) ) while other aspects seemed surprisingly believable and well done. (the F/X and some of the dialog)
The premise of someone trying to invent a better painkiller to reverse discomfort is certainly realistic, and it's also quite true that pain and pleasure are closely linked in the brain as evident by masochists. I have no idea how they achieved some of the 'goretastic' effects in this film but I am impressed, especially with the eyeball scene. How the hell did they do that? It looks totally real. (Maybe the girl has an artificial eye??? LOL
I really liked the surreal elements toward the end (Climbing into the wound) although I confess I'm not sure what transpired in some cases. (The end.. what was that all about?) Ultimately I wanted to get across that the incredible gore and self mutilation in this film are not it's only 'positive' merits. (Although I doubt many people wouldn't cringe during some of the mutilation scenes....
There almost seems to be a cautionary tale being told here.... (and that being possibly: "Boy geniuses have no business squirting windex looking wonder drugs into his mother's medical experiments, even if he is convinced he has cured pain forever.)
Karisuma (1999)
Like most people... I'm not clear about this one...
I started watching this film without knowing much about it... and after the final frame.. I can honestly say I still do not know much about it. I've read some of the other comments about this movie from other viewers and each made some interesting comments and observations.
There were surreal elements as well as a very peculiar (and original) premise for a plotline but there's no need for me to re-summarize what's already been said. The pace was too slow IMO and several times I thought it was about to end when another 5 or 10 minutes were tacked on. There were a few shocks and surprises along the way but the sheer length of the movie and it's ambiguous ending renders it hard for me to recommend.
As someone else stated, it does make you think and that is probably what all good films hope to achieve. One would just hope for a clearer thoughtscape to ponder on.
One Dark Night (1982)
Guilty Pleasure...
Unlike the other movie with the occasional alternate title "Mauseoleum"; this one has a few great things going for it IMO. The effects were much better... the amateurish dialog writen to justify teenagers hanging out in the place was kept to a bare minimum (Thankfully) and the atmosphere was dark and very cool. I even like the concept and fee of the film. It is fairly original as far as you can say any horror movie is. Some other readers seemed confused about the "zombies" not moving their feet. They were not zombies at all!!!... The audio tape that 'Ramar's' daughter listens to explains that he used to like to 'move' a dead animal to scare the other still living animals in their cage to freak them out. His draining people of their life force psychically and using the corpses to scare the girls in the mauseoleum was a pretty cool story line and idea. I'm not suggesting this deserves any awards but the major flaws inherent in almost all horror movies did not render their ugly heads enough to detract me from enjoying this when I saw it years ago.. and a few days ago. It holds up pretty well for a 20 year old flick with a tiny budget and 'Batman's' pseudo dramatic line delivery. Don't expect an academy award winner... but watch it if you can locate it and see if you can get past it's flaws... I think you'll find a diamond in the rough.