goldenhairedone Reviews

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973)

A new direction

[6/10 · 29 May 2005]

The first three "Female Convict Scorpion" movies, which are the only ones directed by Shunya Ito, are part of the same series but are entirely different entities structurally. The first one is a fairly straight-forward 'women in prison' flick, the second is a piece of great avant-garde film-making, and the third is a slow paced character study. In fact, for most of the movie it is pure Japanese drama, especially the first half, and most viewers would be hard pressed to pigeonhole the movie with just calling it an exploitation film.

Not to say it is completely separate from the other two. Matsu is still her usual quiet self, albeit with a few more lines than normal, and the men are still complete scumbags. She's still running from the cops and using any pointy object she can get her hands on, but she is also keeping a steady job sewing, which is a strange sight to see for any fan of Matsu's previous exploits. She soon finds herself in a situation defending herself and two prostitutes against a local gangs, and violence obviously ensues.

So is it actually any good? For most part, yes, yes it is. The pacing is definitely slower but works well with its new rhythm. It just that it really does not go anywhere with all its character development that fills the first half, and the carnage that ensues does not the fun spirit of its predecessors. Its still a very colorful and stylish film, with some really memorable scenes, but it leaves you wondering why such an otherwise energetic trilogy had to end on a period, and not the exclamation point that its avid fans had all been expecting.

6/10

Vulgar (2000)

a "pleasant" surprise

[6/10 · 26 January 2005]

When I first saw the box of Vulgar at Blockbuster, I thought of it as just lowest common denominator B-flick. And as if "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" wasn't enough, we now have yet another killer clown movie. What I found out was that it had two big differences. For one thing: they were not from outer space. The other being that the movie that the character of Vulgar inhabits is actually a pretty good one.

The story involves a clown(played by Brian O'Halloran of "Clerks" fame) who lives a fairly happy life. You see his everyday life and his trials and tribulations. No surprises yet. Fast forward about 30 minutes and you'll find that he gets a mysterious birthday party request, which he unfortunately goes to. It is here that he is brutally raped. The filmmakers go just far enough to make the scene shocking, but they tastefully do not go overboard. It is from here that he deals with it the best he can, which of course culminates in him taking revenge on his violators. Sort of like a "I spit on your Grave" with clowns.

This is an ultra low-budget feature though, so it comes with the necessities such as poor shots, lousy production values, and some atrocious acting(with O'Halloran being the notable exception). It is a fun movie though, assuming you can look past the rape scene. And with Kevin Smith producing it (as well as a cameo!), it really does not matter what I say. Even if the film was just nonstop clown sodomy, it probably could not turn the average Askew fan away from it.

Death Wish (1974)

A hard to resist revenge flick

[7/10 · 26 January 2005]

Although being known for practically starting the vigilante genre, "Death Wish" is not the daring masterpiece one would expect from a "first" in cinema. But it is a entertaining little picture, predictable but entertaining, poorly acted yet impassioned, and with a clever use of a society that was already becoming obsessed with serial killers, ideas that would later be used to full effect in films such "Natural Born Killers" and "Man Bites Dog". Unfortunately, in this movie it's more of just a plot device to have a happier ending.

Which is probably just what this movie needed. Even in the optimistic early scenes of Paul(Charles Bronson) together with his wife Joanna(Hope Lange) have a very dry and lifeless feel to them. This of course goes from bad to worse when she is brutally killed by three random hooligans. Their daughter survives but is raped in the process and becomes a vegetable for the rest of the movie.

Surprisingly, Bronson does not immediately grab the closest gun in sight. He just kind of shuffles around mourning over his family. Filmmakers would basically get rid of this type of scene in all subsequent films of this genre, including the "Death Wish" sequels. Probably for the best though, as they become dead weight in a genre not known for it's emotional side. Afterwards though, is when the real movie begins. And not to spoil anything, but he kills a lot of people. All the while the media eats it up, causing many New Yorkers to proclaim him a present day hero.

If it weren't for these last 30 minutes, this film would not receive it's present score. Instead its a soulless B-movie, but with a healthy amount of action and Bronson at top form. For better or worse, this is truly one of the best of it's kind.

Fritz the Cat (1972)

Like it's main character, crass but very smart

[7/10 · 22 January 2005]

From what I had heard of this film and the other user comments posted, I was expecting a simple little shock cartoon. What I got was good kick in the pants. And I mean that in a good way. "Fritz the Cat" in many ways exposes the 1960's more than the live action films of its own decade.

The movie starts with 3 construction workers talking on top of an unfinished building. The dialogue is very spontaneous and almost seems ad-libbed. These types of conversations are sprinkled throughout the 80 minute film.

It then transitions to Fritz the cat, a college student who, like many of that era I'm sure, is not sure what it's all for. He decides to "do something real" and ventures into Harlem. From here he meets a wide assortment of people, incites a riot, and has sex with many a woman. It may not always have a point, but the movie has one fun segment after another with little breathing room. Sometimes unnecessarily shocking, sometimes surprisingly inspired, but always quick on its feet.

So please give it a chance. It's a lot more than the notorious cartoon porn it's been labeled as. It's a fun romp through the deprived New York of the 60's, except this time with cartoon characters! What's not to like?

7/10

Shiri (1999)

your average clunky action movie

[6/10 · 17 December 2004]

Having such a resounding success in its homeland of Korea, one would think they have a guaranteed pleaser in their hands. Think again.

Swiri is an American action movie wrapped in a nice little Korean package. It has action scenes which are compared to some of John Woo's work, but there are really no comparisons to be made. There is not a single memorable shoot-out and things like 'common sense' and 'style' were obviously out to lunch during the shooting of those scenes.

The plot involves a stolen weapon and a hero who has a mysterious history with a villain. Yes, the writers obviously stayed up all night working up that idea. The characters are dry and but not without a heart. The main protagonist's relationship with his girlfriend is actually kind of endearing and is fairly well developed. It is the Asian melodrama like this that keeps the movie afloat without being too obtrusive to the film's pace. The acting could of been better though, not to say this is acting type film. Even Min-sik Choi, who would later show his brilliant acting skills in "Failan" and "Oldboy", is a complete bore as Park, the main villain that thinks he can unite Korea with a new experimental bomb.

I am being a bit harsher than the film deserves though. It moves at a brisk (very American) pace, and you'll rarely lose interest. The plot twists are conventional but are brimming with so much emotion and sincerity that they feel like something unique. And if this movie can draw more attention to Korean cinema, I am 100% behind it.

6/10

Rainy Dog (1997)

Atmospheric noir lacking in the creativity department

[6/10 · 5 December 2004]

Being a mild fan of Takashi Miike, I was excited to find this noir-like Yakuza film. In many ways I got what I expected, which was the problem. Sho Aikawa, from the Miike's DOA trilogy, plays the cold blooded hit-man with, of course, very little to say. He lives in Tapai, a place which is run by gangs and, assuming from this movie, has rain coming down all the time. We meet the main protagonist as he discovers that he has a son, who refuses to even talk at all, and our loner assassin is forced to take care of the child. He later befriends a prostitute who wants to get out of this rainy hell, who, along with the child, becomes an agitator for change in the hit-man's tired lifestyle.

Interspersed through the film are a considerable amount of violent scenes but they are done in a classy manner, with very little Miike excess. This is very befitting of this movie's subdued style. Unfortunately, with the exception of a few notable scenes, this film goes in all the directions that one would expect from yet another movie about a quiet hit-man on the road of redemption. But if you can look past the absence of originality, you'll find a moody Takashi Miike film with very little compromise.

6/10

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

An Emotionally uninvolved beauty

[2 December 2004]

Zhang Yimou, for better or worse, has made another wuxia film. His sophomore effort at the genre is surprisingly lacking compared to his first kung fu movie, the almost perfectly executed "Hero". Thinking that what audiences need is better cgi and even more fighting, he goes about making "House of Flying Daggers". I'm just wishing that he threw a good script into that equation. Not to say that it's horrible, but it's just that there is nothing complex going on underneath the surface, unlike it's predecessor.

Fortunately Zhang Ziyi would not understand it anyway. Once the lovely Zhang's extremely good looks and those high kicks of hers wear off, i doubt we'll see much more of her. Despite the role of a blind girl sounding like it requires something more than just staring blankly all the time, Zhang unwittingly proves us wrong. As for the male leads, Kaneshiro is serviceable while Lau is completely wasted. They do earn their large salaries with the dramatic end fight, which is amazing with a truly epic feel. It was scenes like that which made me completely forget any frustrations I had with the script and acting, and just bask in Yimou's eye candy. Is it enough for a kung fu movie to just be completely beautiful and have great fight scenes? Yes, yes it is. So sue me, I'm vain.

7/10

Rocky (1976)

A True Underdog Story

[10/10 · 5 July 2004]

Written in 3 days and on a shoe string budget yet going on to win best picture, 'Rocky' was not just presenting an underdog story, it in fact was one. Telling the tale of a boxer with no direction who through mere luck gets a chance to face the reigning champ, Sylvester Stallone writes a powerful, if not a tad simplistic, story that went on to inspire millions.

Almost as surprising as the finale of the film is the fact that this film was of such high quality. The director, John G. Avildsen, was a competent film maker if nothing less. Although 'Rocky' was well directed, even winning Avildsen the Oscar, it became the one shining star in Avildsen's long career(and no, I do not count 'Karate Kid' nor 'Rocky 5').

What made this film stand out was the the unique and very personal performances of its main characters. Burt Young got an Oscar nod for his wonderful performance as Paulie, Rocky's alcoholic yet very lovable buddy. Talia Shire, also receiving an Oscar nod, plays Paulie's overly shy sister who is behind some of the worst glasses I have ever laid my eyes on.

Although she is a seemingly two dimensional character when she makes her first appearance, it soon becomes apparent that she has many dimensions to her character, most of which is revealed during her date with Rocky, who has had feelings for her for what seems to be a very substantial part of their lives.

But it is the titular character of Rocky who truly pushes this film up to greatness. Everything from his affectionately dopey stare to his wonderful pronunciation of words like "yo" and "Adrian!".

Even after the twentieth viewing, 'Rocky' and it's main character never fail to grab you by the heart and brighten up your day, and maybe even your whole way of living.

10 / 10

--Rob