Gunslinger Girl Dvd Review

Gunslinger Girl follows the young assassins of the Social Welfare Agency. They are part machine, part adolescent girl, but their emotions(for the most part) are typical for girls their age. The main focus is on Henrietta, a young assassin in love with her trainer and partner.
There is an amazing amount of Character developement in this Anime. You truly start to feel this are living, breathing people rather than animated cartoons. The storylines are done exceptionally well with the focus being on their emotions more than gunplay. There's not much violence(which surprised me). Most of the tension is drawn from emotional situations.
This dvd set is the entire first season(the second season to be released in 2009).


The only complaint I have is that I wish it had longer story lines. Most of the episodes are self contained. I would love to join them on an extended adventure that would last an entire season.
Still, that is only a minor complaint.
At the end of this dvd, the storyline had been brought to a point in which there was a strong sense of dread hovering over all the characters. Thank God there will be a second season.
I give this an 8 out of 10.
Rent Gunslinger Girl today on netflix!

Female Yakuza Tale Dvd Review

Only a few weeks ago, I reviewed "Sex and Fury" and didn't give it a great review. I didn't really care for it....so when I slid the dvd "Female Yakuza Tale" into my dvd player, I didn't expect much.
I could not have been more wrong.
WOW.
"Sex and Fury" boasted about inspiring Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" but I didn't see that connection. In "Female Yakuza Tale", the connections are obvious. The musical style was similar, the scenes were very, very stylized and some of the set pieces could have even been used in "Kill Bill".
This movie is a MUST SEE. It is sooo much better than "Sex and Fury". I think the main difference is the directing and writing, which were done by Teruo Ishii.
Reiko Ike's character was much tougher and smarter in this sequel, not to mention more beautiful somehow. It basically starts with her getting framed. From that point she tries to find out who framed her and why, and plans her revenge. It kept my interest from start to finish, and was filled with unexpected surprises. There's a lot more blood, sex, and nudity in this film...and the ending is both ridiculous and spectacular. I loved the ending to this film!
I strongly suggest this dvd.
The production value of the film isn't perfect, but it's so much fun to watch, you don't care.
I give this film 9 out of 10!
Rent it today on netflix!

Sky High

Sky High is a supernatural action film by director Ryuhei Kitamara(Versus, Azumi). When Detective Kanzakit Kohei's(Shosuke Tanihara) fiance, Mina, is murdered moments before there wedding, he becomes obsessed with finding the killer and unleashing vengeance upon him. Meanwhile, Mina is at the Gate of Rage, given the choice of being reborn, becoming a ghost, or cursing someone and condemning herself to hell. She is given 12 days to decide.
While watching this film, I was very taken with the concept, the idea of Mina having to face these difficult choices while following her boyfriend as he descends deeper into rage. The main problem with this film is that it eventually becomes too self-righteous and destroys the impact of the plot. Great concern is taken for souls of the main characters, but not for the supporting characters. Also, the non-violence theme ends up being ridiculous, especially when the entire world ends up being threatened. As I was growing up, I always loved heroes that faced difficult situations and had to do what no one else had the courage to do. None of the main characters in this film felt like a hero...and in the end the whole thing just ended up feeling contrived and undeveloped. I would have appreciated a deeper exploration of the themes used in this film, but instead I'm given a bubble gum wrap-up.

Most fantasy films have unrealistic elements to them, however, they somehow succeed in making us believe them, or at least suspending belief. This film fails at achieving this. When a character does something impossible it is so blatant and ludicrous that it destroys all of our willingness to suspend belief. The director of this film did a much better job on Azumi, which I strongly suggest over this broken-yet-fluffy idealistic film. I give it 3 out of 10.
Rent this OR AZUMI on Netflix!

Ergo Proxy

"You can't escape from what you know."

I wouldn't really consider myself a huge fan of Anime. At least, I wasn't until I ran across "Ergo Proxy", which brought me to an astounding realization. Anime isn't at all the cheesy cartoons I thought they were.
"Ergo Proxy" is a science fiction Anime that combines 2D digital cell animation, 3D computer modeling and digital special effects. Directed by Shuko Murase, Ergo Proxy follows the story of Re-L Mayer(an investigator/law enforcer) and Vincent Law(an immigrant hoping to become a "fellow citizen") as they try to find out the truth behind the "Proxies"(Mysterious beings that have begun to murder citizens of the dome city Romdo).

Ergo Proxy feels heavily inspired by Blade Runner, and it's dark contemplative atmosphere carries you deep into the psyche of Vincent Law as he struggles to learn the truth behind his fractured memories.
I found Ergo Proxy to be addicting as I watched it, each episode propelling me into the next. I found it easy to be fascinated by its numerous characters and complex plot. If you're not a heavy thinker, and don't enjoy thinking about what you're viewing this may not be the Anime for you. It requires contemplation, and that's one of the very reasons I grew to love this series.

"Is Pino really Pino?"

The Art, drawing, and digital effects of this anime create such a luminous, lonely landscape for most of the series and really extend to you the sense of isolation and confusion felt by the characters. Not since "Spirited Away" have I been this touched by the combination of music and art. I loved the musical score and especially love the opening sequence featuring the song "Kiri" by Monoral(It doesn't show up until the beginning of the third episode). It is by far the best opening of any series(including live television series) I've seen in years.

I wish I could follow these characters in their journey. Like "Honey and Clover" it left me wanting more. Much more.

Unlike most foreign films, I recommend using the english soundtrack option on this Anime so you can enjoy the art more easily. I give this series a 09 out of 10!

Rent this series Today on Netflix!!!!

Re-cycle

"Re-cycle" is the Pang brothers(The Eye movies series) new fantasy morale tale about a young writer who gets sucked into another dimension. The effects are fantastic on blue-ray, but besides that, I can't say anything good about this movie. There were moments when I thought the visuals were so amazing, it's such a shame that the story was horrible. Everything that takes place in the "other" world feels like nothing more than the pang brothers trying to hit us over the head with their moral point of view. To me it lacked depth, and felt contrived. The end was also one of the biggest dissapointments I've had so far this year. I found myself thinking "man, they could have done so much better with this idea!". I feel like they completely dropped the ball when it came to the writing. I can only give this movie 4 out of 10, and it's only getting that much because of the few moments the visuals really gripped me. If you're going to see this movie, see it as a moving painting only, expect little from the plot-line and you'll go away happy.

Rent it with netflix!

Lethal Angels

Lethal Angels is an erotic thriller/action flick directed by Wai-Man Chen. It stars Tien Hsin(Woman Soup, The Duel) as a very attractive woman who joins a team of female assasins. She begins to question the groups motives when she is given a very difficult new assignment. I was really drawn into the story of this film, and enjoyed all the choreography of the action sequences. The characters are well written and likable...I did feel I was able to connect and sympathize with their plight. I enjoyed the cinematography and style of the director as well. I definitley suggest this film. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

Available on Netflix!

Sex and Fury

Sex and Fury is an Asian Cinema "cult classic". It's part of "The Pinky Violence DVD Collection"
and stars Legendary actress Reiko Ike and Christina Lindberg(Most famous for playing "One Eye" in the fantastic film "Thriller: A Cruel Picture".
Reiko Ike plays a woman determined to get revenge on those who killed her father.
I popped this Dvd in the player, with child-like giddiness...expecting something that would absolutely thrill me, especially since it's been stated as being on of the movies that helped inspire Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill". I was a bit dissapointed, however. My main complaint comes in the sword play, which, except for the one exception where a character fights naked, falls flat on every other level. The choreography was unbelievable and uninteresting, and the plot let me down completely. I was unhappy how some of the characters were handled including Christina Linberg's character and her love interest. I felt all the actresses talents were a bit wasted...and the cinematography could and should have been brilliant, but also seemed to lack inspiration, as if the director Norifumi Suzuki was worried more about a pressing schedule than giving the film any true substance.
It's worth seeing, if only to see Christina Lindberg in another film. It's a shame it wasn't worthy of her, or Reiko Ike.

Available on Netflix!