Ishii elevates the staging of the truth of the phallus with many moments of refined interactional absurdity and a finale that, in an inimitable fashion, exposes lack and castration.
Category: Crime
Wolves, Pigs and Men (1964)
Fukasaku and Junya Sato’s decision to go beyond Nikkatsu’s Borderless Action and Toei’s nostalgic Ninkyo fantasies to critique the capitalistic current within the post-war societal field and its perverting effects on interpersonal bonds gave birth to a shockingly beautiful experience that is as relevant today as it was in the sixties.
Blazing Fists (2025) review
Miike delivers a drama of hope, a narrative that shows, in a satisfying manner, that a subject can materialize himelf within in the ring and by punching and kicking the demeaning discourses concerning criminality within the Japanese Other into shreds.
Cloud (2024) review
Kurosawa delivers a biting critique of way capitalism and consumerism has transformed our subjectivity and the way we interact with others.
Baka’s identity (2025) review [Japannual 2025]
Koto Nagata offers the spectator a saddening but entertaining portrait of what the Japanese Other does not want anyone to see: the unsavoury marriage between crime and capitalism
A Bad Summer (2025) review [Japannual 2025]
Hideo Jojo offers a compelling exploration of poverty within the Japanese societal field as well as the the structural possibility of exploiting the welfare system for one’s own gain.
Ghost Killer (2025) review [Japannual 2025]
Sonomura’s narrative does little to re-invent the genre, but delivers everything one’s desires in such narratives in spades – a crowd-pleaser, indeed.
Abashiri Prison – Saga of Homesickness (1965)
An engaging narrative that illustrates how the image of the father can be a prison for the subject.
I Am Kirishima (2025) review [OAFF 2025]
A timely narrative that highlights the inert quality of a societal field structured by capitalism and right-wing nationalism.
Hell Dogs (2022) review
For the hardened fan of the genre, Harada’s newly bottled old wine will be a frustrating experience that delivers nothing more than a sprinkle of excitement.
Another Abashiri Prison Story (1965)
An enjoyable thriller – a straight-forward yakuza flick with many pleasant moments, but not the sequel the first narrative deserved.
City Hunter (2024) review
A fun but very forgettable experience.
Short Movie Time: Hail Mary (2023) review [Japan Cuts 2024]
Nakamura succeeds in making the spectator care for Maria and impact him/her emotionally with her tragedy.
Violence Action (2022) review
A mildly entertaining action-comedy that ultimately fails to fully satisfy the spectator.
Guard from Underground (1992)
Kurosawa’s early slasher is a successful stylistic experiment that anyone who calls himself a fan of Japanese horror should see.