Oudai Kojima proves, once again, that the yakuza genre is not dead and that, given the current societal constellation and the various currents within, engaging crime narratives can still be made.
Category: Yakuza eiga
Bad City (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Sonamura delivers everything one expects from an action-thriller.
Pale Flower (1964) review
“A ‘seductive’ nihilistic masterpiece that explores the unescapable subjective problems created by the rhythmic capitalistic machinery.”
Eleven Greed (2022) [JFFH 2022]
Despite its obvious low-budget nature, Soejima delivers a highly entertaining and engaging action-thriller.
The Family (2021) review
“A highly original yakuza narrative that beautifully touches upon the importance that the (idealized) figure of the father can have for a subject’s lifepath.”
First Love (2019) Review
“Takashi Miike’s latest beautifully underlines that the only kind of violence worthy of humanity is a violence born out of love.”
Like A Dragon (2007) review
“A clear case of a film translation gone wrong. People are, in fact, far better off playing the game.”
Melancholic (2018) review [Camera Japan Festival 2019]
“Tanaka has succeeded in crafting a truly entertaining statement against oppressive control and the importance of finding, on one’s own subjective account, moments of happiness.”
Blood of Wolves (2018) Review
“One of the best and most entertaining Yakuza/police thrillers in years.”
Blind Woman’s Curse (1970) review
“Pleasure (…) is to be extracted from the visuals (…) so beautifully framed by the cinematography, and from the way Meiko Kaji with her mesmerizing performance synthesizes the narrative’s mix of genres.”
Outrage Beyond (2012) review
“A tense (…) voyeuristic trip through the private spaces of the gokudōsha that unfortunately is not able to underline the futility of violence in the same palpable way as its predecessor.”
Deadly Fight in Hiroshima (1973) Review
“[This] faithful account of the post-war Japanese underworld is downright fabulous to behold, [and the] lack of humanity [that underpins the narrative] (…) a serene but (…) depressing confrontation with the deregulating nature of man’s enjoyment beyond any heroism whatsoever.”
Battles without honour and humanity (1973)
“[Battles proves to be] one of the most gripping and enthralling yakuza narratives ever made [and lets the spectator] enjoy the struggles [beyond any kind of heriosm] of the warring yakuza families of post-war Hiroshima” Introduction If one hears or reads the name of Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二, 1930–2003), one irresistibly associates it with yakuza eiga –…
Ryuji (1983) [review]
“An artful narrative that brings the problematic given of (assuming) one’s ego in the Other, the imaginary-symbolic discourse structuring reality, to the fore.”
psycho-cinematography 