Amazon.com

On his evening commute, bored accountant Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho) always looks for the beautiful woman who gazes wistfully out the window of the Kishikawa School of Dancing. One night he gets off the train, walks into the studio, and signs up for a class. Soon Sugiyama is so engrossed in his dancing he practices his steps on the train platform and under his desk, and becomes good enough for competition, compelling his wife to hire a private investigator to find out why he stays out late and returns home smelling of perfume. Among the colorful characters Sugiyama meets is his coworker Aoki (Naoto Takenaka), who transforms himself from geeky systems analyst to hilariously flamboyant (and bad-wigged) lounge lizard. Aoki explains to Sugiyama, "When I finish work, put on the clothes, the wig and become Donny Burns, Latin world champion, and I start to move to the rhythm, I'm so happy, so completely free." Here lies the chief charm of Shall We Dance, the contrast between the ultracompetitive women of the studio--including the one who caught Sugiyama's eye, Mai (Tamiyo Kusakari)--and the men who dance simply because they enjoy it. This 1996 film is somewhat comparable to the flamboyant Aussie favorite Strictly Ballroom, but Shall We Dance is especially noteworthy for contrasting the boldness of social dance with the buttoned-up societal mores of Japan, where people avoid public displays of emotion. Even in Japan, the joy of dance is irresistible. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Save the Last Dance For Me
A clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons. Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons should be of a clandestine nature. The consensus in the movie is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or is it "just a reason to hold a woman in your arms."

The story focuses on Mr. Shugyima, a workacholic who spots an attractive woman through a window. Burdened with a mortgage and life's pressures, he seeks dance lessons to get closer.

Another character, a balding, quirky, looney Japanese/Latino, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. The funny contortionist facial movements work equally with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! A dance partner offends him when she refuses to dance with him as he dances "creepy."

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz.

"Shall We Dansu?"-great story and cast!
This has to be the best Japanese movie I've ever seen and my all time favorite! It's the story of a 40 something year-old salaryman who, after seemingly attaining all his goals in life, a wife and child, a company position with a bright future and a new house, begins to ponder if there's more to life than just the "9 to 5" grind and mortgage payments. During his train rides home from work, he notices a beautiful young woman standing in front of the window of a dance school. What happens after that might seem obvious, but me believe it's not...Even if you don't understand one word of Japanese, the subtitled version, like the touching story are so well written, that you'll want to watch it over and over again. I hope the rumors of this movie coming out in U.S. theatres are true because it's sure to be a hit, until then i'll be waiting for this one on DVD! Aoki-san Gambatte!

to dance is to be free!!!!
This is the tale of Sugiyama, a Japanese "salaryman" who, in the tradition of modern-day Japan, essentially lives to work depsite the boredom and neglect of his family. On his morning commute aboard the train, he sees a beautiful dance instructor in he classroom. He decides to sign up and finds a life outside the office and his family via dancing. His wife hires a detective to find out what he is doing and why he smells like perfume when he gets back.

The great thing about this movie, and what I believe is true for everyone in every nation, is that everyone needs a passion that has absolutely nothing to do with their job or any of the skills required for it. Something to do just for the sake of enjoying yourself. As his coworker and fellow dance fanatic Aoki says, it makes him feel free.

The fact that they have to hide their hobby at work is hilarious. Aoki says their improved posture is a dead giveaway. They are caught ballroom dancing in the men's room so Sugiyama pretends he has just fainted and Aoki happened to catch him.

Humorous with a message, this is a great flick.

Gai-jin rates Shall We Dance as Ichi-ban (number one) Movie
I first saw Shall We Dance? on the big screen and was captivated by its storyline and cast of characters. I felt then, as I do now, that this was a film out of the ordinary. Viewers can relate to the various personalities and their dreams or desires. Because I am an expatriate living in Japan, I enjoyed the glimpse into the daily lives of my neighbors. Ichi-ban movie...a heart-warming story that you won't get tired watching over and over again. It needs to come on DVD a.s.a.p.

Save the Last Dance for me!!
This is a clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The subtitles are very easy to read and clearly defined. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons.

Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons are of a clandestine nature. The consensus here is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or lessons are just a reason to hold a woman in your arms.

The story focus is on Mr. Shugiyama, an overworked middle-aged man with a wife, daughter at home. From his commute, he spots a beautiful woman in a window as she teaches her students dance steps.

His intention is to meet the girl, but she blatantly tells him that she takes this serious and if he is there just to meet her, then he should not take lessons. She adamantly informs him that this is a classroom, not a disco. To "save face", he hangs in there and learns to dance rather than become a failure.

The array of characters:
A balding, quirky, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. While he dances, he gives these funny facial movements that equate with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! He is known to dance "creepy."

An extremely shy and reserved heavy-set man with thick glasses gets his fulfillment learning to dance. He becomes alive once he learns the steps.

Also, an abrasive dance instructor who isn't afraid to spew her insults when needed and she trades verbal jabs with the male customers.

As the movie reaches the climax, a number of dance halls and amateur dance contests are held.

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Shot on location in numerous countries, this ambitious Wim Wendersfantasy takes Sam Neill, Solveig Dommartin, William Hurt, and a ragtag group in pursuit around the world and back again. Though set in 1999 under the shadow of impending disaster as a wobbly nuclear satellite threatens to Chernobyl the planet, the leisurely gait of their worldwide escapades has a distinctly '40s-era decadence. The ultimate object of their quest is a machine that records visual information from one person and reconstructs it in the brains of others--granting the miraculous power of sight to the blind for one thing, but even more mystically, enabling a person's dreams to be recorded. When the film seeks resolutions on the most intimate questions of the human soul which dovetail with the possibility of a destroyed world, the film is hampered by the VHS running time, which subtracts several hours from the laser disc version. But numerous joys, not least among them Jeanne Moreau and Max von Sydow as Hurt's parents, inhabit this thought-provoking film. --Alan E. Rapp ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Where is the DVD?
I have found this movie more difficult to describe than any other I have seen. This isn't because of plot complexity or character development. It's because with Until the End of the World, you are getting what essentially becomes three films. This movie's massive story arc (and mind you, I have only seen the VHS version which is something like two hours shorter than the laser disc) can be broken down into three seperate stories. They are not even acts when you dislocate them from the larger "end of the world" plot. I've never seen such a sprawling narrative work so well in a film. The characters are unpolished and even the good guys are shady. This film violates every modern Hollywood sceenplay rule and does it perfectly. One of the reasons I bought a DVD player was in the hopes that this movie would be released in that format at some point. I've only ever seen the VHS version of this film and have seen that more times than I can count. DVD! DVD! Where's my DVD?

music rights must be the problem...
That has to be the reason this wonderful wonderful film has not been released on DVD. The soundtrack is mesmerizing, haunting, and still one of my favorite albums of all time. But it must be almost impossible to get the rights to use all that music...U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Elvis Costello etc.

As for the film itself, I am in love with it. Sweeping, cinematic, epic, unconventional, dead romantic, chilling. It's a long long film, but I wish it were longer. Even Solveig's stiff acting style grew on me by the middle of the movie, and by the end of it I *was* Clare. This is the LAST VHS TAPE I am still holding onto, since all my other favorites have come out on DVD...and its starting to look a little worn :( PLEEEEASE RELEASE THIS TITLE ON DVD!!!!!!!

This Just In...
It now appears that there's a DVD version of Until the End of the World! Here's the scoop from a fellow named Brent Alverti, dated March 6, 2004:

"The cut features two sets of Italian subtitles (not sure currently what the difference is). There are no English subs (burned-in or not) for the few non-English scenes in the movie. The extras consist of:

* 10 minute monologue (in English) by Wim Wenders as he is driven around in Australia
* 40-minute interview (in English) on the making of the Director's Cut
* 30-minute montage of cut scenes and out-takes
* photo gallery

This is a PAL format DVD, so you will need a multi-format player to view it in non-Europe locales. It likely runs slightly shorter than the film version due to typical PAL transfer speed-up (motion picture film, shot at 24fps, is played back at 25fps to match PAL video standard). Also, no commentary track in included, although initial details suggested there would be one.

I have no definitive word on when the US version might be released. There is a rumor that Anchor Bay is transitioning ownership, and that may impact the US release date which was rumored for mid-2004."

The Travesty Is...
...Wim has yet to release a DVD version of this Wenderfully-sensitive sci-fi film. He's been threatening to press it to disk for years. Still, we are left with just the VHS version. It's a pity that the filmmaker is taking so long on his much-anticipated "director's cut." Wim, drown yourself in coffee and get on the stick, we're waiting!

finally available on dvd
Go to Wim Wenders' official website, there is a link there to an Italian site that sells the full movie as a 4 dvd set. I only mention this because I checked all of the Amazon stores [US/UK/CA/France/Germany/Japan] and I couldn't find it at any of them. Also, Wender's is apparently endorsing it by hyperlinking the Italian website that is selling it. I received mine in about ten days from ordering and it is the real deal; 1 of each of the three chapters to the 4 hr. 40 minute opus is on each of the first three disks and the fourth is all bonus features. I was able to watch it without Italian subtitles, although I have found no English subs for the few parts of the movie that are not in English. The picture is fantastic and it is all-around a deal at any price. Thank you Wim for finally releasing this! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Even a talented director has flaws
When I first saw this movie on TV - and the movie seemed to be heavily cut - I only thougth that Takashi Ishii is really a director with talent and the ability to create something special and unique.
The fighting scences looked sometimes very improvised, but were in fact strongly choreographed and filmed in a stylish way that gave you an intense feeling while watching them.
But there were also scences where I unfortunately didn't get the point. For example: The ex-cop is sitting in a restaurant, his wife and daughter are at the restroom, so he is waiting. Then a cut and suddenly everybody in the restaurant has disappeard - no guests can be seen anymore, no waiters and so on. The wife and the daughter come back and the action begins... and where is the rest? That was definitely a directional flaw.
2. When the man with the glasses comes home he sees his daughter - all fine. He goes in the room of his son, but he can't even see, that his son is lying dead in the bed. His wife has obviously left him, so he is phoning a prostitute and 2 secs later the action begins again. Exscuse me, but that's terribly directed.
3. The two desperates are attacked by the two hitmen, escaping in a restroom, waiting there behind a door made of wood. The hitmen fire through the door, they scream and seconds later, the hitmen are away. That's sheer nonsense in my opinion...
The characters seem to be underdeveloped. What's up with their background story? Nothing can be found... Especially the gigolo. I still don't know what's up with that person.

First and last an interesting movie with some flaws but a great atmosphere, never before seen acts of violence and a very bizarre
ending.

A talented director has flaws too.
When I first saw this movie on TV - and the movie seemed to be heavily cut - I only thougth that Takashi Ishii is really a director with talent and the ability to create something special and unique.
The fighting scences looked sometimes very improvised, but were in fact strongly choreographed and filmed in a stylish way that gave you an intense feeling while watching.
But there were also scences where I didn't get the point. For example: The ex-cop is sitting in a restaurant, his wife and daughter are at the restroom, so he is waiting. Then a cut and suddenly everybody in the restaurant has disappeard - no guests can be seen anymore, no waiters and so on. The wife and the daughter come back and the action begins... and where is the rest? That was definitely a directional flaw.
2. When the man with the glasses comes home he sees his daughter - all fine. He goes in the room of his son, but he can't even see, that his son is lying dead in the bed. His wife has obviously left him, so he is phoning a prostitute and 2 secs later the action begins again. Exscuse me, but that's terribly directed.
3. The two desperates are attacked by the two hitmen, escaping in a restroom, waiting there behind a door made of wood. The hitmen fire through the door, they scream and seconds later, the hitmen are away. That's sheer nonsense in my opinion...
The characters seem to be underdeveloped. What's up with their background story? Nothing can be found... Especially the gigolo. I still don't know what's up with that person.

First and last an interesting movie with some flaws but a great atmosphere, never before seen acts of violence and a very bizarre
ending.

Gonin
An odd and unusual film to say the least... But a good one nonetheless. Some people will likely be turned off by this film due to the violence, and the surreal & gloomy feel which rarely lets up. I happen to like that sort of thing, so it worked out pretty well for me. This film actually reminded me a lot of David Lynch's Mulholland Drive (vise versa actually), with their great film noir like feel. Reading some of the other reviews, I saw that a few people said they were turned off by the 'homoerotic nature' of the film. The movie has a few 'not-so-straight' (Amazon won't let me use the G-word :) characters (including Takeshi, who is excellent!), but it's nothing I would label as 'homoerotic'. I'm as straight as they get and the film didn't bother me any... It's nothing anyone hasn't seen before in Pulp Fiction or The Crying Game. Anyway, Gonin is a great film which I do recommend... Though some of you may want to rent it first :).

This IS REALLY GAY!!
This movie is perfect for all you bisexual guys out there. If you get turned on by homerotic films, this is for you. But me, like most people am not bisexual. I do not recomend this to most people. I bought this crap in chinatown, thinking WOW! A Beat Takeshi movie $5. I am a fan so I had to buy it. Little did I know it turned out to be a little bit too far out for me. My advice don't get it. I have since, given this movie to a bisexual guy next door. Instead get Violent Cop or Fireworks.

Gonin, Japan's "Reservoir Dogs"
Easily in my top 10 list of all time favorite movies. Along the lines of Reservoir Dogs, there is a team of 5 (Gonin translates to "5 People") who steal a grip of money from a yakuza office at gunpoint. Although they get away, the yakuza find out who did it and hire a hitman to try and kill them all, Beat Takeshi.
Beat Takeshi is one of my favorites and have seen most of his movies after the Beats, never seen a Beat yet. He is kind of like Japan's DeNero, and he made this film work. My favorite line out of the movie is where Beat shots a few rounds from his .38 missing his target, and hitting some other people, chases the mark and fires his 6th round again missing, hands the gun to his partner and says "Dame da, kono teppo" (this gun is useless) as if it couldn't be his aim (the subtitle says "It's useless" losing the meaning to think they are just giving up chasing him). Another classic Takeshi scene is where he goes out into the pouring rain to shoot 2 of the 5 wearing just some house slippers and holding an umbrela too small to cover himself. TRIVIA: The patch on Takeshi's eye is real, recieved during an accident causing permanant damage.
There are times when this movie dips a little heavy into the artistry aspect of movie making, and only a few times, so it seems like the director made some mistakes, but he was just trying to cause a certain mood, which he does effectively. This is a very violent movie, and quite disturbing for even hardened action movie watchers, but if you are in the market for a good story and better fimography, this is one to keep. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Superb political thriller
The fact that this is an anime film is quite besides the point; it is an outstanding film in its own right. The movie chronicles a civil crisis in Japan spurred on by a disgruntled former peacekeeper. Due to manipulation, the police and the military square off, threatening democratic rule. History and philosophy are dealt with extremely well.
The characters, principally the portagonist (a wizened police captain named Goto) are well-sketched and sympathetic. You needn't have seen any prior Patlabor to enjoy this movie thoroughly-but pay attention, lest you miss the suberbly intricate plot!

Drag of an anime movie....
This is NOT your typical Cowboy Bebop action anime. Rather it's about political intrigue and dialogue after diagolue that it left like I was watching a radio-show. Absolutely boring. I didn't care much for the animation either or even the characters. The characters look japanese this time, unlike what we're used to. I guess they want to make the story a more realistic trying to deal with mordern day issues.
There's barely any action. I must admit that I couldn't finish the movie because it was way too boring with all the cloak and dagger stuff going on. Likely, I was able to get this from the public library. I would have been upset if I rented this movie. This movie is recommended to hardcore anime fans. Those of you looking for action, humor etc go watch Cowboy Bebop or something like that. Not this movie!!!

Wonderful
The first thing the audience will notice is the beautiful animation. It's realism makes all the difference, which will be obvious for those who are familiar with "Ghost in the Shell". This anime is guided more towards the intellectual fans of anime, however I am sure cinema fans of all genres can enjoy the film. It does move slowly at some points, however this is due to the targeted audience and the director's attempt to make the film relate to real-world situtions. This brings up another point about realism; the film definately has a "not-to-distant future" feeling about it. It is somewhat reminiscent of a Tom Clancy story gone Sci-Fi. I highly recommend this film to any true anime fan.

Zzzzzz....
Perhaps I am just a miserable bugger, but I genuinely am better able to express why I *don't* like something that I am able to say why I *do*.

So, "Patlabor 2." A terrorist act sets in motion a chain of chaotic events which threaten to plunge Tokyo into anarchy. Sound interesting? Certainly does.

Too bad it's not.

"Patlabor 2" is very easy to compare to "Ghost in the Shell," except it's nowhere near as engaging. It suffers from "GitS" biggest flaw - idiotically long streams of overblown, expository dialogue which the viewer must strain to pay attention to, not helped by the fact that for the majority of these sequences, the animation is little more than a static shot, or a dull still pan. It doesn't stop there - you will have to sit through a ridiculously complex plot which could have been a lot simpler and not lost anything, and devastatingly, gut-wrenchingly, soul-destroyingly slow pacing that leaves the viewer genuinely *bored*.

It is fair to say the the Patlabor series and movie are not about mecha action, but the amount of Labor action in this film is so disgustingly low that it hampers it even further - those who tell you there is enough action in it are not being truthful. Given the chaotic nature of the story, one would think action was inevitable, yet it has somehow been worked around in favour of boring the audience to tears.

Additionally, the woefully overdone bird imagery of the film - which has no evident *meaning* - is rammed down the viewer's throat in a clumsily-constructed, unending stream which rapidly becomes intrusive and infuriating.

That all said, "Patlabor 2" has it's heart in the right place - it's a meticulous tale that has been painstakingly crafted, with beautiful, atmospheric animation. The problem is, it has been made without regard for the viewers. It's an overlong film, which pretends to be more than it is, because on closer inspection, it's actually about an hour of plot, stretched out into a shockingly empty two-hour movie.

Hardcore anime fans have a tendecy to praise this movie, and, yes, there are elements that are praiseworthy. The intent, if nothing else, is a great one. But the simple fact is, that the final composition of the praiseworthy elements is, bluntly, not a good movie.

An intellectual masterpiece
Like the first, the Patlabor Police are on the move to solve problems set in the future of Japan. This is full of action and something children should not be allowed to see! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

On the line where reality and fiction converge...
Rampo is a writer who has been censored by the government as his newest novel is deemed inappropriate and harmful for the moral welfare of the people. Rampo's assistant notices an article in a newspaper about an incident strikingly similar to the plot of the banned book, and he shares his knowledge with Rampo. Bewildered and curious Rampo seeks out the woman whose husband has died in the same way as in his novel, and he finds himself falling instantly in love with the woman. This leads to Rampo actively seeking out the woman and eventually expressing his affection for her. This emotional time gives Rampo strength and he begins to write again after his major setback with the government. Rampo begins to write about the woman that he has met, but soon he discovers that his writing turns into reality. In fear and curiosity Rampo continues to write with feverish obsession unknowing where it might lead him.

Mystery of Rampo is a stunningly beautiful film as it depicts its surreal story through magical cinematography. The directors creates an atmosphere full of mystery and suspense that is similar to Edgar Allan Poe's short stories as it is based on a story by Edogawa Rampo who was an avid fan of Poe. In the beginning of the film the camera pans across a library and in the process gives recognition to Poe and Rampo, which lends a certain level of mystery to the story at hand. In the end, the audience is left with an excellent, yet bizarre cinematic episode that brings the viewers to a place where night and day converge.

a disappointment
I decided to watch this film in part because I'm a big fan of Japanese film, in part because it features two of my favorite actors, and in part because of the extremely positive reviews here on amazon. The film started out well with an interesting animation sequence, but as it progressed it turned into a cinematic version of a supermarket trash romance novel, only with a less engaging plot and a "mystery" of very little interest. I love slow-moving stories, but here the story is so thin I found myself dying to hit the fast-forward button to speed things along. The cinematography and effects are "beautiful" only in a cliched, soft-focus, daytime TV kind of way. This soap-opera-esque melodrama is dull and embarrassing. There are so many great Japanese films out there . . . try something else!

the ending
Never, ever... has a subtitle ever made me burst into tears.

for fellow aficionados
I own the VHS-version of this movie as well and pre-ordered the DVD. First, there is no extra/new feature (except for a short theatrical trailer and the widescreen format) in this DVD, which is not a big deal in itself; however, the DVD version of this movie has a couple of significant problems.

(1) There's a problem with the color transfer that practically ruins the role that colors play in the movie. The problem is especially pronounced in those scenes around the Marquis' mansion. Colors change so drastically and erratically from scene to scene that they no longer have any coherent meaning at all.

(2) The DVD has a new translation. On one hand, this could be a good thing for those of us who don't speak Japanese. It's good to have an alternative translation so we can triangulate the original meaning using this and the VHS version's translation. On the other hand, the new translation is very poorly done. For instance, Rampo's monologue near the beginning of the movie was artfully done (as it had to be to anchor the entire movie) in the VHS version, but in the DVD version it is incoherent and incomprehensible.

If you are crazy about this movie, you might still want to buy the DVD just for the alternative translation and the widescreen format. Don't throw away your VHS copy though. You won't want to make this DVD the copy you show to your friends, who won't be able to appreciate the movie as fully as you were able to with the VHS version.

Highly recommended
I am hoping this film will be made in DVD. I have nearly worn out two VHS copies to date. What I really love about this film is how it integrates so many techniques. It is really very good. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Funny Comedy.... your thinking "What is this?"
I'm a serious guy, but they knew where to prod and prized a few laughs out of me. Taking the mick out of anime, I think only a fan would get the whole joke of the bizzare plot, so not recomended for anyone new to anime. Negatives: the bizzare (but funny) plot which still illudes me lol, the humour is sexually orientated so is a 15 for good reason, comedy is slap stick in some places (but I laughed (so sue me)). Positives: Funny, great for groups, can never get board. Overall I am very glad I bought it and it holds a valuble place in my collection (circa 1988) :) though be warned it is crude, for a special taste I think.

Best anime ever
This is the funniest movie I have ever seen. I was hoarse from laughing at the end. However this is not for everyone because much of its humor comes from being really bizarre. It takes anime cliches and exagerates them beyond absurdity. The animation, despite its low quality has a disjointed, exagerated style that fits perfectly.

Ultimate Teacher - Ulimate Looser
I implore you, do not waste your time on this piece of garbage, it isn't even worth buying for the video tape it's on. The plot is horrid, it makes very little sense, and the voice acting is worse. It tries to be funny but tries far too hard, and just comes across as [bad]. There are two cool moments in the whole movie which maybe total two minutes, one of these is a five second or so breast shot, which you can get much better, and longer in many other anime of better quality. I rented it ... and wish I had my money back. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shinya Tsukamoto is most famous for his two Tetsuo films, nightmarish tales of flesh fusing with metal in a hallucinatory metamorphosis that would give David Cronenberg pause. For TokyoFist, he leaves the technological transmutations for a bloody bout with flesh, muscle, and self-mutilation, a domestic melodrama gone schizophrenic and emerging as a cyberpunk boxing picture: Raging Bull meets Eraserhead in an all-out sensual assault. Insurance salesman Tsuda (played by Tsukamoto himself) is a social zombie numbed by his deadening job and in a static relationship with live-in fiancée Hizuru (KahoriFujii), but he is jerked out of his stupor when a former schoolmate turned pro boxer blows into his life. Kojima (the director's real-life brother Kohji Tsukamoto) bullies Tsuda and puts the moves on Hizuru, like a repetition of adecades-old cycle of aggression, but this time Tsuda turns to the boxing club to beat his body into a match for his once and future rival. Tsukamoto's vision of modern Tokyo is an alienated world of disconnected citizens repressing raw emotion under a social veneer of manners and passivity. Uncork the emotions, and faces are pummeled into bloody pulp, boxers broken in the ring, bodies ritually pierced and tattooed... and then it gets weird. The film runs down before the conclusion, but until then it's an unbelievably visceral ride. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Tsukamato fans beware
Being a survivor of both Tetsuo and Tetsuo 2 before watching this film, I felt I was ready for anything Tsukamato could ever think of throwing at his core audience. What I was unprepared for was gore in bucket loads and a plot even hazier than the aforementioned films. Although it seems to be the director's style to have a less than linear plot and even less editing to a movie, Tokyo Fist seems to me as a failed attempt at a boxing movie. Self-mutilation, childhood rivalry, and a self-destructive path covers the visuals of what could possibly be the sickest overseas movie I've seen in a while. The strange thing about this movie is that it had more than it's fair share of potential. With a little storyline twist here, a little less over acting there, and a little more realistic fights on the side would've made this a good buy. Unfortunately, Tsukamato's taste for the bizzare, intense, and sadistic visuals somewhat ruined this movie. So why didn't I just give this a one star instead of two? Simple, any movie that makes you wanna barf 90 percent of the time deserves an extra star for effort. Another demented movie(with no real point) from a really demented director(who seems to have some serious issues to deal with).

Make sure you know who the creator is!
Thinking this was "just" a Japanese movie, I found Tokyo Fist anything but. Its raw unsubtle imagery -- not to mention over-the-top boxing "makeup", made me quite happy that I was watching this on an empty stomach. Yet, despite the human imagery of violence and spiraling downward, the sterility and facelessness of Tokyo itself is quite powerful -- more frightening, since it's the only part of the movie that doesn't seem impossible. The film is primarily shot in alienating, washed out blues, with red the primary visual for contrasting, jarring, color scenes. Sensibility and plot take a firm back seat to evocation and statement. It's kinetic, low-budget, and relentless, yet not at all preachy or pretentious.

Not comparable to Fight Club
I just want to mention that although this movie is extremely good it is compared to Fight Club far too much. Everyone says it's the Japanese Fight Club, but the only similarity is that there happens to be some fighting in both movies. You might as well compare the next Van Damme movie to Fight Club. But if you are a fan of Japanese films you won't be disappointed. It might not be as wicked as The Iron Man or Visitor Q, but it's still really good.

It's not "Tetsuo", but good on its own merits
Truthfully, I'm not sure what the other reviews are complaining about: "Tokyo Fist" is arguably more coherent than "Tetsuo", although it's hardly a finely tuned plot. Nor are the goings-on more extreme than in "Tetsuo." The tattoos and piercings are not "ritual"; in fact, they're pretty direct self-mutilation and alteration. I really don't understand why this is slapped with "Warning: Adult Content" labels, because frankly, the American cinema has seen much worse.
The "Fight Club" paralells people draw are also very misleading; first of all, the plots are nothing alike. This is more similar to "Tetsuo" than anything else. Second, this is in terms of direction simply a better film. It's obvious Tsukamoto sat down and thought hard about how exactly he wanted each shot to be presented, whereas David Fincher tried to assault the senses by NOT thinking. It's not as digestible to American audiences, but them's the breaks.
Tsukamoto's distinct directorial style (there's even a little stop-motion here) is better defined here, especially his use of color. His "video game" style is very much present here, and while it's not for everyone, if you're interested in being challenged, it's probably for you. It's also a good lead-in to "Tetsuo", although the same warning there applies here: if you haven't sampled of David Cronenberg, David Lynch and a few other "perverse" filmmakers, I'd step carefully.

IT AIN'T ROCKY!
Remember Fight Club with Brad Pitt? This is the Japanese version. A little grittier, less witty, and arguably more viceral, it evidently seeks to show what people are like behind the polite facade of everyday life. A small time salesmans' sterile life is interupted by the reunion of an old high school aquaintance who's now a professional boxer. When the boxer puts the moves on the salesmans fiancee, the salesman does an Edward Norton and becomes a pugilist. No doubt the arthouse crowd might like this film, but for those who live in the real world, don't expect a movie on fighting; it's about frustration and loosing control when emotions run amok. While not unwatchable, it's not exactly something you run out and buy afterwards, even if you like really abstract movies. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Superb political thriller
The fact that this is an anime film is quite besides the point; it is an outstanding film in its own right. The movie chronicles a civil crisis in Japan spurred on by a disgruntled former peacekeeper. Due to manipulation, the police and the military square off, threatening democratic rule. History and philosophy are dealt with extremely well.
The characters, principally the portagonist (a wizened police captain named Goto) are well-sketched and sympathetic. You needn't have seen any prior Patlabor to enjoy this movie thoroughly-but pay attention, lest you miss the suberbly intricate plot!

Drag of an anime movie....
This is NOT your typical Cowboy Bebop action anime. Rather it's about political intrigue and dialogue after diagolue that it left like I was watching a radio-show. Absolutely boring. I didn't care much for the animation either or even the characters. The characters look japanese this time, unlike what we're used to. I guess they want to make the story a more realistic trying to deal with mordern day issues.
There's barely any action. I must admit that I couldn't finish the movie because it was way too boring with all the cloak and dagger stuff going on. Likely, I was able to get this from the public library. I would have been upset if I rented this movie. This movie is recommended to hardcore anime fans. Those of you looking for action, humor etc go watch Cowboy Bebop or something like that. Not this movie!!!

Wonderful
The first thing the audience will notice is the beautiful animation. It's realism makes all the difference, which will be obvious for those who are familiar with "Ghost in the Shell". This anime is guided more towards the intellectual fans of anime, however I am sure cinema fans of all genres can enjoy the film. It does move slowly at some points, however this is due to the targeted audience and the director's attempt to make the film relate to real-world situtions. This brings up another point about realism; the film definately has a "not-to-distant future" feeling about it. It is somewhat reminiscent of a Tom Clancy story gone Sci-Fi. I highly recommend this film to any true anime fan.

Zzzzzz....
Perhaps I am just a miserable bugger, but I genuinely am better able to express why I *don't* like something that I am able to say why I *do*.

So, "Patlabor 2." A terrorist act sets in motion a chain of chaotic events which threaten to plunge Tokyo into anarchy. Sound interesting? Certainly does.

Too bad it's not.

"Patlabor 2" is very easy to compare to "Ghost in the Shell," except it's nowhere near as engaging. It suffers from "GitS" biggest flaw - idiotically long streams of overblown, expository dialogue which the viewer must strain to pay attention to, not helped by the fact that for the majority of these sequences, the animation is little more than a static shot, or a dull still pan. It doesn't stop there - you will have to sit through a ridiculously complex plot which could have been a lot simpler and not lost anything, and devastatingly, gut-wrenchingly, soul-destroyingly slow pacing that leaves the viewer genuinely *bored*.

It is fair to say the the Patlabor series and movie are not about mecha action, but the amount of Labor action in this film is so disgustingly low that it hampers it even further - those who tell you there is enough action in it are not being truthful. Given the chaotic nature of the story, one would think action was inevitable, yet it has somehow been worked around in favour of boring the audience to tears.

Additionally, the woefully overdone bird imagery of the film - which has no evident *meaning* - is rammed down the viewer's throat in a clumsily-constructed, unending stream which rapidly becomes intrusive and infuriating.

That all said, "Patlabor 2" has it's heart in the right place - it's a meticulous tale that has been painstakingly crafted, with beautiful, atmospheric animation. The problem is, it has been made without regard for the viewers. It's an overlong film, which pretends to be more than it is, because on closer inspection, it's actually about an hour of plot, stretched out into a shockingly empty two-hour movie.

Hardcore anime fans have a tendecy to praise this movie, and, yes, there are elements that are praiseworthy. The intent, if nothing else, is a great one. But the simple fact is, that the final composition of the praiseworthy elements is, bluntly, not a good movie.

An intellectual masterpiece
Like the first, the Patlabor Police are on the move to solve problems set in the future of Japan. This is full of action and something children should not be allowed to see! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Utterly amazing
I find this movie to be a little disturbing not because of the blood dead bodies etc. I feel very sorry for chihiro (cant remember exact name but its something like that) I feel that and by no was do i mean I would actually do this in real life because I wouldn't but I feel as though she had every right to kill those bastards because they have made her life hell in the past by raping her they then come back and ruin her life all over again!.
But to be quite honest I was dissapointed with the ending of the film it would have been nice to know if she made it to Europe or if she got caught!.
But all in all the film was very good the only japanese films I have seen are the Ring 1 and 2 audition and Freezer (aka Freeze me) but i would say i really liked audition better than freezer but freezer is in 2nd place.
I would reccommend bying this DVD because it is good it concentrates on what really goes on for some people because lets face it people may think films like this are unrealistic but from what i hear these films are quite very near to the truth of what goes on in some households in Japan and maybe even other countries.
Ok I'm blabbering on now but seriously I find this film to be very very good so rent it or buy it personally I wouldn't buy it because i have seen it 3 times already on the sci-fi channel so i really have no need to see it again i think you would be better to rent this item because it isn't a film you can stand to watch over and over again.

Cold maybe, but not freezing....
Plot revolves around this female who was gang raped as a young woman, moved to Toyko and rebuilt her life. Life was good until the men from her past reappear and threaten her future. Her method of dealing with them was drastic to say the least but not too plausible. SPOILER WARNING: freezing the men and thereby keeping them contained in her past, literally and figuratively on one level, yet not on another, because she had to constantly deal with the issue of keeping them frozen, was an interesting premise (she could never keep them in her past despite the freezing and ultimately choose death, maybe?) but it never came close to fulfilling its potential. Film is not worth a second viewing. However, I would be interested in watching subsequent films by this director (Takashi Ishii) before writing him off.

The Ice Queen Cometh
Is this a serious film that makes the viewer think and rouses discussion as the end credits roll? Nah, but it is FUN. You basically know whats going to happen, but watching it all (you guys out there will especially like the shower scenes) is what this is all about. Hey, the best horror movies are the ones that you can watch without feeling like the writer/director is trying to give off some moral platitude about the state of society. Horror movies are made for those of us who get a thrill out of getting scared and seeing other people die (fictionally, that is).

Forget the traditional horror themes . . .
Actually, I would rate this movie at about 3.7, so I rounded up. I did take off a bit for replay value. If you allow yourself to forget about the amount of (or lack of) graphic violence and gore, this movie is unsettling and I was satisfied after watching it. As for the victim, you are made to wonder how she could let things go so far. Where were her support mechanisms? Is this type of incident possible or even probable in Japanese culture, considering its views on women?

I found those questions and others, (how she could have friends, but still feel there was no one to turn to) made this movie entertaining in many ways. If you are looking for a gore-fest, this is not it. If you are looking for a movie that shows the strange quirks of another culture, brutality that is stark and unflinching and an ending that is both open and apocalyptic, you could do a lot worse. I thought the ending was appropriate for this type of movie.

Another reviewer mentioned the main character moving to Europe at the end of the moive. Unless this is something that is shown in another version, or appears in the director's bio, the ending is more open to interpetation. MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD:

It is possible, in the new DVD release that I watched, that she killed herself at the end - however, you do not see it happen. She is standing on her balcony, there is a flash of light and then she is gone.

Freeze Me, Left Me, Balm Me
Watched the Japanese horror flick Freeze Me earlier, and I have to say it was a bit of a let down. It didn't scare me, it didn't inpire me, I was actually bored at times to the pont where I fast forwarded while reading the dialog.

ATTENTION: MAJOR SPOILAGE AHEAD: The story is basically, 1) girl gang raped by three men in little home village during winter. 2) Girl moved to Tokyo and starts new life, falls in love with boy, marriage and happiness on horizon. 3) After years, the three men find her in tokyo, they were all supposed to meet and enjoy her again. They ruin her job, they are the cause of relationship break up. 4) She kills them each, one by one, put bodies in freezers. (must buy new freezers). 5) Old boyfriend comes back, forgives, then he discovers bodies in freezers. 6) Girl kills boyfriend, moves to europe.

This movie lacked everything that Audition did so well... there was no "mood", the girl, even though she was crazy, acted with such rationality as to minimize the fear factor. Death scenes were completely lacking. (she killed one guy by hitting him in the head with a full plastic bottle of water... is that possible???)

The biggest problem, was that there was nothing "off" about the movie. For the "fear factor" to be maximized, you need to make the audience feel uncomfortable with themselves. Repulsed, yet simultaneously intrigued. Here, we knew why she was doing it, we understood why she froze them, we knew that she was going to kill them, there was no suspense, no surprise, no mystery. The only way to make up for lack of suspense is with gratuitous violence and gore, which was also missing.

Let's compare it to another horror film. Silence of the Lambs took a two-tier approach... first of all, there was the killer, this was actually just a well done Nancy Drew mystery, but then they threw in Hannibal. The audience tried to identify with him, however how can you identify with a psychopath psychiatrist who eats human livers with fava beans and a nice Chianti??? It was this internal battle, raging in the viewer, that enhanced the story and brought it up to the level in which it belongs. Freeze me had no internal battle. The home town boys were schmucks, they deserved to die, they were killed... not even in a gratuitous or unusual way. So she had to store them in freezers to keep the stench down and to symbolize the winter when they raped her. It screams "real life story turned made for tv movie."

Th0th ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Off beat, strange at times, but it's worth watching
Miike is known for him graphic violence, strange sense of humor, and shocking imagry, but claymation and musical numbers?!
This is strange movie told from the point of view of the little girl in the family and the story revoles around a the guest that stay(and die) at the quiet little inn they own. In about 4 or 5 different times the movie goes into claymation with live action infused too, it's odd but kind of funny in way. But don't let the claymation scare you the movie is accually toching in a way because it show the struggles of a family to strive and be happy in the world and as in real life it's not a very easy thing to do.
So if your looking for something different and you have an open mind pick up this movie and other Miike films, you may just enjoy them.

This is one crazy Japanese film
With this film, Avant-guarde Japanese director Takashi Miike shows that he still has a sense of humor. The film is a remake of a Korean film called "The Quiet Family" and is about the Katakuri family, the father of which was laid off from his job as a shoe salesman. The family decides to start over by starting a bed and breakfast in the mountains. However, the place seems to be cursed as all of the guests begin to die in bizarre ways, though the Katakuri Family is not at fault. Rather than running the risk of bad press for their business, the family decides to hide the bodies, and in doing so, they rediscover their lust for life. To top off all of the weirdness, there's claymation and the film is a musical as well as the family deals with the stress by singing like no one is listening and dancing like no one is watching! Not even in the nightmares of Tim Burton could he make a film so deliriously weird, funny and entertaining.

The Zombies are doing the Twist--and it goes like ths
Katakuri-ke no kôfuku is an exceedingly inventive and entertaining film that exploits a wide range of film techniques to often stunning effect. For quite a bit of this film, it looks and feeis very much like Peter Greenaway's "Drowning by Numbers". Director Takashi Miike goes way over the top to create an emotionally rich and deeply sentimental portrait of the spirit of love.

Overall, the musical numbers lift this film into a strange and magical realm. Songs about rotting corpses and romantic longing are perfectly compatible. The film exists in a perpetual dreamlike state that is quite intoxicating. The whole film is romantic--from the longing to run a mountain guesthouse as a family to Shizue's longing for love in the guise of a conman (Kiyoshiro Imawano).

I must admit to spending quite a bit of the film swooning over the heavenly Naomi Nishida, who plays the lovelorn Shizue. She's exquisite--sort of a cross between a young Mia Farrow and Delphine Seyrig. The rest of the cast is quite good as well. Although this isn't a film made by the acting, necessarily, the performances are all expertly utilized and fit into the film's overall structure.

It really is an insane romp in this film. Bodies pile up and they must be disposed. This film alternates between being scary, gross, hilarious, heartwarming, goofy, philosophical, demented, sick, melodramatic, effervescent, ribald, and crude. The songs are lovely and the sentiments are tender and sweet. This is a family that is seeting with potentially devestating chaos just under the surface. Instead of celebrating the dysfunctional aspects, this film focuses on the commonalities that serve as inspiration for the family members in their quest for a happy life. The overall result is delightful, despite and maybe because of the all-singing, all dancing zombies.

Quirky Fun
* In Takashi Miike's THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS (THOTK), we meet
the Katakuri clan: grandpa Jinpei, the old crusty family patriarch,
and his little Benji-style mutt Pochi; Masao (Kenji Sawada), an
ex-shoe salesman, and his wife Terue (Keiko Matsuzaka), who met at
work, fell madly in love with each other and stayed that way; their
divorcee daughter Shizue (Naomi Nishida), a pretty and sweet girl who
unfortunately is unbelievably gullible, making her a complete pushover
for every lying jerk that comes around; their son Masayuki (Shinji
Takeda), who has a bit of an attitude problem and a history of
problems with the law concerning lifting wallets and the like; and
Shizuo's little daughter, who is something of an observer to the
family's eccentricities.

Masao, having been laid off from work, invests in a country house to
rent rooms to vacationers, bringing together his semi-dysfunctional
family in an earnest attempt to get things back on track.
Unfortunately, they can't seem to get any guests, driving everyone to
distraction; and so when a gloomy stranger shows up and asks for a
room, everyone is ecstactic. They are distressed, then, when he
commits suicide during the night. Instead of reporting the incident
to the police, Masao decides that it would be healthier for business
if they simply buried the poor fellow in the woods, and manages to get
everyone to agree. However, this turns out to be only the beginning
of a streak of really terrible luck, which just seems to go from bad
to worse ...

As this description suggests, THOTK is a quirky film, made all the
more quirky by the fact that it is a musical. As if to emphasize its
quirkiness, it often lapses into "claymation" style animation, though
this sometimes seem to be less an attempt at quirkiness than a dodge
to avoid expensive special-effects shots (and a way of doing violent
and gory scenes without ruining the goofy effect of the whole).

It is hard to make recommendations about quirky movies. Many people
hate such things, and such folk will not like THOTK at all. Some
people love such things, and they will love THOTK. Me, quirky movies
are just another genre of movie, like sci-fi flics or horror flics or
war flics, and I tend to like them or not on their own merits --
they're far from anything new, folks. I can definitely say THOTK is
well-produced, well-acted, and fun, though whether it is more original
than some of the musical productions MAD magazine wrote up in my youth
many decades ago is arguable.

I'm not sure I'd call it memorable, and I did find it overlong (it
could have been edited down to better effect), but it certainly does
have its moments. I liked the "MTV music video" style number the
family put on when they find the suicide's body, and in particular the
"nightclub duet" number Masao and Tenuo put of when they express their
love for each other. They looked really good -- though of course,
almost anyone looks good in evening clothes in soft lighting with
laser lights and disco balls. Overall, I hate to praise THOTK too
much or too little, so I'll just have to provide a description and let
the readers take their own chances on it.

What in the hell is going on?
My lovely fiancee introduced me to this movie fairly recently, and it's not that often that a film has me thinking for hours after it's over, 'What in the hell was all that about?'

being an avid lover of the cinema, I have always had great respect for directors that like to push the envelope and do something unique as well as creative. This movie goes above and beyond the call of duty to accomplish that. I am of two minds about this movie, I'm not saying I don't like it, in fact I think it's one of the best foreign films I've ever seen. Yet at the same time I feel like going up to Takashi Miike and saying 'What kind of a sick freak are you?' It's amazing how a movie can pull your feelings in different directions.

This film seems to defy all the conventions of genre and/or style in regards to movie making, because it seems like Miike threw all of the rules right out the freaking window.

The film is indeed a feel-good black comedy, it's also a musical, a horror film, a romantic comedy, and a family film. It's strange how one film can be all of these things at one time, and yet be none of these things at the same time.

i swear, sometimes I felt like I was watching a Japanese version of Monty Python's The Sound of Music. That is essentially the best way I could ever describe this film. The film also incorporates avant-garde and absurdist slapstick situational comedy along with other great stuff thrown in, including moments of claymation thrown in for good measure.

It is the sort of film that you can't help but get drawn into, not just because of everything that I just mentioned above, but also thanks in large part to the incredible performances by the actors and actresses involved. Because in a film that seems so completely outrageous, you would think that the actors would be tempted to camp it up and do it over the top, fortunately they don't. Their performances are honest and sincere, and THAT is what makes this film work.

If you happen to be walking in a video store and pass by a foreign film section or a section of Japanese movies, do yourself a favor, check out this film. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Funny Comedy.... your thinking "What is this?"
I'm a serious guy, but they knew where to prod and prized a few laughs out of me. Taking the mick out of anime, I think only a fan would get the whole joke of the bizzare plot, so not recomended for anyone new to anime. Negatives: the bizzare (but funny) plot which still illudes me lol, the humour is sexually orientated so is a 15 for good reason, comedy is slap stick in some places (but I laughed (so sue me)). Positives: Funny, great for groups, can never get board. Overall I am very glad I bought it and it holds a valuble place in my collection (circa 1988) :) though be warned it is crude, for a special taste I think.

Best anime ever
This is the funniest movie I have ever seen. I was hoarse from laughing at the end. However this is not for everyone because much of its humor comes from being really bizarre. It takes anime cliches and exagerates them beyond absurdity. The animation, despite its low quality has a disjointed, exagerated style that fits perfectly.

Ultimate Teacher - Ulimate Looser
I implore you, do not waste your time on this piece of garbage, it isn't even worth buying for the video tape it's on. The plot is horrid, it makes very little sense, and the voice acting is worse. It tries to be funny but tries far too hard, and just comes across as [bad]. There are two cool moments in the whole movie which maybe total two minutes, one of these is a five second or so breast shot, which you can get much better, and longer in many other anime of better quality. I rented it ... and wish I had my money back. ... Read more