Compared to the surprisingly underrated "Godzilla" (1998), "Gojira" is a great monster movie. The special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya look cheap now, but that doesn't stop the impact of the film, the script, or the pounding, exciting development. It is in black and white and is almost a horror film. It is scary, funny, and strong, and the performances of the cast, including Akira Takarada, add to the film, which is also a scathing criticism of the atomic and hydrogen bombs.
The FBI's enigmatic young Clarice Starling is hard at work training. From the beginning, the dark tones of the sound were haunting and addictive to my ears. Jack Crawford trying to get Clarice to meet Hannibal Lecter, a cold-blooded killer and cannibal, and the impressive opening foreshadows the extraordinary landscape that is about to unfold. No matter how many times you see this film, it will scare you and you will never get tired of it. Jonathan Demme's direction is, of course, a shining example of adaptation. Jodie Foster's performance as Clarice, who is psychologically taken advantage of in her first meeting with Dr. Lecter, is very realistic. Not to be forgotten is Anthony Hopkins. Even now, Anthony's face strikes fear into my heart. The demented old man in "The Father" (2020) is also brilliant, but it is no surprise that this killer, who does not have much to do, is the one to receive the Oscar.
Abel Ferrara's horrendous crime films are the best in the world in terms of realism. In particular, "King of New York" is a standout among Ferrara's less well-received works. The sensation of having peeked into an extraordinary world on first viewing is unforgettable to this day. It is by no means a complete work that can be called a masterpiece, but I personally love this film.
In "Vol. 2," Elle and Budd give brilliant performances that captivate the audience. Pai Mei has been killed, Budd has been bitten by a poisonous snake, and Elle is in a frenzy after her eyeballs are gouged out by her mentor and Beatrix. It is the most spectacular scene. It is not as messy as the previous film, but it is a cohesive, high-quality revenge drama. The process of Beatrix Kiddo's reemergence after her burial is truly hilarious, although it gets a little boring from the scene where she meets Bill. It's hard to argue with "Vol. 1," but "Vol. 2" is my personal favorite.
Great homages, music, animation, subculture and violence flood the viewer's curiosity with the strongest entertainment. Although disappointed by the unconvincing Japanese performances of Sonny Chiba and GoGo, the assortment that the audience still received after the screening is quite unique, messy, but with the most pop visual sensation. Tarantino's signature plagiarism, with its elaborate use of several techniques, is akin to Pablo Picasso, Even though it is a plagiarism of "Lady Snowblood" it is still more than the original. The scene in which O-ren's head is cut open, which invokes Meiko Kaji's "Shura no Hana", is a violent depiction that will remain in the history of cinema.
My favorite Quentin Tarantino film at its most well-made. I've probably seen "Pulp Fiction" which is intriguing from the title, over 100 times, and I still can't get enough of it (I can copy most of the scenes). From the opening restaurant scene, to the credits, to Vincent Vega and Jules Winfield's silly conversation in the car, I'm sick and tired of repeating it. It's a film that's been talked about so much that I won't venture to go into detail, but I'm glad I got to see it before my Tarantino fever completely cooled off from the boredom of "Reservoir Dogs". As one of the most delightful masterpieces of cinema to have been produced around the world in the last quarter century, it is personally the most enjoyable and giddy film to have been released in 1994, and perhaps my favorite, entertaining romp of all time.
With this film, a world heritage of cinema, Stanley Kubrick has reached a level of artistic mastery that would make Michelangelo pale in comparison. To make a film an art form, it must have the innovation of a Chaplin or Jean-Luc Godard. Furthermore, for a film to be a masterpiece, it must have music, direction, and great performances by the cast. Nevertheless, this film easily fulfills these requirements, and miraculously, it is a perfect work of art, with outstandingly high quality visual beauty far above the audience. For 136 minutes, one feels as if one has stepped into an exhibition of paintings or photographs that are sigh-inducingly vivid, beautiful, sometimes violent, and sometimes insane. The film's elaborate camerawork is erotic, but not vulgar, like a sensual film. The clarity of vision, both pictorial and photographic, is unparalleled. Any of the scenes, even the still ones, would make a grade-A photo book. Without a doubt, it is the best film made in the entire world in 1971. It deserves to be the "Pietà" of the film world.
This is a film from my home country (Japan), but I don't like it very much. The visual experience of wandering around the world in the sand for a long time is unpleasant to watch. To begin with, Kobo Abe's original novel is not that good, but it is highly acclaimed overseas. However, the film is not without its good parts. However, it is doubtful if the visual experience of the unnecessary sandy prison is really of the same quality as that of "Eraserhead" when compared to it. Nevertheless, it is nice to see a film from my home country being highly praised.
This creepy film by Makavejev is arguably more eccentric and perverse than any film I have ever seen. But while it's easy to just make a cult film, "Sweet Movie" will captivate most of its audience with plenty of eye-boggling directorial gimmicks not found even in most cult films. And, best of all, it is an unprecedented experimental musical film, not exactly good for one's mental health, but brilliant as an artistic experience. But it is probably the highest level of film that the average parent would not want their children to see. There are numerous scenes that would be banned today, and many that offend. And the occasional inserts of brief, abominable footage from the old days almost have a narcotic effect on the film, transforming it from a Bizarro bad movie into a high-artistic drama.
