Fantasy | Wildside Cinema

Film Review: Yôjirô Takita’s ‘Sexy Timetrip Ninjas’ (Chikan densha: Gokuhi honban – 1984) Transports Viewers to a Deadlier, Sexier Time

Asian Cinema, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Japan, Martial Arts, Revenge No Responses »

Mar 082012

This Japanese film of the ‘pink’ variety delivers what it promises. There is a ‘timetrip’, some ninjas, and some sex. As a film reviewer I often get caught up in the details and forget to have fun. This film is fun. Sure the sets are terrible, the acting ‘hammy’, and the story is not going to win a Newberry Award any time soon, but this adds to the fun! If B-movies are your thing, Director Yojiro Takita film is definitely worth a look. It delivers what it promises – ninjas, sex, and a ‘timetrip’.

The movie opens as a period piece on the Osaka Castle in 1615. The obvious fact that it is a model cannot be overlooked. He we meet Lord Sanada as he summons Sasuke Sarutobi to his chambers for a meeting. It seems the castle Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘The Whisperer in Darkness’ (2011) Continues the Trend of Masterful Lovecraft Adaptations

Drama, Fantasy, Horror, J. Andersson, Sci-Fi No Responses »

Mar 082012

2005 faux silent movie Call of Cthulhu stands as one of the best adaptations of H. P. Lovecraft, if not actually the best. It worked around the pitfalls of presenting material that really can’t be “shown” as if it was made during the heyday of silent cinema and did an exceptionally good job of it with surrealistic miniatures and a strong set design. Now comes the next production from the very same filmmakers and this time we move forward in time with an adaptation of the short story The Whisperer in Darkness as a 1930-1940ish horror movie. My expectations were sky high.

The original short story deals with strange and alien creatures haunting a farmer in the forests of Vermont and the revelation of their purpose as Continue reading »

Film Review: Kitazawa’s ‘Deep Contact’ (Pin-saro byôin 2: Nô-pan joi – 1998) Combines Paranormal Sex with a Thrilling End-of-the-World Scenario

Asian Cinema, Erotic, Fantasy, Japan, Sci-Fi No Responses »

Mar 012012

1998’s “Deep Contact” directed by Yukio Kitazawa is very much a product of its time. The whole ‘feel’ of the film states it. The script was silly and the acting average for this type of thing. This is not a knock on the film by any means. On the contrary I found it most enjoyable, the ladies attractive and the sets non-existent. The music was dead on with synthesizers ripping a glorious homage to Queen from the “Flash Gordon” soundtrack during one scene. This music fit right in with the films plot.

We meet up with our reluctant hero running down the streets and alleyways attempting to flee some unknown pursuers. All the twists and turns can’t save him as he is set upon. The two men grab him and confirm his identity Continue reading »

Film Review: Shuji Kataoka’s ‘S&M Hunter’ (Kinbaku – 1986) Ropes Viewers in with Outrageous Exploitation Action

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Japan, Martial Arts, Rape/Revenge, Revenge No Responses »

Feb 282012

After having viewed a few of Japans Pink films recently, I started to get an understanding of how the films generally looked and were made. S&M Hunter thus far, has been the best all around Pink film I’ve seen to date from technical aspects to having a full, story.

A man’s partner is kidnapped by The Bombers, an all female gang looking to use men as their personal sex slaves. S&M Hunter takes the job of infiltrating the group, and finding the kidnapped guy, all the while using his rope skills to train the females to serve him. He saves the day, one of the women falls for him and he knows deep down their love can’t be because he has many women to train Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘Sexy Battle Girls’ (Nerawareta gakuen: seifuku o osou – 1986) Takes Softcore Porn to Exciting Heights with Anime-Style Action

Action, Adventure, Anime, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Comedy, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Japan, Martial Arts No Responses »

Feb 232012

In recent years, we’ve seen a lot of crazy films coming from Japan like Machine Girl and Tokyo Gore Police, that have upped the gore factor in cinema, but also make the audience anticipate the next “out there” idea they’re going to come up with. Surprisingly, 1986’s Sexy Battle Girls gave me some thrills in the same exact way, and gave me an insight into what was probably the inspiration for a lot of the Japanese trash cinema directors out there now.

Mirai, a young girl who has to forever wear a high tech chastity belt, is transferred to a new school by her father. While there, she uncovers an underground human trafficking ring set up by the head master and his head detective Continue reading »

Film Review: Cage Returns in ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2011) and Once Again Fails to Kickstart Consumer’s Engines

Action, Adventure, B. Woodell, Demons, Fantasy, Horror, Revenge No Responses »

Feb 182012

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. These words echoed in my brain while watching Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance as I went against my better judgment and gave the sequel a chance. The only enjoyment I had from the first Ghost Rider, was my friend turned to me in the theater and said, “Bennie, I’m getting sober, and this movie’s getting worse.” Sadly, with Spirit of Vengeance, I was embarking on the journey alone, with no one to share my pain.

Johnny Blaze (Nic Cage) has to save Danny (Fergus Riordan) from Roarke (Ciaran Hinds), who apparently is Satan or one of Satan’s helpers. That’s pretty much all I can tell you about the storyline because the film felt like one, giant Continue reading »

Film Review: Cash Chin Man-Kei’s CAT III Classic ‘The Eternal Evil of Asia’ (Nan yang shi da xie shu – 1995) Still Delights with Sleaze & Frights

Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, CAT III, Demons, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Horror, Martial Arts, Revenge 2 Responses »

Jan 282012

The Eternal Evil of Asia is another wonderfully produced category III horror/voodoo/sex/comedy romp produced by legendary Wong Jing. Being one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hong Kong, anyone who knows what Wong is capable of, will have an inkling as to what they should expect in this hilarious tale.

Four friends travel to Thailand on a bachelor party excursion, but the trip goes awry when they befriend a local wizard and accidentally kill his sister. They return to Hong Kong, but the wizard follows and begins picking them off one by one. The wife to be has to decide to make a personal sacrifice to save the man she loves and her brother Continue reading »

Film Review: Lieh Lo’s ‘Black Magic with Buddha’ (Nao mo – 1983) Combines Outlandish Gore & Stunning Amounts of CAT III Sleaze

Asian Cinema, CAT III, Exploitation, Extreme, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Horror, J. Andersson, Revenge No Responses »

Nov 282011

I’ve learned something today. Evil Thai mummy brains aren’t something you should mess about with; it’s as simple as that. And if you do feel like keeping them for your own personal gain, make sure you feed them regularly. They tend to get rather mad if they are hungry. Like any other pet really. That’s something the protagonist of low budget Hong Kong sleaze Black Magic with Buddha learns when he goes to Thailand, takes home a brain with magic powers to use for his own personal gain. You see, our hero is somewhat of a looser. Only somewhat though, for a CAT III hero he is actually fairly likeable. He means well I suppose, he just doesn’t seem to think of the consequences of what he is doing, and the fact that it kills his sister and his wife’s family, well, he never seems to care that much about it. He comes off as Continue reading »

Film Review: Singh’s ‘Immortals’ (2011) Blows Viewers from Theater Seats with Intense Action & Stunning Visuals

Action, Adventure, B. Woodell, Drama, Fantasy, War No Responses »

Nov 192011

After a five-year hiatus, Tarsem Singh (The Cell) is back in the director’s chair to deliver us yet another visually stimulating journey in his third feature film. Immortals. Singh takes the wonderfully crafted script from the up and coming writing team of the Parlapanides brothers, Charley and Vlas, and takes us back to Ancient Greece, to a time of Western mythology when the Gods were in charge.

King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) is scouring Greece to find the Epirus Bow, a weapon that could be used to unleash the Titans back onto the Earth from their prison deep within Mount Tartaros. After overtaking a Monastery and capturing Phaedra (Freida Pinto), an oracle who sees visions and can aid in finding the bow Continue reading »

Film Review: Tsui Hark Returns to Form with Action-Packed Whodunit, ‘Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame’ (Di Renjie – 2010)

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Drama, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts No Responses »

Sep 272011

Theatrical Poster

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame brings something to Hong Kong cinema that really has been missing for as long as I can remember; a mystery crime solver film. Yes, there are instances where hidden identities need to be discovered in previous films, but Detective Dee is one hundred percent a mystery crime solver set in the Tang Dynasty.

A monument is being built in honor of Empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau), and one day two of the supervisors burst into flames for no reason. No one is sure exactly what the cause is, so the Empress free Detective Dee from prison to solve the mystery. Empress Wu sends her right hand swordswoman, Jing’er (Bingbing Li) to not only watch Dee, but to help him in his quest to find not only what Continue reading »

Film Review: Shinsuke Sato’s ‘Gantz’ (2010) Delivers Gory, Fast-Paced Sci-Fi Entertainment

Action, Adventure, Anime, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Response »

Aug 062011

Theatrical Poster

During the harrowing rescue of a bystander on subway tracks, two young men are hit by an incoming train before they’re able to escape to safety. Instead of perishing though, the two find themselves transported to an empty apartment filled with a few confused people and an ominous black sphere. They’ve been given a second chance to serve a higher purpose and protect the planet by hunting down dangerous alien lifeforms and terminating them for points. The “game” is stay alive long enough to reach one hundred points and decide whether to bring back fallen comrades or go back to leading a normal life.

Not being familiar with the Gantz manga or anime series I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from the concept outside of the synopsis I’d read. The premise Continue reading »

Film Review: Deep within the Woods, ‘The Wild Hunt’ (2009) Brings Warriors to their Knees

Action, Adventure, B. Harris, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller 2 Responses »

May 292011

Theatrical Poster

When Erik (Ricky Mabe), once again, finds himself dumped by his emotionally fickle girlfriend Lyn (Kaniehtiio Horn), he decides to enter into the wacky world of LARP (Live Action Role-Playing) to fight for her. Upon arriving at the secluded LARP camp though he quickly discovers that outsiders and their modern ways aren’t welcome. Forced to don a peasants outfit and join forces with his borderline delirious brother Bjorn (Mark Antony Krupa) and his Viking army, Erik goes forth on his quest to rescue Lyn (Princess Evlynia) from the evil clutches of the wicked Celt, Shaman Murtagh (Trevor Hayes), and convince her to take him back.

What seems like a fairly simple task soon takes a dark turn Continue reading »

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