Japan | Wildside Cinema

Film Review: Kitano Revisits the Yakuza Lifestyle with ‘Outrage’ (Ôtomo – 2010)

Asian Cinema, Crime, Drama, J. Andersson, Japan, Takeshi Kitano, Thriller No Responses »

Oct 282011

Theatrical Poster

Beat Takeshi goes back to his roots, eh? Outrage is truly a “classic” Yakuza tale, featuring several groups of gangsters being played out against each other by the top dog, and sadly, that is about it. The first 30-40 minutes of this movie aren’t exactly what I would describe as entertaining, it is just a collection of scenes featuring Yakuza screaming, beating each other up and so forth. Not that heavy violence is a bad thing, but when Outrage has no characters whatsoever it gets kind of… dull actually. They can shout how much they want but, beat up innocent people just for the fun of it but when there really isn’t anything separating the characters other than the fact that one of them is played by Takeshi Kitano and the others aren’t, it doesn’t make great viewing. The actors are all good, except for the fact that Kitano himself does one of those roles that he can Continue reading »

Film Review: Nishimura’s ‘Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl’ (Revisited – 2009) Offers Gore Galore & More

Action, Asian Cinema, Exploitation, Extreme, Fantasy, Horror, J. Felton, Japan, Martial Arts, Sci-Fi, Zombies No Responses »

May 082011

DVD Artwork

Within seconds of this movie starting a freakish looking girl gets her head peeled by a disembodied skull. If that doesn’t make you want to see more of this then you are probably already dead. Either that or warped over the top Japanese splatter isn’t your cup of tea. This opening scene sets the tone for the entire movie which gets more and more outrageous the further it goes. But really, what do you expect from a movie from a movie with this title?

To break the plot down would take far too long to go into detail, something I try to avoid anyway, as there is so much going on at any one time. However, the general jist of it is that Japanese Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘Bayshore Route Battle: Skyline Legend’ (2009) Beats Fast Five to the Finish Line

Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Japan No Responses »

Apr 222011

DVD Artwork

Bayshore Battle Route Skyline Legend on the surface is about fast cars but is really a film that deals with never giving up the dreams of your youth.

Toru’s wife Aiko, recently passed away and he goes see some friends from the days when he was younger and raced on the Bayshore and catch up and let them know of her passing. That night he gets in one of the newer cars that’s out there and goes for a ride. On the road, he and his friend encounter the Black Devil, a Porsche that recently has been terrorizing Bayshore, causing many accidents from drivers trying to beat it.

Toru decides that he needs to get his old car that he sold twenty years ago, fix it up and take on the Black Devil. After some searching, he finds the Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘Ghost Shout’ (2004) Offers Love, Ghosts and Everything In-Between

Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Comedy, Japan, Martial Arts No Responses »

Mar 132011

DVD Artwork

Ghost Shout, aka Ghost Negotiator according to the opening credits of the film, is a fun little Japanese slapstick comedy dealing with the supernatural and love.

A singing spirit who has the power to turn all who listen to her songs to stone, returns to haunt the rehearsal of a ceremony for a school’s principal. The Ghost Negotiators are called in to determine why the spirit is there, and to help her move on to the next world. Yoko, the girl who is sent to help out, is the best negotiator on the team, but she desperately wants to quit. She now has a fiancé and has a dream of opening up a tofu shop. Her boss convinces her to do one last negotiation with the promise of his friend’s tofu Continue reading »

Film Review: 3rd Times a Charm for Mihara’s ‘Watcher in the Attic’ (2007) Remake?

Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Drama, Erotic, Japan, Thriller No Responses »

Mar 042011

DVD Artwork

Watcher in the Attic (2007) directed by Mitsuhiro Mihara, is a remake/continuation of a 1976 film by Noboru Tanaka. The film centers on Naoko Tomioka, a journalist who travels to the house of Gouda, a recently deceased artist, to interview his friends who live at the house about his life and art. The people at the house for the most part are not welcoming to Naoko, but she puts on a smile and tries to fit in and get the information she needs.

While there, she befriends a little girl who gives her a clue about the house and the dark secrets inside. She tells Naoko that Gouda loved the attic and always went up there. Naoko then decides to go up into the attic and discovers that she can spy on everyone Continue reading »

Film Review: Oshii’s ‘Assault Girls’ (Asaruto gâruzu – 2009) Both Delights and Befuddles

Action, Asian Cinema, Fantasy, J. Kayy, Japan, Sci-Fi No Responses »

Nov 222010

Theatrical Poster

In a virtual realm called Avalon, four mercenaries kill monsters in an effort to score points. When a common foe threatens to destroy Avalon and beyond, the mercs must join forces to fight as one.

When I heard director Mamoru Oshii had a new film coming I was very happy, to say the least. Oshii did two of my fave films, Ghost in the Shell and Angels Egg, and his style is beautiful and haunting. I know others find his work to be slow and that’s something I’m comfortable with.

Now the synopsis sounds like a lot of fun right? Sure, why not. Here lies the films 1st problem, there is very, and I mean very Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘Ninja Pussy Cat’ (Kôshoku kunoichi: Aieki-zeme – 2003) is a True Perverts Ninja Film Fantasy

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Erotic, Exploitation, Fantasy, Japan, Revenge No Responses »

Aug 272010

DVD Artwork

The Fuma Clan have stumbled upon an explosive secret involving The Shogun of Japan and his son that may tear Japan apart but before they can move on the information, the treacherous Hattori Hanzo and his Iga Clan ninja descend upon Fuma village leaving death and destruction in their wake.

The last living Fuma Clan member and the Clan leader’s daughter must now work together to infiltrate the Iga Clan in order to collect a sample of Hanzo’s blood, establish a damning connection between The Shogun’s son and Hanzo and avenge their fallen comrades.

Lovers will die, plans will be formulated and the safety of a nation may very well rest upon the shoulders (and vagina) of the last of the Iga Clan Continue reading »

Film Review: Forget Godzilla, ‘Gamera’ (Daikaijû Gamera – 1965) Giant Monster Shell

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Japan, Sci-Fi No Responses »

Jul 112010

DVD Artwork

After an accidental nuke strike (thanks to America again!) in the Arctic, a deep fissure is opened and an ancient prehistoric creature, a Gamera, emerges from its depths! This Gamera, a massive turtle-like creature, descends upon Tokyo with all of its stomping, flying, fire-breathing might. After a couple unsuccessful attempts to stop the rampaging creature, the scientific community and Japanese government decide there is only one way to halt the creature’s advance…set Z Plan into motion!

What the hell is Z Plan, you ask? Well you’re just going to have to purchase Shout Factory’s fantastic release of Gamera Continue reading »

Film Review: ‘The Japanese Wife Next Door 2′ (2004) – When a Regular Enema Just Won’t Do

Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Erotic, Exploitation, Japan, Martial Arts No Responses »

Jan 102010

DVD Artwork

After ending a rather tumultuous relationship, Takashi takes a friend’s advice and attends a mixer in order to meet new people, specifically women. When two beautiful women, Ryôko and Sakura, show interest in Takashi, he finds himself tasked with deciding which woman to focus his attention on. In the end he chooses Ryôko and six months later they marry.

Takashi soon moves in with his new wife and her family but not all is well; Ryôko’s father is a shady businessman with an irrational fear of crows and pigeons, his mother-in-law keeps pushing a large life insurance policy on him and his sister-in-law believes Continue reading »

Film Review: Nothing Satisfies like the Steaming ‘Entrails of a Virgin’ (Shojo no harawata – 1986)

Asian Cinema, Erotic, Exploitation, Extreme, Horror, J. Felton, Japan No Responses »

Oct 102008

DVD Artwork

I must admit that with a title like Entrails of a Virgin I was expecting a totally over the top movie with wall to wall gore. That is not what I got though, yes there are some fairly gruesome scenes, but this movie is all about sex, and lots of it.

Not that I mind a good helping of tits and ass in a movie, far from it, but this was boring and repetitive, with only the slightest hint of anything barely resembling a storyline.

The basic story involves a porn photographer and his crew that take a few ladies up to a cabin in the woods for a weekend of Continue reading »

Film Review: Nothing Says Loving Like the ‘Entrails of a Beautiful Woman’ (Bijo no harawata – 1986)

Asian Cinema, Erotic, Exploitation, Extreme, Fantasy, Horror, J. Felton, Japan No Responses »

Oct 102008

DVD Artwork

The one thing I hoped about this movie was very simple, please let it be better than Entrails of a Virgin. That shouldn’t be too difficult though, being as though that movie was just terrible. Just as well I am a lucky fucker then, as Entrails of a Beautiful Woman was better, but only just. This time around there is a slightly more coherent plotline, the three year old has been dragged away from the editing room and the running time doesn’t feel quite so stretched.

What story there is revolves around a young female psychologist (actually a hypnotherapist) that plots revenge against a Yakuza boss and his cronies. The gangsters are into the habit of Continue reading »

Flower and Snake (Hana to hebi – 1974)

Asian Cinema, Erotic, Exploitation, Japan No Responses »

Aug 292008

Theatrical Poster

Do you love interesting storylines that are basically set-ups for a bunch of steamy (if softcore…) sex and S&M scenes? Do you miss the “golden-age” of Japanese pinku-eiga and wish the newer wave of pinku-styled films were more like the “classics”? Do you dig creative shibari rope-bondage action but also dig a narrative plot? Are you a red-blooded American (or other nationality) guy (or girl) who just likes lookin’ at boobs-bushes-‘n’-butts?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then Flower and Snake should be right up your alley.

Infamous and prolific pinku and J-horror director Takashi Continue reading »

Older Entries Newer Entries