Plot: When a underwater volcano erupts it leaves Japan in turmoil.  After the damage is done it’s determined that Japan is in fact sinking and they have under a year left before Japan is submerged.

Review: Sinking of Japan AKA Japan Sinking is going to be difficult to sum up with out comparing it to the American blockbusters; Day After Tomorrow and 2012. I have little interest in the natural disaster genre and the slow start to this movie left me with little hope and interest towards the movie and its ill fated cast.

Based on the original novel by Sakyo Komatsu, it focuses on three characters who are brought together by the first eruption. Our leading lady is Reiko (Kou Shibasaki), is part of an elite rescue squad. She saves both our leading man, submarine research pilot Onoder (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) and wondering orphan child Misaki (Mayuko Fukuda). (continue reading…)

Due to the sudden death of his mother during his childhood, Yu (Takahiro Nishijima) is raised by his father Tetso, who dealt with his grief by becoming a man of God. After his father is stung at the end of a wild relationship, Yu has to pay daily when forced to daily confessions. Being a natural saint he could only lie, although being a terrible liar he’s beaten and forced into a rebellious streak of sin!

It starts of small, skipping school and joining a gang. Three hours later feeble attempts at mass murder and terrorist bombings. During Yu’s roller coaster ride he meets two very different young women, both who will change his life for ever. (continue reading…)

Plot: Detective Chan (Simon Yam) is forced into a early retirement when he diagnosed with a  brain tumor. This was discovered when he was involved in an car  crash when transporting valuable witnesses to court. Our antagonist, notorious gang leader Wong Po (Sammo Hung) is released from prison when his witnesses died in the crash.

Detective Chan tries his best in the next following years to put the wicked crime lord behind bars, but can’t quite cut it. On his last days of the job he is introduced to his replacement, Officer Ma (Donnie Yen) a young fierce cop with a bad ‘ass reputation. (continue reading…)

Lala Pipo focuses around various very different characters and their relations with the Sex Industry in Japan. We are first introduced to Kenji a smooth talking talent scout, his neighbour a slob who converses with his exhausted penis, then we follow career of a beautiful young shop assistant, an old porn star tramp with a secret, a club lacky by day and “porno Power Ranger” by night and a husky young woman whose aspiring voice actress and also has a bizarre range of sex tapes! (continue reading…)

Plot: When aging crime lord Wong (Richard Ng) turns down the offer of joining forces with loud American gangster Kai (Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa), his power hungry son Yuen (Carl Ng) doubts his father’s judgment of a overlooked golden opportunity. Yuen’s finally looses his cool after his father chooses his bodyguard over his only son to par take in a secret mission. Wongs bodyguard – Leung (Vincent Sze) is sent to the United Kingdom to look after a young English woman in London. Rebelling against his father Yuen gets into deep trouble and ends up running to Kai for help. Let the betrayal begin.

Review: The plot summary there does give you the impression that the story is fixed on our characters Wong and Yuen  but a majority of the film is based on our true star – Vincent Sze aka The Bodyguard. In true bodyguard fashion Vincent plays the cold silent type who guards the lady from a far and soon throws himself at her after saving her from a group of thugs. (continue reading…)

Samurai Princess is a lowish budget gore film directed by Kengo Kaji (co-writer of Tokyo Gore Police) and special effects produced by director and FX wizard Yoshihiro Mishimura (Tokyo Gore Police; Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl).

The story is set in an alternate world where andriods roam the countryside looking for victims they can rape (don’t worry it’s all insinuated) and turn into some kind of gore art. Adult film star (yes that’s correct) Ainu Kashi plays a young woman who was the victim of previously mentioned andriods and gets turned into one herself so she may seek vengence for herself and her friends.

Overall I would say this is a fun film. The low budget can be a bit off putting to be at first and 95% of it seems to have been shot in a generic woodland area which could’ve been somewhere in Japan or the southdowns. That makes it look even cheaper.

But as I said earlier don’t be put off. The film gathers pace and the fun begins in due time. You get some regular gore, garden shears for a foot, chainsaw leg, detachable breasts that become a powerful explosive, colourful and extravagant costumes, a mad scientist, guitar so powerful it can kill you, girls in different coloured tights (if that rocks your boat) and a sex scene for those of you who must see breasts in a film.

To put it bluntly Samurai Princess is a fun film where you can switch off and watch some gore action. If you enjoyed Tokyo Gore Police you will most likely enjoy this too. But take my advice and don’t get your expectations too high.

Written & directed by: Lee Chang-dong
Starring: Sol Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri

Plot: Released from prison after serving two-and-a-half years for involuntary manslaughter, Jong-du ill (Sol Kyung-gu - Voice Of A Murderer; Public Enemy) advisedly decides to pay a social visit to the family of the man he killed in a hit and run accident while drunk driving. He is given short shrift by the family but not before briefly meeting and becoming fascinated by the dead man’s severely disabled daughter, Gong-ju (Moon So-ri – Bewitching Attraction; A Good Lawyer’s Wife). Returning to the apartment to see the young woman when he knows she will be alone, Jong-du loses control of his feelings for the girl and sexually assaults her. Feeling guilty over the incident, he is amazed when Gong-ju telephones him at his place of work and invites him to come and visit her again. He accepts her invitation and their meeting leads them into a series of clandestine encounters during which the pair come to fall in love with each other. (continue reading…)