Super-sexy shape-shifters of the Dark World: My review of Wicked City

Super-sexy shape-shifters of the Dark World: My review of Wicked City

Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's 1987 anime Wicked City is about a secret agent named Taki and his incredibly beautiful partner named Makie. They are assigned to protect a pint-sized pervert named Giuseppe Mayart who's coming to Tokyo to sign a 500 year old peace treaty between Earth and the Black World, a parallel dimension, which also happens to be where Makie is from.Throughout the film, the agents do battle with a host of weird creatures from the Black world determined to sabotage the treaty. But at the heart of the story is 2 very different beings from different worlds going through Hell together and eventually falling in love.

This animated feature contains explicit content, including a creature that resembles a giant phallus, sodomy, a very graphic rape scene, some profanity. At the same time, these elements are what sets this film and its director apart from other anime directors like Katsuhiro Otomo, Hayao Miyazaki, and others.

The artwork in this film is all hand drawn having been made in a time before CGI and has the director’s style being the long mysterious eyes, especially with Makie who, in my opinion, is the sexiest female in any anime feature.

But I can't stress this enough: this one is for adults only. If you like Japanese Director Takashi Miike's films you should have no problem with Wicked City.

Life is a game of poker: a review of Cincinnati Kid!

Life is a game of poker: a review of Cincinnati Kid!

Director Norman Jewison's 1965 drama The Cincinnati Kid tells the story of an ambitious up and coming poker player named Eric Stoner, played by Steve McQueen, who learns the hard way courtesy of "the man" Lancey Howard that, in poker as in life, you got to know when to fold.

The film uses stud poker as a metaphor throughout the film, and focuses particularly on the relationship between McQueen and Christian (Tuesday Weld). The cast is top notch with supporting actors like Karl Malden, who plays a washed up player named shooter reduced to dealing cards, Joan Blondell, the deft-fingered dealer known as "Lady-Fingers," Rip Torn as the wealthy villain obsessed with beating "The Man,” played by Edward G. Robinson, Ann-Margaret as Shooter's high-maintenance floozy, and even a cameo by Cab Calloway. All of these actors are perfect in their supporting roles, but the main focus of this film is the buildup of and showdown between McQueen and Robinson (the Man) at the poker table.

Terrific film. Low-key like some of his other films like Le Mans, Bullit, and The Thomas Crown Affair, very crisp, very cool like the man himself. Norman Jewison is one of those directors you don't think about when you think of great directors but his movies that I've seen are good, including Rollerball and The Thomas Crown Affair, which also features McQueen. Steve McQueen is one of those actors who defined the 60's. Definitely up there with James Dean as one of the coolest actors ever.

Combining sex and art: a review of Turkish Delight

Combining sex and art: a review of Turkish Delight

Of all Director Paul Verhoeven's Dutch films before he came to America and made such classics as Robocop, Basic Instinct, and Total Recall, his 1973 film, Turkish Delight, is among my favorites along with Katie Tippel and The Fourth Man.

Turkish Delight is an ambiguous title for this film since the film can be best described as the bittersweet dream of a rebelious sculptor's (Rutger Hauer) discovery of perfection in a young vivacious redhead (Monique van de ven) and inevitable discovery that not all things are what they seem to be on the surface. Remember this as you watch the initial montage of brutal crimes perpetrated by Eric upon Olga. Their stormy relationship begins after this in flashback, culminating in their split. But there's a lot in between that will help you to understand the context of these few details I've provided that you won't see the end coming when it does.

This is a sweet entertaining film and an excellent primer for those unfamiliar with foreign films. Very very funny at times, though often raunchy, and, as common in Verhoeven's Dutch film offerings, there are no special efforts to cover up male and female private areas. When discussions come up about the greatest actors, Hauer's name should be among them.

Robbing a bank for a sex change: a review of Dog Day Afternoon

Robbing a bank for a sex change: a review of Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day afternoon is a 1975 American crime drama directed by Sydney Lumet and based on a Life magazine article by P.F. Kluge entitled The Boys in The Bank which is based on a similar bank robbery in 1972. Dog Day is one of those films that defines the 70's style of filmmaking that reflected the social changes of the times. The 70s was a great decade for Pacino with the Godfathers 1 and 2, this film, Serpico, And Justice For All among other films. And the 70s was a decade that he collaborated with directors on multiple films, Francis Ford Coppola with the Godfather films and Sydney Lumet on Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico. With the exception of my favorite actor Marlon Brando, I can't think of an actor putting together 4 great iconic films in a single decade as Pacino did in the 70s.

Dog Day Afternoon follows the events of a bungled Brooklyn bank robbery in 1975 when a couple of unemployed losers become instant celebrities on live television. The film shows how easily one can go from being a schmuck to a god by pandering to the people's emotions. As Sonny, Pacino uses one word to go from being an armed criminal to a superstar: Attica, the 1971 prison riot that resulted in the deaths of 33 inmates. Pacino's performance is very tense in this film and his performance is not a glamorous one as the film grainy look and feel makes it seem less a film and more like it's taking place in real time. In this respect, the film's aesthetic calls to mind films like the French Connection and On The Waterfront. 

There are also a lot of close up shots of the actors' faces so there was nothing to hide the human performances of the actors from the viewers. You feel what these people feel in the context of the circumstances they find themselves thrust into. Charles Durning is excellent as the police lieutenant who negotiates with Pacino and his parter, Sal, played by the late great John Cazale who also co stars with Pacino as Fredo in the Godfather films. Other great performances in this film came from James Broderick as the FBI agent who negotiates with Sonny and also a very young Lance Henrickson who you'll remember plays the android Bishop in the 1st 2 Alien films.

This film runs a little over 2 hours but there's so much going on that you'll hardly notice the time. A great example of 70's filmmaking and of what made Pacino the star he is today.