For the first time in a very long time, I spent the weekend either at my computer undisturbed, doing work on the film, or watch films. Seven films to be exact, if you count each episode of The Company as one film, which you should because each one is 1 hour and a half long and is one cohesive story.
Ringu: Call me a j horror fanboy, but Ringu is still one of my favourites. It only took me 9 years to get Rebecca to watch it. Each time I watch it I get more and more out of it. Its a beautiful film, that unfortunately takes a lot of flack for helping to start the now redundant j horror boom.
The Company: A three part mini-series on the history of the CIA during the cold war. Its really a trilogy of three films more or less. I got interested in this film because one, Jason picked up as a blind buy and said it was good, and two, it was playing on the D-21 promo reel at work and looked pretty good. And it is. Chris O'Donnell for once isn't half bad. Micheal Keaton rocks. Its a nice blend of history surrounding a fictitious character, and really well done, besides a few not so well done SFX shots.
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion: Let's face it, Meiko Kaji is frickin' hot. I have yet to see a film with her in it I didn't like, and Female Prisoner #701 is no different. Omar wanted to watch a movie with nudity in it, so I put this on. Its amazing how the film should be nothing more than an exploitation film, but a combination of Kaji's smoldering looks and ice cold glares and Shunya Ito's often bold and psychedelic cinematic fury helps the film becomes something much more. Its a great piece of cinema.
The Kid with the Golden Arm: I've wanted to see this film for quite sometime. I love Chang Cheh. Its one of the first 'venoms' films, featuring what would become Cheh's group of filmmaking consorts after the iron triangle of David Chiang, Ti Lung and Chang Cheh. It's got all your favourites. Sun Chien, Lo Meng, Philip Kwok, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, Wei Pai and Yu Tai Ping. Its not the best Chang Cheh film, and doesn't match the outrageous audacity of Five Deadly Venoms, Crippled Avengers or Five Element Ninjas, but that final battle is pretty amazing. Its more a tale of intrigue, albeit not a very original or clever one, leading to a spectacular showdown between the Kid with the Golden Arm, Iron Feet and Hero Hai To!
Koyaanisqatsi: I very influential film for me. I can put it on anytime of the day and be mesmerized by its beauty. I watched it for inspiration, and it gave me much. Upon watching it this time, I couldn't help but think that the music from the Watchmen was directly inspired by Philip Glass and his music in this film and Mishima, another one of my most favourite films.
