The monster suits are incredible plus you get a Daimajin homage!

So much darkness in the world, Francis.

A cat-themed neo-noir with nightmare imagery and slinky energy. It deftly combines the intricacies of a police procedural with the brutality of animal behavior, as the cats claw, piss, and fuck their way through solving the mystery. Occasionally stylized and dreamy as well. I wasn’t expecting the exploration of eugenics, but it being a German film, it didn’t fully surprise me either. 

I appreciate the attention to detail with making sure every cat had a butthole.

Tokyo as a living and breathing organism that consumes some and frees others. The last story feels like a trial for August in the Water. Nostalgic and wistful.

Many films have been made about the constant societal pressure of raising a family and achieving financial success, but The Crazy Family (1984) adds a distinct layer of mania and satire to the mix. One might expect some insanity from director Gakuryū Ishii, given that his previous works, Crazy Thunder Road (1980) and Burst City (1982), are balls-to-the-wall punk rock affairs; however, he is tempered and more introspective here when dealing with family dynamics.

Katsukuni (Katsuya Kobayashi) is a successful salaryman who seems to have his life perfectly organized. After receiving a promotion at work and saving some money, he is able to purchase a nice house in an affluent neighborhood. He promptly moves in with his devoted wife, Saeko (Mitsuko Baisho), and their two children: Erika (Yuki Kudo) and Masaki (Yoshiki Arizono).

Erika is an overdramatic aspiring actress who often refers to herself in the third person, while Masaki dedicates all his free time to studying for his school entrance exams. On the surface, they seem to be an ordinary family, but on a deeper level, they represent Japanese culture in the mid-1980s during the bubble economy. They live in an artificially inflated environment, blissfully unaware of the impending downfall. In a way, this film is eerily prescient, foreseeing the crash that followed the bubble and the emergence of the so-called Lost Generation that experienced it.

Despite his initial joy at their improved lifestyle, Katsukuni has an uneasy feeling brewing in his psyche, a sense that there is some outside force infecting his family with the "disease of civilization." In the 1970s, author Alvin Toffler wrote a book called Futureshock, in which he described the concept as "the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaves people disconnected and suffering from shattering stress and disorientation". Too much change too quickly can shatter the foundations that individuals have built to sustain themselves, leaving them confused and scared. The 1980s were a time of monumental change, especially in technology.

Although Japan has a reputation for technological advances, its culture can be stubborn and resistant to change. As the provider, Katsukuni has a lot of stress put onto his plate, and the constant threat of failure in his life affects his mental state. To make things even worse, Katsukuni's father, Yaskaune (Hitoshi Ueki), moves in unannounced, causing further chaos.

As the film transitions from the drama of the first act into the surreal nightmare of the final two acts, what seemed like everyday family issues spiral into earth-shattering revelations. There is a trope called Flanderization, a term coined from the character Ned Flanders in The Simpsons, which refers to the progressive exaggeration of a character's traits to the point where they become a caricature. Each member of the Kobayashi family goes through this metamorphosis: Katsukuni becomes so obsessed with home improvement that he begins to tear the house apart, Saeko is oversexed and bored with being a housewife, Erika sexualizes herself in a quest to become an idol, and Masaki is dangerously obsessed with studying 24/7, resorting to stabbing himself in the leg with a knife to stay awake and covering every inch of his bedroom walls with math equations.

The third act dives into very dark waters as the family implodes in an apocalyptic fashion. However, even through all the strife, these people still strive to love one another (even as they occasionally try to harm each other), and it's implied that sometimes the destruction that change brings can make room for something even better, which is actually pretty punk rock if you think about it.

Perfect Blue is one of the most enthralling and underrated anime films of all time. For whatever reason, it has stayed under the radar of many film aficionados and maintained somewhat of a cult status. The late Satoshi Kon was not unknown in the western anime world, having directed critically acclaimed masterpieces such as Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika. He was known for his incredible editing techniques and atypical approach to storytelling. Perfect Blue was his directorial debut- although he had his hand in writing and doing designs for other anime series prior.

Whenever Perfect Blue gets mentioned, comparisons to David Lynch always crop up—it is a fair comparison but Satoshi Kon definitely has a style all of his own. The story concerns a young woman named Mima Kirigoe, who is a pop singer trying to break her way into the acting business. As Mima struggles to sustain her separate diametrically opposed identities: that of a squeaky clean pop idol and a sexy adult actress, she has an internal crisis of sorts. To compound things, she also seems to have attracted the attention of an unknown and dangerous stalker.

As Mima’s sanity begins to slide, the film starts to take a surreal tone and this is where Kon’s masterful editing comes into play. He has a way of manipulating time/place utilizing quick cuts and clever scene transitions to shape the perception of the viewer to his liking. Because he is not confined to standard camera positions (since it’s animated) it affords him a freedom not possible with live-action filming. The character designs are realistic and understated which makes the jaunts into magical realism that much more jarring and captivating. So, at times, this movie does show its “anime roots”, but not in the way most casual fans would expect. It is entirely possible to recommend Perfect Blue to someone who has never watched an anime in their life and for them to completely enjoy and respect it as a viable film and not just “kid’s stuff”.

There definitely are adult themes present throughout Perfect Blue; murder, nudity, exploitation, implied rape and blood are all shown. It transcends plain shock value because of the quality of the direction and the intelligence of the writing. Kon’s style parallels Hitchcock’s films, especially because of the complexity of the story and the way it’s visually presented to make the audience think or believe a certain way. The animation is top-notch as well and it’s provided by Madhouse studio, who are known for their outstanding work on numerous other anime feature films and television series. Masahiro Ikumi’s score is appropriately haunting and foreboding which adds greatly to the ambience in the film.

The influence of Perfect Blue on western cinema has been understated—it is said that director Darren Aronofsky bought the rights to the film so that he could use shots from it in his film Requiem for a Dream. His later film Black Swan also has some similarities, but he denies basing it off of Satoshi Kon’s previous work. The two directors have met each other, and both have stated that they enjoy one another’s work, so it may be just a case of mutual respect among professionals. At any rate, this is a film that should not be missed by anime and film lovers alike.

Space Station 76 is probably one of the most esoteric “concept films” made this year. It’s a modern science fiction movie that takes place in an idealized 1970’s version of the future—think films like Logan’s Run, THX 1138, and The Black Hole and you will have an idea of the aesthetic that is being referenced. To be honest, it’s an idea that would probably be more suited to a short film or a comedy skit, but director Jack Plotnick has managed to make it work as a full length film (for the most part).

The film is billed as a “black dramedy” and the tone oscillates between overwrought drama and absolutely pitch black humor. The entire movie takes place in the space station which is overseen by Captain Glenn (Patrick Wilson), a gruff alcoholic with impressive mutton-chops who is barely keeping the ship together after the abrupt departure of his co-pilot. He gets a new female recruit named Jessica (Liv Tyler) and we follow her interactions with the rest of the dysfunctional inhabitants of the station.

For a film like this to work on a basic level, they need to sell the idea of it being a “retro-future” and nail all of the clichés associated with it. From the art deco wallpaper (complete with wood ing), to the stark white Kubrick-esqe ship hallways, everything is spot on. The clothes are all vintage 1970’s styles with big bell bottoms and the requisite super-groovy space jumpsuits that the ‘70s were so fond of. All of the electronics are giant, blocky and analogue—it looks like everyone is using old Korg synthesizers for everything they do. One character has a clunky, robotic prosthetic hand that he has to plug in with a cord to recharge—little things like this really add to the charm of the film. The score is a mixture of sweeping orchestral music and spacy synth riffs and fits perfectly. There are always ambient square wave beeps and boops going on in the background which sounds like older video game sounds (like Atari or Intellivision).

Black comedy is hard to do well, and Space Station 76 might go over the heads of some audience . It’s not because it’s particularly clever, although it is well-written, it’s that whomever watches this movie has to be intimately familiar with a somewhat obscure genre of films to get all of the jokes. If you are in on what is going on, it’s hilarious, but if you don’t understand the references then the humor will seem tedious and out of place. This also applies to the melodramatic parts of the story too as old 1970’s space operas were full of that type of thing. Everything in this film is done dead pan and serious but with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The humor is also mean-spirited at times which might turn some people off. This type of humor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Everything in this film doesn’t work and the pacing of it is jumpy and a little scattered. It could have benefitted from tighter editing as the relatively short runtime still seems a little too long. They also don’t develop the characters enough and there are some side plots that get a strong start and end with in an ambiguous way. It almost seems as if the director wrote himself into a corner and didn’t know how to end the film. This isn’t enough to detract from the film too much but it does leave the viewer wishing for better closure to the story. If you happen to be a fan of this extremely specific era of genre film, then you will find much to like in this quirky little indie flick.

It might seem strange to write up an article on a YouTube series, but over the years the video platform has been home to a whole lot of creative and intriguing content (amongst all the cute kitty videos, that is). Once such series is Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling's surreal puppet show known as Don't Hug Me I'm Scared which debuted in 2011. It features three puppet characters known as Yellow Guy, Red Guy and Duck Guy (they are never referred to by name during the series) who seem to be on a show aimed for small children.

Like any show of that nature, everything is brightly colored and happy...at first. The first episode deals with the concept of "creativity" with a talking sketchbook that tries to teach the trio about how to express their inner artistic talents. What makes this particular show different is that every single episode evolves gradually into subversive and dark themes with gore and disturbing imagery. The show seems to deal with the idea that perhaps authority isn't all it seems and shouldn't be trusted.

The first episode became a viral hit and amassed over ten million views. This prompted them to make additional episodes (five thus far) and each is more insane than the last one. Collectively, the five available episodes have amassed over seventy-three million views. The other topics covered include: Time, Love, Computers and Nutrition. Each episode starts out innocuously enough, but quickly dives down into frightening territory by the end. There is tons of symbolism and mysteries as well and the internet has been going crazy trying to decipher the meaning of everything in the series. The production value is excellent with top-notch puppetry work and even animation! Additionally, there is a musical number in each one as well and all the songs are catchy--in a scary sort of way.

After the second episode, the creators decided that they would need more money to keep up the high quality and put out a Kickstarter to fund the rest of the series. They ed a grainy video of the three main puppets/characters being kidnapped and tortured by terrorists and said they would be killed if they didn't meet their Kickstarter goal. The video is actually very upsetting but also kind of hilarious since it is, you know, puppets. They met their goal and were able to continue the series. The sixth and final episode is due out on June 19, 2016.

What I find interesting about this is that YouTube has ushered in an age where anyone can produce content and get it out to a large audience fairly quickly. The makers of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared were offered official corporation sponsorship to finish their series but they turned it down so as to be able to take the series in whatever direction they pleased. This "independent creator' revolution has been booming in the past five years and looks to be only growing larger and time goes on. Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is a smart, subversive, dark and sometimes hilarious series that should not be missed by anyone who has a taste for off-kilter or bizarre content.

I am not embarrassed to it I enjoy watching pornography from time to time and I especially love the more outlandish movies that have cropped up over the years. Sex and Zen is one such film; combining soft-core sex with high-flying Wuxia style scenes and hilarious comedic hi-jinx. It’s been classified as a Hong Kong Category III film, which equates to a NC-17 rating here in the states. Cat III films are notorious for having explicit sex and gore and they are usually exploitation horror films. Sex and Zen is billed as a sex comedy and has a very lighthearted tone for the most part.

The plot of the film is based on a 17th century Chinese novel called The Carnal Prayer Mat, and follows the adventures of a lecherous scholar (Lawrence Ng) who wants to learn techniques to help him sleep with married women easier. He meets the world’s greatest thief who gives him some rather interesting advice (involving a horse penis transplant) to help him on his sexual conquests. Everything that happens in this film is utterly ridiculous and zany; it is a step up from most pornographic film storylines and remains entertaining for the entire duration. This film is a period piece as well and had a lavish twelve million dollar budget. The costumes and sets look quite extravagant and director Michael Mak did a great job of making the film look like a high quality production. Unfortunately, the musical score is somewhat bland and unobtrusive but it doesn’t detract from the overall film too much.

As for the sex scenes, each one has a unique style and they are all executed wonderfully. Some are done in a comedic style but most are meant to be sensual and titillating. One scene, filmed almost entirely underwater, is amazing and has to be seen to be believed. The cinematography is pretty good most of the time, and they use wire-fu techniques for some of the sexual positions, which is hilarious to watch. Most of the actors and actresses had been in previous Cat III sex films but they put in natural and convincing performances. It is soft-core however, so there are no penetration shots or male genitals directly shown. There are a plethora of boobs if you are into that kind of thing though.

Sex and Zen did quite well at the box office and it spawned two inferior sequels in the wake of its success. Several of the actors and actresses went on to become bigger mainstream film stars but the stigma of being in a pornographic film did follow them for most of their careers. I think this movie is fun to watch and transcends being just an ordinary sleazy porno because of the care and love put into the actual film. If you are a fan of naughty films and kung-fu movies, you will definitely have a good time watching Sex and Zen; it’s worth tracking down just for the experience.

After Alejandro G. Iñárritu's highly lauded film Birdman impressed critics and audience alike, everyone was wondering how he would follow up such a unique film. He next choice would be The Revenant, a biographical western about a frontiersman named Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio). This movie was filmed in the open wilderness which is about as far away as you can get from the claustrophobic mania of Birdman. A revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living. That meaning encapsulates the entire theme of this film--the idea that evil actions sometimes do not go unpunished, even if the consequences aren't experienced immediately. The chickens always come home to roost, as they say.

The Revenant is about a vendetta that Hugh has against his former traveling companions that did him wrong on a fur-trapping expedition. The bulk of Hugh's hate is directed towards John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a shady individual who commits an especially heinous crime towards Hugh. Both Hardy and DiCaprio put in amazing performances in this film and they change roles thought the movie, switching between being the predator and the prey. The ion and intensity that goes into both actor's performances is palpable and it culminates in brutal showdown that had me on the edge of my seat.

Emmanuel Lubezki's breathtaking cinematography takes this film to a entirely different level. His filmography is impressive: Gravity, Birdman, The Tree of Life, and Children of Men to name just a few. I could not believe the spectacle that assaulted my eyes during every single scene. Some of these shots are mind-boggling in both their composition and in their scope. Another amazing feat is the entire film was made using natural lighting and whatever weather conditions were present on that particular day of shooting. Most of the film takes place in forests and snow-covered wilderness so there is a distinct contrast between the nestled trees and the barren tundra of the open areas. Often times, the film cuts between intense action scenes and quiet low-angle shots of the treetops swaying in the wind.

The score, composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto (who also scored the anime classic The Wings of Honnêamise) is excellent as well, and for the most part quite minimal. With visuals that are this fantastic, it makes sense to keep the music more in the background. It's a mixture of symphonic instruments and a little bit of electronic influence. This film is more about the quiet moments in life and reflection/meditation, so I ire Sakamoto's restraint with the score. The sound production in general is great and you can hear every branch creaking and the crunch of every footstep in the snow.

While this is not a negative to me personally, it does bear mentioning that The Revenant does take jaunts into the surreal sometimes. It's not often, but I think some viewers might find these scenes to be self-indulgent or pretentious. I don't disagree with this sentiment but I also don't mind it. I don't want every film to be a perfunctory outline with no director flair or personal touches. Please, indulge yourself and pour your heart into whatever you make and pay no heed to the jaded and cynical critic. Although this is a gorgeous movie, it is also a violent and disturbing film. It pulls no punches either visually or emotionally and many a time I felt anxious or out-of-sorts while watching the events unfold. All of these things combine to make an incredible viewing experience that should not be missed by any film fan.

Most people were introduced to Trigun through Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2003, and it's maintained its popularity ever since. While it doesn't have the best animation--I would consider it one of Madhouse Studio's lower-tier efforts--it does make up for it with a heartfelt story and some fantastic characterization.

The story takes place on Gunsmoke, a dusty desert planet, and revolves around a man known as Vash the Stampede AKA The Humanoid Typhoon, so-named because of the astronomical collateral damage that seems to constantly surround his presence. Eventually, Bernadelli Insurance Society takes note of this and sends two employees, Milly Thomson and Meryl Stryfe, to follow him around and hopefully stop him from destroying things and costing them money. It turns out that Vash has a bounty on his head to the tune of sixty billion double dollars, and that's why he seems to attract so much trouble.

Vash is a hilarious character as his normal demeanor is light and goofy which the show plays up a lot in the first third or so. He can be serious when the situation calls for it, but he will do anything in his power to diffuse a situation non-violently. He's an amazing gunslinger but for some mysterious reason he is extremely reluctant to use his skills. This reason is revealed in the last 4-5 episodes in the series and it recontextualizes the earlier events in a compelling way. Vash has been putting up a facade in order to bury tragic past and is living a lie. A noble lie, but a lie all the same. Vash's back story and character arc reminds me a lot of Rurouni Kenshin, another show that was out around the same era. They both have a pacifist protagonist who refuses to fight due to a violence-filled past.

The idea that violence begets more violence is explored extensively in Trigun, as the world that it paints is tough and unyielding. Although the populace is trying to live peacefully with each other, the scarcity of food and water makes barbarians out of some folk. It's an Old West style "eye for an eye" world and Vash is idealistic enough to want better for everyone. He is forced over and over again to witness brutality and it's heartbreaking to watch him grieve for every single life that is lost. Not one person is insignificant and a single death is just as painful as a multitude.

The character designs are fantastic and it has that trademark Madhouse wackiness to the villains. Vash's spiked out blonde hair, zig-zag sunglasses, and long crimson red coat are iconic--you will still to this day see at least one Vash cosplayer at any convention you go to. The main foes of the series are the Gung-Ho Guns, a group of powerful gunslingers each with their own gimmick. When the action gets hot and heavy the animation is pretty fluid, but there are a lot of static shots thrown in as well. There is also a tendency for things to look off-model and the proportions can be way off. The music, by guitarist Tsuneo Imahori, is excellent and is a mixture of jazzy blues riffs and more experimental noise work.

This series holds fond memories for many older anime fans and with good reason. It's a comionate and well told tale that asks the question: is there ever really a good enough reason to take a life?

Anime is one of the few mediums that has the ability to mix cute and horrifying and do it well. It's a hard balance to maintain, but when it's successful it can leave the viewer emotionally drained as well as captivate them completely. Made in Abyss (2017) is one such show, with its whimsical character designs and pastel color palette hiding a much darker core.

The story follows a young orphan girl named Riko who lives in a city that surrounds a mysterious giant hole in the earth. Everyone calls it the Abyss and it houses magical artifacts as well as terrifying creatures. Individuals called Cave Raiders are periodically sent down to explore the Abyss to bring back treasures to benefit the populous. Riko is a novice Cave Raider and on one of her trips she encounters a strangely powerful robot boy named Reg who may hold the key to unraveling the secrets of the Abyss.

Made in Abyss has some of the best world-building and lore I have ever seen in an anime series. The way the information is presented is organic and it never feels like the characters are just dumping exposition on the viewer. Many concepts are left unexplained which adds to the otherworldly atmosphere. The Abyss is divided into "layers" with each layer becoming more dangerous the further one descends. Additionally, ascending a layer causes side effects from vomiting to more severe ones like bleeding from orifices. The narrative is extremely rich and intriguing with surprises and twists around every corner. For such a short series (thirteen episodes) it really packs in a lot of story with very little filler.

Kinema Citrus, the studio that provided the animation, really outdid themselves with the look for this show. It's absolutely gorgeous and the detail in the backgrounds is amazing. The Abyss is simultaneously breathtaking and terrifying and every inch of it is lavishly animated and conceptualized. One negative I have heard concerns the animation and look for the Abyss creatures as they have a sketchier style in comparison to the rest of the polished designs. They were designed and animated by Kou Yoshinari and I personally loved the way they moved. It made them feel alien and savage just as they should.

The Abyss is a neutral force in this universe--it is indifferent and chaotic. It doles out wonderment and pain in equal doses. Despite the lighthearted tone of the first few episodes, Made in Abyss is a harrowing tale. It reminds me of Now and Then, Here and There (1999) another anime with similar themes of children experiencing brutality. This is not a show for those who are easily bothered because some of the scenes and situations are downright upsetting. I find that the journey is that much more satisfying because of this, however. 

Kevin Penkin's score for Made in Abyss is one of the best OSTs I have heard in a long time. He mixes lush symphonic music with light touches of chiptune which gives it a JRPG feel. There is always something slightly distorted going on underneath every track which mirrors how the cute aesthetic of the show hides a menacing streak. There are also a few beautiful vocal pieces rounding out the music.

Made in Abyss is an absolute gem of a show and if you can stomach some darker material you will be richly rewarded with an excellent and moving tale.

Flowers of Evil is one of the most underrated and incredible anime series of 2014. Unfortunately, the slow pacing and animation style turned off most casual anime fans and it has received mixed reviews. It was also overshadowed by blockbuster shows like Attack on Titan and Kill la Kill, leaving it to languish in cult status. Viewers who do take a gamble (like I did), however, will be rewarded with a creepy and gorgeous tale filled with dark beauty and sinister undertones.

The story follows a high school student named Takao Kasuga, an introvert who loves reading obscure literature and poetry. He has an unrequited crush on Nanako Saeki, his pretty and popular classmate. Takao has a weak moment, and in a fit of love-induced insanity steals one of Nanako’s belongings—unbeknownst to him, his creepy female classmate Sawa Nakamura catches him in the act. She then blackmails him with the information and makes him enter a “contract” with her in exchange for keeping his secret. The consequences of his acquiescence are far-reaching and devastating.

In a world of giant robots and over-the-top action sequences, the unhurried and deliberate pacing of Flowers of Evil’s story can seem boring and tedious. There are very few slow burn style anime series and it’s a hard pill for fans to swallow sometimes. The director, Hiroshi Nagahama, is known for another delicate and slow series called Mushishi, and he is adept at keeping the audience’s attention even with a subtle material. As this is a coming-of-age tale, the young characters are very emotional and make irrational decisions, and as is common with Japanese anime, they tend to seem over-exaggerated and melodramatic. It can be a little distracting at times, but doesn’t detract from the overall plot.

One of the most polarizing aspects of the show was the choice to use rotoscoping for the animation style. Rotoscoping is a technique where they film everything using live actors and draw over the footage to make it look like a cartoon. The result is realistic looking with a high frame rate—I cannot recall any other anime that has used this method, as it seems to be more commonly used in western animation. It has the effect of making it look more like an actual television show and less like traditional anime. 

Some people think it’s lazy, but I feel like it was a deliberate stylistic choice by the director. Because of the propensity of rotoscoping to enter the “uncanny valley” it makes the overall atmosphere creepier and unsettling. Often times, the character designs become less defined and more abstract, depending on what is going on at the time. It’s minimalist for the most part, but ends up being effective for a few choice scenes.

One of the most interesting aspects of Flowers of Evil is the musical score. The background music is constantly foreboding and menacing which makes for a distressing and uncomfortable feeling throughout the series. The opening theme is a normal peppy anime theme, but it is sung by various voice actors from the show and changes slightly every episode. They sing it in a sarcastic manner as if making fun of the necessity of anime series to have a happy J-pop song. The ending theme, A Last Flower by Asa-Chang & Junray, is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard. It’s eerie and chilling and always starts at weird times at the end of each episode, slowly creeping into the character’s conversations.

If one were to try to encapsulate the theme of Flowers of Evil in one word, it would be deconstruction. The entire series is a breakdown of common anime tropes and fan expectations. It’s ironic that many of the detractors of this show seem to miss that point entirely. The main character is obsessed with his ideal version of a girl and he has to deal the cognitive dissonance associated with discovering her true personality. Just as the typical otaku has a narrow mindset of what anime is supposed to be like and cannot come to with something different and unexpected. That makes this series genius in a way, and it is unfortunate that a lot of people will skip out on it because of the bad reviews.

Perhaps this series resonated with me more because I am a fan of meta-style and post-modern storytelling. It’s definitely pretentious and that can be really off-putting to some people. If you have a taste for something different and a little bit surreal, give Flowers of Evil a chance to blow your mind.

Casey Jones is fucking hot and I’m not ashamed to shout it to the world

Honestly, I think the Critters are absolutely adorable! I just know I would die so quick if they were real because I would constantly try to pet and snuggle them. 

The pacing is a little too slow in the first act, but it does well establishing the quaint hometown feel before unleashing the Critters.

Was anyone else distracted by that one dude’s super long mole hair?!

Loved the set design and costumes. I love the “what if RoboCop was a hot chick” genre.

Surprisingly good fight choreography surrounded by SOV level acting. You can tell all these peeps had a blast making it! Occasionally toes the line into exploitation but never gets too gnarly on that front. 

I love everyone’s accents

Kuso (2017), Flying Lotus's previous full-length film, was a post-apocalyptic work of surrealism that felt messy and grotesque, like being trapped inside his mind and constantly bombarded by his influences and fetishes. With Ash (2025), he marks a turning point in his cinematic language, presenting a more straightforward and refined narrative while still incorporating flashes of weirdness and grotesque body horror. His obsessions peek through the seams, revealing a love for survival horror video games (with a hint of Mass Effect), as well as influences from The Thing (1982), Alien (1979), and even Event Horizon (1997). On paper, and to some extent in execution, it may seem derivative, but Lotus cleverly uses the audience's familiarity with these tropes to subvert expectations, ultimately delivering an intriguing film.

The audience is immediately thrust into the thick of things as Riya (Eiza González), a young researcher at an isolated space station, wakes up to find that her entire crew has been murdered, and not only does she have no recollection of the events that lead to the massacre, she can't who she is either. She's sweaty and ill, with a nasty gash on her forehead, and as she wanders through the dimly lit halls of the station, the mystery only grows larger. Shortly after exploring, she is ed by Brion (Aaron Paul), a technician from an adjacent space station who claims that he has come there to help her escape. Riya has to figure out what the hell happened to her crewmates while also entertaining the thought that Brion might have ulterior motives.

Unfortunately, the biggest issue with Ash is the pacing of the first two acts. Much of the narrative is told through flashbacks, but there isn't enough time spent fleshing out the crew's personalities, so there isn't much of an emotional connection when they turn up dead. A romance is implied between one of the crew and Riya, but brief flashes of their connection fail to sell the pathos of his death in retrospect. It takes too long for the forward motion of the narrative to get going, and the film drags somewhat as a result. However, once it starts to cook, it barrels ahead at jet speed while pulling the rug out from beneath the viewer. Lotus is fond of jump-scare split-second nightmare frames, and he peppers them throughout the story to great effect. González is fine as Riya, though she isn't given much to do other than be anxious and scared. Aaron Paul is in full intensity mode, and his character is similarly one-note.

This film is visually stunning, featuring cosmic vistas infused with pink and purple hues, alongside saturated red and blue lighting within the space station. Several scenes depict the characters as black silhouettes against a blood-red backdrop, artfully posed and impeccably framed. When the action turns violent, the perspective shifts to a first-person view, enhancing the video game aesthetic. As Riya navigates through dimly lit corridors, one can't help but feel reminiscent of Dead Space, particularly with the glowing spine exoskeleton design of her spacesuit.

The strongest elements are undoubtedly the sound design and the score, composed by Flying Lotus. He fills the soundscape with pounding synth arpeggios, lush silvery pads, and industrial-style soundscapes. One memorable sequence features a "red alert" alarm sounding in the station, which is then seamlessly integrated into the score, intensifying the frantic atmosphere of the scene. The soundtrack is filled with intriguing moments like this and is a treat to listen to for the entire runtime.

Ash is a dose of body horror, fractal weirdness,  and little touches of humor that is ultimately entertaining and thrilling, despite the script's lack of character motivations and backstory.

Watched on Saturday March 22, 2025.

Watched on Friday March 21, 2025.

The Hilton Sisters have beautiful voices! 

Honestly, the best part was that one dude who juggled the plates

Why do you suddenly wish to hear the voice of the rose?

One of the more existential entries in the Godzilla franchise, it embraces all the best ‘80s tropes: environmentalism, psychic powers, and nuclear secrets. Biollante’s design is beautiful and haunting, the face of a rose hiding vicious thorns underneath.

With Koichi Sugiyama composing the score it’s hard not to hear echoes of Dragon Quest (there’s a few chord progressions straight out of the games, in fact) but it gives the film a more classic and whimsical feel. 

The dark fantasy mixed with techno vibes make this unique out of all films, and that’s why it’s such a fan favorite (and my favorite as well).

My period does, in fact, attract bears

The sound design is fantastic. Wish I could have seen more of the caterpillar dude, he seemed chill.

Shozin Fukui never forgot his love for mentally disturbed puking women

Watched on Friday March 14, 2025.

Surprisingly hilarious pinku romp that occasionally dips into dead serious philosophical tangents about abuse of power and religion. Beautiful cinematography.

If I had a nickel for every time I have ever seen erotic sepukku I would have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice.

Beneath its glassy surface, a world of gliding monsters.

Every second of this film is the most ridiculous shit ever

Thomas Jane is scrumptious 

LL Cool J and his parrot are a vibe

A favorite of mine as a child, and upon rewatching it as an adult I appreciate how they fleshed out Mrs. Brisby‘s character arc and celebrated how resourceful single mothers can be. ‘80s animation has an organic and lived-in quality that I find missing from modern films, an air of dark magic and high fantasy. 

In this world, advanced science is indistinguishable from magic, and I love the design for Nicodemus; he feels like a techno-wizard. They strike a great balance between danger and whimsy, neither one overtaking the tone of the film completely. Absolutely stunning animation.

Stop, this is madness!

That’s because I’m insane!

Many years ago, during a vacation, I went shallow diving on an excursion. The core memory that sticks with me from that experience is the profound silence underwater, which felt like being wrapped in a cool, weightless blanket. As someone slightly claustrophobic, I would occasionally surface to reorient myself, and I was always taken aback by the sudden loudness of the world above the water.

Mermaid Legend (1984) begins underwater, following Migiwa (Mari Shirato) as she gracefully swims through the depths in search of pearls and mollusks. However, her tranquility beneath the waves is soon disrupted by corruption and murder. On the surface, this film is about the corruption and exploitation of the working class by giant corporations. Migiwa and her husband Keisuke (Jun Ito) both make their living by using the water, Migawa as a diver, and Keisuke by fishing. Unfortunately, their town is scouted by Kinki Electric Power, who want to build a nuclear power station on the land. As a greedy owner tries to play dirty to acquire the deed, Keisuke witnesses a yakuza murder and is taken out himself, his body unceremoniously dumped into the water. Migawa finds him on a dive and is accused of killing him and has to go on the run.

After the initial set-up, the narrative takes a different direction as Migiwa grapples with the grief of mourning her husband and finding out who was responsible for his death. Migiwa becomes a symbolic entity representing nature and the constant abuse that humanity heaps upon it in the name of profit. Shohei (Kentaro Shimizu), the son of the corporation boss, tries to establish himself as an ally, but he also takes advantage of Migiwa in a way similar to his father by using his sexual lust to take advantage of her weakened state.

Capitialism as rape both literally and figuratively is a dark theme running through this film. Migiwa's tendency to wear white clothing has a dual meaning: the Buddhist ritual in which dead bodies are dressed in white and her purity throughout the story. As it progresses, her pure outfit is sullied more and more, until she is covered in blood from head to toe, representing wrath and vengeance. Japanese mermaids, or ningyo, were said to bring misfortune or storms if spotted, and in the third act, Migiwa embraces this legend fully as she exacts her revenge on those who have wronged her and others.

• Strange Darling
• Sailor Moon R: The Movie - The Promise of the Rose
• Meat Puppet
• Krazy House
• The Girl with the Needle
• Se7en
• Shaun of the Dead
• Watership Down
• Once We Were Four
• David Lynch Cooks Quinoa

...plus 68 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Evil Toons
• Undefeatable
• King on Screen
• August Underground's Penance
• Haunted Samurai
• Duel
• The Blue Jean Monster
• Balls of Fury
• Pootie Tang
• Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets

...plus 214 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Léon: The Professional
• The Human Vapor
• The Menu
• Crocodile Dundee
• M3GAN
• Goodbye Uncle Tom
• Shin Ultraman
• Big Time Gambling Boss
• Freeway
• The One

...plus 167 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Eyes of Fire
• Rebels of the Neon God
• Terminal Island
• Irezumi
• A Thief in the Night
• A Distant Thunder
• Image of the Beast
• The Prodigal Planet
• Red Angel
• Tokyo Decadence

...plus 112 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
• Labyrinth
• Alphabet City
• Kill!
• Action U.S.A.
• Living Dolls
• Lady Battle Cop
• Coming to America
• Versus
• Cans Without Labels

...plus 157 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Aquaman
• Police Story 2
• Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
• The Untold Story
• Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
• Crimes of ion
• The Happiness of the Katakuris
• Orgies of Edo
• FP2: Beats of Rage
• They Shall Not Grow Old

...plus 165 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Call Me by Your Name
• The Villainess
• Yo-Yo Girl Cop
• The Super Inframan
• The Seventh Seal
• Princess from the Moon
• Kite
• Violence Jack: Harem Bomber
• Violence Jack: Evil Town
• Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare

...plus 251 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Silence
• A Monster Calls
• I Am Not a Serial Killer
• The Red Turtle
• The Fantastic Adventures of Unico
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Life, Animated
• Justice League Dark
• The ant
• Evolution

...plus 206 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.