Woman in Witness Protection (1997) [Film Review]

Woman in Witness Protection; or, See no Evil, Hear no Evil
     It’s fine. It’s called acting.
The late director Juzo Itami always crafted his movies around the topical concerns which troubled society, and Woman in Witness Protection is no exception. This time, the main heroine (as always played by Itami’s wife, Nobuko Miyamoto) finds herself on the run from a vicious cult. As a matter of fact, Itami focused on the issue of religious cults as early as 1988 in A Taxing Woman’s Return, where an IRS agent investigates an insidious religious group that is suspected of tax evasion.

Release Info

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Masahiko Nishimura, Takehiro Murata

Language: Japanese Original Title: マルタイの女 Runtime: 131 min

Synopsis
In Woman in Witness Protection, we follow Biwako Isono (Nobuko Miyamoto), a shallow and spoiled movie star. All of a sudden, she witnesses a gruesome murder of an anti-cult lawyer and his wife. In order to protect the actress from religious fanatics, the police provide her with specially trained witness protection officers until the trial. In the meantime, Biwako has to deal with various means of harassment and attempts to tarnish her public image.

All the World’s a Stage
To put it in simple terms, Woman in Witness Protection is Juzo Itami’s middle finger towards Aum Shinrikyo. By means of his usual black comedy style and brutal satire, the director exposes the fallacies of the cult and how it engages in domestic terrorism. The premise of the story is actually based on the real-life murder of Tsutsumi Sakamoto and his family. In addition, Itami can’t help himself but name Aum and Asahara in one of the interrogation scenes when police officers try to disprove the might of the glorious “Guru” by stating that he actually can’t levitate.

The movie is divided into appropriate sections (the murder, the investigation, the arrest, etc.) in order to present the sequence of events and how the law enforcement works. In the midst of all that we have Biwako Isono who is not entirely sure how she should behave as a witness, yet she has to maintain her acting profession while the cult is targeting her.

I believe that the closest equivalent of Woman in Witness Protection is Itami's Minbo (1992). That is, both films tackle controversial topics and have huge shifts in tone (comedic scenes are crosscut with dead serious sequences).

With regard to performances, Nobuko Miyamoto aces it once again by playing a highly energetic, outspoken, yet complex heroine. Words of appreciation also go to Masahiko Nishimura and Takehiro Murata as policemen protecting Nobuko’s character from numerous dangers. In addition, Masahiko Tsukgawa, another Itami’s regular, has a small but interesting role of Biwako’s love interest.

Recommendations
All in all, Woman in Witness Protection is a very clever comedy drama, but this is not to say that the film is free from ghastly sequences. In a Tarantino-like manner, Itami underlines the fact that nothing will stop religious fanatics from accomplishing their goals (even if it means threatening, bribery, or killing). It is quite a shame that this was the director's last movie before his untimely demise.Overall score: 7/10

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Crazy Thunder Road (1980) [Film Review]

Crazy Thunder Road; or, Falling Down
     I founded the Maboroshi group eight years ago. Now I'm one of its seniors. You should know I'm on your side. I'm right behind you guys who want to raise hell on your bikes. You beat the pseudo grown-ups any day. But listen, Jin... This way you'll end up wasting your energy.
When it comes to punk-charged aesthetics accompanied by outstanding cinematography and a strong critical comment on modern society, Gakuryu Ishii (also known as Sogo Ishii) is the go-to director. In this review, I am taking a look at his university “senior thesis” project called Crazy Thunder Road, a biker-gang classic that is about to be released for the first time in the West by Third Window Films

Release Info

Directed by: Gakuryu (Sogo) Ishii Starring: Tatsuyo Yamada, Koji Nanjo, Michiko Kitahara

Language: Japanese Original Title: 狂い咲きサンダーロード Runtime: 98 min

Synopsis
Ken (Koji Nanjo) is the leader of a Maboroshi biker group. He calls it quits because he wants to have a quiet life with his girlfriend Noriko (Michiko Kitahara). However, Jin (Tatsuyo Yamada) opposes the idea to merge the gang with another organisation, so he takes over the leadership. In order to preserve his individuality, Jin will have to fight against yakuza kingpins and ultra-nationalist militants.

Seize the Day and Set it on Fire
Even though Gakuryu Ishii was already known in Japan for the Panic High School (1978) movie he co-directed, Crazy Thunder Road got him into the showbiz of Japanese Cinema. The Toei executives were so impressed with the young filmmaker’s punk feature, which was made because, allegedly, he wanted to continue using university equipment, they have upscaled the original 16mm negative into a 35mm presentation and gave the movie a nationwide release.

In my opinion, Crazy Thunder Road has to be seen twice in order to be understood. You just don’t know what to expect from Gakuryu Ishii, the visionary who gave us The Crazy Family (1984), Angel Dust (1994), and August in the Water (1995). Crazy Thunder Road is a low-budget introduction into the cyberpunk genre made in Japan. That is to say, we have bosozoku characters but their manic attitude, especially Jin’s, is cranked up to the max. The nihilistic and industrialised atmosphere of the film gives off the feeling as if society is on the brink of destruction. Indeed, Jin himself is torn between chaos and order as we see him meandering between right-wing crazies and yakuza nutjobs. All in all, the only way out for the main hero is to oppose every kind of authority.

In many reviews, you can find Crazy Thunder Road being compared to Mad Max (1979) and The Warriors (1979). I believe that Midnight Eye team was spot on with their own analysis of the film when saying that Ishii’s feature, in terms of its basic yet efficient resourcefulness resembles Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981): “Both films are dazzling showcases of ostentatious film school experimentation coupled with an undeniably accomplished technical proficiency and razor-sharp editing” (source).

Personally, I would add that if it had not been for Crazy Thunder Road, there would not have been Akira (1988) in its present form. After watching Ishii’s bikes-and-guns epic, it becomes obvious that the film had an influence on Katsuhiro Otomo. The two even collaborated together on the adaptation of Otomo’s manga Run in 1981. What is more, the action-packed finale of Crazy Thunder Road predates the showdown between Deckard and Roy Batty in Blade Runner by two years!

In terms of disadvantages, the erratic pacing has to be addressed. Perhaps this is only my own reflection, but it seems as if a lot of the footage was, in fact, cut out in the editing process. At times, there is a strong prevalence that a certain scene is just missing as we see the characters jump from one location to another. Still, this uncanny feeling is compensated by the exhaustively dynamic performance of the late Tatsuyo Yamada as Jin.

Recommendations
If you seek for an unusual, anti-establishment motion picture from the hallmarks of film history, I recommend Gakuryu Ishii’s Crazy Thunder Road. It’s a 42-year-old university project that keeps on giving to this day. The Third Window Blu-ray release comes out on the 21st of February. Their edition includes a new master of the film approved by Gakuryu Ishii, new interview with the director, audio commentary by Tom Mes, and a video essay by Jasper Sharp on Jishu Eiga.Overall score: 7/10

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Too Hot to Handle- My Fave Tokusatsu Villainesses [Valentine's Day Special]

They are mean, they are bad to the bone, they want to rule the world, and they are ridiculously hot. Dear readers, in view of the fact that we have Valentine’s Day today, I decided to prepare something special for this occasion. That is to say, I invite you to go through a personal rundown of my favourite female villains from the vast realm of Tokusatsu.

 

7. Malshina

A few years ago, when I was at the beginning of my Tokusatsu adventure, I would have probably placed Malshina at no. 1 spot. Let’s face it, she is the ultimate parody of each and every villainess who came before her. Everything about her is over the top: the uniform, glasses, exposed thighs, and purple hairstyle. She works perfectly as a foe for the Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger team during the first season of the show. Unfortunately, the filmmakers realised that they struck gold with this character, so they just could not help themselves and brought her back for Season 2, just to keep on churning out less-than-ambiguous jokes. Still, I love Malshina for what she is, and my respect goes to former JAV actress Ai Shimomura for her performance. She and other cast members must have undoubtedly had lots of fun on the set of Akibaranger.

 

6. Beauty Zonette

At spot no. 6 we have Zonette from Gekisou Sentai Carranger. Technically, I would say that this villainess fits more into the category of cute rather hot. In addition, her character undergoes zero development throughout the series (she hangs out with baddies mainly because she is bored), but I do love the hilarious romance subplot between her and RedRacer. This was yet another aspect of Carranger which made me absolutely adore this particular season of Super Sentai. Unfortunately, I did not manage to find a lot of information on Rika Nanase, the actress who portrayed Zonette, apart from the fact that, similarly to Ai Shimomura, she was also in the JAV business and retired from acting in 1998.

 

5. Queen Hedrian

As actress Reiko Chiba (who played Mei in Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger) stated, the late Machiko Soga brought the necessary style and spiciness to Super Sentai with her role of Queen Hedrian in Denshi Sentai Denjiman and Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan. This particular female villain is just so edgy and so… sci-fi. It’s a terrible loss that Machiko Soga is no longer with us. I am also giving a shout out to her wonderful portrayal of Witch Bandora in Zuyranger.

 

4. Mele

At number 4, we have a nemesis from the Juken Sentai Gekiranger. I admit that I still have yet to finish this particular show, but I can’t help but adore the character of Mele. Her Chinese design, especially the unconventional hairstyle is awesome. Just look at this YouTube clip. It’s a shame that actress Yuka Hirata did not do a lot of other Tokusatsu work outside of Gekiranger. At least you can admire her craft in terms of voice acting.

 

3. Lila

The third place goes to a baddie from one of my all-time fave Super Sentai seasons, Mirai Sentai Timeranger. Lila was part of the Londerz Family, a group of criminals who escaped from the confinement facility and jumped in time to the year 2000. I have to say that the general design of Lila is so kick-ass. I totally dig the white cape and massive, plastic shoulder pads. Unfortunately, we see very little of Lila in a regular, human form throughout the show, which is a shame because this season could benefit from a variety of crazy hairstyles of this character. Actress Asami Kuru currently works as a mental trainer. Apart from organising workshops, she is also incredibly active on social media.

 

2. Secret Scorpion Officer Lami

As for villainess number 2, there is no doubt about it, Lami takes the silver-medal prize! Although the wife of Grifforzer appeared nearly halfway through Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger season, she managed to wipe the floor with the ranger team. Her scorpion-themed outfit is an epic win, but Lami is also a pro when it comes to disguises. I do really enjoy episodes when she appears in a human form. Last but not least, the character received a happy ending (of sorts) because she gave birth to a baby Grifforzer! Actress Ami Kawai fondly recalls her time on Zyuranger, citing that behind-the-scenes experience helped her overcome the fear of heights!

 

1. The Amazoness

And the winner of the grand prize is… the one and only… Amazoness from Toei’s Spider-man (1978) show! The second-in-command of the Iron Cross Army has it all: Fabulous hair? Check. Eyeliner? Check? Black cape? Check. Iron-like necklace? Check. Beating stick? Double check! What I like best about this villainess though are her facial expressions which range from “WTF, Spider-man’s alive?” to “I’m going to end you!” Actress Yukie Kagawa nails it to the cross with her silent-film-like performance, which makes perfect sense in a show which relies on quick cuts and action rather than dialogue. In a 2017 interview, Kagawa recalled that she greatly enjoyed working on Spider-man; however, persevering though stunt work was a challenge, but still the cast members became great friends on the set. Oh, Amazoness. I pledge allegiance to the Iron Cross Army. We shan’t give up and we will crush the wallcrawler once and for all!

So this was my personal list of favourite Tokusatsu villainesses. I hope you enjoyed this rundown and feel free to name your fave female villains in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, then please stay tuned. Hopefully, I will publish a companion piece focusing on Tokusatsu heroines soon. Ebisuno over and out. Stay safe and take care!

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All of Us Are Dead (2022) [Drama Review]

All of Us Are Dead; or, Too Cruel for School
     Listen carefully. You know how to play tag, right? We're all hiding here to get away from someone. But now... you're it.
All of Us Are Dead is the latest South Korean zombie series which premiered on Netflix at the end of January, 2022. Based on a webtoon series created by Joo Dong Geun, the 12-episode drama delivers a high level of zombie insanity within the school setting. Yet, the viewing experience is not without flaws.

Release Info

Directed by: Lee Jae Gyoo, Kim Nam Su Starring: Park Ji Hoo, Yoon Chan Young, Jo Yi Hyun, Lomon

Language: Korean Original Title: 지금 우리 학교는 No. of eps.: 12

Synopsis
A former worker of a pharmaceutical company, Lee Byeong Chan (Kim Byung Chul) currently works as a life science teacher at Hyosan High School. In order to protect his son, the scientist has developed a deadly virus which basically takes control over its host and amplifies primal instincts. In other words, those infected are driven by the sole will to survive. Unfortunately, one of the students gets bitten by Lee Byeong Chan’s lab rat. This turns the Hyosan High School into ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Students in distress will have to fight their way through in order to stay alive.

The School Job
I have to say that I am fairly open to the zombie genre in general and I do not mind suspending my disbelief when clichéd situations kick in (*#Alive and Peninsula flashbacks*). However, All of us Are Dead, albeit extremely fast-paced and entertaining, did not click with me in a lot of places.

My major issue with this drama is its inconsequentiality. Zombie flicks are always driven by a set of specific rules and All of Us Are Dead is no exception from that. The problem arises when these rules are bent or done away with just to push the story further. For instance, the virus is transmitted by the act of an infected person biting a healthy person. It is said in the show that zombie transformation lasts approximately 10 minutes, but sometimes it is just 30 seconds and voilà! Some characters get to say a whole monologue in their last moments or they are able to sacrifice themselves in a glorious battle, others; unfortunately, catch one breath and become red-eyed monsters.

One more example (without giving away major spoilers): By logic, it is safe to assume that a character infected with a mutated strain of the virus would transmit that particular strain, but this does not always work out either. I understand that the screenwriters wanted to avoid getting cornered by these zombie rules, but some of these critical moments in the drama were so baffling that I was unable to suspend my disbelief. In addition, not giving the main heroes at least some nutrition plus water and expecting them to jump, kick, and fist fight all the time is unforgivable.

Still, there are many things I appreciate in All of Us Are Dead. The episodic form allowed to develop the mystery of the virus: what were its origins and how it mutated. This in turn had a great impact on the philosophical side of the story: nihilism vs. struggle to survive, school abuse vs. parental love, children distrusting adults, and the needs of the many vs. the needs of the few. All of it is present on the screen and it is awesome to see how these themes play out in the drama. What is more, All of Us Are Dead gives a thoughtful commentary on modern-day issues connected with the pandemic.

In terms of action, this show just does not let go. It takes many cues from Train to Busan (2016), and even references the movie, yet the drama does not go to extremes. That is to say, we will not see here zombies amassing on top of each other and creating huge living walls out of themselves. These zombies are more straightforward: they react to sound and relentlessly try to grab a bite.

With regard to heroes, there are so many of them that it is really hard to identify with and cheer for particular individuals. They just do not get fleshed out properly. Still, the main focus is on On Jo (Park Ji Hoo) and Cheong San (Yoon Chan Young). Personally, I think the love subplot works okay in the drama, but the characters which absolutely rock in this regard are Su Hyeok (Lomon) and Nam Ra (Jo Yi Hyun). Nam Ra in particular is awesome because of her story arc which is very similar to the trope of a misunderstood monster, like Frankenstein. Additionally, my fave characters are the supporting ones, like Ha Ri (Ha Seung Ri), Jun Sung (Yang Han Yeol), Mi Jin (Lee Eun Saem), and Min Jae (Jin Ho Eun) #ArcheryTeam4Life! I have also enjoyed a subplot centering on Eun Ji (Oh Hye Soo), but sadly it went completely nowhere.

As for the performances, the majority of young actors and actresses did awesome. I am sure that this drama will kick start acting careers for most of them. Park Ji Hoo obviously shines as she gets most of the screen time, but I also loved Jo Yi Hyun, Lim Jae Hyeok, Lee Eun Saem. They gave the most vibrant performances. With regard to veteran actors, Kim Byung Chul dominates the screen as the mad scientist, Jeon Bae Soo is heartbreaking as a father trying to save his daughter, whereas Bae Hae Seon delivers a reserved but memorable performance of a National Assembly Member. Forgive me if I have not mentioned your favourite artist, but the cast of this drama is so damn extensive!

Recommendations
In spite of obvious, script-driven shortcomings, All of Us Are Dead is a generally pleasing thrill ride. I give it a strong 7/10 because of the action, amazing performances, and the final episode which wraps things up in a heart-warming way. Many viewers complain that the series ends with a cliff-hanger, but I dare to say that, to me, it is a complete ending but with a possibility of continuation woven into it. In view of the fact that the series had a strong opening on Netflix, I am positive that the announcement of a second season is only a matter of time. Thank you for reading. Stay safe and avoid these manic lab rats!Overall score: 7/10

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The Silent Sea (2021) [Drama Review]

The Silent Sea; or, 2021: A Lunar Odyssey
     Not a damn thing works smoothly in this station.
I have been looking forward to The Silent Sea drama since the first information about the shooting schedule dropped in December, 2020. Still, I had to endure an additional month of waiting after the Netflix premiere at the end of 2021 because of personal stuff and work. Well, as they say, better late than never. This is my review of The Silent Sea.

Release Info

Directed by: Choi Hang Yong Starring: Gong Yoo, Bae Doona, Lee Joon, Kim Sun Young

Language: Korean Original Title: 고요의 바다 No. of eps.: 8

Synopsis
Near future, the world is plagued by shortages of water and food caused by environmental changes. Doctor Song Ji An (Bae Doona) can’t get over the death of her sister who tragically died in a mysterious accident on Balhae Base research station on the moon. The Republic of Korea’s Space and Aeronautics Division asks her to join a team of specialists led by Captain Han Yoon Jae (Gong Yoo). They are sent on a mission to retrieve top-secret samples from the now-abandoned Balhae Base. Upon arriving there, the team realises something is amiss. That is to say, something, or someone, is lurking within the premises of the base.

Fly Me to the Moon
The Silent Sea was based on a 2014 short film The Sea of Tranquillity (I couldn’t track it down) by Choi Hang Yong, who also directed all 8 episodes of the drama. Interestingly, the executive producer of the show was Jung Woo Sung, the star of Steel Rain (2017) and The King (2017). The screenwriting duties were given to Park Eun Kyo who penned in the past Neverending Story (2012) as well as Mother (2009).

This drama is science-fiction at its purest. Fans of the genre will undoubtedly notice that The Silent Sea borrows tropes and concepts left and right from such legendary juggernauts of modern cinema as the Alien franchise (1979-1997), The Abyss (1989), Leviathan (1989), and Ad Astra (2019). There is room for thoughtful critique of modern problems plaguing the social order, but this aspect does not eclipse the willingness of filmmakers to provide the audience with a dose of thrills and chills.

In my opinion, The Silent Sea feels very much like the Lost (2004-2010) TV series, but instead of the island setting we get the moon. The first episode of the drama, albeit visually outstanding, is a bit overwhelming because its main focus is setting up the action and introducing (lots of) characters. Onwards the second episode, it gets easier to dive into the mysteries concerning the Balhae Base as well as the motivations of the main protagonists: Captain Han Yoon Jae and Doctor Song Ji An.

I have read online a lot of criticism about the plotline of the drama, especially the climax and dramatic reveal of (no spoilers) what actually was going on, but I personally found the whole thing enjoyable. I especially appreciated the themes of political corruption, company wars, and unethical research. The only thing that put me off; however, were CGI effects concerning one of the characters. From the visual standpoint, the effects looked good, but there was still some degree of uncanny valley which made these sequences look awkward.

Still, I love the marvellous production design. The Balhae Base looks incredible and the moon’s surface is fantastic, whereas the space suits are awesome. With regard to performances, it is always a pleasure to see Gong Yoo in the heroic role. This time, there is an added bonus because Gong’s character has an epic tattoo on his neck. Bae Doona is always wonderful as the female lead, but I was hoping for more character development in this case. Throughout most of the drama, we see Doctor Song either as bitter or depressed.

As for the supporting cast, I absolutely love Kim Sun Young as Doctor Hong. I have said this already on MDL and I will say it again: To me, she IS the Space Ajumma! In addition, I greatly enjoyed the appearances of Lee Moo Saeng as Chief Gong, head of the security team, and of Lee Joon as Lieutenant Ryoo Tae Seok, the head engineer. In general, the cast members have great chemistry, which also transpires in these sweet promo materials from Netflix, here and here.

Recommendations
After Space Sweepers (2021) and now The Silent Sea, South Korea has proven once again that they can do top-notch entertainment, even in the form of a miniseries. I sincerely hope that there will be a second season; however, we have to bear in mind that the drama came out in-between two other major Netflix players: Squid Game (2021) and All of Us Are Dead (2022). It’s reassuring to see that Netflix cares about the K-Drama audience, but I hope the quality will not be overshadowed by the quantity. The Silent Sea deserves an additional season because there is still the potential to develop the story further, but I would not like to see this drama last as long as Lost, The Walking Dead, or Stranger Things. Sometimes shorter is better.Overall score: 8/10

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