I'd put this one off for far too long. Really, Takeshi Miike's work in general. And boy do I feel like a damn fool right now. Some of the images still haven't left my mind.
Audition is one of those rare films that actually lives up to its infamy. The tone is a masterful balancing act akin to the likes of South Korean auteurs such as Bong Joon-Ho and Park Chan-Wook. It manages to be funny and disturbing; the former…
Well that was certainly... not boring. A lot of excellent depictions of extreme violence and gore with the panache and shock value equivalent to 100 average American horror flicks. But to what thematic end I do not know. I'm sure there is a point to it all, but on first viewing it was elusive to me. Maybe a rewatch down the line. Or more likely I'll be scouring youtube for video essays, lmao. This director certainly has talent and style…
A fascinating exploration of how obsession and greed can drive people to the darkest depths of depravity. After this and Good Time I can confidently say that the Safdie brothers are experts at understanding and analyzing the worst aspects of humanity. Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner is a completely and utterly narcissistic and self-destructive scumbag, yet I found myself rooting for him even as he continuously buried himself further in his own shit. His performance into slimy big city jeweler is…
