I love how malleable the Zatoichi formula is, & this is definitely one of the more unique I’ve seen so far — slow, intentional, introspective, with a ton of amazing long shots & gorgeous imagery. The swordplay isn’t really at the forefront this time around (though the choreo is still excellent & there are two or three absolutely killer fights), but the story is one of the best & most intimate. There aren’t any big plots roiling beneath the surface here — Ichi is simply being…
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Portrait in Crystal 1983
this is one of the hardest times I've ever had rating/reviewing something! it is such a confusing & bipolar mix of some of the most amazing laser wizard kung fu shit I've ever seen & some of the the absolute worst kung fu screwball "comedy" hijinks I've ever seen!
seriously, like, I'd love to be able to give this a five! the plot is spotty & inscrutable but who cares?? it looks fantastic from start to finish! it has flaming skulls & kung fu…
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Companion 2025
I enjoyed this quite a bit despite the fact that it telegraphs almost every move it’s gonna make. Doesn’t quite stick the landing & gets comically heavy-handed with some of its messaging, but Sophie Thatcher is fantastic as Iris & I was pleasantly surprised to see Jack Quaid has chops.
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5 Centimeters per Second 2007
There’s a line in Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! about how everything you see in animation is deliberate, that someone made a conscious decision to draw & include it. I think about that a lot when I’m watching Skinkai’s films, because they’re absolutely packed with stunning details & breathtaking visuals. 5 Centimeters is definitely on par with the rest of his filmography in that sense, but the narrative is fairly weak. The three-chapter structure didn’t really work for me, & while the first two were at least charming, the third was jarring enough to completely throw me out of the zone.
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Eric 2024
I honestly have a really hard time understanding how & why this was made. I'm not entirely sure who it's supposed to be for, or how these ideas are supposed to mesh into a cohesive whole. Cumberbatch is good as a shitty 80s Manhattanite dad, as well as the voice of the titular Eric, & the puppet/suit is really well done ... but why? His character works on an obvious Sesame Street analog, but it has so little bearing on the story…
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Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold 1964
Okay so for the past five movies I've been like "is this the one with the coin toss challenge in the dice hall??" Folks, I am happy to announce that a) this is the one with the coin toss challenge in the dice hall & b) that scene goes way harder than I even remembered. Of the four or so random Zato films I was able to get my hands on as a teen I recalled this being my favorite, & revisiting…
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