Baby Assassins (2021) - Movie Review

 

Baby Assassins is a really funny, yet violent, movie!

Baby Assassins (also known as  Baby Valkyrie , Baby Walküre, and Beibi Warukyure)  is an action comedy film released in Japan in 2021 that stars  Izawa Saori, Takaishi Akari, Mone Akitani, Yasukaze Motomiya, Uekiya Satoshi, and Mimoto Masanori. It was written and directed by Sakamoto Yugo, with Sonomura Kensuke in charge of the fight scenes.

Perfect shot of Mahiro's (left) and Chisato's (right) personalities.

In Baby Assassins, Fukagawa Mahiro (played by Izawa Saori) and Sugimoto Chisato (played by Takaishi Akari) are two young women about to graduate from high school... who are also assassins. The assassin agency they work for tells them they must get part-time jobs after they graduate (to not arouse suspicion of where their income is coming from), and arranges for the both of them to live in an apartment together. Things go fine between Mahiro and Chisato at first, but things get tense between them later. Mahiro is more of an introvert, while Chisato is an extrovert. They both have trouble finding and holding jobs. Then they get mixed up with a Yakuza family, and their lives become even more complicated! Can Mahiro and Chisato get on the same page and deal with the Yakuza together?

The Yakuza family having a heartwarming gun lesson.

 Baby Assassins had a lot of hype when it came out in 2021, with many people raving about the action scenes in it. With Sonomura Kensuke in charge of the action (he did the awesome fight scenes in Hydra, 2019), my expectations were pretty high for this movie. Did this movie live up to the hype? For me, it totally did!

First off, there are only two major fight scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end of the movie. A lot of people who did not enjoy this movie expected more action, so please have your expectations in check. Even though the movie isn't full of action, there is a lot of violence (involving guns mainly), and the violence can get pretty brutal. To me, the best thing about Baby Assassins is the characters. Mahiro and Chisato have great personalities, and they play off each other so well. Their relationship evolves throughout the movie, and you can see where both characters are coming from (point of view-wise) Some of the situations they get in are hilarious. It is interesting to see these two young women trying to live a normal life in Japan while also being ruthless assassins. This movie is very funny! Despite the comedy, there is a sense of danger throughout, especially involving the Yakuza family. These characters are horrible people, but even they have some comedic scenes. The Yakuza father, Hamaoka Ippei (played by Yasukaze Motomiya) is especially cruel and irredeemable.

You've got to watch the fight scenes in Baby Assassins!

The action in Baby Assassins is awesome! Sonomura Kensuke really went all out with his choreography in this movie. The fighting is fast, hard-hitting, and relentless. The fights involve knives, guns, punches, kicks, and throws. Izawa Saori (Mahiro) is a stunt woman-turned actress, and she does the most intricate fighting in the movie. She is really good! I hope we see her in more starring roles in action movies. The final fight is the best fight, where Mahiro fights a Yakuza enforcer in a duel to the death. Really great stuff in this one; I don't want to spoil it, but it is a must-see fight scene. Though this movie doesn't have a lot of action, the action it does have is top-notch! 

In conclusion, Baby Assassins is a fun, creative, incredibly violent comedy that I highly suggest watching. I know comedy is highly subjective, but I think this movie is really funny (especially if you understand current Japanese culture). If you don't like the comedy, stay for the action. A lot of creative stuff happens in the fights, and the fights are highly enjoyable. Besides all that, there is a message about friendship, understanding, and mental health throughout. Check this movie out, it's amazing!

Baby Assassins movie trailer (be careful, it basically spoils the whole movie):

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

GODZILLA MINUS ONE (2023) - Official Trailer

 Toho has finally released the official trailer for Godzilla Minus One (Gojira Mainasu Wan) the latest movie being released on Godzilla's 70th anniversary. Here is the synopsis:

After the war, Japan's economic state has been reduced to zero. Godzilla appears and plunges the country into a negative state.

I have been a Godzilla fan most of my life, so I am always interested in the latest movie being released in the franchise. Unfortunately, I haven't seen every Godzilla movie (I still haven't been able to watch Shin Godzilla, let alone the latest American movies), but Godzilla Minus One is definitely on my radar! After reading director Takashi Yamazaki's pitch for it, I am ready for this one:

"Postwar Japan has lost everything. The film depicts an existence that gives unprecedented despair. The title Godzilla Minus One was created with this in mind. In order to depict this, the staff and I have worked together to create a setting where Godzilla looks as if "fear" itself is walking toward us, and where despair is piled on top of despair. I think this is the culmination of all the films I have made to date, and one that deserves to be "experienced" rather than "watched" in the theater. I hope you will experience the most terrifying Godzilla in the best possible environment."

Godzilla Minus One comes out in Japan on November 3, 2023 for the 70th anniversary, and on December 1, 2023 in North America. I need to see this one!

 

Revolver Lily (2023) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Revolver Lily, an action movie from Japan directed by Isao Yukisada, based on the book written by Kyo Nagaura. Here is the synopsis:

Yuri became a spy at the age of 16. She killed 57 people over a period of 3 years. Now, in 1924, she runs a small bar in Tokyo. Shinta is a boy whose family was murdered. He holds a key to the missing funds left by his father that belonged to the Imperial Japanese Army. Shinta asks Yuri for help and soon they become the target of 1,000 soldiers.

I must say, this movie looks really good! Let's hope this gets an international release! Revolver Lily comes out August 11, 2023 in Japan.

 

Sister Street Fighter (1974) - A Review

 

This movie kicks butt!

Sister Street Fighter is a martial arts movie released in Japan in 1974 and stars Etsuko Shihomi, Sonny Chiba, Bin Amatsu, Masashi Ishibashi, Emi Hayakawa,  Hiroshi Miyauchi, and Xiè Xiùróng. It was directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. Sister Street Fighter was rated X for violence when released in America, and has nothing to do with The Street Fighter (1974), starring Sonny Chiba (even though he has a role in this movie).

Etsuko Shihomi as Tina Long. She is amazing in this.

In Sister Street Fighter, Etsuko Shihomi plays Tina Long, a martial artist who is in search of her missing brother, Lee Long (played by Hiroshi Miyauchi) in Japan. Lee Long is also a martial artist in the Shorinji kempo school, and was investigating the Central Export corporation before he went missing. As you can imagine, the head of Central Export, Kaki (played by Bin Amatsu) is one evil and corrupt business man. The way he makes his money is pretty outrageous (you have to see the movie to believe it), and he has multiple martial artists to protect him, including Amazons!

Tina goes on a fight-filled quest to find her brother, encountering bad guys around every corner. There is a martial arts master who hates the Shorinji kempo school, Hammerhead (played by Masashi Ishibashi), who becomes a thorn in Tina's side. Tina is not alone in her quest, she gets help from students at the Shorinji kempo school; Sonny (played by Sonny Chiba) and Emmy Kawasaki (played by Emi Hayakawa). Sonny, in particular, is a ferocious fighter. Can Tina uncover the illegal activities Kaki and Central Export are up to, and can she find and rescue her brother...?

Sonny Chiba (center) provides back up!

Though the movie is called Sister Street Fighter, and it has the star of The Street Fighter (Sonny Chiba) in a major role, and Etsuko Shihomi also had a role in The Street Fighter... this movie has nothing to do with the previous movie. Some would call it a spin-off, but is it really if the American movie company New Line Cinema renamed the movie Sister Street Fighter to capitalize on the success of The Street Fighter? It doesn't really matter to me, I guess. What matters is if I enjoyed it, and I did!

I'll just say it: Sister Street Fighter is just a fun action movie, nothing too deep. It is a showcase for Etsuko Shihomi and her martial arts skills. She plays Tina Long as a strong, determined, and caring woman on a mission to find her brother and bring down Central Export. Sonny Chiba has a somewhat small (but major) role in this movie, but his scenes are very memorable! He kicks butt like nobody else! The villains come out of a manga or anime; some of them are really over the top evil or are just plain crazy characters. Though the movie may seem goofy or less serious than something like The Street Fighter, there are some very violent deaths in this. Also a warning, there is a rape scene in this. I can understand why the movie was rated X when it came out in America, but I still think it shouldn't have been edited. It is pretty violent by today's standards, but it is not shocking like it would have been back then.

 By the way, I watched the original English dub of this movie, so I definitely need to watch Sister Street Fighter in its original language with English subtitles. I feel like I wasn't getting the whole story with the dub. Maybe I will review that version of the movie in the future.

Etsuko Shihomi shows no mercy towards disrespectful men!

The action is fast and furious in Sister Street Fighter! There are a lot of fight scenes in this movie! Etsuko Shihomi is awesome in this, and she gets to show off her martial arts skills throughout. Her first fight scene in the movie is against a bunch of men in a restaurant who "want her attention", if you know what I mean. Naturally, she destroys them, and you learn from this fight that Tina is not someone to be messed with! Sonny Chiba has some great fight scenes in this movie as well. He may not be as wild as he was in The Street Fighter, but he still fights with ferocity. The final fights are when things get crazy, with many graphically violent deaths. The action is good in Sister Street Fighter, but just don't expect Hong Kong style choreography.

So, should you watch Sister Street Fighter? I say yes! It's not the best movie in the world, but it has an amazing star (Etsuko Shihomi), crazy characters, an interesting story, and plentiful fight scenes. When you think of the best ever action stars, Etsuko Shihomi should be in the conversation. She is great, and I feel is really underrated nowadays.

Reviewed by David Williams

Baby Assassins 2 (2023) - Movie Teaser Trailer

 A teaser trailer for Baby Assassins 2 dropped, and it looks awesome! Baby Assassins 2 is a sequel to...Baby Assassins, which came out last year (2022). There is not much info out about this new movie, but here is the synopsis for the first movie:

Upon graduation, highly trained teenage assassins Chisato and Mahiro are informed by upper management that they will need to hold down “normal” jobs as a cover, and—even worse—they’ll be forced to share an apartment. However, after an unfortunate run-in with a Yakuza member, the two must band together to survive an epic fight for their lives.

And here is what I could find about the new movie:

 Those two are finally back on the screen...!?
The long-awaited sequel to the action movie of the killer girl duo!!!
His killing skills are perfect, but he can't easily fit in with society... Those two have grown (or not...?) Fun Youth Entertainment!!
A miraculous chemical reaction in which young talents collide freely!!!
Offbeat laughter and authentic action played by unique characters that seem to jump out of a manga!!!

Baby Assassins 2 comes out March 24, 2023 in Japan, and hopefully elsewhere later. It looks really good!

Ichi The Killer (2001) - A Review

Ichi The Killer lives up to its infamously gory and perverse reputation.

Ichi The Killer is a crime drama/horror movie released in Japan in 2001 and stars  Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ōmori, Paulyn Sun, Shinya Tsukamoto, Shun Sugata, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jun Kunimura, Suzuki Matsuo, and Hiroshi Kobayashi. It was directed by Takashi Miike, and is based on the Ichi The Killer manga series by  Hideo Yamamoto.

Kakihara is one cruel bastard.

 In Ichi The Killer, Tadanobu Asano plays Kakihara, a cruel sadomasochistic enforcer in the Yakuza who is looking for his boss, named Anjo. Kakihara thinks Anjo may have left town with a prostitute and 3 million yen of the gang's money. Desperate to find his boss, Kakihara eventually finds out that Anjo may have been kidnapped by a rival gang. He viciously tortures rival Yakuza gang members to find out where Anjo is. He finds out that Anjo was killed by a man named Ichi, and that he (Kakihara) is a target as well. Kakihara is intrigued by this development.

 Ichi (played by Nao Ōmori) is a very psychologically disturbed man. He is meek and withdrawn, usually. He plays video games all day at the house of Jiji (played by Shinya Tsukamoto), his mysterious caretaker. The thing is, when Ichi becomes sexually aroused, he becomes a killing machine! Ichi thinks of the Yakuza members that he's brutally murdering as the kids who bullied him when he was in school. Things get kind of complicated when Ichi helps a kid, Takeshi (played by Hiroshi Kobayashi), who is being bullied at the apartment complex they live in. Takeshi is the son of Kaneko (played by Hiroyuki Tanaka), a former police officer who now works under Kakihara in the Yakuza. Kakihara has very selfish reasons for finding Anjo, and eventually meeting up with Ichi. Will it be all Kakihara hopes for?

Ichi is seemingly a nice guy. Just don't turn him on.

 Ichi The Killer's reputation preceded itself when I first heard of it in the early 2000s. I heard it was gory, it was violent, and it was perverted. Finally seeing it in 2023... it more than lives up to its reputation! I had a chance of buying the special edition DVD back in the day (it came packaged with a bag of blood), but I just couldn't buy it. I was too worried about what the people in Best Buy (an electronics store) would think of me if I bought that DVD. I have regretted not buying it ever since then, but after watching it, I realize I would not have been ready for it back then! This movie is brutal. There are gallons of blood throughout. There are some disturbing torture scenes (which made me cringe, and cringe in the original use of the word, not the current internet version). I was digging my nails into my arms during some scenes; it was just too brutal. There are rape scenes in this as well, so fair warning!

 Takeshi is the only purely good person in this movie. It is very hard to root for Ichi, as you find out who he is and what drives him. You can kind of root for him when he is in his more docile mode, and he is killing Yakuza members, but Ichi is just too messed up of a person to fully support. Kakihara, on the other hand, is one evil and sadistic gangster. Let's just say, his motives are sexually based as well. He is not above hurting or mutilating a person to get what he wants, including himself! Great performances from both Nao Ōmori and Tadanobu Asano.

Ichi The Killer is brutal. That is not water being poured on his back, by the way.

 There are a lot of violent acts in Ichi The Killer. Ichi is a skilled martial artist, but he does not take very long to kill his victims. He has a hidden blade in the heel of his boot, and when that connects, it's over! The special effects, both practical and CGI, are well done. Apparently one special effect (let's call it "man nectar") was actually the real thing, so... keep that in mind. If you love brutal, bloody, gory violence, this is the movie for you!

 So, should you watch Ichi The Killer? Despite the extreme violence, the perversity, and the hard to root for characters, I would say yes! This movie deals with some very interesting subjects, the acting is excellent, the plot is compelling, and it is never boring. I left a lot out of the movie synopsis, because there are a lot of surprise revelations that will help you understand where everyone is coming from. Once again, this movie is not for children, and viewer discretion is strongly advised. If you're willing to take the plunge, you're in for quite the wild ride! Takashi Miike made another modern classic with this one.

 

The special collector's edition of Ichi The Killer that I passed on buying. Really wish I bought it back then! I'll get the blu-ray, regardless.

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams