Criticature: "Graveyard of Honor" ("Shin ingi no hakaba")

Peek-a-boo.

In honor (heh) of the stateside release of Takashi Miike’s newest film, I felt compelled to immerse myself in his canon beforehand. For those of you unfamiliar with said auteur’s body of work, just know that it is often disturbing, visceral and—more often than not—masterful, surprising and perversely fun.

The character study: after casually foiling an attempted hit on a crime boss, Rikuo—a dead-eyed dishwasher—is inducted into the gang as an honorary strong man. Yet the mobsters get more than they bargained for when they come to learn just how crazy he really is. Whether he’s raping hostesses at karaoke bars or shooting it out with the police in his underwear, there seems to be nothing the man can’t or won't do. And as Rikuo’s penchant for slow-burn sociopathic mayhem spills back onto his masters, it becomes quite clear that Rikuo has no room for friends in his life. Only the bodies of his enemies—real or perceived—which he leaves stacked at his knees.

Criticature: "Toyko Drifter"---- 7/5/10

Pee-Wee Herman by way of Jet Li?

 The story is simple and yet it’s really not. I mean, it’s reeeeally not.

One of the most nonsensical gangster movies you’ll ever see, we jump right into the thick of things as ex-gangster “Phoenix” Tetsu tries to absolve himself of his criminal past. Of course things could never be that easy for a former gangster. So, in a glorious little black-and-white prefatory remark in which Tetsu is promptly beaten for his troubles, we’ve received our first enticing invitation from Japanese cult master Seijun Suzuki.

From there, it’s a telescopic flight through the looking glass as Tetsu finds himself on the run from rivaling Yakuza big-wigs who’d rather see him wear bullets than his blue-suede threads.