Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) It would be a huge understatement to say that this movie, with
its creative gore effects, won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Simply stating that Riki-Oh: The Story of
Ricky is over the top doesn’t begin to do it justice – it goes over the top
and keeps on going. So, what’s it
about? The story (such as it is) takes
place in the far-off future date of 2001, when prisons are privatized and run
by thugs. Riki-Oh Saiga (Siu-Wong Fan)
is sent away to prison for killing one of the men responsible for his
girlfriend’s death. Every day, thanks to
the sadistic assistant warden (Mei Sheng Fan), there’s a new fight and a new
opportunity to die, but Riki-Oh is more than up to the challenge. He continually finds new and increasingly disgusting
ways to finish off his opponents, but might have just found his match when he faces
off against the Gang of Four, the deadliest killers in the prison. The non-stop violence and bloodshed might
turn some away, but it’s so completely beyond the realm of believability that
it enters a whole new surreal universe (think Dead Alive). Those looking for an inventively warped film
experience might find just find their Nirvana here (I had a blast). Everyone else might want to steer clear.
Rating: *** ½.
Available on DVD
Melancholia (2011) This film starts as a relatively
pedestrian family drama, focusing on two sisters Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire
(Charlotte Gainsbourg), on the eve of the former sister’s wedding celebration. Oh yeah… and it’s the last few days before the
recently discovered planet Melancholia will collide with the Earth, ending all
life. Writer/director Lars von Trier’s
nihilistic farce is simultaneously pretentious and compelling. The film is divided into two parts, with the
first section focusing on Justine as she drifts through her elaborate wedding
ceremony. Everyone is happy (or at least
putting on appearances of being happy), blissfully ignoring the bad omens that
loom on the horizon. Justine, however,
is just going through the motions, making plans with her freshly minted husband
that will never come to fruition. Amidst
these opening scenes of inner torment, there’s a fun little comic turn by Udo
Kier as the self-absorbed wedding planner. The world is ending, but all he cares about is
that she’s making a mockery of his perfect reception. In the second part, as the planet Melancholia
gets closer to Earth, the more “rational” Claire starts to fall apart at the
seams and Justine becomes resigned to her fate.
Depending on your point of view, it’s either the darkest of dark
comedies or a grim drama with no respite.
With von Trier, either perspective is probably valid. The end isn’t all that shocking or tragic
when we realize that it’s not about the inevitable, but the moments in between.
Rating: *** ½.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming
Tales From Earthsea
(2006) Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro proves that the apple doesn’t fall too far
from the tree with his debut feature directorial effort. While he never quite hits the high notes of the
elder Miyazaki’s work, it’s still a quality effort. The film was a critical disappointment at the
time, perhaps due to unrealistic expectations about the Miyazaki name, and
reports that Tales From Earthsea
author Ursula K. Le Guin was unimpressed with the results. I can’t comment on the original source
material, except that the story seems to be condensed, feeling a bit like The Black Cauldron (which itself was an
abbreviated version of the novel). The
character designs also look derivative, compared to other Studio Ghibli
films. Faults aside, Tales From Earthsea works as a
moderately enjoyable, if largely forgettable fantasy. Goro might not exactly be a chip off the old
block, but that’s a good and bad thing. There
are hints from this film that he might, in time, establish his own unique
style. Worth a look.
Rating: ***.
Available on Blue-Ray and DVD
Lust for a Vampire
(1971) This movie ranks as second-rate Hammer, which still makes it more
interesting than a lot of the other stuff out there. Director Jimmy Sangster’s follow-up to the
superior The Vampire Lovers stands as
a lesser entry in the Karnstein trilogy.
Yutte Stensgaard is pretty enough in the lead role as the seductive Mircalla
(aka: Carmilla Karnstein), but her character is rather dull. Ralph Bates turns in an amusing performance
as the obsequious schoolmaster Giles Barton, who vows his undying allegiance to
Mircalla. The film seems to ignore most of
the conventions about vampires (with Mircalla walking around in the daytime), and
remembers other rules when it’s convenient to the plot (such as a cross
necklace that appears around an intended victim’s neck just in the nick of time). While it’s not terrible, it isn’t very good
either. Lust for a Vampire is diverting enough, but thoroughly disposable. There’s not quite enough to make this a
must-see, but I suppose you could do worse with your time.
Rating: ** ½.
Available on DVD
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