* Favourite Japanese Movies *

Katana Splatter.

Have you ever wanted to see a beautiful woman wearing a bikini, feather boa and a cowboy hat slay zombies? (Yes, me too!) If that wasn't good enough, she also has a friend, leather-clad with shotgun, who is equally as beautiful. And then there's her sister too, who is equally... I think you get the picture.

This is another low-budget Japanese hack and slash flick. I've never played the video game but the movie stands well on its own. There's no "weird" element like Tokyo Gore Police, this is a straight-laced hack/slash adventure movie with stylistic visuals and entertaining fight scenes.

Recommended for all zombie fans, others may be disappointed (it isn't Machine Girl).

9 inmates break out of jail together and travel across the country in a battered old van in search of a secret which they they were told about by a 10th prisoner. It is essentially a road movie. A road movie which encompasses tragedy, humour, fantasy, sadness and breathtaking photography. It has violence, it has sex, it has some laugh-out-loud moments too. It is also charming, sweet and romantic.

After watching this movie I was in complete awe of the director. If you haven't seen this movie then you are missing out on an absolute classic.

Wow! My favourite movie of 2009 so far. Take the lead actress from Audition, add lots of Braindead/Machine Girl gore, add the humour from Bad Taste and the result is the beautifully shocking and inventive Tokyo Gore Police.

I really wasn't sure how I felt about this movie until a day after I watched it. The story focuses on various characters who are essentially lost souls. They find comfort in the fictional singer Lily Chou-Chou and her music which is described as coming from the 'ether'. Ethereal. The story can be quite slow at times and is ultimately tragic. What I found beautiful about this movie is how it is presented. The dreamy scenic cinematography interspersed with documentary-style filming. The documentary style represents the characters' experiences, whether good or bad, and helps to portray a sense of realism. The slow dreamy sequences represent the 'ether' when the characters are free of their worries and in a place where nothing can harm them.

You'll either love or hate this movie, I don't think you can feel indifferent about it. It's taken me a day to fall in love. By the way, the soundtrack is absolutely stunning.