Featured Audience Ratings

• El Hombre I

  
  Director Yoichi Sai and star Takeshi Kitano have produced something very heavy. Kitano gives another amazing performance, one that must have been quite an ordeal for a sane man to portray. I can't say this is a pleasurable experience, but it is certainly a moving one that leaves… More
  Director Yoichi Sai and star Takeshi Kitano have produced something very heavy. Kitano gives another amazing performance, one that must have been quite an ordeal for a sane man to portray. I can't say this is a pleasurable experience, but it is certainly a moving one that leaves you feeling rather numb. The film does go beyond only being about the central character, Kim. It also presents a detailed recreation of a time during rising Japanese militancy, the situation of ethnic Koreans in Japan, the effects of the post war collapse and much more, all told from a unique perspective; inside the culture enough to speak of it but also outside enough to be openly critical. It also shows, in detail, the ongoing generational consequences of family violence. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&current=bloodandbones.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/bloodandbones.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Gevvy S

  
  Interesting to see depiction of Koreans in Japan as a way to establish a context and setting. Kitano's shocking brutality is shown in the first scene and builds from there. Takeshi Kitano is one of the most interesting actors to watch. He's so quirky and eccentric that he… More
  Interesting to see depiction of Koreans in Japan as a way to establish a context and setting. Kitano's shocking brutality is shown in the first scene and builds from there. Takeshi Kitano is one of the most interesting actors to watch. He's so quirky and eccentric that he brings a great deal of excitement on screen. He plays Kim Shunpei, a vicious man in his business and his personal life. He treats his wife, like she herself describes, as a "slave". He is quite simply heartless, showing no affection to anyone, his works or even his head. At first he starts a fishcake business, then it's success allows him to become a money lender. He soon suffers some personal setbacks, and gives his fishcake business up committing himself to his moneylending business in the same ruthlessness... The film gets very appalling and disturbing but never cliched. After the half way mark, the film loses some focus but remains interesting to watch. Near the end, it gets a little carried away with details of Kim's life and drags a little. Nonetheless, this is a powerful and unique film which is sure to have some effect on any person that watches it.

• Christopher B

  
  Takeshi Kitano puts the "beat" in Beat Takeshi. Forget Daniel Plainsview, here is a portrait of a man who hates humanity. It's odd to see such an epic movie about such a detestable man, who rapes, cheats and abuses people throughout his life. Lowest on his priority… More
  Takeshi Kitano puts the "beat" in Beat Takeshi. Forget Daniel Plainsview, here is a portrait of a man who hates humanity. It's odd to see such an epic movie about such a detestable man, who rapes, cheats and abuses people throughout his life. Lowest on his priority list is his own family, and it's his son who narrates the story. Taken from a autobiographical novel, this movie is a slap in the face to audiences, constantly reminded them that the world can be a terrible place and usually the bad aren't punished. A very good film that may get a higher rating after I get over the initial shock of such a downbeat film.