Deadwood & Fireworks

[ellen_datlow]

I watched the first four episodes of the third season and am starting to get worried about the coming withdrawal with only three discs to go (presumably 6 episodes). I'm delighted to see the wonderful Brian Cox enter the series for the most recent two episodes.

And I watched the Japanese crime movie Fireworks Directed by and starring Takeshi "Beat" Kitano. It's good, although it took me about halfway through the movie to figure out what was going on with some of the characters. Apparently it won a lot of international awards when it came out in 1998 and damned if I can figure out why. It just isn't that good, and in fact one major plot point really bugged me. It's not much of a spoiler to say that one of the main cops in the movie lost his young child (cancer I think) and that his wife is currently dying --what of? I haven't a clue. Physically she seems fine but throughout the movie she seems feeble minded--I'm not at all convinced it's intentional. So...cops are killed, gangsters are killed, more cops are killed or wounded, and more gangsters are killed. It's ok but I really don't feel it's anything special.

Comments

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

This is exactly how I felt about Jinh-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, the anime movie that came out in 2000/2001 (I don't remember which year). I didn't see what was so good about it. It was boring, confusing and rather melodramatic.

If you want some other recommendations for Japanese films, I recommend

Suicide Club (also known as Suicide Circle - very gory)
Battle Royal (warning - also very violent and gory and features kids killing kids, not that I think this would bother you, but just to be safe)
Paprika (anime: beautifully surreal and smart)
Tekonokinkreet (one of the best animated movies I have ever seen)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Oh I've seen Battle Royale and loved it! Paprika is pretty recent, right? I'll have to look up Tekonokinkreet. Suicide Club doesn't sound like it's for me.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Turns out Paprika is already in my queue and Tekonokinkreet isn't available on netflix.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Is that the right spelling? I googled it and there's nothing by that title on the web.

[(Anonymous)]

I can confirm that Paprika is really good. It is a bit too long, though.

~Tristan

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

I think Paprika is 2007.

And eek! It would help if I spelled TeKONkinkreet correctly! Here's the trailer for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWOCf1wNlk0 . It's really beautiful - wonderful story about friendship, and the animation is just fabulous.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

It's Tekkon Kinkreet! And they've got it.

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

Oops. Well, third time is the charm I guess ;).

I hope you like. :D

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I moved it up the queue, so I should get it in a few weeks.