Country: Japan

With a sparse soundtrack, and an ensemble of superb performers, Koji Fukada has fashioned a haunting film that is never quite a thriller despite leanings in that direction.

You are either into these kinds of flicks or not but with an infectious energy, a musical score that propels all the lunacy and a complete commitment to going insane, ‘Helldriver’ is, well, as mad as a bag of smashed frogs!

The whole thing rollicks along at a fair clip and the film has a kind of charming, uncomplicated 1980s fantasy action film vibe to it making it a much more enjoyable experience than one might expect.

‘High Kick Girl’ is more like a montage of fight scenes that, with little context provided and characters barely registering as human, becomes monotonous.

Not as enjoyable or as accomplished as some of the director’s other efforts but worthy of a look if you’re a fan of Sono’s work and “non-conventional” cinema.

Ultimately, ‘Hula Girls’ lacks its own identity. It takes a popular concept and rests on the fact that it apparently has a factual source material as its inspiration.

Suo can craft works that move the mind and the heart while entrancing the viewer along the way.

Unpretentious, well crafted, a great central performance and some excellent action make ‘Ichi’ a hugely enjoyable experience and refreshing take on the samurai genre.

For those prepared for difficult material and subject matter it is a stylish, gripping example of fearless, maverick cinema.

Bizarre for the sake of it just doesn’t work and without anything solid to juxtapose it with, ’Instant Swamp’s initial laughs soon wear thin.

With brains, brawn and cool, cruel style to spare, ‘Japan Organized Crime Boss’ is a fantastic entry point to Fukasaku’s earlier movies.

Don’t expect a constant, action packed thrill ride but do expect an engrossing character piece that just unfortunately lays on some of its points a little too hard.