Country: Japan

‘Big Man Japan’ isn’t always quite as quirky and clever as it thinks it is but is nevertheless another entertaining example of why Japanese cinema is at the forefront of the unique and creative.

Boobs and blood can be a fun distraction but they aren’t enough to make up for a complete lack of anything else.

‘Black Belt’ could well be a cult hit that influences those who follow it. It is not a flawless masterpiece, but its differences – as well as its similarities – make it a work that is worthy of its popularity.

Billed as Takashi Miike’s 100th film at the time of release, ‘Blade of the Immortal’ sees the enfant terrible deliver one of his best films of recent: both violently excessive and beautifully crafted.

Takeshi Kitano has played a gallery of rogues during his career, but his performance as Shunpei Kim, a brutal Korean immigrant in Yoichi Sai’s ‘Blood and Bones’ is his most powerful.

Perhaps if the series had been completed it may have been bordering on the “classic” status, but as a standalone movie there are just far too many plot holes for it to fully succeed.

Although I like a lot of the people involved, there’s no escaping that ‘Bloodfight’ simply isn’t a very good martial arts movie.

It’s commendable that the team behind ‘Blue Remains’ opted to try something different but unfortunately the technology at the time just wasn’t up to the task.

For newcomers it may prove a little difficult to get into and occasionally confusing but those already enjoying Kitano’s films will easily find several merits here that are synonymous with his best work.

‘Bubble Fiction: Boom Or Bust’ is a giddy cocktail of absurdism, social commentary and sci-fi adventure with the laughs eventually conquering everything.

It’s certainly worth spending some time in even just for the fantastic visuals on offer but may also draw you into the melancholic characters and the sombre story right up to its tragic conclusion.

‘Chanbara Beauty’ is an uncomplicated, intermittently fun, undead actioner that will please fans of the genre and the videogames.