HCF Review - Flower Basket

HANAGATAMI (2017)

The final part of this trilogy comes in the form of a period drama several decades in the making. Facing a terminal illness the director set out to finish an idea that could become his final film. He would in fact make one more feature, Labyrinth of Cinema, a few years later. Still, this being one last passion project is a tantalising prospect. The same sentiments explored in Obayashi’s previous two releases are present as young people are faced with a destructive conflict. However, while there are many similar visual flourishes there’s a sense that much of the characterisation and the themes of the story as a whole are lacking.

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HCF Review - Fireworks

CASTING BLOSSOMS TO THE SKY (2012)

Much like Seven Weeks this is a story about the effects of war, spanning various time periods and told through the remembrance of an ensemble. It also has many moments based on true stories and accounts taken from real people. There are verbal family histories, low budget edutainment breaks, and a whole lot of newspaper clippings. However, it’s described by one of the main characters as a journey into a dreamland. Does Obayashi’s interest in strange green screen effects and ghost stories form a cohesive narrative about tragedy, or does it start to come unstuck with such a long running time and so many disparate elements?

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HCF Review - Last Rites

SEVEN WEEKS (2014)

Given the projects Obayashi directed in the Kadokawa Years trilogy you might be surprised to find that some of his other films are more serious. In Seven Weeks the nostalgic and sometimes shallow elements are replaced by a darker atmosphere of loss and regret. Which isn’t to say that the style of the film is any more realistic, but there’s certainly a more ominous tone to the story. Can this sustain itself for a lengthy running time of nearly three hours without being oppressive? Does it have more depth than those 1980s melodramas? There are some rough moments in the first act but the results are more complex than they first appear.

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Monster Bites - Cosmic Shenanigans

GAMERA VS. VIRAS (1968)

Oh boy, here's where things really start to tumble of the miniature cliff. If the difference between Gamera's last two adventures, versus Barugon and Gyaos respectively, weren't obvious enough, it's the late 1960s where the series reaches new depths. Some literal, others purely in quality. Shoe-string UFOs and stock footage are imminent as the infamous Gamera March is introduced. As a result it's a time in the franchise where the line between each film gets a little blurry; all the mischief making children rarely feel distinct. But is there still a fun time to be had, and are the resulting productions charming in the face of such low budgets? 

Horror Bites - New Years Evil

THE HORROR FILM CATCH-UP (2024)

The stage was set for a truly magical holiday season when the bad news arrived; a wide release for Robert Egger's retelling of Dracula, the new Nosferatu remake, had been pushed to January. After so much anticipation Christmas had been ruined. Or so it seemed... as luck would have it the previous twelve months had been generous with other gifts. In this particular case I'll be taking a look at three other nightmare visions from film-makers that all bring a very distinct style. The results will of course vary but it's at least a trio that offers variety whether they all manage to stick the landing or not.