Well folks as previously posted I took time out of my regularly scheduled programming in March and April to explore the cinematic world of contraversial auteur Takashi Miike after receiving Agitator. The Cinema of Takashi Miike by Tom Mes as a gift. I was not well acquainted with the director's body of work prior to reading some of the essays in the book though I had seen a handful of Miike's films in college. Ultimately, I struggled with finding the stroke of genius in Miike's work and as such I probably will never consider the man a great filmmaker. That being said, being exposed to more and more of Miike's output I struggled, equally, with writing the director off as the cinematic equivilent of a shock jock. But who am I? My favorite Takashi Miike film was and still is "Dead or Alive"; I have, after three viewings, never liked "Audtion"; and while I can find plenty of things to laugh about in "Ichi the Killer" I found "Visitor Q" utterly repulsive (both times).
In short...
Films I liked: "Dead or Alive," "Ichi the Killer," "The Bird People in China," "Fudoh: The New Generation," "Rainy Dog," "Shinjuku Triad Society," "Young Thugs: Innocent Blood," "Ley Lines," "Dead or Alive 2: Birds," "The Happiness of the Katakuris."
Films I didn't: "Andromedia," "Audition," "Vistor Q," "The City of Lost Souls," "Dead or Alive: Final."
Films I never got around to watching: "White Collar Worker Kintaro," "Young Thugs: Nostalgia," "Graveyard of Honor," "Family," "Deadly Outlaw: Rekka."
If this thread grows some legs then I will elaborate.
Happy Spring!