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   Now in our tenth calendar year
    PCR #490  (Vol. 10, No. 33)  This edition is for the week of August 10--16, 2009.

MOVIE REVIEW
"District 9"  by Mike Smith
RETRORAMA
Hippiefest 2009  by ED Tucker
GROWING UP FANBOY
Summer Memories: Baseball Hall of Fame  by Chris Woods
FANGRRL
FANGRRL Gets BRAINJACKED  by Lisa Scherer Ciurro
THE ASIAN APERTURE
DVD Review: Tokyo Gore Police  by Jason Fetters
SPLASH PAGE
The Aughts Are Not Great .... .... .... .... .... .... .... by Brandon Jones
STATE OF THE NATION
Jfk Had It Right .... .... The Image .... The Lingo .... The Alternative? .... Why Are They Mad? .... .... by Brandon Jones
SPORTS TALK
Michael Vick Seen In Chicago, Ends Up In Philly .... Hmm, He Looked Like A Bowling Pin! .... Usa Vs. Mexico .... It’s Tusker Time! .... .... .... .... by Chris Munger
MIKE'S RANT
Lions And Tigers And....cheese? Oh My! .... The Stewardess Is Flying The Plane! .... Passing On .... Good Thing He Didn't Call It The "dead And Buried" Tour .... .... .... .... .... My Favorite Films, Part 2... by Mike Smith
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DVD Review: Tokyo Gore Police

I love this movie. Its not a dry psychological thriller, (I have to been in the mood for those,) instead it's packed with gracious amounts of fluids. Wet films like this draw me in because I'm a sucker for the genre. There are scenes of spraying blood that rival Kill Bill. There is an interesting urine scene with urine being sprayed into a man's mouth.

This movie is everything that was missing from Machine Girl. It took the gory fun of that movie and pushed it up several notches.

What I also liked, was that it actually has a plot. It wasn't just random. It helps that the leading actress, Eihi Shiina who plays Ruka, is super hot. I probably would have still liked it if Shiina was just average but it really does help to have someone this beautiful in it. Her beauty creates a pleasing contrast to the blood, torture, carnage, and gore. When she sees a good friend suffering as that friend is being pulled apart by several police cars, you see the friend crying out in pain as limbs are being ripped out and then you see Ruka's pretty face which creates a balance. Some horror movies use humor in between graphic scenes but this one uses beauty. Just as in the beginning you see a pretty flower, followed by a man's head exploding, it's the interesting tension between beauty and gore that draws you into the world of Tokyo Gore Police.

I also love how it parodies Japanese society with commericals of giggling schoolgirls selling cute (Kawaii) exacto knives for potiental suicides. If you make anything cute, it will catch on with Japanese youth no matter how deranged your product is. It is also equally amusing to see the Wii parody, as a happy family enjoyes using a wireless sword controller to slash up some poor sap on TV. I thought it was going to be just another brainless gorefest and I was surprised at how much I actually liked it.

If you're squeamish, it's not for you at all. I've seen thousands of horror films and nothing bothers me anymore. What makes this film work for me is in its presentation of violence and gore. It shows you scenes of chainsaws cutting, swords slashing, and a penis gun shooting with a fresh angle. It some ways it reminds me of Miike's Ichi the Killer and Audition but with a less serious tone and a lot more fun. It's a great film to watch and unwind to. Certain films I have to be in the mood for and movies like this I'm always in the mood for.

So if you are interesting in seeing a beautiful lady literally cutting up her fellow Tokyoites, then this is your movie too.

FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS.


"The Asian Aperture" is ©2009 by Jason Fetters.  Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova.  All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2009 by Nolan B. Canova.