Category: Directed by Kitamura Ryuhei

  • Sky High (2003, Kitamura Ryuhei)

    Sky High has got to be one of the stupider movies I’ve ever seen. There are other factors contributing to it being bad, as stupidity doesn’t necessarily undo a film, but it’s real stupid. Shockingly, the screenwriter worked on Kitamura’s perfectly fine Azumi. Sky High‘s a prequel to a TV series, which is an adaptation…

  • Versus (2000, Kitamura Ryuhei), the ultimate version

    I’m worried I’m tired. The last time I watched Versus, I gave it one. This time I give it three. There’s a slight difference in the version I watched–this time I watched the “Ultimate Version,” which has about the same running time, but ten minutes of reshot scenes. I guess there were some music changes,…

  • Godzilla: Final Wars (2004, Kitamura Ryuhei)

    Toho’s last Godzilla entry before an extended break is homage to the seventies take on the monster with lots of monsters, lots of wrestling, lots of monsters wrestling. Sadly very long fight scenes and way too much reliance on wanting CGI. Director Kitamura doesn’t seem to have any interest in the giant monsters, which is…

  • Versus (2000, Kitamura Ryuhei)

    Technically magnificent action/horror picture has Sakaguchi Tak fighting zombies with a samurai sword while wearing an ultra cool black leather trench coat. The writing is always iffy, but Kitamura’s direction tends to compensate enough. DVD, Streaming.Continue reading →