Ichi (Ayase Haruka, Furimiko Sori) (2008)

[HungFist]

Female Zatoichi. Or something. It was said that Ayase Haruka would do all the fight scenes without stunt doubles. Riki Takeuchi appears, too. The bad news is that it's directed by Furimiko Sori, whose previous film Vexille is so bad that it can't be put into words.

Tom at least is sure to like this director

Review: http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/sitges- ... hi-review/
Site: http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/ichi/

[Shingster]

Tom at least is sure to like this director

Many people like the director, he directed the excellent sports comedy Ping Pong.

[HungFist]

I've heard about it but never found motivation to watch it.

[tom2681]

Ping Pong was a decent film.
I'll be sure to check this one out.

[HungFist]

This poster should be on my wall...


http://www.squidoo.com/ichi#module10271941

[HungFist]

2009/04/03

Standard, Premium and Blu-Ray editions. No subs.

[romerojpg]

EPIC FAIL! NO SUBS, NO SALE!

[diceman]

Sooner or later this is bound to get an international release, so I'll be patient.
And I still don't care about Blu-Ray the least bit.

[romerojpg]

Problem is it may not be as good quality as the J discs are if it does come out, and they may hack it to death for an International cut and it may be many years.

If I was into pirates I would get it, but I have my cash waitring to buy the real thing and they still do not want it

[Shingster]

Geneon title, it should see a good quality US release eventually.

[HungFist]

Geneon title, it should see a good quality US release eventually.

?

[HungFist]

Funimation has acquired Ichi

http://mightypekingmansbar.yuku.com/top ... ation.html
http://www.avmaniacs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35907

[HungFist]

Manga UK DVD and BD 24.8
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/71 ... ugust.html

[Shingster]

I've reviewed the Manga BD here, bleedin' subs are non-removable!

[gasteropod]

I hope Manga do a good presentation of GITS: Innocence on the upcoming BD...

[HungFist]

I've reviewed the Manga BD here, bleedin' subs are non-removable!

6/10 for such an average (at best) and poorly acted movie?

The Gilvear link doesn't work.

[romerojpg]

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/71029/ichi.html

and glady I dont care too much if subs are non removable, could be far worse and they could be burned in with compression around them thats the bomb

[diceman]

6/10 for such an average (at best) and poorly acted movie?

I gave it even more.
I thought it was great, also the acting was fine with me. It feels like a nostalgic retake on everything 70s Chanbara movies were about; nothing new, true, but the cinematography's nice, the soundtrack epic and Haruka Ayase beautiful. I couldn't have asked for more.

[HungFist]

nostalgic retake

modernistic remake, you mean?

Ichi (Japan, 2008) – 5/10 (rating given with (too) great mercy)
Female Zatoichi is not a new invention (Crimson Bat, 1969) but nevertheless an idea that deserves to be repeated. Gravure idol Haruka Ayase stars, and Fumihiko Sori, whose previous work was the anime problem waste Vexille (2007), directs. The outcome works mainly because the concept is so good, and Haruka’s face looks rather nice as well. That is easily her strongest asset. The only reason why her lack of charisma and acting skills don’t stand up is that most people around her fare even worse, with the villains Riki Takeuchi and Shido Nakamura being the worst offenders towards the art of acting. Sori’s directing is routine, which is also true to the screenplay and soundtrack. The brief fight scenes are ok although Ayase – who does her own fighting – doesnt really convince with her katana handling skills. In the end, despite all its flaws, Ichi is passable entertainment. However, everything it does has been done better before in films such as Azumi (2003).

[Shingster]

6/10 for such an average (at best) and poorly acted movie?

It's just one more point than your own rating! What do you know about cinema, Nausicaa hater!
Seriously though, my review is a lot more critical than most reviews I've seen, I don't really understand why it has recieved such a positive reception as it's full of genre clichés.

The performances are all good, the problems with Ichi's lack of charisma and Takeuchi/Nakamura's overacting are all purely by design. The blame lies with Sori and whoever the hell wrote it. Most sites are giving Kan Shimosawa the screenplay credit but it's obviously not a Shimosawa script, it barely qualifies as being based on a Shimosawa script!

The Gilvear link doesn't work.

Fixed it now, thanks.

[HungFist]

6/10 for such an average (at best) and poorly acted movie?

It's just one more point than your own rating!

Yeah, but my exact rating would have been 4,51/10, and I'm supposed to give high rating to films featuring pretty japanese girls killing guys with swords

Absolutely nothing wrong with genre cliches. The problem is the lack of balls.... I suppose that should've been obvious

Ichi feels too plastic. Too modern. It doesn't have any shap edges. It's basically a very safe "dorama" type of jp drama with a little bit of decent action thrown in.