UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Konterr Brilliant and touching

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

christopher-underwood So very black and so very white, so Japanese and so very cool, this is a most impressive film. More new wave than neo-noir, this looks fantastic throughout and if the story is not much and the telling not very fast, it is always arresting. The sparse dialogue is so of the period with talk of boredom, adrenaline rushes and death and if the gambling game itself appears a little basic, the sinister chanting and chip clicking help make for most hypnotic sequences. never mind that the men seem to have to remove their jackets and trousers and shield their chip behind their jacket. The music, at times ambient and at others more jazzy always seems to be spot on, whether we are wandering the back streets of Tokyo and Yokohama or racing in cars along the highway. All performances convince and there are such characters, some only hinted at here, that it seems perfectly possible half a dozen films could have been made.

Mopkin TheHopkin "Pale Flower" is directed by Masahiro Shinoda, and stars Ryo Ikebe as a slick yakuza recently released from a prison stint for murder. He meets Saeko (Mariko Kaga), a young women who seeks thrill and excitement. The two fall for each other, and navigate the dark nights of Tokyo looking for big gambling and excitement.This was a very stylish yakuza film-noir. It has colour and flare in droves, and is well shot and directed. The film oozes charm, as the two brave gambling dens, yakuza fronts and race along Tokyo highways at 2am. It is a story about two individuals who share the same disassociation with society, and feel nothing about life. They struggle to find meaning and enjoyment during the day, but fill their nights with sex, gambling, crime and drugs in order to make it. I really loved this movie. It kept me gripped for most of the film, even though little in the way of action occurs. This film instead keeps you focused on Muraki and Saeko as they struggle through the underworld together.I loved this film and highly recommend it. 9/10

jacksrevenge2000 'Pale Flower' is a film that once again adds to the already rich archive of Japanese cinema. Shinoda (writer/director) put together a very impressive film, so smart and tightly constructed. His use of the camera and lighting to create the dark street world he was portraying was beautiful. Although limited by technology of that time, Shinoda was able to use what he had very well. When we think of film noir or gangster style films, a lot of cliché's come to mind, murder, loyalty, power, drugs, sex, etc. Shinoda takes all of these and wraps it into a detailed story that becomes representative of Japan and the political backdrop of the Cold War. Of course, the film was banned by the censor board. Filmmakers like Shinoda were a part of the 'New Wave' in Japan and 'Pale Flower' remains, like so many great films, timeless. Anyone who appreciates Japanese cinema must see this film!

nicholas Chin Most of the Asian gangster movies I have seen, promote the brotherhood and the comradery between members, like Young and Dangerous, or have denounced gangster activity, showing if as degrading and evil. This movie does neither. It instead shows how gangster life has both good and bad; however in the end proves to be a pointless cause. The main character, is just released from jail, and immediately reunites with his own yakuza. His life is changed when he meets Saeko, a young woman who is addicted to high stakes life of the yakuza. Together they journey through a city and time, where everything is changing constantly; yet in the end, it becomes apparent that none of these things really matter. This movie is really good. I recommend it.