Ranking the 90's Takashi Miike movies
The 90s era films from Takashi Miike, in order from the best to the worst one. Included all films, both that I watched and didn't. The reason why I didn't watch a few of them was that I couldn't find them. Most of these are out there in many forms on the World Wide Web besides their physical one. Visit YouTube for lesser-known films.
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- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsRyo IshibashiEihi ShiinaTetsu SawakiA widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.No. 1 - It's best if you don't know anything. This film is Miike's masterpiece. Slow burning, as moody as it gets, horror. Masterclass of acting, cinematography, sound design, and editing.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTakeshi CaesarSetsuko KarasumaYûki NagataA young boy grows up in a violent and dysfunctional family.No. 2 - This is Miike's personal favorite film, a sequel-prequel to Young Thugs: Innocent Blood. A lesser-known film about growing up. It has great characters and surreal anime-ish comedy. Surprisingly, there's a lot of subtlety, and a warm nostalgic feeling is portrayed masterfully.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsMasahiro MotokiRenji IshibashiMakoA salaryman and yakuza are each sent by their bosses to a remote Chinese village but discover more than they expected.No. 3 - More of an 8 than 7. A superb adventure fantasy film with a great soundtrack and interesting concepts. Soul searching drama film.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShô AikawaRiki TakeuchiRenji IshibashiA yakuza of Chinese descent and a Japanese cop each wage their own war against the Japanese mafia. But they are destined to meet. Their encounter will change the world.No. 4 - One of the first Miike films where I started becoming his fan. It has the best beginning ever and the best ending ever. Everything in between ranges from contemplative and peaceful to disturbing and violent.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShô AikawaLi-Wei ChangShih ChangA Japanese assassin stranded in Taiwan must take work from a local crime boss to make ends meet when suddenly a woman from his past delivers a son to him.No. 6 - Best one from the Black Society Trilogy (BST). Quite a unique noir film both tonally and visually. Another beautifully shot, meditative film.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsHiroyuki IkeuchiSeiichi TanabeSaori SekinoAmbitious yakuza Kenji befriends harmonica-playing bartender Chuji, who moonlights as a part-time drug-dealer for the opposing gang. Their friendship is threatened by Kenji's plans for advancement, as well as by his bodyguard's growing jealousy of Chuji.No. 5 - More of a 7 than 6. Another slower film filled with charm. It is very similar to the Black Society Trilogy in a lot of ways. I have a review of it if you want to know more.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsKazuki KitamuraTomorô TaguchiDan LiA group of Chinese youths living in Japan struggle to make their way in life and eventually find trouble with the local crime syndicate.No. 7 - Second best from the BST. Another tale about rebellious outcasts trying to find meaning in life. Young folks escaping the clutches of everyday boredom.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsKippei ShînaTomorô TaguchiTakeshi CaesarAmidst a Chinese and Japanese mafia war, a lawyer for the Chinese mob finds a rift forming between him and his corrupt police office brother.No. 8 - Miike's first theatrical film. The first one from the BST as well, but not the best one. It suffers from some pacing issues around the middle, which are felt much more here because of the exciting first 15 minutes. This film has a crazy chase scene that only Miike would've thought of and an incredible ending that reminded me of Taxi Driver. Very filthy, gritty mood, accompanied by the cinematography of the same nature at the end.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTakeshi CaesarSeiji ChiharaNoriko EguchiA group of high school graduates transition into adulthood in a dangerous and violent town in Japan.No. 9 - A lesser film about taller thugs that we got to know in Nostalgia. This one doesn't have nearly as many elements as the other one, and the ones it has, aren't the best. Just your run-of-the-mill type of adolescents fooling around and romance drama.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShôsuke TaniharaMiho NomotoTamaki KenmochiIn order to settle a business dispute, a mob leader murders one of his own teenage sons. The surviving son vows to avenge his brother's death, and organizes his own gang of teenage killers to destroy his father's organization.No. 10 - This one is all over the place. A lot of crazy Miike imagery, some effective, some not. Although kind of interesting, subplots slow down the pace of the main plot, and the action here is pretty trashy. It's a ridiculous film, but not cartoony.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTsuyoshi UjikiTomorô TaguchiTakeshi CaesarAn inexperienced gangster is killed alongside his strong, respected boss and awakens to find a mad scientist has given him a new body made partly of his boss and partly of indestructible bionics.No. 11 - This one is just loony. A mix of RoboCop, dementia, and mafia (yes, I stole that from another review), which is a perfect description. Add a few of Miike's ideas, and flare and you have a sort of guilty pleasure. The worst kind of.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsHisao MakiMasaru MatsudaDaisuke NagakuraA ex-prisoner hires the invincible bodyguard Kiba to protect him from vengeful Yakuza, while he travels cross-country to the location of some hidden loot.No. 12 - More of a 2 than 3. Nothing special and uninventive. A mix of mafia thriller and martial arts film. The action is not terrible, and there are a few beautiful sex scenes. Other than that, some wooden acting and one useless female character that gets raped. But at least, the women here are portrayed better than in Full Metal Yakuza. In short, a subpar 80s styled action flick that's too late and gives too little.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTakeshi CaesarRyoko ImamuraKazuki KitamuraIn 1970's Japan, two hot-headed rival high school students, Kazuyoshi and Takeshi, are set for an inevitable showdown. Unfortunately, their personal lives, and those they are intertwined, always get in their way.Wanted to watch this one, but I couldn't find it anywhere. It sounds a little like a mix of Young Thugs: Innocent Blood and Crows Zero from what I've read. Added it here because it has more votes than the rest from the ''less known'' and a good rating. Heard it's a lot about Osaka.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsYoshie KashiwabaraNaomi MorinagaKôsuke MoritaTwo care takers are obliged to tend to a child and take care of him overnight when his mother fails to collect him at the end of the day. It turns out to be a more difficult task than first imagined. Special operation thugs demand the boy be handed over to them and launch an attack to retrieve him. One of the caretakers recruits help and withstands the attacks in order to safeguard the boy's health. It turns out that a whole lot more is involved than just a boy and a missing mother.There's one solid house raid scene and the main female character is charismatic. Lowest of the budget film from Miike. It also has some Miike stylistic bits.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsAiko AsanoMinako FujimotoJirô MiyaguchiA comedy about a daring policewoman in leotards, who defeats criminals using gymnastics.The very first (V-cinema) film from Miike. Laughably bad but the trio is kind of funny and unique. Some nice classical music in the background and a tonal shift that doesn't really work. But hey, that is Miike. Only he can do this and still have some fun or funny scenes.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsMegumi KudôYoshika MaedomariHisao MakiThe Karate Kid is forced to fight in the underground fight-club for a privileged few wealthy sadists who enjoy watching catch-weight death-fights between men and women from different martial-arts schools. His principles forbade him to fight such matches, so the promoter forces him to watch his girlfriend being stripped and finished by a stronger woman, and then a young mother badly in need of money, entering a couple of matches. She survives two matches surprising the promoter, who arranges for a mixed tag match which end he has carefully arranged for.Trashy action. Although not that long, tough to sit through.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsKôichi IwakiHisako MandaToshio ShibaSome kind of drama, couldn't be bothered. Boring Miike stuff with no silly happenings, horror, action, or bizarreness.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsJôji AbeJunji InagawaMakiko KunoDumb comedy, yakuza film.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsJôji AbeMickey CurtisJunji InagawaMore serious sequel, also not worth your time.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsAli AhmedLakra AhmedTakayuki AkaikeShoichi Yomi spends ten years in a coma after a gang fight in Hiroshima. After waking up he immediately sets off to meet up with his yakuza brother Eto in Shinjuku. But it doesn't take long for his old enemies finds out that he's out in the streets again.Some yakuza actioner with gritty imagery.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTakuzô KawataniKiyoshi NakajoeRyûji ShinagawaExtremely hard to find. Don't know squat about this one.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsNoriko AraiTaka HiguchiJack KaoKiba is a bodyguard who works to raise money for his master's karate dojo. He gets the assignment to guard a young woman in Taipei.Sort of watchable. 0 budget stuff. Much worse than the first film. Only hour long but still boring.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsMasaaki AsatoTaka HiguchiHisao MakiSuckage, worst of the worst.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShigeki FujitaRyuzo FukumotoHaccakuIn this quirky comedy, two high school boys seek quick cash and inadvertently join the Japanese mafia.Bad, baad jokes... Very little good.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTakeshi CaesarYumiko DazaiMasaki FuruyaA small yakuza gang is taken to war by a more powerful rival after a violent bar brawl involving members of both gangs. Young boss, Masaki, must decide whether to disband his dwindling gang or fight.Sequel for the Third Gangster. Whatever film. Nothing exciting.
