Japanese director Takashi Miike has directed a phenomenal 80 films in his 21-year career, with genres ranging from comedy to yakuza, and from horror to period samurai. Although he is a highly-rated auteur, known for crazy camera-work, bizarre plot devices, and extreme violence, his films do tend to differ vastly in quality. His understated masterpiece Audition (1999) was a slowly-paced, thoughtful romantic drama that switched to cringe-inducing horror in the blink of an eye. Audition is one of the finest films to come out of the relatively unmemorable 1990's, and showed Miike's skill in luring an unsuspecting audience into a safe place, to then paralyse you and chicken-wiring your foot off. But his filmography is peppered with some rather dull offerings, and although they tend to show moments of offbeat genius, they lack in heart. The City of Lost Souls, also known as The City of Strangers, is an example of this.Brazilian madman Mario (Teah), rescues his beautiful Japanese girlfriend Kei (Michelle Reis) from being deported in a daring bus hijack. Wanting to escape the dangers of Japan and flee to Australia, the two find themselves caught in the middle of some Chinese gangsters led by Ko (Mitsuhiro Oikawa) who are in the middle of a drug deal with Japanese hothead Fushimi (Koji Kikkawa). Mario gatecrashes the deal and steals the dope for himself, selling it to admiring Brazilian TV anchor Sanchez (Marcio Rosario). When Sanchez tries to sell the dope back to Ko, the gangsters try to lure the elusive Mario out of his hiding place by kidnapping his ex-girlfriend's blind daughter.With slight nods to the earlier works of John Woo, Miike's yakuza comedy thriller employs the usual genre traits with slow-motion, Mexican stand- off's, and Asians-in-shades dominating throughout. But this isn't action captured in the same operatic way as Woo's films, this is laced with hyper-kinetic editing, black humour, and CGI cock-fighting, and all cut between seemingly random scenes and simply odd moments. Although this type of thing would usual make a film all the more interesting, here it seems like Miike is doing what he can to try and hide the rather thin plot. Fair play to him though, there doesn't seem to be a camera-angle he's scared to exploit, but it's all thrown at the audience as if Miike believes his audience has the attention-span of a child on blue Smarties. And a badly computer generated cock doing a Matrix-esque gravity-defying kick is not funny.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

First, before you mark this review as "NOT HELPFUL", understand that there are two distinct groups of people: Those who LOVE the ultra-violent and gory films of Takashi Miike and normal, well-adjusted people. Those lovers of sick gore will say I "just don't get it" and anyone who is not drawn to these movies will probably agree wholeheartedly that these films (including this film, ICHI THE KILLER and THE AUDITION) are repulsive. It's not just the fact that everyone in this film is completely amoral and blood splatters abound, but the utterly unredeeming little touches Miike adds to the films that make the film sort of like a moral cancer. For example, this is the first movie I have ever seen with "TOILET CAM"--i.e., a video camera INSIDE the toilet so I can watch floating pieces of poo as well as a guy urinating into the toilet! And, because there's so much blood and violence, no real story was written for the movie--just scum killing other scum. Save yourself a lot of time and potential brain rot and just try to find a different film to watch! This film merits 2 points just because of some interesting camera and stunt work (apart from the poo).

This little gem is a solo Miike film. No sequels and not much publicity, the movie oozes with style and the action is brilliantly choreographed. The idea of Japan being filled with immigrants, a midget brushing his teeth with cocaine, animated cockfights - all examples of Takashi Miike's very vivid imagination. The story is to do with a Brazilian guy who falls in love with the sister of a Chinese mafia boss who disagrees with their relationship.the Brazilian, however, will not let the love of his life go for no-one. Like an ultra violent version of Romeo and Juliet with foul toilet gags. another Miike great8 out of 10

City of Lost Souls, aka Hazard City, is pretty self explanatory from the title. The characters in the movie seem lost and there are dangers lurking around every corner. Who can you trust not to blast one in your back? Well, with Takashi Miike, trust nobody.I noticed that the cast was a mix of japanese, chinese, and brazilian! It caught my attention when I would hear portugeuse being spoken, then japanese later on. I noticed that Miike included the different languages rather than having it all in japanese which made the film seem more real. Oh, let me say that that's one wacky wedding scene! There are some surprising moments too...which you'll see when you watch the film (no fair in me telling!).The interactions between the characters seem so random that I felt there really was no good or bad sides. I loved the vodka scene with Michelle Reis who was visually stunning throughout. Plus, Teah plays the cool, suave Mario who speaks through actions rather than dialogue. Also, that yakuza guy is someone you do not mess with!!Thank you Miike for a unique ending which surprised my friend and I...or maybe it was the Remy Red shots that left me saying "HUH??" I guess I'll have to watch it again....which is a good thing.