qba-01846 What a film! Sono has done it again. This film has it all.First, the plot. It is the tranquil setting of a family that is anything but as soon the silence is shattered with events that make the unit fall apart.There are normal and usual films. Nowadays these are whatever Marvel fantasy Disney is releasing every second week or the usual film with Helen Mirren or Samuel Jackson jumping around for no consequence.Then there are films that give you violence, blood, sexiness and zaniness. Many do not like these films but have to give it to the rest of us that these films are at least a break from the ordinary and in this case quite masterful. Let me freely admit that as a man the power of those legs, breasts, long hair and hiked skirt sex makes me excited, but Cold Fish is just a cut above.

Paul Magne Haakonsen Director Shion Sono (known for "Noriko's Dinnertable" and "Suicide Club") has put together yet another odd, bizarre, yet entertaining movie with the filming of "Cold Fish" (aka "Tsumetai nettaigyo").While "Cold Fish" is not suitable to everyone, given its slow pace, contents of the story or just because it is Japanese. However, you should transcend these and sit down to watch "Cold Fish", because you are in for a very different type of movie.The story is about a small time seller of tropical fish named Nobuyuki who is given a chance to have his criminal daughter work at the biggest tropical fish store and he himself will have a chance to become business partners with Murata, the owner of the big store. However with opportunities comes a trade off...The storyline was odd, yes, but it worked out well enough despite the slow pace of the movie. I was thoroughly entertained by the story with its depravities, oddities, bizarreness and bloodiness.What really worked for "Cold Fish" was the all round phenomenal cast. The lead roles played by Misuru Fukikoshi (playing Nobuyuki) and Denden (playing Yukio Murata) were great actors and really carried the movie well. But the two female leads Megumi Kagurazaka (playing Taeko Syamoto) and Asuka Kurasawa (playing Aiko Murata) were phenomenal as well. A shame that the women didn't have more on-screen time though.The effects and gore, yes it has gore too, was actually quite good, despite it not being a focal point for the movie itself.If you enjoy Asian movies then you should most certainly sit down and treat yourself to some "Cold Fish".

fac20 Love Exposure (by the same director) is one of my favourites of all time and so I was hoping for another cinematic treat. Unfortunately, this did not even come close. In fact, I found myself angry by the end of it and this was because I found the sexual violence disturbing, I did not buy into the plot twist, and most of the characters seemed unreal to me by the end of the film. These things ruined it for me.I wouldn't complain about the depiction of sexual violence if the film had more depth to it, but if there was any worthy point, then I totally missed it. My Japanese partner watched it with me and told me she had been thinking that it might be offputting to some/many Westerners since they would not understand the aspects of Japanese culture which give this film different meanings. This was certainly part of the problem for me, but further to this, it was the fact that it seemed to try to be many things (black comedy, gory horror, thriller, psychological drama) but failed to bring them together well enough.

losriley-1 What stands out in all of Sion's Sono's films is the voice of the director.His humour and ability to move through different styles within the same film. I think that this is a very positive feature in all of his films that I have seen to date. There is a brooding intelligence behind all of his films.This is a very stark violent film and one that has the most provocative dialogue.Much broader questions are being asked outside of the action.I think that it is no coincidence that Guilty of Romance,Suicide Club, Love Exposure and this film are all based upon true events.I think that Sion's dark humour helps to elevate his films above the genre of just shock horror.There is a lot of breast grabbing and an intoxication with sexual pleasure in this film.Sexual acts are often violent and deviant in his films and the bizarre Christian symbolism is odd and challenging.I really liked how the candles were lit on the alter using a spray can. What is normally a quite painstaking process was violent and disturbing.Can it be possible to enjoy films that are a constant assault to one's senses. I think so and Sono's films are not inane or banal.There is always the driving force of this poet and film maker. I am interested that other reviewers have mentioned," Visitor Q", and I would add ,"I Saw the Devil", as possibly the most disturbing films that I have seen..Murata in this film is introduced as a friendly kind man with an obsession with fish.His character openly refers to how he was abused as a child later in the film.His wife however a woman who enjoys sexual gratification at any time and in all forms is probably the most depraved character in the film.All of the madness includes strange around the table tableau's of normal? family life.The opening of the film showing the casual shopping and the emotionless acquisition of fast food is funny and sad at the same time.Do Sono's films celebrate the perverse and deviant? I am not so sure.Jodorowsky is the only other film maker who is so assured and unafraid to include imagery that is poetic and psychological.