by Daniel O’Connell One needs to look no further than Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike to find a filmography full of varied styles and genres. Since his debut back in 1991, he has made over one hundred movies, each of them totally different from the rest. His work has ranged from samurai films such as 13 Assassins, Spaghetti Western homages like Sukiyaki Western Django, and disturbing horror movies like Ichi the Killer and Audition. He has even directed live-action adaptations of manga, such as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable. Now, Miike brings us his 103rd film, the action-romance-crime-thriller: First Love. The film follows Leo (Masataka Kubota), a successful young boxer with a promising career ahead of him; however, his career is cut short when he finds out he has an inoperable brain tumor. Dejected, he encounters a fortune teller who says he should now use his strength to fight for others. The opportunity to do so arrives when he inadvertently saves the life of Yuri (Sakurako Konishi), a drug-addled prostitute who is in debt with the Yakuza (Japanese mafia). Leo finds himself wrapped up in a plot that involves a shipment of stolen drugs and a gang war between the Yakuza and Chinese gangsters. Leo and Yuri slowly find themselves falling in love with each other as they try to survive the night in Shinjuku.
Stylish and colorful characters
Brilliant mix of action and comedy with a lot of style
First Love True Romance Good Time
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