damn them Japanese

I have always experimented, when buying DVDs and CDs. Some turn out to be disastrous misses, while others have turned out to be undiscovered gems. My latest find, Noboru Iguchi’s comedy / thriller / drama / hack-em-up feature, The Machine Girl, is of the latter variety.

Starring Minase Yashiro (in her film debut), the ultra violent flick is extremely violent, as it is quirky and comedic. And as is evident in Japanese pop culture, the movie takes on a life of its own.

The movie starts out with the typical school storyline of a boy being bullied by a bunch of high school thugs… but before things escalate, our heroine comes to the rescue. And once the action starts, the fun begins.

Admittedly, the dialogue and the “special” effects in this movie are sub-par. However, this is where the viewing pleasure is enhanced. The low budget prosthetics and cheesy dialogue, as well as contrite plot add to the humor of the film, so don’t expect Academy Award material when you pop this flick into your DVD player. Instead, just enjoy the ride and watch out for the creative and unpredicatble minds of the filmmakers.

While most pundits will label The Machine Girl as a B-Movie, I would still give it a A rating for sheer entertainment value. After all, how often do you get to see “Tempura Hands,” “Finger Sushi” and a “Drill Bra” in a movie. Plus, I couldn’t stop laughing and getting grossed out at the same time. When was the last time a movie made you feel that way? Probably never.

If I haven’t convinced you enough, maybe this trailer will entice you to check the flick out: