Reviews

The greatest scene you can have in any movie is the final showdown. That last moment, when all the events that have happened throughout the entire film (or films) come together in one glorious climatic battle between the hero and the villain. As a great lover of the final showdown I am disappointed that so few films actually get it right. Films like "Yojimbo", "Dark City", and "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" are among those rare exceptions when the level of build-up is more than matched by the moment of confrontation.

Then there's Aragami, which is essentially one long final showdown. And what an incredible showdown it is. I loved Kitamura's previous film, Versus, for it's none stop excitement and entertainingly over-the-top violence. But Aragami is simple, two characters in a room who must and will fight to the death. This

scenario may not seem compelling, but Kitamura somehow manages to keep

the energy buried just beneath the surface of all the character's actions. I felt tense throughout the entire film. I wanted to see the two men fight. But Kitamura kept me waiting for as long as possible, until it was almost to much to take. Then, he delivered on his promise and created one of the most exciting and

thoroughly satisfying showdowns I know of. Much like when I saw Versus, I left the theater energized, unlike most American action films, which just leave me feeling exhausted and worn-out.

This movie could have gone horribly over the top. Fortunately for us, however, it manages to stay a grounded and surprisingly touching film. Yes it is about sadomasochism, but the film deals with this issue in a realistic and fair perspective.

"Secretary" does not look down at its characters (superbly played by Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader) and it doesn't place them in situations just for our amusement. As hard as it may be to understand, this is a love story. It is about two people with a great many problems that manage to find the person they were meant to be with. My only problem with the film is the way that Jeremy Davies' character is treated by Gyllenhaal, it makes it more difficult to be happy for her in the end. Other than that I was amazed at how romantic a movie this is.

I would recommend this movie to anyone, but especially to people who find the subject matter offensive or inappropriate (maybe they'll learn a thing or two about real life). (***1/2 out of ****)