David Roggenkamp There are some movies that are such a mishmash of awesomeness, it is hard to believe they exist as a movie. By this, I mean - there are so many genres that co-exist in one movie, it is hard to believe they exist period. Most movies choose to exist in one genre with maybe a subgenre; anything beyond that and we get into the realm of comedy and ridiculousness. Enter "Why Don't You Play in Hell" which is just that. The movie co-exists between documentary, college friends going out on a (local) adventure, Samurai showdown, Yakuza, a discrepancy of nearly ten years that separates two halves of the movie (past and future), as well as the artistic style that is Japanese blood and limb dismemberment. Did I mention that this film is not American, but is actually of Japanese origin? And with a title like "Why Don't You Play in Hell", I can see why. This is just the tip of the iceberg though.The film starts out with what appears to be a packin commercial for "Gagaga" toothpaste; it stars a young girl in a white outfit. This commercial actually plays a larger part in the movie and is referenced numerous times. Fast forward to a group of amateur movie making enthusiasts that are in the midst of making their own movie; they crash into a gang that is mid-scuffle and they start to record and direct. Fast forward again to two different Yakuza groups that have their own skirmishes. Fast forward again and we see the little girl from the commercial walking into a home full of blood. Turns out her mother did some handiwork with some Yakuza that tried to take her (mother) down; the girl turns out to be the daughter of a Yakuza lord. The film jumps back and forth between these groups frequently and it leads to a very confusing, but interesting mish- mash. It isn't evident how they will all play together, but it does happen in the latter part of the film - I won't spoil it.The film has a lot of blatant humor - it has a homage to Bruce Lee in the form of an actor in a film directly copying and mimicking his known style. The opening commercial, while confusing as to why it is there, is funny in its own right and then gets many references to it as a running gag in the rest of the film. The movie's claim to fame would have to be the amateur film makers that call themselves the "Fuck Bombers". The artistic feel of Japanese blood spraying from dismembered limbs is used throughout the film; it has a few moments where it is both ridiculous and fake. The pool of blood that awaits a young girl in her kitchen is nearly a foot deep - impossible with the amount of people involved. The entire movie almost feels like it is a parody of many genres at once; it also feels like a Quentin Tarantino movie, specifically "Kill Bill", but it could be that Kill Bill uses a similar premise - not to mention it also has "The Bride" in a yellow Bruce Lee jumpsuit.The film is far from being a train wreck, and due to the mashup of things, it must close all of them or it wouldn't be a very good movie. It does just that in the last half of the movie. More importantly, we get to see why all of the characters interact and are involved the way they are. Just about every character gets some kind of closure, although at least once gets an inappropriate death. The film only has one bad side - and that is when all of the action built up to a certain point is suddenly dropped due to an outside force; but I will not spoil that either.If you like B-grade movies of a foreign affair, this will most certainly be a pleasant viewing.Originally posted to Orion Age (http://www.orionphysics.com/? p=11073).

michaelhirakida Unfortunately, This Japanese Gore Film is unsatisfying to watch. The only way I would watch this movie is if it was for the ending which even it has its problems.The story is very complicated. There are these amateur filmmakers who want to make a film, this guy who is captured by the Yakuza whose boss wants to make a film for his daughter who was in Japanese ads when she was a kid, Some kind of truce between two mob bosses that gets broken, I have no clue what went on. This movie for the first hour is extremely boring, unpleasant (Not in the gory way) and really needed a huge rewrite. All it is, is just boring, pointless and bad exposition and talking and violence that adds nothing until the whole movie finally gets in shape and remembers: "HEY! Wasn't There A Film we had to make?" I felt I was watching a Japanese soap opera instead of a gore picture!The guy who gets captured by the Yakuza, Koji, guess how he finds his crew? He pukes on some written wishes. But the puke goes on for way too long which makes it unbelievable. The only thing good was the ending. I thought this whole freaking movie was going to be an awesome bloody massacre movie. But no, the first hour and a half is just pointlessness and set up to the film they are going to make, then the last 35 minutes are amazing violence and death and it is one of the best action sequences I have seen in a very long time.But the fact that they kill every important cast member except the selfish overly confident unlikable director feels like a huge middle finger to the audience. Also, he doesn't realize HE MADE A SNUFF FILM AND WILL RELEASE IT TO WIDE AUDIENCES ACROSS JAPAN!! This guy should be freaking put in a jail cell!But the police show up and he escapes while they kill everyone! Then, they show him running down the streets, then show the premiere of the film where the clueless audience members applaud as the other cast members are fine and well and are all dandy. BUT OH NO WE CANT END ON THAT NOTE. Lets go back to the shot of him running with the freaking footage which the police are possibly going to hunt him down for and then, CUT! The director says. Yes. I have no freaking clue what was going on. This movie just gave up three quarters of the way through the whole entire ending.This movie is just a headache to watch. All I asked for was great gory fun and the Trailer made it look amazing. But of course I was fooled and got sucked into a gun shot loud drama, then set up, then a almost perfect ending. If you really want to watch Japanese Bloody or Gory films, watch something like Battle Royale or any other movie that is better.Its only worth it for the ending action scene. That's it.41/100 D+

Asia YU I saw the film last night and it was not the first time I saw Shion Sono's film but it was really the first time that his movie made me laughing for several minutes and I felt very very excited about it when it ended.The movie's last 30 minutes is a must see! Yes,it is!!!Although the pacing of it's first half is a little slow,it just like a foreshadowing for the plot and the relationship between the characters. Jigoku de naze warui is a movie which put filmmaking, yakuza,blood,dream all such cool elements together and it saluted many directors such as Quentin Tarantino(The yakuza use swords instead of guns which reminds me of Kill Bill), John Woo(shooting at the same time falling the feather everywhere), Johnnie To( there is always an old funny guy wipes his sweat up when the situation became very emergency .)…….I found a thing that I'd love to see a movie which is about filmmaking itself and I don't know why,it just like I will always fall in love with sinister gang movies and cult movies.I also want to appreciate that Japan is really a great place to have cult films came out.The style of the movie twists several times and some strange scenes just hit the point which is morbid in some ways but hilarious at the same time.The ending is OK, but if it's not turn out a "Cut" it will be fine too.I mean the "director" running down the road scene is already the best, maybe we don't need a play within a play thing like that 'cause many films end like that way already.And for the fight at close quarters, the executions is perfect and spectacular!!! I also found a very very sweet song called BARKER LOMAX LOVER BOY,first heard it from Big Bad Wolves's trailer .here is the only link I can find http://www.songtaste.com/song/3367639/ Can anyone tell me who is the singer???tks!

capo-365-829602 The more movies of Sion Sono's that I see, the more I realize that he is one of the greatest artists working today. It's a big claim and I don't like to kiss ass, but the man is one of the few people working in entertainment and art that sees through the current state of the world and instead of criticizing it, he creates a stylish farce that inspires, entertains, and breaks our balls for believing in what we do, in the way we do. He challenges us in a playful way, that I believe is more compelling than the other artists that attempt to do the same thing through relating trauma in films that Hollywood seems to like concerning war, disease, rags to riches to rags, etc...The world is absurd because of the people in it. The characters. Of course this life is a saga, a tragedy, an adventure, a romance, but above all it is a chaotic mess filled with jokes and gore. Filled with weirdos that are completely out of place on this planet and weirdos that are even more in place. I love Sion Sono's films and this one in particular lives up to what I love about them. This film gives me hope in the world. I won't spoil it for you. It's about yakuzas clashing with a film crew. It's about me and you. It's about you and me. Yakuzas and a film crew.