Thriller
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Episode #106 (S13E07) – Perfect Blue: Yume Nara Samete (2002) [PERFECT BLUE夢なら醒めて]
In this episode, Perry is joined by returning guest Michael Hale to discuss Perfect Blue: Yume Nara Samete. Contrary to what some may think, this isn't a live-action adaptation of the anime, nor even an adaptation of the novel it was based on. Instead, it's an adaptation of a novella from a spin-off anthology. And spoilers: it's nowhere near as good as the far-superior anime.
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Episode #100 (S13E01) – Gozu [極道恐怖大劇場 牛頭] (2003)
Season 13 kicks off with our 100th episode! And for this, we've got a special one. Filmmaker Warren Badenski joins Perry for a deep dive into Takashi Miike's infamously wild, wonderful, and very weird Gozu!
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Episode #98 (S12E08) – Monster [怪物] (2023)
It's another film by Hirokazu Kore-eda! This time, Perry is joined by podcaster Sam Stokes to discuss the director's latest film, Monster. With different perspectives, it's an enlightening film about the concept of bullying.
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Episode #92 (S12E02) – Godzilla Minus One [ゴジラ-1.0] (2023)
This is the one many listeners have been waiting for. Podcaster Jason Kleeberg joins Perry to dive into the wildly successful Godzilla Minus One! Praised both at home and abroad for good reason, there's a lot to unpack here.
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Episode #84 (S11E4) – Paprika [パプリカ] (2006)
Fellow Film Stories podcaster Ian Buckley returns to the show, this time to discuss Satoshi Kon's anime thriller, Paprika! We have a fun discussion peeling back the layers of this film and comparing it both to Kon's more famous Perfect Blue and a certain American film about entering dreams...
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Episode #80 (S10E9) – Nightmare Detective [悪夢探偵] (2007)
Author Frank Schildiner returns to the show for the final episode of the season. This time, we discuss Shinya Tsukamoto's serial killer thriller, Nightmare Detective. Though it has some unique ideas and impressive filmmaking, there are some shortcomings that we discuss.
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Episode #77 (S10E6) – 2LDK (2003)
Director and writer Claire Downs appears on the show to discuss the minimalist 2LDK. Featuring two actresses whose roommate quarrels spiral into violence, there's also a lot of stuff in here about the treatment of the Japanese entertainment industry's treatment of women.
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Episode #75 (S10E4) – Cure [キュア] (1997)
Author and Japanese film scholar Jennifer Upton comes on the show to discuss Kiyoshi Kurosawa's psychological thriller, Cure. There's a lot to unpack in this movie, so get ready!
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Episode #70 (S9E8) – My Friend “A” [友罪] (2018)
Perry welcomes back returning guest Jenn to discuss My Friend "A". Marketed as something of a mystery or even a thriller, it actually turns out to be more of a drama with some strong performances, but also some questionable decisions.
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Episode #50 – Lesson of the Evil (悪の教典)
Returning guest Jenn comes back for a chat about Takashi Miike's 2012 thriller, Lesson of the Evil. Despite an interesting use of Die Moritat von Mackie Messer, it's a bit of a let-down compared to some of Miike's other films.
