KUBI

Set in 16th century Feudal Japan, rival warlords battle for domination and territory. Lord Oda Nobunaga, intent on conquering the entire country, is waging war against several clans when one of his vassals, Araki Murashige, betrays him and mounts a rebellion while promptly going into hiding. Nobunaga assembles his other vassals including Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi, and orders them to capture the fugitive Murashige, warning “I’ll choose whoever works hardest as my successor.” Employing various ideas, schemes, and traps, they’re soon brought to a crossroads in this complicated situation. All roads lead to Honno-ji temple, where fate awaits them all. At first reported to be Takeshi Kitano''s final film as director (apparently, he''s changed his mind), KUBI, which is based on his own novel, is a return to form of previous films from his oeuvre--think a mashup of ZATŌICHI with the yakuza thuggery of the OUTRAGE series--With the sexual and carnal fluidity of Nagisa Oshima''s GOHATTO...And lots (and we mean LOTS) of beheadings by katana. It''ll literally make heads roll.