NEWS: Kaizo Hayashi's Maiku Hama Trilogy - 30th Anniversary 4K remasters

Images: Third Window Films

By Jon Donnis

Kaizo Hayashi's offbeat Maiku Hama Trilogy returns in gleaming 30th Anniversary 4K remasters, bringing back Masatoshi Nagase as Yokohama private eye Maiku Hama, a Japanese approximation of Mike Hammer. Across three films, The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1994), The Stairway to the Distant Past (1995) and The Trap (1996), the series sketches a pulp world of missing persons, waterfront power plays and encroaching dread.

The Most Terrible Time in My Life

The first film, The Most Terrible Time in My Life, drags Hama into the disappearance of a Taiwanese immigrant's brother, a case that lands him squarely in the crosshairs of a gang war. The second, The Stairway to the Distant Past, sends him after a "Man in White" who rules over the embattled riverfront of Yokohama. The ominous final chapter, The Trap, edges into psychological horror as a spate of drug fuelled murders begins to instil fear across the city.

The Stairway to the Distant Past

This run arrives as a limited edition digipack set capped at 2,000 copies, complete with a booklet by Josh Slater-Williams. Nagase once again anchors the trilogy as Hama, and the package presents Hayashi's idiosyncratic vision with fresh clarity.

The Trap

Disc 1 features The Most Terrible Time in My Life (我が人生最悪の時, 1994) and comes with a feature audio commentary by Jasper Sharp, a new interview with director Kaizo Hayashi, a new interview with producer Shunsuke Koga, and the trailer.

Disc 2 collects The Stairway to the Distant Past (遙かな時代の階段を, 1995) with a selected audio commentary by Edmund Yeo, a Matthew Carter video essay, and the trailer.

Disc 3 presents The Trap (罠 THE TRAP, 1996) with a feature audio commentary by Samm Deighan, a James Balmont video essay, and the trailer.

The set is Region B. Out on Blu-ray and digital on 27 October.

Pre-Order from Amazon now at https://amzn.to/4m5GU8U

PREVIEW: Derelict (2025 FIlm) - Starring Suzanne Fulton and Michael Coombes

Preview by Jon Donnis

A devastating murder intertwines the lives of two broken souls in Jonathan Zaurin's bold and unconventional crime drama, Derelict. Lauded at its FrightFest premiere, the film drew wide praise for its gritty style and powerful performances, cementing Zaurin, whose previous credits include Blood Tales and Gore Grind, as a filmmaker to watch. Now, following its festival acclaim, Derelict is set to reach a wider audience with a digital release on 1 September from Miracle Media and a Blu-ray release on 22 September from 101 Films.

Critics have been quick to highlight the strength and originality of Zaurin's sophomore feature. Film Stories called it "a striking exploration of guilt and redemption" and "a mightily impressive sophomore feature," awarding it four stars. The Hollywood News also gave it four stars, noting how the film's dark heart recalls the intensity of Bull, Dead Man's Shoes and American History X. Starburst praised Suzanne Fulton's commanding performance, describing her as "a striking figure amid the bleakly shot British cityscape."

The story unfolds through a fractured non-linear structure, interlacing timelines with a blend of black and white and colour cinematography to capture a world where memory, morality and justice blur. At its centre is Abigail, played by Fulton, who has never recovered from the brutal murder of her father. Ten years on, her grief has hardened into obsession, and she retreats further into isolation, determined to exact revenge on those she blames. Her quest collides with the troubled life of Matt, portrayed by Michael Coombes, who finds his fragile stability shattered when his estranged brother Ewan, played by Pete Bird, returns from prison. While Matt is sensitive and hesitant, Ewan exerts a dangerous influence, drawing him into the same toxic criminal underworld he once tried to escape.

As Abigail and Matt's paths converge, Derelict pushes its characters into a spiral of vengeance, guilt and fractured loyalties. The film poses difficult questions about loss and whether closure can ever be found in the aftermath of violence. It is as much about isolation and emotional devastation as it is about crime and retribution, giving the narrative a compelling psychological edge.

Derelict also benefits from an impressive supporting cast including Ayvianna Snow (How to Kill Monsters, Bogieville) and Nick Cornwall (How to Train Your Dragon, Devils), alongside Coombes, Bird and Fulton. Their combined performances give weight to Zaurin's vision of a society scarred by grief and moral compromise. The result is a film that feels raw, unpredictable and unflinching, yet always rooted in human emotion.

The Blu-ray release from 101 Films includes a strong line-up of extras designed to give viewers further insight into the project. Special features include Invisible Basketball: The Making of Derelict, short film The Petting Zoo by Virginie Sélavy, the video essay No Easy Answer by George Daniel Lea, the original music video Shadow of My Bones by Mike Hoskins, as well as deleted scenes, trailers and a reversible sleeve featuring alternate poster art.

With its daring approach to structure and style, a narrative steeped in grief and vengeance, and performances that bring raw intensity to every frame, Derelict confirms Jonathan Zaurin as one of the most intriguing voices in British independent cinema today. Audiences will soon have the chance to discover it for themselves when it arrives on digital this September and Blu-ray later in the month.