Motoki Katsuhide's "Drugstore Girl" is a light, cute, and often pathetic comedic story of a beautiful young pharmacology student who turns a group of middle-aged men into raving, lecherous gits whilst starting a new life in a new town. Obayashi Keiko (Tanaka Rena) finds her live-in boyfriend cheating on her and subsequently bolts her apartment in Shinjuku, boarding the JR and basically disembarking at a random station. She ends up in the town of Masao on the outskirts of Tokyo-to and there she begins a new life (except for the fact that she has her pharmacology classes back in the city). Whimsically letting things fall into place, she lands a job at "Hustle Drug", a new Wal-Mart sort of super store which threatens to put the local mom & pop merchants out of business. A group of middle-aged men - consisting of three of the local merchants (druggist, baker and kombini owner), a monk and Keaton-esquire homeless man - initially plan to sabotage the grand opening of Hustle Drug, but one sight of the lovely Obayashi and the old boys quickly forget about their economic agenda. When their leader Nabeshima (Emoto Akira) discovers that Obayashi plays lacrosse, the old boys set out to learn this strange new sport, complete with fishing nets and protective gear made from cardboard boxes and bamboo. Their intent, of course, is to use this as an excuse to win her favour, but she cleverly (or obliviously) decides to train them in the sport, which popularizes it immediately throughout Masao and revives the stagnant bamboo handicraft industry by turning the local craftsmen into distinctly Japanese crosse makers (no lightweight Fiberglas or Polyamide laminates here). From there, the story becomes less about the drugstore and more about the newly-formed old boys lacrosse side, and the climactic match against a side made up of (presumably) American Indian players. A bit brief and somewhat underdeveloped in parts, the story capitalises on the recurring Japanese cinematic theme of the hopeless newbie underdog taking on the big guys by means of their undying competitive spirit and instant devotion to a sport that they have only recently discovered. It works for the most part, and the movie is a delight, particularly the opening scene when Obayashi catches her boyfriend Hitoshi cheating on her. Tanaka Rena ("Tokyo Marigold", "Gangu Shuriya", "Hatsukoi") is surprisingly animated in this comedic role, and Emoto Akira ("Shall We Dance?", "Unagi", "Waterboys") is annoying yet funny as the middle-aged bosouzoku-turned-druggist. The rest of the old boys are even more annoying if not downright stupid, but Tanaka Rena's splendid performance more than makes up for it.
Reviews
13 Reviews
A case study in legalistic miscommunication
28 May 2003
In "Totsunyuseyo! 'Asama Sanso' Jiken"(2002), Harada Masato offers up a picturesque account of the 1972 Karuizawa hostage incident, which took place under frigid conditions in Nagano, Japan. Based on an account penned by the main character Sassa Atsuyuki, it chronicles the ineffectiveness of coordinated law enforcement protocol when conducted in an atmosphere of petty politics, impossible restrictions, poor planning, miscommunication and over-inflated egos. Alternately titled `The Choice of Hercules', Sassa (Yakusho Koji) is a mid-level career man in the Tokyo Metro Police who is forced to bide his time until he reaches an `acceptable' age before being promoted (in itself a critique of the much-maligned system). To this end, he is assigned menial tasks in addition to being sent overseas to study law enforcement techniques in the West. As such, he is the most qualified to respond when a situation erupts for which local law enforcement is totally unprepared - the violent takeover of a mountain resort lodge in Nagano by armed Japan Red Army operatives.
His arrival on scene is the beginning of a huge red-tape battle between the local Nagano Prefectural Police and the hotshots from Tokyo, but even before he leaves, his boss in Tokyo gives him strict written orders which practically doom the rescue operation from the start. Among them are explicit orders not to kill (and thereby martyr) any of the Red Army operatives, along with orders forbidding the use of firearms without permission from Tokyo Metro Police HQ. Sufficiently handicapped as he brings his proverbial knife to a gunfight, Sassa faces the Herculean task of placating the bickering law enforcement factions, as well as enacting the non-lethal rescue capture of six very hostile perpetrators holding a single hostage.
Overall, the story is comical at times, but also sternly critical of the inefficiency that results from too much red tape and not enough common sense. In carrying out his task, Sassa is no John McLane (e.g., Bruce Willis' `Die Hard' character), and not even a Jack Ryan-variant unwilling hero. He is more of a Japanese corporate hero, because he manages to execute his orders no matter how stupid they are, while maintaining his dignity and winning the respect of others. Amidst the utter anarchy of two non-coordinated entry teams using poorly orchestrated cover fire (via an APC-mounted water cannon, a semi-functional wrecking ball, and 40mm CS rounds mistakenly fired onto the entry teams), Sassa strives to achieve the impossible.
The cinematography is most impressive, as it reminds the viewer that while the winter landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful to behold, they also bugger up the police activity outside the lodge, making it a snowy, slushy mess. Even the press conferences are shot through a thick haze of second-hand smoke - scenes you can almost smell as you watch (yuck).
I credit Harada for not oversimplifying the use of firearms in the movie, although it is conceivable that six rifle-wielding snipers could inflict much higher kill rates than portrayed in the film, particularly since the police refused to return fire. Even though Harada's characters concede that their double-walled riot shields won't stop a rifle projectile, we don't see many shields breached, and the only direct hits are on those not utilizing them. Other than that, my only real critique of the film is the fact that despite the 70's look of the police vehicles, there is little in the area of Yakusho Koji's suits, hairstyle or mannerisms that would seem out of place in 2002 (other than perhaps a blatant lack of keitai).
His arrival on scene is the beginning of a huge red-tape battle between the local Nagano Prefectural Police and the hotshots from Tokyo, but even before he leaves, his boss in Tokyo gives him strict written orders which practically doom the rescue operation from the start. Among them are explicit orders not to kill (and thereby martyr) any of the Red Army operatives, along with orders forbidding the use of firearms without permission from Tokyo Metro Police HQ. Sufficiently handicapped as he brings his proverbial knife to a gunfight, Sassa faces the Herculean task of placating the bickering law enforcement factions, as well as enacting the non-lethal rescue capture of six very hostile perpetrators holding a single hostage.
Overall, the story is comical at times, but also sternly critical of the inefficiency that results from too much red tape and not enough common sense. In carrying out his task, Sassa is no John McLane (e.g., Bruce Willis' `Die Hard' character), and not even a Jack Ryan-variant unwilling hero. He is more of a Japanese corporate hero, because he manages to execute his orders no matter how stupid they are, while maintaining his dignity and winning the respect of others. Amidst the utter anarchy of two non-coordinated entry teams using poorly orchestrated cover fire (via an APC-mounted water cannon, a semi-functional wrecking ball, and 40mm CS rounds mistakenly fired onto the entry teams), Sassa strives to achieve the impossible.
The cinematography is most impressive, as it reminds the viewer that while the winter landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful to behold, they also bugger up the police activity outside the lodge, making it a snowy, slushy mess. Even the press conferences are shot through a thick haze of second-hand smoke - scenes you can almost smell as you watch (yuck).
I credit Harada for not oversimplifying the use of firearms in the movie, although it is conceivable that six rifle-wielding snipers could inflict much higher kill rates than portrayed in the film, particularly since the police refused to return fire. Even though Harada's characters concede that their double-walled riot shields won't stop a rifle projectile, we don't see many shields breached, and the only direct hits are on those not utilizing them. Other than that, my only real critique of the film is the fact that despite the 70's look of the police vehicles, there is little in the area of Yakusho Koji's suits, hairstyle or mannerisms that would seem out of place in 2002 (other than perhaps a blatant lack of keitai).
Afrika
(2002)
Asians Firing Recklessly Irrespective of Known Adversaries
19 September 2002
Given the stricter regulations placed on firearms in Asia, it is conceivable that the average Korean college coed will be about as adept with a Glock 19 as, say, a monkey with a pair of chopsticks eating Fugu and Chow Fun. This theory is proven ad nauseum in the hip chick flick `A.F.R.I.K.A.', which stars (I'm guessing) the Korean equivalent of SPEED or MAX in a `Thelma & Louise'-type road movie. In it, two young coeds from Seoul embark on a weekend getaway, unknowingly `borrowing' a car belonging to a local gangster which contains two real live handguns (Beretta 92FS Inox and a short-barreled stainless S&W or Colt D/A .357 Magnum or .38 Special revolver). Not sure what to do, they embark on an odyssey in which they unwillingly gain two more companions (a hooker and an ex-con), both of whom have their own personal agendas involving the weapons. While the two coeds first draw the weapons in self-defence (to deter over-enthusiastic males), the unstable hooker wants to steal enough money for a nose job, and the ex-con wants payback on her ex-lover who made her take the rap for funds he embezzled.
By far the worst two scenes involve the actors trying to mimic the gunplay found in HK flicks, mob movies and rap videos. One involves the `gangster' (who reminds me a bit of Japanese actor/comedian Danda Yasunori) squeezing off a series of shots with guns in both hands recoiling whether or not a shot is fired. The other involves the quartet carjacking a diplomat's car, only to find that the driver is a big fan of the girls, who have become rogue heroes of sorts. The rather confused coed holding the 92FS Inox to the driver's head has her right index finger BEHIND the trigger instead of on it. Oh well. They should've given her a 1911 so she couldn't do that.
Granted, the film would be even less realistic (if that's possible) if the coeds suddenly displayed flawless firearms handling protocol, but I must admit that watching people wave guns around carelessly makes me cringe more than even Miike Takashi's `Odishon'. Okay, maybe not, but it is really disturbing. But taken with a grain of salt, the movie itself can be entertaining at times, and while clearly not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, it - oh, who am I kidding? The plot, if any, was thin at best and the acting marginal. I don't know how accurate the English subs were, but if so, then the language (and ethics) of the girls rivals that of the gangsters. Mindless fun for the most part, but if terms like `Condition One Carry', `PASGT' and `Low Ready' mean anything to you, you should probably avoid this one. Just too painful.
By far the worst two scenes involve the actors trying to mimic the gunplay found in HK flicks, mob movies and rap videos. One involves the `gangster' (who reminds me a bit of Japanese actor/comedian Danda Yasunori) squeezing off a series of shots with guns in both hands recoiling whether or not a shot is fired. The other involves the quartet carjacking a diplomat's car, only to find that the driver is a big fan of the girls, who have become rogue heroes of sorts. The rather confused coed holding the 92FS Inox to the driver's head has her right index finger BEHIND the trigger instead of on it. Oh well. They should've given her a 1911 so she couldn't do that.
Granted, the film would be even less realistic (if that's possible) if the coeds suddenly displayed flawless firearms handling protocol, but I must admit that watching people wave guns around carelessly makes me cringe more than even Miike Takashi's `Odishon'. Okay, maybe not, but it is really disturbing. But taken with a grain of salt, the movie itself can be entertaining at times, and while clearly not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, it - oh, who am I kidding? The plot, if any, was thin at best and the acting marginal. I don't know how accurate the English subs were, but if so, then the language (and ethics) of the girls rivals that of the gangsters. Mindless fun for the most part, but if terms like `Condition One Carry', `PASGT' and `Low Ready' mean anything to you, you should probably avoid this one. Just too painful.
Audition
(1999)
Well-crafted, gut-churning horror... and Yoko! :)
19 September 2002
Well, despite reading Mark Schilling's review of Miike Takashi's masterpiece `Odishon', nothing could have prepared me for the full-tilt visual and visceral assault therein. I don't seriously think anyone would see this film (or any of Miike's works, for that matter) without some idea of what to expect, but for those rare few, Miike works hard at presenting a very `normal' if not bland first act and a half. What a set-up artist, that Miike. Only about halfway through the second act do we catch the glimpse of Yamazaki Asami's sordid living quarters - a profoundly powerful set with dilapidated shoji screens, a dark, musty aura, a single vintage telephone, and of course, the large canvas sack. From there, Miike allows the audience to teeter on the edge of a knife as salaryman Aoyama Shigeharu (Ishibashi Ryo) contemplates the decision which (despite cautionary warnings from his coworker) will send him hurtling down a path of unimaginable misery. Well, unimaginable for all but Miike, apparently.
As the mysteriously frightening Yamazaki Asami, Shiina Eihi delivers a rather convincing performance in her dual role as normal young lady and sadistic nightmare chick. My only complaint about the realism in this film is that there is no way in the world any right-minded man would pick Shiina over the incomparably more attractive super race queen Sugimura Yoko, who makes a cameo appearance (two, actually) at the open audition. Logic notwithstanding, Miike is spot on with his seriously disturbing psycho-thriller, although those unfamiliar with his work (like myself) would be wise to heed the many warnings posted by other reviewers before watching.
As the mysteriously frightening Yamazaki Asami, Shiina Eihi delivers a rather convincing performance in her dual role as normal young lady and sadistic nightmare chick. My only complaint about the realism in this film is that there is no way in the world any right-minded man would pick Shiina over the incomparably more attractive super race queen Sugimura Yoko, who makes a cameo appearance (two, actually) at the open audition. Logic notwithstanding, Miike is spot on with his seriously disturbing psycho-thriller, although those unfamiliar with his work (like myself) would be wise to heed the many warnings posted by other reviewers before watching.
A goofy, creepy tale with a touch of Sharisharism
17 September 2002
Miike Takashi's `Katakuri-ke no Koufuku' is a wonderfully bizarre black comedy musical highly reminiscent of the music videos and live concert performances staged by the now-defunct 80s & 90's J-pop powerhouse Kome Kome Club. Miike's choice of Sawada Kenji as Katakuri Masao further accentuates this similarity, since he strongly resembles K2C co-front man `Carl Smoky' Ishii Tatsuya. The somewhat unpolished song & dance routines (unlike K2C), along with episodic fits of overacting and self-depreciating man-on-a-wire work combine to create a totally off the wall mix of dark humour and Miike's trademark visual gross-outs.
In synopsis, Katakuri Masao is a downsized urbanite who stakes his family's livelihood on restoring a run-down country inn. Masao, along with wife Terue (Matsuzaka Keiko) and father Jinpei (Tamba Tetsuro) reel in their troubled son Masayuki (Takeda Shinji) and divorced daughter Shizue (Nishida Naomi) to create their family dream. But alas, location is everything, and without a major road nearby, the `White Lover's Inn' waits patiently sans customers. When guests finally do begin to arrive, the Katakuris find (through no fault of their own) that their guests have an annoying habit of dying. Not to be discouraged however, the Katakuris do their best to persevere as a family, and find time for a number of offbeat musical numbers in between.
The most irritating character was the second-rate con man Richard Sawada played by actor/singer Iwamano Kiyoshiro, who also played a deadbeat suitor in the TBS dorama, "Boku no Shusshoku". He actually does a fair job at speaking bad gaijin-sounding Japanese, and he's one of the only actors in the movie (to my knowledge) with a musical background. Oh, and the shot with him wearing the Oakley `OverTheTops' is pretty funny. One of the strangest elements to me (besides the opening claymation sequence) was the fact that the prologue & epilogue narratives were voiced in retrospect by the young grand daughter, for no apparent reason. Some reviewers point out the moralistic undertones of family values and such, but I suspect that even this was thrown in by Miike as part of a cold-cocked slap in the face with regards to anything being morally relevant in the film, or making sense for that matter.
In synopsis, Katakuri Masao is a downsized urbanite who stakes his family's livelihood on restoring a run-down country inn. Masao, along with wife Terue (Matsuzaka Keiko) and father Jinpei (Tamba Tetsuro) reel in their troubled son Masayuki (Takeda Shinji) and divorced daughter Shizue (Nishida Naomi) to create their family dream. But alas, location is everything, and without a major road nearby, the `White Lover's Inn' waits patiently sans customers. When guests finally do begin to arrive, the Katakuris find (through no fault of their own) that their guests have an annoying habit of dying. Not to be discouraged however, the Katakuris do their best to persevere as a family, and find time for a number of offbeat musical numbers in between.
The most irritating character was the second-rate con man Richard Sawada played by actor/singer Iwamano Kiyoshiro, who also played a deadbeat suitor in the TBS dorama, "Boku no Shusshoku". He actually does a fair job at speaking bad gaijin-sounding Japanese, and he's one of the only actors in the movie (to my knowledge) with a musical background. Oh, and the shot with him wearing the Oakley `OverTheTops' is pretty funny. One of the strangest elements to me (besides the opening claymation sequence) was the fact that the prologue & epilogue narratives were voiced in retrospect by the young grand daughter, for no apparent reason. Some reviewers point out the moralistic undertones of family values and such, but I suspect that even this was thrown in by Miike as part of a cold-cocked slap in the face with regards to anything being morally relevant in the film, or making sense for that matter.
Koko ni irukoto
(2001)
A tutorial in the fine art of `being here'.
12 July 2002
Nagasawa Masahiko's `Koko ni Iru Koto' (`Being Here') is a subtly comical drama depicting a career woman's struggle to gain acceptance and purpose amidst the `resutora' era of post-bubble Japan. Aiba Shino (Manaka Hitomi) is a talented young career woman working in the `creative' marketing division of a sales company in Tokyo. She's an interesting demographic, since she's in her late twenties to early thirties, making her a bit too old to be annoyingly trendy, and yet still young enough to be both impulsive and irreverent when it suits her. Nagasawa's heroine is involved in an illicit office romance with an elite manager, whose wife confronts Aiba and calmly hands her a `severance package' of five hundred thousand yen (approx. $6,400CDN) with the understanding that she is bow out of the relationship immediately. To make things worse, stylish young Aiba is not-so-coincidentally transferred to the decidedly unsophisticated Osaka office, whereupon she decides to blow her newfound pocket money on lavish hotel accommodations and quit once the money runs out. Almost immediately, she realises that she has not only been transferred, but demoted out of the Creative Department to work in straight Sales. This (along with an office environment where the derogatory address `Aho!' is used as often if not more often than the usual `Kachou' and `Sempai') simply will not do, Aiba decides, and she impulsively retreats to the local boat racing track to deliberately accelerate the evaporation of her hotel funds. Fate intervenes comically, however, and her flippant throwaway wager backfires, thus ensuring she has sufficient funds for a much longer tenure.
Ignoring the hand of Fate, she reneges on her private wager and decides to quit anyway, until fellow transferee Maeno Etsuro (Sakai Masato) goes out of his way to coerce her to give it a bit more time. Maeno, it turns out, is quite an eccentric, whimsical character (Mark Schilling aptly describes him as `Peter Pan-like'), and reminded me strongly of Uchimura Teruyoshi (of `Laughing Dog' and `Best Partner' fame). Maeno is comically acrophobic, and is the classic junk collector who shares his hobbies of astronomy, batting cages and browsing curio shops with a reluctant Aiba as part of their many `field assignment' jaunts through the byways of Osaka. Maeno's motives, it turns out, are entirely platonic, and his un-salaryman-like goal is not to make her a better employee or further the corporate milestones, but to make her a better person and allow her to stop feeling bitter and sorry for herself. This lesson comes with a steep price, and Nagasawa blends light comedy with both sorrow and jubilation to wrap up what I found to be quite an enjoyable film.
Ignoring the hand of Fate, she reneges on her private wager and decides to quit anyway, until fellow transferee Maeno Etsuro (Sakai Masato) goes out of his way to coerce her to give it a bit more time. Maeno, it turns out, is quite an eccentric, whimsical character (Mark Schilling aptly describes him as `Peter Pan-like'), and reminded me strongly of Uchimura Teruyoshi (of `Laughing Dog' and `Best Partner' fame). Maeno is comically acrophobic, and is the classic junk collector who shares his hobbies of astronomy, batting cages and browsing curio shops with a reluctant Aiba as part of their many `field assignment' jaunts through the byways of Osaka. Maeno's motives, it turns out, are entirely platonic, and his un-salaryman-like goal is not to make her a better employee or further the corporate milestones, but to make her a better person and allow her to stop feeling bitter and sorry for herself. This lesson comes with a steep price, and Nagasawa blends light comedy with both sorrow and jubilation to wrap up what I found to be quite an enjoyable film.
Tokyo Marigold
(2001)
Life in Tokyo - without all the trendy dorama hype
2 July 2002
`Tokyo Marigold': Ichikawa Jun's `Tokyo Marigold(s)' is an uncomplicated but artfully rendered take on life in modern Tokyo from the eyes of a quiet, reserved young lady who seems to meander through her world as a spectator until she begins making some decisions on her own. The lead is a young O.L. named Sakai Eriko, played by Tanaka Rena (`Hatsukoi', `GTO', `Gangu Shuurisha'). Sakai comes from a somewhat unconventional family unit, consisting of her sculptor mother (Kiki Kirin) and a poet father living abroad in Spain. Her mother is fully engrossed in `creating', and therefore one gets the impression that they don't really function as the archetypal Japanese family. At a mixer coordinated by a former classmate at Soyo, Eriko meets Tamura, a shy, elite young salaryman played by Ozawa Masayoshi. Nothing major looks like it develops, but at the last minute Tamura gives Eriko his keitai bango. Finding herself lonely and bored, Eriko takes a chance and calls Tamura, and they begin dating, despite his admission that he has a girlfriend who is studying abroad in the U.S. As a compromise, Eriko asks Tamura to be her boyfriend for one year, until his girlfriend returns, and he agrees. Rather than the simple 12-month period itself, Ichikawa stresses the changes that Eriko undergoes in this compressed schedule, likening it to the French Marigold, which has but one year to bloom and then wither away. In a similar manner, Eriko's life blossoms from uneasy singleness to being quite happy (although often confused as to why) with her borrowed lover. But like the flower her social life is compared to, Eriko soon realises that her happiness has a predetermined and unavoidable ending. Ichikawa does a masterful job of tweaking and manipulating the story line to fully entertain and create a very down-to-earth yet satisfying ending.
Eriko is interesting because she initially denies that she is lonely, only to find herself convinced that she is truly, madly and deeply in love with Tamura and unwilling/unable to let him go at the predetermined time. At times she babbles and rambles, even when it is apparent that Tamura doesn't share the same feelings for Eriko, and she even questions herself when she waits hours for him in the lobby of a hotel. It is interesting that Ichikawa never lets us hear Tamura's answer when Eriko innocently asks him to be her boyfriend until Mayumi (his girlfriend) returns to Japan. This adds to the uncertainty in Eriko's fragile relationship, characterised by a sequence of dinner-time chatter about her coworker's habit of greeting her with a tangerine every morning - a desperately failed ploy to evoke any kind of affirmation from Tamura.
Tamura, in all fairness, is a real jerk. Not a totally bad guy, but no winner, either. Viewers will have to learn this for themselves, but throughout the movie he is the unchanging antithesis to Eriko's rapid evolution, an anechoic wall totally absorbing the love and liveliness projected its way and reflecting nothing. The viewer never feels sorry for him, and in fact, he shows very little of himself throughout the screenplay until the very end, at which point, the viewer may almost pity him, but eventually despise him. Enough said.
The background music throughout much of the film made it feel like the movie was part of an elaborate modern-day RPG video game, a la Uematsu Nobuo's soundtrack from the SquareSoft Final Fantasy series. Overall, `Tokyo Marigold' provides a charming performance by Tanaka Rena, and a superbly crafted screenplay by Ichikawa Jun. No flashy brand names or catchy theme songs, and no action scenes or long walks in the rain. Honestly, I can't figure out why I liked the film so much. Oh, maybe it was the Yakyu CM.
Finally, kudos to IMDb contributor "kevinmatchstick" for insisting that i watch this film.
Eriko is interesting because she initially denies that she is lonely, only to find herself convinced that she is truly, madly and deeply in love with Tamura and unwilling/unable to let him go at the predetermined time. At times she babbles and rambles, even when it is apparent that Tamura doesn't share the same feelings for Eriko, and she even questions herself when she waits hours for him in the lobby of a hotel. It is interesting that Ichikawa never lets us hear Tamura's answer when Eriko innocently asks him to be her boyfriend until Mayumi (his girlfriend) returns to Japan. This adds to the uncertainty in Eriko's fragile relationship, characterised by a sequence of dinner-time chatter about her coworker's habit of greeting her with a tangerine every morning - a desperately failed ploy to evoke any kind of affirmation from Tamura.
Tamura, in all fairness, is a real jerk. Not a totally bad guy, but no winner, either. Viewers will have to learn this for themselves, but throughout the movie he is the unchanging antithesis to Eriko's rapid evolution, an anechoic wall totally absorbing the love and liveliness projected its way and reflecting nothing. The viewer never feels sorry for him, and in fact, he shows very little of himself throughout the screenplay until the very end, at which point, the viewer may almost pity him, but eventually despise him. Enough said.
The background music throughout much of the film made it feel like the movie was part of an elaborate modern-day RPG video game, a la Uematsu Nobuo's soundtrack from the SquareSoft Final Fantasy series. Overall, `Tokyo Marigold' provides a charming performance by Tanaka Rena, and a superbly crafted screenplay by Ichikawa Jun. No flashy brand names or catchy theme songs, and no action scenes or long walks in the rain. Honestly, I can't figure out why I liked the film so much. Oh, maybe it was the Yakyu CM.
Finally, kudos to IMDb contributor "kevinmatchstick" for insisting that i watch this film.
Himitsu
(1999)
A whimsical cross between "The X-Files" and classic weepy family dorama fare
19 March 2002
"Himitsu" stars the Waseda-educated Hirosue Ryoko ("Oyajii", "Long Vacation", "Wasabi") in a poignant paranormal family dorama wherein salaryman Sugita Heisuke (Kobayashi Kaoru) loses his wife Naoko in a ski bus accident that also injures his daughter. Strangely, however, his daughter Monami(Hirosue) has assumed the personality of his late wife - or rather the latter has assumed the physical embodiment of the former. At any rate, the main premise of the movie involves the sticky little "situations" that present themselves when your wife suddenly becomes your daughter (relatively speaking). For example, the one-time housewife must now come up to speed in her daughter's high school classes, including a sudden immersion into her daughter's social circles and a mild annoyance at seeing her math teacher (cameo by the lovely Ishida Yuriko) flirting with her dad/husband. Of course (much to the torment of the Ryo-chan fanboyz, no doubt), there is the issue of sleeping arrangements (!) at home. Just how far can a guy go now that this person who is essentially his wife has a twenty-something year facelift and is the frustrated dream date of more than half the Japanese male population? Okay, I've exaggerated, but the director seems to delight in making the audience wonder what the outcome will be. One of the most memorable scenes takes place when Heisuke intercepts his wife/daughter's phone calls from an interested sempai in the school sailing club who asks her out. Torn between protecting his daughter and defending his marriage, he confronts the young man in public, declaring that he cannot date his daughter because they are from outer space (see, X-Files?). An interesting yet convenient facet of the movie is the close relationship between mother and daughter that is implied early in the movie and reinforced later. Very little is presented about Monami per se, but it is indirectly through Naoko's eyes that we see what kind of a person she is, and how the close relationship with her mother makes it that much easier for Naoko to act the part of Monami when needed. Overall, the scene composition and musical score work very well together and what the movie lacks in special effects it more than makes up for in weepy sentimentality and the cathartic ending. The "TBS"-esque feel so prevalent in the countless TBS trendy dramas is quite apparent, and this might not sit well with some viewers, but I didn't mind it. Hirosue Ryoko gives a rather satisfying performance in her dual roles as both carefree yet dutiful mother and semi-slacker daughter. My only complaint is that the movie left me feeling cheated out of a final scene with Ishida Yuriko, but I guess that wouldn't serve to advance the plot significantly.
A Fighter's Blues
(2000)
Not great Muay Thai, but a nice story - and Tokiwa Takako!
15 January 2002
Lee Yan-kong directs "A Fighter's Blues" ("Ah Fu") featuring Andy Lau as "Tiger", a 40-ish (e.g., way past having any business stepping in the ring) former Muay Thai champion (from HK, no less)who has battled corruption in his career, eventually landing him in jail for killing an opponent outside the ring. Once released, he seeks out his lover, a Thai photojournalist named Pim. "Passive InterModulation"? No, Pim, a Thai woman. Unfortunately, Pim is no more, but their one-nighter has yielded a daughter named Ploy, a 14-year old street-wise orphan who was raised in a Catholic orphanage by a Japanese pseudo-nun named Sister Miyoko, played by TBS drama queen Tokiwa Takako ("Meguri Ai", "Utsukushii Hito", "Saigo no Koi", "Beautiful Life"). A nun, by the way, who has a tattoo, smokes cigarettes and drinks Heinekens. Okay, so she's not really a nun, but that's okay, because she does a heck of a job with the kids. And it frees her up to fall in love with Tiger. But one thing gets in the way - the Thai Boxing Commission wants Tiger out of Thailand because of his past. Tiger asks to make amends by fighting the reigning Muay Thai champ, Tawon, who's half his age. Personally, I was hoping for better training and fight footage, but sadly, the story leaves only a few minutes for the big fight. By far, the biggest question in my mind was whether Tokiwa Takako's voice was dubbed or just badly synched. I mean, her character speaks Chinese, Thai, Japanese and English, so that's asking a lot from the dialogue coaches. Overall, an interesting if not predictable story with the sub-par fight sequences the only real let down for me.
Scarecrow
(2001)
"if I only had a brain..." I'd rent instead of buy
5 January 2002
Tsuruta Norio's "Kakashi" caught my attention because of the obscure mental association I made with the "Kakashi-Dori" festival held annually in the Kaminoyama-shi city in Yamagata-ken prefecture. I wonder if Tsuruta had this in mind when he made this film. If he releases a sequel called "Kase-Dori"... well, never mind. Besides being rather short and less-than-satisfying in its plot resolution, my primary complaint about this film is the horrid transfer on the Region 3 DVD which is quite good for the daylight scenes, but irritatingly pixelated during the low-light and night shots. And being a low-budget horror flick, this turkey has a lot of shadowy and nocturnal footage which I had a hard time following because my attention was constantly being diverted to the ever-changing patches of pixels fading in and out. Yuck. As for the movie, Yoshikawa Kaoru (Nonami Maho)is searching for her brother Tsuyoshi (Matsuoka Shunsuke), who has disappeared. A search of his apartment turns up an ambiguous and messily-scrawled letter from a girl in Kozukata-machi, a small rural village. Kaoru drives to Kozukata on the eve of their "Kakashi-matsuri" festival, where she finds the cliche "little town with a secret", along with her brother. Unless there is a longer version of the film out there, the character development is as thin as both the plot and the special effects budget. Perhaps the movie's budget was blown on bringing in HK actress Grace Ip to play the very out of place Kozukata resident who barely speaks any Japanese. She even has a Chinese surname in the movie, which does little to explain why she's there in the middle of the rural Japanese heartland. Shibasaki Kou (who reminds me of a short Esumi Makiko) plays the mysterious girl who lured Tsuyoshi to Kozukata, and does a decent job with the sparse camera time she gets. The one thing that impressed me about this movie was the excellent lighting and cinematography of the daylight scenes depicting the beauty of a small rural farming village. Other than that, let the renter beware and the buyer be laughed at.
Tales of the Unusual
(2000)
A pleasant surprise - despite the obligatory creepiness
12 December 2001
"Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari" (or however you subdivide the title) appears to be, from the cover art, another of those popular Japanese horror flicks, a la "Ringu", "Tomie", et al. Well, that's only about 25% right. Unfortunately, the creepy cover art initially led me to overlook this title, despite its comparison to one of my favourite vintage TV shows, Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone". Upon closer examination, however, I must admit the concept of "Keitai Chushingura" convinced me to purchase the DVD.
As detailed elsewhere, the movie consists of four short films tied together by a creepy guy (credited as "Tamori") in a bus station who tells stories to others stranded by a downpour. The first, "Yukiyama" is the horror entree, starring Yada Akiko ("Saimin", "Aishiteiru to Ittekure"), who does her best "Blair Witch Project" impression. Tense, a little confusing, but well done. I kept thinking of the Snow Demon in Kurosawa's "Dreams". "Keitai Chushingura" was initially my favourite, since it brought a hilarious twist to the time-honoured Bushido legend of the 47 Ronin of the Ako Clan. This time, Oishi is portrayed as a reluctant womanizing hero who has to be coerced into his historically relevant action by the promptings of a caller from 300 years in the future who's part of an "historical accuracy study" or something like that. Good stuff. "Chess" is a surreal, clever twist on the game which seems like it came right out of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Finally "Kekkon Simulator" was a totally non-creepy, neat little romantic story featuring Inamori Izumi ("Long Vacation", "Hito Natsu no Propose", "Ashita ga Aru sa!"), which was touching without being excessively weepy. The only letdown was perhaps the final short monologue from Tamori-san, but it in no way detracted from a fine film. NOTE: As of 12/2001, I believe there are only Region 2 & 3 versions available on DVD, both of which have English subs.
As detailed elsewhere, the movie consists of four short films tied together by a creepy guy (credited as "Tamori") in a bus station who tells stories to others stranded by a downpour. The first, "Yukiyama" is the horror entree, starring Yada Akiko ("Saimin", "Aishiteiru to Ittekure"), who does her best "Blair Witch Project" impression. Tense, a little confusing, but well done. I kept thinking of the Snow Demon in Kurosawa's "Dreams". "Keitai Chushingura" was initially my favourite, since it brought a hilarious twist to the time-honoured Bushido legend of the 47 Ronin of the Ako Clan. This time, Oishi is portrayed as a reluctant womanizing hero who has to be coerced into his historically relevant action by the promptings of a caller from 300 years in the future who's part of an "historical accuracy study" or something like that. Good stuff. "Chess" is a surreal, clever twist on the game which seems like it came right out of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Finally "Kekkon Simulator" was a totally non-creepy, neat little romantic story featuring Inamori Izumi ("Long Vacation", "Hito Natsu no Propose", "Ashita ga Aru sa!"), which was touching without being excessively weepy. The only letdown was perhaps the final short monologue from Tamori-san, but it in no way detracted from a fine film. NOTE: As of 12/2001, I believe there are only Region 2 & 3 versions available on DVD, both of which have English subs.
Samurai Fiction
(1998)
A great satiric tribute to Kurosawa et al
12 November 2001
"Samurai Fiction": Definitely worth watching - I thought it was a little slow at first (and a little sparse and inconsistent with the humour), but it definitely got better at the end. It won't make you more of a Hotei Tomoyasu fan (boy, he looks weird - almost like a manga character... like "Jei" in Stan Sakai's "Usagi Yojimbo"), and the swordplay won't exactly blow you away, but the adaptation of the black & white (with selective colour, a la "Rumblefish") genre is excellent. Being a Kurosawa fan, I especially liked the general "feel" of the cinematography and the video transfer, as it was digitally modified to add graininess and capture that circa-1950's TOHO ambiance. Critical attention was paid to camera angles, set design, character development and mannerisms, all playing true to the Kurosawa-esque model and at the same time sparing no opportunity for the sight gag and comedic element. Yes, for the Hirosue Ryoko fans-in-denial, the female lead (Ogawa Tamaki) bears a somewhat close resemblance (slightly less boyish), but that's besides the point. The movie felt like it was part of an Ulfuls music video at times (I think it was "Guts Daze"), which was exactly what made it so good. Highly recommended.
Swallowtail Butterfly
(1996)
This sure isn't "Shigatsu Monogatari"
10 November 2001
This is not anything like Iwai Shunji's "Shigatsu Monogatari", with its rather innocent themes and situations. In contrast, "Swallowtail Butterfly" jumps right in with stylized shots of destitute living, seedy shantytowns full of drugs and prostitution, and somewhat gratuitous violence. It was surprising that more than a third of the dialogue was in some form of English, seeing as how the Yentowns all seemed to come from the lower rungs of their respective non-English-speaking countries (i.e., those not able to attend English classes at the grade school and higher level), excepting of course the American boxer. How ironic that they managed to speak better English than most Japanese who have taken several years of English in school. The non-English-speaking white guy was an interesting touch, as was the casting of Yosuke Eguchi as an ethnic Chinese gangster. By far the most confusing characters were Yamaguchi Tomoko and Watabe Atsuro, cast as some sort of foreign (US?)-trained counter narcotics operators. Obviously, such a "black" unit would not be politically viable in Japan, hence the presence of an American-accented squad leader and the exclusive use of (bad) English between Yama-chan and Watabe-kun. I realize that their main objective was to terminate Rianki's counterfeiting ring, but why would they do it by helping Yentowns scam millions of yen from cash machine owners? Don't even get me started on the impossibility of taking out a target on a moving train. Surely, Iwai Shunji's watched "La Femme Nikita" too many times, but even Luc Besson wouldn't have one of his characters pull off such an impossible objective. Overall, the movie was depressing, enlightening, sad, disturbing, and in some ways entertaining (Tomo-chan's scene with the anti-tank weapon was immensely funny). Did i like it? Well, yes.
Tell Your Friends