Recently seen movies #72

Kiryuin Hanako no shogai (Japan, 1982) – 3,5/5

After the samurai spectacles Bandit vs. Samurai Squad (1978) and Hunter in the Dark (1979) Hideo Gosha took a few year break from silver screen. In 1982 he returned with this massive massive gangster family biopic based on a novel by Tomiko Miyao. Kiryuin Hanako no shogai would also start a new period in Gosha’s career. While his old films featured only small female roles, now the women would get more room and become the central characters the films. Kiryuin Hanako no shogai follows the life of a girl (Masako Natsume from Shinji Somai’s Gyoei no mure) adopted by a yakuza godfather (maniacal Tatsuya Nakadai). Gosha stumbles a bit in the beginning – and also included a rather nasty dog fight scene – but the pic gains incredible debth during its 140 minute running time. Nakadai, whose Al Pacino influenced performance is hit and miss but certainly enjoyable, attempts to steal the show constantly.

Recently seen movies #71

Hitokiri (Japan, 1969) – 4/5

Hideo Gosha’s most famous film is also one of the greatest jidai geki movies ever made. Shintaro Katsu, in one of the best roles of his life, plays a samurai who mindlessly follows his master (Tatsuya Nakadai) and believes the more people he kills the more respect he will get. The screenplay is terrific and avoids many of the genre’s cliches. Gosha manages to keep the film rather realistic without having to sacrifice any of the entertainment value. At 135 minutes Hitokiri doesn’t feel stretched but instead almost too short. Cult writer/actor Yukio Mishima appers in a supporting role.

Recently seen movies #70

A Blue Automobile (Japan, 2004) – 2/5

Very nice title, a bit less nice film. It appears to be director Hiroshi Okuhara’s fifth film, but feels more like a debut. It’s a low key drama about two sisters and a guy, with no big surprises. The director tries to avoid the most typical mainstream style, but then the screenplay introduces tragic childhood traumas and silly nightmare scenes. Thankfully the ending is good, even if nothing too special. The cast doesn’t convince entirely; the talented Aoi Miyazaki looks like she’s having her day off from good films, and Arata has nice hair. Okay one time watch, but hardly more than that.

Recently seen movies #69

How to Become Myself (Japan, 2007) – 4/5

As far as subtle cinematic language goes Jun Ichikawa, when at his best, is probably the greatest director in Japan, maybe better than anyone else in the world. How to Become Myself is another beautiful film although not as powerful as some of the director’s earlier films. The wonderful title describes the content perfectly. Riko Narumi plays a 14 year old girl who during her last day of school has a conversation with another girl in her class (Atsuko Maeda). Two years later she accidentally finds out her email address and decides make friends with her, but without revealing her identity. She starts writing a story about Hina and Kotori, Kotori being a fantasized, ideal version of herself. Both girls take different roles in their real life and are affected by friends, parents and their own ideas of that they should be like. Some scenes in the film, the ever so slightly sentimential ending included, don’t work to the fullest. Still, films as poignant as this are few and far between. Acting is great throughout, with the lead star Riko Narumi giving a stunningly good performance. Quite a charming film.

Recently seen movies #68

Umoregi (Japan, 2005) – 3/5

With no previous experience of Kohei Oguri’s work I had no expectations other than what the beautiful dvd package created. Umoregi is indeed a beautiful film. There’s no specific storyline, only a small village preparing for an annual festival. For my taste a stronger character focus might have worked better, but on the other hand the film never feels forced or obliged to follow the traditional storytelling formula. Many scenes have a slightly dream-like atmosphere. For example in my favourite scene, where we see two of the film’s characters on a playground at night time, the backgrounds look almost as if they were miniature models (although they are not). I had the same feeling in some other scenes, too. There’s certain simplicity and quietness to many shots that sets Oguri’s style appart from other directors.

Recently seen movies #67

Love/Juice (Japan, 2000) – 2,5/5

Directorial debut by Kaze Shindo (Kaneto Shindo’s granddaughter). Not bad, although you can clearly see it’s the director’s first film. Mika Okuno and Chika Fujimura play Chinatsu and Kyoko, two young women living together. They are friends, but Chinatsu is also more or less in love with Kyoko. Kyoko would prefer finding a boyfriend. The relationship between these characters is interesting and mostly well handled, no sentimential love dorama here. In fact the problem is the opposite, Shindo goes to the other end and turns the film into a slightly cliched ”realistic character drama” with a couple of unwelcome ”dramatic turns”. But appart from a few scenes the film is enjoyable enough to follow. The grainy visual outlook (very similar to Iwai’s Swallowtail Butterfly) is never bad for this sort of film although it doesn’t really add anything special here. Fujimura and Okuno, whose character is the more interesting of the two, are fine in their roles.

Recently seen movies #66

Love on Sunday (Japan, 2006) – 3/5

After several darker themed (although beautifully shot) films Hiroki takes a lighter turn. Love on Sunday is a rather good high school drama, not overly mainstream on all areas but far more accessible to casual viewers than most of the director’s films. The screenplay has some problems, especially one unconvincing supporting character, but Hiroki gets close enough to the characters without too much underlining. The visual look works, too, a bit surprising considering I’m not a fan of boosted contrasts. But the film looks gritty and homemade enough to set it appart from most other, overly polished youth films. Don’t go expecting anything too special, and you may be positively surprised. It’s a conventional character circle seen through Hiroki’s observant eyes. Takami Mizuhashi’s performance in the lead role is very good.

Recently seen movies #65

Vibrator (Japan, 2003) – 3/5

Hiroki’s road movie feels almost like a follow up to the director’s earlier film Tokyo Garbage Girl. Although they are not related, thematically and technically Vibrator is like the next stop on the same road. The characters are about 10 years older but with similar problems in life, only seen from a more mature perspective. The full screen presentation of the predecessor has been replaced with a more crisp – although still adequately grainy and intimate – widescreen HD image. The director’s slight angst is visible, but his approach is still easily more interesting than that of those dry and bland blockbuster directors that dominate most of the box office. Vibrator works best in the beginning. The middle part goes down a bit, but the ending is rather satisfying. Nao Omori and Shinobu Terajima give convincing performances as a truck driver and drifter girl who decide to hoop up for some time in the lack of better things to do in their life.

Recently seen movies #64

Tokyo gomi onna (Japan, 2000) – 3/5

Former pink director Ryuichi Hiroki’s contribution to the 6 part Love Cinema series is a story of a girl (Mami Nakamura) who collects people’s trash and falls in love with a rock musician living upstairs. Shot on digital and looking good, but the film’s young and unhappy slacker characters can be a bit hard to connect with. It depends on the viewer’s own personality to some extent, though. Acting is fine. There’s a tiny bit of unneeded indie drama hippiness to the production, but generally Hiroki’s cinematic touch is pleasing. Some scenes, like the night restaurant sequence and the ending, are terrific.

Recently seen movies #63

Angel Target (Japan, 1991) – 1,5/5

Girls with (machine) guns entertainment from the early 90’s Japan. Obviously made for video distribution without major production values. The beginning is terribly boring, despite there being a silly caucasian businessman who becomes a victim of an extortion plot. The leading three woman hit squad lacks personality and kick, too. Quality improves during the second half when the film introduces ninja attacts and splattery gunplay. Shame about the first 40 minutes which bring the overall rating down. Worth a watch if you’ve got the fast forward option available.