Tuesday 19 February 2013

Battle League Horumo (2009)


The Battles of the Thirteenth Girl still Continue:

Starting From the Beginning Once more with feeling.


http://twitchfilm.com/2010/02/battle-league-horumo-review.html
http://japancinema.net/2010/07/22/battle-league-horumo-review/
http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/fantastic-fest-review-kamagawa-horumo-battle-league-in-kyoto-colea.php
http://cineawesome.com/battle-league-horumo-review/
http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/17/battle-league-horumo-press-notes/


Chiaki Kuriyama is an amazing Actress, appearing in films such as Battle Royale (of course), Kill Bill (2004), Azumi 2 (2005) and Exte (2007) but Her character in Battle League Horumo was usual because Fumi Kusunoki was a shy and reserved character. whereas Takako Chigusa in Battle Royale was a head strong character, who in the Novel and Manga is similar to  Mitsuko Souma because they are both misunderstood characters. Takayuki Yamada also is one of the cast member of Gantz and the whole cast of Battle League Horumo was an interesting combination of talent. The narrative itself from the perspective of the trailer was slightly different from what i was expecting and it was not until the ending when thing started to pick up. The film does go into detail to explain what Horumo is about so the view understands where the creature come from, it is also has a energetic theme running though the plot-line and  the audience are aware of all the subtle hints that are placed throughout the film which Akira Abe is unaware of. In the trailer Kyoko Sawara is portrayed as being a bit of a bitch but is the film She seem unaware of the impact that She made on other people, She did not spend much time in the film with Akira and there was no real communication between the two so the film was less about what the trailer indicated it was about. So the  film is about a group of teenager who join a cult so they can understand life better by battling with small creatures, they do so by preforming interactive dance and there is a big cloud god floating around; who exploded in a big ball of fire. Battle League Horumo is simply a off-the-wall comedy 

Sunday 17 February 2013

Nana (2005)


In search of the Nana:

Remembering Your Future, Yesterday.



After watching Nana the live action film, It seemed appropriated to watch the Anime also, the Film is enjoyable but there was a lot of moment when I felt there was suggestions throughout the plot that the Anime may explain a bit more. After Kamikaze Girls (2004) and Sakuran (2006) were released which Anna Tsuchiya stars in both of them; Anna Tsuchiya is not just a Actress, She is a Model and rock star from Japan ( Which You Probably know already But I am trying to explain the my interest in the film), Anna Tsuchiya has released songs for Nana, Now when A film has good actors interested in the film and acting in the film it makes perfect sense that it is going to be a good film, right  :) Now they have a second film but I have no interested in watching that, for one thins they changes the actress who played Nana Komatsu ( Aoi Miyazaki) and secondly because I am more interested in the Anime now. Nana Komatsu's character in the film seemed unexplained, And in the Anime it explains that there is more to a person that there appearance, Nana Is not just a Typical innocent Lolita character and Nana Osaki just a rock chick. The film reminded me of  Kamikaze Girls or even Cutie honey (2004), In regards of the two female characters being so different in personality but they learn to accept each others personality's in the end.Now what is appealing about the film , is the rock elements and the fact it is about an unusual friendship and it would be boring if the characters where exactly the same as each other. It is not what your expecting and it is light hearted like Kamikaze Girls.





Saturday 9 February 2013

Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2010)


If your going to watch the film, Watch the Anime as well:

So near but so far and beyond our reach or understanding..

http://www.isugoi.com/time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time-review/
http://asianwiki.com/Time_Traveller:_The_Girl_Who_Leapt_Through_Time
http://atemporarydistraction.com/2011/05/dvd-review-time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/time-traveller-the-girl-who-lept-through-time.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/sep/19/animation.worldcinema
http://letterboxd.com/symonymm/film/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://www.thenerdcabinet.com/?gamepress_reviews=the-girl-who-leapt-through-time-anime-review
http://asianwiki.com/Riisa_Naka

The film and the anime are enjoyable for different reason and even though the concepts are the similar idea but the outcome is very different; now according to the Wikipedia page there is also a Manga and a book by Yasutaka Tsutsui which have been adapted into television series and films. Now the Anime version could be explained but the only thing being is there is slight difference in the names and the event that take place like the differences that Battle Royale has in its media platforms. Indeed the story is about a girl how leaps through time but for example in the Anime the who leaps through time has no idea how she achieves it until the end of the film when things are explained to Her but in the film She drinks a formula that allows Her to time travel. So the Anime can't be compared to the film but both should be watched to get a greater understanding to the over theme of the film, Now the main actress in this film (Riisa Naka) is also the Japanese voice actress for the Anime.


Now Akari Yoshiyama travels into the year 1974 after Her mother is hospitalized because She walk in to a car, which is a very bizarre concept to begin with and then Akari follows Her mothers instructions to go back to the past but Akari doesn't question Her mothers sanity at this point. Akari goes to the past, crashing into Ryota Mizorok who is a science-fiction freak and proves She is from the future by flashing Her mobile and He soon believes Her. Akari then makes it Her mission to track down Her mother from the past and the boy in the photo She has of Her mother. This is not really explained clearly as far as i am aware because it is interfering with past events and on top of that Her mother past self in disturbed by a random stranger asking Her personal questions. Her introduction when a little like " hello, I have a photograph of you and this boy, who is he? You don't know, I will follow you till you tell me who this guy is". Now for the rest of the film Akari follow Her mother around, Her friendship with Ryota changes to something else but the film has a tragic ending and Akari has Her memories erased so She can't remember or going to the past. but never the less the ending is sad and even though She can't remember Ryoka , She still cries when She watches His film that the produced together. Also look out for Mitsuko Delivers(2011), Cafe Isobe (2008), Summer wars (2009) and Love Strikes (2011) which Riisa Naka also stars in.


Monday 4 February 2013

Love Strikes (2011)


http://asianwiki.com/Love_Strikes!
http://www.isugoi.com/love-strikes-review/
http://twitchfilm.com/2012/08/fantasia-2012-love-strikes.html
http://www.flixist.com/japan-cuts-review-love-strikes--211292.phtml

How stupid can you be ? 

Love strikes repeatedly with some cheese, but that was some good cheese.

The main concept of the film is that love is not perfect, it's crazy, bizarre  weird and takes us to places that we don't want to be but we are drawn to do so and for what? our main character, Yukiyo Fujimoto is looking for love but bites off more than he can chew when He meets Miyuki and His world changes for ever. It sounds like a simple love story but you would be wrong because His journey is more complicated than that. Yukiyo seems to have very bad luck in His life, No one respect's Him at work and everyone points out His false  At first you think that they are bullying Him but as you watch the film you can see that Yukiyo isn't as nice as He first appeared and His work mates are trying to knock some sense in to Him. Now as soon as Yukiyo meets Miyuki, He pretty much becomes obsessed with Her even though it is clear to everyone else that She has no real desire to be with him. Yukiyo ignores all ( She has a Boyfriend) logic and becomes ever so more captivated with Her. Even though it is obvious to the viewer and the people on the film that Miyuki is not interested in Him. The love element in the film are not glamorous at all, even though the characters are torn apart into pieces, They are built back up again, Bigger and Better than before. Yes Love strikes, Love hurts and Love is not simple at all: 


Yukiyo is only human at the end of the day, Throughout the film he makes massive mistakes like you would not be surprised if He would set someones house on fire. Now the reason you lose sympathy for Yukiyo is because of His obsession for Miyuki, the reason for this is Yukiyo ignore one of His opportunity with Rumiko to be with Yukiyo and despite Her character being quite charming. Yukiyo is a playgirl ( it is in the nature), where as Rumiko is a loyal character who is infatuated with Yukiyo and despite the film is hard to watch at times. It has a good point, Love is far to complex in real life to make a formal from it so how can film do that? The film is funny and entertaining, There is random sing and random dancing.The film is not meant to be taken seriously at all  but the ending was a little disappointing because despite the film's narrative going into different directions, the ending was pure cheese because He end up with Miyuki: This ending does not register or ring true at all. Not that the desired ending was Yukito being alone but there was Three other women in this film, two of which like Him ( Rumiko and Ai).