Samurai Guy: Kurosawa's Samurai Movies Part 2.

You've read part one and youve tirelessly watched those four movies. Now, you want more, but where are you going to get it? Right here, that's where!

5. Ran [1985]

Plot In One Sentence: It's King Lear in Japan, as three brothers fight amongst themselves after their father decides to retire from kinghood.
Thoughts: Possibly one of the most brutal, beautiful movies ever made. The costumes, sets, and cinematography really have to be seen to be believed. Watched on a big screen it's almost achingly gorgeous. The action scenes are brutal and exquisite, and are wonderful displays of costumed man-management. This on its own makes it worth seeing. The DVD extra feature I have on this, a making of, is one of the few I've ever seen which makes me more in awe of the achievements in the movie. The costumes were individually stitched from silk to match the time period.

There are several versions of the DVD, all of which have pretty striking covers.

 The battles involved literally thousands of costumed extras, and the sets were solid enough to withstand an actual siege. It's an amazing, technicolour achievement, but there are some downsides. Some of the acting is less than compelling (I'm looking at you faggy* jester guy) it also features the worst female character in any movie ever, not just a Kurosawa movie. The title of Ran means Chaos, or upheaval, and the utter misery of the conclusion leaves a sour taste behind. This is probably one of the ten movies to see before you die, although it's hard to see it more than a few times, despite the stunning beauty of some scenes.  

 6. Sanjuro [1962]

Plot In One Sentence: A sequel (possibly) to Yojimbo, as a grizzled ronin helps out a group of 12 hopeless, young samurai against a corrupt lord.
Thoughts: This is a good, surprisingly funny adventure movie. However it is hampered by two incompetent Kurosawa women, who are just idiots in this movie. Also not helping are the 12 conspirator samurai, who never make any right decisions and bicker like schoolchildren. This is played a little too frequently to just be for laughs. This is a loose sequel to Yojimbo, in that it features a grizzled, lazy, highly skilled, but unnamed samurai played by Toshiro Mifune.

Who is, judging by this poster, 20 feet tall.

Largely it's a light-hearted romp, held together by the towering central forces of Nakedai and Mifune. Their performances in particular raise this from pedestrian Summer-fare to something more enthralling. The fact that the conclusion is mentioned in any review you read, including this one, and features only the two of them, is proof of their performances. Funny, and then tense, and entertaining, but not the best of the Samurai movies. Still worth watching though.

7. Kagemusha [1980]

Plot In One Sentence: A thief acts as a doppleganger for a shogun during the era of warring states.
Thoughts: I watched this again recently, having dismissed it previously. It follows a warrior clan in the warring era, and yet shows very little action,. We're shown troops besieging, or leaving battlefields, or grouped en masse, but most of the action remains offscreen. The result is we deal with the human effect of constant war, giving the feel of an intimate epic. I was very impressed with it on the second viewing. There are some brilliant scenes, such as the massed army marching past the sun, or the march past of the shadow warrior, passing his massed troops, but which we view from above next to some enemy spies.

Kurosawa's own artwork, which looks not dissimilar to things I draw while on the phone.

The sets and costumes, and ambitions show this to be almost a training version of Ran, but in a way it's a more satisfying movie than that. The shadow warriors death / suicide at the movie's conclusion is a choice, and gives him a sense of honour, despite his former clan being entirely wiped out. Compare this to the unneccesarry killing of the last son in Ran, and this choice makes it a little less nihilistic, despite the devastation. Kagemusha is a little overlong perhaps, and there are some weak scenes, such as the Shinto-inspired dream sequence. Scenes with the shadow warrior bonding with the child are also irritating at times. . Still, this is a remarkably epic, beautifully shot movie which is underrated, especially by myself. I also like that the doppleganger is twice outed by a horse, as the people are unaware. As much as Kurosawa hated women, he loved horses.

8. Hidden Fortress [1958]

Plot In One Sentence: Two peasants trapped in enemy territory, help a general and their princess to transport gold back to their home region
Thoughts: My DVD of this has arch film revisor George Lucas explain that the plot is the first of its kind, and that it influenced the telling of the original Star Wars. Notably, it lets the story unfold from the point of view of two seemingly superfluous, lower-class characters, much like C-3P0 and R2D2. Other than that, it would probably have faded into insignificance. Toshiro Mifune is an imposing character here, but he's given little to do, and the most important character in the piece, the princess, is just terrible.

We like short-shorts, now stop asking!

 I read somewhere that she didn't act again after it, and I can kind of see why, she's pretty enough, and isn't a terrible character, but seems to equate screaming with acting. The purpose of the movie is to prevent her capture, but she's such a pain that I wouldn't have minded at all if she had been taken, kicking and screaming. This is largely light-hearted, but with some tense moments, and a relative lack of action. The scene at the fire sequence is good too. Overall, this is the least imperative of the Kurosawa samurai movies, and even that still influenced Star Wars. That in itself is probably more impressive than the movie.

So there you have it, 8 - EIGHT! - samurai movies to get on with. Lucky you. Hope you're all fantastic.

*Please note, I'm using faggy here in the sense of 'messing around incompetently and constantly', not the homosexual insult. I am typically loathe to use the word, but this guy gives me little choice.

Samurai Guy: Kurosawa's Samurai Movies Part 1.

An easy one here: If you've not seen any Kurosawa Samurai movies, and you need somewhere to start, follow this list. If you want, you can overlook the following movies importance to Japanese cinema and world cinema, the hidden subtexts or the influence that they've had, or the filmic techniques. You cannot, however, overlook them as great movies. I'll do them in the order you should see them, and will try to avoid spoilers as far as I can, but I'd say just get watching.

1. Yojimbo [1961]

Plot In One Sentence: A grizzled ronin plays two warring gangs off each other in a miserable town.
Thoughts: The loose plot of this was taken from some American crime procedural, and this movie then 'inspired' the 'A Fistful of Dollars' which copies it almost scene for scene. Yojimbo (the bodyguard) is a straight-forward action movie, with some hidden meanings and motivations visible on second viewings. Toshiro Mifune is terrific as the titular bodyguard, a grizzled anti-hero, lazy but exceptionally skilled as a swordsman. The support cast, composed of many of Kurosawa's regulars, are great too. It's visually distinctive, and at times darkly amusing: for example, the arresting sight of a dog trotting happily along carrying a human hand in its mouth, or the dashing of expectations as we are told of the skill of another swordsman, whose only appearance is to show him waving goodbye as he escapes the town forever.

Probably a little too much going on in this one too.

Also interesting is the position of women- surely a thesis is waiting to be written on Kurosawa and woman- in Yojimbo they are either prostitutes, or the wife of one of the gang leaders. One wife in particular effectively leads the gang herself: she is scheming, vicious and violent, she's one of the most unsympathetic charcters in a movie filled with them. The set, namely the broad, wind-swept high street of the town, is great, and Tatsuya Nakadai is also good as a nefarious, gun-wielding villain. This is a a good, solid, tightly-plotted, visually-striking and brilliantly directed action movie, one which only the most racist or stupid of people would say is bad. That's why it's a great starting point for Kurosawa movies.

2. Throne of Blood [1957]

Plot In One Sentence: In this MacBeth-in-Japan, a warrior learns his fate and does his best to avoid it. 
Thoughts: This is probably as good a version of MacBeth as you'll ever see, and there's not a word of English in it. While there are some aspects which are dated- such as the sound effects of the witches laughter, or the nightjars -  it still perfectly encapusaltes the dilemma of MacBeth accepting or denying his fate. Of particular note is some of the cinematography, and obviosuly the plot, which meshes MacBeth perfectly with Samurai Japan. While the action typically only obliquely viewed, we see people rushing from to or coming from battles, battlefields after the action, or get ongoing updates from various messengers, the movie as a whole still seems action packed and the threat of violence is alluded to right until the bloody finale.

Not a great DVD cover, but who cares about DVD covers? Not I.

The finale, memorable for its sea of trees, and the firing of arrows at Mifune as MacBeth, was apparently filmed using genuine arrows, so that the look of fear on Mifune's face would seem genuine. It certainly worked. On top of that are some great uses of mist and fog, some atmospheric Japanese castles and sets, great costumes, and some great scenes, which make it seem so authentic. What's also interesting is that the equvalent of Lady McBeth is now even less sympathetic than she was in Shakespeare, now more than a mere suggestive influence, but the force which makes him act. It's held together through captivating performances and atmosphere. A truly brilliant movie, and a truly brilliant version of MacBeth.

3. Seven Samurai [1954]

Plot in One sentence: A poor illage enlists seven samurai to help fight a group of bandits.
Thoughts: This was the first Kurosawa movie I'd seen, and it was like staring at the sun. I didn't mind or even notice its 31/2 hour plot. I seriously must have seen it like 10 times, and will happily watch it again soon. It's still brilliant, amazingly shot, with all the characters wonderful and characterised in a realistic manner. The action scenes are also beyond compare. It is both epic and intimate. It's a masterpiece.

This, colourful abomination, however, isn't. Oh, what a bitch I am.

 Now however, I've noticed some problems: some of the 'comedy' scenes, and the romance in particular, haven't lasted the test of time. I'm also struck by the notion that the bandits surely must have realised that they could have ransacked somewhere else until the samurai left that town. However, perhaps that's the point - everyone involved is tied into their roles: as villagers, as samurai, as bandits, and there would be no point resisting that. However, that, and its place at the top of the best movies of all time list mean that it shouldn't be the first one you see, because it's likely to taint your views if you don't like it as much. Some of the comedy scenes don't go so well, but it's filled with memorable images speeches, and battle scenes. The final battle, in the rain, is one of the saddest, most epic in all of cinema. Stunning.

4. Rashomon [1950]

Plot In One Sentence: A murder and possibly a rape take place, and we gain conflicting views of how it happened through various interviews with those involved. 
 Thoughts: This was the movie which shot Kurosawa to fame internationally, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It has been remade as a western, and has given us the term 'Rashomon Effect' to describe any movie with unreliable narraotrs, or when the truth is uncertain. Obvious examples include The Usual Suspects, Pulp Fiction, or Memento.

Yeah this is the best I could find at the moment.

It's a great piece of film history,  but it's not quite as entertaining as some of his later works. The part with the child at the end is also a little saccharine. Despite this, it's more than interesting,  as it has some good performances and cinematography, there is a reason that the 'walk through the woods' is so well remembered. However, although it is great, I view it as more of a 'sign of things to come' both from Kurosawa and Mifune in particular.

If that's whet your appetite, the next four are coming up soon. lucky you guys! For those wondering, I won't include 'The Men Who Tread On The Tiger's Tail,' because it's bad even by propaganda standards.

8 Weird, Recent Japanese Movies To Watch Tonight

All movies are inherently odd. Even straightforward movies have often ludicrous premises. Even so, every once in a while (or more often, if you are me, and have my friends) you see a movie that defies all logic and is utterly bizarre. Here are eight. The following are Japanese, of course, a nation that seems adept at making alien, exotic, excellent movies. However, they won't include any Takashi Miike movies, because a) I've already talked about them, and b) there're too many to bother with. So, let's talk about movies that I haven't mentioned yet. Chances are, if you've seen the no. 1 on this list, you'll know exactly what it is. Spoilers abound. Also noteworthy, Suicide Club.

8. Paprika [2006]

Yes Paprika is a bizarre, mind boggling movie, but I've already talked about it here, so I won't mention it again. That's my self-imposed rule. Nothing I've talked about before.As a reward, here's the theme tune. Good luck getting this out of your head.

7. Mindgame [2004]

Plot In One Sentence: Tonnes of shit happens in this movie, all with disparate visual style, including a whale, a comic writer, and some fighting.

Good poster, but not great. [source]

Thoughts: The story is bizarre, though not as much as the others later on in this list. What is most impressive is the sheer variety of visual styles used, the amount of effort must have been extraordinary. My overriding memories are being impressed with the manic intensity of the story, and the incredibly imagination of the art. Interesting despite the sensory overload and epileptic fit you get by watching it.
Best Moment: the extended piece in the whale is good.

6. Big Man Japan [2007]

Plot In One Sentence: A mock-documentary following 'Big Man Japan', a regular man occasionally employed by the state to turn into a 100ft tall superhero and fight a variety of bizarre monsters.

Big Man Japan talks to a horny octopus monster. Cool. [source]

Thoughts: Before seeing this, I knew that it was about a modern guy fighting monsters, but had no idea that it was so bizarre. It follows, documentary-style the current 'Big Man Japan' whose job is largely irrelevant because most of the genuinely threatening monsters have been destroyed already. He is therefore left with only weak or bizarre monsters to fight, and his personal popularity is very low. We follow him at a low ebb, on the (very) lowest branches on the tree of celebrity (or 'celebri-tree' if you will): public resentment towards him (as a building damager and major use of electricity) is palpable, his agent is obviously stealing from him, and most of the rituals around his enlargement (including giant purple undies he grows into so he isn't naked) are shown to be useless. His life is unpleasant, and you can't help but feel for him, especially as he has his ass kicked by a giant red monster (which I think was either meant to represent North Korea or China), and people enjoy laughing at him. On this list not only because of the unusual plot, but the pitch-perfect recreation of a documentary following around a fool, and being applied to such a bizarre set of circumstances. My favourite monster: The screaming leg with a face on top of it. The ending is stupid, incidentally, but I think it may be the final thoughts of a dying man, or an allegory for American intervention in Japanese affairs.This takes precedence over a movie by the same guy, Symbol which is nuts, but not as genuinely bizarre as this. 
Best Moment: His drive, on a scooter, up to the facility where he is enlarged, as we see the protests and slogans written against him. A joy.

5. Tokyo Gore Police [2008]

Plot In One Sentence: A privatised police force reign with an iron fist and fight genetic mutants, which only the most elite cops (i.e the chick from Audition) can kill.

Now this is bizarre, a blonde Japanese woman. [source]

Thoughts: I had heard good things about this, but couldn't help but feel that it was stupid, and either unnecessarily exploitative or a failed satire. It suggests a dystopian future, and has far too much unnecessary violence and stupidity (the dismembered body bits are done better in 'Suicide Club' which is itself pretty stupid). The premise to this, however, is the kind of thing written by a 14 year old boy. Not great, but it is held together by some really deranged moments, such as the incidental ads on TV, which we see selling wrist cutting razors, and swords to commit harakiri with, what a harsh future that will be!Other than that, the girl from Audition is far too skinny in this, her voyage in the underground is like a lesson in underweight posing, while some of the mutations have to be given credit for their imagination - such as the penis gun, the vaginagator, and at least some of the girls are pretty (before they are mutilated).  
 Best Moment: I suppose the cheering that the torso on a seat gets in the gimp club. Or, the vaginagator.

4. Cat Soup [2001]

Plot In One Sentence: A hungry, anthropomorphic cat fights fate and various obstacles to help heal his brain damaged sister.

Water elephants are endangered because Chinese people grind up their water tusks for traditional medicine. [source]

Thoughts: This is only short (half an hour or so) and, again, it's based on a cartoon by Nekojiru (thanks Wikipedia). It is remarkably dark, plays with a lot of fairy tales, and ends on a very pessimistic note. It's all tied together by a weird mix of religious imagery, folk stories and fairy tales, and some really innovative, dreamlike music and graphics: This is a really interesting use of half an hour. It's dialogue free, although speech bubbles hint at conversations. I imagine it would be hard to sympathise with the main character for some, but as an anthropomorphic cat, he would be expected to kill most animals he sees. Some stunning, insane animation too, and the lack of any explanation (who is the pig in their boat?) is also good. I liked this.
Bet Moment: The circus, or the water elephant, both of which lead to unnecessary deaths.

3. Uzimaki (Spiral) [2000]

Plot In One Sentence: A town becomes obsessed with vortexes and spirals, with disastrous results.

Yeah this is pretty gross. Luckily he survived. [source]

Thoughts: Another one based on a manga cartoon, and which is available in English, though I haven't read it, or really intend to. This is interesting, showing the fixation of a town, some brutal murders, and then some horrific spiral mutations. The best thing of all is that there is little if no explanation of why this is happening. A dark, horrible horror movie, but not without black humour and moments that make you go, 'naaa'.
Best Moment: Your fingerprints are spirals, so better cut them off. That or the man- snails.

2. Tetsuo The Iron Man [1989]

Plot In One Sentence: A guy turns into a metal man, and meets his nemesis.

A scene from the metallic, black and white, freeze-framed love scene. Eat your heart out Wall-E. [source]

Thoughts: This is a really bizarre, really alternative movie. It's done on the cheap, using a lots of stop motion, models and speeding up to enhance the action, but it belies its small budget. The beginning, in an industrial setting, with our hero dancing to heavy industrial music, is immensely cool. There is very little in the way of dialogue or explanations, and it probably could use them. It's a cult classic, violent, powerful and with some devastating imagery. It's interesting, but difficult to sit through.
Best Moment: Also memorable is his fight, and the sex scene, which is horrifying and arousing (I know).

1. Funky Forest [2005]

Plot In One Sentence: It's hard to say, but there are a number of sketches revolving around a possible (Piko-Riko) alien invasion, a singles picnic, and some dancing. 

Yeah, this happened. [source]

 Thoughts: This really is demented, not as violent of gross as most of the others on this list, but it really doesn't follow anything like a plot, or logical explanation. You might have seen some of the screenshots online (there's one on the beach which I'd seen before, and another of a guy, a girl, and a yellow thing all looking weirdly at the screen which is from the school scene), and the plot, such as it is, is largely an excuse to have fun. You can tell that the actor's think it's weird and are enjoying themselves, and that's something, unlike most of hte movies on this list, this is actually pretty funny. While there are bizarre sketches (one with a movie director dog is a real eye opener in a movie full of them), there are also multiple dance sequences, comedy gross bits, some light satire and some slapstick, as well as an interval. The result is the height of insanity, particularly as it's at least an hour too long.
Best Moment: A lot of it, though the fat white kid who hassles guitar brother is fun, and the little creatures which make for both the weirdest orchestra, and the weirdest badminton game ever. What's also great is the caliber of actors on show, some of whom are now making waves as Asian sidekicks in Hollywood movies.

So there you have it. Just for sake of reference, I originally wrote this list with only two Japanese movies, and 8 non Japanese ones. To tantalise you, I'll write up the non Japanese one before too long, Take care and fight to win.
Pascal.

P.S. Will add pictures tomorrow, but am busy tonight!

nl
tl
e
ucau

Takashi Miike Movies I've Seen Part 3

So we're back, with 5 more Miike movies I've seen since I last wrote of movies I've seen by him. The last list was only a few months ago. It's amazing what having no steady girlfriend can do for watching movies you want! As ever, this can continue on, so if you like it, read it. Tell your friends. Or don't, I don't make any money out of this. The second part can be seen here while the first can be found right here. Please note that I'm trialling a new 'Weird-O-Meter' to indicate how weird a movie is. Spoilers abound.

1. Gozu [2005] 

A lively tongue-ing. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: A Mafia tough and his soon-to-be executed boss make an unexpected, lengthy  stop at a bizarre strip mall.
Thoughts: I avoided this one because it keeps cropping up in the 'most insane movies' lists I see. Resultantly I dismissed it as less than essential and put it to the back of my mental list. After having seen it, I mostly agree that there are better Miike movies around. I went in expecting either gore on the scale of Ichi the Killer, or of bizarre flights of fancy that I'd even Miike himself hadn't reached before or since. In either case, I was both impressed and unimpressed by this: make no mistake, it's demented. Barring a few jarring moments of insanity and / or violence, this is a strangely philosophical deconstruction of both the road trip and the yakuza movie genre.

What makes it interesting is the interplay between the characters and how they react to some very unusual situations. The movie is populated with unnerving characters, and climaxes with perhaps the most unexpected birthing scene of all time. The use of the Minotaur on the movies poster, and DVD cover, I was surprised to find that it is only incidental. It's still odd, and unexplained, but a minotaur only making a fleeting appearance is somehow a genuine concern in a Miike movie. Overall this is a interesting, and strangely soothing movie, and also batshit insane: it is, in fact the closest that Miike has come to replicating David Lynch. For example, I haven't yet referred to the bizarre case of mistaken identity (straight from Lynch's 'Lost Highway') or, of all things, a homemade volcano stand used to house a ladle fetish - or the guy with psoriasis who acts as some sort of spiritual interpreter for the gangsters. Bizarre, and possibly essential. Real marmite stuff, and I liked it. 
Score on the 'Weird-O-Meter': ****

2. Hara Kiri: Death Of A Samurai [2012]

"Pick up the sword." "not this year" - Fight for seven minutes in an alleyway.[source]

Plot In One Sentence: A unemployed samurai seeks to commit Hara Kiri and recounts his version of events, which tie into the death of his beloved son. 
Thoughts: This is a remake of a 1962 original. The original is one of my very favourite movies, I've had an 'in praise of' about it in draft for well over a year now. It's the reason I bought a Blu-Ray player. The remake was conceived, I imagine, as a more sobre piece on samurai code to the excellent remake of  '13 Assassins,' which shares much of the scenery and cast as this movie. together, they should form a diptych, both movies showing the inherent foolishness of the inflexible loyalty of the samurai code.

 However, having seen the original, this remake is pointless, as it lacks the intensity, political machinations, and performances of the original. With only slight differences in story, and this time  in colour, and with added 3D, it merely seeks to reinforce the superiority of the superlative original. The 3D is largely pointless also, as most of the action is static until the thrilling conclusion. While both movies highlight the futility of the inflexibility of the Samurai code, the remake lacks the depth of the original, which had a political poignancy over Japan's failure to come to terms with its role in WWII. Largely pointless.   
Score on the 'Weird-O-Meter': *

3. Visitor Q [2001]

If you've seen this, you know that his particular mystery is hideous. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: A family commit various crimes and social faux-pas, while an enigmatic, unexplained visitor enters their lives.
Thoughts: I have decided to view this as an allegorical, disgusting take on modern life. It leaves literally no moral stone unturned, as we see incest, rape, necrophilia, voyeurism, lactation, murder. Yet at the same time it can be seen as an allegory for the struggles of family life, with its conclusion being seen to reinforce the nuclear family, an almost conservative social view after an hour of mayhem. As an allegory, it showcases the daily concerns of families and family members, only magnified to insane levels.

 For example, the Oedipal distance between mother and adolescent son takes the form of brutal beatings; the fathers reluctant acceptance of his daughter as a sexual being manifests itself through prostitution and incest; the mild things that housewives have to do to take their mind off their lot becomes heroin addiction and more prostitution. The head of the family, the father, has to deal with sexual boredom, social unpopularity and poor career decisions evident in most families, are here used to give a showcase of murder, voyeurism and then a hideous necrophilia scene, with some of the darkest comedy ever seen. This is deranged, but blackly funny. Almost the very definition of 'not for everyone.' Short, sweet, deranged, immoral and quite possibly brilliant. a hugely black comedy, and possibly the worst movie ever to watch with your parents, or on a first date. 
Score on the 'Weird-O-Meter': ****1/2

4. One Missed Call [2003]

Just one of the reason that mirrored ceilings in bathrooms will never catch on. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: People get a call from the future of themselves dying, it then comes true.  
Thoughts: A pretty poor, generic J-horror genre movie without even the typical flairs of Miike. It's disappointing, and hardly even chilling. It's also far too long for a genre movie. I think it didn't help seeing it so close to seeing The Grudge, The Ring and Dark Water, but it's not great even without those other movies around. A definite low point and strangely prosaic genre exercise, despite a couple of gruesome deaths. Inessential.
Score on the 'Weird-O-Meter': **

5. The Bird People Of China [1998]

Almost impossible to get a picture of this, so you're stuck with this red-rimmed abomination. [source]

 Plot In One Sentence: A salaryman heads to China on a business trip, where he is joined by a translator and a yakuza member, and they are all bewildered by an unspoilt mountain village. 

Thoughts: Compared to some of Miike's more intense movies, this is immensely pensive and subdued; proof indeed that he can do thoughtful, character-based pieces. It is both interesting and interestingly subdued. The movie hinges on the voyage of discovery, and the conflict between technology and primitivism - a key factor is when the salaryman's Walkmans batteries die out. In essence it displays the conflict between the Japanese 'West' and the remote Rural Chinese 'East'. Of great importance to the movies plot is the rather cheap looking plane still crashed into the river, which is now all that is left of a WWII British pilot, other than a granddaughter, a secret song (a now-garbled version of a Scottish ballad) and the secrets of flight. This secret now manifests itself in some of the rituals of the village, and is evidence of the transmission of myths in community building.  There are some great performances, particularly by the three main characters (the translator is played by none other than the wonderful Mako), and there are only a few Miike-ish glitches (the turtle powered raft for one, and the movies climax) but is otherwise a thoughtful, largely spiritual movie. Interesting, and quite beautiful, recommended.
Score on the 'Weird-O-Meter': *1/2

There you go, some more stuff coming up, but I also have to prepare for my next job, which is, again, overseas, so I'll be busy. Hope y'all is fine.

Non Samurai-Guy 4: The Rest

Hi everyone, I'm editing things that I wrote and kept as drafts from ages ago, so today we go back to the amazingly unpopular look at Akira Kurosawa movies, 'Non-Samurai Guy' the first three bits of which can be found here, here and here. Since writing this, I've seen some more, but these are the last three movies I can be bothered talking about, so here you go. Spoilers all over the place.

1. The Quiet Duel [1949]

A pretty ordinary poster indeed. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: An idealistic doctor is diagnosed with an effectively incurable disease, and deals with it in a very Japanese way.
Thoughts: This is an odd character piece about morality and disease, it establishes, possibly, Kurosawa's theme that humans are nothing but malfunctioning machines. Its postwar setting, and the thinly veiled allegory for a 'disease caught from a soldier,' puts it alongside movies such as Stray Dog and Drunken Angel, which also depict Japan struggling to come to terms with its defeat and subsequent decline as a military power. The movie also brushes upon another Kurosawa favourite: unfairness - Toshiro Mifune is an unusually moral Doctor, who through no fault of his own catches a terminal STD. The disease is given to him by a soldier who would have to work hard to be described as a 'turd.' The soldier shows up from time to time, mainly to cause trouble. The unfairness, and bad things happening to good people is also seen in the Bad Sleep Well and even I Live In Fear, and is often seen in Kurosawa's later movies

Things have come a long way since the 1940s, not just the cigarette during surgery, but look at that guys haircut on the right!  [source]

Mifune's doctor, aware of his future health and fertility issues, breaks up with his fiancee, who reluctantly goes to another man. She suspects that he has a disease, but he tells her nothing. This is an interesting cultural sign of stoicism: she mentions that if he was to simply tell her the truth, she would wait. However, he refuses and so obeys. It's bizarre, as is the notion, today, that syphilis is beyond treatment, which also acts as another reminder of the dire situation of Japan in the years following their defeat. Shimura, as Mifune's dad, has relatively little to do other than confirm the trope of master and apprentice, another Kurosawa favourite. Perhaps most interesting of all is the presence of two sympathetic female characters, one of whom is a single mother. This hints at the screenplay's origins as a play - I would assume an original screenplay would make at least one of them a little less sympathetic. It also may hint at the loss of young men from the War, though we aren't told specifically if she is divorced or widowed. Either way, she's a strong, clever and loyal character, who seems to suggest that she'll settle with Dr. Mifune too. In conclusion, this is surprisingly straight-forward Kurosawa movie; certainly it's the only one I've seen that will settle for fart Jokes. On the whole, interesting, though not thoroughly recommended.

2. Dreams [1990]

If I had the idea to make a movie about my dreams, I'd be laughed out of the boardroom, but just because he made a dozen or so of the best movies of all time, Kurosawa gets a free reign? Hmm... Either way, this isn't for me. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: Like a thirteen year old girl, Kurosawa thinks that we are interested in his dreams.
Thoughts: I'm not a fan. Late in his career, Kurosawa tells about his dreams through imagery. Martin Scorsese turns up for a little bit too. Other than a moderately atmospheric bit in the snow, it's all awful, especially that peach tree that comes to life. It looks nice, but so does going for a walk outside. Seriously, this is such nonsense, don't even bother.

3. Ikiru [1952] 

An absolutely hideous poster. It looks like outsider art. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: A career bureaucrat takes a new lease on life when he discovers that he has cancer.
Thoughts: A faceless drone learns that he has cancer, and tries to make amends for the faceless drone life he has lived so far. He parties, but doesn't enjoy it. He tries to make up with his son, but he finds he is a dick. Instead, he lives it up with a cute office worker who used to refer to him as 'the Mummy' because he had never had a day off in his career. She invigorates him, and he makes it his duty to build a children's play park on a abandoned lot, but is met by red tape and apathy, something which he is uniquely posed to counter. This plost was the initial story of Parks and Recreation - coincidence? Also of note is that at least 5, possibly 6 of the Samurai are in various parts in the movie, which shows Kurosawa's use of favourite actors in his movies. The only one definitely not in, is his favourite and mine, Toshiro Mifune, who was supposedly to be the lead in this movie, which would have given a completely different vibe to the whole thing. Again we see the Japanese fear of bluntness through the diagnosis of the cancer. Instead of telling him directly, he is told through code given to him by another patient. This is a small thing, but quite interesting.

Look at him there, with his moustache and his files. Loser. [source]

What's interesting is that though this is considered a masterpiece (Roger Ebert added it it his vaulted 'Great Movies' list, for example) a lot of the major plot points occur off screen, most notably his death. I was also surprised that the most famous scene, of Shimura on the swing, is a full half hour from the film's conclusion. The next most famous scene, of him singing a song reminding people to live their lives while they can, is sung in a bizarre, alien monotone, and to my eyes it looked like the crowd was sparked into fear by his depressing news and weird singing. The conclusion is also noteworthy, the whole movie suggests that anyone, given the right motivation (in this case a tumour the size of a dog brain) can make a difference to other peoples lives, this is offset by the conclusion. At the bureaucrats wake, following the swing scene, there is still more than enough time for it to show that his actions did nothing to help, and that all of his colleagues will help to maintain the cycle of inefficiency and bureaucracy. Only one other office worker is influenced to make a difference. A sign, perhaps, that even the slightest difference is better than a lifetime of apathy. 
In conclusion, despite all I've just said, this is a masterpiece, both depressing and uplifting. I have the distinct feeling that this will become more apt as I age. It's also proof, if that was needed, that Shimura is not just the silver medal to Toshiro Mifune, even though he is less dreamy.

OK that's enough of that! Hope everyone is well,
 Pascal! 

Charisma (The Movie)

Hello all, hope that you are all well, today, a quick movie review, and in essence a follow up to this earlier post, which went through all of the Kiyoshi Kurosawa movies I've seen. I don't want to alarm anyone, but this is a review for another one that I've seen. Today we review: 'Charisma,' another movie starring Kurosawa's bitch, Koji Yakusho. Spoilers kind of follow.

A reasonable movie poster, though not a great one. [source]

The movie has been viewed as a potential sequel to 'Cure.' Though only if the implied ending of Cure is ignored. The finale of Cure shows Koji as a detective and possible a hypnotist / murderer, while at the beginning of Charisma, he is a regular detective. We meet him at the beginning negotiating a hostage situation, which goes wrong, leaving both the hostage and the kidnapper dead. The hostage, referred to as an MP, seems to have a terrible, decaying office block for his office, another trait of Kiyoshi Kurosawa: hideous, dilapidated and claustrophobic building interiors. When put on extended leave for his misconduct, our detective misses his bus home and ends up in a bizarre forest

Artistically sound, though almost completely useless at describing the movie itself. Better. [source]

In this forest there is a bizarre conflict occurring, in which Detective Yabuike comes to take an active part. The forest is decaying: saplings die, seemingly healthy trees fall over at will, and only one tree seems to thrive. This tree is 'charisma' described as a 'monster' and as a 'most compelling tree' - it is tall and spindly, and is created by mutations which mean that its own life depends on it slowly killing the rest of the forest. Three parties in the forest fight over whether to kill or protect this tree, and each of them is allegorical for some aspect of society. The following is my interpretation, which I'm willing to admit is wrong. 

This movie, not to be confused with Charisma Carpenter, a now forgotten 90s lust object. [source]

For Charisma to thrive, it will kill the rest of the forest, and we are told that it has already made all of the forageable foods carcinogenic. What is better, one brilliant, compelling tree or a happy forest? I took this as a view of the Japanese view of society being more important than the individual, and the war within Japanese society between this dichotomy. We can also see a more straightforward ecological message.

This is the tree that acts as the next charisma tree, it's not as nice. [source]

The three parties who fight over what to do with Charisma are: the government-sponsored tree-planters; the hermit in an abandoned hospital (another great Kurosawa setting); and the biologist who lives with her sister in a fancier house on the edge of the forest. The biologist poisons all of the trees in the forest, hoping to make Charisma thrive, which would allow her to study primitive plant life as though it was free of human intervention. Secondly, the tree planters, working for a seemingly murderous government agency, want to destroy the plant to sell it on, making a profit and allowing the rest of the forest to thrive again. Finally, the young hermit wants to continue admiring 'charisma,' which he believes has special powers. It's hinted that the struggle between these three opposing sides has been ongoing for some time before Yabuike arrives. Before long he has sided with all three parties, and they realise that his final choice is the most important when it comes to the fate of Charisma. He debates the duality of predator and prey, and comes to the conclusion that some trees will be predated and others will be the predators, there is nothing he can do about it. This stoic message was, to me, at odds with his actions, as he tends to and protects Charisma, which he describes as a 'special tree.'

Here, Yabuike msunderstands tree biology. [source]

The movie's conclusion seems to suggest that Yabuike is responsible for the Armageddon brought about when Charisma 2 is destroyed. This would seem to run simultaneously with the similar apocalyptic themes evident at the beginning of Kairo (Pulse). Certainly it seems that if Cure could be seen as the indirect prequel to Charisma, we can easily imagine a world where decisions made in Charisma lead to the events of Pulse. This indirect trilogy would be really entertaining but would leave me a little woozy.

However, Charisma is more than just an intellectual and allegorical exercise, it is atmospheric and intelligent on its own. More importantly, despite hearing that this was one of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's weaker pieces, I enjoyed it much more than say, Retribution or Seance, or even Tokyo Sonata. Added to the appeal of the story, the desolate scenery, the excellent cinematography, and interesting music, there is a heavy sense of very dark comedy, notably through the multiple uses of bear traps on Yabuike.

In conclusion, although the plot seems insane, with a seemingly philosophical treatment of how to deal with a single tree, this movie is much deeper than it should be. It comes recommended if you like thought-provoking concepts within a more straight-forward movie.

That's enough, thanks for reading.

Satoshi Kon.

Satoshi Kon. Somehow, without even really knowing it, I've now seen everything that he directed. Famed for his dark, humour, incredible visions and intricate stories, his death at age 46 robbed the movie world of a true creative force.

He created deeply detailed worlds, and told stories which blended fantasy with reality, and emphasised the importance of memory in forming opinions. There is also an overlap of some of the characters in the movies, which makes watching them as a coherent whole more interesting (for example, the group of gossiping housewives can be seen in both 'Paranoia Agent', and in 'Tokyo Godfathers,' and there are frequent shout-outs to previous works throughout his movies). Another recurring theme is the love of cinema itself, something obvious in the secondary story of Paprika, and throughout Millenium Actress.

The movies below are fast-paced, interesting, and well-designed and plotted, usually running to less than 90 minutes. The animation, particularly of people running, is a joy, as is the often incredible music. It's no surprise that he's also been very important to Hollywood too: 'Inception' is a more strait-laced version of 'Paprika', while 'Perfect Blue' is, despite what Darren Aranovsky says, a superior version of 'The Black Swan'- superior mainly because it doesn't have Natalie Portman in it.

  Here, I'll take you through the works I've seen, in the order I saw them, using the formula perfected in my Miyazaki movie reviews, a format which is still talked about in hushed awe to this very day. The only difference is that the star system is no longer in place, and instead the final review will be a short guide to how good it was (apparently this is classier than the star system). I'll also try to avoid spoilers, but no promises. Here goes:

Perfect Blue [1997]

This image is from a movie poster shop. I shudder to think who would want this poster leering down on them.  [source]

Plot in One Sentence: The lead singer from a creepy, sexy girl-band leaves to start an acting career, however, things don't go smoothly and she deals with a sense of creeping insanity, and also with stalkers, as reality and fantasy spiral out of control.

Thoughts: Really thrilling, mind-boggling, creepy and at times uncomfortable (the main stalker is a real creeper), and genuinely shocking. The poster above quotes a Hitchcock parallel, but it's more sexually violent than that, though it does have a 'woman in peril' theme in common. A really solid movie which could easily be used as proof that anime isn't for children, and can be used to convey images it would be impossible to use in a live action movie.

Rating: Not comfortable watching, but definitely worth it. Much better than Black Swan, which borrows heavily from this story. 

Paprika [2006]

A lot of things going on in this image [source]

Plot In One Sentence: A machine which can be used to intercept dreams is stolen, and the team behind its creation seeks to recover it, along with their virtual reality ally, the beautiful and enigmatic Paprika.

Thoughts: I had seen this a while before I saw Inception, which turned out to be a huge disappoitment because of it. The Satoshi Kon animation is at its fantastic best here, and that's coupled with the music, which included the theme tune, the most infuriating song ever. I was going to link to a video of it, but don't want to subject you to it unncessarily, oops, I've just reminded myself of it. Still, the story is, in a good way, insane, all of Kon's movies are proof that animation can bring to life things which would never be possible in a live action movie. Stunning animation, although the story peters out a little towards the end. 

Rating: Worth viewing, perhaps several times. 

Millenium Actress [2001]

For such a thoughtful, visually arresting movie, this is a really shitty movie poster.  [source]

Plot In One Sentence: An interviewer and his cameraman go to visit a now elderly actress, who is now reclusive but remains the sweetheart of the nation. She talks about her life and regrets, and about the key which the interviewer hands her, all the while weaving in and out of memories of her career and earlier life.

Thoughts: This is a reasonably straight-forward story by Satoshi standards, it also contains a lot of similar themes from his other works. For example, the sense of loss, the breakdown of family and keeping of resentment over many years, and also that of fanaticism. However, a good movie, and very sad. As well as the main story itself, which deals with lost love and yearning, the movie is also a celebration of the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema, with nodding homages to the works of Ozu, Kurosawa and Mizoguchi clearly visible. I understand that the character is based on Setsuko Hara, the one with the big face from many movies, including 'Late Spring,' which is itself a lovely, poignant movie. Looking online, I am happy to find that she is still alive. Awesome.

Rating: Probably better than Perfect Blue, and although the animation is magnificent, it is a less visually arresting movie than Paprika, but with a better story. Possibly Kon's 'best'?

Paranoia Agent [2004]

The stars of the show sleep in a giant question mark, while that pink thing just sits there, watching you. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: Tokyo is besieged by 'lil' slugger' a roller-blading kid, who whacks people who are in particular moments of stress. We find that all the characters attacked are related in one way or another before the thrilling climax. It turns out that that pink thing above, which is a 'hello Kitty' type icon in the story, plays an important role.

Thoughts: This is an anime show, and spanned, from memory, 12 episodes (Not from memory: 13 episodes). It Started really well, but dragged in the middle and then faded so badly in the middle that I didn't remember it until I looked it up. The first five or so episodes are really excellent, and there are wonderful diversions, such as a trio of people in a suicide pact, who may or may not be ghosts from the very beginning, but on the whole it dragged a little, and the climax was off.

Rating: Visually stunning and a great premise, but faded badly in the second half in particular, despite the great soundtrack.

Tokyo Godfathers [2003]

The three main characters, in all their hideously detailed glory. [source]

Plot In One Sentence: A trio of homelesspeople: a transgender, an alcoholic, and a runaway schoolgirl find a baby and try to return it to its parents on a wintry day, encountering trials, tribulations and their own pasts along the way. 

Thoughts: I left this until last because I had heard it was inferior to his other works. It certainly isn't as intelligent and mind-boggling (a phrase you can't help but use to describe his works) but it had great characterisation and a solid story in a way that, say, Paprika doesn't. The whole notion that the baby they find is a sign of good luck and innocence, and leads to a series of nearly impossible coincidences, didn't rankle me overly. However, it was sad, and it made me miss my family immensley. 

 Rating:  Really good, fascinating, and beautifully drawn, a more straight-forward work than the rest of his canon. 

In conclusion: I'm thinking of watching these in a back to back marathon, what a cool guy I am.

Best wishes everyone, I can't believe it's nearly September!*

*Spend half of my waking life at work, the rest either watching movies or sea-kayaking, so it's no surprise that life is passing me by!

Much love, Pascal

In Praise of #9: Pom Poko

Spoilers kind of follow. See it first, then come back and read this. The list of the rest of the 'in Praise of Series' can be found here.

I made a fuss about not writing for a while, but someone spurred me into action. I was having an argument with a friend, and it turned personal and then bitter. We only made up in the last few days. As with most of my arguments, it was ridiculous The following review is basically the gist of my arguments which I used against her. The result is today's 'In Praise of,' which is Isao Takahata's 'Pom Poko,' an animated movie. My friend said that it was weird, and not very good, while I disagreed with a childish vehemence. Pom Poko follows the trials and exploits from the point of view of personified, cartoon Tanuki, a native Japanese raccoon-dog which enjoys a rich mythology in Japan. Takahata is one of the major figures of Studio Ghibli, reviews of movies by  Hayao Mayazaki can be found in these Two Links. Takahata himself is probably most famous for ' The Grave of the Fireflies' a harrowing tale following two starving children during the firebombing of Kobe at the end of WWII. Despite being animated, it has been singled out as one of the most powerful anti-war movies of all time, and is certainly one of the most harrowing animated movies I've seen. However, as good a movie as that is, Pom Poko is better. It's certainly more fun.

Real-life Tanuki. They're pretty cute, but I bet they're too crazy to keep as pets. [source]

As ever, a brief plot summary is difficult. We follow a group of Tanuki (Japanese Raccoon dogs), which are famous in Japanese mythology as mischievous, sentient tricksters who have the ability to shape-shift. They notice that the land where they live is being encroached upon by builders, and the various clans of Tanuki join together to try to prevent further human intervention, we follow their highs and lows over the next few years. We are told that they live in the area which became the Tama New town, on the outskirts of Tokyo, and which we know was built in the 1970s and 80s. As we are aware from the outset that their struggle will be in vain, it is a reflection of the characters and personalities of the Tanuki, and also their views on their opposition, humanity, with all its flaws.Once again, this synopsis not only misses the point of the movie, but also makes it seem utterly charmless: it isn't.

Tsurugame, the village elder, gives lessons on life to the youngsters.

As the Tanuki (or raccoons as the subtitles and dub both persist with) are dealing with an encroachment of their home by industrialisation and humans, one of the main themes of the movie is that of environmental concerns. However, this theme is not on quite such an epic scale as Miyazaki's 'Princess Mononoke' - the threat is more intimate: we see the Tanuki suffering, hungry, and struggling with the encroachment on their living space. It is not merely a movie about environmental concerns, as it offers a rich and complex fable which is at once fantastic and realistic (as far as it can be realistic to have talking raccoons). The Tanuki are  generally fun-loving, but are also flawed and far from benevolent; in the end the story isn't about a struggle between species, as a reflection that both are as flawed as each other, despite the Tanuki's indomitable spirit and character.

Tanuki in their 'excited' state, simply drawn and happy, and with prominent balls.

 However, this movie has been maligned by many in the west (including myself, I put it off for far too long). Why, you may ask? because of the movie's use of Tanuki scrotum. Japanese mythology has the Tanuki being able both shape-shift, and also to instantly increase the size of its scrotum. For example, one scene shows the aggressive Tanuki covering the windshield of a truck with his enlarged scrotum, causing it to crash. At the movie's climax, a group of militant Tanuki wage a kamikaze battle against the human police force, floating, kite-like with their scrotums before using their man-pouches as weapons in an ultimately futile and surprisingly touching scene. As it is an established part of the Tanuki mythology, and is used naturally for humour yet isn't overdone. It makes such an insignificant and vital part of the story that only the most narrow-minded people would worry that it ruins the entire movie.

This is a real life Tanuki Statue, note the bottle of booze in its hand, and its huge nuts. This image taken from Wikipedia: where you can't find any information you need, but big-testicled-raccoon-images are a dime a dozen. [source]

What it does help to show however, is that this kind of movie could NEVER be made in the West. It's animated, but deals with situations which adults would sympathise with, although it seems that Japanese children wouldn't be so timid as to be shocked by testicles as some American reviewers seem to be (the American dub merely refers to them as 'raccoon pouches,' and still every review you read makes ample mention of them. Aside from shape-shifting, hugely endowed raccoons, the movie is particularly Japanese- drawing heavily from Japanese mythology, history, and folklore, and I think that that should be applauded.

This is a popular image which inspires Gondo to use his nuts as weapons in the movie. This is taken from traditional Japanese art, where they would silhouette things (in this case a goldfish), and then on the next page subvert your guesses by drawing, for example, a Tanuki squashing a man with his balls. Insane, and awesome. [source]

The excellent animation work allows for scenes which would be impossible to pull off convincingly in a live-action movie, and at the same time makes it much more heart-warming and charming. Everyone I've talked to who likes this movie has used the word charming to describe it. It is, perhaps a little overlong, but it genuinely is charming enough to make you go along with it. The raccoons are animated in a number of ways, the first, as real-life raccoons, for when humans are around; secondly, in their preferred style, as rounded, cartoonish creatures, often with vests or other pieces of clothing; or finally, whenever their instincts take over, they appear as skinny, comically drawn beasts (influenced, I'm told, by a popular newspaper cartoon). Some of the Tanukis, and the majority of the ones we follow, can also use shape-shifting powers, and can become anything from inanimate objects and other animals to convincing humans. It's this shape-shifting which allows them to go into the city to gather food, information, and to plan tricks and attacks.

Shoukichi is among the first to learn how to shape-shift successfully.

What makes the movie though, is the juxtaposition of individual characters with that of the Tanuki community as a whole. Similarly, many scenes are at once funny and melancholy. It is at once the saddest and funniest movie you'll see. At some points, the jokes come so fast it's a struggle to keep up with them (particularly on subtitles), as well as this, there are copious sight jokes at many stages. However, the movie at times highlights sadness and melancholy; characters are killed, seriously injured, and suffer with hunger and depression as their homes and futures grow evermore into doubt. However, this seemingly bi-polar switch of moods doesn't seem unnatural or forced, rather it seems to reflect the lives of the Tanuki themselves, we really get a sense that we are following them through ups and downs.

'Realistically' drawn Tanuki gaze onto a construction site.

While we are aware that the Tanuki's struggle will be futile, their sheer spirit helps them to maintains a playful optimism and 'heart' even following setbacks. The juxtaposition of moods allows for some great scenes - the tensions of guerrilla attacks on construction trucks and workers is elevated by the tremendous party they have to celebrate (Tanuki's love to drink, as can be seen in the picture above). The tanuki start partying again because they can't help themselves from giggling when they are marking respectful silence for the humans who they have killed. The most emotionally impacting scenes show tanuki being killed by cars or trapped by humans, followed closely by romance and cubs, which not only suggests the changing of seasons and passing of time, but is a genuinely lovely, touching scene in its own right. We really get a sense that time is moving on, and it's both melancholy and wonderful.

Other great scenes include the shock on the faces of the male Tanuki when they realise that the carpet they are sitting on is actually the village patriarch's scrotum; this same patriarch in human-form cuddling a scared Tanuki who is struggling with shape-shifting while in town; the arrival of a Tanuki from a different area, who is equally worried about his loss of habitat, and the medley of learning how to shape-shift, then live as humans, and then, when the three masters of shape-shifting finally make their appearance, to use their skills to create enormous illusions, such as the 'no-face' attack, and culminating in the scene of the 'goblin parade,' which is excellent and will be referred to later. 

A nice scene, but no one seems to bat an eyelid at tired looking people hugging a raccoon dog.

What makes the movie come alive though, are the characters. The village elder, Tsurugame, is a sweet and benevolent leader, while his wife, Oroku, is more aggressive and intelligent. There is the aggressive Tanuki warrior chieftain in the red vest, named Gonta, who is crippled in a stampede caused when the Tanuki try to celebrate his victories against the humans.  He remains injured for an entire year, his frustration and isolation palpable, before his final, futile kamikaze attack, the desperate act of a species which doesn't like to be desperate. A couple of Tanuki leave Tama hills to try to locate master shape-shifters in other areas, they return years later, with three wonderful old characters, but their initial departure is a sad affair, as they walk into the distance and the rest of the community sing to them. It's an image which both acknowledges other Japanese movies and draws on it. Best of all, it leads to the introduction of these guys: 

The three shape-shift masters, in human form. They dress like an old neighbour of mine who had dementia.

As well as these characters, the moral heart of the movie is the resourceful Tanuki named Shoukichi, a young adult who wears light blue. His plans help to prevent further setbacks to the Tanuki, but he is reasonable enough to understand that their situation is beyond redemption, the conclusion of the movie shows him to be living a reluctant life as a human. However, before this, he and his girlfriend, and eventually 'wife' (I don't think Tanuki really get married), called Okiyo, embark on a surprisingly tender romance, in a series of scenes which convey a couple falling in love, time passing, and a new generation of cubs coming along, who are described by the anonymous narrator as 'charming.' They are, and the scenes of their love are in no way gratuitous or overdone, but perfectly pitched.

Super-cute, a lovely scene. N.B. I'm not one to use 'lovely' or 'cute' without reason.

  Both the music and the animation are excellent, even for  a Ghibli movie. The music follows traditional Japanese songs about the Tanuki with some updated lyrics to fit the story better, as well as newly composed, upbeat tunes. The animation is also worthy of note: the Tanuki in their 'realistic' form are terrific, and as chubby, vest-wearing characters are full of colour and spirit. The background animation is also second to none: a scene of kingfishers flying next to each other and landing on a tree signifies Spring perfectly, and captures the majesty and perfection of even real life could bring. Furthermore, progressive animation techniques, such as telling a part of the Tanuki's story through a mock retro gaming console, or the use of and a giant leaf being eaten by bug-sized diggers, help to add flesh to the story and keep invention in the animation.

NES style animation which helps spur the plot along.

After the arrival of the 3 old guys, the skills involved in illusions and shape-shiftings are increased, but their ultimate effect remains limited. Combining all the Tanuki's power, they undergo a huge illusion, creating a parade of goblins through Tokyo, watched by a huge crowd of people. This ghost parade has been criticised as going on too long (it is on for at least 8 minutes) but that is besides the point, it introduces us to dozens of Japanese mythological creatures, and is at once interesting and wonderful. It is a last, brilliant effort of the Tanuki to try to convince humans to halt their construction. Thinking it successful, they celebrate, but are met with tricksters themselves: the owner of a funfair and a shape-shifting fox (because that's also well-established as Japanese mythology) who take the credit for it. These scenes are also important for showing the loss of belief in traditional religion of the Japanese people - it is not only the Tanuki who are losing their culture and history. 

One of the million screenshots I could have got to illustrate the frenzy of the goblin parade.

Devastated by the lack of progress being made, and realising the inevitability of their fate, some tanuki go to fight to the death, and the rest, in a last moving act of defiance, stage one last grand illusion, temporarily transforming the urbanised land back into its pristine state to remind everyone (including themselves) of exactly what has been lost. The illusion is only lost when the excited Tanuki run to see their lost ancestors, leaving them in the middle of a modern, built-up area. This movie offsets highs with lows, and optimism is continually met with realism. The film ends on a bittersweet note, with some of the Tanukis partying heartily in what used to be their home, but is now a golf-course. offset with the realisation that life is stopping for them, tinged with frustration and depression, but not to be met with their indomitable spirit

Auto-hangliding Tanuki soaring into battle. A scene which is far more affecting than it should be (genuinely).

In conclusion, I wasn't expecting much when I first saw this, but I was blown away by how good it is.I can't wait to watch it again. It is charming, beautifully drawn, lovely, funny, scary, and suggests the passage of time and morality more than any ostensibly 'childrens movie' should. If any other movie mirrors the highs and lows of life more this, I would be surprised. While I admit that this review may have over-analised the movie, the overriding feeling is that it is funny, sad, and charming. It might be the best Ghibli movie, and is certainly a better movie than 'Grave of the fireflies' by the same director. While this isn't the first Japanese movie you should ever watch, if you're familiar with the quirks of Japanese culture and society, then get the fuck on it. You won't regret it. Also, if the presence of testicles is enough to persuade you away from a movie, don't watch this, but instead, please lighten up.

One of a dozen or so party scenes, this one from the very end of the movie.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

[A note on the dub: the American dub, which is available on the DVD I watched this on, is actually pretty fair, much better than most Ghibli English dubs ('Princess Mononoke' and 'Porco Rosso' are the best examples of a bad dub hindering a good movie). However, a large portion of the cast of the dub is familiar from Futurama - while it is nice to hear all the voices of Futurama as raccoons (particularly Morbo the news alien, as one of the old guys) it's still worth going for the subtitled version if you can, mainly because that doesn't shirk the testicles issue (it refers to them as 'raccoon pouches') instead. Still, it's worth a go, and you certainly can't say that about all Ghibli movies].