Kemonomichi

As this Japanese film opens three school boys decide to call a number written on the wall of a public toilet which promises sex. To their slight surprise the woman who answers the call turns up... along with a gang of ruffians. She is Ai and she asks the boys to help her. We then flashback and see Ai's life from childhood, when her mother sent her away to live in a cult, through an attempt at normal school life to associating with members of a local gang. Occasionally the attention moves away from her to show us something of the lives of the people she has interacted with.

I had no idea what to expect from this; this might be the best way to go into it as it isn't like anything one is likely to expect. There is little in the way of traditional plot; instead it feels like one is observing various snapshots of the characters' lives. At some times that is comical and at others it is disturbing. This disturbance is due to the violent nature of some scenes; there isn't excessive gore but the violence feels real rather than the choreographed action one gets in action movies. The cast do a fine job keeping the characters believable. The small city setting is effective; too small for the freedoms of a large city but too big for a more rural solitude. Overall I'd recommend this to anybody looking for something rather different.

These comments are based on watching the film in Japanese with English subtitles.

Another extraordinary film from director Eiji Uchida. Full of power, energy, a kaeledoscope of colours and showing great confidence with well composed scenes with complicated action this is just as, maybe more so, crazy than the earlier Greatful Dead. Easier to enjoy if not fully understand, this seems to once again be about the real struggle in Japan for youngsters to find a transition from school to employment and society in general. In my visits to the county I have seen nothing to suggest rebellion on the scale shown here but the reality gap between the young now and the old, seemingly unchanged, for many, many years is palpable in certain spots where youth culture is challenging the existing order. Sairi Ito is impressive as the irrepressible youngster trying all sorts of ways to conform as best she can and Kenta Suga her well played counterpart. Stylish, violent, sexy and pertinent but not easy for a non-Japanese to get all the nuances that I am sure are present amidst the seeming mayhem of this uncompromising picture.

I reckon there are things that western audiences will not get, as someone else suggested. That being said and always taking into account the different sensibilities, the story is quite coherent. The acting is good - and if you dig where it will take you ... you will be entertained or rather have the suspense throughout.

Moral conclussions are all yours to make. Just remember that not all questions can be answered easily.

A terrific film with many excellent shots and sequences, including underwater photography, although not an easy watch. There is much violence and sexual exploitation, although it is sensitively handled and does not dominate the story. Instead the overall effect is a tender tale of first love and seeking affection in the wrong places.

The script sometimes makes big leaps between cause and effect but never loses touch with plausibility. We first meet Ai / Ananda as a primary school-age child, but can already see her trajectory towards a difficult adolescence. We follow Ryota (a stereotypical sullen teen, perhaps the least convincing character) as his life intersects with hers, always wanting to rescue her but never quite making the right connection.

In a separate thread, we see Kenta offered a chance to leave his violent life and make a new one with Reika, and the impact it has on her.

There are contrasts between the sometimes frenetic gangster world and the more serene one lived by bit part players, children and young people who cut across the central story to keep the main characters grounded in their town, their schools and communities.

I admit to being confused at times by cuts between scenes, and I am not familiar with Japanese culture, although this did not spoil the effect. I could see where things were going wrong and how easily they could have been different if minor events had gone in favour of our protagonists.

A great piece of work, and I will seek out more from this director.