Party 7

Party up @ Hotel Mexico for a mixer of mayhem, tangential dialogue, and bizarre circumstances starting right from the courtesy desk!

Socially maladjusted Okita, played to an eccentric point by the wonderfully gifted Tadanobu Asano, shows us fits of joy, sadness, and paranoia. Asano playing Okita, no matter how odd he is, successfully brings out his human factor. Also, there are unwanted guests, lies uncovered, shady bellhops, windows peered, stylized camera shots, a wacky hotel staff, and a very costumed eccentrics I've ever seen. Party 7 makes you laugh and in an unconventional way. If you like a variety in your film buffet, come down to Hotel New Mexico. Kana (AkEMI-KuN!) makes it all worthwhile!

The Japanese company that owns the film has apparently declded to put it on the shelf, so the inevitable DVD (probably without subs, and definitely with Region coding) may be your only chance unless you act quickly. If Cult Cinema is your groove, Party 7 is likely o be your party. In the bowels of a tacky Japanese hotel, Mr Banana -- dressed in a yellow and black hero suit -- is trying to anoint a multiple-convicted peeper into his special world, which has direct view into promising rooms. As the hotel room drama plays out, there's a hood in a pink leather suit who has a suitcase filled with money, a former girlfriend who wants the same money, her trendy camera expert boyfriend out to keep his girlfriend, and a tough but gullible yakuza. Vinyl-suited Mr Banana and his assistant Mr Yellow peep as its all happening. There are flashbacks, extreme humor, and enough bizarre twists to keep anyone guessing. The cast is first-rate, composed mostly of great genre actors. The filmmakers probably weren't making it up as they went along, but Party 7 has that feeling, and it makes for a refreshing change of pace.

There are many very strange films coming out of Japan over the past few years and they are slowly making their way to the United States. Party 7 has two actors who later appear in the better known "Survive Style 5".

The plot is very simple; a stupid criminal tries to hide in an out of the way motel with the mob money he stole. Several people, an ex-girlfriend, her new fiancé and the criminal's partner in crime, manage to find him and confront him in his motel room. These confrontations are observed through a one-way mirror/painting by the owner of the motel, in his Captain Banana suit, and the son of his recently deceased best friend. There are also two strange motel employees involved and a yakuza boss in flashbacks. And a twitchy travel agent.

There are about 5 sets in the film total, it's almost like watching a play. The whole film is based on the characters' interactions as opposed to visual action. While there is lots of action in the crazy animated title sequence which was done by Peter Chung of Aeon Flux fame, it calms down a lot for most of the movie. Great art direction and photography, droll script and very good acting.

Recommended.

It's a wild mad ride. Lots of accusations. Lots of character development. Lots of dishonesty. Lots of coming-to-terms and the truth prevails!

It's got Captain Banana! A peeping juvenile in love with the lead actress! Yakuza! Orphanaged degenerates!

I really loved the slapstick humour; the fast edit and quick zoom and shaky camera (Fukasaku signature closeups) and great angles! The cinematography is divine. It's an extremely quirky and fun movie and not to be taken seriously.

It's just very enjoyable and completely removed from mainstream cinema. I really enjoyed its beauty in the form of adolescent voyerism. How humans just love engrossing in others through staring. It's just quite beautiful yet deemed vulgar in society.

Then it all culminators in a big room fight. It's a really great movie which one shouldn't take too seriously. Loads of great camera angles. Superb directing and acting and cool costumes! I really enjoyed it. It's just a fun low-budget movie from the J-video era and is more polished than most.

Expect low ratings with a subject of this matter like any Japanese quirky b movie. Enjoy the wild ride of J pulp cinema. Watch without predejuice. With an adolescent teenage mind. Let the fun begin! For fans of Sion Sono and Takashi Miike.

This is the funniest film I have ever seen. I will say no more, really- preposterous, brilliant, and hilarious. Great work.

The actors dive into the script head first, with absolutely no let up, ever, turning in the best ensemble comedy work I have seen in years. Laugh out loud excellence, Captain Banana is worth the price of admission.

Craig