Magare! Supûn

Watch this directors' films 'Summer Time Machine Blues' and 'Udon' first if you can, as those are both great flicks, and he uses the characters and settings in indiscreet ways in this film that add to one's overall enjoyment.

This is a film about finding authentic psychics, as the title implies. Without spoiling anything, I'll let you know that whatever your view on the paranormal is, it's addressed in this film. Do you just believe in psychic stuff, have you actually seen something paranormal, or do you totally not believe in it at all? The story pulls all of these themes together. Anyone can watch this and get sucked in. The characters are enjoyable, and that's all there is to a good movie.

The storyline, while good, leads to a sort of fantasy ending, which, in the hands of a regular director, would be a bad thing. But the person responsible for pulling off one of the best sci-fi films of all time (Summer Time Machine Blues) does this without breaking a sweat, in top form. This is a 10-star film without reservation. The ending is a top-notch leave-you-wondering kind of thing that has you just as clueless as when you started watching the movie, but you feel like you got your money's worth. A hard feat to pull, but this guy does it.

By itself, I can see people putting this film down. At least watch 'Summer Time Machine Blues' so you know just how awe-inspiring this director can be, along with the cast of comedians who headline that film, but play minor parts in this one, can be. I always believed that the best comedy of today came only from Japan. I now believe, after watching this, that it's not just comedy, but inspirational films.

Bend that spoon!

Such an amazing and joyful film, this has to go down as an instant classic. Masami Nagasawa (a great actress) is a program director for a variety TV show who is given the job of going out and finding a real psychic amidst the plethora of fakes. After some misfires she stops by a small cafe that holds a party once a year where a handful of real psychics gather. There are so many outstanding aspects to this film. First of all, the acting is fantastic and the chemistry between the characters is remarkable. This makes for great humor because the psychics use their powers for petty, everyday advantages. The screenplay is also smartly written as it juxtaposes the views of real psychics (who refuse to reveal their abilities to others) with the fake ones (who overblow their normal abilities to gain fame and fortune). The film also explores the theme of childhood imagination, and the lead character's internal conflict culminates into the most effective deconstruction of cynicism ever put on film. If you watch one "feel good" movie for the rest of your life, make it this one.