Dokomademo ikô

Doko made mo ikou a/k/a Don't Look Back (Akihiko Shiota, 1999)

The Japanese title actually translates to something like "[a place] where [one] can still go back to". -- and reflects the essence of the film considerably better than the English one. This little film (74 minutes or so) is an absolute delight. It focuses on the lives of two 5th grade boys over the course of (part of) a school year. They make mischief, have to deal with family issues, neighborhood bullies and _girls_ and generally cope with issues of life, death and change. The presentation is unsentimental and honest.

The little joys, the little sorrows of a schoolboy in modern Japan make for a delicious quiet movie. The first half is dedicated to the mischievous antics of Akira and his buddies but soon things become dramatic. This movie is about friendship and loyalty. It is well done and funny.