Samâ taimu mashin burûsu

Summer Time Machine Blues is not a masterpiece but it sure feels like one to me! It's just one of those movies that you watch with a smile during the whole movie because it's just so much lighthearted fun! And to me that deserves to be called a masterpiece, from the same writer of equally amazing time travel film "Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes" Summer Time Machine Blues feels almost like a fun prelude to it- or perhaps even in the same universe?

In the movie we follow a group of friends that run a sci fi club at school who one day after their air condition stops working (this is an important plot point I promise!) they stumble upon a Time Machine and a strange guy from the future, crazy Time Machine antics ensue! At first you kind of feel that the movie presents the beginning in a very nonsensical way, at first I thought it was because the subtitling or the presentation was a bit unclear but trust me, you'll get explanations for everything during the movie- and it is so satisfying to see everything sort of unravelling as the plot goes along. The humour is fun as well, it feels like a very light version to the American movie "Superbad" and that's awesome!

The actors are fun and great, it's awesome to see Juri Ueno from Swing Girls- and you even see some familiar faces from Makoto Ueda's movie "Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes". The movie is also shot in a very 00's Japanese style which I love, with lots of colours in the presentation, oversaturated greens- you'll understand when you see lots of Japanese movies from the 90s/00s, and I love it!

A few negatives that this movie has is that some of the characters can be very annoying and do really nonsensical decisions but in the context of the plot you understand why and they become better as the film goes along!

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, very nostalgic and has that sort of vibe and fun that 00s movies had back then! Check it out! And even better it's available on Blu-Ray if you want to have it at home!

If you're looking for a fun movie that will make you think a little, this is the movie for you. Reasons I can think of for watching this movie:

1) Cool storyline. Anyone who likes time travel movies will like this movie. 2) Chemistry between the cast is simply amazing. 3) It's funny yet logical.

Do not be put off by the lack of ratings/reviews. They really ought to put up a poster on IMDb for this movie. The lack of a movie poster is probably why this film is relatively unknown.

As one user already said, this is a movie you will not forget for a long time!

I've already seen one low budget and quirky Japanese time travel comedy in the form of BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES, which I loved, so I knew what to expect with this one. SUMMER TIME MACHINE BLUES takes a while to get going; the early 'ordinary world' scenario feels a bit padded out and the acting isn't too hot at times, nor is the occasionally annoying direction (the heat effect being totally overused). Nonetheless once the main plot begins for real, this one picks up nicely. Like much low budget Japanese cinema, the director's love of his craft shines through, the cast give enthusiastic performances, and the time travel plot, while not huge, ties everything up very neatly. It's funny too, which helps considerably.

It's pretty much a fact that if a movie has a lovable cast, everyone loves it. Even if it has gaping plot holes. Lovable cast comes first. This one has a lovable cast.

Any movie that has a compelling story usually gets the critics gushing. Kids using a time machine to recover an air conditioning remote control is questionable, but it is laid out from the beginning that this story is about that remote control. Good or bad, it's pretty balanced in my opinion. So we can rule out this element.

Film editing is the defining factor. Never have I seen, in all my life, a film with such a well thought-out filming strategy that utilized editing to create a puzzle of a movie. You watch it once, it's a fun comedy with lovable characters. Second viewing, you may notice the things in the background. Further viewings, you wonder just how hard did the film crew think to plan such an elaborate film? During the beginning baseball scene, you probably won't notice the background action. Second viewing, you probably will see some of it. Further viewing, you will realize how precise the filming was. Then it makes you wonder, how long did it take to actually set this all up? It's just amazing, because you don't find this level of background action in any other film in history, in any country, period. I'd be shocked if someone could point out, 'Oh, I have seen this technique in THIS movie.' I think this film, STMB, is singularly unique in its multi-layered storytelling, only appreciated in multiple viewings, that reveals the genius behind the scenes.

Sadly, this is probably the only film by this director that has this quality. I've watched many of his other films. It's nothing like this. Probably a fluke. But this is my all-time favorite film. Who cares if he never makes anything else like this? STMB is perfect.

For a casual mainstream viewer, this film is a fun comedy that's a little confusing, but in the end, they'll say it was funny. For the thinking person, this could come off as a silly sci-fi romp and nothing more. But for the real cinema buffs, this is a FEAST.

Filming and editing is top-notch. Multiple viewings will be rewarded. Pay attention to the background in the early scenes. Actors are young, but seasoned comedians, and it shows. You cannot help but love the characters. That's not a fluke. The actors have a lot of background before this film.

In the end, it's about a group of kids just wanting to keep cool in the summer. But the journey to get there is the best ride I have EVER seen on film. This trumps any of the old films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane and so on. It's up in the highest echelons of filmmaking. Why it's not in everyone's top 2 or 3 films of all time, is a mystery to me. This is my number one. Number two for me is Casablanca.

At any rate, it is worth your hard-earned money to get this movie. Even if it's not your favorite, I promise you won't regret buying it.

Highly recommended!

As David St. Hubbins says in SPINAL TAP: "There's a fine line between stupid and clever." This movie treads that line shamelessly.

As far as time machine movies go, there's no such thing as a realistic plot. This film realizes that and takes us in the opposite direction--to the realm of utter stupidity. Oddly enough, this technique works like a charm. There's nothing about global domination, interstellar warfare or deadly viruses; these kids just use a time machine to try to fix their air conditioner. HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE IT???

I interpret it as a good-natured slap in the face of all the pseudo-intellectual scifi films about the infamous "time space continuum" and the catastrophic (but always predictable) effects of meddling in the past. This movie makes no apologies. It dives boldly into the idiotic. And yet, it somehow comes out being more intellectual and airtight than all the rest.

Now a word about technique. Fantastic. Even though this was mostly a campy romp, I was blown away by the unique & creative camera style. How exactly does one depict two concurrent timelines? Answer: split screen! I loved it. And it was amazing how, through the subtle use of sound effects, camera angles and fades-to-black, the director set up a feeling of suspense & tension long before the action kicked in. I was glued to the screen from the first 5 minutes.

And who could overlook that adorable dog? Definitely this is a fun movie to watch. As I'm learning, modern Japanese comedy is the only way to go. Also check out the movies SWING GIRLS, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, CUTIE HONEY and my personal fave, UNIVERSITY OF LAUGHS if you want a taste of solid, artistic comedy from the land of the rising sun. I'm rating this an 8/10 which is very, very high on my scale. Enjoy!

***UPDATE THE NEXT DAY*** I just watched this movie again, and I've officially upped my rating to a 9/10. Folks, if you like philosophy & logic, you've got to see this movie TWICE. I haven't thought this deeply about a story since I read my last Tolstoy novel. Truly a philosophical masterpiece disgused as a goofy comedy!