jmroc

I watched this when it was released as one of the entries in the 6th Indie's Movie Festival in Tokyo and I was completely blown away. I will be sorely disappointed if Masayuki Tatsumi's work doesn't win some kind of award, and even more disappointed if this is the last film he directs.

Normally, I can't stand films that make street punks and gang members their protagonists. It's almost impossible for me to empathize with them unless the script pits them against even more unlikable characters. Yume no Kichi started off the same way, but by the last scene, I really cared about them. Both lead actors deserve special mention, as do the supporting cast members.

The script is very well written, with believable character development and a plot that is plausible, interesting and well thought out.

In all respects, this film stands head and shoulders above the standard fare of the Festival, and I look forward to seeing the future efforts of everyone involved.

This film (entered in the 6th Indie's Movie Festival in Tokyo) is about a bookish high-school girl who loses herself so completely in her historical novels that she no longer discerns between reality and fantasy. Tahira's use of 8mm film adds to this by creating a feeling of haziness to the picture that blurs the distinctions for the viewer as well. The script is tight and smooth, and the actors, either high school students or very young-looking college students, all turn in solid performances. This one rates high among this year's entries in the Festival.

This film (an entry in the 6th Indie's Movie Festival in Tokyo) was made by a novice director (Kazumasa Hamaguchi), and it shows. The members of the cast seem earnest, but their delivery often feels very forced. The script also has weak points, with plot twists coming completely out of left field. I encourage Hamaguchi to not give up, but also to spend more time planning out his next picture.