Aiden & Titi

It s a cliché rock and roll movie but with a Japanese tweak. The producers or the screenplay writers of these movies always take rock and roll the same way: hard rock or glam rock in one side and ballad rock/pop on the other side. Seem that they do not know nothing about other rock sub genres. -The film moving around the life of a rock band that is part of a "band craze" movement; they trying to fit in to make a living from rock music but keeping the "soul", the "real spirit of rock". -The main character one day start to see kind of a ghost; like an imaginary friend that looks like B. Dylan (due to his girl few years back bought a remarkable Dylan's lp as a gift that made a path deep in his mind) that in reality is a way to show his conscience. -Is very funny when the hit of the band is a rock song but the main character refers to it like a "pop" song; then he plays a ballad rock and says that it s a real rock song, not a pop song like the other one... You have the manager; the producer; the soul guitar player; the girl; the looser; the side kicks; the fans; the mini tour; the layback TV appearance; the father that do not see rock as a good thing (in reality loves his boy but never shows that love); the moral of the story; but again, with a Japanese twist. Only for that is what I put 5 points in this movie if not is a 4 or a movie for a teenager.

The English translations are not good and put words on the actors that in reality are not there or even in Japanese language! so it change a bit civilized expressions and polite ways that Japanese use in daily basis converting a normal phrase in a mean one.

Directional debut by the legendary Tomorowo "Tetsuo" Taguchi, once member of punk/rock band " Bachikaburi", is a great tale about, as the title suggests, keeping your identity in a world where money and fame rules undisputed. Taguchi chose wisely to put a real rock player as Mineta Kazunobu (former member of "Going Steady") in leading role. The starring cast is overall pretty good though and their performance on stage (of which there is many additional footage on the extras of Japanese DVD) is great and engaging. This is a movie intended to be a real hymn to the essence of rock, metal or whatever, nonconformist music/thinking/speaking.

Metalheads, rebels: this movie is for you.