Kit-18

This was an enjoyable film on several levels. First, imagine one of the countless National Lampoon Vacation movies, but set in Japan and played less broadly and more realistically. Anyone who's shared the myriad experiences of a road trip with the family will laugh and cringe (probably at the same time)at the family's misfortunes (a traffic accident with a truckload of pigs, sleeping in the car due to a lack of a hotel, running out of gas, money and patience all at the worst possible time). However, for all the misfortunes the family endures during the trip to Hagiwara san's home in Shikoku, the key to this movie's success for me was the relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, and father and returning son. Very funny movie but also touching too. Highly recommended.

Humorous satire of Japanese yakuza flicks in which Hiroko Yakushimaru plays the daughter of a yakuza oyabun (boss) who dies and leaves the clan to her. Unfortunately, the clan is not exactly top flight, as they drive around in old, backfiring cars, one member is, well, a little effeminate, and veteran actor Ken Takakura (Black Rain, Mr. Baseball are his two most recent American flicks) tries his best to keep Hiroko out of trouble. The scene with Hiroko when she sprays a room with machine gun fire and then exclaims "Kaikan"!! (roughly translated as "exciting" but perhaps in a physical sense) became somewhat famous in Japan at the time with people using the phrase in the same tone of voice as Hiroko. A funny and entertaining movie that I would definitely recommend to anyone who can understand Japanese (alas, there is no subtitled version).

Toire no Hanako san is a very scary and effective adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name. Unfortunately, unless the viewer can understand Japanese, it may be a bit difficult to follow as a subtitled version does not apparently exist. Although many horror/suspense cliches are trotted out: the ouija board (although the Japanese version, kokkuri), whispered voices, an animated doll, and a group of kids that look like they stepped right out of a Japanese version of 90210 and always go into that darkened room when they shouldn't, the movie worked for me. I thought it was an original touch how the opening narration explaining the events was played over candid shots of the young students with black strips superimposed over their eyes so as to "protect" their identities from being linked to the events that transpire. The quick glimpses of "Hanako san" (we never really see the wholly reanimated version)build tension throughout the film a la the original Alien, and the climactic scenes in the crematorium were very unsettling. It's possible this film might one day come to the attention of someone in the US film industry and be re-tooled and adapted for a US audience. However, I hope this does not happen, as so much of the cultural context and plotlines are closely linked to elements of the Japanese educational system. I think the film would best be served in a subtitled release, and I believe it would find an audience. I enjoyed this film as did my 11 year old daughter and my wife, but would not recommend for younger than 12 years old or so.