Banned from Broadcast: Saiko! The Large Family

This wonderfully compelling S. O. V 'mockumentary' has fictitious Canadian filmmaker Veronica Addison shooting an in-depth overview of the large, outwardly charming, yet increasingly troubled Ura family. Almost immediately, many blackened secrets are uncomfortably revealed, with, perhaps, one remaining tantalizing buried to the bitter end. Banned From Broadcast: Saiko! The Large family is another wickedly engrossing, beautifully staged, and superbly acted shock-singed exercise in Asian FF creepiness. I'm not exactly sure why, but many Japanese genre filmmakers seem to have an innate talent for creating immersive, wholly believable, supernaturally inclined suburban vistas. The gripping narrative has a subtle, consistently unsettling undertow which I strongly responded to. This rewardingly emotional piece feels eerily authentic, the fractured family, the love that can catastrophically turn to hate, plus the constantly seething discords are all too disturbingly recreated in Toshikazu Nagae's darkly engrossing FF chiller.

An enjoyable mockumentary with a compelling sub-plot mystery. Pay attention to the backgrounds, especially for things that seem a bit out of place or off. You'll be able to piece together to story well while watching this movie alone. However, if you want a fuller picture, this title is the English-speaking host version of the original Japanese-speaking host version- but do not be fooled! Despite identical titles, the Japanese-speaking mockumentary covers the plot that takes place chronologically before this movie. It's even hinted at by the family stating there was a documentary that featured them before while discussing the death photograph. (The original Japanese version was part of a larger series of "Banned From Broadcast" stories which do not all center around this family's plot.) It was a really relaxing but compelling viewing that I recommend.