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.

Was it engaging and interesting? A little bit.

Did it feel like I wasted my time? A little bit.

But I think that could be because I waited and waited for any type of "horror" element to kick in, but this is literally just a drama. Like a true crime drama mockumentary. The "horror" genre tag is severely misplaced.

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.

What is important I want to say 3 times. It is hard to find a famous movie or show that does not have a bit of family element. Everything related to family, daily activities, sadness, the repression and release of emotions when family members open up and share with each other... all of those things are related to everyone's life. I actually watched half of this movie without knowing it was a mockumentary. The life of a Japanese family and the problems within it are presented very realistically and quite interesting. Although there are some scenes that are quite weird and a bit unconvincing, even a bit trashy, even the "Twinkle twinkle" that appears out of nowhere for no reason and the horror elements that are introduced are quite amateurish and useless; the family related elements are well-built and culminate in the scene between Sumio and Rie at the end. I will remember this scene, one of my favorites. The injured scenes involving Ryuta and Tsukasa are quite ridiculous and random, including the thing that journalist Veronica Addison staying at the Ura family's house for months and sometimes secretly filming their life without any explanation, all of which are what makes the movie less convincing. But after all, the camping scene at the end really brings a beautiful message about family, and like I said, when the story completes the family element successfully, the story is worth watching and memorable.