mumblerah

This documentary follows one up-and-coming performer's career as she starts to gain momentum in Tokyo. It focuses on her hardcore fanbase, and how the performer/biggest fans act and react around each other, and their motivations for doing what they do. As someone who views the culture with some distain it did a good job of presenting the fans fairly without holding them up in a cage on display. Some of them do seem to have genuinely innocent intentions and enjoy their lifestyles with this obsession in their lives. The documentary does touch on both the mainstream idols as well as the indie and even preteen idols - an area well known for controversy as to the morality behind it. However, it does not dwell deep into this as the people this documentary focuses on are all technically adults. One area I thought should have been covered was the people who actually make the majority of the profits from idols (i.e. the managers and record labels). Japan has not quite caught up yet (yes a massive generalisation) with gender balance and rights, which the film does touch on. In fact, many of the subjects of the film are aware of the outside view on the culture, and the cultural progression that this subculture seems to be working against. I'd recommend this documentary to anyone mildly curious about the mindset behind an idol's followers, or someone unaware of the idol/otaku subcultures.

Sarkies does a brilliant job setting up the feel and mood of a small New Zealand seaside town in a slice of life style, giving us a brief but sufficient set up into the lives of those involved prior to the massacre. Then, as the title suggests, out of the blue comes the dark and unexpected. Sarkies doesn't shy away from the violence and terror, nor does he glorify it. His method of storytelling via following the first affected family, to the first initial killings with Gray then onto the first (and only) officer on the scene is extremely effective in showing how tense and unpredictable David was, and how the town had a night of horrific terror. The acting is superb, the music effective, and the location beautiful (as it was shot at a neighbouring location to the actual town involved). Stand out performances by the two leading actors, although the rest of the cast (relatively unknown) perform exceptionally too.

A classic. Wonderful performances from the small cast. Technically stunning too, was amazed to hear no greenscreens were used. Beautiful location and animation that didn't look bad. The story was excellent; there was always tension lurking so it had me guessing what was going on, which the film then suggested and dismissed. Some interesting philosophical ideas were brought up. The climax had me initially upset, but upon reflection I realized that that was the whole point of the movie, and I had been played like certain characters. The music was not dominate and supported the movie in the right way, playing with tension and creating moods to compliment or contrast what was happening visually.