Matt Cooper Films

Gozu (2003) by Takashi Miike

After being tasked with taking his senior to be executed, a young Yakuza (Hideki Sone) encounters a series of bizarre and troubling incidents in this unconventional crime tale. “Gozu” begins with the Yakuza Ozaki (Show Aikawa) telling his boss that everything that he’s about to say is a joke, and not to take it too seriously. This could be a nod to the audience that we are in for a wild ride, even by the standards of director Takashi Miike’s extensive catalogue of weird and wonderful films. Not long after Ozaki says this he spots a small dog outside; convinced it is a ‘Yakuza dog’, specially trained to kill gangsters, he heads outside to dash the dog against the ground, swinging it around his head on its lead before flinging it into the window. This sets the tone for the film’s blend of dark comedy, graphic violence, and seemingly non-sequitur storytelling. After Ozaki dies unexpectedly in an accident, his junior, Minami (Sone), stops by a cafe; but when he returns to the car, Ozaki is gone. Things get stranger when Minami checks in at a nearby ryokan, with a lactating landlady, a cow-headed figure in Y-fronts, rituals to summon spirits, odd patrons of the local cafe, and the mystery of how a dead man got up and walked away.

Written by Sakichi Sato and directed by Takashi Miike, “Gozu” provides an entertaining story from beginning to end, with provocative imagery veering from sinister to hilarious. The film constantly undercuts the tension wtih moments of farce, or drives things to the extreme in a way that leaves you searching for some symbolism. Hideki Sone does a great job as the confused Minami, his anxiety about what he has to do and his loyalty to his senior writ large in his performance. Likewise, the unhinged thug Ozaki is played brilliantly by Show Aikawa. The cast of peculiar characters they meet along the road, including Shohei Hino’s Nose, a man with a peculiar skin condition, and Keiko Tomita and Harumi Sone, the odd couple who run the local inn, all help to bring the film’s mysterious journey to life. Koji Endo’s score of grinding strings furthers the unsettling atmosphere, emphasising Minami’s descent into a world both inexplicable and inescapable.

“Gozu” is a film that lends itself to interpretation, but it is hard to pin down just one. At its heart it centres on the anxiety of Minami, perhaps grappling with his conscience knowing that is driving his senior to his death. Ozaki is knocked out when Minami brakes hard as the road comes to an abrupt end at a river. This could be the first of several references to the afterlife, although they do not cross the river. Whether Ozaki is in hell, purgatory, or some nighmare world, the mystery deepens as he falls for a woman claiming to be Ozaki, played by Kimika Yoshino. Again, it is possible to see this as Ozaki’s spirit, now in its pure form, and the final moments of the film again twist ideas of identity and self to a grotesque yet compelling conclusion. The film seems to poke fun at the Yakuza as an institution, particularly in the character of their boss (Renji Ishibashi), who has a peculiar ritual required before love-making. Whether a parody of the typical crime film; a dark dive into the psyche of gangsters; or a film about closeted homosexuality, “Gozu” is a film that provides plenty of food for thought.

Matt Cooper Anime, Films

The Case of Hana and Alice (2015) by Shunji Iwai

Transfer student Tetsuko “Alice” Arisugawa (Yu Aoi) finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving a missing classmate at her new school in this lighthearted comedy-drama. Shortly after arriving at her new school, Alice discovers that the student who used to have her desk, known as “Judas”, disappeared, some believing he was murdered. Alice later discovers that “Judas” (Ryo Katsuji), real name Kotaro Yuda, had four ‘wives’ and some believe that his seat is cursed. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery, Alice takes fellow student Mutsu Mutumi’s (Ranran Suzuki) advice and seeks help from her shut-in neighbour, Hana (Anne Suzuki). Hana concocts a plan to find out once and for all what really happened to Kotaro, and make amends for her own part in his disappearance.

“The Case of Hana and Alice”, is a prequel of sorts to writer-director Shunji Iwai’s previous live-action film “Hana and Alice” (2004), which reunites the leads Yu Aoi and Anne Suzuki from that film to voice the same characters here. The relationship between the two friends is humorous and heart-warming, although it arrives later in the film that you might expect. Once they are together, their scheming to find out what happened to Kotaro provides both the chance to show their comedic cadences. The rotoscoped animation style creates fluid, realistic action, with some standout scenes of Alice running, or the two girl’s playfully teasing one another. The soft colours and gentle piano score make for a a relaxing time, with the art direction beautifully capturing late afternoon sunsets and the familiar sights of train tracks, school grounds, residential streets, and apartment blocks. The central mystery is intriguing, but you sense early on that it far from the point of the film. Instead it is more of a device for bringing these characters together and exploring their relationships and inner lives.

Teenage romance; classroom rumours; adapting to a strange new town and school; and making friends: the film provides a simple, yet stylish, exploration of these relatable moments in development. With minimal threat and light-hearted comedy routed in character, the film is an enjoyable watch, made more so by the outstanding voice performances of the two leads.

Matt Cooper Films

Thermae Romae (2012) by Hideki Takeuchi

In ancient Rome, architect Lucius (Hiroshi Abe) is struggling to come up with new ideas for the design of bathhouses. While bathing he is mysteriously transported to a modern Japanese bathhouse and on his return is able to implement the various discoveries he made, believing them to be the work of a bizarre, as-yet-undiscovered ‘flat-faced’ tribe. Through repeated trips through time Lucius becomes a celebrated bathhouse designer, gaining the attention of the Emperor Hadrian (Masachika Ichimura) who tasks him with making an Imperial baths to rival anything seen before. Lucius’s journeys to the future coincide with the presence of manga artist Mami (Aya Ueto), who begins studying ancient Roman history and Latin in order to understand the peculiar visitor.

Based on a manga by Mari Yamazaki and directed by Hideki Takeuchi, “Thermae Romae” is a fantastical comedy, celebrating the Japanese love of onsen and bathhouse culture. The first half of the film moves at a brisk pace, with fish-out-of-water humour as Lucius attempts to understand where he is and why the strange people he meets have so many novel inventions in their baths. These early scenes are the most enjoyable, with great comedic acting from Abe and Ueto. There is a thin plot in the second half, involving the succession to the Roman Imperial Throne, and Lucius and Mami’s relationship. The film does slow down, but still has plenty of jokes, largely involving the old group of men who frequent Mami’s mother’s rural bathhouse. The Ancient Rome sets are impressive, giving a sense of scale and grandeur, and providing an amusing comparison to the more quotidian Japanese scenes. The film’s score features classical music and opera, again adding to the sense of a historical epic juxtaposed with contemporary farce.

An ode to relaxation, “Thermae Romae” is an enjoyable drama with a fun cast who do a great job with the material, capturing the surprise and disbelief at their situations. The film’s focus on bathing creates a calming atmosphere and despite the occasional drama the film remains enjoyably inoffensive. There is relatively little in terms of character development, but the film does attempt to deliver a message around the power of humanity for creativity and invention, and the importance of co-operation. An enterataining story with broad appeal.

Matt Cooper Films

Getting Wild with our Monkey (2001) by Hideaki Sunaga

Struggling writer Sashi (Masatoshi Nagase) is contacted by famed film producer Fujiyama (Hosei Komatsu), who offers him a large sum of money to write a screenplay for his upcoming film. Overjoyed at his sudden reversal of fortune, Sashi sets off to scout the locations Fujiyama wants him to see for the film. However, things take a bizarre turn as Sashi runs into a sequence of unusual characters and unexpected situations.

Directed by Hideaki Sunaga, from a screenplay by Norio Kida and Naoki Kubo, “Getting Wild with our Monkey” sees its protagonist on a peculiar odyssey as he attempts to follow through on his promise to his benefactor. The plot is engaging in as much as you never know where his journey is going to lead Sashi next; finding himself repeatedly at the mercy of others. The comedy is often subtle, revolving around the situations Sashi finds himself in and his bemusement at his fate. Unfortunately, many of these scenarios fail to develop into something truly hilarious, instead remaining as amusing diversions. It is clear early on that things are not going to go as planned for Sashi and we follow him through his various travails until the idea that he will ever complete the screenplay he was hired for disappears entirely. One of the most entertaining sections is his brief stay with Tajima (Minoru Torihada), whose unhinged performance captures both the comedy and danger of Sashi’s predicament.

As inexplicable as many of the situations are in the film, there nevertheless appears to be a thematic depth that centres on religious beliefs about life and the human experience. There is reference to a giant Buddha, that is cast in black and white, symbolising the light and dark of human experience; there is also the final moments of the film in which Sashi repeats the names of Hindu deities Shiva and Kali, the latter being the god of time and death. Sashi’s journey, guided along by the promise of worldly riches takes him through danger and dissatisfaction, until he emerges at the end, working in a café, still awaiting the arrival of the man who promised him a release from his struggles. In this way the film can be seen as a metaphor for human endeavour, chasing the wrong goals of wealth and success, while failing to appreciate the richness of life itself. “Getting Wild with our Monkey” is a fun diversion to life that in its peculiarity raises questions about what we are truly living for.

Matt Cooper Films

Revenge Girl (2017) by Koichiro Miki

A self-absorbed University graduate runs for political office in this saccharine romantic drama. After winning a University pageant, Miki Takaraishi’s (Mirei Kiritani) ungracious acceptance speech marks her out as an arrogant airhead, concerned solely with her looks and her own popularity. When she bumps into the handsome Hiromasa (Sho Kiyohara) she is for the first time vulnerable, falling instantly in love. This is short lived however when she discovers that Hiromasa, heir to a political dynasty, is a womanizer carrying on countless affairs, paying off many of his lovers when they become pregnant or tiresome. Miki decides to take revenge by running for office herself against Hiromasa, who appears to be a shoe-in for the local parliamentary seat. With the help of campaign manager Kisuragi (Yuki Saito) and political secretary Toshiya Kadowaki (Suzuki Nobuyuki), Miki starts to learn that earning the love of the people is not as easy as it seems.

Based on a novel by Erikia Yoshida and directed by Koichiro Miki, “Revenge Girl” is a predictable romantic drama as our protagonist falls in love, out of love, and eventually discovers true love with the only other man she comes into contact with throughout the film. The film’s comedy is largely based around the social niceties of Japanese society and the political system. We get to see what goes into a political campaign: the public speeches; backroom deals; and attempts to bring down your opponents with scandals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the film rarely takes major chances in castigating politicians or the crooked electoral system, instead focussing more on the relationships between Miki, Toshiya, and Mariko Nakategawa (Fumika Baba), a runner-up in one of the University pageants who has gone on to success as a weather girl. The performances are theatrical, working hard to make something of the often lacklustre material in the script. The characters act in furtherance of the plot, with Miki’s personality entirely shifting without much prompting or explanation, becoming a selfless spokesperson for the people. We see her interactions with her younger sister Misaki (Aisa Takeuchi), which would have been a good place to include some background on why Miki behaves the way she does (or why Misaki doesn’t appear to have inherited the same narcissism). It is clear early on the direction the film will take and there are no surprises in how things conclude. The film would have benefitted from a little more bite, and certainly had the opportunity given the subject matter.

“Revenge Girl” gives us a look at the political campaign system in Japan and some of the wackiness that goes along with a democractic system. In one enjoyable montage we see Miki attempting to become the candidate for a variety of different parties (each with a peculiar single-issue platform). It is an indication of how broken the system is that someone with no knowledge of politics and little interest in the parties’ prospectus could even contemplate running as their candidate, but again the film brushes over this. Perhaps to avoid confrontation with Japan’s current governing party, the film shies away from making overt political points, with the party Miki eventually stands for being a bland shell that we learn nothing about. Overall, fans of romantic dramas may find something to enjoy here, with a straightforward plot, cute leads, and bright, colourful tone; but it’s hard not to feel that “Revenge Girl” wastes its potential.