Matt Cooper Films

Our 30 Minute Sessions (2020) by Kentaro Hagiwara

A recently deceased young man is given a second chance to make things right with the band and girlfriend he left behind. In a montage sequence we see Aki (Arata) meeting his girlfriend Kana (Sayu Kubota) on the way to a music festival; he starts a band with his friends and Kana; they have their fallings out; and Aki is later killed in a car accident. Later, Sota (Takumi Kitamura) a socially awkward job-hunting graduate finds a tape player Aki had dropped. When he hits play, Aki’s spirit is magically transferred to his body, while Sota is left to watch himself in an outer-body experience. The two soon discover that the tape player offers Aki the chance to live again for 30-minutes at a time inside Sota’s body. When he is not inhabiting him, Aki appears as a ghost who only Sota can see or hear. Sato realises the outgoing and jovial Aki can help him with his as-yet unsuccessful job interviews; while Aki wants the chance to get his band back together and make Kana happy again.

“Our 30 Minute Sessions”, directed by Kentaro Hagiwara from a script by Satomi Oshima, treads some familiar ground for the young adult romantic comedy drama. The premise of a ghost returning in an attempt to reunite with his lost love is given a fresh take with the use of the tape player and its various limitations. Singer Arata is great as the exuberant and eternally hopeful Aki, giving off an energy that makes us root for him, meanwhile Takumi Kitamura’s Sato is the perfect foil, a young man struggling to come out of his shell and discover his potential. Sayu Kubota as Kana is charming and the band all have good chemistry in their interactions.

Music plays a central part in the film and much of the cinematography is reminiscent of music videos; stylish shots and metaphor heavy montages. At one point it even tips into a musical number that does not seem out of place with the rest of the film. Montages are used in the film not as a shortcut but in a genuinely impactful way as they emphasise the themes of time passing and the partial and imperfect form of memories. The film wastes no time either in this approach, with the opening sequence in particular being a perfect example of efficient storytelling without long establishing or expository scenes. The story has few unexpected twists as once the premise is established there are certain beats that are bound to be hit; but with excellent performances and clever interweaving of narrative and theme it is impactful when it wants to be. As with any film involving magical elements, many things are left unexplained, however the film is well-paced and heartfelt enough that the plotholes and narrative trickery rarely detract from the story.

“Our 30 Minute Sessions” deals with the theme of death by instead focussing on the memories that the deceased leave behind. Aki explains to Sota that the tape recorder he uses to record song ideas has been taped over numerous times, largely erasing what has gone before. This is something that Sota, who is overly concerned about every detail of his life and how he is perceived, finds hard to comprehend. Aki’s philosophy is that life is for living; there is no point dwelling on past memories, but instead we need to be constantly moving forward and creating new ones. This is not to say that he should be forgotten, but rather that the best way to honour him is to continue moving forward with that same positivity and lust for life. When Sota first meets them, Aki’s bandmates and Kana have largely shut away their memories of Aki. They do not wish to continue with the band, or play the old songs. Sota’s appearance, quite literally embodying Aki’s spirit, gives them licence to begin enjoying life again, and truly respecting his wishes to be happy. An entertaining drama that breathes new life into a familiar format, with great music and a superb cast.

Matt Cooper Anime, Films

HELLO WORLD (2019) by Tomohiko Ito

Naomi Katagaki (Takumi Kitamura) is a shy, bookish high-schooler who is assigned to the school’s library team, alongside other students including Ruri Ichigyo (Minami Hamabe). Ruri is also quiet and it seems that the two would make a good couple if either was confident enough to make the first move. The Kyoto of 2027, when the film is set, is part of a large scale project by the government to record the city for a vast historical record. Naomi is forced into action when he meets a future version of himself who explains to him that Naomi’s reality is in fact a version of Kyoto stored in a computer system known as Alltale. This future Naomi (Tori Matsuzaka), explains that it is imperative that he establishes a romantic relationship with Ruri and protects her from a tragedy that is to occur in the near future. With his future self’s help, Naomi sets about doing this, also being given a powerful tool to manipulate the simulated world around him; but things to not go smoothly when the system begins to reject the changes that they are causing to the historical record.

Based on a screenplay by Mado Nozaki and directed by Tomohiko Ito, “HELLO WORLD” switches up the highschool romance formula with elements of time-travel and science-fiction. Naomi is a familiarly sympathetic awkward teen, who struggles to confess his feelings to Ruri, who later transforms into something more akin to a superhero along with world-changing powers. It is an interesting dynamic, drawing together the two genres of high-school romance and superhero action. The film pulls several narrative twists throughout that keep things interesting and break with tradition, reveals about the true nature of the world and character motivations.

Heavily utilising computer-aided design and animation techniques, these stylistic choices pay off later in the film with truly incredible moments when Naomi’s reality begins to break apart around him. The use of computer animation also allows for a striking contrast between rainbow coloured elements and hyper-realistic backgrounds that gives the film a unique feel and helps further the sense of a world that is at once tactile and believable yet prone to collapsing into a the maelstrom of a corrupted computer system. The visualisation of computer program elements, a mix of authoritarian police officers and folkloric animal spirits further demonstrates the film’s creative blending of genres and styles. It is a testament to the strength of the protagonists that with such a chaotic backdrop of collapsing realities, not to mention the very nature of their own existence, that the central relationship between Naomi and Ruri manages to hold our attention and inspire sympathy for their situation.

“HELLO WORLD” is a curious film as it juggles several plots at the same time. Naomi’s relationship with Ruri, his attempt to become the hero of his own story, win the beautiful maiden and save her and the world from its impending doom, is a familiar journey for young male protagonists. Through his spiritual and emotional guide, the older version of himself, he learns to be confident and finally manages to transcend even his ‘all-knowing’ mentor to become able to direct his own destiny. The other theme the film tackles is the nature of reality and questions around fate, free will and the purpose of our personal struggles. Naomi takes the knowledge that he is part of a computer program surprisingly calmly, considering he is being told that he is not living in the real world, only a simulation. Everything around him is essentially pre-recorded and therefore predestined. This new understanding of the world around him gives him great power, allowing him to manipulate the events and people around them as his future self directs him to. It also challenges the audience to consider if it would be possible to alter this ‘reality’, something the computer program attempts to counter as it would jeopardize the stability of the system. More interestingly than these free will versus determinism questions, is the focus on Naomi’s own psychology. He continues to fight for Ruri, whom at first he is even reticent to talk to, despite learning that in fact this world he is in is not the true reality. It is an interesting dilemma and highlights the idea that humans can only interact with the world subjectively. To Naomi, his experience is all that matters; there is no point fighting for anything other than his own desires, even those of his future self. “HELLO WORLD” is a film that weaves a psychological science-fiction narrative through a romantic high-school melodrama, creating a story that toys with your mind as much as your emotions.

Matt Cooper Films

Tremble all you Want (2017) by Akiko Oku

Yoshika (Mayu Matsuoka) works in the accounts department of a large office. She daydreams about a boy she went to high-school with, nicknamed “Ichi” (Takumi Kitamura). Despite having shared few words with him, she believes that he is her perfect man. When one of her colleagues, Kirishima (Daichi Watanabe), whom she nicknames “Two”, makes advances on her she is completely uninterested, instead formulating a plan to engineer a meeting with “Ichi” at a class reunion. However, Kirishima is undeterred, and with the help of Yoshika’s co-worker Tsukishima (Anna Ishibashi) hopes to win her round. Yoshika’s unusual behaviour and lack of confidence may make both of these men unlikely prospects.

“Tremble All You Want” is a light-hearted comedy romance with an excellent central performance from Mayu Matsuoka. Yoshika’s idiosyncrasies, including a love of fossils and extinct animals, make her fun to watch and Matsuoka is supremely likeable in the role. Later in the film she also excels in more emotional scenes as her insecurities come to the fore. The film’s comedic moments largely revolve around Yoshika’s bizarre behaviour, around both Kirishima and Ichi in particular. Also, her ocarina-playing neighbour and the various individuals in her neighbourhood add an off-beat humour to the central romantic plot. At times the tone is a little uneven, moving rapidly from slapstick comedy to more emotional moments without much time for transition. Yoshika’s behaviour is also inexplicable at times, making it difficult to suspend disbelief at her actions. However, where the film does succeed is in its portrayal of loneliness and a woman who is caught between her wants and her needs. The love triangle theme may not be new to the genre, but the film paints a heart-breaking picture of unrequited affection. Writer and director Akiko Oku has crafted the film to hit all the right emotional notes and the film has a cosy familiarity. The charming score and use of music, both for comedic and dramatic purposes, also creates a comfortable atmosphere.

If you are a fan of romantic comedies then this film absolutely delivers. A charismatic lead actress and great supporting cast make the film an enjoyable watch. The film deals with the familiar theme of being torn between the one you think you should be with, and the one who is more suitable for you. There are also interesting sub-themes about Yoshika’s social anxieties, and lack of confidence and experience leading to problems in her forming relationships. This is an aspect that was handled well, again helped by Mayu Matsuoka’s pitch perfect performance. Worth a watch if you are looking for a light-hearted romantic comedy.

Matt Cooper Films

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2017)

As a high-school teacher (Shun Oguri) is sorting the books in the library by Dewey numbers with a group of students, he is reminded of his former classmate, Sakura Yamauchi (Minami Hamabe), with whom he had a close relationship at school. The film then turns to this story with the younger boy, a retiring, lonely figure, meeting the popular, chirpy Sakura. While at hospital he finds her diary and learns that she has pancreatic cancer, with perhaps only a year to live. With her secret exposed, Sakura becomes friends with him as he is the only person with whom she can share her inner turmoil. The two of them spend time together on what might be described as a series of dates, although their relationship does not move beyond a fond friendship. Unlike other films of its kind, in which a terminal illness provides a tragic basis for a romantic relationship, this is not a saccharine story of young sweethearts. Sakura’s reasons for confiding in him are as much selfish as driven by romantic interest, with the main reason being an unwillingness to distress her best friend Kyoko.

The film utilises flashbacks to tell its story and without a doubt the scenes with the younger actors are the strongest parts. The framing device of the older characters does resolve itself into an emotional climax at the end of the film, but for the most part is a distraction from the genuinely enjoyable interaction between the young boy and Sakura. Minami Hamabe is incredible as Sakura: bright, charismatic, but harbouring deep fears and sorrow which occasionally surface. Takumi Kitamura provides a good foil, being the polar opposite in many ways, he is initially awkward, his stoic acceptance of life and Sakura’s fate complimenting her outgoing, fun-loving persona. Later in the film he also has scenes of deep sadness that are more impactful following his quiet, subtle performance earlier. Another enjoyable performance is that of Yuma Yamoto, the gum chewing classmate, who appears regularly as comic relief, with one major recurring joke. Sho Tsukikawa’s direction is beautiful with some interesting transitions between the past and present. For the most part the direction and music are what might be expected from a high-school romance. The story is adapted from a novel by Yoru Sumino, with a screenplay by Yoshida Tomoko. The dialogue is well-written and the moving back and forth through time gives the film a good sense of rhythm as you wait to see where both stories are leading.

A heartbreaking story with a poignant message about treating each day as if it were your last. This is a common theme and there are a few films of this type, but by keeping things unsentimental for the most part makes the final dramatic scenes here more impactful. Sakura is not under any illusions about her fate and both the young character’s acceptance of this tragic fact is a great example of enjoying life despite adversity.