06/26/2018

NYAFF 2018: “Liverleaf” & “Premika”

by Matthew Hawkins

OMG, it’s time for the 17th New York Asian Film Festival! Cue the trailer…

That also means it’s time to populate this blog with reviews from the fest! Starting off with two that centers upon young women with one single thing in common: revenge. And that’s where the similarities end…

Liverleaf

When it comes to movies about high school kids maiming & murdering each other, no ones does it quite like the Japanese. And Liverleaf represents a new benchmark, worthy enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Battle Royale and World of Kanako (I actually believe Liverleaf is in some ways superior to both). Based on a cult hit manga, the story is simple enough: Nozaki’s the new girl from the big city, stuck in small town. Nozaki’s also the target of bullying by the popular kids in her class, all followers of Taeko.

The reason given for the aforementioned harassment is the third part of the love triangle; Nozaki (supposedly) stole Aiba… who’s quite the dreamy dude… away from Taeko, which the aforementioned devotees find absolutely outrageous. Despite the fact that their glorious leader doesn’t seem particularly interested in the guy, nor is she seemingly invested in torturing the other gal. At any rate, Nozaki’s parents are made painfully aware of the situation and suggest that their daughter spend the rest of the school year at home. So with no target of their ire in sight, they send a previous victim of theirs, Rumi, to somehow convince Nozaki to come back to class. Upon failing her mission, Rumi fears that she’ll return to being a target again, hence her adopting the “if you can’t beat them, join them” mentality, by suggesting that they kill Nozaki.

In the end, its Nozaki’s mom & dad who end up murdered, via arson; kid sister would have perished as well, but the dreamy Aiba risked his life to save hers. Almost immediately the popular kids start to panic, and for good reason. Cuz when Nozaki’s suspicions are confirmed, she immediately gets to work by seeking revenge. The level of violence on display is over the top, yet the quality of the performances are anything but, with nuanced characterizations that are practically foreign to the genre. The film truly hits its stride when we witness members of the guilty party who were not part of the first wave getting ready for impact. No one’s willing to go down without a fight, in particular the brainchild of the playing with fire idea, Rumi, who at this point has become totally unhinged. Then there’s the final boss, Taeko, who again seems curiously nonchalant about it all. Once more, the acting is sharp, as is the direction; the killer combo takes a premise that’s perhaps not the most original (supposedly the source material is nothing brilliant either) and makes it truly gripping.

I’ve said it before… with each & every New York Asian Film Festival round-up, in fact… so I’m saying it again: movies from Japan are either a massive disappointment or shockingly pleasurable. There’s no in-between. Also, if you expect one thing, you often get the other. Case in point: my very first NYAFF 2018 review appeared over at Attract Mode and… given all that I just said… maybe I shouldn’t have been shocked by the discovery that someone partly responsible for a few of my all time fave video games (Persona 3/4/5) made such a stinker of a flick. Then you have the director of Liverleaf, Naito Eisuke, who also made Let’s Make the Teacher Have a Miscarriage Club, which I did not like one bit. Hence why I’m motivated to finally check out Puzzle and Raichi Hikari kurabu (both of which I’ve heard great things about). Back on topic: Liverleaf is, thus far, the best film I’ve seen of NYAFF 2018 thus far! Check it out for yourself on Sunday July 8, 7:00pm at the Walter Reade Theater.

Premika

Whereas Liverleaf‘s premise is cookie cutter, Premika‘s premise is most definitely not: there’s a ghost, whom the movie is named after, and she haunts… a karaoke machine. And as one might expect, Premika’s dishes out justice, which in this case involves hapless victims being forced to sing songs, chosen at random. If the performance is poor, the singer dies. Believe it or not, underneath this wacky concept is a surprising degree of nuance, even logic. Though surrounding it is a movie that is not quite accessible.

Any horror flick is off to a good start if the killer’s actually original, and if the same could be said about those will be killed, that’s a bonus, right? Well… the karaoke machine resides at a countryside retreat and, after meeting the two cops investigating a young woman’s dismembered corpse who form the narrative spine, we’re then introduced to an exceptionally colorful cast of characters, VIP guests for the hotel. You’ve got two pop divas, plus their manager, as well as an entire boy band, though one that’s a bit dysfunctional. Also, the aforementioned manager of the two women once turned down the chance to rep the two ugly guys in the band, before they hooked up with the two pretty boys (and eventually found success, via association). Don’t forget the reporters plus a couple, two regular folk; naturally the gal is impressed by the famous faces but the guy not so much.

There’s a LOT going on, or so one would expect, though only a few of interesting character dynamics are actually presented and explored, despite the fact that no one dies in the first 30 minutes. It becomes quickly apparent that Premika is the effort of a first-time filmmaker, one with plenty of great ideas, plus an eye for style (visually, the film feels like a curious combination of a K-pop music vid, a J-horror flick, and The Grand Budapest Hotel), but who does not have a firm grasp of the basics, such as the ability to pace things out. True, it often takes a while before blood is finally shed, but with so many personalities types that are capitalized upon, it becomes a real slog. Not helping is the director’s affinity for kooky sound effects to really drive the humor home, which gets old quick. Some might say that the humor is simply geared towards Thai audience, hence why it didn’t get with me… meaning it may not with you either.

I haven’t even touched upon the portrayal of the one gender bending character, which will definitely make some uncomfortable; Asian cinema, especially outside of Japan and Korea, regularly reminds one of how LGBT related matters are viewed quite… differently on the other side of the world. Oh, and there’s a bunch of Thai pop culture references that went completely over my head. Yet, despite it all, is a legitimately intriguing concept once again. Spirits of vengeance will often remind those who are about to be killed of the sins that they’ve hidden deep within their souls… which are often brought to light when singing some emotional ballad in a karaoke booth. Call me crazy, but I find that kinda genius. A genius idea that’s worth the rough edges, hence why I can’t help but recommend Premika as well; it’s playing Friday July 13, 8:15pm at the SVA Theatre.

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01/18/2018

“Oh merciful Lord! What’s wrong with all these cars?” (The Road Movie: review)

by Matthew Hawkins

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As odd as it might seem, please allow me the opportunity to wax philosophical about a movie that is entirely comprised of wacky dash cam footage from Russia (some of which you may have already seen online).

There are few things that is as quintessentially American as the road trip. Exploration is in this country’s DNA, and while heading west is no longer the dangerous affair that it once was, there’s still a sense of mystery, danger, and excitement that comes to travelling, regardless of direction. I love being on the road, like most Americans. I’m also a New Yorker to be exact, which means I’m rarely on the road, so it’s a rare treat. And when I do find myself inside an automobile, it’s never as a driver (again, as a New Yorker, I lack the necessary license) but instead a passenger. A helpless passenger.

It’s either a blessing or a curse to be free of the responsibility of control, to therefore just sit back and simply brace for impact, literally or metaphorically. And that’s what The Road Movie is all about. It’s a highlight reel of every crazy car ride you’ve ever been on… provided if you were Russia. The timing of this film could not be any better; it’s funny how I grew up with the Russians being the bad guys, then they became the good guys, and now according to the news (well, the news that they’re not apparently controlling, at least), they’re back to being the bad guys again. Yet despite all the time that has passed, that country and its denizens are a total mystery.

You learn a lot being on the road. About the land, and its people, from the comfort of speeding vehicle. Or one that’s just sitting there. You also learn about the person behind the wheel, primarily their reaction to what you’re seeing. Sometimes it’s the total opposite. Sometimes it’s similar… yet still very much foreign. There are two things I learned while being in countless Russian seats, during the hour & half or so run time: 1. Russian cars are seemingly very light. They have a tendency to roll very easily. And 2. if one ever decides to visit and explore the country, by renting a car and driving around, under no condition should one overtake and pass another driver. Because there’s a very good chance you’ll piss someone off. And that person may also have an ax or a hatchet.

The most intriguing part is the matter of fact reactions from the drivers and the actual passengers, to the wacky sights and sounds (at least they might be considered as such, to non-Russians). Which are mostly cars and trucks colliding and crumpling. But then you have a group of men who look like they’re cops, who have stopped and surrounded the car… but as it turns out, they’re not actually cops. Or rolling into a car wash, only to be cut off… by a tank. Or driving through a forest… one engulfed in flames… which also appears to be on another planet, by the way. Actually, there are fairly strong reactions from those inside the car, yet they’re far less animated that what you or someone here in the States might produce. It’s definitely more nihilistic.

As noted, you’ve probably seen some of these clips online before. But just imagine watching said clips on the large screen, with an audience. It’s not often that such an opportunity presents itself… to chance to not share with others how you’d react if you were going down a dark road at night, with a bear running right in front of you, one that also decides to take a crap while running… but also to see how they react to the driver’s deadpan reaction. Hence why, if The Road Movie is playing near you, do yourself a favor this weekend and catch it.

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04/07/2017

Beyond Godzilla: “Blue Christmas”

by Matthew Hawkins

Time to investigate yet another entry in Japan Society’s Beyond Godzilla: Alternative Futures & Fantasies in Japanese Cinema. Again we have yet another sci fi flick that defies what many Western audiences have come to expect from the genre, from that part of the world, given its strong associate with kaiju. And Blue Christmas is as far removed from Godzilla as one can get, though there is one truth that unites both movies, which is how the greatest monster is mankind.

Blue Christmas

Blue Christmas is a fairly obscure flick from director Kihachi Okamoto, best known for Sword of Doom. Though its name has regularly surfaced over the years, since I frequently search for new movies to watch every holiday season and am also fluent with hardcore Neon Genesis Evangelion trivia. In the case of the later, its where creator Hideaki Anno coined the term Blood Type Blue, which is regularly cited in Eva, plus he also used a photo of Okamoto as the face of an important off screen character in Shin Godzilla. Anyhow, Blue Christmas introduces a concept that is simple yet unique, and more importantly, supremely intriguing: whenever anyone comes in contact with a UFO, that person’s blood turns blue. And… that’s it. There are no other changes to the person. Actually, one individual claims that all of her petty jealousies, grudges, and other less than noble characteristics that many of allow ourselves to succumb to were all vanquished when her blood turned blue, but that could simply be an instance of self-realization that happens whenever a truly momentous occasion occurs (and encountering intelligence from another world seems like an appropriately eye opening event).

Once again, people are seemingly completely normal despite this change, and even though a possible scientific reason is given as to why people’s blood turns blue is tossed back and forth (which has something to do with the orange light that said UFOs omit), it’s still all a mystery, which inevitably transforms into fear and hostility towards anyone with blue blood. This ugly side of humanity, which has been consistent throughout history (and not to state the obvious, but which is alive and well), is what drives Blue Christmas’s narrative. A film that doesn’t have one lead but two; first there’s Minami, a reporter for the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, who learns of a cover up by various governments, concerning the existence of people with blue blood, primarily the reasons behind the color change. Skeptical at first, he eventually becomes convinced that there is indeed a conspiracy going on; Dr. Hyodo was a prominent scientist who was laughed out of a conference for daring to bring up the existence of UFOs and also people with blue blood, who mysteriously disappeared afterward. Minami’s hunt eventually takes him to the USA, NYC to be exact. I haven’t mentioned thus far that Blue Christmas was filmed in the late 70s, so not only do we get to see Japan circa that point in time, but are treated to Old New York as well, which I’m super fond of. I also can’t help to point out the ridiculous hair of actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who plays the role of Minami; let’s just say the wacky wigs seen in SCTV was more based on fact than fiction.

Though there’s a reason why Minami’s quest for the truth is super personal: early into the film, a buddy of his at the network reveals that his gal pal, who just got the leading role of JBC’s big upcoming period drama, has blue blood. He asks Minami to keep it a secret, but it’s casually blabbed to an executive. Note: this is Minami’s first time hearing about the phenomena, and has no idea that they will eventually become targets of an insidious plan to have them eliminated from society. Well, word spreads and next thing you know, said actress finds herself at the hotel party of some American rock band called The Humanoids, who are in Japan on tour. They’re one of the first individuals on Japanese media to bring up the rise of UFO sightings, and spoilers, their over the top/cartoonish antics is not indicative of aliens in disguise as I had been hoping, but are just really bad actors (basically, if you’re a gaijin in Japan, you are guaranteed acting work, despite any lack of acting chops). Anyhow, as rock stars who are supposed to resemble the Beatles towards the end of their careers or the Rolling Stones at their height, there’s plenty of drugs at their shindig. Which gets planted on the actress (who didn’t even want to be there in the first place), then there’s a police raid, so she’s arrested and subsequently fired from the show, which leads to her taking her own life (being caught with drugs was basically career suicide back in the day in Japan). Minami feels responsible for all this, and his quest for the truth uncovers a sinister scheme that mirrors what happened to Jews during World War II.

I also mentioned another lead character, and its Oki, who provides the perspective from “the other side”. Specifically, that of a Japanese soldier, a cog in the machine, who must eventually carry out his duty and seal the fates of the blue bloods, whose existence becomes increasingly public and demonized as the film progresses. And of course things are complicated by the revelation that his girlfriend is one of them. Speaking of, Blue Christmas as a whole is quite complex; there is a lot going on, and it can be difficult to keep track of. I suppose another trait found in certain Godzilla flicks, primarily the most recent one, that’s present here is how there is a LOT of talking, maybe too much for some. Of all the movies in the Beyond Godzilla series, this one may have the least amount of special effects. As the few other reviews that exist in English have already noted, Blue Christmas is a fascinating mix of pulpy tropes, including alien invasion, subliminal messages in music (I forgot to mention that The Humanoid’s hit sing is Blue Christmas, which is heard throughout the movie; not the Elvis version, mind you, but the CHAR version), and rise of fascism, all packaged in a rather matter of fact, coldly observant manner. There is a slight tinge of whimsy at first, or so I thought, due to the sights and sounds of 70s, which slowly become muted as the heaviness of the plot takes root. While not immediately nihilistic as Sword of Doom, it’s there nonetheless, and simply creeps up on your. Stylistically, Eva nerds love to cite Blue Christmas as being a major influence on Anno, in particular his approach towards editing, though I also get the feeling that Takashi Miike was a fan, and even Jonathan Demme as odd as it sounds? Okamoto loves the looking into the camera close up shot, as does Demme, which in turn has influenced Wes Anderson and P.T. Anderson.

So yeah, I ultimately recommend Blue Christmas, though everyone should know exactly what they’re getting into. If you’re craving some cerebral sci-fi that touches upon some of the ugliness that continues to plague society to this very day, and won’t mind a slow pace and dense plot, which are thankfully has a dash of super cool 70s Japanese aesthetics, and a stroll through the streets of NYC circa that time as well (plus an extremely brief yet hilarious stop in Texas), then you can check it out at the Japan Society tomorrow at 4:00pm.

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