“Big Man Japan” is a weirdly entertaining but erratic film that blends a parody of monster movies with a bizarre spin on the superhero epic. It’s an oddball take on “Hancock” that focuses a satirical eye on Japanese nationalism and the world of media and reality TV.
Employing a faux documentary style of filmmaking, director Hitoshi Matsumoto (who also plays the lead character) chronicles the surreal adventures of Daisato, a lonely middle-aged man, gifted with the power to transform into a giant when shocked with electricity, as he goes about his job as chief monster fighter for the Department of Monster Prevention. While his father and grandfather were hailed as national heroes and mobbed by fans, monster fighting isn’t quite as popular it once was and TV ratings are down. Daisato is now a pariah within the community – people complain about the noise and property destruction he causes, his wife and child have left him and neighbors throw rocks through his windows and write obscene graffiti on his door. In order to supplement his income, Daisato takes on a talent agent whose job is to sell advertising space on his chest.
Despite the interesting premise, the film is often dull, focusing too much time on the mundane activities of its hero. Nevertheless, there are some poignant scenes, filled with touching details that reveal Daisato’s inherent sensitivity – his gentleness with a stray cat and his thoughtfulness in picking out just the right birthday present for his daughter - while capturing his sense of isolation.
The film picks up momentum during the computer-animated monster fight sequences, which have a purposely fake look as if filmed on miniature sets similar to the Godzilla movies. Broadcast on national TV, we watch Daisato battle a host of increasingly bizarre creatures such as a Stink monster and another with a long eyeball growing from its genital area that it tosses around like a bowling ball. Kudos to the creature designers!
“Big Man Japan” is likely one of the strangest films ever made. It’s over the top and over long but worth a viewing for its sheer quirkiness.
Showing posts with label Comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Review: "Executive Koala" (2005)
To say that “Executive Koala” is bizarre would be an understatement. It is definitely in its own cinematic realm. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a movie as absurd and goofy as “Executive Koala” but it warrants a viewing precisely for those reasons, not to mention that it’s eye-poppingly entertaining.
“Executive Koala” opens up by introducing us to Mr. Tamura, a hardworking executive for a pickle manufacturer. He labors long hours devising a business plan to build the company’s market share via a partnership with a Korean kimchi producer. A typical Japanese salary man, Tamura spends most of his time in the office, slaving away with spreadsheets and chatting up the company president. He’s divorced but has a cute girlfriend named Yoko that he hardly spends any time with. Oh, did I forget to mention the minor detail that Tamura is a 6 ft. tall koala? None of the other humans in his world seem to notice this fact – on the contrary, the office ladies find Tamura rather hot, though a bit on the furry side.
Suddenly his girlfriend is found stabbed to death and Tamura is at the center of a police investigation that digs up some unsavory bits on his past. Is he not the cuddly and sweet koala that everyone thinks he is? Prone to memory lapses and blackouts, Tamura seeks the assistance of the company president (who’s a white rabbit by the way) and his human shrink to solve the mystery of his girlfriend’s murder.
To describe the plot in any more detail would be pointless. Suffice it to say that what starts out as a psychological thriller segues to something increasingly bizarre with each new scene. There’s a hint of a slasher horror flick which then transitions to a delightful musical interlude. This is then followed by a prison drama that morphs into a kung-fu showdown at the local game arcade where humans and animals alike possess supernatural powers of resurrection after being repeatedly thrown against hard metal objects. Threading through all these transitions is a love story between human and koala, the likes of which have never been seen (and likely never will be) on the big screen.
Make no mistake. This is a weird, weird movie even by Japanese standards. But if you can subdue the left-brained tendency toward understanding and analysis (a few drinks before watching may help), you’ll be rewarded with something completely different that’s never boring and curiously amusing.
“Executive Koala” opens up by introducing us to Mr. Tamura, a hardworking executive for a pickle manufacturer. He labors long hours devising a business plan to build the company’s market share via a partnership with a Korean kimchi producer. A typical Japanese salary man, Tamura spends most of his time in the office, slaving away with spreadsheets and chatting up the company president. He’s divorced but has a cute girlfriend named Yoko that he hardly spends any time with. Oh, did I forget to mention the minor detail that Tamura is a 6 ft. tall koala? None of the other humans in his world seem to notice this fact – on the contrary, the office ladies find Tamura rather hot, though a bit on the furry side.
Suddenly his girlfriend is found stabbed to death and Tamura is at the center of a police investigation that digs up some unsavory bits on his past. Is he not the cuddly and sweet koala that everyone thinks he is? Prone to memory lapses and blackouts, Tamura seeks the assistance of the company president (who’s a white rabbit by the way) and his human shrink to solve the mystery of his girlfriend’s murder.
To describe the plot in any more detail would be pointless. Suffice it to say that what starts out as a psychological thriller segues to something increasingly bizarre with each new scene. There’s a hint of a slasher horror flick which then transitions to a delightful musical interlude. This is then followed by a prison drama that morphs into a kung-fu showdown at the local game arcade where humans and animals alike possess supernatural powers of resurrection after being repeatedly thrown against hard metal objects. Threading through all these transitions is a love story between human and koala, the likes of which have never been seen (and likely never will be) on the big screen.
Make no mistake. This is a weird, weird movie even by Japanese standards. But if you can subdue the left-brained tendency toward understanding and analysis (a few drinks before watching may help), you’ll be rewarded with something completely different that’s never boring and curiously amusing.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Review: "CJ7" (2008)
This is a refreshing little gem of a flick that melds Stephen Chow’s knack for slapstick comedy with an ET-like story about a poor Chinese boy and an alien. The result is a quirky, delightful family film with plenty of heart and lessons to be learned.
The story revolves around Dicky Chow, a very poor boy whose father Ti, a construction worker, toils day and night so that his son can attend an elite private school. Dicky is bullied at school by rich kids and haughty teachers alike for his smudge marked face, tattered clothes and stubborn pride.
While the school bullies flaunt their high-tech toys, Dicky’s father combs through the local garbage dump at night gathering discarded “treasures” for his son. One night he unknowingly disturbs an alien spaceship that flies away, leaving behind a small, shiny green orb. He brings it home for Dicky to play with and soon enough the toy transforms into a cute, furry dog-like alien that Dicky names “CJ7” (after a toy called CJ1 that is popular among the school kids).
There ensue some very funny moments as Dicky fantasizes about harnessing CJ7’s superpowers to excel in schoolwork and sports class. Although he soon realizes that CJ7 does not possess the powers he imagines, his schoolmates are quite impressed by the toy and his stock is on the rise until his father is involved in an accident at work.
What keeps this movie grounded is the warm rapport between Dicky and Ti despite their bleak circumstances and the talented cast of child actors. Jiao Xu, the actress (!) who plays Dicky, is fantastic. She gives a well-rounded and nuanced performance, portraying Dicky as both rebellious yet optimistic.
Although CJ7 offers an assortment of messages for children, it does so in a light-hearted, hopeful manner. On the one hand, it demonstrates that there is no shame in poverty and that integrity and family bonds are more important than material possessions and class status. While this message seems uniquely tailored to modern China as it struggles with the growing divide between rich and poor, the lessons are equally relevant to anyone feeling numbed by an increasingly consumerist culture. On another level, it also illustrates the dark side of the adage “be careful what you wish for”.
The story revolves around Dicky Chow, a very poor boy whose father Ti, a construction worker, toils day and night so that his son can attend an elite private school. Dicky is bullied at school by rich kids and haughty teachers alike for his smudge marked face, tattered clothes and stubborn pride.
While the school bullies flaunt their high-tech toys, Dicky’s father combs through the local garbage dump at night gathering discarded “treasures” for his son. One night he unknowingly disturbs an alien spaceship that flies away, leaving behind a small, shiny green orb. He brings it home for Dicky to play with and soon enough the toy transforms into a cute, furry dog-like alien that Dicky names “CJ7” (after a toy called CJ1 that is popular among the school kids).
There ensue some very funny moments as Dicky fantasizes about harnessing CJ7’s superpowers to excel in schoolwork and sports class. Although he soon realizes that CJ7 does not possess the powers he imagines, his schoolmates are quite impressed by the toy and his stock is on the rise until his father is involved in an accident at work.
What keeps this movie grounded is the warm rapport between Dicky and Ti despite their bleak circumstances and the talented cast of child actors. Jiao Xu, the actress (!) who plays Dicky, is fantastic. She gives a well-rounded and nuanced performance, portraying Dicky as both rebellious yet optimistic.
Although CJ7 offers an assortment of messages for children, it does so in a light-hearted, hopeful manner. On the one hand, it demonstrates that there is no shame in poverty and that integrity and family bonds are more important than material possessions and class status. While this message seems uniquely tailored to modern China as it struggles with the growing divide between rich and poor, the lessons are equally relevant to anyone feeling numbed by an increasingly consumerist culture. On another level, it also illustrates the dark side of the adage “be careful what you wish for”.
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