Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) [Tokusatsu Review]

Godzilla 2000: Millennium; or, To the Future and Beyond
     Biologically, Godzilla is a very special existence. It's full of unimaginable mysteries. To study Godzilla will be the key to disclose the secrets of living beings on our planet.
Being fired up by my frenzy regarding Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), I decided to go back and revisit the good old Kaiju flicks with our favourite King of the Monsters. My first choice of revisitation became Godzilla 2000: Millennium, a movie that owes its existence to the abhorrent American remake from 1998.

Release Info

Directed by: Takao Okawara Starring: Takehiro Murata, Naomi Nishida, Shiro Sano, Hiroshi Abe

Language: Japanese Original Title: ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム Runtime: 108 min

Synopsis
Godzilla has become a permanent part of Japan’s geo-cultural landscape. Instead of fighting the monster, the authorities prefer to monitor his whereabouts. As a result, the scientist Yuji Shinoda (Takehiro Murata) and his daughter launch an independent organisation known as The Godzilla Prediction Network. During their observational stake-outs, they are accompanied by Yuki Ichinose (Naomi Nishida), a journalist who wants to get exclusive pictures of the King in action. In the meantime, Crisis Control Intelligence headed by Mitsuo Katagiri (Hiroshi Abe) examines an unidentified object which was found at the bottom of the ocean. Shinoda’s friend, Miyasaka (Shiro Sano), determines that the object is 65 million years old and remained dormant until it was exposed to sunlight. The object flies out of water and scans Godzilla, reaching a conclusion that he is the most powerful being on the planet. The UFO plans to invade Earth by replicating Godzilla’s DNA...

Predestination
After the emotional finale of the Heisei series, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), Toho wanted to retire the Big G and make way for a (supposed) string of American movies produced by TriStar Pictures. Godzilla producer and the president of Toho, Shogo Tomiyama, was convinced that the American Godzilla series will last up until the year 2005; however, after the disastrous release of the Emmerich’s movie, Toho wanted to protect the legacy of Godzilla, so they greenlit a new Japanese production almost immediately.

Godzilla 2000: Millennium was undoubtedly made in a rush and by a team behind the Heisei movies. Takao Okawara was brought back as the director, Shogo Tomiyama produced, and Hiroshi Kashiwabara (scriptwriter of Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla (1994)) and Wataru Mimura (scriptwriter of Godzilla vs. Mechogodzilla (1993)) wrote the screenplay. What is more, the main lead, Takehiro Murata already appeared in a supporting role in Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992).

This is not to say that the movie is an uneventful, tired leap of the King into the 21st century. The filmmakers clearly wanted to reintroduce as well as update the iconic character. Godzilla was given a new look and a remixed roar. To me, this is my favourite Goji-suit out of all movies. The film also marks the first appearance of the suitmation actor, Tsutomu Kitagawa, as Godzilla.

In terms of special effects, these were helmed by Kenji Suzuki who opted for the usage of digital compositing rather than traditional models. The result is kind of a mixed bag. Some of the sequences look absolutely great, but others are visibly outdated. Still, huge respect goes to the F/X team for trying to push the envelope so early on in the franchise.

As for the screenplay, we get a traditional monster rumble, but in contrast to previous entries of the series, the human drama is fairly enjoyable. I liked the chemistry between Shinoda, his daughter, and Yuki. There’s also the character of Miyasaka who seems to have a bromance attraction to Shinoda, but he restrains himself because he works for villainous Katagiri, a guy hellbent on annihilating Godzilla. Some of the technobabble in the story is barely understandable, but I liked the twist involving an alien race attempting to create their “own Godzilla”.

The music score was composed by Takayuki Hattori (who also scored Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla). Like I said in my editorial series on Godzilla music, the OST for this particular movie is fine, but I prefer Hattori’s compositions for the anime trilogy.

With regard to performances, all of the main leads do a fine job, but the real show-stealer is the awesome Hiroshi Abe as the baddie. His “Godzilla!!!!!!” moment in the finale has engraved itself into the hall of fame of the most iconic Godzilla scenes. I’m also happy to see Naomi Nishida because she does not normally do tokusatsu flicks at all.

Interestingly, Godzilla 2000: Millennium was re-released in the U.S by Sony. Producer Mike Schlesinger and his team tried the best they could to re-cut and dub the film in a way that will not be disrespectful towards Toho and Godzilla fans. Consequently, the English version is indeed watchable, but I still prefer the original cut. Originally, the English movie ended with a cartoonish “The End?” card, but it was removed from subsequent releases. However, if you happen to own Godzilla 2000 on Spanish VHS, then you can enjoy this piece of lost cinematic trivia.

Recommendations
All things considered, this was my look at Godzilla 2000: Millennium. For many young fans in the early 2000s, this was their first introduction into the franchise (well, this and the Emmerich movie…). I personally have a soft spot for it. It is a decent monster flick that can be enjoyed even by non-kaiju viewers.Overall score: 8/10

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After the Storm (2016) [Film Review]

After the Storm; or, One Step at a Time

     The lottery isn't gambling. It's a dream. A dream you buy for 300 yen.

The theme of family seems to be the most important one for director Hirokazu Koreeda. During his career spanning three decades, he made lots of films focusing on (and examining) family. However, it cannot be said that once you have seen one Koreeda film, you have seen them all. After the Storm is the perfect example proving how different Koreeda’s family stories can be each time.
Release Info

Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda Starring: Hiroshi Abe, Yoko Maki, Kirin Kiki, Taiyo Yoshizawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: 海よりもまだ深く Runtime: 118 min

 

Synopsis

Ryota Shinoda (Hiroshi Abe) is an acclaimed novelist who does research for his latest novel by working at a detective agency. He wastes money on gambling and can barely make ends meet. What is more, he has to pay child support to his ex-wife, Kyoko (Yoko Maki), or he won’t be able to meet up with their son, Shingo (Taiyo Yoshizawa), each month. Ryota tries to get additional money by offering shady detective work to the clients, but he mostly passes time on gambling and stalking Kyoko. He frequently visits his widowed mother, Yoshiko (Kirin Kiki), who moves on with her life after the death of Ryota’s father. There, he clashes with the sister, Chinatsu (Satomi Kobayashi) as both siblings suspect each other of taking advantage of their mother. Eventually, Ryota makes an attempt to win back his family.

 

“You always win at least 300 yen”

After the Storm was allegedly conceived by Koreeda after the passing of his own father in 2001, when he visited his mother coping with grief. However, the shooting did not start until 2014. At that time, the movie was filmed in the middle of Koreeda’s other production, Our Little Sister (2015).

 

Another striking aspect is Hiroshi Abe in the leading role playing the character called Ryota. Fans speculated that Hiroshi actually reprises his role from Koreeda’s earlier film Still Walking (2008), but the director himself explained that After the Storm is more of a companion piece than an actual sequel to that movie.

 

What After the Storm is actually about? The film focuses on the intimate portrayal of complex relationships within a family. It is quite funny, yet saddening at the same time, watching Hiroshi Abe as a beat-down novelist who does not know what he wants from life. He is not a Hank Moody-type though. It is more than entertaining to see Ryota following cheating couples or harassing high-school kids. He is a loser, but we cannot help rooting for him. Nevertheless, in a very psychological manner, Ryota becomes the very thing which he despised, his own (now deceased) father who was always broke due to gambling.

 

In a slow-paced fashion, Koreeda unravels how Ryota attempts to rebuild his family. The most instrumental figure in this endeavour is the character of grandma (brilliantly played by the late Kirin Kiki) who shares her warmth with the whole family. Not getting into any spoilers, the attempt of “rekindling” a bond between his ex-wife and the son during the storm allows Ryota to make a fresh start in life.

 

With regard to performances, Hiroshi Abe is awesome as always. I was quite surprised to see Yoko Maki (yes, the same Yoko Maki from Saikou no Rikon (2013)) in the role of the ex-wife, but she did great as well. Kirin Kiki obviously steals the show as the grandmother. Sosuke Ikematsu and Lily Franky provide decent supporting parts.

 

Recommendations

If there is a storm raging outside of your house. Then, the best way to wait it over is by watching After the Storm. As with most of Koreeda’s films, it is an engaging slice-of-life story which gives you some food for thought. I personally enjoyed this heart-warming film more than Shoplifters (2018).

Overall score: 8/10

Survive Style 5+ (2004) [Film Review]

Survive Style 5+; or, Staying Alive

     What’s your function in life?

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to comedies. Some people like slapstick, whereas others are more keen on situational stuff. I’m quite open to many kinds of comedies, but when we are talking about Japanese super weird take on the genre, then I’m full on board with that. Gen Sekiguchi’s Survive Style 5+ is such a movie and it is just awesome.

Release Info

Directed by: Gen Sekiguchi Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Kyoko Koizumi, Ittoku Kishibe, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: SURVIVE STYLE5+ Runtime: 120 min

 

Synopsis

The movie follows five stories that are loosely connected with each other. Ishigaki (Tadanobu Asano) is a guy who repeatedly kills his wife (Reika Hashimoto) only to find her waiting for him, furious, at their home. Yoko (Kyoko Koizumi) is a commercial executive who tries to come up with ideas for TV ads. Tatsuya (Ittoku Kishibe) is a salaryman who gets hypnotised on stage by a performer (Hiroshi Abe) who is killed in the middle of the act. There are also three burglars (Yoshiyuki Morishita, Jai West, Kanji Tsuda) who aimlessly wander through the city. In addition, all of the characters encounter a British assassin-for-hire (Vinnie Jones) and his frightened interpreter (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa).

 

You Can’t Unsee It!

While looking for Japanese comedies a few years ago, Survive Style 5+ was the number 1 recommendation on many movie sites. However, if you expect the type of a conventional and linear story with funny elements, then you are wrong. This movie feels more like a collection of a few shorts, each dealing with a different matter, which come together only at the very end. All in all, the film was directed by a guy specialising in making short films.

 

What made me like Survive Style 5+ is the freewheeling quirkiness that ultimately forms into morality tales. We have a guy who, for some reason, kills his wife and then she magically reappears at their home only to physically attack him in an epic way. There’s a lady with some really weird ideas for commercials which always get rejected. Not to mention a salaryman who acts as if he were a bird and a homosexual burglar who is afraid of admitting his love to a friend. As a result, we get lots of craziness thrown at us and this leads to the only inevitable outcome: hysterical laughter.

 

I was also surprised by a number of great actors and actresses who appear in this flick. We get to see Tadanobu Asano, Reika Hashimoto, Kyoko Koizumi, Hiroshi Abe, Ittoku Kishibe, and Yoshiyoshi Arakawa in one picture! Vinnie Jones and his overdone Brit accent also have to be mentioned. I loved their performances but my heart was stolen by Hiroshi Abe’s small part as the crazy, womanising hypnotist. You always rock, Hiroshi(!) In addition, I also liked the cameos made by Sonny Chiba, Tae Kimura, and Kotaro Shiga.

 

The additional plus of Survive Style 5+ is the soundtrack. Apart from James Shimoji’s wonderful compositions like the main theme or Angel Air, we get to hear a variety of recognisable tracks, such as Rob Laufer’s Go, Go, Go, Yasuyuki Okamura and Takkyu Isino's Come Baby, and Cake’s version of I Will Survive. The soundtrack is so good that it can be listened to on its own.

 

Recommendations

To sum up, if you are trying to get a taste of Japanese comedies, then Survive Style 5+ is the best starter. It has quirkiness, dynamic vibes, and (possibly) one of the greatest endings in film history. Apart from making you laugh, it will also heighten your emotions with a bit of touching messages. In short, Survive Style 5+ is an amazing film and you need to watch it ASAP if you have not done so already.

Overall score: 9/10

Everest: The Summit of the Gods (2016) [Film Review]

Everest: The Summit of the Gods; or, When the Mountains Calls

     If the feet don't respond, walk with the hands. If the hands don't move keep going with the fingers. If the fingers don't work use your teeth biting snow and ice forward. If not even the teeth react advance with your eyes. Stare a way forward. If even the eyes are useless and there's really nothing you can do, imagine. Imagine with all your might. Imagine…
With the beginning of each new year, I am always in the mood for mountain movies. Unfortunately, this is one of these small subgenres which does not receive a frequent dosage of new productions every year and has to be aided with Discovery Channel documentaries. Thankfully, I recently came across the movie Everest: The Summit of the Gods. I was shocked to discover that it is not only a Japanese movie about climbing Mount Everest, but that it also has Hiroshi Abe (one of the best J-actors alive) in it…

Release Info

Directed by: Hideyuki Hirayama Starring: Junichi Okada, Hiroshi Abe, Machiko Ono

Language: Japanese Original Title: エヴェレスト 神々の山嶺 Runtime: 122 min

Synopsis

Makoto Fukamachi (Junichi Okada) is a cameraman who assists a mountaineering expedition in Nepal. After a tragic accident, the expedition returns home, but Fukamachi stays a bit longer and, in one of the city alleys, he finds an old camera that might have belonged to George Mallory. In his pursuit after the camera and the possible key it may convey to the mystery of Mallory’s 1924 ascent, Fukamachi meets a legendary climber Joji Habu (Hiroshi Abe). Living in seclusion, Habu plans to conquer Everest by spectacularly climbing its southwest wall.

The Peak of Regrets

Everest: The Summit of the Gods is a well made motion picture. The premise may fool you into thinking that this is yet another movie about generic reaching-the-top motive, but Everest actually hits the undertones of psychological drama. It deals with mountain ethics, overcoming personal trauma, and finding inner strength to keep on living. It may seem a bit too much for one movie, but all the themes are coherently fleshed out as the story progresses.

 

The first part of Everest focuses retrospectively on Joji Habu’s life. We get to know how he started off and how he became a legend among the climbing community through the recollections of his colleagues: Inoue (Masahiro Komoto) and Wataru Hase (Kuranosuke Sasaki) respectively. Then, comes along another person, Ryoko (Machiko Ono), who has a special bond with Joji and is determined to find him. As a result, the second part of the film outlines Fukamachi’s quest to track down Habu and the mysterious camera.

 

The atmosphere of the film greatly reminded of such classics as K2: The Ultimate High (1991) and Scream of Stone (1991). Haunting music score together with great locations (shot in Nepal and Japan for sure) provide a mesmerising combination, though CGI was definitely used in certain shots. Nevertheless, these do not stand out drastically. In addition, I should probably mention that the film is based on a manga series Kamigami no Itadaki, but you don’t miss anything out if you have not read this 5-volume serial.

With regard to performances, Hiroshi Abe is the strongest pillar of the picture, as he gives a painstakingly authentic portrayal of a classic climber with an individualistic attitude. What matters the most for Joji Habu is the mountain, simply because it’s there. Abe’s performance is enforced by that of Junichi Okada as a disillusioned cameraman who is after a larger-than-life story. Machiko Ono is also great as Ryoko, a woman who tries to get over her past. Supporting appearances from Masahiro Komoto and Kuranosuke Sasaki are a great addition as well.

 

Recommendations

All things considered, Everest: The Summit of the Gods is a decent motion picture for a winter afternoon. It’s part a psychological drama, part a survival story about pushing the limits and fulfilling one’s dreams. However: At what cost? The movie poses this significant question at the very end. In reality, we all have our own mountains to overcome.

Overall score: 8/10