Space Battleship Yamato (2010) [Film Review]

Space Battleship Yamato; or, The Stars My Destination

     Even a single gleam in the dark, even the slightest chance… let us use that as a basis for hope!
I have been meaning to watch Space Battleship Yamato for quite some time because I have heard a great deal of positive opinions about the anime from the 1970s which made an enormous impact on the science fiction genre and influenced such franchises as Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Macross. Well, an opportunity finally came and I sat down to watch the live-action adaptation from 2010 with none other than Takuya Kimura himself in the leading role.

Release Info

Directed by: Takashi Yamazaki Starring: Takuya Kimura, Meisa Kuroki, Tsutomu Yamazaki

Language: Japanese Original Title: 宇宙戦艦ヤマト Runtime: 138 min

Synopsis
It’s the year 2199. Mankind is at war with extraterrestrial beings known as the Gamilas for 5 years now. The aliens continuously bombard the planet with radioactive bombs which render it uninhabitable. Consequently, people have to hide underground. The Yamato, the last interstellar battleship of the Earth’s Defence Forces, sets out on a mission to a distant planet Iscandar in order to obtain a device that will eradicate radioactivity. The ship’s crew is humanity’s last hope against the invaders from outer space.

Trek Wars
At the beginning, allow me to address my initial worries with regard to the film. The movie trailer looked promising, but I was afraid that such kind of production would fall victim to sloppy CGI and unevenly done special effects (like Godzilla movies from the Millennium Series). Thankfully, this is not the case with Space Battleship Yamato. All the space/battle sequences look absolutely spectacular and really stand the test of time. I wish I could have had the ability to see the film in a theater, back in 2010. It is a great viewing experience from the visual standpoint. Allegedly, Takuya Kimura himself put pressure on the director to deliver on this front, and the actor even reduced his working fee just to accommodate the F/X budget. What a guy!

This being said, I can’t help but notice a correlation between Space Battleship Yamato and classic franchise from America, Star Trek. Evidently, the original anime took a lot of cues from the original show devised by Gene Roddenberry, but this movie seems to really evoke the vibes of J.J. Abrams’ reboot from 2009. That is to say, there is a lot of emphasis on bombastic action, character development, and pathos. Sususmu Kodai, the protagonist played by Kimura really resembles young James T. Kirk in terms of bravado and charisma.

With regard to the screenplay, unfortunately, the farther it goes, the worse it gets. While the first two acts heavily rely on Star Trek atmosphere, the third section of the film veers into the territory of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers (1997), only to end with a finale that could have easily been incorporated into Ronald Emmerich’s Independence Day (1996). In other words, there is a LOT going on in the storyline but the unfolding events are linked with little to no causality.

Speaking about performances, the cast of this film is something really special. Apart from Takyua Kimura, we get Tsutomu Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Nishida, Reiko Takashima, and Toshiro Yanagiba! All of them did really well with the material they had to work with.

Recommendations
If you would like to check out a sci-fi tale straight from Japan, then I recommend Space Battleship Yamato. It is a fun flick driven by visuals but do not expect it to be a comprehensive story. As an anime adaptation, it works really well.Overall score: 7/10

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Ace Attorney (2012) [Film Review]

Ace Attorney; or, Justice for All

     Stop being so cocky. You've only been to court twice, and you're still a rookie. If I wanted an attorney, there are plenty out there that are much more competent than you.
If you need legal advice, then seek no father and call Ace Attorney! A 2012 movie directed by Takashi Miike is an adaptation of a famous adventure/legal drama video game series developed by Capcom. I’m sharing my thoughts on Phoenix Wright and his larger-than-life courtroom battles.

Release Info

Directed by: Takashi Miike Starring: Hiroki Narimiya, Takumi Saitoh, Rei Dan, Mirei Kiritani

Language: Japanese Original Title: 逆転裁判 Runtime: 133 min

Synopsis
In view of the increasing crime rate, the Japanese judiciary branch has adopted the so-called Bench Trial System. Attorneys and prosecutors directly face each other in an open court, and the court determines the defendant’s innocence within the timespan of 3 days. We follow a rookie attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) who is frequently aided by his mentor, Mia Fey (Rei Dan). After the mysterious murder of Mia, Phoenix manages to determine the innocence of her sister, Maya (Mirei Kiritani), who becomes his associate. However, this is not the end of their troubles. Phoenix and Maya will have to gear up for a difficult trial in which Phoenix’s childhood friend, Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitoh) is accused of murder. It turns out that the cases of Maya and Miles are linked to a tragic event which took place about 20 years earlier.

Objection!
As a person completely unfamiliar with the craze surrounding this video game franchise, I have to admit that I greatly enjoyed this adaptation. I went in completely cold, without knowing the characters and the main story arc, but Takashi Miike’s skilful storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat. The dystopian world of retro fashion, over-the-top hairstyles, and top-of-the-line technology in courts is extremely amazing. Indeed, Ace Attorney is not only a well made homage to Capcom’s popular series, but also a clever commentary on Japan’s judiciary system (which, let’s face it, is extremely effective in the world of today).

Without getting into any spoilers, the storyline is very engrossing. Apart from epic court battles, there are lots of plot twists, and dramatic reveals along the way. You would think that these are cliched tropes, but these plot points actually drive the whole picture. In consequence, the movie never feels boring. 133 minutes passed by in a blink of an eye!

Apart from Takashi Miike’s direction, I have to praise the flawless cinematography of Masakazu Oka and the editing by Kenji Yamashita. The world of Phoenix Wright looks so flashy yet cozy at the same time.

On the other hand, the music score composed by Koji Endo is not very present throughout the duration of the movie. However, I read that the composer did try to implement original themes from the games.

With regard to performances, I am surprised that so many great actors appear in Ace Attorney! Evidently, the bromance undertones between Hiroki Narimita and Takumi Saitoh are a joy to watch. I also loved Mirei Kiritani, Dan Rei, and Kimiko Yo as the Fey girls. Ryo Ishibashi provides a convincing portrayal of a despicable villain. In addition, the wonderful Fumiyo Kohinata appears as a key character! Kudos to Eisuke Sasai and Akira Emoto for playing supporting parts of a prosecutor and a judge, respectively.

Recommendations
Even though you know nothing about the games, do not feel discouraged. Ace Attorney is a fun, escapist tale for everybody. Grab some popcorn and check out the improbable, yet romantic take on a world where justice prevails. Allegedly, the sequel is in development but no new material has seen the light of day since 2012.Overall score: 8/10

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The Family Game (1983) [Film Review]

The Family Game; or, Keeping Up with the Numatas
     Why do we have to sacrifice so much for the sake of our children?
Yoshimitsu Morita’s Kazuko Gemu movie from 1983 is widely hailed by Japanese critics as the truly postmodernist motion picture made in Japan. It is hard to disagree with this categorisation. The film presents a very quirky take on the family unit and its degradation within the “bubble era” reality of Japan of the 1980s.

Release Info

Directed by: Yoshimitsu Morita Starring: Yusaku Matsuda, Ichirota Miyakawa, Saori Yuki, Juzo Itami

Language: Japanese Original Title: 家族ゲーム Runtime: 106 min

Synopsis
Katsu Yoshimoto (Yusaku Matsuda) is hired as a private tutor to help Shigeyuki Numata (Ichirota Miyakawa) who has low grades at school. The two meet regularly at the Numata household and Yoshimoto quickly discovers that his student does not care about studying at all, in contrast to Shigeuki’s older brother, Shinichi (Junichi Tsujita). The mother, Chikako (Saori Yuki), is too subtle and soft when dealing with her children; whereas the father, Kosuke (Juzo Itami), is way too strict. Yoshimoto presses on and attempts to turn Shigeyuki into an exemplary student.

All in the Family
After looking at the filmography of Yoshimitsu Morita, it seems that the director was a specialist at slice-of-life dramas. The Family Game is no exception as it focuses on family members who are desperately focused on performing their social roles without really putting emotions into it. Everything that matters is to “keep up appearances” of being exemplary members of the society: a hardworking breadwinner, a devoted housewife, gifted children.

The theme of meaninglessness is introduced with the character of Shigeyuki who does not see any purpose in learning at all; however, he begins to improve at school not because of the guidance of his tutor, but because he treats it like a game that angers his bullies…

In addition, we can also observe some interesting sequences which would not be present in a regular school drama done in the style of GTO (1997) or A Class to Remember (1993): transitions between the rooms of Shigeyuki and Shinichi, Yoshimoto chasing Shigeyuki down the staircase, or having a dinner at super short table. Such moments add the factor of the unreal to the story which basically has no resolution.

I am not a huge fan of postmodernist tales, but I have to admit that The Family Game did manage to keep me interested from beginning to the end. I rooted for the mom and her difficult situation in the house, but I also wanted to see how Shigeyuki’s affairs at school will unfold. Yoshimitsu Morita skillfully dissects the emptiness of family relations, which is exposed in the final scene of the film.

With regard to performances, Yusaku Matsuda steals the movie with his performance as a tutor. It is mind-blowing to think that the last film he ever did before passing away was Ridley Scott’s Black Rain from 1989. Additionally, I loved the appearances of Saori Yuki and Juzo Itami (didn’t recognise him at first!) as the parents. Come to think of it, The Family Game is devoid of typical Itami humour, but it definitely has the satirical touch which is present in all of his movies.

Interestingly, the movie served as a source of inspiration for a 2013 drama of the same title. I have only seen the first episode of the show, and the overall tone of the story is radically different. The tutor character played by Sho Sakurai definitely seems to be the main protagonist.

Recommendations
If you want to experience early postmodernist vibes of Japanese culture, apart from Haruki Murakami novels, then I recommend The Family Game. It is quite an interesting film for what it is. Worth checking out just to see the 1980s aesthetics on the screen.Overall score: 7/10

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