* [i learned about this film through HIFF (Hawaii International Film Festival) and it's being shown again at the Dole Cannery Theatre if any of you Hawaii residents are reading this or people who are going to be here for the week...]*
why i love this movie:
Rejuvenated, Fresh blood pumping into each vein -
Relief from the "Japanese horror/sci-fi/samurai+ninja" genre; shows Japanese people being PEOPLE having identity+relationship problems etc. instead of "There's-a-virus-in-the-computer-threatening-to-obliterate-all-of-mankind" or "Shimatta! He-has-a-blade-in-his-gut-and-he's-still-going-to-kill-me!" Problems.
and...
two teenage girls having RESPECT for each other's differences WHILE remaining friends. Both girls are independent in that they don't rely on each other to make each other happy, just that they are happy when they're together. Momoko and Ichiko(go) understand each other without trying to change the other and that's rare in relationships. Usually, someone will try and sway you to be one way when you aren't. It's so awesome to see teenagers have that deep of an understanding and acceptance between one another.
personally, i can relate to Momoko's perspective of "friends" - if i have them, cool; and if i DON'T : the world's not gonna end. (la-la-la, carry on)
and as for Ichiko(go), i can relate to her "outer shell" where she projects the Outside to protect the inside.
what i love about how they're portrayed is that both girls are each others' insides. the scene in the end where Momoko becomes one of the Clan girls and tells the story about how she's Himiko's daughter is both outrageously believable(for even the most gentle of countenance's hide the utmost wrath) and extremely tender(toward Ichiko(go)) and with Ichiko(go), there's still that shy, smart girl underneath - the girl that wants happiness but doesn't show emotion, like Momoko. ~
+ i don't want to go into depth about my analyzation about the film because i think that people who want something more than just a "cliched" Japanese film should just watch this movie and decide for themselves what moved them and how they percieve the concept.
~oh yeah ~ the CINEMA in this movie is fantastic! it cuts and freezes and turns into Anime and it all works well with Momoko's narrative... and like previous posters have mentioned : the music ROCKS! *gasp* it's actually MEANINGFUL! not like they just put the music in there because it "sounds cool."
awesome movie - I'VE ALREADY GOT THE DVD DUE OUT IN JANUARY 2006 SUCKAS!
"Peace of mind over piece of ass."
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