Movies
Watanabe and the Suzuki connection. Seijun Suzuki featured in Watanebe's first, Watanabe in his turn took on a role in Pistol Opera. Loved Gun feels like the love child between Suzuki and Watanabe. It's a weird film, mixing cartoonesque Yakuza violence and absurd comedy with a deeper layer of melancholy. The cast is excellent, Watanabe's direction is confident and the mix of styles still feels fresh and unique. I'm not sure if there's a large audience for films like this, but if you like films that are a little different, this is a certified hidden gem.
A very cool discovery. I really loved Kensaku Watanabe's Loved Gun but never got around to watching any of his other films (not that they're widely/easily available or anything). After watching The Story of Pupu, I think I need to make a bigger effort, because this film is quite something else. Two young women are on their way to visit Pupu's grave. He's a fictional pig, but that doesn't seem to bother the two. On their way, they meet a variety of interesting people, though somehow they always get into trouble. Luckily there is Trunkman, a young boy who saves them whenever things get too dangerous. The plot and characters are pretty nonsensical, so it's probably no surprise Watanabe was able to cast Seijun Suzuki for a smaller part (he also returned the favor with Pistol Opera). The characters are fun and anarchistic, the styling is pleasant and the plot is hilarious. It's a joyous, short, and wacky little film, the kind you'll only find in Japan.Read all