Movies
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun: Graduation
The sequel to the 1981 classic by Shinji Somai is a worthy successor. It's a stylish Yakuza affair with quirky elements that crank up the entertainment value. It's not the most serious crime flick, but the crime bits don't disappoint in the slightest, and the presentation is well above average. The performances are solid, there are several memorable action scenes spread throughout, and the film never dips, despite a relatively long runtime. Graduation was way better than I expected it to be.
A somewhat comical take on the pressure society puts on getting wedded. A woman sets out to find her ideal partner, but she has a hard time finding anyone suitable. All her potential candidates turn out unworthy, and when the least likely of the bunch manages to dump/insult her, all she cares for is revenge. The premise is promising enough, but the film doesn't really deliver. It's supposed to be a comedy and the situations offer plenty of potential for gags or snark, but Maeda makes poor use of them. The characters themselves aren't very likeable either, making the more dramatic second half moot. Visually the film looks a bit drab, performances are a bit disappointing too and the soundtrack doesn't really add much either. There are some decent moments and at least it was interesting to see how the film panned out, but this wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. I don't think I'll be giving Maeda's other films priority.Read all