Yusuke Imamura Movies
- 2008
Two emotionally imbalanced people join forces to make one man's life miserable in this off-kilter comedy from Japanese horror auteur Yuya Ishii. Junko (Rei Otori) was once happily married, but ever since her son died in a drowning accident, her behavior had become increasingly erratic, and while her spouse tries to be as supportive as possible, he's becoming terribly frustrated with her mood swings, especially since she insists on blaming him for the child's death. One day, Junko meets Tombo (Yonosuke Oda) literally by accident as he bumps into her while wearing a bizarre costume as part of his job advertising melon buns for his aunt. Tombo immediately falls in love with Junko and is willing to do anything she asks; Tombo, however, isn't interested in a new romance so much as she wants a partner to help her plot revenge against her husband. Bakemono moyou (aka Of Monster Mode) was an official entry at the 2008 Rotterdam Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rei Otori, Oda Yonosuke, (more)
- 2007
In this lighthearted yet deeply personal drama from director Ishii Yuga, commonplace realism and fantastic elements combine to detail the efforts of a young schoolgirl in attempting to overcome her adolescent apathy and help her struggling father. Saeko was on her way to school when her gaze drifted to the sky and she saw two rockets collide in midair. But even this fantastic spectacle is nothing to a girl who has grown entirely bored with everyday existence. Saeko seems to hate just about everything, though her loathing is more the result of boredom than genuine hostility. Her single father owns a factory that turns out nails, nuts, and bolts, and Saeko imagines that the rockets flying overhead are constructed of the very components produced at her father's factory. But the fact is, the factory is facing bankruptcy, and Saeko can't stand her father. Though the old man does as much as possible to be both mother and father to his indifferent daughter (including wearing make-up and women's clothing), Saeko just doesn't want anything to do with him. Still, she never wanted to see her father suffer, and upon learning that the factory is in trouble Saeko makes the decision to roll up her sleeves and do her part to reinvigorate the failing family business. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ayuko Ikawa, Toshiaki Inomata, (more)
- 2006
Emerging filmmaker Ishii Yuya fashions this humorous and semi-surreal tale of an insecure young man who finds momentary happiness with a pretty factory girl, only to find his life falling apart after he stumbles across a corpse. Jiro is a chubby, clumsy man who loathes his appearance, and resigns himself to the fact that no girl could ever truly want him. But when Jiro falls in love with a factory girl named Rinko, he is shocked to find his affections returned. Rinko is charmed by Jiro's warmth and childlike innocence and, eventually, the pair moves in together. While Rinko treats her new domestic partner more like a pet than a proper mate, Jiro is still happy with his current living arrangement. Upon discovering the corpse of a female murder victim, however, Jiro's fleeting glimmer of happiness is instantly replaced with a suffocating sense of dread. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Uchibori Yoshiyuki, Mayumi Matsutani, (more)
The field of "Mixed Martial Arts" gained popularity in the United States in the late 1990s, and the King of the Cage video series strives to bring viewers the best in knockdown, drag-out fights, whether they be kickboxing, Ju Jitsu, or other hand-to-hand combat forms. This seventh installment in the series, titled Wet and Wild, pits ten fighters against each other over the course of five brawls in the sweltering rain of Southern California -- the precipitation providing an extra challenge. Featured fighters include Rico Rodriguez and Guy Mezger. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
