Mark Smith
This is a really dirty film with a really beautiful girl, in the way that Japanese chix are. Can't ask for more than that. It's also about the pain of entering adulthood and facing/sustaining independence. Emotionally I put it on a par with Becoming Victor Vargas, but throw in a hot chick and you see what I mean. Eihi Shiina is spectacular in an understated role, and her brother-lover is very good too. Mostly he mopes around waiting to get into her pants, which is what you'd do if you had a sister that looked like that. Also like the unassuming direction that lets the actors find their own space and composure. Deserves to be much better known. Facetiousness aide, this is one of those gems that gets totally overlooked; The Lover (not overlooked, but undervalued) comes to mind. This is about the razor's edge between naughty and nice where a lot of our fantasies get played out. I'd rather watch Eihi Shiina doing this than slicing the tentacles off some giant octopus. It's a way better film than Audition which made her famous where she sliced and diced the body parts of a guy who thought he had a lock on her.The previous review is a skillful description of the film though I disagree with its conclusion, as you might have noticed.
wedgwood
Tokio is a modern male parallel to Pabsts Lulu. He's hairdresser who looks after his beautiful officer worker sister. He sleeps around with anyone and everyone, breaking hearts all over the show. Japanese people just cant hug properly can they? It's not their thing. This part is quite funny in some scenes. Okay, so Tokio is this absolutely perfect looking, young Japanese guy. His dress sense is a little cool but he could've cooled it with the pink shirts all the time. He treats the people he sleeps with as if he doesn't have a heart. His sister spends some time away with a friend. The friend, a woman, is in love with his sister. A kiss on the head is about as far as this film goes for those of you's wanting some lesbo camp scenes. When the sister returns home, the siblings begin an incestuous relationship.In a nicely shot street scene Tokio gets sliced down the left side of his face with a razor by an unknown woman who disappears into the crowds. He lies in the street for a while passed out. Goes to hospital. All the while he is still madly in love with his sister.When he comes home, he is depressed (which is actually not much different for him throughout the entire film -he's so laid back and moochy and doesn't smile a lot). Suddenly when he passes beautiful women on the street they push past him barely noticing him. It's great. 'The now ineffective seductress'. Animusu anima is boring from beginning to end.