ekeby If you've read the other reviews here (and elsewhere), you get the idea. It's a combination of loosely connected segments that are funny, surreal, and nonsensical. But, of course, it's much more than that, despite any of the directors' assertions that it's a meaningless bit of fun.So if it's not meaningless, what is it? I think the clue is in the title. My dictionary says funky means 1) strong musical rhythm, 2) modern and stylish in an unconventional way, and 3) strongly musty. That would describe this forest, though it's important to remember that you can't always see the forest for the trees. (For non-English speakers, "can't see the forest for the trees" is an aphorism meaning you don't always realize you are in a forest because there are so many individual trees to look at. Or something like that.)In this case, the Funky Forest is our culture, particularly our cinematic and pop culture. I'm American and this movie is Japanese, so for me, the pop culture references were mostly inaccessible. I recognized a lot of stylistic content from Japanese TV and cartoons, but I had the feeling the movie would have had much more depth for me if I'd grown up Japanese.However, the cinema references are more easily grasped; the work of several film directors sprung to mind as I watched this. At the top of the list, I'd put David Lynch, for serious-looking, slightly surreal scenes with absurd dialog. The creatures in Forest suggested more Lynch than Cronenberg to me. Tarentino's mixed-up, episodic, circular story-telling is used. Speaking of circular-story telling, there is a funny comment on Rashomon too.Fellini. Not for unusual-looking people, because there isn't much of that. But because he also took bits of dialog that could have been or were actually from real life and put them into contexts that made them seem absurd if not incomprehensible. The visuals of Juliet of the Spirits, Fellini's first color film, came to mind. And, I noticed, as with Fellini's 8- 1/2, Funky Forest only makes sense by being self-referential. What makes Funky Forest somewhat unique is the way it explodes familiar if not clichéd movie scenes. Dialog that starts off mundane can soon become absurdly confrontational, often by one character focusing on some bit of minutia that, if the rules of social convention were followed, should have been overlooked or ignored. Happily for us, social convention is thrown out the window here, with wonderfully silly results.I have no doubt that in future this film will be the subject of more than one Phd thesis. And the analysis will probably be fascinating. In the meantime, it really isn't necessary to understand what's going on to appreciate this movie. In fact, I think that's the point. In reverse. If you don't understand what's going on, you may not have a good time.Me, I enjoyed this film enormously, and I'd love to own the soundtrack.

cj_haxholm i went to see this film without having the slightest clue about it....and at first i was quite disappointed; some not very inspiring animations...but then,slowly it all grew, to be more and more crazy and unbelievable, and things accelerated a whole lot...then it appears to be commercials within each other, gags, comedy shows, circus, small short stories and in a way they have nothing to do with each other and yet they make this incredible organic of well-composed-complex movie!so a mix with low graphics (and high), fake commercials, beautiful scenes of landscapes and things like that...wow! so all in all the the best parts of Japanese experimental films + all the best from the(Japanese) pop culture...blend it, shake it...and voilà!I was very glad i saw this movie! really!

wolfsemen ...not to say it isn't without flaw, but this movie has a certain something that is somehow defining of the viewer's personality. I could never be friends with a person who doesn't like this movie. If you feel the same, watch this on every first date, talk about it afterward and it could prove to be a useful tool for screening out would-be suitors. Among my very short list, Cha no Aji also received a 10 in my book. The soundtrack CD also features well-suited weirdness. Little Tempo is the name of the dub band frequently heard throughout both Naisu no Mori and Cha no Aji. I would also recommend Frog River and the Grasshoppa! short film series.

Gerard Elmore I saw this film at the world premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival.I can honestly say it was the best cinematic experience I have ever had. It is so wild, so creative, and filled to the brim with amazing goofiness. Two of the directors were on hand and all I could do was praise them. Before the movie they said the movie isn't suppose to have a point. It's meant to be an experience and to put a goofy grin on your face. That's exactly what happened, I had an experience. Laughed and grinned through the whole thing.I was a little confused when there was a intermission, thought it was another joke, but when I saw the directors leave for a quick bathroom break, I knew it was real.Most of the audiences I watched it with (I saw it twice) absolutely loved the film...although there were a few who could not handle it and had to leave...But personally, I thought it was brilliant!