Apex_P38 While looking for a comedy to watch on the Asian Crush App, I came across Sake-Bomb. Not knowing anything about it, I looked it up here on IMDB to find that it had a 5.4 rating. So, for some time I avoided watching it. Eventually the day came where I did not care about its rating and took a chance on this movie and it surely turned out much better than it was advertised. Sake-Bomb is a movie about two characters: Naoto a simple native Japanese guy who lives in a small Japanese Village, works in a Sake Brewery Factory and who doesn't own a phone or computer in his daily life. At the beginning of the movie, his boss in Japan tells him that he wants him to take over the Sake Brewery Factory as he is the best employee he's ever had. He also tells Naoto that before he announces his promotion in a about a week's time, he wants Naoto to take a week off work to do something he always wanted to do in life, because in a week, the company will essentially be his life and he won't ever get a chance to ever do it once promoted. And then there's Sebastian, a crude Japanese American, who lives in Los Angeles, is an Internet "Star" Vlogger who for personal reasons won't upload his videos on Youtube but on his own website. Aside from that he's unemployed and has no intentions of getting a real job. In the beginning of the movie, his girlfriend breaks up with him and kicks him out of her apartment. As a result, he moves back in with his father just in time for his cousin Naoto's visit to America. Upon his arrival to America, Naoto shows Sebastian and his uncle a picture of a woman who he used to be in a relationship with. This woman taught English in Japan, which is how he met her, but then one day without a word, she suddenly went back to America and he never hears back from her. As he only has her address and she lives in Northern California, he wants to go find her to find out why she left without a word. Having experienced a similar dilemma in his younger days, his uncle not only sympathizes with Naoto, but makes Sebastian drive Naoto to Northern California to find this woman. -Mild Spoiler Alert-While at first, Sebastian doesn't want to go or spend any time with his cousin, this road trip ends up being a journey of Self Realization and Discovery not just for him but also for Naota. Where Sebastian comes to realize how the world actually sees him and that he's been going about life all wrong. While Naota comes to learn that Adults, especially American Adults, are not always who they seem to be, are selfish, lie more than often than they should to cover their asses and to get through life as a survival trait.-End of Mild Spoiler Alert -This is a very genuine low budget Indie Comedy Movie. Definitely, this is not as raunchy as it might be advertised in the trailer. In fact very tame. Surely, you're not going to find top Hollywood talent on this film either, yet the film does more than fine without it. This movie is not just about Naoto and Sebastian's Journey, but this movie also brings up the topic of how Asian stereotypes are seen in American culture and how some Asians are not okay with these stereotypes even though they can't do much of a thing about them. In spite of it all, at the end, Naoto and Sebastian's bond is made for life not just because they just happen to be cousins but as they end up coming together as family. Overall, give this movie a chance and try not to dismiss this movie based on Sebastian's somewhat "misinformed" views early on, which will surely put off some viewers. Though it's is not what this movie is really all about, as Sebastian comes out in a different light in the end. Also, at the very end, this movie also leaves it open at the end for a possible sequel, though not guaranteed by any means we will ever get to see one. To me this movie was almost "kind of" heartfelt and I look forward to watching this from time to time. Take a chance on this film you might potentially feel the same...... or not. Up to you.7 out of 10 stars.

Lance Ng I actually don't understand why pple wouldn't like this film unless they are too used to fancy best-seller book adaption scripts or big- budget CGI Hollywood style stuff. This sweet indie film is a good blend of the subtlety of love portrayed in Asian films which provided a good contrast against the liberal freedom of American culture and outspokenness. It may not be filled with visual awe or heart thumping rides, but it is a quietly sweet film in its own right. Most of all, all the lead actors put in amazing performances for a such a budget indie production. To those who appreciate that true love in all its innocence of youth need not to spoken out loud and constantly reassured from one to the other, this is film-making at its purest and most sincere.

Kellie Lock East Winds Film Festival - Sake-Bomb – ReviewSake-Bomb is a Japanese comedy, which plays with the contrasting cultures of the east and the west. The film predominantly is focused on the harsh Eastern racial stereotypes the west has given them. The film uses crude adult humour to convey its messages and values throughout.At the start of the film we are introduced to Naoto played by Gaku Hamada who plays a factory worker for a Sake brewery. Naoto is portrayed as an innocent character that follows the traditional values of the eastern culture. Naoto is told by his boss that he wishes for Naoto to take over the company and Naoto has one week to do something that he would regret if he hadn't of done so.Naoto ends up visiting his cousin Sebastian played by Eugene Kim in search of a previous lover who has moved on and began a family with someone else to which she is now married. Sebastian doesn't follow the eastern traditions he is the complete contrast to Naoto, he is immersed with the western lifestyle, hosting a vlog channel "FOB Mother Fu..e" where he expresses his opinions on the given eastern stereotypes it also allows the breaking of the fourth wall, in similar aspects such as Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World does through the overlay of visual aesthetics Sake Bomb uses the Vlog to connect with its audience through use of media we are all found to use. Although the film it's self-holds strong themes and issues, which are commonly used within 'indie' eastern films it lacked within the plot line. A whole 83 minutes passes and the only characters you are predominantly introduced to are Naoto and Sebastian as you follow them on their road trip to which shows an emotional road trip within the characters. The plot is predictable right from the start to the end; the two cousins' who have completely different opinions and lifestyles come together and accept the other. Although Sebastian gives Naoto a hard time for being a FOB (Fish of the Boat) and encourages him to act somewhat from the American culture the two predictably have a break up and then get reunited as they begin to accept the culture clashes as the story goes on.In terms of technical elements Sake-Bomb holds up a good front for an 'indie' film. However I feel that we aren't given enough visual enjoyment through the cinematography, the film sticks to uses majority static medium close up frames with the subjects held central after 83 minutes this began to bore me. At times we were given slow motion and two shots with a hint of deep depth of field to mix up the visual elements yet it still didn't pull me into the plot. The imagery it's self held brilliant deep colours which were visually pleasing but I feel it wasn't really needed as the plot just isn't that intriguing.Overall I felt the film lacked elements in all areas as the whole plot line and themes and issues raised were biased on something we are aware of. Although I did enjoy the film as it was an easy laid back watch with no twist and turns rather than having to be aware all the time not to miss any dialogue or story line to understand the films concept.

Jonathan Bark Sake-Bomb is a Japanese comedy that play's on Asian stereotypes and crude adult culture in order to display its message deep within, that these stereotypes take advantage of innocent people, and create impressions that define them, instead of showing the beauty of their personalities.Naoto; played fittingly by Gaku Hamada, takes a visit to Los Angeles to locate his one true love; his ex-teacher and lover Olivia. This romantic journey is tinged by the constant incompetence of his wannabe-internet-star cousin, Sebastian; brought to life by the energetic performance of Eugene Kim. Throughout the journey Naoto is fed these racial stereotypes in order to prevent himself being seen like a FOB (From off the boat) Asian to Sebastian's American friends. Making the trip mould into a selfish ploy for Sebastian to nurture his ego and turn Naoto into a smaller version of himself. After the constant hate Sebastian received from his controversial opinions about the contrasting cultures, he suddenly began realise the racism surrounding Asian heritage, revealing his vlog (FOB motherf*cker) was only a plea for attention and began to respect his cousin Naoto a lot more because of his mental strength. Despite Naoto's reason for travelling to Los Angeles was to understand why Olivia left him in Japan, he wasn't shaken by the harsh reality that she was already married, and was when she was with him in Japan. Instead he saw the bigger picture and showed his strong mentality.However, the film was covered by crude humour surrounding these controversial stereotypes, which made it hard to find funny. This humour really polluted the message, however sweet it was. Especially with a dreary storyline that became increasingly predictable. Everything seemed to fit together too perfectly.It's unfair to say this crudeness overpopulated the whole feature, because there was some funny moments, especially the scene with the racist police man who summarised the cultural blindness of some Americans, making generalisations and acting on the stereotypes previously mentioned by Sebastian. I felt that the crudeness out weighed the genuinely funny parts of the film, which made it loose the essence that was intended for such a sweet character like Naoto. Furthermore, it seemed like it was trying too hard to convey messages about the Japanese to the Americans, making it loose its essence as a Japanese film and adopt a cheesy American viewpoint, which added to the dreariness and predictability of the storyline.Understandably this humour was only used to make such a controversial issue seem more light hearted, but instead it made the film come across quite tacky. Regardless of this, if you brush away the surface, there is a sweet inside that leaks out gradually; through the (surprisingly long) 82minute duration. The predictability that Sebastian would start to show more tolerance to Naoto's interest, insensitive to how stereotypical, or how FOB like it was, made this sweetness almost obsolete. But still, it gave a sweet after taste that followed the 70 minutes of on and off cringe worthy comedy