Looks funny, scary and gory, exactly what a horror comedy should look like. Plus Megan Fox is hot as f*ck! A

Want to see it? I’ll be there opening day.

(500) Days of Summer

Great actors. Looks quirky and entertaining. Great music too. A-

Want to see it? Same as above

The Lovely Bones

A great cast. The parts in heaven look absolutely incredible. However the last part of the trailer makes it look like a thriller when the novel is not really. B-

Want to see it? For sure, it’s Peter Jackson. The reviews might excite me more.

New York, I Love You

Exciting cast, but this trailer fails to actually excite. It looks a bit stale. C-

Want to see it? Probably on dvd.

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

Looks pretty darn good. I love the beginning of the trailer but the rest is kinda uneven. Still very interesting though. B

Want to see it? I’ll probably check it out in theatres.

The story is a simple one. The patriarch of the Sasaki family has lost his job, and decides rather than reveal this to his family to keep it a secret. Everyday he wears his suit and tie and passes his time with other recently unemployed middle-aged man who lead a much similar life. He comes home to his wife, who he does not give the appropriate attention to, and two sons who seem to want to escape the boring world around them.

The film begins with a more comic tone and as it progresses this comic tone crumbles as do the lives of our protagonists who seem to discover the dangers of the present day Japanese society. Like a sonata, the film contrasts and unfolds different themes, political(one of the sons joins the US army and goes to fight in Iraq while the other discovers his talent in playing a musical instrument) or familial(the authority of the patriarch is perfectly contrasted with the lack of freedom of his wife). All these different themes reach peaks by the end which see the family relationships breaking apart and then being restored.

Music, plays a big part in the movie, as it blends inconspicuously with the narrative. This is a testament to the director who doesn’t fall into the pitfall of using an overwrought soundtrack to “enhance” the dramatic effect. The closing scene especially with a rendition of Debussy’s “Clair De Lune” is the perfect musical ending to the film. In a way, Kurosawa shows us that there is light at the end of the tunnel for the contemporary Japanese society.

My only reservation is the shift in tone in the final act which is somewhat awkward. Otherwise, a fine film about the modern day Japanese family.

A-