Crisp Criticism - "It Follows", "Tokyo Tribe", "Kumiko the Treasure Hunter"

by

Julien Faddoul

It Follows ***

A young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after getting involved in a sexual encounter.

Although absurd in detail, this is a stressful, ingeniously constructed horror film, creating a palpable sense of unimaginable dread with very little. It also typifies as a brilliant examination of the fear and confusion of adolescent sex.

wd – David Robert Mitchell

ph – Mike Gioulakis

pd – Michael Perry

m – Disasterpeace

ed – Julio Perez

cos – Kimberly Leitz-McCauley

p – Rebecca Green, David Kaplan, Erik Rommesmo, Laura D. Smith

Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, Bailey Spry, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary

Tokyo Tribe **

In an alternate Japan, territorial street-gangs form opposing factions collectively known as the Tokyo Tribes boil over into an all-out war.

An alienating, Rapped-through musical with the director at his least susceptible, offering everything from a techno-Shogun to a room of human furniture to a difficult yet acute attack on gender politics. Full of terrific scenes and performances.

wd – Sion Sono   (Based on the Manga by Santa Inoue)

ph – Daisuke Sôma

pd – Yuji Hayashida

m – B.C.D.M.G.

ed – Jun'ichi Itô

cos – Chieko Matsumoto

p – Yoshinori Chiba, Nobuhiro Iizuka

Cast: Akihiro Kitamura, Hitomi Katayama, Mukade, Riki Takeuchi, Ryohei Suzuki, Ryuta Sato, Seino Nana, Shôko Nakagawa, Shôta Sometani, Tomoko Karina, Yosuke Kubozuka, Young Dais

Kumiko the Treasure Hunter *

A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in the film Fargo is, in fact, real.

Highly muddled attempt at a kind of fable on cinematic influence that only scarcely explores its interesting central conceit.

d – David Zellner

w – David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

ph – Sean Porter

pd – Chad Keith, Kikuo Ohta

m – The Octopus Project

ed – Melba Jodorowsky

cos – Tony Crosby, Kiersten Ronning

p – Andrew Banks, Jim Burke, Cameron Lamb, Chris Ohlson, Nathan Zellner

Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, Shirley Venard, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner