Kakera: A Piece of Our Life (2010)

Many of the scenes in Kakera are pure perfection, especially in the first half. I wanted it all to be that way, but it reflects life and life is never that way, so the film had to follow suit. In truth, such contrasts are important to our understanding and appreciation of each particular feeling, which is a topic that the film itself explores. It's the story of two women, one a college undergraduate with an unfaithful partner who uses her mostly for sex, and the other a prosthetist who sculpts lifelike body parts for people who require them to feel whole again. In a sense, one is an unfulfilled student, while the other is an artist who gives a sense of peace to those in need and like every true artist she understands the salient beauty of imperfection.

3½ X chromosomes out of 5

Sawako Decides (2009)

Sawako has low self-esteem. She's the opposite of her co-workers, all of whom seem to have a strong opinion on everything and everyone. When Sawako finds herself in a situation involving freshwater clams and a sweater-knitting partner, her weak decision-making skills are put to the test.
Sometimes the film tries too hard to be likeable, as if it's forcing the issue, and the lead actress didn't always convince me that she was Sawako in anything but name, but both failings are largely ironed out by the second half, which culminates in a well-rounded and above all memorable closing scene.
Most viewers will be able to find something relatable in the script—if not in the primary narrative, then in the details—but the uniquely Japanese humour has the potential to greatly confuse the uninitiated.

3 elevated lower-middles out of 5

Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)

The peace of Infant Island is shaken when the Elias sisters sense something threatening on the horizon. The ocean is being contaminated and it’s up to them and a trio of schoolchildren to put a stop to it before a fierce aquatic terror rises from the deep and destroys all marine life.

It’s a more kid-friendly sequel that works the three youngsters into the plot a lot better than the previous film did, but it’s not as good overall. Their adventure had a slight Lucas and Spielberg influence that I really disliked.

Mothra (well, technically Mothra’s son, Mothra Leo) is super-brave and keeps the excitement meter high every time he swoops in on his rainbow-coloured wings. He has some powerful attacks that his mother lacked, which was eyebrow-raising and convenient.

3 showers of miracle piss out of 5

Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006)

D Note 2 continues the story from the point the first film ended. The twisty-turny battle of wills being fought between Light Yagami and the mildly eccentric L grows even more dangerous for both sides.
Misa Amane plays a pivotal role, helping put the moral nature of Light into a deeper perspective. Among other things the emotionally damaged Misa also offers up food for thought about state control and the dual natures of ambition and infatuation.
Shinigami Gelus gets hardly any screen time but evokes more emotion in a short scene than anyone else manages in over two hours.

2½ new leaves out of 5

Death Note (2006)

The Death Note is a book that causes the death of anyone whose name is written on its pages. Any fool can use it, but it takes a sharp mind to fully exploit its uses; that mind belongs to a College student, Light Yagami.
The film isn't as good as the manga or anime that preceded it, but for a TV production it does okay. The shorter running time means it lacks the depth or complexity inherent in the source, but the biggest problem is with the Shinigami (Death God). Ryuk could've been amazing, but he's rendered in a cartoonish CGI that doesn't fit with the realistic aesthetic of the rest of the film. The argument that he's supposed to appear otherworldly won’t change my mind about that. He deserved better.
It's the first half of the story only, with a cliffhanger ending, so it's advisable to already be in possession of Death Note 2 before you begin watching.

3 helpful statistics out of 5

Love Exposure (2008)

When a movie is nearly four hours long, it's fighting an uphill battle. Even a well-paced, smartly written movie  can start to wear on you after 200 minutes. Love Exposure is many things, some good, and some bad, but the one thing it never is is boring.

Love Exposure is perhaps the weirdest, most complicated love story ever told. It probably also has the most pantyshots ever seen in a single film. It's hard to tell if it's a complex exploration of Japanese culture, or an exploration of director Shion Sono fetishes. There's way too much shaky cam, and the plot is problematic, but the characters are surprisingly entertaining and the soundtrack is a lot of fun. I'm not sure if I liked this movie, and I don't think I'll ever sit down again, but it kept my interest, and that's saying something.

2.5 erection epiphanies out of 5.