<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Thanks, Jordan, for the thoughts.<div>I, too, was surprised at how packed the place was--to the gills.</div><div><br></div><div>I had a couple of thoughts about the relation between the legal and the literary and this film--and was also curious about what a conservative/traditional critic could possibly find fault with. To me, the film seemed like a traditionalist's wet dream. What's up with the critique, Alex?</div><div><br></div><div>Two characters (Moriguchi, the teacher, and one of the youth criminals, Shōnen A) cited the <u>shōnen-hō</u> criminal law, and the fact that your offenses were erased when you come of age and become, essentially, an adult <u>tabula rasa</u>. I could imagine some umbrage at that. Bad people go free!</div><div>But the villains of the film seemed to be the tried and true ones from central casting--mostly mothers, but also "the system." One new twist was the takedown of the heroic teacher--the kind who jumps on tables and issues inspirational homilies à la Robin Williams. The sympathetic <u>shōjo</u> character (I think it was, Kitahara) calls one of the <u>shōnen</u> criminals "mazā-kon" which surprised me--does that term have any currency anymore? The film seemed more nihilistic than anything--a priori categories were fixed, and all was doomed.</div><div><br></div><div>The conflation with AUM tropes was kind of interesting--Shonen A (Shuya, of <u>mazā-kon</u> fame) was an evil techno-genius who did not get proper recognition for his science fair feats and general scientific awesomeness. It seemed to me that a parallel narrative could be traced in the last 15 years between the sexualization of <u>shōjo</u> to younger and younger girl-ages, with the techno-evil of <u>shōnen</u> to younger and younger boy-ages. </div><div><br></div><div>The title is a bit baffling to me, which is why I was curious if anyone had read the novel. Confession is <u><b>the</b></u> literary trope par excellence of modern prose fiction. But despite being called "kokuhaku," the actual narration of this film was part <u>kokuhaku</u> (in Shōnen B's mother's diary, Shōnen A's video tell-all), but mostly what I would call <u>shōgen</u>, witnessing. It is the same as the narrative style we see in _Shimotsuma_, for example, in Momoko's voice-of-God account of how she was conceived. It's a very novelistic way of telling a story as a narrator of things one does not actually experience oneself: not blurting out one's inner life onto the page as a supplicant/confessor, to make sense of it after it is spilled onto the page, but rather synthesizing and narrating a story after the fact, even if the medium in which it is relayed (e.g. video) signifies "liveness."</div><div><br></div><div>But I have to say that the Radiohead/Boris soundtrack did not do a lot for me either. But a lot of people seemed moved. There was even a guy who, after the film, stood in the lobby and captured the attention of people milling around by confessing HIS sorrow/anxiety at the issues the film brought up--until it became clear that he was not really responding to the film per se, but using it as an occasion to advocate fr Christianity and all of our sins ("").</div><div><br></div><div>So what was the buzz from the "trad" people who panned the film?</div><div><br><div><div>On Jan 7, 2011, at 2:30 AM, <a href="mailto:oyabaka@ucla.edu">oyabaka@ucla.edu</a> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Hi All,<br><br>I just came from the UCLA screening too, and have a few thoughts.<br><br>I would have to suggest a revision to the observation that the teens are all depicted as evil - at one point, the main character (the teacher bent on revenge) even expresses disappointment that the kids weren't more cruel, though they do come across as stupid, simple, and unsympathetic.<br><br>The only vector of complication to this characterization is the back stories of teen's earlier childhood, where it is clear that neglect from adults (parents, teachers, etc.) contributed into transforming adorable, innocent, loving kids into objects of disgust and moral abjection. Not that this adds much richness to the rather simplified blame game... The usual suspects are there: neglectful parents, mainly mothers who have careers, mothers who dote on sons, absent/overworked fathers, violence-obsessed mass media, etc.<br><br>In terms of film style and plot, the film has enough to keep most folks interested. Talking with others afterward (the theater was packed), the general response, both from experts and average viewers alike, was that the film was successful in at least some ways, and all responses were enthusiastic. Some speculate that it won't capture American viewers, that some aspects of the narrative are revealed too slowly or contain too much repetition to retain their emotional impact.<br><br>It has a Count of Monte Cristo feel to the revenge story, which mixes both careful craft and spontaneity on the part of woman wreaking her revenge.<br><br>There are some odd moments with visual techniques and metadiegetic sound effects, but anyone familiar with Nakashima's style might welcome them with a bit of nostalgia, since the film does feel like a more mainstreamed version of his usually richly textured style.<br><br>Just a few thoughts...<br><br><br>Jordan<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 2011/01/07, at 10:53, "Alex Zahlten" <<a href="mailto:Alex.Zahlten@gmx.de">Alex.Zahlten@gmx.de</a>> wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Hi,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">did anyone go to see Kokuhaku, and have any impressions/ideas about it? It generated some discussion in Japan (and much criticism from the "traditional" film critic side) and I'd be interested to hear further opinions-<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Alex<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">-------- Original-Nachricht --------<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Datum: Thu, 6 Jan 2011 10:00:47 -0800<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Von: Anne McKnight <<a href="mailto:mcknight@usc.edu">mcknight@usc.edu</a>><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">An: <a href="mailto:KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu">KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu</a><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Betreff: Nakashima¥'s _Confessions_ screening in LA 1/6<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">hi all,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">short notice, but for people in town, this is screening tonight @<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">UCLA. I was a big fan of _Shimotsuma monogatari_, and am interested to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">see where this one goes.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Has anyone read the novel (_Kokuhaku_)?<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Melnitz Movies and the Graduate Students Association present...<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">CONFESSIONS<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Thursday, January 6th @ 7:30 PM<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Japan's official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Tetsuya Nakashima’s Confessions is one of Japan’s most important films<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">of the year. Reigning the national box office for weeks, the film has<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">seduced, frightened, provoked and moved audiences with the depth of<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">its focus on the delinquency of a despairing youth. A stylized mixture<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">of cruelty and compassion, Confessions deals with school violence,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">bullying, revenge and love, while a...lso addressing the miserable<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">state of Japanese public schools, prejudices against HIV victims and<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">the consequences of allowing teenage violence to go unpunished.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Based on the bestselling novel Kohuhaku by Kanae Minato, Confessions<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">reveals the key mystery in its opening sequence and then focuses on<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">the reasons that prompted this violent act and subsequent vendetta.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Shifting between the point of view of the teenagers and the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">devastated, grieving teacher, Nakashima prevents the audience from<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">taking sides, allowing the viewers room to come to their own<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">conclusions about the dark acts they witness.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Official selection Toronto International Film Festival 2010, Official<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Oscar entry Best Foreign Film (Japan)<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">"Sustaining a fugue-like, intensifying counterpoint of sound and image<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">over its 103 minutes, it's truly mesmerizing, and in terms of<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">structure and articulation, hands down one of the most original films<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">I've seen recently, affording a glimpse of another possible direction<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">21st-century cinema might take." - Gavin Smith, FILM COMMENT<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Director: Tetsuya Nakashima<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Starring: Takako Matsu, Yoshino Kimura, Masaki Okada, Yukito Nishii,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Kaoru Fujiwara, Ai Hashimoto<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Screenwriter: Tetsuya Nakashima<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Cinematography: Shoichi Ato, Atsushi Ozawa<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">35mm, 106 minutes<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">-- <br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><a href="mailto:alex@nipponconnection.de">alex@nipponconnection.de</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">GMX DSL Doppel-Flat ab 19,99 Euro/mtl.! Jetzt mit<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">gratis Handy-Flat! <a href="http://portal.gmx.net/de/go/dsl">http://portal.gmx.net/de/go/dsl</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>