WE ARE MOVING!

Hello all!

Sincere apologies for the dead zone this blog has become~ the past year has been super busy for me!

But! The good news is I'm writing for a film entertainment website now and I decided JapanFilmMania needed a reboot.

So, this blog will be given a new home over at Wordpress.com ~ with all of the latest news and film reviews from Japan. And this time, it's for real.

We have a change of name too; instead of JapanFilmMania, instead it will now be "Eigalicious" ~ after the Japanese word for movie "eiga" ^^

Thank you for the support up until now and I hope you'll stick around for the future! The wordpress site is still being updated but I'll stick the link for you here;

eigalicious.wordpress.com

~ Emi (Lead Admin)

Himizu has arrived!

LoveFilm has finally sent out my copy of Himizu for this blog's next review! Sorry for the delay everyone! Was so sure it would get here sooner! Will post the review this Friday! 

Reviews are back!

Hello all!

Sorry for the delay and absence of my running of this blog for the past year and a half - university is tough territory to find time around!

But! You may be pleased to find out that reviews will resume (updated weekly as promised) for this blog, starting from the beginning of November!

I truly cannot wait to get started now that I have my full attention on this blog and I hope that you will be as excited as I am to read them!

Thank you for your patience!

~ Emi

Reviews Postponed Until Summer

This blog will be on a temporary hiatus because of University work commitments ~ I hope you understand!

But I'll be back in Summer with a brand new fresh look on Japanese cinema, as well as upcoming news and updates!

Stay tuned!

~ Emi 

First Review; Please tell me your thoughts!

Hope you liked the first review guys! As this blog is new & reviews are weekly, it may take me a while to get this blog up and running but, I sincerely hope you enjoy!

I hope I'm doing okay so far!! ٩(●ᴗ●)۶ Please telll me if there's anything I'm doing wrong, or you think I should do differently!! ^^

~ Emi

Guilty of Romance Review [恋の罪] // Sion Sono (2011)

What do we really know about love?

Title: Guilty of Romance (恋の罪 // Koi no Tsumi )
Director: Sion Sono
Writer: Sion Sono
Year: 2011
Starring: Kazuko Yoshida (Miki Mizuno), Makoto Togashi (Mitsuko Ozawa), Megumi Kagurazaka (Izumi Kikuchi), Ryûju Kobayashi (Kaoru), Chiko Uchida (Eri Doi), Kanji Tsuda (Yukio Kikuchi)
Rating: 18 (UK) R18+ (Japan)


Looking to start the New Year with a bang? Look no further than this, my friends.

Sion Sono, the tantalising director of the unforgettable Love Exposure (2009) and the chilling Cold Fish (2010) brings another dramatic tale to life in his 2011 debut, Guilty of Romance.

A drama thriller loosely based on the real-life murder of Yasuko Watanabe, a prostitute working the late night streets of Tokyo's Shibuya district in 1997, Sono's take on the events are far from a half-hearted attempt. 

Of course, having seen most of Sono's work, the graphic content portrayed in Guilty of Romance may deem shocking to some who, either aren't familiar with Sono's work or Japanese cinema in particular; but to me, I was the least surprised. Here, in Sono's creative realm of filmic principles, the screen-friendly themes and values present in Hollywood are quickly cast aside. Instead we are presented with fully naked bodies, shameless sex scenes and the grisly murder victims ranking an extreme high on the gore scale; something you'd perhaps expect from Saw. Combine this with a delicately and cleverly thought out plot, with characters who all benefit from elaborate profiles and back stories, and Sono may just weave his way into your good books.

Set at the turn of the 21st Century, Guilty of Romance throws us straight into the action; a rainy night in Tokyo and a murder all too fresh, police and forensic teams surround a dingy apartment in backstreet Shibuya. While the opening scene is likened to an episode of CSI, the plot no doubt succeeds in fixating our curiosity for the killer's identity and motive. A girl, a prostitute, murdered, her body severed and attached to the ligaments of mannequins, you might expect nothing more than a modern-day Japanese Jack the Ripper. 

The story detail, however, doesn't just evolve into a murder chase. Far from any crime television series, Guilty of Romance focuses intensely on the lives of the girl and her peers prior to her untimely death. First, we meet Izumi Kikuchi; a stay-at-home wife married to the successful and (erotic) novelist Yukio. Leading a fairly repetitive life, and treated more like a slave in her own home, Izumi's days revolve around setting her husband's slippers straight at the front door, ready for his homecoming, serving him tea and catering to his every whim. Deprived of a healthy, romantically involved relationship, Izumi craves independence and, at her husband's approval, lands a job at a local supermarket, selling samples of "delicious sausages" (the irony...)

Izumi seeks more from her lifeless marriage...

Almost straight away, Sono isn't afraid to shed light on one of the film's prominent themes; the meaning of love. A given clue in the title, a vast majority of the scenes filmed feature an array of couples linked arm in arm, head over heels in infatuation while Izumi looks on in longing. Guaranteed to coax a sympathetic "aww" or two from your throats in these moments, Guilty of Romance makes sure to expose the true intentions of the 'L' word we know so well; as well as revealing the more sinister sides... what, indeed, does it mean to 'be loved' or 'be in love"?

A day into her job and Izumi is spotted by, what you could call a 'talent', scout named Eri, who snaps her up for a modelling job. Tended to by make-up artists and designers, Izumi finds herself in cute dresses and is suddenly before a camera striking shy poses as she begins to enjoy this new found freedom. Of course, this 'feel-good' aura strikes dry as the job takes a sinister turn and Izumi finds herself in her underwear, sprawled out on a couch underneath a stereotypically stylish hunk nicknamed 'Martini' (I'm guessing this comes from a martini glass that his overtly slim figure seems to mirror). Though, as the thrill of such a job brings both shock and fascination to Izumi's dull alternative lifestyle, so too does she find herself craving more from her male counterparts.

Soon addicted to affairs, Izumi eventually slips into the world of prostitution, where we meet the manic, split-personality-esque demeanour of Mitsuko Ozawa. A lecturer by day, hooker by night, Mitsuko shows Izumi a world of sex-hungry men, secrecy and shamelessness. From this point in the movie on, it may be wise for me to highlight a few issues that may seem startling.

Sion Sono is one of the few directors who isn't conservative about the intensity of his films' content. Guilty of Romance does feature rape; on both accounts of man on woman/ woman on man. By means of spoiler avoiding, I will omit details, but the rape scenes are far from what many may figure as mindless or for the intent of sadistic pleasure. While they aren't the greatest scenes to witness, Sono makes a firm point; while love making is considered a sacred mark between lovers, sex is simply sex. The simple desire for the body holds greater bounds, and darker mentalities; a disillusioned realm that has our main character, Izumi, perplexed. While bound by the safe yet prison-like marriage to Yukio, the craving for danger to have an affair, to use another man's body for the pleasures she cannot fulfill with her own husband, are a far greater sacrifice. Sono uses the perception of lust to bring the film's title to the front of the page here; while we are attracted to things we know are wrong, so too, he insists, are our fears of it. 

Izumi soon learns that seeking sex with strangers in seedy hotels isn't all that glamorous...

Guilty of Romance also suggests hints of feminism; a trait which may put you off. It isn't preaching the matter, however, but is simply attempting to tell a story from a certain side of the coin. From the beginning we see women being devalued and unappreciated; Izumi is our prime example with her marriage; and so too are the girls who work for Eri, encouraged to take off their clothes while the photographer swaps camera for video recorder. Of course these women seek money as the reward for their behaviour, a matter which can be argued as nothing more than a choice for the self but nevertheless, Sono challenges the morals of the rights and wrongs of these issues. The lesser can be said for the men featured in the film; a good example is the two clients Mitsuko arranges to sleep with, one being a corporate businessman;

"You're cheap for a company executive!" - Mitsuko

In fairness, most who are looking for meaningless sex in this film are not perverts past their prime but young men at the turn of adolescence; suggesting a naivety in the younger generation's approach to sex.

"Strangely enough, men value women who f*** for free" - Izumi

So Guilty of Romance, while unafraid to face the issues and raw goings on inside of its characters' bedrooms, is by no means a film intent on attempting a cheap porno effect. While viewers who are intolerant to the notion of graphic imagery and portrayal of the human body, women, and men as sleazy Casanova's who linger at every street corner preying on anything with a skirt shorter than their brain cells, this film may not be for you. If you are new to Japanese cinema, this film will no doubt shock you and your approach to the notion of Japanese films will surely be clouded. However, should you be in the mood for a raunchy, gritty portrayal of the darker side of life, your enjoyment of Guilty of Romance should satisfy your curiosity. Watching this myself on a dark, cold night in January, the film's mood certainly mirrors the authenticity of such imagery.

Of course, the film isn't without its awkwardness. Along with some of the themes it presents, the film's presentation of romance is far abundant in clumsy kissing scenes; far from the Hollywood 'perfection' we're far too used to. While there are moments that will make you smile as well as those that will cause you to cringe, a little discretion may be handy to apply in some scenes. No doubt characters will get on your nerves, as Sono wants them to, so be aware that this film is one that strives to stir your inner frustration. Otherwise, the acting on all parts is well-received and the depth of the character's personas will draw you into their stories.

Guilty of Romance shows us the darker alleyways of Japan's culture...

Is Izumi a likeable character? Yes... Will there be moments where you seriously consider what on earth you're watching? Most likely... Will Mitsuko get on your nerves and drive you crazy? Most definitely. Guilty of Romance may be a shock inducer with its themes, with a plot twist that you may or may not see coming or be impressed by, but above all, Sion Sono's attempt at portraying the twisted psyche of the human need for love and attention, and the consequences of the character's actions that seek to fulfill that need, regardless of self-respect will no doubt leave you reeling. Above all, it was a very entertaining watch; shot in beautiful cinematography and editing that intertwines paralleling scenes beautifully; accompanied by a delicately composed and harrowing soundtrack. Sion Sono's Guilty of Romance is certainly one to add to your rental list; but I recommend seeking out his other works too, you may just find yourself shamelessly attracted to this director's workings of film...


Above all; if you're into sex, deception and a film that pushes its themes to extreme provocativeness, and enjoy a good twist, you're in for a treat. Those of you who prefer the lighter side of human behaviour, hold tight and give this one a miss, I'll have something that's right up your street soon!

In the meantime, a word of advice... don't watch Guilty of Romance with your parents or family. Embarrassment with love scenes is all too common; serious discretion is advised!