Confessions – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2010
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Writer: Tetsuya Nakashima
Cast: Takako Matsu, Masaki Okada, Yoshino Kimura, Yukito Nishii, Kaoru Fujiwara, Ai Hashimoto, Mana Ashida 

Release Date: April 25th, 2011
Approximate Running Time: 106 Minutes 42 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (Blu-ray), Region 2 PAL (DVD)
Retail Price: OOP

"Takako Matsu (K-20: Legend Of The Mask) plays a middle-school teacher whose four-year-old daughter is found dead. Shattered, she finally returns to her classroom only to become convinced that two of her students were responsible for her daughter’s murder. No one believes her, and she may very well be wrong, but she decides, nevertheless, that it’s time to take her revenge. What happens next is all-out psychological warfare waged against her students in an attempt to force them into confessing what she knows in her heart to be true: they are guilty and must be punished." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Confessions comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.5 GB

Feature: 21.9 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, and black levels are solid, compression is very good, and there are no issues with edge enhancement.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

All the extra content comes on a second disc (a single-layer DVD). Extras on this disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), 4 TV spots (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), interviews with actors and actress who portrayed students titled  Real Confessions (17 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and a behind the scenes documentary titled Final Confessions with comments from  director Tetsuya Nakashima (69 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles). Other extras include trailers for other films released by Third Window Films.

Summary:

Revenge films have long been a staple in Japanese cinema, with kinetic scenes of blood-soaked carnage and acts of violence eclipsing the effects of the journey on the protagonist’s psyche. While revenge-themed films are often predictable, when done right, they can be an exhilarating experience that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. The key to finding this balance relies heavily on the shoulders of the central characters; if the viewer is unable to relate to them, it is impossible to feel their pain and connect on an emotional level.

My first introduction to Tetsuya Nakashima was Kamikaze Girls, an exuberant film with rapid fire pacing and a robust color palette. From that moment I was drawn into his unique cinematic universe, eager to explore more of his films. When I watched Memories of Matsuko, though the vivid colors were still there, the story was not as upbeat. There were still moments of exuberance, mostly during the film’s stylized musical numbers, but overall the tone of the film was bleak, the experience grueling yet rewarding. That said, I was more impressed than ever and could not wait to check out Tetsuya Nakashima's latest film, Confessions.

This time around, Tetsuya Nakashima creates a poignant tale about revenge rooted in consequences. Confessions primarily centers around three characters: a middle school teacher named Yuko Moriguchi and two students who are responsible for killing her daughter. The narrative is broken down into three sections, one for the teacher and one for each of the killers, with the longest section belonging to the teacher. Her ‘confession’ opens the film and does a superb job setting up who everyone is and what their motivations are. This opening section sets firmly in place the tone of Confessions with its deliberate pacing.

Confessions is easily Tetsuya Nakashima’s most gut wrenching film to date. There is no area where Confessions does not excel; its subdued colors and melancholy score/soundtrack (which includes the Radiohead song ‘Last Flowers’) perfectly reinforce the mood. When it comes to the performances, the entire cast are superb, especially Takako Matsu (9 Souls) in the role of Yuko Moriguchi. Masaki Okada, in the role of one of the killers, delivers a memorable performance. The most memorable moments in Confessions are scenes in which his character interacts with Yuko Moriguchi, especially their climatic showdown.

Without a doubt the most compelling aspect of Confessions is the journey upon which these three characters embark. The teacher determines that since society will not hold them accountable for their crimes due to their tender age, the best way to get revenge is through milk injected with HIV-infected blood. Now fearing that their lives are all but over, the two respond to their new situation in completely different ways. One withdraws from the world and slowly unravels, while the other remains stubborn and defiant. His lack of remorse causes him to lose his most precious possession forever, leading to his downfall. Ultimately, Confessions is a gut-wrenching, albeit rewarding cinematic experience.

It is a shame that the Third Window Films Blu-ray release is now OOP since it gave Confessions a solid audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Kamikaze Girls – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2004
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Writer: Tetsuya Nakashima
Cast: Kyoko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Ryoko Shinohara, Kirin Kiki, Sadawo Abe, Yoshinori Okada, Eiko Koike, Shin Yazawa, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Katsuhisa Namase, Hirotaro Honda 

Release Date: February 8th, 2010
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 13 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (Blu-ray), Region 2 PAL (DVD)
Retail Price: £19.99

"Meet Momoko (Kyoko Fukada from The Ring 2 and Dolls), a self-absorbed dreamer who fantasizes about fleeing her backcountry home and living life in 18th century Versailles. When she unexpectedly meets the rebellious Ichigo (Anna Tsuchiya from Dororo and Sakuran), a rough-and-tumble biker chick, the two misfits form a unique friendship together, nothing can stop them!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Kamikaze Girls comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 19.8 GB

Feature: 18.6 GB

Though the source looks clean, it is hard to ignore the digital filtering. That said, colors look very good and at times vivid, image clarity is generally strong, and black levels fare well. Also, despite the Blu-ray disc being listed as region B, it is actually region-free.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. Though the audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, it would have benefited from a lossless audio track.

Extras:

All the extra content comes on a second disc (a single-layer DVD). Extras on this disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), Anna Tsuchiya music video (3 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), work print footage (4 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a short film titled Unicorn - Ryuji, this character appears in Kamikaze Girls (11 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an with director Tetsuya Nakashima (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with actresses Kyoko Fukada and Anna Tsuchiya (3 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and a making of documentary titled Making of Kamikaze Girls (39 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles). Other extras include trailers for other films released by Third Window Films.

Summary:

Kamikaze Girls is a story about two girls who outwardly couldn’t be more different, while on the inside they are almost identical. Momoko is a self-absorbed young woman who dresses up in Lolita fashion (a fashion subculture in Japan that is influenced by Victorian fashion, Rococo period costumes, and elements of Gothic subculture). Ichigo is a tough as nails young woman who is part of a biker gang. Both girls come from traumatic childhoods, and by revisiting who they are through the subcultures they have become part of in many ways feels like a byproduct of the traumatic events they experienced as children.

The narrative, mostly told via a series of flashbacks, provides each girl’s backstory. Also, filling in the more important details of their part further adds to the appeal of both of these characters. Besides the two main characters, Kamikaze Girls is populated with many quirky characters, like a gangster named Ryuji, ‘the Unicorn’ (he has a most unusual hairstyle that makes it look like his lock of hair sticking out from his forehead looks like a penis). That said, there are also many characters that fall into many of Japan’s more popular subcultures.

From its opening sequence, which quickly establishes its vivid color scheme that at times literally leaps off the screen, Kamikaze Girls is a visual feast for the eyes. The most surprising aspect of Kamikaze Girls is the way in which it effortlessly mixes oddball humor with the more grounded moments of the story. Also, performance-wise, the entire cast is exceptional, especially Kyoko Fukada and Anna Tsuchiya in the roles of Momoko and Ichigo. Ultimately, Kamikaze Girls is an exuberant film that works as well as it does because of the way it puts a unique twist on universal themes that are easy to identify with.

14 years after its release, this disc's audio/video presentation is now in need of an HD upgrade, as it previously left room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The World of Kanako – Drafthouse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2014
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Writers: Tetsuya Nakashima, Miako Tadano, Nobuhiro Monma
Cast: Koji Yakusho, Nana Komatsu, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Hiroya Shimizu, Fumi Nikaidô, Ai Hashimoto, Jun Kunimura, Joe Odagiri, Miki Nakatani, Aoi Morikawa, Munetaka Aoki, Asuka Kurosawa, Mahiro Takasugi, Shôno Hayama, Hiroki Nakajima

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 5 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese, DTS-HD Stereo Japanese|
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $24.95

"Akikazu on the hunt for his daughter, Kanako. What he discovers is a web of depravity surrounding both Kanako and himself. As he stumbles along a shocking trail of drugs, sex and violence, he finds himself unprepared for the shocking revelations." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The World of Kanako comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.8 GB

Feature: 31.6 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese, DTS-HD Stereo Japanese)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese and a DTS-HD stereo mix in Japanese. Both tracks do an excellent job when it comes to ambient sounds. Range-wise, the 5.1 audio track is a more robust experience. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are non-removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical teaser (50 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with author Akio Fukamachi (7 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Nana Komatsu (34 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a featurette titled The Making of The World of Kanako (31 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles).  

Other extras include these trailers: Mean Guns, Sukiyaki Western Django, Knock Off, Swamp Thing, and The Linguini Incident.

Summary:

With The World of Kanako, Tetsuya Nakashima once again uses a novel as the starting point. The World of Kanako was adapted from Akio Fukamachi's novel Hateshinaki Kawaki (Endless Thirst).

An ex-wife, whose daughter Kanako has gone missing, contacts an estranged father who used to be a detective. From there, the further he digs into his daughter's life, the more he starts to realize that he never really knew her. Who is responsible for taking her, and the fact that she was taken, is more disturbing than any truth he uncovers.

While watching The World of Kanako, I began to see similarities between it and Memories of Matsuko. The protagonists in both films tell their life stories through flashbacks. That said, despite both of these films having bleak subject matter, The World of Kanako is the noticeably darker of these two films tone-wise.

The World of Kanako opens with a flurry of information, the first 8 minutes overflowing with rapid-fire editing and juxtaposition of images. And once again, Tetsuya Nakashima's visual eye plays a significant role in enhancing the story that unfolds. That said, The World of Kanako’s striking imagery is filled with symbolism and visually arresting moments.

When it comes to the performances, as amazing as the entire cast is, they all pale in comparison to Nana Komatsu’s portrayal of Kanako. Though her character is never in the present, her character's specter looms large throughout. Another standout performance is Koji Yakusho’s (Cure) portrayal of Kanako’s father. So much of what unfolds is from his character's point of view.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The World of Kanako does not excel. The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job peeling away the layers of Kanako’s life, and the gut punch final provides a perfect coda. There is endless pain and suffering on display throughout The World of Kanako. To say that there is an ample amount of carnage would be an understatement. Ultimately, The World of Kanako is an unflinching portrayal of a society rotten to its core and the evil that it produces.

The World of Kanako gets an excellent release from Drafthouse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Memories of Matsuko – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2006
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Writer: Tetsuya Nakashima
Cast: Miki Nakatani, Kana Okunoya, Eita, Akira Emoto, Teruyuki Kagawa, Mikako Ichikawa, Yusuke Iseya, Shosuke Tanihara, Kankuro Kudo, Gekidan Hitori, Ryo Arakawa, Shinji Takeda

Release Date: February 14th, 2011
Approximate Running Time: 130 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (Blu-ray), Region 2 PAL (DVD)
Retail Price: OOP

"When the body of Aunt Matsuko (Miki Nakatani), who has been living as a tramp, is found murdered, her selfish young nephew Shou (Eita) is sent to clear out her apartment. Shou finds the place crammed full of garbage but, as he begins to sort through the rubbish, he finds himself becoming more and more interested in this strange woman. Conversations with neighbors begin to fit the pieces of the jigsaw together and Shou discovers that Matsuko has led a more than colorful life. From her early fall-out with her father, her progression through life included a career as a teacher, a series of love affairs and a spell in a massage parlor, until she ended up in jail for murdering her pimp. On her release, finding that her lover had gone off with another, she became involved with a Yakuza gangster, before being dumped again and becoming a recluse. Finally, she met her untimely death. All of Matsuko’s life story is portrayed in a series of extravagant musical set-pieces, which enable even the darkest episodes of her life to be seen in a unique and enjoyable way. All of these revelations about his aunt affect Shou greatly and lead him to the conclusion that he must change his own self-centered ways." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Memories of Matsuko comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.5 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a noticeable improvement over the Third Window Films DVD release. Flesh tones look correct, colors look vivid, image clarity and contrast are solid, and black levels are strong throughout. Also, compression is very good, and there are no issues with edge enhancement.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

All the extra content comes on a second disc (a single-layer DVD). Extras on this disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a Storyboard to Film Comparison (12 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an Interview with soundtrack composer Gabriel Roberto (21 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a Making of featurette (30 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles). Other extras include trailers for other films released by Third Window Films.

Summary:

The nephew of a recently deceased woman cleans up her apartment. Because of her estrangement from the family, he never met his aunt. While cleaning her apartment, he gets to know her through the conversations he has with those who know her.

“Forgive me for being born."  These words are written on the wall outside Matsuko's apartment. What could have possibly made someone write the above sentiment? This is just one of many clues that give deeper insight into the downward spiral that ultimately led to her death.

Memories of Matsuko adopts the narrative structure outlined in Citizen Kane. It is a narrative that relies completely on other characters speaking on behalf of the protagonist. And it is through their recollections that Matsuko comes to life. That said, since there are several viewpoints at play, there is not a reliable narrator.

It is a formidable task to sum up someone’s life and untimely demise over the span of two hours. Thankfully, Memories of Matsuko does a great job of keeping things concise; there is no unnecessary filler. And nowhere is the narrative more effective than how it builds momentum via the flashbacks that give a glimpse into Matsuko's turbulent life.

From the get-go Memories of Matsuko is a roller coaster ride that, at times, is whimsical and often bleak. The earliest memories of Matsuko reveal a little girl who is desperate for affection from her father. He devotes most of his time to her sickly younger sister. This eventually leads to her leaving home. When she breaks away from her family, she struggles to find a stable relationship with anyone who is not abusive to her. And while all of these relationships end badly, she always finds within herself a reason to live and not give up.

The heart and soul of this production is the spectacular performance from its leading lady, Miki Nakatani (Ringu). She delivers a gut-wrenching performance that perfectly captures her character's despair. She would go on to win the Japanese Academy Award for best actress for her portrayal of Matsuko. Asuka Kurosawa’s (A Snake of June) portrayal of Megumi Sawamura is another performance of note. Matsuko became friends with her character while serving eight years in prison for murder.

Stylistically, with Memories of Matsuko, Tetsuya Nakashima picks up where he left off on his previous film, Kamikaze Girls. His films have a strong visual eye, and Memories of Matsuko is overflowing with stylish moments. And though this time around he delves into bleak subject matter, there are a few lighthearted moments, notably musical numbers. Pacing-wise, after starting off briskly, things slow down by the second act; thankfully, the final act gets things moving again, culminating with an evocative ending that provides a satisfying closure. Ultimately, through all of its peaks and valleys, Memories of Matsuko is an emotionally charged melodrama that stays with you long after its final moments.

It is a shame that the Third Window Films Blu-ray release is now OOP since it gave Memories of Matsuko a solid audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer