Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Well, what we have here is a hidden and forgotten indie film. It is cheaply made, produced etc. But dont let all these factors fool you. This movie is very energetic as well as unique.
When I saw this film first, I was in London back in couple of years ago). I did not buy it but checked out the vhs case. Looked interesting. Just couple of weeks ago very surprisingly I found it in a supermarket's... basket in vcd format. I immediately grabbed it.
Film is focused on a young Japanese American girl's one day in city of angels (or as portrayed in the film, city of hell)
She encounters many strange, funny as well as horrifying incidents which are all captured by the director Ash's camera in a very plain, very raw but as well as very realistic style.Film is [placed] on the low life areas of LA where gangsters, homeless,drug dealers,prostitutes (like in every mega city in the world) are in plenty even on daylight.
Darling Narita the leading actress of the film portrays this pretty looking and broke Asian American girl so well that it almost gave me the feeling that the film is actually...a real life documentary.
She is no tuff tom boy, riott grlll,poor victim or foxy lady stereotype, instead a girl who is very normal, just like any of us with all her weaknesses and humanity who does a crazy thing and pays its price heavily as well as collecting its small rewards.
Peter Greene is also very good in his portrayal of an alcoholic and crazy homeless who is philosophical and friendly towards Narita. There are many issues spreaded around the film like living in LA under harsh conditions, [influenced] police officers, Gangster activities on day light, [threats] that women faces etc etc. Movie is sometimes politically correct some times just plain funny. Also in parts it is very violent but this violence is rather in the atmosphere of the film instead of bloody fist fights or raining bullets and splashing blood. Thus it is portrayed realistically and shows the limits of what a person can do under such conditions whether he or she is a victim or the villain (when Narita is helpless while a young hispanic is shot and bleeding to death or when she is beaten by a gang).In some of the scenes I just felt very disturbed even these scenes were gore, blood or fight free. It was like being there trapped into a hopeless and hellish abyss with Narita. (horror films never got me that way)
There are interesting points and clues to the soul of the film If you are in to the psychoanalsis of the movies. Indie Soundtrack (reggae & hip hop but on the lighter side) is also a strong companion to the hot and dirty atmosphere and the camera of the film without rather suffocating the scenes.
Film mostly differs itself from the road movies that dominates the US indie film making although you can see her cruisin with with the police bike often.Unlike most of the indie film makers. He also put lots of realism in brutal way rather than romanticisng it or making it just plain funny instead
Director Ash has done a great job with this film and could be the US indie equivalent of wong kar wai If given the chance.
...so go on give Ash's hard work a chance. Worth watching indeed.
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Bang (1997)
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