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Riveting, highly original production based on a popular 'Bunraku' (theater that uses puppets). Actors assume the roles of the puppets and the viewer can see the puppeteers rearranging sets but remaining silent observers of the action. Everything about this movie spells disaster: the acting is overdone, the sets are unrealistic and the narrative is an obvious morality tale. While these elements normally would sink any movie quickly, director Shinoda turns the alleged deficiencies into the film's greatest strengths. Most of what I've read about the film suggests that almost everybody feels the material creates a distance between the characters and the audience but in my case the opposite was true. Because I was not distracted with trivial things, I was able to focus solely on the main characters. I connected with these people and their problems in a way I rarely do. The strange technique used here proved to be a brilliant way to engage the viewer emotionally. All actors are memorable but Shima Iwashita is clearly the one actor who stands up. It is funny but I did not realize she was playing two characters until the very end; she is that good (or I was too involved with the story that I did not even realize it). Toichiro Narushima's b/w cinematography creates some truly mesmerizing images. In any case, I recommend this one-of-a-kind film to adventurous viewers.
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