HOSPITALITÉ (KANTAI). Viewed on Streaming. Scenario = eight (8) stars; cinematography/lighting = seven (7) stars; set designs/locations = six (6) stars; subtitles = four (4) stars; music = three (3) stars. Director Kôji Fukada rolls out a unique and effective mash up of humor, suspense, drama, blackmail, con artistry, and illegal aliens! Although it drags a bit here and there (mostly due to prolonged staring by the principal bumpkin characters), the scenario (Fukada is also credited as the script writer) provides ornithological symmetry by starting with an over-sized canary (actually a lost-bird poster thereof) and ending with over-sized pigeons (the human kind). As serial con artists extraordinaire, Kanji Furutachi and Bryerly Long easily steal every scene they are in, as they systematically take over control (via charm, alternative facts, blackmail, and seduction) of a small print shop with living quarters above and turn the place into a transient "safe" house for Gaijin refuges with cash (the latter mostly look like former English teachers whose contracts are up, but don't want to go home). Whether the Long and Furutach characters also help the police round up illegals is left open to question (but the police only seem to arrive when there is literally no space left for additional paying Gaijin). Cinematography/lighting (semi-wide screen, color) are fine. Interior print-shop shots are remarkable for squeezing film makers and equipment into a tiny space studded with printing machinery jutting into walk ways! Subtitles need some serious editing. They are usually just too long for those who are speed-reading challenged (and get sick of hitting the pause button). Music is sparse and mostly forgettable. Highly recommended. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.
Review of Hospitality
