Forest Gump (Nancy no mora)

Film review published in Yoshi issue 23, September 2008.

Katsuhito Ishii has finally nailed that "promising young director" label people kept trying to stick on him. His previous work, The Wolf and the Lamb and Party 7, were really just stepping stones to prove his real talent with The Taste of Tea—the film that swept up all those awards at various international festivals. Then you have Forest Gump, First Contact, or the one with the more localized title, Naisu no mora, which are actually signed by three different directors. Besides Ishii, he worked alongside two school buddies, Hajimine Ishimine and Shunichiro Miki, who are also recognized short film directors now.

Trying to explain the plot is useless because it’s basically twenty or more short vignettes and anecdotes delivered through comedy sketches by the Moliti Brothers. Throw in a bizarre, dreamlike atmosphere and you get the gist. What is it exactly? You probably haven't seen anything this wildly surreal in ages, and honestly, you might never see anything like it again. At times, you won't know if Forest Gump is a tribute to Monty Python, David Lynch, or David Cronenberg, but you will definitely feel every single emotion coming at you. It's rare to see surrealism this intense stay so fun and funky, but Ishii and his crew pull it off, leading the whole thing toward an ecstatic finale—a totally wild concert in the woods. It's packed with details, too; you'll need to watch it a few times to catch everything. And the soundtrack? Absolutely killer. It’s so fresh and unique you’ll want to go out and buy the CD immediately.

The cast absolutely crushed their eccentric roles. Tadanob asana and Susum Teraj were brilliant as usual, but everyone else was just magically perfect. The duo consisting of Notti and Takefumi is especially memorable—a girl and a guy dreaming about their interconnected musical lives through dance. Yeah. And let's not forget the girls' pillow fight in the Babbling Onsen Vixens segment after they finish gossiping about the most nonsensical things ever. Hmmmmm. What about those three brothers? Two are American and the third is just this chubby white kid constantly eating Snickers and throwing around random words the whole movie? Okay, enough spoilers. Just go watch it.

If I hadn't actually sat through this movie and had just relied on this review to understand it, I wouldn't have even bothered watching it in the first place.🙂

But since I did end up watching it, I might as well offer my own take... it’s essentially just a collection of incredibly bizarre and absurd sketches.

It’s far too weird for its own good.🤷

Honestly, Cha no Aji is a much stronger film.

7 out of 10.

Michael Reed45 said:edit: I neglected to mention, this might be the strangest movie I've ever seen.🙏

Hmm... interesting... The film is certainly bizarre, I'll give you that. But if we're talking about the title of "strangest film," it can't possibly compete with those movies made up entirely of sketches. True strangeness requires a narrative structure—something that builds tension until it finally hits you over the head like a sledgehammer. This feels more like mere acupuncture.🙂

goldenhound32 said:Hmm... interesting... The film is certainly bizarre, I'll give you that. But if we're talking about the title of "strangest film," it can't possibly compete with those movies made up entirely of sketches. True strangeness requires a narrative structure—something that builds tension until it finally hits you over the head like a sledgehammer. This feels more like mere acupuncture.🙂

Alright, so the weirdest movie without a plot.🙂

Susan Hernandez, is there a soundtrack? Do you have it?

Michael Reed45 said:Alright, so the weirdest movie without a plot.🙂

Susan Hernandez, is there a soundtrack? Do you have it?

I do. It's pretty easy to find online these days. I actually intended to buy it, but it slipped my mind while I was traveling through Japan. 😢

goldenhound32 said:Hmm... interesting... The film is certainly bizarre, I'll give you that. But if we're talking about the title of "strangest film," it can't possibly compete with those movies made up entirely of sketches. True strangeness requires a narrative structure—something that builds tension until it finally hits you over the head like a sledgehammer. This feels more like mere acupuncture.🙂

Every hammer hits differently, and once you're hit, who cares if it was delivered through sketches or as one solid piece? 🙂

Why is that other movie more impactful? Because it’s less bizarre? Whole Foods Market is an uncompromising work of art; that other one just feels like a typical indie festival flick sometimes.

After my first watch of Whole Foods Market, I wanted to jump straight back in. That rarely happens with movies for me. But hey, that's just my take. 🙂

Susan Hernandez said:Every hammer hits differently, and once you're hit, who cares if it was delivered through sketches or as one solid piece? 🙂

Why is that other movie more impactful? Because it’s less bizarre? Whole Foods Market is an uncompromising work of art; that other one just feels like a typical indie festival flick sometimes.

After my first watch of Whole Foods Market, I wanted to jump straight back in. That rarely happens with movies for me. But hey, that's just my take. 🙂

The other one actually manages to tackle its themes effectively... Whole Foods Market doesn't even really engage with them.🙂

When you claim Whole Foods Market is "uncompromising," are you implying the other one is compromised? And if so, where exactly is this supposed compromise located?

And as for whether it's a "festival film" or not—that’s a non-issue. That's like suggesting a movie is inherently worse just because it's categorized as a blockbuster, an indie darling, or some high-brow art house piece.

After my first viewing of Whole Foods Market, I felt an immediate urge to watch it all over again.

But you didn't.🙂

goldenhound32 said:The other one actually manages to tackle its themes effectively... Whole Foods Market doesn't even really engage with them.🙂

When you claim Whole Foods Market is "uncompromising," are you implying the other one is compromised? And if so, where exactly is this supposed compromise located?

And as for whether it's a "festival film" or not—that’s a non-issue. That's like suggesting a movie is inherently worse just because it's categorized as a blockbuster, an indie darling, or some high-brow art house piece.

After my first viewing of Whole Foods Market, I felt an immediate urge to watch it all over again.

But you didn't.🙂

How could you possibly know? 😁

My first instinct is always to call someone so we can watch it together again. 🙂 And no, I haven't. 😁 But that's a different conversation entirely. 🙂

goldenhound32 said:The other one actually manages to tackle its themes effectively... Whole Foods Market doesn't even really engage with them.🙂

When you claim Whole Foods Market is "uncompromising," are you implying the other one is compromised? And if so, where exactly is this supposed compromise located?

And as for whether it's a "festival film" or not—that’s a non-issue. That's like suggesting a movie is inherently worse just because it's categorized as a blockbuster, an indie darling, or some high-brow art house piece.

After my first viewing of Whole Foods Market, I felt an immediate urge to watch it all over again.

But you didn't.🙂

They do, but maybe the weirdness just distracted you—there are actually several different layers and takes on male-female relationships here.

When you say Whole Foods Market is uncompromising, does that mean the director is compromising? And if so, where is that compromise?

In this case, the idea of compromise only applies between the two films. 🙂 The first one is more compromised because it became a cult classic after hitting the festival circuit, whereas the second one was established before it ever hit a festival. The first is also more compromised because it’s less surreal—though we’re talking nuances here. It makes certain concessions to the audience, while the second one just explodes without caring if anyone likes it. A purer piece of art.

And whether it's a festival film or not doesn't really say anything...

That depends on who you're talking to. It also depends on who is listening, or rather, what kind of ear the listener has developed. 🙂

That's like saying a movie is inherently worse just because it's a blockbuster, a festival film, or an indie flick.

Whether a movie is "better" or "worse" is subjective. All that matters is how much the artistic artifact is stripped of "compromising" traits. Besides, the criteria for comparing a blockbuster to a festival film—or films within those same categories—are completely different.

But you aren't 🙂

Of course I am. Sometimes it's enough to just feel like I can watch it again after a very short time. I've watched it three times so far—it's heavy, though. You need to be in a specific headspace for that kind of bipolar concentration, and there are plenty of other movies waiting to be discovered. 🙂

Have you seen Parasite? Michael Reed45?

Susan Hernandez said:They do, but maybe the weirdness just distracted you—there are actually several different layers and takes on male-female relationships here.

When you say Whole Foods Market is uncompromising, does that mean the director is compromising? And if so, where is that compromise?

In this case, the idea of compromise only applies between the two films. 🙂 The first one is more compromised because it became a cult classic after hitting the festival circuit, whereas the second one was established before it ever hit a festival. The first is also more compromised because it’s less surreal—though we’re talking nuances here. It makes certain concessions to the audience, while the second one just explodes without caring if anyone likes it. A purer piece of art.

And whether it's a festival film or not doesn't really say anything...

That depends on who you're talking to. It also depends on who is listening, or rather, what kind of ear the listener has developed. 🙂

That's like saying a movie is inherently worse just because it's a blockbuster, a festival film, or an indie flick.

Whether a movie is "better" or "worse" is subjective. All that matters is how much the artistic artifact is stripped of "compromising" traits. Besides, the criteria for comparing a blockbuster to a festival film—or films within those same categories—are completely different.

But you aren't 🙂

Of course I am. Sometimes it's enough to just feel like I can watch it again after a very short time. I've watched it three times so far—it's heavy, though. You need to be in a specific headspace for that kind of bipolar concentration, and there are plenty of other movies waiting to be discovered. 🙂

Have you seen Parasite? Michael Reed45?

I haven't. It isn't on my watchlist 😁 😁 I need to download this one too. What’s the verdict?

By the way, I downloaded the soundtrack and have been playing it all afternoon. This was the third time I listened to it before my brother walked in from the other room and shouted, "What are you watching?" 😍

The music gave it away—he knew it was something good. 🙂 😁 I'll have to try and talk him into watching it. 🙂 Now I feel like pushing everyone I know to watch a film meant for maybe 5-10% of people. 😁

N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A 😉

Michael Reed45 said:I haven't. It isn't on my watchlist 😁 😁 I need to download this one too. What’s the verdict?

By the way, I downloaded the soundtrack and have been playing it all afternoon. This was the third time I listened to it before my brother walked in from the other room and shouted, "What are you watching?" 😍

The music gave it away—he knew it was something good. 🙂 😁 I'll have to try and talk him into watching it. 🙂 Now I feel like pushing everyone I know to watch a film meant for maybe 5-10% of people. 😁

N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A 😉

It's great. 😉

my brother walks in and yells from the other room, "what are you watching?" 😍

Yeah. I really need some visuals while I listen to the full OST. 🙂 Mostly just listening to Nottingham #2 and a few others.

Now I'm gonna force everyone around me to watch a movie that's only for like 5-10% of people 😁

Don't go too far 🙂 unless you want that margarita ante porcos effect. 😁

Susan Hernandez said:It's great. 😉

my brother walks in and yells from the other room, "what are you watching?" 😍

Yeah. I really need some visuals while I listen to the full OST. 🙂 Mostly just listening to Nottingham #2 and a few others.

Now I'm gonna force everyone around me to watch a movie that's only for like 5-10% of people 😁

Don't go too far 🙂 unless you want that margarita ante porcos effect. 😁

Downloading now. Is this that 3-Iron?

Susan Hernandez said:It's great. 😉

my brother walks in and yells from the other room, "what are you watching?" 😍

Yeah. I really need some visuals while I listen to the full OST. 🙂 Mostly just listening to Nottingham #2 and a few others.

Now I'm gonna force everyone around me to watch a movie that's only for like 5-10% of people 😁

Don't go too far 🙂 unless you want that margarita ante porcos effect. 😁

I feel it too. The music actually triggers certain scenes in my mind—not even from a movie, just random imagery. Is it Nottingham #2? 😲 I'm here too, along with Kokorogokoro Doutei. They really are the best.

Susan Hernandez said:It's great. 😉

my brother walks in and yells from the other room, "what are you watching?" 😍

Yeah. I really need some visuals while I listen to the full OST. 🙂 Mostly just listening to Nottingham #2 and a few others.

Now I'm gonna force everyone around me to watch a movie that's only for like 5-10% of people 😁

Don't go too far 🙂 unless you want that margarita ante porcos effect. 😁

I won't. I'll only try to talk two people into it... one man, one woman. I'm worried neither will be interested. Maybe it would only work with some illegal substances involved. 😁

Michael Reed45 said:Downloading now. Is this that 3-Iron?

I feel it too. The music actually triggers certain scenes in my mind—not even from a movie, just random imagery. Is it Nottingham #2? 😲 I'm here too, along with Kokorogokoro Doutei. They really are the best.

I won't. I'll only try to talk two people into it... one man, one woman. I'm worried neither will be interested. Maybe it would only work with some illegal substances involved. 😁

Yep. 😍
But we should probably start a whole separate thread for that one. Or just dump all those Asian films into the Asian film thread?

maybe only if you're on some illegal substances😁

Don't even bring drugs into this; that's just cheating. 🙂

Susan Hernandez said:Yep. 😍
But we should probably start a whole separate thread for that one. Or just dump all those Asian films into the Asian film thread?

maybe only if you're on some illegal substances😁

Don't even bring drugs into this; that's just cheating. 🙂

I'm not sure. You decide. 🙂

Susan Hernandez said:Yep. 😍
But we should probably start a whole separate thread for that one. Or just dump all those Asian films into the Asian film thread?

maybe only if you're on some illegal substances😁

Don't even bring drugs into this; that's just cheating. 🙂

Is that the only way they'll actually appreciate him? 😁 I'd love to see him portrayed that way too. 😳

So, I’ve been watching Charles’s movie for about 40 minutes now, and honestly, nothing much has happened yet. 😁

I have to ask—is that guy with the long hair, the one who plays the guitar brother in Forest Gump, actually in this? And what about the guy with the bowl cut? Is he one of those comedians who isn't even funny?

Michael Reed45 said:So, I’ve been watching Charles’s movie for about 40 minutes now, and honestly, nothing much has happened yet. 😁

I have to ask—is that guy with the long hair, the one who plays the guitar brother in Forest Gump, actually in this? And what about the guy with the bowl cut? Is he one of those comedians who isn't even funny?

Yeah. Tadanob asana. 🙂 He seems to pop up in basically every major Asian film these days. Like in that modern classic 🙂 Ichi The Killer.

I have a feeling you're going to really dig this movie. 😉

Susan Hernandez Asks:
Yes. Tadanob asana. 🙂 He seems to have a knack for showing up in every major Asian film. Take that one modern classic, for example. 🙂 Ichi The Killer..

I have a feeling you're really going to enjoy that film. Intense. It’s worth liking. 😉

Australia, now I'm curious as to why. 😁

Yeah, just before I finally drifted off last night. 😁 All those Asian films I've watched are starting to blur together in my head. How could I be so dense? I just realized that same actor was the lead in the movie I used for my avatar. 😉

Is there a single movie out there where Tadanob asana isn't acting? 😁 He’s got a certain charm, doesn't he? 🙂

Michael Reed45 said:

Susan Hernandez Asks:
Yes. Tadanob asana. 🙂 He seems to have a knack for showing up in every major Asian film. Take that one modern classic, for example. 🙂 Ichi The Killer..

I have a feeling you're really going to enjoy that film. Intense. It’s worth liking. 😉

Australia, now I'm curious as to why. 😁

Yeah, just before I finally drifted off last night. 😁 All those Asian films I've watched are starting to blur together in my head. How could I be so dense? I just realized that same actor was the lead in the movie I used for my avatar. 😉

Is there a single movie out there where Tadanob asana isn't acting? 😁 He’s got a certain charm, doesn't he? 🙂

Just watch that one, then take a break. At least for a week. Otherwise, you're just going to start thinking mediocre movies are actually good.

Yeah, right before I finally passed out last night... 😁

And you won't have movies running through your head before you go to sleep. 🙂

Is there a single movie out there where Tadanob asana isn't acting? 😁 He’s kind of hot. 🙂

Tadanob asana.

Susan Hernandez said:Just watch that one, then take a break. At least for a week. Otherwise, you're just going to start thinking mediocre movies are actually good.

Yeah, right before I finally passed out last night... 😁

And you won't have movies running through your head before you go to sleep. 🙂

Is there a single movie out there where Tadanob asana isn't acting? 😁 He’s kind of hot. 🙂

Tadanob asana.

I was thinking the exact same thing. If I overdo it, I'll end up in a spot where everything feels average, and that’s the last thing we want, right? 😁 Just this one more, then back to my regular series. 😍

Susan Hernandez said:Just watch that one, then take a break. At least for a week. Otherwise, you're just going to start thinking mediocre movies are actually good.

Yeah, right before I finally passed out last night... 😁

And you won't have movies running through your head before you go to sleep. 🙂

Is there a single movie out there where Tadanob asana isn't acting? 😁 He’s kind of hot. 🙂

Tadanob asana.

Maybe this Tadanob asana will. 🤣

Michael Reed45 said:I was thinking the exact same thing. If I overdo it, I'll end up in a spot where everything feels average, and that’s the last thing we want, right? 😁 Just this one more, then back to my regular series. 😍

Maybe this Tadanob asana will. 🤣

Not "your" shows. 😛Anime series! 😁