disgusting, overrated, pointless

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

With a poll taking place on IMDbs Classic Film board for the best titles of 2000,I started to search around for overlooked movies on Amazon Uk,and I ended up stumbling upon a stylish-looking Japanese film,which led to me getting ready to party.The plot:Stealing a suitcase full of cash from a gangster, Shunichirô Miki decides to go into hiding at a hotel in the middle of nowhere.Whilst Miki enters the hotel,the owner of the building lays on his death bed,and talks to his son Okita Souji.With Souji having been caught dozens of times being a peeping tom,he is delighted to hear that his dad has designed a special room,which will allow Souji to secretly peak at all of the hotel guests.Entering the room,Souji is greeted by family friend, (and fellow peeper) Captain Banana,who gets Souji to sit back and watch,as Miki discovers how secret his location is,when Miki's ex-girlfriend walks in.View on the film:Exploding with a dazzling Anima opening credits scene from Peter Chung,writer/director Katsuhito Ishii & cinematographer Hiroshi Machida blend the Anima atmosphere into a warped live action world,filled with vibrant splashes of neon yellows and wet blues.Along with the wild colours, Ishii also gives each of the characters a delightfully strange appearance,which goes from Captain Banana looking like a superhero in waiting,to Miki Shunichiro looking like a burnt out Film Noir loner.Largely taking place in one hotel,the screenplay by Ishii surprisingly stays away from taking things in an anthology direction,with Ishii criss-crossing the characters with oddball comedic shots taking poo falling from the sky,and Souji being an unwilling protégé of Banana. Displaying a skillful eye for when to step out of the hotel, Ishii gradually builds to a deliciously sharp twist ending,as the party begins.

There are many very strange films coming out of Japan over the past few years and they are slowly making their way to the United States. Party 7 has two actors who later appear in the better known "Survive Style 5".The plot is very simple; a stupid criminal tries to hide in an out of the way motel with the mob money he stole. Several people, an ex-girlfriend, her new fiancé and the criminal's partner in crime, manage to find him and confront him in his motel room. These confrontations are observed through a one-way mirror/painting by the owner of the motel, in his Captain Banana suit, and the son of his recently deceased best friend. There are also two strange motel employees involved and a yakuza boss in flashbacks. And a twitchy travel agent.There are about 5 sets in the film total, it's almost like watching a play. The whole film is based on the characters' interactions as opposed to visual action. While there is lots of action in the crazy animated title sequence which was done by Peter Chung of Aeon Flux fame, it calms down a lot for most of the movie. Great art direction and photography, droll script and very good acting.Recommended.

Party up @ Hotel Mexico for a mixer of mayhem, tangential dialogue, and bizarre circumstances starting right from the courtesy desk!Socially maladjusted Okita, played to an eccentric point by the wonderfully gifted Tadanobu Asano, shows us fits of joy, sadness, and paranoia. Asano playing Okita, no matter how odd he is, successfully brings out his human factor. Also, there are unwanted guests, lies uncovered, shady bellhops, windows peered, stylized camera shots, a wacky hotel staff, and a very costumed eccentrics I've ever seen. Party 7 makes you laugh and in an unconventional way. If you like a variety in your film buffet, come down to Hotel New Mexico. Kana (AkEMI-KuN!) makes it all worthwhile!

I saw this movie in a film festival and I laughed out loud ALL the time (and I saw this subtiteled which usually isn't the best for comedies). This film is weird and has a lot of comic and manga influence, although not in the plot, which has some nice twists and turns despite being rather simple. Here is the deal: 1 Hotel Room, 7 People (Among them the infamous Captain Banana. Only the sight of this guy made me break into fits of laughter not to mention sidekicks "The" Mr. Yellow and Mr. Polar.) and a suitcase of money. If you find this movie: WATCH IT!PS: I hope I can find Sharkskin Man and Peachhip Girl this Directors first film!