Why so much hype?

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I don't like too much violent, but honestly Well-made movie. Brilliant cinematography and editing I have to learn.

I think I would've liked reading the source material for this movie. Seems like a good read. The actual movie on the other hand, it was a bit of a hit and a miss for me. I liked the colors, the great acting, and the fact that Kanako's dark secret wasn't something I saw coming. However, I felt like it started out great and then kind of dragged on a little bit on the second half just to end as a totally confused mess. Too many characters and too many sub-plots all of a sudden. I think with a little bit of editing and focusing more on some of the characters (like the bullied boys who were in love with Kanako, or the thug girl) the movie would've been a bit more interesting. If you want to watch something violent and gory, with a decent story and a dark twist I would recommend it. It's pretty unique. I wouldn't buy it, but it was entertaining, a decent watch.

Perhaps one of the most nauseating films I have laid my eyes on, "World of Kanako" is certainly not for everyone. The Japanese psyche is an enigmatic one for outsiders like me, as the country seems to be an epitome of an outside appearance of civility combined with an internal repression of schizophrenic darkness. I can't imagine a movie like this playing in neighborhood movie theaters in America, but then again, most of those movies are vanilla time-fillers anyway. "World.." is an extremely unpleasant movie and will leave a bad taste in your mouth, kind of like what Tarantino would make if he was high on crack and decided "the hell with you." One thing I will say is that this movie is "memorable."

Tetsuya Nakashima is a director that pops up every couple of years with a film that can only be described as 'ruddy good.' I first saw 'Kamikaze Girls' and 'Memories of Matsuko' within about an hour of each other a few years back and enjoyed both. I then anticipated and enjoyed (as much as you can) 'Confessions' which soon followed. So after a few years off, Nakashima returns with 'The World of Kanako', and was I excited?!Akikazu Fujishima is an absolute bastard. A real piece of the proverbial. Losing his job as a detective due to his mental health, he soon gains alcoholism and a job as a security guard, but loses his wife and daughter. Living in his own filth, he suddenly receives a call from his estranged wife asking if he's seen their daughter. With a number of recent murders connected to his missing daughter, Akikazu soon becomes caught up in police investigations, frequent battles with his wife and gang violence. In true Hollywood-style, he decides to take the case of his missing daughter on himself, discovering the world of his daughter that he never knew, and maybe wishes he never did. Starring Koji 'always in the big film' Yakusho as Mr Bastard, the film starts with Tarantino-esque retro titles, loud, brash and in your face. This sets the standard for two hours of intense, graphic and probably over-the-top cinema. 'The World of Kanako' is a good film, but you come away thinking that it could have been a bit simpler.There are definite elements of the three previously mentioned Nakashima films all present here: The in-your-face, cartoonish styling of 'Kamikaze Girls'; the epic life story, enigmas and musical montages of 'Memories of Matsuko'; and the, at times, overly intense psychology of 'Confessions'. All are employed effectively here again, creating a extreme, dark and out-of-this-world experience for both the characters and viewers alike. But, a little like Tarantino, things get a little indulgent here. Most obviously is the violence: blood splatters across pretty much every scene with teenage acne-like glee, with the make-up department working overtime in getting everyone's face suitably disfigured. Everyone hits everyone hard, with sound effects to match, and then they walk into the next scene for it all to happen again. While I don't mind a bit of violence on screen , when it's relentless it can become both a little boring and lacking impact. The switching between past and present also gets a little overdone, though generally throughout is the film's strength in creating both mystery and builds as the film continues. Though by the end, the switching becomes too frequent, blurring the lines between the past and the present, with endless editing.The films starts well, but starts to fall off as the end grows nearer. The violence becomes too much, cartoon-like in a film that creates an intense atmosphere. More and more characters come in towards the end, that maybe didn't need introducing. But disappointingly the intensity that is built throughout the film gets lost in this violence, seeing the viewer switch off and despite trying lacks the well rounded conclusion of 'Memories of Matsuko' and 'Confessions'. But Nakashima is a director that can certainly create an experience through cinema.