the film, "Brother" [2001]

I rented this film last night to watch with some pals. They didn't like it much, and with their silly jokes they turned the film into a comedy. It really should be a serious, bloody, war on turf-esque film.

It stars Beat Takashi (sp?) and Omar Eps. It's rated R ... so I thought I was going to get Rush Hour the "mature version"... but let me warn you it is not.

Siskel and Ebert (or roeper or whoever) gave the film 2 thumbs up so I decided to give it a rental plus the appealing box cover and Omar Eps (The Wood).

It is... different. A lot of staring. A lot of eye twitching from Beat. A lot of "camera dragging." A lot of violence.

My pals cursed my decision at renting it ... I didn't find it so bad but I too wanted to watch something else, to be honest.

What did you think of this film? My brother joked, "Maybe it's one of those flicks where you gotta watch twice."

Then my pals all said, "I rather eat fucking dirt."

I have the original Region 2 (JAPAN) version of BROTHER being as I'm a Takeshi Kitano nut and once had the most comprehensive American fansite for him between 98-2001. *And yes that's me in the banner across from Kitano, back when I was known as SLEDGE.

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/trailer/4902/okuyama.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/trailer/4902/okuyama.html</a>

I'll say this about the movie. It wasn't what it should/could've been. I was excpecting a much more violent and gritty version of SONATINE, but instead we got what you saw Steve. The music was all wrong for it too, I love Joe Hisaishi's muscial scores but for something like BROTHER I felt a different soundtrack was needed.

BUT... SPC (Sony Pictures Classics) edited out blood and took away 12 minutes of footage from the version you and your friends saw. They did this to assure an "R" rating versus the NC-17 rating they no doubt would have got with all of the blood, violence and a torture seen not present in the American release. SPC was nice enough at the time to send me a press kit and the trailer, but failed to tell me of this choice of theirs. Now I wonder if they've done this to Kikujiro as well as I do not own the R-2 version of that film. BROTHER is a good movie just don't expect to much. I'm hoping DOLLS, Kitano's latest films will be a much better flick. You really should seek out the Region-less or Region 2 DVD of BROTHER. If you want to see a good film look for KAMIKAZE TAXI by Masao Harada. The VCD might still be available from...

<a href="http://www.bluelaser.com" target="_blank">http://www.bluelaser.com</a>

and that film deserves honorable mention. A great flick that won the San Francisco Festival award in '99 but got little attention everywhere else.

[ December 31, 2002: Message edited by: MegaDrive 20XX ]

[ December 31, 2002: Message edited by: MegaDrive 20XX ]</p>

I loved the entire movie.

I also loved the score - it was perfect - too perfect. I mean, total Kitano. Kitano is a comedian at heart, and so he has to have an eye for stereotypes. Requesting such a old school kind of melodramatic theme from JH was smart. Of course, BT editted it to his tastes, but I think it totally worked.

The level of violence was good - YES it was touted as one of the most violent movies ever made before I saw it, and NO it wasn't violent comared to Hannibal, but I didn't let that stop me from enjoying a movie about an old dog that couldn't stop with his old tricks, despite being displaced into a violent city like LA.


My only gripe was that Shirase only lasted for like 20 minutes. What a cool ass character. I don't know, but movies like Brother just kind of grab me in a private spot. If you don't feel it, don't hurt yourself. There are plenty of other movies to enjoy.

BTW - when I watched Brother, I was the only person in the theater (waterfront in pittsburgh). No one was there to laugh and jibe it as I watched. I could give it my full attention.

Well, I loved it. I own the HK version and the US release, as well as the soundtrack. I like it that much.

I found the link for the review of 'Dolls':

<a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ff20021002a2.htm" target="_blank">The Japan Times</a>

Ani sucks!

It's a cool movie but I was expecting to much before I saw it, so of course I was let down when I watched it. Still worth seeing if you haven't seen it already