

StoryLine: Urutora mirakuru rabu sutori 2009 Written and directed by Satoko Yokohama in her second feature, Bare Essence of Life is the story of 25 year old Yojin Kenichi Matsuyama, a farmer in the rural village in the Aomori prefecture on the island of Honshu Yojin is different, very different Prone to strange outbursts, throwing things, repeating words and phrases, and wildly disconnected thoughts, something has gone wrong in his wiring Combining black comedy with fantasy and a little romance and drama thrown in to stir the pot, Bare Essence in its literal translation Ultra Miracle Love Story carves out a niche all of its own and shows enough raw talent to warrant a close watch of this director This goofy but often brilliant film had many in the Vancouver Film Festival audience scratching their heads in disbelief and some heading for the exits, but most seemed to be having a good time As the film opens, Yojin wakes up to the ring of half a dozen alarm clocks, glances at the white board in his room where he records his daily schedule, then ventures out to begin his day helping his grandmother Misako Watanabe grow and sell products from her organic vegetable garden Though often with poor results, the boy follows instructions from a tape left him by his deceased grandfather no mention is made about his parents Life is uneventful, however, until Machiko Kumiko Aso, a new teacher, arrives from Tokyo to teach nursery school We soon learn that the attractive teacher has come to this rural area to forget the death of her boyfriend Kanake in a car accident in which he was driving with another lover The story is that his head was severed and landed somewhere on a roof and Machiko consults the local medium to see if there has been any word from his spirit Yojin is immediately drawn to Machiko and wants desperately for her to like him but quite naturally, she is a bit frightened by him, especially when he tries to pull her out of her classroom through an open window He loves the children, however, all non professional actors recruited from the local school, and they respond to him as well One day, while playing with a young boy in his garden, he discovers that being sprayed with pesticide makes him calm and his mind clear This also makes him more appealing to Machiko so he continues to spray himself with pesticide, ignorant of the potential consequences to his health Though Yojins outbursts are definitely off putting, Matsuyama is an outstanding actor who makes the oddball character sensitive and appealing As the relationship between Yojin and Machiko progresses, we also hear ideas about the state of humanitys evolution, our ties to nature, and the health hazards of the spraying of pesticides on our crops Yokohama has said in an interview that she wanted to create a film in which people were liberated from the conventions society imposes since too many people hold themselves together at the expense of expressing their vitality and freedom To that end, she has endowed her film with a free spirited exuberance and enough miracles and surprises to hold us until the Second Coming If she believes that people will only continue to evolve when they are free, open, and stimulated, Bare Essence of Life may point the way to a new beginning
Deep Love (2013)
Janusz, a self confident 60 year old, an incredibly active person and an accomplished diver, suffers a stroke which leaves him paralyzed Rehabilitation and assistance of his partner Asia help him regain mobility and improve his f
Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 (1987)
The now adult Ricky talks to a psychiatrist about how he became a murderer after his brother, Billy, died, which leads back to Mother Superior
Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues (2017)
A deep dive into the hidden world of constructed languages and the fascinating people who make them
Vamp (1986)
Two fraternity pledges travel to a sleazy bar in search of a stripper for their college friends, unaware it is occupied by vampires
Stiller Meara Nothing is Lost (2025)
Follows a tribute to the comedy duo and a personal exploration by Ben Stiller into his familys legacy
Black Cat 2 (1992)
Scientists install a micro chip, called Black Cat, inside the brain of a violence prone girl in an attempt to refine and control her fits of rage Their plan is to turn her into the perfect government secret agent killing machine
My Sisters Bones (2026)
Kate Rafter is back to home after a horrific incident in war-torn Iraq and the death of her mother. While packing up her mother's belongings she comes...
Salvable (2025)
An aging boxer struggles to escape the grasp of a small town while battling a fractured relationship with his teenage daughter
GIMS: On the Record (2020)
Go backstage with beloved rap superstar Gims in the year leading up to his major 2019 Stade de France performance in this up close documentary
Children of the Corn: Revelation (2001)
When a girl named Jamie repeatedly tries to contact her grandmother to no avail, she investigates by going to her apartment in Omaha Nebraska only to find that its been condemned and
The Looking Glass (2015)
Troubled 13 year old Julie loses her mother and must go to Indiana to live with her grandmother Karen A former star of stage and screen, Karen has the early stages of Alzheimers and wants to pass on all she knows to her granddaughter before its too late Will their troubled relationship allow this to
Pigalle (1994)
In the seedy neon lit underworld of the Pigalle district of Paris, animalistic survival obscures all moral codes Rival drug dealers use three minor figures as pawns in their murderous manoeuvres Divine is a transexual, a performer
The Hot Potato (2011)
Londons East End 1969 Based on real events Two chancers find a lump of Uranium and crisscross Europe to find a buyer Accompanied by Dannys girl,the lovely Carole They encounter a diverse cast of bizarre characters, all trying
Heartbeat (1968)
Lucile, 25, is the beautiful mistress of Charles, a rich, good hearted businessman Being a kept woman suits her as she refuses to work She is grateful to Charles for that but she does not feel true love for him When she meets A
The Trap (1946)
When a troupe of showgirls with their impresario and press agent vacation at a Malibu Beach resort, two of them are garroted Charlie takes on the case assisted by Number Two Son Jimmy and faithful chauffeur Birmingham Brown