Hirata, an ambitious young film director, dreams of nothing but making a masterpiece of cinema. He and his crew (The Fuck Bombers) routinely film amateurish footage on video, hoping to one day get the chance to make a "real" movie on 35 mm. Meanwhile, Muto, a yakuza crime boss, dreams of granting his wife Shizue's wish of having their daughter Michiko appear in the movies. Hirata and Muto's paths intertwine, with Hirata's slight deception of being a master filmmaker giving him the opportunity to direct the yakuza bosses film. Shion Sono's Why Don't You Play in Hell is an affectionate and completely bonkers love letter to cinema and the process of filmmaking. This is a film bristling with chaotic and passionate energy, with Sono creating a playful romp that manages to put his passion for filmmaking on the screen for all to see. We see how the filmmaking process brings people together, whether it be rival Yakuza clans who agree to work together for the sake of the film, or a budding romance between Koji, a complete introvert, and Michiko. Sono celebrates the power of cinema on nearly every level with this film, leading to an absurdly violent climax that's as funny as it's violent. Personally, I tend to find films about cinema to be a tedious and over-done but with Why Don't We Play In Hell, Sono has created a truly unique love letter that's incredibly entertaining, hilarious, thrilling, and endearing, somehow managing to capture the various emotions which cinema can bring to an audience.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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