SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Andres Salama This disturbing autobiographical documentary (running time is less than 50 minutes) starts as director Kawase (who is in her 30s) berates her 90 year old grandmother (who apparently raised her alone) for...well, it's not clear what is she reproaching her for, apparently for once telling her that if she didn't want to live with her, she could go somewhere else. It's an ugly scene, and after that we saw another disturbing scene of the old grandmother bathing in close up. Later scenes show Kawase and her grandmother on better terms as they reflect on old age, life, happiness, etc. The movie later shows the grandmother being brought to a hospital on an ambulance and we are later informed that she died (we are thankfully spared of seeing her on her deathbed). The final scene of the movie shows Kawase giving birth to her son. The movie is interesting, but it's also disturbing for its exhibitionism, and for the seeming sadism in which director Kawase treats her grandmother.