Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

davidhilley If enjoy for example, the filmography of Takashi Miike but want something a bit more sophisticated I would advise you this is a must see. On the spectrum of those type of 'shock films', I would actually rate this a 10 star rather than an 8. It is probably the most disturbing Japanese film I have seen, and despite what the movie poster suggests, that is accomplished without any graphic depictions of sex, violence, or gore (excluding the last scene). All this to say, it is a very intense movie that left my jaw hanging open throughout the entire viewing thinking "What the f***? What am I watching?". Great movie!

crossbow0106 After seeing "Suicide Club", I approached this film with some trepidation. However, this is not "Suicide Club 2". Its a story of two sisters Noriko and Yuka, who live with their parents in Toyokawa, a sleepy seaside town. Mousy Noriko is unhappy with this existence and runs away to Tokyo. There she meets Kumiko, who runs a fantasy service in which young ladies act as daughters for lonely men, amongst other things (the "family rental" concept is a great idea for this film). Yuka eventually runs away also, and does the same thing. Their father pieces together clues as to their whereabouts and doing and goes to Tokyo to find them. First of all, the settings are excellent. Like New York City and London, you see Tokyo in all its glory, neon etc. The story itself is also great, flowing & unfolding slowly until it reaches an explosive climax. However, that would only make a good film if the acting was merely adequate. The acting is uniformly superb. Kasue Fukiishi plays Noriko so well, you don't realize she's acting. Likewise, Yuka (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and Kumiko (Tsugumi) also give great performances. This film is much more psychological than "Suicide Club", and for that it shines. I was almost breathless through parts of this, and I watched it on DVD. Its only recommended you watch "Suicide Club" first, buts it not essential, to get the gist of this powerful film. Who expects any film that is labeled a sequel to be much better than the first? I so highly recommend this film. It is actually one of my favorites. I expect great things from the three young actresses in this film. Based on their performances in this film, especially Ms. Fukiishi's, I know I will not be disappointed.

trenttnert Noriko's Dinner Table is quite possibly one of the best films I've ever seen.I will not give away any spoilers about the movie, but I will say that it is beautifully done. Each scene seems as if it were painstakingly and obsessively done, paying attention to the tiniest of detail. As with all of Sono's films, the camera angles and shots are unique, and make you feel like you're a part of the story that's unfolding.Many people consider the length of the movie to be it's downfall, and with good reason. 2 hours and 30 minutes is one long movie, but it holds together very well. In the end, you'll feel like you were a part of what was happening, and it will affect you, for better or worse.What many people are concerned about, however, is it's connection to Sion Sono's cult classic Suicide Club. There is a definite connection, and it does explain a little of what happened throughout Suicide Club. But it still leaves some small questions unanswered. Nothing is left unanswered in Noriko's Dinner Table, but there's still a little we don't understand from Suicide Club.This brings me to the meaning behind family in Noriko's Dinner Table. Sion Sono's ideas and meanings are portrayed, and excellently, through sometimes complex symbolism that may take a few watches to understand. The movie is separated into chapters, and the story, how it's told, is broken into pieces and presented to you at little bits at a time. You wont get the full picture until the end of the movie.Noriko's Dinner Table is an amazing film.I ordered it from Japan for about 30-some-odd bucks, and I can say it was worth the money and the two week wait to receive it in the mail. I've had it two days, and already watched it three times. It's amazing, not what I expected, but amazing.A quick note, do not expect what we saw in Suicide Club. A little of that same horror-esquire feeling is there, but it's really a drama at heart. An amazing drama.This is the mature, grown-up Suicide Club.Everyone should watch this movie.

DICK STEEL This Japanese film is my closing film for this year's SIFF. It tells of a compelling family story, where "safe" is boring, and a child is off looking for that spark in life to spice things up. Turning her back to her family, Noriko makes her way to Tokyo to look up her internet friends, friends she came to know through an online forum. At first everything seems puzzling, until she realize that they are all "actors", folks providing "rental family" services to lonely people out there, yearning to belong.It's ironic that Noriko had turned her back on her real family, only to join a surrogate one, pretending to be close knit to a lot of other strangers. She takes on her online persona, and forgets about "Noriko", the life she left behind. Which makes it really strange - why would anyone want to abandon their own family, and comfort zone, to make believe with others? It's a social exploration of alienation, and on a separate note, tries to look at the trend of suicide clubs in Japan.One harrowing scene that was replayed, was that of 54 female students jumping off a train platform in unison. Taking on pseudo-security camera views, and plenty of blood with the smashing of heads on track (in full glory), it'll make you wince, yet wonder in astonishment, the question of Why.ßRunning parallel to Noriko's narrative, are a few others, like her dad's, her sister Yuka's (who also joined Noriko in her new role), and a forum founder Komiko. Taking on parallel and different points of view, it is no wonder that this film clocks in at slightly more than 2 1/2 hours. The father seeks Noriko and Yuka and wants to start afresh by welcoming them home, but find that the siblings have already disowned their lives thus far, preferring to pretend to be someone else, someone they have total control over, someone that they have created for themselves.The movie started off strongly, but the pace sagged around the half way mark, before picking up again for the grand finale. It also helped that almost all the female cast in this movie are eye-candy, contrasting the seriousness of the issues presented, with their outward cuteness and pretty faces.It's a pretty weird story, with strange characters, those who don't bat an eyelid over suicide, taking it as a form of higher calling. However you'll still be stuck at the Why question, as the movie doesn't offer any concrete answers, and somehow teased with an ending hinting of a possible sequel, that probably wouldn't be made.