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Pretty Good

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

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

A few words about Kitano San to begin with for the uninitiated. Many of you will remember that crazy old 80's TV show called Takeshi's Castle, where contestants participated in a myriad of next-to-impossible obstacle courses with predictably hilarious, injurious, I've-got-a-bad- feeling-about-this, results. Well this is that very same Takeshi. The very same Takeshi who then went on to make a name for himself in the 90's with hauntingly beautiful (and often very violent) Yakuza films, before finding relative international success in the 2000's with the fascinating Zatoichi, a movie about a blind samurai, a pair of revenge- seeking geishas, and tap-dancing. Obviously. And in between? Well, that very same Takeshi made a lot of weird ones too. And when I say weird, I mean crazy, messed up, only-in-Japan weird. If you haven't realised by now I'm a big fan of "Beat" Kitano, a nickname he often likes to call himself. I love his charisma, his takes-no-lip attitude. His facial twitches and odd mannerisms. His involvement in the incredibly psychotic cult classic Battle Royale. I even put up with a lot of the ridiculousness that happens in his films, acknowledging it instead as a unique artistic vision with the defiance of an over-fervent stalker fan. But this time, with Takeshis', you've gone too far, Takeshi. You have gone too far.Only someone like Takeshi Kitano can make this reviewer, in an attempt to explain the plot of this film with the utmost of his ability, sound like a complete and utter fool. Allow me to demonstrate: Takeshis' is a movie about the real life Takeshi, as a director, making a movie, and there are auditions for this movie. Fair enough, so far so good; if Kitano is making a mockumentary-type satire about himself, fine. I won't even mention how this movie (the movie being watched, not the movie within the movie being watched) actually started with a scene in a WWII setting. Not relevant, not one bit. But it sure doesn't help when one of the people auditioning for Takeshi's movie is also played by Takeshi, and that this Takeshi, a character working in a convenience store, is practicing for the role of, seemingly, the real Takeshi in the movie within the movie. Umm. And then it turns out that every new scene is totally unrelated from the last, but still contains the same imagery and characters we've seen moments earlier in a different context. And some of these scenes are dreams. And that this dreaming Takeshi is now an altogether separate character who drives a pink taxi around, and who is not auditioning for a part but still meeting all the same people these other two Takeshis have already met. And in the end, the convenience store Takeshi kills the real life director Takeshi. And that last bit really isn't a spoiler because (a) I have no idea as to what the significance of that scene even was, and (b) spoilers tend to ruin plot points and this movie, really, has no point. See what I mean? I was really trying there, too.Kitano has said that he wanted audiences to come out of this film not knowing what to say or what to think, so in that respect he has definitely succeeded, albeit in some deranged and sick Yoko Ono unit of measurement (Y/Onos per minute?). Takeshis' makes Being John Malkovich look like a predictable American sports film where the underdog team with the player who was always teased or came from a broken home scores the winning touchdown or basket or goal in the last second. Actually, I'd go as far as saying that Takeshis' makes even the most surrealist nonsense you could conjure up in your mind seem as certain as the knowledge that a hammer against a window equals smashed glass. And it is for this very fact; the fact that I understood precisely none of it and am certain that I will never see anything like it ever again in my lifetime, that I give it 4 stars out of 5. And as for you, Takeshi, I still reckon you're awesome, but I think it's also time we had a break as I go off to watch something I can comfortably understand. Predator it is, then.

Auto derision is an art which has not been able to find favors with many nationalities.There are people who know that Italian people are famous for mocking themselves.It is rather strange that not much is known of Japanese people and the manner in which they like to ridicule themselves.Takeshis is a brilliant film in which we can see sensei Kitano Takeshi settling scores with himself.This is his manner of making fun of himself.He plays with perfection two of his most memorable roles.On the one hand there is a superstar who is always surrounded by cinema people.On the other hand there is a clown whose company consists of some losers who are trying to make it big in their lives.Japanese director Kitano Takeshi must be congratulated for making a nice Japanese film which mocks cinema business.It is for this film that Takeshi Kitano has given yet another outstanding performance. He shows us well as to what extent Hollywood has influenced ordinary people all over the world.We are shown how ordinary Japanase people talk with ease about icons of American film culture like Humphery Bogart,Vivien Leigh,Gone with the wind and Roman Holiday.Takeshis is a film full of comic violence which would create more ripples of laughter then long hours of silence after a film is over.Why should one watch Takeshis ? It is simple to state that it is an excellent film within film.The best thing about this film is that it shows us that currently cinema business is run by people who do not value cinema.This is one of the worst injuries heaped on the inimitable art of cinema.

The film is very poetic! If you are looking for a traditional narrative format, you may not be satisfied. It is a very complex film, and the structure is very complicated, too. The plot seems not making any sense, but it is so attractive, making you watch it all the way from the top to the end. Though the flow of the film is like dreaming, all the transitions are so smooth and surprising. The film creates you a very rare film-watching experience, which is very unique and new. Maybe, it is Takeshi's version of Fellini's "8 1/2" In my opinion, it is the 2nd best film of all Takeshi's work, after Hana-bi. It is very courage for Takeshi making this successful film.

Many will say this was a very strange film ; a film only for Kitano's fans. And yes, those who have an open mind and those who have seen and loved most of his previous films will love "Takeshis'". Enough said about them.Now, about all the rest, and its the majority of the audience, I think you cant use too many words to describe this film, and at the same time, there are so much one could say about the feedback he or she got from it.What everyone will accept though is that "Takeshis'" is a brilliant idea. But not only about the story itself. Its mostly how the director is using the story to comment the characters he has created as a writer/director over the years, that makes it brilliant.So newbies, go see this movie and if not anything else, you will laugh a little. But if you are lucky enough to sit back and enjoy it, you will possibly give yourself the opportunity to enter the beautiful world of Japan's greatest director today.