First, I should mention that I really enjoyed ISHII Katsuhito's previous film "Samehada Otoko to Momojiri Onna" ("Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl"). Although it owed a debt to Tarentino's "Pulp Fiction", Ishii's cast was up to the task of carrying the story, and the entire film crackled with energy. The scenes between ASANO Tadanobu and GASHUIN Tatsuya were particularly engaging. There was action, intrigue, bizarre characterizations, enough sex to keep things interesting, and an utterly unpredictable story line.So it was with a certain amount of anticipation and optimism that I began to watch "Party 7". And my enthusiasm was certainly piqued with the opening credits, which left my wife and I actually stunned by how dynamic and exciting they were; the mix of anime and live-action work was brilliant! Then, the actual movie started. Actually, it didn't so much "start" as sort of shuffle in the side door and stand there, fumbling through its pockets, looking uncomfortable.The entire film takes place in three rooms. One is a futuristic voyeur's paradise (borrowed a bit from "Shark Skin Man..."), another is a travel agent's office, and the third (and far the most used) is a seedy hotel room. In that room, a cast of seven characters meets and...does approximately nothing. Really. I'm no stranger to "talking" films. One of my all-time favorites is "My Dinner with Andre", the talkiest of all talking films. "My Dinner with Andre" is far more exciting, and it just has two middle-aged men discussing their lives over dinner. The key is that Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn tell interesting stories. The cast of "Party 7" literally just whine at each other for the entire film. "No, you don't!" "Yes, I do!" "No, you really don't!" "Yes, I really do!" "No, you really, really don't!" Yes, I really..." you get the idea, I hope. I wish the directer had."Party 7 is an unbelievably unengaging film. There is only the flimsiest of plots (money stolen from the Yakuza, just like in "Shark Skin Man..."), accompanied by almost no action. There is no interesting dialog. The characters are largely uninteresting. It was as if Ishii took the throwaway conversational moments from Tarentino's films and built an entire film around them. But Tarentino's conversations always have their own internal logic and wit ("They call it a 'Royale, with cheese'"). Not so with the dialog here, which is duller than you can imagine. If it weren't for the brief, hilarious cameo from Gashuin (who is always marvelous) and a low-key performance from the awesome ASANO Tadanobu, I would've given "Party 7" a single star. It really was chore to make it all the way through.

Today I acquired the "Party7 - Perfect Edition" DVD, released by Tohokushinsha Film, on their Best Selection brand. Initially the DVD caught my eye because of the beautiful girl on the cover (the gorgeous Akemi Kobayashi), but then I saw that it was another film by Katsuhiro Ishii, so I had to get it. For any of you who aren't aware of his work, you can look here (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411002/); his film Sharkskin Man and Peachhip Girl is classic, and you all know of The Taste of Tea.So about the film. On the cover, there is the aforementioned, "beautiful girl" (in a silver bikini top, and red black and white flame print leather. or are they PVC, hotpants, mind you! :D). Under the film's title, it says "Perfect Edition", and I am not sure why exactly. I wonder if it is not just some "english" garnering on top, but it's probably because there is an adventure game that enables you to view trailers, sketches and other extras, on the disc.I have already mentioned the heartbreakingly cute Akemi Kobayashi, but the film also stars Masatoshi Nagase, Keisuke Horibe, Yoshinori Okada, Tadanobu Asano, Yoshio Harada, and Tatsuya Gashuin: seven characters, hence Party7. All of them are larger than life, and some are truly bizarre and would be perfect in an anime or comic. In this film, all of the characters are at least a little strange, but I think that that is the point, and if you have already seen SM&PG you know what to expect.The film jumps back and forth between 2 major story-strands, and some auxiliary ones, but it primarily centers around Nagase's character Miki, and the hotel room he is hiding in. With very similar premise to Ishii's previous work Sharkskin Man and Peachhip Girl, he has stolen crime syndicate money, and is on the run. However, Party7 is by no means a re-run of old ideas. There is so much more in this film that differentiates it from that, and any other film .. of any genre: This movie is very weird. Delightfully strange in fact. From the stylishly animated opening, to the creative design and editing throughout the film, to the enigmatic peeping-tom superhero, Captain Banana; this film is rarely predictable.Captain Banana? Oh yeah, I jumped head a bit ... this film has a few story-strands that interweave and cross over each other. The story centers on Miki, who is hiding out with the stolen money, in Hotel New Mexico, when an old girlfriend, Kana (the pants stretchingly delicious Akemi Kobayashi) comes looking for him, looking to clear some debts. At the same time, a hit-man (Horibe) is sent by the Syndicate Boss, to find and kill Miki. In the background to all this, a serial peeping-tom, Okita (Asano) is released from prison, and visits his dying father in hospital. On his deathbed, he tells Okita of a secret room in a hotel: a room from where he can spy on the guests. Upon sneaking into this room through a vent, Okita finds himself faced with the PVC clad, helmeted, Captain Banana (Harada) - the master of this high-tech and comfortable Peeping-Room. Together they spy on the adjacent room, occupied by Miki, and the story unfolds.I can't say too much about the plot though, because, though simple, so much of it is a surprise. It is really supported by the fantastic dialogue, and I am sure many mainstream movie-goers have already compared it Tarantino's work, but they would be denying this film maker his credit. The conversations are hilarious, ranging from amusing squabbles, to some perverse re-countings of peeping-tom adventures. As is the style of the director, the viewer often arrives in the middle of a conversation, and has to work backwards to find out the topic. It's really well done, and very involving.Party 7 is a unique, and engrossing film, that has, at its heart a very simple story. However, it's the organs and limbs around that heart that make it truly fantastic. I didn't find it to be as special as SM&PH, but that film is a hard one to top, and maybe it is Party 7's simplicity that holds it back a little. This kind of surreal and twisted film-making is perfect for after-showing conversations with friends (over beer of course, or Pepsi for you youngsters .. hey you can't watch this anyway!:P ), and there is definitely much to puzzle over.Don't get me wrong though, there is much more to this film than it being an oddity. It is its oddness that makes it so good. There are not many films out there like this, and if you haven't seen this, you are doing your brain an injustice!

I was expecting a livelier affair than this after watching Sharkskin Man, but that didn't stop me enjoying it. The dialogue in the hotel reception, the fabulous peep suite, and the pivotal travel agency, eclipsed the rather predictable goings on in the hotel room itself. Not much happens, but the finer parts of the script, and the absurdity inherent in Captain Banana's dual existence as yakuza boss and superheroic peeper kept me interested. Nowhere near as satisfying as Sharskin Man and Peach Hip Girl, although the anime title sequence is probably worth the price of admission on its own. How long before my rental store has a copy of Trava?Katsuhito Ishii has his own unique style with live action movies. Unique enough to interest me in seeing his third and fourth films. I can understand why some people think it's all style and no substance, but I'm old enough to remember people saying the same thing about Clockwork Orange and Diva when they were first released. This is a conversational film with a lazy feel about it, but that doesn't prevent it from being amusing, or looking good in a nonchalant absurdist fashion. All ten of the featured actors seem to be enjoying themselves immensely, and the final scene, interwoven with the credits, is sublimely funny. Maybe Ishii's habit of mixing the credits into the finale is his way of making sure that everyone involved actually gets some recognition for their efforts. Here's hoping that one of the more progressive European distributors will eventually realise that there's a wider audience for Ishii's work outside Japan.

I saw this movie in a film festival and I laughed out loud ALL the time (and I saw this subtiteled which usually isn't the best for comedies). This film is weird and has a lot of comic and manga influence, although not in the plot, which has some nice twists and turns despite being rather simple. Here is the deal: 1 Hotel Room, 7 People (Among them the infamous Captain Banana. Only the sight of this guy made me break into fits of laughter not to mention sidekicks "The" Mr. Yellow and Mr. Polar.) and a suitcase of money. If you find this movie: WATCH IT!PS: I hope I can find Sharkskin Man and Peachhip Girl this Directors first film!