Nerawareta gakuen

Insaneeeeeeeee! Obayashi withholds a lot for the first hour or so, and to be honest it was starting to try my patience, but that final showdown is just so beautifully over the top. The contrast between the classicism of his ideas (the plot is basically just Harry Potter) and the unhinged, expressionist theater-meets-early video art approach really gets me.

While this film is certainly more grounded than Obayashi's HAUSU, it immediately becomes clear we are not in reality - we are in Obayashi Land. Things may appear normal, but right around the corner there's bound to be some hilarious matted backgrounds with timelessly silly video effects. The only problem is that Obayashi's assault of craziness isn't continuous and the plot occasionally loses itself in boring realityland. However, your patience is rewarded, I promise.

At times, it's incredibly bizarre and captivating techniques, highlighting a story that's delightfully kooky. The problem is that Obayashi doesn't keep building it up the way he does in Hausu. Bits that are really exciting and unusual alternate with bits that are rather mundane. It's missing that sustained madness. Also, a lot of the humor is pretty dumb. Still, when the movie is great, it's super great, and the climax of the film is absolutely wild.