All About Lily Chou-Chou

All About Lily Chou-Chou
by Shunji Iwai

List Price: $18.89
Our Price: $18.85
You Save: $11.09 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $9.40 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases

DVD Cover Information

Movie Reviews of All About Lily Chou-Chou

Movie Review: Haunting, and frighteningly honest
Summary: 5 Stars

The structure of the film is bizarre, and it requires the viewer to fall into rhythm with it, but it is very rewarding if you do. The film is, rather than an arc of story, simply a collection of vignettes - various moments from the children's lives put together out of order in flashbacks over 2 years. The film centers about a young boy Yuichi who retreats from the world into the music of his favourite singer (A fictional Lily Chou Chou - kind of a cross between Tori Amos, Bjork, and Fiona Apple, with a dash of goth thrown in), and hosting his own internet chat room devoted to her. I say it centers, because it does orbit around that center spiralling out through the course of the film introducing a myriad of characters as the social fabric changes, and friendships shift. At times it seems to wander, especially through the middle third, onto bizarre tangents - there is no explicit direction, no clear single story that these vignettes are telling. The common thread helping to tie things together is a constant stream of comments and conversation running on the internet chatroom - because this is where the children (with the anonymity the internet provides) actually open up to each other - that is constantly intercut into the film. But all the scattered pieces slowly begin to fall together for what is a truly powerful last forty five minutes.

The strength of the film is its terrible honesty. It's scattered elliptical style makes the film far more real because, mirroring life, it doesn't have a single purpose, or a main plot - it simply unfolds, flowing and shifting as it goes. Iwai, the director and writer, pulls no punches. He is quite willing to explore vicious social interplay as children try to find their place in the social order. And is just as willing to admire, and dwell on the simple innocence of so many children.

The internet conversation in the film is derived from real internet chat - the director simply logged vast amounts (the film was originally an online novel), and again, this reality and honesty lends the film remarkable weight.

If you get any chance to see this film, just go. Don't hesitate. I can't promise you'll like it - it is a very daring film. It takes a lot of risks, and in my opinion they all come off flawlessly, but others may disagree. What I can promise you is that the film will stay with you for a very very long time.

Summary of All About Lily Chou-Chou