Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

sol- Even more offbeat and outlandish than 'Why Don't You Play in Hell?', this follow-up feature from Sion Sono is a rap musical about feuding gangs, set in contemporary Japan. While unquestionably a bizarre mesh of genres, the project works magnificently thanks to the energy and imagination that Sono brings to every frame. The sets and costumes are a wonder to behold with heavy doses of neon lights, human statue furniture, walls made of red balloons... there is even a gun with a mobile phone built into it and a van with chandeliers attached to the side mirrors! The minimal special effects and spirited choreography are pretty good too and while the violence is nowhere near as brutal or memorable as in 'Play in Hell', it is an experience all the same. Attempting to nut out of finer details of the plot is a little tricky here. There are a heap of key characters, very few of whom are developed in any depth, and side plots including a missing daughter and a mystical quest delivered via hologram crop up without ever being properly resolved. Never to mind, what can be deciphered here is enticing on its own and the film includes some neat messages too regarding how easy it is to pitch gangs against one another and the very petty reasons that some men have for starting (turf or other) wars. There is a fair bit of dark comedy in the mix too and the overall movie is so outrageous and willfully uncanny that its entertainment value is hard to deny as long as one is prepared to forgo the tropes of traditional narratives and indulge in something a little more 'out there'.

morrison-dylan-fan Getting the chance to host an event on IMDb's Film Festival board,I started looking at the nominated titles. Finding the list to be filled with exciting-sounding Neo-Noirs,animation and troubled "indie dinners",I was caught completely by surprise by a Hip-Hop Musical Crime flick (!) on the list,which led to me booking a ticket to Tokyo.The plot-Japan in the future:In an alternate Japan street gangs collectively called Tokyo Tribes hold a truce by each being in control of their section of the city. Desperate to expand his territory, Merra of the Wu-Ronz hires hit- man Buppa to help his gang start a war with fellow gang the Musashino Saru.Aiming to kill the leader of the Saru's,Merra accidentally kills a friend of the Saru's,which leads to all of the other tribes teaming up for a big showdown in little Tokyo.View on the film:Whilst sadly not featuring any sounds from the late Japanese Hip-Hop legend Nujabes,writer/director Sion Sono delivers some solid beats,that hit the gang warfare with wheels of steel,as the lyrics skip being exposition chords thanks to some catchy choruses that bring da ruckus. Laying the tracks down themselves,the ensemble cast give explosive performances,with Riki Takeuchi delivering some cackling boo-hiss flavor flav baddie vibes as Buppa, and Shôta Sometani pulling the viewer into the world of the tribes as MC Show.Sprung from the Manga by Santa Inoue, Sono & cinematographer Daisuke Sôma hit a bombtrack opening whirling with lush Comic-Book stylisation. Moshing to the beat from composer B.C.D.M.G.,Sono brilliantly blends Hip-Hop kicks with lashings of vibrant Kung-Fu gang wars being fired up in groovy reds and purples,along with deliciously off-beat displays of clockwork orange flesh.Picking up the mic,the screenplay by Sono cleverly gives each tribe their own "track" which allows for the distinctive features of each gang to swing high from the Rock-band T-Shirt welding thugs in the Wu-Ronz, to the gold-plated ruthlessness of Buppa.Although Raekwon has shown in his magnificent albums Only Built 4 Cuban Linx part 1 and 2 that Hip-Hop can be a fantastic genre to build concept albums on,Sono struggles to bring all of the gang themes together,with the individual sides that Sono gave each group not offering space for a foundation to be made on their paths crossing,as the Tokyo tribe are called on their quest.

Hellmant 'TOKYO TRIBE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)A martial arts/action/comedy/musical flick, spoken almost entirely in rap verse! The film has been described (by it's marketing campaign) as "The world's first battle rap musical", and it's based on the popular Manga series, 'Tokyo Tribe2', by Santa Inoue. It was written and directed by Sion Sono (who's probably most well known for helming 2013's 'WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL?') and it stars Ryohei Suzuki, Young Dais, Riki Takeuchi, Shota Sometani, Ryuta Sato and Akihiro Kitamura. The movie tells the story of a futuristic Japan, divided into territorial gangs; until one gang leader breaks the truce. It's one of the craziest, and most bizarrely original films, I've seen all year!Sometime, in the not too distant future, Japan is divided into separate street gangs; each representing a different faction, collectively known as the 'Tokyo Tribes'. The leader of one tribe, Mera (Suzuki), decides to break the peace, and join forces with another ruthless gang leader, Buppa (Takeuchi). Together they wage war on another tribe, and cause an 'all out war'. Blood fills the streets; as everyone turns to brutal violence, and continuous rapping.The movie is really weird, and definitely not for everyone, but I like 'weird'; and I found myself really enjoying it. The film took a little while for me to get into, at first it's pretty jarring; but once I was 'hooked', I was completely involved and thoroughly entertained! The action is brutally violent, and many scenes are pretty twisted and sadistic; but it's also filled with catchy hip- hop music, and beautifully choreographed fight scenes. The performances are great, and the visuals are always interesting to look at. The film is sure to become a beloved cult classic, by many genre fans, while many others will hate it. You know you're witnessing 'great art', when people are completely divided!Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/41q3ZuWGdEE

OverlordFresh Sion Sono seems to be entering a new phase in his career that is just incredible. With 6 films set to be released in 2015 alone, and putting the insanity of Why Don't You Play In Hell and Tokyo Tribe into consideration, I think it's safe to say that Sion Sono is the new Takashi Miike. Only better since Sono actually writes his owns movies.If you are asking "where can he go after doing Why Don't You Play In Hell?", the answer is Tokyo Tribe. The movie is an instant cult classic and one of the most ambitiously original films of his career that I doubt any other director could pull off. He dubs it as "the worlds first battle rap musical", and it definitely is. Over 90% of the dialog is rapped. Most of the shots are in long masterful takes. While it's not as gory as Why Don't You Play In Hell, the action is nearly non stop and absolutely mind blowing. The sets in this film are truly a site to behold. He said at TIFF that he employed a lot of students to make them. The all around visual style of this film is just unreal. The only film I could compare this to would be Sogo Ishii's Burst City. Both are musicals that chronicle Japanese music scenes of the time with a very loose plot connecting it all together. Like Burst City, it's not about the plot, it's about the visual and musical experience. Sion Sono took a risk that most film directors of his calibre wouldn't even dare and he pulled it off masterfully. Love Exposure will always be his supreme masterpiece, but I can safely say that I rank Tokyo Tribe among his best films, and i've nearly seem them all.Some people who hate hip hop may hate this movie. I myself am a major hip hop nerd but I don't see that as bias, If anything It made me more concerned before watching but wow. This movie rules and is the best musical in ages and the only good hip hop musical ever produced.Neva Eva Die