New Restoration

“A joyously entertaining movie.”

Tony Rayns, VIFF 2005

The infectious ​’80s punk song that gives Yamashita Nobuhiro’s perfectly condensed high-school movie its title might as well be written with exclamation points after every line. But what makes this cult film so uniquely memorable is how it captures the feeling of new friendship with such understated patience—a lot can happen in three days, even if it feels like nothing dramatic is building. Yamashita doesn’t overload the premise, a ​“let’s form a band” mission, with backstory. There’s simmering conflict between the original members of ​“Paranmaum” (and consequently the need for a new lead singer) but most scenes show, without overarticulating, the key social links in the music subculture of a suburban high school. Nozomi and Kyoko convince Kei (Maeda Aki, Battle Royale) and Son (Bae Doona, The Host) to perform at an annual school festival. They practice, over and over again. Yamashita wondrously sublimates their creative energy into a patient, precisely timed narrative rhythm.

In Japanese and Korean with English subtitles

“Understated and disarmingly human … The irritations and tedium of high school life are staged with refreshing simplicity, while the performers interact with [a] naturalness the American teenage movie rarely achieves.”

Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times

“Exquisite … Every shot feels like a gift. Not many directors can pluck comedy seemingly out of thin air with such effortlessness.”

Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe
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