Philippine Entertainment News

Like us, you probably don’t know what Eiga Sai means either but will most likely think of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950) if you hear about the ongoing Japanese Film Festival at Shangri-La. Well, it’s not in the selections, but if you liked it, consider Kenji Uchida’s A Stranger of Mine (2005). Here’s why you could relate to it taking aside that your life isn’t subtitled. WARNING: spoilers ahead.

1. Given the fact that you’re contemplating on watching it, you’re probably
a. bored
b. boring
c. both
and that’s exactly what the character Miyata is–a bored/ boring salaryman. But not until he gathers the guts to ask for a girl’s number and performs the World’s Most Awkward Gene Kelly routine without the rain, in which event he becomes
d. cooler than everybody else

2. Just like Kanda who uses his private detective skills to check on his bestfriend Miyata’s ex-girlfriend, you’re
a. wearing low-neck shirts. All the time
b. afraid of messing with the Yakuza
c. always after some money
c. a sneaky bitch/ bastard for your bestfriend.
Remember your Friendster setting which allows you to pry on your stalking victims without showing up on their profiles?

3. At one point or another, you’ll be like Maki who needs a place to stay out of nowhere, and to find one maybe you’ll have to
a. pack your entire house in a bag
b. eat with accommodating strangers
c. bow/ nod in agreement more than necessary
d. give a wrong number if they ask for it

4. You’re another Ayumi who just want some money. And to have it, you
a. dump your poor boyfriend
b. date a Yakuza boss
c. steal money from the Yakuza
d. put your undies in a briefcase and tell the Yakuza it has the money you stole

5. Or you are a Yakuza boss, but during a recession you
a. find it hard to pay your bills and your goons
b. make fake bundles of money for show
c. fool a detective to work for you free of charge
d. lose your girlfriend who betrays you for money you don’t even really have

All these you find out in the famous Rashomon fashion of alternating perspective. And really, if you find yourself answering the multiple choice questions above, see this Japanese movie adventure. You never know what people can do. Check out the festival schedule HERE.