Samâ taimu mashin burûsu (2005) Reviews

• Finally, a time travel movie that makes sense! (well, sort of...)

  ashrin902006-06-26

  A movie about a bunch of Japanese geeks spending their summer at their sci-fi club. As the day goes on, weird things that don't make sense start to happen: things go missing, jokes and conversations that don't make any sense, etc... Then things get really weird when a time machine suddenly appears in their club and from there on it becomes a series of misadventures for these geeks. Overall this is an excellent comedy/sci-fi movie. The movie proclaims a certain logic when it comes to time travel (ala Back to The Future) and most of the time it does not stray from this logic. The fact that this is accomplished without it turning into a lengthy physics lecture is a great bonus. In fact, the semi-satirical explanation of time travel in this movie is the funniest part of it all. There are a few familiar faces in this movie such as Juri Ueno from Swing Girls and Yoko Maki from The Grudge. In fact, the overall acting by all of the young but talented cast is superb. This is definitely one of those movies which has to be seen twice in order for you to connect all the little pieces. No doubt about it, it's a perfect summer flick.

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• A fine line between stupid and clever

  rooprect2006-10-17

  As David St. Hubbins says in SPINAL TAP: "There's a fine line between stupid and clever." This movie treads that line shamelessly. As far as time machine movies go, there's no such thing as a realistic plot. This film realizes that and takes us in the opposite direction--to the realm of utter stupidity. Oddly enough, this technique works like a charm. There's nothing about global domination, interstellar warfare or deadly viruses; these kids just use a time machine to try to fix their air conditioner. HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE IT??? I interpret it as a good-natured slap in the face of all the pseudo-intellectual scifi films about the infamous "time space continuum" and the catastrophic (but always predictable) effects of meddling in the past. This movie makes no apologies. It dives boldly into the idiotic. And yet, it somehow comes out being more intellectual and airtight than all the rest. Now a word about technique. Fantastic. Even though this was mostly a campy romp, I was blown away by the unique & creative camera style. How exactly does one depict two concurrent timelines? Answer: split screen! I loved it. And it was amazing how, through the subtle use of sound effects, camera angles and fades-to-black, the director set up a feeling of suspense & tension long before the action kicked in. I was glued to the screen from the first 5 minutes. And who could overlook that adorable dog? Definitely this is a fun movie to watch. As I'm learning, modern Japanese comedy is the only way to go. Also check out the movies SWING GIRLS, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, CUTIE HONEY and my personal fave, UNIVERSITY OF LAUGHS if you want a taste of solid, artistic comedy from the land of the rising sun. I'm rating this an 8/10 which is very, very high on my scale. Enjoy! ***UPDATE THE NEXT DAY*** I just watched this movie again, and I've officially upped my rating to a 9/10. Folks, if you like philosophy & logic, you've got to see this movie TWICE. I haven't thought this deeply about a story since I read my last Tolstoy novel. Truly a philosophical masterpiece disgused as a goofy comedy!

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• Forget the love of science--these kids just want their air conditioner back!

  wclifton2006-07-14

  I saw this movie on a flight from Taiwan to Indonesia about two and a half weeks ago (with subtitles), which is certainly not the best way to see a movie, but I found it interesting and that's why I'm writing this review. It tells the story of a carefree group of seven Japanese college students whose air conditioner has broken, leaving their summer clubhouse to roast in the heat. Much to their surprise, a time machine (and its equally surprised pilot) appear one day in the clubhouse, and they decide to use it in order to prevent their air conditioner from ever breaking. Enter the reclusive physics professor, who explains to the kids just what changing the past could do: create a paradox, and destroy the universe. And so they embark on a desperate scramble to undo the changes they've made to the timeline. Though undoubtedly made on a very low budget, the special effects are close to Hollywood- caliber and are used only as needed to advance the storyline. The time machine itself looks like a home-made imitation of the one in the 1967 version of The Time Machine, but so what? The storyline itself is one of the most intelligent (and surprisingly realistic) I've ever seen in a sci-fi film, going through a number of twists and turns without ever conflicting itself. My only complaint would be that it's occasionally a bit predictable, but overall, I found that it greatly improved my flight and is definitely worth checking out if you happen to run across it.

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• My favorite movie of all time

  keal2013-11-15

  It's pretty much a fact that if a movie has a lovable cast, everyone loves it. Even if it has gaping plot holes. Lovable cast comes first. This one has a lovable cast. Any movie that has a compelling story usually gets the critics gushing. Kids using a time machine to recover an air conditioning remote control is questionable, but it is laid out from the beginning that this story is about that remote control. Good or bad, it's pretty balanced in my opinion. So we can rule out this element. Film editing is the defining factor. Never have I seen, in all my life, a film with such a well thought-out filming strategy that utilized editing to create a puzzle of a movie. You watch it once, it's a fun comedy with lovable characters. Second viewing, you may notice the things in the background. Further viewings, you wonder just how hard did the film crew think to plan such an elaborate film? During the beginning baseball scene, you probably won't notice the background action. Second viewing, you probably will see some of it. Further viewing, you will realize how precise the filming was. Then it makes you wonder, how long did it take to actually set this all up? It's just amazing, because you don't find this level of background action in any other film in history, in any country, period. I'd be shocked if someone could point out, 'Oh, I have seen this technique in THIS movie.' I think this film, STMB, is singularly unique in its multi-layered storytelling, only appreciated in multiple viewings, that reveals the genius behind the scenes. Sadly, this is probably the only film by this director that has this quality. I've watched many of his other films. It's nothing like this. Probably a fluke. But this is my all-time favorite film. Who cares if he never makes anything else like this? STMB is perfect. For a casual mainstream viewer, this film is a fun comedy that's a little confusing, but in the end, they'll say it was funny. For the thinking person, this could come off as a silly sci-fi romp and nothing more. But for the real cinema buffs, this is a FEAST. Filming and editing is top-notch. Multiple viewings will be rewarded. Pay attention to the background in the early scenes. Actors are young, but seasoned comedians, and it shows. You cannot help but love the characters. That's not a fluke. The actors have a lot of background before this film. In the end, it's about a group of kids just wanting to keep cool in the summer. But the journey to get there is the best ride I have EVER seen on film. This trumps any of the old films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane and so on. It's up in the highest echelons of filmmaking. Why it's not in everyone's top 2 or 3 films of all time, is a mystery to me. This is my number one. Number two for me is Casablanca. At any rate, it is worth your hard-earned money to get this movie. Even if it's not your favorite, I promise you won't regret buying it. Highly recommended!

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• A Perfect Tale of Adventure and Devotion

  Annie_Mah2010-08-13

  This is such a fun film! I admit I'm a bit fan of time travel movies, and comedy movies, and this is both. The movie starts out with some strange things, some of which I'm like "ah yes, this will get sorted out later" and other times I was like "did I really just see that?" Of course as the movie goes along everything gets explained. I think this movie has it all to make it five stars in my books: comedy, fun storyline, likable characters, a bit of mystery that all comes together with no loose ties, and a little bit of romance. I highly recommend this film!

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