Tuesday, July 14, 2020

ON-GAKU: OUR SOUND (2020) Japan Cuts 2020

Yes the film is wonderfully full of rock references
This is a repost of the review I ran when ON-GAKU played the New York International Children's film Festival earlier this year.

My reaction watching ON-GAKU: OUR SOUND went through three stages:

First I was amused but I really couldn't believe that the programmers at NYICFF had picked the film since it was so mannered and deadpan.

Second I clicked with the film and I had an "ah ha!" moment where I understood why they picked it and I fell in love with the music.

Lastly I fell head over heels for the film and started to send out emails and text messages to everyone I thought would react similarly.

The plot of the film has Kenji and his to friends having the run of their school. Everyone thinks they are the toughest guys in the world. It is all an act which their friend Aya knows. One day when ends up with a guitar in his hands it begins him thinking he should start a band. Despite not being able to play the "three musketeers" start a band and change their lives.

Glorious, magical and funny in all the right ways ON-GAKU is a charmer. A wonderful journey through the finding of ourselves, the power of friendship and the importance of music, it is a film that transcends the simple "let's start a band" genre to become something more. It is a heartfelt and emotional film about growing up and realizing that maybe we need to do what we love.

This film blew me away. As I said above I initially wasn't sure what I was seeing but by the time it had ended it had exploded in my heart as being one of the most special cinematic experiences of the young film year. It is so wonderful that I went back and rewatched the film  just because I wanted to smile and feel the absolute delight that several of the sequences brought.

Highly recommended- even more so if you love music and if you ever were or ever wanted to start a band.

ON-KAKU: OUR SOUND starts playing virtually at Japan Cuts beginning Friday July 17th and will be available until July 30. For more information go here.

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