You've probably never seen anything like "Big Man Japan" ("Dai-Nipponjin," literally "Great Japanese"). It's a mockumentary following an ordinary schmo who goes to work as a skyscraper-size Japanese superhero, the kind who takes on mammoth insects in '50s monster movies.
The brainchild of renowned Japanese comedy figure Hitoshi Matsumoto, the film presents the hero in his normal, human size as a profoundly lonely figure, as Dai-Nipponjin is severely underappreciated by the public he protects. Touching details dot the characterization, such as his gentleness toward a neighborhood cat and the presence of a child's play-set engulfed by his overgrown yard.
In the computer-animated battle scenes, the filmmakers convey the miniature-set look of Toho monster movies. The clashes make savvy use of genre cliches, but are bizarre, confused affairs that seem as verite as the mockumentary's interviews.
The film has slow sections that test the viewer's patience. But it also touches on themes of family, heroism and nationalism, and the finale, which has plenty of surprises and rewarding references for fans of the genre, is worth the wait.
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Michael Ordona --
"Big Man Japan." MPAA rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action and crude humor. Running time: 1 hour, 53 minutes. In Japanese with English subtitles. Landmark's Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 281-8223.
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Making peace with warrior sibs
"Brothers at War" follows actor-turned-filmmaker Jake Rademacher's personal journey to bond with his brothers Isaac and Joe, two U.S. Army officers. The documentary, which was shot at home and "over there," touches on many truths about military service but, despite its big heart, never finds a satisfying enough structure or viewpoint to give it an actual center.
In addition, for a film tied to Iraq war (Rademacher embeds with four active combat units, the first while visiting Isaac and Joe), it lacks context. It's fine, even admirable, that the movie is decidedly nonpartisan -- the soldiers seen here are mainly "duty first" types -- but that can also make things seem a bit generic.
The picture also loses steam in its latter third during Rademacher's perilous return trip to Iraq to, essentially, prove his mettle to the skeptical Joe.
Still, Rademacher's vigorous commitment to making the documentary, as well as to his large, close-knit family, deserves respect.
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