"Eat and Run: 6 Beautiful Grifters"

Written by Derek Elley
Friday, 29 August 2008
Story Categories: Film, Film review, Japan, reviews, The hits outnumber the duds in "Eat and Run: 6 Beautiful Grifters," a collection of femme-centered tales corralled by cult writer-director Mamoru Oshii ("Ghost in the Shell," "Avalon"), who helms the links between stories. Live-action follow-up to Mamoru's brain-twisting 2006 anime, "The Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifters," "Eat and Run" is a natural for fantasy fests and has some cult-ancillary potential. Funky idea of manga-influenced tales of women who wheedle free vittles encompasses a range of subjects and genres, but shows a basic intelligence beneath its pulpy exterior. Best is Takanori Tsujimoto's "The Drunk and the Dead," with the striking Miki Mizuno ("Sasori") channeling Sharon Stone as Quick-Draw Miki in a saloon-bar shootout in Japtown, Ariz. Cleverest is Makoto Kamiya's '70s-set "The Pop-Music Angel," with Yuko Ogura as kooky wannabe Crepe Manila Mami, which fans out into a conspiracy yarn about U.S. cultural domination of Japan via TV. Most atmospheric is Kenji Kamiyama's "Dandelion," with Kamiyama himself as a diner manager who's entranced by a mysterious former g.f (Mabuki Ando). Digital-tech credits are generally OK, though the result will look better on the smallscreen, judging by screening caught. More than one option (Film) Ghost in the Shell (Tv) Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex More than one option (Film) Avalon 1990 - Armin Mueller-Stahl, Barry Levinson (Film) Avalon James Liu, John J Anderson (Film) Avalon Malgorzata Foremniak, Mamoru Oshii (Tv) Avalon: Beyond the Abyss More than one option (Film) Tampopo (Film) Dandelion More than one option (Person) Sharon Stone Narrator, Voice, Executive Producer (Person) Sharon Stone Song, Song Performer (Person) Sharon Stone Supervisor Camera (color, DigiBeta), Keiichi Sakazaki, Yuasa; editors, Yuasa, Junichi Uematsu; music, Kenji Kawai. Reviewed at PiFan Film Festival (World Fantastic Cinema), Bucheon, South Korea, July 20, 2008. (Also in 2007 Tokyo Film Festival -- Japanese Eyes.) Original title: Shin onna tachiguishi retsuden. Running time: 122 MIN. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Bookmark with.. Comments (0) Write comment This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment. There is a problem with the comment system, or you do not have javascript enabled.