Plot: Two villages have been at war with each other longer than most people remember. Every single day, people follow the same routines, but no real progress is being made. This changes when an engineer arrives in town and starts work on a new device that may tilt the balance. Meanwhile, a soldier is tasked to join the marching band. Nobody knows what the band is for, but as he practices his songs, he meets a young woman on the other side of the river. Even though they cannot speak, they bond playing music together. This makes him question the war that dictates every moment of his life.
Watches
February 02, 2025
I love Ikeda's vibe. His preference for absurd, loopy, dry comedy is the purest I've ever seen. Stark camerawork, bone-dry performances, and increasingly silly gags make up most of the film, and the result is glorious. It's not going to be for everyone, the film is one-note (by design) and you genuinely need to love his style of comedy to get anything out of it, but it made me laugh out loud more than once, which doesn't happen often. It's not quite as good as Ambiguous Places, but an absolute treat for people who can embrace the absurdities.