3.5*/5.0*
Jam Films poster

Plot: Seven eclectic short films offer a fine mix of crime, comedy, drama, and fantasy. Yakuza, sumo wrestlers, and school kids all find themselves in unusual situations, but there's also room for comedy as a woman can't stop scratching her itchy toes and a man wakes up in the school of his kids.

Watches

September 16, 2004

3.5*/5.0*

The Jam Films anthology is worth exploring if you like contemporary Japanese cinema. This first one isn't the best of the bunch, but it features some big-name directors and offers a nice variation of themes and styles. It's certainly not the most consistent anthology, nor the most creative, but there are some nice shorts on display.

I liked the mix of different genres, though it lacked one or two shorts that tried to do something entirely different. Most directors remained within their comfort zone and delivered something predictable. That's not what anthology films are about, on the other hand, there weren't any weak entries either. Good fun.