Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageShangri-la (2002)
Director: Takashi Miike
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Presumably unwittingly, Miike revives the spirit of Ealing comedy in a 'little man against the-system' movie based on Yuji Aoki's allegedly autobiographical novel about his time in the eponymous squatter camp outside Osaka. A blocked writer (Sano) stumbles into 'Shangri-la' just as the entire ramshackle community rallies behind Umemoto (Tokui), a printer (still using ancient letterpress) ruined when his major client declared bankruptcy in a financial scam. Led by the 'man with a past' known as The Mayor (Aikawa in a fetching frightwig), the squatters turn out to have all the smarts and skills required to take the stock market for a ride and humble the capitalist villain (Maro). Now the writer has a subject for his novel. Wonderfully cast, splendidly paced and a tiny bit sentimental, this packs so much retro-style enjoyment it should probably come with a health warning. Instructive, too.Author: TR
Cast & crew
Director: Takashi Miike
Producer: Motomu Tomita, Yoichi Arishige, Kazushi Miki, Shusaku Matsuoka
Cast: Sho Aikawa, Shiro Sano, Yu Tokui, Shigeru Muroi, Akaji Maro, Hoka Kinoshita, Nao Omori, Takashi Ebata full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 99 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now