For 2009, each month I will highlight one movie that is currently out on video (DVD or Blu-Ray) that I personally recommend. The goal is to highlight and promote movies that you might have missed and definitely need to check out.

To kick this off we have Linda Linda Linda, a movie that still hasn’t gotten the cult following it deserves! Filmmaker Nobuhiro Yamashita crafts one hell of a nice minimal masterpiece of coming of age awkwardness, friendship and love letter to music (more specifically the band Blue Hearts). For fans of movies that feature aspiring musicians, celebration of music and coming of age nostalgia, this is a must own movie! So what are you waiting for go rent/buy this movie now!

::: Buy the Linda Linda Linda DVD @ Amazon.com
::: Previous Movie Wallpaper (Cinema is Dope)
::: My Interview with Nobuhiro Yamashita on Cinema Strikes Back
::: January 2009 Japanese Poster Artwork Celebration Month (Cinema is Dope)

Japanese Cinema Sites I Highly Recommend:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Nippon Cinema
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji
::: Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow

 

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It seems to separate the karaoke masters from the karaoke neophytes to count how many times one has sung this song for karaoke. If you never have rocked out to this, then you surely have not lived a very long karaoke existence. Forget Elvis. Forget the Beatles. Forget Jefferson Starship. Bring on some Linda Linda Linda for the all-time karaoke anthem! The film itself is an absolute treasure that leisurely unfolds with a near avant garde prowess as we follow a group of girls as they come of age both as women and as musicians. Leave it to helmer Nobuhiro Yamashita to craft a memorable journey that in any other hands would have been the Sisterhood of Traveling Guitars.

Highly recommended viewing and it’s out on Region 1 DVD from Viz Pictures (Official US Site).

Amazon.com Link:
::: Buy the Linda Linda Linda DVD

Related Coverage:
::: My Interview with Nobuhiro Yamashita on Cinema Strikes Back
::: Tom Mes Interviews Nobuhiro Yamashita for Midnight Eye
::: Tom Mes Reviews Linda Linda Linda for Midnight Eye

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Nippon Cinema
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji
::: Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow

Image Source:
Official digital that was used in its original international release.

Related Links:
::: Official VIZ DVD Site
::: IMDb Profile

Nothing like waking up and blasting – Linda Lindaaaaa Linda Lindaaaaaa-ahhaaaaa Linda Linda Linda Lindaaaa-aaaahaaaaaa!

From Left to Right:
Shiori Sekine as Nozomi Shiroko, Bae Doona as Son, Aki Maeda as Kyoko Yamada and Yu Kashii as Kei Tachibana.

Hands down one of the best films to come out this decade and perhaps a really over looked gem. If you don’t already own the Viz DVD (view here) of this… what the hell are you waiting on? An absolute must own for cinephiles and music lovers!!!

Related Coverage:
::: Tom Mes Review at Midnight Eye

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Nippon Cinema
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji
::: Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow

Image Source:
Official digital still that was used in the original international release of the film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile