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Linda Linda Linda
Score: 78%
Rating: Not Rated
Publisher: Viz Media
Region: 1
Media: DVD/1
Running Time: 114 Mins.
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Musical
Audio: Japanese
Subtitles:
           English


Features:
  • Culture Tips
  • The Blue Hearts Audio FAQ with Commentary by Patrick Macias
  • Original Trailers

Linda Linda Linda feels more like a documentary than the fictional story it is. This film follows an upstart band in a Japanese high school that is asked to perform in front of everybody in an upcoming festival. The only problem is that the band is one member short, they need a vocalist, oh and they also need to learn the three songs they plan to play.

The name of the movie comes from one of the songs the band is trying to learn. "Linda Linda Linda" is a hit song from the Japanese band The Blue Hearts and it will be this new band's centerpiece at the festival. The movie does a pretty good job showing the frantic preparations, planning and teenage angst that such a task would put on a gang of teenage girls.

Some people might describe this movie as boring, but that is just because it is slow-paced and isn't filled with all the action and plot twists that we Americans expect in a movie. If you look at the film as if it were a documentary instead of a feature flick, then you will have a much more enjoyable experience.

Unfortunately, the slowness of Linda Linda Linda isn't its only flaw. For the most part, the acting is stiff and especially the band members tend to be very rigid on screen and it really pulls you out of the movie at times. The only other problem I had, and this is purely a personal issue, is that the movie's audio is only the original Japanese track with English subtitles. This wasn't totally bad, but I would have much preferred a dubbed version. I have no problem with the original Japanese being available, its the lack of an English version that is a little irritating. But again, that's more of my personal preference.

Linda Linda Linda has a good story and if you are a fan of Japanese movies, then this one should probably be on your list, but if you haven't seen that many before, you just have to realize that this is not an American film and because of that, it has a completely different pace and feel.



-J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications
AKA Chris Meyer

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