Kotoko

Director - Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Vital, Haze)
Starring - Cocco (Girl of the Sea, A Bride for Rip Van Winkle), Yuko Nakamura (Firefly, Strawberry Shortcakes), and Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Drama/Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most people that know me on a personal level know about my childhood.  Honestly, my childhood was shit but everyone has their own cross to carry so to speak.  I had a horrible mother that left several times when I was younger and she left for good when I was 8.  I lived out of the real world and in the movies I watched and that love for film has, obviously, carried over to today.  I have two films left in the Solid Metal Nightmares set from Arrow Video.  Next on the chopping block is the 2011 film Kotoko which followed a struggling mother battling her own demons.  Knowing what the film was about prior to viewing made me nervous about tossing this one in.  

     The film follows a single mother doing her best to protect and provide for the child but her child's constant crying forces her into a mental breakdown.  She constantly dreams of the child being harmed at her own hand and soon sends the baby to live with her sister.  She visits occasionally as the child grows up but he is distant with her.  This sends her into depression and she attempts to stay secluded but an award winning author notices her and tries to give her life meaning.

     Honestly, I didn't know if this movie was going to make me uncomfortable considering but I was shocked by how well put together and heartfelt this film actually was.  It was a movie that hit hard but still left an impact on me.  The acting in this one is great. Cocco carried the entire film on her shoulders.  Her performance was intense at times and extremely powerful.  Honestly, I'm shocked at how small her imdb credits are after seeing this.  The supporting cast does a solid job as well but the focus of the is on Kotoko (Cocco).  The story for this one is real, grounded, and, for some, hits harder than others.  Being a single parent is one of the most difficult jobs on the planet but when you add mental health into the equation it becomes almost impossible.  That makes Kotoko a frustrating and anxiety inducing film but it still has power behind each scene.  You really feel for the character and find yourself pulled into the film scene after scene.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one, however, there is one extremely violent scene that has great practical effects.  I highly suggest you seeing it for yourself.  Overall, Kotoko is a must for fans of cinema.  The horror elements in this one is small but fans of good movies will want to check this one out for sure.  It's not my favorite in the set but it's damn near close.  Check  it out.