Customer Reviews

Noriko's Dinner Table

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Sion Sono is a poetic director; his works often mystify, puzzle and bewilder his audiences. One thing no one can deny about this director is that his films are engaging with their uninhibited and visceral themes whether you like them or not. NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE is the long awaited sequel to Suicide Club (aka. Suicide Circle). I know, most folks are probably dreading a sequel to the cult hit, but Sion Sono delivers, well, not exactly in the way you may expect. "Noriko's Dinner Table" is more a companion film to the first film than a solid sequel. Too visceral to be a melodrama, and at the same time too mild to be horror; just what is Sono's intentions with this film. Maybe to deepen its underlying enigma?

A 17-yr. old teenager named Noriko Shimabara (Kazue Fikiishi) leaves her tiny provincial town and moves to Tokyo to find an internet cult group called Haikyo.com There she meets up with the site's webmaster; a young pretty woman named Kumiko (Tsugumi) and loses herself in the unusual ways this cult group practices, which includes a very unique approach to prostitution and mass suicide. As Noriko grows closer to her new friends, her sister Yuka (Yuriko Yoshitaka) decides to follow her suit. Now, both sisters must decide if abandoning their old life is worth dying for...

Now, to cut to the chase; is "Noriko's Dinner Table" a better film than "Suicide Club"? Yes and no. Yes, The film is structured in a way as a melodrama would, slowly uncovering its mystery. The film is slow-paced and quite frankly the film really takes its time. Its sense of purpose may equally alienate some viewers as with its predecessor. The events of the film does bring the idea of an organization on a very personal level and it puzzles more than it entertains. However, it is also inferior on some levels; the film looks very constrained by a limited budget and looks a bit too simple when compared to Sono's other film "Strange Circus" when it comes to cinematography. The characters are indeed intriguing but it is very difficult to form an attachment to them. They are decently developed but for some reason, their puzzling purpose just didn't sell the idea to me, except maybe for the father. His goal is pretty straight-forward as they come, he wants to find his daughters. (it also does open a plot hole unfortunately)

The film has a very different storyline than "Suicide Club". It's timeline is parallel but at the same time it is also takes place after. The fragmented style of the proceedings are interesting with a narration of different points of view from its lead characters; Noriko, Yuka, Noriko, and Tetsuzo. These narratives attempt to explain to a degree just what is occurring but also serves to annoy at times that the film loses a lot of its effect and visual "punch". Seasoned watchers will not have any problems following its sequences and dialogue but those unadulterated to this style will no doubt be lost and (perhaps) be a little bored. In some ways this film may be a little more frustrating than Suicide Club, it doesn't really offer any explanations or closure but instead reinforces the mystery behind Sion Sono's first film and opens more questions.

The film is somewhat similar to Sono's "Strange Circus". Both films deal with the idea of identity and individualism. Not everything or everyone is as they first seem to be. This film shows us the personal idea of the cult, from Noriko's goal of discovering her own identity and the denial of some truths. The film gives us the idea that all people are actors in a play, that more or less people either succeed or fail in their roles in life. Another theme it explores is the failure of reaching out to your love ones. "Lions and Sheeps" are expressed as the philosophy behind the cycle of life.

Now don't get the wrong idea that this film focuses more on philosophy and melodrama. The film does represent a lot of shocking ideas and quite disturbing to the core. Members of the group would fulfill their roles at the cost of their very lives. Noriko was present as an observer when the 54 schoolgirls jumped off the railway as part of her "training". Kumiko is the most intriguing character since she remains so cold but at the same time, so capable of expressing emotion in a very subtle way. It was a very interesting sight when she allowed an "actress" get stabbed to death for the satisfaction of one reliving a lost opportunity.

In its own way, "Noriko's Dinner Table" has all the potential to be a better film than "Suicide Circle". It's more personal approach to certain themes about family and its lasting effect on youngsters, the influence of technology and failure of communication. Hidden from all its motifs and darkness is a very effective portrayal of intense human drama. You might say that this sequel (of sorts) is the heart and soul of Suicide Circle. It is a harder film to comprehend than its predecessor, and despite its faults, it will encourage the viewer to take another look-see.

Don't expect the film to have the same style as "Suicide Club" or you will be very disappointed. The film just enlarges the context of the first film; it widens its mythology and reinforces its mystery.

RECOMMENDED! Timidly...[3 ½ + Stars]

This is the sequel to suicide club:
A girl named Noriko runs away from her home and goes to Tokyo to meet a girl she was chatting with
online. She gets involved in the cult group thats involved with a very unique form of prositution called "family renting" and mass suicides. Noriko's sister also gets sucked into the group and their father trys to find them. It's a very interesting film about family and finding who you are. It's gets better each time you watch it, though it's long so i always enjoy the first 3 chapters of the film. When it gets to the father in the last chapter, it drage but it's still good. Also, this is not a horror film, it's a drama.

This is the kind of film that will constantly unravel in your mind, long after you see it (its been two years and it's still etched in my brain from one viewing). It has the limitless potentiality of films like Mulholland dr., which are born anew every time you think you've picked something out of it. Sono crafts a multifarious and philosophically charged narrative that is at once complex and delicate, imbuing every component of the film's construction with a responsibility to help buoy its ideas; which incongruously bounce off of Buddhism, Taoism, challenging modern gender/familial roles, the hazard in identity subversion, etc.

In short, NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE is a work of utter confidence and brilliance that charts a course of greater human authenticity and dynamism than its predecessor SUICIDE CLUB. It is also far more ambitious in its scope and concern of modern personhood, urban disilusionment, and the fractured family hierarchy, though each film is comparatively enriched by the other.

Yet another film that doesn't match its box cover.
There is real horror, dread and shock in Noriko's Dinner Table. But it's far more psychological than visceral. I would not call this a "sequel to Suicide Club," and it's not the bloody nightmare its box cover might suggest. There is a fair amount of shocking graphic violence (which might be more shocking if you didn't see Suicide Club and weren't expecting it). But it's much more a disturbing psychological drama about family relations and addresses the sense of 'self' that is a theme in many good Japanese dramas.

I watched Suicide Club before this film, as was recommended (somewhere), but I don't think it's necessary. One film does not explain the other. It's almost as if the director took some basic elements that are present in Suicide Club (most notably the Web site and the train station) and created something entirely new; a better story with a more lasting impact.

So if you like dark, thought-provoking, psychological dramas that don't shy away from graphic violence and complexities, and that's your idea of horror, this is a great horror movie. In this instance, however, it seems too constraining to limit this to the horror genre, even though the Japanese do this genre better than anyone.

Speechless from the moment the credits hit, I'm sure your reactions may be the same to the fully realized motifs and metaphorical poetry at work here. Shakespearean in nature and uncompromising in execution, the table is set for a mental and emotional feast in Sion Sono's thrilling, underrated masterpiece. Be you a lion or lamb, you can't escape the jaws of this beast.

"When is a sequel not really a sequel?" I'm sure thats a phrase most people have already heard before. Who knows? Maybe it's even a little cliched to say that for any sequel these days. Especially with all the "reimaginings" as of recent. In regards to the movie NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE, it's the right comment however. When exactly is a sequel not really a sequel? Well, just watch Sion Sono's "sequel" to SUICIDE CLUB and I'm sure you'll agree with the comment. To say it's a different movie is an understatement.

When I first watched SUICIDE CLUB, I found it to be a profoundly original piece of work. As a matter of fact (to this very day), I still think it's one of the best and most revolutionary examples of artistic expression made on film. It was dark, psychological and gory. It was sad, depressing and emotionally crushing. Through it's grim subject matter it moved me. Long after the movie ended, I just kept thinking about the story and the series of events that happend.

Naturally I was thrilled to learn there was a sequel to the movie. I wanted to buy a copy of it without a second thought, mainly because I wanted more. I needed more. Needless to say, my expectations were very high for this sequel. There were still a lot of unanswered questions lingering around from the first movie. Also, I enjoyed the style of Sion Sono's original film. I wanted more of everything!

Before I bought the sequel, I read up on the movie a little bit online. After reading a few reviews here on Amazon and a couple more on some "below the radar" Horror film review sites, I came to understand that I wasn't going to get the same type of movie as SUICIDE CLUB. Some of the reviewers were dissapointed because of all the unanswered questions left over from the first movie. Some people complained because the movie wasn't anywhere near as bloody as the original. A few of the reviewers also didn't like how slow paced NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE turns out to be.

Looking back on all these reviews, the only thing I can say is that they're all true. The sequel becomes more of a mystery than the first film. There are hardly any deaths in the second movie (one true suicide if you don't count the scenes of the first movie being added in) and the movie does move forward at a snail's pace. All of these things are true but that doesn't mean this is a bad movie by any means. I understand what the director wanted to convay (story wise) this time around but I get the feeling that most audience members will be less forgiving. Not that anything here needs forgiving. NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE is an amazing movie itself and it should be treated like a completely different body of work when going into it.

Story wise, it does tie up a few loose ends from the first movie. It does show who and how the Suicide Club (or suicide circle) came to be. Basically, a young woman named Kumiko has organized a business that provides rented family members to those who are willing to pay a high price. I guess you could call it a "family for hire" business if you will. Kumiko's intentions behind this business turn out to be a lot darker and more psychological than you could ever imagine. Through this business, the Suicide Club comes to formation and eventually the viewer comes to realize that committing suicide is only actually a small part of it. Only a few members actually go through the act of suicide, while their personal time is devoted to their job and "playing their part." If it sounds confusing, thats because it is. Making a simple review about the movie on the Amazon site really doesn't do this amazing movie justice.

In the end, I don't feel that NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE is better than SUICIDE CLUB but rather a nice continuation of director Sion Sono's artistic vision. It has the feeling and vibe of the first movie but is a lot more thoughtful and emotionally jarring. At the risk of sounding strange, I think there is something hidden and sexual about Sion Sono's "suicide" films. Not through the physical act but rather through the emotional torture the key players put their loved ones through. It's just the vibe one gets from viewing his films.

Sometimes, it's almost painful to watch. Borderline heart breaking actually. We as a society know and understand forgiveness. The characters in SUICIDE CLUB and NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE only know pain, suffering and loneliness. It's an ugly picture of the world we live in and I thank Sion Sono for painting it for us. He's an amazing director.

Gore hounds, skip this one. The only blood soaked demons here are the psychological kind. A few brutal stabbings here and there but nothing too over the top in terms of gore. It's more shocking with it's subject matter. If suicide isn't a subject you are comfortable with, you might want to skip this one. These type of movies aren't for everybody.

Over and out.

To be honest I bought this movie for one reason, the cover had a girl standing next to a wall covered in blood. Simple as that. If you are like me and also buying this movie because of the cover, I'd recommended rethinking your choice. This cover is nothing more then a fantastic exploitation cover.

This film is amazing, it is not a horror movie at all, and it's not even that bloody in the strictest sense. There are only two scenes with blood and if you've seen any Japanese movie you'll know that mean a lot of it. But the film isn't about the body count as in Battle Royale: Director's Cut (Collector's Edition) or Ichi the Killer (Unrated Edition) it's about the disconnection of family. And what people will do to have that connection again.

Without giving away one of the oddest parts of the film I'll only say. The core of the film is about the family. And what makes the family unit. Is it the blood connection or emotional bonds between the family members?

This being so, this film is long 2 and half hours long but complete captivating. It feels like an audio book with visuals at some points, with relentless dialogs and images always flashing and happening. I find myself so absorbed in the scenes and characters and not waiting for the next action scene to come. Which never really comes anyways, so, luckily I wasn't waiting for it or I'd be one disappointed person.

Either way this film isn't for everyone. I'm really not sure who it's for, but if you like surrealism, David Lynch, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, and Suicide Club (Suicide Circle) than there's a good chance you'll be interested in this film. If you do not like the listed above, then I'd say don't watch it. It will feel like a waste of time.

For me I find this movie to be a deep study of the family unit. And what makes my family connect.

Watching this film, I found that it was not what I expected. It's not like Suicide Club; there is much less gore and much more storyline, and the movie wraps itself up without leaving too many important questions unanswered, but its purpose is NOT to explain those left behind by Suicide Club. It simply takes place before, during, and after the events of Suicide Club.
It's a beautifully profound, thought-provoking movie with many important things to say about society and one's relationships with other humans and our families. The film is long but memorable and one-of-a-kind. I've never seen a movie that I could compare to this.
Although it's long, I wholeheartedly suggest that you see it.

I think that's the biggest mistake with this movie is that it's advertised as Horror. This a good movie with an interesting story but this isn't a horror movie. That might turn some people off who go into watching it expecting something else.

This is one of those make you think movies not something to scare you. So just be advised.

This is a real "Mind F---er" movie. But even in the deepest portions of the "WTF?!" moments, it never ceases to be entertaining. Unless you come to this movie expecting this movie to flirt with normality at any time, you shouldn't walk away disappointed.