114 minutes, 35mm, in Japanese with English subtitles
Directed by: Nobuhiro Yamashita
Starring: Aki Maeda, Bae Doo-Na, Shiroi Sekine, Yu Kashii

Showtimes: June 24, 8:30pm at the ImaginAsian [SOLD OUT!]; July 1, 8:30pm at the ImaginAsian [Buy Tickets].

This flick sneaks up on you with its leisurely pace, laid back attitude and nearly plotless narrative, worms its way into your lap, and before you know it you're purring with pleasure. James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins' has laid down the soundtrack for this movie made up of awkward conversations, listless moments and shy glances that makes you think it's an art flick until you suddenly realize that this is a punk rock anthem about how rock and roll saves our souls.

In three days, Shiba High is holding their annual Holly Festival complete with a musical talent show, but trouble is brewing in a girl's rock band when the lead guitarist, Moe, injures her finger and has to bow out. The three members soldier on: Kyoko (Aki Maeda – BATTLE ROYALE) is on drums, Nozumi (Shiori Sekine from the real life band Base Ball Bear) is on bass and Kei (Yu Kashii – the very cool looking secret weapon in LORELEI) switches from keyboards to guitar. And finally, they recruit a shy Korean exchange student to be their singer (Bae Doo-Na, SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE). Their plan is to cover three songs from the 80's band, The Blue Hearts, – "My Right Hand," "Endless Song" and their biggest hit "Linda, Linda Linda." And that's the movie. But the longer you stare at it the more perfect you realize it is.

The Blue Hearts were a popular Clash-esque ensemble from the mid-80's till their breakup in the 90's and whenever the girls are asked what they are playing, they respond "The Blue Hearts" and everyone just nods their head and says "cool" and so they are. By the time these high school rockers finally hit the stage, grab the mic and shout "let's sing an endless song for this asshole of a world” they aren't just characters in a movie. They're singing for anyone who's ever been trapped in an anonymous job, a dead end hometown, anyone who's ever wanted to be a somebody instead of a nobody, anyone who's ever escaped into a better world when they slipped on their headphones, closed their door and turned up the music. They're singing for any of us and they're singing for all of us. They can put us in uniforms, they can make us go to school, they can break our hearts and they can crush our spirits, but no one can stop us from forming a band.