Another Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Another Blu-ray Movie Review

Another is a horror-mystery based on the novel by Yukito Ayatsuji. Distributed by Toho, Another is a feature-film from producers Hiroyasu Asami (Wolf Children, Summer Wars), Minami Ichikawa (Shin Godzilla, 13 Assassins), Hiroyuki Ikeda (A Letter to Momo, The Seventh Floor), Takeshi Kobayashi (Suite Dreams, A Liar and a Broken Girl), and Atsuyuki Shimoda (Pulse, Cure). Executive produced by Shin'ichirô Inoue (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars) and Tamotsu Shiina (Mind Game, Honey and Clover), Another stars Kento Yamazaki, Ai Hashimoto, Yoshihiko Hakamada, and Ai Kato. Another was adapted as both an anime series and as this live-action feature-film version. Fans of Japanese horror (commonly referred to as J-Horror in North America) may wish to check it out.

Koichi Sakakibara (Kento Yamazaki) is a high school student living in the city of Yomiyama. During Spring 1998, Koichi finds himself living with his beloved grandmother. Staying in a beautiful mountainside city, Koichi doesn’t get as pleasant of a stay with his grandmother as he had first envisioned. An unforeseen illness befalls Koichi and he finds himself staying in a hospital wing. Now attempting to recover from illness, Koichi begins to see mysterious sightings of a girl wearing an eyepatch over one of her eyes.

A mysterious girl in a school uniform, the girl wanders the hospital and it isn’t long before Koichi hears her share a mysterious and cryptic message with him. After the Spring season has ended, Koichi returns to school and begins anew. Yet the mysterious girl from the hospital wing is appearing before him once more – this time as a student at the same school: Mei Misaki (Ai Hashimoto).

Yet things are far stranger between Koichi and Mei than even during his stay at the hospital. Now Koichi finds himself puzzled as fellow students and teachers at the school seem perplexed by who he is talking to – acting as though there is no one else at all. It’s as though no one else can see Mei. Is Mei an illusion – or a ghost?

The performances are one of the weak spots of the feature-film and this is something that was quite unfortunate to discover. When dealing with any genre of filmmaking, the performances always is an essential component of the filmmaking. One can’t help a masterful feature-film without good stars. Actors Kento Yamazaki and Ai Hashimoto are both reasonably competent in their performances in Another but there is also a sense that these performers are not as skilled as on some feature-film productions. I was surprised by the lack of precision from Kento Yamazaki in particular.

On the other hand, Ai Hashimoto fares somewhat better in the role of Mei Misaki. Nonetheless, these performances don’t feel as compelling as in the best J-Horror productions and the results were a bit underwhelming at times. I wish the film had more complex performances that could have helped bring out the nuance of the filmmaking a bit more – the results here are a little less compelling than expected.

The art direction by Tomoyuki Maruo (Cure, Pulse) is one of the best qualities of Another. Maruo is an incredibly gifted art director and has a lot of talent in their field. Maruo helps the film to achieve an interesting creative aesthetic that may not have been possible with someone less gifted with the craftsmanship of art direction. The results here are impressive – eerie and distinct.

The score composed by Gorô Yasukawa (The Devil’s Path, Rebirth) is not one of the finest points of the film but the music still conveys the genre elements and adds to the experience. The music aims for an eerie and surreal backdrop at times. The score also manages to convey enough dramatic flair in the story. While not a perfect score, the music by Yasukawa still works well for the production and is reasonably effective for the genre.

Edited by Masahiro Ônaga (Suicide Club, Barren Illusions), Another is a feature-film that feels a bit over-long at times and as though it could have used a better cut. The editing isn’t as judicious as it perhaps could have been. The pace is a little inconsistent. The beginning act of the film seems to take much longer than expected and wasn’t as effective as the conclusion. The pace could have been improved somewhat by the editor making the feature-film a little bit shorter and more cohesive in the cutting room.

The cinematography by Tokushô Kikumura (Ju-on: The Grudge, Cure) is the highlight of the entire film. Another is a visually stunning looking production at times and most of this is attributable to the high-quality cinematography achieved by Kikumura. Even when Another has some other production and filmmaking pitfalls, the stellar cinematographic effort of Kikumura is something that makes this an enjoyable enough experience and a film that is easy to watch. A visually compelling effort from the cinematographer – a master of Japanese horror cinematography.

Directed by Takeshi Furusawa (Roommate, Twilight Syndrome: Dead Cruise), who co-wrote the screenplay with co- screenwriter Sachiko Tanaka (Tokyo Sonata, Asako I & II), Another isn’t a perfect example of expert direction. Director Furusawa crafted a decent, competent enough film and one that offers some reasonable entertainment at times, but it also doesn’t manage to click quite as perfectly as one might hope to find.

Though Another is enjoyable enough it also feels a bit uneven with the director unable to bring out the best from the cast of actors. The directing style is not as engaging as it is with some of the better horror productions from Japan and it sometimes feels more akin to a made-for-television drama (even in the horror realm). Another is worth a watch but keep expectations in check.

Another Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek Media, Another is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The presentation is stunning. Colors are especially impressive on the release. The color reproduction is exceptional looking and manages to provide the filmmaking with a better sense of depth. The cinematography is stunningly reproduced on the release.

The release features a solid bit-rate encode and the release doesn't have issues with banding or similar video anomalies. The digital photography looks crystal clear and this is a pristine looking presentation with a great degree of detail in the image. The often-razor-sharp image is extremely pleasing. The Blu-ray presentation is top-notch all around and distributor Discotek Media did a great job with the release.

Another Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The lossless audio encoding on the release is excellent sounding. The 5.1 surround sound track is especially engaging and offers a more immersive sounding audio experience. The surround channels are actively engaged during the presentation and the track manages to provide a more immersive soundstage than a standard stereo mix with the rears being used for some of the eerie sound effects and to expand the score through the surround mix. Dialogue is clear on the release and is beautifully reproduced. The lossless encoding is also a testament to the format – the lossless audio offering a superior audio presentation than streaming video services offer viewers (with lossy standard audio).

Another Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a beautiful looking o-card slipcover. The inner artwork sleeve contains reversible artwork (so one can showcase additional key art in addition to the main art shown on the slipcover). An elegant package design by Discotek Media.

On disc supplements include:

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:33)

Theatrical Teasers (HD, 1:04)

TV Spot Collection (HD, 2:27)

Another Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Another is a somewhat enjoyable Japanese horror film exploring a ghostly tale of a presence that only one person can see. The filmmaking is a bit inconsistent and isn't as impressive as some of the finer Japanese horror films (Ringu, Ju-on). Director Takeshi Furusawa (Roommate) made an uneven film featuring average-quality performances from stars Kento Yamazaki and Ai Hashimoto. Nonetheless, cinematographer Tokushô Kikumura (Ju-on) imbues a fantastic cinematographic style that makes the film easy on the eyes. Horror fans should keep modest expectations and Another might offer up some fun.

The Blu-ray release features a solid presentation. The high-definition visuals are stunning. The release also includes a fantastic 5.1 surround sound lossless audio mix. The release includes a selection of television spots and theatrical trailers as supplements. Fans of Another may wish to indulge in a purchase.