Based on Suzuki Matsuo‘s own award-winning novel, Welcome to the Quiet Room stars former Jpop idol Yuki Uchida as a writer who suddenly finds herself in a psychiatric hospital for a suicide attempt she doesn’t remember. Matsuo directed this film adaptation himself, having previously directed the manic 2004 manga comedy Otakus in Love. Some people may get turned off by the quick shifts between absurd comedy and intense drama, but it’s something Matsuo is obviously adept at; having often worked with the likes of Satoshi Miki, Kankuro Kudo, and Sakichi Sato—all of whom enjoy dabbling in the absurd whenever possible.

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Asuka (Yuki Uchida) wakes up in the quiet room of a mental asylum quiet with no recollection of how she got there. The last thing she claims to remember is taking a bunch of pills before passing out. She eventually comes to grips with her situation and gets to know some of the other patients, including a thin goth girl named Miki (Yu Aoi)—who claims she’s only there because she has trouble eating—and AV actress Nishino (Shinobu Otake) who tends to enjoy manipulating other patients. At first Yuki seems to have a firm grasp on who the other “normal” patients are that she can relate to, but gradually details are revealed that show things aren’t always what they seem, and everyone (including her) are probably there for a valid reason.

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Asuka (Yuki Uchida) wakes up in the quiet room of a mental asylum quiet with no recollection of how she got there. The last thing she claims to remember is taking a bunch of pills before passing out. She eventually comes to grips with her situation and gets to know some of the other patients, including a thin goth girl named Miki (Yu Aoi)—who claims she’s only there because she has trouble eating—and AV actress Nishino (Shinobu Otake) who tends to enjoy manipulating other patients. At first Yuki seems to have a firm grasp on who the other “normal” patients are that she can relate to, but gradually details are revealed that show things aren’t always what they seem, and everyone (including her) are probably there for a valid reason.

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“Gegege no Kitaro” is a long-running series in Japan, appearing first in manga form and then in many different incarnations of anime at sporadic intervals since the 1960s. Usually once a decade or so a new Gegege animated series comes out in Japan and recaptures the imaginations of children with its oddball cast of yokai (monster) characters and somewhat scary moral lessons about things like protecting nature and not disturbing ancient shrines. Humans that act like jerks in the manga and cartoons usually meet a pretty horrendous fate at the hands of the yokai that aren’t as sympathetic as the title character. In contrast, the 2007 live-action movie version, now going by the shortened international title of Kitaro, is not nearly as graphic or even mildly scary. It’s a fun movie geared toward kids, with none of the plot elements really seeming particularly consequential. Fans of the original series usually hate it with a passion for that very reason, but people who have no predetermined ideas of what it should be may be able to find some enjoyment in the special effects and silly comedic elements laced throughout.

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Hana Yori Dango: Final opened in Japanese theaters yesterday and wrapped up one of the most successful dramas in recent years. The series, based on a Yoko Kamio manga, had two runs of 11 episodes; “Hana Yori Dango” in 2005 and “Hana Yori Dango 2” in 2007, both of which got a consistent 20 share in the ratings. It’s really not hard to figure out why it was such a hit. Take a funny, likable actress like Mao Inoue, stick her in a winning formula (spunky average girl gets accepted by the super rich cool kids), and voila! Cash in. Now I’m going to briefly spoil the TV show so I can talk about the movie. Avert your eyes if you haven’t seen it and care.

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