After a fairly rough couple of nights apart from a few gems here and there I was more than relieved for it to be Sion Sono night.
The story follows Mitsuko, a quiet, doe-eyed young girl who experiences a terrible tragedy when everyone on the bus she's on is brutally mutilated by a harsh passing wind. Distraught, she fumbles to her high school where everyone seems to know who she is, even though she only remembers her best friend, Aki. For a moment it seems as though Mitsuko's bloody nightmare is over, until horrible massacres continue to happen again and again.
Although the shocking opening sequence warranted a sea of giggles in the audience because it is so unexpected, Tag quickly becomes a very dark and angry affront on masculinity and the idea of being subservient as a female. Although Tag will undoubtedly leave audiences with more to chew on than may be expected, it is balanced by a bright and vibrant colour palette and cast of energetic and fantastic actresses who all fit their role perfectly.
Watch Tag with an open mind and be prepared to dissect it, because it is far deeper than any run-of-the-mill splatter movie. Tag was preceded by the short film Fuck Buddies by Nate Wilson, which follows two platonic roommates named Joseph and Ellie, who are sleeping together but trying to keeping it casual. They soon discover that supernatural forces are forcing them to continue having sex, and their true feelings for each other come into the forefront.
This seriously impressive piece pairs well with Sono, as it runs at a longer twenty minutes but never overstays its welcome for a moment. It is heartfelt, relatable, funny, and will leave audiences thinking about any time they've slept with someone they cared about just a little bit too much. One of my favourites of the festival thus far. Sono once again strikes it out of the park with this rock comedy which could also easily double as an offbeat Christmas children's film about a man named Kyo who is so unbelievably nerdy and reclusive that he feels like even characters on the television are mocking him.
