Symbol
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto
Writer: Hitoshi Matsumoto & Mitsuyoshi Takasu
2009
Colin Geddes, the Midnight Madness programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, in his introduction for the film described it as one of those “wtf?” films. And that’s in a good way. Hitoshi Matsumoto directed and stars in this crazy film that tells two stories that eventually come together in the most bizarre way possible. The first story centers around a Mexican wrestler getting ready for a huge match against top competitors. The second and more central story is about a man who wakes up in an empty white room and needs to figure his way out. Coming from the mind of Matsumoto (the weirdly original director who brought us Big Man Japan – which I highly recommend), Symbol is entirely bizarre yet also funny, inventive and just so damn original. To describe more of this film would just ruin it, nor am I going to try to read too much into it because its one of those films where it just is what it is. And if you want to overanalyze the film, be my guest but that takes the fun out of watching and appreciating Symbol.
