More films like this?
The first two that came to mind: Adrift in Tokyo and Hana and Alice.
Hana and Alice (2004)
http://mubi.com/films/21612
April Story (1998)
http://mubi.com/films/13960
Heavenly Forest (2006)
http://mubi.com/films/24134
Rainbow Song (2006)
http://mubi.com/films/21638
Laid back films about Asian teenagers enjoying their quiet, sometimes absurd lives? Who’d wanna see those? One could experience very much the same thing just by hanging around Box Hill! It’s pleasant enough, I’ve no problem with “Chinatown Box Hill”, but I wouldn’t want to see a movie about it (the Asian teenage people there tend to beV ERY laidback and mellow). Now, a not-so-laidback film about a loud, frequently absurd life of an Asian teenager, I’d go see.
The most direct suggestions if you like Linda Linda Linda is Swing Girls http://mubi.com/films/5232 and also Nana http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471834/
There are also two other Yaguchi films that qualify:
Waterboys http://mubi.com/films/27389
Adrenalin Drive http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0197213/
Also, another Jeong Jae-eun film, The Aggressives, which I don’t think is nearly as good as Take Care of My Cat, but you might like it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464692/
Some others… some qualify for weepy, but it’s the bedrock of the genre you’re looking for. The Japanese do this genre particularly well. I’ll bold the ones I particularly recommend.
Japanese:
The Taste of Tea http://mubi.com/films/265
Midnight Sun http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844347/
Ping Pong http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328258/
Gomen http://mubi.com/films/25050
Honey and Clover http://mubi.com/films/28295
Hula Girls http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0768116/
Turtles Swim Faster than Expected http://mubi.com/films/25194
Halfway http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1382627/ (another Iwai written/produced film)
Fireworks http://mubi.com/films/21140 (iwai again)
Crying Out Love in the Center of the World http://mubi.com/films/27858
Su-Ki-Da http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0781511/
Ichigo Chips http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468765/
The Cherry Blossom http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100540/
A Day on the Planet http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400586/
Love my Life http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923779/
Blue http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326773/
Korean:
My Sassy Girl http://mubi.com/films/22056
Conduct Zero http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0341535/
Spy Girl http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390043/
Jeni, Juno http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453115/
My Tutor Friend http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348591/
My Little Bride http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395140/
Chinese/Taiwanese:
Winds of September http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286562/
Miao Miao http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0984130/
Summer’s Tail http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130773/
Malaysia:
Sepet http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433692/
I’m not surprised a lot of these aren’t in the Mubi database. It’s somewhat embarrassing that I’ve seen all of these, as I happen not be a Hello Kitty obsessed teenage girl and all.
You just kicked my ass. Thank you.
Some more Japanese recommendations. Not all of them aren’t as laidback as Linda Linda Linda, but at least as good films:
Moon and Cherry (Tanada) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492820/
Blue Spring (Toyoda) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309291/
Funuke, Show Some Love you Losers (Yoshida) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910888/
How to Become Myself (Ichikawa) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0991183/
Harmful Insect (Shiota)
All About Lily Chou Chou (Iwai)
Summer Wars (Hosoda)
The ones without links are on the auteurs.
Cool, I’ve gotta check some of these out.
A Gentle Breeze in the Villiage is another one I was thinking of. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49G2IIgVank
That’s possibly the most laid back Japanese youth film I’ve ever seen.
Pingpong is cool too, again, not exactly laid back as it’s centred around competitive pingpong, but funny and with its absurd moments.
It’s laid back in comparison to something like All About Lily Chou-Chou. No one’s life is at stake in the outcome of the ping pong match. Actually, it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it, but all I remember the main conflict being is the one kid who doesn’t want to play ping pong anymore despite being the best, no?
But yeah. That’s why I didn’t put stuff like Harmful Insect, Canary, Blue Light, Blue Spring, Eureka, or Spirit of Jeet Kun Do on the list, even though for the most part they’re good movies.
Josh Tierney
I’m looking for more films like Linda Linda Linda and Take Care Of My Cat — laid-back films about Asian teenagers enjoying their quiet, sometimes absurd lives. Please recommend with links and trailers!