Last Quarter
Based on a manga cartoon, Ken Mikai'sLast Quarter, is a live-action fantasy film with some advanced CG, making it stylistically similar toHarry Pottermovies. The plot, too, is like Harry Potter's, in that teenagers navigate dream realms using magical detective work. On Mizuki Mochizuki's (Chiaki Kuriyama ofKill Billfame) 18th birthday, she discovers that her boyfriend, Tomoki (Hiroki Narimiya) has cheated on her with her best friend. Also depressed about her mother's suicide, Mizuki runs away, and wanders into a house haunted by a spirit with whom she falls in love. Placed under a powerful spell, and consequently suffering an accident, she is hospitalized and physically near death, while her spirit remains active in the world where her ghost love lives. Multiple friends, including Tomoki and girlfriend, Hotari Shiraishi (Tomoka Kurokawa), search for ways to bring her back, which ultimately means reinvigorating her will to live. The Goth plot, not to mention the cute Goth Japanese clothes worn by the actors, makesLast Quarterthe quintessential film for depressed teens.Last Quarter'spositive message reminds the viewer that love conquers all hardship, and that true love is worth fighting for.--Trinie Dalton