The Happiness of the Katakuris

Prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike (AUDITION; ICHI THE KILLER; 13 ASSASSINS) has done everything from traditional samurai dramas to superhero movies. He may make one movie about the yakuza and another about vampires or a third about both. He’s totally wild and unpredictable which makes THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS the perfect playground for his imagination. It’s a musical, it’s a family drama, it’s a murder mystery, it’s a comedy. There’s animation, surreal dance numbers, and zombies.

A brief summary could indicate that it’s about a family attempting to run a bed and breakfast in the Japanese countryside despite a high mortality rate among their guests, but that doesn’t quite communicate how ridiculous and fun it is to watch the chaos unfold. Strangest of all, buried between the claymation monstrosities and undead sumo wrestlers is a sweet and tender center: the Katakuri family!

“Miike proves, once more, the reason he is considered as one of the most unique filmmakers alive.” - Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse