“mid90s Mid-Nineties” A youth drama that evokes memories of the past, expressing the desire for freedom on a single board.

Skateboarding symbolizes “escape from reality”

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At the root of what has been said so far is the fact that ``mid90s'' resonates even if you didn't live through the 90s.

I apologize for sharing my own story, but I'm 4 years younger than Jonah Hill, and to be honest, I have almost no memories of the 90s. There is no past in which he was devoted to skateboarding. If this film were a 100% pure "culture film," I might have felt a little more distance from it. However, in reality, it was the opposite, and I was surprised and wondered, ``Why do I understand so much?''

The reason why I sympathize with "mid90s mid-nineties". This is because it carefully depicts the "narrowness and crampedness of the world." At the beginning, the ``everyday life'' and ``world'' within the protagonist Stevie are extremely closed-off. My brother is violent and my mother is a worrier. I'm always worrying about something, and it's kind of painful to even breathe.

The environment and sensations that Stevie is immersed in are ones that come to mind when looking back on their childhoods, albeit to varying degrees. For example, `` Lady Bird '' , ``Eighth Grade'' , ``Blinded by the Light '', ` `Sing Street '' (16), and ` `Billy Elliot '' (00 ) and even `` Spider-Man '' (2002) have frustration with the ``environment'' in which they live. The ``repression (and liberation)'' that has been depicted in youth films from all over the world is firmly captured in ``mid90s.''

“mid90s Mid-Nineties” (c) 2018 A24 Distribution, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Stevie, who lives such a life, finds friends, feels joy in life, and is able to assert his opinion against his brother and mother. This flow is a very classic story line, and it is also similar to ``Sing Street''.

It can be viewed as a coming-of-age story depicting a boy's independence, so even if you don't have knowledge of the era or culture, you won't lose sight of the core of the story. The presence of a mentor is also important in these story structures, and Ray plays that role.

And the theme of "escape" that skateboarding symbolizes is excellent.

Here, I would like to introduce the documentary `` Minding the Gap '' (2018), which, like this film, uses skateboarding as a keyword. This film, which was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards, depicts the real lives of young people with family problems.

In the movie, they say this. "Our skateboarding friends were like family, because there was no one else who cared about us like family." I don't have a place at home. That's why I don't want to go home. However, he still doesn't have the financial strength or livelihood to live alone in another town. The community that saved them was ``skateboarding.''

“Minding the Gap” preview

This depiction is also common to ``mid90s''. Stevie becomes displeased when his mother interferes with him, telling him not to hang out with Ray and the others. This is because the friends he had taken the trouble to find were insulted. Ray, who was sitting next to a deflated Stevie, said, ``We all think our lives are the worst, but when we look at other people, we realize that they're better than that.'' His friends, who behave cheerfully, ``Even their socks don't last.'' Tell them that they are so poor that they cannot afford them, or that they are suffering because their parents are violent. Even though Stevie is fed up with his current situation, he is happy.

they know. Friends can't beat family. Friendships are uncertain and youth ends someday. However, everyday life continues...

The place they wanted to go on the board was somewhere other than here.

This is the story of young people before they attain true freedom.

Text: SYO

Born in 1987. After The Graduate from Tokyo Gakugei University, he worked at a film magazine editorial production site and a film information site before becoming a film writer/editor. Works on a wide range of topics including interviews, reviews, columns, event appearances, and recommendation comments. Contributed to ``CINEMORE'', ``FRIDAY Digital'', ``Fan's Voice'', ``Eiga.com'', ``Cinema Cafe'', ``BRUTUS'', ``DVD & Video Distribution'', etc. Twitter「 syocinema 」

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"mid 90s mid nineties"

2020/9/4 (Fri) Shinjuku Piccadilly, Shibuya White Cinequinto, Grand Cinema Sunshine

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Distribution: Transformers

(c) 2018 A24 Distribution, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Official website: http://www.transformer.co.jp/m/mid90s/