While traveling from one workplace to another this afternoon, I stumbled into a street vendor selling homemade jellies and Japanese DVDs. More out of appreciation for the fact that a person specialized in jellies and movies than anything else, I was determined to buy something, and succeeded by handing the friendly jelly guy a crumpled up ten dollar bill in exchange for Battle Royale on DVD. I know I'm way late to the game on this one, but if you haven't seen Japan's Battle Royale, I think it's about time you changed that.

Based on a book of the same name and design, the 2000 film provides an "alternate universe" Japan where society have gotten so CAH-RAZZY that random classes full of high school kids are forced to compete in a "Battle Royale" -- a deadly game of survival staged on a deserted island. Each kid is armed with a weapon (ranging from cool stuff like guns to shitty stuff like trash can lids) and sent out to fight for their lives. At the end of three days (or sooner if everyone else is dead), the sole survivor is declared the winner and sent home. If there's still more than one student left breathing by the end of the game, their remote-operated collars will explode, and yes, we get to see an example of a head explosion at least once during the film.

Whether it lives up to its cult hype in the States is immaterial. Battle Royale is way engaging and way entertaining if not wholly affecting or effective. Despite the film's bare-all brutality and twisted themes, there's an underlining sense of fun to the fantasy: It's got good guys you like, and bad guys you have to really try hard not to like. If you leave any desire to soak up the messages and symbolisms within at the door, Battle Royale is just a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Not Big Momma kind of fun, but not quite Korova Milk Bar kind of fun either -- somewhere more in the middle, where you can feel naughty for enjoying yourself but not terribly perverse.

This site tells more about the story, which became a full-fledged franchise with movie sequels, books and tons of merchandise. Here's another recommended site. And another. And another.

In celebration of spending a weeknight doing something that didn't fall under the category of "work," I made, burnt and threw away about 600 pounds worth of Chex Mix. I suck. I even picked up special drinks for the Chex Mix / Battle Royale event -- new Dr. Pepper Berries & Cream soda. I picked it up because I am magnetized by new soda brands, but I really didn't expect to like it. I knew I'd be writing something about it before bed tonight, but I figured that "something" would be akin to, "Man, this here soda fuck shit piss sucks." Nah, it's good. Real good. The berries and cream are really subtle, and you'd almost need to see the can to realize you were drinking something beyond normal Dr. Pepper. While the flavor isn't remarkably different (and thankfully not overly sweet), whatever they added seems to tone down the unmistakable "sting" one feels after each sip of regular Dr. Pepper. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I leave to the committee.