Plot:It's Summer term in a heatwave-smitten Kyushu and high school student Ukiya (Masaki Takarai) falls for newly arrived high school high-diving champ Izumi (Rena Komine). Strangely, Izumi's arrival also heralds a bout of supernovas appearing and a strange double meteorite strike near Kyushu. Intrigued, Ukiya investigates and discovers a dangerous date on her horoscope coincides with a big diving contest. Plunging towards the pool from the top board, time freezes for Izumi as the water turns momentarily into rock inscribed with mystic symbols: seconds later, she crashes clumsily into the water. When the hospitalised girl recovers, her personality has changed. Now she goes for walks in the hillside forest where a UFO is rumored to have been sighted.Then, at full moon, she disappears and a meteorite is stolen from a research lab. Meanwhile, all over the city, an unexplained epidemic named Stone Disease - in which people collapse as their internal organs petrify - claims more and more victims.Personal Description:This is a very mysterious, Lovecraftian, detached, and yet beautifully shot psychedelic film about a staggering drought, a strange illness, two ancient meteorites, an unseen alien force, and a girl's psychic link to all of it.Ishii accomplishes some great cinematography of clouds and water, using the element very effectively. The story is interesting, reminding me a bit of a more laid-back but somewhat as disturbing Uzumaki. The ending is amazing, and I would recommend the film on it alone.Being an Ishii film, the soundtrack is of course perfectly fitting and amazing. It really is an interesting combination of sounds inducing both mystery and water.Watching this movie reminds me a lot of my youth around water. I don't what it is, but this just seems like a great film to watch during the Summer.Highly recommended for fans of sci-fi, Sogo Ishii, and Japanese new age weirdness.Subtitles:English (Credit to lordretsudo for the subs AND for requisitioning a copy of this, it's extremely expensive in Japan.)
