School In The Crosshairs (1981) ****

Nobuhiko Obayashi's School In The Crosshairs (1981) has a lot of the same zany youthful energy and wild mixed media style as his earlier cult hit House (1977) [blogpost], only it leans into sci-fi instead of horror. SITC pits a telekinetic schoolgirl against fascist mind-controlling beings to battle conformity and save the human race. While there is a sense of ennui throughout (aided by the somber score), the film is a joy.

Nobuhiko Obayashi Feature Films Ranked