一枚のハガキ Ichimai no hagak (Postcard)

Perhaps Kaneto Shindo is less-known than other Japanese classic filmmakers, maybe is because he started as an art director in the late 1930's and became a scriptwriter in the mid-1940's; but after a few years far away from filmmaking (his military service) he became a director. Then today he is also known from those before the war years because he was Kenji Mizoguchi's assistant on some of the master filmmaker films.

I have seen some Shindo films, many he wrote less he directed; maybe his most acclaimed as a director is 1960 Hadaka no shima (The Naked Island) a black and white, no-dialogue film that still haunts me for the visuals and story. But he is also known as the director of Children of Hiroshima that premiered in 1953 Cannes and is the first Japanese film to deal with the subject of the atomic bomb, which had been forbidden under postwar American censorship. Maybe that is why he is also known as "post-war chronicler" for this and other atomic bomb related films he did.

Shindo passed away on May, 2012, two months after his 100 birthday; but after many screenplays (around 160 or more, depending source) and directing approximately 49 films, the last film he wrote and directed is 2010 Postcard, a WWII drama loosely based on his own war experience where from his navy unit of 100 men, he was one of six survivors.

Film story essentially is detonated when Sadazo Morikawa asks Keita, a fellow soldier, that if he dies to give back a postcard to his wife, Tomoko, which he was unable to properly answer -due to censorship- and tell her that he got it. Story moves -back and forth in time- to tell the story of Tomoko and the Morikawa family. Then after the bomb, tells the story of Keita returning home and eventually Tomoko and Keita story becomes one. It is a war story but thankfully you do not see anything graphic about the war.

Postcard is an interesting film not only because story is clearly anti-war and about how to survive after everything is lost, but because has several filmmaking styles. Film starts with us seeing the 100 men unit being instructed about their next assignment which will be executed by officials using a lottery system. These scenes use a filmmaking style that I find belongs more to the one used with huge casts where performers discipline is essential; a style Shindo repeats when Keita tells Tomoko about the night the unit leaves to their certain destiny.

While telling the story of the Morikawa family set before the atomic bomb, film looks really classic Japanese cinema as has many visually fantastic scenes with camera moves, long shots, zooms, wipes and compositions that clearly recall Japanese cinema from the master filmmakers. What surprises is the wry humor that some scenes have not only because scenes are telling about waste of life but also because humor was unusual in Japanese classic cinema.

Style changes when story continues after the bomb to become a lot more contemporary, especially in the use of space and movement. Still, there are a few scenes like when Keita and Tomoko vividly discuss or when Tomoko goes wild before burning her house, that are clearly theatrical, Japanese theater style of course.

In the end what could have been a melodrama thanks to story becomes an unsentimental drama dealing with very unsettling issues and presented with an interesting mixture of Japanese cinema styles that will please your eyes and make the cinema experience easier to ride. Then we cannot forget the unexpected use of wry and theatrical humor in key scenes along the entire film that surely will surprise many familiar with Japanese cinema.

Film was premiered at 2010 Tokyo fest were won the Special Jury Prize, continue collecting honors at 2011 Moscow fest plus other Japanese fests/awards, and was Japan's submission to 2012 Oscar. After watching film wonder why Japan sent this film to Oscar as definitively film is not for general audiences -much less for foreign-language committee Academy members- and if you read mainly viewers reviews you will find that most viewers did not liked film, especially younger ones.

Tend to agree with younger audiences as believe that this film is not for them, this is a film for those that enjoy Japanese cinema, especially films from the Golden Age of Japan cinema and those that for sentimental reasons -or not- have to see the last film by Shindo where he returned to visit the storytelling style of his beginnings after also traveling genres like horror, erotic films, crime, comedy and more.

Absolutely recommend film and this post is also my little homage to a great filmmaker that left us this year but will continue to live throughout his extensive oeuvre. R.I.P.

Enjoy!!!

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一命 Ichimei (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai)

Not really familiar with Takashi Miike's films mainly because he likes to travel the horror genre but recently 13 Assassins departed the genre so decided to see it and liked the visuals but the story was not exactly one I could enjoy. However had to see his next film that screened in competition at 2011 Cannes.

To my surprise Takashi Miike brings us a drama that truly borders a Greek tragedy not only because the story it tells but also because the filmmaking style he uses which in my opinion again departs from what he previously has done. What he gives us again is a fantastic succession of visually outstanding compositions and images that with a darkish palette will marvel your eyes.

This time I enjoyed the story that is told mainly with flashbacks, a storytelling style that allows viewers to keep interest as film pace tend to be on the very-slow side, even for me that love slow-pace movies, when story moves to the past. While evidently story is about revenge, honor and disgrace we can also clearly see many reasons-why the Samurai, the warrior class, disappeared in Japan and most interesting, could give us a vision on why (the hypocrisy) warriors and wars prevail in our contemporary society.

Yes this is a remake of 1962 Seppuku (Harakiri) by Masaki Kobayashi, which I haven't seen and maybe will give it a try mainly because film is in black and white; but according to what I read Miike did an interpretation that makes film his own thanks to radically different attitudes toward the subject matter and diametrically-opposed conceptions of space and movement. But most viewers express disdain for Miike's version when they compare this film to Kobayashi's version.

You have to see both films to know what to believe/think, but what I know is that Miike's movie independently of the story it tells, definitively has a fascinating and mesmerizing filmmaking style thanks to how he conceptualized, visualized and shaped space and movement in this movie.

Saw the 2D version, but film has the honor of being the first 3D movie ever to be screened in competition at Cannes; however, can't imagine how 3D could make this film look better than what I saw in the richness of technically very advanced two dimensions.

I'm in the mood for my own Oriental films little festival where I set my mind to watch only great films from that side of the world; I believe that western minds need to mentally prepare to see these films so maybe that is a key reason why I was able to enjoy this movie as much as I did. So, do I recommend movie? Yes, I do. But if you are a westerner, suggest to prepare yourself for a very oriental cinema experience.

Enjoy!!!

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トップ Toppuresu (Topless)

For a moment I had the impression that I was watching an "old" film from the '90s thanks to the storytelling style plus the use of light, sound and humor; but no, this is a recent film from 2008 that some claim to recall Pinku Eiga cinema (Japanese Sexploitation) but definitively not me as even when there are some explicit sex (straight sex) scenes, today they are nothing special or out of the ordinary to what we can see in movies from many countries.

Film tells a story that is not often told in the lesbian interest genre as explores the life of lesbians that not leave the closet but go deeper into the closet to assure economic stability. But this is one of the three stories told as also tells about a young girl looking for her lesbian mother that abandoned her to follow her lover and the main character story, Natsuko, that is coping with her lover leaving her to marry, exploring straight sex and finally finding her place in her world as what she is, a lesbian. I found stories interesting but what made film not-easy-to-watch for me was the storytelling style, particularly the humor style with all the hitting.

Still I know this is a must be seen for many that read the blog and enjoy the lesbian interest genre and I do recommend movie suggesting to be patient with the storytelling style to better enjoy the story told.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @MOC

Almost Summer Movie Bits

After Cannes I was left with an entertainment mood wishing to watch only irrelevant escape films that take me into fantasy land. So that’s exactly what I have been doing with a few exceptions. But I’m also in a 3D mood so for sure will go to watch not Pirates but the green movie that soon will open at a theater near you with none other than Ryan Reynolds and a story about my favorite super hero from when I was a kid.

Unknown – If you don’t expect much then this thriller will entertain you even when story is similar to many other stories –man hits head and not even wife recognizes him- but here the twist at the end is unexpected and unfortunately anticlimactic. Starring great Liam Neeson carrying the entire film well -but take note that this is NO great Taken- plus many other great actors like Bruno Ganz, Sebastian Koch, Frank Langella, Aidan Quinn, January Jones and Diane Kruger makes movie watchable and for a while you will surely forget everything about your real life. Enjoy!

Just Go with It – Expecting not much, movie really surprised me. First because I had no idea Nicole Kidman was here and much less that she was doing comedy. Second because movie is as good/entertaining as those movies with the Sandler/Barrymore duo. Third I had fun watching Jennifer Aniston, which is absolutely unusual. So if you liked movies like The Wedding Singer and/or 50 First Dates I know you will enjoy this movie. Enjoy.

Red Ridding Hood – Perhaps I really like Catherine Hardwicke filmmaking style with spectacular outdoor compositions and takes but to my huge surprise, I enjoyed this movie for the visuals and well the unusual take on the classic fairy tale. Some female critics are saying that this movie target is female teenagers, hmm… maybe but even if I’m no teen I can tell you I enjoy watching great Julie Christie in the screen –she should act more often- and the twisted story that kept me wondering who the werewolf was. No, didn’t guessed right, so was absolutely unexpected, which is also unusual for me. This is no horror movie or thriller, is more like a suspense “who dunnit” kind of movie with spectacular visuals. Enjoy!!

Ilusiones Opticas (Optical Illusions) – When I finished watching this movie by Cristián Jiménez I said “is okay”. Not much time passed when I started to really think what I saw in the screen and then, story absolutely hit me hard, very hard. Movie is about “optical illusions” about what is crudely in front of you but you don’t chose to see it for whatever reason; so you create your fantasy to cover reality, to dream a dream of change, with a happier ending that never will be. Great story in a minimalist, narrative oriented film with some humor, some sadness, and some temporary happiness. If you decide to watch it you will not be disappointed. Enjoy!!!

Pa negre (Black Bread) - This Agustí Villaronga film tells about what lies can do to people, how one lie takes to another lie, how lies come from ignorance and from fear of what others could say if you admit truth, even when everybody else knows truth but chose to keep it silent or to forget about it, until truth comes out and everyone points fingers. Yes that’s what this entertaining movie is all about but using kids plus the harsh post-war years’ in Spain Catalan countryside makes what could have been a difficult-to-watch story into a more digestible story and an entertaining movie. Enjoy!!

Barney’s Version – Not sure what I was expecting from this movie, but surely wasn’t much as I don’t particularly like Paul Giamatti performances and much less, Scott Speedman; so when movie starts and goes to the past in Italy I almost stopped watching but decided to continue and I’m very glad as in the end, I liked this movie that tells the story of Barney Panofsky with his business successes, his female conquests –until he’s conquered by one woman- and his numerous failures. To me story and movie is a satire that pictures quite well the life of many men, a story that strongly resembles the life of many real life men that I know. An entertaining movie to escape reality while watching what could be reality to many. Enjoy!!

Ubiitsy (Killers) – This 1956 short film co directed by Andrei Tarkovsky when he was a student at VGIK absolutely is the best student film I have EVER seen. Is the last of Tarkovsky’s so reduced (11 titles) oeuvre that I had to see before I die or I decide to stop doing the blog. Now I can say that I have seen all his outstanding films and this short co directed with his student colleagues, with them acting, and with a scene with Tarkovsky acting is truly visual poetry even when is based on a short story by Hemingway about some killers that are in town to kill a man. If you love Tarkovsky’s work as much as I do, you have to watch this short film as well as the other 10 films he did. Truly Outstanding. BIG ENJOY!!!

El Sicario: Room 164 - A documentary that tells about the life (20 years) of a man as a highly trained Mexican narco hit man that will capture your attention not only because what he says but also for his multiple drawings while telling the most horrible stories of killings, kidnappings, torture and all the things he did while being trained, starting to work, becoming an expert and how he went into hiding, as now there is a contract on his life of US$250,000. You will not see a thing but you will hear everything, which I believe makes it more ice-cold terrific. Still, is mesmerizing until the very not-expected end that is totally anti-climatic and ruined the doc for me. Watch at your own risk. Enjoy!

El Infierno (Hell) – Actually watched this film before watching the above documentary and definitively was the reason why I decided to watch El Sicario as wanted to learn more about narco’s life as with this movie you get a satiric approach, which is very entertaining and definitively succeeds in getting you to think about this theme that you hardly think about it in your everyday life. As mentioned in other post, film is good as humor facilitates watching everything; but when you live or have lived in Mexico or any other country where chaos is real, film definitively is must be seen to realize that after all whatever is happening in Mexico -and many other similar countries- is consequence of many years, hundreds of years, where citizens indifference –and participation- have made everything possible as they did before, are doing today and unfortunately will continue to do tomorrow. According to what I read –and I agree- many films released for Mexico’s bicentennial celebration tell so many dark truths that makes many wonder if there is something to celebrate as “nothing has changed much” after 200 years. Enjoy!!!

Surely I’m forgetting some films, but this is it for today!

Cheers!

ノルウェイの森 Noruwei no mori (Norwegian Wood)

Maybe is me and my mood, maybe are the movies I’ve choosing lately or maybe there are many movies that start so “normal” that you start to wonder why you decided to watch that much talked about movie; then suddenly out of the blue in the most unexpected moment movie and story becomes intense, takes your breath away with the most magnificent visuals and cuts right inside your self with the most spectacular original music score.

Not often have the opportunity to watch movies that so successfully use music to generate emotions but the outstanding Jonny Greenwood score plus the extraordinary use of music at the right moment by Anh Hung Tran made music score to literally go inside me, grab everything that found inside and squeeze it! That’s how good the music score could be when used at the right moment, truly extraordinary use of music in film.

When movie changes so does story that moves to the country to show the most dramatic beauty in the most outstanding framing compositions that are kept when story comes back to Tokyo making your visual, narrative and score listening very but very intense. Definitively is one of the few movies that really touch me not only from what my eyes are watching, the words and most of all, the music my ears are hearing all merged into one magnificent cinematic moment that continues one moment after the other. Superb.

But the beginning is so normal that if you start to wonder why are you watching the movie please stay as will change when you least expect it.

Outstanding performance by Rinko Kikuchi as Naoko, a role that gave her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2010 Asian Film Awards but also Kenichi Matsuyama gives a splendid performance in his normal university student moments as in his most dramatic instances. It’s not my first Anh Hung Tran film as a long time ago I discovered his magnificent The Scent of Green Papaya and if any of you have watched this movie you will recall his particular narrative rhythm while watching first part of film, but nothing prepares you to when he moves story to the country that perhaps because story happens in Japan, his style absolutely recalls the style of contemporary Japanese directors like for example, Naomi Kawase. Beautiful but very beautiful to watch.

According to what I read story is not the same as the one told in the book that inspired Anh Hung Tran’s screenplay, so maybe it’s better to say that Haruki Murakami’s novel gave Hung Tran an idea to create a different tale. Film tells about three young kids that grew and went to school together; we have Kizuki that knows Naoko since they were 3-years-old, kiss in 6th grade and now older teenagers are in love. The third is Kizuki’s best friend Toru Watanabe and the three do almost everything together. Story is told by Toru and when Kizuki commits suicide Toru leaves town, as far as he could; cut to the sixties, the Vietnam war, Tokyo, with Toru being at university, see his everyday life, the student protests, his love of books, his solitary attitude, and his sex experimenting. Everything is flat, robot-like life until one day he sees Naoko and yes, everything changes in the story and in the movie. Is a love story, a beautiful told not really happy but with a happy ending (maybe?) story.

Movie premiered in competition at 2010 Venice and traveled the fest circuit but surely the most deserved honor is winning Best Cinematography at the 2011 Asian Film Awards. A must be seen film for those that enjoy Japan set beautiful art cinema done by a renown French Vietnamese director and in my opinion seems that film will be more enjoyable if you haven’t read novel by Muramaki as story will be new which will allow to more easily admire the complete package of narrative, visuals and music score.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC