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midorixo
Reviews
Perfect Days (2023)
central tokyo has some amazing toilets
Years ago i took my friend's daughter to see a movie adaptation of 'the secret garden' because i wanted to share a book i had loved as a child. When my mom asked what she thought of the movie, her response was 'mostly... it was about a garden.'
well, 'perfect days' is mostly about a man who cleans toilets - albeit with extreme efficiency and thoroughness. He has a simple, well-ordered existence that follows a comfortable routine until people start inserting themselves into his life.
This is not an action-packed bombastic story, but you may find yourself thinking about your own life and envying someone who greets each new day with a smile. A well-deserved best actor prize for koji yakusho at the 2023 cannes film festival.
Kaibutsu (2023)
who is the monster?
I went into this movie with only an inkling of the plot because i enjoy kore-eda's films and was familiar with several of the actors. For a movie like this, the impact is greater if you don't know too many details and can reach your own conclusions without preconceived notions.
The story is constructed like a kaleidoscope. Just when you have pigeon holed people into a role, a quick twist presents a slightly different picture although the characters remain the same.
I thought it was thought provoking, emotional, and beautifully acted. Kore-eda has a genius for finding amazing children who create such nuanced and natural performances at a young age.
Doraibu mai kâ (2021)
not sure what i just watched, but i liked it?
This was like looking through a kaleidoscope or standing in the hall of mirrors with bruce lee in 'enter the dragon'. Lines blur when the actors in the movie portray actors in rehearsal for a multilingual performance of uncle vanya that includes korean sign language.
The movie was even more confusing for my mother, who read the novelette in its original japanese. Character's ages were changed and a number of details and side stories were added.
All this seems appropriate for a work based on something written by haruki murakami, whom i find confounding.
Death on the Nile (2022)
suggestion for next time
As an agatha christie fan who has read most of agatha christie books multiple times i wish kenneth branagh would adapt one of the many other wonderful poirot books: the abc murders, five little pigs, dumb witness, cat among the pigeons, etc. Instead of trying to modernize an existing (and fine) movie.
No way to replicate those ensembles: sean conneey, bette davis, ingrid bergman, etc. Might as well have a fresh start to avoid comparison.
Gisaengchung (2019)
AVOID ALL SPOILERS AT ALL COSTS!!
So happy i managed to see this movie with NO IDEA what was to come, though the trailers were a strong indication of what was to come. I wish i didn't have to rely on subtitles, knowing there are many subtleties you miss with limited translation.
Ater some time for reflection, this movie reminds me of 'shoplifters,' another excellent movie that reflects on unconventional familial love.
Tenki no ko (2019)
beautiful, endless rain
Honestly, who translates these movie titles? what is 'weathering?' humph!
i watched the subtitled version, and the animation was equally as gorgeous as 'kimi no na wa.' there was an interview with shinkai after the preview screening where he explained the difficulty in animating rain: tracing the path of each drop, accounting for refraction, and having to draw things twice - the actual person or object as well as its reflection.
the musical score is once again the result of close collaboration with radwimps. sometimes scenes were animated AFTER the songs were received, which seemed unusual.
the story of 'tenki no ko' (child of weather) is closely tied to japanese people's relationship with the four seasons. there are folkloric elements that are hard to convey, but it's a visually gorgeous film.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
mind boggling amount of product placement
Do children like this movie? who is the target audience? the explanation of how the internet works is as good as any, the princesses are amusing, the ancillary characters are good (gal gadot!) but the ads and sensory overload are relentless to the point of being disturbing.