Japan Film Festival
Online 2024
There is one problem, though.
My opinionated self making a commentary on films which may shape our lives.
Japan Film Festival
Online 2024
Japan Film Festival
Online 2024
We are introduced to Mariko through a breaking news on the TV in a small diner, an office worker Tomoyo hears and see it on the telly. The news story is about a young lady who committed suicide by jumping off the balcony of her residence. Tomoyo instantly recognized the suicide victim whose name is flashed across the screen. Mariko was her troubled childhood classmate. Mariko was physically and mentally abused by her parents her entire life.
Tomoyo takes leave from her work to pay her respects to her childhood friend. She ends up stealing the urn containing Mariko's ashes from her despicable parents, vowing to give her friend a true, final tribute. A much better send off than what she experienced throughout her miserably troubled past. A road trip ensues as Tomoyo travels by train, bus to the farthest corner of Japan to a seaside town which Mariko always talked and dreamed about in her youth.
Guided by some letters written by Mariko which Tomoyo found in her lil trove chest, we are introduced to the sweet, kind hearted yet clingy Mariko through flashbacks. Often poor Mariko is covered with bruises on her face and her body yet she is always smiling and a dear friend toTomoyo.
It isn't easy to watch a film that explores suicide, grief and misery but the way it was presented to a captive audience is through light hearted moments between the two friends. No physical altercation is shown on screen but it is truly implied that poor Mariko was a victim of abuse.
I guess that suicide is a common occurrence in Japan. Most if not all Japanese films that deal with this sensitive subject is ingrained with deep, mixed emotions. It isn't sensationalized nor glorified and neither does it dwell too much on the act of killing oneself. Focusing instead on the varied reasons why a growing number of these cases happen. Peer pressure, depression, non comformity to society's norms to name a few. Each of these 'reasons' are valid and I don't intend to belittle those who choose to end their lives instead of bearing the struggles, the trials and tribulations of life.
"My broken Mariko" in its simplicity is able to draw us into the emotional journey of Tomoyo's quest to give her dear friend a fitting tribute so that even if only in her death, she would have felt loved, not neglected by her parents, her peers and society in general.
Japanese Film Festival
Online 2024
The Japan Foundation organized the 3rd Japanese Film Festival online featuring 23 films of different genre that run for two weeks, from June 5 (12 noon) to June 19 (12 noon), 2024. The subsequent two weeks from June 19 noon to July 3 noon, 2024, they will be streaming full episodes of two (2) TV drama series. Simply register at the official website, log in and start streaming the movies. Subtitles in several languages are available. 23 Japanese movies is alot to watch in a span of two weeks so I just picked the ones which piqued my interest.
My first choice is an anatomy of a love story between a young couple with many common interests and hobbies. A chance meeting when they both miss the last train home, they end up spending time at a diner/cafe discussing a myriad of topics and discovering they are on the same wavelength. Missing a train home surely sucks but if this means that you get to meet the love of your life then it must be fate.
Kinu and Mugi's love story spans 5 years before the cracks surface, and unfortunately fizzles out. Not really a spoiler, mind you. Because as the audience can clearly see, from the second or third year of their relationship, their bond slowly and sadly begin to drift apart. Even though they live together in an apartment with a stunning view of a bridge, their seemingly idyllic set up turns into a haven of lonely desperation.
By then, we are clearly invested in them and keep wishing that they would try harder to make it work. We talk back to the screen, almost screaming at them that Migu should be more attentive towards her and not bury himself in his job. While we also wish we could shake Kinu and tell her to be more understanding of Migu's need to be the main provider in their household. An interesting aspect is presented towards the ending when both Migu and Kinu still thinking alike, equally decide that separation is the best and only option for them. Such maturity is rare, especially in the youth nowadays.
Couples breaking up isn't easy to watch in any language or form, whether on the screen or in real life yet it does happen regardless if they are Asian or European. Or whether they are in their 20s, 30s or even in their 60s. Yet to see it from a Japanese perspective, with young actors portraying really relatable and well developed characters is refreshing in many ways. "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet" is a well made film about a couple's break up because it was emotionally raw, and humanely portrayed without any shouting matches, or some melodramatic third party angle. In my book, hysterics serve no purpose in a break up movie.
Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston
"Discomfort and Joy"
2024 Oscar Awards
Da'Vine Joy Randolph: Best Supporting Actress Winner
Paul Giamatti: Best Actor Nominee
Best Picture Nominee
Best Original Screenplay Nominee
Last March 18, I caught the first part of this movie on our flight to Singapore yet fell asleep mid way as it was an early morning flight. So I decided to re-watch it from the beginning during our return flight back home on March 24. Even though I was exhausted from the Singapore vacation, I managed to stay awake to finish the entire movie, after eating a really delicious dinner on Singapore Airlines.
Set in the 1970s in an all boys New England prep school called Barton, you can't help but compare "The Holdovers" with "Dead Poets Society. It is also a tale of a teacher who makes a huge impact on the lives of his students.
While Robin Williams was an inspirational presence to an entire class, here Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham is not a well loved teacher. He is a grumpy, no fuss teacher with no bedside manners yet he is also a brilliant intellect. When he is assigned to 'babysit' a bunch of 'holdovers' or students with nowhere to go during Christmas break, he forms an improbable bond with Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a troubled student with dysfunctional family issues. To 'defrost' the icy, sardonic Mr Hunham, there is the kind hearted cook of the school, Mary (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) who is mourning the lost of her son in the Vietnam War.
The film picks up when Mr Hunham, together with Angus and Mary go on a road trip to visit Angus's father who happens to be in a mental institution. Guards are down as three distinctly different characters bond over a simple meal. Their interaction is where the film shines. Relying purely on the credible acting skills of its stars, bouyed by a dialogue driven script unfolding in rural America in the early 1970s, "The Holdovers" succeeds on its own merit.
It manages to warm our hearts with a good inspirational story of compassion and friendship with the right blend of light comedy and heavy drama dealing with sensitive issues like grief and mental illness. Without any fancy special effects to distract us from the true essence of a feel good movie.
Leo Di Caprio, Robert de Niro, Lily Gladstone
Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow
2024 Oscar Awards
Best Picture Nominee
Lily Gladstone: Best Actress Nominee
Robert de Niro: Best Supporting Actor Nominee
Martin Scorsese: Best Director Nominee
Leo di Caprio and Robert de Niro are enough reason to watch any movie. Cue in the Martin Scorsese as its director and the refreshing presence of Lily Gladstone as Mollie the central character who holds everything and everyone together in this intriguing tale, one is guaranteed to be entertained.
Based on the non fiction novel (I haven't read because who has time to read, these days?) of the same title by David Grann, it took Scorsese several years to film due to the disruptive pandemic and he also had to convince the Osage nation to help him in the filming of this grand saga. Naturally, it is a delicate issue when it comes to dealing with the struggles that Native Americans endured in the glorious past.
Set in Oklahoma in the 1920s, the story revolves around the Osage Indian tribe's rise to success after discovering oil in their ancestral lands. Any success, be it earned or achieved is always riddled with long tedious murky struggles. In other words, everything comes at a price.
Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo di Caprio) is a second World War veteran who returns home in Oklahoma to stay with his uncle Bill (Robert de Niro) and his brother Byron (Scott Shepard). Eager to make his mark after the gruelling war, he hits the jackpot when he meets Mollie (Lily Gladstone). She is a wealthy Osage lady with rights to oil profits from her land. Soon enough, Ernest and Mollie marry and start a family. Yet the question lingers, did he marry her for love or for her oil rights?
Volatile times abound as some Osage tribe members are murdered under mysterious circumstances and Mollie is determined to get to the bottom of these unsolved cases. Voilence, mayhem, power grabbing, and intrigues are the norm in Osage nation as affluence can corrupt the hearts of greedy, unscrupulous even God fearing men (and women).
Running at 3 hours and 26 minutes with several characters thrown into the mix, dialogue in English, some French and the Osage dialect and a vivid cinematography of the Oklahome landscape, in essence the film efficiently chronicled the trials and tribulations of the Osage nation. From a state of hopelessness to sudden boom with the discovery of oil. From being respected members of society to being taken advantage of and even murdered by selfish, greedy 'white people'. This film had all the tell-tale signs for a good caliber movie, too bad it took over 3 long hours to make its point.
2024 Oscar Awards
Best International Film Feature (UK) Winner
Best Sound Winner
Best Picture Nominee
Celine Song: Best Original Screenplay Nominee
2024 Oscar Awards
Best Picture Nominee
Sandra Hüller: Best Actress Nominee
2024 Oscar Awards
Best International Feature Nominee (Spain)
Netflix
2024 Oscar Awards
Best International Feature Nominee (Japan)