Wedding High

 Japan Film Festival 
Online 2024

I tend to watch Japanese movies laden with conflict, personalities with strong character development, focusing on sensitive issues like suicide or bullying and/or samurai themed films. 

For a change, I chose Wedding High because it is a comedy.

It did not disappoint. It was a riot.

The story revolves around a couple getting married, from the planning stage, to the actual wedding ceremony and the reception. Mostly seen through the eyes of the seasoned wedding planner who has her hands full with all the 'problems' that she needs to iron out to ensure a smooth, happy wedding.

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows the abundant amount of stress that comes with it and a Japanese wedding ceremony is no exception. You have relatives (from both sides) and friends offering themselves as 'entertainment' like lasso roping, performing magic and escape tricks, to the fillet of an actual tuna by the father of the bride - certainly eccentric yet also quite amusing. To further complicate the melee, throw in the ex boyfriend of the bride with his sinister plot and a burglar, who all give us an interesting insight into the essence of humor in the Japanese culture.

I found it interesting that the plot featured the background stories of some characters from the wedding entourage like the videographer friend, the groom's boss watching comedy shows so he can deliver a funny, anecdotal speech and the poignant life story of the wedding planner.

The 'wedding story' clocks in with almost 2 hours of fun entertaining narratives and side plots all unfolding seamlessly. The ensemble cast of quirky characters with their colorful lives added flavor to this comedy with an unexpected twist towards the end. 

Be warned, you might need to put on your sleuth hat to piece together the different parts of the puzzle.

Don't worry, it isn't rocket science! 

I am what I am

 Japan Film Festival
Online 2024

Kasumi is a 30 year old single female. At her age, her family is worried she won't settle down so they set her up with a potential prospect who I would say is "husband material". The son of the owner of a ramen shop where Kasumi is a regular customer.

There is one problem, though.

Kasumi is not interested. She does not fit the mold of a single Japanese female looking for a partner to settle down, raise a family and live happily ever after. 

You see, Kasumi is asexual. This refers to someone who is not sexually attracted to a person of any gender. It is actually quite common nowadays among the younger generation. After a few serious dates, Kasumi expressly mentions to 'potential husband' that she is not in any way attracted to him. A sort of it's not you, it's me, so don't take it personally situation.

The film is interesting and refreshing as it delves into the lead character's persona without any judgement, condemnation nor mockery about her preference. Kasumi seems content with her job in a nursery for small kids after she has given up her dream to become a cellist. She has a good social life, a few friends who are supportive and her family even though they don't really understand her status, they have more or less accepted her fate.

In Japan with its age old traditions steeped with cultural and historical dimensions, an older generation getting older and a persistent decline in the child birth rate, it is rare that a film focuses on a sensitive subject dealing with gender preferences and sexualism. More often than not, they are misunderstood, jeered for not conforming to society's ideals of normalcy. But seeing Kasumi thrive,  we learn to accept her new normal and it doesn't require much effort on our part.

Yet in a universe where there is too much hatred, bashing (for lack of a better word) and violent reactions both online and in the real world, it pays to be kind, tolerant and more agreeable to live freely without any prejudices towards our fellow human beings, no matter their race, gender, religious beliefs and whatever else we judge people with these days.

My broken Mariko

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.

We made a beautiful bouquet

 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.