A Scene at the Sea (1991)

Original Title

あの夏、いちばん静かな海。 Ano natsu, ichiban shizukana umi

Genre


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Cast

Kurôdo Maki, Hiroko Ôshima, Sabu Kawahara, Toshizo Fujiwara, Susumu Terajima, Katsuya Koiso, Toshio Matsui, Yasukazu Ishitani, Naomi Kubota, Tsuyoshi Ohwada, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Meijin Serizawa, Tetsu Watanabe, Keiko Sugimoto, Kagakusha Akiyama

Storyline

Shigeru (Kurôdo Maki) is a part timer working for the sanitation service, who becomes passionate about surf when he finds a broken board in the garbage. So he begins to spend long days in a surfer's beach, with his girlfriend Takako (Hiroko Ôshima), deaf like him, and makes friends with a local group of surfers.

Opinion

Until yesterday, I firmly believed that dialogue was the most important aspect of a relationship. Much to my surprise, Takeshi Kitano demonstrates I was wrong by showing a spectacular, silent relationship between Shigeru and his girlfriend Takako.

A Scene at the Sea is a quiet, meditative, sad, beautiful, poetic film that deals with the problems of communications between human beings, and, despite the slow pacing and the repeated situations, it is fascinating, and drives the audience to the touching ending.

It is also a spectacular ode to surfing, portrayed in a realistic and pure way, rendered emotional by the great cinematographic skills of Katsumi Yanagishima, that also manages to perfectly capture the calmness of the sea.
Waves, and their sound, are the perfect way to describe the inner-feelings Shigeru can't express in words.

Takeshi Kitano shows off his great skills, both as a director and as a writer, and keeping distance from violence, and comedy, creates a spectacular art house film.
The acting, characterized by facial and bodily expressions, is completely convincing.

Even though the film is subtitled, to fully immerse yourself in the story, and to feel more close to the main characters, I suggest you to watch it in Japanese with no subtitles on, also because those few lines of dialogue are not essential to understand, and love the film.


The Last Samurai (2003)

Genre


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Cast

Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shin Koyamada, Tony Goldwyn, Masato Harada, Shichinosuke Nakamura, Timothy Spall, Seizo Fukumoto, Koyuki, Billy Connolly, Shun Sugata, Sosuke Ikematsu, Scott Wilson, Togo Igawa

Plot

Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a veteran of the U.S. Civil War, is hired by the Emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) to train an army capable of wiping out the samurai. But when Algren is captured by the samurai and taught about their history and way of life, he finds himself conflicted over who he should be fighting alongside

Opinion

I wasn't expecting much from this film, I thought it would be just another high-budget film starring Tom Cruise, without any depth. I've never been more wrong in my life. I absolutely loved it and I regret not watching it before.
The Last Samurai is a brilliant story of honour, tradition and courage, and glorifies the Samurai lifestyle in a sublime way.
The film, masterfully directed by Edward Zwick, manages to capture Japanese men living in a transition world: the fall of the Bushido and the rise of a modern empire.
The action/fighting scenes are spectacular. The sublime music, provided by Hans Zimmer, contributes in making the film even more fantastic.
Tom Cruise - actor I don't particularly like, and the reason why I watched this film only now - gives his best performance ever. However, Ken Watanabe, who plays Samurai leader Katsumoto, steals the show with his intense and mesmerising performance, and the Oscar is definitely worthy, but the Academy rarely fails to disappoint.

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Quotes

Katsumoto: You believe a man can change his destiny?
Algren: I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed.

Emperor Meiji: Tell me how he died.
Algren: I will tell you how he lived.

Katsumoto: The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life.

Katsumoto: Perfect... They are all... perfect...

Simon Graham: [narrating] And so the days of the Samurai had ended. Nations, like men, it is sometimes said, have their own destiny. As for the American Captain, no one knows what became of him. Some say that he died of his wounds. Others, that he returned to his own country. But I like to think he may have at last found some small measure of peace, that we all seek, and few of us ever find.

Rating

10/10

Brother (2000)


Cast

Takeshi Kitano, Omar Epps, Tetsuya Watari, Claude Maki, Masaya Kato, Susumu Terajima, Royale Watkins, Lombardo Boyar, Ren Osugi, Ryo Ishibashi, James Shigeta, Tatyana Ali, Makoto Otake, Kouen Okumura, Naomasa Musaka, Rino Katase, Joy Nakagawa, Amaury Nolasco, Tuesday Knight

Plot

Yamamoto (Takeshi Kitano), also referred to as Aniki (meaning elder brother) is a lone yakuza officer.
Defeated in a war with a rival family, his boss killed and betrayed by his loyal "brother" (Ren Ôsugi), he heads to Los Angeles, California.
As time passes, Yamamoto and his new gang emerge as a powerful force, gradually expanding their turf to an extent that they must confront the Mafia. The Mafia's attacks are ruthless, and soon Yamamoto and his gang are driven into a disastrous situation of no return.

Opinion

Kitano wants to show how Yakuza's blood pacts are, in a way, stronger and deeper than bonds between real brothers. Each member of the family is willing to take his own life for the boss. The members of Yakuza do not think twice before cutting one of their fingers just to show their loyalty. The director also shows crudely the huge number of violence committed in the film. 
Brother is, in my opinion, a must-watch. Kitano has done a good job from all points of view. Outstanding is his acting: a motionless, sad, impenetrable and ironic face dressed in black who barely speaks.
Joe Hisaishi's music is sublime. The photography is astonishing.


Quotes

Denny: I love you Aniki! Wherever you at, man!

Rating

8.5/10