shi612 Reviews

The Last Reel (2014)

To revive the "last reel" of once flourished Cambodian movies

[10/10 · 3 September 2016]

This is a hilarious movie. I give it 10 of 10.

There is a college girl, who plays her life away. She does not fit at her home. Her father is an absolute feudalistic military man, her mother is in ill and her younger brother is too smart and well-behaved. She uses a bike parking inside a closed movie theater nearby the college. Actually, at the parking she rides on the rear sheet of her boy- friend's bike and go playing. Once in a while she went to the college, but she had no idea which room was for her. She asked it to a teacher of movies, who was in another lecture room.

One day in the projection booth of the abandoned theater, she met the parking manager. He showed her a movie. According to him, this movie, a melodrama, was filmed in 1975, but as the last reel was lost, it has yet to be on screen. He had been living in his memory of the heroin, projecting it sometimes. Then the college girl's heart was ignited. "So you know its ending? Then, why don't we film the last reel again? Oh yes, I know the professor of movies. Let's ask him to cooperate with us!"

Women are strong once they have belief. They run headlong with amazing power. In fact I know such women around me, and the girl's behavior is no surprise. On the other hand, it is not that easy for the man. You will see the reason in the movie. For him, the process of filming it again is to face his memory of the Khmer Rouge era, the time more than a quarter of whole population were killed, and for the girl it was to face what she did not know about.

This movie is dedicated to the victims of Cambodian movies who were purged under the Khmer Rouge ruling. I suppose that the title "The Last Reel" implies the lost years in Cambodian movie history during the Khmer Rouge era. If so, to film the last reel again means to inherit and revive once flourished Cambodian movies.

Radio Love (2012)

I will listen to the radio sometimes

[8/10 · 30 March 2015]

I enjoyed it. This is a story of a real radio DJ, Yokoyama Yuji, in Hiroshima, who acts as himself. This means, his radio program is actually done as you see in this film. So, who first put together such a film, himself or someone around him? Anyhow, in his program, the DJ talks like a machine gun and replies to e-mails from the listeners. The DJ calls himself as "genius Yokoyama", but he recognizes that radio is losing listeners year after year by TV and the internet. The plot is somehow strange. In the beginning I felt the film childish. But after seeing it, I enjoyed and felt refreshing. Well sometimes I will listen to the radio.

Letters to Father Jacob (2009)

This movie requires longer time to assimilate it

[8/10 · 25 September 2014]

Lutheran church is the national religion in Finland. As a Lutheran, I was interested in this movie, which is set at a church in Finland. I think the main theme of the movie is the concept of love in Corinthian I chapter 13, which the pastor recites in preparation of a wedding ceremony: If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. *snip* And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. The ending is surprising and moving. Brightness and darkness of light, rain and cloud, are effectively used in the impressive cinematography, typical in North European movies. The high rate in IMDb is no question.

However, when I saw the movie, I couldn't simply be moved to tears. There are many questions in this movie, and I couldn't help thinking about them. In fact, it makes you think too much. Let me take an example from the 'storyline' on IMDb: Father Jacob spends his days answering the letters of the needy. Indeed, letters come every day. But Father Jacob does not look like a famous pastor known over the country. His church is almost forgotten by the villagers. How come many letters come to the pastor from over the country asking his advice and prayer?

There are many other points that made me think about. But I can't write here to avoid spoilers. Anyhow, although the run time is short, this movie requires longer time to assimilate it.

On the Way to School (2013)

They believe future beyond harsh school-commuting

[10/10 · 2 August 2014]

I am surprised that I am the first person to post a review on this astonishing, great film.

This is a documentary film of 4 groups of children, who bet on a belief that their future will be developed by "studying". So do their parents, who send their children with earnest encouragement and prayer.

In the beginning, a boy digs a hole on sandy place. He digs by his both hands, earnestly, until some water seep. As I was thinking, "Oh yes, children like to do this with sand…", he dips water by a plastic ladle and washes his school uniform in a bucket. Furthermore, he fills two plastic bottles too, which he and his younger sister bring to the school.

Their school-commuting route is middle of nowhere in savanna in Kenya. Every day, they go to and from the school for 15km, 2 hours. Sometimes, they climb to a higher place to find a safe way to avoid dangerous elephants. They walk on quickly, through the grasses or bush. The audiences may feel, "Is the school still far away? When will they arrive?"

There are other 3 groups of such adventurous journeys. According to the official web site, the director Plisson made a list of places of hash school going from the world, having cooperation of international organizations like UNESCO. From the list, he selected the 4 children groups, who have strong belief that education will open their future.

All those children love their school, friends, and they study really hard. It is because of their such belief that I feel I am taught and encouraged by them, rather than feeling pity.

Yume wa ushi no oisha-san (2014)

Thank you for such a wonderful documentary

[10/10 · 31 July 2014]

This is an amazing documentary film. Especially, I recommend this to teenagers.

The locale is a tiny elementary school in a small village in the mountains of Niigata prefecture, where the snow piles up to 3 meters in winter. In 1987, the school did not have any new children. Instead, the principal made three calves enter the school. Three children of the third degree were assigned to take care of each calf. But the calves are not the pets. The teachers constantly told the children that the calves would be sold at the weight of 400 kilo gram next year.

The children had great year with the calves. Playing with the carves was a great fun. They earnestly took care of the calves. But sometimes calves had a diarrhea. So, a girl made up her mind to 'become a doctor of cows when I grow up'.

Being a livestock doctor became her dream, and this dream had not changed as she grew up. After graduation of a junior high-school in the village, she entered a high-school in a city faraway, where she had to lodge, to head for college. The competition for the university she hoped to enter, the department of animal medicine, Iwate University, is very high. Only one in 13.5 applicants is admitted. At the high-school, she realized her study performance was far below the level required to pass the entrance exam. She decided never to watch TV for three years at high-school, and everyday devoted only to study.

After 3 years, she passed the exam. Then after 6 years studying animal medicine at the university, she won the national license of a livestock doctor. She returned to her home town to be a doctor at the only livestock clinic in the town. Now, she is recognized as a reliable doctor by the dairy farmers in the community.

This documentary film shows her life from 9 to 35 years old - from when the dream was born till when the dream became true. The still picture of a girl holding the calf's neck, closing her eyes, is very beautiful. So is the face of the girl singing with tears on the day they shipped out the cows. You can clearly see her shadow of the third grade girl on the face of the livestock doctor. Therefore you can tell that the woman had lived pursuing the same dream since she was a girl. It is no wonder because the girl and the doctor are exactly the same person. But, if it is a drama, the same person never acts both roles. As few documentary films can cover such a long years without knowing the ending. Therefore, this film is a wonder.

The Other Son (2012)

The title can be "The other parents" or "The other self" too

[9/10 · 13 January 2014]

Baby switching error at hospital is the same motif with "Like Father, Like Son", but these movies have completely different viewpoints. In case of "Like Father, Like Son", as the wrongly switched children are still very young, the story is told from the parents viewpoint. The key question asked in the movie is: what makes the parent-child relationship true, under the biological relationship is denied. On the other hand, in case of "The Other Son", the wrongly switched children are already 18 years old, intelligent, tough-to-fudge youths. Furthermore, one is a Jew and the other is a Palestinian. Therefore, in this movie the story is told from both of parents' and children's viewpoints, more on the children's viewpoint. Thus, the title of the movie can be "The other parents" or "The other self" too.

In general, in the movies where a family faces an extraordinary problem, fathers are less reliable than mothers. In this movie too, the first reaction of the two fathers is to deny the fact. They try to think as if nothing happened. Mothers, however, immediately face the issue, share empathy with the other. Well, I am a man, but I have to agree with this development. The plot is simple. Both parents do not have complicated private background. Still, this is a heart-moving one. The most impressing scene for me was that Joshua suddenly sings at the dinner. Is it a Palestinian song?

Strangers in Good Company (1990)

Women are enviable

[8/10 · 1 December 2013]

A bus with 7 elderly women runs through the woods. They are comfortably singing together in the bus. What kind of group of the 7 women is, and where they are going to are not explained. The movie title says they are strangers, though the bus does not look a route bus. Anyhow, as the bus has an engine trouble, 8 women - the elderly women and a young driver – have to stay an abandoned house they found in the woods for several days. According to the brochure attached to my DVD, all women but the driver do not have acting experience. Although the situation is a fiction, every woman acts by her real name. The old day pictures of each woman may be her real ones. Therefore, this movie tries to show how the 7 elderly women behave in a fictional situation to wait for a rescue at an abandoned house in the woods. They soon eat up the foods they had. From the day 2, they only eat frogs, raspberries and fish. Yet they are quite alive and happy. They are left out of mobile phone network, but they enjoy bird watching, drawing, replacing a wig by a scarf, chatting about past life. The most impressing woman for me is Catherine, a nun. She wears as an ordinary woman. She could be a sacred music teacher. She challenges all day to fix the bus. Then she catches frogs to eat. In spite of rheumatism, she never staggers at the situation, and she does her best for the people, still she never forgets smiling. Anyhow, if they were men, it would be much less interesting story. I envy women.

Third Star (2010)

Story of youth

[8/10 · 1 December 2013]

Benedict Cumberbatch. His name is unique, so is his face, which perfectly suits a young man with terminal cancer. On his 29th birthday, this man (James) starts on a journey with his 3 friends to Barafundle Bay, West Wales. All characters are introduced in the beginning, and the plot is simple. Therefore it is easy to follow the story. You can easily spot Barafundle Bay on the Google Map. It is a quiet and beautiful beach open between cliffs. It is a part of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, very long cliff of lime rock. After dropping off their van, they walk top of the cliff several days, carrying the terminal cancer patient on a cart. According to the Google Map, it seems cars can reach only 2 kilometers away from the bay. They deliberately made a wild journey plan. They could be high-school mates. They are candid each other and reckless to do wild things, burning a tent, dropping important items. During the journey with James, who is fighting with death fear and strong pain, gradually the problems each one has are revealed. Personally, recently I often see movies about the people facing death. But this one is the story of youth.

A Boy Called H (2013)

A movie that will be seen for long

[10/10 · 9 September 2013]

This movie portrays the life of a tailor and his family from their boy's viewpoint. The locale is Kobe, Japan before, under and after the WW2. The husband and wife are protestant Christians, minority in Japanese society even today.

The father looks confident as a tailor, always having positive view of life. The mother has strong sense of mission as a Christian, sometimes excessively strong faith. For the boy, having such mother sometimes makes his daily life difficult, but thanks to his father who even takes him to his foreign clients, the boy learns a lot in life.

As the nation goes towards militarism and fascism, tribulations come to the Christian home. As people see Christians close to foreigners and thus suspect them of spying. The father's attitude for each issue is reassuring. From his attitude after the war, we can see it is not only his faith but also his pride as a professional tailor that support him.

As a movie that portrays Japan around the war, and as a movie that portrays a family, I think Shonen H will be seen for long. Since the plot is written from the child's viewpoint, it has simple plot structure, without any side stories. Therefore everyone may have own sentiment.

As for acting performance, the boy and the girl act very well. When the girl is sent for evacuation, getting on the train, she is nearly crying. The boy quirks his face to make her laugh, and the girl's face becomes half smiling and half crying. Her face is unforgettable.

Son of Babylon (2009)

People helping each other

[8/10 · 7 May 2013]

The first impression was pretty much hopeless. I wondered why they made a movie with such a desperate plot.

But recalling each scene in the movie, everyone in the movie was so kind. The movie starts with a scene that an old woman and her grandson walk middle of nowhere in the desert of Iraq. They are Kurdish. They were severely persecuted under Saddam Hussein ruling. Three weeks after the Hussein regime fell, they started the travel from Kurdistan, northern Iraq, to Nasiriya, southern Iraq, where the woman believes her son is confined in the jail. The distance between Kurdistan and Nasiriya is about 700 km according to the Google map. The first truck driver ignored the boy's exclamation to stop, but he was an exception. All other people who encounter the old woman and the boy are very kind, despite many of them can not understand her Kurdish.

Through the TV and newspapers, our image of Iraq is chaos and hate. Deadly suicide bombings are daily events. Government is still in turmoil. And the conflicts between Arabians and Kurdish, or Sunni and Shi'ah do not end. In this movie, however, people sympathize, help and forgive each other. What does the title "Son of Babylon" mean? Babylon is the name when the country was in the highest glory. The dream of the woman and her grandson to see the hanging garden of Babylon did not come true. But this movie may be telling us to see the hanging garden covered by green leaves, beyond the desperate reality, by helping each other.

Seven Days of Himawari and Her Puppies (2012)

At the Be-Kind-to-Animals Center

[9/10 · 28 March 2013]

If you have a dog, you must not miss the movies of dogs. So don't I. This is by far the most empathizing and moving dog movies I've ever seen. Though I seldom tear on movies, I could not help tearing with it.

In Japan, abandoned or stray dogs are gathered to a public facility run by a city, and those animals not claimed within a week are killed. In many cities, such facility is ironically called a "Be-Kind-to-Animals Center".

I live in Kumamoto City. Kumamoto is famous for taking many measures aiming "zero killing". According to the manager of the Be-Kind-to- Animals Center of Kumamoto city, one day a young staff said "I joined the Be-Kind-to-Animals Center because I loved animals. Why my job here is to kill them instead?" This question triggered the manager to change the strategy to zero-killing.

The lead character Kanzaki Shoji (Sakai Masato) has been suffering the same struggle. He could not tell his daughter the detail of her father's job, particularly what he has to do when nobody claims a dog. Sakai Masato has distinct personality. In this movie, his distinct countenance expresses complicated struggle of a man who is in dilemma between his job and his love to his children and dogs.

Offside (2006)

Awkwardness has made the movie attractive

[8/10 · 14 August 2012]

I saw this movie at an event of the City Library of my city. Watching this, I felt a kind of déjà vu, and said to myself "Oh, I saw a movie of similar atmosphere. It was The Circle". Yes, these are by the same director, Jafar Panahi. Like Offside, The Circle also portrays the female discrimination under religious background, with no specific lead character, and I felt a kind of awkwardness. But this awkwardness has made the movie attractive. By showing a group of women who had no relationship so far, instead of clear plot with a clear protagonist, it has successfully portrayed the situation of Iranian women. By the way, in the beginning of the movie, there was a message saying "this movie was shot during the World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain in 2005", I thought it was a documentary film, but actually it was a drama. Then, was there a "true" fenced area in the stadium to keep women who attempted to enter? If it was shot in a real match, they did not know the result of the match. Is such a drama possible? If ever Iran lost the match, wasn't there the last scene of applause and cheers in the bus and the city? At IMDb, I learned that it was guerrilla filmmaking, and the movie can't be screened in Iran. Maybe that is why the movie has strong power.

The Artist (I) (2011)

Dogs are symbol of silent movies

[8/10 · 16 April 2012]

This is a story of a silent movie actor who missed out new technology and an actress who became a star in the talking pictures.

The performance of the dog is marvelous. I have a dog too, and I admit dogs are suitable for the symbol of silent movies, because they can portray various kinds of emotion without saying a word. Thanks to the dog, this movie has become brilliant one.

In the way we understand what a dog wants to say, there was a time when audiences understood and enjoyed movies by imagination. I think the title "The Artist" implies that the silent movie actors believed themselves true artists who could portray many things without help of sounds.

One could see the movie as an allegory that criticizes civilization. Today at the company canteen, I saw a woman was preoccupied in using a smart phone. She said, "As soon as I bought a brand new smart phone I got addicted!" On the other hand, I am not attracted to a smart phone, only because I am satisfied in an ordinary mobile phone. Like this, there may be men like George in any age. Now, I feel more empathy to George.

Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salaryman (2011)

There is no fear in love

[9/10 · 7 December 2011]

I feel thankful for seeing this movie, which portrays in such detail about the life of a real man facing death.

There are many fictional movies of a terminal cancer patient. "Ikiru" of Kurosawa Akira is a classic one. The movie "My Life Without Me" had the same motif with "Ending Note". But this "Ending Note" is a documentary, not a fiction.

I was moved by the protagonist who faces his own death straight. I could see great love to his daughter, who wants to record her father's last stage of life until death. The daughter who shot the movie may be a Catholic Christian. In Christianity, death is not defeat but glorious return to heaven. I could see her such belief through the movie. However, what keeps him from despair is not the dogma, but the strong tie with his family. The Bible says "There is no fear in love". In his case, it seems his love to wife, to children and to grandchildren has made him overcome the fear on his own death.

By the way, I envy him that so many videos had been left since his young age. Even at the farewell party of his career, his daughter went there to record the video. What a blessed life it was!

Of Gods and Men (2010)

They followed Jesus

[9/10 · 31 July 2011]

I am a Christian. I think the reaction on this film may be different between those who have any religious belief and those who don't.

I don't know when and why a Catholic monarch, in which all monks are French, was established in an Arabic village of Algeria. But it seems the presence of the monarch was something important in the village. In fact one of the monks does medical service. Nevertheless, they are neither soldiers nor social workers nor missionaries, but they pray and work.

When it became reality that their life was in danger as Islamic extremists had come, they had to decide whether if they stay and continue praying at the place. Do we ever live here? Is there any difference in praying here or at other place? Is there any meaning in being killed here? Conversely, is there any meaning of living here? Not through logical thinking but through prayer, the monks pursued to find the answer, and they were led to deeper confirmation of their calling to follow Jesus. The last scene resembles the way of the cross of Jesus.

Oba: The Last Samurai (2011)

Leadership

[8/10 · 22 February 2011]

This movie portrays an episode at the Pacific theater of the World War II, without over dramatization.

The battle of Saipan is said to be the decisive battle of the Pacific theater. After Japan lost most of the island, a captain found himself the highest ranked officer among Japanese soldiers that survived. His behaviors, struggles and decisions form the plot of the movie. It is interesting that he was not a career military man, but a teacher of geography.

Besides the lead character, Captain Oba, a tattooed man Horiuchi and a nurse Aono accent the movie. Another unique character is an American captain Luis, but his acting is mean compared to other three.

You can see this movie as food for thought about leadership. Oba's leadership is not like the one President Mandela in Invictus showed - very strong, indomitable leadership led by high ideas. In far outnumbered circumstances, with little reliable information from outside, and without anyone to consult with, he makes his decision, which turned out right in many cases. But he can not persuade some of subordinates who stubbornly refuse to surrender and stick to hopeless fight. At first, Oba was to attack the US back, but he flexibly changed his mind that his mission is no longer to attack but to defend the civilian survivors. Now I will not write more to keep this article from a spoiler. Anyhow, corporate senior managers would feel strong empathy with Captain Oba.

Crossing (2008)

Heavy movie

[10/10 · 24 September 2010]

This is a "heavy" movie.

The plights of the North Korean society and homes depicted here is something you can not believe your eyes, but from many documents such as the reports from those who have escaped from there, we can imagine the movie scenes are close to reality. This is the country of complete oppression. In 1960's we saw North Korea as a poor but hopeful country. In fact, many Koreans living in Japan returned to North Korea to join the building of "paradise on earth". But since then, the country kept going downward. Nowadays they are isolated at the dead end. The reason why such country still survives is that by giving people at the power side extreme privilege, so that they want to keep the regime made of fictions.

In such a country there is a family of the father, once a hero of soccer team, and his loving wife, and their son who likes soccer too. The atmosphere of the family which is poor but tied with love emphasizes how loveless the country is.

In fact, looking at the officials of the camp or boarder security, I could not help wondering if it is possible for the same human being become arrogant and cruel like this. I feel some sense of impotence, because I can do nothing to the situation close to my country.

This movie focuses on the fate of a family. This is beyond a propaganda movie to accuse North Korea, nor to glamorize the rescue group. This portrays the dignity of human being.

Sin Nombre (2009)

Such awful situation is repeated

[8/10 · 23 September 2010]

The locale is Honduras and Mexico. I think that in the movies set in Latin America, many movies I saw depict miserable situation of those countries. In "Innocent Voices"(2004), 12 years boys in El Salvador are forced to enter the army; In "Maria Full of Grace" (2004), A Colombian girl becomes a drug mule; In "City of God" (2002), children become gang and drug dealers.

And I saw more movies than before about people trying to escape from hopeless countries, not only Latin America, and to migrate to richer countries.

This movie has all those elements (gang, lawlessness, murder, violence, drugs, illegal immigrants, child crimes) and adds a puppy love.

So what is special in this movie? This is the illegal immigrants who moves north on the roof of freight trains. Now it has become a regular scene. Along the railway, there are those people who support the immigrants, and the gang who preys on the vulnerability of the immigrants. Sometimes, the freight trains stop long time so that the immigrants can have foods and take shower, and it looks as if the trains deliberately carry them too. I investigated in the internet and found that every year over 100 thousand people try to enter the USA, and about 6 out of 10 of female have sexual abuse on the way. Indeed, they risk their life on the journey. The gangs not only rob the immigrants, but also kidnap women or children and get ransom from their relatives in the US. If ransom money does not come, the gangs send them the fingers as warning.

Director Fukunaga shows us that such awful situation is repeated in real world. As a gang says, the lead actress Paulina Gaitan is as pretty as Selma Hayek. The performance of Edgar Flores is persuasive. I could have empathy on those migrants through this road movie.

Leise flehen meine Lieder (1933)

Unfinished love life of the genius

[8/10 · 20 September 2010]

I saw this movie at a weekly free movie session run at the Contemporary Art Museum of Kumamoto.

I was moved, listening Ave Maria at the last scene. This movie portrays the unfinished love life of the genius composer. Listening to many titles of his music, I realized Schubert was a true music genius. Both the screenplay and the performance are awkward like other movies 80 years ago. Sound is terrible. The story is a complete fiction. Nevertheless, after seeing it, I felt sense of fulfillment that I saw a good movie.

By the way, I am surprised that no one posted a review to this movie. It seems there is no English version, though this one is well rated in Japan. Maybe it is a reflection of that Schubert is more popular in Japan than the US…?

Back to Bataan (1945)

The ruler and the ruled fought against the new ruler

[7/10 · 13 August 2010]

During the World War II, in the Philippines, the ruler (Americans) and the ruled (Filipino) cooperated to resist the new ruler (Japanese). It was a rare case in history. This movie portrays the resistance guerrilla from the American's view point.

Japan invaded the Philippines immediately after breaking the war with the US, the purpose of it was to defeat the Americans, and to invade the resource rich Indonesia from the Philippines. Japan did not have much interest on the resource poor Philippines, but Filipinos had to experience tragedy. For the USA, who had to use much of their forces to Europe, the Philippines was not that important country. Being unable to expect much support from the USA, the Americans and the Filipinos organized the guerrilla for the resistance.

Throughout the history, Filipinos have never won in fighting against foreigners. For long, they even did not have recognition of a nation state. In this guerrilla, however, they fought risking their life for their nation state, the Philippines, though not by themselves but with American's leadership. This movie is different from other war movies by giving light on this point.

Des gens sans importance (1956)

Cries of the livestock in the heavy mist

[10/10 · 30 June 2010]

This movie has a lasting effect in middle aged men's heart. A love story between an ordinary truck driver and a young woman of a suburban motel. The beginning of their love was pretty simple. Triggered by an adventurous behavior of the woman, who was raised in loveless home, the man soon fell too deep in a love affair. He has been too often absent from his home in Paris, where his wife was always preoccupied with the children, and frustrated with the husband. A little secret came into the void of his heart, and it became an incident.

If you are a middle-aged man, I believe you would be fascinated by such an encounter, and you would nod sympathetically with the man's behavior. Men often are in a dilemma between work and family. The husband is dedicated to work only for his family. But the wife does not see him working, and she can not accept him if he always puts home affair second. If there is a woman who adores him at his working, why not wander from the right path? And if a consequence of the affair demands some decision, why not going on?

Such incidents may happen here and there, as the title 'People of No Importance' implies. Its Japanese title is 'The Headlight'. This is also a good title. In the movie, the headlight of the truck is very effectively used. But the more impressive tool in the movie is the cries of the livestock in the heavy mist at the last scene.

Der schönste tag meines lebens (1957)

Rough movie but has pure sentiment

[6/10 · 15 June 2010]

With very speedy developments, this is a roughly made movie, in its plot and performance. Was it made for children? Even so, it well portrays the boy's sentiment who admires their dame Maria. His sentiment when he lies in order to keep her from pinch. Maria's sentiment when she says, after watching the boy round-the-clock, that if she takes a rest she would no longer be his mother. Those pure sentiments match the songs of the boy's choir.

By the way, I am now 63. I remember I saw the movie with my mother when I was an elementary school boy. Only scene I can recall is the kiss scene. The kiss scene in my memory is so romantic that I doubt if this is really the same movie as the one I saw with my mother. Perhaps, through decades, the impression of the kiss scene has been purified.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Deeper meaning of "War is a drug"

[9/10 · 3 May 2010]

According to the IMDb FAQs, to put someone in a "hurt locker" is to physically mess someone up, badly, and according to the movie's official web site, "In Iraq it is soldier vernacular to speak of explosions as sending you to "the hurt locker." Its Japanese title is a simple phonetic expression in Japanese katakana characters as "Haato Rokkaa", which does not make sense.

Anyway, one can imagine that being a team member to disarm explosives in Iraq is like being put in the world of pain. The origin of the pain is, for the American soldiers, that it was caused by American attack to make Iraq free. Those three men work truly sincerely at this ultimate danger. Through their effort, many lives of Iraqi people must have been saved. Yet, even the wife of the team leader is indifferent about their contribution. We should see deeper meaning of "War is a drug".

Invictus (2009)

Leadership for reconcilation

[10/10 · 20 February 2010]

This is a movie about reconciliation and leadership. In South Africa of the apartheid era, unbelievable outrageousness and tyranny against black people was the national policy. Nelson Mandela was a leader of the guerrilla against the government, who was arrested in 1962. Mandela was released in 1990 by then president de Klerk. The movie starts from that day. White people feel fearful about the release. The fear had reason. Most countries where black took over white ruling in the past, white got South Africa revenged and their land and properties were striped down, and those uneducated black people could not run the country. Mandela, however, adopted reconciliation as the principle to run the country, and he got the idea to make the rugby World Cup Game as the chance for the national reconciliation. An outstanding leader ponders and considers deeply how to achieve the final goal of the organization, and once he decides to do something, he works unflinchingly without hesitation. The movie clearly portrays how Mandela, acted by Morgan Freeman, appealed the people for reconciliation and forgiveness, and made the people around him, particularly the team captain, work for it. Freeman perfectly acted this actually existing person. I recommend this to everyone around me.

Dear Doctor (2009)

between good and sin

[8/10 · 24 August 2009]

At first, this film looks like an ordinary story of a doctor in a village, but it is quite different.

The police detectives are not smart, but through their investigation, audiences gradually figure out the depth of the issue behind the incident. Being caught up in the story, you understand what issue is really asked, and you will be confused between false and truth, good and sin, runaround and confession, and what is allowed and what is not.

The structure of the plot is well made. But I would like to know more about the background, like why the man became a doctor.

Performances are generally good. I was particularly impressed by Yo Kimiko. She makes a uniquely nuanced performance, like she did at 'Okuribito'. The nurse has a key role in this film, which Yo did very well.