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Author Topic: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts  (Read 561810 times)

MartinTeller

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1620 on: July 10, 2011, 12:40:27 PM »
Great writeup. The Hole is one of my favorite films. Your writeup captures everything I love about it.

My sentiments exactly.  I'm so glad you've caught the Tsai bug.  Get used to "Everything is wet in this movie", water is a common Tsai theme.

BlueVoid

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1621 on: July 10, 2011, 12:43:55 PM »
Great writeup. The Hole is one of my favorite films. Your writeup captures everything I love about it.

My sentiments exactly.  I'm so glad you've caught the Tsai bug.  Get used to "Everything is wet in this movie", water is a common Tsai theme.

Also finding that 'Man in underwear' and 'Melon love' also common. :)
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Bill Thompson

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1622 on: July 22, 2011, 06:00:59 PM »
Rajio No Jikan (Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald, 1997)

I didn’t need the end credits to tell me that Rajio No Jikan was based on a play. The film is very closed off, barely opening up, not really bothering to stray from its studio setting until seventeen minutes into the film. Even then, the film quickly takes itself back into the studio, that’s where everything happens, that’s where all the action can be found. The theater setting, or motif, can sometimes be restrictive, stopping a natural progression in the narrative because the film is tied to its primary set. I never found that to be the case with Rajio No Jikan, its narrative belonged in that primary setting. When Kôki Mitani, the director, decided to leave that setting it may have only been for short bursts but the movie sputtered and faltered outside of its primary setting.

There’s an organized chaos on display in Rajio No Jikan, that chaos is mined for comedic gold. Well, maybe not gold, but at the very least it turns out some silver. Outside of one hilarious case of yelling by Keiko Toda, as Nokko Senbon, I didn’t laugh out loud while watching Rajio No Jikan. The humor I found in the film was of the quiet variety, by understanding the organized chaos at work I understood why what was happening on the screen was funny. There aren’t any characters who stand out in the comedy category, nor are there any bits of writing or directing that scream comedy (sans the yelling I spoke of earlier). Yet, there is comedy throughout Rajio No Jikan, and my laughter, no matter how quiet is a testament to the movie being funny.

The way in which Rajio No Jikan approached its comedy and its characters reminded me of another movie I’ve watched for the brackets, Shall We Dansu?. Rajio No Jikan operates on much the same level as Shall We Dansu? in other areas besides comedy, most notably in how it peppers some thin social messages beneath a slight story. However, what mainly made me think of Shall We Dansu? while I was watching Rajio No Jikan was how the film was an enjoyable experience without really trying for much more than that. I have time in my life for movies that don’t seek to be important, that don’t add unneeded weight to their existence. I slightly prefer the laid back style of Shall We Dansu? to the manic tendencies of Rajio No Jikan, but it’s still a very pleasant movie and an enjoyable experience.

That’s not to say that Rajio No Jikan is all lollipops and tootsie rolls. I had a hard time with a few elements in the film, specifically some moments where elements within the film became overbearing. There were a few scenes where the director pushed himself into the film, a prime example being the moment where Mr. Ushijima and his assistant Sumiko Nagai run towards each other in the hallway. That moment, and a couple of others, stood out a lot compared with the rest of the film, the aesthetic of those scenes did not match up with the aesthetic of the rest of the film. In that hallway scene there was also a swelling within the score, and that happened far too often in the film. There were moments that were supposed to be dramatically funny, and they were, but then the score would supply an on the nose bombastic swell and it just felt wrong.

As far as pleasant and enjoyable movies go I had a nice time with Rajio No Jikan. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, the performances are all amiable, and when the film was over I had a smile on my face. I’ve said it before, but leaving a movie with a smile on your face is a fine feeling. I enjoyed the intimate setting of Rajio No Jikan, and while I didn’t love the movie I liked it. Rajio No Jikan is a movie worth seeking out if you’re looking for an enjoyable movie from the Far East that is more off the beaten path.

Vs.

Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura (Village Of Dreams, 1996)

I didn’t know what to expect from Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura, and the prologue threw me for even more of a loop. I went from not knowing what to expect to expecting something modern to being tossed into a childhood nostalgia story. That is where my feelings on the film reside, and I know this will be a point of contention among many fans of the film. I don’t have much negative to say about Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura, but my main problem is a pretty big one, it fits like an old shoe.

Maybe the old shoe analogy is a bad one or doesn’t make sense, in that case let me clear up what I meant. What Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura brings to the table in its childhood nostalgia is a perfectly fine story, but it’s a story I have seen many times before. I couldn’t shake that feeling as I watched Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura, I felt comfortable watching the film but I had felt that same comfort before in other films about childhood development. There were a few instances where I could sense the director, Yôichi Higashi, going for more than comfort. Neither had the impact he intended, but one was interesting and the other felt out of place.

The first break from the comfortable story that came to me was the character of Senji. He came across to me as a clear representation of old Japan, the sense of all the land belonging to him was what first led me to my interpretation. Said interpretation was cemented in my brain by the actions of the principal towards Senji. He bullies Senji around, his lectures towards Senji about school send a message that old Japan’s ways can not compete with modern Japanese intelligence. At the same time the principal blames Senji for all the little problems he, as well as the village, incur. The scene in particular where he beats Senji for making him slip on the floor shows an unhealthy rage towards old Japan. Higashi-san isn’t saying the principal is in the right, he isn’t blaming old Japan. The message he presents is an interesting one and it takes Japan’s desire to move forward and leave their past behind and shines an inquisitive light on it.

The second way in which Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura tries to move away from a zone of comfort is with its supernatural elements. Those felt out of place, specifically the three supernatural grandmother’s belonged in another movie. I searched my mind for some sort of connection to be gleaned from their presence, but none came to me. Maybe there’s something with the supernatural elements that I’m missing, but within the narrative that I experienced those elements did not belong.

I know that others, especially one person whose opinion I respect, think very highly of Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura. I’ve read some of the reviews from others where the twins represent a greater lesson about Japan, and so on. I respect those interpretations, but I didn’t see any of that when I watched Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura. In the end I found Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura to be a simple journey through childhood. The stuff with Senji added a small bit of depth to the film, but not enough for me to think of it as any more than a simple journey. The two child actors were really good, I enjoyed the time I spent with them. However, the film didn’t connect with me on a level beyond simple enjoyment, that’s not a bad thing, but that enjoyment came from a well traveled place. Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura is well worn instead of unique, and that makes a fine film, but not one I consider special.

Verdict:

As much as it will probably shock a lot of people I thought both of these films came in at around the same quality level. I know some people think Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura is a masterpiece of subtext. While I appreciate and respect their take on the film, I didn't see it the same way. I enjoyed Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura well enough, but I enjoyed Rajio No Jikan a little bit more. With the quality being the same and me not finding, or reacting to, the subtext that others love about Eno Nakano Bokuno Mura I'm left with enjoyment being the deciding factor. Rajio No Jikan moves on to the next round.

smirnoff

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1623 on: July 22, 2011, 07:42:43 PM »
Hard to comment without having seen either film but it's good to hear both films had something to offer. Comedy has been a tricky element for me thus far in the bracket but I'd be curious to see if Mr. Mcdonald works for me as it did for you.

@BV, you're comments about Stagedoor are quite fair. The hole sounds like the better film so I don't begrudge its moving forward.

Melvil

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1624 on: July 22, 2011, 08:44:15 PM »
Nice writeup, Bill. I watched both movies in round 1 and from memory I'm not sure which one I would put forward. I enjoyed Village of Dreams, but my reaction to it was a lot like your own. The childhood nostalgia is nice, and spending time with the twins is really charming, but I never got as much out of it as others have.

And your review of Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald is just about spot on too. It was a lot more entertaining than I expected, and I had a really good time with it. I can't remember how much I laughed out loud at it, but I definitely thought it was very amusing at the least.

BlueVoid

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1625 on: July 24, 2011, 07:57:34 PM »
Great write-ups, as always, Bill. From the sounds of it both films seemed a little flat. Good round two material, but probably not going much further.
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Melvil

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1626 on: July 24, 2011, 11:08:04 PM »

A Brighter Summer Day (Edward Yang, 1991)
worm@work's round 1 review

A Brighter Summer Day. The review I've been so intimidated about writing it has taken a full year since I first watched it. :P

With this second viewing I was surprised to find that I had forgotten a lot of the broader points of the story, but remembered with perfect clarity so many of the details. The film really stuck with me, but it was all the characters and places and the little moments that add up to something more than just a story. A Brighter Summer Day presents a world so rich and complete that it seems to live completely independently from the story. There are no minor characters to be found here, just characters that we see more or less than others.

And with such a strong foundation for the story to take root in, the narrative becomes effortlessly enthralling, giving a fluidity to the film that is it's greatest strength. Edward Yang's hand is rarely felt at work, yet the film-making is truly an accomplishment. I am particularly impressed by the level of spatial awareness and his decisive editing (which in a four hour movie could easily have felt over-indulgent).

I won't get too much into the story but to say that for dealing with a lot of tragedy and heavy political underpinnings there is still a lot of joy to be found here as well. The movie centers around the life of a junior high student, Si'r, and encompasses everything that surrounds him, giving a lot of variety and the kind of complexity that is needed to fully portray a life. Despite the darker elements of the film, it's rewarding and entertaining just to spend time with Si'r and his classmates, family, street gang members, neighbors, and everyone else.

This is a movie that is impossible to do justice to in writing (especially by me!), but take my word for it, it's remarkable.



Passage to Buddha (Sun-Woo Jang, 1993)
Edgar's round 1 review

I have very little to add to what Edgar says in his round 1 review. The story is incredibly simple, although as the plot is stripped away and the spiritual meditation falls into focus it becomes thematically...intriguing. Unfortunately I never found it anything more than that, and thought it rather unsatisfying more often than not.

There are surreal qualities to the story and presentation that are somewhat interesting, but ultimately became more of a nuisance than anything else. Particularly, the nonsensical timeline and completely unnatural interactions with the main character were major stumbling blocks to my enjoyment of the film, even on a casual level. On a personal note, I found the erotic/sex scenes featuring a 10 year old boy and older women rather uncomfortable.

It's possible that more familiarity with Buddhism would have bolstered my interest, but as it stands I didn't see anything particularly fulfilling or enjoyable about the movie.



Verdict

I have to say I'm a little glad I didn't care for Passage to Buddha very much, because even a really good movie wouldn't have had a chance against A Brighter Summer Day.

worm@work

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1627 on: July 25, 2011, 08:30:52 AM »
Lovely writeup, Melvil. Reading it is making me want to rush home and watch the whole thing again.

If the only available copy of A Brighter Summer Day wasn't in such bad shape, I think it would be a serious contender to win this entire bracket. Am still holding out hope for that long-promised Criterion although that seems to be stuck in some kind of legal wrangle :-\.

Melvil

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1628 on: July 25, 2011, 09:21:43 AM »
Thanks worm! :) Yeah, the copy I have is pretty terrible. Getting the Criterion treatment would be amazing!

smirnoff

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Re: 1990s Far East Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #1629 on: July 25, 2011, 09:28:28 AM »
A Brighter Summer Day

There are no minor characters to be found here, just characters that we see more or less than others.

That's very nicely put. I haven't seen the movie but I like this sentence a lot. :)



Out of curiousity have any of the films in this bracket gone Criterion since we began? Anyone know off hand?

 

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