Untitled

[svereds-wise-words]

Spirited Away

This movie definitely had a very strong theme of finding oneself and staying true to yourself. In the beginning we watch Sen and her parents enter the other world, where her parents quickly give way to gluttony losing themselves to the food, inevitably turning into pigs. When they first transform they still have shreds of themselves present via the parents hair and clothing in their pig forms; however, later in the film when Sen goes to the pig pen we become lost as all the pigs look the same. We are led to believe that her parents are among the drove of pigs, but where? If they are there they no longer have their distinguishing features from before, so are they even there? Their selves were lost, and the only one who could potentially save them is their daughter Chihiro (AKA Sen), who managed to hang on to herself completely until she signed a contract with Yubaba. After she signs the contract she forgets her name until she finds a card with her name on it that she brought into the spirit realm with her. As the story progresses she is able to help reveal the truth about Haku's true identity as Kohaku river and help him escape from Yubaba, taker of names and identities.

In conjunction with the preservation of the self, this movie explores the effects of over indulgence and the effects that has on one's self. There are several examples of over indulgence completely changing people within the film, from the transformation of her parents, to the faceless one becoming this spirit eating monster, un-feeling of Sen's emotions. In the beginning it seems that the faceless one is completely enamored with Chihiro, looking to help her at any and every opportunity, but once he gains access to the bath house and indulges in its delights he changes and transforms.

He begins to eat anything and everything, becoming tyrannical in the process, throwing fits for anything that didn't go exactly his way. It takes Sen taking him away from the place of indulgence and exercising the "sickness" out of him. He offers any of the staff as much gold as they desire, but we soon realize that all of it was fake as Yubaba reveals when she is looking for her baby, Boh.

Speaking of Boh I loved his character development. He starts as a spoiled brat that gets anything he wants when he cries for it, but after Zenibaba turns him into a rat? mouse? whatever he was, he finally has to grow and deal with things on his own. It takes him from legimately being incapable of standing, to standing up on his own in defiance of Yubaba when he is standing up for Chihiro. Not only does he gain physical strength, but strength of character, focusing not only on his wants but on others as well by the end of the film. maybe with a little more training and a bit more strength he can finally reach peak "praise the sun" form.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

I like your connection of this film to the downsides of overindulgence. Like you mention with no face and Chihiros parents, it is overindulgence that causes them to spiral out of control. It is only those who can temper their desires like Chihiro and Haku that can truly remain stable and enjoy what the world has to offer.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Spirited Away

Studio Ghibli films, like this always give such a good sense of connection to the world. One can never go wrong by watching one of their many and great films. It makes sense that these films have preserved so long because they give people the same feelings. By watching spirited away, many scenes that bring pleasure and a sense of peacefulness is when Chihiro is interacting with the nature. The film starts off with her parents driving into and through the forest. While Chihiro initially found nature and interacting with it frightening, we see her develop throughout the film and gain a greater appreciation for it.

Chihiro even interacts with Haku who turns out to be a water spirit. This is just another sign of how important this film is as a pathway to nature and bridging the connection. Chihiro found out that Haku was the nature spirit by remembering her own childhood of being in the river and losing her shoe. Another way to see that the connection to nature has grown within Chihiro is by noticing in the beginning scenes she is holding on to some flowers. These flowers represent her connection to nature and as she desperately grasps onto them, she begins to make them wither faster. By the end, Chihiro no longer needs to maintain the connection through flowers anymore but can relive and reconnect through her memories of her time in the spirit town.

If Chihiro represents the connection to nature, then most of the other characters represent their connection to work life and industrialism. Everyone is forced to have some type of job unless they are a paying customer in the town. This moto is even a promise that Yubaba maintains, giving anyone a job who asks for it. The consumption of work life is repeatedly demonstrated, and it is only on limited occasions and by some characters that get to interact with nature. If Yubaba is the representative for Industrialism, Zeniba is the representative for nature. Zeniba lives far out from the industrial style bath house and stays in a modest home. She is surrounded by nature and invites those that come to her home. She even pushes for no face to stay and help her around the house upon Chihiro’s departures.

Chihiros parents represent a false and limited connection to nature, repeatedly demonstrating the satisfaction of their own interests. This starts off by them walking into what they thought was an amusement park and eventually eating food that was set without permission. Their strength of character is demonstrated here in comparison to Chihiro who refuses to go along with it even though her parents have begun to indulge. While we don’t see the parents until the end, when they get back, they complain to Chihiro for her delay and are upset about the car being covered with nature. This is likely a representation of how many see nature. Only using it for their benefit, as their satisfaction with nature ebbs and flows.

[nyxknocks]

Finally J-Horror!!!!!!!!1111!1!!!!111!!!!!!!!!

I've seen this movie like a million bajillion times in my life, including all the remakes and the sequels, etc. so I am coming from a biased perspective for sure. However, this is the first time I'll try to actually analyze what I'm watching instead of just enjoying it.

The director utilizes a slow progression to really stress you out. So much of this film is faking you out for whats going to happen--the jump scares aren't utilized as actual jump scares of terror, but more mundane things with a sudden cut or noise. It does well showing a lot of the tragedy of the deaths off-screen or with those filter freeze frames. It can be a little goofy, but also its 90s horror and I eat that shit up. Even the ending, or what you think is the ending, is a fake out making you think that love and compassion and acceptance is what's going to lift this supposed curse when in reality, nope! It's actually perpetuating the cycle and pushing off the curse onto someone else to save your own skin.

I think it lends a lot into what Sadako's character is--a traumatized, abused little girl that has a scary ability and was ultimately killed simply for her existence. So many people were complicit in both the death of her and her mother, as well as the stress they had to deal with in life. Her anger is what fuels this curse and gives her the ability to utilize the 90s technology to punish, well, everyone.

The use of technology for this particular brand of horror is interesting, too, because in the 90s (esp 98 and the years leading up to Y2K [did Japan have a freak out about that too??]) a lot of people were stressed and scared of the rapid expansion of technology. You could argue that this film takes that stance or at least highlights what people were afraid of during this time, that television, movies and even phones can bring horror literally into your house if you aren't careful which is represented by Sadako infamously crawling out of the tv.

I love, too, that the story can be read from a feminist perspective as well. Both Sadako and Shizuko were mistreated by so many men in both of their lives and ultimately met their fates at the hands of men. It is then, interesting, that within our leads only that the man dies. Has nothing really to do with their actual intention, because Reiko was going to die regardless unless she copied the movie, but I digress. I can see how this analysis can be argued.

The American remakes definitely utilize more jump scares and out-right horror elements, but nothing beats the original feeling of dread and the fact that the fate can't entirely be escaped. The remakes also remove the Japanese soul and mythology tied to it and I think that's shitty.

I have more I could say, but I will cut this here for now. My girl Sadako never did anything wrong in her life.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

I can see from your post now how the director did a lot of "fake outs" on the audience. I can't say that I liked but honestly I should have expected this from a horror film. The part that really tripped me up was like you said, love and compassion being the cure to the curse but not at all. This itched a nerve in me but I had to realize that my discomfort with it definitely contributed overall to this being a good horror film. Also she may not have done wrong in her life but she is doing all wrong in her death and curse side.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Ringu

Ringu was a cool movie to watch from so long ago in my childhood. This and the grudge I used to frequently confuse but I was equally petrified as a child by both of these Japanese films. Watching it this time around did not invoke the same fear as it used but that likely is because of all the film parodies I have seen of it. Particularly watching the Scary Movie parodies that included Ringu has lessened the impact that this film could have on me. Nonetheless it was still an enjoyable film particularly because you can see some elements of the digital age and reign of technology working its way in throughout the film.

One of these instances of technology showing its head through the film was the inclusion of CGI. During the late 90s this technology had to be rapidly increasing and its application in film has continued on through to today. The main portions of CGI were obviously the scenes where Sadako transitioned to crawl out of the tv to chase her victims. Another interesting scene that has sense stuck with me was the final scene in the car ride. For some reason the director decided to do a CGI scene of the car driving down the highway and the sky was completely CGI and grainy looking. I am not sure if this was fully CGI with the car driving down the highway as well, but only the vehicle looked real to me. This may have been due to the difficulty in getting clearance to shoot privately on such a long stretch of road and a limited highway. This also could have been done due to poor atmospheric weather conditions that did not align with the artistic director’s vision. Either way, the CGI in this film was well received and thankfully so because films would be drastically different today without CGI, especially in horror films.

Some of the areas I had difficulty wrapping my head around when watching Ringu largely surrounded the limitations of Sadakos powers. One of those being how she was able to appear without a TV being around. The whole movie seemed to be tied to the watching tape and the film being found on the scene of whenever a death occurred. Although, it is not clear how she appears without there being a TV around. Another area that I am not sure is fully resolved by the film is the point in going to recover Sadakos body. The initial idea was to hope that the curse skips the woman but her and the man both go down to try to find her body. Even with this, the man ends up dying anyways after taking part in helping to recover Sadakos body. This was strange because even after the kindness of recovering her, he still perishes. This is when the mystery is revealed and the necessity of having to copy the film to spread the curse is opened up. I like how this theme was saved until the end like a true horror film.

[svereds-wise-words]

Sukiyaki Western Django

Taking Dr. Felts Samurai War Tales class really augmented my experience for this movie. In his class we watched Yojimbo and fist full of dollars (a western remake of Yojimbo), so watching this movie, which is packed full of references and over the top scenes relating to those movies in addition to Django was absolutely nuts.

I feel conflicted as to whether or not I liked this movie, because on the one hand it was funny, but on the other it was funny because it was stupid. Part of me feels like I wasted an hour and a half of my life watching some godforsaken abomination created by a couple of students who couldn't take their film class seriously, which is perfect, but on the other hand why am I watching this. As I'm writing this I'm laughing about the movie still, so overall a good sign I think, but man was this movie stupid (in a good way).

I like how unsubtle this movie was about its references. It directly quoted bits from other movies, calls out character references (for example when they say the gunman shouldn't try to pull a Yojimbo on them), and overtly pulls different pieces from all these different stories without mixing it up. When there is a reference, you aren't confused as to where it came from, assuming you know the movies its referencing in general.

On the other hand, in order to really enjoy this movie, you have to be really well versed in all of these different movies. The movie seems to be made for a niche audience who has seen Yojimbo, Django, Fist full of dollars, knows the tale of genji, and ideally a bit about the war of roses... and those are just the ones I could name off the top of my head. There could be even more references in there that I purely missed.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Well I can tell you that I am not the least bit in all of the references that this film makes but I came out enjoying it very much at the end of the day. While the ridiculous of this film cannot be understated I do see another side of this film. It may just be because it's the end of the semester but, I felt the impression that this film was an homage to the Japanese and American relationship. The ties between both nations have grown incredibly and the cultural and artistic appreciation of both of these has grown. This film portrays this in its blend of different films and the subtle inclusion of elements of cartoons and anime.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Sukiyaki Western Django

Sukiyaki Western Django was an interesting and entertaining compilation of several films into one. Even though I am not even certain of all the films that this movie mashes together, it does a great job blending it all together. Some of the most interesting and entertaining parts of this film for me were the various visual scenes and backdrops. I also see an interesting dynamic between American and Japanese culture shown throughout the film, and I think this film presents some good commentary about this relationship as well. The director Takashi Miike did a great blending the different film elements into Sukiyaki Western Django and his successful compilation of this film speaks to his artistic expertise and direction.

The overall comedic effect in this film was sealed for me within the first few moments in the beginning. This was mainly from the scenes with Quentin Tarantino and his rapid fire typical western shooting scenes. This paired with cartoon falling effects with the egg he threw in the air definitely cracked a small on my face. Another interesting scene choice was the background of the initial scenes with Quentin Tarantino had a backdrop which looked like Mount Fuji and the Sun right next to it. This points to Japan for sure and contributes to the overall purpose I believe this film was made for.

Before I go into the purpose of the film though, there are some comedic scenes that I enjoy taking time to address. The first was the hilarious Red Dead Redemption style horse recall. How its possible the horse can hear over gunfire from inside a second story building and be trained to run by a certain spot at a certain time always has me hysterical and the unbelievability of this. Additionally, as a fan of marksmanship in general, the scene where the Heike leader is shooting his pistol from a vast distance away at the Genji group members is just insane. For the level of accuracy and ability for a pistol to impact that far is just hilariously so off. This and the horse scene though add some reassurance of the impossible and embellished nature that western films often bring to their audience for the overall wow factor.

The biggest purpose, and the reason I think Takashi Miike made this film was to merge the elements of both American and Japanese culture. He combines an American actor alongside mashes of cartoon effects, anime style cutscenes, and popular movie injects like Kill Bill and the Matrix all in one film. This in addition to a mainly Japanese cast who all are speaking English. I believe this is an homage to the interweaving of both American and Japanese artistic culture and serve as evidence of the bond and interaction between both countries. Takashi Miike did a great job blending these elements together mixing Japanese and American folk lore.

[svereds-wise-words]

Swallowtail Butterfly

Swallowtail butterfly was a wild film. It focused on the zainichi experience in Japan, but with also illegal routes and connections in all sorts of places. We had connections between Glico and a crime syndicate ran by her brother, Ryou Ryanki. The people who own the junkyard being the assassin duo we see earlier in the movie taking out the guy on the moving train. Ageha's interactions with Glico and Ryou Ryanki teasing out the relations and making us the audience hope for their initial reunitement. I will be honest I was kind of lost as to where this movie was taking me and to what the overall message behind the film was, but I talked with some of our classmates after the film.

One major theme built within this movie is the idea of found family. Ageha is originally left to a family member or someone after the death of her mom, and is pushed off onto Glico. Glico almost sells her off only to find that she would be abused and Glico couldn't handle that on her conscious. Originally unwanted and unloved by anyone left in her life, Glico takes her under her wing and slowly but surely Ageha begins to find a family in Glico and Feihong and the people at the their little outpost. She even forms family like connections with Arrow and the others who leave after the counterfeit currency scandal.

The essence of found family is particularly strong between Glico and Ageha. Ageha is originally given her name by Glico, and the idea of the butterfly becomes this symbol of their relationship. Glico has a tattoo of a butterfly on her chest, which is eventually emulated by Ageha in this moment that seems to complete the unification between the two characters. Their bond was strong, but by getting the tattoo she symbolically made their bond permanent and unbreakable.

One thing I thought was interesting was just how aggressively Glico was taken advantage of by the Japanese. They understood that she was a zainichi yentown, but took her image and changed it into something profitable while sabotaging the people who had helped bring her into the limelight. They could have easily cut Feihong into the deal and/or taken advantage of him in a similar way, but they deemed it not worth their time and essentially buried him. The yentown are looked so down upon as people taking advantage of the country and the strength of the Japanese yen, but when it comes down to it, the people taking advantage of the people are the Japanese. Now don't get me wrong, the yentown did get into the counterfeiting, but by taking advantage of Glico, its hard to say that the Japanese are any better.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Wow, what an impressive synopsis. your insights into the taking advantage of Glico in comparison with the Japanese really shines a light on the hippo criticism that the Japanese had towards the zainichi. I also really liked your commentary about the solidification of the bond between Glico and Ageha. The tattoo really helps to make their bond physical and memorable.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Swallowtail Butterfly

Swallowtail butterfly was an interesting film with elements of found family. Another even more interesting portion of the film is the background and careers of the actors that took part in this film. Specifically, that of the actors for Glico and Ageha. The director, Shunji Iwai used many different camera angles throughout the film which made the movie feel as most modern films. By far the greatest development that occurred throughout the film has to be with Ageha. Her slow and matured performance was captivating. I have to say though hearing “My Way” over and over again go pretty old and I still have that song stuck in my head now.

Starting with Shunji Iwais directing, he used many wide and far angle shots. Each of the shots included many characters in the film and large areas of open land and space. You can tell the budget was significantly higher for this film with the variety of areas they were able to cycle between to make this story. The helicopter shots in the beginning and end though were very disorienting though personally. The modernity of his shots from handheld angle, crane shots, close-ups, and the like all portray the growing technology capacity and development of the film industry in this era. This variety is likely what led more films to have additional complexity paired with a impactful storyline.

The element of found family is one that remains a strong element throughout the entire film. Ageha starts off with no name and is treated poorly by the other ladies who knew her mother and her. They sell her off and Ageha eventually makes her way to Glico. Glico takes her in and ends up treating her like a sister and aided in her finding a job in Yentown too. Glico also puts her trust in Feihong in the initial parts of the film but this dissipates as Feihong is arrested. Feihong demonstrates his care for both Glico and Ageha and the bond between them is shown several times. From Ageha bringing Feihong food in jail consistently, and dressing up each time. To Glico calling Feihong for help when she is being pursued by Ryanki’s gang. The relationship in this triangle breaks in the middle of the film but is restored again at the end. Ageha ends the film more outspoken, and Glico has forged and cemented her relationship with her new family, giving up being a singer. While Feihong is killed, he serves as the invisible and shared tie between Glico and Ageha, making the experience of their shared loss increase the bond of their relationship. This is seen as the two mend flowers to twine for Feihong’s funeral.

Focusing on the actors, there is some interesting information concerning the actors or Ageha and Glico. Glico’s actor is actually a Japanese singer whose stage name is Chara. With her role in Swallowtail Butterfly and other films, along with her voice, helping to elevate her in both the film and music industry. Ageha (Ayumi Ito) also went on to actually be a voice actress. She is the voice actress for Tifa Lockhart from final fantasy. Tifa may have even been modeled after Ayumi.

[keeganhogan]

Hana-Bi

Kitano Takeshi’s Hana-Bi is a beautiful film. The thing that stuck with me the most throughout this film was the gorgeous soundtrack. Every single moment that the orchestra swells, the flutes chime in, everything is filled to the brim with life. I don’t think I’ve ever been so compelled by a soundtrack upon first listen like I have with this film. Upon further research it was no surprise to learn that the composer was none other than Hisaishi. The opening song evoked similarities to that of The Merri-Go-Round of Life.

            Getting into the film, I was impressed with Kitano’s acting and directing. From gorgeous shots of the Japanese landscape, contrasted with close ups of a firefly on a leaf in the snow, to lingering shots on various pieces of artwork, this film is extremely artistic in many aspects. Kitano is able to convey profound emotion without speaking a single line, something that not many actors can accomplish so effectively.

            The theme of the inescapability of fate and the powerlessness one feels in the face of it is strong in this film. After Nishi suffers so many indescribable losses and painful events, despite his ability to take out multiple yakuza members like John Wick and easily rob a bank, in the end he cannot bring back his daughter or save his wife from her illness. Death is also very prominent, as Horibe attempts suicide after becoming paralyzed. Nishi also, in a way, attempts suicide, always facing impossible odds and a string of questionable actions that he knows he will not be able to run away from forever. But, in the face of losing everything he loves, he would rather do what he can to have the best life possible with his wife in the time they still have left together. It is in the inescapable face of death that Nishi and his wife live to their fullest.

            The combination of violent scenes of death and beautiful scenes of relaxation and life paint a poignant picture on the nature of human existence. We strive for love and happiness in the moments that Nishi shares with his wife, but those scenes are always underscored by the inevitable truth of their loss and fate that they are condemned too, which does not allow the viewer to fully experience that joy. Nishi is the same, however, only really showing lots of emotion in his acts of violence. Throughout the film, he embodies a walking corpse, a man so defeated and scarred by loss that it seems he has no true emotions of reasons for continuing. Kitano’s portrayal of Nishi plays into this fantastically, as his rigid slow movements and void facial expressions capture this state of being expertly.

            Horibe’s story is somewhat opposite to that of Nishi, as after his failed suicide attempt, Horibe rediscovers his will to live in painting. His paintings embody the essence of life, nature, human being. His story starts towards death and rises up, while Nishi’s plummets towards death. In this dichotomy Kitano expresses his true feelings about life and death, not as opposites or separate entities, but inevitably intertwined, defining each other. Both characters have intense interactions with both life and death, yet their paths are vastly different.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

I was equally impressed with the sound design and music throughout the entire film. The music was well intertwined throughout the movie and even after following some gruesome scenes, the music served as a way to clean the mental pallet from the bloody scenes. I also like your description of Nishi as just a remnant of a man and void of his emotions. You could also view his twitches in his facial expressions and mannerisms as attempts of emotions being released but ultimately being suppressed. Great analysis of Hanabi!

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Kitano's Hanabi

Hanabi by Kitano was a well designed aesthetically pleasing film. This film follows a Japanese Detectives’ cycle into detachment from society and life itself. The director’s approach to this film was unique but still enjoyable. There were some confusing portions of the film, especially in the beginning, but as the film progressed so did the story begin to be aligned better. The directors work to tell the story with two separate themes or outcomes. The first outcome follows Nishi and how he decides to deal with the circumstance’s life has put him in. The second outcome is Horibe and how he has dealt with his situation.

Before getting into the major lenses in this film, I want to write on how the director directed this film. The sound design of this film and the music was so serene and enjoyable. There were many bouts of classical, lyric-less music but played to the minimal dialogue throughout the film. I was put off in the beginning because of the minimal dialogue throughout the film, especially with Nishi and his wife. This was also strange to see played out with other characters like Horibe and the other police officers interacting with Nishi. As the film progressed though, it began to form that this was just his character type.

Another interesting approach that director Kitano did was to contrast two major and opposing sides of society. The side of the police and that of the yakuza.  In between the two we see sides of Japan that I have not seen and that does not receive as much attention. From the junkyard mechanic selling stolen vehicles and parts of police cars, to him crashing into other vehicles. Even the police who are supposed to be the law-abiding citizens are seen slapping criminals around and treating everyday citizens poorly. One example was when Nishi threw the teenagers’ baseball down an opposing road as the teens were playing baseball. This interesting side of Japan had an atmosphere of coolness and a complete disregard of what would traditionally be accepted as normal.

To circle back to the two outcomes, Nishi’s tells a story of a man falling into despair due to the uncontrollable outcomes of his life. His wife is diagnosed with leukemia, his child dies at a young age, and his partner is paralyzed on an assignment that Nishi was supposed to do. These outcomes push Nishi over the edge as he decides to borrow from the Yakuza, rob a bank and use the money to create fleeting moments of happiness with his wife. Horibe on the other hand, confronts his own despair with his wife and child leaving and being left paralyzed head on. He goes to the beach and outside struggling to find a purpose now that all he has known is taken away from him. He attempts suicide but is saved by his friends. From then, Horibe begins to paint and remove his despair from internal out onto the paper through painting. Once he begins painting his art acts as a foreshadowing of Nishi’s action. From the painting of the penguin to the snow weather driving, to the suicide painting and Nishi’s own suicide.

I think the director is conveying us to take the path of Horibe. Although our situations may be dire and may feel like there is no way to move on, through patience and focused effort inner balance can be restored. While Horibe’s final painting may still present linger feelings within himself, the movement of this action to the paper instead demonstrates a significant level of character development.

[svereds-wise-words]

Go - Yukisada

Go tells the story of a Japan-born Korean who runs into all sorts of turmoil with regard to his identity. In the beginning, we see the main character's (Sugihara's) father switch between his nationalities, giving very little weight to his national identity. He knows he lives in Japan, but chooses whatever nationality suits him best. Throughout the film, Sugihara's father, Hideyoshi (who played goro in tampopo), is kind of an asshole who plays to whatever works best for him at the moment. His choice form of punishment is beating down his son to the point of causing permanent physical changes to him (for example, Sugihara and the two teeth he lost due to his dad punching him in the face). Even when Hideyoshi recognizes he is wrong (when Sugihara is yelling at him after Hideyoshi's brother died), he still chooses to beat down on Sugihara and a full-on ring fight commences, announcer and everything.

His old ways of disciplining Sugihara and his old ways of thinking about race and identity are a key factor that separate he and his son. Sugihara and his ideals are those of the new generation, and he continuously has to battle with those of the old, whether it be when boxing against his father, or when he argued with Sakurai over idea's implanted into her by her fathers old way of thinking.

Repeatedly, we are told by Sugihara that this movie is about his love story, but more realistically, it's about his fight against the restrictions of identity, and the fixed expectations that come with said identities. He fights to try and be seen as an individual rather than a classification, and only succeeds after being raked through the coals by both Sakurai and Hideyoshi. It takes the fight with Hideyoshi for him to clear his head and hear Sugihara's plight, while Sakurai has to seclude herself from Sugihara to have time to contemplate what she has been fed all of her life. 

Personally, I feel like this movie not only appealed to audiences of the time, but still has a great deal of relevance today. Nowadays, it feels as if people are once again clinging to these ideas of identity and self-imposed segregation, and with this, people are becoming hostile towards those outside of their in-groups. It's extremely prevalent within politics, between democrats and republicans, where if you identify with one group, a hefty sect (albeit not all) of the other group will deem you as "the enemy" and as someone to convert. The movie helps to bring this idea that I am not simply the product of my parts. I am not simply a Korean and thus of tainted blood. I am an individual, just like everyone else, and should be seen as one. 

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

I really liked your analysis of this film and you brought up a couple undertones that I also so throughout it. One of them being the fighting between Sugihara and his father. Like you mentioned I feel that this was a representation of battling between two generational differences. Sugihara is struggling with identifying with two identities while his father is firm in his original identity but reluctantly giving it up out of convenience. This was also seen at the Korean school where Sugihara's Korean teacher was essentially attempting to shove the Korean identity down into Sugihara. Nice thought provoking analysis of GO!

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Yukisadas Go

Yukisadas film was one of the first in this class that has taken a critical stance on racial and nationality lines. Likely born out of the developing changes over time and the Japanese societal ways of integrating other people into their society. This film follows Sugihara, a Japanese born North Korean and his trouble integrating into the Japanese society. He wrestles with discrimination topped with the teenage troubles of love and rebellion with his family. I highly respect this film’s approach to tackling such a difficult topic and bringing recognition to the residents in Japan that face this issue.

Being non-Japanese in Japan and then a minority on top of that garners some strange interactions with people. In public settings, many foreigners experience a sense of isolation just based on being a foreigner. For example, it is not unusual for a foreigner or minority sitting down in a bus or train with open seats next to them and several people avoiding sitting next to them. In some occasions this could even occur in a packed train or bus. On the other hand, open seats with local Japanese are quickly filled over the ones which are next to a foreigner.

Another unfortunate story I hear from mixed Japanese people is that because of their looks and being mixed, they are not treated as Japanese. Even though they went to Japanese school, can only speak Japanese, and are fully integrated in the culture, they are treated as not Japanese. I have heard of biracial Japanese people being spoken to continually in English regardless of how much Japanese they speak. These same racial and nationality challenges are seen within Go. Sugihara is bullied by those in school because of his North Korean nationality. Going through these difficulties exacerbate his rebelliousness and causes him to resent his nationality. This is seen through many of his narration throughout the film where Sugihara criticizes his father in his narration for his pride in North Korea and eventually for him changing to a South Korean passport to be able to travel.

Yukisada did a great job directing this film. He allowed the story to be told through the actors directly and used this coming-of-age film to highlight grievances that people all throughout the world face when living in foreign countries. This relatable and telling film brings attention to racial and ethnic dilemma and establishes a platform to discuss on. I also enjoyed Yukisada’s use of narration by Sugihara and even the multiple instances of flashbacks throughout the film. Even though there were several instances of these flashbacks, the overall timeline and progression of the film remained easy to follow. Overall Go was a great film, that I will have to recommend to my Japanese friends to invoke some meaningful and hopefully challenging conversations.

[svereds-wise-words]

Tampopo

Tampopo discovers the true depths and importance of food within the soul of every man woman and child. The film focuses on Tampopo, a ramen shop owner looking to revitalize her shop and really learn what it means to cook ramen. The movie goes through the motions showing the blood sweat and tears, and most important the dedication to study that one needs to truly master a recipe. It shows people's connections to food and how people from all walks of life come together to enjoy meals from the same place. One way the film did this was by bringing together the crew in this shot.

in this one shot you have people who are dressed as individuals from all different walks of life. Starting from the left you have Goro, who looks like he just came from the Australian outback and is on leave to Japan; Gun, who looks like he could be a painter or someone focused in the arts; Sensei who looks like a film director stopping in at his local ramen shop; Shohei, who appears to be a normal salaryman or office worker coming in a suit and tie; and finally, Pisuken who attire makes him look like a detective. In reality, they all have jobs that work to create Tampopo the ramen shop what it is, but their portrayal in this scene really helps to solidify the idea that food lovers come from all walks of life. It goes further in developing this idea with its interludes from Tampopo's life. There are several different people enjoying food in different ways around different circumstances, with criminal's and crooks, to lovers, to business men in fine establishments. It talks about the customs surrounding eating and how they differ between peoples. For example, when the foreigner's way of eating pasta is being studied, only to be revealed to be completely opposite to the way they were being taught.

Additionally the film explores the different relationships people have with food. Some just like to enjoy their meals around a bar while others... well... we all saw the scene where they were trading the egg yolk between their mouths.

Their sexuality surrounded food and it's thought to bring this kind of orgasmic reaction between the two of them. This goes to show the power food can have and the emotions and feelings it works to manipulate.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

What a great viewpoint you had on this film. I saw this through the lens of people from all walks of life being able to contribute more than just their occupation has to others. But, your view of the importance of food in the lives of everyone is also another very interesting viewpoint that I can appreciate. I was honestly confused on the sexuality scenes with the food but you have definitely cleared that up for me! Great post.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Tampopo ramen for one please!

This was such a comedic and enjoyable film. With mixes of western, sometimes strange side quests scenes, and overall just a bit of everything for everyone. Tampopo walks us through a journey of two truckers stopping at a ramen store and eventually working to help the store owner, Tampopo, improve her ramen. This story journeys through the acquisition of many people to support Tampopo’s desire to create a good dish and a better store. This initial scene with one of the actors breaking the fourth wall to talk to us the viewers pointed me to believe this would be comedic, but I did not think I would enjoy this film so much.

Throughout the film Goro, is the obvious western cowboy hero in the store. Looking to help his follow citizen and standing up for what he believes in. This was easily depicted by him wearing a cowboy hat and being a slow talker wherever he went. I mean, he even wore his hat in the bathtub and if that doesn’t give you western vibes the fight scenes have to. Goro decides to take on the thugs in the ramen store in the beginning, not shirking away from what was easily a six versus one fight. Due to the initial moments of one of the thugs being thrown back toward the store, I thought Goro was winning. That was quickly dispelled as he was seen with Tampopo the next day beat up clearly the loser of that fight. From this scene I got the vibe that this film was more of a comedic play on western rather than a true imitation of it. I honestly appreciated this comedic interpretation of it more.

There were some unique moments throughout the film that I found very interesting and not well represented in Japanese culture. One of these scenes is with the various homeless people depicted but each with their own expertise. From a ramen specialist, to a resourceful chef able to make omu rice, and a expert on spirits honing his craft for years.  Homeless people in Japan are largely hidden and pandering is very frowned upon in society. To see them represented as experts in their own craft and still capable of contributing to society really felt great to see. Having them sing in a choir fashion also was unique and this being the second film with this type of singing has welled up a greater appreciation of these type of Japanese choirs in me.

While the main story itself of Tampopo improving her ramen and having a great store at the end of the film was good, the side quests can’t go unlooked as well. From the strange fetish food scenes, to the spaghetti slurping and French cuisine ordering, there was an enjoyable scene for anyone to enjoy. I think this film those who may not be seen as the most valuable members of society by the nature of their work. These same people can have their own expertise in different areas and also are just as creative as anyone else. I found this especially the case with the homeless sensei and Goro the truck driver. There are many more examples as you watch the film of different characters providing their own value outside of their role. What a wonderful and enjoyable film!

[keeganhogan]

Family Game

Morita Yoshimitu’s Family Game is a dark comedy about the mundane, everyday life of the lower middle class in Japan. I found this movie fascinating in how it is simultaneously hilarious, but also has that serious undertone of melancholy and almost depression throughout the film. The family structure is very weak in this movie, as the parents are not very involved in their children’s lives. The father delegates all of the parental duties to the mother and then screws off to take baths while drinking soy milk, and while the mother does try to keep up with her children’s lives and school, she is not involved enough, lacking in discipline and also not knowing the struggles with bullying that Shigeyuki faces. That is where Yoshimoto comes in, almost acting in loco parentis, physically disciplining Shigeyuki and hearing about his struggles with bullying and teaching him how to fight. I found it strange how “sensual” some of the scenes between Shigeyuki and Yoshimoto were, as they were very uncomfortable to watch. But I think those scenes may have been to show how Yoshimoto invades Shigeyuki’s comfort zone, as he is unfamiliar with such involved authority in his life, pushing him to work harder and make “improvements” in his life.

I put the word “improvements” in quotes there because it does not seem that Shigeyuki’s success in school and getting into Seibu high truly betters his life. There is a common theme of distaste for life in the movie, as none of the characters are truly happy with where they are. Shigeyuki seems to have a passion for rollercoasters, and doesn’t enjoy the process of school and studying, but is forced to live that way anyways. He ends up choosing Seibu because his mother, father, and Yoshimoto pretty much force him to, despite not having any desire to go to a more prestigious high school. We even see Shinichi become unhappy with Seibu as the movie progresses, saying at the end that he wants to drop out. It seems that he has a crush at school that doesn’t seem to feel the same way about him, and without that fulfillment of his true desire, there is nothing worthwhile for him at Seibu. The mother in the movie expresses her true desire to be a jazz dancer, and also laments how unhappy she is with being the prototypical stay at home mom, also cleaning and taking care of the children. Her relationship with her husband has also lost its spark, evident in the scene where they go to the car together. At first, it’s a very exciting prospect for them, perhaps a memory of going out on dates together in their youth. However, they never actually leave the parking lot and just sit in the car together, not really talking or doing anything while the husband smokes. Even Yoshimoto continually says how his university is not an impressive one, perhaps lamenting not being able to achieve what he had helped Shigeyuki achieve. Although we do see glimpses of Yoshimoto’s relationship with his significant other, and those seemed to be relatively good, so perhaps he is not as disillusioned as the others.

The camera work in this movie is very well done, expertly depicting the very constricted, claustrophobic environment in which the family lives. This is especially evident in the scene when Shigeyuki’s bully comes over, and he is quickly crowded in by the family and small space. The family also all sit on the same side of the table, never making eye contact with each other, and frequently focused on eating while the same drivel of conversation happens where the father disapproves of one of the son’s academic performances and makes it a point to shame them without taking any direct action to help them himself. This monotony of typical family life is repeatedly shown in the film, alongside the unhappiness and lack of true, strong relationships with each other that all of the characters have with one another.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Hi Keegan,

Yes I defintely found the scenes between Yoshimoto and Shigeyuki, uncomfortable and weird. The physical abuse was also very surprising by both teachers in class and the tutor. I am not sure if this was common, but it presents the image of it being the case back then in Japan. I disagree though that the characters spun deeper into depression. Shigeyuki was enjoying improving his grades to make his bully jealous. He also was very visibly excited when he passed his entrance exam and relayed it to is his mom. Nice reflection, it was a great read!

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

Family Game Reflection

This movie was so funny and very enjoyable to watch. One of the most enjoyable portions of the films was the camera work and direction throughout the whole movie. It was done with such style and uniqueness, I found myself calling out some different camera techniques throughout the film. In the beginning of the film when Yoshimoto (the tutor) is hired, the family and him all sit at the table together. Everyone is tightly joined shoulder to shoulder eating together at the table. The camera frame for this scene though was tight to the outer shoulders of the outer actors. The camera framing showed the congestion of the household and the limited amount of breathing room between each actor. Another interesting part throughout the film was the background effects they would have in one scene. I am not sure if this was just for comedic effect, but it was very noticeable. In one scene when the mother brought Shigeyuki and Yoshimoto snacks and tea, the books on the desk and other items just slid out of the scene.

Another thing that I was not so sure about was the sound cuts throughout the film. Occasionally, the sound would stop during the film, but the scene would continue. After a short time, the sound would cut back on loudly to a character almost shouting something. While I am sure this must have been for dramatic effect, I struggle to see another meaning in this. Another unique scene was when Yoshimoto was chasing Shigeyuki down the stairs. I found this absolutely hilarious, and you could see them each running down the stairs at the same pace and at the same part of stairwell. This must have taken many times to perfect and I definitely appreciated the comedic effect it had overall.

Despite having the claustrophobic aroma mentioned earlier, what I find surprising is that even though this family is so close, they do not know much about each other. The father drinking soymilk in the bath and slurping egg yolk. The older brother Shinichi pursuing a love interest and growing despondent toward his high school life and studies. The mother’s boredom and difficultly in finding ways to fill her time and help her family. Finally, Shigeyuki’s progression and transformation from delinquent to a better student is mainly seen only by Yoshimoto.

An additional interesting director’s choice was the use of several one shot one scenes throughout the film. Toward the end with the food fight at the dinner table, everyone except the parents were just hurling food back and forth. The parents nearly did not bat an eye until the very end where everything had passed being out of control. I believe this demonstrates the lack of awareness the parents truly had in their children’s lives, even if they were sitting right next to them.

[svereds-wise-words]

Funeral Parade of Roses

I'm going to be honest. This film was really uncomfortable. I considered stopping quite a few times throughout the film, but realized I probably needed to finish to be able to write a post worth anything. So, Mr. Smith, if you're reading this, this is my official request that we avoid movies like this that feature the allusion to homoerotic anal sex, weird 70s like scenes that flicker between weird poses and scarred individuals, etc. OR if we have to for some reason, making the purpose of the film known first before we dive into it.

The way this movie was written and directed feels like it was written by someone on a bad drug trip. The timeline is scattered and many of the scenes surround same-sex intercourse, doing drugs, and weird dancing. I think a better way I might describe this movie is as an uncomfortable descent into madness in which the points at which the characters sanity broke felt the most comfortable. The murder of his mother and the repeated stabbing I could understand and normalize, but everything else was just uncomfortable.

The main character named Eddie is this kind of demented character. I've read a couple of other posts that talk about how this film helps put us in the eyes of Eddie and lets us see how their trauma is affecting them (where the traumatic event seems to be Eddie murdering their parent); however, the film doesn't really explain why Eddie murders their parent? We can assume a whole bunch of different reasons as to why, but given that a reason was deliberately left out I can only assume that its not Eddie's trauma that we are experiencing, but their detachment from sanity.

There are a couple things I have that might backup my theory. In the movie we see Eddie going out of their way to kill their parents. It wasn't necessary, and in fact Eddie has to deliberately go out of their way to kill his mother. He pulls out a knife, travels all the way across the house, and then breaks in to their room to kill her. Whether Eddie had their Oedipus complex or not yet, isn't clear, but its the only possible reason for the murder given to us by the film. Additionally, the film has a lot of moments that cut really quickly between disturbing images. During these times the movie seems to be instilling this sense of psychosis within its audience, which is enhanced with its discontinuity. Finally, the movie ends with Eddie stabbing both of their eyes out after their father (whom with they had been sleeping with) stabs himself. In the original Oedipus story, he blinds himself because he couldn't bear the truth that he had suddenly learned (that he killed his father and had been sleeping with his mother), but Eddie doesn't have that same kind of logic behind his actions. It feels like a piece of Eddie's character is warped, and has been from the beginning.

[marcusbutnotgarvey]

I completely agree on your analysis of this film. I also found it so jarring and comfortable to watch it all the way through. Even after watching it though, it was post like yours and others that helped me put this film into context. I could see the resemblances of themes and inclusion of the Oedipus complex. The timeline throughout the film was also in no way linear and had the viewers jumping around from scene to scene. This added to the uneasiness and confusion of the overall film and personally, did not make this movie enjoyable.