Senior Year Blog Project

[jpnfilmblog]

Hayao Miyazaki: Spirited Away

Initial Reaction

I had high hopes for Spirited Away, since a friend told me that this is one of her all-time favorite films. I must admit, I was not disappointed. There’s so much to analyze from capitalism, consumerism culture, environmental concerns, and human rights issues. One viewing for this film is not enough to uncover Miyazaki’s whole message. Although it is an anime, I feel that this is one that adults may enjoy and appreciate more than children for its social commentary. Nevertheless, it is a film that transcends age and national boundaries making it a film that anyone can relate to. Out of all the films we’ve watched this semester, this is one I plan on re-watching.

Social Commentary

The Importance of Your Name

The first scene, we, as an audience, encounter the importance a name holds is when Yubaba takes Chihiro’s name from her and renames her Sen. In the scene, we see Yubaba sucking up Chihiro’s name from the contract and leaving her with only a part of her full name. Interestingly, if you look closely enough, Chihiro misspelled part of her last name. 

Though it is highly unlikely that she knew of the importance of retaining her name  – Haku only warns her afterwards that Yubaba enslaves people by taking their name away from them – this emphasizes the idea that a name represents someone’s identity. In taking away names from her workers, Yubaba takes away people’s freedom of thought and free-will and disables them from questioning her authority much like the societal structure we live in today. This especially rings true in Japan’s society in which hierarchical structures are, in many cases, based off age. While this practice has its pros in that the population at large respect their elders, it also reaps problems in which situations that should be based on merit may be overridden solely by who in the group is the oldest. Chihiro represents the antagonist to such structures and is able to save her parents and Haku, because she stays true to herself and her values.  

Money ≠ Happiness

Miyazaki quite obviously critiques the way in which capitalist society causes people to put money on a pedestal throughout the film’s screen time. This is prominently depicted in the scene where No Face shells out gold coins and the bathhouse workers immediately pick it up in a crazed manner. The workers only curry his (?) favor because they love his money and the status it brings him – not No Face, himself. Each mistakenly seem to believe that money will solve all their problems. After all, their lifestyle stems from only being able to work in a place that offers minimum wage at best and in which the working conditions are poor. However, Yubaba demonstrates that money may buy the tools to be happy, but does not necessarily correlate to a person’s level of happiness. Since, though, she may be financially well-off, she does not have enough time to spend time with her baby Boh who is the ultimate source of her happiness. In this sense, she also falls victim to the pitfalls created by capitalist societies. 

Also, can I just say that the ending song is exquisite!? It’s been one of my favorites for a long time, even though I had never watched Spirited Away the whole way through. 

Here’s a link to a beautiful rendition by the original singer, Youmi Kimura: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdO2X0QlYYI.

I also like this version by Ukrainian singer, Nataliya Gudziy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQJog0rs7Eg. The slower tempo fits the piece well and her personal connection to the lyrics represent the universality of Spirited Away’s themes. 

[nanafilmclass]

I really loved reading your takes on the film! I had never noticed Chihiro spelled her name wrong and I think that’s a really important part of the movie. I also agree that this film critiques capitalism and how money is seen in society. Many of Miyazaki’s films touch on topics like this, even though a majority of them are targeted to kids. I think he does a good balance of making it thought provoking but still understandable to children. His work shows that animation isn’t just for children, but for everyone. Animation should be appreciated by all, I think. Also I find it funny that even though his work technically is anime, he dislikes anime(especially modern anime) quite a bit.

[senior-year-blog-project]

My favorite part of this movie was the name stealing aspect. I thought that was so interesting. As I watched this movie growing up I realized how important it was. That is one of my favorite parts of having watching this movie multiple times. I begin to understand parts of it more and more through the years. There is a lot to unpack in this movie and that’s what makes it such a good movie. The rewatchability is insane.

[senior-year-blog-project]

Spirited Away

Spirited Away is a comfort watch for me at this point. I love Ghibli movies and this one was one of my first. I have seen this movie at least 10 times at this point in my life. I took a class at UF once about Japanese media and its connection to Western Literature. In this class, we talked about how Spirited Away is connected to Alice in Wonderland. I think this is a very interesting comparison and can be seen in a lot of ways. This story is defiantly a coming-of-age story for Chihiro. She must figure out a way to get her name back and leave with her parents.

I think control based on your name is a very important aspect. In many different prisons and death camps around the world, the first thing they do is strip you of your name. Your name is often your identity and how you can stay grounded. However, in this movie, Chihiro is stripped of her name which Is her identity. She must figure out how to get it back and in a roundabout way find her true self. This is a great setup for a fun coming-of-age story about finding your true self.

The bathhouse is my favorite part of this movie. It is beautiful and full of life. There are so many moving parts, and it feels like a real place. The more you learn about it the more you find yourself getting lost in this world. You find that these people are all entrapped and being controlled. They are trying to get money and figure out their own lives. It is also a great place for this movie to occur because it feels both friendly and hostile at the same time.

My favorite part of this movie is when they go to see Zeniba and she gives the group food and talks to them. It is such a cute part of the movie. It is very nice and quaint and connected with nature. Ghibli movies are known to be connected to nature and spirits. It takes a lot of reference from spirituality and Japanese culture. That is what sets this movie apart from so many other animated movies. There is a deep love and tradition within it. It feels so grounded yet so mystical at the same time. This is the mystique of a Ghibli movie.

This movie is stunning from all the carefully crafted shots or just the drawing style itself. You are never bored or looking at something useless. Instead, every single shot and drawing is so important. All of it is crafted with the fact of connecting spirituality with humanity. Thinning this line opens the ability to tell very powerful stories. This is something that is deeply entrenched in the movie’s art style.

[nanafilmclass]

Sukiyaki Western Django [Miike Takashi]

Initial Thoughts

This movie was such an interesting watch. I was expecting something silly but not this silly. I did enjoy this film, but it was very confusing at parts. The balance between being serious and comedic wasn’t done well. I really enjoyed the comedic parts and I felt that the serious parts didn’t fit as well with the tone. There are some movies that can balance this well, but I felt this one didn’t do it as well as others. Still, it was enjoyable. This film reminded me of Blazing Saddles, another comedy Western film. That film also has an overarching, serious plot, but that film felt more cohesive to me than this one. Some of the shots in this movie were gorgeous too. However, some felt way too saturated and hurt my eyes.

My Interpretation

This film has a comedic take on the classic one family versus another story. Watching this film, it reminded me a lot of the Hatfields and McCoys, which was a real event. They even mentioned War of the Roses, which was a historical event of feuding families. I thought this movie showed the absurdity of these family feuds well by making all the violence exaggerated. The comedic aspect pokes fun at this old story trope, even mentioning Shakespeare who was known to use this trope often in plays.

One thing I noticed when watching this film is the choice of costuming. Some characters are in classic western attire, and some are in modern clothes. Heihachi wears a hoodie which is definitely not period accurate. This didn’t take me out of the film though, but rather added to the absurdity of it. We are left unsure of the time period, which makes the comedic aspect even better. To add to it, they rarely used Japanese and the first time we ever hear any is from the American guy, which made the film even more silly.

To touch back on the balance of serious and comedic, I think the serious moments really took me out of the film. The part where Shisuka’s husband dies and then she is chased and almost raped was gut-wrenching to watch. The actress did a fantastic job at acting and her screams were painful to hear. This scene contrasted with all the comedic scenes is just odd. It feels like there were two different movies happening, a serious western and a comedic western. I wish the two had blended together better, because overall I did enjoy the film.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I really like the point you make about the serious parts of this movie ruining the rest. This movies seems to know that it is absurd and not serious at all. Which is why it is very strange when you see parts that are serious or overly grotesque. It pulls you out of the movie and displaces the entire feeling it created from the beginning. In this way I think the movie suffers from being too self aware. I think this is because the movie knows it’s kinda dumb so it believes it can get away with being serious at some points. However, this does not work out at all. Instead it creates inconsistencies that tank the movie in my opinion. 

[senior-year-blog-project]

Sukiyaki Western Django

Sukiyaki Western Django is probably the strangest movie we have watched. Before I watched it I looked it up and was immediately very excited to see what it was about. When I pitched it to my friend all I told him was it was a western with Quentin Tarantino and he was immediately on board. When the movie started, I was surprised by how the movie was in English. However, it was easily my favorite part of the movie. Hearing these classic western lines said with such weird intention was amazing. It matched the entire vibe of the whole movie.

I want to say I enjoyed this movie however, I simply can’t for various reasons. The biggest reason however is the grotesque assault scene in the middle of the movie. There was simply no need for it to be in the movie. It was gross and went on for too long. It didn’t match the tone of the rest of the movie at all. I can’t forgive a scene like this at all. It was vile and sinister. There is no excuse to include a scene like this. It took me out of the movie entirely. After that scene, it was hard for me to get back into the movie. There were definitely some enjoyable parts.

My favorite part of this movie had to be the set pieces. The mixture of western architecture and design with feudal Japanese influence was amazing. The beginning of the movie had a painted background. It was so pretty and did a good job setting the tone of the movie. For the rest of the movie, you get to see a shanty town with feudal Japanese influence. The set did a good job selling the rest of the movie and the vibe. In the same vein, the commitment to how stupid this movie is was amazing. The movie knew it was dumb and it played into that. This makes the movie so much better because it doesn’t take itself seriously. The few parts that it does are the weakest points of the movie. The plot about the child was so annoying to me. I knew the creator knew this because he had the child have two strands of different colored hair. This is knit picky and an opinion, but it just bothered me.

The implications of this movie are fun. I think it’s a bit of a fool’s errand to take anything away from the plot itself. However, this being a spaghetti western made in Japan is fun. It shows that anyone can make any type of media. That’s about as much as I can glean from this movie. This movie pays homage to countless other westerns and japans films. I think this is cool and can only be something done in modern media. The state of current movies is very derivative and always includes homages. It’s hard to watch a movie these days that doesn’t steal a shot from a movie that it is somewhat paying homage to. In that way, I cannot say that this movie does much for that whole point. This is a movie that is fun because it doesn’t take itself seriously. However, this movie is plagued with some glaring issues that I cannot separate from the rest of it. I can’t confidently say I loved this movie.

[rengokusflamingbussy]

Sweat Bean

I absolutely loved this movie, it has such a simple but heartfelt story with gorgeous scenery and shots sprinkled throughout the story; ngl I cried for the entire last 30 minutes of this movie.

I think that the main message of this film is that you have to look beyond the surface of things or rather look into something in order to understand and appreciate it; I would describe this film as a story of interiors and exteriors, that are seen in both people and places. This idea is first expressed in the dorayaki itself, as it is only once Tokue uses her An in the dorayaki that Sentarô actually enjoys it. 

Of course the film then shows that gaining a better understanding of things is not always easy, as Sentarô and Tokue have to rise early and spend hours preparing the An. However, this process is what allows Tokue to impart her ideas of stories to Sentarô even if he doesn’t realise it a first. 

The other way that the film explores this idea of interior and exterior is through Tokue herself. Although the only part of her appearance that is physically changed by the leprosy is her hands, she is still discriminated against and literally cast out from society. Yet despite this, she is a very kind and caring person who holds no anger towards the world or society. Similarly, the neighbourhood in which she lives is given negative connotations because of the people living in it, yet it is arguably one of the most scenic locations in the film. 

It is interesting, that this is the only place in the film that is dominated by nature rather than by the city. Perhaps this is done to highlight the way Tokue is more in tune with nature than the other characters, as she weaves stories from all parts of nature. I think this also links with her ability to see into people as well, as she did with Sentarô, she empathised with him and saw that he had a story to tell. 

Sentarô’s decision to leave the shop and have is own smaller stand is not only a way for him to escape his situation and the interior he was stuck in but also as a way to find his passion for dorayaki and become closer to Tokue. It is significant that his stall is outside, as it shows that he is now free from his burdens and is able to tell his own stories now. 

[saran-bar]

Wow! That analysis was on point! I think you really were on point when you said this is a film discussing the interiors and exteriors of people and places. I also noticed the importance of nature in the film. At the end when reading Tokue’s letter she talks about how she saw the sad gaze in Sentaro’s eyes which remained all throughout and especially when Tokue passed away. Afterwards, however, when Sentaro was selling dorayakis out in the open his face was completely lit up. I definitely agree that he was connecting to Tokue through the nature. Also, he was giving happiness to people and receiving it as well. It was a really beautiful film indeed.

[jessiepinkmanlover]

I love the way you brought up exteriors and interiors as a way of understanding the message this movie is trying to deliver. I understood this movie really was trying to look beyond the surface level hardships of life but didn’t really connect it to exteriors and interiors. This analysis made me appreciate this film even more so than I already did as I really connected the dorayaki’s to the inner beauty of life. This movie was so so beautiful.

[willow-the-wisp-13]

Woah I also love your point on the interior and exterior. I hadn’t noticed that before reading this post. I also felt that the use of nature versus man made environments in the film was interesting as well. Overall, I felt that this film was extremely real and heartfelt.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I really like this interpretation of the story. I think one of the most important parts of this story is Sentaro finding his own peace. I think he does this by understanding Tokue and her philosophy on life. He was able to understand that even someone who was outcasted and pushed out can still be happy. In this way he is able to forgive himself and find his own way. This makes him very close to Tokue and who she was. 

[senior-year-blog-project]

Sweet Bean

Sweet Bean wasn’t exactly what I expected from this movie. I knew it would be a shift from the movies that we had been watching. However, this movie wrecked me. After reading the synopsis I was ready for a fun cooking adventure with some sad elements. Instead, I was met with a tale of being an outcast and the pain it causes. As soon as I saw Tokue I looked at my friend and asked the odds that she dies by the end of the movie. Even though I knew it would happen it was still devastating.

Before I talk about the plot, I want to talk about the way this movie looks. It is stunning. There were a ton of long shots of nature and other things. In this way, it felt reminiscent of Ozu. I loved the way this movie presented itself. It was somber and very idyllic. In this way, it made the viewer very introspective. The shots of talking and other things were very close and personal. This helped the movie feel tight and like you were getting to know these people.

The story for this movie is very much about accepting yourself and finding happiness. Tokue was shoved out of society from a young age yet still found a way to be happy. Her whole purpose in this movie is to help Sentaro find his joy again. When we find this out it is too late for Sentaro to tell Tokue how he feels about their relationship. It was painful seeing him not say those last words to her. It felt like he was robbed. However, I liked the fact that he didn’t tell her his story. It makes it so much better knowing that Tokue didn’t know what he did. Instead, she simply saw the same pain she felt in him and wanted to help. Someone who was kicked out of society cares so much about the fellow people that she helps no matter how old she is. It was a truly moving story. When it all comes together, and you learn everything it puts everting into perspective.

Other than being a story about moving forward and finding joy this movie is very much about being disabled in society. Just because Tokue is disabled and old she is seen as a burden. However, without her helping Sentaro would have continued to run a middling dorayaki shop. While Tokue couldn’t do certain tasks she was able to run the shop without Sentaro. This movie shows how just because someone looks a certain way doesn’t mean you can assume what they can do. This part of the movie is very nice.

[animejanaihontounoeigasa]

Pulse - Kurosawa

For this discussion post I will be discussing Pulse by Kurosawa. I had heard that this movie was scarier than Ringu, but honestly did not scare me that much. I will admit that the glitchy computer ghost were a bit freaky, but not much beyond that. I was waiting for the biggest scare like the stare in Ringu, but it kind of just doesn’t happen in this movie. What you really feel is the haunting presence of the ghost throughout the movie. This feeling of dread caused by the constant presence of the ghosts really added to the atmosphere. It honestly felt like no matter where you went you were always within there sphere of influence. That was one thing I think Kurosawa did better in this film than was done in the Ring. Sadako didn’t seem when you weren’t near a television, but the ghosts in Pulse felt like they were literally everywhere. This feeling of dread is part of Kurosawa’s style, which is enhanced by his framing techniques through the movement of characters and the presence of things not in frame.

The ghosts in combination with the haunting city, as it got emptier and emptier just made the film feel eerier and eerier. The way people faded into nothingness was honestly pretty chilling. The ghosts said that if one was alone and isolated, they were already dead (spiritually), which lead to the characters giving up their will to live and turning into the shadows. The way the city felt so empty honestly reminded me a lot of Shin Megami Tensei, specifically Nocturne. I don’t know if it’s version of Tokyo, after the conception, was inspired by Pulse (considering it was released 2 years later) everyone turns into ghosts, and it feels just as eerie and empty as Pulse’s world at the end.

The main message of pulse was to show how technology effects society as a whole. Kurosawa tries to show a negative aspect of technology, by showing how it literally isolates people. It is through technology that the ghosts are able to enter the human living world and infect people with loneliness. It isolates people to the point that it feels like they no longer exists, thus turning into the shadow.

I initially did not think much about the films message when seeing it the first time, but when looking back on it I feel like I can really resonate with the film’s message. Despite the world being more connected than ever before through social media, it often feels like we are even more isolated than before. I often feel like we can get trapped in the digital world to the point where we are isolated from the real world.

Also I was not sure if the red tape on the door was supposed to be an allusion to the blood painted on the door frame from Passover, as that was what it reminded me of.

I did think the movie went on a bit too long at the end, but I did enjoy the movie overall. I really enjoyed the special effects for the ghosts, as it made them very spooky.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I really like what you had to say about the movie. One of my favorite parts of it was the ambiance. The vibe created by the music and the lighting was perfect. The movie was very eerie. I feel like it was decently scarier than Ringu. It maintains an eerie feeling throughout the movie. While there wasn’t a big scary moment there is more tension. At points Sadako didn’t even feel like a problem. However in this movie there is a continuous tension.

[senior-year-blog-project]

Pulse

While this is not my first-time watching pulse it is the first time that I finish it. The first time I watched this movie I was extremely tired and ended up passing out after the first 15 minutes. I knew then that this movie was very promising. Having finally watched through all of it I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Having two concurrent plots about the same event taking place is very interesting. We get to see how this affects people in different ways. Mattie has a very ghost-heavy and suicide-heavy adventure. While Ryosuke has a much more personal and intimate journey with this phenomenon. Seeing both sides of this we get a better picture of what is going on.

I am a sucker for techno horror. I think when done correctly it taps into an innate distrust that we have of our technology. A lot of scenes in this movie are very reminiscent of dark web-type clips. It feels like a red room scenario in a lot of cases. Especially when watching the clip of the man with the bag over his head. This voyeuristic way of showing the ghosts makes it even scarier. I would say that the scenes with the ghosts on the computer are scarier than the ones in person. Those scenes seem to lack the tension of the computer scenes. My favorite of these scenes is the Harue scene. In it, the computer displays her room and her. She then goes towards the source of this point and hugs whatever is looking at her. This was a very creepy scene. This again taps into an innate fear of technology. You can always see people covering up their cameras and microphones, so they are not being watched. That feeling with technology is always unsettling.

My least favorite part of this movie is the ending. The movie seems to lose its grip at some point and enter a stage of lunacy. Between Harue turning into a bag person and a plane falling on the city, there was a lot to unpack with the ending. Especially with the city being on fire. I mean who lit some of these cars on fire. It’s confusing and a bit absurd. This is juxtaposed with the rest of the movie which is very somber and minimal. So, seeing this shift is very jarring. I don’t hate the ending, but the abrupt cut and happy rock song don’t inspire any good feelings within me.

The music in this movie is my favorite part of this movie. It is haunting and technological. It gives that perfect sense of eerie and unknown. At all parts of the movie, I found myself just listening to the music and ignoring the other parts of the scenes. I just loved the ghost scene music every time it came up. I also loved the general theme that was played during exposition scenes. The soundtrack elevates this movie and helps make it scarier. Without a soundtrack this good I feel the movie would have been lacking.

[willow-the-wisp-13]

Ring....

Well… that was scary. I thought it would be worse but it was still quite scary…

I don’t really want to look up photos of this movie and accidentally run into frightening screencaps, so no pictures in this blog post. However, because I wasn’t looking at the scary things, I was instead focusing on the use of numbers in the film which ended up being quite interesting. 

Numbers:

B4

Let’s start off with the first number in the film: B4. Honestly, this number has two interpretations - one in English and one in Japanese. In English, the hidden meaning is quite clear: B4 = Before. Yet, it isn’t until the end of the movie that the viewer realizes that this is a hint into where the body is since it is found under the building labeled B4. The Japanese meaning takes a bit of thought but, I believe it could be a play on the number “24″. In Japan 24, is considered an unlucky number because it sounds like “two deaths” (ni-shi). 4 will come up a lot in this film since it is the most unlucky number since it sounds like “death.”

54-4226

Breaking the numbers into parts, 54 is the first combo in this sequence. While this is technically a stretch, this could be a multilingual joke on “go die” with 5 = go and 4 = shi. 

42 is actually a restricted number in japan since it sounds like “to die” and is never used as the last numbers on a license plate (note that these numbers appear in the middle to make it plausible)

26 is an interesting last number combo to appear since 26 in numerology is typically associated with doomsday. This is because 2+6=8 and 8 is thought to be the number of disaster. 

7:01 (some time after seven)

The main protagonist’s time of watching the film and predicted time of death is tied to the number 7 for the number days of the week, which are also the days she has left.

77-3265

At the end of the film, the license plate on the car changes to show this one which is absent of the number 4 - predicting no death is on the horizon. Other than the absence of the number 4, I think the 77 is supposed to bring comfort and good fortune at this point in the film. 

[nohkabukihere]

This is a really interesting dive into something I never would have thought about! I particularly find the analysis of 54-4226 cool. I’m not familiar with the Japanese language so this is something I never would have been able to notice, but I think the use of numbers like this that are considered bad or unlucky could definitely be intentional

[senior-year-blog-project]

Holy heck! This is so cool. I did not really pay attention to the numbers in this film at all. However, I love this interpretation and what you were able to spot. I would have never looked at the numbers on license plates as a deeper message. This movie had a lot of meanings hidden within itself. That’s why I loved the video and everything else. It creates an atmosphere that is very haunting. It reinforces this by putting clues everywhere that turn into something deeper. From the beginning it is clear that there is something deeper going on. As the movie unfolds and you learn more it is very satisfying.

[senior-year-blog-project]

Ringu

I barely remember watching Ringu for the first time in middle school. However, the parts that I did remember stood out to me. There was just a general feeling of unease watching this movie. I think the movie does a good job portraying that thru its methodical shots. My favorite part of this movie was how it was structured. I loved watching the days pass and the dread increase. It helped sell home the anxiety of the movie and what was happening. It felt like every day they need to be doing something or it was going to get worse. I also loved how Sadako was a very minimal presence in this movie. In a lot of modern horror and slasher, it seems that the movie is obsessed with showing you the demon or monster. However, this movie chooses to keep the tension high by refusing to give you a clear look at Sadako. That is why at the end of the movie seeing her eye is even more intense. The same goes with the details on her nails. It feels like you truly only get to see Sadako near the end of the movie. However, you get to see glimpses and the product of her rage. This fills the movie with a healthy tension that keeps the viewer engaged.

I enjoyed the characters in this movie. I never felt like I hated any of them. Usually, in horror movies, you tend to feel like a kill is unearned. Means you don’t really feel bad for the death and it just kind of happens. When Ryuji died, I felt bad about it. It felt like it was a kill that earned my attention. This is something that horror movies rarely get right. I enjoyed Reiko’s character as the protagonist of this story. It felt like their teamwork got them through this ordeal. It never felt super strained or super forced which can happen often in horror movies.

Looking into the deeper meaning of this movie I am left a little clueless. Part of me wants to say that it is a movie that speaks about the tension between tradition and advancement. A reason I think this is the way Sadako kills people. She does it through a tape. This blends mysticism right into technology. By the end, we know that Sadako is a creation of pure rage. Therefore, Sadako’s rage permeates itself even through technology. It’s almost the anger of the denial of the spiritual. Another example I have is how the characters in the demonstration scene were all in suits except for the people conducting esp. The older people in the movie as well were in traditional clothing. This is less of a concrete example, but I thought it was interesting. Overall, I enjoyed this movie. I love horror movies a lot. Seeing this made my week better.

[yojimbroo]

Swallowtail Butterfly - Shunji Iwai

Swallowtail Butterfly by director Shunji Iwai  was an interesting movie to watch, it had many aspects that I was a fan of and other parts of the film I was just a bit confused by. I think most of the confusion stems from the fact that the film appears to have so many different plot points that putting it all together took some effort on my mind. There was the obvious main plot 

of Glico and Ageha and the bond that they built, both coming from what seems to be difficult pasts. However, throughout the film there seems to be other plot points which carry the same amount of importance which made the movie seem like it had multiple genres all at once. There was the journey of Ageha and Glico, then there was the band that was built which made Swallowtail Butterfly appear to be one of those films about a band going through the trial and tribulations that bands go through, and then there was the Yakuza like issues when it came to Ryo Ranki in which I felt was never really touched up on. It was clear that there were these groups of gang members who really wanted this cassette that had this tape which allowed them to make counterfeit money but I would have liked to see Ryo Ranki have more time in the film and maybe a scene where he connects with the rest of the cast.

   A major part of the film that I found really interesting was set in this near future environment where it seemed there was a blend of cultures all placed in Japan. I thought it was really interesting how it seemed the general consensus was that English was spoken by everyone so there could be a means of communication between everyone. I will say I think this made it a bit harder for the actors to act a bit more naturally. I don’t think the acting was bad at all by anyone but I did think there may have been a few moments where they came off a bit awkward, but it was mostly due to the language. This is totally fine of course, speaking a non native language is already not an easy task so I can only imagine having to juggle acting and speaking in a different language is not any easier. 

Overall, I was a fan of the film. I don’t think it was very difficult to follow along and I for the most part understood the key moments of the film. I just did have moments of mental whiplash when the movie seemed to be juggling more than one identity when it came to its genre.     

[senior-year-blog-project]

I think the movie at times wanted to be so many different things. I think this a product of wanting to build the world out. Having all these different plots let’s the movie show a lot of different aspects of the world. My favorite part of this movie was the future they created. It felt very grounded. It wasn’t a super high tech future instead it was very realistic and mimics a lot of what we see now. I think that is what makes the movie so interesting. I do agree that these plots do get very muddled at points. Not everything is fleshed out to the degree that I wanted. Especially the plot involving Ryo and his gang. I think it would have been very interesting to see more about the different gangs. However the movie decided to use the gang as a back plot to move the movie along. While it was cool I would have wanted to see more as well.

[senior-year-blog-project]

Swallowtail Butterfly

Swallowtail Butterfly was one of the strangest movies we watched. I did not know what to expect from the synopsis of the movie. What I got was a weird take on futurism that focused a lot on a globalist approach. The idea of a boomtown that attracts tons of immigrants is very cool. The weird futurism added a great element to this. It felt like a booming city that kept some rural wastelandish elements. This created a great backdrop for this movie. I think the idea of having people who grew up in Japan and don’t know their native language is a great addition to the movie. It is very reminiscent of America and how people grow up not knowing their native language. I know many Pakistani children who don’t know how to speak Urdu properly. Not using it often also has made me slip off in that aspect. Having this in the movie shown through white people not knowing English was so cool to see. The idea of the third culture movement was such a fun idea. I just loved seeing how it mimicked some of the aspects of American life and the idea of a melting pot.

Ageha was a very interesting main character. It was a character that had no roots and was trying to figure out life with what she was handed. This is the perfect character to navigate this strange future world. It was interesting seeing her adapt to the culture that surrounded her and learning Chinese. In this sense, she was connecting more with her roots while adapting to the world. It was also fun seeing rampant late-stage capitalism grip the people in this movie. You got to see how much money being the driving force of existence changes people. It makes people do things that are out of character. Like Feihong selling Glico. This was a very interesting part of the movie that again mimicked real life and a lot of problems with current society. We get to see what this does to Ageha as she goes through the movie. She truly believes that money can solve her problems at one point. That is why when she burns it all it feels so gratifying. It feels like a real lesson was learned and that there was true growth.

I loved the diversity in this movie. It felt like a melting pot of different cultures and races. This was even more interesting when looking at the language barrier that some characters had. This added such a cool element to the movie that helped show how life in this kind of society can be difficult. I loved the world-building in this movie. From the shots of the city to the wasteland-looking desert. It felt like it was an actual place that was in the future. Like it wasn’t a Bladerunner esque super future. Instead, it was very grounded while maintaining a future element. It felt very refreshing having a realistic futuristic city.

Sources:

http://2016.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=220

https://www.filmlinc.org/films/swallowtail-butterfly/

[animejanaihontounoeigasa]

Hanabi - Takeshi Kitano

For this discussion post I will be discussing the movie Hanabi (Fireworks) by Takeshi Kitano. Hanabi was an interesting movie that revolved around ex-police officer Nishi, as he struggles to accept the fact that his wife is dying, the trauma of his comrades dying, and his misadventures in the criminal underworld.

The first thing I noticed in the movie was the fact that Nishi was almost always wearing sunglasses. He would even be wearing them inside sometimes, which is just really weird. My guess is that they had some kind of symbolic meaning, perhaps when he is wearing his sunglasses he is putting on a persona or is hiding his true self.

You can always feel this kind of weird dissonance when watching the relationship between Nishi and his wife. The fact that he planned this trip and spent a bunch of time doing things with her shows that he cares for and loves his wife, but on the other hand you can clearly see the distance between Nishi and his wife. This culminates in the scene where it is implied that he shoots his wife and himself with the last two bullets in the revolver he got from the yakuza thug. You can tell something bad was going to happen for two reasons, one was the suicide painting that the guy in the wheelchair drew, and the other was that he was wearing sunglasses while spending time for his wife for the first time. When looking back through the film I checked to see where he was wearing his sunglasses, and he never wears them with his wife until that day, so you knew something was up. This really built up the tension in a subtle way, and since the day goes on for so long it just prolongs this uneasy feeling.

You also get this feeling when he is talking to his old coworkers, as the interactions with them just feel really awkward. Things must have not been the same after the death of Tanaka, and it broke the social dynamic between Nishi and the crew. The dissonance may also be due to Nishi’s violent streak, where they mention being scared of him when he lost his temper and unloaded his gun into a dead body. In the past when he’s at the sushi restaurant with one of his coworkers, Nishi still has the glasses off, so he is still his true self at this point. You can tell by the fact that his interactions still seem genuine at this point.

Nishi also does not were sunglasses when he is preparing for and carrying out the bank robbery, and when he confronts the yakuza for the final time. I think this is because the excitement and thrill of it helped him to feel alive and brought him out of his sadness and disillusionment. This and the time spent with his wife were the only times he felt like himself, so they show him without sunglasses.

The fact that no one comments on Nishi wearing sunglasses pretty much all the time leads me to believe they are symbolic, and that Nishi isn’t actually really wearing any literal sunglasses. They are just a way that Kitano communicates to the audience that Nishi isn’t his true self at that moment, and that he is putting on a persona.

I also really liked the scene where the guy comments on Nishi’s wife watering dead flowers since his quote, “It’s no use watering dead flowers”, pretty much sums up the problem Nishi found himself in with his wife. That’s probably why it made Nishi so mad, to the point that he beat the guy up for saying it.

There were also all the paintings done by the guy in the wheelchair, which some were obvious representations of what was going on in the movie, others were predictions of what would happen (such as with the suicide painting), and there were others where I was not sure what they meant. There were a lot of paintings of ‘flower animals’, I’m not sure if they were supposed to mean something? I’m not super familiar with flowers and what they represent, so this part kind of just went over my head.

As for my thoughts on the film, it was honestly very interesting. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out Nishi as a character, understand the symbolism, and anticipate what crazy thing would happen next. The soundtrack for this movie was great, and had this kind of jazzy feel to it. Nishi was also just pretty cool, the fact that he was able to take down the thugs with no effort was so awesome.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I wasn’t even thinking about how he was wearing his sunglasses in that final scene with his wife. I think that is a really cool analysis of this movie. I think that Nishi definitely lost himself after the incident. I think this is portrayed not just by his violent streak but also the flashbacks he has. When we finally get to see him shoot the guy that injured and killed his partners we get to see the shock on his face. It is painful watching this and then just switching back to the heartless Nishi we have during the movie. You can tell it really shook him up. In that sense I don’t think he was hiding himself necessarily. I don’t think there was anything to hide. I think it might have been more of a shame thing. 

[senior-year-blog-project]

Hana-Bi

Hana-bi was the most action-packed movie we have watched. I was thoroughly enjoying myself throughout the whole movie. This movie felt like something my dad would watch with me. Nishi seemed like the classic silent yet strong character that every middle-aged man could fall in love with. He has a kind heart and a soft spot for his wife and partners. This is juxtaposed by his John Wick level of skill in taking down his foes. I enjoyed watching him batman his way through the Yakuza with ease. I was never really worried about Nishi when it came to facing the Yakuza.

Nishi’s entire life revolved around his wife Miyuki. The whole reason he took the money from the yakuza was her. When it all failed it broke his heart, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. He was resolved to make some memories with his wife before she passed. However, the Yakuza couldn’t get off his back. Honestly, I felt that Nishi would eventually murder his way through the Yakuza. My only concern was why he didn’t do it earlier. It was a little jarring realizing that he could have just shot them all from the beginning. I suppose it would have led to greater repercussions but clearly, there was not much to worry about. 

Some of my favorite scenes in this movie are when Nishi is having a flashback to the event where his partners were shot. It was interesting seeing when that happened and how it affected Nishi. You could tell from his actions that it was something that deeply affected his psyche. My favorite was when we got to watch Nishi shoot the guy that killed and maimed his partners. It was in slow motion, and you could see the surprise and pain on Nishi’s face. This scene was very hard to watch simply because we have only seen Nishi win up to this point. We know that he is an efficient violent machine. However, watching him fail so utterly and lose is very heartbreaking. 

I think the point of this story is that people will do anything for the people they care about. Nishi went to great lengths to make sure that the people in his life could feel happy. It was interesting because you could tell throughout the movie that Nishi himself was not a happy man. However, helping his wife and Horibe probably brought him some joy. He was able to take care of the people he cared for. This movie ends with two gunshots. Presumably, it is Nishi killing himself and his wife. I think this is a strange end to a movie but not one that is surprising. Nishi knew that the cops were not o him and he knew that his wife would be passing away. In a sense, it was a final act of defiance to the circumstance they were put in. They got to die together on their terms.

[formyfilmclass]

Go

­­­­­­­I loved this movie!! It was such a fun watch and I also felt it presented the absurdity of the discrimination that “non-Japanese” populations face in Japan, and did not really hold back in making its message clear. I thought it was going to be a Romeo and Juliet adaptation, but was very pleased with what it was actually about.

Being a Zainichi

The issue of identity and nationality are the main focus of this film, despite Sugihara occasionally reminding us that this is a love story. Sugihara’s status as a Zainichi affects everything he does and almost places limits on what he can and can’t do. He says he has dreams of becoming a doctor or a lawyer, but he also immediately says those are impossible when talking with Sakurai. He and Jong-Il talk about college and reaching high places in the workforce, but Sugihara just simply doesn’t believe in it because he feels he’s not in a position where those dreams are attainable. He also attributes his inclination to fight and to be a delinquent as attributes of being a Zainichi.

However, Sugihara eventually realizes that his status within Japanese society does not represent something tangible, or rather, that the box he has been put into doesn’t define him or have any real meaning in the grand scheme of things. He breaks himself out of this box in many different ways, sometimes without realizing it. For example, when his old classmate asks him to help get revenge for Jong-Il, Sugihara refuses because violence (something he associates with being Zainichi) is not necessary and is just a mindless, unnecessary choice to make. He also decides to go to college, which he previously saw no point in. The only thing holding him back from doing all of these things was the internal prejudices he had towards himself, and by the end of the film, he was able to overcome these obstacles.

I also liked that he had a lot of other characteristics than just being violent and boisterous. He was so focused on being a Zainichi that he didn’t really focus on how he enjoyed reading and learning, or how he liked music and was really excited to go to the opera. Considering how he was reading at a club, these characteristics were pretty obvious to the audience, so it was really nice to see him decide to go to college. (It was also nice to see him decide to pursue higher education because Jong-Il believed that he could… This is slightly off topic, but I gasped when he was stabbed and was very upset.)

Being a Boxing Referee

My favorite scene is probably when Sugihara gets horribly beaten up by his father near the end of the film. However it is not because of the beating, but instead the pure enthusiasm of the taxi driver going above and beyond to celebrate the father’s win.

It’s just so funny, I mean look at him. I love how excited he is that his generation’s representative was able to just overpower the younger generation.

To be more analytical, if we look at it from a modern perspective, the normalcy of physical abuse towards children as punishment really stands out. However, from the point of view of these particular characters, boxing and fighting have been how they come to an understanding. Even though the father beats his son—and makes the point that you have to do whatever you can to win—he understands that Sugihara may have a point in regards to the discrimination they face. They both consider each other’s perspectives and recognize the importance of both, bringing them closer together. It was a nice moment if you overlook the blood.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I really like your analysis of this movie. I also enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie did a great job representing the struggle of being apart of an out group in a society. Like you said it’s interesting how he internalizes these assumptions about himself. In a sense he is letting the external views of his life dictate what he does. I think it is amazing how the movie showed him working through that and the frustration it causes. I also love the plot with the father. While it is clearly abusive and violent I think it is also endearing. There is clearly respect and love there. The moral being that his father sacrificed everything for his child’s future was really heartwarming. It shows how while we are not perfect people we will do incredible things for the people we care about. Obviously it would be better if they didn’t mma fight each other but it’s still nice looking past that.

[senior-year-blog-project]

Go

I didn’t know what to expect from Go. I knew going into it that it would be a coming-of-age story but not much else. This movie dripped with early 2000s energy. The constant references to popular culture and what was going on was very nice. It felt like a product of its time. Everyone loves a brooding young man with clear anger issues. From the beginning of the movie, Sugihara was very relatable and felt like a good protagonist. The movie did a good job painting a very clear message about Sugihara. He wasn’t a bad kid instead he was a product of the various generational traumas and racism that affected him. He wanted to fit in and tried his best at times. However, at one point he became very disillusioned with the whole idea of integration. He realized that he would never be able to find a place within society due to his heritage. This frustration led to Sugihara engaging in dangerous activities that included attacking cops and getting into many fights. The movie did a good job setting up the fact that Sugihara didn’t necessarily want to fight it’s just he felt like he needed to.

From the beginning of the movie, Sugihara states that this movie is his love story. This love story takes a while to start up. However, once it is in motion the movie does a good job building the relationship up. There was a little to be desired from the relationship. I wish there was more time dedicated to building that bond. I only have this criticism because the breakup felt bad but not like it hit hard enough. It hurt when she told Sugihara that they couldn’t be together because he was Korean. It felt like the one safe space that Sugihara had was destroyed. At no point in this movie is Sugihara in peace other than when he is with Sakurai. Seeing how he reacts when she expressed her racist sentiments was saddening. He is very quiet for most of it and then curtly answers her before leaving. You can tell that he is just disappointed and upset more than angry. We then get a scene where he chooses to knock out and then talk to a cop. This is the first time we see Sugihara feel comfortable talking about his feelings to someone. It was even more important because he was opening to a Japanese cop. This cop turned out to be more accepting than most of the people Sugihara had interacted with. It was a nice scene and did a good job showing the process that Sugihara was going through.

I think my favorite part of this movie was Sugihara’s relationship with his father. There was love there. However, there was a lot of anger and resentment. You can tell Sugihara blames his father and resents him due to the struggles he must go through. You can also tell that his father cares about him and wants to see him succeed. However, his father has no way of communicating this healthily. The relationship is so strained that when his father opens to him Sugihara’s only desire is to fight him. That is why when Sugihara states that he knows that his father only became South Korean for his future it felt gratifying. Being a child of two immigrants I understand the struggle and resentment that can be passed down due to that process. However, it is always important to remove that your parents took this dangerous step knowing the consequences. They knew that they wouldn’t be accepted and that they would face many hardships. But they also knew that this was the only way to give their child a real future. This part of the movie was conveyed beautifully and was capped off well.

[willow-the-wisp-13]

Tampopo

Tampopo was a joke take on a “spaghetti western,” or in this case a “ramen western,” taken too far. Despite this, I think the film was very successful in achieving the desired effect, so while it might not be my favorite, I can still appreciate the film for what it is.

One thing that I enjoyed about this movie was definitely the diverging plotlines that all tied together throughout the film. While it seemed sporadic at times, these changes of pace help to keep the viewer watching. If all of these plotlines were separated, I do not think they could stand alone. This isn’t to say they are not good, they just need each other in order to create a full storyline. 

The breaking of the fourth wall in this film, set the tone for how viewers should watch and interpret the film. From this first instance, the man in the white suit shows us that this film isn’t too be taken seriously but will still critique the way people act in the real world. Examples of this that are easy to see come from the business men who all order the same food in an attempt to kiss up to their superiors.

This movie also has a strange connection between food an sexuality. I’m not sure if there is some deeper meaning here, but food in the film becomes a symbol of power. As such, the narrative follows Mrs. Tanpopo as she attempts to become a premiere ramen chef, trying to get a hold of this power and prestige. 

I can’t end this blog post without discussing Goro’s literal take on a ramen western. The literal play on words that are likely the inspiration behind the whole film come to fruition in Goro’s cowboyish attire and chaotic good nature of being. The connection between truckers being Japan’s modern cowboys is a funny thought, but one that has some sense to it overall. 

To conclude, this film is successful in what it set out to do, namely create a comedic ramen western, but it is not one of my favorite films that I have seen in this class.

[senior-year-blog-project]

I really like your take on this movie. I haven’t watched a lot of westerns so there isn’t many connection that I can obviously make out. However, truckers being modern day cowboys is a very funny take. I really enjoyed the small vignettes throughout the movie. I think they were able to keep the movie engaging and break it up in a nice way. I also ended up scratching my head at the sexuality and food concepts brought up. I think it was trying to get at how food is universal. But again I ended up leaving that plot line very confused. I did enjoy how the gangsters dying words were about food.