Yasujiro Ozu - Floating Weeds (Ukigusa) (1959) There is something absolutely transcendentally sublime about Ozu. Here, in what was for him a rare color film, he again showers us with visuals of stillness and calm beauty that have to be experienced to really understand what this is all about. There is a story, of course, and it's a good story about a Kabuki troupe, family, loss and rebuilding, but really that is totally secondary. In fact it would be possible to watch this film with no subtitles, not understanding Japanese, and still be awed at the sheer artistry of it all. Ozu is anything but flashy, there is practically no camera movement, the camera is still, often lying on the floor, characters speak straight to camera as you become the eyes of the interlocutor, you are there in the room with the people, not over their shoulder or somewhere in the middle of a wall. But Ozu is most astonishing in moments where there aren't even characters on screen. He is the master of the establishing shot, there are so many shots here of simple beauty due to their simple composition and framing that it is hard not to come away from this feeling kind of elated at how easy Ozu makes the sublime look. (5/5) #yasujiroozu #ozu #movie #film #floatingweeds #ukigusa #cinema #japanese #japanesecinema #cinephile #poster #movieposter #drama #masterpiece #japan (at Lisbon) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8cusvSFsn1/?igshid=1016kpr85uevx
