Tokyo Story (1953)

Director: Yasujirô Ozu
Starring: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura, Sô Yamamura, Kuniko Miyake, Kyôko Kagawa, Shirô Ôsaka
Certificate: U
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

Tokyo Story focuses on an elderly couple who visit their adult children in the Japanese capital. When the two arrive, however, nobody seems to have time for them. Both their daughter and son are too busy with their own lives and treat them as more of a burden to bear. The characters that seem the most interested in the grandparents are in fact the two who are not related to them. Fumiko (Miyake) - the wife of their oldest son - shows a caring for them whilst Noriko (Hara) - the widow of their son killed in World War Two - becomes the kindest person in their visit to Tokyo.

One of Ozu's greatest strengths is the ability to create brilliant, fully fleshed characters that feel like real people. With Tokyo Story, he achieves this to a magnificent degree. Every character feels like a plausible person with their own reasons as to why they act in the way they do. Both Ryû and Higashiyami perform flawlessly as the central couple, never revealing what they actually think due to the society of formality that 1950s Japan was. It is very rare to have an old couple as the central characters of a film - even in social realism, the focus is usually on an individual rather than a duo - which allows the film to hold a unique position in cinema.

The rest of the cast is all flawless. Sugimara portrays an arguably negative view of the modern woman who has stepped away from tradition and does so in a memorable fashion. The most up-front and honest character in the film is also perhaps the most dislikable. Kagawa is brilliant as the young idealist who has not been corrupted by the world yet. It is, of course, Hara as Noriko who stands out due to her complex and conflicted character.

Ozu uses his unique style of shooting to create a film that could be the closest to objectivity possible. The use of low shots, front on faces and lack of camera movement allow us to see the family as if we are within it, not necessarily identifying in any of the characters but rather becoming engaged in their lives.

Tokyo Story also seems to tie the two main themes of Ozu's earlier work together. The idea of modernism arriving and the resignation people must face because of it which was so prominent in There Was A Father and The Only Son is shown by the couple being left behind by their family and their disappointment of their children's lives. The ideas of family being a bond that should not be broken is also extremely prominent. Ozu does not seem to be as hopeful as he was in Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family anymore, with the same event happening in both films but with very different responses.

If you have any interest in Japanese Cinema or Social Realism in general, Tokyo Story is more than worth your time. Ozu has become legendary for his unique and thoughtful way of showing the lives of his characters and this film is known as his crowning glory. Definitely a good introduction to a truly intriguing director.

*****Brilliant

The Fallen Idol (1948)

Director: Carol Reed
Starring: Bobby Henry, Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Denis O'Dea, Sonia Dresdel
Certificate: PG
Genre: Film Noir
Awards: None

Carol Reed's winning streak, starting with Odd Man Out, continues with The Fallen Idol. Adapted from the story by Grahame Greene, the film shows a murder case from the perspective of a child. Believing that his closest friend, butler Baines (Richardson) has killed his wife, Phillipe (Henry) tries to protect him from the police by lying. He only makes things worse, however, as Baines is in fact innocent but broods suspicion due to the secrecy of all the witnesses.

Like Reed's other films, the cinematography is astounding. The noir-ish glare of the exterior scenes are the highlight with the cobbled streets and tall buildings creating a terrifying version of London yet there is a lot of memorable imagery taking place within the house most of the story is set.

Richardson does great justice to the character of Baines, a rabbit caught in the headlights who seems almost defeatist in his calm manner whilst Morgan and Dresdel both play their characters with obvious talent. O'Dea seems to be channelling James Mason in his performance as the detective. It is Henry who steals the show, however, as Henry. He can be both sympathetic and irritating for all the right reasons considering the story. As it is Philipe's story, Henry's performance was vital for the film to work and it does.

Whilst not as ambitious a film as Odd Man Out or The Third Man, this picture tells a smaller story that is just as engaging.

****Good

Spirited Away (2001)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naitô, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashûin
Certificate: PG
Genre: Animation, Fantasy
Awards: Best Animated Film

Spirited Away is often credited as Miyazaki's masterpiece, partly due to the fact that it broke into the mainstream for western audiences, thus allowing Studio Ghibli to become as well known internationally as it is today. The film tells the story of a young girl who travels to a world where the gods life and has to take a job in a bath house where they come to rest in order to save her parents. Throughout the film she learns about the values of tradition whilst keeping hold of the modern parts of thinking that makes her exceptional in this strange world.

The creativity of this film is absolutely amazing. Drawing from the Shinto gods, Miyazaki creates a vast array of memorable and unique characters. There's the greedy witch-like leader of the bathhouse, Yubaba, a strange cloaked character named No Face and three giant green heads that act like dogs just to name a few. Each scene is mesmerising and beautifully animated. The music is also incredibly notable due to its melancholic tune. Spirited Away is a great successor to stories such as The Wizard Of Oz or Alice In Wonderland where we discover a world of wonder and by god is it wonderful.

*****Brilliant

Silence (2016)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Yoshi Oida, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Issei Ogata, Nana Komatsu, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: TBC


It seems almost pointless to say that Silence is a different type of film than the ones that Martin Scorsese is well known for, with so much already being said on how people missed his swinging camera movements and style that made his name, but it is an interesting point to bring up as the film seems to be unfairly compared to films that have nothing to do with it other than the fact that they share the same author.  Silence is not Scorsese first film not to use his most frequent style and hopefully it will not be his last.

The film takes place in 17th century Japan, when the country had isolated itself and outlawed christianity, where two Jesuit priests sneak into the country to try and find their mentor, Father Ferreira (Neeson), who is rumoured to have given up christianity and now lives as a Japanese. On their journey, they meet Japanese christians who have been persecuted by the government.

Scorsese's calm film style seems to be influenced by the Japanese directors of the 1950s, especially Mizoguchi and Ozu whilst the first sequence could come from a colour Kurosawa film. The lingering shots and minimal movement creates a very interesting atmosphere that I enjoyed immensely. It did make the film seem slower yet I think it works as the story is a long meditation on the meaning of faith.

The performances are also solid throughout. As the main lead, Garfield does well - keeping us engaged throughout the character's journey. Driver and Neeson have less to do - In fact Neeson has only a small bit more screen time than he did in Gangs Of New York - yet also perform to good standards. It is the Japanese cast that really stand out though. Oida and Tsukamoto are absolutely fantastic as the christian leaders of their community whilst Kobozuka plays a strange character we both sympathise with as well as become irritated by him.

Silence is not Scorsese's best but it is still a very well crafted, beautiful piece of cinema that is also unique. The themes are incredibly central to viewing the auteur whilst the story and visuals also seem extremely Japanese. Mesmerising and haunting, it is certainly recommended.

****Good