The Sea is Watching

Placed in the 19th century, The Sea is Watching is the story of a young prostitute geisha, O-Shin, who through tragedy and lost love finds happiness. The story begins when O-shin harbors a young samurai who is fleeing from the authorities after being involved in a small fight. After the incident he returns again and again through the soft falling snow of winter and the bright green grass of spring to visit her. O-shin falls in love with him but the inexperienced samurai only hopes to cleanse her from the sins her profession had incurred. After having her heart broken she again falls in love with a mysterious man who appears one day. His sad, seamlessly hopeless, past bring the couple close together until a thunderous ocean storm appears threatening to destroy everything in its wake. The sea side town evacuates however some are left to face the seas furry and must together try to survive the rising water. The story unfolds similarly as chapters in a book would be read with the main events of the story proceeding amidst the other small and intricate happenings of the other geishas.

The films screenplay was the final film that Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, Dreams) was able to write prior to his death in 1998. Although he was unable to direct the film he left extensive production notes and storyboards. Kurosawa was said to have been inspired by books such as the ones written by Shugoro Yamamoto that he always thought would have made good films. The film is also a response to critics who have said that as a director he has only concentrated on male characters almost completely ignoring women. In this film all of the main characters are women and the male characters that are in the film can hardly be described as nice. The director of the film Kei Kumai faithfully followed what Kurosawa had left behind to create an absolutely beautiful film with vibrant intoxicating colors.

Onibaba

Set in medieval Japan, Onibaba tells a popular folklore story of three peoples struggle for survival and the tragedy that befalls them after encountering a demon mask. In the mist of a war between two emperors fighting for power, Japan’s countryside is ravaged causing the inhabitants, who can no longer till their fields, to do anything to keep from starving. The story centers on a woman and her daughter-in-law who kill samurai that wonder too far away from battle in order to sell their armor and swords for millet. Dumping the bodies down an ancient dark hole the couple lives a meager and simple existence in a hut located in a thick grassy field that sways with the emotion of the characters. One day a neighbor returns home, having escaped the army that forced him to join; he brings the news of the death of the old woman’s son. Conflict arises as the young girl is drawn to the newly returned neighbor and the old woman and the girl struggle over their sexual desires. The old woman is desperate to keep the young girl with her because despite the jealously and hatred she holds for their neighbor without the girl she cannot kill the lost samurai on her own. However, we come to see that not only snakes live in the grassy field but also sometimes demons wonders through. The mask taken from this dead samurai brings misfortune upon the group leading to their tragic demise.

The lust portrayed in the film represents the basic element of human life as expressed in this simple existence. The director, Kaneto Shindo, chose to use black and white film for this movie, despite color being the standard at the time. He hoped this would further portray the simple elements surrounding the story of the characters lives without offering the many distractions color would. The film is accompanied by an original soundtrack of percussion instruments and an interesting sound effect of cooing doves to enhance the passion shown by the young girl as she runs through the field to make love with her neighbor.

Twenty-Four Eyes

"The story begins in the spring of 1928 and depicts the heart-to-heart relationship between an elementary school teacher and her twelve pupils on a small island in the Island Sea. The political and economic changes in Japan from the 1920s to the end of WWII are viewed through the eyes of the teacher and her pupils.

Gradually the Japanese Government increased war effects affect this small peaceful island and inevitably, the pupil's destines are tragic. When they reunited with their teacher after the war,only a few girls and a boy blinded during the war attend. It has been a long road for the pupils, teacher and country.

This film moved millions of Japan people since it was produced when the experience of war was still in the living memory of many Japanese people. It is said that people shed more tears watching this film than any other in Japanese film history." Original Source

Coffee Jikou

"A cup of coffee is enough to transform your mood - at least it works for Yoko (Yo Hitoto) in Hau Hsiao-hsiens Coffee Jikou (Cafe Lumiere). Yoko finds her peace in enjoying coffee with her friend Hajime (Tadanobu Asano). With a cup of coffee in her hands, she can retreat from her own problems and stay calm, even for just a while, so that she will have the courage to move on to another stage in her life.

Yoko is a freelance writer researching on the Taiwan-born Japanese singer Jiang Ewn-ye. She knows Hajime, the owner of a shop selling second-hand books, when doing research at his bookstore. Since then the two have spent a good deal of quality time together in coffee shops. One day Yoko discovers that she is pregnant and she announces to her parents, whom she has not met for long, that she decides to become an unmarried mother. Her parents are worried; but Hajime feels even worse for he cannot express his love for Yoko. Meanwhile, Yokos research on Jiang Ewn-ye has inspired her to reexamine her relationships with her family, Hajime, the baby, and many others." Original Source

Un Chien Andalou

A French surrealist silent film from 1929 presents its audience with some of the most striking scenes to ever be shown on the big screen. The opening scene shows a man standing behind a woman with a razor blade then the camera has a close up on the womans face as the man slices open her eye. The scenes in this short film dont really have anything to do with each other and the goal the directors, Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dal, were wanting to achieve was simply to shock the viewers. In the first showing of the film the audience started throwing things at the screen and then charged the projection booth to tear apart and destroy the actual film itself. Needless to say Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dal couldnt have been happier with the reactions the film provoked. Almost every scene is random with a bunch of strange stuff like a hole located in the main characters hand, where ants live. Still though its not to say that the film is just a bunch of independant scenes becuase the film has some sort of story but the story just doesnt make any sense. The film has multiple themes including lust and death. In one scene the main character is trying to rape a woman but then suddenly gets stuck trying to pull two grand pianos, each stuffed with the putrefying remains of a donkey, as he continues to try to move toward her. The accompanying music can make a lot of the scenes in the film seem really funny but then in the next scene you might get freaked out again. Watching this film, although the film is 70+ years old, almost everyone will be shocked by the opening razor blade scene and the other scenes to come. The film is a really interesting part of history but also is still fun to watch as well as being perhaps the stragest film I have ever seen.

The Life Aquatic

A really good movie with Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Cate Blanchett. Its a lot like the directors (Wes Anderson) other films in terms of the conflicts presented in the film. As in his other films (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and the Royal Tenenbaums) there is a conflict between father and son figures. Although, in this film the audience is not sure if the son really is Steve Zissou's son but in the end I guess it really doesnt matter. The film takes place in an ocean theme following a crew of underwater explorers/documentary film makers, much like Jacques Cousteau. The crew has a lot of wacky characters like Klaus the German, played by Willem Dafoe, who sees Zissou as a father figure and is jealous of Zissou's newly discovered son. Team Zissou is past its prime and hasn™t had a good documentary hit in a long time and their equipment and morale show it. Then while making a documentary Zissous partner is eaten by a giant shark whose species is unknown. Zissou and his crew along with some new members to the team and some unpaid college interns set off to capture the shark on film and in Zissous words, "I™m going to fight it, but let it live, now where my dynamite?" The films underwater creatures are beautifully brought to life by stop motion animation. They also have some incredible cut away boat scenes in which they constucted a set the length of a city block. There is a lot of funny stuff and beautiful scenery on top of the great acting. Everyone gets their own glocks, except the interns they have to share one between them, and the fight with the Philippine pirates is unforgettable. Also they have some good music sung in Portuguese like Rock N Roll Suicide along side David bowies, Queen Bitch. Overall its very funny, has great quotes, and is visually captivating. If you really dont like Wes Anderson this movie might be a drag for you but I thought it was great and Bill Murray played his part perfectly as usual.