I really had no idea what I was getting into before watching this film. The story is pretty simple: a woman and her daughter-in-law eek out an existence during a warring medieval Japan by murdering lost or wounded samurai and selling their belongings. Then, a male neighbor escapes from his conscription and returns home, inciting lust, jealously and suspicion. Ooh.
I can't help but say that I was disappointed in the film. But it has a lot of merit to it. First of the all, the black and white photography is absolutely gorgeous and mesmerizing. The soundtrack is also really impressive--I liked it a lot, although it might just be my avante garde background speaking for me. But on top of this, I wasn't particularly impressed. I found myself yawning through the film, even though I fully understood what the film was about and why it was going about doing what it was doing.
I can't say it's because I prefer Hollywood-style film and stories. God knows that I've watched and loved my fair share of films from all over the world. This film, however, with its slow exploration of sexuality was rather uninteresting. Maybe because there was nothing surprising about it? Maybe because I saw nothing I didn't expect? (Outside of the aforementioned photography and soundtrack. I think I'd also have to admit that the editing was pretty neat at times.) I think the problem with the film, for me, is that it doesn't sufficiently build up its characters enough for me to care whether there's lust or not, and whether there's anything really at stake when it's started or stopped. I couldn't care less what happened to the characters. And so there really was nothing but an exercise in film-making set before my eyes. Yes, good craft, but the matter of the film reminds me of one too many film school shorts that I've seen.
Points for the artistry, but boo on the storytelling. I can see why people might like it, but it certainly didn't work for me. 6/10.
I can't help but say that I was disappointed in the film. But it has a lot of merit to it. First of the all, the black and white photography is absolutely gorgeous and mesmerizing. The soundtrack is also really impressive--I liked it a lot, although it might just be my avante garde background speaking for me. But on top of this, I wasn't particularly impressed. I found myself yawning through the film, even though I fully understood what the film was about and why it was going about doing what it was doing.
I can't say it's because I prefer Hollywood-style film and stories. God knows that I've watched and loved my fair share of films from all over the world. This film, however, with its slow exploration of sexuality was rather uninteresting. Maybe because there was nothing surprising about it? Maybe because I saw nothing I didn't expect? (Outside of the aforementioned photography and soundtrack. I think I'd also have to admit that the editing was pretty neat at times.) I think the problem with the film, for me, is that it doesn't sufficiently build up its characters enough for me to care whether there's lust or not, and whether there's anything really at stake when it's started or stopped. I couldn't care less what happened to the characters. And so there really was nothing but an exercise in film-making set before my eyes. Yes, good craft, but the matter of the film reminds me of one too many film school shorts that I've seen.
Points for the artistry, but boo on the storytelling. I can see why people might like it, but it certainly didn't work for me. 6/10.