An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

  'An Autumn Afternoon' (Sanma no aji) is a 1962 Japanese film directed by Yasujiro Ozu.

  In post-war Japan, an elderly widow, Shuhei, attempts to arrange a marriage for his daughter, Michiko. Michiko insists on being single, but Shuhei believes he is holding her back, and if she doesn't get married now, she never will. With the help of his two ageing friends, he tries to find a suitable husband.

  Ozu is often known as the second best Japanese director, directing 50 films over his career (many of them lost). I have seen 14 of them, and they are all masterpieces. My personal favourites are the devastating 'Tokyo Twilight' and the under-appreciated 'The Only Son', but I have enjoyed every single one of them. 'An Autumn Afternoon' is his final film before he died of cancer on his 60th birthday in 1963.

  Throughout his career, he has perfected his unique and unconventional style. This includes filming the characters straight on, keeping the camera close to the floor and keeping the camera stationary. The camera is often placed in unusual places, such as behind the protagonists. Important scenes (like the marriage) are skipped in favour of the melodrama and family interactions, and scenes are linked together by stationary shots of insignificant objects/places (most famous is Ozu's infamous teapot). All of this may sound unusual, but it perfectly fits with Ozu's story and themes. There is nothing like viewing an Ozu film so, if you haven't already, I recommend you do so straight away.

  All of Ozu's films with seasons in the title ('The End of Summer', 'Late Autumn') are similar thematically and stylistically. This film deals with family, friendship and old age, common themes throughout his filmography. Having to say goodbye to the Michiko, the daughter Shuhei has lived with since her birth, is something every ageing parent dreads and is the basis for the storyline. It's not life or death, as Shuhei still has a son to care for him, but the pain of loosing her is overwhelming. Ozu specializes in family dilemmas, combining the subtle comedy of everyday life, and the emotional farewells which occur with age.

  Chrishu Ryu plays the lead of Shuhei, and has a fantastic screen presence. In Ozu films he always played characters much older than him (he was only 58 when making this film), despite him being the typical characteristic of a Japanese elder. He plays the role effortlessly and excellently.

  Japan's loss of the Second World War is present in the film and even though it happened 20 years prior, still has an everyday impact on society. 'An Autumn Afternoon' is the result of 3 1/2 decades of Ozu's experimenting and perfecting, and is a great film to conclude the filmography of one of cinema's greatest directors.

TO CONCLUDE
Typical Ozu excellence. Everything from the use of colour to the the unconventional cinematography are perfection, but its the emotional story, wonderful acting and the joyful soundtrack which excel the film to one of his best works.

SCORE
83

The Missing Picture (2013)

  'The Missing Picture' (L'image Manquante)is a 2013 Cambodian documentary directed by Rithy Panh.

  In the year 1975, the Communist Party of Kampuchea, was elected to power in Cambodia. Their reign lasted 4 years and resulted in widespread famine and the genocide of 1.5-3 million. The Khmer rouge (followers of the party), targeted minorities while banning any type of religion and medicines. Without medicines, Malaria infected many villages and the scarcity of food, wiped out thousands by starvation. Rithy Panh tells of his devastating experiences through one of the worst genocides in modern times, by using stills, news footage and clay figures.

  Clay figures are usually used in children animations, so its strange to see them used for such a serious and harrowing story. The figures are stationary while the camera glides in and out of scenes. Hundreds of different figures, all individually crafted and painted, were used throughout the film which is an impressive achievement in itself. It is a weird technique that hasn't been used before in film (correct me if I am wrong), but is effective as the faces of the victims seem even more haunting when every little detail of their face is hand-crafted.

  The events told in the film are from the directors perspective, when he grew up in Cambodia as a child. It tells how every member of his family died throughout the years 1975-1979. The first-hand view of the atrocities featured in the film tells everything that happened to him, in moving and sad detail. The fact he lost every member of his family, resonates through the entire film, giving the film a bleak and depressing outlook.

  Its a event that is known to people who were alive at the time (my parents), but is rarely mentioned today. I admit that before going into the film, I knew nothing about the Cambodian genocide. This film does well as a educating documentary about the events, while showing the consequences of the misuse of ideology and power.

  It is a staggering documentary, that informs about the Cambodian genocide for the generations that have forgotten the event, and those that never knew it's existence.

TO CONCLUDE
A harrowing and informative documentary about the genocide of millions. I must warn that the film is depressing.

SCORE
73

The Green Ray (1986)

  'The Green Ray' (Le rayon vert) is a 1986 French film directed by Eric Rohmer.

  Summer is about to begin, and Delphine, a single young woman living in Paris, has no plans for the oncoming months as her boyfriend has just broken up with her. She travels to Cherbourg with a friend to spend her vacation there, but she returns to Paris. She avoids going to Ireland with her parents, and decides to go to the Alps instead. She meets a topless Swedish lady on a beach (as you do) and they quickly become friends.

  I am determined to find a good Rohmer film, so much so, I skipped two films in 'The Eric Rohmer Collection' box-set as 'The Green Ray' is often considered his finest work. Although everyone seems to have a different Rohmer favourite, this film is always near the top of peoples lists. It also won the Golden Lion at the 1986 Venice Film Festival, their highest award (An Italian Oscar sort of).

  What I disliked about his other films is that they were not cinematic, they didn't deal with interesting subjects, they were set on the dismal streets of Paris, and they consisted of conversations about love. J'adore this and J'adore that. 'My Night with Maud' was my favourite film by him and most of that was spent in a bedroom talking about love. 'The Green Ray' is different!!! It doesn't do any of the things mentioned above, and is a decent film.

  The subject is the loneliness of a French girl, still recovering from a break-up. She wants to escape it by going on holiday, but finds she can't. There are numerous occasions when Delphine is introduced to men, but each time she refuses them, knowing that love is futile and determined to think that men aren't interesting. Something Delphine learns is that it's easier to deal with loneliness if she looks to the future instead of the past/present.

  The locations include Paris, Cherbourg (Nothern France) and The Alps region (Southern France). Paris is filmed in his usual bland style, but the film gets interesting when she visits the picturesque and sunny Cherbourg. The last thirty minutes of the film is spent in a town by The Alps, that is even more beautiful than Cherbourg, with packed beaches and gorgeous sunsets. The same style camera shots and lighting are used throughout, but it is amazing how much things improve with a great background.

  Not just the location, but the whole film elevates in it's final third. The acting by Marie Riviere is more significant, as her character's impressive reactions show the true feelings of her character. Awkward conversations are told realistically (and quite painfully), while other conversations end in Delphine emotionally breaking down. This is a big step up from her performance in 'The Aviator's Wife'.

  There are still conversations where the characters babble on about mindless twaddle (A Rohmer staple-mark so it appears), especially visible in the first ten minutes where characters just talk about holidays. However, the film is a humongous improvement with great locations, acting, story and there are no scenes set in bedrooms! The mini stories about turning over playing cards and the green ray of sunset are implemented well. The finale is strange, as it builds up tension, and I actually cared about Delphine, two things missing in the previous films I have seen of Rohmer. I may make 'The Green Ray' sound amazing, but honestly, it's still a Rohmer film and the film didn't really get going until the final third.

TO CONCLUDE
It may be the best Rohmer, but  his films are still hard to like.

SCORE
73

The Sting of Death (1990)

  'The Sting of Death' (Shi no toge) is a 1990 Japanese film directed by Kohei Oguri.

  In present day (well 1990) Japan, Miho and Toshio are a married couple with two kids, going through a break up. Toshio is having an affair, which Miho is beyond upset about. Their marriage is in pieces, but they both try and make it work. After a few nervous breakdowns and even a suicide attempt, any attempt at an improvement is hindered by some terrible news about Miho.

  Oguri seems to be the Ozu of the 1980s-90s. Both this and 'Muddy River' are small picturesque films about small families in alarming, but not unusual, situations. This is definitely the most depressing Japanese film I have seen. It holds no barriers to the subject of failing relationships, similar to Antonioni, and shows the affects of the parents actions on the children. They are helpless in the countless fights Toshio and Miho have, yet they are the reason for them staying together. The consequences of cheating has never truly been conveyed in a film, but Oguri attacks the subject with a startling realistic interpretation, that includes suicide attempts, psychotic attacks and (SPOILER 1). The pessimistic story doesn't make for happy viewing. The film's story is somewhere between 'Scenes from a Marriage' and 'A Woman Under the Influence' but this is far more bleak and dismal. At no point does the story uplift the audiences emotions as it is just one gloomy event after another.

  As oppose to 'Muddy River', 'The Sting of Death' is shot in colour, with a limited colour palette, so only bright beige, brown and white colours are visible during the daytime and dark brown and white colours during the night-time. The cinematography doesn't try to be advanced; there are no open views or camera movements, just stationary camera-work with 80-90% of the film set inside. It feels like a film from the 1950s, with traditional houses and no technology. The simple look to the film is it's best aspect, and adds significantly to the depressing atmosphere.

  It's fine to look at, and is fairly powerful, but the film is not enjoyable whatsoever. It's fantastically made, however the tone doesn't make for great viewing.

TO CONCLUDE
Not a great date movie. Pessimistic and dispiriting. Powerful nonetheless.

SCORE
71

SPOILER 1 (highlight)-->a terminal illness<--

Delius: Song of Summer (1968)

  'Delius: Song of Summer' is a 1968 British Biopic directed by Ken Russell, about the composer Frederick Delius.

  Yorkshire born Eric Fenby, moves to the house of paralysed and blind composer Frederick Delius in 1928. Fenby's intention is to aid Delius in finishing his final works, but his impatient attitude, hate for religion and marriage, and his off-tone singing. Fenby's desire of working with an amazing composer seems to be ruined at first, but as time goes on, they gradually create a unique friendship.

  Ken Russell is Britain's Pasolini. His films are audacious and strange, mostly obsessed with sexuality and the church. His films include the 'The Devils', 'Women in Love' and 'Tommy' which feature sexually repressed nuns, nude wrestling and a rock opera about a blind pinball player, respectively. 'Delius: Song of Summer' doesn't fit to any of these, and is taken from a series of TV movies Russell filmed for the BBC called Omnibus. The BFI have released a DVD of the film separate from the series, which is how I watched it.

  The plot sounds identical to the French film 'Intouchables', but the key difference is that this film is scaled down. There is no hand-gliding or drag racing, as the action takes place at a mansion in the countryside. There are no elaborate sets, just the beauty of the small enclosed location and the power of the acting. The cheap black and white cinematography matches the mood of the film.

  There are roughly seven on-screen characters in the film, but it is the acting of the Mr and Mrs Delius and Fenby that elevates this film from mediocre. Max Adrian easily steals the show as the rude, tormented Delius, a performance so great it even makes the viewer feel uncomfortable.

  The story itself is based upon the true story of Frederick Delius, and the book Fenby wrote about their experiences. It doesn't go anywhere near whimsical, and the film is rooted in realism, so the film is powerful and gripping for the short running time (72 minutes).

  The two types of people which would enjoy this film are fans of Frederick Delius and fans of Ken Russell. I belong to neither of these groups, and found the film tells a formulaic story, compassionately and nicely. It is definitely not perfect, but there are a couple of touching scenes, especially the finale. It's a part of Russell's filmography I haven't seen before, and I'll definitely check out the other TV movies in the Omnibus series (if I can obtain them).

TO CONCLUDE
An enjoyable addition to the unseen part of Russell's filmography. The acting is superb, but it doesn't deserve the 8.5 IMDB score.

SCORE
76

The Travelling Players (1975)

  'The Travelling Players' (O thiasos) is a 1975 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos.

  The film chronicles the lives of a travelling actors troupe over the years during and after the second world war. Each time the actors try and act out their play 'Golfo The Sheperdess', something interrupts their performance, so they can never finish it. Such as a bomb siren or bullets being fired etc. The film starts in 1939 at the last year of the Metaxas fascist dictatorship (featured in his previous film 'Days of 36') and finishes in 1952 with the right-wing Greek Mobilization Party winning the election.

  This, almost four hour, film is considered Angelopoulos's best film and the best Greek film ever made. This is my third film of his which I have seen, and it is taken from my DVD set Theo Angelopoulos Collection Vol 1. The long running time and how it is hard to obtain, are the two main reasons why this is a well-known film which not many people have seen. It has no American release, even after the director's death in 2012. Where do I begin reviewing a 222 minute film?

  The film is like nothing I have seen. A Greek epic spanning 13 years, during Greece's most turbulent period of the 20th Century. It's a part of history which I never knew existed, but far more interesting than I could have expected. The film tells us about the fascist occupation, the formation of the EAM (Communist Party: the National Liberation Front), the execution of communist prisoners, British and American involvement and the many street wars between the two parties, resulting in many deaths. All this history is told from the perspective of 'The Travelling Players'.

  It's a huge task to get all of this into one film (hence why it's almost 4 hours). Not only does Angelopoulos manage to do this, but he adds and improves all of his auteuristic techniques used in his two previous films. They aren't showing off techniques used by many directors to make their films different and unique, but they genuinely add to the atmosphere of the film.

  Individual Camera shots last long durations of time, many of which are over 10 minutes. All of the shots are filmed from a medium to long distance from the main characters, feeling like I am not directly involved with the events of the film, but looking from a distance. The closest the camera gets, are the three separate shots when three of the main characters talk directly to the camera. Now it feels like we are intruding into the story, making for some intentional uncomfortable viewing. A normal conversation in a normal film would have constant cutting to the person who is speaking, but here, the camera takes one continual long duration shot from a distance, that sometimes shows the back of the character's heads. Sometimes it's what we don't see then what we do. There is a scene where the Players are lined up against the wall and ready to be shot, but a shoot-out occurs and they escape. We do not see the firefight, but instead see the Players's reaction to it.

  Four hour films are far and few between, but it is even rarer for the film to be constantly engaging and interesting for the entire duration. This is a film that uses every minute of the runtime effectively. It's a monumental film, with large events, hundreds of extras, and impressive location design. It should be a seen by every film fan. Everything from the music, to the locations, take us to a time and a place no other film has taken us to. It feels like a once in a lifetime film, and this is the reason for the high score.

TO CONCLUDE
A film that stays beautiful, powerful and interesting for it's entire 222 minute running time. This is the meaning of the word epic.

SCORE
95

When the Tenth Month Comes (1985)

  'When the Tenth Month Comes' (Bao gio cho den thang muoi) is a 1985 Vietnamese film directed by Nhat Minh Dang.

  During the closing days of the Vietnam War, Duyen is a wife of a soldier who has left for the South Western front. She has a son, Tuan, and lives with her father-in-law's family awaiting his arrival. Duyen gets a telegram that says her husband has died. She hides this from the family, and sacrifices her own personal feelings for the family. The father-in-law has already had one son die during war time, and it is the anniversary of their mothers death. Telling the family now would hurt them, so she withholds the information. She then gets a school teacher, Zhang, to write letters to the family pretending to be the dead husband.

  I never knew a Vietnamese film industry existed. Only China, Japan and South Korea have critically acclaimed film industries, so I was intrigued when I found this film. I had no idea what their cinema would be like. Turns out it's completely different from anywhere else.

  The many wars of the 20th Century has scarred their country. Instead of British and American movies focusing on the hero's of war, 'When the Tenth Month Comes' focuses the effects of war on the family. It approaches the subject with no remorse, and doesn't hide anything from the viewer. It's gritty realism is combined with beautiful cinematography, to create a film unique to Vietnam cinema.

  In some parts it feels like 'Pather Pachali', in other parts it feels like 'Uncle Boonmee who can Recall his Past Lives'. The films inspirations are coming from Thailand, India and China, instead of Japan or the West creating an cultural atmosphere, I have never seen before.

  The story concerns a small family in Northern Vietnam. It doesn't focus on big events, but on family attitudes and behaviours. The characters of the family are carefully carved out, creating a terrific character study. The film accumulates power throughout, resulting in a devastating end scene. It's inevitable that the family will find out what happened to the father, but Dang takes a wonderful route to get there.

  Obtaining this film could be tough, but it's worth your time to do so as many people consider it the best Vietnamese film ever made.

TO CONCLUDE
A beautiful insight into the affects of the Vietnamese war on a small family.

SCORE
85