Post by sitenoise on Feb 7, 2017 19:52:34 GMT
Himeanole (Himeanôru) [2016] • Japan
Director: Keisuke Yoshida
8.63199/10
This is a small film, an unimportant one, but it's gonna duke it out with The Wailing for 2016's top spot.
***SPOILER ALERT***
This is one of those Japanese love triangle stories about three people so insecure they can barely talk. Then it's more. The triangle continues, but it mingles in a world that goes to a very different place.
A lot will be written about the what/where this story goes. It's pretty cool, I guess, but I'd like to skip that discussion and just point out how well done it is.
Himeanole is quite Korean in its "Oh no! Don't shoot ... Hey! Great Shot"-ness. There are several scenes where you think "Really? The director is going to do this? Come on! Oh wait ... Hey. Nicely done!" At least I felt that way.
I've seen Keisuke Yoshida's Cafe Isobe [2008] and was very impressed. He mixes deep drama with comedy (from witty to goofy) with aplomb. I believe the secret sauce is his rhythm. He knows how to cut a film. The framing and edits actually add metadata to the scenes. Yoshida is physically in control of the visual rhythm. His storytelling is unconventional.
The casting of the film, and what Yoshida does with the typecasting, is genius. Again, a lot will be written about where boy band idol Gô Morita goes in the film. Kudos to him. Cutesy powderpuff Aimi Satsukawa shares a little side-boob and side-butt, a hand bra (not her hands), and a pretty brutal rape scene with us. Oh my. Her "sex" scene (not graphic) stands out for what the director inter-cuts it with. It's one of those scenes where you initially think "Oh please, don't do this", but as it reaches climax, you will gulp. If you gulp in disdain or disgust I have no counter argument. But me: "Hey! Great shot!"
In a year of big important films I was supposed to like that I didn't like so much, I needed this. For those who will say this is an important film, an impressive essay on guilt or bullying, I offer a raspberry
. The film is a directorial tour de force. It's not perfect. Mistakes are made (he introduces a "fat" character, gives her a bad haircut and has her indulge in bad eating-acting. When will that go away? (Her scene is still great, though)).
Director: Keisuke Yoshida
8.63199/10
This is a small film, an unimportant one, but it's gonna duke it out with The Wailing for 2016's top spot.
***SPOILER ALERT***
This is one of those Japanese love triangle stories about three people so insecure they can barely talk. Then it's more. The triangle continues, but it mingles in a world that goes to a very different place.
A lot will be written about the what/where this story goes. It's pretty cool, I guess, but I'd like to skip that discussion and just point out how well done it is.
Himeanole is quite Korean in its "Oh no! Don't shoot ... Hey! Great Shot"-ness. There are several scenes where you think "Really? The director is going to do this? Come on! Oh wait ... Hey. Nicely done!" At least I felt that way.
I've seen Keisuke Yoshida's Cafe Isobe [2008] and was very impressed. He mixes deep drama with comedy (from witty to goofy) with aplomb. I believe the secret sauce is his rhythm. He knows how to cut a film. The framing and edits actually add metadata to the scenes. Yoshida is physically in control of the visual rhythm. His storytelling is unconventional.
The casting of the film, and what Yoshida does with the typecasting, is genius. Again, a lot will be written about where boy band idol Gô Morita goes in the film. Kudos to him. Cutesy powderpuff Aimi Satsukawa shares a little side-boob and side-butt, a hand bra (not her hands), and a pretty brutal rape scene with us. Oh my. Her "sex" scene (not graphic) stands out for what the director inter-cuts it with. It's one of those scenes where you initially think "Oh please, don't do this", but as it reaches climax, you will gulp. If you gulp in disdain or disgust I have no counter argument. But me: "Hey! Great shot!"
In a year of big important films I was supposed to like that I didn't like so much, I needed this. For those who will say this is an important film, an impressive essay on guilt or bullying, I offer a raspberry
. The film is a directorial tour de force. It's not perfect. Mistakes are made (he introduces a "fat" character, gives her a bad haircut and has her indulge in bad eating-acting. When will that go away? (Her scene is still great, though)).
