After the Storm (2016) is a Japanese film by director Hirokazu Kore-Eda. The storylines of Kore-Eda’s award-winning previous films, Still Walking (2008) and Like Father, Like Son(2013), have focused on the relationship between father and child. After the Stormcontinues this tradition to a certain extent. The difference is that although the plot in After the Storm focuses on the paternal relationship, the bond between a mother and her child is far more prevalent in this case. The title of the film can be somewhat perplexing, due to the film’s slow-paced turn of events. Filmmakers will often use themes to invoke emotions and build suspense in certain scenarios. Kore-Eda uses a meteorology theme to create such a sensation. After the Storm’s dialogue continually refers to an approaching typhoon and this highlights the film’s denouement. After the Storm tells the story of Ryota (Hiroshi Abe). So far in his life, he has not been the best son. Due to a series of events, he is forced to realise he is now not a very good father to his own son. In fact, he now realises that he is more like his father than he would care to admit. Ryota comes to this understanding because of the strong women in his life; mother, sister and ex-wife. Therefore, the fundamental roles of gender within the film is one of the most interesting features in After the Storm. The opening scene holds an immense amount of importance in relation to an overall film analysis. There is a beautiful intimate conversation between a mother and daughter and if you are not paying attention you may miss the sentiment. Shinoda Yoshiko (Kirin Kiki), Ryota’s mother in the film, is by far the star of the film. The character of Shinoda is fun, loving and has the most adorable sense of humour. I looked forward to every one of her scenes and admired her attitude toward life. Inside Shinoda’s house is where the warm and fuzzy feelings of the film occurred. She lives in a tiny apartment in a Japanese metropolitan city. Her furniture barely fits inside the area and on top of that she occasionally had multiple family members there. Cinematographer Yutaka Yamasaki commendably captured the handsome 6-foot 2-inch stature of Hiroshi Abe in such a tight space. Most scenes were quite comical when all the family was gathered together in the small home. However, when the camera zoomed in on close-up shots of Shinoda preparing meals in her tiny kitchen, there were moments of beauty and a wholesome raw aesthetic that made me miss hom-cooked meals of yesterday. I could smell the meal she was preparing. Overall, I really did enjoy watching After the Storm and if I were to summarize the film’s sentiment into one sentence it would be that: it’s never too late to turn your life around.
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I was fortunate enough to attend the first screening of The Blood Stripe (2016) on Sunday 6th of November at the Dole Cannery Regal Theatre. Hawaii International Film Festival in conjunction with the support of Hawaii Council for the Humanities organized a truly unique Q&A after the screening. The discussion panel was the director Remy Auberjonois, and three professional mental health therapist who shared firsthand experiences with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSDs) and how the effects of war impact the lives of returning soldiers. The Blood Stripe (2016) is an American film directed by Remy Auberjonois. It tells the story of a female Sergeant that returns home from combat on her final tour. The films plot follows the ‘lioness’ (Kate Nowlin) while she struggles through her day-to-day activities as she is thrust back to her life in civilian society. The film highlights the fact that for a lot of the returning servicemen and women there is no immediate support system in place that could help ease them back into society. Rather, many individuals have mandatory wait times before they can see a councilor or therapist. Unfortunately, in some cases, many individuals are not willing to participate in such sessions because of the negative stigma associated with seeking “mental health” support; it is seen as a weakness and could affect their future military endeavors. This means many returning soldiers are left to deal with the adjustment process on their own, which can often put unwarranted stress on them and their family life. During the Q&A post screening, Auberjonois was able to inform the audience on various intricacies of the production. What I found to be most interesting was just how much of a vital role Kate Nowlin played in the making of The Blood Stripe. Nowlin essentially held a co-directory position and was involved from the film’s very inception. Not only did she have to undergo a complete physical transformation, she also had the mental capacity and acting ability to perform the role of someone who has survived military sexual trauma. Her performance was compelling. Blood Stripe is a real eye-opener for someone that has not considered how difficult it must be to conform and adjust to the “normal” daily routines of civilian life. The Cinema Travelers (2016) is a multi-award winning Indian film co-directed by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya. Structurally, this devastatingly beautiful documentary has direct cinema qualities. The camera crew unobtrusively follows the ins and outs of three cinephiles as they come to terms with the fact their profession and livelihood are at stake. The Cinema Travelers captures their realization that movies shot on photo-chemical film is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Mohammed, a travelling showmen and family man, recognizes that he is part in a dying industry and promptly seeks out alternative technologies to keep his business afloat. Bapu, a grouchy film exhibitor struggles to maintain his film screening business as he tries to restore his rusted up cinema lorry. The most touching story is of Prakash, a kind man who has dedicated 45 years of his life to becoming a world class mechanic who specializes in fixing film projectors. His story stood out to me, mainly because of his positive approach to life. He is an inventor, a real ideas-man; he has developed a prototype for a ‘perfect’ projector but is too late to capitalize on his concept as the digital era is already upon us.
The film highlights the fact that there has been another major shift forward in the film industries and film technologies have progressed. The stories explored in The Cinema Travelers also bring to light the fact that there is such a massive distinction between the Western World and Third World nations. The film has a poetic undertone and tells a unique version of the typical contemporary culture clash. The Piano has just made itself in to my personal top fifty great films list. Although there has been a lot of shuffling around since I started film studies. I used to have lists of films that I enjoyed watching and now the list consists of films that I respect and that are well made. Lately I have definitely experienced a sense of fear, that there isn't enough time left in ones life to watch all of the films available and watch the latest releases. Jane Campion wrote and directed The Piano in 1993. One of the main themes that I noticed was her use of binary opposites. Mainly cultural, class and gender. For example, from the very beginning of the film, the main character Ada informs the viewer that she no longer speaks and is mute - able-bodied versus disabled - this is the primary set of opposites. We are then introduced to the second set of contrasting opposites as she introduces her daughter Flora (mother versus daughter), and then another when she announces her arranged marriage (man versus woman) . When they arrive in New Zealand there is the contrast of land versus water, and also the Indigenous peoples versus the foreigners. As the film progresses many more opposing themes are made evident. In human culture we typically can only be understood by one another in relation. The use of binary opposites in The Piano, highlights the fact that the place and setting for the film is filled with contrasting situations and this tension builds and builds to the moment Ada is attacked with an axe by her husband. Campion is able to distinguish many of the class differences through use of costume, whereas the cultural differences where identifiable through the use of symbols - the Maori's had tattoos where as in many scenes the British would tend to have crucifix (Christianity) in the background. What I found most fascinating was the way in which she uses the Piano. As far as the plot goes the piano is an instrument in which the protagonist is affiliated; when she plays it is one of the only ways she can communicate and express feeling. However, if I were to analysis the story in regards to all of the above mentioned binary opposites, the piano is symbolic to to how you can take two opposites (literal black and white keys/ Sharps and Flats) then together they can create something harmonious (music). So by the end of the film you have a man (George) and a woman (Ada) from different walks of life and social standing (Upper class and lower class), and even though they are different in many ways, the are able to connect with one another and the piano is the object that unites them. I am a huge fan of Keanu Reeves and I am starting to think there is is not a lot that he can't do. Side by side (2012) is a documentary film directed by Christopher Kenneally. The film follows Keanu around as he interviews an array of directors, actors, and film enthusiasts. Each interview reveals their preference and gives an insight to the techniques and opinions of each filmmaker. Each interviewee is asked a variety of questions relating to which medium they prefer - film stock or digital.
A majority of the film is shot as a face to face interview between Keanu Reeves - as the interviewer - and an industry professional as the interviewee. One of the techniques I appreciated as a viewer was the incorporation of an animation explanation of the camera technology. Due to the frequent use of film industry jargon, whether it be technical terminology or colloquialisms, Kenneally cleverly includes diagrams in between interviews to educate and enlighten the viewer. Keanu reeves is a co-producer for Side by Side and although he was heavily involved in the film right from its very inception, I believe it was a very wise decision to cast him as the interviewer. Feature films and high concept films will often spend a lot of time and resources securing celebrity 'big name' actors; in order to ensure box office ratings and revenue. However, for documentaries, I think that particular interviews are more believable when the host has a well rounded knowledge base with the interview topic. The star power of Keanu Reeves was a major influence for me personally as a viewer. But I did feel as though the people he interviewed seemed to enjoy being in his company. I do not think that the interview would have quite same aesthetic if it were hosted by a different interviewer. When filmmakers are in the develop stage of their projects, they have specific ideas on what they want to present and how they will convey those messages to an audience. I often think about whether or not I have interpreted a film correctly and how frustrating it would be for a filmmaker if a viewer misunderstood the film’s sentiment.
Baraka (1992) is a documentary by Ron Fricke. What I enjoyed most about this film is the fact that it is non-narrative. I first saw Baraka when I was 16 years old with a close friend in the living room of her parent’s house. When the film ended we were so moved and filled with excitement with grand ideas to become vegans, shave our heads travel the world. Now, 10-ish years later, I have the opportunity to re-watch that same film in a class room setting in a foreign country - I am filled with excitement yet again. This time however, the excitement comes from me thinking “I know how you did that Fricke”. For me, the saying ‘a picture tells a thousand words’ comes to mind when I try to analyse each sequence of Baraka. If you were to write out a plot summary of the film from beginning to end and show it to someone that had not yet seen the film, it would look like a completely random selection of moving images. Baraka really makes the viewer do a lot of the work when watching the film. You are forced to consider why each particular scene has been placed in front of the other. For instance, during the first 30 minutes of the film you are presented with images that fall under the certain theme. A theme of humans and nature in harmony: Fricke starts with nature (ice capped mountains), animals (monkeys in hot spring), and a few very old and traditional cultural groups of humans. Although Fricke doesn’t explicitly say it, this does set a starting point for the story ‘timeline’ for Baraka. Any scene presented after the 30-minute mark fall under a different theme. The secondary theme is confronting and seems to focus on human’s negative impact on nature, mainly overpopulation in metropolitan areas and greed and war. That being said I also think that there was third and final theme of Baraka. At around the 1-hour 20-minute mark, the focus seems to shift from the planet earth. For example, the viewer is presented with time lapse footage and images from a desert. The final moments of the film were the most mind blowing for me. These images made me consider outer space and beyond Earth. Every images and sequence that was captured in Baraka is just from one planet, but when you compare it the vast-ness of the universe it all does seem quite insignificant. Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) - Phillip NoyceRabbit Proof Fence (2002) is a film I hold close to my heart and it is a film of great significance to me and my family. Mahalo for choosing this film. The last time I watched Rabbit Proof Fence was at the Belgrave Twin Cinema in Armidale NSW - my hometown - and also the town where my grandfather had seven of his siblings forcibly removed from him, by the Governing Authorities. My family, like the characters in Rabbit Proof Fence, were also affected and are apart of the 'stolen generation'. It was extremely difficult for me to watch Rabbit Proof Fence; to remove myself from the content and story and try to concentrate on the plot. Nonetheless, I struggled through my emotions. My grandfather would tell me stories of his childhood and about running or hiding from the Government vehicles. So the removal scene stood out to me. When Molly, Daisy and Gracie were taken their family, Noyce changes the point of view of the camera; from what the child's would see looking out from within the car, to the family looking in at the children. These jolted frequent shots, creates a frantic and panic emotion for the viewer. Other cinematic techniques I noticed, is the character development. Noyce was able to convey the relationship between mother and child within the three generations: grandmother, mother, and child. The relationship of the Indigenous female role had positive associations. Another technique that really stood out to me was the use of mise en scene in the Chief's office. Also the angle of the camera was tilted and I thought that this emphasised or implied, that his point of view on the Indigenous people was coming from a distanced and uninformed perspective. Finally, I think that way in which Noyce incorporates the 'fence' throughout the film has underlying symbolic associations. Fences are physical barriers and borders that indicate where property ownership begins and ends. Fences are also a foreign and introduced concept to the Indigenous population. The importance of the fence is evident, due to the title of the film. However, reoccurring images and scenes of the fence form a motif throughout the film, this was an effective filmic technique because it helps to remind the viewer to there is an ongoing battle between races and land ownership which is a theme in Rabbit Proof Fence. |
AuthorNicoleRoseAnna an Aquarian, middle child, grand-daughter, sister, aunty, cousin and niece. On the road to becoming a Sociologist specialising in Film & Television. Archives
November 2016
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