great compulsory viewing!

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2012)

One of the greatest films to come out of Japan, in their splendid tradition. Fully deserving the Oscar and the other awards. The story is a heavy one, in any culture. Death is not something we approach in detail, or want to get involved with. Yet it is rarely construed as an inseparable part of life, indispensable and best regarded as a continuation of our existence on a different level. It is our monolithical egoism to relegate death to a place we don't want to think of, to consider it bad luck (while it is a certainty) and to disparage those who are involved with it professionally. To such point we abhor it that whole operating systems of our civilization are created -religions- to deal creatively with the issue of death and reposition it as something exciting and wholly palatable. Masahiro Motoki is good in his ingénue role as a novice encoffiner, though sometimes inconsistent (his facial expressions are perhaps sporadically too loud given the topic). He deserves full credit as the originator of the story, as mentioned by director Takita in the DVD extras. Ryôko Hirosue is very credible as a young Japanese wife torn between obedience to the husband and powerful public opinion superstitionally opposed to all things "bad luck" of which death is the apex. Tsutomu Yamazaki (Kagemusha, Tampopo) is definitely the best performer, controlled, precise, airtight to the role. The film itself is carefully spinning, the story is developed patiently-yet never affords boredom-and the final superb. The visuals-especially the cremation fire transposed in the swans' takeoff- are achievements and the cello soundtrack fits perfectly the topic. All in all, great watching and a memorable experience. Dan Gabriel, Canada (dan4gabriel@gmail.com)