The flip side of the story comes from Japanese master Imamura Shohei. Kanzo Sensei makes no bones about lambasting the mentality of the imperial army in a story of a family doctor fighting a hopeless battle against a hepatitis epidemic during the war. The movie trips along at a jaunty pace, pleasingly at odds with its serious theme, until it reaches an immaculately handled, symbol-laden conclusion culminating with a mushroom cloud over Hiroshima. Imamura was unhappy with his 1997 Cannes prize winner, The Eel. Remembrances of a different kind are the basis for one of the year's best Japanese films.
Afterlife tackles death from an offbeat angle.
In a waiting room for Heaven, staff ask the just-departed to supply them with a favorite memory that they wish to live in for eternity. The reminiscences are the result of interviews carried out by the filmmakers and have a bizarre ring of truth to them - even the most mystical, such as the nostalgia of a man who felt blissfully happy during an otherwise uneventful tram ride. Director Kore-eda Hirokazu ensures the film is equally at peace and never strays into pretentiousness. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.