Japanese Film Festival Online 2024 5th June - 19th June (films); 19th June - 3rd July (dramas)

re itwmd's replies that i can't quote without losing spoilers

It felt very much like grief to me, largely stuck and unexpressed until his wife's mum's death opened the wound. And also selfishness, or perhaps a self-absorption which can come from grief and not having enough spare emotional capacity to give others as much as we should. He's a widower who hasn't scattered his wife's ashes. Her mother, the person he can talk about her with as well as being his friend of many years, dies. Two sources of grief right there.

Grieving himself, perhaps. I understand the reality of this because of how much chronic illness has limited my life, it's very common for us. I'm not so sure about him. It may be that he became terrified of dying because of the trauma of losing his wife so young (he would have been around 47), or maybe he already had a fear of his own death and that was why he couldn't scatter her ashes. By the time of the film, these two aspects are intertwined and he finally faces both. Not that he's done grieving, it never goes away it just becomes more manageable.

It was selfish of him to ask her to move in with him and then change his mind, regardless of her reason. I don't think her reason for agreeing to was as limited as you do. I see nearly losing him as a simplifying and therefore deciding factor but not the only one. Living there would mean a big change to her life and he took her by surprise with it, so she needed time to think. But he put her through that decision and then tossed it away for his own preference.

The relationship felt typically Japanese to me, as they're presented in films and series. I tend to assume there are things going on we don't see, but maybe there aren't. There was a lot of cooking for and eating together, and he said something like the best thing is eating with someone you like. I've heard that elsewhere, probably Kinou Nani Tabeta? Anyway food does seem to be how they convey intimacy, at least in films.

No, I wasn't annoyed by the voice overs. Maybe because I have short sentence philosophical conversations with myself in the garden too? Maybe it's a matter of translation and we're hearing them differently as native and non-native English speakers? Over all, I'm not sure the film had as much depth of thought as it seemed it would. Or maybe I've just already given a lot of thought to death myself given the situation of my life. Anyway, those are my reactions to what you've raised.

Half-way point of the festival. How is everyone doing with seeing what they want to see?  

 i watch too many dramas:

I'm not feeling well since yesterday morning, so no productive writing (either work or reviews) -- but good days for watching!

I was worried about you. Hope you get back to your normal soon. No rush on replying, we have time :)

Yes, The Lone Ume Tree is excellent. I ranked it high, just after We Made a Beautiful Bouquet and Father of the Milky Way Railroad, but I can see why you'd put it higher. 

The lack of machismo in We're Broke - didn't realise it, but that's part of why I liked it :)

I don't watch much horror but KARAKASA really drew me in. I liked the ending of The Invitation, it brought it around full circle IMO, like this was going to just continue and continue and continue. Why don't you leave/turn on the lights has been a common feature in the shorts.

 Elisheva:

I was worried about you.

That's sweet, thanks. It happens more often than I want that I go incommunicado. Either because work is exhausting or just because my spoons suddenly run out. And then, sometimes, I just forget that there was a conversation happening before. :(

 Elisheva:

I liked the ending of The Invitation,

It's mainly the minutes before the real ending, the part where the police officer is chased by the girl and the parents in their plastic bags -- that was more funny than scary for me. The last minute, with the empty house and the new arrivals, yes that was better. I'm not sure if all of that was really needed at all. Maybe I've read too many horror short stories as a teenager. I love it when the author just tells enough to get my imagination going, and it has to take over to fill in the gaps. 

That's why I loved the non-ending of Best Wishes to All -- after they've set the background, when the young man arrives, all smiles and hopeful, the girl's glance at her grandparents ... chilling.  I'd say it's more macabre than classical horror, more Roald Dahl than Suzuki Koji.

I loved Closet the most -- that one doesn't need darkness to convey a real sense first of unease, then of terror, slowly raising the heart rate. Two jumpscares in less than nine minutes -- the second gave me such a fright that I shouted. Eight and a half minutes well spent!

 Elisheva:

I'm bouncing off many of the comedies.

Quite understandable. Actually, I'm surprised I liked the ones I watched as much as I did. Thanks for the warning about "The Handsome Suit" -- while I said "We're broke My Lord" felt like a 1970s comedy, this one sadly looks more like a bad 1980s/90s comedy. Not sure about "Baby Assassins".

 Elisheva:

Only have KIBA, Twenty-Four Eyes and My Broken Mariko left

My Broken Mariko seems too sad for me, if you choose that, tell me, if I'm right?

 i watch too many dramas:

I poked around the JFF website for a bit today, and found that for most of the films, the directors took short videos where they say something about their films.

Thank you for finding this. I had so many problems navigating JFF's website last year I didn't try too much this year. It will be good to review everything I've seen. 

Just finished KIBA. I liked the twist at the end and the film was well made but I didn't get on with the emphasis on business and its artificial, constructed problems like competition. Not sure how to rate it. Like it was probably good for what it is. 

Need to clear my head before I pick up the rest. Want to reply to some of your thoughts on the horror ones. closet was my favourite too.

My Broken Mariko - intense, difficult but light amongst the dark, and very very good

It is sad but in a way that's ok for me. I don't know how you'd feel about iwatch

 i watch too many dramas:

Both series in the festival are business focussed -- do you know already if you will want to watch either of them?

The one person who's chatting with me on dreamwidth about the festival rates them very highly, especially Rikuoh. I have to give them a try for her. Hopefully with 10 hours instead of 2, there will be enough focus on other things as well. If it's 10 hours of work environments, I won't make it :) I am topping up on some Thai in preparation ;)

 I like stories about people, so I am what I am and My Broken Mariko rate high for me, especially when they're done as well as those are. They both feel like very real people dealing with very real things.

 i watch too many dramas:

Baby Assassins, The Lines that define me and I go GaGa are left of the second category. Edit: I forgot Single 8

I enjoyed Single8, it was fun and easy to watch. Lines is aesthetically beautiful. I Go GaGa was too long and repetitious for me (J-docs usually are) so I didn't finish it but am glad I saw some of it. The Lone Ume Tree is the one I'm thinking to rewatch but it's one that I remember well.