Dublin Japanese Film Festival

Last month, I went to the Dublin Japanese Film Festival with great anticipation. I seriously couldn't hold still the previous week. The reason being I had been to it two years before and I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't wait 'til the next one. Trouble is that advertising wasn't the forte of the team behind the festival and I missed it. So this year, I was set to subscribe to several newsletters and other social network pages to be sure I was warned in time. I ended up not being notified and I was lucky enough to be struck by a little OCD, consisting of checking up the access cinema page on a daily basis.
Anyways! Details aside, I think the festival became my favourite Dublin event even though seeing 8 films in 4 days could be seen as being a bit too much and I actually envy Cork where the festival lasts a week. It was somewhat uncomfortable not to be able to eat as the the two films would take place between the hours of 1800 and 2300 with a break as little as 5 min in between.

Villain (Sang-Il Lee, 2010) ***

I feel kinda bad giving only 3 stars out of 5 for Villain because it was a truly good film. The light, the sets, the actors and the story itself were all amazing. But the 10 or so fade-outs during the last hour were very unsettling as they made the film look incredibly lengthy. I couldn't concentrate on the plot as I was expecting to see the credits roll so many times.
I think if I watch it a second time, I will enjoy it more as I will know what to expect.
The film tells us the story of Shimizu, a young man living with his grand-mother in a village near the sea. He feels disconnected and stranded. "When you face the sea every day, you feel as if you reached a dead end". He decides to look for love through dating sites but discovers the hard way how cynical the world can be. Humiliated, he goes beyond to the point of no return. But he only realises what he's done when it's too late, at the worst of times, when he finds true love.

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Sawako Decides (Yuya Ishii, 2010) ****

Sawako is an average girl who thinks she deserves an average life, an average job and average boyfriend. Why? You and she'll find out when she goes back to her hometown embracing her 'heiress' duty. Her father is dying and someone needs to take care of his clam-packing plant.
Sawoko Decides is the perfect 'dramedy', you'll find yourself laughing while still tasting the bitterness of your tears.

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Tekken 3D: Blood Vengeance (Yoichi Mori , 2011) **

I have to say I wasn't really excited to see this one but I came with an open-mind, eager to know about every aspect of the Japanese pop-culture. I guess you could say I was pleasantly surprised in the way that it wasn't as battle-focused as I feared but nonetheless, I don't think I would dare attempt watching it again. The animation was good and I even enjoyed the 3D (that is saying a lot) but the plot left me cold. I struggled with the names a bit and also with the fact that amidst the cinema's seats was a group of hardcore tekken-fans who were laughing their arse off for no apparent reason (at least that's what it looked like to my philistine self). So I spent most of the film with an air of puzzlement on my face, which is not helping the burgeoning wrinkles.

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Jiro Dreams Of Sushi (David Gelb, 2011) ****

First, one piece of advice: don't go watching Jiro Dreams Of Sushi on an empty stomach! This is pure torture! This documentary tells us the story of Jiro, a legend among Sushi chefs. From a very young age, he dedicated himself to perfection in the art of sushi-making. As any perfectionist, he's still not satisfied yet he's made it to 3 Michelin stars. And it's especially impressive because it's all about Jiro's sushi. There's no 'restaurant experience', everything is kept to a minimum. It's you, a bar and the sushi. For an average bill of 460$, it must be worth it!

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The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya (Tatsuya Ishihara & Yasuhiro Takemoto, 2010) ***

To be honest, I think it deserves a bit more than 3 stars but my experience was somewhat tarnished by the fact that I never heard of the Haruhi Sutzumiya series and being thrown into its universe from the adaptation of the 4th book proved to be a bit of a struggle. Adding to the mix, a tricky chronology due to time traveling and this anime makes for confusing entertainment. With that being said, it got me curious and i will re-watch it once I made up for my ignorance and got to see the previous adaptations.

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Memories of Matsuko (Tetsuya Nakashima, 2006) *****

This was a no-brainer for me: watch one of my favourite movies of all time on the big screen was a joyous experience! I remember seeing the DVD in the shops 2 years ago, and it went straight on my Christmas wishlist. It proved to be one of those instance where it's right to judge a book (or a dvd) by its cover. Memories of Matsuko is such a visual feast! The murder of Matsuko will intrigue her nephew and he'll try to find out more about the life of this seemingly ordinary woman...

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Kabei: Our Mother (Yoji Yamada, 2008) *****

If I had to give a palme, it would go to this one. My God, it's sad but so beautiful. Again, the light is magical and I particularly enjoyed how the change of the seasons is portrayed. As the title may reveal, this film is about a mother whose mission is to protect her children from the torments of WWII, all her sacrifices to keep a good face and heart while bringing them up. Heartbreaking.

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The Chef of South Polar (Shuichi Okita, 2009) ****

Thank God the festival ended on a lighter note with this comedy in pure Japanese style. You can actually apply the advice from Jiro Dreams of Sushi because most of the film you'll witness hungry men gulping down delicious food after even more delicious food. Sigh.
In Antarctica, a scientific expedition of seven men plunged in hard work and solitude find solace during their meal time thanks to their very talented and dedicated chef.

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