Citizen Kitano (2020) [Documentary Review]

Citizen Kitano; or, A Tribute to the Auteur!
     I intentionally shoot action to make the audience feel real pain. I have never and I will never shoot violence as if it’s some kind of action video game.
It goes without saying that Takeshi Kitano gained widespread international attention in the 1990s, but French occupation with the Japanese director should be categorised as a separate phenomenon. Apart from releasing Kitano’s productions on the European market, France would also translate his books and collections of essays. Yves Montmayeur’s 2020 documentary called Citizen Kitano is yet another proof of how much the Japanese legend is revered there. Let’s see together how it holds up.

Release Info

Directed by: Yves Montmayeur Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Katsumi Yanagijima, Kayoko Kishimoto

Language: French, Japanese Runtime: 52 min

From Street Kid to TV Star
I was lucky enough to catch the documentary on the Canal+ channel in my country. The documentary lasts slightly over 50 minutes, so it is not a lot of time to cover Kitano’s rich cinematic legacy, but Citizen Kitano manages to get through the major points in a succinct way.

We start off with Kitano’s childhood. Where he came from and what his background was. These memoirs are accompanied by animation clips as well as old photos. Then, we move on to his stage endeavours as ‘Beat’ Takeshi and a career on Television in the 1980s. This part of the documentary includes a lot of previously unknown archive footage from Kitano’s reality shows. What is more, the narration is accompanied by insightful interviews from Kitano himself as well as actress Kayoko Kishimoto, director of photography Katsumi Yanagijima, and journalist Michel Temman.

The interviews are undoubtedly the best part of the documentary as they present the fans with new information on the elusive figure of Kitano; however, the director’s “pretentious” (for lack of a better word) narration is unforgivable. It seems as if Yves Montmayeur relentlessly tries to frame Takeshi, with the usage of inventive adjectives and comparisons, as a kind of an underdog battling the disbelievers who fail to recognise his creative talent. Indeed, Kitano had a hard time transitioning from the realm of TV to cinema, and his movies did not sell well in Japan, but it does not mean by default that the whole public perceived him as an misunderstood outcast.

The part of the documentary which covers Kitano’s movies also leaves a bit to be desired. Montmayeur focuses primarily on Kitano’s popular yakuza flicks, such as Violent Cop (1989), Sonatine (1993), and Hana Bi (1997) as well as the director’s intertextual pieces like Takeshis (2005) and Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007). However, Kitano’s sensitive side reflected in A Scene at a Sea (1991), Kikujiro (1999), Dolls (2002), and Achilles and a Tortoise (2008) is barely scratched.

Still, I admire that the documentary shows off Kitano’s activity as a painter and modern commentator on the political and social issues in Japan. We even get a short interview with the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, who describes her encounter with Kitano dressed up as Donald Trump.

Arguably, the most interesting and heart-warming statements come from Kayoko Kishimoto who has collaborated with Kitano since the 1980s. The actress really manages to capture the multifaceted image of the director who is either hated or loved by cinemagoers.

Recommendations
All things considered, if you are a die-hard fan of Takeshi Kitano, you probably will not get a lot of new info out of this documentary. Still, it is worth checking it out for the interviews and archive footage. Dear Netflix, I am still waiting for the live-action movie inspired by Kitano’s life. Don’t disappoint me!

Overall score: 7/10

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Joint Security Area (2000) [Film Review]

Joint Security Area; or, Incident at a Frontier
     Three minutes into the war, both countries would be destroyed.
Joint Security Area is a 2000 mystery thriller based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang Yeon and directed by the awesome Park Chan Wook. The movie became an instant blockbuster at the time of the release and also gained critical acclaim due to its controversial subject matter. The picture provides a striking evaluation of the 50 years of history since the outbreak of the Korean War.

Release Info

Directed by: Park Chan Wook Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Song Kang Ho, Lee Young Ae

Language: Korean Original Title: 공동경비구역 JSA Runtime: 110 min

Synopsis
Major Sophie E. Jean (Lee Young Ae) is a Swiss Army emissary sent by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission to investigate a shooting incident in the Demilitarized Zone. Sergeant Lee Soo Hyuk (Lee Byung Hun) claims to have been kidnapped by the North Korean officers, which resulted in a shoot out in a border house. However, North Korean survivor of the incident, Sergeant Oh Kyung Pil (Song Kang Ho) states that Lee singlehandedly attacked their outpost. In the course of her investigation, Major Jean discovers that both men are not telling the truth. What really happened at a small outpost in the middle of the night on the 28th of October remains a mystery…

Enemy at the Gates
To be honest, I was totally blown away by the movie when I saw it for the first time. Joint Security Area is definitely not a standard Korean flick with lots of thrilling action and high doses of melodrama. In fact, director Park Chan Wook crafted a haunting Rashomon-like story which shows that the Korean people can rise above the political boundaries.

I checked out the film while doing my research for the MDL article "Through the Looking Glass: Inter-Korean Relations in South Korean Fiction," co-written with my friend Seonsaeng (I hope that we will finish it someday). Indeed, Joint Security Area is an excellent introduction into the relations between the South Koreans and the North Koreans.

The movie does take sides and it does not demonize the main protagonists. I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, and in this case, I do not want to reveal the plot twists, but let me just say… OMG. Joint Security Area hits all the right marks. It is that awesome! So many memorable scenes and so many wonderful quotes! It is not surprising that South Korea's President Roh Moo Hyun gave Kim Jong Il a DVD version of the film in 2007.

With regard to performances, the film obviously would not have been so wonderful without excellent casting. Lee Young Ae is great as Major Jean, a heroine with intriguing past who searches for the truth, I definitely need to check out more movies and dramas with this actress. Lee Byung Hun is also amazing as Sgt. Lee (but still, to me, he will always be "the Bad" from The Good, The Bad, The Weird movie). However, Song Kang Ho provides such overload of charisma that he simply steals the show. You will always be the greatest! In addition, Shin Ha Kyun also appears the film in a memorable supporting role as Pvt. Jung Woo Jin.

Recommendations
I recommend Joint Security Area to anyone who would like to discover more information on the complex relations between South Korea and North Korea. This motion picture is an undeniable classic. I hope that someday I will be able to see on my own eyes the crossing at Panmunjom. Last year, Arrow Video released the movie on Blu-Ray in a beautiful edition.

Overall score: 10/10

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Under The Open Sky (2021) [Film Review]

Under The Open Sky; or, Homecoming
     We'll face our fate. But you still have this chance. You have to be patient out here. Patient with few rewards. But at least, you can live under the open sky. Mikami-san, don't ruin this chance!
When it comes to slice-of-life dramas currently made in Japan, only Miwa Nishikawa matches the greatness of Hirokazu Koreeda. She may not churn out as many movies as her fellow collaborator, but it does not mean that these are lesser works of art. This is my review of her latest film called Under The Open Sky.

Release Info

Directed by: Miwa Nishikawa Starring: Koji Yakusho, Taiga Nakano, Isao Hashizume, Meiko Kaji

Language: Japanese Original Title: すばらしき世界 Runtime: 126 min

Synopsis
Masao Mikami (Koji Yakusho) is an ex-yakuza who just finished serving 13 years in prison. He regains his freedom and wants to lead an honest life, but reality is not so simple for a former convict. Masao struggles to find a job and even socialise with people. What he only knows is the life of crime. Hoping to find his long lost mother, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director, Tsunoda (Taiga Nakano).

Coin Locker Baby
In my opinion, Under The Open Sky gives strong Ryu Murakami vibes but without gore and extreme violence. What I mean is that the film presents a powerful slice-of-life drama, exposing yet another topical problem which is not discussed among the Japanese public. While many classic films like Abashiri Prison (1965) or The Yellow Handkerchief (1977) praise reintegration of an individual into a society, Miwa Nishikawa takes us on a visual journey which analyses the validity of that process.

It is disheartening and touching at the same time to watch the main protagonist trying to get a grip on himself. There are so many wonderful scenes in the film, but my definite favourites will be: driving lessons, a personal conversation with Mrs Shimoinaba, and singing at an orphanage.

Koji Yakusho is absolutely brilliant in the leading role as a man who wants to change his life for the better but encounters many unexpected obstacles. His performance is undeniably the driving force of the picture, so it comes as no surprise that Koji won in Best Performance category at the Chicago International Film Festival.

The rest of the cast is also amazing. We get to see such veterans in the supporting roles as Isao Hashizume, Meiko Kaji, Narumi Yasuda, and Midoriko Kimura. Interestingly, Masami Nagasawa herself also briefly appears in two scenes, but her role does not extend beyond that. Taiga Nakano has a wonderful onscreen chemistry with Koji Yakusho.

Recommendations
Had it not been for the painfully predictable ending, I would have called this movie one of the best releases in 2021. The screenplay is wonderful, characters memorable, and cinematography so natural and picturesque. As a viewer, you just can’t help but champion Mikami’s personal fight for a better life.Overall score: 8/10

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Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2021) [Film Review]

Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes; or, Time Is But a Window
     That's exactly what happened! I became me and me. There was me and then me further back. I got home, and my future self greeted me!
Whoa, chotto matte kudasai! Japanese Cinema and time travel concept?! Yes, Japan CAN bend time and space without breaking your suspension of disbelief, in contrast to overblown Hollywood productions. I’m talking about a little, inconspicuous at first glance, movie called Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes directed by Junta Yamaguchi and written by Makoto Ueda. Please bear with me, dear readers, because this movie is a gem to be treasured and easily one of the best productions of 2021. Let’s synchronise our watches and explore it together.

Release Info

Directed by: Junta Yamaguchi Starring: Kazunari Tosa, Riko Fujitani, Aki Asakura

Language: Japanese Original Title: ドロステのはてで僕ら Runtime: 70 min

Synopsis
Kato (Kazunari Tosa) is the owner of a small café. His apartment is actually located one storey above the café. After a whole day of working, he returns to his flat only to discover that on his computer monitor there is an image of himself. Kato realises that his PC monitor shows what will happen two minutes in the future. What is more interesting, another screen downstairs in his café shows the past of two minutes ago. Kato and his friends place the two mysterious devices opposite each other, which creates an infinite loop, allowing them to see into the future beyond the limit of two minutes. Obviously, this uncanny situation is going to lead to many hilarious situations, moments of danger as well as paradoxes...

Back to the Present
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes starts off like a typical, peaceful slice-of-life drama, but do not let the appearances fool you. During the first 5 minutes of the film, it becomes apparent that this is a spiritual successor of One Cut of the Dead (2017), in terms of both the execution and a wild storyline.

The first half of the picture really goes at lengths to meticulously explain to viewers what on earth is happening on the screen. It goes without saying that the screenwriter was really into hard science and fantasy, which translated into movie language really well. Basically, the filmmaking team took the concept of Droste effect and gave it a time-travel spin. The only other movie I think of in which this idea was used is Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971).

Think of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes as the light-hearted, comprehensible, and low-budget version of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020) which compensates the lack of IMAX visuals with witty dialogue, heart-warming characters, and a touch of romance. The premise of the film is not so much meddling with time as in Back to the Future (1985) but more like blurring the boundaries between cause and effect as in Predestination (2014).

From the technical standpoint, I really have to praise the crew not only because of the fact that they went with one continuous shot method, but also because they shot the entire movie on a smartphone! Short making-of compilation during the end credits really shows hard work and passion of the makers.

With regard to performances, the cast is mainly composed of actors and actresses who up until this point in their careers played mainly secondary or guest roles in movies and jdramas. Huge respect to Kazunari Tosa as Kato, the main protagonist. I also loved the performances of Riko Fujitani as Aya, Kato’s easy-going employee, and Aki Asakura as Megumi, Kato’s neighbour and love interest.

Recommendations
All things considered, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is one of those movies for which I wish I could turn back time and “re-experience” for the first time over and over again. What made me watch it? Why I keep watching it? The cause became the effect and the effect became the cause. Maybe my future self in two minutes will explain the whole wibbly wobbly timey wimey affair to me (*laughs like Hououin Kyouma*)! Please make sure to hop into your DeLoreans and grab a region-free Blu-Ray/DVD release from Third Window Films, which comes out on the 15th of November! Bonus features include Howling: a short film, making-of featurette, and an interview with director Junta Yamaguchi.Overall score from 2 minutes in the future: 10/10

Overall score from 2 minutes ago: 10/10

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