I am coming back to blog updates fresh from finishing my work on the Haruki Murakami editorial. This week, however, rather than posting a standard review or editorial, I decided to take a trip back down memory lane and compose a good old recommendation list. To be specific, I was flicking through letterboxd reviews under some of my fave films and one of the random comments about “the holy trinity of one-shot films” caught my attention. What is the holy trinity of one-shot films when it comes to Japanese movies? Here are my suggestions:
One Cut of the Dead (2017)
Synopsis: Takayuki Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu) is an experienced commercial director, but he does not have groundbreaking projects on his record. He is approached with an offer of making a live zombie film that will be used as a launch feature for a TV horror channel. Takayuki assembles the cast and crew, but he does not have much faith in the picture. While shooting at an abandoned factory, it turns out that the real zombie apocalypse just broke out. The cast and crew have to fight for their lives, whereas Takayuki keeps on shooting in order to realise his masterpiece. Please take the synopsis above with a grain of salt. One Cut of the Dead is so much more than just a tongue-in-cheek survival flick with comedy elements. The first 36 minutes of the film is an excellent parody of the genre, but also a brilliant showcase of filmmaking technique. (The entire first act was shot in one take) Allegedly, the crew had to redo this sequence six times in order to get it right. After the outstanding introduction, the viewers are presented with the lives of Takayuki and other crewmembers about a month before the shooting. The second act actually blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The “making” of One Cut of the Dead becomes a meta-commentary on filmmaking, joining the line of such classic "movies about movies" as Ed Wood (1994), Bowfinger (1999) and The Disaster Artist (2017). The motif which grabbed my heart the most was the one focusing on Takayuki and his family. It is a joy watching their interactions and how they all jump at the One Cut of the Dead project. This is where the third act kicks in, which can be best described as a companion piece to Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (1997). In a way, both movies are about failed productions which become masterpieces by pure coincidence.
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2021)
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... 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.
Airport 2013
Synopsis: Chigusa Okouchi (Yuko Takeuchi) is a ground staff officer at a small Matsumoto airport which mainly handles local airlines. Nevertheless, an airplane bound for Tokyo forcefully lands in Matsumoto due to bad weather over Haneda airport. Until the meteorological conditions clear up, Okouchi has to take care of passengers who wait to resume their journey. In the course of her assignment, Okouchi will unravel lots of family secrets and conspiracies that will lead to many hilarious incidents. My only wish is that I could have discovered this gem of a movie much earlier. Koki Mitani does not present a disaster scenario as in Airport 1970 or a happy-go-lucky take on how airlines operate as in Happy Flight (2008). Rather than that, the viewers are presented with a day in the life of a diligent ground staff worker who carries tough responsibilities on her shoulders. Initially, you may think that Okouchi has to deal with a family of degenerates, but all of them are vibrant personalities who turn out to be extremely likable in the end. Okouchi’s interactions with each character are so amazing and the dialogue is so witty! If you want to experience a heart-warming and motivational story exploring tough day at work and difficult family relations, then Airport 2013 is the sure-fire choice for you. You can never go wrong with Koki Mitani and his storytelling style. In addition, the movie is a marvelous showcase of Yuko Takeuchi’s talent. It’s such a shame that this great actress is no longer with us. All things considered, this was my recommendation list. I hope that you will pick up some of the suggestions. If so, don’t hesitate to share your opinion on the films in the comments. Thank you for reading. «Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comment moderation is switched on due to recent spam postings.