Still Walking

Japanese (subtitles)

114 minutes

2008

4 Stars  

How a modern and dysfunctional family copes with the annual gathering to commemorate the death of the number one son and heir. This is a slow movie, intimate, with sadness and humor in about equal amounts. It is by the same director as After Life, and very well done, the reason 4 stars instead of 5? I'm not sure why it was made. The boy drowned saving the life of another, who is invited (and therefore must come) to the annual commemoration of the death, adding to his survivor's guilt, and feeding the mother's hatred. Family dynamics remain the same in most cultures, some more extreme than others, and this is a good look into a dysfunctional family, and how various members cope with their sorrow. It flows beautifully, and there is enough humor it does not become morbid.

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Grindhouse: Double Feature

Grindhouse: Planet Terror  

English

105 minutes

2007

5 Stars

This is one of a double feature. It is zombie horror. I laughed all the way through it. This is pure Robert Rodriguez with a bit of Quentin Tarantino thrown in (he plays a rapist). This is not a movie for small children, but I'm sure teens would love it. The great sex seen is treated in such a manner one will laugh out loud (well, the teens may groan). If you have a warped sense of humor, this is a Must See.

Grindhouse: Death Proof

English

113 minutes

2007

3 Stars

I might have liked this better had it come before Planet Terror, but I found it tame, and filled with talking heads until the last half hour or so when the action kicked in and it got to be fun. Well, fun for my senseless of humor.

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After Life

Japanese (subtitles)

118 minutes

1998

5 Stars

A most beautiful, intriguing, and thought-provoking movie. No fancy CGI, no adrenaline, just a beautiful movie that takes place, for the most part, in what appears to be an old school. It is a 'way-station' where the newly departed come for a week. They arrive on Monday, and are given until Wednesday to think of their happiest, most beautiful, most precious memory which is then filmed, and when they depart in a couple of days, they will have this one memory to take with them for all eternity. This is a movie I would like to own, and watch again. This movie ranks up there with Captain Abu Raed and Poetry in my book. The only problem I had was the subtitles didn't show the very bottom of the letters, but that may have been my fault, not the DVD's.

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The (non Pixar) Blue Umbrella

Hindi (subtitles) 

90 minutes

2005

4 Stars

I obviously didn't read the description all that closely – I thought it was the Pixar film. It was Indian, but, since I had it, what the heck? The story seemed a little disjointed, but that could have been all the interruptions while it was playing (4). Child actors are not always my favorites, but these children were delightful, and the star stole the show. She finds a blue umbrella, which she carries everywhere, mesmerizing all in her mountain village. When it is stolen, she becomes depressed, and eventually the thief is caught, and the village metes out justice. The ending was what I hoped it would be, so no complaints there, the visuals and costuming were wonderful. The movie has joy, sorrow, greed, justice, and redemption – for what more could one want in a movie? This movie is suitable for family viewing.

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Butterfly Swords

Chinese (subtitles) 

88 minutes

1993

4 stars

I'm not sure how to rate/review this movie. First off, I put the DVD in and it immediately started at the end of the movie. Great choreography and fighting, but had no context. I could not back it up. After 'The End" I managed to set it up, and start at the beginning. It made slightly more sense. The title should be Butterfly AND Swords, not Butterfly Swords. I wanted to see fighting with the butterfly swords, and to that end I was sorely disappointed. The acting and costuming were very nice, and the fight scenes were a lot of fun. But I swear, the ending was slightly different the second time I saw it. Honest. Trust me. Still, the fight scenes made up for whatever else it lacked.

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