Tokyo Sonata (2009) ****Directed by Kiyoshi KurosawaMy tweet:Tokyo Sonata (2009)- Strange and beautiful look at a family/country that's not quite dealing with these difficult times. **** out of 5Other thoughts:Directed by a filmmaker most known for Japanese horror, this tragic drama, which completely condemns the Japan of today, contains unabashed strangeness which makes something that could have ended up as an Ozu knock-off into a beautifully haunting, genre-bending experience. A father loses his management job but, because of his pride, doesn't tell his family and instead dresses in a suit everyday to wait in long employment lines and eat handouts for the homeless in a park. Meanwhile, his wife! , who isn't as stupid as her husband thinks, tries to preserve her husband's dignity by keeping mum about the fact that she knows his predicament. Their 10 year-old son, meanwhile, desperately wants to learn how to play the piano, and their older son has joined the American military. The situations are extreme, but the frustrations and stresses are all-too-universal in today's tough economic times. In many ways, Tokyo Sonata serves as a cautionary tale of what could happen to people forced to live in a dehumanizing situation within a country that doesn't care about them at all. All this politicking occurs within a shiny package containing a putrid stench.
Pirate Radio (2009) **1/2Directed by Richard CurtisMy ! tweet:Pirate Radio (2009)- Interesting concept but executed po! orly--ca rtoonish and not at all funny. Songs are too on the nose. **1/2 out of 5Other thoughts:There's one major reason why I didn't like Pirate Radio, which was called The Boat That Rocked when it was released overseas before coming to the United States. It's not because of its excellent cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans and Kenneth Branagh. It's not because the actors aren't having fun on screen, and it's not because the film is taking itself too seriously, which it isn't. The major reason I didn't like Pirate Radio is because it simply isn't funny. The whole thing plays out like a bunch of sketches aboard a ship full of cartoon characters playing music so completely on the nose with whatever is happening at the moment. There's supposed to be a sense of joy and jubilation which is meant to be infectious. The script sadly lets down both the cast and the viewer.
The Yes Men Fix the World (2009) ***1/2Directed by The Yes MenMy tweet:The Yes Men Fix the World (2009)- Call to action doc that's painfully uncomfortable. Unfocused activism but admirable intentions ***1/2 of 5Other thoughts:The liberal gimmicks that the Yes Men attempt and pull off would make Michael Moore cower in shame. Like Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat and Bruno, I feel like giving these two guys fist bumps for having the sheer audacity to take the risks they do. They successfully impersonated a spokesman for DOW in order to announce on BBC for an audience of millions that the company was going to spend tens of billions of dollars in restitution for a disaster that took place many years ago in India. One of them convinced a crowd which included the governor of Louisiana and mayor of Ne! w Orleans that he was an assistant secretary for HUD and annou! nced tha t the federal government was going to open all shuttered public housing. The doc is truly painful to watch at times, considering they're often rebuked on camera once their cover is blown. Personally, I can't understand how they're not automatically put in prison for fraud. Their actions caused a stock market blip for DOW the day they made the announcement, but maybe even more troubling, the people in India were given false hope by two individuals purporting to be on the victims' side. Personally, I didn't find their stunts all that politically effective, but I will say that it's truly something that they were able to pull them off, and a movie about these stunts certainly makes for compelling viewing.
Burma VJ (20! 09) ****1/2Directed by Anders OstergaardMy tweet:Burma VJ (2009)- Impeccably well-crafted look at Burmese injustice as well as the reporters who risk their lives to show it ****1/2 out of 5Other thoughts:It was interesting watching Burma VJ right after The Yes Men Fix the World. The Yes Men are trying to influence their world for the better, but they'll never have the same impact as the illegal reporters within Burma (Myanmar) who risk prison by secretly filming a 2007 revolution against the militaristic government led by the Buddhist monks. They take the footage of the will of the people and the brutal injustice of the government and smuggle it out of the country so the world can hopefully step in and make life better for the Burmese people. The narrator is called Joshua, and though we can hear his voice and see his silhouette, his face and true identity are hidden from the viewer since he wants to continue doing what he's doing despite the fact that by the end of the revo! lution, it's much more dangerous for these reporters. Many wer! e impris oned and haven't been heard from since. It's inspiring to see people so committed to such a noble cause, and it ought to make us in the free world appreciate the rights that we have. This documentary is absolutely fascinating and expertly constructed. Burma VJ lost to The Cove at the Oscars which is too bad because it's a better movie, and the win could have given this film the word of mouth needed for more people to see the awful things going on within this closed country.
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