Everything is Illuminated(dir. Liev Schreiber)
I liked it alot. It just feels really uneven with the beginning being a goofball comedy versus the ending which is very depressing and serious. It also felt the director was pushing his style too much.
*** out of ****

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie(dir. Luis Bunuel)
This is my first experience with Bunuel other than the first few minutes of Un Chien Andalou. This film was pretty amazing and funny too. The bourgeoisie are portrayed hypocritical, extremely judging, and basically flawed human beings even a bishop is portrayed rather negatively. This film is funny because the situations are so bizarre yet the actors act so seriously when approaching them. It is an amazing satire on the upper class.
**** out of ****

Tokyo Story(dir. Yasujiro Ozu)
This film is considered the last of the Noriko trilogy and also Ozu's masterpiece. I actually felt pretty bored during the first hour and half or so because I didn't get into the rhythm. This lead me to extreme boredom, but the last half hour which I watched today, everything clicked revealing an astonishing film. I'm gonna have to rewatch it, but the last 30 minutes left with a profound impression.
**** out of ****

Early Summer Review

My second Ozu film and my favorite for now. The performances were much more natural compared to Late Spring. Late Spring had the actors have the same expression on their face even when they were going to sleep which made it distracting especially with the constant smiling. The music was also much better and subtle in this film. The film's stories are very similar with the marriage of a daughter effecting family life but instead of just a widower and a daughter, its a whole family. The film was subtle, beautiful, and gave me a warm feeling. I loved it and I'm looking forward to the next Ozu film on my queue Tokyo Story which closes this so-called "Noriko Trilogy" which contains Late Spring and this film.
**** out of ****.

Late Spring Review

Yasujiro Ozu was considered too Japanese for Western audiences. His films didn't come over here until after he died. His films are often considered to Bresson's, but they have one thing Bresson's films don't. EMOTION. I can understand the comparision though. The characters seem like in a constant state of smiling and not just a blank expression. There are some scenes I found moving and they usually contained no words at all. It showed more emotion than any of the dialogue in the film. I don't feel I am used to style yet. I often heard he barely moves the camera and it is obvious, but not as off-putting. Probably the most off-putting thing to me was the conversations. Most of the conversations are done straight into the camera and goes back and forth between the characters which I feel doesn't flow that well, but this is one of earlier films so maybe his later films are more smoother or I grow more accustomed to it over time. I have another Ozu film on the top of my queue so I hope I get "into" this great filmmaker.
*** out of ****