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Tokyo Story 1953 Film Review

Tokyo Story is a 1953 Japanese film directed and written by Yasujirō Ozu. Shukishi, played by Chishu Ryu, and his wife Tomi, played by Chieko Higashiyama, both in their eighties, travel to Tokyo to see their adult children from their small seaside hamlet. Their eldest son, Koichi (Sô Yamamura), a doctor, and their daughter, Shige (Haruko Sugimura), a hairdresser, don't have much time for their ageing parents, so Noriko (Setsuko Hara), the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, is left to care for them.

The cinematographer for the Tokyo story, Yharu Atsuta, likes using wide perspectives and extended takes to fully engage the viewer and portray the environment in which the drama takes place. Some may criticize the film for being slow, but it is vital to comprehend the characters' circumstances and truly absorb their lifestyles and decisions. The characters appear to be looking into the camera at times; this occurs frequently due to the numerous POV shots. His camera is almost always stationary (it moves once in "Tokyo Story," which is more than usual). Even though there are continuity issues, each shot is supposed to have its own unique and attractive arrangement. In the inside shots, a little teapot can be seen in the foreground, possibly tucked away in a corner. Ozu's favourite teapot is this one. It's like a crimson signature stamp on a Japanese woodblock artist's work; it's his maker's mark.

As the plot unfolds, The elderly people return home, the mother passes away, and the family gathers for the funeral — all lined up in a row for Ozu's camera. Even those who were angry about the visit are now crying. Chishu Ryu, that amazing actor, is a master at burying the elderly man's pain in nods, agreement, niceties, and routine. "Oh, she was a feisty woman but if I'd known things would come to this, I'd have been kinder to her," he says as the elderly woman next door comes over to express her condolences. There is a pause. "The days will get quite long if I live alone like this." 

This is a must-see film; it may seem long at first, but it is necessary for the plot to unravel; the film may even have you in tears by the conclusion.

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Come and See 1985 Film Review

Come and See is not a war film; rather, it is based on true events during World War II. Elem Kimov directed the film Come and See. The primary character, Floya, played by Aleksey Kravchenko, is a little child who wishes to join the resistance fighters fighting the Nazis. The little lad ventures into the trenches in search of a rifle to employ in battle and gain acceptance into the army.

He is compelled to stay at base camp after being recruited by the resistance fighters, where he meets Glasha, who is played by Olga Mironova. Planes fly over the woodland where the base camp is located and launch bombs that destroy everything. Both the boy and the girl make it out of the forest alive and are forced to depart. Glasha returns Floya to his hometown, where he learns of the death of his family as well as innocent citizens. 

The cinematography transports us to a bizarre world, allowing us to witness the psychological and physical impacts of war. The effects of the burning houses and bombs falling were created on set to give the world a more realistic feel. 

Floya continues to fight for his existence despite the war's devastating wreckage, fighting a terrifying conflict between despair and hope. With a lot of cuts and wide angles towards the end of the film, the edit really pulls everything together, giving us the whole dynamic of what the Nazis are doing in the village, pretending to help the civilians but instead shoving them into a wooden building and setting it on fire, killing everyone, especially the children, to ensure that their people's legacy does not continue. 

Come and See is a film that will leave you stunned as you sit in the dark. It's a must-see film that will truly open your eyes to what humanity is capable of and continues to be capable of.

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Wild Strawberries 1957 Film Review

Ingmar Bergman directed the film Wild Strawberries, which was released in 1957. Victor Sjöström plays Professor doctor Isak Borg, a 76-year-old character in the film. He takes tremendous delight in receiving an honorary doctorate for which he must travel; instead of flying, he journeys from Stockholm to Lund, Sweden, with his daughter-in-law Marianne, who is pregnant and yearns for her husband. Ingrid Thulin portrays her. They meet a series of hitchhikers on their journey, each of whom inspires the doctor to reflect on the ups and downs of his own life.

The film begins with a dream scene that draws the audience into a dark and dismal tone. Isak walks past a house in Stockholm with boarded-up windows and a lamppost with a clock that has no hands. The clock represents losing track of time or being unconcerned about the passage of time. An old hearse approaches from the corner of the street. When one of the wheels becomes stuck on a lamppost, a coffin falls out. An outstretched hand emerges from the Coffin, attempting to draw the professor inside. The man inside the coffin is Isak, indicating that his time is running out. 

 After waking up from his nightmare, the professor chooses to improve his life by taking a road trip rather than flying. Isak walks past a house where he used to live. He reflects on the past, particularly on his greatest love, Sara. The cinematography transports us to a surreal condition in which we, the audience, travel back in time. Sara is the name of the young woman they meet outside the house who is a hitchhiker.

Wild Strawberries is a must-see film in which Isak, a professor, travels back in time and finds amusement in his life while recognizing his successes and failures. He grows into a better man by the end of the film, but he still lacks something; despite his helper, he has no one, not even his son. The daughter-in-law confesses her hatred for him, but in the end sees the good in him.