MY FAV MOVIES ABOUT JAPAN

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TOKYO EYES - Jean-Pierre Limosin - 1998

Trailer here

A young man with big glasses randomly shoots at people in Tokyo. Altough he missed all of his victims, Tokyo police is actively looking for him. Hinano (Yoshikawa Hinano), the young sister of a policeman, thinks that she found the mysterious criminal when she meets K (Takeda Shinji), a video-game and electronic music addict young man, on the train. She follows him, and their story begins. Thanks to Hinano, K is going to give up his big glasses and his virtual world, to get back to the real life.

Poetic... Silently romantic... Visually perfect... What else ? Tokyo lovers, you are going to enjoy this movie so much.

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EMPIRE OF THE SUN - Steven Spielberg - 1987

Trailer here

The action does not take place in Japan, but it is about the fascination of a teenager boy for the Empire of Rising Sun. Jamie (Christian Bale) is the spoiled son of a British diplomat living in Shanghai at the beginning of the 1940's. The threat of world war is growing around this wealthy family enjoying an absurd lifestyle, so far from the living conditions of the Chinese population. Jamie is totally obssessed by planes, especially the Japanese ones. Actually, totally unaware of his mother country, England, and living in a confortable bubble in the surburb of Shanghai, he is attracted by the image of Japanese bravery and civilization. For him, Chinese people are maids or drivers in the best case, insane crowd in the worse; but Japanese people are soldiers, heroes - even if they are the enemy. Suddenly, the Japanese army, settled in China for years, walks on Shanghai and Jamie's world collapses. Separated from his parents, alone in the messy world, he learns how it feels to count for nothing. He has to be smarted and noisier than everyone around in order to survive. The Japanese army sends him to a camp where both prisonners and guardians are starving in the middle of nowhere. The only friendly face around is the one of a Japanese boy of his age, future pilot of the Empire, on the other side of the fence.

An American movie about WW2, and... no bad guys, no WASP super-heroe, no nationalistic message nor soundtrack ? I mean, seriously ?... This movie is absolutely great. It deals with childhood, but not the angelic and innocent vision of kids that movies are used to show us : actually, Jamie is totally crazy. Young Bale's performance is amazing, and how could I stay cold in front of this little boy who can not keep himself from dreaming of Japan, whatever happens ? We have the feeling that everyone, finally, is in the same mess. And this is the first time for me to get an idea of the destiny of European people trapped in the Pacific War, so far away from "their" own battlefields. To watch absolutely.

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SILK - François Girard - 2007

Trailer here

To be honest with you, this movie is not a very good movie. But I love it because it portrays the obssession that some people like me can develop for Japan. This is the story of a young French man (Michael Pitt) who is sent to Japan at the end of the 19th century to buy fresh silkworms, because European ones are stricken by a disease and because Japanese silkworms are the purest and best quality. I like the description of the long trip to go there at that time : the train until far-East Europe, then going across China until the end of the land... then a clandestine boat to reach the Japanese coast in secret - Japan was strictly closed to the foreigners at that time. It was pretty more involving than taking a direct flight from Paris to Tokyo. When he gets there, it's just magic because it's winter, and old Japan under the snow looks painfully perfect. So he meets the head of the village (Yakusho Kouji), and his lovely concubine (Ashina Sei). He falls in love with her, endangering is feelings for his beautiful French wife (Keira Knightley) who is waiting for him at home. This part of the story is not the essential for me ; but the way the young man is "caught" by Japan, by the Japanese beauty...it reminds me something for sure.

I am totally fascinated by these people who went to Japan when it was so difficult to get access to this country (see the book of Lafcadion Hearn in the article "My fav novels about Japan"). I cannot imagine how they could feel at that time. Just for the pleasure of the experience, you should have a look at this movie.

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GHIBLI STUDIO Animation Movies

Ok, here is the problem : you have to watch ALL OF THEM. They are all just GREAT. And you can learn something about Japanese mindset and aesthetics in all of them. The Ghibli Studio have been created in 1985 (a few months after I was born !) by Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao. The first one got more internationally famous than the second, but have a look at Hotaru no Haka (directed by Takahata) and let's talk then. All of their animation movies are at the same time full of references to Japanese stories, Japanese customs, Japanese legends, Japanese way of life ; and absolutely universal. It is so beautiful, so original, you can appreciate them even if you don't give a sh** about Japan. There are so many levels of understanding, all the family can watch it together and enjoy it (eeer, well, except maybe Hotaru no Haka, to avoid if your kids are already scared that their Mummy or Daddy die at the hospital...). I cannot write about all of them, so let me just give you my fav' of the fav'. They are also the most famous, sorry if my selection is not very original...

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (in French : Le voyage de Chihiro) - 2011 - Trailer here

Looking for an insight into Japanese beauty and spirit ? Easy. Just watch this. This is the amazing story of a little girl who gets trapped into a strange world dominated by a terrible witch who is also the tyrannic owner of a sento (public bath) for the kami (spirits). Chihiro has to work there to survive, as a slave, and she looses her name in the same time. She has to find a way to find her original name again (and her identity) and to save her parents who have been transformed into pigs. I cannot find the words to describe the atmosphere of the magic sento (you will think of it then everytime you visit a sento or onsen).

Tonari no Totoro (in French : Mon voisin Totoro) - 1988 - Trailer here

The cutest family & fantasy tale ever : two little girls and their father settle in a old and dusty countryside house for the summer, to be closer from the hospital where the mother is treated. The two sisters quickly notice that the area is full of magical creatures hiding in the shadows and the nature. The best of them is the giant rabbit-bear Totoro, who lives inside the giant tree close to the house - or maybe the cat-bus all made of fur that runs trough the country and brings lost little girls home... It's an enchanted world, amazingly poetic and cute, that will move anyone who once had a sister and spent holidays in the countryside. 

Gake no ue no Ponyo (in French : Ponyo sur la falaise) - 2008 - Trailer here

I like this one because for once, the normal world and the magical world don't have to get separated at the end. Ponyo is a great version of the little mermaid story : a little creature living in the depth of the sea and over-protected by her father, a kind of wizard who trust no human being, sneaks outside her cocoon and takes a glimpse of the world. She meets a young boy and for him, she will turn herself into a little girl. There is no bad witch in this version, nor curse nor kiss, but an amazing representation of a tsunami and the power of the sea. 

Mononoke Hime (in French : Princesse Mononoke) - 1997 - Trailer here

If I have to make a ranking, I know I should put "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" at the top - it is so perfect, so deep, so well crafted as a scenario... But my heart goes to Mononoke Hime, even if I am aware that the quality is just a degree under. Maybe because it was the first Ghibli anime I have seen in my life, or maybe because the protagonists are older, so their love story is even more moving and nostalgic. The story taks place in old old Japan, when the country was inhabited by ancient tribes who lived in harmony with the nature. Ashitaka is the prince of one of them. A mad (and cursed) boar attacks his village and he gets wounded defending his people. The wound is not a normal one; it grows infecting the Prince who has to leave the place  in order to find a way to cure himself. On the way, he understands that nature and all its powerful spirits are appalled by the way some newcomers take possession of the lands - industrialized and well-armed invaders, who are an image of the ancestors of the current Japanese population. The forest defends itself in blood and anger, helped by a mysterious girl raised by wolves Ashitaka fells in love with, even if he stands on the side of humanity whatever happens. But the human kinds attacks the living spirit of the forest itself... You learn a lot about the very special japanese nostalgy through this movie, and the unique vision of nature and civilization of this nation. And it is so beautiful...

Hotaru no Haka (in French : Le Tombeau des Lucioles) - 1988 - Tralier here

Ok, be ready to cry you heart out. This is not a cut funny movie. It's a fist in your stomach. It's about two orphans during WW2 bombings over the Japanese cities ; Dad was killed as a soldier, Mum dies under the bombs and the homeless kids no one cares about have to survive by themselves. The little girl gets sick. And you flood you sofa with tears. End of the story.If you want to understand a bit further about the Japanese conception of death, that's a good one. Dignity, always dignity. And loneliness. And powerlessness. And insignificance. Yippie. But it's poetic and joyful-sad in the same time, so you should watch it. But prepare a big stock of tissues before.

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OKURIBITO - Yojiro Takita - 2008

Trailer here

Daigo took a huge risk for a Japanese man : he tried to live on his music as a cello player in an orchestra. But the orchestra breaks up and he finds itself jobeless. He decides to give himself a second chance to get a proper life and moves in his native town with his young wife. He is ready to take any job offer coming to him - or almost. Thinking he has been contacted by some kind of travel agency, he is actually hired by a funeral company preparing the corpses for the final "departure" ceremonies. These jobs are amazingly despised in Japan and the people working for this industry are considered as dirty and heartless. But the salary is very high and Daigo needs money. Hiding the truth from his wife, he gets involved into this very strange business and comes to love his job. He learns how to "reveal" the personnality of the dead people to the family, bringing soul on the faces of the corpses, to let the family and relatives be able to properly say goodbye - and often make peace over the body.

This movie did not got internationnaly famous for nothing. It is as socially meaningful as beautiful. You get a powerful shot of kodawari, this dedication the Japanese people inject into the perfection of gestures, and know-how ; and you also learn about the local customs related to death. For example, the corpse is "prepared" in front of the whole family, so you can not be brutal or noisy making it looking better, you have to be amazingly delicate and smooth. What a challenge. But Okuribito is also a very funny movie, full of absurd situations and black humor. Wanna learn something about life ? You have to see this movie dealing with death.

To be continued...