Hana (2006) @ 花よりもなほ

"I don't wanna be a samurai. I just wanna have sex all day."

At a glance:

There are quite a few Japanese movie titles which start with "hana" (meanin "flower") and some of these simply get the short title when they reach other countries. It was tough to tell them all apart but this isn't the murder mystery I thought I was gonna watch! Somewhere in pathetic, rural Edo (old Tokyo) a few hundred years ago, a travellin samurai (Junichi Okada) stays in decrepit conditions as he struggles to locate his father's killer. Life however, is never that easy because nobody will give him respect until he performs that sacred task, except perhaps the hot widow-next-door, Osae (Rie Miyazawa) and his young son. As time goes by, the contemplative samurai discovers that the ancient codes seem to be a hindrance on the way by which he really wants to live his life.

Bad news on the doorstep:

"We have come to kill the LGBT community
that threatens our values!"

This movie is directed by Hirokazu Koreeda who is well-known for his morbid themes of death and loss - yet the movie explores these with the most annoyin lack of attention and sobriety. Although I have only read about his impressive line of movies, they certainly promise some hard-hittin drama. Did I miss the point, or does this movie simplu not translate well to foreign audiences?

I can't remember if I cried:

I wasn't kiddin about this bein
a lazy Sunday afternoon movie.

It's obvious the film isn't meant to be a silly farce but much of the story has been muddled by unhelpful sidetrackin and an excess of dialogue - or is it an excess of subtitles? This is definitely not your average samurai movie, what with its black humour and light overtones. The subject matter of the redundant samurai is sufficiently discussed but lacks any sort of cinematic impact for it to retain resonance. The 'boyband' samurai actor just couldn't carry any real pain or guilt in his performance. Also, too much of our attention is diverted to the village idiot, the lover of the landlord's wife and also other bit-part characters which gives the movie an episodic, lazy afternoon viewin feel.

Amacam joker, berapa bintang lu mau kasi?

 Despite its rich historical and cultural details e.g. the (literally) shitty 17th century outhouse, the village plays and also a subplot on the famous 47-ronin story, this movie projects a stubborn lack of urgency. The directional kamikaze is finally committed when a dissatisfyin, all-too-pleasant endin was served.★★

Love And Honor (2006) @ 武士の一分

Did she just prostitute the family pride for 30 koku of rice?

At a glance:

Rei Dan 檀れい as Kayo

Wonderful – the finer points of dyin are again available on general release! When do we die? Why do we die? How should we die? In a year of movie trilogies (some would hope they stop at just the three), Yoji Yamada puts forth Love And Honor 武士の一分 (2006) the third film of his samurai series after Twilight Samurai(2002) and Hidden Blade (2004). The billin for this movie could almost fool someone into thinking it might resemble that Tom Cruise Hollywood schlock, The Last Samurai, especially its choice of English titlin, but all the solid, subtle elements of arthouse cinema are thankfully retained. The skinny? In feudal Japan, official Court taster Shinnojo Mimura lives with his wife, Kayo, in the palace town. They get by comfortably enough with his 30-koku (enough rice to feed one person for one year) annual salary, although he had always wanted somethin more challengin, like openin a kendo dojo to teach young kids. Tragedy strikes by way of fish [spoilers] – a sashimi dish was prepared poorly and Shimmojo is poisoned. Upon recovery, he discovers he's blind. Kayo and concerned relatives fuss over the fate of the couple, as Shinnojo is now rendered useless in the palace town and his wife wants to work (big no-no). Fortune favours the blind samurai when palace officials issue a decree which would support him for life but Kayo is implicated in a possible sex-for-food trade-off with one pervy Chief Duty Officer. Did she just prostitute the family pride for 30 koku of rice? Disgraced, Shinnojo divorces her without investigatin further, and challenges the 'receivin' official to a sword duel. Yet, there's still a way out for everyone.