Eiga Sai 2004: Japanese Contemporary Films

So I finally found someone interested enough in Asian films to go with me all the way to Megamall to watch these Japanese movies the Japan Foundation show every year. I seriously don't understand why people don't take advantage of these things. Although I'm a bit grateful that not everyone's appreciative of it because then, it'd be mainstream, and it'll be too crowded in the cinemas and before you know it, they're charging for it. Although I wouldn't really mind that either because the films are definitely worth the money. And so I feel really lucky that I got to watch them for free. I just wish they'd show them in a theater not so far away from me as Megamall or CCP or the UP Film Institute (UP students are so unfair for having a place like this). But then again, I guess if they didn't show it in a place as popular as Megamall, there would be less watching.

Anyway, am I going to review the films or not? Just a mention of thanks to my friends Katrina and Josef, without whom I wouldn't have been able to see the movies in the first place.

Don't Look Back (Dokomademo Ikou)

First things first. I didn't actually get to see the beginning of this film (Darn McDo for making me wait 10 minutes for those stupid nuggets!) but it was easy enough to understand from the part we started from.

Akira and Koichi are best friends who, at the start of a new school year, found out they weren't classmates anymore. They eventually found new friends and got into very different circumstances (Akira's friend died, Koichi's friend was a troublemaker), but at the second to the last scene, they were again exactly how they used to be, sitting by the lake, shooting firecrackers from a lighter gun.

There wasn't anything very extraordinary that happened in this movie. They found new friends, got into fights, and Akira developed a crush on a girl. Normal stuff, and yet I've never seen anything like it. Or, maybe I have.

Throughout the movie, I kept remembering Yasujiro Ozu's I Was Born, But... (Umareta Keredomo) and not just because both films were about kids, or that both didn't have too much dialogue (Actually, I Was Born, But... is a silent film, but the people in Don't Look Back so rarely talked, it could've passed for a silent film. Seriously, out of 74 mins. there was probably only 30 mins. of dialogue), but because nothing extraordinary happened in both films.

I read somewhere that Ozu's films were always, not about specific problems, but just 'everyday drama'. And that's what both I Was Born, But... and Don't Look Back had. It shows the sad realities of life, and how people deal with it.

It was quite a sad film, really. One very very short scene honestly brought me to tears. I am such a sap. Anyway, I think I'm going to have to watch this film several more times to be able to understand all the messages in it. I didn't even know it already ended until I saw the credits on the screen. Some movies are just like that I guess. How I wish I could raid the Japan Foundation Film Library.

Waterboys

And speaking of raiding that library, I'll make sure not to miss this one because definitely this is one of the nicest movies I've seen. It's hilarious.

Just the first two minutes was enough to get me laughing so hard, but the comedy continued on for the rest of the film. Everything was great, the acting, cinematography, soundtrack, story, and of course, the swimming routine was fantastic. But honestly, who wouldn't be impressed with a bunch of guys swimming in synchronization? And I really liked the fact that they weren't doing it to beat another team or anything. Sure, it may have started out that they all had petty reasons for joining the swim team, but there was enough events to show that they all eventually genuinely liked it.

Somehow, all the 'sports' movies I've seen have practically the same plot. An underdog team who hate each other eventually get very good because they have a common goal of beating another team, or being the best team there is. But in this case, the motivation for the guys to excel in synchronized swimming was different. They wanted to prove they weren't wimps. And that's kind of difficult when they're stuck with a 'girly' sport. But prove that they did, because by the end of their performance, everyone was amazed. There weren't any scenes of people criticizing how their team learned from a dolphin trainer and practiced in an aquarium, which, had their learning the fishes' movements from cleaning the fishtanks been intentional, would've reminded me of the Karate Kid's first training with Mr. Miyagi. But since it wasn't, and the dolphin trainer really had meant to trick them and not teach them anything, well it just gives another point of uniqueness in the story.

There was also a scene showing how the swimmers redeemed their masculine image; by showing the cute guys from the basketball team who used to taunt the swim team about being girly, nodding at them in agreement. And the way they incorporated martial arts, gymnastics and even mathematical calculations into their routine was just incredible.

The girl's character was great too. I just love that she wasn't the reason either why the lead character, Suzuki, pursued synchronized swimming. It was even the opposite--Suzuki didn't want to perform because he was afraid she'd think less of him once he knew that he was into synchronized swimming. But the girl, despite being in the karate team and having all those strong brothers, or course, liked him for who he was. But there was no scene wherein they said that to each other or anything mushy like that. It was just understood, for all their actions. It really made me think of how unimportant words can be sometimes.

Actually, both movies did. Once again, I'm stumped as to how certain things can work without a pattern, or without any of the elements we're used to. And then I realize how I'm always never smart enough to be able to put into words to express clearly what exactly I'm thinking about or feeling. But then, I remember that I just learned that words aren't everything. And then, I remember that these things hardly have anything to do with the review anymore and so I should just shut up.

P.S. The review for Don't Look Back would've been longer, because I really meant to talk about the symbolisms in it--there are a lot, like how Akira would suddenly be alone in one scene, etc. etc. (I'm telling you, even the clothes they wore seemed symbolic), but somehow it sounds wrong when I say it while not watching the movie.

P.P.S. Regarding Waterboys and how it gives a contrasting image to the usual idea of 'masculinity', I'd also just like to point out that a British flm had a somewhat similar theme. In Billy Elliot, the lead character was a boy who got interested in ballet (instead of boxing, which he was originally taking--the ballet lessons were right beside the boxing court) and eventually became a professional dancer.
I just remembered because there was a scene wherein Billy's guy friend tried to kiss him and he said something like, "Just because I like dancing doesn't mean I'm gay."
I'm just mentioning in case you think I'm too biased for Japanese films (which, I actually honestly think I am). But anyway, this is just so it'd be acknowledged that I'm not saying it's just the Japanese who came up with this concept (although in history, Japan's been a more patriarchal society than Britain so I think Japan's films would get more reaction to this type of story).