Shinkirô no fune

The first thing to recognize is that the film is very self-aware of its arthouse style. Don't expect a neat, clean linear story. But as films like these go, this one is not overwhelmingly complex. I saw it in Japanese, with English subtitles which were largely unneeded, as a significant portion of the film relies on imagery and contemplative expressions from the characters.

The themes of death and meaningful life, as well as relationships between parents and children, are explored, with a touch of Bergman influence. There's loads of contraposition, from alternating color to black and white, the run-down settings of life and the stark yet elegant appearance of the mirage of the title. Most intriguing was the (only slightly displayed, more interpretational on my part), allusion to the perception of direction in time and place. But that's what art is meant to do, take the mind to new places, even if it's not the artist's original intent.

It's a film to watch for its technique and overall themes, rather than plot or character study. A film aptly suited to be discussed over a meal afterward.