Summer Blooms

I like art films... sometimes. One of my favorite films of all time is the Russian "Stalker", which I've seen several times. But films are like paintings; some of them have a theme and a purpose, some have none. Some films like paintings seem to be randomly assembled, leaving the viewer to wonder what was on the artist's mind.

This film isn't exactly pointless. It's just that it's a long way to go to make a single point. Some viewers may enjoy the subtlety and slow reveal. Others may not appreciate a film that comes very near to being pointless.

The cinematography isn't good enough to claim attention. Acting is barely present and the directing is minimal, without much of note. There may perhaps be some in the audience who will find this an exquisite cup of tea. But it's likely that a lot more will find it mediocre or even "boring".

I was interested all the way through, but in the last third repeatedly wondered where they were taking the film. That's never good. I won't say anything about the ending, but if one is looking for an art film... this just barely musters consideration.

The journey of life is a sole exercise in learning to let go. This act is never easy and its different each and every time for each and every one of us! Director Ryutaro Nakagawa uses a subtle hand with a delicate vision to paint a simple version of this. I see some describe it as and Arthouse film but I find it to be a simple premise with rich nuance along the way.

Hatsumi Takimoto has suddenly lost a love along the path of living and its been somewhere around three years when a last letter from her lost boyfriend arrives into her life. What transpires is a pebble in the pond of her ongoing conflict. We are left to wonder at its content as she does not open it for the bulk of the film but it creates a reaction nonetheless. This is where the nuance slowly lures us in to the languid pondering of what her grief may mean to her and where it will lead her.

Aki Asakura brilliantly plays the the leading role with rich depth and smiles on top of undercurrents of her continuing process. We start to wonder why she ventures back to his family during this time and what it will do to her. I am struck that this film portrays deep moments of living with very little screen drama and the director nails this subtlety!

What ends up being truth is once again unexpected and in that surprise is the point of the film. How we let go and what we learn about ourselves is the reward for the hardship.

This is a beautiful treatise on the human spirit and must see for those who love insights into the human condition.

About to be cliche, do what everyone else did, remember the quotes, because sometimes it is what everyone else did for a reason.

Dear Hatsumi, I have written many letters to you, but this will probably be my last. Someone once said that love letters shouldn't be about what you want to say, but rather about what makes the recipient smile. I always had that in mind, but looking back now, I think maybe I just wrote about what I wanted to say. This isn't anyone's fault. It's just the way things are. It's definitely not your fault, so don't believe what they say. Please forget me and be happy.

Kazama Kentaro

You are still young, so maybe you think life is all about what you have. That was what I thought until I got older. Now, I think, maybe life is really about the things we lose. Every time you lose something, you have to discover another piece of your true person.