TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

“To the Ends of the Earth” is Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest film and his first pure drama since 2008's “Tokyo Sonata”. Without genre troupes to fall back on, Kurosawa does a lovely job of portraying a young woman's story as she goes through self discovery and has her eyes opened to another culture, whilst reporting on the country for a famous Japanese travel program for television.

Yoko is a reporter for a Japanese variety show, and her latest assignment sees her in the middle of Uzbekistan, which is situated in central Asia. While reporting on the local amusement park, lakes said to contain mythical fish, and small roadside cafes, Yoko finds herself going through a personal crisis as she becomes more aware of the fact that she is getting further and further away from her dream to become a singer. Away from the cameras of the show, Yoko explores the local landscape with more meaning and without the distractions of home, starts to pinpoint exactly what she wants out of life, all while becoming more familiar and accepting of a culture far different from her own.

Despite the fact that “To the Ends of the Earth” was not a genre exercise for Kiyoshi Kurosawa, I was still greatly looking forward to it. The rather brief trailer for the film really caught my attention, though I cannot say why exactly, and the fact that it was set in Uzbekistan, a country that until now I knew nothing about, I had the feeling that this film was going to, at the very least, be interesting. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint and I really enjoyed “To the Ends of the Earth” a great deal. It is quite unlike anything Kurosawa has done before and yet, it felt like a Kurosawa film through and through. The genesis behind this project was to create a film to commemorate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Uzbekistan, as well as the 70th anniversary of the Navoi Theater in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which was constructed by Japanese prisoners of war after World War II. Kurosawa was commissioned to write and direct the film, and personally I think he has done a wonderful job of telling an actual story, placing it within Uzbekistan, without making the whole thing a boring travelogue of the country.

There are a number of fantastic little touches and observations about travelling that Kurosawa makes within this film. One aspect I loved very early on was the feeling of anxiety one can feel when travelling, especially to a country whose language is different from your own. The stress of trying to communicate to someone, the irrational fear when someone attempts to talk to you and you do not understand, trying to master the local currency and public transport, the feeling that everyone is looking at you because you are different, even something as simple as crossing the road in a new place; Kiyoshi Kurosawa expertly captures these feelings and at least for me, this is the best example on film that I can remember of this anxiety being portrayed. Kurosawa is assisted wonderfully well by his leading actress Atsuko Maeda, who plays Yoko, and gets across these emotions perfectly. I could feel everything she was going through and relate from my own past experiences travelling. I could feel her angst and tension, especially early on. Another aspect I loved was the difference between Yoko when she is onscreen as opposed to off of it. When filming, Yoko has that over the top exuberance and super bubbly personality that seems to be the norm of Japanese television, however once the cameras are turned off she is just like the rest of us; prone to feeling down and being totally unsure of herself. In essence, she is playing a character when presenting the wonders and joys of Uzbekistan. Also, it is interesting that she is treated less like a person and more like a prop by the behind the scenes crew of the television show. What she feels or wants is given little thought by her crew, which further adds to the alienation she feels in this strange new world.

However it is because of this lack of connection to her crew members that she heads out into the streets of Uzbekistan and experiences the “real” life and culture there. The lakes, amusement park and food stalls she visits during production of her show are all well and good, but do not really express what the country and its people are like properly. I guess you could say that Kurosawa is taking a swipe at the shallowness of these travel shows and what they portray on them. While I would not say that Yoko delves into the culture with any extreme depth, at least she experiences things there for herself, even if these things scare her or do not initially make sense to her. It is fair to say that by the end of the film, her eyes have been opened wider to a culture outside of her own, even if she does not fully understand it. She learns to except that while things may not make sense within her own thoughts and beliefs, these same things can mean a whole lot more to the locals, which is expressed in the scenes with the goat.

My favourite scene of the film is the one that, unsurprisingly, takes place in the Navoi Theater. It is a scene unlike any other within the film as it has a dreamlike ambience to it, as Yoko almost instinctively finds her way there, where she then fantasises about singing in the theatre with the large orchestra backing her. It is a beautiful scene, and it is where Yoko has the full realisation that she does indeed want to still become a singer, and you get the feeling she is going to chase that dream with more conviction once she gets back home to Japan. I mentioned earlier that thankfully the film wasn't just a travelogue of Uzbekistan, showing all the “beautiful” places of the country. I guess it was inevitable for a film that was made to celebrate said theatre, that it would show up in the film, but I really liked the way Kurosawa included it within the film. I also like when it was brought up by the crew's translator to shoot a segment of the show there, it was shot down by the director for not being something the audience would find interesting (which is just ridiculous). This just after we hear the heartwarming story from the Uzbek translator on how he was inspired by the story behind the making of the theatre to dedicate his life in helping the Japanese.

I was really impressed with Kiyoshi Kurosawa's direction within “To the Ends of the Earth” and really felt he was at the peak of his powers here. Together with his regular cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa, they create a much different look than is usual for the pair, focusing on brightly lit open spaces and landscapes, and the very colourful textures within the markets and bazaars. I thought the use of the colour orange was bold and worked wonderfully well, and gave the film a unique feeling to it, and suited the landscapes perfectly. Little subtle moments of lighting change that occur almost subliminally, happen quite regularly within the film too to indicate a shift in either time or mood and this is another element that I thought was very well handled. The casting of Atsuko Maeda in the lead role of Yoko was perfect. This is Maeda's third film for Kurosawa after “Seventh Code” and “Before We Vanish”, but I have to say that this is her best outing so far with the director. Not only is she in almost every scene in the film, but she also gets to display a huge range of emotions and moods throughout the story and does so effortlessly. She also gets to sing in two scenes of the film where her character really lights up and comes alive. The rest of the cast doesn't have as much to do, but all are quite good in their roles. Shota Sometani, (in a role much smaller than I am used to seeing him in), plays the somewhat disinterested director of the show, Ryo Kase is excellent as the show's cameraman, and Uzbek actor Adiz Rajabov is the surprise standout playing the group's translator.

Overall, I was really quite impressed with “To the Ends of the Earth” which ends up being something of a character study of Yoko, and the way her eyes open to a new culture whilst at the same time growing within herself. While different than anything Kiyoshi Kurosawa has made previous, what remains the same is his great direction and expertise behind the camera. I have the feeling that “To the Ends of the Earth” will be one of those films that ends up being under-seen, but if you do get the chance to see it, please do not hesitate to do so; you will not be disappointed. I now must patiently look forward to Kurosawa's next film, the period set suspense thriller “Wife of a Spy”.

3.5 Stars.

A HIDDEN LIFE

“A Hidden Life” sees director Terrence Malick return to a more narrative based feature after a collection of “stream of consciousness” movies that he began with his masterpiece “Tree of Life” back in 2011. While I have enjoyed these four films with differing results, after “Song to Song”, it felt like Malick had gone just about as far as he could with this style of filmmaking, so I was very pleased when it was announced that his next film, then titled “Radegund”, would see him return to a more plot heavy film.

This new film is based on historical events that occurred during World War II in St. Radegund, Austria. It is the incredible story of Franz Jägerstätter, a simple farmer, who when called up to fight in the war, refused to fight for the Nazis nor pledge allegiance to Hitler. His refusal cost both him and his family dearly, but Jägerstätter's will could not be broken, even if his body was. This simple act of resistance sees Franz jailed and regularly tortured, whilst at home his wife Fani and their two children are treated like pariahs in their local village.

While it is true that “A Hidden Life” sees Terrence Malick tackle a linear narrative for the first time in awhile, it is still presented in the mould of his post-”Tree of Life” films, so if you were not a fan of these recent films, it is fair to say that you will not have your opinion swayed here. The film is filled with stunning imagery, his floating camera constantly on the move, while hushed voice-overs explain the feelings of the people involved in their current situation. Personally, I found the subject of the film very interesting because I have always wondered how Hitler was able to get everyone to follow his will and why no one ever stood up and said “No, this isn't right”. The obvious answer is “fear” and this is shown in the film as we see what happens when Franz Jägerstätter stands up for what he believes in, and what it ultimately costs him. While Malick regularly compares Franz's sacrifice with that of Jesus, he doesn't treat his act of resistance as heroic, mainly due to what this act costs his family. Is staying true to your beliefs worthy of sacrificing your family's happiness or is this just an act of stubbornness on your behalf? There is a scene towards the end that I found very interesting when the Nazi's give Franz an out by offering him a medical position in a hospital rather than fighting. Franz questions if he still would have to pledge allegiance to Hitler and when he is told “yes” he once again refuses. His lawyers try to explain that this is madness and that God does not care what you “say” if your heart is true, but Franz still refuses. It is this moment that I myself questioned his actions as he essentially turns his back on his wife and children for his beliefs. It should be said though that Fani, his wife, stands by Franz's decision until the end.

Speaking of Fani, for me, her character is the heart of “A Hidden Life” and the true hero of the story. Yes, it is Franz's story and he goes through immense hardship, but it is brought on by his own actions whereas for Fani, she is abused and ignored by the townsfolk over something that she herself cannot control. Malick does an excellent job of presenting scenes of Fani attempting to keep the farm running, with no help other than from her sister, while bringing up her two children and shielding them from the truth of the situation. Valerie Pachner is excellent in this role and gives the strongest and most memorable performance within the film. I also loved the early scenes with her and Franz during happier times. Pachner and August Diehl, who plays Franz, have fantastic chemistry together and you really feel the love and strong connection between the two of them. Also the scenes with Franz playing with his girls are just adorable, which does add a weight to the decision he makes later in the film, and just how much it meant to him because you can see how much he loves his kids.

When “A Hidden Life” was first announced, it was stated that Malick was going to shoot the film in German, which I applauded. However this idea was ultimately scrapped, sort of, by the time the shooting of the film began. I say “sort of” because the way Malick has tackled the language issue is to have everyone speak in unsubtitled German, to create a sense of realism of the area and situation, but if it is something that we, the audience, need to hear and understand, these lines are spoken in English. Whilst it sounds a little confusing on paper, it makes perfect sense during the film, and for the most part is a success. I must admit that some of the German actors, such as Franz Rogowski, seemed to struggle a little with their English lines but in regards to the main characters, this experiment works well. All of the voice over narration is in English, and are actually based on the real letters Franz and Fani sent to one another during this time while apart.

One thing you notice while watching “A Hidden Life” is that it looks and feels like it is a Terrence Malick film. That is to be expected so why am I making a big deal about it? The reason why is because this is the first time in a long time that he is not working with his key creative team behind the scenes. This is the first time in his entire career that Jack Fisk has not served as production designer on one of his films, and for the first time since they started working together on “The New World”, Jacqueline West is not the costume designer. Not only that but Emmanuel Lubezki is not the cinematographer on “A Hidden Life” either, who had been working in that capacity with Malick since “The New World”. His camerawork and natural lighting style had become synonymous with the films of Terrence Malick that you almost didn't know where Lubezki ended and Malick began. With this new film, it is obvious just how in control Malick is of his images within his films because he is working with a new cinematographer, Jorge Widmar, on “A Hidden Life” and yet the images are quintessentially those from Terrence Malick. He just sees the world with different eyes and sees beauty in the usually mundane. This film is no different, as it is a visual feast for the eyes, although I must admit I do wish that not every scene was shot with a wide angled lens.

While there is a lot to like about “A Hidden Life”, the film does have its fair share of problems, with the main one being its extended running time. At seven minutes shy of three hours, this is Malick's longest film to date, and unfortunately it feels bloated. I believe that with some extended trimming, that “A Hidden Life” could be a much stronger film as the story doesn't necessitate such a large running time. The opening hour of life on the farm is sublime; I loved every second of it, but it is during the second hour where we are witness to Franz being repeatedly pushed around that mental fatigue starts to set in and you begin to fidget and look at your watch. The repetitive nature of Franz's ordeal begins to tire on the audience, and there is only so many times you can watch the poor man go through the same thing before it loses its impact. The film does come good in the third hour though as questions are raised about free will, faith and the worth of Franz's rebellion. I briefly mentioned the wide angled lens above, and while yes the images are beautiful in this film, I felt this lens let Malick down during the scenes where Franz was incarcerated. His cell looked massive like he had the living space of a five star hotel, and it wasn't until we got an overhead shot of it, that we see just how cramped Franz's living conditions really are. My other big problem with this film is that you never really “feel” the war. I understand that this is not a World War II story per se but rather a story of one man during a time of war, standing up for what he believes in, but personally I felt that you needed to feel the power of the actual war that Franz was protesting against. I am sure that budget constraints play a part in this, as we sometimes hear planes flying overhead but never see them, and the war is represented, in a way, via archive footage edited into the feature, but for me, it just isn't enough. You do not feel the danger, the immediacy nor the approaching touch of this war.

Overall, there is a lot to like about “A Hidden Life” although it is far from perfect. As usual for a Terrence Malick film the visuals are just stunning, but the overinflated running time do take their toll on the viewer. It was fantastic to see this great director tackle a linear narrative again, but I would be lying if I didn't want him to take one extra step back and make another film in the style of his first three films. The film poses an interesting question to Franz's ideal which is that it is “better to suffer injustice than to do it”, but does this still stand true if your loved ones also have to suffer because of it? As usual, I look forward to the next film from Terrence Malick which he has already finished filming (it is titled “The Last Planet” and is the re-telling of several episodes in the life of Christ), but I hope that the post production schedule isn't as long as the three years it took to finish “A Hidden Life”.

3.5 Stars.

 

2019 - IN REVIEW: MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2020

Just like every year that has come before it, there are a plethora of new releases that are slated for release in 2020 that I am eagerly anticipating. From last years list, I'm still waiting on releases for Joe Wright's “The Woman in the Window” and my most anticipated film from 2019, Paul Verhoeven's “Benedetta”, which delayed its post production schedule after the director needed hip surgery and is now due this year. Obviously these are still hugely anticipated and should be considered an extension of the below list (but I do not like including the same titles for multiple years). Besides the titles below that I am shining a spotlight on, 2019 will see a number of new and exciting films from talented directors, the likes of Terrence Malick (“A Hidden Life”), Zach Snyder (“Army of the Dead”), George Clooney (“Good Morning, Midnight”), Francois Ozon (“Summer 84”), Dee Rees (“The Last Thing He Wanted”), Zhang Yimou (who has two films coming out in 2020, “One Second” and the gangster film “Rock Solid”), Sion Sono (“Prisoners of the Ghostland”), Sean Durkin (“The Nest”), Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”), Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), Christopher Nolan (“Tenet”), David Fincher (“Mank”) and Andrew Dominik (“Blonde”) to name but just a few. All of the above I am looking forward to, but the below eight films are my most anticipated films of 2020.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

This is the brand new film from director Edgar Wright who promises the film to be a psychological horror film in the vein of Roman Polanski's “Repulsion”. Although details about the film are very limited, I hope that Wright goes for it in terms of darkness and stays away from sprinkling any form of comedy within the film. I have always thought due to his strong visual style that Wright would be perfect to make a great thriller / horror film, if he could reign the comedy in just once. Hopefully that is what we will see with “Last Night in Soho”. The plot synopsis on imdb is as follows: “A young girl, passionate in fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences.” Wright definitely seems to have cast the film well with both Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie (who was excellent in both “Leave No Trace” and “Jojo Rabbit”) appearing to have major roles, with Emma Peel herself, Diana Rigg also in the cast list.

HALLOWEEN KILLS

Of all the films on this list, “Halloween Kills” has the potential to be the worst I believe. It is the latest film in the never ending saga of masked killer Michael Myers, a series I cannot help to love, but it is also the middle film of the latest trilogy, which is a bit iffy as you know the story will not end satisfactorily with any real meaning. It will be a set up to the final film, “Halloween Ends”. Like most of the titles on this list, there actually isn't too much known about the film except by looking at the cast list, a lot of the characters from the original 1978 “Halloween” film seem to be making an appearance. I wonder if they think enough is enough, and they go hunt for Michael Myers this time around? Anyway, director David Gordon Green returns for the same duties to continue the story from his 2018 version of “Halloween”, so from a technical standpoint, you can at least expect it to impress there.

GREEN KNIGHT

I have yet to be disappointed in a film directed by David Lowery, so the inclusion of “Green Knight” on this list is based on his reputation alone. For some reason, I seem to go into Lowery's films underestimating just how good a director and storyteller he actually is, and always come out thinking how great that was with “Pete's Dragon” being the perfect example. This new film is described as “a fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.”, which I have to admit I am not familiar with, but a fantasy film in the hands of David Lowery, complete with Alicia Vikander in the cast, certainly has me excited. I am also pleased to see that Lowery has used his cinematographer, Andrew Droz Palermo, and production designer, Jade Healy, from “A Ghost Story” for this film too.

MACBETH

C'mon, how many versions does there need to be of this classic Shakespeare tale?? I do not know the answer to that, but the majority of the films based on it, do happen to be excellent. But what could make another version so anticipated, especially so soon after Justin Kerzel's very good film from 2017? The simple answer is that this “Macbeth” is being directed by, none other than Joel Coen, sans his brother Ethan. For the first time in his career Joel Coen is directing a film without his brother by his side, and it will be thrilling to see how much of a difference that makes. Also interesting is the fact that Denzel Washington has been cast as Macbeth (this marks the first appearance of Washington in a Coen Brothers film) and Joel Coen's wife, Frances McDormand is filling the role of Lady Macbeth. I must admit that out of all of Shakespeare's plays that I am familiar with, “Macbeth” is the one I respond to the most, so it goes without saying that I am very excited to see the finished product of this one.

ON THE ROCKS

I've said this before but whenever Sofia Coppola has a new film, it is always a big thing for me, so that is the reason for the inclusion of “On the Rocks” onto this list. The film is about “A young mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York”, which seems to hint that their may be some autobiographical element to the film. Not that Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia's dad, has ever been described as a “playboy” but he is definitely larger than life, and I am sure would attract most of the attention of any room he entered. The most exciting thing about “On the Rocks” though is that it is the first time Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray have worked together (on a narrative feature) since their masterful film, “Lost In Translation”, way back in 2003 (oh my god! Has it really been that long since that film came out???). Thankfully Coppola is also reuniting with Phillip Le Sourd, whose cinematography on Coppola's previous film “The Beguiled” was just sublime. I must admit that I have a very good feeling about “On the Rocks”.

GRETEL & HANSEL

Yes this is another horror film, but it is also the brand new film from director Osgood Perkins (the son of Anthony Perkins) who directed one of my favourite horror films of the past ten years; the absolutely chilling “February” (re-titled “The Blackcoat's Daughter” in the US). He then followed it up with another stunner, the Netflix ghost story “I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House”. In the space of two films, Perkins has risen in my eyes from unknown to a modern horror master and I have been anxiously awaiting his third film to be released. It has been four long years between films, and while the film has yet to get a release date here in Australia, it is being released in the US in a couple of weeks on January 31^st. Unlike the rest of the films on this list, we know what this film is about and even have two trailers for it. It is a re-telling of the Brother's Grimm fairytale, but with more of a focus on Gretel, thus the change in title. From what has been revealed through the trailer, it appears to have a strong visual sense, with a pronounced angular look to its production design. Frankly, I have been thrilled by what I have seen so far, and it has made me even more excited for the film. Perkins seems to have made a great choice too in casting Sophia Lillis, from the “It” films, as his “Gretel”. I am not sure how “Gretel & Hansel” will go at the box office though, as it definitely has an arthouse feel to it, but I cannot wait to see this thing.

UNDINE

Even though I am the only person on the planet who was underwhelmed by Christian Petzold's most recent film, “Transit”, this does not make me any less excited for his new one. Petzold has come out and stated that he is beginning a new trilogy that will be based on German myths and fairytales, which sounds like heaven to me. The first of the trilogy is “Undine” that has been described by the production company like so: “Named after the water nymph that seduces men in a number of mythological tales, the German director’s new movie will portray Undine as a history graduate who works as a guide in Berlin in the present day. After her partner leaves her for another woman, she is cursed and compelled to kill the man who betrayed her and return to the waters she was once summoned from. Yet unlike the mythological character, in the film, Undine tries to defy her fate. Immediately after the break-up, she meets Christoph, an industrial diver, and falls in love with him. The two have a wonderful time together until he realises that she is running away from something and starts to feel betrayed.” This sounds absolutely wonderful, and I cannot wait to see Petzold attack the fantasy elements within the film which I hope are pronounced, as opposed to being more allegorical or restrained. Petzold has reunited with his stars of “Transit”, Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, for “Undine” with Beer playing the title character, and as usual, the film will be shot by Hans Fromm. This one is going to be amazing, I can feel it!

THE FRENCH DISPATCH

My most anticipated film of 2020 is none other than Wes Anderson's latest, “The French Dispatch”, which is his first live-action feature since 2014's “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, which is his best film to date. In between these two films, Anderson made the fantastic animated comedy “Isle of Dogs” . Amazingly, all we still know about the film is that it is “a love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional 20th-century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch" magazine”. To be honest, I do not really care what the story is about because I would be excited for this film no matter what. Wes Anderson just does not make bad films, and his voice is totally unique in cinema today that he always stands out over most of the dreck produced regularly in Hollywood. As usual, Anderson has filled his film with a very strong cast the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Kate Winslet, Lea Seydoux, Elisabeth Moss, Bill Murray, the list goes on and on.... His creative team around him remains the same too will Robert Yeoman returning on cinematography duties, with Alexandre Desplat writing the score. I must admit that I am stunned that as of yet we do not even have a still or poster for “The French Dispatch”, let alone a trailer. They must really be trying to keep this thing a secret, which suits me fine, as I would love to go into this a cold as possible with none of its surprises ruined. Anyway, I cannot see how this will not be genius and that is why it is my most anticipated film of 2020.

Well, that is it. My enormous round up of the year that was 2019 is finally over. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and got something out of it, but how about we go back to watching some new films now?