2009-10-10

快樂的傷逝 + HKAFF + 其他電影




Reflective Ripples in a Whisper

A German director Doris Dorrie's third film in her trilogy on Japan, Cherry Blossoms, is an exquisite, absorbing and deeply moving meditation on life, death, loss, loneliness and grief.

Talking about old parents with alienated and indifferent descendants, the first half of the film may remind the audience of Yasujiro Ozu's film made in 1953, Tokyo Monogatari. The six hugging-or-massage (by family members and strangers) scenes and the father's harmonious relationships with his daughter's girlfriend and a Japanese girl successfully highlight the poor relationship between the father and his children.

The second half in which the main character embarks on a reflective journey in search of traces of the deceased love captures the mood of Lost in Translation and Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. The cultural shock experienced also makes the film distinguishable from Under the Sand.

Cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji symbolize the fleeting and unpredictable nature of life. The film delivers a message that we should treasure the people around us, pursue our dreams and enjoy life to the full so that we will have no regrets. Besides, it is also about the main character's inability to communicate with not only the dead, but also the living family members. Butoh, a Japanese dance, helps people to feel and establish connections with others. What's more, the audience can pay attention to the symbolic meaning of the drawings at the beginning of the film and the photos at the end.

The cinematographer and the composer also succeed in evoking different tones from several shooting locations in Germany and Japan. The suburbs contrast sharply with the hustle and bustle of city life. Apart from the haunting visual images and the Japanese music playing upon the audience's heartstrings, the characters are so lifelike and well-acted that the audience will care about what happens to them.

On the whole, although Cherry Blossoms is a bit too long, without emotional bludgeoning or syrupy manipulation, it is a sincerely made road movie producing, in a whisper, emotional resonance and reflective ripples. 4.5 / 5

影評刊載於「香港影評人協會」、「兩岸三地影評人協會聯盟」、動映地帶」及「IMDB」。

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% Positive
IMDB: 7.7 / 10
Metacritic: Generally favorable reviews



* 榮獲「德國奧斯卡」最佳影片、最佳男主角和最佳服裝設計三項大獎。

* 榮獲「德國巴伐利亞電影獎」最佳電影、最佳男主角雙料大獎。 

* 德國知名女導演 Doris Dorrie 的「日本三部曲」:Cherry Blossoms》《Enlightenment Guaranteed》《The Fisherman and His Wife

* Doris Dorrie認為日本人深明世事總是短暫瞬變的,他們對每個細節都一絲不苟,以及抱有欣賞和讚美的態度,並從每事每物中找到令人感觸及喜悅的地方,將個人與外在的世界融合為一,這些日本精神對她在電影創作上的發展,以至人生觀都有深遠的影響。

* 她說:「記得那時,我用一個粉紅色的電話致電德國的丈夫,告訴他我多麼惋惜他不在我身旁,真希望我們一家人能同遊日本……」後來,黛莉絲的丈夫離世,他亦是黛莉絲的電影攝影師,他走後,黛莉絲曾經有一段時間放棄了電影,覺得沒有了丈夫,她再也拍不下去,幸而得丈夫生前好友鼓勵及支持,她再站起來重執導筒。《快樂的傷逝》講述一個喪偶父親從德國遠赴東京完成妻子心願的動人故事,更藉著「日本舞踏」的精神,傳達夫妻間的思念之情,並編織出如絲一般的情感張力,細膩而綿延不絕,當中不難讓人感受到黛莉絲對亡夫的思念。

* Doris Dorrie深受日本大導演小津安二郎Yasujiro Ozu影響,他的作品主題離不開「家庭」,而《快樂的傷逝》的靈感乃來自小津1953年的作品《東京物語》(Tokyo Monogatari)。

* 櫻花除了象徵春天的來臨,人生另一階段的開展與覺醒,也象徵了人生稍縱即逝的無常。

* 舞踏(Butoh),起源於日本二戰後的重建期間,由「舞踏之父」土方巽(Tatsumi Hijikata)及大野一雄(Kazuo Ohno)開創,是對未知事物進行深層思考的一種舞蹈,與日本傳統舞蹈無任何關聯。它沒有一定的表演形式,較屬於個人身心的修練,由舞者依其想像力開發自我特有的舞蹈形態,就像與影子跳舞般,透過舞姿描繪及展現光與影、生與死等概念。導演黛莉絲杜麗首次接觸舞踏,是在電視上看到一段大野一雄表演舞踏的紀錄片,舞者身穿女人的服裝、手執鮮花、慢動作的舞姿令黛莉絲看得出神,她後來更在德國找到一位日本舞踏家,學習這種舞蹈。


 


500 Days of Summer (心跳500天)  is a refreshing rom-com with a very charming cast and some memorable scenes. The film keeps going back and forth in time, which helps show the big contrasts. It could be better if the delivery of the message can be strengthened and the reason for the girl's change can be shown. 4 / 5

Joon-ho Bong, the director of the Host and Memories of Murder, never disappoints. Mother (骨肉同謀) is a gripping, splendidly acted, darkly suspenseful and beautifully shot murder mystery with a witty and unpredictable twist. Some ghostly, violent & guilt confronting scenes will send a chill down your spine. Kenji: 4.5 / 5 - IMDB: 8.2 / 10 - Rotten Tomatoes: 92 / 100

Old Partner (牛鈴之聲), a Korean documentary, is not a tear jerker. However, I am afraid it cannot move the audience either because of the main character's willingness to sell his cow, his indifference to his wife and the images of poor quality. Nevertheless, the old man resembles the old cow in many ways, which may make the audience ponder on the meaning of life at the end of the film. 3 / 5
Love Exposure (愛之剝脫) is a four-hour Japanese independent cult movie creatively and playfully mixing many elements: religion, family, romance, humor, gore, lust, etc. Although the ending is a bit disappointing because it seems to me that the director does not know how to end the film, it is on the whole a very entertaining ride with messages. Throughout the film, viewers are exposed to some sickening parts of the Japanese culture. 4 / 5
Air Doll (援膠女郎) is a poetic, unhurried, beautifully shot and poignant movie on the emptiness of city life. One of the themes is that city dwellers resemble air dolls. Lacking souls and uniqueness, they can be easily replaced by others as everyone is the same. Sometimes, city dwellers (e.g. the two shopkeepers of the video store) even exploit each other. Degrading themselves by treating each other as functional objects, they will be forgotten once they become useless. After one dies, he is only a piece of garbage. Moreover, some of the city dwellers prefer to live alone and sometimes they feel lonely. Indeed, everyone should have companions. DVDs gradually replacing cinemas also indicates that people nowadays prefer solitude. Apart from these, the film implies that people find money and sex more important than love and communication. For instance, a man prefers an air doll to a real woman and even a little girl prefers a valuable ring to a doll given by her mother. Also, the movie is about ageing and the cycle of life (from winter to spring). Perhaps we should learn from the air doll who tries to appreciate life (e.g. looking at the stars, enjoying the breathtaking scenery in the city, having unrequited love for the guy). She is already more humane and positive than other real human characters. The movie reminds me of Lars and the Real Girl, Artificial Intelligence, Enchanted, Cyborg She and Toy Story, but Air Doll is more poetic and sex-oriented. Korean actress Doona Bae, starring in The Host and Linda Linda Linda, gives a convincing and dazzling performance. The fairy-tale and lonely music by World's End Girlfriend also wrenched at my heart. Although the movie would be more substantial if other minor characters were further developed and connected, they illustrate how lonely and alienated city dwellers are. Hirokazu Koreeda is one of my favorite directors and his previous movies like Maborosi, Nobody Knows and Still Walking are highly recommended. 4.5 / 5
Jalainur (扎賚諾爾) 2.5 / 5

The Message (風聲) is a gripping, entertaining and exciting movie with a well-crafted plot, a brilliant cast, scenes of great tension and an unpredictable ending. 4 / 5


John Rabe 拉貝日記 3 / 5 --- City of Life and Death is much better.

22 則留言:

  1. Hi Kenji, long time no see!How r u?
     
    [版主回覆10/10/2009 11:13:00]Thanks for your visit. Very busy and stressed these days because of the new working environment, though I do enjoy teaching sometimes. Luckily, I can still squeeze time to watch movies. However, I may not have time to write long reviews in the future. This may be my last piece of review. Perhaps, I can write a few words on every movie I watch. Anyway, because I do not host the show any more, watching movies is no longer like a piece of homework. It becomes a purely relaxing and reflective activity, so I find the changes neutral! How about you? Still watch lots of VCDs and DVDs and go to bc very often? ^^

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  2. i think i will watch the titled film, 500 days of summer, and, maybe the air doll. btw, luckily i can catch your last long reviews here. 
    [版主回覆10/11/2009 14:01:00]Thanks so much for your support and visit. Yes, it is probably my last formal review posted this year. Perhaps I will write a few words about the movie I see in the future. At the end of the year, I will share with others my top 10 movies this year. ^^

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  3. 期待你年尾的十大.
    [版主回覆10/11/2009 15:49:00]Thank you BS2. It may surprise everyone as some of the films are not formally released in HK. I am also looking forward to your list. ^^

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  4. 我都好喜歡【心跳500天】的跳躍時序,那些對比很精采
    Cherry Blossoms 要下週才正式上映呢,期待
    [版主回覆10/11/2009 22:04:00]I hope you will love it because Vincent, Bobby and Mickey think it is OK only. Anyway, the foreign reviews are very positive and it should be at least OK. It will be one of my top 10 movies this year. I hope you will share with us how you feel after watching it. ^^

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  5. cool, will keep my eyes on those "words" to come.
    [版主回覆10/12/2009 20:39:00]Thanks! I will squeeze time to go blogging. Happiness is real when shared. ^^

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  6. kenji師兄介紹果兩套電影,小弟我都會睇嫁!!
    [版主回覆10/13/2009 19:01:00]How are you? Haven't visited my blog for long... Although it may be my last review, I will squeeze time to write a few words. ^^ Very busy teaching at the moment.

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  7. 哈哈,入到黎都忘記問候師兄幾句添,我都知你為左工作都難以繼續抽空跟我地把酒談歡,瘋show一下,不過都唔好挨壞身子,但係呢,你有時間都update下就最好喇.,好讓你既粉絲們(包括我,霸定個位先)都可以入黎繼續吹下水,輕鬆一下既 明高希屎我都唔例外,我忙就係忙,不過係忙住去玩...玩到冇錢就繼續勤力返工(哎呀..實在欲哭無淚)
    [版主回覆10/14/2009 18:11:00]Thank you for your support. I just worry that one day I may give up blogging like you and some of the other bloggers. Hopefully I won't. I guess I will miss everyone so much. Anyway, I think I will update my blog at the end of the year. Play hard when you are young. When you are older, you will have more responsibilities.

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  8. is the soundtrack composed by Sakamoto?
    [版主回覆10/17/2009 13:51:00]Sorry. I have no idea. Do you mean Cherry Blossoms? I can't find it in HK... Sigh... Dunno what to do.

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  9. 今天看了《快樂的傷逝》非常感人的電影,不過看後心情不是太好﹗
    另外,你的近況如何﹖
    [版主回覆10/19/2009 22:40:00]1. Thanks for your visit. Very busy and tired these days because of the new working environment. Luckily, I can still squeeze time to watch movies. ^0^!!! What I can say is that stopping to host the show is a right decision because I really have NO time to prepare for it. These days, although I was worn out because of my work, I can also feel my growing interest in teaching and love for movies because I no longer need to prepare for the show every time after watching a movie. Watching films becomes a more relaxing experience and I have more time to watch some very special movies. 2. Very happy to know that you are touched by it. Me too. The film quietly whispers the meaning of life. It reminds me of treasuring the people around me and paying attention to tiny things which give me pleasure and meaning. (SPOILER WARNING) I personally find the ending positive. At least, he can find her, the real her. Perhaps that's the meaning of life. The pictures at the beginning become real at the end. Be happy!!! Anyway, thank you for supporting this beautiful movie. ^^

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  10. 我也看了mother,論韓片來說拍得不錯,不太慢﹗他母親真的很偉大,可惜是真相卻為她帶來創傷﹗母親真的很偉大﹗
    [版主回覆10/21/2009 12:39:00]I love it so much. The ending is unpredictable.

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  11. Little Wing - Wendy2009年10月24日 上午1:42

    快樂的傷逝 ~ 有朋友介紹,但未有時間看. 心跳五百天 ~ 看了 ~~~ 好正呀!!!
    [版主回覆10/24/2009 10:46:00]GO GO GO... it is going to be off. 500 Days of Summer is NICE, but still it cannot become one of my top 10 because of the ending.

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  12. 快樂的傷逝    一部好戲,要慢慢品味 心跳五百天    自大的男人,第一人選不一定就是正選,如果合理就應該成事實,就不會再有命運之說
    [版主回覆10/25/2009 23:30:00]AGREE!!! 快樂的傷逝 will be one of my top 10 movies this year.

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  13. the first 10min of Cherry Blossoms did remind me of Ozu's work, I like the movie overall.  And it's always good to see those movie stills in your blog, they remind me the details of the movie.  thanks  :)
    [版主回覆10/31/2009 10:30:00]Welcome! The movie stills are really beautiful. They are provided by the movie distributors.

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  14. 噫, Kenji 也看了 拉貝日記? 可是在電影中心看的?
    另外, City of Life and Death is 哪一齣?
    [版主回覆11/05/2009 21:10:00]YES! City of Life and Death = 南京 ! 南京 ! 由《可可西里》導演執導的《南京 ! 南京 ! 》沈重絕望不煽情,在商業與藝術之間取得平衡。黑白影像真實攝人,把觀眾捲入冰冷的時代,讓我們冷静地思考南京大屠殺對每個人的影響。 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQdEvhUu9FQ&fmt=18

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  15. 關於是否看 Thirst,頗為掙扎,因為之前看【復仇】和【親切的金子】都很失望,不想再失望多一次。
    怎麼我找不到【骨肉同謀】的上映戲院呢?這齣想看啊!

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  16. 《Mother》看了歌頌母親的偉大,可惜的是又形成悲劇,看來要解脫內心的痛楚不易。《饑餓誘罪》故事內容有點荒謬,中間部份拖得太長有點悶。《亡命嶺巔峰》看完個心不舒服,太過悲慘,非常讚賞拍攝技巧,場面夠驚險刺激﹗另外,還記得女主角的一句話"因為有愛才感到活著"﹗
    [版主回覆11/08/2009 22:19:00]饑餓誘罪 - Really? I know that some also find it too long, but I personally find the length appropriate and the story entertaining. 亡命巔峰 -  I will watch it on Wed. The foreign reviews are very good too.

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  17. 你收到好多垃圾回應咩?
    點解《Mother》同《Thirst》會係三級?前者我娘親想睇,佢未知道故事情節,對該片列為三級感到驚詫;後者三級因為有sex scenes?《Thirst》有冇恐怖野架?我驚驚喎....
    我最近看少了電影,真失敗!
    [版主回覆11/09/2009 12:53:00]Many!!! Better now, but people cant leave messages. I guess all highlighted blogs are attacked by spams.
    There are naked scenes in Thirst, but I also dunno why Mother is. Perhaps because it is terrifying. I think Mother is your cup of tea... Thirst has too many sex scenes, NOT for you.
    Not necessarily bad! Good for you to explore other things.

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  18. Sorry, 我打錯字 ﹗是《饑渴誘罪》~~年紀大了﹗常犯錯﹗
    [版主回覆11/09/2009 21:32:00]饑餓誘罪 You are so humorous and creative!!!

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  19. 多謝你的到訪及留言。
    (這麼多套裡,我只是看了「風聲」,相當好看啊!)
    [版主回覆11/14/2009 23:37:00]Welcome! 風聲 does surprise me. The actors are really charismatic.

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  20. Christmas Carol is my favorite story, so I have already seen this movie twice.  Also I'm going to see this drama in then Dec then. And I think Mr. Scrooge can run so fast as he afraid to die, therefore, he has an energy when he faces in danger....hahaha!
    [版主回覆11/21/2009 11:26:00]YES perhaps a bit exaggerated... hahaha... you know, he is so small, but he can even run faster than giant horses, which sounds a bit unbelievable, just like the old man in UP. Carl, who relies on an electric chair to move downstairs and staggers along with
    a stick, suddenly becomes so strong that he can even climb the ladder with his
    feet hanging in the air. Of course, Christmas Carol is heartwarming. Dunno why it is not released in DEC???

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  21. Hello Kenji, long time no see !
    Movies I watched recently.
    My Sister's Keeper 姊姊的守護者  80分 My Life In Ruins 騎呢團友愛.導.遊 80分 The Time Traveler's Wife 時光旅的戀人 80分 District 9 D-9 異形禁區 85分 Fame 我要高飛  75分 Surrogates 偽能叛變  75分 500 Days of Summer 心跳500天 80分 Whiteout 極度冰慌  80分 The Founding of a Republic 建國大業  75分 Michael Jackson's This Is It Michael Jackson's This Is It 85分 Prince of Tears 淚王子 80分 Cherry Blossoms 快樂的傷逝 80分
    [版主回覆11/23/2009 21:04:00]Welcome Welcome!!! Perhaps I should watch Michael Jackson. I hope I will be touched as I am not his fan.

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  22. It's really good to watched "(500) Days of Summer" today. It is really really great, I love this movie after I watch, and "The Young Victoria"...I was so late to watch all this movies, maybe this year I really hope I can more hurry up to watch movie in the cinema.
    [版主回覆05/01/2010 22:38:00]Right, Kari. If you have time, try to watch films at cinemas. Somehow it is different from watching it at home. ^^

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