23 Comments

You wrote: ..."there is only so much supernatural content that you can consume before being worn out by their unrelateable issues." I couldn't agree more. One can only take so much Anime and cyberpunk before it begins to grow unconvincing.

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Yes, I haven’t seen this one but it WAS shown as part of a Ghibli retrospective here in Vancouver. For the absolute Japanese master of the family dynamic and also possibly the greatest filmmaker of all time, watch Ozu films.

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I'm admittedly behind on my classic Japanese films but Ozu is definitely a name I hear again and again

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Would we guys consider podcasting MNtY etc

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It may come to be that "MNtY" turns into one of their most-loved movies; if not by Ghibli aficionados, but the wider public. One thing I've noticed is that 'mundane' movies /TV shows are particularly cherished by people who have chaotic, stressful lives, who crave the representation of some form of 'normalcy' as a break from their struggles. The "excitement per minute" thing also resonates; so much modern culture/entertainment puts demands on your emotions in a spiraling arms-race that I believe people are profoundly... tired of it. There's only room for so many "Final Battles Of Good VS. Evil" in most people's souls, before overload sets in; + we may be past that point (at least in America; Japan is of course different, but seems to move faster and be more excessive in terms of 'top-down' culture). One thing is unclear here, however; is "MNtY" a new film, or an older one? If it's new, that may explain its absence from the museum.

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It's quite an old one, and there are glimpses of it, but definitely not one that is displayed prominently

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Classic Japanese cinema includes some of the most incredible slices of life put on film: Ozu, Naruse. Twenty-Four Eyes, The Naked Island.

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Yeah! I wish more Naruse had been translated/had subtitles—part of the problem is that his non-silent films are only one part of his work I guess—he started too early.

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The Criterion Collection has put out a few of his silent films. I actually own the box set.

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Yeah, I mean, I’m just not really interested in silent films..with the exception of Metropolis.

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I see.

It's, in some sense, a different medium, but in my opinion there are quite a few masterpieces that still hold up, providing one is willing to take them on their own terms.

The Criterion Channel, if you have it, has quite a few Naruse films, including Repast, Floating Clouds, Sound of the Mountain, Ginza Cosmetics.

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Yeah, I believe you—I guess I just love sound too much, as a musician :) want to hear peoples’ voices speak naturally.

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What are your favorite Japanese films?

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