Four different Japanese movies, number 280 of the article series “What movie should we see this weekend?” constitute the media of Zumji.
A significant number of fans of Sarmehen Aftab Taban cinema have been impatiently waiting for the release of the movie How Do You Live in recent years, and they are now putting it at the top of the list of the most awaited anime of 2023. Because they know that Hayao Miyazaki A legend wants to present another long work to the world at the age of 82, it is very happy and important.
For this article introducing the movie, I chose four works from different years, all of which are made in Japan. To begin with, we go to the first feature-length anime directed by the great director who rocked the world with Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.
Lupine III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
Irreplaceable filmmakers leave a lasting impression even when working on sets created by others. More than four decades ago, when Hayao Miyazaki had not yet reached the age of 40, Lupine III: The Castle of Cagliostro was released; A work that many still consider the best Lupine III anime.
Miyazaki personally suggested himself to the production team as the right choice to direct this adaptation of the Lupine III manga series. The result is a fun anime that fans of action, adventure, and comedy should give it a shot. Here is the story of a classy and funny thief who wants to commit a huge heist by stealing money from a printing press.
Lupine III: The Castle of Cagliostro didn’t mark the peak of Hayao Miyazaki’s power and craft as a groundbreaking director, but some of the key elements of his cinema can be charmingly found in its best moments. We see the use of fantasy understandable for children to raise moral debates, confronting the main character with various choices, creating spectacular action using the attractive visual tricks of the anime world, and remarkable characterizations in the anime Lupine III: The Castle of Cagliostro. Indeed, less than 10 years after the release of this work, Hayao Miyazaki captured the hearts of many people with the anime My Neighbor Totoro.
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
Empowerment Takeshi Kitano In making a great film for the character of Zatoichi, it can be seen as a bit similar to the direction of the previous work by Hayao Miyazaki in terms of boldly entering a popular fictional world. However, it must be admitted that doing the work in question was far scarier for Kitano in some ways. Because before Kitano, there were many popular and praised works centered on Zatoichi, which some critics place among the best action movies in history.
As the writer, director and actor of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, Kitano took on a truly formidable challenge. The artist’s clever use of the various tools of the day allowed him to present a unique and engaging portrayal of a memorable character. The result was a film whose music is audible and whose images are visible; A movie that uses violence and blood to narrate an adult story and portray a fighting main character.
Although we are basically dealing with a bloody crime drama that includes scary sequences, The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi stays true to the essence of such stories and does not forget the charming and sometimes funny exaggerated elements.
The story is about revenge; About Zatoichi’s show as a person who does not tolerate injustice and becomes the avenger of people who do not have the ability to take revenge themselves. After all, this blind swordsman even when people cheat in the game, by recognizing the sound of the dice, he stops the lie.
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2020)
A simple and enjoyable anime in its own way. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, which is not free of clichés, in an acceptable way tells the story of two teenagers who are very different at first glance, but both have to come to terms with themselves. One of them is an introverted and harmless boy who has little desire to talk to strangers. He immerses himself in haiku poems every day and keeps his headphones on; To have the least possible conversation with other people.
On the other hand, we see a cheerful and energetic girl who is followed and loved by many people on the social network. However, most of the teenage girl’s days are spent thinking that if they saw her face in full, they wouldn’t care about her anymore.
The nature of this Netflix anime as a romantic comedy drama makes it not difficult to predict the general events of its story. However, the production team manages to make the two main characters endearing to some target audience. When you can give some value to the characters and their happiness within the story telling of an 87-minute film, it seems easy to watch such a work.
Drive My Car (2021)
Human communication has been and will be a key element in human survival. At least this is the opinion of many people who have dedicated their time to understand the psychological conditions of different people.
As a creature that is very dependent on the conditions around it, for example, it dies quickly without oxygen, it is afraid to share information in the modern world. The intensity of conservatism of many people has reached the point where they are ready to scream only if the pain becomes deadly. The will to survive commands us to seek help with all our might when we need it. But today’s life is so full of judgments, conflicting views and malice that many swallow the pain so that others do not know that they are on the verge of destruction.
The result is the formation of small and large groups of liars who sit together and are proud to hide their pain with their various masks. Their hearts are breaking, but they are smiling. They are not far from mental collapse, but they only show their professional persona. They suffer from a two-year-old ulcer, but at best they talk to others about the previous day’s breakfast.
In the drama film Drive My Car, Ryosuke Hamaguchi uses the long duration of the narrative to unlock two people; Two people who are willing to talk for real only when they travel hundreds of kilometers with each other.
The story is about a theater actor. He was so concerned about not ruining his role in life that by keeping silent and running away, he caused another person to not survive. Then he slipped back into his role as a high-level artist to deny the constant pain of his death.
Drive My Car is long and slow burning. But unlike so many films that don’t want to admit their length, Hamaguchi’s is proud of it. For this reason, only after 40 minutes of the film, the names of the key members of the production team are written on the picture. The filmmaker knows what he is doing. He understands how much 40 minutes of introduction is useful for a certain type of cinema audience. But this honesty in the narration makes those who stay with the film, not to abandon it; To hear the stories of millions of people who are seemingly capable of sitting behind the wheel of their car, but are silently begging for someone to drive this car for them at least for a few days.
