Lost In Translation

Spotlight

I've been meaning to see director Tom McCarthy's Spotlight (2015) for some time and finally decided to see it since it was awarded the Best Film and Best Original Screenplay for 2016. It is a classic old style Hollywood film with a well-executed story about a team of investigative reporters from The Boston Globe exposing the systematic top down cover up child molestation in Catholic church. Of course it couldn't have been pulled off without an excellent ensemble cast and we have a great team here: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Lev Screiber, Brian D'Arcy James, and Stanley Tucci among the many actors who appeared in the film. It certainly is one of the best films I've seen from 2015, if not the best. It is well-deserving of the praise it has gotten. 

Journey To Italy

The final film in the Criterion Roberto Rosssellini-Ingrid Bergman box set collection is Journey To Italy (1954), which is probably my favorite film of the three. I think much of this has to do with the location shots used to show the marital crisis between Katherine (Ingrid Bergman) and Alex Joyce (George Sanders) that takes place in and around Naples in southern Italy. Two years ago I vacationed in Italy and visited that region for the first time and it left quite an impression. Here Rossellini uses the location and people to contrast it and them with Northern Europeans who alien to the region and culture. Furthermore, Rossellini uses statues, catacombs, Pompei and other ancient relics and sites to underscore the long human history and transience of life that ultimately pushes the couple back together. Furthermore, this might reflect the dissolution of Rossellini and Bergman's relationship, since it is the last film they would make together and they would eventually divorce as well. There are also many interesting supplements associated with this film as well. The Criterion features include: a new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition, a introduction by director Roberto Rossellini, audio commentary by film scholar Laura Mulvey, a new interview with film critic Adriano Aprà, a short film featuring footage of the Rossellinis during the production of Journey to Italy, a new interview with Rossellini and actress Ingrid Bergman’s daughters, Ingrid Rossellini and Isabella Rossellini (Blu-ray), a new interview with filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Living and Departed, a new visual essay by Rossellini scholar Tag Gallagher on the evolution of the director’s style in the trilogy, and Surprised by Death, a new visual essay by film critic James Quandt on the historical and artistic themes of the trilogy (Blu-ray).

The print material related to this film in the booklet includes: "Fun Couples" by film scholar Paul Thomas, "Rossellini Speaks to Rohmer and Truffaut: 1954," and "Rossellini Speaks to Apra and Ponzi: 1963."

The Supplementary disc has the following features: Rossellini Through His Own Eyes, a 1992 documentary on the director’s approach to cinema, featuring archival interviews with Rossellini and Bergman (Blu-ray), Ingrid Bergman Remembered, a 1995 documentary on the actress’s life, narrated by her daughter Pia Lindstrom, My Dad Is 100 Years Old, a 2005 short film directed by Guy Maddin and starring Isabella Rossellini (Blu-ray), and The Chicken, a 1952 short film directed by Rossellini and starring Bergman (Blu-ray)New interview with G. Fiorella Mariani, Rossellini’s niece, featuring Bergman’s home movies (Blu-ray).

Ame Bistro

Today's modern French fusion dinner at Ame Bistro in Ebisu-highly rated on Tabelog. This is the appetizer course with foie gras dipping sauce for the vegetables. Most courses allowed a choice between two dishes. The monthly basic set course is ¥4500.

This selection of sashimi was served with bouillabaisse soup flavored ice cream and vegetables.

This colorful dish has fish fritters made from shirako and fish with balsamic sauce and another (I didn't take notes for this meal).

This was the main dish, tai (sea bream) with tiny squid with two types of sauces.

This dish was called "kuzushi" and was gyutan (beef tongue) in a French sauce served with fried rice.

The dessert was Earl Grey infused ice cream with a citrus sauce, fruit, and chocolate.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

I was really impressed with Ben Fountain's first collection of short stories, Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, but was somewhat hesitant to read Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2012). I think this might have something to do with my disappointment with Jonathan Franzen's Iraq novel, Freedom. But I think I finally relented since both the Slate's Political Gabfest and Cultural Gabfest highly recommended this novel. I think Fountain had more success in capturing contemporary America at war than Franzen. However, there are things that are contrived in this novel as well, but putting a realistic 19 year old soldier at the center of the novel was much more effective than Franzen notoriously young contractor. Setting the action at a Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving football game with a group of decorated heroes who have to return to Iraq to finish out their tour of duty while being wooed by a Hollywood producer eager to make a film version of their story-gives Fountain the opportunity to make observations about modern American society. And this might also be something of a flaw since, it feels somewhat forced, but less so than many scenes from Franzen's book. That aside Fountain has a way with dialogue and characterization-he brings these characters and their situations to life. Word is that a film version of the novel is in the works as well. This is be the best novel I have read about America's most recent and ongoing wars, it's possible that a better one may emerge in the future-but for the time being this is the one to read.

A Confucian Confusion

I am a fan of the Taiwanese New Wave, in general, and Edward Yang, in particular, after seeing his two masterpieces, Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day. However, A Confucian Confusion (1994) is very much a shaggier dog than either of those films-it is a modern, urban screwball comedy that follows the personal and professionals of Taipei's urban elite as they try to navigate their lives. I think there's a subtle subtext that questions the role of art in a society in which financial gain seems to be the only thing valued. It is an ensemble piece that runs at a frantic pace and would benefit from a different or newer subtitle transfer from the version I saw. I often couldn't read the white subtitles in light scenes and the inter-titles were equally difficult to read as they seemed to be quotes from Confucius that were used throughout.

Pappon Kitchen

Robbie Swinnerton rarely lets me down with his restaurant recommendations, and the latest is this tiny 8 seat Thai restaurant in Shibuya, Pappon Kitchen. There is a daily ¥1000 set lunch, I had fish with green curry sauce, a green salad, a Thai meat and vegetable salad, and a cup of tom yum soup. It's an excellent value.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution

The main appeal for me about The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution (2015) directed by Stanley Nelson was the historical assessment of the the movement. American history, world history in the 60s to the 70s is fascinating to me since I was just a mere child when the world was going through great changes-socially, politically, and culturally. Black power was frightening and necessary and this chronicle of the movement is essentially heartbreaking since it didn't last, however, they looked so cool.

Funeral Parade Of Roses

Funeral Parade Of Roses (1969) is a innovative film that was ahead of its time. Director Toshio Matsumoto created a film about the underground gay community in Tokyo with an Oedipus secondary story embedded within a love triangle. But the film is more memorable in the visual techniques and cinematography employed. The cinematographer, Tatsuo Suzuki, has worked with Masahiro Shinoda and also was behind the camera in other visually stunning films such as Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance and The Man Who Stole The Sun among others. At the hear of the film is the 19 year old "Peter" as Eddie, the cross dressing number one "gal" at Bar Genet run by Gonda (Yoshio Tsuchiya) and his rival the mama san, Leda (Osamu Ogasawara). The head hostess, Leda the more attractive- Eddie battle for the attentions of bar owner Gonda. Leda views Eddie as a threat and wants to get rid of him. The film is so much more than just a bunch of hostesses competing for dominance. Funeral Parade of Roses adds  elements of a Greek tragedy- Oedipus Rex- political imagery of Tokyo at a time of civil unrest, as well a strong focus on Japanese gay subculture, drug taking, and hippy ideals. Director Matsumoto shows the viewers something that is brutally honest, striking in both its visuals and hard edged storytelling, that is innovative and  unique. The sped up fight scenes were inspirational to Stanley Kubrick, who used similar scenes in A Clockwork Orange, but he film is full of others innovations from documentary-like interviews, speech bubbles, political statements in the form of news broadcasts, strange street protests, as well as other innovative techniques to tell this story. This film was way ahead of its time and not for everyone, but very much exhibits a very unique visual style.

Togo Shrine 2016

Since I was in Harajuku today, I decided to take some photos of Togo Shrine (named after a famous admiral of the Russo-Japan War). I used to pass by it almost everyday when I lived in Harajuku in the early 00s(the building I lived in did not survive however). There's a post from 2007 with a single photo. This series is more complete.

Europa '51

The second film in the Robert Rossellini-Ingrid Bergman Criterion box set is Europa '51 (1951) and was controversial fro several reasons. It seems that he was both accepted and rejected from the religious right and leftist socialists for the themes of this movie and Stromboli before it. The genesis for this film came from the previous film he made 1950's The Flowers of St. Francis, but with a female protagonist that is considered crazy by society for putting service for others above herself and immediate family after the suicidal death of her young son. The film follows her transition from a bourgeoisie, self-centered wife of an industrialist to a saint-like champion of the poor and downtrodden. It is set in the present since Rossellini wants to draw a parallel with unequal living conditions of postwar Italy and Europe in general where many people struggle to survive and live at very different levels of substance. One of the supporting actresses is Giulietta Masina, star and wife of Frederico Fellini. Some of the Criterion features on this disc include: introduction by director Roberto Rossellini, new interview with film critic Adriano Aprà, new interview with film historian Elena Dagrada on the different versions of the film, and in the box set booklet there is an essay "The Greatest of These" by artist/scholar  Fred Camper.