35mm / Metrograph / Mikio Naruse Series
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a film this shattering. The endless cascade of misery can at times feel overwhelming, yet what makes the film so astonishing is how Naruse uses the suffering of the lead characters to reflect the economic and emotional devastation of a post war Japan. Masterpiece!
35mm / Metrograph / Mikio Naruse Series
I didn’t particularly want to endure two more hours of misery after being devastated by the previous film, but the film further confirms Naruse’s mastery at depicting dysfunction within the family unit and the scope of human suffering.
35mm / Nitehawk / Anniversary Series
I was completely dismissive of this on my first watch, but that was during Covid and I had watched it on a dingy laptop probably wasted on two bottles of wine. Seeing it on a gorgeous print allowed me to appreciate just what a brilliant piece of work it actually is. Its reimagining of the superhero trope as slow cinema is so fucking funny to me.
