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Fireworks Actors: Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto Director: Takeshi Kitano Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Format: Color, Widescreen, Dolby Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 99 minutes Studio: New Yorker Films Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2000-07-11 Buy from Amazon |
 "FIREWORKS Explode"While some viewers may find FIREWORKS slightly inaccessible, others will clearly be drawn into Takeshi Kitano's brilliant use of sight, sound, and silence to tell this intensely layered story of ex-cop Nishi -- haunted equally by a violent past and an uncertain future with a wife slowly dying of Leukemia. Having taken an unauthorized break from his police stakeout, Nishi's long-time partner Hirobe is attacked, an event which leaves him paralyzed. Struggling with his guilt, Nishi leaves the police force to spend time caring for his ailing wife. He wants her final days to be the best he can possibly provide, and this leads him to a series of bad choices made involving the Yakuza (Japanese mafia). However, every attempt to bring balance to his life only drives Nishi deeper and deeper into desperation and desperate acts ... all the while maintaining the calm, cool exterior of man with his own sense of justice behind his purpose. This film is meticulously constructed: each of every scene has purpose, and many of them serve several. As is common to Kitano's films, moments of pure calm are juxtaposed with percussive scenes of unanticipated violence in a way very few films have successfully captured and managed to maintain a message. "A beautiful Aria"From "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, Fireworks plays like a beautiful aria. It's the story of a man who has suffered tremendous tragedy in his life, and makes one final attempt to make peace with himself, the world, and his wife who is dying of Cancer. The amazing music score by Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) adds massive depth to the already intense images revealed. Quite possibly Takeshi Kitano's masterpiece it also includes beautiful montages of Kitano's own paintings. The film was made after Kitano had a serious motorcycle accident and deals with his feelings over neglecting his family over the years, and the power of redemption. A must have for all those who appreciate Foreign Films, and especially those who appreciate Japanese Film. "Fire and Flower""Fireworks" is a direct translation of the Japanese title "Hanabi," which combines the two words "fire" and "flower." The title was chosen due to the juxtaposition of the calm beauty of a flower, and the burning intensity of fire, which perfectly captures the feeling of this Beat Takeshi masterpiece. I was expecting quite a different film, one more packed with violence and action, something more along the lines of a John Woo/Chow Yun Fat creation. Instead, this is a calm, understated and emotional film peppered with miniature explosions like...fireworks. The pacing of the film is typical of Japanese storytelling, patient and quiet allowing enough time for a story to build fully and characters to live and die on the screen. Takeshi gives such a complete performance, saying everything with a glance or a movement. Dialog is almost unnecessary, although when it does come it punctuates the scene fluently. He is equal parts warrior and lover, tender and hard. Kayoko Kishimoto delivers an equally wonderful performance as Miyuki, Nishi's wife, dying of leukemia yet able to charm with a smile. Visually, the movie is stunning, full of creative scenes and transitions. Takeshi knows when to have the action appear off-camera, and when to focus. The use of nature as an element in the film is beautiful, as the story moves from snow to sea to mountain. Takeshi "Beat" Kitano is one of Japan's greatest modern filmmakers, and "Fireworks" is one of his greatest film. A stunning film. "A beautiful Aria"From "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, Fireworks plays like a beautiful aria. It's the story of a man who has suffered tremendous tragedy in his life, and makes one final attempt to make peace with himself, the world, and his wife who is dying of Cancer. The amazing music score by Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) adds massive depth to the already intense images revealed. Quite possibly Takeshi Kitano's masterpiece it also includes beautiful montages of Kitano's own paintings. The film was made after Kitano had a serious motorcycle accident and deals with his feelings over neglecting his family over the years, and the power of redemption. A must have for all those who appreciate Foreign Films, and especially those who appreciate Japanese Film. "A beautiful Aria"From "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, Fireworks plays like a beautiful aria. It's the story of a man who has suffered tremendous tragedy in his life, and makes one final attempt to make peace with himself, the world, and his wife who is dying of Cancer. The amazing music score by Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) adds massive depth to the already intense images revealed. Quite possibly Takeshi Kitano's masterpiece it also includes beautiful montages of Kitano's own paintings. The film was made after Kitano had a serious motorcycle accident and deals with his feelings over neglecting his family over the years, and the power of redemption. A must have for all those who appreciate Foreign Films, and especially those who appreciate Japanese Film. |
