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After Life Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Format: Color, Widescreen Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 118 minutes Studio: New Yorker Films Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2000-08-29 Buy from Amazon |
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From Amazon.com This unpretentious, endearing film is a modest triumph. Based on interviews with more than 500 people about the one memory they would choose to take with them to heaven, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda has modeled a unique blend of documentary and fiction that addresses the vagaries of memory but also what it means to make films. After Life transpires in a sort of way station where the dead must select one memory to be re-created on film and taken on with them forever, relinquishing everything else. Over the span of a week, a dedicated group of caseworkers tease out self-deceptions as well as real epiphanies from 22 different lives. An old woman remembers reuniting with her husband on a crowded bridge after World War II; a man recollects the breeze felt on a tram ride the day before summer vacation; a successful man faces his own treachery. Remembering becomes a courageous act in the casual exposition of this lovely film. --Fionn Meade |
 "I would give more stars if I could"On the surface, not much happens in this movie. People talk some, in quiet voices, or walk around, or simply sit in silence and think. The quiet, though, helps you to think about what this movie is truly about, the importance of memories and what really matters in life. It may have been a low-budget movie, but there is nothing cheap about it. I found it deeply moving and thought-provoking; I thought about it long after the movie was over. I cannot recommend it enough. "A Glorious Example of Japanese Sensibility"Opinions, if you'll pardon the expresseion, are like butt-holes: Everyone has one. And movies like this one are sure to bring out quite a varriation of them, especially since it is an American release of a Japanese film. Most Americans I talk to about this movie are bored by its slow pace, complete absence of background music, and lack of super-expressive acting. However, all my Japanese friends find great emotional value in this masterpiece by Hirokazu Koreeda. This, I believe, is mostly because of cultural differences. Culture is the context of one's exhistance, the filter through which one interprets reality... so with that in mind, what makes sence and is thoughroughly enjoyable to one group, could be completely incomprehensible to another. My own personal opinion is that this is a wonderfully understated human drama about life, memories, and deeper meaning to one's existance. Filmed documentary-style, its almost as if you're watching a home-video of real people talking about real meaningful experiences from their lives... not actors on a screen. Japanese films must be approached on their cultural terms. If, you are unwilling to do that, then you won't get as much out of watching one, and I suggest you stick to hollywood movies. If its nonstop action you're wanting... watch a different movie! But, if you are willing to step out of yourself, away from your own culture for a couple hours, I think you'll find this film and others like it to be a very thought-provoking, inspiring, and uplifting experience.  "Unwatchable"Afterlife would have been more interesting as a 1 hour drama, than what it is. It is boring and tedious to watch and the characters are uninteresting. The movie is filmed almost as a documentary, and the people portrayed are given rich histories, especially since they have to describe them to employees of the After Life who work in an abandoned office building. These recently decreased are given 3 days to remember their best memory which they will take as they either go to Heaven or Hell. The employees will recreate the memory for them. We are introduced to up to 22 characters, and 4 or so employees. They are all serene and have different issues and they talk a lot. I'm surprise that the employees didn't fall over asleep listening to the memories of these boring people. It definitely doesn't help that all these people talk in monotone. The problem with this movie is that beyond it's interesting premise, we have nothing of interest here. The movie is broken up by days and basically we have people talking. The problem is that if this were a real documentary, this could have been interesting, but I was always aware that they are actors and they are basically reading off their lines. Their stories have no substance because we only get to hear them, not experience them. This is an incomplete review because I could not watch the rest of the DVD (I fast forwarded it). The performances were too contrived, the director obviously didn't have the budget to show the lives of these people and the whole picture is like being forced to read a classic piece of literature which everyone says is really great, but no one actually reads. The worst part of the movie was the ending, where these poor souls were forced to relive more memories from more boring dead people.  "Purgatory as Steerage"Kirokazu Kore-eda spent almost a decade working for a Japanese independent TV station-where he directed several dazzling documentaries that dealt with the fringe elements in Japanese society. He enjoyed tremendous success with his first feature film, MABOROSI (1995). He directed AFTER LIFE in 1998, and it was very well received by the critics. Kore-eda has created a unique place-a way station where all souls must stop for one week-housed in a run-down abandoned complex. The souls are counseled and told that they are, in fact, dead-and that they are in transition. They are tasked to review their lives and come up with-to choose one favorite memory-but only one. It might have been an epiphany, a trauma, a pivotal moment-or merely a pleasant thing that floats to the surface. The "staff" would then recreate that memory on film-and the souls would gather in a theatre and view it on the seventh day. Once reviewed and connected with-then the soul would be allowed to more on-to somewhere-to something. As the souls move on they would be able to cherish that one memory-and all the other earthly memories of their past lives were supposed to be expunged. In Kore-eda's vision of the other side there is no God, or the Devil, no angels or demons-not even the mention of any particular religion. In this middle world, this stopping place-apparently there are "many" way stations. I would hope so. They only process a couple dozen souls a week through them-and that would most certainly not keep up with the death rate. The largest bone of contention I had with this lovely film was its central premise-the pick only one memory motif. I would like to consider that once on the other side, every memory of our past life would matter-as we view our "Life Review". Somehow this put my mind and my emotions in turmoil. So, I apologize, Kore-Eda San. I could not approach your vision and the sweetness of your film with an open mind or an open heart. One critic in LIBERTAS wrote," Kore-Eda's strength is clearly lyrical rather than philosophical." Kore-dea appeared, with his crew, in this film-as the film crew within the staff of the way station. It helped make the transition from documentary to fiction more palatable. The director had interviewed 500 people, and then chose 13 to appear in the film. They appeared as themselves and improvised their own dialogue. He used one cinematographer for the interviews, and another to establish the mood and tone of the way station and its phantom staff. The blending of real and imagined dialogue is not always smooth-but the concept is very creative and interesting. I had heard the buzz about this film for a long time, and I was really looking forward to viewing it. Perhaps I expected too much-wanted too much-had expected it to answer some of my specific after life and spiritual questions. But instead, for me it just posed conundrums, and bent perceptions-and offered what seemed to be a silly and unworkable postulation. I do applaud the sweet sadness and insight the film exhibits-and would recommend it. "Ultra Dull"I don't know if I've ever seen a more boring movie. As I kept watching I toyed with the idea of turning the TV off or fast forwarding to the end but I didn't just because I had already invested much time into watching it so I just decided to grin and bear it hoping for an ending that would redeem it. Well I was disappointed. The end was almost as mundane as the fist 90 minutes. It presents a rather bland view of an afterlife: no heaven, no hell and no judgement. Yes, none of us likes to think about things like hell and punishment, only bliss and harmony but the life we live on this earth has to have more bearing on the afterlife than what is presented in this film. Herein it doesn't matter whether you are an Adolf Hitler or lay down your life for others you all end up the same. Sound fair to you? Whether a muderer or a saint - no dfference in the end. Well, I think the creators of this film could have been a little more thoughtful than to provide such a shallow perspective on an important concept. |
