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Last Life in the Universe Actors: Tadanobu Asano, Sinitta Boonyasak, Takashi Miike Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang Number of Items: 1 Format: Color, Widescreen Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Studio: Umvd/Visual Entertai Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-02-15 Buy from Amazon |
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From Description DVD Features: 5.1 surround sound Commentary track with Cinematographer Christopher Doyle Interviews with cast and crew Behind-the-Scenes footage Storyboards and original drawings by Christopher Doyle Theatrical trailer Previews Weblinks If you’re interested in this this, these films may be of interest: |
 "The best foreign film of the last ten years."For that pricetag, you should be salivating over this release. I haven't met anyone that doesn't love it. It's gorgeous (shot by Chris Doyle-Hero, Crouching Tiger, In the Mood For Love), the direction is awesome, and the acting is second to none. Do yourself a huge favour, this is like miso soup for the soul.  "Not enough substance to justify trying to connect it together"Poetic? Possibly, but disconnected and pretty boring - and fashionably 'minimalist'. An obsessive, fastidious and reclusive young Japanese man, Kenji, living in Thailand, perpetually contemplates and often attempts suicide - seemingly with ultimate success. He meets a wild and disorderly Thai girl, Noi, and sits around her for most of the movie - despite Noi's several vain attempts to initiate sex. There is a sub-plot, in which a nest of gangsters kill one another and, for good measure, try several times (unfortunately without managing it) to kill Kenji. This movie is brought to a merciful conclusion by her departure for Japan and his arrest. It takes a smarter man than me to make much sense of this pretentious waste of film, which in some ways recalls the genre of Alain Resnais' "Last Year in Marienbad". I suppose I am just not into deeply-hidden meanings, because it has received almost universal rave reviews. "What a masterpiece film should be"This is one of those films that you can watch over and over, because it represents what a film should be. I am in love with Sinitta Boonyasak, who played the character Noi. I thought she did a good job of showing a woman who was wild but yet, still human, as she grieved over the lost of her sister, Nid. Asano Tadanobu is like a man with many faces, he is probably one of the most underrated actors in any walk. This is a actor who becomes his character as one should, and his performance in this movie as a suicidal anti-social loner name Kenji, is just another notch is his list of credits. I am hopeless when it comes to love, which these two characters found themselves in. Despite the dilemma's occuring around them. This film in my opinion is what a film should be, (ART!). The cinematography is incredible, Christopher Doyle, I am a aspiring film maker I hope within the next two yrs we can cross paths. I must say that I have another favorite director. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang does a good job of letting this movie flow, quite visionary, although, I am one for happy endings when it comes to two people that belong together, most of the time (predictable) is a good thing. Anyway, I look forward to more work by this talented director. As I will also be a follower of any movie Sinitta is a part of, Im hooked! nuff said! "awesome and beautiful combo of existentialism and post-modernism"Well Asano Tadanobu is awesome in this film, as well as Sinitta Boonyasak...anyhow, the storyline isn't the most important thing here. in the special features Pen-ek mentions that the story has flaws but it doesn't matter because people won't ask questions as long as you keep surprising them. It's ambiguous, that was the point. But the fact that Kenji repeatedly tried killing himself in the beginning of the movie, not because of money problems, a broken heart, etc...but because of senselessness and the absurdity of our existence is such a major philosophical issue. In fact, it immediately reminded me of Camus' book "The Myth of Sisyphus" when he says that suicide is the most important philosophical question, but it isn't the answer. Life is absurd and has no depth or meaning, but as you grow, you're supposed to shape your meaning and find love. Without love you cannot truly feel, or exist. So the story takes Kenji through that existential roller-coaster and in the end you're left to guess what happens. It's ambiguous, like i said. It's a surreal movie, and i recommend it to anyone who likes philosophy, especially existentialism or the disconnected PoMo philosophy. five stars. and keep your eyes open for this director's next film, Invisible Waves, also starring Asano Tadanobu. It's supposed to be similar to Last Life in that it will continue with that disconnected feeling, and is all about atmosphere. christopher doyle is also on board for that film. it will be "bliss". unfortunately i can't recommend any other films like this, as i've never seen anything similar to it. that's how good it is. mark your calenders for Invisible Waves, due out sometime in 2006. "I can't eat fish"Kenji, Asano Tadanobu, is a quiet man who is not only fastidiously clean, he labels which shoes he will wear for Monday, Tuesday, etc. and even has labeled his slippers for everyday use, but he also harbors a deep desire to commit suicide. However, before he has the chance to hang himself, slit his wrist, or blow his brains out something always seems to interrupt him. Near the beginning of the film, Kenji attempt at suicide is foiled when his older brother, a member of the yakuza, has unexpectedly come to hide out at his younger brother's place because he was caught having sex with the boss's daughter. Of a meek nature, Kenji allows his brother to stay at his book-filled apartment. To pay the bills, Kenji works at The Japan Foundation's library where he is the target of the attempted seductions by the head librarian. However, Kenji's eyes are focused on a young Thai girl who works as a hostess, dressed in a sailor uniform, who comes to the library to read Japanese children's books. Kenji's life might have remained unremarkable, but after his brother is gunned down by a yakuza and Kenji kills the yakuza with his brother's gun, Kenji leaves his hermetically sealed and sterile apartment. Standing on top of a bridge and daydreaming about drowning to death. Kenji encounters the young bargirl who has just been ordered to get out of her sister's car because she had intercourse with the boyfriend of the former. However, before they utter a word to each other a passing car hits the young girl. What follows is an odd relationship shared between Kenji and Noi, the bargirl's sister. I picked up Last Life in the Universe on a whim a few months ago because its stars my favorites Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu. However, as the months went by I heard a number of good things about the film, including that Christopher Doyle was the cinematographer. The dialogue between Kenji and Noi is quite interesting because it consists of a mixture of Thai, Japanese, and English and although they are unable to fully communicate with each other fully through words, the chemistry between Asano and Sinitta Boonyasak is amazing. Although the film consists of little more than dialogue between two characters, I found myself deeply drawn into it because of Kenji's taciturn nature and Noi's energetic but sad demeanor. The film is set primarily within Noi's family home which while ramshackle gives off a warm, comforting quality. If you have the chance to check out this film, please do. |
