wondernoel Reviews

El empleo (2008)

Cast a doubt about work

[9/10 · 12 February 2014]

This is a story of a man who wakes up and goes to his work. It is simple story, but this has many unique scenes and is a little unrealistic. All the things he uses are human, from the table to the taxi. At first, I feel that this is full of humor and an interesting way of expression. However, I changed from the first image of this film and find the meaning of this title. Furthermore, I began to feel something fearful. It is because, of course, there is no dialogue and music, but mainly because of his astonishing action.

In addition, the sound of his snort is so cold and hopeless that I cannot help thinking about what working is. The way of feeling about it differs from person to person such as blue- and white-collar workers. This film is a symbol of working in modern society and might express the filmmakers own thoughts on this theme by the scene after the credits. Watching this film gives us a good opportunity to think the meaning of what we are doing every day.

The Lunch Date (1989)

Behind the story

[8/10 · 12 February 2014]

A woman cannot catch a train and so goes to café. She buys a salad there, but a strange man is eating her salad when she tries to eat it. The storyline is very easy to understand and has a funny twist ending. So the ending might be different from what you expect.

There is little dialogue between characters. For example, her feeling is expressed through the scene which they take turns eating the salad. Furthermore, this is a black-and-white film, so we can concentrate exclusively on their acts without distraction from other things which otherwise we would spot.

And also, I like the sound of them biting vegetables, and it's comfortable to hear. The background music is good old and so sweet to our ears. Before and after her encounter with him, there are people who look homeless. This film might describe a more profound thing than the storyline, such as the gap between rich and poor. Every time I watch this, I think about the meaning of this more deeply.

Knick Knack (1989)

High quality film

[12 February 2014]

Many characters enjoy a good time and a mermaid lures a snowman to join them, so he tries to get outside from his container by attempting many ways. But it is all in vain.

From the start, the song with a good beat makes this film more bouncy. The end scene gives me a big laugh and I'm absorbed in this for all of only four minutes. It's interesting that characters except the snowman wear sun glasses and the names of all characters except him contain the word "sunny". This has some relations with the storyline because the snowman is different from the other characters in that respect. So this film is full of wit and ingenuity.

The film has no dialogue, but it has many movements and it's so smooth that I'm surprised that this film was made in 1989. In this point, this is high quality and it's worth watching.

The Crush (I) (2010)

Boy's courage

[7/10 · 11 February 2014]

This film portrays many feelings of a young boy from happiness to sadness.

In the beginning, the film depicts the young boy falling in love with his teacher. Especially, I like the scene he gets lost in thought with a grin in class while staring at her. The music is used effectively in accordance with his feelings. When he meets her fiancé for a duel, we don't recognize whether his gun is real or not. It is because, on the night before the day, he sits and thinks in front of the closet in which his father keeps a gun. And also, the camera-work whirls round and round when he shoots. From these effects, this duel scene is breathtaking and I want to know what is going to happen next.

Within about ten minutes, the story contains many developments, and so we can be absorbed in this film without getting bored.

Whacked! (2011)

Strange film

[8/10 · 11 February 2014]

This film begins with a scene where many people suddenly fall down on the street. At first, the viewer might not know what in the world happens. After this scene, a man works at a golf practice range and retrieves golf balls from the ground.

However, we cannot find out the connection between the first scene and this one. And at last, we can recognize it. By making the viewer watch the last scene at first, we can expect more the next scene and can be more absorbed in this.

There are no conversations, only sounds. When he shoots the ball on the building, the sound is a little funny because it's mixed with the sounds of ambulance, shooting and people's cheers and claps. After I watched and understood the complete scenario, I enjoyed watching this again from the start.

Lifted (2006)

Nice short film

[7/10 · 11 February 2014]

This short film is full of fun and comedy. The story line is not difficult to understand, but there are many scenes which make us laugh within only five minutes. The characters are two aliens and a human.

There are no conversations between them. However, it might be sufficient for a viewer to enjoy it because there're many changes in facial expression and movement. They are depicted finely and make it easy to feel what the characters think.

In addition, the music and sound effect also add the funny elements to this film. Especially, the sound effects have a big impact on this such as the sound of turning the pages and that of the human hitting the house. To the last, this film is ingenious and comical by good punch line.

I think all age groups can enjoy watching it and this makes me feel that it's convinced the films made by PIXAR are very popular around the world.

Three Days in Kamakura (2012)

What a family is

[8/10 · 11 February 2014]

This film is a story in which a man and a woman have a difficult time because of the discord in their feelings. But spending time with a young boy gives them a good opportunity to strengthen their bond and love.

Their conversation is mainly in English and sometimes she talks to him in Japanese. This has more emphasis on her words and makes us understand more than what she says. The boy's act is also very natural and his smiling is very childlike. As for the music and sound, they are not too appealing. By making songs by children echo and mixing it with the scene she's musing and staring to the sea, the film characterizes her confused feeling. This is so heartwarming that I feel fine when I've finished watching.

The short film focuses on the term family which we take for granted, and gives us the chance to rethink it. I recommend this for everyone.

Gasman (1997)

Many good effects

[6/10 · 11 February 2014]

On Christmas Day, a young girl leaves for a Christmas event with her father and two other children also join with them on the way there. The young girl's feeling about the other girl changes as the time goes on.

The music is used effectively because there are Christmas songs and happy songs in accordance with the dance. As for the Christmas song, it helps to depict that children are high spirited and cannot wait for the party. In the last, the scene which a young girl is standing on the rail track and staring at the other children plays a role of summary of her conflict. We cannot see facial expressions of characters because of the few lights. By using this effects and showing same scene within ten seconds, it makes us think how the girl feels. The film expresses an important part in an indirect manner.

Although this is interesting film, a question remains what the title of this film means and what the connection with the content is.

Fish Out of Water (2005)

His comfort

[8/10 · 14 January 2014]

This film has repetition of the scene when a young man goes to work by using the boat and a little change are added to the repeat with good humor. One morning, a woman in a suit is waiting for him to get a ride on a boat, and the number of people who try to get a ride is increasing day by day. I feel that man enjoys rowing the boat alone and doesn't want someone to disturb his time. His feeling seems to be represented indirectly and effectively such as by woman's face doing fishing or the silent interaction with elderly couple. And also, the sound is a little comfortable and gives an easygoing atmosphere to this film. When he finds alternative ways to go across the water, we might not imagine what that is and it would be more than we expect. The way he tries to regain the comfort is surprising and makes me chuckle a little. Moreover, it's interesting that we understand the meaning of this movie's title in the last scene. Even though there is no talking, we can feel the character's feeling and enjoy this funny film.

Otousan no tabako (2007)

a little girl's decision

[7/10 · 13 January 2014]

This film starts with a scene where a young girl jumps in front of a vending machine and tries to buy cigarettes. This makes viewer not understand what is going on. The girl is scolded by her mother for buying it and told never to do so again. She understands how harmful the cigarette is because she says to a woman who a girl encountered at first that smoking will make father die. Even though she recognizes this, she tries to buy cigarette again when asked to do so by her father who seems to have a serious illness. This scene is interesting in illustrating conflicted feeling, change, and growth of her feeling. Moreover, when she throws a cigarette into the trash box, her decision makes her family get together. This scene is very touching and heartwarming. As a whole, within seventeen minutes, I was so absorbed by this film.

Paperman (2012)

Good use of color

[8/10 · 27 December 2013]

Paperman is a little unlikely and fantasy film. A man cannot forget a woman since their accidental meeting and tries to get her attention by using paper planes. The paper plane has an important role and helps him very much. The color used in this film is mainly black and white, but the red color is only used on woman's lips and the mark of her lips on the paper. This red color has an emphasis as the start of his feeling attracted to her. Furthermore, the man's boss shows no expression on his face as contrasted with a man's expressive face and this makes the man's motion seem more active and dynamic. Music also is changed more rhythmically in accordance with the story. Within seven minutes, this film makes viewer feel attracted and a little happy.

Father and Daughter (2000)

short but nice film

[7/10 · 27 December 2013]

This film has many impressive scenes within eight minutes. After father leaves, the process of daughter's growing is illustrated with the seasons changing. This is depicted as the repetition that the woman goes to the shore, stares out to sea while thinking about her father and returns by bicycle. While the time continues to go like bicycle's wheel, her feeling for her father never changes. As she grows old, the person who passes her by bicycle changes and is younger such as from older woman at first to young girl at latter scene. In addition, we cannot see the sign of emotion on her face. This makes us imagine her feeling when she's deep in thought. So, every time I watch this film, I reject the image I have had before and begin to have a new interpretation.