MEIFF: Last Day

I attended two excellent movies.

Mishima: A life in four chapters (1985)

Directed by Paul Schrader, the writer of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. Produced by Francis Coppola and George Lucas about one of Japan's great 20th century writers, Yukio Mishima. Of course its a big deal and big responsibility that probably no one else can take up except for these guys. The movie is actually not new, its a 1985 production but probably shown as a classic.

It tells the story of his life and his struggle with life. The struggle to bring beauty and reality together. The struggle to bring words and actions together. To bring the pen and sword together. He expressed and appreciated beauty in words of poetry. While action represented the reality, which may have nothing to do with abstract concepts of beauty in words. He wanted to see these two come together in something. This he found in the ritual suicide committed by samurai's to save themselves from humiliation. It may not seem that relevant to everyone else but suicide is seen in a very different light in Japanese culture and Samurais the symbol of courage and conviction, commit it. This was not the point of the movie but his struggle found the ultimate unity of art, beauty and action in the act.

 Terribly Happy - Frygtelig lykkelig (2008)

This was a Danish movie later to be released commercially. A dark comedy. A crime and psychological thriller. Very much like the silent Fargo. But it tells the story in its own way. Set in a small town of few houses and small number of people. A police officer is moved from Copenhagen this terrible place as a punishment of acting irresponsibly. He finds this town to be quaint and boring. But as time passes, it turns out to be the worst place on earth for him. He was a decent man, though troubled by his marital issues and separation from his children. But this town slowly drags him into the quicksand of crime and passion. One after another, his guilt compels him to cover up his crimes only to find out later that the whole town is in it. Based on a Danish novel by the same name, it was a excellent thriller to end this season with.