Madadayo
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Movie Reviews of Madadayo
Movie Review: One of the best movies I have seen.
Summary: 5 Stars
I first saw this movie at a Japanese film festival, and I was immediately entraced. It is the first Kurosawa films I have ever seen, and it has left me longing to watch the rest of his work. As other reviewers more eloquent than I have said, this film presents a touching look at the relationship between teachers and students, but in unique historical and personal circumstances. With World War II as its backdrop, "Madadayo" sticks to the relatively simple life of a high school German teacher and author and the lifelong relationships he has with many of his former students. The depth of the now-adult students' appreciation and friendship for their teacher manifests itself in a yearly celebration of the teacher's life, as well as everyday kindnesses (memorable incidents include the students' worries that the teacher's house is not protected from burglars and their efforts to 'correct' this problem by breaking into his house and finding out for themselves how the teacher will handle it, and my particular favorite, the loss of the teacher's pet cat and the heartbreaking emotions this brings to the characters).
This movie is not epic, nor does it contain much action. It does, however, have a lot of heart (which is a somewhat corny phrase, but truly fits this film). I give it my highest recommendations.
Movie Review: A fine curtain call
Summary: 5 Stars
Kurosawa's last film, while maybe not a "powerful" film like "Ran" or "Seven Samurai" does still pack a wonderful emotional punch as a study of the last decades of an old professor's life, starting from his retirement to his death. The title "Madadayo" is Japanese for "Not yet" and is the response given by the professor when asked "Mahka kai?" ("Are you ready?") at his birthday celebrations, meaning whether or not he is ready for death.This film, like many of Kurosawa's works, is a character study. The old man has many admirers from former pupils and old friends, and he is full of wit and wisdom. The film chronicles many interesting aspects from his life's last years, including the loss of a favorite cat and the gain of another. If you can enjoy a film for its fascinating characters, then you can enjoy this film.
Many film makers have died with a film that barely holds up as even a classic. Kurosawa, thankfully, has left us a final film that asks questions about life, death, and the time we have on earth. It certainly deserves to be considered a milestone.
Movie Review: excellent film
Summary: 5 Stars
Akira Kurosawa's final film is, in his own words, about "the enviable world of warm hearts." It follows the twilight years of the beloved Japanese essayist Hyakken Uchida, from his retirement in 1943 to his final dream. His students call him a lump of "pure gold," without any flaws--and that is what the movie is truly about--having a kind soul, loving life, and being loved. Uchida Sensei thus evinces all the traits of the classic Kurosawa hero, but the director has never been this poigniant since his masterpiece "Ikiru" (which the film recalls in many ways), perhaps because of the personal nature of the story--Kurosawa once attempted suicide, but obviously left with a love for life. In the poetic, spare style of "Madadayo," Kurosawa even manages in some scenes to catch up to the master, Yasujiro Ozu... Terrific. Those without the taste for the moving quality of the simplicity of the plot and pace of the film may also find it long and overly sentimental, as it has been criticized, but I feel that such viewers are overlooking Kurosawa's subtle accomplishments.Movie Review: The Master's Fairwell
Summary: 5 Stars
Shortly into this movie, I realized that the sensei may have been a real person in history, but Kurosawa selected his life to represent his own. Metaphorically, Kurosawa was the great sensei of the global film industry. This film released just a few years before his death carried a message to all his beloved fans and students, "Madadayo (Not yet)." Kurosawa died when I was in Tokyo working at the Pacific Stars and Stripes. The week of his death, I had asked my editor to try to arrange an interview with the great film master. Sadly, before I could met him, he passed on. So, it was that when I realized the message of this, his final film, was the he was not ready to pass on, I cried. Subtle, sublime, personal, this film is not designed for average viewers. For devoted Kurosawa fans, it will be a touching farewell. For those with a less intimate relationship with the film master, it may seem slow and unmoving. I, however, was very moved. Kurosawa's passing is truly a loss to the world of media imagery.Movie Review: Magnificent!
Summary: 5 Stars
I can see why this film does not have a broad appeal, since it demands a Zen-like patience and attentiveness. For those viewers who have disciplined themselves to sit still and focus (a skill that has recently been lost in the majority) . . . for those viewers, this film will likely be hypnotically captivating. Of course, one must also appreciate the Asian art. Kurosawa was a genius, and his final film is deceptively complex and elegant. I have watched this at different ages in my life, and have never failed to be moved by the combination of Kurosawa's gorgeously minimalist direction and Matsumura's amazing acting. It is NOT sentimental . . . it is profoundly sensitive, a tender depiction of the loosening of the ego's bonds in old age.
Highly recommended!