Ugetsu (2014)

Sixteenth Century Japan. Civil wars. Military marauders and rapists. Rival clans fighting each other. The samurais, individual warriors following a rigid behaviour code and imposing themselves as an outstanding social groupThis movie develops itself in these surroundings in a half-poetic, half-realist atmosphere but very well succeeded in filmic and plot terms.Fancy and fantasy also shows up in some moments. A parallel story of two countrymen is told. One is a craftsman who Works on clay potteries, The other is a fool that wants forcefully to become a samurai though it doesn't have enough money to get the necessary outfit. Both leave their houses in a village later plundered by one of the armies above referred and go away where to make their dreams come true leaving their wives behind. This turns out to be very tragic and after several adventures including the love relationship of the potter with a ghost princess, they cone back home and meet several unhappy vicissitudes some of them having been caused by those violent soldiers. Enchanting film direction, seducing and sentimentally well presented.

Another Kenji Mizogushi's masterpiece a little inferior than Saikaku Ichidai Onna,settled in sixteen century two families living together in hard life in a province near the lake,Genjurô making handcraft ceramic products to sell in near village,and his farmer neighbor Tobei who intend to be a famous Samurai...when the war is broke out...against all advises they go to the village by boat,there they making money and Tobei and his wife split,and end up molested became a prostitute while Tobei looking for glory....Genjurô finds a beauty woman to marry living an easy life,but it don't seen to be what really is...anyway this old Japanese tale adapted in this movie is really astonishing and a true gem!!!

Now these are the type of films that give me a reason to critique work. In Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugestu, I was moved and tossed through a loop, but in the end it was definitely worth it.I am fascinated by the Japanese culture especially the different eras/periods that they went though. The title of the film is based on a book, two in fact, called "Tales of the Moon and Rain" (I am trying my best not to add any spoilers to this entry.)The film takes place in the 16th century Civil-War period. These were desperate times of survival, mostly for men who would have the main duty of protecting the family. The protagonist in this story, Genjûrô, has a wife and a child. They are in need of money and his pottery is beginning to sell very well on ACCOUNT of the war going on. It is when a group of bandits come into their small village and demand strict labor upon any man they can find. Luckily, Genjûrô's family gets away just in time. They set sail to a bigger town, so he can sell more of his crafts. To accompany him is a man named Tobei and his wife. Tobei is sort of the dimwitted character that needs a purpose. Though, everything he needs is right in from of him (a wife, friends, food, a decent job, etc.), he has a dream to one day be a samurai. This you can tell is not a good idea, since he is gullible and really bad with his savings. But at least he is helping Genjûrô and his family get by.It is when Genjûrô's wife has to stay back with the child so that they can travel more cautiously. There have been pirates lurking around and it was not necessary to risk it. In the town that Genjûrô, Tobei, and his wife sell the pottery, Genjûrô comes across a mysterious maiden with hikimayu eyebrows, Lady Wakasa, who invites him up to her secluded manor with her and her servant lady. This is probably where I should stop.The film definitely took me by surprise. I actually thought it was a horror flick at first. Either way, I was not disappointed to find out that is was a fantasy/drama/mystery. It kept me interested the whole way through. I would have to say my favorite character that goes through the change is simply Tobei. His aspiring hope for becoming a true man and brave warrior take a turn.. for whatever you want to look at it. I found him and his wife's story, which sort of breaks off from Genjûrô's in the middle, very touching and heartfelt.

A fantastic tale of war, love, family and ambition set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.Along with Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film "Rashomon", "Ugetsu" is credited with having popularized Japanese cinema in the West. And you can see why, with this strong, sweeping tale of a family struggling in the middle of war. The plot is almost epic (albeit brief), and the film ranges from the greatest joys to the worst sorrows within a short time.Donald Richie called it "one of the most perfect movies in the history of Japanese cinema" and especially praised the beauty and morality of the film's opening and closing shots. He is quite right, and this film really explains how important cinematography can be.