what a gorgeous, poetic recounting of a man's infatuation with american modernism and 'progress', promptly followed by his disillusionment. such a beautiful film, one i will revisit (yet again, and again) for years to come.
"i declare myself independent from those who would build bridges to the stars."
"when cherries blossom, people become cheerful, and gather to walk under the trees, drinking sake, eating dumplings, uttering phrases like 'what a sight!' or 'spring is here!' but it's all a lie."
transforming whimsical fields of sakura into an ominous trek not to be undertaken by any sane man is an impressive feat (achieved both by the story and by the immaculate score. props to toru takemitsu + shinichirô ikebe)...
stealing a strange woman from an enchanted forest couldn't have…
cherry offers no grand solution to internal desolation. this film follows mr. badii, a man of serene despair, on his journey to find someone to assist in his burial after he commits suicide.
we spend most of our time in the passenger seat, listening to badii's pleas for help with his final task. we hear the decidedness of his tone, the incuriousness when he feigns connection with a prospective assistant. we feel the air of hopelessness permeate the screen when…
a prophetic meditation on the relationship between technology and isolation, however lost in the clunky plot. in this hazy, techno-paranormal takeover, there lies existential questions, questions of the state of human connection. haunting, especially viewing this over a decade later, seeing no difference in how we interact with technology but still being the loneliest crowd.
however intriguing of a storyline, it was a bit confusing (how did tokyo silently become a desolate wasteland, not to be shown or heard?) and the visuals were rough here and there. enjoyed it nonetheless, but it held room for improvement in a few departments.
