FilmFan
06-19-2009, 09:53 AM
http://www.mun.ca/cinema/image/2001w/afterlife.gif
After Life aka Wandafuru Raifu
Running time: 118 minutes
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring: Arata
IMDB rating: 7.8
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165078/
As the title suggests, the film After Life is set in the place we go to after death. Rather than being Heaven, the events take place in a kind of inbetween place, where those who have recently died must choose one memory from their life to relive for all eternity. We see the events over 7 days, as a team of councillors are given 22 people to work with, the aim being to have them all sorted out before the end of the week.
As the days pass, some of the people have difficulty choosing a moment. One is given videos of his life to review, and looks back over the time spent with his wife from their awkward first date and into old age. As the story develops, the characters discuss their pasts, and we learn that there is more of a connection between them than originally seemed to be the case.
One of the film's strengths is that comes across as being very real, mainly thanks to the documentary style and the fact that some of the people featured were ordinary people talking about real experiences, rather than actors working from a script. The are a variety of personalities with stories to tell, which is interesting to watch.
After Life remains interesting through out, and is the kind of film that makes you reflect upon your own life/memories. On the negative side, it's somewhat slow moving, I think I may have preferred for it to feature 5 or 10 less people and instead focus on the main characters a bit more.
7/10
After Life aka Wandafuru Raifu
Running time: 118 minutes
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring: Arata
IMDB rating: 7.8
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165078/
As the title suggests, the film After Life is set in the place we go to after death. Rather than being Heaven, the events take place in a kind of inbetween place, where those who have recently died must choose one memory from their life to relive for all eternity. We see the events over 7 days, as a team of councillors are given 22 people to work with, the aim being to have them all sorted out before the end of the week.
As the days pass, some of the people have difficulty choosing a moment. One is given videos of his life to review, and looks back over the time spent with his wife from their awkward first date and into old age. As the story develops, the characters discuss their pasts, and we learn that there is more of a connection between them than originally seemed to be the case.
One of the film's strengths is that comes across as being very real, mainly thanks to the documentary style and the fact that some of the people featured were ordinary people talking about real experiences, rather than actors working from a script. The are a variety of personalities with stories to tell, which is interesting to watch.
After Life remains interesting through out, and is the kind of film that makes you reflect upon your own life/memories. On the negative side, it's somewhat slow moving, I think I may have preferred for it to feature 5 or 10 less people and instead focus on the main characters a bit more.
7/10