Some of the Japanese films not adapted from the clueless, childish and absurd Japanese comics books like this one and "Aruitemo aruitemo(Still Walking) 2008" were the living proof that Japanese can still make normal, more down to earth, serious enough movies. They are instant classic. Thanks to IMDB's Trivia, allowing me to know that the title of this film was originated from the lyrics, a beautiful song sang by the immortal Teresa Teng. Also, what I'd like to point out here is, Kirin Kiki's, the "Mother" role she played in both of the films are just speechlessly superb!! One of the very best supporting female actors I've rarely found in recent years. Her performances had made these films look more real and natural. Every act moment by her in these films should be seriously studied if you want to know what is the ultimate "Performing Art".I wish both the Japanese and American movie industries could abandon doing movies adapted from their comics books, especially away from those unrealistic fantasies as those ridiculous "Super heroes" violent junk, and return to the real world.

A few months ago serendipity brokered a meeting between me and an exquisite film from Japan entitled Our Little Sister. I was totally captivated so much so that I watched it again within days and bought the DVD as soon as it appeared. This week another film by the same director - who also, it appears, works on the screenplays of his movies - was released in London. I found it had already been written about in glowing terms here on IMDb and I noted with interest that the comments came from several different countries around the world, testifying to the universal appeal of this minimalist filmmaker. It's difficult to conceive that this virtually invisible style of acting co-exists in the world of, say, Robert de Niro, Dennis Hopper, etc, where the goal seems to be last one to be sectioned is a sissy. After The Storm is yet another sublime essay about ordinary people coping with everyday traumas or not, as the case may be. Though it's churlish to single out any one actor it's equally hard not to wallow in the beautiful performance of Kirin Kiri as the mother/grandmother coping with the dysfunctional son and his fractured family. A true gem.

In a relatively short time span, I've seen three films by Hirokazu Kore-Eda, and I'm planning to see many more. It seems most of his work is focused on family relations, and his films are touching, heartfelt real life dramas. The raw material for Kore-Eda's films are emotions, and the ways his protagonists express them in words and by their behaviour.Like the two other films I've seen ('Our Little Sister' and 'Like Father, Like Son'), 'After the Storm' deals with parents, children, grandchildren and siblings. In this case, the central character is a divorced writer with financial problems, who has taken a job as a private detective to make ends meet. To keep up appearances, he pretends the job is a way of doing research for a new novel, but everyone knows there is no book.His young son is very fond of his grandma, so they go visit her. But typhoon number 24 is approaching fast, and when the writer's ex-wife comes to the apartment to pick up the boy, the bad weather conditions prevent them from going home. They have to spend the night at the grandmother's house, just as if they were a normal family. And in a way, they almost are, during that one special night. After the storm, everything has returned to normal, except that the four of them are closer than they were before. The last shot is full of symbolism: the sun shines, but several broken and abandoned umbrellas are the witnesses of the stormy night.It takes superior film making skills to turn such a story into a good movie. The emotions have to be measured out with care, in order to prevent it from turning into a tearjerker. The dialogue has to be natural, but at the same time not superficial. And the actors have to be completely believable. Just leave it to Kore-Eda: every scene is a joy to watch. It's those little things that make his characters so real: when his mother starts pleading him to stay the night, the writer says: oh, mother, please don't use this voice like you're almost dying. These are exactly the things mothers and sons say to each other, with a mix of affection and irritation.The director also gives little hints and references which you only fully understand after a while. At the very beginning, the writer's mother remarks that a neighbour has moved to a bigger house. Only much later we learn that this has always been her own dream, and that she's tired of her own tiny apartment. I think it takes a second viewing to get all the tiny hints sprinkled throughout the story.Are we what we hoped to be? And what was it exactly we hoped to be? Those are the questions 'After the Storm' deals with. There are no clear cut answers. But thinking about the questions makes this film worthwhile.

I watched this movie yesterday at the Bengaluru International Film Festival. I walked into the movie with absolutely no expectations, the movie started off on a good note. I was really impressed with the way the characters of the movie have been crafted. Each of them very relevant to middle class families struggling to meet their ends. I absolutely loved the humour and I so badly wished I knew Japanese. It is a different thing to get the gist out of subtitles. The people in the cinema hall enjoyed at the subtle moments between the characters. The actor playing the hero was a class apart. He was very lovable and I could feel myself experience the troubles and tribulations along with him. The kid has played the role very sincerely. Overall I would definitely recommend the movie to any fan of Asian cinema. Kudos !!