dunkirkafternoon Reviews

Spielzeugland (2007)

Dark

[7/10 · 18 July 2022]

Toyland is a German short film, directed by Jochen Alexander Freydank. The film relates with the Holocaust. It depicts the fates of non-Jewish family and Jewish family.

There are some good points in the film. First of all, I was very attracted by the first scene. The film begins with the images of chain like a four-handed performance on the piano and a spiral staircase. These images not only give the audience a feeling of immersion, but also cause them uneasiness.

Second, the audience is not the only one to use their imagination. The characters in the film are less able to predict their own destiny, compared to other movies. Children constantly imagine the truth of Toyland. On the other hand, adults work hard to help their children. Therefore, some people find it hard to watch the film.

To conclude, it is worth seeing. Also, it is a good movie to know the gruesomeness of the Holocaust.

The Lunch Date (1989)

Great Short Film

[9/10 · 11 July 2022]

The Lunch Date is an American short film, directed by Adam Davidson. A middle-aged wealthy woman misses the train. Then she goes to a restaurant and orders a salad. However, she causes a big misunderstanding.

There are two good points in the film. First of all, the film has excellent visual information. For example, we understand that the female main character is rich not only through her dress, but also through the contrast with the black homeless people. Second, the unconscious racial discrimination in white society is implied. When the woman drops her bag, and the black man tries to help her, she brushes away his hand and rejects his help. Also, in the restaurant scene she misunderstands that it is the black homeless man who eats her salad. I wonder what she would do if it was the white man who eats the salad.

In conclusion, it is worth seeing it. Moreover, It is a good material to know the relationship between the black and the white communities in the United States.

Three Days in Kamakura (2012)

Impressive Film

[7/10 · 11 July 2022]

Three Days in Kamakura is a short film, directed by Alec Mcaulay. An international couple deepen their bond through a 'hafu' child.

I think that the editing is very impressive in this movie. Though the movie has dialogue, these words have little to say about the character's emotion and situation. Instead, the feelings of characters are depicted by visual story-telling and changing scenes. For example, the scene changes from a shot where Keiko is on the veranda to a shot showing children in the English class. I guess that this scene implies that Keiko wants a child. However, if Keiko's emotion was expressed by monologue or dialogue, not by changing scenes, I believe that the seriousness of Keiko's feelings could not be conveyed. Therefore, the way of removing waste from dialogue adds depth to the movie. In conclusion, it is worth seeing.

Otousan no tabako (2007)

Good Film

[6/10 · 11 July 2022]

Otosan no tabaco is a Japanese short film, directed by Shohei Shiozaki. Though a girl knows that her father is suffering from lung cancer, she goes out to buy cigarettes to fulfill her father's wish.

I think that the film depicts not only the girl's growth, but also the growth of the father. From the first scene, it can be seen that she ignores the harmful effects of cigarettes because she wants to live up to her father's request. Also, the father thinks only about himself, and doesn't understand what happens if he smokes. However, as the film moves toward the last scene, they realise the importance of life and family, respectively.

Moreover, the film has a unique timing. I have to read the emotions of the characters by reading the timing. Of course, some people can't read it. However, I believe that this method is a good way to stir the imagination of the audience.

In conclusion, it is worth seeing.

J'attendrai le suivant... (2002)

Good Film

[7/10 · 11 July 2022]

J'attendrai le suivant...is a French short film directed by Philippe Orreindy. A lonely woman who is searching for true love is deceived by comedians.

One of the interesting points in the film is that the woman doesn't speak at all. We understand her emotion and situation only through her expression. From the first scene, in which she stares at a couple as though she is thinking of something very hard, we can guess that she leads a solitary life. Moreover, especially for the last scene, in which she is fooled by comedians, we are able to imagine a lot of things from her expression. She is devastated at first when comedians trick her. Then, however, her feelings change into anger and bitterness toward them. The film ends with this scene, but her emotion is still alive, and makes us think what she will do after that.

As in other films, facial expressions speak more in the film. I think that the film wouldn't be pregnant with meaning if she speaks. Overall, I believe that it is worth seeing.

Knick Knack (1989)

Lovely film

[7/10 · 11 July 2022]

Knick Knack is an animated short film with no dialogue. The main character is the snow globe snowman. He envies a summer world and tries to escape from his snow globe. He uses some instruments to get out of it, but it doesn't work very well.

I think that the story is designed so that people will never get bored. For example, the snowman goes through a lot of trial and error to escape out of his snow globe. As there is repeated trial and error, the audience's expectations for him continue to be maintained.

Moreover, the sound of the film attracts people's attention. Actually, I watched the film many times when I was a child, but for some reason I completely forgot the content and the title. However, when I watched it recently and heard the sound, I could remember the story. It can be guessed that the sounds of drills and water in this movie are very characteristic for children. In summary, this film elaborates a method for drawing people's interest. I can say that it is worth seeing.

Whacked (II) (1998)

Cynical Film

[9/10 · 11 July 2022]

Whacked! Is a short movie with no dialogue, directed by Rolf Gibbs. As written in the title, a man who gets stressed in his workplace indiscriminately hits many people with golf balls. It is a dark comedy, and his revenge drama on society. The good point in the film is that a lot of questions arise while watching. For example, we wonder why people fall down one after another in the first scene. By making the spectator have a question, the film continues to attract the attention of the audience. Overall, I can say that it is worth seeing.

Lifted (2006)

Cute Film

[8/10 · 11 July 2022]

Lifted is a short movie, directed by Gary Roger Rydstrom. The movie is about a training of abduction by aliens. A trainee is struggling to pass a test, and causes some problems. It is comical, but ironic. There is no dialogue, but the expression of characters is so clear that we can easily imagine the character's emotion. I think that American animations are good at expressing character's feelings compared to Japanese ones. Sometimes, the look of persons in Japanese animation is too subtle to understand their emotion clearly. At this point, I believe that it is worth seeing, especially for children.

Fish Out of Water (2005)

Good Film

[7/10 · 11 July 2022]

'Fish out of Water' is a short film, directed by Lala Rolls. A male office worker likes to commute by his boat. One day, a female office worker who commutes by car envies his commute style, and asks him to ride together. He agrees to her suggestion. However, she brings her co-workers the next day, and the number of people increases day by day. Finally, he quits to carry them and decides to commute by swimming.

One of my favorite points is that I don't recognize the love affair between a female fisherwoman and him. She just watches over him fondly. She never seduces him. It can be said that she doesn't try to fish him. On the other hand, he is once tempted (fished) by the female office worker, but he finally overcomes it. Then he notices the importance of being alone and the existence of the female fisher. Their relationship suggests that people can live without relying on others.

Also, the film is rich in conceit. The scene that he carries his oar against the backdrop of an urban area like a big metropolis, and the scene that he commutes by swimming are so apart from the reality that I can be absorbed in the film. In conclusion, it is worth seeing it.

Father and Daughter (2000)

Good movie

[6/10 · 11 May 2022]

Father and Daughter is a Dutch short movie, directed by Michael Dudok de Wit. One day, a father and daughter go on a bicycle trip to a lake. However, he suddenly discards his daughter and escapes on a small boat as soon as they reach the lake. After his disappearance, she frequently visits the lake by bicycle throughout her life to search for her father.

A waltz is being played in the film. However, characters don't utter a sound or change their expression. Therefore, we cinema audiences have to imagine their emotion and face by the music and the depiction of scenery. At this point, I find interesting metaphors. In the film, there are some repeating images, such as the wheel of a bicycle, the waltz, and the daughter's behavior that she visits the lake over and over again. I guess that these metaphors express the length of time that she waits for her father, and make the audience feel this span of time the same as her. When I finished watching the movie, I felt as if I watched it for more than 20 minutes. However, in fact, the running time of the movie is only eight minutes. I was really surprised by it and also impressed by the movie's expressive techniques. Overall, I can say it is worth seeing it. Also, there is still scope for interpretation.