The astute gamer's eye will recognize that this is a photo of the star of The Oneechanbara. But that's not the only thing that makes this photo worth mentioning. What you see here is the cover of a photo collection by Mika Ninagawa. Her feature film directorial debut, Sakuran, was released on the 24th in the Kanto area and nationwide this weekend.As expected, Variety labels the story, "tired" but "the beauty of the images cannot be denied (Review)." This comes as no surprise as Ninagawa is world renowned for her dazzling photos, best known for their vivid and energetic colors. Variety goes on to claim that even when the camera is moving, the "pic feels like a like a still photograph recreating the tableaux of a ukiyoe scroll."
Many Japanese online reviews by movie-goers seem to echo Variety's sentiments. While they agree that the story is uninspired, the beauty of the visuals makes up for it. Click on the links below to see for yourself why Mika Ninagawa is being praised for her photography, in both still and moving forms.
Sakuran: Official Site
Mika Ninagawa: Official Home Page
1 comment:
Mark Schilling of the "Japan Times" gave "Sakuran" five stars out of five, but that should come as no surprise. I also think he has a thing for Tsuchiya Anna. I'd provide a link for his review, and the interview with Tsuchiya, but the JT makes your register now just to view their articles.
Post a Comment