There Was a Father
1942 Ozu film that basically has the same plot as The Only Son, but this time it’s a widowed father making the sacrifices so his son can grow into a fine young man. Didn’t have the same emotional impact for some reason. Very well done, though. Also, just as with that one, I paid a lot for the Criterion Collection DVD which was transferred from a damaged print. As a result, the sound was irritatingly bad. **

Inception
Wow! I expected it to be visually stunning, but I didn’t expect the very touching love story. Great thrills, fantastic effects, excellent acting by an excellent caste. Really liked the intellectual and artistic experience of seeing it. ***

The Only Son
1936 Japanese film about the sacrifices a widowed mother makes so her only son can get an education and become a great man. This is Ozu’s first non-silent film. It’s very sad and very well done. Paid a lot for the Criterion Collection DVD which, unfortunately, was transferred from a really bad print. Still glad I saw it and added it to my Ozu collection. **

Red Cliff
5 ½ hour film, in two parts, based on a classic of Chinese literature about a great battle in 208 A. D. Directed by John Woo, famous for action films. Everything is designed to be an epic, and perhaps it has some more meaning for Chinese, but there are no real characters, just heroes. It’s OK, but didn’t really interest me. And I thought Woo’s directing, or the editing, was a little clumsy and disorganized. ²²

Blind Love
Japanese film about a blind woman who falls in love with a ventriloquist’s voice. A lot of sex, but a humorous and finally very sad meditation on the impossibility of true love. The ventriloquism is an insightful metaphor in several forms throughout. Surprisingly meaningful. I’ve been thinking about it since I saw it. Well worth it. **

Knowing
Film about an impending global disaster that is predicted by a little girl in a set of numbers. Everything about this film is bad. Nicholas Cage and his best buddy are completely unconvincing as scientists, the writing and acting are poor, and the ending, what we find out has been going on all along, has nothing to do with all the mystery. Waste of time. One star for the creepiness. *