Shiki-Jitsu

When I say this movie is for "fans of poetry", I mean simply that it is for people who enjoy delving into the subtlety and brevity of thoughts, for people who enjoy symbolism and are unafraid to dive into a challenging puzzle of seemingly disjoint ideas, for people who can appreciate the fantasy in--as Anno puts it--"the ennui of everyday life".

And if you were bored by the first sentence of my review, then you're probably not the person I'm describing. If you haven't guessed, I'm trying to scare off most of the crowd. ;)

Yes, people who rely heavily on plot shouldn't bother. But I'm not saying that this film lacks in plot. On the contrary, it has one of the most complicated plots if you manage to piece it together. This is not a movie to be taken lightly, and its beauty & meaning runs not on the surface but somewhere deep beneath--as in the movie where her innermost thoughts are stashed away in the "secret basement" of a 7-story building.

I would compare this movie to Fellini, Godard and Tarkovsky--except that I generally don't like any of those directors at all. In this case, however, Hideaki Anno is able to take all the brilliant elements of those classic directors and fuse it with vivid colours, imagery, a spectacular dialogue, and phenomenal acting, which is something those European directors may have overlooked in their unidirectional approach to "New Wave" cinema back in the 60s-70s. This is a film unlike any I have ever seen, because it challenges the mind while keeping the senses alive. It can be taken either philosophically or simply as a feast for the eyes, whichever you like.

The dialogue, which I've already mentioned, bears further mentioning. Unfortunately I had to rely on the English subtitles, but even that was a work of literature. It's as if the philosophical works of Confucious, Descartes and Kant had been given a real-world, human voice. Heady stuff. And the script is expertly delivered by Ayako Fujitani in a performance that ranks up there with the best portraits of creeping madness I've ever seen.

On a final note, I just want to touch on the ending--don't worry I won't ruin a thing. I've read some criticism; apparently people have been disappointed. I admit that I, too, had been expecting something different. But now, having watched the film several times over (a requirement!), I see that the ending couldn't have been more perfect. I can't find a single flaw in this movie. 10/10.

How come none of the reviews here have mentioned bipolar disorders, manic depressive episodes, or anything of the like? For all I'm reading about the fragile human psyche and the likes I only saw a character who needed serious help and only used thinking errors to improperly cope.

Yeah there was an artistic approach but a total lack of dealing with the mental issues at hand. I only give the five stars for the decent acting and cinematography. Without at least some acknowledgment of the improper functions of her brain I can't give this movie anything better.

I'd been waiting to see this film for nearly three years and finally I had the chance to see it. Luckily, I was not disappointed. This is truly one of the most profound films I've ever had the pleasure to watch. The plot, which I refuse to spoil, delves deeply into the human psyche and it's fragility. It's impossible to not be changed or indeliably marked after watching this true work of cinematic art. Anno's deeply psychological 'Evangelion' runs parallel to this work. Anno is intrigued and infatuated with the fragility of the human mind and the power of belonging and love. 'Ritual' shows the frailness of the human mind and how easy it is to be detached from reality. This is truly a must see film, for lovers of true cinema and lovers of life. Don't let the first 20 minutes deter you from committing to watching the movie, take it all in and the motif will begin to seep into your soul.

As far as the cinematography goes, one can't help but notice Anno's attention to detail in his construction of the motif of entrapment. Pay close attention to the use of frames and barriers; frames within frames, tunnels, mazes, labyrinths, spiral staircases all ripe for deep analysis.

This film truly renders what it is to be human. Beautiful and Essential.

Another example of a film I should have watched when it came out...at least for me it would have been a quintessential teenage movie that would have changed my life, at least a bit.

Now, I see it how it is. A meandering and pandering movie about angst, depression, grief and that trendy thing in Japan, suicide - feelings I've also been through as a teenager. I cannot, however, deny the somewhat unique visual style and the powerful effect it has on the viewer. The visual style created by the camera of the very talented director Hideaki Anno - who previously directed Evangelion (similar themes in both), the set design and filming locations. From a visual standpoint, it's great, it's a must-see.

From the story's point of view, it depends on everyone. On a teenager or early 20-year-old, the story would have a much greater effect than it has on me, and that's understandable. If I think for myself from a point of view of a teenager then yeah, it's moody, enigmatic, unpredictable, cool, random...everything I would have wanted to be. And all set in Japan. The ultimate cool.

But because it's not for everyone and because it's too up its own butt I cannot appreciate it more.

This felt a good 20 to 30 minutes too long for me, which holds it back from greatness in my eyes. That being said, I still liked a good amount of this film, and there were moments throughout that were very effective and powerful.

It's clear to see it as a personal film for Hideaki Anno, and it's different to anything else I've seen from him. I think with this, he proves he can do grounded drama without the sort of sci-fi elements found in his best known movies/shows... but I just wish this had been assembled and edited to be a bit tighter, because to me, it didn't feel like it needed to be more than two hours.