Le joueur de go

Its mesmerising. This movie is about Japanese culture and the meaning of life ,death, honesty,being decisive, being challenged. I really love Japanese people and their culture. I wish I could see Japan up close one day.

The story is about a father who is a well-known samurai in his tribe, but because of slander and betrayal ,forced to abandon the tribe and have to live with poverty. This man also is a good player of Japanese board game and movie is using this game to explain Human values.

The music of this film is masterpiece and the actors and actress are playing very well .

The cinematography and story are also excellent.

This movie got high ratings. I have no idea why. It is just slow and boring. It is a very Japanese movie, but I have to say the older Japanese cinema is far better. The stories were far more interesting in the ending certainly was better. This movie drags on and falls on its face at the end. I wondered why I even spent the time to watch it at the end. I had high hopes since it was so highly rated as indicated, but it was a dud. Most Japanese movie lovers will not like this movie. Unless you like watching dull and boring movies, this movie is not for you. Look elsewhere there are far better movies available.

This morning, I watched a film titled Bushido, but it turns out I mistakenly thought it was a new release - that's what I was told. After doing some digging, I discovered that the movie I saw is actually from 2024 and goes by the original Japanese name Gobangiri! To clarify, the story revolves around a once-respected samurai who goes to great lengths to restore his honor. Along the way, he risks everything and might even validate the misconceptions held by his critics.

While the premise and execution may not be groundbreaking, Bushido has the charm of a hidden gem just waiting to be found again. It's a serious drama that delves into the principles of the Bushido code, which is quite straightforward to grasp. Bushido encompasses not just martial discipline but also personal integrity: Rectitude or Justice is the foremost virtue of Bushido (the first principle). The screenplay explores this along with Courage (II), Benevolence or Mercy (III), Politeness (IV), Honesty and Sincerity (V), Honour (VI), Loyalty (VII), and Character and Self-Control (VIII)! What intrigued me the most was that this code was NOT illustrated through samurai battles-there were only three brief fight scenes throughout the film-but rather through numerous games of Go! Go, believed to be the oldest board game in the world, likely originated in China and brought to Japan around 500 CE. It gained popularity during the Heian period (794-1185) and evolved further with the rise of the samurai class. The Tokugawa period (1603-1867) saw the establishment of four competitive go schools, elevating the game to a professional status! This film primarily focuses on that aspect! As a chess enthusiast, I found this part of the film particularly enjoyable.

While the film is technically well-crafted, some casting choices are a bit questionable. It takes you on a journey through Japan's past, not always historically precise, but certainly entertaining.