Hiso hiso boshi

It's not a bad film but it's a difficult watch. Even if I like the crazy Sono, I also appreciate his quieter films (I absolutely love The Land of Hope), but this is a bit too introspective for my taste.

Certainly beautiful, certainly with a lot of meaning, certainly with great acting, but boy...I'm sure I will not rewatch it even with all it's merits, as this seemed much longer than it is.

– Far into the future people are shadows of their former selves. Humans are far too short-lived and vulnerable, so artificial intelligence pervades the universe. One humanoid robot named Yoko, delivers packages to the fringes of distant galaxies. She has time on her hands so she listens to the audio diary of her predecessor, wonders at the fluttering of moths and peeks inside the packages. The parcels are filled with non-essential items that only humans could appreciate; faded photographs, bits of cloth and little mementos of every description. She is intrigued. As she interacts with humans on scattered planets Yoko learns to ride a bicycle and appreciate sounds, among other things. She sees that machines aren't so perfect and make mistakes just like humans do. "This film will give you a greater understanding of what it means to be human," said the director in Toronto. The film is set with 1950s décor and is shot nearly all in black and white, with a burst of color during one scene that represents "nostalgia for the past."

The eerie and abandoned feeling to the city scenery is all too real because it was shot in the cordoned off area around Fukushima. The film crew obtained permits and included non-professional actors who were evicted from the area at the time of the disaster. All sounds were recorded after the scenes were filmed. This imaginative and cerebral film is slow-going. I appreciate slow-moving films, yet felt the points could have been better made in less time. All in all it is wonderful to see the mechanical Yoko begin to appreciate memories, taking pictures, throwing a ball to a dog, music, games and all the little things that humans appreciate. Three and a half of five stars. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015.

The Whispering Star truly solidifies Sion Sono as one of the greatest filmmakers working in the world today. This low budget sci-fi-art-house film is the first feature from Sion Productions, the directors own production company and is based on a script he wrote 25 years ago. Whispering Star is probably the directors most abstract work and will definitely divide audiences. The only real actor in the film is incredible Megumi Kagurazaka, the dialogue is spoken only in whispers and it mostly takes place on a spaceship that looks like a Japanese house and the ruins of Fukashima, which double as barren planets. That being said, this is definitely the most visually beautiful film of Sono's career and is probably the most beautifully filmed movie of 2015. Masterfully shot in stunning black & white (except for one gorgeous scene), the film's cinematography is truly amazing. The spaceship flying through the galaxy, the devastated landscapes of the planets she visits and the nature that survived will stay in your memory for a long time after viewing. Without giving anything away, the film deals with the subject of loneliness and how everybody and everything truly needs somebody or something in order to feel alive. Even if it's far away, just knowing that person is out there is enough to make your survive.

The reviews of this film will definitely be split. Some will love it, some will hate it, it will mean something different for every viewer, just don't go into it expecting anything like the directors most recent works. This film is something else entirely, and that is why Mr.Sono is one of the best directors in the world today. As his output goes into hyper-drive, he becomes even harder to pin down.

The beautiful and minimalist imagery is very haunting and it gave me a perfect feeling of isolation, just like in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Even the AI in the spaceship is very reminiscent of HAL 9000. The silence and the whispering give it such a peaceful yet lonely feeling, almost in an hypnotizing way. Little things like smoking a cigarette or riding a bicycle are a reminder of what makes us human in the first place in an universe where mankind is almost extinct. Humans prefer to send their deliveries using the traditional way; they avoid using teleportation or, in other words, the use of technology that is slowly leading the human race to complete isolation.

The movie follows a meaningless android deliverywoman who gets curious about these humans as she interacts with them, giving her something to feel near the end of the movie as she becomes as much human as these people. The movie ends with a final delivery in a place with a bunch of people interacting with each other where no sign of technology is seen. Even the recipient of this final delivery doesn't want to have any interaction with this cyborg deliverywoman.

A simple and original concept of a movie that definately requires you to be in the right mood to watch it. It's also a cool companion to Kairo as they share some similar themes.

We are flying through space. Pale interior, vintage technology, beyond the window: thousands of stars in a big black nothing. This is what dreams are made of. But, as our hero, Yoko, reveals to us, these scenarios of escapism are not always as exciting as they might seem in the beginning. In the distant future, while Yoko and her sole digital companion travel through space as intergalactic delivery pilots, Yoko tells the sad tale of men's invention of teleportation. Teleportation? "Amazing!", one might think. But, Yoko recalls, when exotic destinations were easily within reach, they quickly lost their charm. When going to the beach is merely another push on a button away, half the fun is gone. Anticipation is the magic word which unfolds its meaning as we get older.

The same goes for Sci-Fi movies. New worlds, far away galaxies and unimaginable creatures all have their appeal. During the run of "Avatar" people spent 2,78 billion Dollar in movie tickets for a good 2 ½ hours of teleportation. But the easier these worlds come to life, the more powerful the CGI-Gods become, the quicker we will be bored and left with a hunger. Horror movies have come a long way from cheap costumes and shadow play to gore and jump-scares. Have they become better? Not necessarily. And so it also happens to Sci-Fi. Better effects, a more perfect immersion, does not equal a more satisfying escape experience.

Funny side note: Star Wars actually tried reworking its visuals with a more technical approach, rising the images "up-to-date", thus making the illusion and escapism more real. The outrage over it is even more known than the outcome itself.

So, Yoko teaches us: Teleportation to the beach, as good as it is, does not satisfy our need for relaxation. And just the same: visual effects do not satisfy our need for good Sci-Fi. Popping in the latest CGI-fest does not necessarily tickle our brains area that craves deep thinking.

So, writer/director Sion Sono puts a spin to his futuristic scenario. Everything feels a bit outdated, the set design is more reminiscent of a 1950s Sci-Fi film. It lets us focus on the content, not the shining outside of the set. In this contrast, a distant day which feels like yesterdays future, the perfect androids that have taken over the world seem helpless. Opening up parcels, finding film strips, feathers or old photographs, they wonder "What the hell is this?". And so do we wonder also: Well, yeah, why in the world do these things have any value? The old scheme, android vs. human, technology vs. romanticism, here it is. This is emphasized by fantastic camera work which takes a human, subjective view and guides us through a world which is not clean and shiny but alive and breathing.

The films filming location, whose background can hardly be ignored, hit me with a cynical note: What a bold move to film a movie in the ruins of the Fukushima region and discuss human virtues vs. technical perfection - In a place where human error lead to an unspeakable disaster which probably would have been avoided by any cold hearted android.

So, is this a masterpiece? Not in my opinion. Did I enjoy it? No. While it makes you think of the genres greats (especially the on-bord computers appearance is straight out of 2001) it falls behind in direct comparison. It lacks focus, throws in too many things instead of being concise with the questions it poses. A computer going through Platos cave allegory? Well, this might be an interesting thought but in this film it simply falls short and leaves you scratching your head.

Oh and it's boring. Let's not forget about that. It is really boring at times.