Ame agaru

The only way I can describe this movie is Sweet.

It is such a lovely movie in its simplicity. There are no evil schemes and plots. No subplots within subplots with twist and suspense building. No massive production with a cast of thousands. No nasty characters that you hate. It is just a sweet simple story telling about an unemployed man (ronin) and his wife.

This movie made me smile as especially the wives. The wife of the Samurai, Tayo, is incredibly sweet. Same with the wife of the lord. Both play the "character" of the Asian wife...quietly supportive while leading the man to understanding with words of wisdom.

Great minimalistic acting. A Samurai Feel Good movie.

I stumbled upon this film by accident and I'm glad I did. The plot is simple, a master-less samurai and his wife are staying at an inn during a rain storm. Everyone is waiting for the rain to end and the river to go down so they can cross. The samurai is a gentle man who tries to help everyone pass the time much to his wife's chagrin. This is a sweet gentle film where nothing much happens and yet we get to know a bunch of very good people and learn a lesson about the value of kindness and honesty. A winner from start to finish.

In this movie set on the rainy season in fudal Japan, A ronin and his wife reach a poor hotel and interact with the guests and the local lord. The character of the ronin is unique. He has fought for money and thus taints himself in the eyes of the local samurai but his heart and care for the people along with his mastery of budo, wins over the lord who is a unique character in his own right. This is not a masterpiece of filming but the characters stay with you and it is a needed diversion from the gruff men we usually meet with the elder Corosowa.

A drama by Takashi Koizumi from a scenario written by "Akira Kurosawa" shortly before his death and made as a tribute to him, No where near as good as it would have been with Kurosawa behind it but fine nonetheless, especially the cinematography which was gorgeous. Any fan of Akira Kurosawa will want to see this. The mixture of calm cinematographic techniques and a few more dynamic elements is perfectly balanced. It was a roller-coaster of emotion, but still left me feeling happy despite some of the more dramatic events. It's the ultimate underdog story of tragedy, triumph, and even a few laughs and there are too many shots worth recalling, too many details worth recalling. If you want a peaceful and beautiful samurai film, do yourself and your immortal soul a favour; this movie is for you, would really recommend it, this one is a lesser known Japanese gem.

This movie feels like a ballade on a forgotten road... Its rythm flows like magic and holds you to the storyline which enfolds peacefully. Its inner beauty is based on simplicity, on discovering what makes our humanity and on some well chosen bits of humor. There is an allmighty feeling of pleasure that emanates from experiencing this movie where nature is breathtaking or just simply here with you. And, when the movie is over, you feel grateful to have walked this path where love still exists. Such a powerful message upon entering our next millenium.