After Life (1999)

One of my all time favorites.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Set in a dreary Japanese brick school-building, the film tells the story of the recently deceased, having one week to choose, one of their most cherished memories in order to replay that life experience for the rest of their eternity with the help of civil servants who will recreate the memory on film. Without spoiling this existential insight film, too much, I just had to say, I didn't felt the out-of-body experience as I should had. Don't get me wrong, 'Afterlife' AKA 'Wonderful Life' does have a great movie concept, but I though the execution from director Hirokazu Koreeda, and his crew just didn't click. I think, one of the problems with this film, is the fact that Korreda doesn't do enough to make the characters seem like they're dead. Don't get me wrong, the acting is fine, but it's weird to see, these souls, being able to drink tea and eat food, sleep, and leave the compound for location scouting. It's not very convincing that they are indeed passed on. Honestly, if I was able to do all that, as a civil servant, I wouldn't choose a memory, too!! Also, the school building location wasn't a good choice. For a place that supposed to represented 'limbo', it had too much life, there. The background sounds of birds chirping, dogs barking and trains moving, was very distracting. For me, a very white clean underground hospital or lab, with little to no background sound, would be a better choice. It would be, more appealing to the story tones. Also, it really doesn't really make sense that the counselors have to recreate the memory in seven days, if they already have the video footage of all the demise in VCR tapes. Why not, play the video with the memory, in a loop!? I get the God built the world in seven days, reference, but honestly, if you put logic in this illogical movie, it really does take you out of the movie, when they were able to build sets, make costumes, and film in only a few days (3 days at the most). Also, are we supposed to believe that the crew and cast that the counselors, brought in to help; are also dead, because it really didn't seem, so. How are they able to return, but not the dead family of the recently demises for this recreation!? Plus, there is way, too many characters to follow. Even with the film telling a few backstories on who they were, I still had trouble, figuring out, which character's story is which person. Also, it really sucks, the movie never shows the final film footage for those characters. It was less, 'flash before their eyes' and more 'flash in a pan'. Nevertheless, I did like the semi-fake documentary interview style filmmaking that Korreda does, even if the film cuts were very noticeable. Much of the entertaining parts in this movie is shown, through interviews conducted with the recently deceased regarding their lives. Some of these interviews were scripted, but many were done impromptu, with real people, not actors reminiscing about their own lives. It really does add an extra layer of truth behind the images. Still, it wasn't as emotional as it should had. Maybe, it's the Nihonjinron pride that Japanese culture has, not to show, weakness, but I really thought, some of them, were a little laidback, when talking about, some really heavy stuff. I really wanted to see, some more yelling, crying, and fight in them. Instead, it seems like, everybody there, was alright with the fact that they're dead, and not living. Still, those parts of the film, weren't that boring. I just wish, they were a little more philosophic in their talk, rather than spilling out mostly forgettable dialogue. While, they talk a little about Japanese's moral dilemma on traditions about life, the film really miss the boat on talking about the Bushido code that the old guard establishment believes in, and YOLO (You only live once) lifestyle of the shrinking percentage of young people. It really could had been an eye-opener. Still, I like the twist, toward the end of the film, even if it's a bit unclear, what's happening. In the end, I have to say, this movie really needed much better production values. The low budget really kill the mood for this film. It's sad, because I like the reexamining of our lives, through the use of our afterlife, idea. Sadly, it didn't really leave an impact on me, as it should had. I'd love to see this concept remade with a high budget, with a more visionary director, one day. Overall: I can still highly recommended, seeing this movie. Just note, it's not as good as the cult-followers think, it is.

Every so often, a film is made that allows the viewer to take his or her own life and experiences into consideration while watching. After Life, a film about a place beyond death where the recently deceased are tasked with choosing a memory in which to spend the rest of eternity, is that kind of film. Shot in pseudo-documentary style with actors and non-actors alike, many of the film's characters spend a lot of time thinking about the best and worst times of their lives.Simple, almost beautifully drab visuals never pull from the movie's main focus, figuring out what experience had the most meaning in one's life. These stories are sometimes scripted and sometimes real memories told by real people, ranging from a fun trip to Disney Land to dancing as a little girl. The simplicity of this film won't knock your socks off with visual appeal, but the weight of its message will surely stick with you long after viewing, while you think about what memory you might choose to spend the rest of time reliving.

Alright, I seem to be more excited about the reviews than the actual movie. So many people seem to have gotten so much out of this film and that is wonderful. Often our perspective is a reflection on where we are in life. I initially went online to understand what the was the point of the movie because I was confused. It was the highest rated film that I had watched in a while. Unfortunately, I am not one to give up on things, but I was in pain for it to end. I had hoped it would have some redeeming quality.The premise of the film is certainly a novel thought as far as movie plots go. I have often found foreign film plots to have more substance and reality than many of the American films. The plot reminds me of someone who is going to have Alzheimer's except they can retain one memory. To me, Alzheimer's is s very disturbing form of existence. Basically our hereafter is a loss of memory with only one thought in tack. The other reviews that I read tend to avoid this literal interpretation and speak of increasing our own perspective of life and I can see that. I thank them for sharing their interpretation. Some of the things we attach ourselves are trivial in scheme of things and this is a great awareness, I just didn't get that from the movie. I guess, I have more of a question about our perspectives than the movie. How is it that we can watch the same movie and range from excitement to sheer boredom. I do love the diversity of this world, so for those who get indignant when someone doesn't agree, just let it go.I suppose I was looking for meaning in the movie and only found a greater meaning in the reviews. I did get a kick out of some of the poor reviews because those folks had a great sense of humor. Let's agree to disagree. Just don't invite me over for another viewing.

This was a perfect film for watching on a quiet Sunday morning. It made me reflect on my own life, and realize that I would probably be one of the counselors in the afterlife.It was brilliantly written and directed and one of the most innovative stories I have seen on screen. After death, you spend a week in a way-station to reflect on your life and take one memory with you. It is not an easy process as I discovered.I was interested in the fact that some people can remember all the way back to the womb. Picking a happy memory before I was an adult is almost impossible for me, so I cannot imagine going back that far. Most people remember only to age three or four.I was fascinated with the man who wanted to leave behind some evidence of his existence. One man could not remember any happy memories in his 70+ years, so he had to sit through video tapes, one for each year of his life, to help him. It seems that there was a connection with one of the counselors and this played out in an unusual way at the end. Choosing your best memory as the fact that you were someone else's best memory and that you made one person happy.Most of us fall into the category expressed by one man. "I had a so-so education, a so-so job, a so-so marriage, and a so-so retirement." How do you pick a happy or important memory from that? I also liked one man's response when he picked his memory after lamenting that most of the memories of his life were bad. After being told he would forget all the bad memories, he exclaimed, "That truly is heaven." An unusual film that will be in my memory for a long time.