Takeshi-K Kitano Takeshi is known for relatively slow moving films with brief flashes of sudden extreme violence. This movie was his seventh directorial effort, but fourth crime film continuing a style he began with Violent Cop (1989), Boiling Point (1990) and Sonatine (1993).His style is unique in that it differs from most American and even Japanese crime films, that tend to build to a violent climax. While he did that in Brother (2000), his early films tend to structure things differently. They don't focus on why the violence occurs nor its build up, but choose to follow its aftermath and the how the repercussions effect its victims and those connected to the victims.For those interested in his work, I suggest starting with either Brother, Violent Cop or Boiling Point to ease you into the unique plotting and pace of Takeshi's crime films.

Sugriiva Nambiar It was a pleasure to watch this movie. Stoic, yet full of emotion, Takeshi Kitano nails his portrayal or Nishi, the hard-boiled cop with a terminally ill wife.I am a firm believer that a good movie needs 3 ingredients to be worth watching; appropriate music, an interesting story to tell and appropriate filmography. Of course, reservations are to be made for acting prowess, but we live in an era where we are surrounded by capable actors and actresses, so more often than not, I simply overlook this factor and focus more on the 3 I listed above.Suffice it to say that Joe Htisaishi's music in this movie is wonderful. It fit perfectly into the sad tale of Nishi and this was coupled with the beautiful scenery of Japan towards the end of the movie. TLDR; Watch this movie if you want an Asian version of a film noir. Highly recommended.

jusfeel When someone dies, How much content does the plot make out of it? It depends on what story and how the story is told. Given the speechless scenes and most of the time music in the background, I wouldn't expect that I can feel so much and feel even the story goes quite fast and require me to follow both with brain and my emotions. I never experienced before that I would burst into tears after the movie was over and the cast list started rolling on the screen already.I had to find my eye drops because my eyes hurt so much.Life is so fragile yet beautiful, and and then, the ending of it. You and I, we shall be.

Deigues Takeshi Kitano dives once more into the yakuza underworld and emerges with a fierce performance, as he leads one of the decade's best hidden gems.Kitano plays Nishi, a cop whose life has been slowly crumbling apart and is about to take an even darker turn. He's lost his daughter and his wife is fighting an uphill battle with leukemia. She spends her days at the hospital and, to pay for her treatment, Nishi now finds himself in debt with the yakuza. To add insult to injury, he's also feeling guilty, as his partner, Horibe, has been confined to a wheelchair after being injured while Nishi was visiting his wife. It's here that the film parts into two narratives: that of Horibe, who must grapple with his new condition, and of Nishi, who has to repay the yakuza and deal with his wife's inevitable demise.Make no mistake, this isn't an Asian action movie. The film has a very deliberate pace. Kitano often shoots long and almost silent takes, showing us a cold and deadpan Nishi, always hidden behind his shades, even when he's with his wife. In fact, the two barely talk throughout the film, but they're truthful, as if they've been together long enough to tell each other all they had to tell. Sometimes they giggle, or share a more heartwarming moment, but these moments are fleeting. It's in between these long takes that we get another look at Nishi. With flawless editing, Kitano makes violence spark in "Fireworks", but that's all it does. Rarely does he linger in the violence or the gore, the act itself is nothing more than that, an action.Both Horibe and Nishi are men to whom life has been treacherous, and yet it's curious to note the distinct way in which these two men react. Horibe is the more vocal of the two, but still seems better at handling his misfortune than the explosive and criminal Nishi. Truth be told, the only pleasant moments in Nishi's life seem to be the ones he spends with his wife, walking by the shore or sitting by the beach, he's calm. However, if he's confronted by his own immoral actions, mayhem ensues. This is mostly how "Fireworks" plays, like a ticking time-bomb, serene but with the threat of violence always at the surface."The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long" - we know that eventually Nishi will get his comeuppance, but whether he truly deserves it is what's most unsettling about "Fireworks".