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Reviews
Worms (2005)
A Masterpiece of Short Films
Worms is an outstanding directorial debut from a very promising artist, Kori Bundi, who also wrote and produced it. Being a short film, it is difficult to provide an overview without spoiling the subtleties of the story but I shall attempt to be as ambiguous as possible.
Superficially, Worms is a fun short about a worm farmer and presumably his wife that is told in a relatively narrative form (Mr. Worm Farmer provides a voice over describing the intricacies of
well, worm farming :) Upon closer examination, though, the story is much more an examination of their relationship a fascinating exploration of the dynamics comprising their partnership. Perhaps that is what I find most intriguing the relationship depicts two people who truly are partners; you can tell by the way in which they regard one another that they've weathered many a storm together and while there is a brief period of dissonance between the two it is resolved without either character ever saying a word. I have seen many a couple, particularly elderly couples, that have the same bond, the same partnership and I must admit that I often times look upon them with envy and hope. And that's the sheer beauty of this film in that it so purely captures this bond and serves as an incredible illustration of a relationship construct that is beautiful on a myriad of levels and that many of us could only hope to develop.
Perhaps I am over-analyzing what many would probably regard as a simple, sweet story but even if I am, it does not take away from the fact that Worms is a masterpiece of film shorts and I look very forward to seeing future work from this incredibly gifted artist.
Captive Hearts (1987)
I give it a "7" on story alone.
This movie was horribly directed, horribly acted (with the notable exception of Pat Morita, Mari Sato, and Dennis Akayama, all of whom performed wonderfully), horribly edited and the music was just downright deplorable. Now that that's out of the way, onto what I really think. The story is not a new one but I greatly appreciate the way in which this one develops (even with the horrible performances). It is worth watching the movie for the story alone and I deeply appreciate that Pat Morita, a man who had a profound impact on me when I was a child, had a major hand in developing the story and writing the script. This story demands a retelling by professionals who can tell it the way it should have been told. With how Japanese culture has been hot at the box office of late, I truly think that this movie deserves to be remade with a respectable budget, stronger actors, and a much, much, much better director not only would doing so serve to a give this story the attention that it richly deserves but it would also serve to honor Pat Morita, a great man whose recent passing is a tremendous loss to the movie industry and the world in general.