Karry
Best movie of this year hands down!
Colibel
Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.
Leoni Haney
Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
Jemima
It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.
Pier Giorgio Girasole
When we think about Japanese art, one of the first images we have is the "Great Wave from Kanagawa" realized by Hokusai. If the artist would have been a Westerner we will have for sure the sea and mt. Fuji as screen not as main subject. However we are in Japan and here the aesthetics is related to what is transitory, changeable as the snow on Fuji or the waves of the Ocean. So, this can be considered an achievement given by Zen. Nature is the main element of art. Art shouldn't be too much refined since should be part of a World unstoppable. If this movie have been filmed by Kubrick or Allen we would have been in front of eyes a masterpiece made by screenplay, plot,music costumes and particulars. We would have an artificial creation. The nature transformed by the mind of man. As marble that become the David by Michelangelo. here, however, we have an essential movie made by what is essential in our life. The nature. As the ceramics of Japan rough and deformed but still in harmony with nature to which they belong. So Kitano is at the opposite side of the Western production. And thus makes a real masterpiece of the East. The plot is simple and develops around four characters essentially. The young couple of deaf lovers, the silence that surrounds them and the sea. During all the film we have the soundtrack made by Hisaishi Joe that covers the apparent lack of communication. Yes, apparent. During the three quarters of the movie, in fact, we find a third view filming that portrays the young couple life as quite monotone and with no communication and emotions. We see the young boy trying to surf and the young girl watching him. We witness a love both tender and tragic. Incapable of being expressed. However, we will realize to have done a great mistake. Indeed, as the music rises more intense, at the end of the movie we have a new character. The main one. As we realize, admiring the "Great Wave" engraved by Hokusai,that the wave stands as the subject, here we understand that the main character is the sea. This was the place in which the young couple meet and had fun, felt emotions and dreamed. In other word the only and real witness of their love. We were used to see only the routine of the two young guys but the sea not. He witnesses everything. And in the end, when everything seems to be finished without a great surprise, the sea has his turn to tell us the real love story between them. In a short sequence we see their emotions, their hopes and their happiness. We have in front of our eyes the remaining parts of their routine. A splendid one, made of hugs, laughs and smiles while enjoying a beer. And we cannot feel anything else than a lack. The one given of the love felt by those ones that only the sea in a summer can keep. Silently.
nizsu
Kitano's style is very unique. You always can distinguish his films among hundred thousands of films at the first glance. The slow-paced scenes, the calmness, emotionless acting style, silent humors are distinctive. His actors rarely speak, but as the story go on, you realize what it is all about. The title is " A scene at the sea", and if we count all the scenes Kitano used in this film, there are not above 10 scenes, especially the scene at the sea covered all the story. I have planned to rate this film 7/10 since I didn't really catch the ending. However, I lied on my bed 10 mins and thought of it. I remember the day our maim character came to the sea was a raining day. There was not a group of people playing football as usual. The girl followed the boy from a distant. Our main characters were hearing impaired. They have been living in their small universe. The old dustman was working with another guy ( not shingeru). And lolz I hope u can understand what I am trying to say. Anyway, this is the reason why this comment has spoiler warning. For those who don't really catch the ending too. Here is my theory: Shingeru was hearing impaired and he couldn't hear the forecast weather. He went to the beach as usual without knowing a storm coming. He was swept away by the sea *end of theory*. When I realize it, I can not help admiring and respecting how Kitano could build such a simple and beautiful story. Every single repetitive scene has its purpose. By the time you realize what lie behind the story, the scenes, the sea; you feel its depth.By the way, this is just his third film. I can not help rating it 10/10
Maomao
The deaf people in this movie do not seem to communicate like what normal deaf people do. Sign language. Relying on just 1-dimensional facial expressions, long drags of silence, sounds of the waves, we have to appreciate what is happening.I was very shocked to find out the score of this movie was composed by Joe Hisaishi. This must have been one of his worst ever. Joe Hisaishi is better known for composing music scores for Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and the latest Howl's Moving Castle.Sorry to film students who appreciate this movie. I seriously doze off several times throughout the movie. I have seen better foreign films such as Seven Samurai, City of God, Oldboy, Infernal Affairs, Taxi, Princess Blade, My Sassy Girl.Mao points: 4/10
Lumpychunks
I watched a scene at the sea last night, I was feeling really tired but it actually helped to watch the film in a drowsy state, it is a really simple story and the way kitano tells the story is even more simple, I just can't get over kitano, he's a really incredible film aker, I've only scene this and "hanabi" and "brother", but they all deict a similarly strange world. I like the fact that the camera barely ever moves instead relying on really beautiful long shots that look, in a lot of cases, like paintings. I'm going to make it my mission to see all 11(?) of the films he has directed. Kitano really is just one of those people who can make you forget your watching a movie, the way it all unfolds just feels like something else The acting was reserved but completely convincing, especially between the two main characters, the fact that you could get such a strong sense of character from two people who never speak is really amazing. My appreciation for kitano grows with every film I watch, seek these films out, they're worth it.