Memories of Matsuko (2006)

I’m sorry if this review will not be coherent enough but I’m writing it right after watching this movie, so I’m still highly affected.

Let’s start with explaining why did I decide to watch this movie. Well, there are two main reasons: firstly, because Eita is in it and I always wanted to watch something with this guy and secondly, the poster – it intrigued me and reminded me of a movie Amelia; it also fooled me to think this will be a hilarious comedy. So I gave it a try.

Reasons why did I give it a 10:
1. It’s beautifully shot – every scene is like a work of art. Bright colors, intriguing details, breath-taking scenery… Even those moments when it is obvious that there are used some special effects (like the amusement park at the top of the building or prison walls,)they are not cheap like in many other movies I’ve seen, they just deepen the unreality of this world. I’m not an extreme aesthete and I don’t attach particular importance to those things, but in here the beauty of the movie was just overwhelming and couldn’t be overlooked.

2. It has amazing actors – although at first I thought Eita would have a bigger part in this movie, I wasn’t disappointed at all. He did a good job portraying a lost young man with no particular purpose in his life who tries to know more about his aunt he never met. As for our main heroine, Matsuko… well, Nakatani Miki did an awesome job portraying her. Her acting felt so real, that sometimes it was really painful to watch this movie – I was thinking while watching it that this woman was suffering so much, too much for such a fragile person, I could understand her pain and why she was making a mistake after a mistake, and all that thanks to this amazing actress who made this character alive and real.

3. Its story – there wouldn’t be so many praises from me if I didn’t find this story captivating and judging from my score you can guess that I found it as such. This movie showed in a very realistic way the life of Matsuko - from a child who was craving for her father’s attention to a miserable woman who was betrayed by all men she loved and who was sorry for being born. I’m a psychology student, so I’m always looking for reasons for one’s behavior and here I found perfect explanations for Matsuko’s self-destructing ways of acting. It wasn’t like some things were made just to amuse the viewer or just for a sake of making things more dramatic; it was more like a study of a person’s life, a very realistic study may I add. It left me crying many times (and I’m considered to be a cold-blooded person), because it made me see how easy it is to make yourself miserable and feel like there is no way out. And another advantage – even if this movie tells a heavy story, it is not extremely depressing, more like it's emotional and touching. It leaves you with warm feelings and wet eyes.

To sum it all up, I cannot praise this movie enough, I gave it a 10 without hesitation. If you’d like to take a break from overly dramatic, clichéd movies, try this one – I'm sure you won’t regret watching it.

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A beautiful psychedelic tragic comedy is the memories of Matsuko .
This movie is smart innovate, gave me requiem for a dream feels mixed with momento flashes .
I was hooked after 5 minutes.
The story of a young man who is given a task by his dad to go clean up a dirty apartment of his deceased aunt Matsuko.
We watch the movie through Eita's eyes as he cleans his aunts apartment and discover her true identity.
With great comical scenes and depressive nature of the movie it covers a huge part of Japanese society of what was it and how much changed through the years.
As you see Matsukos braveness through out you start cheering for her even though you already know at the starting of the movie she is dead, this movie covers a lot of themes in Japan from yakuza to AV idols to perfect housewives and many more with on going amazing music scores this is a masterpiece.
I think it's the first time a movie made me laugh and cry in 5 seconds intervals, a true gem is found.
highly recommended it's perfect.
I'm still in shock just wow.
http://dramanice.eu/memories-of-matsuko/watch-memories-of-matsuko-episode-1-online

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(temporary review by bokami)

whats in it?

1. best tragidramedy japanese movie that seen by bokami
2. this isnt a romcom but it looks like it
3. musical? (yes, but the musical scene is just for the

protagonist psychological POV)..hmm metaphor?

5. its long but very fast pacing...and no scene was boring from

5mins onward to end
6. it have a yum yum puzzling story and once you combine

it...you will get an emotinal overflow

7. only ironman will not like this

8. the storytelling is nonlinear so confusion will rise if your a

fan of clche and straightforward spoonfeed kind of plots

9. Eyecandy cinematoraphy,,,,,is uber in this

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It has been several years after I watched this movie. This was an interesting movie.

Plot: A kind of flashback movie, while Eita as Matsuko's nephew was seeking the truth about his aunt's miserable life. Memories of Matsuko can be describe as musical movie since you'll find several songs sang by its actors. Since it's tragic movie, you'll have to bear to watch Matsuko through the unfortunate events, please don't cry. Even though this is not a tearjerker, it still hurts your feeling.
Anyway, I think what happened to Matsuko could be happened to anyone in the world, still Matsuko is the perfect example.

Acting: Who ever doubt Ms. Miki Nakatani? :p

Cinematography: Visually beautiful. So Japanese. Kind of fantasy, comical movie.

A must watch!

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I know Tetsuya Nakashima is more known for his work on Kamikaze Girls but I would say that Memories of Matsuko is so far, his best work. At least when it comes to visual storytelling. Not that the film is perfect but it's really the effort paid in its visuals that sweeps you off your feet.

Memories of Matsuko is the lovechild of Confessions, Kamikaze Girls and The World of Kanako. When it comes to visuals, it comes close to Girls, the down spiral storytelling is reminiscent of Confessions, while the almost poetic-nihilism sounds like Kanako. But the film stands at its own.

I'd say, Memories of Matsuko is probably the most visually-appealing film that I've ever seen. Yes, it also resembles Amelie and Moulin Rouge. And to me, an alternate version of a Tim Burton film. I cannot emphasize enough just how beautiful this film looks. With heavy overtones, almost exaggerated, it always seems on edge—keeping us anticipated. And given its rather, tragic narrative, you can't help but not feel sentimental about it because of the way it's presented—at least visually.

This film is really that one that narrates it from beginning to the end. Not perfectly but never failing to highlight the important parts—and connect them as they go. Each one almost shown with immense beauty. Romanticized. Highlighted. Intensified. Because of this, despite Matsuko's struggles in life—it's done in a way that doesn't make it overly teleserye/soap-opera style drama but in a more, comical way.

That said, the film is indeed far from perfect. It's more than 2 hours run is exhausting especially since the narrative follows a pattern—she finds a man, falls in love/depends on him and then gets abandoned. In a moral sense, the film fails at showing us something strong. Yes, Matsuko is a strong character for having to endure such a life and to keep going. But in a way, it always make you question just how true is "It's all about giving than receiving."

You see, how can you keep giving, unconditionally without receiving what you deserve? How can you put up with shitty men who use you, betray you and leave you and be okay with it? Instead of showing us that we should depend on others for our happiness and survival, why can't we depend on ourselves, if after all, all we have is our self? What is wrong with being alone? What is the fear and the shame in that when every one who we tried to accept in our lives, just ends up stepping over us?

I mean, in the end, Matsuko retreats to her world...but if she decided so, why couldn't she have made that opportunity in to a positive one, at least for herself? Does she think so little for herself? Does she think it's all about giving another person love unconditionally but not yourself? Isn't that more toxic than being alone?

That is my primary issue with the film. In a way, it shows us that as long as we love others, then what, we can die happily? Don't glorify death like that as if she actually lived a happy life. In a way, it's extreme normalizing and telling us that the only way to be happy is—to be with a man.

Of course not.

So, to answer her constant, Why

Matsuko, darling, it's simply because all you have to do is love yourself. You prefer solitude, withdrawal, hikokomori? Sure. Go ahead. But at least you love yourself.

But the visual really took my breathe away and I can't deny that despite its sloppy narrative and storytelling, I did enjoy that film. But I'm acknowledging that this isn't a perfect film. If you look past the moral sense (and just enjoy it as a film by itself, I didn't because I had to analyze the film for my film class) then yes, this is great.

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Jarring, colorful, irreverent, heartbreaking, this is a weird, but affecting, movie.

My only complaint is the sexualized content. I don't believe there is ever a reason for sexual content in any story, but especially not in a story about a character who is forced by her life circumstances into prostitution and other demoralizing and compromising situations that she did not wish to be in. It cheapens the message.

Criticisms over the sexual content aside, damn does this movie break your heart into a million little pieces. The forceful combo of weird and brutal and bright reminds me of some other quirky Japanese films I've enjoyed such as Wool 100% and Rinko's Restaurant and I'm a Cyborg but That's Okay, and that is definitely not going to make me complain.

More importantly, however, ever since finishing this movie, I've really wanted to watch it again, so they clearly did something right when it came to the story. The biggest take away from the film for me was this line at the end 'A life isn't valued by what one receives, but by what one gives.'

I would say Memories of Matsuko conveys that message fairly well.

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It's Hell if I stay. Hell if I go. If both are Hell…

Absolutely beautiful and tragic movie, really unique visuals, and fantastic soundtrack. Great acting from Miki Nakatani especially as the titular Matsuko, who is probably one of my favourite movie characters. Very engaging and entertaining tragicomedy which balances the two opposing tones very well. Extremely sad but also beautiful.

Nakashima is an amazing director. Having watched Kamikaze Girls and The World of Kanako now, I can say that Memories of Matsuko is my favourite of his (and probably one of my favourite movies period). I'd also say that he is one of my favourite directors, the way he incorporates music into his scenes is fantastic and burns both the scenes and the songs into your head.

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