The Epistle of Q — Chapter Thirty-Eight

Why do I join film clubs?
Good question which deserves at least a fair answer. On Thursday I went to the final Kitchen Stove series at the local cinema. The Kitchen Stove program is sponsored by our local Art Gallery. I should say at this point that the Penticton Art Gallery has a curator who thinks outside the box on a constant basis. I know that Art Galleries should be innovative; but our guy takes this to another level and has me convinced I should actually be a regular supporter of things that the Gallery does. And the Kitchen Stove series is one of those really good ideas he has. The films are selected from the previous year’s TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival, I believe) and we know little about each film until we actually go; but it is hosted at the local Landmark Theatre so the screen is full size and the seats are comfortable. I think this is a good thing, because while it forces the attendees to risk getting out of their comfort zone, it can all occur in a relaxed environment.

Not what is interesting is that this past week’s offering didn’t seem to me to be all that risky. It was a film directed by the same guy as the one who did Our Little Sister (or a title that sounds like that) — a Japanese film that I found really intriguing, well acted with exceptional cinematography. Moreover it had won lots of rewards, and after I told my Vancouver hair-stylist to see it (she is Japanese) and was informed it was really accurate and very believable, I figured that the director at least was a real talent. So I had no problem cutting into my Meadowlark Festival schedule (which I will fully describe in a subsequent conversation in the next few days).

The film was titled “After the Storm”, directed by Horikazu Kore-eda with a top notch Japanese cast including a rising male superstar movie idol. The story was about a prize-winning author who had fallen on hard times due to his gambling addiction. He actually is working as a private investigator to make ends meet, and this role alone provides some very funny moments. His mother has recently been widowed and she is definitely a funny person — she puts up with no guff and is constantly rapping his knuckles over miscreant behaviours. His sister shows up occasionally and she too is a regular thorn in his side. His ex-wife is dating a very successful businessman which causes this “down in the dumps author” some concern as the boyfriend can buy the author’s son almost anything he wants.

This sets the author on a path to try to make enough money to buy his son baseball cleats. The son is very realistic about his own chances as a baseball player, but accepts the gift and seems genuinely grateful. Then a typhoon hits and this causes everyone to have to stay over at the mother/grandmother’s place. Even the “ex” is stuck there for the night. There is some interesting bonding that goes on, and there are some other moments that suggest life could be turning around for the author. The storm passes. The author comes across something of his late father’s that could give him some serious coin to help pay child support as well as move him back into writing. There is some apparent momentum building in the story. THEN IT ENDS…!!

Seriously, after finding getting us to sense the author can turns things around as a father and as a writer and to believe there are some interesting dynamics unfolding within the larger extended family, it ends. Not sure why; not sure how we are supposed to interpret things. It just ends. And as I then began to reflect on the film itself, I found myself a bit let down even by the cinematography — the acting was good, the “ex” was extremely beautiful, the mother was a hoot, and the author was a tall Japanese sex-symbol…but not sure what else to say.

Would I recommend this film — well, I’m not sure…and maybe that, in itself, is warning enough. BUT, I will still renew my membership for next year’s Kitchen Stove Film Festival.

g.w.