Class Film "Wandafuru Raifu"

The class film of which we saw the opening twenty minutes today will be continued through the next few weeks of Term. The reliably insightful Roger Ebert has a very favourable review, here.

Reading the entry in rottontomatoes I see that several commentors found it dull. That, I would say, is a reflection of the Japanese sensibility of the film: i.e. the unfamiliarity with the concepts animating the work. (I understand--& dislike--'artsy' dullness, but this doesn't fit that.)

The English title is After Life: the Japanese title is the English phrase "wonderful life" pronounced in the Japanese manner: "Wandafuru Raifu", in katakana "ワンダフルライフ."