Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Jon Corelis Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is a melding of autobiography, zen philosophy, Noh drama, Japanese folklore, and modern anxieties about nuclear and ecological doom. It is a masterpiece by a genius director, and one of cinema's great studies in color (comparable only so far as I can think of to two much happier films, Renoir's French Cancan and Minelli's An American in Paris.) Some people have complained about the film's long periods of little or no action, an apparently simplistic morality, inaccurate science, non-realistic dance sequences, and obviously artificial special effects, not understanding that all these elements are quite deliberate stylistic features consciously employed to devastating effect by a master film maker in total control of his medium. If you don't understand this when you see it, keep watching it again and again until you do understand it. The Criterion DVD is of superb quality with a useful booklet about the film.

Sam Anderson-Moxley This surreal environmentally themed film is certainly worth a watch because it is so strange. However, audience be warned, if you decide to watch this film, be prepared for a journey that may leave you confused, bewildered, and forced to wonder about your own dreams about the future. Dreams is not a typical film thematically or stylistically, and the viewer should be prepared for a strange yet remarkable journey. Instead of following a linear plot line the film consists of eight independent short stories, each with different settings and characters. Each dream could function as a stand alone piece, but similar themes run through the works. These common themes tie the piece together and create a more cohesive and complete piece. In addition, the scenes are organized in a strategic way so that transitions are smooth. Moreover, your ability to comprehend the more eccentric scenes toward the end of the film is increased by being primed and comfortable with Kurosawa's surreal style. Each scene is set in a different time, place, and reality, and they all have a mystical quality. Each dream addresses an environmental theme in an imaginative way. For example, in the first dream, a young boy witnesses a fox's wedding without permission, and must face the consequences. In the second, another young boy speaks with the spirits of a peach orchard that his family cut down. In the next, four men attempt to summit a mountain during a deadly blizzard. The film then takes a turn that raises your hair on end when a commander walks through a tunnel and encounters one of his dead soldiers. In an even more surreal scene, a man seeks Vincent Van Gogh by literally diving into his paintings. In the sixth and seventh scene, Kurosawa imagines a nuclear energy disaster in Japan and what a post nuclear fallout world would look like. In the final dream a traveler stumbles upon a quaint town that lives in harmony with nature. Each of these vignettes present arguments about our society's relationship with nature, and they explore the dangerous consequences that might occur if we do not respect it. Dreams is intriguing and artistically masterful, but I still found it difficult to stay focused and involved during some of the slower moments. Kurosawa is certainly an incredibly talented director with demonstrated artistic mastery. Within the first few seconds of each scene, the audience is transported into Kurosawa's dream world. Whether it be in a blizzard or post nuclear apocalypse, Kurosawa is able to set the scene without backstory or dialogue. The acting and music is made more dramatic by typically desolate or sparse environment. They qualities work in union with each other to create a stylistically unique atmosphere. In most cases this union was effective, however, on multiple occasions the music was too heavy handed, overdramatic, and distracting. Similarly, on multiple occasions a dramatic beat lasted too long, and I found myself drifting away. During these moments of lapsing concentration the artistic film lover in me had to shake the rest of my mind awake. While the artist in me regarded these moments with self revulsion, it is important to note that there were moments in the film where I heard myself saying, "Okay, I get it. Now let's get on with it." By no means did these moments completely derail Kurosawa's film; however, it is important to note that this film is not fast paced or easy to process. It is easy to feel confused by his surreal style. In my experience this confusion distances the audience from the film that it was so captivated by just moments before. If you watch films solely for the purpose of being entertained and do not like to be puzzled or actively think about a film, this film is not for you. After watching this film the viewer certainly can tell that Kurosawa's vision is refined, purposeful, and Kurosawa accomplished what he set out to do. However, it may still remain unclear what exactly his goals were. If his goal was to open a door and invite the audience into his dreams, he accomplished that without question. Each dream had a strong setting, even though they were mystical and surreal. He effectively used these settings to evoke emotional responses and set a mesmerising scene. Certain moments dragged on too long and many of the scenes lacked closure. These features distanced the audience from the dream. In some of these moments my mind was racing with possible outcomes and questioning exactly what he was trying to say. I was searching for symbolism and picking out his arguments about humanity and nature. This reflection left me wondering if his intention was to distance the viewer afterall. Nevertheless, in the slower moments I also found myself drifting away from the dream, and into my own dreams; this was certainly not his intention. Nevertheless, this film is certainly a worthwhile experience.I implore you to watch Kurosawa's Dreams, but do not expect a comfortable and passive ride. Kurosawa takes you on a surreal journey into the depths of his imagination that is both striking and puzzling. The most notable and important feature of Kurosawa's Dreams is that the film explores humanity's relationship with nature. Some dreams explore this relationship more directly, while in others it is more indirect. Nevertheless, it is obvious that Kurosawa is deeply troubled by fears of what the future may bring if we continue on the path we are on, one that is unsustainable and certainly leading to environmental disaster. Despite these fears, this film does not lead the viewer into despair about the environmental crisis and the future of humanity. If you have what it takes, I urge you to watch the film and see for yourself the solution that Kurosawa presents for how we can live happily, sustainably, and ethically.

TheLittleSongbird Just for the record I love Akira Kurasawa and his movies, Seven Samurai and Ran being my favourites of his. Dreams was a film I didn't like very much at first but did admire it for how beautifully filmed it was. Watching it again, I do like it much more. Although it is one of my least favourite Kurasawas and still disappointing for me, it is not a bad film. A couple of the vignettes are rather self-indulgent and muddled in the messaging, some of the more political parts could be seen as somewhat naive and the pacing is uneven, perfect at times but drags too much in others. However, again like with all Kurasawa's work it looks absolutely gorgeous especially in the Crows vignette, full of beautifully composed cinematography and colourful imagery. Kurasawa's direction shows what a versatile director he was, often genteel and poignant here. The music compliments each vignette very well, the haunting tune of the concluding Village of the Watermills vignette fared the most effective. The environmentalism is appropriately heartfelt, and Martin Scorsese is excellent as Van Gogh. Overall, not one of Kurasawa's very best for me but after hearing not so good things about it I am glad I gave it a second chance as it is not for everyone, but I found it much better second time around. If anything Dreams is decent, it is just that it falls short of the greatness of the likes of Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo, Ikiru and Hidden Fortress. 7/10 Bethany Cox

gothic_a666 'Dreams' is a highly personal journey through the inner landscape of Kurosawa's mind. But it is also an oneiric reflection on Japan itself. True to the nature of dreams the movie is comprised of vignettes, most of which unconnected, a collection of threads of imagery that are stand alone and gain a greater sense of diversity when seen as a whole. This variety is deep and eccentric, it goes from traditional lore in the wedding of the Fox spirits to frightful scenes of nuclear disaster as Mount Fuji becomes a red cone without forgetting a gorgeous incursion into Van Gogh's vision.While artistically bold and faultless in the crafting of a dreamy mood this is not an escapist movie of pure fantasy. For there is always space of nightmares in the world of dreams. Collective phantoms that are very close to the Japanese identity reappear in novel and unpredictable ways. The horrors of the war are represented in a dead platoon that does not know of its own demise; the ever present dread of a nuclear holocaust mingles with the national icon of Fujiyama and provides ground for philosophical considerations through the narrative vehicle of folk traditions; ecological concerns in a society that is increasingly more dependent on technology are soothed by a bucolic alternative of a simpler life.Through the medium of strong impressive images Kurosawa interprets himself and his country to the world with stunning results. The movie is the culminating achievement of a master for if there ever was a masterpiece 'Dreams' is one.