CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

WILLIAM FLANIGAN Viewed on DVD. Restoration = ten (10) stars. A typical entry from this director minus shots of clothes lines and ugly overhead power lines. Instead of woman acting as uninvited/ interfering matchmakers, men assume this disrupting function. (Take just about any film previously made by this director, switch matchmaker gender roles, and you have the essence of the movie.) Powerful performances by the leading actresses dominate the film with most trying mightily (but not especially convincingly) to appear many years younger than they are in reality. They also provide some very funny line readings. Performances delivered by lead male actors are dull, colorless, two dimensional, and DE FACTO supporting roles. The film is much too long with too many boring scenes and sequences. Except for some exterior hiking scenes, the movie is studio bound. Phony street scenes and interior sets (especially of bars) look the same as those seen in other films from this director. Cinematography (color) is fine given the confines of being limited to static compositions and an old-time, narrow-screen aspect ratio. Subtitles could greatly benefit from further professional editing of grammar. They are often too long and gratuitous. Music mostly consists of cloning from the director's other films. A drug-free way for dealing with insomnia. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

museumofdave If you have never seen a film by Yasujiro Ozu, you may have difficulty adjusting to his restrained and subtle handling of emotions; identifying Ozu as a director not known for action-packed narrative is massive understatement, as his films reflect a less hectic time and an ancient culture slowly coming to terms with change.On the surface, this film is simply about the separation occurring as a daughter marries and a parent is left behind. With Ozu, however, carefully and consistently arranging composition, with gentle humor and a quiet observation of the human condition, there is much to be gained from reflection, from watching people realistically and patiently coming to terms with change. No one screams and throws dishes, no one bleeds copiously or falls out of a window, no one even runs across the street. My grandmother used to say "possess your soul in patience," and that said, a viewer may need to do just that with Late Autumn; the willing viewer will be amply rewarded with this amazing examination of calm resignation in the face of a life change

bobsgrock In many ways a retread of his earlier masterpiece Late Spring, which dealt with the relationship between a widowed father and his marry-able daughter, Ozu returned to familiar territory as he often did late in his career for a look at the flip-side. Here, the mother is widowed and desires to see her daughter married and happy. Three friends determine to intervene, leaving a trail of misunderstandings and hurt feelings in their attempt to appease all involved.While this is certainly a familiar story for Ozu to tell, he somehow manages to inject new life into it every time out. Through a beautiful color palette and his famous visual style, Ozu explores a world of postwar Japan that finally appears to be picking itself up fifteen years after World War II. Western dress and behavior continues to seep into Japanese culture and Ozu seems to be picking up on the rapid evolution of change within his country throughout these late career works. His lack of interest in plot and storytelling leaves the viewer more time to focus on the atmosphere, the context in which the story is set. The result is a very pensive and serene feeling as one realizes that no matter what time or place, humans will always desire certain things. Companionship, love and happiness will never go out of style, even for widowed women.

Daniel Vazquez Ozu's common themes of ageing, filial ties and modernisation are as present here as in many other of his films. But in this film, as well as the melancholy and gentleness we are accustomed to, there are large doses of comedy which makes this film far more accessible for the uninitiated.The story centres around a widow (Setsuko Hara) and her daughter (Yoko Tsukasa). The daughter doesn't want to get married because she wants to care for her mother, whereas the mother wants her daughter to marry even though she realises she'll be left alone. So far everything is extremely familiar. Except that in this case the dead husband's friends get involved, trying to find suitors for both mother and daughter, thus creating comical situations, causing family tensions, and finally necessitating for the daughter's friend to step in and sort out the mess.All in all highly recommended for anyone who wishes to try out this highly prestigious director, and a strong reminder for fans of why we love him so much.