Well, I hope that you all enjoyed After Life. It can be a little slow at times (with lots of music-less scenes of people talking about the meaning of life and what not) but I personally found it to be a real gem of a movie. Answer two of the following questions:- How did what we saw in the film relate to what we learned about some of the traditional Japanese views of the afterlife?
- What memory would you choose?
- What do you feel is the theme of this film? Explain.
- Also, the film mentioned the "Great Earthquake" a lot so you could do some research and what exactly that is and report on it in your response.
Alright ... COMMENT!
I would like to start out this blog post by saying that this film is easily one of the best dramas I have ever seen. It's definitely one of the most amazing and thought provoking films I have ever seen, it even sets a bar for mockumentarys to me. The film raises so many questions and deep thoughts about the after life, and this films after life (which for all we know actually could be that actual afterlife). But I am getting ahead of myself here, I have questions to answer!
ReplyDeleteLet's see, the theme... I think the theme of this film, in a single word, is quite simple: memory. What is your favorite memory? Would you pick that memory to spend eternity in? If so, why not? Would you pick a memory, or would you stay behind and help figure out other people's one memory, or even be a memory filmmaker for the rest of eternity?! And probably the saddest question I thought of (And have thought a lot about since): What memory did our loved ones choose? Were we in the memory? These are the questions the film raises for me, and I think the theme for all of them, and this film, is memory. Like I said before, it raises so many amazing questions about death, afterlife, and memory that I bet many a people, including myself, have and will stay up late thinking about these amazing questions and thoughts that this film brings up. Besides the main theme, I also think the film has some pretty amazing aspects to it, like viewing other peoples memory and struggles to find one, what it's like to work in the not-quite-afterlife, and the struggle of never aging. Plus, the thought of being a filmmaker for the rest of eternity is amazing to think about! I would be God's cinematographer in the afterlife even though this afterlife doesn't really have a God!
What memory would I choose... This is easily one of the hardest questions I have ever been asked. It would definitely take me at least a week to think of one, though I honestly don't think I would choose one. I would rather spend eternity with other people film making. That sounds so amazing! If someone wants to go on, they can make their own memory, so you constantly get new awesome people to work and make memory-films with! But, nonetheless, I must answer the question of which memory I would choose. Well, it would have to be an eventful memory, while also being one I could look upon and analyze for rest of eternity. I would want to be at peace with my memory, but also excitable and happy with it at the same time. A beautiful peace. I sadly don't think I have made a memory like that yet, but I hope I do. Hey, life and film making can bring you to some awesome, happy, and peaceful places.
Well since this film was based on the after life and how that each person had to choose which memory they want to want to live for the rest of their lives, i think the theme is that memories should be cherished whether it's a small or big thing. Some characters didn't take long to come up with a memory they would like to create since it was a big moment of their lives. Like the guy who chose the memory of him flying an airplane above the clouds. Or the guy who took his wife or girlfriend to the movies for the first and last time. Others however had a hard time thinking of a memory and wasn't a big thing like the girl who was chose her memory to be her lying on her moms lap with the scent she would always remember. That wasn't a big event that happened in her life, but it was meaningful to her.
ReplyDeleteWhat memory would i choose? That is a difficult question to ask someone since we get new memories every single day. It might be something small like forgetting to bring a pencil to class, to making a new friend that day. Although you might not pick a memory that isn't very meaningful like the day you forgot your pencil, but you see my point. The thing i'm wondering when choosing a memory is does it just repeat over and over again for eternity without you realizing? Or would it just repeat and you realizing it is? Anyway the memory i would choose would be the day where my whole family was in one place having family time. Since my dad doesn't live with the rest of us i would like to have him around more. I always had a good peaceful feeling when he's around with us just doing what families do.
Ashton Bowers
ReplyDeleteif I had to choose a memory that I would have to live in for an eternity after I die I probably couldn't choose one and wouldn't want to. I haven't lived long enough to have a good range of choices and I just wouldn't like the fact of living the same moment, even if you had no idea it was a repeating memory it has to do with my choice beforehand.
the theme that stood out to me was how important are memories are to us. we don't really think too much about how important memories are and which ones were the best, we just go on with life and look back to those memories every now and then. and when it comes to having to live one of those moments for the rest of eternity it becomes one of the most important things to us.
What memory would I choose? since we saw this i have been thinking about that a lot. this is something really hard to answer because there are so many different things that you would have to consider when picking it. would you want to remember love? family? friends? something thrilling? or just a calm relaxing time? there is just so much to go into it. so after a lot of thought i think that i would have to choose my 16th birthday, yeah its kind of an expected answer. but its holds more to me that just what the date was. Now, i know i'm not a 'cool kid' so i don't have a bunch of friends and i don't go out and party so i couldn't go with something like that. So, back on topic now, the thing that makes me pick this is i had all of my family and my two best friends there. I didn't want a part so my mom threw me one anyway and at the time i thought it was so stupid, and for a solid month i complained about how i was such a loser only my family wants to be with me on my birthday, but i just think this is the one time in my life where all the important people in my life were together and not fighting and honestly i don't remember that ever happening before. so it was a good time when i think back on it.
ReplyDeletewell there isn't enough time for a second question so this will have to do for now :)
Alright so now for my second question.
ReplyDeleteso the theme of this film that i got was to cherish memories. Because when a moment is passed all we have left is the memories. So i'm kind of saying that this film is saying that we need to remember and enjoy the fact of the things that we've been through. i kind of felt like this theme also goes with the thought of living in the moment to create something you will remember forever.