Takeshi Kitano has made some great films before, but everything made before this film flows down to Fireworks, which takes the best elements of his earlier works and combines them into this stunning, touching, surprisingly hilarious tale about an ex-cop's attempt to finance a final vacation with his dying wife through a bank robbery. It's all pulled off in Kitano's usual minimalist style, alternating shocking violence with moments of quiet subtlety and humor. Kitano's direction and acting are the best work he's done yet, and the supporting cast is first-rate. I can't forget this film - a haunting and poetic work by one of the great directors working today.
Review of Fireworks
