Shunji Iwai is a director I always struggle with. His films undoubtedly have some brilliant moments of filmmaking, but I am always left feeling that there was something not quite right with it. Perhaps it's his video director cool coming across as style over content one time too many; or the storylines that require something of a leap-of-faith in the audience; or that there is perhaps just a little too much whimsy in his work that I find increasingly annoying as I approach middle-age.
Though actually, re-watching the films again, I don't find them quite irritating as I did first time around. Though, something doesn't always sit quite right.
What is not quite right is the asylum that houses Coco (Chara), Tsumuji (Tadanobu Asano) and Satoru (Koichi Hashizume). With Coco newly arrived, Satoru seems very happy to see her, though Tsumuji seems less interested, concerned more by the strange papier-mâché doll of his former teacher haunting him.
One day, Tsumuji and Satoru decide to take a walk, believing that if they stay walking only on the tops of walls, they will not have actually left the grounds of the asylum. Coco catches them in the act and joins them. While wandering, they come across a church where they chat with the priest. Tsumuji states his lack of belief, but reads a copy of the Bible when back at the asylum anyway.
Now a firm believer, he believes the world is soon about to end. The trio, therefore, decide to take another wall walk to watch the world's last moments.
You can often say that a film is about nothing, but "Picnic" is one where that certainly feels true. The trio's wanderings are largely aimless and they stop and look at anything that takes their interest. If there is anything of a story, it's in Tsumuji's sudden born-again belief in God and Coco's belief that the world starts when you are born and ends when you die. In this sense, Tsumuji's prophecy is correct.
The aesthetics of "Picnic", however, certainly deliver and add more meaning to the film. To start, we are in a world of doom and gloom in the asylum. Dark greys and blacks fill the screen and the asylum looks more like something out of a horror film: much like its inhabitants, an abandoned building in need of some tender love and care.
When making their initial step "Outside" of the asylum's grounds, they make a leap into a world of colour, with blue skies replacing the grey and green leaves replacing the concrete. The camera looks up at them as they make a silhouette against the sky which results in some great cinematography from Noboru Shinoda, as well as the film's main message.
With a short running time and an emphasis on unusual camera angles, Iwai exploits all of his music video talent and cool here, with a loose plot and style trying hard to impress. This is what gives "Picnic" its strength, but also what makes it fall into Iwai's tendency to irritate a little. This all looks good, yes; but where is it going?
The truth is, not really anywhere. And this isn't entirely a bad thing. This is a freedom to just go out and try something new, away from restrictions. You can sit indoors and lament on many things, or you can simply go out and enjoy the scenery on a nice, relaxing picnic.
Though actually, re-watching the films again, I don't find them quite irritating as I did first time around. Though, something doesn't always sit quite right.
What is not quite right is the asylum that houses Coco (Chara), Tsumuji (Tadanobu Asano) and Satoru (Koichi Hashizume). With Coco newly arrived, Satoru seems very happy to see her, though Tsumuji seems less interested, concerned more by the strange papier-mâché doll of his former teacher haunting him.
One day, Tsumuji and Satoru decide to take a walk, believing that if they stay walking only on the tops of walls, they will not have actually left the grounds of the asylum. Coco catches them in the act and joins them. While wandering, they come across a church where they chat with the priest. Tsumuji states his lack of belief, but reads a copy of the Bible when back at the asylum anyway.
Now a firm believer, he believes the world is soon about to end. The trio, therefore, decide to take another wall walk to watch the world's last moments.
You can often say that a film is about nothing, but "Picnic" is one where that certainly feels true. The trio's wanderings are largely aimless and they stop and look at anything that takes their interest. If there is anything of a story, it's in Tsumuji's sudden born-again belief in God and Coco's belief that the world starts when you are born and ends when you die. In this sense, Tsumuji's prophecy is correct.
The aesthetics of "Picnic", however, certainly deliver and add more meaning to the film. To start, we are in a world of doom and gloom in the asylum. Dark greys and blacks fill the screen and the asylum looks more like something out of a horror film: much like its inhabitants, an abandoned building in need of some tender love and care.
When making their initial step "Outside" of the asylum's grounds, they make a leap into a world of colour, with blue skies replacing the grey and green leaves replacing the concrete. The camera looks up at them as they make a silhouette against the sky which results in some great cinematography from Noboru Shinoda, as well as the film's main message.
With a short running time and an emphasis on unusual camera angles, Iwai exploits all of his music video talent and cool here, with a loose plot and style trying hard to impress. This is what gives "Picnic" its strength, but also what makes it fall into Iwai's tendency to irritate a little. This all looks good, yes; but where is it going?
The truth is, not really anywhere. And this isn't entirely a bad thing. This is a freedom to just go out and try something new, away from restrictions. You can sit indoors and lament on many things, or you can simply go out and enjoy the scenery on a nice, relaxing picnic.