ThiefHott Too much of everything

Iseerphia All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

ciyao-29248 The film Departures by Yojiro Takita introduced me a job I have never noticed: mortuary. As the characters in the film mentioned, having a work to do with dead people's body is a shame. However, I would think this kind of job is unusual, but not a shame, because every job should be respected. The main character, Daigo was first working in a band to play cello. When the band was dismissed, Daigo and his wife Mika moved back to his mother's old house, because it is too hard for them to afford the living expense in Tokyo. In the old town, Daigo found this job, and starting to work as a mortuary. All of his neighbors and Mika did not agree with him doing the job, but after seeing him doing the job, they realized this job should also be respected. I really enjoyed watching this movie because this is not just showing a plain story, but having many social and family issues like transgender and no parenting children. The burial custom in Japan shows that it is not an American film because there is no such custom that cleaning the body in front of its' family and friend.

lileonhirth I really enjoyed watched the film Departures. This was my favorite film that we have watched this year. This film is about a man named Daigo who quit his passion of playing the cello. Daigo and his wife move back to his hometown in Northern Japan to look for a new living. Daigo finds an ad for a job in which he thinks is a travel agency. Once Daigo was hired, he found out he was actually working as a mortuary. He learns the rituals used in preparing the dead for their final rest. I enjoyed watching this film because it was extremely easy for me to follow, unlike other films I have watched. It is very easy to tell that this film is not American because there is barely any fighting or rivalries. I did not like the beginning of this film because the start of it was a very slow pace. The more I watched this film, the better it got. My favorite part of this film is how the main character, Daigo quits his one and only passion to find a new one. I was expecting that Daigo would have different life because he quits what he loves the most. I like how the director displayed Daigo's character to be bold and willing try new things even if he fails.

beallen-49754 Departures is an international film from South Korea. The film is about a Korean man who works in the orchestra as a cello player, but when the orchestra goes out of business, the man, Daigo, is forced to move home. He ends up getting a job where he does the burial proceedings. He is hesitant at first, but ends up realizing that this job is his calling. Overall, this movie was quite good and very entertaining. I would rate this film a 4.5 out of 5. Although, this film is quite different compared to American films. For example it is very slow in comparison, so if you are looking for an action packed movie this is not the one for you. However, this is a very entertaining film and a must watch. It provides laughs, drama, and feel-good moments.

Lily Schneider The film, "Departures," filmed and directed by Yojiro Takita, was a very well put together film, in my opinion. One of the main themes was somewhat creepy. This theme was funeral services in Japan. However, the film also focused on other things like family and the circle of life, which were both heartwarming to watch. Although the services were exotic and different as to how we celebrate and grieve for the dead in the United States, it was very interesting and gave the viewers a very cool global perspective. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys learning about different cultures, especially cultures in Asia, including Japanese culture. This movie also had some comical parts, so the film was not just depressing and interesting, but also funny at some points.