Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

ThiefHott Too much of everything

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

bob the moo Nishi is a cop who is very good at his job but whose personal life is impacted with loss – a dead child and now a dying wife. When his partner is put in a wheelchair by a criminal and another officer is shot dead, Nishi finds himself plagued by guilt over his part in it all. Blaming himself Nishi tries to do the right thing by his partner Horibe and the widow of cop, while also trying to salvage some happiness in what remains of his time with his wife.I came back to Takeshi Kitano about the same time as I left the Movies You Should See podcast. I left it because I don't think it is as good as it could be and at times offers no real insight into a film other than describing "bits" however I give them a mention because they reminded me that I had only ever seen one or two of Kitano's films and that it had been some time since I had even seen those. So it was that after watching Brother, my rental site threw me Hana-Bi and I was looking forward to it due to the praise on this site and indeed the podcast itself. The expectation was not unjustified as Hana-Bi is a film of pain and beauty that is well worth seeing even if it is not the image of perfection that some would have you believe.That statement is bound to attract a low vote on IMDb but what can I tell you? That it was slow and quiet is not a problem for me but it is a feeling you get watching the film and it is not helped by some scenes feeling irrelevant within the context of the story. This is not a real killer but I felt that the slow pace needed support and seeing two minor characters argue about a fender bender (for example) saw my interest dip and the slow pace start to be felt. Otherwise though, the silence and pace suits the material and the style of the film. The violence is quite subdued (in regards what you actually see) because it occurs in the edit of the action – so the actual impact is mostly unseen. It doesn't matter though because the main thrust of the film is less the outward violence but the internal suffering of all the characters. The film does wear this aspect a little heavily at times and some will feel that some sequences are right on the edge of being pretentious and there is no point in denying that it does walk this line here and there.However for the majority it is a really well observed and emotionally engaging story built on the silent but emotive presence of Kitano as writer, director and star. As writer he has, it could be argued, left a lot to the actual making process itself since the script must have been a few pages. As director he sets the pace and I like the way his static style works within this story but it is his work as actor that always mystifies and impresses me. How he can convey so much while also appearing to be doing nothing at all I'm not sure but it somehow works and fits his style in other disciplines. He is well supported by Kishimoto, with whom he has genuine chemistry without betraying his character's nature. Osugi is not that great and it is with his character that I found the film close to being pretentious, not the actor's fault of course but I never felt for him as I did for Nishi.Hana-Bi is very slow and quiet and I can totally understand why some viewers will throw it in very early on. However sticking with it reveals a film that manages to be violent, introspective and emotionally engaging at the same time, all wrapped in the style of Kitano, who is creative across the board.

Christian Takeshi Kitano not only writes, acts in, directs and edits this meaningful fable, he also paints the artworks that are a strong element of the film. Kitano is supposedly known for his violence, but this movie has more to do about the repercussion of violence--and about life and death in general--than showing actual violent scenes. The violence is there, bursts of explosive violence, but it is short and strategically edited.Nishi, the protagonist, sees his partners die or get injured in the line of duty. One of them, Horibe, becomes wheel-chair-bound. His wife leaves him and he contemplates life and death staring at the horizon beyond the sea. He starts to paint to express himself and save himself from boredom and sorrow. Nishi, sick of his work leaves the police force to spend some time with his dying wife. The doctor just released her from the hospital and she does not have much time left...Kitano chooses to focus on the underlying emotions rather than dialogue as most of the scenes with his wife are silent. At first, this is unnerving, but slowly, as the movie progress, we understand that there is nothing left to stay.The score of the movie is its strongest point. Accomplished composer, Joe Hisaishi (who worked with Kitano on other projects as well as with Miyazaki's animated films) outdoes himself with poignant classical music that, unlike Nishi, speaks volume. He would win the Award of the Japanese Academy for this.Some good cinematography can also be observed at times. Kitano's paintings are interesting and vibrant. They add yet another level of complexity to this intriguing piece of film. All in all, a very well made film.

bruno-ferreira382 Hana-bi is visual poetry, it says so much without using words.it is brilliantly directed because the movie delivers such an intense mood,the music by joe hisaishi also plays an important role in this moody film.But what it really makes the movie so profound and moving it's minimalist style, all the characters in the movie show very little emotion and yet takeshi kitano makes the film so touching by only showing the sea, the sky,the flowers, the paintings,along with joe hisaishi music.the true power of the film is that it doesn't say very much in terms of speaking,but it says a lot with its stunning images and music.I recommend this to all who want see an introspective,profound and thought provoking film.

badtothebono So, it has come to this. In the top-rated comment on this flick, somebody says "Nishi is an honorable man". Really? This is a guy who mainly kills and maims people in the movie. He takes a short break to rob a bank. Honorable? How would you like your kids to go to school with the kids of someone who calls that honorable? Wait, there's more! The person also says "we can tell he's constantly thinking." How can we do that? Well, do you know that joke "How can you tell when a CEO/politician/lawyer is lying?" ... "His/her lips move." Well, Nishi's lips never move, so I guess that means he is thinking.Of course, this is existentialism to warm the hearts of the cult of victimization. Existentalism supposedly stresses that an individual take responsibility for the consequences of one's acts. Not Nishi. Borrow money from the yakuza. What, they want it back? Kill them. The cops find out. Kill yourself and your wife.Really honorable.