Hirokazu Koreeda directs Arata Iura, Erika Oda and Susumu Terajima in this Japanese fantasy drama where in a drab building the recently deceased must choose a memory from their life to be recreated and relived for eternity.

A beautiful film. Deceptively simple. Quaintly ordinary. People must decide which memory they want to relive. Some really struggle with the process. The case workers try to make sure their decision is timely but also a good one. Then we get to the “videoing” of the memory where the moment that a person’s life is boiled down to is recreated on a small lo-fi set. These re-enactments precede Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind. Ultimately this is an ignition movie. What are you doing with your life? Do you find value in your work? Have you made the right relationships? Don’t settle even if settling can sometimes be the only option. It really works on multiple levels.

9

Perfect Double Bill: Nobody Knows (2004)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin