Monster

Rewatching Monster knowing the truth of what happens is an interesting experience. While it might seem on a first watch that the movie actively gaslights you, rewatching it reveals the inconsistencies with what you were initially led to believe and clever foreshadowing of the reveal towards the end. The script challenges your perception of these characters at every opportunity in a fashion that feels very akin to a Visual Novel...which might be why I love this movie so much! I felt even more empathy for the characters on this rewatch. The acting is excellent in this film, with Kore-eda knowing how to restrain his actors just enough to make it feel powerful without overacting. Sakura Ando is brilliant as always, with perhaps her best performance from what I've seen so far? The child actors are brilliant too, Minato in particular truly feels like a troubled, angsty yet lovable kid. And the cinematography is the cherry on the cake. The way the beautiful town of Suwa is filmed makes you feel like you're transported into a more nostalgic period of your life. The film uses really high exposure and saturation to make the surroundings pop out more, which interestingly enough actually fits the tone of the movie. If Monster was a gritty mystery thriller like how it tricks you into thinking it is, then the cinematography might feel out of place...but Monster isn't that movie. It's about two kids who find their haven, away from the expectations, abuse and mistrust of the adult world.