Early Summer

This was unbelievable. Like the other two films in this 'trilogy' Noriko stands out as one of my favourite characters in fiction. The way she acts and presents herself is so wholesome and I love the fact that even though she's so nice she never comes across as naive or stupid. One of my favourite parts was her indifference to the man she wanted to marry having a kid which shows how pure and mature she is. She reminds me of Kitty from Anna Karenina in this way and both characters have had a massive impact on me. Going back to the film, I was surprised how much I liked this as it seemed like a weird rehash of Late Spring. Instead this really stands out in it's own way, the themes of moving on from a certain part of your life towards the end really moved me. Obviously the themes of arranged marriage and the growing role women would have in the workplace were great too. The characters were also so well done and I loved how Noriko interacted with her friends and family. Overall, I just love Ozu's style and how everything feels so honest in his work.