Evil Does Not Exist

oh what a beautiful film, thoroughly enjoyed this. films focusing on the candid, seemingly mundane coming and going’s of life are all something i have always loved. not only is this film visually stunning, the score for it is beautiful as well.  however if you have seen this film you’ll know that the ending takes quite a drastic turn so far right it almost displaces my former point about the peaceful and ‘mundane’ happenings in this small Japanese village. but i think in this ending, the whole point the film is raising is further pointed to. the perverse violence against the climate and the capitalist urban sprawl. i had no knowledge about the ending of this film nor did i expect it to happen, and should anyone who’s wanting to watch this film be reading this, don’t spoil it for yourself (by reading this, the tone of the ending already has been spoiled, but i put a spoiler warning so that’s on you). in the two films i have seen by Hamaguchi, it has become apparent that he is not afraid nor doesn’t require the need to stick to conventional ways of cinema. both films have, towards the end, turned so far away from their original tone. and in both cases, whilst watching it has been something that has taken me aback and somewhat confused me, only to realise in doing this, it really underscores it’s point. and i think that’s what makes it so pleasant and so special to watch (pleasant in the terms of this film is perhaps not the right words, a beautiful but very tragic ending). i knew by the opening 5 minutes of this film being a following of the tree’s skyline i was very much going to enjoy, and it having ended the same way, (a darker, drearier way but the same nonetheless) further solidified my feelings.