Still Walking

STILL WALKING (2008) - Sept. 8, 2008
A delightful and really well made film set over the course of a day at a Japanese family gathering. Like Hirokazu Koreeda's previous film, Hana, this is full of really great characters (it helps that it's very well acted), and despite its slow pace, it's completely entertaining throughout. Under a lesser writer/director, the film's completely plotless nature and more leisurely pace may have become oppressive, but here it's a joy to watch, as Koreeda does a great job making sure that the family dynamic seems real without becoming dull, and heartfelt without becoming sentimental. ***1/2