I watched Kiyoshi Kurosawa's new movie: Cloud. It's about an unscrupulous online reseller. It was alright. Has some creepy moments and a surreal air which is a trademark of this director's films. Watching some analysis of it on youtube I had to roll my eyes at people saying that the movie is about capitalism, which I guess it sort of is, but nonetheless it came off as blunt and graceless to just say it like that.
Anyway, spoiler warning. Yoshii, the main character, makes a living buying cheap shit by bulk online and then reselling that shit at a markup. He doesn't care if what he's reselling is medical equipment that people need or counterfeit goods. As a consequence of his obsession (similar to that of a gambling addict) with his "job" he alienates and/or antagonizes many people. As his business grows he moves out of his tiny apartment into a bigger house out in the country with his girlfriend, Akiko. He also hires an assistant named Sano. A local early 20s kid who failed to make it in Tokyo and had return to his home town.
The assistant is the weirdest most surreal character in the movie. He instantly becomes very interested in Yoshii's job and wants to learn all about it. He also pledges a very strange but sincere loyalty to Yoshii, claiming that he's very grateful to him for giving him a job. When Yoshii's new house gets vandalized and the police seem unwilling to help, Sano takes it upon himself to investigate who did it and catch them, which he does. Seemingly beating the delinquent up and instilling a deep fear in him.
Eventually several people whom Yoshii has wronged team up to get revenge on him. They kidnap him and plan to livestream his torture and eventual death. Sano sets out to rescue Yoshii and goes about it ruthelessly. Coldly killing several of the kidnappers until he reaches Yoshii. Onces he frees Yoshii he hands him a gun and they set out to escape from the rest of the kidnappers. Along the way Yoshii himself kills several people. At first hesitantly but with increasing ease. In the end Akiko betrays him threatening him with a gun to give her all his money. In the scuffle Sano murders Akiko and Yoshii is heartbroke about it. Yoshii and Sano escape the scene. While driving away, in the most surreal scene of the movie, Sano tells Yoshii to only focus on making money and that he'll handle the rest. Yoshii asks "Where'll that get me?", Sano responds "It'll get you anything you want. Even things that can end the wo
Post too long. Click here to view the full text.