JFF Encore Review - Always Sunset on Third Street
CGI extravaganzas are usually reserved for the likes of Michael Bay but this film, based on a long-running manga series of the same name, uses CGI to create nostalgia, not explosions. Always Sunset on Third Street (ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日) by director Takashi Yamazaki takes place not long after World War II over the course of one year while Tokyo Tower is being built. During the course of the film we meet seemingly disparate members of the local Tokyo community and following them through a series of life events. Released years ago on DVD by Madman, Always Sunset on Third Street is all but impossible to find locally. Thankfully, you'll be able to see it on the big screen in all of its honey-soaked glory. The real strength of this film is the characterisation of not only the main protagonists, but also secondary characters and Tokyo itself. The reason that these characters work so well is because they're all inherently flawed, as we all are. Their foibles to only highlight their hum...