Ohayu/Good Morning (1959) - Yasujiro Ozu 

Well this may warrant a slew of tomatoes thrown at me, but in my opinion this is the best film Yasujiro Ozu ever made. Not at all the serious family drama of Tokyo Story (1953), but an extremely light hearted comedy. In fact this is the only film by anyone that I can truly describe as delightful. It seems silly to use the term feel good movie, but this is just that. Hard not to watch the movie with a large smile across your face the entire time. Again with Ozu is seems that everyone is part of one big family, some extended relatives, but the whole community always interconnected.
   As for the plot, it is somewhat simple. Two boys want a television. After protest for it, their father tells them they talk too much. In retaliation both brothers decide not to say anything to anyone all day long. It goes on for a while, making the neighbors and their teachers confused about why they wont speak. Eventually their efforts pay off, and when another man in their complex gets a new job, they help him out by buying a TV. That is the gist of the plot, at least in terms of the very central characters. At first though this has all the makings of an ensemble picture. Whether it be the neighbors that have a TV, which all the neighborhood boys go to watch wrestling, or their English tutor and his mother, or just the other neighborhood children and their unique parents. 
   This is just a movie where everyone seems to win. The boys get their TV, the neighborhood parents reconcile once the boys start talking again, the unwillingly retired man gets a new job and makes a sale, and even the boys aunt and their English teacher seem to be falling in love. There are a few more little victories throughout, but there is one loser in the end. Ill leave the details of that one out of this review, especially considering the potentially disgusting nature of it. Dont misunderstand though, it is still the funniest moment in the film. 
   After an early dispute over misplaced dues, one mother thought that the other was holding a grudge, hence the reason why her children wouldnt speak to her. The boys have a game of passing gas every time someone pushes their forehead. It is under this pretext that Ozu saves the greatest laugh for, which should be seen rather than read. This practice is a little odd and is familiar to those who saw Ozus earlier I Was Born But . . . (1932). In this film a group of boys hold out there hand and whoever is pointed at has to lay on the ground and pretend to be dead. It doesnt make much sense, but hence why Ozu is the most Japanese of Japanese directors.
   Although little of the film is laugh out loud funny, although some is, this is still a perfect comedy. As mentioned before, whenever not laughing there is still a smile on your face. I cant imagine any director capable of creating this much joy through a movie before. It is also impossible to state how much of a joy this is after a countless barrage of elaborate Japanese samurai films. This contemporary family comedy seems to be about the most radical departure possible from the work of the late Kenji Mizoguci. Nothing heartbreaking or sophisticated. Another perfect gem from the master of simplicity.
   Ozu, as was typical, plays his cinema down. Every shot is a medium one, with almost no close-ups and nearly no distance shots. Everything is again shot at waste level, with no alternate angles. The camera is also stationary, planted in one spot for the duration of the shot. All these are trademarks of Ozu, who relied on simplicity to convey his message. If it might have been distracting, or boring before, it is perfect here. Accomplishing the goal of not even making us think were watching a movie anymore. Everything is too natural and seamless. 
   No other Japanese, and perhaps no other filmmaker period could quite understand and appreciate the family unit. He tackled this institution over and over again in his work. Occasionally as a drama, but then he would come out with a comedy. There isnt much different, as the characters are usually the same, and he certainly doesnt change the way he shoots. So stylistically this isnt anything special, but then again none of his films are. Occasionally you just need a picture like this to make everything relative again. Once again I must say, this is his masterpiece.