Desert Moon (2001 film)

Desert Moon
Directed by Shinji Aoyama
Written by Shinji Aoyama
Starring Hiroshi Mikami
Maho Toyota
Shuji Kashiwabara
Yukiko Ikari
Music by Jim O'Rourke
Cinematography Masaki Tamura
Edited by Shinji Aoyama
Release dates
June 20, 2001 (France)
July 26, 2003 (Japan)
Running time
131 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese

Desert Moon (月の砂漠 Tsuki no Sabaku) is a 2001 Japanese drama film written, directed and edited by Shinji Aoyama, starring Hiroshi Mikami. It was in competition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.[1]

Plot

The film's main theme is the conflict between work and family commitments in modern Japan. It focuses on a successful internet entrepreneur Nagai (Hiroshi Mikami), whose wife Akira (Maho Toyota) and young daughter Kaai (Yukiko Ikari) left him because he neglected them for his business. A young hustler Keechie (Shuji Kashiwabara), who has emotion problems concerning his own father, becomes involved in the family's drama.

Cast

Reception

Derek Malcolm of Screen International criticized the film, saying: "the problem with the film is that, instead of letting these sequences speak for themselves, it constantly underscores them with speeches that often seem pretentious and clichéd at the same time".[2] David Rooney of Variety praised Masaki Tamura's cinematography, describing it as "graceful, leisurely camerawork and elegant framing".[3]

References

  1. "Festival de Cannes: Desert Moon". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  2. Malcolm, Derek (June 28, 2001). "Desert Moon - Reviews - Screen". Screen International.
  3. Rooney, David (May 20, 2001). "Review: "Desert Moon"". Variety.

External links