Departures discusses encoffineering in a subtle and palatable way, always maintaining a great balance between the technical aspects and the melodrama. There was an appropriate use of dark humour and the emotional scenes are neatly tied back to the running theme of death present in the film. Although the middle was a little draggy, it is generally engaging throughout and goes to great lengths to show us the two polarities of such a niche job.

No big surprise that Ari Folman's soul-searching Waltz with Bashir lost the Best Foreign Language Oscar to this piece of manipulative, sentimental drivel. I admit it did almost had me going for the first forty minutes, before the formulaic kitsch becomes unbearable.

Very well-made, beautiful, and high-spirited.

Not a masterpiece but still very entertaining and it feels like a 2 hour Japanese Six Feet Under which is enough to interest me. The acting has been criticized but this sort of emotive performance is typical of Japanese theater plays. It's a stylistic choice more than anything and is done intentionally. There are some cliches' here and there which keep it from transcending its boundaries into something substantial. I also found his wife Mika to be a very shallow and disappointing character.

Odd, sentimental and a little morbid in a mosy respectful way Comedy did not work at all

Enjoyable film exploring human emotions and reactions. It was beautifully filmed with moments of warmth and humour.

Oscillates between melodrama and black comedy with dexterity 'to a disturbing degree'. I don't know if it really sets out for lofty poignancy, but it does manage to get a real tranquility from its character and subject matter. It might also work as commentary on the stigma that hang over certain professions in Japan; and those who are more concerned with false social status than something more emotionally substantial.

The acting is a bit weak, and I didn't care for Mika's character. Aside from that, it's a nice and heart-worming film. Cinematography is as beautiful as the scenery. I know the story's a bit cliched, but if it's told this well, I really don't mind.

Beautiful film about life and death that explores its themes with a unique restraint and tone.

The first 5 minutes gives you an idea on what to expect, beautiful storytelling and presentation of the subject with a hint of funny. Masahiro Motoki plays the former cellist turned 'encoffiner' perfectly, and learns the trade quite well. I kept thinking the story was going to go one way, and it ended up another. I now understand why this won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Film.

Beautiful, but it is another demonstration that human beings can be very forgiving towards people who do not deserve it (his father) and very unforgiving towards those who do (his mother). Well, another one of our miseries...

That was some terrible acting...

Would probably rank it higher if not for the constant clicking of the motherfuckin' keyboard, yo.

I thought the cast was wonderful, very personable and mostly genuine. The film is not quite as profound as it seems to aspire to, but is very engaging and hard not to be moved by. A handful of the emotional beats are a little too easy and/or predictable, but most of them are nonetheless effective and there were several moments that choked me up a bit. As for the bits of black comedy, most of them work as well. As a mild Japanophile, I really enjoy seeing any fresh perspectives on the culture.

Sometimes a film is great not just because of how well it is made, but because of how it manages to get a reaction out of you. "Okuribito" is well made; the casting is inspired, the score is stunning, the photography is great and all the performances very good. But there are faults here; notably it's a touch cliche and overly melodramatic in places. But it's the emotional reaction that matters; because "Okuribito" made me laugh and weep like an idiot! I absolutely loved it.

2013-03-23