Review: Only Yesterday

Plot (From RT): It's a 1991 movie presenting the story of Taeko, 27 year old, single woman who has lived her whole life in Tokyo. She decides to visit her relatives in the countryside, and as the train travels through the night, memories flood back to when she was in the fifth grade: the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. At the station, she is met by young farmer Toshio and the encounters with him begin to reconnect her to forgotten longings. From Academy Award nominated director Isao Takahata (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya) and general producer Hayao Miyazaki, Only Yesterday is a masterpiece of time and tone, rich with humor and stirring emotion, and beautifully animated by one of the world's most revered animation studios.

Comments:

I just found out about this film yesterday, thanks to rotten tomatoes’ recommendation. Like the positive feedbacks from the site, I share the same praise and applause for this film. It’s a very nourishing story that we could relate to as it shows how our previous experiences would influence the person that we are today. As a viewer, you just have to agree to how the character has developed from the day to day course of our unique upbringing in life. It also goes to show how childhood is a big factor to become the adult that we used to imagine when we were young kids. Furthermore, it’s a film of affirmation that we are the sum of the experiences we’ve had in the past. But that’s not everything there is in the film, because the execution of the message was wonderfully done like when you let life unfolds itself in front of you. Hence, it is also done in a comforting manner that in some ways, our choices would make a difference to our life. However, we only have to wait and be the person who’s ready in taking a risk. Overall, this is a beautiful film that you’d love to indulge with when life gets confusing and when you just feel bored. Thus, I feel that in general without being too focused on the story, you would enjoy the totality of the film because of the beautiful background that we always witness in animated films from Japan. Having said this, the cinematography was superb like in Hayao Miyazaki films. But I also have to take note of the amazing sequencing in this film as it goes along well with the present and old story of Taeko.  

Highly Recommended – I watched this on my day off and I barely have time to make reviews because it’s been hectic this month. But I’m doing this because I feel the need to. If I don’t do it now, then when is the right time to do this? Okay wait, I think that I am talking too much of my absence here in the blog but I would like to get back on track again hopefully soon. I am not letting this go because it’s an outlet for me of the things that real life people can’t understand or can’t relate to. So I feel that my readers are the only ones who can understand this side of me. I would also thank this film because it has encouraged me to continue doing this, well aside from DOTS that I am constant at watching but my episode reviews are really behind now. I need to cope with it soon. But I’m taking the first step so my dear readers, one of my aims is to share films that I enjoy and it is this kind of film “Only Yesterday”. I hope that you found your interest to watch it as well. Thanks as always.