This film has a quiet nature in telling a delicate story of three Japanese-speaking people living in Taiwan. It's strength is not really the story, but the visuals -- from city exterior shots to the vast openness of the ocean. It's a slow burner but viewers can get in its atmospheric locations, with its insight to the local Twainese cultural customs. In one peculiar way, carefully-staged shots give off a travelog vibe via "nior" aesthetics.
As far as the story it deals with a care-free spirit, Makino who gets caught in an unseemly triangle with another man, Shima-San and a young beautiful and artistic soul, Xiao En. The film's introduction to Yakuza characters re-shaped the story with abrupt violence, giving a sense of danger to three main characters. After departing from the city, the three stay out in a rural house, close to the sea, having fun in the sun.
The character of Shims-San playing a stoic figure that looms behind an innocent love between the artist and the care spirit, he too is plagued by a dark past. His dark past and the carefree love are doomed to clash together, packed with an eclectic soundtrack from Afro-Cuban songs to R&B rhythms. It gives a fresh look within contemporary Asian cinematography and is a very promising work from director, Honno.
Plot summary
In this hypnotic noir, tough guy Shima and rambunctious Makino develop an unusual bond over their mutual exile, as they separately fled Japan to Taiwan after botching jobs for the mob. The two head to the coast to lay low where they befriend fellow lonely soul Xiao En, but can they escape their criminal past? Wonderfully elusive with a spellbinding flow, the decidedly cool Paradise Next features charismatic performances, sublime cinematography, and an elegiac score by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 921.24 MB
1280*682
Japanese 2.0
NR
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