Tabi no owari sekai no hajimari (2019)

Tabi no owari sekai no hajimari: Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. With Atsuko Maeda, Shôta Sometani, Tokio Emoto, Adiz Rajabov. A young Japanese woman finds her cautious and insular nature tested when she travels to Uzbekistan to shoot the latest episode of her travel variety show.

“Itu0026#39;s rare that quirky films are slowburners which gives u0026#39;To the Ends of the Earthu0026#39; its own footprint. Iu0026#39;m glad that was in a patient mood and in a quiet space otherwise I may not have become hypnotised. Desiring to see Uzbekistan in a movie for the first time helped my motivation,u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYoko is the presenter for a Japanese television show. The all-male film crew are seemingly indifferent to her as they stutter from one scene to the next, shooting meaningless footage the director thinks is important. That installs the theme of feeling disconnected, and that is how the viewer may feel at the start as a film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen on set, Yoko is more a prop than a person. After hours, she continually escapes on bizarre sightseeing trips that provide more real insight into the country and herself. Despite repeatedly getting lost and scared, sheu0026#39;s driven to do so again.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe metaphoru0026#39;s are powerful. Her misadventures express her fear of being emotionally lost and out of place in this world. But the truth is that sheu0026#39;s afraid of herself, and had walled herself off from the joys around her. The goat she finds and wants to set free is surely herself.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s a delightful, sad and sweet film for intelligent viewers, making it easy for me to forgive its melodramatic singing moment. Itu0026#39;s two stars better than director Kiyoshi Kurosawau0026#39;s u0026#39;Before We Vanishu0026#39; and one star better than u0026#39;Journey to the Shoreu0026#39;. Iu0026#39;m going to seek his u0026#39;Tokyo Sonatau0026#39;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI fear that the title u0026#39;To the Ends of the Earthu0026#39; will limit the audience reach. Oddball films for the arty crowds need something catchier like u0026#39;Song of the Goat of Uzbekistanu0026#39;.”