Journey to the Shore

I'm surprised at the amount of mixed reviews 'Journey to the Shore' has. It's true that it differs from his acclaimed and popular thrillers, but Kiyoshi Kurosawa still manages to create the same kind of mysteriousness and atmosphere of his previous films. The ambient soundscapes are mostly absent and the score has been replaced by a lush, romantic score. Although only used sparingly, it is reminiscent of a score from the 50's. Its slow pace and philosophical edge is one you'd find in a Stanley Kubrick or Andrei Tarkovsky film, but Kiyoshi Kurosawa blends fantastic lead performances, atmospheric imagery and hypnotic long shots to create a truly breathtaking, innocent, meditative and haunting drama of life and death.