Review of Dreams (1990) by Kenneth S — 29 Jan 2009

Going into this film, I was aware that many people give it good ratings, but not great ones. Most people don't consider this to be one of Kurosawa's best films. Well, I do. In fact, I consider it to be his second best film (after SEVEN SAMURAI).

I think the problem many people have with this film is that they don't understand it. The film is a collection of eight short films/stories, some of which seem kind of plotless and/or have an ending that is unresolved.

Well, let's look at the title: AKIRA KUROSAWA'S DREAMS. That is exactly what the film is and feels like. It feels like a collection of dreams. Sure, some of the dialogue may seem odd, and some of the actions may not make sense, but think about your own dreams.

In capturing the feel and look of dreams, this film is marvelous. Some of the films legitimately creeped me out. Other ones were very sweet and sentimental. Overall, I would say this film is a true masterpiece.

My favourite stories are the first two, but no story in this film is bad.