To the Ends of the Earth

Kiyoshi Kurosawa conjures an atmosphere of humorous dislocation and acute fear with To the Ends of the Earth...

More than any film before it, To the Ends of the Earth fully embodies the isolation of culture shock.

It's a history lesson, yes, but it's also a lesson in basic humanity.

A movie where gorgeously lit and framed exterior photography, as well as consummately precise body-language-centric performances, often convey more than most dialogue could.

Kurosawa's command of film form gives the movie an embracing magnetism despite its seeming thinness of plot.

If one persists in calling To The Ends Of The Earth a departure, then one might well marvel at how the Japanese director manages to stake out territory in so many different directions.

I was often mildly bored while watching Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s To the Ends of the Earth, but it’s sat well since.

An interesting shift into the minor key from Kurosawa, who typically embraces a tension-filled style.

A mesmerizing movie about isolation, real or perceived, and how it can warp our perceptions. When it finally connects with the audience, it does so in a big way.

An idiosyncratic tale of being culturally adrift, To the Ends of the Earth is a great movie to watch to close out a strange year.