The End of Summer (1961) review

Far and away one of Ozu's weakest films and one that I had trouble remaining interested in - sometimes a filmmaker can be so into the formal aspects of filmmaking that his/her picture unwillingly slides into monotony (especially after having seen so many of his more quiet, intense films). The transition from 'comedy' to drama is meticulous, but there's something stale and obvious about the relationships and the lack of focus on any one person 'de-centers' the film. Ozu could very well be one of those love-him-or-leave-him artists (and those that love him l-o-v-e him) and though there are films by Ozu I really respond to (like Good Morning and Story of Floating Weeds), my gaijin side would prefer to take Kurosawa, Mizoguchi and Terayama with him to his Desert Island. Sorry stoic purists and Ozuphiles.