Alright, alright, let’s talk about this Ozu fella, the one them city folks are always goin’ on about. Ozu, Yasujiro Ozu, that’s the name. Sounds fancy, don’t it? Like somethin’ you’d find in a dusty old book at the town library, if we had one.

Now, I ain’t no movie expert, mind you. I like a good picture show as much as the next person, but I ain’t one for all that highfalutin talk. But this Ozu, he made movies, and seems like a whole bunch of people think they’re somethin’ special. So, let’s see what all the fuss is about, huh?
Folks say his movies, they’re… well, they’re about regular folks, like you and me. Families, mostly. Moms and dads, kids, grandparents… the whole shebang. He made a lot of ’em, seems like. Some in black and white, some in color. They say the color ones are easier to watch, less… I dunno… old-timey, I guess.
Now, if you’re lookin’ to start watchin’ this Ozu fella’s movies, seems like there’s a few they say are good for beginners. “Tokyo Story”, that’s one they keep talkin’ about. Heard it’s about old folks goin’ to visit their kids in the city. Sounds familiar, don’t it? Kids these days, always too busy for their own kin. Then there’s “An Autumn Afternoon” and “Floating Weeds”. Heard they’re good too. Someone even mentioned “Good Morning”. Guess that one’s about kids, maybe? And “Equinox Flower”… sounds pretty, don’t it? Like somethin’ you’d see growin’ in the field.
- Tokyo Story
- An Autumn Afternoon
- Floating Weeds
- Good Morning
- Equinox Flower
There’s another one called “Early Summer”. Folks say it’s real emotional, makes you feel things. And if you want somethin’ a little different, there’s “The Only Son”, from way back in 1936. That’s a long time ago, even before I was born, I reckon. Makes you wonder what life was like back then. Probably a whole lot simpler, not like this crazy world we got now.
This Ozu fella, he wasn’t just makin’ movies, he was tellin’ stories. Stories about people, about life. About how families work, how they love each other, how they fight sometimes. Sounds like real life, don’t it? Maybe that’s why folks like his movies so much. They see themselves in ‘em. They see their own families, their own struggles, their own joys.

And get this, this Ozu, he lived with his ma his whole life, until she passed away. Can you believe it? A grown man, livin’ with his ma. Guess he was a mama’s boy, huh? And he smoked like a chimney, too. Always had a cigarette hangin’ out of his mouth, they say. Well, ain’t that somethin’? Guess even fancy movie directors got their quirks.
Now, seems like there’s all sorts of places showin’ these Ozu movies. Film forums, they call ’em. Big city stuff, I guess. Harvard somethin’-or-other, some fancy school, they’re showin’ his movies too. Even had a whole thing called “Ozu 120”. Guess that was a big deal. Wish we had somethin’ like that around here. Be nice to see a good picture show once in a while, instead of just starin’ at the cornfields all day.
So, there you have it. That’s what I know about this Ozu fella. He made movies about regular folks, lived with his ma, smoked a lot, and now all them city folks are goin’ crazy over his pictures. Maybe I’ll watch one of his movies someday. See what all the fuss is about. But for now, I got chores to do. Them chickens ain’t gonna feed themselves, you know.
Yasujiro Ozu’s films, they say he’s a big deal in Japanese cinema. Inspired a whole bunch of other movie makers. Guess he knew what he was doin’, even if he did live with his ma and smoke too much. He had a way of tellin’ stories, a way of makin’ you feel things. And that’s what makes a good movie, I reckon. Not all the fancy camera work or special effects, but the story. The people. The feelin’s. That’s what matters. So maybe, just maybe, this Ozu fella was onto somethin’ after all.
And like I said, Tokyo Story, An Autumn Afternoon, Floating Weeds. That’s where they say you should start. Then maybe try Good Morning, Equinox Flower. And don’t forget Early Summer and The Only Son. That’s a whole lotta movies, I tell ya. Enough to keep you busy for a while. So, go on, give ’em a watch. See what you think. Maybe you’ll become an Ozu fan too. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.

But don’t go gettin’ all highfalutin on me now. They’re just movies, after all. Stories about people. Just like us.