The Crying Wind (2002)

In a village in Okinawa, people revere a skull belonging to a kamikaze pilot as a protective idol. When the wind blows, the hole in the side of the skull produces a ghostly sound. “The Crying Wind”, directed by Yoichi Higashi, has a mystical tone it. However, it fails to deliver as a result of so-so characterization. The film tries to weave the background of each character – Masahi and his mother Kazue, his best friend Akira, Akira’s grandfather Seikichi, and the dying old woman who turns out to be related to the owner of the skull – but it only happens in the last part of the film. There are also off characters such as Masahi’s father who suddenly appears near the end and the old man who owns the garden. These problems are largely attributed to the loose script by Shun Medoruma.

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story (2006)

This documentary, directed by Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim, narrates the North Korean abduction in 1977 of 13-year-old Japanese girl, Megumi Yokota. Several Japanese were also abducted as part of the DPRK's program to train spies to acquire Japanese language and culture. The film focuses on the struggles of the girl's parents who have been searching for her for almost three decades. Particularly moving is their constant pressuring of the Japanese government to address the abduction issue before normalizing relations with North Korea. In 2004, North Korea released the surviving abductees in exchange for food aid. It was reported that Megumi committed suicide at the age of 29. Many doubted this report. Until now, her parents are determined to know the truth.

What I like in this documentary is that it touches on the personal issue as well as the tension between Japan and North Korea. It shows the determination of Megumi's parents and families and relatives of other abductees to search for their loved ones, while exposing the non-action and opportunism of the Japanese government. It also reveals how the DPRK uses the abduction issue as a bargaining chip to control Japan.The film is never melodramatic in the traditional sense. It is an effective piece that effortlessly engages the audience with the issues being presented and critiqued. Moreover, this detective tale is heart-stopping, thanks to the musical score and good direction.

The only flaw is that many viewers may see the documentary as a propaganda against the communist state. While it explains the purpose of North Korea in the abductions, it does so insufficiently. It does not present the wider picture of teh problem. Despite this shortcoming, "Abduction" is worth seeing.