If you know the work of Sion Sono even a little bit, you won’t be at all surprised to know his new feature (or one of several new features), The Whispering Star, concerns “a humanoid robot that performs distributions [and] reflects on human nature while delivering packages around the galaxy.” Making that logline all the more exciting is the slate of (mostly) positive reviews which can’t agree on whether this movie is a “minimalist” rendition of his usual oddities or a work that “may very well prove to be the most oddball, the most niche entry in the director’s lengthy canon.”
Taking inspiration from the likes of Tarkovsky and Kubrick, Sono’s made a picture that uses black-and-white photography and the landscapes of Fukushima (as well as some inhabitants) to create a dystopian alien planet — and yet it looks rather fun, at least with what’s been put on display here. Someone, anyone who can release this: make us happy.
Watch the trailer below (via CineMaldito):
Synopsis (via TIFF):
A spaceship shaped like a Japanese bungalow careens through the galaxy. It carries a humanoid robot named Yoko (Megumi Kagurazaka), a sort of interstellar UPS delivery person. Her job is simple: to distribute packages to human beings scattered across sundry planets. But with so much spare time between deliveries, Yoko begins to wonder what’s in those packages. With only the ship’s navigational computer for company, Yoko eventually finds herself listening to old reel-to-reel tapes left behind by her predecessor. This audio diary is filled with observations and questions about the mystery of human nature. Why did the advent of teleportation diminish human curiosity about faraway places? Why do humans bother sending objects to each other when those objects are inessential to survival? As Yoko makes her deliveries, exploring abandoned cities and desolate beaches, she accumulates questions of her own. And as she meets the inhabitants of various worlds (including an eccentric scavenger who teaches her the benefits of bicycling), her fascination with humans grows — as does her appreciation for the bittersweetness of time’s passage and the nostalgic value of material possessions.
The Whispering Star currently lacks U.S. distribution.