MOVIE MONDAYS: KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER
It was the poster and title of this film that caught my attention one day when I was at the Cornerhouse. Its simplicity and Kumiko's poncho had me thinking this is indeed a film to see. I have noticed that I do not see nearly enough independent films as I would like and I am looking into changing that. Let me take this chance to bring Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter to your attention.
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Source: Official website for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Even several days after having watched Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, I still had no idea what to make of the film. I discussed it with other people who had seen it and I found out I was not the only one who was a bit stunned by what they'd seen. It is a weird one that's oddly sweet but also quite sad. Directed by David Zellner (Kid-Thing; Ain't Them Bodies Saints; Goliath), this beautifully story of determination, blind faith and belief in oneself is one I'd really like to watch again.
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Kumiko and Bunzo // Source: Zellner Bros.
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter is about a Japanese woman who is adamant as heck to find the answers to all her problems - which seem to lie in the script of a popular Coen brothers movie - and is also one of the most resourceful treasure hunters I've seen. The naive and loveable Kumiko was brought to life by the talented actress Rinko Kikuchi (Last Summer; 47 Ronin; Pacific Rim). She is just awesome in this! And the hopeful and uniquely captivating script from which this film was made was written by David Zellner and his brother Nathan Zellner (Plastic Utopia) a.k.a Zellner Bros. who it appears work together on most if not all their film projects and take on multiple roles as well. There is something about this film that makes it somewhat unforgettable despite how simple the story is. This could be because of how utterly relatable I found some of the themes of this movie to be but I think it is more than that. Maybe its originality? Who knows. All I know is I have finally come to the conclusion that I really like Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter.
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If you do come across this film I implore you to check it out (here's a more detailed trailer). It is one that will readily and unashamedly take gasps and chuckles from you with no apologies. Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter is filled with passion, kindness, hope & resilience and its a film I hope you get to see. If you have seen this movie let me know your thoughts on it as I would really love to hear what you took away from it.
Mo x