Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 26, 2018

The good folks at Arrow Video and/or Arrow Academy may be thanking their lucky stars that Hirokazu Kore-eda has just been feted with the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Festival (for Shoplifters), an award that may raise the profile of their so-called Family Values set of three Kore-eda films from the past several years. The timing for Kore-eda's award may seem especially fortuitous since this set, while not brand new, seems to be a repackaging (with some additional non-disc swag like a rather nicely done booklet) of three standalone releases that Arrow brought out not all that long ago (I Wish, Like Father, Like Son, After the Storm). As is discussed in some of the supplements included on this release, Kore-eda’s long history in Japan’s television industry tends to give his feature films a smaller scale, more intimate ambience, and it probably can’t be denied that at least some plot points in the three films in this set might be perfectly at home in what might be termed a “Lifetime Channel Very Special Film Made for Television” category. That said, Kore-eda is a remarkably facile director with children, and all three films explore a kind of childlike perspective that in some ways tended to remind me of the work of Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Other), at least in terms of Mulligan’s ability to capture an honest depiction of how kids see the world around them, if not in any pure content way. All three films delve into family dysfunctions in sometimes visceral ways, though often in an emotionally tamped down ambience that seems to be perfectly Japanese, where deep emotions are masked out what may be a fear that some kind of “communal” peace (however illusory) might be disturbed.

Reviews of the three films in this set can be accessed by clicking on the following links:

I Wish Blu-ray review

Like Father, Like Son Blu-ray review

After the Storm Blu-ray review

Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality of each release is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality of each release is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supplements included with each release are detailed in the above linked reviews. Some supplements are more generalist in nature and not necessarily related solely to whichever film's disc they're included on.

Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All three films in this set address family dysfunctions in one way or the other, and all three feature some really remarkable performances, including some standout work some very young performers. Arrow has once again put together a really enjoyable package that includes great movies, excellent supplements, solid technical merits and handsome packaging. Highly recommended.