JohnnyRobinson
Springfield, MO
This review may contain spoilers
A Jewel of a movie that should stand the test of TIME!
I saw this movie shortly after starting to watch Asian movies; unfortunately, even though the other movies I watched [after my introduction with My Little Bride (2004)] were quality films worth watching, they all ended tragically and I was about to quit watching ANY Asian movies at this point!
Fortunately, I came across this little jewel of a film, and it restored my faith in Shakespeare having moved from the West to the East after WW II.
I loved the music, especially since I didn't pay that much attention to music at the time; I find out later that it was a combination of Japanese and Korean music incorporated in the film!
The cinematography was excellent, with scenes from many parks, shrines and such incorporated into the movie (places where a young man would naturally take his lovely girl on a date) to the extent of making the entire movie pleasing to the eyes between the close-up action, which those scenes were good as well.
Kim Min (Lee Joon Gi) leaves his grandmother in Korea and joins his pottery-teaching father (Jo Sun Mook) in Kyoto, where he continues his mandatory elementary education. His father teaches pottery but Kim Min wants nothing to do with handling 'poop' as he calls the clay, or learning Japanese and spends his time bicycling around town.
However, a stop at a temple causes him to change his mind about wanting to learning Japanese, as he sees a lovely girl Sasaki Nanae (Miyazaki Aoi) at a temple, in temple dress.
His attitude toward clay and pottery also changes as he finds out that this lovely girl spends time in pottery shops, admiring the work of potters. He quickly asks his father to teach him how to make porcelain out of the 'poop'. His still young, rash personality and lack of patience at this point with the clay leads to his slow learning of pottery-making but he finally starts to learn self-discipline and finally makes Nanae a small piece of porcelain, with a promise for a larger one to follow.
(It is a MIRACLE how females can cause boys to 'grow up' in life and change their attitude about things!)
The film also had some funny moments such as when Min's father senses that he had a crush on a Japanese girl and buys him a Japanese language book; actually, in most scenes with his movie father, they seemed to get along quite well in their relationship.
Also funny was the beginning relationship between Min and a bicycle-riding monk (Matsuo Satoru), whose later help aided Min in finding his lost girl.
The main cast did an excellent job overcoming the language barrier, teaching each other the words for common objects and were able to convince me that they were actually a couple in love throughout the movie, and the main reason I almost quit watching it due to the fact I thought it was going to turn out to be another sad Asian ending.
The support cast also did a great job, from a Korean girl in his class to a adversary turned friend (Shioya Shun); all of them helped support the story around the two main leads, making it seem more real.
My main dislike of the movie was Nanae's mother and her problem; but again, something had to happen to cause the couple's separation.
Another dislike was that the relationship was rushed some; a mere 15 to 20 minutes more would have made the movie better, in my opinion...but it still was a good movie!
The difference between a good movie and a GREAT movie is a director/cast/editor being able to make an audience member 'forget' that they are watching a movie, and by the time I came to Nanae leaving Min I had actually forgotten that this was just a movie!
I started believing "They are not going to get together again", as they kept missing each other by minutes; however, Min's grandmother saved the day by returning what she thought was a present for her, given to Min by Nanae the last time he saw her.
You can watch the movie, available for free online, if you want any more details.
Also, if you guys are in the 'doghouse' for forgetting your girlfriend's birthday, wife's anniversary, etc., watch this with her and show her that you are worth keeping around still; she will likely keep you for it!
RE-WATCH VALUE: Definitely!
Fortunately, I came across this little jewel of a film, and it restored my faith in Shakespeare having moved from the West to the East after WW II.
I loved the music, especially since I didn't pay that much attention to music at the time; I find out later that it was a combination of Japanese and Korean music incorporated in the film!
The cinematography was excellent, with scenes from many parks, shrines and such incorporated into the movie (places where a young man would naturally take his lovely girl on a date) to the extent of making the entire movie pleasing to the eyes between the close-up action, which those scenes were good as well.
Kim Min (Lee Joon Gi) leaves his grandmother in Korea and joins his pottery-teaching father (Jo Sun Mook) in Kyoto, where he continues his mandatory elementary education. His father teaches pottery but Kim Min wants nothing to do with handling 'poop' as he calls the clay, or learning Japanese and spends his time bicycling around town.
However, a stop at a temple causes him to change his mind about wanting to learning Japanese, as he sees a lovely girl Sasaki Nanae (Miyazaki Aoi) at a temple, in temple dress.
His attitude toward clay and pottery also changes as he finds out that this lovely girl spends time in pottery shops, admiring the work of potters. He quickly asks his father to teach him how to make porcelain out of the 'poop'. His still young, rash personality and lack of patience at this point with the clay leads to his slow learning of pottery-making but he finally starts to learn self-discipline and finally makes Nanae a small piece of porcelain, with a promise for a larger one to follow.
(It is a MIRACLE how females can cause boys to 'grow up' in life and change their attitude about things!)
The film also had some funny moments such as when Min's father senses that he had a crush on a Japanese girl and buys him a Japanese language book; actually, in most scenes with his movie father, they seemed to get along quite well in their relationship.
Also funny was the beginning relationship between Min and a bicycle-riding monk (Matsuo Satoru), whose later help aided Min in finding his lost girl.
The main cast did an excellent job overcoming the language barrier, teaching each other the words for common objects and were able to convince me that they were actually a couple in love throughout the movie, and the main reason I almost quit watching it due to the fact I thought it was going to turn out to be another sad Asian ending.
The support cast also did a great job, from a Korean girl in his class to a adversary turned friend (Shioya Shun); all of them helped support the story around the two main leads, making it seem more real.
My main dislike of the movie was Nanae's mother and her problem; but again, something had to happen to cause the couple's separation.
Another dislike was that the relationship was rushed some; a mere 15 to 20 minutes more would have made the movie better, in my opinion...but it still was a good movie!
The difference between a good movie and a GREAT movie is a director/cast/editor being able to make an audience member 'forget' that they are watching a movie, and by the time I came to Nanae leaving Min I had actually forgotten that this was just a movie!
I started believing "They are not going to get together again", as they kept missing each other by minutes; however, Min's grandmother saved the day by returning what she thought was a present for her, given to Min by Nanae the last time he saw her.
You can watch the movie, available for free online, if you want any more details.
Also, if you guys are in the 'doghouse' for forgetting your girlfriend's birthday, wife's anniversary, etc., watch this with her and show her that you are worth keeping around still; she will likely keep you for it!
RE-WATCH VALUE: Definitely!
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