Reviews

i sat down to watching this after rave reviews from a very dear frend..as it turns out if not for her i would have missed such a gem of a movie..
at first look this sounds like a boring movie about the relationship between a man and a little girl but this movie goes layers deep and provides us with such a story that takes my breathe away..
Ashida Mana as Rin is spectacular and her simple yet emotional acting shows that she's got potential..lots of it..Matsuyama kenichi as Daikichi is perfect.he brings in just the right emotions and a touch of love that makes his character fullof life.throughout the movie my eyes were glued to this weird pair who keep on running trying to get Rin to school in time.the movie is so cute and adorable and at the same time capable of bringing out emotions that are hardly there in movies nowadays.it provides a different side of a father daughter relationship coz though we know its hard raising a kid alone we hardly witness it the way this shows us.it further goes on to say everything is okay as long as the little has a smile on her face.that's what is so amzing about this movie.its about the trails and tribulations and coming out of them as victorious.dialogues are sharp and full of meaning.the movie is shot beautifully too with close ups and simultaneously with long shots too.its amazing

the music is played at just the right places and if i was given a chance to recast this one..i'd definately cast the original ones coz the cast is simply perfect for this beautiful movie..:)
i recommend this to anyone who wants to see what unconditional love is in the truest and purest form possible

Read More

What can I say about Time Traveller? Hmm, I've enjoyed the lovely romance between the two main characters, especially Naka Riisa, who does the voice in the anime as well. That's only about it, as the film doesn't use the time traveling theory to full effect.

There isn't really nothing special about the plot whatsoever, other than teenage love. It's just another one of your typical Japanese love stories.

So, if you're looking for another romance film, this is it. Looking for a live-action remake of the anime? Skip it. You'll be greatly disappointed should you decide in giving this a try.

Read More

Okay, well, having watched the first Liar Game series and knowing that this was a "Reborn" sort of thing with a new cast, I didn't think I would ever watch this. Well, I ended up watching it anyway while I was on-board a plane. I have to say that the movie on its own is OK, but in comparison to the original series, it's quite a downer. I didn't feel the suspense, the movie was predictable, and Akiyama just wasn't as cool as he used to be(he was quite silly in fact). The movie does have some funny and interesting characters and the movie is watchable, but I know that I won't be watching it again. This was a one time, try it out kind of movie.

Read More

When I looked at the cast of the movie, it caught my attention. Ikuta Toman, Yui Aragaki and Makai Osamu all in one movie sounded so promising. However, since I had seen mixed reviews for this film I had a feeling it would be bogus, but watched it anyway. The only reason to watch this was for its cast. And boy- it was so boring! I couldn't even finish it properly. I had to skip so much of it.

The events and incidents in this film were so pointless. It was just to show that two people can love each other even after going through crap for 10 years of their life. It was completely bogus and predictable. No enjoyment came out of it. Rather, it felt like a never-ending saga. The characters were all terrible and all the actors were under utilized in this movie. Most of all, there was no purpose to include Makai Osamu's plot in their love story. As I said- pointless.

When the movie ends you are left with your mouth wide open. And that is because it ends abruptly after all the garbage you had to endure for more than 2 hours. This, and also the actors were of no help since the story was so bad in itself. In fact, they came off as annoying. Sad to say, they were a victim of poor writing and bad direction here. Also, it has to be one of the worst love stories I have seen in Asian movies. I thought the Korean movie Classic was boring, but compared to this that could probably win an award. This one deserves an award too- a 'Challenging to Watch' award.

By the end, it is so boring that it makes you laugh. So to all the fans of these actors- spare yourself and rewatch something else. But DON'T watch this movie unless you are bored to death and want to be bored further.

Read More

Hard Romanticker is set in a hard and unforgiving urban underground world. Every character is a thug. This includes the lead protagonist Gu played very convincingly by Matsuda Shota. The word 'romanticker' suggests the literal version of the word because this film is anything but romantic.

There really is no true plot to this movie. It takes place in the span of a few weeks and encapsulates a time period in this man's life. Unabashed and raw; showing all the nonsensical violence of the world he lives in whether it be by himself, those he keeps company with, his enemies and just about everyone in his sphere.

When I was finished watching the movie it took me some moments to think of what to say here in this review. This is a violent and dark movie and I came away from it having almost no sympathy for any of the characters save one. And it wasn't Gu. I suppose I had a sliver of sympathy for him in certain moments because Shota has impressive acting skill but ultimately the character was undeserving of very much. That said; overall, the acting in this was really great and as unsettling as the film is, the story is well told. They certainly were convincing but it is more than disturbing to think that this kind of world actually exists. Most of the characters showed almost no caring or sympathy toward one another. So harsh.

There are some movies out there where you can watch, appreciate the quality of writing and acting but yet have no desire to ever watch that film again. Hard Romanticker is one of those movies for me.

I gave the re-watch value a 'fair' (6) because even though I might not watch this again for the subject matter I don't want to lower the score unfairly and have people mistake it for bad quality.

The music was fitting. I am not sure what to say about it other than I don't believe this movie is the kind you walk away from even wanting or needing an OST. But the score was right for the film; sometimes comical and sometimes dark.

If you appreciate darker (and I DO mean darker) fare and don't mind intense subject matter than this is the film for you. But you have been cautioned here...it is graphic. And fangirl moment...even at his darkest, Shota impresses me with his ability to absorb into a character for good or ill.

Read More

There’s nothing particularly glamorous about The Woodsman and the Rain. It’s not adventurous or exciting, and there’s no romance. There isn’t even a ton of symbolism (there is a little bit, though) or epic displays of friendship.

Even still, something about this movie made me smile. And although the movie is very, very quiet with slow pacing, I would often--and suddenly--laugh out loud at a small gesture or response from one of the characters. And as the credits rolled, I found myself feeling quite happy and hopeful.

Emotions and situations in this movie are expressed in the simplest of ways. There aren’t any long dialogs or monologs to articulate the characters feelings or relationships. But much is said in the smallest of actions or gestures, and I really loved that. It makes you perk up and pay more attention to the subtle details.

My takeaway from this movie is that you just never know. You never know what small surprises or circumstances life has in store for you. Even when you immediately asses a new situation as bad or unwanted, it may just be exactly what you needed. It may indeed be a blessing in disguise to clear up the rain clouds all around you that you’d forgotten were even there. I appreciate this message, as I have found it to be a certain truth about life. Change isn’t always a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it’s usually good!

That being said, this movie isn’t for everyone. And many will find it boring and probably drop it less than halfway through. I considered it, but I’m really glad I stuck with it.

It served as a pleasant reminder that even when there’s rain, the sky will clear up again, eventually.

Read More

Ich liebe diesen Film einfach total.
Ich hab' ihn schon ... lasst mich nachdenken ... ein drittes Mal geseh'n? Und ich denke, dass ich ihn wieder ansehen werde.

Im Allgemeinen liebe ich Musikfilme, da ich Musik liebe.
Aus dem Grund würde ich euch diesen Film sehr empfehlen.

Zuerst eine kleine Warnung ^^:
Wie ich finde, ist der Film sehr eigen und er gefällt bestimmt nicht jeden. Ich beziehe mich jetzt auf den ganzen Film, da der Anfang doch recht "normal" erscheint.
Also für diejenigen unter uns, die nicht auf solche - wie soll' ich's sagen - auf solche düsteren Filme stehen, sollte diesen Film vielleicht nicht ansehen.

Genug mit der kleinen Warnung meinerseits.

Als ich zum ersten Mal den Film gesehen hab', hab' ich nicht viel verstanden. Ich fand ihn super. Die Musik war super sowie die schauspielerische Leistung. Ich will ja nicht zuviel verraten, aber das Ende war wirklich traurig.

Desto öfter ich den Film gesehen habe, desto besser hat er mir gefallen.

Also keine Angst und schaut euch den Film einfach an.

------

I just totally love this film.
I have already watched it ... let me think ... a third time? And I think that I'll watch it again.

In general, I love music movies because I love music.
That's why I'd love to recommend you this film.

First, a little ^^ Warning:
I think, the movie is very unique and and the film certainly doesn't please everyone. I am now referring to the whole movie, since the beginning appears quite "normal".
So for those of us who aren't into such - how shall I say it - such somber films, maybe schouldn't watch this movie.

Enough with the little warning on my part.

When I first saw the film, I didn't understood much. The music was great and the acting. I don't want to reveal that much, but the ending was really sad.

More often I've seen the movie, the more I liked it.

So don't worry and just watch the movie.

P.s.: I'm sorry for the bad translation for someone who can't read german.

Read More

after such a long long time i've watched such a perfect movie..this movie has it all..from the perfect cinematography to the perfect cast..the direction is awesome as well

the story is refereshing where for the first time i see the heroine who's blind and lives her life simply but happily..and our hero is a brooding young man of 30..no playboy or owner of a big conglomerate.breaking away from stereotypes this movie shows the dark side of human nature and how some people rise from the shadows like phoenix rises out of its own ashes.a perfect score for the story.it has such moving scenes and so many sweet moments one could almost die with all this love in the air..:D

So Ji Sub literally breathes life into the character of Cheol min..He knows how to act and delivers a stunning performance throughout
Han hyo jo as jeong hwa is simply superb.earlier in Heaven's postman she was good but here she proved that she's a brilliant actress.this movie is the kind where after watching it,it leaves you with a happy feeling where in happiness you could almost fly.

the music is heartbreaking and simply fits in all the right places

this movie should be watched by anybody who likes beautiful cinematography,brillaint acting and strong plot..it's just such a gem of a movie not to be looked over..its one of those rare movies which will appeal even to a person who's not a romantic at heart at all.

Read More

Though I heard of this movie since I was in primary school I never actually watched it until today. Battle Royal is not just a movie, it's an existencial question: when the only rule is "to kill or be killed" ,what is the human being capable of doing? how will he behave?


STORY: The storyline is pretty simple and I even thought there were some "holes" in it but -as I said before- the -frightening- existencial question behind it draws the viewer's attention and makes him wonder "what if...".

ACTING/CAST: The acting is pretty average but it's actually a good thing because if the actors had acted too well the movie would have been unbearable to watch (I still shiver when I think of the delirious smile of the students-turned-crazy-murderers).

MUSIC: What I liked the more about the music isn't the music itself but its use. Classical music when used in a movie/series about normal-people-turning-cray-because-they-have-to-face-death adds something twisted/dark/cynical to it. The use of the slow, peaceful and beautiful music contrasts with what is happening and helps build this almost suffacating athmosphere.

REWATCH VALUE: I don't think this movie could be watched on a daily basis "just for fun". Like I said, the movie in itself isn't that good but it's this question behind it.

OVERALL: The movie is definitely a must-watch (except if you are already a freaking murderer or murderer-to-be). Points of view may differ but I believe the "best" part of it all isn't the blood and the killing but the way each character faced this bloody game and thus it makes us reflect on us.

Read More

The good:

There are two things about this movie that I really loved. The first is the scenery and cinematography. The second is the exquisite acting.

A small country-side town showered in autumn light, roads sprinkled in blustering, fallen leaves and dreary, rain-soaked scenes under a cloudy sky... This movie showcased the seasons like a beautiful painting or poem. The way the film is shot transported me into the scenes with the characters. I could almost smell the cool, fresh autumnal air and feel the achy dampness of the rain.

Hyun Bin and Lee Yeon Hee portrayed their characters emotions convincingly and beautifully. Personally, I have seen Hyun Bin in three roles now. I’m not sure if he just so happens to be type-cast or if he chooses these roles, but it seems he consistently plays the same character-type: rich bad boy turns softie after falling in love with unlikely heroine. Well, with so much practice, he plays the part extremely well. Lee Yeon Hee on the other hand (who, coincidentally, I’ve also seen in three roles) has a more diverse portfolio, and I am quite impressed with her range as an actress.

The bad:

The plot of this film is unoriginal, sappy and at times very brusque. Emotions seem to unfold suddenly and without pretense, which left me feeling a little... WTF’ish. My train of thought during the early part of this movie went something like this:

“Gah, stop being so mean to her...Oh, you like her now?... Love her??... What!?... How did you get in the room????.... You want to take care of her?...No? Wait wait wait, now you *don’t* like her??....*utter confusion*”

By the time the plot smoothed itself out, I found I’d just accepted the way I was *supposed* to feel and just went with it--which isn’t necessarily a good thing. As a viewer, you know what the director wants you to feel. As such, I just threw my hands up and gave in, as if to say, “fine director, I’ll accept your sappy and rushed love story, sheesh.”

Not a bad movie overall. In a way, I suppose it breaks even--balancing a predictable and choppy plot line against great acting and gorgeous scenery.

Read More