Reviews

What a roller coaster

I went into this knowing absolutely nothing other than the fact it has won numerous awards and received a lot of praise. The plot changes quite a bit throughout this film. The first third gives the impression that this is a con artist movie, the second third gives the impression that this is a high stakes thriller with way too many secrets to keep track of, and then by the end it becomes almost like a horror movie slasher. It's not that I disliked any part of this film, but the whiplash I got as we jumped from one plot to another was quite jarring. I spent a lot of the last half of the movie saying "That wouldn't have happened if they would have just...." which took away from my enjoyment a bit. The ending seemed quite random to me, and it left me feeling a bit empty inside, but not the way I prefer when it comes to media usually.

This wasn't a bad film, but I highly doubt I will ever watch it again unless I'm with someone watching it for the first time because I want to see how they react.

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They Made A Beautiful Bouquet lol

It's sort of like Before Trilogy but make it Japanese with the inner monologues and slice-of-life :3

Honestly, I'm out of words. It's just beautifully written and lovely storytelling. Doi and Sakamoto have such a great team-up. I've always been a fan of Director Doi's slice-of-life works.

And funny that before watching this movie from JFF, I watched "The Lines that Define Me" and so I was surprised to see Kaya and Kanata Hosoda in this film again lol. I remember Doi and Sakamoto are currently collaborating on another film and Kaya will also be there so maybe they grew fond of her : )

Acting-wise, Kasumi and Suda were awesome as expected. Even if this movie is mostly talking, I've never really felt bored thanks to its wonderfully-orchestrated script and plot. Moreover, I love the ending too much lmao! Just like their breakup, it ended in a fun note and that was very refreshing.

It may be just a simple story about fateful encounters, the ups and downs of romance but it sure felt quite realistic and heartwarming. Highly recommended!

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Wonderfully captured Japanese trad art film

Watched this for the first time from JFF. I'm a fan of its theme but unfortunately, it fell a bit short of my expectations knowing it's from the same prod as Chihayafuru's. The movie was good but I think it could've been executed better. Perhaps one reason was due to the postponement of its filming during the pandemic.

While I love the soundtrack and cinematography, there were times when it felt more like a music video or a Japanese SP drama. Also the direction seemed confused on developing Sosuke's character. It just felt unnatural to me. Sosuke felt more like chosen and praised out of favoritism lol. And the supporting charas just seemed to be placed there for the actors' exposure (though I must say I love Yuumi haha).

Personally, it's Kaya who really shined through this film. She perfectly encapsulated Chiaki's aura. Ryusei did great in the opening scene but in other parts, it was okay-ish. Having read the manga, he interpreted Sosuke's chara differently. I think he could've performed better but maybe the writing/screenplay is also partly to blame. Expect preachy lines too.

Nonetheless, the pacing was good and my favorite scene (spoiler) was Nishihama's sumi-e. It was just beautifully drawn and I love his art. I'd say I liked it better than Kozan's lol

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Beautiful and inspiring

Before wanting to start this movie, I didn't really expected something and didn't read the synopsis but the title itself intrigued me a lot.

Despite having somehow a slow pacing, I don't know how to describe it (but thinking again it was the right pace for this kind of movie lol), it still conveys a nice message and also showing some beautiful art.

As Sosuke said, I also want to know more about Sumi-e, I already know Chinese calligraphy which I sometimes practice in my own but didn't know anything about this Japanese art, Sumi-e.

It was kind of healing and heartwarming to see characters that are invested in this art and that can bring them new feels, a new version of them (I don't know if it makes sense..)

Anyway, a nice movie but maybe for not everyone, as I said it was somehow slow or maybe it lacks something so that's why I was a bit struggling to give a rating (but there's some moments later in the movie that change my mind).

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some background knowledge needed, otherwise excellent movie about the creation of anime series

[Edit to add a warning if you're photosensitve or are currently suffering from a migraine, the fast pace, the use of lighting and / or the jumpy half-finished aminations seem to have an adverse effect on some people.]

The film dumps you right in the middle of things. I did not understand at all what was happening until about the 35 minutes mark, and even then it took me another 10 to 15 minutes to really get it. I went in cold -- did not even read much more than the tags on the Japanese Film Festival Online 2024 website -- anime, business, drama -- so I had no idea what this film was about.
Several other things that probably did not help was that a) the Japanese names and titles that were shown with each introduction of a new character often were not translated and b) I do not know anything about the anime industry; also, c) it is not clear in the beginning which secondary characters will be important and which will be not, and most of them are introduced rather fast, so I was not able to keep track of them, and tended to mix them up in later scenes, as well as d) the sets for the two studios also look very similar, and e) I didn't know which anime series was which (because we only hear about the plot after about 40 minutes of runtime).

For the story, this is what I think would have helped to know: There are two production studios, who simultaneously make an anime series each -- both series are scheduled to air at the same time, so they will be direct competitors.
"Soundback" is directed by newbie Saito Hitomi (the woman with the glasses) and her producer is Yukishiro Osamu (sleek guy in a suit), it's colour coded as light blue. This is the one with the two sisters and the group of kids from a rural town.
"Liddell Light" is directed by Oji Chiharu who had a huge hit eight years ago (guy with tousled hair) and his producer is Arishina Kayako (woman, usually in business attire), it's colour coded as pink. This one is about a magical girl on a racing bike (or something like that).

So, live action scenes are supplemented by animations from both series (often half-finished) and also by animated scenes where the ratings and reactions from the audience are shown to us (this is where the colour coding comes in).

The main struggle might be between the creativity of the directors and the constraints of the market (an anime has to be commercially successful!). It also might be between the two directors, who compete and try to make the superior anime (which is where the title comes from). The film is much more complex and can't be reduced to just one "message" -- there are other stories below that, so it is worth to look a bit closer -- what seems the main issue in the beginning might not be what's actually important.

As soon as I got the hang of things, the film was excellent. Of course, the acting is incredible, but I was particularly impressed with the camera work and the editing. Fast-paced scenes in cramped and dark spaces are directly followed by slower, even contemplative scenes.
I loved the use of space and light, of static filming and of following moving characters with the camera -- it's quite obvious that a lot of thought has gone into this.
For example: the fast, almost oppressive, mood in the beginning is countered by an equally fast, but uplifting, mood in the last part -- we have the same sets, the same cast, the same time constraints to finish work, but they feel completely opposite, showing and underlining the main characters' state of mind.

Which is why I think some more time would have been good, maybe even as little as fifteen minutes or so, so that I could have been less confused in the beginning. In my opinion it must be possible to understand a film even if you know nothing about it before hand, even if you're not familiar with the subject (i.e. the making of animes in this case).
I also think that I did not get as close to the characters as I want to, there's no real connection there -- some more time would have helped with this too.

One last comment: I love that the male characters don't overshadow the female characters -- they have all their unique focus and their own strong personality. (Dare I even say it? I think both female main characters have a stronger personality than the male characters.)

Overall, I liked it and I learned something new about making anime, so that's a plus.
If you go into the film with the background info I gave above, and maybe a bit of knowledge of the anime industry, then I think you'll enjoy it.

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Sau schlechter Zombie Film...

Für Leute in Deutschland ist er derzeit kostenlos bei Freevee zu sehen... die Lebenszeit kann man sich allerdings getrost sparen. Die Story ist oberflächlich und dünn, das Setting total einseitig, die Schauspielerische Leistung so gut wie gar nicht vorhanden. Die Zombie Darsteller machen teilweise einen besseren Job als die Hauptdarsteller.
Normalerweise betrachte ich Zombies als eine Art Kunstwerk. Diese hier, sind keine. Die Fangzähne sind übelst billig. Das sieht man direkt... wahrscheinlich einfache Accessoires zu Halloween Kostümen. Die Maske lässt echt zu wünschen übrig. Die Kampfzenen sind so schlecht in Szene gesetzt, dass man hier sieht dass teilweise keine Berührungen erfolgen, das ändert auch nicht der Sound der teilweise an leichtes plätschern erinnert anstatt an kräftige Schläge (insbesondere was den Baseball Schläger angeht, der anscheinend überall zufällig rum steht)
Die Charaktere zeigen keine tiefe, die Story auch nicht. Man fühlt sich zu keinem verbunden. Die Charaktere handeln absolut irrational. (selbst in Panik, verschließt man beispielsweise Türen, um sich zu schützen....hier nicht)
Hin und wieder wurde versucht etwas Witz einzubauen, hat nicht funktioniert.
Alles in allem ist es ein wirklich schlechter Film...schlecht umgesetzt. Absoluter Trash aber eben nicht von der lustigen Sorte.

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A life alone doesn't necessarily mean a lonely life.

Tsutomu lives a life of solitude, alone in his mountain cabin, with rarely a visit from people. His only companions are his dog, his gardens and nature. Living season by season, month after month, life just goes by for the writer.

As he experiences nature bloom and wilt it's way as time passes, he reminisces his past and contemplates his future. Harvesting seasonal produce, cooking it the way he was taught to as a novice monk, reminiscing about his childhood. Meeting his editor, who worked with his late wife, who he cannot move on from, still hanging onto all remnants of her. His carpenter friend, his mother in law, his gardening, everything around him is a reminder of his past and it continues to dwell on his present.

A few unexpected events then allow him to contemplate on his future, whether he should embrace his past and gain closure. His slow life, seemingly devoid of meaning suddenly has more and less meaning than it did before.

An introspective, slow burner, even if doesn't manage to keep you on your toes, I don't think they ever meant it to.

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Finding Solace in Art!!

Art Heals! Art liberates! That's the whole review!

The movie beautifully portrays this idea through the journey of Sousuke Aoyama. Despite suffering an incomparable loss, Aoyama finds solace and purpose in art, in this case painting.

While the story may feel familiar, the execution is done pretty well.
The movie doesn't shy away from depicting the raw and real nature of loss, whether big or small. It emphasizes that how we deal with them defines and shapes our identity.
One of the movie's most poignant messages is about individuality in artistic expression. It reminds us that being an artist doesn't mean mimicking others; our perceived flaws may be beautiful to the world.

Aoyama's journey is heart-wrenching at times yet uplifting. As an apprentice, his struggles with self-doubt are tangible and relatable. However, the moment he receives encouragement from people around him and begins painting, his smile becomes a beacon of hope. Aoyama's determination to paint every day, even when exhausted, serves as a powerful reminder that giving up isn't an option. The supporting cast also delivered remarkable performances overall adding authenticity and warmth to the overall experience.

The film beautifully exemplifies the importance of confronting emotions and persevering through misfortunes and hardship.

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The highs and lows.. of a wedding.

This is what I would categorise as an ensemble comedy, where each character gets their time to shine. Because this wedding was not only about the bride and the groom, it was about everyone who came together for them, and then a few more.

From the groom, to his boss eager to make a comeback, and the bride and her father wanting to display his skills, their friends nervous about the wedding performance, juniors and seniors wanting to make an impact on the wedding and the world, teachers, mentors, and family. And the wedding planner. Each character had a purpose to fulfill, closure to attain, goals to achieve, and all of it came to a head on this wedding date, and of course, chaos and hilarity came with it.

I loved the in depth look we got into not just the wedding trade, but the traditions of modern day Japanese wedding and the role of everyone part of the ceremony and reception. I didn't quite understand the need of the roles of the ex and the random thief, except for maybe comic relief (which I still think was unnecessary).

Funny, chaotic, maybe tapering off a bit for a while, fun nonetheless.

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Moving and tear-jerking, a love that is out of this world.

Story
A rather simple and typical story, childhood love, terminal illness—things we've seen a lot in Japanese films. But still, the story keeps you glued to the screen without a dull moment.

Acting/Cast
Although I think the lead actor isn't the best there is, the one who truly stands out is the lead actress, one of the most excellent and beautiful actresses in Japan. It's very likely that she is the one who made the film what it is, and she was irreplaceable.

Rewatch Value
There's something fantastical about this movie, very nostalgic. At the end of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, Asian films were sort of a reconstruction of the 1980s in the USA films with a love larger than life that you could still believe in.

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"The friendship given me is like water that nurtures the heart and body"

Muay Thai Warrior aka Yamada: Samurai of Ayothaya was based on the true story of a ronin living in Siam (present day Thailand) who pledged himself to the king and ultimately became a governor. Movie Yamada wasn’t terribly interesting or a very good fighter, the screen only came alive when the Thai boxers showed up.

Yamada Nagamasa lives in the Japanese village of Ban Yipon in Ayutthaya. The village is populated with Japanese Christians who fled their homeland and numerous ronin of defeated lords who now work in the king’s Department of Japanese Volunteers. When Yamada discovers that the thieves terrorizing the area are actually Japanese, he’s tasked with tracking down the leader. He’s ambushed by masked assassins and nearly killed. Rescued by a handful of Muay Thai fighters, he’s taken to their village and treated by the monk Phra Khruu. The villagers accept him and he begins to integrate into their lives little by little. Eventually, Phra trains the foreigner in Muay Thai and Yamada proves himself an adept learner. Every pair of elbows and knees will be needed as Ayutthaya may soon be under attack from its lethal enemy. Yamada has the additional concern of Kuroda’s assassins out to end his life.

Ozeki Seigi was nice to look at, but his character and performance were underwhelming. He was also completely unbelievable as a fighter, especially in comparison to the real Thai fighters on screen. They were fast, accurate, fierce, and obviously powerful. Ozeki’s moves were slow and limp. Before you could say, “Wax on, wax off,” Yamada had integrated Thai martial arts with Japanese. Thankfully, professional fighter Buakaw Banchamek, showed up for some spectacular Muay Thai exhibitions.
Ozeki availed himself better with a sword, but then the CGI swords and blood removed any chance of immersing oneself into the fight scenes. I was far more invested in Ketsaro Thanawut’s Khaam. There was a heavy-handed attempt at building a romance between Yamada and Khaam’s sister Jumpaa/Champa which fell flat. And the friendship between Yamada and Khaam was terribly underdeveloped which was the biggest disappointment as they could have been a real highlight of the movie.

Aside from the aggressive training for the king’s bodyguard contest and to be ready for the real threat of the enemy attacking, this movie was blithely uneventful. There were few fight scenes, although the ones shown were for the most part entertaining. Yamada sat around playing his flute often when he wasn’t playing with the children, all to let you know he was a nice guy. Most of the dialogue focused on the right way to die and how important friendship was. The villagers did everything but sit around holding hands and singing Kum Ba Yah. When they weren’t fighting to the death to be royal bodyguards or watching cockfights that is. Overall, I enjoyed Muay Thai Fighter, mostly for the Muay Thai fights. The Thai fighters were a delight to watch. This was a slightly below average martial arts movie and one for fans of the genre to give a try, if you go into it with low expectations.

8 June 2024

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What is real on the Internet

With the rise of AI, the Internet is becoming more and more an artificial space distant from reality, yet the Internet shapes our reality in a way we are not even aware of. This movie gives a lot to think about on this topic. The truth we live is not a real truth but a story created by media, trolls, big corporations, hidden powers, … you name it.

Okey, so about this movie. It starts like I would expect with the victim of the false narrative searching for justice and finding an ally in the media to help him. But then it all turns around and becomes a story of deceiving tactics where no one is spared, not even we as viewers. At the end I felt like the victim of internet fraud but thankfully without real-life consequence. I think I received a valuable lesson about truth online. This movie is a fiction but it has a real message. So what is the lesson: Truth is hard to find. Watch the movie for yourself and try to find it!

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just as good as the drama, if not better

Just watched the Mystery Iunakare movie!! I honestly really loved it. A lot of twists and macguffins so I was a bit overwhelmed at times, but wow the story was so fun and engaging as usual if not better. a movie's running time really lets the story breathe, even tho there was a lot of plot points they went thru, which was obvious at times.

Totonou continues to be adorable as always.... the underwear scene had me dying! it was a really dark story at times, but his basic kindness, feminism and sheer comedy really added to the fun. I loved how be comes ultra prepared for every trip, even scenarios such as falling into rivers on trips... And guess what happens ?

this was a really stacked cast. there was a lil bit of overacting, especially on the part of the lady who played Shiori, but it made sense for her character tbf. but wow Machi, Eita, Shibasaki-san... nice to see y'all here.

I was also like, the music slaps but it also sounds familiar... Turns it out was by Ken Hirai, who made the made the amazing OST for Todome, his work always slap.

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Of historical interest -- and also very moving. I cried.

The way "Twenty-four Eyes" is filmed, is period-typical for a movie, especially one that is not about action but tries to explore characters. I watched more than a few western films from the fourties and fifties, so I was already familiar with the style of acting and filming, as well as the sound quality (especially voices and singing have a special "ring" to them, which is hard to describe.) For people who are not used to this, the movie might feel strangely slow and static.

With 2 hours and 36 minutes, the film is quite long, even for modern standards. There are three parts:
First, we meet the twelve children and her teacher in the first grade. For both the children and the teacher their roles at school are new and unfamiliar -- and while it might seem as if not much is happening, the freedom and serenity of this first hour is a good contrast to the following parts. After a time skip of five years, teacher and children meet again in the children's sixth grade, the last obligatory school grade back then -- we'll see how both the children's families and the growing nationalism (with it, the looming war) will shape their futures. And, lastly, vignettes of the following years of war and death, and how it impacts even that small Japanese island. There's also some time dedicated to the aftermath -- children, now young adults with their own kids, and the teacher reunite, look back to their shared past and then into the future.

I think for anyone who wants to watch this in the 21st century, it is important to be aware that the year that the film was shown
in cinemas -- 1954 -- is only nine years after the end of World War Two. So, these children (young adults in the later parts) could have been themselves, their children, their brothers, sisters, husbands and wives. I can imagine that the film was cathartic for the audience back then; it definitely must have had a stronger emotional impact than it could ever have for me.

Besides the emotional journey, and the reminder of how nationalism and senseless wars (and all wars are senseless) will destroy lives, for me the film also gave me a chance to see Japan as it was 70 to 90 years ago. We get to see two rural schools and a glimpse of teaching and learning; we see the houses in the fishing village; we hear people's thoughts on poverty, proper manners, women, family. I loved seeing how the style of clothing changed from 1928 to 1946.
(The film had the advantage that everything was very recent, so sets are probably authentic buildings and streets, and the people who made it could just remember how it was. No extra research needed.)

There are quite a few scenes that were very poignant, such as the teacher's despair that nationalist teachings had overtaken everything at school, or the scene after the war ended when her eldest son is not able to grasp that everything he believed was now supposed to be wrong.

One thing that I was a bit disappointing was that the songs's texts (the children sing quite often) were not translated in the subtitles. I think these were mostly Japanese folk and children's songs, and the texts probably underlined the emotions of the scenes -- but the international audience won't know them. It's not the fault of the film, but disappointeing nevertheless.

Overall, if you have the chance to watch it, do so!

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