His (2020)

“meeting someone and being influenced by them is one of life's greatest treasures.”

A beautiful movie with a quiet, & realistic atmosphere.

The thing I liked the most is that I watched it solely for the romance factor but it turned out to be so much more than just that, it's a message of acceptance & forgiveness, it's not full of fluff but the chemistry is still powerful, especially when they kiss or make eye contact. there's a lot of court scenes which some people might not like, but personally, I loved it, Nagisa's lawyer is a side character you can't help but be impressed with, which made me love those scenes even more. Perhaps the story might have focused on divorce issues a bit more than necessary but even that was interesting & emotional to see. At first my rating was a 9.5/10, but after rewatching this once more, I loved how it's a mature movie that focuses on adulthood issues, which is really lacking in asian lgbtq+ movies & drama's these days.. so why not a high rating?

Now may I talk about the main characters?
Nagisa, nagisa.. NAGISA!! he's the cutest character and his relationship with his daughter almost made me cry. and then when he stands next to Shun, their height difference is honestly (lol) one of the reasons I like this movie. let me not talk about how he has to look up to kiss Shun, yea, let's not.
& then Shun, my heart felt for him from the first scene. Miyazawa Hio really did so well with this role, although his character is quiet & introverted, his eyes express themselves very well.
I think whoever cast those two as the main couple did one hell of a good job at it.

Read More

Miyazawa Hio is GORGEOUS XD sigh. Now then. Sometimes you just need a soft baby girl to remind you, that the things that 'sound ugly ' or 'strange' are just in our heads. When people look at gay people as though they're 'ugly' its just their own ugliness they reveal.

And how the biggest problem we all have is that when we lie to others, we're really just lying to ourselves. I'm not gay. I dont love you. Every time we do this, we're just making things worse. Because no lie stays hidden forever and no closet is comfortable enough to hide your gay ass for the rest of your life.

That cheating double life will destroy you and everyone around you.

And I just love how fresh that little girl's perspective was, it was like fudge, why didn't I think of that lol I missed her when the movie ended.


But so why not a full ten stars?

Here's the reason.

There was just way too much of courtroom drama, it just didn't suit the tone of the movie that they set. I would have been fine if it was just a few scenes, instead of being the entire second half of the film! It kills the closeness they were showing in the first half, I don't know it just felt wrong. Felt like that lack of bonding in the second half just didn't work.

Read More

The best thing to come out from 2020

I haven't felt the need to talk about a LGBTQ+ movie/drama so much since "Prayers for Bobby," and that was in 2009 sis, so this already speaks levels for me.

For the past couple of years Thailand, and now South Korea, have given us an unexpected (yet amazing) amount of "Boys Love" dramas and movies that, to be honest, have helped me surviving this pandemic mess we are living in today. However, despite all the fun and heartwarming stories I have seen portrayed in these dramas, none, I repeat: NONE can compare to the work of art this movie turned out to be.

I do not want to label this as a BL because I think the term doesn't necessarily match the theme correctly. Instead, I want to label it as an LGBTQ+ work. Simple and clear. As a gay man, I've been madly in love with watching BLs; despite that, I did notice the big level of unrealism they have. They are mostly just fanservice to get the juices flowing period. That, I said it, don't @ me cause I still love them.

"His" turned out to be a surprisingly realistic movie that showcased some of the struggles of being homosexual in society, especially Japan's conservative society, unlike any other work I've previously seen. The characters were allowed to struggle, learn, and take a step forward to their growth as humans. We also were given different perspectives of the same situations that helped build the world the movie wants to portray for the viewers' empathy. I found myself falling in love with the male leads and female lead (wife) because they reminded me of myself and things that I've been through. Needless to say, I have been reflecting on myself thanks to this.

Let's give credit were credit is due: the acting. I do not consider myself a fan of Japanese acting because I find it too forced and fake, but I am glad that they are finally understanding how things are done, and it shows! I loved seeing how their emotions were building up on their faces and the delivery felt natural.

This is definitely a movie I will save and rewatch in the future, and I could not recommend it enough. Please, do yourself a favor and watch this beautiful story. It's not the typical drama that you're probably used to but I assure you it will leave an impression in your heart.

Read More

Quiet, thoughtful and beautiful film. One of my absolute favorites.

I saw a low-res version of this about a year ago. I loved it but could tell I missed some subtleties in the acting, which was brilliant all round. I have just watched it again in better quality and enjoyed it even more. Sure I'll come back to it again at some point and I hardly ever watch things more than once.

Sometimes when watching a film with a gay storyline I'm grateful just to see two actors on screen who aren't uncomfortable touching each other, though I wish that was a given. In this, it's not just a matter of good chemistry that can be duplicated from drama to drama; the two male leads are completely immersed and connected. In their one-on-one scenes especially I they both had an incredible intensity and I felt the relationship they created was one unique to this story.

The film tells of how the people in his life are affected by Nagisa's choices and how they gradually come to terms with how things are, take responsibility, care for and respect each other. I'm glad the film attempts to describe the impact made on his wife. There aren't nearly enough depictions of this situation from that perspective - I guess because it's not as appealing to watch.

I think it could have been cut a bit shorter in the second half, but if it was shorter and had a director's cut I'd be watching the extended version for sure, so that's a non-comment :'D

It left me feeling *emotional* but happy to have seen it. And the little girl is a complete joy.

Read More

profound without the fanfare: an understated exploration of identity and love

Watching this was like savoring a warm cup of tea. I didn't realize that I needed or wanted it, but the rich, sweet comfort that it infused me with leaves me content. Rather than being entertained, I've had something substantive shared with me.

Unlike some of the other BL films/dramas I've watched, this one didn't brazenly shout "love transcends gender." Instead it was a tender exploration of identity, love, forgiveness, prejudice and community centered around the custody battle for a bubbly, head-strong 6-year-old girl. Gender-preference did play a big role in plot and character development, but the underlying themes felt more universal. And while generational differences impacted perspectives, they were not solely determined by age. This easily could have been shown as one of those polarizing situations with good and bad, but it did a beautiful job of exploring layers, intentions and desires to reveal worlds of gray.

And the language was sparse yet brimming with meaning, the dialogue percolated with surprising gems. For example, someone asked Shun if he knew why the elderly talked so much. The response was that they've lived so long they have so much wisdom and experience to share. I could share several others, but some of my favorite lines came from a gruff older man who was a dog owner/hunter in the rural community. He was full of wise perspective without being didactic. At one point (when the 2 MLs each say the other catalyzed his interest in reading) he noted that "meeting someone and being influenced by him is one of life’s great treasures." Basically, it didn't matter who influenced whom, rather the gift was in the symbiosis of the relationship.

Disclaimer: my ratings are fairly stringent, so an 8.5 is REALLY good. I don't pay attention to the OST (I know, oh the horror, for some of you) unless it grates on my nerves and I rarely want to watch dramas/movies again.

Read More

Emotional

Warning- these are ramblings..

I had to deal with many raw emotions while watching.

Why did I rate this higher than the prequel? This movie didn’t shy away from many of the issues that exist in dealing with a closed-minded society. Nagisa’s self-deprecation that resulted in a spiral that in turn hurt so many people wasn’t sugarcoated. His family/personal issues/insecurities were in fact examined and flayed open, his actions had devastating consequences.

Yet, this movie also showed kindness: in an ex, in the rural town Shun lived in, in how people closed ranks because they didn’t judge, acceptance, forgiveness, family. Through Sora’s role, it showed how such innocence could simplify one’s prejudices and priorities.

I’ll put it plainly: Nagisa did many stupid things, *I* wouldn’t have forgiven him for a long time. But I’m not Shun and not his ex. It’s challenging enough for them to accept love is love (Please, I urge you to watch the sweet prequel) and we as audience, didn’t see the ups and downs they went through in their relationship. Shun felt deeply, and I commend the lead actor for this.

All in all, it’s the ugly side of love: loving, wanting, taking, forgiving, accepting, believing.

“Live proudly.”

Read More

For one's heart to open up, you must warm it, nurture it, with kindness

It was a beautiful movie. It's very quiet throughout the film, but there were still some intense scenes that really made my heart beats fast. There weren't many dialogues between characters, neither were there many inner dialogues, but it keeps the audience guessing, the expressions and words in the scenes are quite meaningful. I've seen a few articles about the movie in which the actor for the movie had mentioned his observation of his gay friends, such as their eye contact and gestures, which I've seen portrayed quite well in the movie. Although it was quite sad that I read those gestures and expressions as unease, nervousness, and insecurity. I do not know the characters well since I haven't seen the prequel of this movie, but I enjoyed their growth and the development of their relationship. To see Shun come out so bravely and admit that he was gay and for him to realize that the world wasn't void of kindness, was very heartwarming.

Although some characters were written as if their purpose of being there was to be hated, they present some kind of stereotypes and the causes of a close-minded society. Much of the focus of the movie was on how society favors a 'normal', 'father and mother' family unit, how people are made to be afraid and shamed for their sexuality. It was very hard and painful for me to watch. The lawyer's discriminating statements, the pained, uncomfortable expressions of the characters, the side-eyes, disapproving glares of people who are unable to be kind and understanding toward other people. These are all portrayed, unfortunately, realistically. It is stereotypically decided that same-sex couples are 'not normal', and it is both difficult for same-sex parents and the child they are raising. They are not the causes of problems in society, but the people who hold prejudice toward them.

Although it was a disappointing end, I still believe this is how life goes. I did wish for the characters' feelings to be said aloud more, and I had hope that they can get their feelings across, I always felt as if the characters were bottling up their feelings, perhaps this was part of Japanese's culture, which I'm not familiar with, so I apologize if there are any misunderstandings or unintentional offends. I hoped that they could've talked things out, but perhaps it was very difficult too, and for Shun who has had a hard time accepting himself. But it was a relief that something came out of his struggles and he was able to say his feelings out loud.

I'm glad there is a great variety of values held by different characters, although there are people who aren't accepting and there are mean, unthoughtful people, I'm glad there are kind characters who are there to support Shun and Nagisa.

The background soundtrack for the movie was beautiful and relaxing as well.

After seeing this movie, I feel sorry for people who are struggling with discrimination even when they are not causing harm to society. I believe people need to be educated more about same-sex parents and how they can be just as healthy as a so-called 'traditional' or 'normal' family. Sometimes, it is not stereotypes that will help us make the correct decision, such as the statement that 'women are better suited to raise children', but we see that is not the case here in this movie.

I hope that people will come to be more open-minded toward the term, 'family'. It is an abstract concept and not a rule or stereotype that a family has to be made of 'father, mother and child', a family is wherever you feel safe, warm, loved, and at home. I wish the world would come to embrace the diversities of love and attraction and that it surpasses physical boundaries such as (being attracted to the opposite) sex.

I felt very emotional at certain scenes. I don't feel strong emotions when it comes to fictional stories. But this movie really touched me. And only good stories do that to your heart.

I'm looking forward to the impact of how these kinds of movies and various other media can make a beautiful change to the world for the better, and make it a safer and more welcoming environment, for all of us.

Read More

A Beautiful true life story

The story, the ambiance and the discourse of what they are trying to tell us = everything was worth it! Definitely a great movie, especially one from and for the LGBTQ+ community. Not just that but we also saw some perspective of how the LGBTQ+ community is being viewed in Japan, with their culture and traditions - especially that of marriage and divorce, as a backbone of those perceptions.

It was not too intense with emotions nor actions, just the right balance of sensory perceptions to tag and pluck at the heartstrings.

There are no bad guys. Every single character has reasons for the things they do and none of them are bad people. They're simply humans who make mistakes. Rena is not a very good mother at the start, but then by the end we can see the effort she puts in for her child. She puts Sora first and realizes her spending time with her father is more important than any personal feelings she might hold towards him and Shun. On the other hand, Nagisa is a great father all throughout the movie but he isn't aware of the hurt he has caused. By the end he realizes that he's the only one who can stop the pain and the fighting and make things better. Shun.. well, Shun is perfect lol, but hopefully he will come out to his coworkers. not for them, but for him, so he can finally live a happy life. The only person I actually got mad at was Rena's lawyer but even he was just doing his job.

This movie tells a great realistic story about the hardships gay people face, but also the inequality men face during custody battles. The love Shun and Nagisa have for each other is shown in everything they do, from the looks in their eyes to the kisses they share. All the character were good and well-written. Amazing movie.

Read More

Heartbreak and happy tears?

I started watching this with the short series in mind that is loosely connected to this and left a good impression on me.
Started a little disappointed with the actor choices but was pleasently surprised by their performance. Especially Shun's actor left a good impression, silent as he was most of the time. Nagisa's actor was another story. He had scenes that felt off amd awkward but also made me cry twice with his raw intensity.
The few intimate scenes and kisses felt real and were not awkward at all, the chemistry seemed very good and credible.

That said, Shun and Nagisa's lovestory is beautiful but not deeply explored in this and that's what I'm missing here...I would have loved flashbacks to the beginning phase of their relationship.
We are thrown into their broken relationship right from the start and I had trouble relating to Shun's still existing love for selfish baka Nagisa who just up and left for - what? A surf career? Wtf?!
Make this a drama instead, explore the depth of feeling, existential crisis of being gay in backwards Japan (sorry, they're still homophobic af) and a rekindling of their love and I'd be overjoyed...
As it is, it is still an emotional rollercoaster of a movie, family scenes are cute and hopeful, court and 'mum' scenes made me angry. In the end we are left with a realistic outcome that isn't satisfying at all (to me) and reminds me of the heartbreak of "Close-knit".

I cried quite a few times still and that left an overall good impression with me, i was very invested in the story, despite its shortcomings.

Read More

Beautiful

This was a very well done movie. If you're looking for sexual content you made a wrong turn long ago. As someone who experienced parent divorce( like many other children) this hits close to home. Bitterly trying to make the other look bad, this movie will definitely make you appreciate not only your children but the good times in your relationships, finding true love and the things you're willing to do to be the bigger person. My re-watch value is average only cause it's not my style that I feel I could enjoy over and over again. I couldn't find this movie for awhile but once I did I wasn't disappointed and I don't think you will either as long as you understand this movie tackles real life issues and may even help you in being more mature in even daily life.

Read More

Encouraging

Here is a bl which tackles a storyline rarely depicted in this genre. How does societal views
influence the decisions made by members of the gay community? How does the pressure to be normal lead to deception and even more sorrow?
Lastly, what happens when the eventual truth
comes out and results in the breakdown in the
home, especially when a child is involved. All of these questions and more are carefully dealt
with and handled with sensitivity and sincerity.
The casting of the main couple and the rest of the
cast was excellent. The music set the right tone.
Even the custody trial lawyers introduced a
perspective that is rarely shown. This was a story
that needed to be told. The emotions seemed
natural and heartfelt.

Read More

Laudable Story

I've always loved watching Japanese films. They offer a variety of genres and so far I can't name any movie that failed my taste. I've got a long list of favorites and this movie happens to be one of them. This would be the 4th time I've watched it and it still gives me that same feeling, as if it's the first time I've seen it.

STORY: 10/10 I like how diverse this movie is. It talks about the hardships that gay couples go through, the relationship of a workaholic mother and her young child, an accepting society, the negative effects of divorce on a child, and acceptance of one's true sexuality. I like how this movie used the innocence of a child to show the right thing. The time when Sora told Shun that there's nothing wrong with a guy liking a guy and that moment when she asked Nagisa to apologize to her mother for being selfish on her behalf, how she assured Nagisa that if he apologizes it would be accepted and they can live happily again. HIS made you feel all the emotions that you can feel. The realistic nature of this movie is overwhelming and precise to what's happening in the world. I know how hard it was for Nagisa to decide on letting his wife take custody of Sora however his reason was admirable. No matter what happened though I was happy to see the ending. Divorced couples with extended families can still share the responsibilities of raising a child with love and proper guidance.

ACTORS/CAST: 10/10 The actors did a fine job in portraying their roles. Their acting was so good that even if there were no lines you could still feel their emotions based on the way they move and their facial expressions. Sotomura Sakura (Sora) stole my heart multiple times in this story. This little girl's acting is so good it can melt your heart in an instance. There are no awkward moments. The chemistry between Miyazawa Hio (Shun) and Fujiwara Kisetsu (Nagisa) is undeniable. A simple look, a simple nudge makes you feel that they are indeed a couple. I particularly love the scene where their foreheads were together. There were no words uttered but that moment was incredible. All of the actors in this movie are commendable from the small sweet girl to the old man who told them to be who they are. The cast did extremely well.

MUSIC: 10/10 The musical score of this movie is just right for the scenes where it was added to. Pleasant and soothing to the ears which adds to the magic of the movie.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 Whenever I'm at odds with my children's fathers and with my family, I watch this movie and it gives me peace. So, yeah, perfect rating and not to forget this is the 4th time I'm watching it and I'll watch it over and over again.

OVERALL: 10/10 This movie made me realize a lot of things as a single mother and as an individual, because of that I rated this movie 10/10. The fact that this movie made me reflect on my life as a mother is exceptional. How a young girl was able to make people change the way that they're thinking is praiseworthy. This girl at a young age was able to see the good instead of the bad. That there is still a society that wasn't "void of kindness". And as the old woman said we should live proudly. Be true to ourselves and accept who we are.

ON THE FUNNY SIDE: This movie has challenged me to break eggs using one hand only.

Read More