1
realdeal
philippines
I didn't watch the Korean version so I can't compare even if I did I won't waste my time with this japan VS. Korea thing. As for the movie I won't say It was epic film but its indeed a great film. Some may say it has a weak plot cause there are so many why's factors after watching the movie but movies like this I don't care about those things I'll just eat what the director present to me that appears to be a VS. (duel) between characters with same situation, a duel with their beliefs. I really like the pacing of the movie it didn't have any of those boring parts that Japanese critics hate even those less action parts with Tanaka and his friends as they add fun elements to the movie.
Like I said I won't talk about this VS. thing between Korea and japan but I'll talk about this VS. thing This between yamada and fujiwara. As a fan of yamada and even if I'm not a fan of yamada I believe he's a better actor. Fujiwara did a great job but as I said in my earlier comment about monsterz I can think actors who can play this type of character better, fujiwara has this bad hobbit to overact and thankfully it didn't happen in this film. As for yamada tho not his best performance but he did great as well, he can act calm but when it requires intensity damn he can give you that. I always hate protect-everything-type of character but with his portrayal makes me wanna root for him. The VS. Battle between these two actors I will give slight edge to yamada IMO...but the sure thing is the fact that I compare them means they have great chemistry as enemies. Other actors did good too like satomi she has less screen time but she did play her character well and she and yamada still have chemistry like back in their H2 days like for example that scenes where they talk about maps, their magic didn't fade I really love seeing those 2 back again. The actor who played jun surprise me too he played a gay character believable lmao.
Lastly about the strongest part of the movie its epic soundtrack. I believe that a films soundtrack is crucial to a film cause it sets the mood to a certain scene and I can say seriously that this films soundtrack is one of the best if not the best soundtrack I heard in my years of watching Japanese movies the theme is haunting it haunts me even after watching I still hear the tune in my brain.
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The visuals are very engaging if you don't get what the filmmaker trying to say atleast the visuals will make you keep on watching, like that bicycle scene, girl in a high school uniform underwater scene. I love the camera work the zoom in and the unsteady camera gives you a documentary feel to it, you will feel what the characters are feeling.. A great example of this is when the father, dying shaman mother trying to tease their daughter as they relax to their kinda garden part of the house Its a great scene the laughter their bonding as the camera shows that to you...their connection WONDERFUL. The piano music the wind music and that folk kinda song blends well to those scenes plus sounds of the waves, wind and the leaves brushing to each other.
No famous actors here but the performance of the actors are natural it is great but to me 3 characters really stands out which is the daughter(the main female protagonist), the shaman dying mother, and the loving surfer father). The father as he deliver that lyrical dialogue about waves is spot on, And that dying mother....her dying scene is one of the best I've seen powerful performance by her those tears where not fake and her acceptance about dying is really well played. And lastly the female Protagonist Yoshinaga JUn....I will remember your name There something about your aura that tell me your gonna be a fine fine terrific actress someday maybe someone like doona bae, like doona you can show emotions just with eyes, powerful asset and like doona your not afraid of doing nude for the sake of film...if a guy does nude in a film its MANLY if a girl does nude its slutty ppl thinks that but im not one of those closed minded ppl to me they are brave ready to do anything for the sake of their art.
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Well anyway heres what I like about this film.
first the love story
I expect this to be a dark movie and yes its dark but I was surprised it has one of the best love stories I watched and its more tragic than titanic. Just imagine this..two people wanted to be loved met in a dating site but the timing was wrong cause the guy just killed a girl before their meeting and I said this is more tragic than titanic cause in titanic jack died but he still remain in rose heart...in akunin yes the guy still remain in the girls heart but she now thinks that hes a murderer..akunin.
Second is the grayish akunin character
While watching the movie you will ask yourself is this guy good or bad, earlier part of the film portrays him to be a somewhat misunderstood kid but later part portrays him to be a bad person..the part where the mother tells that he took money from her and his grandmother blaming herself tells this and why he suddenly wanted to kill his lover near the end WTF.
Third is the acting
The father portrayed by akira emoto and the grandmother portrayed by kirin kiki are the ones that made me cry. these two characters has to be the most authentic holy motha faka piece of acting that I watched. Father searching for justice and the grandma blaming for herself. the lead are both fantastic in fact this masterpiece film made me think that satoshi tsubamuki is the best japanese young actor living today...his way of portraying a gray character needs praise, he didnt overdo the BAD side of the character to make the character clear gray...that for me is fuck*n hard and eri fukatsu tho not that great in some dramas I watched with her..but here I dont know what happen but she really shines here every emotion shown by her character goes deep to your heart facial express everything perfect. And their chemistry is one of the best seriously.
fourth is the music
the music composed by joe hisashi gives a very dark ambiance to the movie but his song gives life to a one of the best love stories ever told. I kept saying that credits ost is not just a piece of shit music at the end but it has to summarize what you just watched (the concept of the movie) and this song was the epitome of that....A dark love.
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How many of you guys Jdrama lovers who just thought of one day you walk away from home go to other places where theres no one that know you? well Im one of those, actually watching drama is just my one way of escaping reality.
The story is about a girl who just came out of prison and being like that is not a good thing specially in japan, you will be treated different and not just you but also your family.....she just felt nobody understand her and she's just a burden so she left, making one million yen in each places she goes then repeat the process again and again.
Its a relaxing movie to watch, the scenery is great from beach to farm to shopping district. There are moments where there are no background music and all you can hear is sounds....waves, wind, walking etc. so yes its one of those slow japanese movie so its not for everyone.
Two main actors I like are in this movie aoi yu and moriyama....IMO these two actors are the best showing emotions without talking and aoi yu for me is the female moriyama LOL. This movie has open ending...and I really like open ending in a movie, cause with that we have our own interpretation so our attachment to the film will continue even after the ending credits and this movie has a great ending credits song that really embodies what a ending credits song/music is suppose to be, which should bring the feels that summarize what you just watch. THE FINAL KICK!!!
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An emotional state where you feel affection for someone and you can't get that person out of your mind, affecting your ability to focus on other things.
When fulfilled, feels like you're on top of the world.
This is the film's definition of the word love and I really love this film that I call this a masterpiece.
Word hunters that's how I described dictionary makers, this movie show their fun way of gathering words and how they decide for the accurate meaning of the word and how the people use that word. This movie will make you realize that making dictionary is one of the hardest jobs in the world. A movie about making dictionary seems boring but to me its different and this is why I love japanese movie they offer different story to movie lovers like me. Its a must see movie especially if you love words and your into japanese language one of the most informative movies i watched. I love how they compare a dictionary to a boat floating into a sea of words. At first I thought this movie will become artsy slow film but to me it was not a slow movie..I call it well executed. So many unexpected things in this movie, judging the poster and reading the synopsis who can tell this movie has the lamest love letter and the lamest proposal ever LMAO!!
The acting is great..I thought this is the first time I saw ryuhei matsuda but It happens that he is the japanese guy from the raid movie no way you can tell its the same person. You can tell matsuda really study his character and didnt just copy any nerdy character from other movies, his way of portraying a nerdy/serious guy who dont have social skills but ironically who loves words is really terrific..he really deserves the best actor award on this. Supporting character are great too like odagiri and miyazaki...no nonsense acting by miyazaki and this was the first time i saw odagiri portray this type of character, his chemistry to the main lead is great their personality is different but they form great moments on screen.
The music is great too totally sets the mood and fits the story and I love how the director capture the sounds from the background which adds to the ambiance.
This film lefts a question that I can't probably know the answer forever.
What is the true definition of the word right?
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This movie is a feel good movie, tho not a movie and tho I cant explain why, but this remind me of this one unique breath of fresh air drama called ozosaki no himawari. If you love this movie you will also love that drama in a way. The music....the music is not memorable aside from that samba music LOL. The chemistry between the girl lead and yonsuke is great...love the scene at the restaurant where she is laughing at him. The acting i was impressed with kengo kora, he just made yonosuke a fun character, I notice some yonosuke's habits when he move and i thought it is brilliant acting...I love his hair too.
The movie that will make you smile..and I thought the ending credts song great.
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As a yamada fan I thought the director and script writer are amateur-ish
As a yamada fan I think the story concept could be great but sadly NOT
AS A yamada fan I thought his character is lame at the beginning
As a yamada fan I was glad his character develops near the end
As a yamada fan he and piere taki lily franky acts great
As a yamada fan his court scene is the most intense scene I saw from him
As a yamada fan This movie is terrible
haha I know watching a movie based on an actor is not good, but knowing how great yamada takayuki is how great his co actors is how great the trailer and HOW F-CKING GREAT POTENTIAL THIS STORY CONCEPT HAS I was nearly sure this was going to become a masterpiece, but for some reason the director and scriptwriter didnt know the borderline of being artsy and being boring. If yamada's character didnt develop then this is without a doubt yamada's poorest performance ever. The writer didnt even bother to put some spice in his character at the beginning. It is colorless so your watching a colorless scene for about half the movie, A script can make a great actor look bad this is one of those case. Pierre takis character Develops unrealistic too, so he became good just like that?? And how yamada was so eager to pursue this case was also not well done, you just dont understand why he acts like that,
Bad movie dont watch unless your a yamada fan.
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The movie is slow, but it is so realistic that you feel you're not watching a movie. I love how the family handles the situation and how the parents realize about themselves when they exchange the child.
IF you don't like a slow artsy movie then it's not for you.
IF you want something different then it's for you.
IF you want to relax and stop thinking about your daily work then it's for you
I don't cry in this movie..this is NOT a tearjerker movie...but the effect will last long.
The scene when a father was holding a camera and browsing at the pictures taken by his 6 yr old former son is what HITS me.
[ koreeda style is this......he will make you walk calmly slowly THEN a f*cking truck
came and hit you in the end, the damage will stay with you for months ].
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