Reviews

Touching and ultimately satisfying.

The movie has a different feel and pacing from the series, and initially, I was disappointed as I was looking for, and missing, the lightness and humour that was such a part of Cherry Magic. I thought about bailing, but I kept watching because those two actors are just that good. Seriously, I'd pull out the popcorn and the lapquilt just to listen to them do a table read of my insurance policy's fine print. Once I settled into the movie, I started to enjoy it for what it was: a more serious take on what would happen once the magic of a fairytale dissipates. By the halfway mark, I was totally invested in the film, and closer toward the finish line I kept mentally tagging places that I knew I'd want to rewind to. All in, I felt it was a touching end to a wonderful series, and, as the titles says: ultimately satisfying.

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This isn't your average BL trope so do not expect romance.

Yes, this short film is under a niche genre that mainstream gay films rarely and almost never talk about. Likewise, fans don't necessarily like this type of trope.
The amount of realism is on point, then it tricks your head and confuses you with the weird actions of the characters.
The hint of immorality may seem off-putting for viewers. But I think that was the whole point. Interactions were meant to make you uncomfortable, but the point is you still enter the gates of hell despite knowing what lies ahead and what it offers.

L and Uncle act like a couple. But they aren't. L is in love with Uncle, and there was a hint Uncle was, too. But they both are too scared to admit. L, because he knows where he stands in reality. Uncle because he lives in reality with no option. Or so he thinks. Whether the separation Sun adviced him refers to L, or his wife, is unclear and open-ended.
Sun and Roger show two different types of detachment to relationships.
Sun, hoping to rekindle something he lost. Hoping to tug back the feeling he thinks has escaped him. He is there, but he isn't. He tries to be. But he feels empty, even after all that.
Roger is the main man who holds the orgies. He is there, he is part of the copulation and the pleasure, from start to finish. He recieves and gives and make sure everyone gets their cut of the warmth. But for some reason, he doesn't seem to be there. It's a different feeling of emptiness than Sun.
Sun's emptiness was brought about by a loss, he cannot accept. The lack of feeling resulting from not being able to have or keep something.
Roger, though, his emptiness comes because of his own fear of attachment. He is there. He feels everything and everyone, anyone but himself... He didn't lose anything or anyone important. He probably just wanted to feel alive.
Duke, who went there to experiment and experience, then realized that the lack of emotional attachment of orgies was not for him and so he went back to his regular life.

It's fun how the director used the ORGY to depict the various loneliness beneath the surface of the community. It's such a niche genre, I doubt a lot of people will like or understand. But personally, I love this.
The psychedelic effect of the lighting, the disorientation of clip sequencing, the lack of conclusion in each story that plays with your mind which adds more to the realism... The awkwardness, the confusion... it's all so unique and captivating.
You wanna pull away, but you can't because it gives you so much curiosity. Only to leave you hanging on a cliff because that was it. It ends when you start having questions, which are unlikely to be answered.
So you are left sitting there, staring at the screen pondering what you've just watched... refusing to believe that, that was it. It's done...

A fairy tale with no happy endings, just continuous existence... and reeks of poisonous gas instead of pixie dusts...

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My fellows I rarely write a review EVER, but this movie deserves one....

If I am saying that I have not cried that much in 5-7 years then I really mean it.
I am not talking bout light flakey tears, I am talking bout sobbing, non stop rivers of tears.
So if you are down for a emotional ride and a good cry. Here you go.

Got this movie recommended and thought it would be fun to watch as a time killer. Oh boy was I wrong.

The main and side characters are all so pure, innocent, genuine and kind-hearted.
I love it the most, when people are considerate, understanding and patient. This movie was the definition of it.
The story is so natural and refreshing, the actors and actresses. MY GOD. THEIR ACTING.... M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E!

It is a true delight and I am very grateful for the director and everyone involved in this movie, because it might be my favorite movie in maybe 4 years? Everything is a built up of a perfect end result.

I finished it 10 minutes ago and my feelings are still very raw and I aam still slightly overwhelmed.
It literally awakened so many feelings I have not felt in a long time.

I just read that many people rated it relatively lowly, because of the ending.
But guys honestly the ending is maybe 10 minutes of the whole movie.
There are 1h and 50min left to enjoy fully, which are so worth it.

Idk if you can even call it a review, but this is what I felt and I think I should share it with you guys.
If you are down for an emotional awakening, this movie is IT! Especially when you have been very numb for a long time.

If you have plans later that day and want to meet friends after the movie I totally not recommend. Your eyes will be very red and you will feel MANY emotions.

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So Goes My Love is a short, sweet, predictable love story, but that doesn't mean it was bad. Just short, sweet, and predictable.

Shigeo and Miyako have fallen in love and moved in together, against his father's wishes. Being the first born son and heir and stubbornly choosing his own mate has gotten him disowned by his traditional father. Shigeo doesn't care, he's willing to rough it as he works on his novel while Miyako works as a hostess at a nice café. It doesn't take long for him to realize that writing is hard and living takes money. He berates himself for being a loser and Miyako for loving such a loser.

Shigeo's sister, Toshiko, comes along to break up the monotony by giving them a surprise visit as she wonders at the lower classes. Miyako treats her with respect and kindness, despite the sudden visit as she is readying for work. Toshiko takes one look around and realizes this woman is no gold-digger but someone who would be a good wife for her churlish brother.

Shigeo visits his uncle to try and find work, but his meddlesome uncle creates more problems for him. One by one the family members are won over by Miyako's kindness and sincerity, but will it be enough to break through the patriarch's stone heart?

Many of the problems in this story were created by the collision of traditional and modern values as well as generational conflicts. There was also the issue of the prideful male egos at play. As the heir, Shigeo had bucked tradition and chosen his own mate, something his father seemingly could not accept.

As with many films from this era there was a mix of traditional and Western dress and furniture. Toshiko took the couple out to a German movie which Shigeo walked out of. It made me wonder if the director’s personal beliefs bled through about this turbulent political time.

Most of the acting was natural and believable. Takasugi Sanae gave a gentle performance as the kind and hard-working Miyako. Takamine Mieko as the vivacious sister provided just the right spark as the bridge between the couple and Shigeo’s family and a cheerleader for the lovers.

The only drawbacks for me were the cold father and son, with few words of encouragement for anyone. I wondered what Miyako saw in Shigeo. We come into the story with his male pride damaged by not having the skills to write and unable to find a job while Miyako goes off every night to work. Despite their differences the couple deeply loved each other.

Even with Shigeo’s occasional rude behavior, typical of so many cold male leads, I enjoyed this short, simple romance. It didn’t explore any new territory and didn’t delve deeply into societal or relationship woes, it was just a straightforward story of a boy and a girl who have to decide if the struggle and their love are worth the pain.


11/12/22

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Love the sismance, hate the dad.

One thing for sure - the dad in this movie will not win the award for the best father. While the sismance between the three sisters was amazing, I kept getting slightly frustrated every time they mentioned the dad, and how little reaction everyone had with the fact he had basically 3 different families in 3 different countries.

Hsia Ru Shu? A saint. The way she just took everything in, did not really complain much, never freaked out or yelled at anyone - is this emotionally detached reaction even possible in real life? It’s not that she did not care, just just accepted everything, as if it’s normal. Maybe it just shows her attitude towards her father at the beginning of the movie - she had such little expectations, even a big news like that did nothing to faze her.

That said, I did love her interaction and bond with the other two sisters. I loved how fast they clicked, and more realistic and emotional reactions from any of them would make it far less enjoyable. As long as I did not try to dive deep into their current situation, and just enjoyed what was happening on screen - it’s quite a well paced and moving journey.

The one thing I disliked about the show were the countless excuses made for the dad. I had no issue with him being a questionable parent, my issue was the fact they tried to make him look like a good, but misunderstood one - which was not true. The framing matters, and I hated it here.

One of the best parts of the movie? How visually beautiful it was. I am one that appreciates nice shots a lot. I’m willing to watch a bad movie, as long as it’s beautifully done. This had both good writing and amazing filming.

Performance wise, I especially enjoyed Sammi Cheng and Megan Lai. Their emotional delivery, even though quite different, just worked so well with who the characters they were playing are.

Overall, I would definitely recommend it. There is not much plot, and the whole movie focuses on forming relationships, grieving, reconnecting with people in your life and letting go of past misunderstandings and regrets.

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Poisonous or poisoned?

This is the tale of a "poisonous" woman, you know, the kind that is independent, morally gray, and does what needs to be done to support her husband. The kind of woman who can upend society and must be dealt with before she brings a country to its knees. Oden was just such a woman. This story was very loosely based on the last woman to be beheaded in Japan. Directly after her execution they did a primitive autopsy, paying close attention to her female parts in order discern what caused her to be a deviant woman.

In this film, Oden had an ex-husband who was a degenerate gambler, an alcoholic and a womanizer. He took care of their daughter and I use that term loosely. She also had a current husband with TB who depended on her completely and yet constantly berated her for finding ways to bring home money. After a botched shoplifting job of a diamond she ended up with a Yakuza lover and a police officer lover. Of all of them, it was the officer whom she fell in love with and the one she was willing to walk away from in order to keep him from ruin.

The Yakuza forced her to bring him women for his sex slave operation. Constantly bounced between the demands and desires of the men in her life, including their violence, it was no wonder Oden wandered down a dark path. When at last she found the courage to make a break with all of them and to take her daughter away to start a new life, tragedy struck.

By the end of the movie all the main players converged in Yokohama. A police officer showed up looking for her, not the violent boss in control of her, but this dangerous woman. The young officer who had fallen in love with her had completely lost his way and his job, poisoned by her love. The sweet young girl he was supposed to marry became ensnared in the destructive drama as well. By this time Oden was ready for revenge against the men who had helped guide her to this sorry state. In a fiery, bloody climax, normalcy once again wrestled control of the situation. Oden had fought to survive in the only ways she could find available to her, was utterly failed by every man in her life, and yet she was considered the destructive poisonous force.

Wakasugi Katsuko made for a beautiful conflicted criminal. She was able to play the soft woman who wanted to help the people in her life and the heartless woman who could lead women like herself into the lair of a sadistic crime boss.

Even though Oden did some reprehensible things, her charm and allure made her a fascinating character. I suspect I saw the character through more sympathetic eyes than the director did. Instead of being a poisonous danger to society, I saw a poisonous society that had let her and her daughter down. Had her first husband cared for her and his child instead of drinking and gambling away their money she might never have turned to crime to support herself and others around her. In the case of A Wicked Woman, I found Oden to be the one poisoned, never finding the antidote or someone to save her.

11/11/22

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HUGE TW *COMFORT WOMEN*

The theme of this movie is very heavy so the tone throughout the movie is obviously serious and dark. The first 30 minutes is slow but once the flashback started, it got serious so fast.

The whole flashback scene was so heavy and devastating and for some would be too much to bear. Personally, I had to pause several times because the scenes is very detailed and the acting was very convincing. It is also very eye-opening as this part of history. This will leave you in tears so if you planning to watch this, mentally and physically prepare yourself.

p/s: Do stick until the ending credits.

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"It's ok if you don't remember me; I'll remember you."

"Oh! My Gran" is a classic heart-wrenching movie with a twist of justice.

Nowadays, almost every movie with the synopsis of dementia on elders, it'd almost a guaranteed hit on the tear-jerking genre. Well, it's not wrong. But add the plot with a time constraint, say there's a criminal on loose who's getting away as day passes. Then, stack it up with comedic moments of misery that elder with dementia could cause, and serve it up with those bubbly backstories that add to sentiments.

At the end of it, you've got a korean movie that dances around your smiles and tears, tugging your heart along for the ride.

And that's "Oh! My Gran".

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Not Good Enough

Japanese Movie " Boys! Please Kiss Him, Not Me " is an adaption from the anime under the same name.

And it does have that anime-manga feel. However, the story is all over the place. And, it is boring to boot. There is no point in it, no progress and no character develpment. Sure, the relationship betwee the girl and the boys is sweet and their dynamics on point, but their characters were one dimensional and typical soujou manga heroes.

The performances, on the other hand, were all enjoyable and the actors and actresses of the cast did a good job presenting their characters, even though the script didn't aid them.

So, overall, two out of ten.

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Not Good Enough

Japanese Movie " Blue, Painful, and Brittle " is a melodrama with a dark twist.

The movie tends to have a psychological aspect to it, with the two main characters acting out and colliding. And true, the way the movie handled the back and forth at the begining, making things intriguing and thrilling with the mystery behind what happened in the past.

However, things got out of hand. Things were rushed in the end and the characters had to have a character development in just a few scenes. The pace was, in addition, all over the place.

Finally, the performances were great by all the actors and actresses of the cast, and, especially, the leads.

So, overall, four out of ten.

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Good Enough

Japanese Movie " Awake " is a drama about the riverly in sports-games.

The movie starts out pretty intriguing, hooking the viewer and making them wonder what will happen. The amtosphere is also spot on, dakr and mysterious, giving the feeling that this is going to be an interesting psychological thriller.

However, the ending is A) rushed B) lukewarm, and C) a letdown. The movie was building up to the final showdown and that was it? It could certainly have been better handled.

The performances, on the other hand, were all great by everyone in the cast, especially the two main leads.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean movie " 20th Century Girl " is a romantic comedy with a bittersweet feeling.

The story is masterfully presented, by utilizing the misunderstanding twist and making it work. It is youthful, nostalgic, and presents a sweet love story.

The performances, in addition, were all great by all the actors and actresses in the cast. But the leading lady stole the show admittedly.

However, the ending could have been handled better, as it left a lot of plot holes and it wasn't as good as the rest of the movie. Not that the conclusion wasn't interesting, but it wasn't explained. Rather, it was rushed.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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Comforting but a little disjointed

This was pretty cliche but that didn't prevent it from being a really fun and comforting watch; this was one of those school-setting films that I absolutely love for its nostalgic factor. The romance was very innocent and heart-warming, combined with the coming-of-age element it was just a really feel-good watch.

I do think there are some cuts that are confusing — it's as if important scenes where characters communicated were cut out and I had to fill in the blanks on my own (which is surprising considering that this movie has quite a hefty runtime for its genre).

The acting is a little stiff sometimes and in those moments this really feels like an idol movie (a movie where it feels like the primary reason for its making is to show off a singer's vocals instead of telling an actual story), but with that being said, the OST 100% holds up and the songs and vocals are impeccable.

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"We live in a fishbowl, and people love to talk."

Sisters of the Gion tackled a familiar subject for this particular era among directors who were critical of the class structure and state of women. Omocho and her older sister Umekichi were geishas who had different approaches to their work. Both thought they knew the best way to navigate their difficult existence. Only time would tell who was right.

Umekichi's patron, Furusawa had recently gone bankrupt and left his wife and children. He moved in with the sisters much to the younger sister, Omocho's, chagrin. The more traditional Umekichi felt an obligation to Furusawa. Omocho was the exact opposite. Men used them for what they could get out of them, she felt they should do the same to men. She hated men's predatory behavior and was willing to do whatever was necessary to gain a patron and stable lifestyle. Behind in their rent and unable to buy one good kimono between the two of the them, their new houseguest was a luxury they could not afford. Omocho worked to find both of them patrons and enough money for Furusawa to take the train back to his wife.

In the process of procuring a silk kimono and gaining a patron, Omocho made a dangerous enemy. Umekichi also found out how important she was to Furusawa when his fortunes changed.

Sisters of the Gion was an interesting look at the life of rank and file geishas in a time when their popularity was waning. The sisters were on the bottom rung of society and struggling to make ends meet, depending on men's needs and money to provide for them. Though one sister played by the rules and the other tried to be more independent, both were stuck in a world neither wanted to be in but with very few options for a way out. Director Mizoguchi never candy coated their miserable existence nor did he make Omocho vicious in her intentions. The women were dependent on whatever they could gain from their male clientele, men who could use them or forget them on a whim. It was no wonder Omocho despised the men she had to enthrall in order to eke out an existence. Like everyone she wanted to feel safe, but with her low status that entailed a great deal of risk.

Some of the director's choices could make it hard to connect with the characters. The camera was often set up high and at a distance which made it difficult to see facial expressions. This was complicated even more when a character had their back to the camera. It's not easy to feel empathetic when you can't see how characters are feeling. Fortunately, Yamada made good use of her voice to reel this viewer in. There were only a couple of scenes with a close-up, one put to good use in the final scene when Omocho let loose a tirade of despair and agony too long held back.

Yamada Isuzu had the strongest performance as the modern, more feminist sister bent on securing them a better life. The story gave her plenty to work with. Umemura Yoko was saddled with playing the demure, compliant sister willing to do whatever her former patron needed, making sure he was happy and comfortable even at the loss of her own happiness and comfort. The men came across as largely interchangeable. Given the theme, that may have been by design.

At times cynical, at other times humorous, SotG refused to serve the viewer up a happy or hopeful ending. Despite the sisters' opposing philosophies, both failed. Both suffered. In the end, neither gained anything for their troubles except more trouble. The final scene while cathartic, also came across heavy-handed as the director spelled out his opinion of the sisters' status. Despite the difficult topic, Sisters of the Gion is a film worth seeking out if you like older films and especially this gifted director's works. Sisters of the Gion won the Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film in 1937.

11/10/22

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