Reviews

Coming of Age

Itomichi is a fascinating and heartfelt coming-of-age story that revolves around highschool student Soma Ito. Awkward and shy due to the embarrassment of her unique Tsugaru dialect, she keeps to herself most of the time and doesn’t have any friends. She does happen to be an extremely talented Tsugaru-Shamisen musician, a skill inherited from her mother, but due to her introverted personality, she conceals her talent from outsiders. The film will showcase Soma Ito’s journey of growth to realising her potential both as a person and a budding traditional folk musician. The title Itomichi refers to the thread that is used on the finger when playing the shamisen.

Yokohama Satoko directed and wrote the screenplay for this film, which is an adaptation of the eponymous novel written by Osamu Koshigaya who specialises in youth themes. Itomichi is her second book to be adapted into a film. Takuma Watanabe (Aristocrats) serves as the composer. The theme song Eden no Shoujo comes from Mishiranu Sekai, the 10th album of Ningen Isu, a Japanese 3-piece rock band. Katsumi Yanagishima (Zatoichi, Battle Royale) is the cinematographer for this project.

Principal photography took place from September to October 2020 entirely in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture and features scenes of Hirosaki City, Itayanagi Town, Kitatsugaru District, and Hirakawa City. Itomichi won the Best Picture Award and Audience Award at the 16th Osaka Asian Film Festival as well as numerous other awards at the 13th TAMA film Award, 34th Nikkan Sports Film Awards (New Face Award for Ren Komai) and 95th Kinema Junpo Best Ten Japanese Movies (9th placing).

What I Liked

First of all, the narrative and the storytelling approach. This is one of the most intriguing coming-of-age films I’ve seen. I have a preference for slow burn, emotive and inspiring stories when it comes to depictions of slice-of-life with realism and relatability. For me, Itomichi undoubtedly falls within this category, with a dose of Japanese sensibility. In fact, Japanese filmmakers are masters of this distinctive approach to the genre where all elements of the story blend beautifully with the cultural aspects and atmospherics of the setting. Case in point, the juxtaposition of traditional music and modern cosplay which represents the context of this film.

In addition to the direction, other production aspects are equally well executed, which further enhances the quality of the screenplay. The filming locale has a charming appeal that is exquisitely framed by the excellent cinematography. The stunning visuals not only showcase the beauty of the setting but also evoke a somewhat nostalgic mood to the storytelling. I certainly appreciated some of the quiet and delicate moments that conveyed the complexity and depth of emotions despite having minimal dialogue between the characters.

The music in this film constitutes the backdrop of the story and abundantly features the traditional folk themes of the Tsugaru-Shamisen that is native to the Tsugaru region. I’m a huge fan of traditional music and as far as Japanese folk music is concerned, the shamisen is an enchanting instrument that is a favourite of mine. It’s ever present in Japanese jidaigeki productions but rarely, if ever, in contemporary films so I’m utterly thrilled that the beautiful sounds of the shamisen is afforded the spotlight in this story.

Komai Ren impresses as the central character, Soma Ito. Her absorbing portrayal exudes an aura of mystique that gradually draws viewers in, as it did for me. I honestly do think she was the right choice for the female lead, having also been born in Aomori which is the setting of the narrative, and she speaks the Tsugaru dialect fluently. Fun fact: In preparation for her role, she had trained playing the Tsugaru-Shamisen for nine months.

Toyokawa Etsushi, the multiple Japan Academy Award winner and recipient of numerous acting honours, plays Soma Koichi. His experience truly shines even in a supporting role, through his subdued and nuanced interpretation of Soma Ito’s father. Kurokawa Mei portrays the charismatic Kasai Sachiko while Nakajima Ayumu cuts an enigmatic figure of Kudo Yuichiro, the manager of the maid coffee shop. Yokota Mayuu’s headstrong and manga-loving Fukushi Tomomi completes the team of maids.

The final aspect that I have enjoyed immensely is the perfectly executed and extremely befitting ending. There’s nothing more gratifying than a production that sticks the landing flawlessly, complete with a powerful stage performance of the Tsugaru Aiyabushi.

Final Thoughts

Do not be fooled by the poster (at the time of writing, in case it gets changed by MDL). The fluffy vibes are somewhat misleading and completely misrepresent the actual tone of the film. If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming and poignant film with realistic portrayals and enthralling music, then Itomichi would most certainly be worth checking out.

Read More

Kid's do not do stupid s***, also there will not be a Dimond, so do not look for it.

To be honest this started off a bit boring and is one of those movies that seems to spoil itself... it was not really that the pace was slow or anything wrong with the start it was just kind of cliche with the slight difference that the lead was not very lovable which I kind of liked...

"That boy is going to make something of himself" did however not age well unless death row is making something of ones self... which it kind of is, so maybe I will take this back and just say... pay attention to those words... and think about what they can do to a person...

However as the story goes on it does get more and more interesting and actually does manage to bring a tear or two to my eye, even if it has highly predictable twists, they are done pretty well. With quite a few touching scenes it also shows complicated family ties and the difference between the friendships that build you and those who destroy you...

I guess the lessons here are pretty ok...

The scenery is pretty, the acting is good the OST is just full of violins... and not much more.

However this feels real in a way many similar movies and dramas do not...

Definitely a movie worth watching if you just get passed that first not so mind-blowing half...

Read More

Bruce Lee wrote, directed and starred in Way of the Dragon, taking the crew to Rome to film among the Coliseum ruins.

Way of the Dragon begins as more of a comedic story with Bruce as the fish out of water in Rome trying to help with a family business. Nora Miao's restaurant is under attack from a developer who wants her to sell. Bruce's character plays the unstoppable force who can take on an entire army of bad guys. Ultimately, the Big Bad calls in Chuck Norris to rid him of the troublesome new guy.

I found the first half of the movie less than enthralling. Much of it was supposed to be funny but I didn't get the humor, especially a long running gag with Bruce having gastrointestinal distress.

The second half of the movie is pure martial arts magic. Some versions cut out a scene with Bruce taking on a group of thugs with not one set of, but two sets of nunchucks. It also shows why amateurs should not try those tricks at home, which was really funny. The climax of the movie with Bruce fighting Chuck Norris is a classic. Chuck was a legitimate and respected karate champion. Bruce wanted someone who could keep up with him and the fight was highly entertaining. Bruce asked Chuck to gain some weight to make him look more formidable and it would seem to not shave his back hair (chest hair was considered sexy in the 1970's). A cat watching the events played out some of the emotions of the two fighters and the audience.

Bruce Lee was artistry to watch, when he slowed down enough for us to catch even a fraction of his moves. Despite my disappointment with some elements of this film, no actor had a better "I'm through playing around now" look than Bruce had. His intensity was smoldering. The fights in the second half of the movie ran the gamut from fun to tense, to enthralling. If you enjoy martial arts movies, and haven't seen this one, you need to put it on your list. The classic fights in it are not to be missed.

Read More

method acting gone awry

This is actually a really intriguing movie about a method actor who doesn't know where to separate himself from the character. If the character he plays is in love, so is he, and that actually makes him a bad method actor. David Suchet (the British actor who played Poirot for 25 years) is also a method actor and a brilliant one. He became Poirot every time he put the mustache on. That was his triggering point to become the character that he played. The voice, the walk, the demeanor, the stature, everything else fell into place for him once that mustache was put on.

This guy does not have something that triggers him to become the character once the camera (a.k.a the play) is rolling. He just becomes the character permanently until the play is over and he doesn't have a use for the character anymore. This isn't about a guy suddenly discovering he's gay. It's about a guy who can't rein in his method-acting ability and give it a skeleton, a structure. It's really tragic, actually. I mean, his poor wife, suffering through this every time he's in a play? Yikes. This time seems to be worse though since he never filled out any of his method-acting notebooks for Unchain, which means he was even more unstable than usual with not even notebooks to ground him into Walter's motivations and personality traits.

I get people wanting to label this BL, but it's not. I mean, maybe Young Woo is gay or bi, possibly, but even more than that, he's pretty psychotic. The dude had scary vibes rolling off him in waves at the end. Everything they did was done as the characters of Walter and Singer. It's all fake, people. They're so into their characters of Walter and Singer that they're not themselves anymore. Which really means they shouldn't be actors.

It was good, and a really good look into the idea of method acting gone seriously awry. Maybe the original story was intended as BL (I honestly have no idea), but that is not the message I got.

Read More

Was randomly looking up stuff to watch and thought that I might as well watch an old movie when Seungho was much younger. And since it's a murder mystery, that's another plus point.

I have to say that it's interesting to see Yoo Seungho, Kang Sora and few other familiar faces looking a lot younger than I usually see them. And it amused me to see Park Chulmin in this movie as well, acting as Junghoon's teacher.

Half of me wished that this movie could've been much longer, like there are some parts that I wished had been elaborated further but it served the purpose. The mystery of the true killer wasn't really too complicated yet still kept me guessing until the end. The movie really provide quite a suspense with the chases by a secondary suspect and later the actual killer as Dajung and Junghoon tried to escape with their lives.

Like I mentioned earlier, there was quite a few loose ends remained unresolved, in which it may feel like watching an incomplete story but overall still an entertaining thriller.

Read More

Could Have Been Great, but Instead Annoyed Me

Are You Pregnant with My Child? looks like it tried to tell a thought provoking story, but failed miserably.
I don't understand everyone in the Youtube comment sections praising the video. It makes all lesbians look bad.

STORY:
A few months prior, Hyunsoo's ex-girlfriend Yeoni had an odd request for him. She asked for his sperm donation so she could try IVF since he had all of the qualities of a perfect man. He asked her if they could do it the more natural way and get back together and she refused, but was adamant about the IVF.

In the present, Hyunsoo meets up with his crush Mihee at a cafe. She has some special news for him... She is pregnant with his child. Hyunsoo is confused until Mihee tells him to remember what happened with his Yeoni. He gets even more confused until Yeoni arrives at the cafe. Mihee and Yeoni reveal that they are getting married and that through IVF, Mihee is carrying Yeoni's egg and Hyunsoo's sperm. Hyunsoo is now heartbroken, but gives them his blessing.

Honestly, this film is annoying and a waste of time. I'm not even sure what angle the film is going for. At a glance it looks like a pro-Lesbian film, but I feel it does the opposite of that. The entire film is about the lesbian couple having a relationship behind this man's back, then tricking him into giving them his sperm for them to have their happily ever after. How is that acceptable? Even if he was dense and didn't notice that they were in a relationship, they should have told him about who was involved with the IVF and why. They blindsided him with the whole pregnancy and their lesbian relationship. He is their friend for crying out loud! Why didn't they tell him?!

Like I said earlier, I don't understand why people in the youtube comment section are praising this lesbian couple and saying it's cute. It's not. It's toxic. They baby-trapped him with no consideration for his feelings. Even if we ignore the fact that they tricked him with IVF, they really have no consideration for him at all. When he excuses himself to take a break and try to understand the situation, they instantly start a make-out session and don't even stop when he comes back. Rude!

OVERALL;
I feel this film is trying to tackle a hard subject and failed miserably. The way that the lesbian couple went behind Hyunsoo's back the entire film really cemented the fact that the girls are toxic people and they deserve each other. I just feel really bad for Hyunsoo since he was deceived in so many ways. I hope that anyone who watches this doesn't try to copy the girls and trick any unsuspecting man like that. If you want to use IVF then go to an agency, or be honest with the guy you are asking sperm from. Realistically speaking. I think if there isn't paper work for this kind of thing, I think the guy can sue the women for custody if you lie to him.... Anyways, back to the film. Don't bother to watch it unless you are delusional or you hate men.

Read More

A light & entertaining short film that is a visual feast

Interspersed with traditional Korean theatrics (Madanggeuk) and a musical narrative (Pansori) this 20 minute vibrant visual buffet is an entertaining short watch. It's also an advertisement for Apple's I-phone 13 Pro.

I remember American director Steven Soderbergh making 'Unsane' using I-phone in 2017 and was applauded for breaking down the perceived costs associated with producing a feature film so I am not really going to cry about Apple's marketing here. I think this is a great initiative which allows for some innovative plots and experimentation that traditional cinema might not provide to individuals just starting out in the entertainment industry due to the costs and other issues that come hand in hand with experimental cinema.

The movie is enjoyable to watch with great visuals, colourful costumes, harmless comedy and some martial arts moves thrown in. The supernatural element was just right and the amazing music took this to a whole another level.

I don't know whether life is but a dream but this short would definitely have us believe that life is one big party.
What's not to like?

Read More

You can give this one a miss if you've seen the series

Hey, I love Sarawat and Tine. But the fact is that there’s really not much new or groundbreaking material in the movie edition.

Much of the “movie” footage is a recap of what happened in 2gether and Still 2gether, coupled with narration. This is supposed to give the viewer a glimpse into Tine and Sarawat’s mind and what they were thinking at certain junctures. While it’s nice in theory, it falls flat in practice because there was nothing new or surprising that was revealed. Perhaps there simply isn’t very much left to expand on given the 2nd series.

While it promises a “complete edition” with extra scenes, these don’t really amount to much – maybe 20 minutes of new footage out of a 110 minute movie. This means that the extra scenes could really be a special episode at best, but frankly it could also have been a music video.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/02/23/review-2gether-the-movie-2021-is-better-off-as-a-special-episode/

Read More

1st review here! Just an opinion from someone who had already read a part of the manga, but focusing as much possible on the movie.

- Action scenes, as also the cinematographic are so good. Perhaps certain fights, as well effects are forgettable, but I think they fit very well for the atmosphere of the movie.
- Despiting the cold and quiet assassin archetype Fable representsand, I think he is a very interesting character, and his relationship with Misaki, besides to being cute, gives a good contribution in knowing that human side he has, and more with the memories of all the things he experienced since he was a kid. But outside of that, I don't have much to say about the rest of the characters, especially the antagonist, who is a one-dimensional psychopath, and with a disappointing death.
- Casting is decent, im not so convinced with the actor for Fable, but his performances are not bad. Other actors did a good job, for example Kimura Fumino as Yoko, but as I see, many of they are so secondary, that with the limited time they appear in the movie, i can't say much for it either.
- Some of the most notorious jokes seemed cleverly good to me, taking into account that good part movie is based on parodying the archetype of assassin that represents Fable, while other jokes are so out of place that i think these should have stayed only in the manga, but I think its ok for a film adaptation.

Overall: For me, I would tell you that the 1st you most should give a chance to is the manga, in case it catches your attention. However, its a good movie, with interesting things within the plot and the characters that could be polished better, and with a humor which will not be for everyone, but that gives a good result in what it promises.

Read More

Their mouths were filled with words, but their souls were clothed with the unsaid.

The very first week of February, I have realized that I have always desired to live between the borders of the city and the countryside. I both want the busyness of the city and the passive greenery of the countryside; just like how I always found Iceland fascinating with its crisp weather spring and cold, wrathful volcanoes and glaciers.

As I watched Drive My Car, it seemed like I was able to dwell between such paradoxical parallels. I, myself, was in that red Saab 900 having a trip around all my own melancholia, detachment, joy, death, transformation, grace, and, perhaps, hoping that my final destination would be life, itself.

We, the audience, are actually the red Saab 900. As the car took its ride everywhere, it saw the sunny cities only to be blocked by hard, metal and concrete buildings. It hears of the city's sweet promises of opportunities, only to be disturbed by the rushing expressways. Then, it goes a little further from the city only to witness that the natured trees and floras were cold with thick snows. This was also how we perceive the characters in the film: there was beauty and brokenness within them.

Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya was featured in the film in which the main protagonist was working to direct an adaptation of the play using multiple languages: Filipino, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Malay, and even sign language. In spite of its multilingual feature, there is a certain silence or repression imprisoning the film. Their mouths were filled with words, but their souls are clothed with the unsaid.

The silence embracing the film, though, was greatly rich. There were some parts that I was close to shedding a tear even though there were no exaggeratedly loud neither emotively suggestive background music and acting performances. It was not emotionally manipulative and it truly was its genuine intentions and authenticity that moved me.

Drive My Car truly moved me that I didn't even realize that it could be slow. That slowness, though, was very purposive. For that's how it is to go through grief and to wait for life. It can be slow, as if you are being sucked out of life and light. How could you expect a film about grief and healing to move so fast and quick?

Towards the epilogue, Misaki was seen buying her groceries and driving the red Saab 900 with her new friend, a dog (which made me squirm a little for how adorable it was). At that moment, I understood that life is not the final destination. Life, itself, is the journey. For life does not stop, but it keeps going on. The dead has reached their destination already, but, we, the living, must keep going on with the journey. Keep driving your car, humans.

†† † † † ‡

"What can we do? We must live our lives. Yes, we shall live, Uncle Vanya.

We shall live through the long procession of days before us, and through the long evenings; we shall patiently bear the trials that fate imposes on us; we shall work for others without rest, both now and when we are old;

and when our last hour comes we shall meet it humbly, and there, beyond the grave, we shall say that we have suffered and wept, that our life was bitter, and God will have pity on us.

Ah, then dear, dear Uncle, you and I shall see that bright and beautiful life; we shall rejoice and look back upon our sorrow here; a tender smile -- and -- we shall rest.

I have faith, Uncle, fervent, passionate faith."

Read More

Due to humans tearing down a forest and digging too deep, inadvertently unleashing a three-headed fire breathing monster, our heroine Mothra must come out of retirement to protect the Earth.

The Rebirth of Mothra gave the beautiful Kaiju a makeover and a trilogy aimed at kids. With the focus on a young brother and sister there's no doubt who the target audience is. The twin priestesses are no longer called the Cosmos and are no longer twins. Their costumes are brightly colored, and they ride a miniature Mothra-like fairy just to up the cute quotient. We are still gifted with the Mosura song, which they would have been remiss to leave out. Their comically evil sister stirs up trouble as she rides what amounts to a miniature dragon. To make sure you know this movie is aimed at a young audience there is also a lot of glitter and rainbow butterflies galore.

The movie really began for me when they got to the heart of the issue. Because of man's greed and short-sightedness, the Desghidorah is released. This monster sucks up the energy from the earth and forests. Where he goes, a shortage of oxygen also follows causing problems for the local humans. Desghidorah looks like a close cousin of King Ghidorah. Mothra at the end of her life is unable to defeat him and her caterpillar son swims to the rescue. I have to say, this was the most beautiful Mothra metamorphosis out of all of the movies. Her son is given extraordinary powers after cocooning on an ancient, mystical tree.

Because the movie is aimed at children, the action begins early with the fairies fighting and never lets up. The best of the action is when Mothra and Desghidorah are fighting. The fairy sisters battling each other wasn't as entertaining for me. In fact, on a second viewing I skimmed much of the initial action until Mothra and Desghidorah showed up. The children are actively involved in helping the fairies and Mothra. For the most part, the kids did a good job and their dominance on the screen didn't prove too annoying for me.

I was disappointed Mothra's child was a male. Mothra being the only female Kaiju, not counting Bolliante, set her apart. If they wanted to make a more powerful Mothra, why not let a female have some new kickass powers?

I don't usually grade niche movies on a curve after the 1980's but this is a children's monster movie, so I did give it a small rating bump. Don't expect too much from the special effects. Honestly, it looked like it could have been made in the late 1970's or early 80's from all the psychedelic colors. And of course, we're treated to a guy in a rubber suit and miniatures. It is Toho after all. This movie is definitely not a movie for everyone. You have to love Mothra, and if you happen to be over the age of 10, it helps if you are still a child at heart and easily entertained.

Mothra reminds us that she isn't just a pretty monster face. She cements herself as a protector and as a defender of the environment. In The Rebirth of Mothra, humans and Desghidorah were reminded why Godzilla gives her a wide berth. She might look like a butterfly, but she stings like a bee (to paraphrase the late great boxer, Mohammed Ali).

Read More

heartfelt but not enough?

After watching the movie and reading reviews I've come to agree with a few negative ones. The overall storyline was very
beautiful and heartfelt, it teaches a lesson everyone should know, for example, beauty is not everything, it's about what's inside that matters, be careful what you wish for, etc. Although I almost shed a tear it never fell from my eyes, it hit the heart but not hard enough.
The movie lacks much emotional build-up with the main characters, the idea of this film would have been better as a drama to create more suspense and connection. Many periods of time were short (few minute) flashes. The storyline would have been more appreciated if there were more history.
Overall I enjoyed this movie, I do think there could be changes made. The story, acting/cast, and music were all pretty good, like saying moderately strong to the line of best fit in math LOL. I would not rewatch this movie even with all the good qualities. The main plot is too memorable and not in the good way to watch this movie multiple times.

Read More

Light romantic comedy with a pinch of BDSM101

The curiosity led me to watch this movie and SeoHyun is here too sooooo I was excited. It's kind of a unique genre from what I usually watch so the story is kind of so-so for me. Here are the main things that you can expect in this movie (without spoiler)

- SeoHyun's sexy side ♥
- Light comedy romance that's kind of predictable if you've watched a lot of romantic comedy before
- Mostly portrayal of BDSM on a simple and lighter way.
- No too much provocative scenes. It remained on the decent side (very unlike from 50 Shades trilogy movie)

If there's something that really stood out for me about this movie, it's the fact that it changed my ignorance about BDSM. I have always thought negatively about BDSM because I cannot understand why some people are into that however this movie made me realize that BDSM are merely self preference. It is not disgusting or strange. It's just that some people are really into that and we should respect that.

If you're a fan of SeoHyun, definitely watch it. If you're curious about BDSM, it's a beginner version with no too much skinship involved. If you're sensitive about seeing physical torture (mild) like being tied, slapped, stepped on, etc., you can skip this one. If you decided to watch it, I hope you liked it.

Read More