Tag: movie review

Departing Osaka Station at 0:00 旅の贈りもの-０：００発 (2006) – Movie Review

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Departing Osaka Station at 0:00

This Japanese movie has been in my queue for a while and I finally got around to watching it this past weekend. “Departing Osaka Station at 0:00” is the type of movie that I really am drawn to because it has elements in it that I love: travel by train, unplanned journeys, a town by the sea… it’s like something out of a dream!

***Spoiler Alert***

There are two main plots, one of possible romance and the other involving a double-suicide, which come together to form a decent, yet unremarkable, story. The title of the movie refers to a special train which starts at Osaka at midnight, with an unknown destination. The passengers have different story-lines and they all come together at the destination town.

The overall ambiance of the film is quiet and calm, with some amount of introspection and character growth, but really there wasn’t enough and it wasn’t treated as deeply or seriously as I think it should have been. That’s my main problem with the movie… there are some aspects that just don’t fit the serious themes, for instance, there are some playful transitions from one scene to the next that you might expect in a straight up comedy. But they just don’t fit here, and they detract from the overall feeling. The subject of suicide is one of the most serious you can bring up, but it’s treated so lightheartedly that it feels almost disrespectful.

I liked the acting very much, especially the postmaster played by the late Hideji Ōtaki (大滝 秀治), and the suicidal teenager played by Hanako Takigawa (多岐川華子). I think her story was a missed opportunity to offer a more serious take on the subject that many people think about. I like that her story mixes with the older businessman’s (played by Shiro Taihei) to show that the problem that affects people of all ages. Unfortunately, the businessman’s character is too comedic to be taken seriously. (He was a comedian, after all)

At any rate, I enjoyed “Departing Osaka Station at 0:00” enough that I’ll seek out more by the same director in the future.

My rating: 8.5/10

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) – Movie Review

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I’ve wanted to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty for a long time, ever since seeing the trailer, but it hasn’t been streaming on Netflix and I missed my RedBox window. Well, I was happy to find the DVD at my local library yesterday (the librarian even said it was a great movie) so I borrowed it and watched it immediately. Loved it! It grabbed me from the very start… the cinematography and graphic style are amazing. I thought the opening sequence (before the title of the movie shows) was fantastic… like a Bond movie. Not in the action sense, but in the level of detail and imagination. Very polished.

I love the emphasis on photography… the large LIFE posters, the film archival room, Sean’s Nikon film camera, the graphics from film strips making it into the title sequence… it is so cool. And there are a lot of epic shots of amazing views and locations. I especially like the helicopter shots in the North Atlantic.

The movie makes for a wonderful second-viewing as well because there are many small details that take on a lot of significance which you might miss the first time around. The character Cheryl talks about a mystery’s clues all connecting at the end, and that is how the movie unfolds as well. If you rent the movie, make sure to watch it a second time – you’ll know what I mean when you see it!

The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were mixed (50% critics, 70% audience) and I read one review that pans the movie… saying something like the movie is a “‘Just do it’ ad for the middle-aged.” I can see the truth in that statement… but really, what’s wrong with that? Is inspiration an awful thing? I was moved by The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, moved even to tears a few times I’ll admit. The reviewers on Amazon seem to love the movie as much as I do… it’s got 4.3 stars!

I guess I really am the target-audience of this movie. Lots of the references are really aimed at my generation… Stretch Armstrong, the cassette tape, Major Tom… speaking of that… BOWIE! The scene where Cheryl sings and Walter decides to run for the helicopter was awesome! Best scene! By the way, the soundtrack is great as well.

This will be in my Blu-ray collection soon, along with my other all-time favorites.

So many quotable lines from the movie, but here’s my favorite:

To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.

My rating: 9/10

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Movie Poster)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Movie Poster)

I Just Wanna Hug You – 抱きしめたい ―真実の物語― (2014) Movie Review

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I Just Wanna Hug You
I Just Wanna Hug You

Another tear-jerker of a movie crossed my path – and of course I enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to Hawaiian Airlines’ fantastic international service to KIX there were several movies to choose from, one of which was “I Just Wanna Hug You” (抱きしめたい ―真実の物語―) starring Kitagawa Keiko (北川 景子) as Tsukasa and  Nishikido Ryo (錦戸亮) as Masami.

It’s based on the tragic true story about a young woman who is involved in a car accident which leaves her partially paralyzed and brain-damaged. At the beginning of the movie we learn that Tsukasa has already died (her son and husband are talking in front of her memorial altar), and with that eventuality revealed, the story immediately shifts to focus on her and Masami’s relationship that begins several years earlier before they are married. It’s kind of predictable, but charming and enjoyable nonetheless, with many funny scenes and of course some romantic ones as well.

Kitagawa Keiko’s acting really stands out in this difficult role, depicting someone recovering from brain damage in a realistic but not over-the-top way. I was really rooting for her because of her positive and energetic attitude even in the face of these challenges. But holy cow, there is one scene where Tsukasa’s mom shows Masami a video of when Tsukasa was going through rehab. That was really powerful and tough to watch and I am getting sad just thinking about it now! However, it really was superb acting on Kitagawa’s part. I’ve become a huge fan of hers!

Kitagawa Keiko in Dakishimetai: Shinjitsu no Monogatari
Kitagawa Keiko in Dakishimetai: Shinjitsu no Monogatari

Nishikido Ryo also does a fine job as Masami, the man who falls in love with Tsukasa at first sight and pursues her 100%. His is a more straightforward role, but still something that many of us can relate to easily. In fact, I think I had the same head-over-heels kind of feeling towards Mariko as Masami had for Tsukasa! Maybe that is one reason I really liked “I Just Wanna Hug You”.

What made the movie even more moving to me was that I hadn’t seen my family in over a month and was getting closer to them every second (at Mach 8.1 according to the in-flight map!). As I alluded to in a previous blog post, I have become more emotional the more years I put on. Sometimes to the point where I read something vaguely sad in the news and then I feel a wave of emotion coming on. It’s really weird, for me at least. I’m a quiet person and was never really openly emotional or passionate growing up, so wow this is all kind of new, and not at all unpleasant, really. It’s like life is really happening and stories are being written, good and bad.

Just as in this movie, life is unpredictable but I think we make choices or shape our thoughts which can turn situations, even unpleasant ones, into those worth appreciating. Even though Tsukasa is dealt a pretty terrible hand in life, she works hard to better her situation and her life was dramatically improving. It was so sad that she passed away, especially due to the rare condition (which was totally unrelated to her disabilities).

I try to learn something from things I observe or in this case, a movie I watched, in order to better my life and those around me. From “I Just Wanna Hug You”, Tsukasa’s positive determination and Masami’s straighforward devotion show me truly admirable qualities and maybe something that all of us can strive for.

My rating: 8.5/10

The Great Passage / 舟を編む (2013) – Movie Review

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The Great Passage Movie Poster
The Great Passage Movie Poster

As I was looking through the list of recordings on the DVR, I came across “The Great Passage (舟を編む)” on TV Japan which Mariko must have recorded. I saw that it had subtitles so I decided to give it a go, and I am glad I did. It was a great movie, and I was captivated by the characters and story. It’s about a team of editors who are working on a new dictionary called The Great Passage. As you might expect of a story about a dictionary it’s not action-packed, however, the character development is interesting to watch and the acting was superb. The friendship between Majime (Ryuhei Matsuda) and Masashi (Joe Odagiri) is fun to watch (Odagiri is so funny) and the love story was charming, although it was only a sub-plot.

The story is set in Tokyo, starting in the year 1995. They did a good job recreating the style of the era, with accurate clothing and hairstyles. It was very natsukashii for me since I lived there from 1996. I guess that is another reason I really enjoyed the movie. It made me miss Japan and I can’t wait to live there again. But that actually happens so much when I watch Japanese movies or tv. I guess that is why I am addicted to shows that feature everyday life in Japan.

On this relaxing evening, I was in the mood for a movie just like The Great Passage. If you have the means, I highly recommend watching it. Oh, in other news, I just became Aoi Miyazaki‘s biggest fan!

My rating: 8/10

The Great Passage official site

From Up on Poppy Hill / コクリコ坂から (2011) – Movie Review

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Poppy Hill

I’m not sure how I missed watching “From Up on Poppy Hill” when it was showing here, but I corrected that mistake by ordering the blu-ray version and watching it last week. After seeing some high ratings, I was expecting a great film and I was not disappointed; I loved it! It had everything going for it: beautiful artwork, and interesting setting, likable characters, and great songs and soundtrack.

To me, the story’s setting was so cool. Early ’60s Yokohama is depicted as a busy and hopeful town, and I just loved the small details, like the old posters on the walls. My favorite scene was when Shun was taking Umi to the shopping area on his bicycle, and they were speeding down the hill. That was excellent! I just love slice-of-life stories, and From Up on Poppy Hill was one of the best so far. There wasn’t anything supernatural about it; the only thing that came close was Umi’s dream sequence. But the characters and story really didn’t need any of that. To me, the story was great; my only complaint is that the ending is too abrupt. I wanted the story to develop a little bit more. Is it too much wishful thinking that there will be a follow-up movie? Maybe now that Hayao Miyazaki is retired, it’s a possibility.

Below is the trailer for the US release. I prefer it over the Japanese trailer, although I did watch the Japanese-language version of the film. If you haven’t seen it yet, waste no time!

My rating: 8/10