Tag: Japanese film review

The Liar & His Lover (Japanese Film)

SE ASIAN FILMS

The Liar & His Lover Official Poster

Genre: Music, Romance, School
Released Date: December 2013

Cast:

  • Takeru Satoh as  Aki Ogasawara
  • Sakurako Ohara as Riko Koeda
  • Shohei Miura as Shun Sakaguchi
  • Masataka Kubota as Shinya Shinohara
  • Kouki Mizuta as Kaoru Ono
  • Koudai Asaka as Teppei Yazaki
  • Ryo Yoshizawa as Yuichi Kimijima
  • Yuki Morinaga as Sota Yamazaki,
  • Saki Aibu as Mari
  • Takashi Sorimachi as Soichiro Takagi,

 

The Liar & His Lover (Japanese Film)

I really enjoyed this film. I think I first saw it a couple of years ago.

I remember it too well how much I loved the leads, Takeru and Ohara, that is why when it was remade into a drama series by South Korea, I did not bother to watch it. I thought and still think how can they better this film?!!!

The story is about a successful Japanese pop rock music composer who fell for a 16 years old high school girl. 🙂

Aki used to love music in all its form.  He loves jamming with his friends when they were in high school.  He composed their music and one day they got signed up for a recording.

Their group is called Crude Play.  But before they debut, Aki pulled out from the group having noticed that they were simply faces to mime to songs sung by others hired by their music producer as they were deemed not good enough singers/musicians.

He might be officially a band member but Aki continued on to write one hit after another for the band, which made Crude Play much sought after.

Aki’s discontent became apparent after finding out that his girlfriend, who is beautiful but an ambitious singer, is also sleeping with the married music producer.

One stressful day, he was by the bridge when he met a fresh-faced teen, who he asked if she believe in love at first sight?  They were both surprised with the question at first but she said she did, looking at him.

He introduced himself to her using another name, not the famed Aki and this is the start of lies.

But this is a film, thank goodness, not 16 hours of drama so the misunderstanding is not excruciatingly prolonged.

The ending was sad at first but turned into the sweetest, most kawaii scene.

Riko……  (then kisses)

 

Jinsei ga Tokimeku Katazuke no Mahou (Movie Review)

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Jinsei ga Tokimeku Katazuke no Mahou (Movie Review)

Wow, this drama is amazing. I mean in a practical sense rather than the story itself.

It shows how to sort out the clutter and how to prevent and stop hoarding.  Apparently being untidy has a deeper meaning.  Once you have physically tidy up the unnecessary clutter in the house then you will see the bigger picture in your life and thus sort things out.

Holding on to memories is not about having a lot of things that won’t see the light of day again.  Let it go, live in the here and now.

I recommend this film to those who would be doing their spring cleaning soon.

There is a scene where it shows the proper or respectful way of giving up clothes which no longer make your heart throbs.  🙂

Norimaki san, arigatu

Survival Family (サバイバルファミリー Sabaibaru Famirī) Movie Review

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Distributor: Toho

Survival Family (サバイバルファミリー Sabaibaru Famirī) Movie Review

Currently watching this movie, which is perfect for a cold and rainy day here in London.

  • Genre: Survival, Apocalyptic, Family
  • Release Date: 2017
  • Origin: Japan
  • Film: 1hr 57minutes

Main Cast:

  • Fumiyo Kohinata as Yoshiyuki Suzuki, the Father
  • Eri Fukatsu as Mitsue Suzuki, the Mother
  • Yuki Izumisawa as Kenji Suzuki, the Son
  • Wakana Aoi as Yui Suzuki, the Daughter

The story is about learning to go back to basic, doing away with the most modern of technologies.

Two and a half years ago, the Suzukis were a ‘normal’ family, who lived and often rely on, on ready meals and junk foods.  They were attached to their mobile phones and computers as if they were an extension of their bodies.  They were so busy with their hectic social media lives and techno-gizmos that they have forgotten how to be filial to their elders.

One of the early scenes of the movie showed Mitsue unpacking a fresh food package sent by her father who still farms in the countryside.  She was faced with a fresh fish, which she did not know how to prepare.

Yui, the daughter was so dismissive of the fresh food as if it was an alien life form.

But one day they woke up to not having electricity; batteries were mysteriously drained.  It was explained near the end of the film that a solar flare from a comet attack the major nuclear power plants in the world and somehow affected anything that uses electricity.

Unfortunately, this was only guess-work by the scientists as they did not have a way to check as computers and other useful technology were left non-functioning.  🙂 🙂 🙂

For the first few days, the Suzuki family persevered living in Tokyo and made do with what they’ve got until food became scarcer and everyone from their neighbourhood started leaving in droves.

The family had no choice but move out as well.  Yoshiyuki bought bicycles and decided to take the whole family to his wife’s family farm.

Along the way they met a lot of problems including starvation, drinking from unsafe water source, unsanitary conditions (yukky gruesome toilets) some thievery and nowhere to sleep comfortably. The spoiled Yui and Kenji learned to cope with the unexpected situation.

Their trek was not always doom and gloom. There were some kind people, who were willing to assist and generously offered them sanctuary.

These scenes were so different from Western similar disaster films, where everyone looks after their own.  Shops are looted and overnight people seemed to turn feral.  It’s a dog eats dog world.

I know now where to go if faced with this kind of survival dilemma. 🙂 hehehe

After so much travails and tribulation, the family reached the family farm.  For the remaining of the two and a half years without electricity, they learned to live simply, frugaly and healthily.  They were fishing, farming and learned to weave.  I thought it was very ideal.

When the electricity came back, the family resumed their normal life back in Tokyo but they are more connected with each other.

The film is very interesting.  It is a great reminder that we should never forget how to cope with the basic necessities in life.  Computers and technology should not rule our lives.  Learn botany, know what grass or weeds that are edible!

I think I shall get a Dummies book for coping and surviving a long term disaster… or something 🙂