8thSin
From DramaWiki
I decided to use this page for Japanese movie and dorama review/rating to keep track of series I've seen and maybe guide newcomers to the wonderful(?) world of Japanese doramas and movies!
Only those series I've watched to the last episode and movies watched to the end will be rated. I am more into romance / drama genre (In other words, serious stuff, NOT anime/manga based fangirl stuff or B-movie etc) in Japanese media, so I might be a bit biased, but I tried my best to be fair. Personally, I think dorama or movie with meanings are worth more than just plain visual entertainment anyway. Of course, everyone has different tastes, but I think this page will help you decide which show is worth seeing! Anything with ratings of 9 or 10 are bolded with color. 8-rated movies are bolded as well, because I have a higher standards for live-action movies.
You should definitely check them out first!!
「僕の耳は、名場面を憶えている。」 often seen in my signature is one of my favorite slogans. It was for Chrono Trigger OST, which roughly tranlates to "My ears remember the greatest moments." Great music accommodating a great scene much more memorable. That's why I also include theme song ratings in my review.
My Fansubs
- Past, future projects, updates in FansubWiki http://fansub.d-addicts.com/User:8thSin
Dorama Reviews
Formats: Refer to DramaWiki Glossary of Terms for further details.
- CpE: Conclusion-per-episode format, each episode starts afresh with minimal influence from previous episodes.
"Ichi wa kanketsu keishiki" 一話完結形式. Technically, CpE is a form of Renzoku, only SP are not considered to be RenDora.
- R: Continuation dorama format, all the episodes combine to make one story.
Episodes often end with a cliffhanger. "Renzoku" 連続
- R-CpE: Continuous conclusion-per-episode. This is not an official dorama format, but ones I consider to be between
CpE and Renzoku. Each episode carries the story from previous episodes, but is concluded at the end of each episode.
- Mix: Only first couple of episodes are CpE then turns into Renzoku near the end. Not an official dorama format.
Years all end with typical starting months _1 (Winter), _4 (Spring), _7 (Summer), or _10 (Fall) seasons. Even if the starting month for a series doesn't match, these numbers will be used to indicate the closest season it was originally broadcasted.
All my ratings are satisfaction ratings. Although I try to give +1 or -1 according to how well I thought it was made as a dorama, I don't pretend to be capable of critically evaluating a series.
Bolded (9): Highly recommended dorama, series I really enjoyed.
Light blue background (10): Very highly recommended, nearly flawless dorama series.
Dark blue background (10+): Extremely recommended, masterpieces that really moved me.
Green background: My fansubs.
" * " Currently watching, ratings subject to change.
| Title | Year_Season | Genre | Format | Rating/10 | Theme Song | Song rating/10 Compatibility/10
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 太陽と海の教室 Taiyou to Umi no Kyoushitsu |
2008_7 | Drama | CpE? | 7* | UZ - Kimi no Hitomi ni Koishiteru | 4 - |
| 四つの嘘 Yottsu no Uso |
2008_7 | Drama | R | 5* | Tanimura Nana - If I'm not the one | 6 - |
| ヤスコとケンジ Yasuko to Kenji |
2008_7 | Manga | CpE | 7* | TOKIO - Amagasa | 6 - |
| Tomorrow | 2008_7 | Medical | R-CpE | 6* | Hoshimura Mai - Hikari | 9 - |
| CHANGE | 2008_4 | Drama | R-CpE | 10+ | Madonna - Miles Away | 6 3 |
| ごくせん 3 Gokusen 3 |
2008_4 | Manga/School/Comedy | CpE | 7 | Aqua Timez - Niji | 10 10 |
| ラスト・フレンズ Last Friends |
2008_4 | Suspense/Drama | R | 4 | Utada Hikaru - Prisoner of Love | 9 10 |
| パズル Puzzle |
2008_4 | Mystery | CpE | 5 | Koda Kumi - Moon Crying | 7 5 |
| ルーキーズ ROOKIES |
2008_4 | Sports/Manga | R-CpE | 7 | GreeeeN - Kiseki | 8 10 |
| 薔薇のない花屋 Bara no nai Hanaya |
2008_1 | Drama | R | 6 | Yamashita Tatsuro - Zutto Issho sa | 6 8 |
| 貧乏男子 -ボンビーメン- Binbou Danshi |
2008_1 | Comedy | R-CpE | 8 | Bennie K - Monochrome | 8 9 |
| 斉藤さん SAITOU san |
2008_1 | Family/Drama | CpE | 9 | Mizuki Arisa - ENGAGED | 8 9 |
| だいすき！！ Daisuki!! |
2008_1 | Human Drama | R | 10 | melody. - Haruka | 10 10+ |
| ガリレオ Galileo |
2007_10 | Detective/Comedy | CpE | 8 | KOH+ - KISS-shite | 7 8 |
| 働きマン Hataraki Man |
2007_10 | Manga/Romance | CpE | 10 | UVERworld - Ukiyo CROSSING | 8 9 |
| ハタチの恋人 Hatachi no Koibito |
2007_10 | Romance/Comedy | R-CpE | 6 | Pipettes - Because it's not Love | 8 8 |
| 花ざかりの君たちへ〜イケメン♂パラダイス〜 Hanazakari no Kimitachi e ~Ikemen Paradise~ |
2007_7 | Manga/Comedy | CpE | 8 | Ootsuka Ai - Peach | 5 7 |
| ホタルノヒカリ Hotaru no Hikari |
2007_7 | Manga/Romance | R-CpE | 6 | aiko - Yokogao | 9 9 |
| プロポーズ大作戦 Propose Daisakusen |
2007_4 | Romantic Fantasy | R-CpE | 9 | Kuwata Keisuke - Ashita Hareru Kana | 4 5 |
| セクシーボイスアンドロボ Sexy Voice and Robo |
2007_4 | Comedy/Suspense | CpE | 4 | Mitsuki - Hitotsudake | 7 8 |
| 特急田中３号 Tokkyuu Tanaka 3-Gou |
2007_4 | Comedy | R | 7 | KAT-TUN - Yorokobi no Uta | 3 9 |
| バンビーノ! Bambino! |
2007_4 | Drama | R | 4 | Arashi - We can make it! | 5 7 |
| ライアーゲーム LIAR GAME |
2007_4 | Mystery | R | 4 | - | - - |
| ヒミツの花園 Himitsu no Hanazono |
2007_1 | Comedy | CpE | 5 | Amuro Namie - Baby Don't Cry | 9 9 |
| ハケンの品格 Haken no Hinkaku |
2007_1 | Comedy/Drama | R-CpE | 9 | Nakashima Mika - Mienai Hoshi | 9 8 |
| 花より男子２ Hana Yori Dango 2 |
2007_1 | Manga/Romance | R | 5 | ARASHI - Love so Sweet Utada Hikaru - Flavor of Love |
10 - 10 8 - 6 |
| 華麗なる一族 Karei naru Ichizoku |
2007_1 | Drama | R | 7 | - | - - |
| のだめカンタービレ Nodame Cantabile |
2006_10 | Manga/Comedy | R | 9 | Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue | - 9 |
| だめんず・うぉ～か～ Damens Walker |
2006_10 | Manga/Comedy | CpE | 7 | Koda Kumi - Yume no Uta | 9 6 |
| １４才の母 14 Sai no Haha |
2006_10 | Drama | R | 2 | Mr.Children - Shirushi | 8 2 |
| セーラー服と機関銃 Sailor Fuku to Kikanju |
2006_10 | Suspense/Comedy | R-CpE | 2 | Hoshi Izumi - Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu | 2 6 |
| たったひとつの恋 Tatta Hitotsu no Koi |
2006_10 | Romance | R | 4 | KAT-TUN - Bokura no Machi de | 4 5 |
| 結婚できない男 Kekkon Dekinai Otoko |
2006_7 | Comedy/Romance | CpE | 9 | Every Little Thing - Swimmy | 8 9 |
| ブスの瞳に恋してる Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru |
2006_4 | Comedy/Romance | R | 7 | Koda Kumi - Koi no Tsubomi | 10 9 |
| 西遊記 Saiyuuki |
2006_1 | Comedy/Adventure | CpE | 7 | MONKEY MAJIK - Around the World | 8 9 |
| 夜王 Yaoh |
2006_1 | Drama | CpE | 5 | TOKIO - Mr.Traveling Man | 5 7 |
| １リットルの涙 Ichi Ritoru no Namida |
2005_10 | Human Drama | R | 9 | K - Only Human | 10 10 |
| あいのうた Ai no Uta |
2005_10 | Romance/Drama | R-CpE | 9 | Tamaki Kouji - Present | 7 9 |
| 花より男子 Hana Yori Dango |
2005_10 | Manga/Romance | R | 5 | ARASHI - WISH | 8 7 |
| 野ブタ。をプロデュース Nobuta wo Produce |
2005_10 | Drama/Suspense | Mix | 9 | Shuuji to Akira - Seishun Amigo | 8 9 |
| 電車男 Densha Otoko |
2005_7 | Comedy/Romance | R-CpE | 6 | Sambo Master - Sekai wa sore wo ai to yobundaze | 2 5 |
| スローダンス Slow Dance |
2005_7 | Romance | R | 3 | Fukuyama Masaharu - TOKYO | 4 6 |
| ドラゴン桜 Dragon Zakura |
2005_7 | School | R-CpE | 8 | melody. - Realize | 8 9 |
| いま、会いにゆきます Ima Ai ni Yukimasu |
2005_7 | Romance | R | 5 | Orange Range - Kizuna | 7 7 |
| がんばっていきまっしょい！ Ganbatte Ikimasshoi |
2005_7 | Drama | R | 6 | Aiko - Kira Kira | 4 9 |
| エンジン Engine |
2005_4 | Drama | R-CpE | 6 | Aerosmith - Angel | 8 3 |
| 恋におちたら～僕の成功の秘密～ Koi ni Ochitara |
2005_4 | Drama | Mix | 9 | Crystal Kay - Koi ni Ochitara | 8 10 |
| 幸せになりたい！ Shiawase ni Naritai! |
2005_4 | Drama | R | 4 | SUGAR - Shiawase ni Naritai | 9 10 |
| アタック No.1 Attack No.1 |
2005_4 | Sports | R | 4 | Fukuda Saki - Attack No.1 2005 | 3 9 |
| 曲がり角の彼女 Magari Kado no Kanojyo |
2005_4 | Romance | R | 7 | Shela - Dear My Friends | 8 9 |
| ごくせん 2 Gokusen 2 |
2005_1 | Manga/School/Comedy | CpE | 7 | D-51 - No More Cry | 9 10 |
| Ｈ２～君といた日々 H2 |
2005_1 | Manga/Sports | R | 7 | K - Over... | 8 10 |
| ラストクリスマス Last Christmas |
2004_10 | Romance | R | 5 | Oda Yuji with Butch Walker - Last Christmas | 5 8 |
| 君が想い出になる前に Kimi ga Omoide ni Naru Mae ni |
2004_7 | Drama | R | 4 | Amuro Namie - All for You | 8 8 |
| 世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu |
2004_7 | Junai | R | 9 | Shibasaki Kou - Katachi Aru Mono | 10+ 10+ |
| オレンジデイズ Orange Days |
2004_4 | Drama/School | R | 10+ | Mr.Children - Sign | 10+ 10+ |
| 愛し君へ Itoshi Kimi e |
2004_4 | Romance | R | 10 | Moriyama Naotarou - Ikitoshi Ikeru Mono e Moriyama Naotarou - Itoshi Kimi e |
6 - 4 9 - 10 |
| ワンダフルライフ Wonderful Life (Fuji TV) |
2004_4 | Sports | R-CpE | 7 | Hirai Ken - Kimi wa Tomodachi | 6 9 |
| プライド Pride |
2004_1 | Sports/Romance | R-CpE | 4 | Queen - Born to Love You | 5 2 |
| ビギナー Beginner |
2003_10 | Lawyer | CpE | 3 | The Carpenters - Top of the World | 9 4 |
| 元カレ Moto Kare |
2003_7 | Romance | R | 4 | Kinki Kids - Hakka Candy | 6 4 |
| グッドラック！！ Good Luck!! |
2003_1 | Drama/Romance | R | 10 | Yamashita Tatsuro - Ride on Time | 7 9 |
| My Little Chef | 2002_7 | Drama | CpE | 6 | Hamasaki Ayumi - Voyage | 10 8 |
| 太陽の季節 Taiyou no Kisetsu |
2002_7 | Tragedy/Romance | R | 5 | Takizawa Hideaki - Ki.Se.Ki | 6 8 |
| ごくせん Gokusen |
2002_4 | Manga/School/Comedy | CpE | 8 | V6 - Feel Your Breeze | 6 8 |
| 空から降る一億の星 Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi |
2002_4 | Drama/Suspense | R | 7 | Elvis Costello - Smile | 6 8 |
| ロング・ラブレター～漂流教室 Long Love Letter |
2002_1 | SF/Drama | R | 8 | Yamashita Tatsurou - Loveland Island | 8 9 |
| スタアの恋 Star no Koi |
2001_10 | Romance/Comedy | R-CpE | 7 | Globe - Stop! In the Name of Love | 9 7 |
| HERO | 2001_1 | Lawyer | CpE | 10 | Utada Hikaru - Can You Keep a Secret? | 10+ 10 |
| やまとなでしこ Yamato Nadeshiko |
2000_10 | Romance/Comedy | R | 9 | MISIA - Everything | 6 3 |
| Summer Snow | 2000_7 | Romance | R | 4 | Kinki Kids - Natsu no Oosama | 8 10 |
| Food Fight | 2000_7 | Drama | CpE | 7 | SMAP - Lion Heart | 9 7 |
| 池袋ウエストゲートパーク IWGP |
2000_4 | Suspense/Comedy | R | 9 | SADS - Boukyaku no Sora | 7 9 |
| Beautiful Life | 2000_1 | Romance | R | 10+ | B'z - Konya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni | 10 10 |
| 魔女の条件 Majo no Jouken |
1999_4 | Romance | R | 5 | Utada Hikaru - First Love | 10+ 8 |
| 神様、もう少しだけ Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake |
1998_7 | Romance/Tragedy | R | 5 | Luna Sea - I For You | 7 8 |
| GTO | 1998_7 | Manga/School/Comedy | CpE | 6 | Sorimachi Takashi - Poison | 4 5 |
| 君の手がささやいている Kimi No Te Ga Sasayaite Iru |
1997~2001 SP | Human Drama | R-CpE | 9 | Stevie Wonder - I Just Called to Say I Love You | 8 5 |
| 青い鳥 Aoi Tori L'oiseau bleu |
1997_10 | Suspense/Romance | R | 10 | Globe - Wonderin' Destiny | 9 10+ |
| ラブジェネレーション Love Generation |
1997_10 | Romance | R | 8 | Outaki Eiichi - Shiawase na Ketsumatsu | 5 2 |
| バージンロード Virgin Road |
1997_1 | Romance | R | 9 | Amuro Namie - Can You Celebrate? | 10+ 10+ |
| 理想の結婚 Risou no Kekkon |
1997_1 | Romance | R | 9 | Zard - Kimi ni Aitaku Nattara | 10+ 10 |
| コーチ Coach |
1996_7 | Sports/Romance | R | 9 | Tamaki Kouji - Denen | 9 10 |
| ロングバケーション Long Vacation |
1996_4 | Romance | R | 10 | Kubota Toshinobu - La La La Love Song | 10 10 |
| 愛していると言ってくれ Aishiteiru to Ittekure |
1995_7 | Romance | R | 5 | Dream Come True - LOVE LOVE LOVE | 9 8 |
| 101回目のプロポーズ 101st Marriage Proposal |
1991_7 | Romance | R | 7 | Chage & Aska - Say Yes | 10 8 |
| 東京ラブストーリー Tokyo Love Story |
1991_1 | Romance | R | 10 | Oda Kazumasa - Love Story wa Totsuzen ni | 10 10 |
Japanese Movie Reviews
FSC - FantasticSuperClub.org (FSC) and FS Seeders (FSS) are THE places to get Japanese and other Asian movies. PM me for FSS invitation: 500+ post in a forum I participate OR if we worked on a fansub project before.
Latest additions:
- Heaven's Bookstore (2004)
- [Highly Recommended] Galileo Movie: Yougisha X no Kenshin (2008)
- Zenzen Daijoubu (2008)
- [Highly Recommended] Doraemon: Nobita no Kyouryuu 2006 (2006)(Animated)
- [Highly Recommended] Kaabee (2008)
- Midnight Eagle (2007)
- [Highly Recommended] Hatsukoi (2000)
- Kagehinata ni Saku (2008)
- The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness (1977)
- L change the WorLd (2008)
All my ratings are satisfaction ratings. I try to give +1 or -1 according to how well I thought it was made as a movie, but I don't pretend to be fully capable of critically evaluating a film.
My movie ratings have significantly higher standards than Japanese dorama since Japanese movies are produced with a lot higher budget and over an extended period of time in comparison. In general, the quality of a movie with rating below 8 is equivalent to a dorama with 2 points higher (i.e. 5/10 movie = 7/10 dorama in terms of satisfaction), and 1 point higher for rating of 8 or higher (9/10 movie = 10/10 dorama).
Bolded (8, 8.5, 9): Recommended movies, films I really enjoyed.
Blue background (9.5, 10): Highly recommended, nearly flawless movies that moved me.
Dark blue background (10+): Extremely recommended, masterpieces that really moved me.
Green background: My fansubs.
For consistency, movies are listed chronologically according to official release dates in Japan, up to months and days. Some IMDB profiles are a year earlier because they go by earliest premier dates in film festivals.
| Title | Year | Genre | Rating /10 |
Comments, thoughts, and review | Theme Song | Song rating /10 Compatibility /10
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 容疑者Xの献身 Galileo Movie: Yougisha X no Kenshin AKA: The Devotion of Suspect X |
2008 | Suspense/Drama | 9.5 | Yougisha X no Kenshin is battle of wits between the physicist "Galileo" Yukawa (Fukuyama Masaharu) and his high school friend and genius mathematician Ishigami (Tsutsumi Shinichi). The first 10 minutes of this film was just like the dorama, light comedy filled with physics jargon, but it soon turns into a completely different, stand-alone movie. This movie and Galileo dorama are based on a mystery novel series, but this movie was more of a suspense movie with a touch of human drama because it was very clear from beginning who the culprits were.
The movie was surprisingly well-directed for a dorama director. There were many epic, well-executed slow motion scenes, and somehow he completely removed dorama cheesiness for majority of the play time. Fukuyama Masaharu and Shibasaki Kou's acting were sub-par, but the "supporting" actors Tsutsumi Shinichi and Matsuyuki Yasuko were INCREDIBLE. I have already seen couple of similar characters Tsutsumi played in his long dorama career, but I was surprised how perfect he was for this role and made me sympathize with his character even though he played a bad guy. Matsushima Yasuko was solid as usual, though she over-acted in couple of places. Still, her control of emotion was amazing and very pleasing to watch. Tsutsumi Shinichi, and Matsushima Yasuko were credited with supporting actor/actress in this film, but they got almost as much screen-time as Fukuyama Masaharu, and I don't think it can be disputed that those two were the real main actor and actress in this movie. The difference between the pros and idols were simply too apparent. Shibasaki Kou is one of my favorite actresses, but she was a non-factor in terms of both screen presence and acting. Too much focus on music nowadays, perhaps? Although I liked the comedy in the dorama series, I'm glad they changed the style for this movie. The plot involved very little physics and mathematics, but focused on the human side of the guest characters. I really connected with Tsutsumi and Matsuyuki's characters, and although I didn't cry while watching this movie, I heard couple of other audience in the theater crying. 'Yougisha X' movie is a very serious and deep movie in contrast to the dorama, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. |
KOH+ - SaiAi | 5 7 | |||||||
| 片腕マシンガール Machine Girl |
2008 | Action/Horror | 5 | Meaningless B-movie, however, this is EXACTLY what you're looking for if you like freaky Japanese films with lots of gory and blood. Borderline "so bad it's good" movie with plentiful of action.
|
- | - - | |||||||
| L change the WorLd | 2008 | Action/Manga | 3 | I haven't read the manga series, but I really enjoyed the two Death Note movies. L for me, was an interesting character, however, I was very skeptic to how this movie could possibly work since a super-weird character like him usually only work in smaller roles, and the mysteriousness was the underlying charm of L in those two movies. I had an extremely low expectation in this film, and to my surprise, it was even worse than what I had imagined.
First of all... the story is absolutely worthless. It's something you would expect from a Hollywood B-movie or a low budget made-for-TV movie. The original series had been an exciting cat-and-mouse game of wits and deception. Even if they didn't want to re-use the Death Note, battle of wits is vital to the success of a movie like this, and for a character like L to reach full potential. This movie on the other hand, was L in a MIB ripoff organization with a cheesy biohazard plot against really dumb villains. As if that alone wasn't enough, they also added typical Japanese corniness: psychotic killers with environmental nonsense ideology trying to erradicate the entire human race. Horrible overacting by the supporting cast and poor direction didn't help. This was not a movie meant to be directed by a horror movie director. That "death in the lab" scene was totally corny, and the director kept trying to make Maki, the little girl, seem like a child psycho killer you would see in horror movies, which was totally unconvincing and stupid. Fukuda Mayuko, who played Maki is an extremely talented up-and-coming actress, and I am very upset this director put her through a crap role like this. I loved the final scene where L attempts to stand up straight since he found a new hope in life and wanted to live longer, and I can tell Matsuyama Kenichi tried really hard in this movie. He did a great job. But "no matter how gifted, one cannot change the world alone", he couldn't save this movie alone. |
Lenny Kravitz - I'll be Waiting | 5 1 | |||||||
| 母べえ Kaabee AKA: Kabei: Our Mother |
2008 | Drama | 9.5 | Kaabee depicts the hardship of a woman in pre and during WWII, raising her kids alone after her husband imprisoned for "thought crime".
This movie was directed by Yamada Youji, and as expected the atmosphere of this movie is really wonderful. Although the historical correctness of some scenes, most notably the beach scene, is a suspect. The acting in this movie is absolutely incredible. I am baffled at how they managed to gather this all-star cast for a 2008 film. Yoshinaga Sayuri, possibly the most decorated still-active actress in Japan, will undoubtedly win more individual awards for her performance in this film. Shoufukutei Tsurube in a supporting role was really nice as well. It was Asano Tadanobu though, who delivered the most impressive performance, perfectly portraying the wittiness of his character and the difficult situation he was in. Films with pre-war setting is not my thing, but thanks to wonderful directing and acting, I was totally absorbed by the story. Also, it wasn't a far-right nonsense like Yuunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni, and examines the controversial and sensitive issue of government oppression and brainwashing that occurred in that period in Japan. Excellent film, highly recommended for all viewers. |
- | - - | |||||||
| 全然大丈夫 Zenzen Daijoubu |
2008 | Drama | 5 | A quirky comedy, I liked Yoshiyoshi's acting, and was really impressed with Kimura Yoshino. She portrayed her introverted character very well, and there were funny scenes here and there with her clumsiness as well as the natural creepiness of Yoshiyoshi, but I just wasn't feeling it. I absolutely did not connect with the characters, and of course, movies like this never has a strong storyline. I guess it's a love-or-hate movie that just didn't work for me.
I really liked the message in this movie though, that life is not all about money or success, and it's fine to just be yourself. I have enjoyed Kimura Yoshino's acting before, and I love it even more now. Definitely looking forward to see more of her movies in the future. |
- | - - | |||||||
| 陰日向に咲く Kagehinata ni Saku AKA: Flowers in the Shadow |
2008 | Drama/Comedy | 8 | The greatest production crew meets the worst scriptwriter ever.
This movie is based on 4 out of 5 short stories featured in Japanese comedian Gekidan Hitori's omnibus novel, Kagehinata ni Saku (Blooming in the Shadow). With so many characters in so many different settings, there was simply too much content packed in 2 hour play time. The end result was bunch of characters improperly introduced, and the pace is too fast that it was very difficult to keep up with the story and hard to connect with the characters. Despite that, the original plot written by Gekidan Hitori was so wonderful, and cast and producers did such a wonderful job that it still made me come close to tears in some scenes. This movie has a very talented cast, and Okada Junichi of V6 was a big surprise in delivering a great performance. Cinematography was incredible, with beautiful scenes of the city, and also fascinating, well-executed slow-motion sequence. Music was very moving and matched all the dramatic scenes with perfection. Direction and music were among the best I have seen in Japanese films. Kagehinata wo Saku had the potential to become one of the top Japanese films of 2008, but failed miserably due to an incompetent scriptwriter. There was simply too much content for a 2-hour movie. They should've only focused on 3 short stories, and maybe make another movie with the remaining two short stories. The Akiba Otaku (idol nerds) had absolutely zero contribution to the main plot. Although that particular episode was very touching, it ate away at screen time that could've been used to clarify the main story. I still really enjoyed this movie because it was so well-produced, but it could've been so much more. I knew it was based on a novel by Gekidan Hitori before seeing this movie, but I was not aware it was a series of separate short stories. Reading the plot synopsis for the novel actually solved all the things that didn't make sense (or not very clearly explained) and I was able to fully understand the story. I'm certain the second viewing will be much more entertaining. |
Ketsumeishi - Deai no Kakera | 7 8 | |||||||
| 魁!!男塾 Sakigake! Otakojuku AKA: Be a Man! Samurai School |
2008 | Action/Comedy | 4 | This movie had an excellent first half in depicting the toughness and doctrine of the academy with a touch of humor. However, it quickly turned into a cheesefest as expected from a manga adaptation film. They made it too overdramatic and the "cheering" was so corny and stupid. There were decent action in this movie, but overall a poor film. It was nice the protagonist and the villain boss were same as Versus though.
|
The Big Horn - Yaiba | 5 8 | |||||||
| SS エスエス SS -Special Stage- |
2008 | Racing | 7.5 | SS is a racing movie based on a manga series.
This movie's story was really good, and I really felt the passion for racing while watching this movie. However, this film has its share of flaws. Aikawa Shou and Endou Kenichi did a phenomenal job as the leading actors, but Sakai Noriko, who I was a big fan of back in the 90's, was absolutely horrible, and all the family scenes were cheesy like you wouldn't believe. The racing scenes in this movie was also a bit too undramatic and cars seemed very slow. I appreciate the realism with lack of CG and special effects, but it felt like they were driving slowly on purpose so that the car with camera could keep up without shaking. Seeing the legendary Stallion in action was a sufficient consolation though. One more thing that really bothered me was the purpose of the side characters. Some of them had absolutely zero contact with the protagonist, and felt like fillers for the film. I'm sure they are characters from manga, but if it's impossible to develop their characters in a 90 minute movie, they shouldn't be included. Despite all the flaws, this is a solid movie and a nice story. Recommended for true auto lovers. |
DEEN - I Promise You | 8 9 | |||||||
| Little DJ〜小さな恋の物語 Little DJ -A Tale of a Little Love- |
2007 | Seishun/Junai | 9.5 | This film very much resembles Sekai no Chuushin.... In fact, they basically copied SekaChuu with boy and girl flipped, 5 years younger, and added DJing.
However, this film was far superior in my opinion. Fukuda Mayuko is my favorite child actress, and Nishida Naomi is an actress I really respect. I was already satisfied with just these two, but Kamiki Ryuunosuke who played the Little DJ was surprisingly suitable for the role and had performed exceptionally well, especially for a child actor. Casting in this film was exceptionally well done, from father, doctor, to modern-day Tamaki with Hirosue Ryouko, were all perfect. I have never seen Nishida Naomi in a mother role before, but her acting was incredibly convincing, and have become even more beautiful in these years. A scene with her and Fukuda Mayuko (Tamaki) was the highlight of this movie. Extremely enjoyable film just observing the acting skill of every actor who appeared on screen. The story is very inspirational and touching, and unlike SekaChuu, it had a really nice flow and used the 2-hour screen time very efficiently without getting draggy. Music was also very calming and moving at times, and overall extremely well produced and well directed as a movie. I especially loved the color saturation and filter choice of this film, the '70s feel without seeming fakey or even showing a slight hint of corniness. Although they completely copied SekaChuu, this movie turned out to be a far superior love story. The only flaw, after the second viewing, was that there were some plot devices and characters severely underused (and thus didn't have to exist at all). I'm certain they played bigger role in the novel. It's a tear-jerker like many other movies of its kind, but its message of hope in the ending and its use of songs were by far the best. A Junai-lover must-see. |
Candies - Toshishita no Otokonoko | 6 10 | |||||||
| マリと子犬の物語 Mari to Koinu no Monogatari AKA: A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies |
2007 | Drama | 6 | This is "based on a real story" film about rescuing a dog that saved a family during the earthquake in 2004.
I enjoyed the story, and music in this film was quite nice, but acting overall was disastrous. Only the child actor Hirota Ryouhei (the boy) and Utsui Ken (grand father) did a decent job, everyone else grossly overacted throughout the movie. The dog in this movie is absolutely amazing and adorable though. Cinematography was quite nice, but they tried to make it too emotional thus ended up really corny. I would think children under 12 will really enjoy this movie. |
Hirahara Ayaka - Ima, Kaze no Naka de | 9 9 | |||||||
| XX（エクスクロス） 魔境伝説 X-Cross: Makyou Densetsu |
2007 | Horror/Action | 8.5 | This movie is more of a action-comedy than horror. In fact, it's only scary for the first 10 minutes, then it turns into this action-packed survival game so outrageous that it made me laugh through the movie.
The plot is simple, a girl takes a female friend to a hot-spring resort to cheer her up from a breakup. It turns out to be the village of a cult-like tribe with a ritual that involves chopping off young women's legs. They also encounter a psycho Lolita woman seeking revenge for losing her boyfriend. This movie is not meant to be taken seriously. The setting of this film is ridiculously unrealistic, but the sequence of events is uncovered and explained very well. If you look past the unlikeliness of the original setting, this movie's plot makes sense and there were no major plot holes other than Suzuki Ami's character being abnormally strong and villagers abnormally weak (but I guess that's intentionally done for comedy). Suzuki Ami's action sequence against "the scissors girl" Reika was really exciting and cool. It really hit the spot for a huge Suzuki Ami fan like me. Matsushita Nao's acting has been extremely corny in every movie and TV dramas I've seen until now, but she seemed surprisingly natural and fit the role very well. She may have a hidden talent as a horror movie actress. As a action-comedy film, this movie is really well made. Action/CG/SFX were all quite nice, and it was a really exciting suspense movie. Sit back, don't think, and enjoy the ride. |
Aly & AJ - Potential Breakup Song | 7 5 | |||||||
| ミッドナイトイーグル Midnight Eagle |
2008 | Thriller | 1 | Long story short, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE! I don't think I've ever seen a Japanese movie where I don't have a single positive thing to say about, but this is it.
This movie stars many relatively big-name actors who have been inconsistent in the past, and they all delivered even worse performance than their previous worst. The acting is so bad in this thing that they're practically just standing there reading the script. I think this movie is supposed to be a thriller, but it's nothing more than a sleeper. The entire cast completely lack energy and passion, and had shown no signs of urgency in the face of impending doom. The story line for this movie was even more pathetic than L change the worLd. Even if you overlook the ridiculous setting, the character behavior makes absolutely no sense and there were countless plot holes. There were just way too many "why didn't he just..." or "how can they..." moments. The movie is so poorly written and directed that it made me laugh at how corny and stupid it was. "Midnight Eagle" is a disgrace to the Japanese film industry, and I hope no unfortunate soul picks this movie as his or her first encounter with Japanese films. |
Bank Band - Harumatsuibuki | 3 3 | |||||||
| 転々 Tenten |
2007 | Comedy/Drama | 10 | Tenten (roughly translates to "rapidly changing") is a road movie about a law student with over $8000 in debt being dragged into a long walk around Tokyo with a loan shark for a chance to clear his debt. Destination: Police station in Kasumigaseki. The film provides comedy and drama, as well as various scenes of Tokyo, which has the characteristic of rapidly changing scenery (therefore the title).
Official website for this film is named "tokyosanpo.jp" ("stroll around Tokyo"), and that's exactly what they do for majority of this movie. On the way, they encounter many strange people and events (most occur in real life Tokyo, though severely exaggerated for comedy). This is my 7th film starring Odagiri Joe, and he's just such a versatile and talented actor who you can always count on. He doesn't have a strikingly good looks, but his acting is just so good that I can really connect with his character almost every single time. Miura Tomokazu, who plays the loan shark also acted very well in his usual scary/powerful role. It was a comedy film, but what I really loved was how well the characters developed. I can literally feel those two main characters bonding. [SPOILER]Although Odagiri's character really hated this idea of going out on a walk with his enemy at first, he slowly became interested in this loan shark, and didn't want this walk to ever end. This was such a well-made film that it made me feel the same way. I especially loved that rollercoaster scene near the end, where Odagiri's character began to see the loan shark as a father figure and others in the make-believe family as the family he never had. It was just so touching, and I was so connected with the main character at that point that tears started to well up in my eyes too.[/spoiler] I just can't stress enough how good an actor Odagiri is, and this was a perfect film for him. No one can act the average joe roles better than Odagiri Joe. Unlikely (and disturbingly simple) plot for movie, family bonding, journey, discovering self-identity, countless cameo... it has almost everything I love seeing in movies. Even if you're not into all these things, I can guarantee watching this film is a time well spent. |
Moonriders - Hige to Kuchibeni to Balcony | 9 10 | |||||||
| ALWAYS 続・三丁目の夕日 ALWAYS Zoku Sanchoume no Yuuhi AKA: ALWAYS - Sunset on Third Street 2 |
2007 | Drama | 9 | Continuation of 2005 Japan Academy Award, Grand Prize winner. This film is a great sequel.
It has an identical feel to the previous movie, and brings us the same inspiration once more. There wasn't anything new and the story is relatively predictable, but there's just something about this franchise that moves me so deeply. Perfectly directed film, it just has the magic to it. |
BUMP OF CHICKEN - Hana no Na | 9 9 | |||||||
| 恋空 Koizora AKA: Sky of Love |
2007 | Junai/Seishun | 4 | Koizora is another one of those Junai movie that showed a lot of promise, but flopped miserably.
The first 20 minutes of this film was a terrific love story. Aragaki Yui was really cute as Mika, and although the male lead's character was a bit too outgoing to be believable for a Japanese high school student, I enjoyed watching it, and wanted to have a sweet relationship like that one day. But then, cheesefest began [SPOILER]after the Mika got raped outdoors. The story and character development after that point was more like a soap drama than Junai film, filled with cheesy lines and inconsistent character behaviors. It was corny, but I loved the whole "Koizora" and "I'll watch over you" idea of this movie and the way it ended, but the mid-section of the film was just so poorly executed that it was impossible for me to cry watching a movie like this. There was also too many plot-holes in this film, such as Aragaki Yui in her usual innocent role, yet she goes around having sex everywhere. What kind of person takes out a dying guy at night then have sex with him outdoors and gets knocked up twice? And this character happens to be played by the idol of ultimate innocence, Aragaki Yui, who didn't even kiss in 2 kiss scenes in this movie (using camera angle manipulation). And is it even possible for someone under cancer treatment to reproduce? I also don't see how Miki could so easily forgive a woman who ordered her rape and killed her baby. There were too many inconsistencies and questionable character behaviors that I find it hard to believe this story is really based on a real story.[/SPOILER] It's a really poorly made chick flick, but I must admit it was very visually pleasing. Scenery in this movie was beautiful, and it was perfect for an Aragaki Yui fan like me since she was on screen almost the whole time, cute as ever. The male lead Miura Haruma was abnormally good-looking in this film, in fact, he looked totally like an anime character. I'm not gay, but he was damn hot. He definitely didn't look like that in 14sai no Haha. Although the blond hair seemed really out of place, the makeup artist for this movie did an excellent job. Overall, horrible story and direction, but a treat for fanboys and girls. |
Mr.Children - Tabidachi no Uta | 8 9 | |||||||
| クローズZERO Crows ZERO AKA: Crows: Episode 0 |
2007 | School/Action | 9 | Personally, I'm not a Miike Takashi fan, and I usually dislike these Furyou (deliquent high schooler) genre films, but it was surprisingly enjoyable film even for me.
The plot is quite typical of high school movies. Genji (Oguri Shun), a son of yakuza boss must achieve an unprecedented unification of notorious Suzuran High School (AKA: Crow's High School) in order to take over his father's position. Genji soon finds out the strongest guy in the school is Serizawa (Yamada Takayuki), who was also set to conquer all other classes. Genji challenges Serizawa to a duel, but of course, being a newcomer that he is, wasn't taken seriously at first. Genji then seeks help and builds up his own army while defeating other minor 'bosses', and eventually a showdown with Serizawa in his journey to the top of Suzuran High. The story for this film is extremely well-designed, with excellent flow from beginning to the very end. What I especially liked about this movie is that it was more than just random violence by bunch of kids trying to look badass. Although it IS action packed, the main theme of this film is school politics and friendship. Oguri Shun's character developed very well, from a clueless kid to a leader backed by many trustworthy friends. Cinematography for this film was extremely well-done, from school to the streets, you can tell the production crew paid attention to the tiniest detail in every single scene. Action was also very well-directed for an exciting 2 hours. I thought it was even more visually pleasing than Miike's Ryuu ga Gotoku. Casting for this film is absolutely incredible. I recognized so many faces, many who established themselves in yakuza or delinquent roles, but the most pleasant surprise was Yamada Takayuki, who had his share of dark roles in the past, but never a violent one such as this, and possibly the first as a villain. I've never thought him as a wild type, but he was so cool as a villain and gave his character really big presence in this film. I'm still not convinced with Oguri Shun's acting or his role as a violent punk student, but he seemed to be less out of place as he was in Hana Yori Dango dorama series. All the other cast did what they do best, and a very high level of acting overall. Although I haven't read the manga series, this prequel was very easy to follow. It's impossible to take away the cheesiness associated with manga-adaptation or high school violence, but it was an extremely well-directed action movie with a meaningful message. |
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| 犯人に告ぐ Hannin ni Tsugu AKA: Message to the Killer - The Investigation Game |
2007 | Crime/Suspense | 3 | Hannin ni Tsugu is a suspense film about a police detective's search for a serial child killer.
The film itself was quite exciting and had me on the edge of my seat for most of the screen time, but in the end, the arrest came way too abruptly, and although I thought the questioning before arrest was witty and interesting, the criminal had no real motives and he was just suddenly caught out of nowhere. It was a real let down. The quality of acting in this film is very questionable. Although everyone look the part and I thought the casting was really well-done, it was generally over-acted and lacks spontaneity. Cinematography was also very poor, and it felt like watching a made-for-TV movie (in fact, it was produced by a satellite TV station). There were also too many loose ends that were never explained. I'm uncertain to whether they wanted to leave it to our imagination or planning a sequel, but it was an exciting film with very unsatisfying final 20 minutes. |
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| 自虐の詩 Jigyaku no Uta AKA: Happily Ever After |
2007 | Comedy/Drama | 7 | This movie is like 3 different films mixed in one. The first half is hard, wacky comedy. Nakatani Miki and Abe Hiroshi's chemistry was great, and I was laughing the whole time. Most of the second half, however, is straight up drama. There was a long reminiscence sequence that I found to be a bit too draggy. The last 15 minutes of this film is inspirational tear-jerker.
Although the ending really moved me, I wish they just stuck with comedy for this manga-based film. They tried to make it a bit too deep for a comedy with the drama section, and it just ruined the whole film. The ending features an epiphany scene that I enjoy very much, but it just wasn't enough to save this film. I am once again impressed with Abe Hiroshi's versatility though, he just seems so natural in every role he takes. Nakatani Miki also did very fine in her rare leading role. Not great, but a film worth watching. |
Andou Yuuko - Umibara no Tsuki | 7 9 | |||||||
| クワイエットルームにようこそ Quiet Room ni Youkoso AKA: Welcome to the Quiet Room |
2007 | Drama/Dark-comedy | 10+ | It's been more than 10 years since I last saw Uchida Yuki. She was still singing Komuro Tetsuya's songs back then, a Jpop-idol. She is still as beautiful as I remembered, but never in my wildest dream did I expect her to deliver this amazing performance in this masterpiece of a film in such a dark role.
Quiet Room is about a magazine writer (Uchida Yuki) sent to a psychiatric hospital after an accidental(?) drug overdose mistaken for a suicide attempt. There, she was forced to spend two weeks of her life with other mental patients. This film has the atmosphere of Fight Club with a similar protagonist, an insomniac on drugs, in a very different story. A large portion of this film was an exceptionally well-made dark comedy that had me laughing at 4AM (yes, I may have insomnia too). There are MANY big-name actors who I was really surprised to see in such minor roles. It was very well-casted film where everyone was perfect for the role. Uchida Yuki though, was best of them all. Not only was she very visually pleasant, her sharp looks and sometimes messy hairstyles were perfect for this character. Her acting (and everyone else) was fantastic as well, I knew I was about to watch a masterpiece after only 5 minutes into the film. Quiet Room IS somewhat of a comedy, but it is also very deep and inspirational film that explores what it means to live, to be free. Great story set in an isolated environment that's very promising for a movie, and the production staff had done an excellent job. An extremely well-directed movie that's very artistic, but the type everyone can understand. Music in this movie is very scarce, but extremely touching and suit each scene very well. This film is flawless in every aspect. Without a doubt best Japanese film of 2007 and my new favorite Japanese film out of almost 200 I've watched so far. |
LOVES. - Naked Me | 5 6 | |||||||
| 未来予想図 ～ア・イ・シ・テ・ルのサイン～ Mirai Yosouzu ~A.I.Shi.Te.Ru no Sign~ AKA: Our Future Plan ~Sign of I.Love.You~ |
2007 | Romance | 3 | It has been quite a while since I've watched such a horrible high-budget Japanese film. This movie is inspired by the lyrics of DREAMS COME TRUE's masterpieces "Mirai Yosouzu" and "Mirai Yosouzu II", which roughly translates to "Future Plan".
Matsushita Nao is well-known for being a poor actress, but the male lead, Takezai Terunosuke is in a whole different league. This guy literally puts on a fake smile and READS his line for EVERY single scene. It's so incredible that he makes Johnny's actors in dorama look like Japan Academy Award winners. The leading couple's acting, especially in the first half where they talk to each other many times, was so embarrassing that I actually felt embarrassed watching it. In addition to having the worst acting lead couple in history, the script for this movie is extremely poorly written. The "persuasion of firework master" scene was so horrible that it made me laugh. Such poor story development is rare even in low-budget Japanese TV-dorama. It's a shame this movie had a really nice message for the workaholic Japan, that some things are more important than work, but its sheer cheesiness made it impossible for me to take it seriously. At least they had enough sense to use "Mirai Yosouzu II" instead of the theme song "A.I.Shi.Te.Ru no Sign ~Our Future Plan~" for the last scene. That one scene was somewhat touching. Another positive thing about this film is that the scenery in Spain was very beautiful, and all the scenes there actually weren't cheesy. This movie is exactly opposite of typical Japanese films in this respect... Although her acting is horrible (as usual), Matsushita Nao is beautiful as ever in this movie, and gets considerable screen time. I was able to watch the entire film because I was watching it solely for her, but for anyone who's not a huge Matsushita Nao fan like me... Avoid this film at all costs. |
DREAMS COME TRUE - A.I.Shi.Te.Ru no Sign ~Our Future Plan~ | 8 8 | |||||||
| クローズド・ノート Closed Note |
2007 | Junai | 3 | After watching this movie... I can kind of understand why Sawajiri Erika was in such a bad mood during the movie premier. I personally am a big fan of Japanese "Junai" ("Pure love") genre films, but this is among the worst Junai movie I've ever watched.
The setting of this movie is very promising, and I love the idea of tracing another person's life through a diary, but the story ended up grossly predictable with a series of clichés and corny lines. Even worse, character behaviors and story development in this film are extremely unnatural. It is true there were many touching scenes, but there were way too many plot holes and elaborate plot devices required to fit these scenes into the story. All the characters' behaviors were totally erratic... [SPOILER]Why did Ishitobi bring Kae flowers and couldn't give it to her if he didn't love her at all? How did the notebook end up behind the mirror if Ibuki died in an accident with it? And worst of all, how can Kae's character start reading that letter in the art exhibition in that situation? That is exactly what Japanese people call "KY", not being able to read the atmosphere.[/SPOILER] It was just impossible for me to watch this movie without sneering. I'm sure Sawajiri Erika didn't expect this movie to be a so corny when she signed up to star in a Yukisada Isao film. Another thing that really bothered me was how draggy this film was. I have seen and enjoyed couple of films that are longer than its 2:20 duration, but this one felt MUCH longer. There definitely wasn't enough material to cover such a long play time and it was so poorly directed that it's hard to believe it was produced by the same person who made GO and SekaChuu. It was a disaster as a film, but acting in general was decent. Takeuchi Yuuko, especially, managed to shine. The mysterious teacher role suit her very well, just like in ImaAi, and she didn't seem out of place like in every other role she's been in. Scenery in this film, especially the river scene was quite beautiful and relaxing, though colors overall were slightly over-saturated. I also liked the transitions from the present to the past events recorded in the notebook. Unfortunately, these small bits of successes were not enough to save this film. I expected much more from Yukisada Isao, I'm sure Erika-sama felt the same way. The ending of this movie was very empty and unsatisfying considering it was a Junai film. What this movie really lacked was intensity, especially since YUI's great theme song for this movie was so intense. |
YUI - LOVE&TRUTH | 9 6 | |||||||
| めがね Megane AKA: Glasses |
2007 | Comedy/Drama | 8.5 | Maximum relaxation. This movie is one of those SLOW and SUBTLE Japanese movies. It's a simple movie about a lady professor going to an island for an off-season vacation. The crazy residents on the island and subtle humor in this movie was very enjoyable for me and there were some really beautiful scenes of the coastline. Acting in this movie is very solid. Not many things are said in this film, but it's very easy to connect with all the characters and tell how they're feeling. We live in such a fast-paced society today, it's nice to be reminded that it's important to take a break once every while and that once again, beauty and happiness can be found in simplest things.
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Oonuki Taeko - Megane | 8 8 | |||||||
| 包帯クラブ Houtai Club AKA: Bandage Club |
2007 | Drama/Seishun | 8.5 | Though slightly cheesy, this is probably THE ultimate seishun (youth love) film. Houtai Club is about a group of teenagers tying bandages around the city to heal emotional wounds for anyone who requests it in their website. Of course tying bandages in random places does nothing, but it's true knowing someone cares do help. This film explores the idea that by healing and understanding other's pain, you can heal your own.
I usually hate this kind of cheesy Utopian ideas, but it was presented extremely well. The story is very interesting and very well directed. I've seen Ishihara Satomi in many TV drama series, but this is by far her best performance (not to mention cute). Although I thought the 2-hour length was a bit too long for this movie and there were couple of cheesy lines, it was a great life-altering film. |
Takahashi Hitomi - Tsuyoku Nare | 6 5 | |||||||
| HERO |
2007 | Drama | 9.5 | FujiTV's HERO aired in 2001 is my favorite conclusion-per-episode dorama series of all time and I had an extremely high expectation for this movie. Long story short, it met and exceeded my expectations, unlike the SP aired in 2006.
What I love most about this movie was that after 5 minutes, it felt like I was brought back to the world of HERO dorama series. This movie was directed well enough for cinema, yet it retained all the great qualities we HERO fans are familiar with from the TV series. A lot of dorama SPs (including the HERO SP) and movie adaptations have failed in this respect. Many others also failed to make it to silver screen standards (i.e. GTO, Saiyuuki, even 1L no Namida felt like a made-for-TV SP) but HERO staff succeeded in this movie where so many others failed. The producers of this film didn't forget about the fans by providing some hints for unanswered questions from the dorama series and SP, and connects the stories in dorama, SP, and the movie in a convincing manner. All the main characters' funny habits still makes me laugh, and the interactions between Kuryuu and Amemiya were great as usual. The chemistry between all the main cast was perfect even after all these years. It must be this bond that united ALL the original cast even after 6 years, in which time Abe Hiroshi has become a major presence in film and dorama, yet still returns in supporting role. The cast in this movie is absolutely incredible, with KimuTaku, still popular as ever; Abe Hiroshi, as mentioned; Kohinata Fumiyo, who has also become a major presence in cinema and TV, though in supporting roles; Ayase Haruka and Nakai Kiichi in same character as SP; Matsumoto Koushirou, multiple-award-winning stage actor, 9 years since his last film appearance; Tamori, the great MC of Wratte Iitomo and Music Station, 17 years since his last film appearance; even Korean actor Lee Byung-hun and many other recognizable faces in supporting roles. Not only did this movie made me laugh and was a star galore, there were also many moving and inspirational scenes. The story was very well-written and it was very well-directed. The ending completely caught me off-guard. I absolutely loved the dorama series' leave-the-rest-to-your-imagination ending, but the movie ending was just as good, surprise ending fitting for this great franchise. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of Utada Hikaru's "Can You Keep a Secret?" as theme song (understandable, but it felt like something was missing), and a few unnecessary scenes to recreate the greatest scenes in the dorama series. I've seen MANY dorama series and movies since HERO in 2001, but watching this movie once again reminded me that Kuryuu Kouhei is one of the greatest character ever created by Japanese live-action writers. I Recommend watching the entire TV dorama series before the movie. |
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| ワルボロ Waruboro |
2007 | School | 5 | Not much to say about this movie, a typical Japanese "Furyou" (delinquent) movie. It was exactly what I expected, bunch of kids trying to act tough, lots of random fights, and excessively corny. There were some interesting enemy bosses though, and there were some touching scenes, but way too cheesy for my taste.
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The Cro-magnons - Girigirigagangan | 3 7 | |||||||
| Ｌｉｆｅ 天国で君に逢えたら Life: Tears in Heaven |
2007 | Junai/Sports | 2 | This is by far the worst Junai movie I've watched thus far. The acting in general was disastrous and very predictable story. Various scenery in Hawaii and Australia were very beautiful, but this movie is just too cheesy and dumb.
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Kuwata Keisuke - Kaze no Uta wo Kikasete | 6 9 | |||||||
| スピードマスター Speed Master |
2007 | Racing | 4 | I love racing movies, but this one was just horrible. Cars were awesome, but the CG was so fake. The whole movie was just so cheesy and stupid, I was just laughing at it the whole time. And for some reason, Nakamura Shunsuke looked like Nagase Tomoya, and the villain looked like Katori Shingo. I had no idea what the hell Kitano Kii was doing in that movie. Some car intros were cool and m.o.v.e theme song was nice though.
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m.o.v.e feat 8-BALL - SPEED MASTER | 7 9 | |||||||
| 恋するマドリ Koisuru Madori AKA: Layout of Love |
2007 | Seishun | 9.5 | I had absolutely zero expectation for this movie, in fact, I was expecting an idol movie from Aragaki Yui, who had been disastrous (though cute) in all her TV drama series I've watched so far. Boy, was I wrong!
The beginning of this movie is like a typical subtle Japanese film with very limited dialogues. It really surprised me how it was still drawing me into the story despite the fact that I had a very negative impression of Gakki and Matsushita Ryuuhei being one of the actors I disliked the most. This film was exceptionally well-directed by the rookie director. It was also very interesting that this movie slowly picks up its pace, and gets pretty intense near the end. I also loved the humor in this film, which was kind of wacky for this type of seishun films. This is another flawless film I've seen this year. Well-directed, well-acted, great music and nice, touching, deep conclusion. Aragaki Yui's performance was very impressive, I was able to really connect with the character... I can now see why Japan Academy Awards gave her the Best Newcomer Award. Extremely strong film. |
Aragaki Yui - Memories | 6 8 | |||||||
| 彩恋 SAI-REN |
2007 | Seishun | 6.5 | A low-profile film (though I'm hesitant to call it a B-movie), SAI-REN is a typical seishun film about 3 girls in different kinds of love, trying to figure out their paths. There are quite a few actors I recognize (though all previously in supporting roles), and it has a nice pace. Pretty funny too. Not that bad for a limited screening movie.
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SINGER SONGER - Shoka Rinrin | 9 8 | |||||||
| 夕凪の街 桜の国 Yuunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni AKA: Town of Evening Calm, Land of Cherry Blossoms |
2007 | Drama/War | 3 | This film had an abnormally high user ratings in Yahoo! Japan Movies, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment for me. The movie is divided into two parts. First half is "Yuunagi no Machi" ("Town of Evening Calm"), about a family of nuclear bomb survivors in Hiroshima, 13 years after the bombing. The second part, "Sakura no Kuni" ("Land of Cherry Blossoms") is set in present day Japan, where descendants of the family trace back to the past.
The first half presents a nice atmosphere and a touching story about Minami, a female survivor still trying to cope with the death of her sister in the bombing. Asou Kumiko was phenomenal as Minami, the female surviver. Her control of emotion was right on, and her acting was very convincing. The second half though, is nothing short of a disaster, where it turned into a cheesy game of tag between a father and a daughter. I was quite surprised at how the 3 main characters were all actors I disliked; Tanaka Rena, Nakagoshi Noriko, and Sakai Masaaki. Nakagoshi was actually alright in this film, but the other two were absolutely horrible as usual and completely out of place. Change in atmosphere and style were far too abrupt, which contributed to the horrible flow of story in this film. In addition, corny lines like "I chose to be born into this family" was not exactly what I expected from a movie with such a serious theme. Another thing that really bothers me is how this film feels like a post-war propaganda that places Japan solely as the victim of evil and completely ignores their own responsibility in WWII, with lines like "Bombs didn't just drop, it was dropped by someone", and "I wonder if the people who wanted us to die are happy now I'm dying, even though it took 13 years" etc. Still, it would've been a decent movie if it was just "Yuunagi no Machi". |
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| 天然コケッコー Tennen Kokekko AKA: A Gentle Breeze in the Village |
2007 | Seishun | 9.5 | Another movie depicting the goodness of simple life in the countryside and the innocent love of a teenage girl. They should not have been able to make such a beautiful film without big name actors and a lot of money, but they did. A miraculously good film, just like Josee.
I have seen the lead actress Kaho in many dorama series before as a minor character, and I didn't have much expectations for her in this movie, but she was phenomenal. She was very cute and pure, had a great control of her emotions, and just fit perfectly into the role. Cinematography and camera work were equally wonderful, a proof that big budget CG isn't necessary for stunning scenes. What I loved most though, was how well this film was directed. It had a very straightforward story of a shy and earnest girl falling in love, and it didn't have any scenes that were overwhelming memorable and dramatic like most masterpieces, but I was totally drawn into the story. I totally connected with all the main characters. It shows that beauty lies beneath ordinary things and emotion through subtlety, a true Japanese film. Everything was perfect, I can't come up with a single flaw in this movie. As I mentioned before, a miraculous film. |
Qururi - Kotaba wa Sankaku Kokoro wa Shikaku | 8 10 | |||||||
| 西遊記 Saiyuuki AKA: Journey to the West |
2007 | Action | 3 | Yeah, this movie was pretty bad. They shouldn't have wasted so much money on CG and extras, and just released this as a dorama SP. It felt like watching a cheap dorama the whole time. While it was really entertaining and touching at times, it was definitely not worth paying and watching in the theaters. The fighting sequence was a great improvement over the dorama series though.
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MONKEY MAJIK - Around the World | 8 8 | |||||||
| 腑抜けども、悲しみの愛を見せろ Funuke Domo, Kanashimi no Ai wo Misero AKA: Funuke Show Some Love, You Losers! ; Show Some Sorrow Love, You Cowards! |
2007 | Comedy/Drama | 10 | Other than SABU films, I haven't really liked any Japanese dark comedies, and I generally dislike any films with cult movie qualities... This one is a huge exception.
Funuke Domo... is a story of a countryside family struggle. The movie begins with both parents dying in a car accident. The elder sister (Satou Eriko) comes back home from Tokyo because they are no longer able to send her money for acting school. The other 2 members of the family are the little sister (Satsukawa Aimi), an asthma-stricken aspiring manga writer and older brother (Nagase Masatoshi), who abuses his wife. Now that the frustrated elder sister came back (and eager to leave again though has no money), tension within the family hits an all-time-high. Every member of the family has a dark secret and it leads to one event after another. This movie is unbelievably well-casted. I have seen Satou Eriko in couple of dorama series before, but she had never been my type of gravure idol. This movie totally converted me. She is just so HOT and fit perfectly into that demonic personality. Her chemistry with Satsukawa Aiko was really good, and there were quite a few amusing interactions between the sisters. I have also seen Satsukawa in couple of dorama series before, but she had previously failed to leave any impact on me. Her performance in this film was solid, excellent portrayal of a seemingly innocent but dark-minded girl. Nagase Masatoshi, the only experienced actor of the three, gives the most impressive performance in this movie. His character was concerned and frustrated the whole time, and his subtle acting enabled me to really sympathize with him. Nagasaku Hiromi was recognized with many awards for her supporting role in this film, and she was very funny and expressed her character's feeling exceptionally well. Her acting felt very natural and sincere. Casting was really well-done, but not only that, the director was able to draw out the best out of every one of them. This film is pretty fast-paced, but it still feels like a true Japanese film with excellent mix of wacky and dark humor with subtlety. The country landscape is very beautiful and calming, and there were some pretty advanced camera work that made really impactful scenes. An exciting movie that explores family conflict. It's a movie that made me think "This is what a great Japanese film is supposed to be like." One of my favorite Japanese movies of 2007. |
Chatmonchy - Sekai ga Owaru Yoru ni | 8 8 | |||||||
| 殯の森 Mogari no Mori AKA: The Mourning Forest |
2007 | Drama | 2 | This movie won the Grand Prize in Cannes Film Festival. I didn't get it, as usual.
Discovering your true identity through a journey is in fact my favorite plot for movies, and this film at first seemed very promising with interesting characters and beautiful sceneries of the forest. However, as the movie progressed, I became more and more confused. I'm sure this is one of those movies that's supposed to make you think, but way too little information was given even for audience to use their imagination. I actually went back to read the plot synopsis after I finished watching the film (all confused), and realized for the first time the nurse had previously lost her child. There was a scene where an unknown man saying it's all your fault. Now that I think of it, he was probably her ex-husband blaming her for the dead child. No matter how you think about it, any movie that requires the audience to read plot synopsis to understand the plot is unacceptable as a film. There were many other things in this film that were just outright puzzling, but the movie ended without even attempting to explain any of it. I absolutely did not connect with any of the characters. While this film had an extremely beautiful cinematography, that alone is not enough to make it a great film as a whole. I actually really liked the female lead actress Ono Machiko, but the male lead had too much age difference that I just couldn't see them as a couple. That "campfire" scene was completely incomprehensible for me. It is very well-known that Japanese films which win prizes in Cannes rarely fit the typical Japanese tastes. I guess movies, especially at film festivals are considered to be art, so perhaps truly amazing works are not meant to be understood by an average viewer like me. Or maybe Western audiences simply see the Japanese as mysterious group of people, and liked the mysterious couple in this film behaving erratically in the enigmatic forest. This film, like many other Cannes prize-winners, had disastrous user review ratings in Japanese movie sites. I really need to start heeding their advice and not expect too much from these films and never again watch a film that is produced in conjunction with other countries. |
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| 憑神 Tsukigami |
2007 | Comedy/Jidaigeki | 2 | What a disaster of a movie! They tried too hard to make this movie funny, but failed miserably. Although this movie was very star-studded, it felt nothing more than a typical B-movie comedy. The concept of this movie, though pretty common in Japanese stories, showed promise but extremely poorly executed. I don't even know why the novelist showed up in the very end in modern setting. It provided nothing to the story and was just so random.
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Kome Kome Club - Gorieki | 5 9 | |||||||
| 図鑑に載ってない虫 Zukan ni Nottenai Mushi AKA:The Insect Unlisted in the Encyclopedia |
2007 | Comedy | 8 | This teen comedy movie has a very well-structured story. It's funny in a stupid way like most teen movies, but the story is really unique, and all the little details are pieced together in the end. The ending was also very deep, nice break from serious drama movies.
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Nice Hashimoto - Natsu no Tegami | 8 10 | |||||||
| アヒルと鴨のコインロッカー Ahiru to Kamo no Coin Locker AKA: The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God - Duck and Goose's Coin Locker |
2007 | Mystery | 7 | A very, very interesting mystery film with a nice flow. Unfortunately, some character behaviors are too unplausible in addition to inconsistent acting by the two up and coming actors. Overall, the story from novel was very well written and there were many memorable quotes and plot devices, but something was off about this movie.
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Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind | 6 6 | |||||||
| 転校生 -さよなら あなた- Tenkousei -Sayonara Anata- AKA: Switching - Goodbye Me - Transfer Student - Goodbye You |
2007 | Fantasy/Seishun | 9.5 | A self-remake of multi-award winning 1982 film by director Oobayashi Nobuhiko, Tenkousei is about two junior high student switching body. This plot has been done many, many times in film already, but this is a very unique, experimental film. First of all, every single scene is tilted in random angles between 5~45 degrees. It took me a while to get used to it, but it was able to create some incredible scenes. The cinematography on this film was the most beautiful I've seen in any movie, including American and other Asian movies. Music was equally touching, and accompanies beautiful scenes very well. This movie is 2 hours in length, but the time will just fly by thanks to an excellent flow.
The lead actress, Renbutsu Misako had an extremely weak presence in Battery, but she did an excellent job here. She is very attractive and has a big potential. I will definitely be closely following her career. Both actors did a very convincing opposite sex, especially considering they are still child actors. This film is particularly interesting because the transition from the first half to the second is extremely smooth. Before you know it, it turns from a fast-paced comedy into complex drama, and while you were laughing through the first half, you might be crying through the second half. Although this movie is such a cliché in so many ways, it really connected with me and moved me. The ending was slightly draggy, but thanks to the great music accompanying beautiful sceneries, it sank in even more. I have not seen the original, but I absolutely loved this movie, a masterpiece IMO. |
Terao Saho - Sayonara no Uta | 9 10 | |||||||
| サイドカーに犬 Sidecar ni Inu AKA: Dog on the Sidecar |
2007 | Drama | 6 | This movie is a very hard one to rate... Takeuchi Yuuko was totally out of place as a "wild" girl, but there were some nice scenes and memorable quotes. Mimura is just such a horrible actress, nothing can work for her.
I enjoyed the story, about a fond childhood memory, from the perspectives of a child (I guess that's why so many things remain mystery, especially about Takeuchi's character). Over all, I loved parts of it, absolutely hated other parts. An interesting story and a nice message, but lacking a dramatic scene vital for this kind of film. I would watch again though, maybe it will grow on me. |
YUI - Understand | 5 7 | |||||||
| キサラギ Kisaragi |
2007 | Comedy/Suspense | 9.5 | Funny, funny, funny movie! Kisaragi is a hilarious comedy about a 1-year anniversary memorial party for a D-list idol Kisaragi, attended by 5 men from a fanclub website. The idol is said to have committed suicide, but one of the attendee suspects someone in this group is the murderer, and finger pointing begins!
The entire movie is about the arguments between these five men in the same room, with couple of imaginary reenactments scenes. It almost feels like watching a stage play. I don't want to spoil, but this movie has one twist followed by another, and the ending is pretty deep, though there was an Otaku-dance that was really stupid and unnecessary. What surprised me most though, is that the scriptwriter actually came up with a story as unique as this one. The setting for this movie is so crazy, and so are the characters, yet completely feasible in real life and their arguments are constructive. The characters' gradual developments were really entertaining for me, and their love toward this D-list idol was beautiful. All five actors played their parts very well. This is an unique movie that really delivered. This film explores the power of the human imagination, ambitions, and desires. The story was so well-organized and gives us a conclusion that makes perfect sense with the information given. I hope to see another surprising movie like this in the future. |
Lime Light - Kisaragi | 9 9 | |||||||
| 舞妓 Haaaan!!! Maiko Haaaan!!! |
2007 | Comedy | 9.5 | I never thought a Japanese comedy movie could be so good... Especially on a field (Geisha) which I had absolutely no interest in. The lead, Abe Sadao is simply amazing. His face is so disgusting, yet he can express so many kinds of convincing emotions, perfect for this Otaku role. It's amusing Yamada Takayuki cameos in this movie, because Abe Sadao would've made a waaay better Densha Otoko.
This is a really silly movie, it's a story that can NEVER happen in real life, but it's executed so well that it's not cheesy at all, unlike many other Japanese comedy movies I've seen that failed. The story and script for this film is really something. The cast for this movie was really impressive. So many established actors and popular actors who could be in leading roles participate as supporting cast. This is a really well-directed movie that had me teary eyed after around 30 minutes. Mostly from laughing too hard, but some scenes and plots near the end though, were really touching. Easily the best slapstick Japanese comedy movie of 2007. |
Group Tamashii - Y.O.U. Low Tension Girl | 5 10 | |||||||
| きみにしか聞こえない CALLING YOU Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai AKA: Calling You |
2007 | Junai | 8 | Recommended film for all those who liked Heavenly Forest.
Ryou (Narumi Riko) is a girl ignored by everyone else in her class, she doesn't even have a cell phone because no one would call her anyway. One day, she suddenly starts hearing voices of Shinya (Koide Keisuke), who lives in a different prefecture. Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai (literally "Only You Can Hear Me") is a fantasy film about the long-distance love between these two characters through telepathy. I have seen both How to Become Myself and Shindo, but Narumi Riko is by far the most beautiful in this one. Her acting in this was up to par as well. She's the most promising actress in Japan in my opinion. [SPOILER]This is a very well-directed film, though I thought the cinematography was a bit too dreamy thus unrealistic. One other thing I disliked about this film was the fact that the whole telepathy thing worked EXACTLY like cell phones. Ringing and "hanging up" was totally unnecessary that only made the whole concept cheesy. Even if there was such thing as telepathy, it would never work like that. What I love most about this film is that there are so many twists. First, you think it's a magical cell phone, but turns out to be telepathy. Then Shinya turns out to be deaf-mute. Then "Harada" turns out to be Ryou herself from the future (although I figured this out when I saw the accident), and the sign language message at death... This movie had a fantastic story. The ending theme song by DREAMS COME TRUE was absolutely fantastic. Although this is not the best DCT song I've heard before, it was a great song written specifically for this movie. Those lyrics really hit me in the end, and although I didn't cry during the movie, the theme song made me reflect the whole story and made me teary. This was a film that really had a kick in the very end. I'm sure I will like this movie more and more as I re-watch it. |
DREAMS COME TRUE - Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai | 9 10+ | |||||||
| 恋する日曜日 私。恋したLove on Sunday: Last Word AKA: Love on Sunday: I. Fell in Love |
2007 | Seishun | 8 | This film was not as good as its predecessor. The documentary style filming didn't work for me, and there was way too much camera shaking even for this type of film. Horikita Maki's acting was weak as usual, but it's definitely getting better. She did very well in the last scene on the bus. The story was so-so, BUT! There are 3 scenes in this movie that were just phenomenal: 2 bicycle scenes and the last bus scene (you'll know when you see it) were so touching and well-directed that they totally made up for everything else. Music in this thing really matched the story too. A film worth watching for experienced viewers.
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Kina Shoukichi - Hana | 10 9 | |||||||
| そのときは彼によろしく Sono Toki wa Kare ni Yoroshiku AKA: When You See Him, Say Hello for Me JPN Abr: SonoKare |
2007 | Junai | 9 | This movie is extremely similar to Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu (Be With You) and Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru (Heavenly Forest), based on a novel by the same author: Ichikawa Takuji. In fact, the stories are so similar that it's almost self-plagiarism of past two movies, developing the story through rare and possibly imaginary illness. Unlike the other two movies, I felt some scenes in this film were cheesy. Why then, did I rate it 10/10? Because it follows the proven formula for a Junai (pure love) genre movie while adding refreshing twists.
The first film of TBS Junai Trilogy: Sekai no Chuushin... (Crying Out Love...) (2004) started the Japanese Junai film craze, but it was the second of the trilogy: Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu (2004) that perfected the ultimate Junai formula of an unknown girl appears before a guy, reveals a fatal illness, and most importantly: climax with a narration/flashback/epiphany sequence by the tragic heroine, and ends with a feel-good/inspirational afterthought for the dead. This formula has since been implemented in 1L no Namida and major 2006 Junai films such as the last of the TBS Trilogy: Taiyou no Uta, Nada Sou Sou, and Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru. What astonishes me, is how this film managed to gather a main cast made up entirely of actors who previously starred in these notable Junai films. Yamada Takayuki was in Sekai no Chuushin TV drama series, Nagasawa Masami of Sekai no Chuushin movie and Nada Sou Sou, Tsukamoto Takashi of Taiyou no Uta. Even Kohinata Fumiyo, who played a doctor in Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu appears as the protagonist's father as a doctor again. It's impossible to watch this movie without being reminded of previous "pure love" movies. What really separates this movie from the rest, [SPOILER]is that a traditional Hollywood happy ending is used for the very first time. For 3 times after the 75th minute, I thought this movie would end. Each time, it would've ended in a tragedy, but in the very end, the two main characters got together, and damn, it works! The last 20 minutes of this movie was designed and executed exceptionally well through twists, which turned out to be practically abuse of the fact that most Japanese love stories of this kind end in tragedy. Some lines and scenes from earlier part of the movie (including the title), was reused in a very touching manner.[/spoiler] Despite its shortcomings such as repetitive theme and weak/inconsistent acting of Nagasawa Masami, which led to partial cheesiness, I consider this movie almost as good as ImaAi and TadaAi, as it touched me the same way, and had almost equally impactful story, cinematography, and music/theme song. |
Shibasaki Kou - Prism | 10 10+ | |||||||
| 大日本人 Dai-Nipponjin AKA: Big Man Japan |
2007 | Comedy | 4 | This film is directed by Matsumoto Hitoshi of Japanese comedian group Downtown.
Nice setting, documentary style directing was good. Unfortunately, the monsters were too disgusting and the story was way too stupid. There were couple of funny scenes, and it would've been great if it was a Lincoln skit or something, but I can't say it's a great movie. A lot more watchable than Kantoku Banzai! though. |
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| 監督・ばんざい! Kantoku Banzai! AKA: Glory to the Filmmaker! |
2007 | Comedy | 1 | Just by making a film like this shows that Kitano Takeshi has way too much ego. A completely worthless movie, it's hard to believe a crap movie like this can actually win awards in Cannes. A very unique idea for a movie, but executed extremely poorly. It's sad to see that they give out awards just because the director is famous, despite the fact that it's crap and that most people who saw this movie didn't enjoy it at all.
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| しゃべれどもしゃべれども Shaberedomo Shaberedomo AKA: Talk Talk Talk |
2007 | Drama | 9.5 | This movie is a Japanese culture film about "Rakugo", traditional Japanese verbal comedy. This is a really well-directed movie with very high level acting. Kokubun Taichi of TOKIO was surprisingly good in this film, excellent control of his emotions and very entertaining Rakugo performances. Karina is ever so beautiful and handled the role of an anti-social woman very well. The kid in this movie was SO good, it's ridiculous. His Oosaka dialect is just so much fun to listen to, and he's just so cute. He will be a big star one day.
This is a solid movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat and you will learn a lot about the Japanese culture. |
Yuzu - Ashita Tenki ni Naare | 8 10 | |||||||
| 赤い文化住宅の初子 Akai Bunkajuutaku no Hatsuko |
2007 | Drama | 3 | B-movie. Follows the life of a girl who leads a hard life and nothing goes her way. Not very remarkable, though I can really sympathize with the main character and liked the final scene. Those who love dark films may like it a lot.
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UA - Moor | 7 9 | |||||||
| 眉山 -びざん- Bizan |
2007 | Drama | 8 | This movie is a better version of Nada Sou Sou. I was surprised how little happened in this movie, yet I was emotionally drawn by it. Acting by Miyamoto Nobuko in the role of the mother was phenomenal. I would've liked to see more of Oosawa Takao, but we got very long screentime by Matsushima Nananko, which totally makes up for it. This movie is a must-see for Matsushima Nanako fans and advanced J-film viewers.
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Remioromen - Hotaru | 6 6 | |||||||
| THE 焼肉 MOVIE プルコギ Purukogi AKA: The Yakiniku Movie: Bulgogi |
2007 | Comedy | 7 | I really enjoyed UDON, so I was looking forward to this movie. It's definitely not as good, but it was still very enjoyable. Yamada Yuu was really hot in this, and other actors did a very good job for a comedy movie. The story could've been a bit better, but the main characters were really interesting.
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Yamazaki Masayoshi - NAVEL | 4 7 | |||||||
| ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 Ge Ge Ge no Kitarou AKA: Kitaro |
2007 | Action/Manga | 4 | Stupid as hell movie, but still pretty enjoyable. I used to read the Manga when I was little, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with CG, but the characters were pretty interesting. Acting and story were below par, but there are few touching scenes. Inoue Mao is pretty cute, but her acting is poor as usual, and nobody can escape the extreme cheesiness of this movie. Expect it to be a kiddie Halloween party-ish movie.
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Wentz Eiji - Awaking Emotion 8/5 | 5 8 | |||||||
| あしたの私のつくり方 How to Become Myself |
2007 | Drama/Seishun | 9 | A life-altering movie about a girl Juri AKA Kotori instructing Kanako AKA Hina how to live her life through emails with cell phone.
The story itself is actually quite close to Nobuta. wo Produce, but done in a completely different setting. This movie has a very nice flow, one thing happens after another, and there are no filler scenes of any kind. Very well-acted by two (visually pleasant) new-generation lead actresses Narumi Riko (Juri) and Maeda Atsuko (Kanako). It took a while to get used to it, but it's directed in a very unique style that works very well. The music for this movie was outstanding. It's the first time "Sasaki Yuri" was put in charge of music for a movie, everyone remember this name, she'll definitely be back! The only reason this film is not 10/10 is because there was a ten minute sequence that I felt was a bit over-sentimental, but still, an excellent, life-altering film. This is a movie I wish I watched 10 years ago. |
SNOWKEL - Tenki Yohou | 7 7 | |||||||
| 神童 Shindou |
2007 | Music | 8 | This is exactly what one would expect of a piano movie. The setting of this movie is very nice, a piano prodigy and a wanna-be pianist tackling their problems. Unfortunately, I felt there was something missing in the story and somewhat lacking character development. But the two leads, Narumi Riko and Matsuyama Kenichi were brilliant and there were many touching and memorable scenes. Dramatic yet spontaneous ending also worked very well for me. Overall, a nice film to watch.
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| 東京タワー オカンとボクと、時々、オトン Tokyo Tower |
2007 | Drama | 9 | Another movie about importance of family (mother, as with Bizan), this movie has a similar feel as ALWAYS series, and equally good. Odagiri Joe was given the opportunity to show his acting skills this time, and man, does he deliver! Extremely good casting, Odagiri portrays a convincing Lily Franky (author of the original novel this movie is based on) and looks exactly like the mother, who looks exactly like the young mother played by another actress. Although I felt it was slightly draggy at the very beginning and the end, this is a solid movie, well-directed with extremely nice scene transitions, touching music (OST). Great movie.
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Fukuyama Masaharu - Tokyo Nimo Attanda | 7 9 | |||||||
| 黄色い涙 Kiiroi Namida AKA: Yellow Tears |
2007 | Drama/Manga | 3 | I guess not all 'nostalgia' movie work for me. This movie just failed to touch me like the ALWAYS series or Tokyo Tower. There were a few nice scenes, but the acting by ARASHI members in general was just too unimpressive... Actually, the story didn't really give them much chance. It only felt like an idol movie, a failed attempt to inspire.
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| 蟲師 Mushishi AKA: Bugmaster |
2007 | Action/Manga | 3 | To sum it up in one word... Boring. This is one of those movies that could've been so much cooler, but ended up being really draggy. Odagiri Joe, a great actor, wasn't given enough chances to show his talents. Scenery is very beautiful in this movie, but so are hundreds of other films.
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| 檸檬のころ Lemon no Koro AKA: The Graduates |
2007 | Seishun | 7 | Great movie, although it is a slow-paced traditional Japanese film like Linda Linda Linda. A touching story of bitter-sweet loves in high school that makes anyone who ever went to school in Japan nostalgic. Well directed, excellent new-generation actors, great music. Recommended to advanced Japanese viewers.
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Hayashi Naojirou - hikari -Lemon no Koro- | 8 10 | |||||||
| アルゼンチンババア Argentine Baba |
2007 | Drama | 3 | This movie was totally wasted by a newbie director. The story is somewhat interesting, and the cast is quite powerful, but the direction, cinematography, music... The whole production was a big mess. Acting was also extremely unconvincing, even from multiple award winners like Yakusho Kouji and Suzuki Kyouka.
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Tate Takako - Wasurenagusa | 4 8 | |||||||
| 龍が如く 劇場版 Like a Dragon |
2007 | Action | 7.5 | This is an awesome movie despite the fact that it's based on a video game. Directed very well with lots of action. This is the funniest Yakuza movie I've seen. It was star-studded for a movie of this kind too. Very fun to watch though not very meaningful.
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Crazy Ken Band - 17th of December | 6 9 | |||||||
| 大帝の剣 Taitei no Ken AKA: The Sword of Alexander |
2007 | Comedy | 4 | Samurais, ninjas, spaceships, aliens, zombies... Sounds weird, and it IS a weird movie. They were aiming for "so bad it's actually good", and only partially succeeded. It's a hilarious movie that makes absolutely no sense with really crappy CG and weird villains. The biggest surprise is that well-known dorama actors like Abe Hiroshi and Hasegawa Kyouko are in this B-film.
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Glay - Kodou | 8 7 | |||||||
| キトキト! Kitokito! AKA: Alive and Kicking! |
2007 | Drama/Comedy | 9 | Extremely well-casted, extremely well-acted, extremely good movie! There were so many hilarious scenes, yet the very next second, the setting created by comedy suddenly turns into an extremely moving scene. This movie is one of those movies where you can really laugh and cry. Ootake Shinobu fit the role of the tough mother perfectly, and Ishida Takuya also did a really good job. He is the most promising next-gen actor at the moment. Yoshida Yasuhiro, the rookie director did a VERY good job, very good flow to the story, and made me cry couple of times.
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ONE☆DRAFT - Furusato | 8 9 | |||||||
| バッテリー The Battery |
2007 | Sports/Drama | 8 | A must see movie for all baseball lovers. "Battery" is a Japanese baseball lingo meaning the pitcher and the catcher. Being another sports movie, I was expecting it to be another cheese fest, but it turned out to be a very touching movie without getting too cheesy. Child actors were fantastic, and extremely well-written story (I guess it's because this movie is based on a novel...). Importance of friendship and what it means to play baseball.
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Kumaki Anri - Haru no Kaze | 9 10 | |||||||
| バブルへGO!! タイムマシンはドラム式 Bubble Fiction: Boom or Bust |
2007 | Comedy | 7 | A girl travels to year 1990 to find her mother, the inventor of the "Laundry Machine-Type Time Machine" to stop the "Burst of Bubble Era". It's a really fun movie, well written plots. I was very surprised this movie wasn't as cheesy as it sounded. I wasn't a fan of Hirosue Ryouko's acting, but she was pretty good in this and fit for the role. Abe Hiroshi delivers great acting as usual.
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Katou Miriya - Eyes on You | 5 5 | |||||||
| さくらん Sakuran |
2007 | Geisha | 3 | Letting a photographer direct a movie... BIG MISTAKE! It's painfully clear all effort in this film was directed toward cinematography and very little attention to everything else. Most obvious mistake is the miscast of the entire female cast. Many of them are very experienced and capable, but they all seemed out of place, and having an amateur director certainly didn't help.
The story is a very common Geisha story, and characters behaved very inconsistently, thus making it extremely difficult for me to connect with the heroine. This movie's theme is "modern prostitution", but still, it was annoying how Tsuchiya Anna's lead character kept talking like a female motorcycle gang member while everyone else spoke in old Japanese fitting for this setting. This movie has very vibrant colors, similar to Zhang Yimou's Hero, but viewers can easily tell it's filmed in an elaborate movie set. The two sequences with Shiina Ringo's insert songs were really nice though, in mid-section of the movie. I actually really disliked her music before, but they fit perfectly in this movie. Although Ninagawa Mika is a complete failure as a film director, she has a major potential in PV production. |
Shiina Ringo - Konoyo no Kagiri | 6 7 | |||||||
| となり町戦争 Tonarimachi Sensou AKA: War Against Neighboring Town |
2007 | Drama | 9 | Tonarimachi Sensou (War Against Neighboring Town) is a fiction about Kitahara (Eguchi Yousuke), an ordinary employee of a traveling agency turning into a spy for his town's war against Town of Morimi, a neighboring town in a dystopian society. Eguchi Yousuke did an excellent job portraying a confused man getting caught under the war. Harada Tomoyo was even more fantastic, with her almost mechine-like gestures to portray her role of a blind/emotionless coordinator of the war.
I usually find these "cry for peace" films to be too corny for my tastes, and while this one does have its share of corniness, it was very well-executed and kept me interested for the entire duration of the movie. The movie begins with dark comedy, where the confused protagonist slowly grasp what is happening to his town and gets dragged into taking a "reconnaissance" duty and eventually escalates to becoming a full-time spy. The film then gradually gets more and more serious, presenting the audience with realities of war. I liked how this film openly questions many real elements of the war in humorous ways, such as "border lines being drawn", ambiguity of reasons for the war, responsibilities of participants and civilians, and justification of killing/casualty. This film presents the social issue of wars from another perspective. I found it disturbing how simply downscaling countries to towns so clearly shows the absurdity in waging wars and killing each other. I guess most of us are completely oblivious to what's happening in the world. I'm still skeptical about these Utopian ideas of a world without war, but it really challenged my values and prompted me to find out more about current events around the world. A life-altering film. |
Nakashima Yuki - Ashita Haretara | 6 7 | |||||||
| Dear Friends | 2007 | Drama | 2 | Another one of those 'battling a disease' movie... Not very impressed. The acting in general was absolutely disastrous, typical story and characters, average story.
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| どろろ Dororo |
2007 | Action/Manga | 8.5 | Based on a manga by Tezuka Osamu, Dororo is about a man's quest to get back 48 parts of his body sold to Demons before birth. Once said to be impossible to be made into a live action, is made possible by heavy use of CG. Unfortunately, the CG was very disappointing for me as it seemed extremely cartoonish, but cool action sequences directed by Ching Siu-tung totally made up for it. Tsumabuki Satoshi, Shibasaki Kou, and Eita reunite from Orange Days for this action film. Their performances were flawless, and the action is very cool, with some memorable scenes. The story is very well written though not very deep. It's one of those action films that you watch and enjoy, but shouldn't expect anything deeper.
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Mr.Children - Fake | 8 9 | |||||||
| 幸福な食卓 Koufuku na Shokutaku |
2007 | Seishun | 7 | Average, somewhat predictable seishun film... Until Mr.Children's theme song scene at the very end. Although I like regular version of Kurumi better, the tone and lyric of this song was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for this movie and that particular well-shot long scene and message of "going forward".
I didn't like Kitano Kii in Speed Master, but she did very well in this film, Katsuji Ryou's acting also far surpassed my expectations. |
Mr.Children - Kurumi -for the Film- | 8 10 | |||||||
| それでもボクはやってない Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai AKA: Even So, I Didn't Do It |
2007 | Drama | 9.5 | A man falsely accused of groping fights for his innocence. groping leaves no evidence, and the Japanese courtrooms are heavily biased against the offender.
Soredemo is one of the greatest Japanese film I've seen to date. This movie deals with the horrifying truths behind the Japanese court system. Life-altering and inspirational movie. I don't recognize the lead actor for this movie, but he handled this difficult role perfectly, excellent control of his emotions. The supporting cast is filled with actors I consider to be the most talented in acting skills, and they all gave great performances. Casting was incredibly well-done. This movie was directed by the same person who did "Shall We Dance?" and the lead actor in that movie, Yakusho Kouji appears as the main lawyer. Direction, screenplay, and the story were absolutely perfect.Must-see. |
tomo the tomo - Shizukesa no Naka de | 7 6 | |||||||
| 僕は妹に恋をする Boku wa Imouto ni Koisuru AKA: My Sister, My Love |
2007 | Drama | 7 | There is an old Japanese saying: 「終わり良ければ全て良し」"As long as the ending is good, it's all good"... They were talking about this movie.
This movie is about a pair of twins who loves each other finally starts acting on it. The first 1:30 of this movie was incredibly slow. Of course, this is very typical of many Japanese films, but it was extremely difficult to watch because all the characters seemed emotionless and it felt as if they were reading lines off a big board behind the camera. I was about to give this film a mediocre rating like 3/10 at this point, then the last scene started... The long shot starting with rock/paper/scissors in the last scene is probably the most amazing shot I've ever seen in Japanese movie or drama so far. All the monotonous dialogs, long silences, emotionless acting were buildups for this very last scene, where the emotion finally erupts. I've never been a believer in Matsumoto Jun's acting skills, but I've been proven wrong in the very last 10 minutes. The ending was very deep, [SPOILER]as the two main characters, without words exchanged, realize their relationship will never reach anywhere, and 10 the last steps were taken, lass kiss was exchanged.[/SPOILER] Although some of the character's actions didn't make sense early in the movie, I enjoyed it a lot thanks to the great ending and the cuteness of Eikura Nana. Recommended for patient Eikura Nana fans and extremely experienced J-film viewers. |
Crystal Kay - Kitto Eien ni | 8 9 | |||||||
| ハミングライフ Humming Life |
2007 | Drama | 5 | A story about two young adults exchanging letters in a park. A Japanese version of "You've got mail". Virtually unknown director, unknown actors, lack of profile in IMDB... I wasn't expecting anything from this 1 hour long movie, but it turned out to be surprisingly good. The music is great, every single scene looks so beautiful, and fairly well directed. The story is somewhat ordinary, but told in an unconventional way. Overall, a fun movie.
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GOING UNDER GROUND - Humming Life | 9 10 | |||||||
| 大奥 Ooku |
2006 | Jidaigeki | 4 | This film is one of the big budget Jidaigeki films in recent years. The story was so-so, and cinematography was great, but I couldn't help but feel something was lacking in the acting. Especially Nakama Yukie, who seemed very tense as usual.
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Koda Kumi - Unmei | 9 9 | |||||||
| NANA 2 | 2006 | Manga/Romance | 3 | This sequel to NANA is such a disappointment. The new cast is very weak compared to the first movie. Ichikawa Yui didn't have the energy and cuteness of Miyazaki Aoi, and her acting was by far inferior in comparison. Hongou Kanata also seemed really out of place when he was with other band members. The story wasn't that impressive either. The only improvement was Nakashima Mika's theme song.
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Nakashima Mika - Hitoiro | 7 9 | |||||||
| 武士の一分 Bushi no Ichibun AKA: Love and Honor |
2006 | Drama | 8.5 | Another Jidaigeki film by Yamada Youji, another film I really enjoyed. Bushi no Ichibun is an intense drama with limited sword action, but has a very nice pace. The movie deals with the pride of a samurai (Kimura Takuya), who lost sight after tasting a poisonous clam on duty. It is also a truly beautiful love story between the samurai and his wife, who wishes to help in whatever way she can, but the samurai's pride forbidding acceptance of such mercy. A well-directed film, and the actors were all very convincing except the lead, KimuTaku, who at casual scenes simply turned back into his normal self of 21st century. He did fit into the role with his mature look and fierce glare, but I think he needs to stick to his modern hotshot character or more stage experience for these Jidaigeki roles.
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| 手紙 Tegami AKA: The Letters |
2006 | Drama | 10 | Tegami is about the struggles of Nao (Yamada Takayuki) whose brother (Tamayama Tetsuji) was convicted for murder. In an extremely civilized country like Japan, only people with really twisted minds are considered to be capable of murder. This movie follows the obstacles and challenges Nao faces because he shares his blood with a murderer, with help of a friend Yumiko (Sawajiri Erika) in the span of approximately 10 years. The title "Tegami" (The Letters) comes from the letters Nao and his brother exchange over these years.
Yamada Takayuki and Tamayama Tetsuji's acting were extremely good in this film, Tegami is worth watching just for Tamayama's scene in the very end. This movie is beautifully directed with perfect background music. |
Oda Kazumasa - Kotoba ni Dekinai | 10 10+ | |||||||
| 7月24日通りのクリスマス Christmas on July 24th Avenue |
2006 | Romantic Comedy | 5 | A romantic comedy from the creators of Densha Otoko, this is an enjoyable movie. Acting is fantastic with Nagatani Miki and Oosawa Takao, along with many recognizable faces from doramas. The script and setting is great, and it has a unique style (for Jmovies). Although it reminds of Korean romantic comedies a little at times...
Like every Christmas movie and most romantic comedies, it's really cheesy at times, but a nice light film. |
K - First Christmas | 7 9 | |||||||
| ただ、君を愛してる Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru AKA: Heavenly Forest JPN Abr: TadaAi |
2006 | Junai | 10+ | Based on a novel written by the same author as Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu, inspired by the film Renai Shashin. Miyazaki Aoi plays an 'underdeveloped' and strange girl falling in love with Tamaki Hiroshi's character in a university. This movie features very beautiful nature of Japan, excellent cinematography, and very touching story. Overall a BEAUTIFUL film. Acting was SUPERB! Miyazaki Aoi's character is very memorable, and one of the scenes with Tamaki made me cry. Great twist in the ending as well. It's one of those movies that really connects with you, especially if you ever experienced a lost love. The music for this movie is also incredibly good, matches perfectly with each scene, which gives the story a nice flow and makes them twice as emotional.
WATCH THIS MOVIE!! |
Ootsuka Ai - Renai Shashin | 9 10 | |||||||
| 後編『デスノート the Last name』 Death Note: The Last Name AKA: Death Note vol.2 |
2006 | Suspense/Manga | 9 | The cat and mouse game escalates in the second half of Death Note. There is far more action, more complicated plots, and more deceptions and twists compared to the fist movie. Toda Erika is VERY hot in this movie and puts up a great performance. This is the best manga based live-action movie or dorama I have seen to date. *EDIT* Extremely re-watchable movie series.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow | 8 3 | |||||||
| 虹の女神 Rainbow Song Rainbow Song AKA: Goddess of Rainbow |
2006 | Romance | 8 | I actually gave up on this movie the first time after around 10 minutes. Mostly because I just saw Tenshi no Tamago starring same lead actor. I'm glad many people recommended this movie to me, making me watch again. I don't think it can be denied it starts pretty slow, but things pick up and you just get drawn into the movie. This movie is very well directed, high level acting with interesting story. A very beautiful romance movie.
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Tane Tomoko - The Rainbow Song Niji no Megami | 8 10 | |||||||
| 地下鉄に乗って Metro ni Notte AKA: Riding the Metro |
2006 | Drama | 7.5 | You can say that this film is the ALWAYS Sanchoume of 2006. Also starring Tsunami Shinichi. A man travels back in time while riding the Metro. The story is not as touching as ALWAYS, but it has many twists and the impressive acting by all the stars in this movie is just fun to watch. This movie shows us the importance of family.
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Salyu - Platform | 8 10 | |||||||
| ハリヨの夏 Hariyo no Natsu AKA: The Summer of Stickleback |
2006 | Drama | 2 | Not much to say about this movie, other than it's a crappy B-movie and the whole production style and some characters/scenes reminded me of Blue Gate Crossing, except nowhere near as touching.
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| 涙そうそう Nada Sou Sou AKA Tears for You |
2006 | Drama | 8.5 | This movie is inspired by the Natsukawa Rimi song "Nada Sou Sou" written by Moriyama Ryouko, composed by BEGIN, sang by all three of them. It's been sang in multiple Kouhaku Utagassen, and now known as THE Okinawan song.
I must say, this movie could've had a better story, but it's still pretty interesting. I guess there are limitations to the story because they have to follow the lyrics. Tsumabuki's acting was incredible as usual, even Nagasawa fit very well in her role. I will definitely continue following their careers. Their chemistry in this film was just wonderful, and they really showed the comfort of just living in the countryside. Yes, I cried during the ending credit, when the song started playing. One of those love it or hate it movie. |
Natsukawa Rimi - Nada Sou Sou | 10+ 10 | |||||||
| フラガール Hula Girls |
2006 | Drama | 9.5 | This is one of those movies that I would've never even imagined I would like that much, but ended up totally surprising me. Dance in past setting is about as far as it gets from my typical preferences, but it was surprisingly touching, and acting was fantastic! The characters developed nicely, and it drew my attention to the very end. Matsuyuki Yasuko was still so very hot, and her acting was great as usual. Japan Academy Awards grand prize winner impresses me once again. I cried in this movie, not because it was sad, but because it was one of the most inspirational and touching movie I have ever seen. Great OST as well, very rewatchable film.
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| 夜のピクニック Yoru no Picnic AKA: Night Time Picnic |
2006 | Drama/School | 9 | This is one of the best Japanese school movie I've seen so far. A truly touching story of a High School's annual "walk festival", where a band of friends spend their last moments of High School life together in a day and night long 80km walk. Based on a novel of same name, the winner of "Bookstore employee's choice award". Roughly based on a real life annual 70km event of a high school the author attended. Very interesting main and side characters, all develop very nicely in this film. It shows the importance of friendship and how simple things can bring happiness. Nostalgia-inducing film that has the feel of a Japanese film, mastery in story telling.
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Monkey Magik - FUTARI | 8 7 | |||||||
| シュガー＆スパイス ～風味絶佳～ Sugar & Spice: Fuumi Zekka |
2006 | Romance | 3 | The only thing this movie has to offer is Sawajiri Erika. Although there are some fun and touching scenes, very poorly written story overall. Just another typical Japanese romance movie.
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Oasis - Layla | 7 5 | |||||||
| アキハバラ@DEEP Akihabara@Deep |
2006 | Action | 5 | This is certainly a unique movie. Acting by Narimiya and Oshinari were very good, and some cool action scenes by Yamada Yuu as well. The story is a bit predictable, but overall, a fun movie. Recommended for Densha Otoko lovers.
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AAA - Let it beat! | 7 8 | |||||||
| スケバン刑事 コードネーム =麻宮サキ Sukeban Deka AKA: Yoyo Girl Cop: Code Name = Asamiya Saki |
2006 | Action | 3 | This is probably one of cheesiest movie ever made. Characters are such clichés, and the story, the yoyo weapon, the whole movie makes no sense. The only thing that saved this movie from absolute disaster was the action, which was kind of cool.
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GAM - Thanks! | 4 5 | |||||||
| 日本以外全部沈没 The World Sinks Except Japan |
2006 | Comedy | 7 | A parody of Nihon Chinbotsu AKA Japan Sinks. It's a very well done MAD TV-style comedy. Somewhat racist, but by joking about it with exaggeration, we often realize our own behavior and try to better ourselves. Good to see movies with these issues are being made in Japan. You'll have a good laugh at it if you have an open mind.
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| バックダンサーズ! Backdancers! |
2006 | Dance | 6 | Another dance movie, but a lot less cheesier compared to Hollywood dance films like Step Up and You Got Served. I was very surprised to see Hirayama Aya and Saeko dance at such high level (although Saeko's performance was a bit poor compared to rest). Very good to see Hiro from SPEED in action again. The only thing this movie was really lacking was a "decisive battle" with a special routine like most dance movies.
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Hiro - Itsuka Futaride | 8 7 | |||||||
| ラフ Rough Rough |
2006 | Sports | 2 | Another sports film, inevitably cheesy ending... The film was actually quite interesting up to the middle, but ending was very predictable and undramatic. Not one of better Nagasawa Masami movies. Her character really reminded me of Aki in Sekai no Chuushin though.
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SukimaSwitch - Zenryoku Shounen | 9 9 | |||||||
| UDON UDON |
2006 | Comedy | 9.5 | Wow... They actually made a movie about Udon. I'm still having a hard time believing it... The movie was hilarous, Yuusuke Santa-Maria impressed me once again. No one can mix comedy and drama as well as him! GODLY script. One of the most original JMovie I've ever seen, a movie that makes you laugh one minute and cry the next. The only bad thing about this movie: It made me hungry, and I can't find any Udon restaurant near me.
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| 青春☆金属バット Green Mind, Metal Bats |
2006 | Action/Drama | 7 | Pretty messed up movie, but the story is very unique and violent. The main character basically beats the crap out of people and steal their money because he's horny and wants to keep XXXXing an alcoholic but sexy woman. It's refreshing to watch different kind of movie every once a while though.
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Yakozen - Naraba, Tomoyo! | 5 9 | |||||||
| 恋する日曜日 -Love on Sunday- Love on Sunday |
2006 | Seishun | 8 | Absolutely amazing seishun (love in youth) movie. Story of a 4 way love for a girl about to leave for Tokyo on the very last day together. Touching story, wonderful acting, exceptionally well-directed with great camera work, perfect insert song. A traditional Japanese-style subtlety film executed perfectly. Unfortunately, this movie was not shot with film, and the video seems like a SP for TV, still, a must see for hardcore J-movie fans.
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RC Succession - Kimi ga Boku wo Shitteiru | 6 5 | |||||||
| ゆれる Yureru |
2006 | Drama | 8 | A very slow paced movie. I was a bit disappointed at beginning, but it drew me deeper and deeper into the story, and Odagiri Joe's acting was simply amazing. This movie is quite touching, and it's highly recommended if you like drama type movies and the can stand the slowness/subtleness of traditional Japanese movies.
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Cauliflowers - Uchi ni Kaerou | 4 8 | |||||||
| 日本沈没 Nihon Chinbotsu AKA: Japan Sinks |
2006 | Action | 5 | Star-studded movie, however, acting was so-so at best, and very cheesy. It has the best CG I've ever seen in a Japanese movie before 2006 though. Unfortunately, this movie is no match for similar Hollywood disaster movies like Armageddon, Day After Tomorrow, or Independence Day.
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SunMin thanX Kubota - Keep Holding U | 9 10 | |||||||
| やわらかい生活 Yawarakai Seikatsu AKA: It's Only Talk |
2006 | Drama | 7 | This movie somehow failed to touch me. I can't explain what went wrong. Acting was superb, well-directed, nice music, great ending... But somehow, I felt like it was missing impact. A nice film to watch though.
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| 雪に願うこと Yuki ni Negau Koto AKA: What the Snow Brings |
2006 | Drama | 5 | Extremely high user ratings and multiple awards, but this movie simply did not meet my expectations. Acting in this movie was decent, and I guess it has the traditional feel of a Japanese film. There were couple of nice scenes, but there were way too much clichés and way too predictable for me.
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| 明日の記憶 Ashita no Kioku AKA: Memories of Tomorrow |
2006 | Drama | 8.5 | I've always thought Watanabe Ken was overrated. Yes, he is a good actor, but he has been treated like an A-list star even though he has never even had a leading role in a movie... Until now.
As you can probably tell from the rating I gave for this movie, he did very well, along with the lead actress Higuchi Kanako. His portrayal of an Alzheimer patient is very convincing and emotional. In fact, he won the Best Actor Award for Japanese Academy Awards, and numerous other major awards for this movie. The supporting cast for this movies is absolutely STAR-STUDDED. I recognized almost every single one of them as lead-level dorama actors or very active in supporting roles for movies. The story for this movie is somewhat ordinary, but what really separates it from the rest is the execution. This movie is VERY well-directed, great acting all around, and nice music. Memories of Tomorrow is excellent film making, and I think it's the must-see movie of 2006 for those interested in Japanese films. |
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| 前編『デスノート』 Death Note AKA: Death Note vol.1 |
2006 | Suspense/Manga | 8.5 | *Note* I have never read the manga series*
I loved Battle Royale, so I was excited to see another horror manga movie starring Fujiwara Tatsuya. This movie did not disappoint. The concept of the Death Note was very cool, and the cat and mouse chase between the main character and L and the authorities was very exciting. Looking forward to the second half. The only thing I didn't like was the theme song. English songs never match Japanese movies or dramas. |
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California | 6 2 | |||||||
| Death Trance DEATH TRANCE |
2006 | Action/Fantasy | 2 | This movie is like a really crappy remake of SHINOBI and VERSUS. The director is the same person, but this one is a piece of crap. The story is very poorly written, and too many things didn't make sense even after the movie ended. It is also far too artistic for an action movie. Not recommended.
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Dir en grey - CLEVER SLEAZOID | 5 8 | |||||||
| 笑う大天使（マイケル） Warau Michael |
2006 | Comedy | 2 | The acting, story, and computer graphics are so bad, it's actually good...
... |
Tsuji Ayano - Soba ni Irukara | 7 6 | |||||||
| 愛と死をみつめて(Dorama SP) Ai to Shi wo Mitsumete |
2006 | Junai | 7 | The original novel, a collection of letters sent by the main character, is considered the predecessor to the "TBS Junai (Pure Love) Trilogy" novels. This dorama SP does not disappoint. This SP is mainly about long distance relationship between two high school students who meet in a hospital during the '60s. Kusanagi's acting skill sure have improved and it shows in this show. It's my first time seeing Hirosue Ryouko in a weak(illness) character role, but she did it very convincingly. Should check it out, if you like romantic series.
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Dream Come True - Memai | 8 9 | |||||||
| タイヨウのうた Taiyou no Uta |
2006 | Junai | 6.5 | The last and possibly weakest of TBS Pure Love Trilogy (TBS Summer Junai Trilogy) films, but thanks to this movie, I can tolerate YUI's music now. The actors did a very good job, and the movie is beautifully directed. Somewhat weak ending, and movie is probably too short for this story to be told properly.
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YUI - Good-bye Days | 8 8 | |||||||
| 間宮兄弟 Mamiya Kyoudai |
2006 | Comedy | 1 | I know they are trying to show the love between the two brothers, but beyond that, the movie makes no sense. Girls are cute though! 意味不明の映画です。 |
RIP SLYME - Hey, Brother | 5 3 | |||||||
| 県庁の星 Kenchou no Hoshi AKA: The Star of Prefecture Government |
2006 | Drama | 2 | This is the first movie or dorama with Shibasaki Kou in cast that I really can't give a rave review. Her chemistry with Oda Yuuji was horrible, acting from both leads were unconvincing, and boring story.
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| 好きだ、 Su-ki-da |
2006 | Drama | 4 | This movie is VERY slow paced with minimum dialogues. I know that's typical characteristics of traditional Japanese movie, but there's a limit... Also, it's very dark and there were many scenes where I could barely see. I'm sure this is one of those films that gets really praised in film festivals and film schools, but I just don't get what they are trying to say with this story. The style of this movie just didn't appeal to me.
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| THE 有頂天ホテル THE Uchouten Hotel |
2006 | Drama | 1 | Worst/most overrated movie ever. Boring to death. Avoid at all costs.
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| 天使 Tenshi |
2006 | Fantasy | 5 | This movie was a big surprise for me. It actually bored me to death in the first half and I almost stopped watching, but it started to get more and more interesting as the characters started to develop. The script and story was awesome near the end. I am very disappointed by Fukada Kyouko though... Her performance has been very poor recently.
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Ootake Yuki - Tenshi ga Maiorite Kuru Hi | 8 10 | |||||||
| ホールドアップダウン Hold Up Down |
2006 | Comedy | 7.5 | A movie by SABU, he must have been high when wrote the script for this movie. But it's amazingly funny for a Japanese film. This movie has a "Scary Movie" feel to it. Must watch for V6 fans.
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V6 - Orange | 6 5 | |||||||
| 里見八犬伝 (Dorama SP) Satomi Hakkenden |
2006 | Jidaigeki/Adventure | 9 | This dorama SP was so good that it easily could've been a movie, an excellent one at that. Star-studded with famous dorama actors, this SP is an excellent adventure with many interesting allies and villains. Still hoping to see another dorama SP that matches this one.
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| あおげば尊し Aogeba Toutoshi |
2006 | Drama | 6 | "Aogeba Toutoshi" is a very traditional Japanese graduation song. This film actually attempts to explore the meaning of death in a school setting. Personally, I really dislike Terry Itou as an actor, and this was not an easy film for me. Although "death" is the major theme in this film, I feel they failed to provide a satisfying explanation in the end. Maybe no one really understand the true meaning of life and death, but it's hard for me to grasp the purpose of this whole story. I really enjoyed the teaching aspect of this film, and that "once a teacher, you're always a teacher" quote. I knew exactly what was coming in the very end, but it still really moved me. Overall, a decent movie. |
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| 大停電の夜に Daiteiden no yoru ni |
2005 | Drama | 4 | Massive blackout hits Tokyo on Christmas eve. Blackout brings some people together, they have another look at their life, and their lives are changed in the end. Nice relaxing film to watch, but a bit too average to praise or criticize anything in particular.
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| ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日 ALWAYS Sanchoume no Yuuhi AKA: ALWAYS - Sunset on Third Street |
2005 | Drama | 9 | This movie is loaded with big name stars. Very touching movie. Maybe made for a bit older audience than me though. Depicts life in the post-war era, and how it felt fun (and the sunset was more beautiful) even though they had no money or technology. If you used to be poor (and now doing better) this movie will definitely induce nostalgia. This film absolutely deserves the 29th Japan Academy Award grand prize.
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D-51 - ALWAYS | 9 9 | |||||||
| 空中庭園 Kuuchuu Teien AKA: Hanging Garden |
2005 | Drama | 9 | A wonderful arthouse film. Hanging Garden is a story of a complicated family with the motto: "No secrets in the house" where everyone is always smiling with a 'mask' on. It was quite interesting to see how this dysfunctional family kept itself together. Koizumi Kyouko was fantastic in the role of the mother with a dark past. This movie is just so well-directed and camera-work is incredible. Even though majority of the scenes were shot in very ordinary urban environment, there were many stunning scenes. I must admit I didn't appreciate the constant 360 degrees rotation of the camera, I guess it's reference to the rotating bed in the love hotel, but it kind of disoriented me after a while... not the best film to watch when you're sleep deprived. I didn't really expect too much at the beginning of this film, but I was completely absorbed by the story as the movie progressed. I especially love the ending, because I'm a sucker for epiphany scenes in movies, and the one in this movie is possibly the ultimate. A very satisfying viewing experience, this film deserved a lot more awards. |
UA - Kono Sakamichi no Tochuu de | 6 8 | |||||||
| SHINOBI -Heart Under Blade- SHINOBI |
2005 | Action/Romance | 7.5 | This movie reminded me a little bit of X-men. Short battle scenes, but that's what makes the movie more realistic. Pretty good story and unpredictable ending. However, the quality of acting in this movie is a suspect.
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Hamasaki Ayumi - HEAVEN | 10+ 10 | |||||||
| NANA -ナナ- NANA |
2005 | Manga/Romance | 8 | I wasn't expecting this movie to be this good since it's based on anime, but it ended up pretty touching. The characters definitely have anime characteristics, but cute. This movie will turn me into a Miyazaki Aoi fan. Itou Yuna's song was amazing for that scene.
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Nakashima Mika - GLAMOROUS SKY | 6 8 | |||||||
HINOKIO |
2005 | SF/Drama | 6 | Hinokio is an advanced version of Asimo, a robot remotely controlled by a boy in rehab. CG for the robot in this movie is simple yet very effective/realistic. The story is interesting and touching, although a little predictable at times and the "virtual world" is a bit cheesy. Very high level acting from main cast consisting mostly of kids (including Horikita Maki in a girlish role for once). This movie is extremely well-directed for this genre. One of the best Japanese semi-kiddie movies I've seen so far.
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YUI - Tomorrow's Way | 8 9 | |||||||
| 亀は意外と速く泳ぐ Kame wa Igai to Hayaku Oyogu AKA: Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected |
2005 | Comedy | 6 | A wacky Japanese comedy. This movie has a very solid cast, but the movie itself was so-so. B-movie lovers would probably love it though.
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Remioromen - Minamikaze | 7 7 | |||||||
| 電車男 Densha Otoko |
2005 | Romance | 6 | The movie was so much better than the dorama. It summarizes the story very well, and casting/acting makes it a much more believable story.
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ORANGE RANGE - Love Parade | 7 4 | |||||||
| 埋もれ木 Umoregi |
2005 | Fantasy | 2 | This is the most incomprehensible movie I have ever seen in my life. I've always had trouble fully understanding some film festival movies (true, some are not meant to be understood and movies that leaves you thinking are more interesting), but NEVER have I been left absolutely clueless by end of a film. The entire movie is made of many bits of random events that had zero coherence. In fact, if not for the title "Umoregi" (buried tree), I wouldn't even have known which one was the main storyline.
I read a lot of positive reviews from film critics about this film, and I was deeply disappointed. I personally think it's wrong to praise a film just because the director is famous and you're too afraid to admit you didn't understand the movie. This is exactly why I always trust Japanese user reviews over Western film critics. |
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| Linda Linda Linda Linda Linda Linda |
2005 | Music/School | 8 | This is one of the must-see Japanese movies. With traditional use of Japanese subtlety, this movie depicts the struggles high school student face every day. Great acting all around, especially by the Korean lead actress.
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THE BLUE HEARTS - Owaranai Uta | 8 9 | |||||||
| 1リットルの涙 Ichi Rittoru no Namida |
2005 | Drama | 5 | The leading actress did a very good job of portraying the illness. She's not as pretty as Sawajiri, but I believe she's a better actress. I've heard this movie was actually filmed where the real Aya used to live, so I guess it's more realstic than the dorama. The movie had a nice flow, but the ending was VERY abrupt and not very satisfying.
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Katou Ikuko - Sora e | 5 8 | |||||||
| あずみ 2 - Death or Love - Azumi 2: Death or Love |
2005 | Action | 6 | The second movie is a big disappointment over the first movie, but still a good movie by itself. Once again packed with action, but the story is not as interesting, and the whole movie felt as if it ended really fast without much happening. The villains weren't as memorable as the first one despite the fact that it's a sequel, which should have a much larger budget.
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| 冬の運動会(Dorama SP) Fuyu no Undoukai |
2005 | Drama | 7 | Very touching dorama SP, about a man who just finished school, and trying to find his path.
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Makihara Noriyuki - ANSWER | 6 8 | |||||||
| ジョゼと虎と魚たち Joze to Tora to Sakana Tachi AKA: Josee, the Tiger and the Fish |
2004 | Drama/Seishun | 9 | A truly beautiful and painful romance between an ordinary college student and a disabled girl. Sounds like a common story, but it's executed in an extremely unique style, with dark humors. The two main characters develop very well, Tsumabuki Satoshi and Ikewaki Chizuru's performances were great. I was shocked to see Ikewaki nude... This is the same innocent girl from Taiyou no Kisetsu! This is a really deep movie that I really like, but it's hard to explain what makes this movie so great. Whatever Inudou Isshin did, it was excellent. |
Qururi - Highway | 8 8 | |||||||
| 恋文日和 Koibumi Biyori |
2004 | Drama/Seishun | 2 | This movie is a poor attempt of connecting 3 short films, which had a lot of recognizable faces, but felt like an amateur film (It's clear this movie is VERY low-budget), and just plain horrible. There were couple of nice scenes, but a LOT of cheesy crap was required to set them up. Despite many of actors were already well-known or became well-known now, acting was absolutely horrible. Bad movie.
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| いま、会いにゆきます Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu AKA: Be With You JPN Abr: ImaAi |
2004 | Junai/Fantasy | 10+ | I just watched this movie for 8th or 9th time... It's been almost a year since I last watched this movie, and I've watched a lot of great movies in 2007, but I have come to realize that this movie is still the best movie I've watched to date. The second and best of the TBS Summer Pure Love Trilogy, this film is far better made than Sekai no Chuushin and Taiyou no Uta. Acting was great and music is simply unforgettable. Tiny pieces of mysteries were placed throughout the movie, but everything comes together perfectly in the end. The story development of this movie has become the ultimate Junai formula, and has been copied many times since, but none of them could match this original movie. I remember almost every single line of this movie by now, but watching it inevitably left a smile on my face in many scenes, and brought tears to my eyes near the end. Perfect casting, music, story, directing. This movie will remain my favorite film for many years to come. SEE THIS MOVIE! |
ORANGE RANGE - Hana | 9 10+ | |||||||
| 隠し剣 鬼の爪 The Hidden Blade |
2004 | Jidaigeki/Drama | 7.5 | I'm not much of a Jidaigeki fan, but this movie was very watchable. Even though there were extremely limited amount of violence in this movie, I didn't feel boring at all. The story is pretty well written, realistic plots for that era. The movie is also had many comedic scenes that were really fun to watch.
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| スウィングガールズ Swing Girls |
2004 | Comedy/School | 8.5 | Another love for music film, and it was a very entertaining comedy movie for me, even though I don't really like jazz. The story for this movie was very well-written, and the wacky comedy worked very well, though there were few scenes I felt they were trying too hard to make the audience laugh. I was pleasantly surprised to see Motokariya Yuika in this movie, I've only seen her in a few movies and drama series, but her presence is very strong and very strong acting in addition to her cuteness... I also really liked her in this film despite a very limited role. Overall, a strong comedy film.
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| 69 -Sixty Nine- 69 |
2004 | Drama/School | 8.5 | Set in year 1969, this movie is actually quite similar to Hollywood teen movies. Horny teens, vandalism, big dreams. It's kind of deep though, a fun movie to watch with many interesting twists. Fairly well-directed with good camera work. Kagoshima-ben is kind of annoying to me... It took me a while to get used to it.
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| 天国の本屋～恋火 Tengoku no Honya ~ Koibi AKA: Heaven's Bookstore |
2004 | Drama | 4 | This romantic fantasy had an intersting plot, but its execution was a bit too melodramatic for my tastes. The ending didn't really work for me either.
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Matsutouya Yumi - Eien ga Mieru Hi | 7 7 |
下妻物語 Shimotsuma Monogatari AKA: Kamikaze Girls |
2004 | Comedy | 6 | Not at all the type of movies I usually watch, but it was absolutely hilarious! Tsuchiya Anna was SOO cool! The story is very unique, and did I say it's ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS already? Fuka-kyon acting like a badass in the end was a huge turn off though... Totally unconvincing acting.
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Tommy heavenly6 - Hey my friend | 7 8 |
| 世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu AKA: Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World JPN Abr: SekaChuu |
2004 | Junai | 5 | The first of TBS Pure Love Trilogy, this movie stars far superior actors and actress than the dorama, but I think the time constraints hurt this movie. The music was also extremely weak, but the story is better than dorama and the ending was better. The 'present day' Saku by Oosawa Takao was great, but the past scenes didn't seem to be as well executed. The movie kind of ended before I was able to connect with the characters. Unlike the dorama, this movie was not even close to make me cry. |
Hirai Ken - Hitomi wo Tojite | 8 9 | |||||||
| CASSHERN CASSHERN |
2004 | Action | 3 | This movie is among the most disappointing movies I have ever seen. The trailer for this movie was SO awesome, with cool action... But the story itself was too dark, unfitting for an action movie and the background CG was horrible. Very poorly directed movie. Hikki's husband, stick to PVs.
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Utada Hikaru - Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro | 7 3 | |||||||
| 花とアリス Hana to Alice |
2004 | Seishun | 8.5 | A difficult artistic movie to watch, but it was actually very enjoyable for me. I personally hate Suzuki An, but Aoi Yuu is a really talented actress. Iwai Shunji, as usual, is a genius director. There were so many beautiful, pure scenes of friendship and love that matched its music perfectly. This movie has a really nice setting and an interesting concept of tricking a guy, and also incredibly beautiful cinematography and acting, but has a poor flow to the story. Enjoy individual scenes and message behind them. Also, this movie features an incredible list of cameos and minor characters, most of whom are capable of leading roles in dorama. |
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| 解夏 Gege |
2004 | Drama | 5 | This movie is based on the same novel as the dorama series Itoshi Kimi e by Sada Masashi, and I have to admit the setting and the story is better in this movie, but the acting was actually worse compared to the dorama and not nearly as touching. The ending for this film was especially undramatic and unsatisfying. I didn't expect it to beat the dorama series, which had possibly the greatest ending scene ever, but this was just horrible.
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Sada Masashi - Taisetsu na Hito | 6 8 | |||||||
g@me. |
2003 | Suspense | 5 | Really, really good story, with a nice twist. In fact, it's even better than most Hollywood theft/crime movie, story-wise. Unfortunately, the acting with Nakama Yukie AND Fujiki Naohito is just impossible to endure. These actors have their moments, but definitely needs a superior co-star to shine. What makes it worse, is the extremely pathetic directing, which was just amateurish. End result: Great story wasted as a cheesy action film.
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ZEEBRA - It's all a game | 7 9 | |||||||
| 座頭市 -Zatoichi- Zatouichi |
2003 | Jidaigeki | 6 | Beat Takeshi was great as Ichi. His acting was totally convincible as the blind samurai in the film. The story has a nice flow and is action packed. You should check this out if you are into Jidaigeki or gory sword battles.
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| バトル・ロワイアルII 【鎮魂歌】 Battle Royale II: Requiem |
2003 | Horror/Action | 3 | This movie is terrible. Too much typical over-used adult hatred by youth, and it just didn't have as much impact or as good actors compared to the original movie. However, there's more action in this movie.
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STANCE PUNKS - Mayonaka Shounen Totsugekitai | 5 7 | |||||||
| 恋愛寫眞 Collage of Our Life Renai Shashin: Collage of Our Life |
2003 | Romance/Fantasy | 5 | After watching this movie... I can understand why the producers of Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru (Heavenly Forest)
felt it necessary for a remake, with Ichikawa Takuji as an excuse. The story for this movie is also very good, and there were so many great, sweet scenes, but few things just went HORRIBLY wrong. |
Yamashita Tatsurou - 2000 Ton no Ame | 6 8 | |||||||
| あずみ Azumi |
2003 | Action | 10 | This is the best Japanese action film I have seen to date. I am not a fan of Ueto Aya, but her acting wasn't that bad in this, and the list of supporting actors are incredible. Almost every single allies and villains were already well-known or became well-known in the following 5 years. Even Odagiri Joe shows up as the ultimate villain. The movie is filled with action, probably around 500 people died from swords. A movie that keeps you interested from beginning to the end. Highly recommended.
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| ばかのハコ船 Baka no Hakobune AKA: No One's Ark |
2003 | Drama/Comedy | 3 | I'm not into B-movies, but some manage to distinguish itself... this one did not. Although there were few entertaining scenes, it felt nothing more than watching an average B-movie.
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| 黄泉がえり Yomigaeri |
2003 | Fantasy | 6 | So close... Wonderful cast, great story, well-directed. Unfortunately, one of the most important scene at the end turned out to be extremely cheesy. The actors made it way too sentimental than it needed to be. Still, it's a nice film to watch.
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RUI - Tsuki no Shizuku | 10 9 | |||||||
| ラストシーン Last Scene |
2002 | Drama | 7 | This is not a movie I expected to like, but it was actually very enjoyable. This movie follows the life of an actor and his love for acting that he discovers a little too late. Casting in this movie was extremely good. The young actor, old actor, and a prop manager... All were absolutely perfect for their roles.
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Dolls |
2002 | Drama | 10 | Another one of those film festival type film... But one I actually enjoyed a lot. Written and directed by Kitano "Beat" Takeshi, Dolls is about three separate stories of unsuccessful love. There were many beautiful, vivid sceneries, great film music scores, and above all, outstanding acting from Kanno Miho. This is a very deep movie with heavy use of symbolism, it really drew me into the story. I don't fully understand everything in this film yet, but I would definitely watch again. I believe this one to be a masterpiece.
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| リターナー Returner |
2002 | Action | 8 | This movie is a ripoff of E.T. (Alien), Independence Day (Mothership), Terminator (Time travel save the world), The Matrix (slow motion bullet dodge) and possibly many more Hollywood movies. What makes this good is that it has a really good tempo that reminds me of Hong Kong action flicks, and that they added the "crazy Japanese yakuza dude", who's annoying as hell, but... BEST DEATH EVER! They also added an awesome ending that I rarely sees in action flicks. What I hated about this movie was the excessive cheesiness in few scenes and the fact that the Japanese yakuza dude's Chinese is so horrible that I had no idea what he was talking about even though I can speak both Mandarin and Japanese.
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Lenny Kravitz - Dig In | 6 5 | |||||||
DRIVE |
2002 | Action | 10 | Simply stunning. This is only my 2nd film directed by SABU, but I think I'm turning into a fan. This is a dark comedy about an excessively law-abiding man being car-jacked by 3 bank robbers, who were betrayed by another member who ran away with the money. However, the driver (Tsutsumi Shinichi) refuses to drive faster than the speed limit even under threat and loses the target. Extremely deep movie that emphasizes fate, oppportunity, and kharma, everyone finds a better life as a result of this unlikely encounter. This movie will not only leave you with 100 minutes of laughter, but also a lesson in life.
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| ピンポン Ping Pong |
2002 | Sports/Drama | 10 | Enter the hero!
Absolutely INCREDIBLE film. This movie is by far the best sports movie I have ever seen (and possibly ever will). Wonderful story filled with comedy and drama, awesome ping pong scenes... This movie is flawless. Exceptionally well directed, excellent acting from Kubozuka Yousuke (IWGP, GO!) and Arata, as well as countless memorable scenes and quotes. Loaded with recognizable faces from Jdrama. |
Supercar - YUMEGIWA LAST BOY | 6 7 | |||||||
| Laundry | 2002 | Drama/Romance | 10+ | Laundry is a heartwarming story about Teru, a young man who suffered a brain injury at youth and Mizue, a single woman with many problems of her own. The setting of this film is extremely unlikely, but the attraction between these two were very convincing and beautiful. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this movie, it was very calm at start, and really made me feel warm inside during the second half.
Kubozuka Yousuke is my favorite actor, and he once again delivers an amazing performance. His portrayal of a pure hearted and honest young man really inspired me. Koyuki, who I generally thought to be a weak actress was surprisingly good in this movie, she was beautiful and fit the dark role perfectly. I was really able to sympathize with her character when she was sad, and inspired when she was doing her best to change. Naitou Takashi, who played "Sally" was also very entertaining with his serious yet comedic role. This is a slow movie, but time just flew by for me. I was completely absorbed by the story. It was insanely well-directed with an excellent flow. Direction in this film may be the best I have ever seen. There were also few comedic reliefs that really helped. Music was also perfect, simple and touching. Acting, story, music, cinematography... all perfect, an easy 10/10. There were couple of scenes that were extremely memorable, and I cried twice. The greatness of this film can't be described by words, you must see it for yourself. |
atami (Bonnie Pink) - Under the Sun | 8 9 | |||||||
| 殺し屋１ Koroshiya 1 AKA: Ichi the Killer |
2001 | Horror/Action | 7 | At last, I got to watch this famous yakuza film. Some torture/rape scenes/murder scenes were somewhat disturbing, but I enjoyed the movie a lot. I think this film has the best villain in Japanese films I've seen so far. If you liked Kill Bill, you'll like Ichi the Killer. Interesting dark story that's hard for to believe it's based on a manga.
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Sugashikao - Kokoniirukoto | 6 3 | |||||||
| リリイ・シュシュのすべて All About Lily Chou-Chou |
2001 | Drama/Seishun | 8.5 | Another movie directed by Iwai Shunji, this is by far the hardest to understand for me, but it was a mesmerizing film. This movie deals with the problem of bullying in Japanese schools. As with Hana to Alice, this movie had a horrible story flow, but all the events make up a clear message behind this movie. Cinematography in this movie is probably the most beautiful out of all Iwai Shunji films with yet another excellent use of light to create dreamy effects, and music was very nice as well. The cast for this movie is incredible. As of 2008, all new-gen actors at the time has become very well-known, and it had some extremely famous actors such as Oosawa Takao and Inamori Izumi in supporting roles. Poetry on film. |
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| Go Go |
2001 | Drama | 9 | Movie starring Kubozuka Yousuke ('King' of IWGP) and Shibasaki Kou. Winner of 41 movie awards, this movie deals with racism in Japan. Extremely well-acted, great directing, camera work, and Shibasaki Kou is H.O.T! Cool yet touching movie. A movie that successfully deal with a controversial issues are better than average movies in my books.
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| VERSUS -ヴァーサス- VERSUS |
2001 | Action/Horror | 8.5 | It started just like every other action movie, but WOW! Great fights, good story with twists, and this movie has absolutely EVERYTHING you want from a horror action flick. Zombies, gun fights, sword fights, fist fights, super powers... The cinematography is great and the background music was absolutely wonderful. This must be the greatest independent film I've ever seen. If you like zombie movies, I guarantee you will like this movie.
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| みんなのいえ Minna no Ie AKA: Everybody's House |
2001 | Comedy | 9 | Directed by the same director as Radio no Jikan, this film did not disappoint. The whole story is the process of a couple's house being built by different parties with different interests. This film explores human desires and how compromises are made for us to coexist. Very funny yet fulfilling film.
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| 降霊 Kourei AKA: Seance |
2001 | Horror | 6 | This is a horror movie I liked a lot. Rather than the traditional horror based on violence and blood, this movie is mostly about creeping guilt of a murder. Acting was extremely good for a horror movie, and it kept me interested throughout the movie. This is a horror movie, and though it wasn't intended to be, it was quite funny. Things go so wrong for the main couple, and they beat the crap out of a ghost with a stick.
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| ココニイルコト Kokoniirukoto AKA: Being Here |
2001 | Romance/Drama | 6 | A bit slow paced, but very enjoyable for experienced viewers. Depicts a career woman's search for her purpose in life after her affair with the CEO has ended. The lead actress Manaka Hitomi is cute.
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Sugashikao - Kokoniirukoto | 6 3 | |||||||
| バトル・ロワイアル Battle Royale |
2000 | Horror/Action | 9.5 | This movie is truly a horror. I have never seen anything like it at the time I saw this movie, and it's one of most memorable movie ever made. This is also where Shibasaki Kou appeared on screen for the very first time and I've been her fan ever since I saw her in this film. |
Dragon Ash - Shizukana Hibi no Kaidan wo | 4 2 | |||||||
| はつ恋 Hatsukoi AKA: First Love |
2000 | Drama/Seishun | 9.5 | Despite the title, Hatsukoi was more of a drama genre movie than romance. The story is about a girl trying to reunite her mother with her first love after discovering a photo and a love letter in an old musical box. Tanaka Rena was very impressive as a pushy girl, and Sanada Hiroyuki was just phenomenal as the mother's first love, a guy living an awful life. The chemistry between Tanaka and Sanada were excellent, their casual interactions made me laugh every time. Although I haven't cried while watching this film, I was very touched by couple of very well-executed sentimental scenes. This film presents an excellent atmosphere with poignant cinematography and music. It is slow-paced like many traditional Japanese films, but I was totally drawn into the story. This movie is a very well-directed movie with an intersting plot. It also left just the right amount of mystery in the plot for viewers to use their imaginations. The movie really had the "Japanese film" feel to it, but still had a really nice flow. A great film for beginners to get into Jmovies. |
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| オーディション Audition |
2000 | Horror | 1 | This movie had many positive reviews on IMDB and film critic reviews so I was really excited to see it, but I was very disappointed by the end of the movie. I guess it's another one of those film festival works too 'artistic' for me to comprehend. The movie started out VERY slowly, and the horror part didn't start until only 20 minutes left in the movie. When it did start... Well, I like gory actions movies like VERSUS or Kill Bill, but let's just say it was just too disturbing for my tastes. Those who likes mystery and torture may like this film though...
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| GTO | 1999 | School/Manga | 4 | This movie is better than the dorama series, but still way overrated. Not much more to say about it, it feels like a dorama SP than a movie.
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Sorimachi Takashi - Poison | 4 5 | |||||||
| 菊次郎の夏 Kikujirou no Natsu AKA: Kikujiro |
1999 | Comedy | 9.5 | What a wonderful road movie. It seems I really enjoy Beat Takeshi films that aren't pure Yakuza films. Kikujirou is a story about a retired (?) gangster taking a kid to see his mother, who abandoned him at young age. Although reluctant at first, the two develop a strong bond through encounters with various comedic characters and many strange situations. It's a really funny film, but the highlight of this movie for me was the music. It's just absolutely incredible, one of the most heartwarming, inspirational, memorable BGM I've ever heard. The very last scene was also so moving and well-acted/well-directed that it completely caught me off-guard. The only complaint I have for this movie was that there were 2 dream sequences that were totally out of place and seemed to be thrown in just for the sake of adding some abstract elements to the movie, but other than that, GREAT comedy film. |
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| 踊る大捜査線 THE MOVIE Odoru Daisousasen |
1998 | Crime/Action | 9 | Cheesy film adaptation done right. I have heard a lot about this dorama franchise, but this is my first encounter with it, and I enjoyed it tremendously. First thing I have to say is that, this movie is star-studded like you won't believe. Of course, some of them weren't so well-known at the time, there are so many present-day A-listers in support roles for Oda Yuuji. Most pleasant surprise for me was Koizumi Kyouko as a psycho killer. I loved the humor in this film, it had me laughing the entire time, and although it's impossible to take away cheesiness of dorama, there were many touching scenes and the film is so well-directed that it really moved me in the end. Exciting, fun blockbuster. I think I will like it even more after watching the dorama series. |
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| 四月物語 April Story |
1998 | Seishun | 7 | This is one of those movies that you can tell it's made by a film festival award winning director (in fact, this film won one). Matsu Takako was great in this short film. The story is somewhat simple, yet it's still a beautiful movie overall. A nice relaxing film with subtle humor.
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| リング Ringu AKA: Ring |
1998 | Horror | 4 | I always hear people say how Ringu was way better than US remake The Ring... I don't get it. I'm a big fan of Matsushima Nanako, but she really overacted in this one, it was quite painful to watch. The movie was also a bit draggy at times, though I really liked the atmosphere of this movie. There were some excellent use of light, and quietness in this film. I don't know if it's because 1998 is a bit too old for me, or because I watched The Ring first, but it just didn't work for me. |
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| ラヂオの時間 Radio no Jikan AKA: Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald |
1997 | Comedy | 9.5 | This movie started a bit slow, but gets really, really funny and exciting once the setting becomes clear. This movie is absolutely STAR-STUDDED, and very high quality of acting by all the actors. It's directed really well too, couple of nice memorable scenes, and I was laughing the whole time. Inspirational without being too heavy or cheesy. One of the best Japanese comedy movie I've seen.
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| 東京日和 Tokyo Biyori |
1997 | Romance/Drama | 5 | This movie had unusually high user ratings and positive reviews in Japanese websites, but I found it extremely difficult to watch. Acting was very convincing. There were some great scenes here and there, but the story just didn't connect with me.
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Oonuki Taeko - Himawari | 6 8 | |||||||
| ポストマン・ブルース POSTMAN BLUES |
1997 | Comedy | 9 | Another phenomenal comedy by SABU. I personally liked DRIVE more, but it seems the general public likes this most out of all SABU films... (whopping 4.8/5 in Yahoo! and 90/100 in EigaSeikatsu) Tsutsumi Shinichi once again leads as the earnest man with amazing adventures, an man leading a life too ordinary discovers excitement at last! There were couple of loopholes in the plot, but still a quality comedy movie. I have a feeling I'll like this movie even more in my second view. |
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| うなぎ Unagi AKA: The Eel |
1997 | Drama | 9 | Absolutely a great film. Not exactly an easy to watch film for a general movie audience like me, but the story was great and development of the main character was excellent. 14 wins and 13 nominations, this movie truly deserve all of them. The only criticism I have for this movie is the poor cinematography and horrible special effects, but otherwise, it's perfect.
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Hana-bi |
1997 | Yakuza | 3 | Watched this film after Dolls (2002), so I had really high expectations for this one (had equally high rating in IMDB, incredible numbers of film awards...), but I was very disappointed with this film. It follows the usual slowness of a true Japanese film, but I had absolutely no idea what Beat Takeshi was trying to say in this movie. There were couple of nice scenes, but otherwise, nothing much happened and I don't get the message. It felt like a crappy version of Brother (2000) to me. But don't take my words for it, see it for yourself. This is one of those festival type movies I did not get.
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| スワロウテイル Swallowtail Butterfly |
1996 | Drama | 9 | At last, I got to see this film, hailed as the greatest masterpiece by many. I didn't feel the same way, but it was really deep, impactful movie that I really enjoyed. Another movie directed by Iwai Shunji, he's an amazing director. I felt it was exaggerated at times, but this movie explores a social issue in a form of a touching story. The cast is just amazing. All the main characters were acted by extremely well-known actors, who delivered excellent performance, especially Eguchi Yousuke, who was so memorable in so few scenes. One thing that really bothered me though, was how horrible ALL 3 languages... Japanese, Chinese, and English were spoken with heavy foreign accents, though inevitable considering the cast.
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CHARA - Swallowtail Butterfly ~Ai no Uta~ | 9 10 | |||||||
| That’sカンニング! 史上最大の作戦? That's Cunning! The Ultimate Mission? |
1996 | Comedy/School | 7 | This is the only movie where my first J-Pop love Amuro Namie had a significant role in. I've been wanting to see this movie forever. Watching Mononoke Hime in theaters over this was one of my biggest movie regret after seeing how easily available Ghibli films were in the internet. The movie is one of very rare Japanese movie that's produced in same style as American teen movies. It was really funny, though it has its share of cheesy scenes, and acting by the two leads; Yamaguchi Tatsuya (TOKIO) and Amuro were joke. Supporting cast did an extremely good job to compensate for it though. I know some people will hate this movie, but I'm extremely biased due to casting of my favorite actors and the "cunning" (test cheating) theme because "CunninGOOD" was one of my favorite mangas. |
Amuro Namie - SWEET 19 BLUES | 8 7 | |||||||
KAMIKAZE TAXI |
1997 | Drama | 9 | Yakuza movie at its best, Yakusho Kouji delivers again! Rollercoaster ride with a really funny ending. This movie is actually very deep, it deals with various social issues such as Japanese-born backward-immigrants, women's rights, Kamikaze pilots in WWII, and the way the Yakuza function. Also the discovery of self. Near-masterpiece. |
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| PicNic | 1996 | Drama | 8.5 | Those who walks above us... Artistic 'short' 72 minute film by Iwai Shunji. The story of 3 mental patient's excursion to see the "End of the World". The first 20 minutes of this movie was really f***ed up, showing the character's mental illnesses. The second half, however, is extremely beautiful and deep. This film has a religious and philosophical component that really makes you think. Camera work, music, acting were all fantastic again. It just can't go wrong when it's directed by Iwai Shunji.
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| Love Letter Love Letter |
1995 | Drama/Romance | 10 | This movie starts slow, but man does it build up! According to IMDB, this movie won 14 awards. Movies with numerous awards tend to be too artsy for my tastes, but this one is totally enjoyable by even the casual viewers. It actually makes you feel you've just seen a masterpiece. The story in this movie is possibly one of the best written one ever. Wonderfully acted by Nakashima Miho (2 roles) and Toyokawa Etsushi. Music was always perfect fit for all scenes, and beautiful sceneries. I'm starting to turn into a Iwai Shunji fan, who also directed April Story.
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| Sonatine | 1993 | Yakuza | 3 | I didn't get it. Nothing happens in the movie, non-existent character development, random violence... There was a sumo on the beach scene that was mesmerizing and music score was extremely beautiful, but Beat Takeshi is such a hit or miss for me, I simply did not get what he was trying to say with this film.
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| 台風クラブ Typhoon Club |
1985 | Seishun | 7 | I find movies before 90's to be extremely difficult to watch, but since this was considered to be a masterpiece by many, I decided to take a stab at it. It had interesting plots, and the actors were great in this movie. All the characters had their own story and they were played very well. Songs used in this movie fit the story very well too. Camerawork, direction, and the quality of scenery, unfortunately, are no match for movies today. But I can see why, especially to people who were in high school at the time, would consider this movie to be their favorite.
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| 幸福の黄色いハンカチ Shiawase no Kiiroi Hankachi AKA: The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness |
1977 | Drama | 8.5 | Really nice road movie, the acting with all the big name actors were really impressive. It's fun seeing Takeda Tetsuya in a comedic role like that. Although '70s cinemagraphy and sound effects were very poor, but it was quite well-directed and kept me interested throughout the movie. I really like how characters developed. The end of this movie made my heart pound from anxiety. Not many films have made me sympathize with a character like that. This is the oldest Japanese movie I've had the patience to watch through, I can see why many call this movie a masterpiece. |
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Animated JMovie Reviews
| Title | Year | Genre | Rating /10 |
Comment | Theme Song | Song rating /10 Compatibility /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ストレンヂア -無皇刃譚- Sword of the Stranger |
2007 | Samurai | 6 | This is a stand-alone samurai anime movie. Animation, especially the fight scenes, were very well-drawn. Voice actors were also excellent, each character's voice fit the characters perfectly and sounded very natural.
However, as a film, I thought it was a bit too bland. The story is very typical of samurai anime and they tried to make every single scene too dramatic, which lead to inevitable cheesiness. I also didn't really like the characters because even though it's anime, Caucasians simply do not belong in samurai films or in the ancient Chinese army. I'm not trying to be racist, but they just seem out of place and that's a fact. Even the Japanese characters in this film annoyed me somehow. The outcomes were also very predictable for me. I think true anime lovers will really enjoy this type of film, but it was just too cheesy for my tastes. |
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| ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：序 Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone AKA: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rebuild of Evangelion 01 |
2007 | Mecha/SF | 1 | I knew it was supposed to be a summarized version of first quarter of the original Evangelion TV series, but I expected more new scenes or at least major difference in every scene.
I have only watched the entire TV series twice, when it was aired in 1995, and once more in 2003. For me, it was a carbon copy of the TV series, except a few new scenes of mechanical aspects of "New Tokyo 3" and the teaser in last 30 seconds of the film. Other than slight improvement in graphics, I have detected no difference in 98% of screen time. What I'm trying to say, is that I wasted 100 minutes of my life watching a long rerun. To be honest, I did not like the TV series at all. I liked the first few episodes as I did for many Japanese "Mecha" series, but they focused too much on Ikari Shinji's hesitation and despair in piloting Eva after that point. I watched this film in hope that maybe I was too young to appreciate this series back then, and enjoy more this time, but even after 26 episodes and a rerun movie, Ikari Shinji only seems nothing more than a really dumb and weak kid to me. It was frustrating to watch, and in the end, the only thing I gained from watching this "movie" was a 30 second teaser for the upcoming sequel. Maybe anime otakus who watched the TV series over and over can spot subtle differences and get a kick out of it, but for a casual anime viewer like me, it was a 100 minute long rerun. "Rebuild of Evangelion"? Please, they should rename it to "Cloning of Evangelion". I don't understand why the producers felt the need to make this movie other than to revive a dead franchise for the sole purpose of making more money. I will definitely not be watching the 3 upcoming sequels. |
Utada Hikaru - Beautiful World | 8 4 |
| ベクシル 2077 日本鎖国 Vexille -2077: Closed Nation Japan- |
2007 | SF | 4 | Ping Pong is one of the greatest and most well-directed sports movie ever made. I am quite disappointed Souri Fumihiro's second attempt turned out to be such a failure.
The setting of this film was extremely creative and promising. Japan became a closed nation in 2067 in retaliation against international restriction on robotic technology. "In the past 10 years, no one has seen the true Japan" was an extremely impactful quote to begin the story. Unfortunately, things take a downturn once the heroine reaches Japan. [SPOILER]Surprisingly, people in Japan was living in a nearly homeless condition, and Tokyo had turned into one large slum. I must say I was a bit disappointed I wouldn't see all the amazing technologies, but it was a nice twist that offered another promising story. What really disappointed me was how there were so many things that didn't make sense. If no one had seen Japan for 10 years and their guard was so perfect, how did Vexille and team so effortlessly infiltrate Japan? The very existence of those "Jags" were way too random and its structure makes absolutely no sense. What was its power source? Why the worm structure? It just felt like they needed a device to show off the graphics. Another thing is, how can a company become so powerful that it completely control Japanese government? No amount of corruption can allow virus injection to the entire population. And why, oh, why nobody in the street was surprised to see a white girl walking around, when no foreigner had visited Japan for 10 years? I understand this movie is a science fiction, but all stories must be plausible. Even SF films must give its viewers acceptable explanations.[/SPOILER] Other than its story, this movie had many other disappointments. Some scenes were excessively cheesy, even for an anime, and other than intro, music choice was very poor. The most disturbing thing was the inconsistency in computer graphics. Background scenes, various machines, and special effects were fascinating, yet all the characters and some other objects were in extremely low quality that reminded me of Playstation polygons. I know Japanese films have lower budget than American films, but a 2007 3D animated film with less convincing CG than Toy Story is simply unacceptable. |
mink - Together again | 5 6 |
| ピアノの森 Piano no Mori AKA: Piano Forest, The Perfect World of Kai |
2007 | Music | 4 | They tried too hard to make it artistic, and backfired. The result: cheesefest you would expect from a piano movie. The animation/graphics were quite impressive, but too many times they made it more complicated than it needed to, and the story is quite ordinary. I also wasn't impressed by the main character, Kai's voice, done by Ueto Aya, because even though he was supposed to be a tomboy, the voice totally sounded like a girl.
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Matsushita Nao - Moonshine | 5 7 |
| 秒速５センチメートル -A chain of short stories about their distance- Byousoku 5 Senchimeetoru AKA: 5 centimeters per second, 5cm/s, Byousoku 5 Centimeters |
2007 | Seishun | 10+ | I watched this movie three times... And I cried three times. This movie replaces Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo and Sprited Away as my favorite anime movie ever. One of the reason it touched me so much... May be because I had a similar experience in the past, and still hasn't gotten over it yet. It felt like watching my own life, heavily dramatized.
The movie follows the life of a boy from elementary school to adulthood in three different events in his life (each one a short segment: Oukashou, Cosmonaut, and Byousoku 5 Centimeters.) with numerous flashbacks. A story about the boy's struggle with his adolescent love, who keeps getting farther away as their families move. Animation/visual effects are simply stunning. It is hard to believe so many memorable scenes were packed into this 1 hour film. The voice actors/actresses were extremely talented, their emotions expressed exceptionally well, and voice changing slightly as their characters grow up. The contents of the boy's narration was very touching as well. Audio/visuals were the best I've ever heard/seen in anime, with a very touching story. This film is a masterpiece. |
Yamazaki Masayoshi - One more time, One more chance | 8 10 |
| パプリカ Paprika |
2006 | Studio Madhouse | 4 | Another one of those movies internationally acclaimed by film critics, but was too artistic for me to comprehend. The animation and overall presentation was quite good, but the story itself made absolutely no sense to me. Another thing that bothered me was how this film seemed to copy many elements from other Ghibli and Madhouse anime movies. First few scenes in the movie was exactly same as Millennium Actress, and the villains seemed as if they came straight out of Howl's Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke, with parade scenes from Spirited Away (3 of these 4 are Ghibli films, looks like blatant plagiarism to me). This is a film I can't recommend to casual anime viewers.
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| ゲド戦記 Gedo Senki AKA: Tales from Earthsea |
2006 | Studio Ghibli | 1 | Absolutely worthless movie. Another Ghibli movie based on a Western novel without Miyazaki Hayao's input in story. This movie was even worse than Howl's Moving Castle... I can see why Ursula Le Guin didn't approve of this movie. Characters were uninspiring, voice actors unenthusiastic, poor creativity in character design. Maybe it makes more sense if I read the original novels, but it left me absolutely clueless after seeing this movie. There were also many elements that seemed to be recycled from previous Ghibli movies, I was particularly disappointed at the fact that they used the black goo thing from Mononoke Hime once again. It was also really cheesy with so many stupid lines throughout the movie, something not even Howl's Moving Castle managed to do. The quality of drawings were not up to par with other Ghibli movies either.
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Teshima Aoi - Toki no Uta | 1 1 |
| 劇場版 NARUTO -ナルト- 大興奮!みかづき島のアニマル騒動だってばよ Naruto the Movie 3: The Animal Riot of Crescent Moon Island |
2006 | Action | 7 | I was glad the Naruto movie series didn't wind up like Inu Yasha. The third movie was a huge improvement over the second movie. Although the villains reminded me a lot from the first movie, there were some great actions, and many touching scenes. They overplayed the promise between friends a little bit, but a solid movie for Naruto fans.
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MARIA - Tsubomi | 5 6 |
| 時をかける少女 Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo AKA: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time |
2006 | Studio Madhouse | 10+ | Well-deserved winner of Best Animated Film at Japan Academy Awards '07, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is one of the best anime movie I have seen to date. Exceptionally well directed, great music, and interesting story. Every single scene in this movie serves a purpose, and it kept me excited the whole time. This is a life-altering movie that teaches the importance of time and that we have to live the moment.
The insert song is possibly the best theme song ever used in a movie; the feel of it and lyric was absolutely perfect for this movie, accompanied by a series of great memorable scenes. This is a movie that even non-anime lovers will enjoy. |
Oku Hanako - Kawaranai Mono (INSERT SONG) Oku Hanako - Garnet |
10 10+ 8 7 |
| 映画ドラえもん のび太の恐竜2006 Doraemon: Nobita no Kyouryuu 2006 AKA: Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 |
2006 | Adventure | 9 | Same inspiration, once more.
Nobita no Kyouryuu was the first theatric Doraemon movie released in 1980. The Doraemon anime crew decided to produce this remake following the voice actor change of the entire cast that occurred in 2005. The movie follows that same touching story, with a slightly different ending. Every single scene is redrawn using more advanced animation and CG technologies, and of course, music and voice completely redone as well. I was overwhelmed with emotion after watching this movie. I was really touched and inspired, teary eyed by the end just as when I first watched the original movie more than 15 years ago. The new musical score, including theme song Boku Note piano, matched the greatest scenes so well, and I connected with all the characters even more than the original. The movie brought back a lot of memories for me. This film is the epitome of anime remakes, it is truly a wonderful film to watch. However, for me at least, it failed to serve its main purpose: To make the audience get used to the new voice actors. Especially the voices of Doraemon, Nobita, and Suneo were really off. For those like us who grew up listening to the original Doraemon voice actors, they simply can't be replaced. Still, this was an exceptionally well-made anime film that I really loved. I think it might be a bit too childish for non-Doraemon fans though. |
Sukima Switch - Boku Note | 10 10 |
| 劇場版 NARUTO -ナルト- 大激突!幻の地底遺跡だってばよ Naruto the Movie 2: Great Clash! The Illusionary Ruins at the Depths of the Earth |
2005 | Action | 5 | This movie turned out to be very cheesy. It wasn't as good movie as the first one. However, there are a lot more action, and it kind of keeps you in the edge of your seat. It was a really bad idea using Western-looking characters in this movie. It loses the whole ninja feel of Naruto series.
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TUBE - Ding! Dong! Dang! | 7 3 |
| 劇場版 NARUTO -ナルト- 大活劇!雪姫忍法帖だってばよ!! Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow AKA: Naruto the Movie 1 |
2004 | Action | 7 | A highly enjoyable film for Naruto fans. Great action, interesting and sometimes touching story, and awesome graphics!
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YUKI - Home Sweet Home | 9 8 |
| ハウルの動く城 Howl's Moving Castle |
2004 | Studio Ghibli | 5 | This is possibly the most overrated movie I have ever seen. Fantasy is a vital part of anime movies, but it's just rubbish if EVERYTHING makes no sense. I was expecting something more from Studio Ghibli, but I was very disappointed. Western novels should not be adopted into anime movies. However, I can't deny that this movie is very artistic, and very well-drawn, especially the castle itself.
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Tanikawa Shuntarou - Sekai no Yakusoku | 6 8 |
| 映画 犬夜叉 紅蓮の蓬莱島 Inuyasha the Movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island |
2004 | Action/Adventure | 5 | The last Inu Yasha movie was a total disappointment. The producers obviously ran out of ideas, and this movie was extremely cheesy.
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Do As Infinity - Rakuen | 9 6 |
| 映画 犬夜叉 天下覇道の剣 Inuyasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler |
2003 | Action/Adventure | 7 | Sesshoumaru finally fights in the third installment of Inu Yasha movie series. The brothers reunite to fight against evil.
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Amuro Namie - Four Seasons | 9 7 |
| 映画 犬夜叉 鏡の中の夢幻城 Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass |
2002 | Action/Adventure | 9 | The second one is even better than the first one, it incorporates real works of literature and legends into the Inu Yasha story. The villains were also very interesting.
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Every Little Thing - Yura Yura | 10 9 |
| 映画 犬夜叉 時代を越える想い Inuyasha: The Love That Transcends Time |
2001 | Action/Adventure | 7 | The first one is a very good movie adaptation of Inu Yasha. It's quite interesting to see Kagome and Inu Yasha unite again, and the story was as well written as the anime series. Ending theme is my favorite song by Ayu, perfect lyric for this movie.
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Hamasaki Ayumi - No More Words | 10 10 |
| 千年女優 Sennen Joyuu AKA: Millennium Actress |
2001 | Studio Madhouse | 8 | An extremely artistic animated film that has won many awards domestically and world-wide despite close release date to Spirited Away. It's a solid movie with a great sequence near the very end. However, it took me a while to get used to its rapid transition from reality to movie within movie, and sometimes too artistic that felt like a deliberate prop by the producers. Still, this is certainly one of most unique anime movie ever, and a great idea for story telling.
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Hirasawa Susumu - Rotation[LOTUS-2] | 5 6 |
| 千と千尋の神隠し Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi AKA: Spirited Away |
2001 | Studio Ghibli | 10 | Studio Ghibli at its very peak, Spirited Away is a great film. This movie takes audience into a completely different world filled with fantasy. Many great scenes, excellent character development. One of the must-sees for Japanese movies. Picture Of The Year in Japan Academy Awards '02, Best Animated Feature in Academy Awards '02
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Kimura Yumi - Itsumo Nandodemo | 6 7 |
| メトロポリス Metropolis |
2001 | Fantasy | 10 | This movie is the perfect example of what an anime movie should be. Characters have retained the original Tezuka Osamu feel to it with retro graphics, yet with the use of CG, it seemed very futuristic. This film addresses important issues like what it is to be human and our increasing dependance to machines. The script was very well written, exciting from the beginning to the very end, filled with suspense. All the characters that appear in this movie was very well designed and develop nicely, and there were many touching scenes. This movie will become a timeless masterpiece.
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Mooki - THERE'LL NEVER BE GOOD-BYE | 6 9 |
| もののけ姫 Mononoke Hime AKA: Princess Mononoke |
1997 | Studio Ghibli | 9 | Another solid movie from Studio Ghibli. Action-packed thriller for the entire film. The drawing on this thing was perfect, and great adventure story. A beautiful film.
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Mera Yoshikazu - Mononoke Hime | 4 8 |
| GHOST IN THE SHELL / 攻殻機動隊 GHOST IN SHELL |
1995 | SF | 6 | A well-known near-future anime outside Japan, I must say it's grossly overrated. The story itself is very typical of Japanese SF anime, about machines and sentience. Cat and mouse chase of "Puppet Master" was somewhat interesting, but outcome was quite predictable and clichéd. I can see why this never hit it off in Japan.
This movie also made mistakes many anime movies seem to make. They tried to make it too philosophical and deep, with definition of life, sentience, existence of soul and all, but failed to go into depth or provide answers for these topics. They seemed to be just thrown in randomly. Also some excessive nudity just to keep anime geeks excited. One thing I have to praise for is the quality of animation in this film. Action is very nice and the background is so detailed that if you only looked at buildings, they almost seemed real. |
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| MEMORIES MEMORIES |
1995 | Adventure | 9 | This film consists of three short films: Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb, and Cannon Fodder. The title "MEMORIES" is based on Magnetic Rose, where a group of garbage collectors in space investigate a SOS signal coming from an abandoned ship. The story is very deep and exciting. Stink Bomb is a hilarious bioterror comedy with lots of action. These two short films have incredibly good graphic effects for something made in the mid-90's. Cannon Fodder reminded me of Orwell's 1984, it's a boy's day in a totalitarian society that revolves around firing cannons toward an unknown enemy. The whole 15 minute of this short film is done in one shot using many advanced transition techniques. This was a very interesting experience for me with short animated films.
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| 幽☆遊☆白書 冥界死闘篇 炎の絆 Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie - Fight for the Netherworld |
1994 | Action | 4 | I was a HUGE Yuu Yuu Hakushou fan back in the day, but this movie was a total disappointment. The story was SO cheesy, it doesn't do justice for the original series. For those who haven't seen it already, just watch the anime series, it's a masterpiece.
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| 魔女の宅急便 Majo no Takkyuubin AKA: Kiki's Delivery Service |
1989 | Studio Ghibli | 9 | A classic from Studio Ghibli, Majo no Takkyuubin is a great fantasy anime movie. A great story wrapped in a single film, a girl goes on a journey to adulthood, yet discovers the greatness of childhood.
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Arai Yumi - Yasahisa ni Tsutsumaretanara | 8 7 |
| アキラ -AKIRA- AKIRA |
1988 | Adventure/Action | 7 | A famous classic anime, generally considered to be an epic, but it was just an okay movie for me. The story and characters were very interesting, but did not meet my expectation after hearing all those positive feedbacks about this movie.
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| となりのトトロ Tonari no Totoro AKA: My Neighbor Totoro |
1988 | Studio Ghibli | 8 | A fantasy anime that shows the beauty of nature in Japan and the beauty that only kids can see... It is one of the most magical anime I've seen, but extremely overrated IMO. The story seemed to be too short and draggy for a feature length film, and largely aimed for kids. However, Totoro and many supernatural characters were very well designed and adorable.
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Inoue Azumi - Tonari no Totoro | 9 10 |
| 天空の城ラピュタ Castle in the Sky: Laputa |
1986 | Studio Ghibli | ? | There are actually many Studio Ghibli movie I've seen, yet cannot fully remember the details, so I didn't include it in my review. But this film is the very first Ghibli movie I saw when I was in grade 1 (my teacher actually showed us in class), and although my Japanese was not very well at the time, the theme song and few scenes are stuck in my momory. Any movie that sticks to my mind after more than 15 years must be good, I hope I get to see this movie again.
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Inoue Azumi - Kimi wo Nosete | 10 10 |
| ドラえもん映画作品 Doraemon Movies |
1980 ~ Present (Yearly) | Adventure | 9~10 | Doraemon movies are simply the best. Every single movie I've seen (before 1996) had been incredibly well-written, filled with adventure, friendship, and cool new tools. These movies are definitely worth a watch if you get the chance.
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