Reviews

"Do you want to stay in the darkness forever?"

Huang Bo wrote, directed, and starred in The Island. A hapless worker sets off on a business retreat that goes terribly wrong when a meteor hurtles toward Earth on the same day his luck with the lottery changes.

Ma Jin and his cousin, Xiao Xing join the rest of the office and their boss on a water bus cruise for a team building exercise. Ma Jin has a crush on the beautiful and elusive Shan Shan who is also on the trip. Fate brought together a meteor and a winning lottery ticket, both of which will not only change Ma Jin’s life, but everyone on the bus as well. After plunging through a ginormous wave that hurls them far from home, the bus lands on a deserted island. The group discovers themselves cut off from the “real” world and completely dependent on each other for survival. A new social hierarchy takes place when they vote on a leader.

I was afraid The Island would be another version of Lord of the Flies. While it did show how society breaks down when people are desperate for food and shelter, it didn’t devolve into a murderous melee. Four different people wore the crown at different times and all four succumbed to the allure of leadership. The first dictator led through intimidation and punishment with his mighty shushing stick. The 2nd claimed to be a leader of thinking and bartering but was a liar and cruel capitalist. The 3rd brought two factions together and gave the group hope, but also slid down the slippery slope of popularity and success which led him to lose track of his moral compass. The 4th leader was a man who finally had power after too long being invisible and it broke him.

“Since all the past is gone, life can start over again.”
Ma Jin held to his lottery ticket like a life line, willing to do anything to stay alive and return home and collect his money. A divine coincidence occurred that caused him to be reborn at the time of his deepest despair. The stranded group had to come to terms with what was Real. Real living? Real hope? And Real land? Money became irrelevant in their society. Believing the world to be mostly underwater, they had to eventually rise above their selfishness and work together for survival and harmonious living. Characters learned to trust and love in their microcosm. Ma Jin even found his confidence that had long been missing.

Huang Bo gave a solid performance as Ma Jin, a character who evolved throughout the film. The gorgeous Shu Qi as Shan Shan was not given enough to do other than look beautiful amongst the bedraggled shipwreck survivors. Lay Zhang as the friend and often perplexed Xiao Xing showed his character’s loss of himself quite well.

The Island remained compelling though it did drag in places. The dark comedy took its characters to the ledge of cruelty and madness but decided to err on the side of hope and love. What it did well was to show how the castaways reacted to the stresses of survival and what it revealed in themselves and how a community can thrive when the people set aside their greed and need to dominate if only for short periods of time. Most importantly, it proved that even on a desolate island, there’s always time for a choreographed dance sequence.

12 February 2024

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Zombieshark?!

Okay I had no idea what I was expecting when I watched this show. I came for Eiji Akaso and was hit with something crazier.

The makeup in this movie is amazing! The zombies look insane and to be honest, I actually watched this movie in two parts. I felt sick looking at these zombies and had to resume it later. Maybe I just have a really weak stomach but their faces are awesome.

The visuals of this movie aswell as the makeup are great too. The colours are vibrant and they look so cool because they all contrast well with eachother. Even though I haven't watched the anime, from what I've seen, they match the animation well.

I wasn't expecting to see some naked zombies but we'll overlook that because I felt so bad for Akira when his office romance went straight out the window! However, with his other relationships, it was great to see them grow throughout the show. The same with Akira himself, he really developed and overcame the trauma of his failed football game. I mean, I was never expecting him to use that to fuel his fight against a zombie shark but it was great character development!

At the end of the movie, Akira was happy, I was happy and everyone was happy really. To be honest, you'd have never thought there was a zombie infection going around since it ended so positively!

I don't think I'll watch the anime but if you can pack this much into a movie and still make it incredible then what's the need to? Watch the movie Zom 100 right now!!

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No depth

Without knowing anything on the real history of the princess, this fictional account left me unsatisfied. I feel like there wasn't much going on here. The princess is sent to Japan as a hostage, but it only touches the surface of her situation in Japan. There isn't much character development and I'm left with a sad story with no real depth.

The acting was good. I felt for the princess who tried so hard to be a beacon of hope for her people, but was thwarted by the enemy. Our main leads were both invested in their roles and their performances were noteworthy. Unfortunately, the storyline wasn't very riveting, so there is only so much they can do with the script. I felt like some of the talent was wasted and underused in this film. Not worth the time.

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In the smallest details there are hidden points to detect. Take a risk

The topic of drugs can be quite sensitive, and even more so when it comes to teenagers. Throughout its history, the seventh art has given us films that have marked generations for their delicate themes or strong scenes that narrate the horror of being tied to an addiction or the crime of making something as harmful as the drugs. Or, even worse, the danger it can represent for younger people.
Films such as 'Trainspotting' (Danny Boyle, 1996), 'Kids: Lost Lives' (Larry Clark, 1995), 'Requiem for a Dream' (Darren Aronofsky, 2000), 'Clímax' (Gaspar Noé , 2018), 'Beautiful Boy: you will always be my son' (Felix Van Groeningen, 2018), and others, address the issue of drugs, and other types of addictions, such as alcohol and violence in adolescence and early youth.
Although it is not exactly immersing us in the underworld of addicts, the Thai film 'Tell the World I Love You' tells a story of personal growth and exploration of romance between two different boys from two different worlds forced to overcome tough tests that will change their lives forever: Kheng (Bas Suradej Pinnirat), a young man who left his hometown to study in Bangkok, and Boang (Perth Tanapon Sukumpantanasan), a drug delivery man, who gets into trouble with a group of drug traffickers when he tries to leave of the same.
However, what Kheng expected to be a short period in the Thai capital before continuing his journey to China to search for his mother, whom he has not seen in many years, unexpectedly turns into an adventure full of action and chase, which does not lack romance, after meeting and falling in love with Boang.
Keng accidentally witnesses an attack by traffickers on Boang and helps him escape. Failing to eliminate Boang, they will send other pursuers after the two boys. As a result, Keng has to leave the home he shares with his friend Tai to live with Boang in a remote location while they hope to outwit those who seek to hunt them.
While being pursued by a gang of thugs led by Nick Kunathip, the two teenagers must overcome unexpected events that invite viewers to get involved and join, and they will face a test that will change their world forever.
In a desperate race for life in a world full of violence, drugs and crime, a story of friendship and love is born between the two teenagers.
'Tell the World I Love You' is one of those movies that does a good job of bringing together the lives of different people. We will witness the life stories of two boys who are different from each other, but who are equally similar.
The other three characters to be introduced are Tai (Net Siraphop Manithikhun), Kheng's friend, who is the same age and who offers Kheng a roof over his head to live in the Thai capital, and Hia Song (Songkran-Rangsan Panyaruen) and Nick (Nick Kunatip Pinpradab), two members of the gangster gang. The lifelines of these five people are about to merge in a way that will profoundly affect their existences.
With this film, which aims to tell us what Thai society is like and help change attitudes towards homosexuality and violence related to drug trafficking and consumption in Southeast Asia, its director, Poj Arnon, once again explores the love between people of the same sex and other social taboos in their country, but which are, without a doubt, topics as universal as life itself.
With dialogues full of meaning and a variety of emotions, its director once again tells a story of love, friendship, dreams and life with the same intensity with which he showed his skill in '18 Rain, Dangerous People' (2022), 'Friend ...I Love You (2007)' and 'Crazy', with which in 1996 he became known on the national and international film scene.
Not without reason Poj Arnon has suggested that the film is a mix of the first two films mentioned above: while '18 Rain, Dangerous People' takes the bitter and sad, 'Friend...I Love You' brings influences such as love that arises from being close to each other, including common points of revenge and a romantic relationship that surpasses friendship.
This romantic action drama film that reflects Thai society with a touch of the 90s of the last century, continues the filmography of a filmmaker who on multiple occasions has dealt with both the issue of homosexuality and drugs, crime and violence. Let us remember that Poj Arnon is the director of the film 'Bangkok Love Story', from 2007, which won him the Grand Prize at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival. With this film, the following year, he won the Best Screenplay award at the National Film Association of Thailand Awards.
Other works of his take up themes such as the school environment, transgender characters, AIDS, homosexual relationships, friendship, Drag Queen, drugs, violence, bullying, racism, sexuality or the discrimination to which members of the LGBTIQ+ community.
Among these, 'Go-Six' (2000) stands out, about a love triangle between a young man and two women, which caused a great scandal at the time due to the ambiguous sexuality of one of the female characters; 'Cheerleader Queens' (2003), about a group of teenage Thai transvestites, or kathoey, who become high school cheerleaders, or 'Spicy Beauty Queen of Bangkok', in which she once again portrays the kathoeys in a crime comedy , starring Winai Kraibutr as the leader of a gang of transvestite bank robbers, or 'Haunting Me', a horror comedy about three elderly kathoeys who fight ghosts in their apartment building.
The film was supposed to be released on February 14, 2021, but had to be postponed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a script by the director himself, simple but raw photography by Tiwa Moeithaisong, and Giant Wave in the sound, the film presents situations so visceral and realistic that they generate in the viewer a feeling of repudiation and despair towards the world of drugs. , but also a story about personal improvement, love and hope, seen through a drug delivery man who intends to get out of drug trafficking and regain control of his existence, who will be accompanied on that trip by a stranger who entered unexpectedly. in his life and whom he will later love not only as a friend.
Dear reader, a director of Arnon's stature will not delight in making a film with a simple and uncomplicated story. The viewer has to be skilled and know how to detect that there are hidden points in the smallest details. Firstly, the film aims to 'tell' and reflect what is happening in Thai society.
Among these issues masked in a plot that aims to be seen as light and even superficial, is the struggle of the new generation to fulfill their frustrated and postponed dreams.
The aspirations of Thai adolescents and young people to build a future abroad and escape the sad political and socioeconomic situation in which they live are presented through Keng. He dreams of going to China to find his mother and continue his studies. To do this, he has set out to learn Chinese and pass the exam to obtain one of the scholarships. Even in the midst of the chase in which he will be dragged, there is no shortage of books, essential to achieve his goal.
Another veiled, but palpable theme in 'Tell the World...' is the systemic racism, discrimination and violence installed in that Southeast Asian nation towards members of the LGBTIQ+ community, reflected in the bullying and harassment suffered by Keng, who has have to face being bullied as a "transvestite" and sexually abused. But even defending oneself against homophobes, instead of achieving the goal of getting rid of barbarism, can make it grow even more. Keng is beaten and sexually assaulted and this will generate a psychological problem that will haunt him for life like a recurring nightmare.
Bas Suradej Pinnirat manages to convey to the audience the importance of this heavy burden that he carries on his shoulders through the internal struggle and difficulties that the character he plays must face daily in an intense and ruthless way.
One of the aspects of the film that we should not overlook is the illegality and danger that surrounds the world of drugs not only for those who consume it, but also the risk of early death or years of prison for those who use it. traffic. If it will be difficult, and even impossible, for a drug addict to get rid of the addiction, the trafficker also faces difficulties, even the loss of his life, if he wants to get away from trafficking these substances.
One day Boang feels that he needs to escape from the reality around him. He has seen the destruction of a family caused by drugs. He has recognized the pain of others caused by the illegal activity carried out by him. But by possessing secrets of people, organizations and complex and intertwined networks of drug production and distribution, they will see it as a danger and will try to eliminate it.
Perth Thanapon manages to expose before the cameras both the horrors of the industry and the emotions that overwhelm his character in an internal struggle to free himself from the nightmare in which he has lived.
And finally, we have the question of the romantic relationship between the two boys. Tai has feelings for Keng. He is a close friend who has cared for him and provided accommodation for two years. He has given him advice and helped him with his studies. She has protected him when he is harassed. But Khen doesn't have the same feelings towards him. To Keng, Tai is just a "dear friend."
Boang's entry into Keng's life, both of them escaping the dangers to which they have been exposed, working together to avoid dying, caring for each other in the midst of hardships, sharing what they own and being close to both of them. , especially in difficulties, but still know that “happiness does not matter how many times you smile. It depends on who you smile with”, will bring you together a bond that is stronger, deeper and indestructible than friendship.

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"Bitterness has its own flavor"

Coffee or Tea was a light hearted comedy about three young men who were at different places in their lives where their dreams were concerned. One had given up on his dreams and life. The second man was enthusiastically ready to bet everything on his dream. The third was swimming in circles with his dream, held back by his relationship with his father. They met up, forged a friendship and business that would guide them all in the same direction and help them each to grow as individuals.

Wei Jin Bei is at the end of his rope after his most recent failed business attempt. Unable to sleep, he’s ready to give up on life when effervescent deliveryman Peng Xiu Bing steps in. Peng is going to his remote hometown to begin his own delivery business and takes an extremely reluctant Wei with him. Peng’s village relies on growing tea, but with the depressed prices has lost most of its young people. Peng is determined to reinvigorate the people and town even when he meets with failure. It will take a chance meeting to help turn both his and Wei’s fortunes around.

Peng Yu Chang as Peng was a bright ball of positive sunshine radiating energy on his more dour buddies. Liu Hao Ran played the glum business brains from Beijing transformed by the small village. He often seemed obscured by his floppy hair and large glasses. Yin Fang’s Li Shao Qun had the least development as the rebellious coffee grower who was alienated from his father. The acting wasn’t particularly nuanced, but then again, neither was the story. Along with the business elements there were whimsical animals. What movie doesn't need a talking pig?

Coffee or Tea was a feel good movie about friendship and determination with gentle humor that avoided being cringeworthy for the most part. The film streamlined the story and glossed over the obvious business hurdles as well as the timeline. Most of this could be forgiven as the focus was on the camaraderie of the young men as they healed themselves and their relationships. The film was respectful of traditions and the older generations. At the same time, it also showed that there were times when innovation and new paths must be cut in order to survive as the world evolves. The enduring relationships and new friendships forged proved to be the key to success and reconciliation. While Coffee or Tea could be simplistic and felt low budget, it’s one of those easy movies you can watch if you are looking for a mood lifter.


12 February 2024

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What is the Price of Stardom?

This film does really well in creating a parallel between Shizuka's life and the play she's a part of and eventually stars in. The people in her life all mimic the characters in the play as well, though some roles are switched around, like with Kikuchi taking on the "role" of Hajima's character at the end with trying to kill the person who took away the thing she cared about the most, and with Shizuka taking on the "role" of Mako's character with the character's life imitating her own.

The movie has some wonderful cinematography moments, such as in the hallway with bright red carpeting and eerie lighting just before Shizuka got caught up in the very thing that both shoots her to stardom and becomes her downfall, as well as the two times she's holding the bouquet of flowers--the first time after her breakdown of how she'd do anything to make it to stardom, and the second time after she realizes that achieving stardom at the price that she paid wasn't worth it in the end.

All of this is to say that the film captures the drastic lengths actors will go to in order to achieve stardom, even at the cost of their own wellbeing and others, in an eye-catching and intriguing way.

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Excellent screenplay and top class acting

Large scale of real historical events told with an excellent screenplay that is great in details and heavy in suspense. It is more towards story focused instead of action focused, and the storyline is actually quite complicated to present but it was done really precisely, somehow they've made the plot easy to follow and characters' motivation very clear to understand. Huge plus from the acting performances, all the actors are absolutely top class and the movie works so great mainly due to those intense face-offs, so much stakes on screen but so meticulously arranged, simply unbelievable.

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Great entertainment but not quite a Masterpiece

I love a strong female lead, and one that kicks ass is even better. One that kicks ass and has to play the role of a mother, pretty intriguing. While i thoroughly enjoyed the fight sequences, which were beautifully choreographed (fatal and feminine) and athletically executed, the movie lacked a sense of its own universe.

With the movie title, genre and timing of its release in contemporary times, it's inevitable that it gets compared with the likes of Kill Bill and John Wick, both cult faves. Although it narrowly manages to differentiate itself from the rest by focusing on the relationship between mother and daughter, and it was beautiful to witness how their relationship deepened and evolved within a very Asian context, the movie did not quite capture me as much as John Wick did. It was a waste that insufficient effort was spent building up an interesting universe around the characters as it had so much potential; i.e. developing the social structures of this world of assassins, and that could've captivated audiences more. Unfortunately, the characters stayed floating on the surface and didn't quite draw audiences in further.

That said, the casting was impeccable, right down to the choice actors for the younger characters of Minkyu and Boksoon. Jang Doyeon was and is a helluva femme fatale and Sol Kyunggu's voice just devours your soul. Some of my favorite moments include the last fight sequence (when Boksoon simulated the outcomes of the fight) and the moment Minkyu realised Boksoon was his soul mate. The ending was also subtle but appropriate, so people who enjoy embedded subtexts and symbolism in films would appreciate it.

Overall this was an entertaining watch, great actors, gorgeous fight sequences and great production, but I probably would pass if a sequel was made.

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i dont know why I like sibling romance this much

i know it's super weird and I don't know any country in the west that make tgis kind of romance. I would be so weirded out if this happened in real life. but in these japanese romance movies it kind of works. It might be because they are so innocent, you never really see them do anything other than hold hands and have awkward hugs. it was a sweet ending to this one as well. however, I actually cheered for the second lead even though I knew he would not be the one she choose in the end. because that is the way it always goes. I found him to be more charming than Toru. well, it was a cute story and I enjoyed watching it. but how stupid is he if he was fooled by a wig and makeup? He claimed to have loved her forever, but still didn't see it was her in other clothes? yes its a movie but gosh he was gullible.

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Twisted, disgusting, unsettling. All of the bad words.

I feel like whenever I watch a Sion Sono film I need a few months off to recuperate from the emotional ordeal one often goes through when watching one of his films.

This film is everything people said it was. Disgusting and intense with what you are expected to watch as the story unfolds, but I think the main issue with this film is that it is way too front loaded in terms of it's shock value and the imagery it gives to you as more or less as soon as the movie starts. The first ~40 minutes are like a nightmare that won't end, and weirdly enough the rest of the movie is fairly tame in comparison to that first 40 minutes or so. In any other movie the remainder of the film would have been shocking, but in the case it wasn't.

Sion Sono has other films in his filmography that do a much better job of commenting on the depths that human depravity and psyche can go to, this movie feels more like it was made purely for the shock value, which feels silly to say about a Sion Sono film, but one of the captivating things about his movies is there is usually a lot more below the surface. I just didn't feel it with this one.

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Um….what?

It’s cute until he gets off the bus. It could have (and should have) ended there.

Three minutes of the limited time is devoted to a psychedelic trip-like PSA from Cupid with all the terrible effects you’d expect from the mid nineties.

Cute tiny kid falls for big kid who roughed him up with his friends and presumably mugged him. Cute tiny kid even recognizes him eventually, dude who didn’t help him. and it ends with him hugging this guy without ever speaking to him. Just…what?

The synopsis is much more adorable than the short. save your thirteen minutes.

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The constant search for happiness and the fight against gay loneliness

With 'Arisan', from 2003, the first Indonesian film with a homosexual theme about the life of an upper-class woman who feels attracted to a young gay executive, other films from that Asian country have delicately touched on the problems that a marginalized community faces.
While it is true that homosexuality is not prohibited by law, many members of the Indonesian LGBTIQ+ community remain in the "closet", as it continues to be a taboo in a country where 85 percent of its 220 million inhabitants are Muslims.
Films that have attempted to break myths around homosexuality and explore cultural taboos and social stigma in Indonesia include 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane', which tells the story of Rain and his journey to find and lose happiness, love and the meaning of life. The protagonist, played by William Tjokro, will witness the change of the people around him, as well as the changes that will occur in himself simply to adapt, to survive. Rain will understand that all the events in his life and the people he meets shaped his personality and his destiny.
This brave film is easily identified with its audience through its beautiful and poetic narration. It effectively portrays the ever-changing nature of the human being, his eternal struggle to grow, to find his own happiness while fighting loneliness and facing the expectations of others.
After winning the Best Asian Short Film award at Screen Singapore with 'Red Umbrella' in 2011, Indonesian independent film director Andri Cung returns with his first feature film, from 2014, with which he contributes to the LGBTIQ+ community in its fight for rights queer in Indonesia.
Filmed in Jakarta, Bali and Bangkok with a small budget and no more than 20 crew members, the film, which screened for three consecutive weeks nationwide with Rating R21, successfully delivers its director's inspiring and liberal plot with a happy ending.
In this avant-garde, progressive, unconventional and sincere project that seeks to help change attitudes towards homosexuality in Southeast Asia, the filmmaker once again explores the social norms and taboos of his country. The notions of body image and passion, always from an artistic aesthetic and narrative, orbit the sometimes slow pace of the film.
The film takes us through the existential dilemma of Rain, who, in search of belonging, love, happiness and the meaning of life, pursues human connection in fleeting loves, and faces the inevitability of gay loneliness, this theme controversial in liberal societies. On the other hand, the viewer is immersed in the psychology of internalized shame and homophobia, shaping three-dimensional characters and weaving a fascinating plot.
In 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane' the intention, as much as educating the audience, provoking reflection and perhaps connecting the audience with their personal circumstances, is also to provide a narrative that resonates with their own experiences. .
Its fundamental premise lies in the idea that our lives are a constant process of self-discovery, a journey that never ends. In this march through life, the film selected for its world premiere at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival advocates commitment to oneself. But in this journey towards authenticity and personal acceptance in the LGBTIQ+ community, support and connection with others is also important.
The film, which was highlighted at the 2016 Indonesia Film Festival and ACMI, Melbourne, Australia, also stars Natalius Chendana as Kris, winner of the Best New Actor award in Indonesia 2013, an actor who had previously worked with Andri Cung on '3SUM'.
Among the film's awards and achievements, the nomination for Best New Director at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival stands out, being selected to participate in the Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest) 2014 and the Jogja NetPac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) 2014. For his part, William Tjokro was nominated for Best New Actor at Piala Maya 2014, while at this same event Andri Cung was nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category.
At 19, and while experiencing a period of self-discovery, Rain is protected by the enigmatic Kris (Natalius Chendana) from bullying by homophobes at the high school they attend. Kris, who is very popular with the girls, will demand Rain's friendship, insist that she spend the night at sleepovers and that she abandon her other friends. “You don't need them. I alone am enough for you.”
However, Kris himself went out at night with a succession of casual girlfriends. Rain, who is coming to terms with being gay, will wait for Kris at his house, going through the drawers to try to discover the personality of his mysterious friend.
When Kris arrives on one of those outings with the girl on duty and kisses a Rain who is pretending to be sleeping, emotions are unleashed. Caught in the act of stealing a kiss, Kris first reacts by expelling Rain from the house, but not before ordering him to never reveal that he desires another man.
After the tempestuous sex scene that ensues, and after sleeping in each other's arms, Kris will leave Rain at her home. As the music in the background pumps as loud as the shame and guilt in her blood, Kris leaves crying, thinking that the time has come to abandon the person she loves so much. Andri Cung's unstable hand-held camera is masterful, as he follows that man inside a car, overflowing with tears of pain and sadness.
Rain, for his part, cannot understand why this young man who loves him and whom he loves abruptly disappears from his life.
Nine years later, Rain seems to have gotten over Kris. Visiting Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, she has a brief but warm and tender sexual experience with Will (Cornelio Sunny). However, he will come to confess to this free-spirited prostitute that it does not matter how many people pass through his life, because he has only had one great love.
Now, 32 years old and with a consolidated career as a filmmaker, he receives a surprising invitation to visit Kris, now unhappily married to Susan (Gesata Stella) and living in Bali. What does Kris really want? Is Rain the only person he's ever loved? The reunion with Kris will lead Rain to make the most difficult decision of his life.
While it is true that the first third of the film is slow-paced and suffers from narrative inertia, it begins to gain momentum after Kris disappears and Rain fully embraces his sexuality. The reason for this cinematographic procedure lies in the necessary accumulation of conflicts for the characters to develop.
The combination of one-liner dialogue, Rain's voice-over narration, raw, shaky camera movements, and close-ups highlight the characters' denial, internal struggles, and discomfort with each other.
The editing by Dwi Agus Purwanto and Mochamad Rizky Pratama, and the songs “The Moon” and “Daylight Dreaming”, by Toper Caesar, contribute to the visuality of the film, and create an impression of dreaminess and peace. Their combination manages to highlight the hope and intimacy shared between the two protagonists.
The sun shines during the day and is always in the shape of a circle. The moon rises at night and its shape appears to change and can sometimes be seen during the day. What are the sun and the moon? How are they similar and how are they different?
As a metaphor for life itself, the film's title alludes to the sunny and hopeful phases, on the one hand, and the dark and stormy phases, on the other, of human existence itself in perfect balance.

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Not Perfect, but Fun Anyways

This was a nice diversion from a cold & windy day. Some of it was a bit "inside" and I wish it wasn't so frantic - it seemed like they were rushed to fit it into the 2 Hr time window. I'd like to have added at least 15 mins to it - so we can see what happens when she regains HER memory. That would be the telling part of their future together as she seemed much angrier with him, hence her excessive drinking. A nice twist would have been for her to tell him at the airport that she never lost her memories, and was pretending to see what happened. (The thing with the earbuds was funny but so frustrating!)

I too would like to see them cast together in something where they can develop a relationship in a more coherent way.

I'd give it about 8.8? It was fun and enjoyable. I'd watch it again.

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This show will SUPRISE you! (safe review)

It was most interesting that movie was overall suprising in the end, from beginning it’s almost like it gave you a chance to connect things to certain parts. If your going to watch this expect the unexpected! i was shocked when i found out in the ending what was really REALLY happening. The only thing to pay attention to if your gonna watch this is to look closely about the characters and actors in this Drama not only that I really love the scenery and time it took to make this film very outstanding Cast and acting and Very great story, please consider enjoying this.

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Revolution in the field of space archaeology!

Sayonara Jupiter has been my white whale for so long but finally, after so long, today is the day I have finally managed to sit down and watch it and boy is it so much better than its reputation suggests. I'll admit it's no masterpiece with a fair amount that doesn't quite work and is almost comparable to being a retread of Gorath but on a solar level. I will say that Bye-Bye Jupiter as it's also known, as a whole, it's greater than the sum of its parts.

In the 22nd century, scientists from an energy-depleted Earth research new fuel sources in the far corners of the solar system, where they discover an ancient alien race from Jupiter as well as the emergence of an apocalyptically dangerous black hole.

When Star Wars was released in Japan in 1978, the science fiction boom of Japan well and truly kicked into overdrive. Both Toho and Toei tried to capitalise on the success of this reignited love of science fiction with both producing their own takes on Star Wars, The War in Space and Message from Space respectively. Prior to the production of The War in Space, Toho offered a contract to author Sakyo Komatsu to write a science fiction film. Komatsu had long desired to make a film comparable to 2001: A Space Odyssey, taking further inspiration from NASA's Voyager mission to Jupiter and the outer planets. As such this is the only work of Komatsu that had been designed and destined to be a film from the very beginning.

One could argue that Toho didn't know when to tell Komatsu to stop because the film is brimming with so many ideas that it would be enough for a whole trilogy centred around the concepts presented. Just to rattle off the basic bits you have the solarization project, Jupiter Church unrest, an alien race on Jupiter, a black hole approaching, a dolphin named Jupiter and a battle with a shark. It can sometimes feel overwhelming with the amount of stuff you're expected to follow but while the film may lack a distinct focus to it, Komatsu populates the film with his typical philosophical dialogue and discussion. Being over 2-hours long, it lends the film a sense of epic scale to its storytelling but could have used a lot more focus on one distinct idea to truly rise above what it encapsulates.

The film had originally supposed to have been helmed by Submersion of Japan's director, Shirō Moritani but he tragically died the same year due to stomach cancer. Final directorial duties on the film are divided, with Komatsu being credited as the main director but is more often than not thought to have only been the major creative influence on the project and main duties fell to The Return of Godzilla director Koji Hashimoto in the only other director's credit of his career. While ultimately I feel The Return of Godzilla is the more well-rounded film, Hashimoto doesn't half deliver a visual tour-da-force and possibly one of the best-looking films in Toho's tokusatsu library with Bye-Bye Jupiter.

It manifestly demonstrates the same subtle and unpretentious filmmaking style that was also present in The Return of Godzilla. His beautifully coordinated images, combined with some excellent sound engineering and special effects, turn a third-act shootout into one of the film's most immersive sequences. Better still, we have a thematic element that he would later use brilliantly in The Return of Godzilla: a sense of unity. Even at a basic level, Hashimoto remained a humanist to the end.

Major major kudos need to be thrown towards the goat that is Koichi Kawakita in his first major special effects director credit. The film already benefitted from the work of Koji Hashimoto but add in Kawakita's special effects and the film becomes a whole other breed. It's, for a lack of a better word, simply stunning. They are jaw-dropping even by today's standards of miniature effects, the spaceships are rich with detail and, filmed at the proper camera speed, effectively convey a sense of mass and scale as they drift through the universe. Background mattes and optical effects for the stars and planets similarly look wonderful; so good, in fact, that in the few odd moments where the film decides to use a stock image of the real outer space, Kawakita's manufactured effects, oddly enough, stick out as more dynamic. Let's also not forget about the viscous, unrelenting gusts of different-coloured smoke utilized for a scene where a small ship pilots through the storm clouds of Jupiter.

My other major gripe with the film is the characters who are very thin ranging from robotic to mediocre. There are a few performances in there that try and sell the material but being this is a film predominantly shot by a Japanese crew and nearly half the film is also in English it makes some of the already poor actings in some scenes all the worse. It's a crying shame given this was also Akihiko Hirata's final film before his untimely death, Hirata is definitely one of the better players in the film but is given barely anything to do. Tomokazu Miura as Eiji Honda and Miyuki Ono as Anita give okay performances, they are both clearly trying but there seems to be a lack of understanding with some of the material present.

The other element of the film I quickly want to address is the musical score by Kentaro Haneda, who also composed the utterly divine music to one of Komatsu's other film adaptations, Virus. It's a marvellous creation, alternating between softness and sweeping awe in the background. The songs are just as beautiful but are probably more well-known nowadays for being shamelessly stolen by Hideaki Anno for use in Eva 3.0+1.0.

Overall, Bye-Bye Jupiter while being a relative mess is a thoroughly engaging, visual extravagance with one too many things going on and overly long in places. One or two revisions and this could have been a bonified Toho classic.

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