In His Chart 2 Movie Review

Title: In His Chart 2

AKA: Kamisama no Karute 2

Genre: Drama, Family

Release Date: March 21, 2014

Origin: Japan

Cast: Sakurai Sho, Miyazaki Aoi and Fujiwara Tatsuya.

This sequel continues few months later than where the first movie left off.

Kurihara Ichito (Sakurai Sho) works at Honjo Hospital and is still famous for never turning down a patient during his night watch. His wife Kurihara Haruna (Miyazaki Aoi) is heavily pregnant, expecting to give birth soon, but that doesn’t change the doctors working hours, nor the dynamic of the couple. During a conference Kurihara meets his college friend Shindo Tatsuya (Fujiwara Tatsuya), known as a “Tokyo elite”, though he for unknown reasons transfers to the town hospital, Honjo Hospital.  At first Kurihara rejoices, but soon butts heads with him, as Shindo seems to care less about the hospital and the patients, and more about leaving earlier than everyone else.

That changes when one of their senpais becomes a patient: the two begin to question what it means to be an “excellent” doctor, and how to balance between work/patients and family/home life…

Having watched the first movie some time back, I could still remember the feeling I had then, while watching this one. It did remind me of the original, but it also felt a bit “newer” compared to the original. Of course, that has something to do with Fujiwaras characters entry, but still, the rest felt more comprehendible, as the first one was a bit more unrelatable. I guess this one could be categorized as ‘closer to home’, since it’s easier to identify with the loss of someone we know, rather than losing a patient.

Sakurai was good as usual, so was Miyazaki, and I really liked Fujiwaras portrayal of his character, even though was a supporting character - he really felt more like an equal to the lead. So, nice co-acting from both.

All in all, a good movie with fine acting.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

CROWS ZERO 3 Movie Review

Title: CROWS ZERO EXPLODE

AKA: CROWS ZERO 3

Genre: Action, Delinquents, School

Origin: Japan

Release Date: April 12, 2014

Cast: Higashide Masahiro, Saotome Taichi, Katsuji Ryo, Nagayama Kento and Yagira Yuya.

This movie is a sequel to CROWS ZERO 2, and the third movie in the series.

Kaburagi Kazeo (Masahiro Higashide) is a new transfer student at Suzuran High School. As he arrives he witness’ a fight between the current TOP Goura Toru (Yagira Yura) and another student. The fight is interrupted by Kagami Ryohei (Saotome Taichi) who arrogantly announces he will be the TOP. While commotion is going on, Kazeo refuses to fight but knocks out a student whose attacking him, with a single punch.

Former mobster Katagiri Ken (Yabe Kyosuke) encounters Makise Takashi (Takahashi Tsutomu) and while the two converse Makise offers Ken to work at the mechanics shop with him. It is soon revealed that Ken used to work for Ryohei’s father, who was the head of the gang, and had helped take care of Ryohei when he was little.

Due to issues at home, and some bad influence by drop-out from other schools, Ryohei decides to rein havoc at both schools, and Ken’s new gig. At the same time, Kazeo is refusing to fight, even though he might be the strongest amongst the students…

I gotta apologize for the summary, I really tried not to spoil, but it is very hard to explain this movie.

If I were to compare the movie with the other two I have to say it’s not as good, and I honestly can’t blame it on the cast. This movie is bad because of the story. Very little focus is used on the relationships between the characters, and they used way too much time on Makise and Ken. I know that they tried to give a bit back to the fans of the series, but with an entire new cast, I kind of felt that I never really got to know the new characters. It is hard to trump the originals I agree, but they didn’t give them much space to grow tbh.

Though the layout of the school was much better, and the quality of the surrounding was better - but still isn’t good of the overall doesn’t work. I mean they did try to go all out, but the ended up having too much.

On the other note, I admit it was refreshing having a new cast, and new storylines. I like that it was much ‘lighter’ as in actually being able to see the scenes - for example: the mob and the bars, which were so dark before… I guess the got a new scenographer… Or whatever it’s called…

All in all, okay movie, but not close to the originals.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

A Short Distance Relationship Movie Review

Title: A Short Distance Relationship
AKA: Close Range Love
Genre: Romance, School
Origin: Japan
Release Date: October 11, 2014
Cast: Tomohisa Yamashita, Nana Komatsu, Asami Mizukawa, Nozomu Kotaki, Mizuki Yamamoto, Hirofumi Arai

Kururugi Yuni (Nana Komatsu) was an expressionless high school prodigy. Her grades were all top-notch except English. Her class English teacher, Haruka Sakurai (Tomohisa Yamashita) appointed himself to become her private tutor. The guardian of Yuni and school's mathematics teacher, Kazuma Akechi (Arai Hirofumi), noticed Yuni had become emotionally unstable, so he decided to cancel the tutoring. With the help of her best friend, Nanami Kikuko (Mizuki Yamamoto), she realized that she was now in love with Sakurai who was admired by every girl in school, But every time she tried to confess in words, it always fail.

I forgot how good and charismatic Yamashita is. I liked the movie, it was a little slow throughout, and it have got a weird vibe over it. I’m not a big fan of teacher-student relationsships, but this was kind of cute, and it seemed like an adult romance even though she was a student. I didn’t mind the slow pace in the beginning since we get the small details and it’s really relaxing. Japanese movies are really so simple and so slow paced, I really can’t get used to it, however this one is really on the edge, it gives you as much to keep you hooked. All in all an okay movie.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Rurouni Kenshi 3 Movie Review

Title: Rurouni Kenshin - The Legend Ends

AKA: Rurouni Kenshin  3

Genre: Samurai, Period, Action

Origin: Japan

Release date: September 13, 2014

Cast: Sato Takeru, Takao Emi, Fujiwara Tatsuya and Kamiki Ryunosuke.

After surviving the fall from the ship, Kenshin (Sato Takeru) wakes up at his old masters. Remembering what had happened he wants to set out and find Kaoru (Takao Emi) but is told that she couldn’t have survived 2 days in the water. Furious at that fact and at Shishio (Fujiwara Tatsuya) for being responsible, Kenshin begs his master to teach him the final technique so he can kill Shishio. Knowing Shishio can’t fight more than 15 minutes due to his wounds, Kenshin wants to bet everything on that final fight.

Shishio on the other hand wants to repeat history by bombarding Tokyo and thanks to his intel finds out that Kenshin is alive. So he gives the government a demand: if they label Kenshin as a fugitive for the murders he did during the war and to get him executed for them, he’ll stop the bombarding...

This movie is the same quality as the previous one: awesome and well-acted. The only difference is that this one has focus on the actual fighting. Yes the previous one had it too, but the second one has more of an action vibe, rather than storyline. This is probably the only negative part of the movie. But don't get me wrong this does not make the movie bad: it's really good for a second part of one story, and also it has one epic final battle. I just don't understand the final fight, even if they did explain it - but that is just me. The cast is really great; I really like how each character is portrayed - again quite honest to the manga, which I appreciate.

To sum up: a really great third movie of the trilogy.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Ao Haru Ride Movie Review

Title: Ao Haru Ride
Genre: School, Romance, Friendship
Origin: Japan
Release Date: December 13, 2014
Cast: Tsubasa Honda, Masahiro Higashide, Yua Shinkawa, Ryo Yoshizawa, Izumi Fujimoto, Mitsuki Takahata

When she was a middle school student, Futaba Yoshioka (Tsubasa Honda) liked Kou Tanaka (Masahiro Higashide), who was unlike the other boys a quiet and gentle guy. Kou Tanaka then moved away and they lost contact. At the end of Futaba Yoshioka's first year as a high school student she meets Kou Tanaka again. Kou Tanaka’s name has changed to Kou Mabuchi and his personality seems different from his middle school days. Will he recognize her?

Last time I watched a Jmovie were… a year ago. Wow, I think I’m all “koreanized”, I guess that’s just what I prefer. But it was nice going back to the Japanese screen, and with such a lovely movie. The story sounded quite nice, and I missed those Japanese high school themed dramas, so I thought a movie would be a good comeback. The story was quite charming, and I loved how they gradually expressed their feelings and thoughts whether it be romance or friendship. One thing that bothered me a little, were the dialogues. They could have made the male actor talk a little more and make him explain his actions. It really frustrated me sometimes, but I guess that’s how it is.
It must really be a long time ago I watched anything Japanese since I didn’t recognize anyone, so it felt a bit ‘fresh’. I had no anticipation or anything, so I just enjoyed the movie and it did leave me with a nice feeling in the end. Recommend? Yes absolutely.  

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Ouran High School Host Club Movie Review

Title: Ouran High School Host Club

Genre: Comedy, Teen, School

Origin: Japan

Release date: March 17, 2012

Cast: Kawaguchi Haruna, Yamamoto Yusuke, Daito Shunsuke, Ryusei Ryo, Chiba Yudai, Nakamura Masaya, Takagi Manpei, Takagi Shinpei, Shinoda Mariko, Nickhun and Ichikawa Tomohiro.

As it’s time for the annual school contest the host club is preparing to win this year, as they unfortunately had to come in second. Even though Haruhi (Kawaguchi Haruna) doesn’t understand the rich ways, she for the first time has no idea why her heart flutters every single time she thinks of Tamaki (Yamamoto Yusuke). But when a new girl enters the school (Shinoda Mariko) Tamaki acts differently, even ignoring his host club members, which confuses Haruhi ones again. The girl is arrogant, rude and expiecially imporlte towards Haruhi, but this doesn’t change Tamaki. And for some reason Ootori Kyoya (Daito Shunsuke) is helping Tamaki deal with her. What is going on with him, and who is this girl?

I had to watch this in order to get the last part of the drama - which ended quite annoyingly. But here I got what I wanted to know, though I made the mistake of expecting more - never do that. It really is the same like the drama, like an episode extra, and yes Nickhun is in it, and no, he is not a good actor. I have not watched his dramas or anything he has made, but this was just useless. Besides him, another female is here, I like her, or used to do in Majisuka Gakuen, but I see now it’s because of her character, because she can’t act. Okay, so how is the movie? I think you could watch it as another episode, but I don’t get the people who went to the movies to watch it.

So to sum up: like the drama, if not the same.

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

HERO Movie Review

Title: Hero

Genre: Legal, Crime

Broadcast date: September 8, 2007

Origin:  Japan

Cast: Kimura Takuya, Matsu Takako, Abe Hiroshi, Lee Byung Hun, Otsuka Nene, Katsumura Masanou, Kohinata Fumiyo, Yashima Norito and Ayase Haruka.

After the entire incident with the Kimura family on Yamaguchi Island, Kuryu Kohei (Kimura Takuya) returns to the Josai branch in Tokyo, and teams up with his former colleagues and former paralegal Amamiya Maiko (Matsu Takako) who is not forgiving Kohei for not keeping his promises to her.

When homicide case lands on Kuryus desk after another prosecutor has personal business to take care of, Kuryu is shocked when the accused pleads not guilty after having plead guilty before. That being a common thing for prosecutors they decides to not think too much of it, but soon they find out that there is so much more going on behind the homicide. And for some reason the secretary of a former minister is helping the accused…

Compared to the drama and the special the movie has a bigger focus on actual court room situations, which happens after indication of suspects. And to be honest it kind of gives a better idea of how capacious a prosecutor’s work actually is. Also compared to the other cases this one is kind of a bigger scale type of case, and involves all the prosecutors, which yeah we do see in the drama and special, but here it really goes all the way, and I like that the original cast is in it. Besides that I would’ve liked them to make it a bit faster, it really goes on a slow pace. Of course there are tense moments but there are way too many of those quiet and dull moments they could have cut out or replaced.

But all in all a good movie that you could watch with ease…

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

The Incite Mill Movie Review

Title: The Incite Mill
AKA: 7 Days Death Game
Genre:  Psychological thriller

Origin: Japan
Release date:  16 October 2010

Cast: Fujiwara Tatsuya, Ayase Haruka, Hirayama Aya and Ishihara Satomi.

While searching for a well-paid part-time job, Satoshihisa Yuki (Fujiwara Tatsuya) meets Suwamei Shoko an OL, who tells him about a job that pays 112,000 yen pr. hour, in seven days, meaning 16 million in a week. Mesmerized by Shoko, Yuki agrees to the job, and together with Shoko and 8 other people, he is taken to a place called “Ankikan”.

The ten people are informed that they will be monitored 24 hours a day for 7 days straight in a psychological experiment, under lockdown: so basically they can’t escape. They are informed of rules: firstly they have to be in their rooms by 10 pm. Secondly when a crime happens they have to solve it, and if they figure out the criminal, they have to vote whether or not to imprison him. Lastly, the game finishes after 7 days or when two survivors are left. Paranoia starts, but they agree on mutual trust, until one of them if found dead the next morning…

One crazy ass movie! What the… Yeah, I did expect a lot of the things that did happen, but seriously? What’s up with Japanese and their enjoyment in seeing people murder each other! Man! Lol, and Fujiwara seems to like these kinds of movies, since he is mainly acting in that type of movies! Haha.. But that’s why we love him, right? :P Anyways, I liked it, had crumbles in my tummy and I actually had to stop several times, since it became just too freaky for me… Like, stop and walk around for a minute, and continue watching. Phew!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts