This has to be hands down my favorite watch of the year so far. I'm probably not even coherent enough to talk about this but the storytelling in this was just brilliant and I could not stop watching but I was also feeling every ounce of dread, anxiety and sadness that the characters went through.
Long story short: The storytelling in this is simply brilliant. Long story long: the plot unravels each point of view and fleshes out the characters in such a masterful and thoughtful way. I don't want to reveal too much because I think one brilliant part of this film is to experience it as you go; just watch it with no context and let the narrative and the suspense take you over.
The acting in this was also probably some of the best acting I've watched. I wish Jdramas were like this, honestly. The raw performances from the adult actors was so moving and encompassing. I could put myself in the mother's shoes almost perfectly. Feeling every ounce of anger and anxiety that she felt. But even more amazing is the performance of the little ones. They were too good. Too precise. Too touching. They just grab your heart, sueeze it then fling it into the sun!
The production is also brilliant from the fire scene to the torrential rains to the details of the mundane and arranging the different perspective of the same scenes over and over again. Everthing was brilliant.
Negatives: None. But if you have a weak heart, maybe keeping some sweet drink near you for possible fainting spells that may catch you unawares as you freak out over the turn of events.
I highly, highly recommend this film. It's one of those movies you don't want to miss.