Reviews

The leads have explosive chemistry

The chemistry between the leads is the saving grace for this movie. Had it been any other actors, i would have dropped it or might not even have considered watching it.

Were they an ordinary couple? Not really. This is an exaggeration of what ordinary couples are. Sure people fight & have on again off again relationship but these two didn't seem to care about each other. The only time they seem to care was when then weren't together. They were at least not ordinary to me. Both were so violent, making it worse for each other. Maybe this is ordinary to someone out there.

I was hoping they would each find someone to calm them down. But they end up repeating the cycle.

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Shocks as sharp as a knife

Keeping its secrets guarded and living off the shocks of its knife-edge turns, Chime sees Kiyoshi Kurosawa covering more than familiar ground with plenty of desolate moodscapes, recognisable for anyone with even a cursory knowledge of his past output. However, there is something particularly chilling about the oppressive mundanity here, a mundanity to which Kōichi Furuya's digital cinematography adds another layer of dread. It's a dreary madness that slowly begins seeping into the life of its character. Despite its skeletal form and brief runtime, the film ends on a fascinating rupture; the previously ambient evil becoming tangible shifts, terrifyingly, within the realm of possibility and the suggestion of this curse being made concrete becomes overbearing. Relishing in the awful psychological residues of violence while suggesting a lucid dream, the kind of fragmented nightmare you are grateful to wake up from but just as terrified to leave so unresolved.

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Le plus beau jour de leurs vies

Voilà des années , que le scénariste, comédien, humoriste, Bakarythm créé des univers déjantés, plein de poésie, d'humour décalé et de regards critiques sur la société japonaise. À bientôt 50 ans, il était temps qu'il s'attaque à un des piliers de celle-ci, le mariage. Et plus particulièrement, la cérémonie pompeuse que chaque couple s'impose pour "les autres". En regardant Wedding High, vous comprendrez à quel point la sienne, avec la aussi déjantée que lui, membre des Denpagumi.inc Yumemi Nemu l'a traumatisé. Alors êtes vous près à vous plonger dans l'enfer du plus beau jour de sa vie.

Le sens du Rythm
Comme à chaque fois, Bakarythm s'est s'entourer de la crème des acteurs. La présence de son amie Shinohara Ryoko, avec qui il partage le premier rôle dans Yips actuellement sur les écrans, nous fait la promesse d'un film sans temps mort. Pourtant celle-ci est très en retrait dans la première partie du film, quitte à décevoir ses fans. La vérité est que le scénariste a découpé celui-ci, en épisode relatant l'histoire de chaque personnage sous forme de flashback à quelques minutes du début de la cérémonie. Un choix audacieux de ne pas mettre un acteur an avant, souvent pompeux, mais qui arrive à se moquer de ces flashbacks souvent trop utilisés dans le genre comédie romantique. Certains romantiques seront sans doute déçus, happés durant les premières minutes par l'histoire d'amour simple, mais touchante du joli couple que forme Nakamura Tomoya et Sekimizu Nagisa. Ne touchant pas trop à la réalisation, mais ayant clairement une vision du rythme (c'était facile) le scénariste impose ce découpage et cette mise en scène qui déroute. On lui reproche fréquemment de transformer l'histoire en forme de suite de sketch, mais ici, c'est pleinement justifié.

Mais, mais c'est moi !
Chaque personnage, et ils sont nombreux, vivra cette cérémonie à sa manière, en s'interrogeant sur sa propre vie et ce qu'il va laisser comme impression aux autres. D'ailleurs, Nakamura Tomoya le dit au début du film. Personne ne laisse d'empreinte aux mariages des autres. On est parfois invité par ce qu'il le faut et on n'a pas souvent envie de revoir de veilles connaissances. Briller ce jour-là par sa présence, que l'on parle de soi encore plusieurs années après, c'est le but même de chaque invité à ce mariage. Et évidement rien ne se passera comme il faut. Même si vous n'appréciez pas en général l'humour ou les séries de Bakarythm, n'hésitez pas à vous plonger dans ce mariage. Il a su mettre de côté l'humour noir et un côté régulièrement Otak, pour sonder les pensées de chacun. La future mariée qui se passionne pour l'accord des couleurs des serviettes avec la nappe. Le mari, qui donne son avis et qui en off, avoue qu'il n'y comprend rien et, comme tous les hommes, qu'il n'en a rien à faire. Chacun se reconnaitra, ou reconnaitra son bienaimé. Les pensées ironiques, désenchantées ou sarcastiques de chacun accompagnent, comme à l'accoutumé avec le maître, les personnages. Tous minables, mais tous flamboyants dans la Loose. Si vous cherchez une comédie romantique, vous en aurez bien plus que dans ses autres productions, mais c'est bien l'humour potache ou sarcastique qui font le sel de ce film. Il ne plaira donc pas à tout le monde. Votre femme vous regardera de travers quand vous éclaterez de rire, entendant les pensées du futur mari. Vous soupçonnant de penser la même chose. Mais elle avouera que même si quelques différences subsistent avec le mariage à la japonaise, les problèmes et les joies sont bien les mêmes.

Ça part en couille, non mais littéralement...
Intérogé sur la société, c'est bien, mais clairement, on touche au génie quant à l'écriture scénaristique et au jeu de chacun, et dans le but principal de nous faire rire. On retrouvera tous les styles d'humour qui s'enchaine sans temps mort. De Very bad trip au Rakugo, sans parler de l'humour des 30 dernières minutes (alors que l'on pensait que tout était fini) et qui redonne une définition définitive au mot "lourd". Donnez sa chance jusqu'au bout à ce film, il vaut tous les Tonikakus
Bakarythm est papa depuis un an, je me demande quelle sera sa prochaine tranche de vie si mignonne et portée au nu par le conformisme. Il va salir la paternité (et la maternitée) comme personne et je m'en régale déjà. Le gouvernement qui tente désespérément de relancer la natalité, un peu moins. Va-t-il seulement le laisser faire. Un début de scénario, peut-être.

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experience the charm of art

Zhang Zhehan's closeness to nature and his interactions with the local people create beautiful and harmonious scenes. Snow-capped mountains, glaciers, grasslands, herds of cattle and sheep, along with those ordinary yet sincere faces, all reflect his inner world. This blend of nature and culture brings me a sense of the diversity and beauty of life. In the documentary, the music harmonizes perfectly with the visuals, creating a serene and delightful atmosphere for the audience. Especially the song "The Eternal Flow of Rivers," sung by the protagonist's neighbor, not only portrays the social environment of the time but also hints at the grandeur of the era and the insignificance of the individual. This perfect combination of music and visuals allows me to experience the charm of art.

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Slow build-up dramatic tension in 56 minutes

The single 56 minute "series" is a highly entertaining and thought provoking experience. The concept is very interesting- being based on the word limerence. The ending may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is well-deserved. Overall, I think it's a very different "BL" if you can call it such.

Story: I loved the concept and that is why I rate the story so high. There are loopholes and some issues, but the execution is surprisingly great for a small production with less budget. The story has a crescendo of dramatic tensions; with each minute the story becomes more and more intense. There is a constant up and down of emotions, as we see characters doing things that may not be logical or clear- giving depth to the story. It's a dark but interesting watch.

Music: Nothing special it was appropriate for the mood.

Acting: The antagonist and protagonist of the story have excellent acting. I really liked their performance, and I would like to see more of them. This may not be the most romantic of stories but they were able to show case fear and tension nicely. Though I think the ending scene could have been better acted, as the acting was a little weak.

Rewatch Value: I like the story personally- there is something about attachment being shown in this way that makes me disturbed but intrigued. I feel like it's a story that I can revisit and it would still feel fresh- I guess it is a testament to the power of the original concept.

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Powerful and inspiring short film

Beautiful Run was a powerful and deeply touching short film. I have watched it twice and cried twice-something quite unusual for me. I’m not sure how realistic it would be, but I hope with all my heart it could be.

A young girl with a disabled leg who uses crutches cares for her bedridden father often missing school. Short on food and medication she applies for the most menial of jobs but is rudely turned down as people glance at her leg. She happens upon a flyer for a marathon with a cash reward and enters it. At first, she receives the same disdainful side-ways glances from the other runners, but during the arduous journey as she determinedly perseveres with one leg, her efforts begin to change the hearts of the other runners.

At less than seven minutes long the story is told with almost no dialogue. Only the careful editing and expressions on people’s faces tells the story. Near the end there is clarification through group messaging, but other than that everyone is silent. The music also nurtures the audience’s feelings. The nameless young woman never complains, never breaks down in tears, she just relentlessly keeps moving forward with her committed resolve.

This girl’s selfless persistence in a grueling physical act of love broke through people’s prejudices and began to bring out the best in others. The film stopped short of being patronizing. Beautiful Run made me believe that good does exist and people can open their minds and hearts to others. “Gratitude makes the impossible happen.” Let it be so.

10 June 2024

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A great cycling documentary that allows you to ease your pain.

When I was preparing my graduation thesis, I was recommended by a friend and discovered this documentary. At that time, I was in a state of extreme anxiety, always thinking that if my defense didn't pass, would my life be hopeless? Later on, when I saw this documentary, I felt that my anxiety symptoms had improved a lot. To be honest, I started writing this film review after watching it twice. The first time I watched it was without searching for any actors. What attracted me the most was the narrative rhythm and techniques of the documentary. This documentary did not pile up boring displays of cultures encountered while cycling, but presented culture and stories from the actors' first perspective, which is really charming. The second time I watched it was after reviewing the story of documentary director Zhang Zhehan. After learning about the unfair fate and treatment suffered by Zhang Zhehan in his own country, I had the ability to appreciate the documentary from another perspective. I better understood the emotions he expressed in the documentary, not strong demands, but a gentler and warmer reconciliation and search. His optimistic attitude towards the desperate situation just woke me up: life is a step-by-step process, as long as we live, there is nothing impossible.

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An interesting gem

"I am what I am" depicts the perception of being in a relationship (and love) from different point of views and we mainly follow Kasumi, our main character who knows she's different from the others and she's happy with it.

It's more about how the society (especially from her family and around her) percieves it and how she "deals" with it, I was sad the fact that we can see she's being pressured and not being understood of what she felt.

It's an interesting movie and an eye opener because I'm not sure that everyone is aware of being aromantic and or asexual. It's even important to produce this kind of movie to spread awareness and be accepted for this but don't judge people because they are what they are.

My only problem is the lacking of something that can makes me more understanding / connecting the character and that some parts felts a bit slow or maybe I'm being nitpicky lol (that's why I didn't give a 10)

Anyway, I recommend this movie for everyone, being part of LGBTQ+ or not, it should be watched and known.

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