Cast:
Ayano Gou
Satsukawa Aimi
Saito Takumi - cameo
Director Nishitani Shinichi (Kyokuhoku Rhapsody)
There is not a lot to say about this movie, I mainly wanted to put something pretty on my front page that wasn't SHINee like it has been for months now. I get hardly any time to write on here at the moment.
So in my current obsession with Ayano Gou I thought I would chuck a quick movie review up here.
I fell asleep through Gatchaman for the millionth time so Shibuya it is.
This movie is gorgeous and slow and quiet. It plays like a secret moment caught by accident on camera, and we happen to see it. I feels like a snapshot that wasn't meant to be seen.
I hoped my screen shots would do it justice, but as they definitely capture how stunning Ayano is every second he exists, it doesn't convey the quiet sadness of watching the actual movie.
It is sweet and pretty much non eventful, full of long conversations with a minimal cast.
I have gone a little bat sh*t with the screen shots but every time I paused it was a perfect one, even if only seconds from the last....
So instead of argue with myself I have put them all in the review.
This movie was from 2010 when Ayano still had his epic curl-up-and-sleep-in-my hair, and I think Satsukawa was cast on the basis of her eyes alone.
Between his furrows of worry and her teary eyes I think they had the makings of an art house movie in the bag.
They didn't fall too far into that trap though.
I believe it stayed in the realms of reality and didn't allow its head to get sucked up its pretentious ass like arty films so often do.
It stayed in this nice middle ground, cross between land, of beautiful and thoughtful, but stylish and non self explanatory.
Unfortunately there seem to be no English subs for this anywhere. And it is a wordy one.
If you don't understand Japanese then you wont follow the story - everything comes from their conversations, all the context comes from their heart to hearts, and through their tearful revelations to each other we find their stories open out.
It doesn't explain a huge back story, but just enough to let these two people who only just found each other, come to terms with their issues.
Ayano plays a photographer who is trying to write an article about girls in Shibuya.
The girl he searches for obviously has a story behind her, and he is driven by concern and intrigue alike in finding out what that story is.
Ultimately coming to terms with his own past they reluctantly share their stories with each other and move on. That is pretty much it in a nutshell. Nothing further than that, nothing less. Some quiet encounters and some eventual closure.
There is really not much more to say past that.
Hardly anything happens throughout but her charm and his worried face become compelling.
I could have watched them crying in the shower together for an age, which is good because that scene is longer than it would usually be in a movie...
Everything about their short friendship...can I call it that? I don't know, but everything about it is perfectly placed and subtle. Its a lot of acting with eyes - you know that thing I love, and long emotional conversations slowly breaking them down so they can rebuild themselves again.
Now I'm watching the special of Kamen Teacher, so much in contrast to Shibuya. This whole drama has been ridiculous from start to finish but great in a weird way all the same. Feels weird to go from this lovely movie to... Kamen Teacher.
Ayano is an absolute pleasure to watch... I must have seen him in about 5 things recently, hopefully I will get around to reviewing them. I've just got some more of his dramas ready to start so maybe there will be a few squees on twitter and tumblr when I watch them.
Saikou no Rikon was too emotional to squee through, Heaven's flower or whatever the hell it was called on the other hand was basically just an excuse to watch Ayano fly around ninja style as Shion with fantastic hair and a brooding moody face.
I had not seen Satsukawa in anything before, she looks a little unusual - its nice to see a pretty face in a very un-doll-like way for a change. She was raw and vulnerable and honest. It really is lovely and sweet.
If you can understand enough to watch without subs or you can find subs then I recommend having a little secret affair with this movie.
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