films seen
3
average score
2.83*
nationality
status
Alive and kicking

Movies


A Chorus of Angels

Kita no Kanariatachi
2012 / 122m - Japan
Mystery
3.0*/5.0*
A Chorus of Angels poster

Face

Kao
2000 / 124m - Japan
Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Face poster

I'm quite certain I would've liked this film better if I'd watched it 20 years ago, back when it was originally released. Not because I've grown tired of the genre, but simply because I've seen this kind of drama been done better in the meantime. Face isn't a bad film, it just feels a little murky by modern standards.

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The presentation is definitely part of that. Rather plain camera work, muddy colors and poor framing take away from the overall appeal of the film. The soundtrack too is a little disappointing, and the drama, while relatively effective, is something I've seen many times before too, with better results.

That's not to say Face is a terrible film. Fujiyama's performance is laudable, the supporting cast is good and the film has some neat little surprises in store, but overall they don't have the impact needed to make this a stand-out feature. Japanese drama fans won't be disappointed, it just felt a bit dated to me.


Children of the Dark

Yami no Kodomo-tachi
2008 / 138m - Japan
Crime, Drama
2.5*/5.0*
Children of the Dark poster

This was no doubt meant to be "an important" film, but the result is a little too iffy for it to make a big impact. Some big names, a runtime that easily exceeds the 2-hour mark, and a story with grave social impact. But all you get for it is a meager cinematic experience that borders on sentimental.

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Hiroyuki is a Japanese journalist working in Thailand. He is investigating a story about illegal organ donors, but the closer he comes to the truth, the more he realizes that there's a much bigger and more sinister network hiding behind these crimes. Luckily, he gets some help from well-meaning citizens.

Sakamoto's direction is a little too dire, the performances aren't great (despite some real acting talent present) and the runtime is excessive for a story that is quite predictable. It's not a terrible film, there are some memorable moments scattered throughout, but it needed a better director.