odette0515 Reviews

Love Letter (1995)

Love Letter

[8/10 · 16 October 2013]

This movie's heroin is Hiroko Watanabe. She lives in Kobe and has lost her fiancé Itsuki Fujii in a mountain climbing accident. On the day of his memorial ceremony, two years after his death, Hiroko finds his high-school's album of graduation at his parents' house. Hiroko records the address she sees under the name "Itsuki Fujii" in the album of graduation, and decides to write him a letter. Amazingly, she receives a reply from Fujii. She didn't know who send the reply, she keeps writing and finds out it was not from her dead fiancé, but from a woman also named Itsuki Fujii who went to high school with her fiancé.

This film shot in Hokkaido, especially Otaru. A lot of fantastic scenes appear in this film. At first, I couldn't understand well this movie's import. But when I understood love of two Itsuki, I was impressed very much.

Embers (2006)

Embers

[7/10 · 16 September 2013]

This is the story which a woman waits her husband. During World War II, her husband is conscripted for the front. She is concerned about her husband's safety. She watches the house while her husband is at that front. And she is often assailed by hallucinations. The details are that a Japanese soldier tries to kill her husband. She suffers from the hallucinations.

This short film is difficult for me. At first she wants her husband to come back safe. As a result, her husband comes back safe but her husband is not what he used to be. He couldn't avoid killing Japanese to survive. But he doesn't need to torture them. His deeds are not accepted by her.

I think this short film's image is somehow gloomy and scary. The most scare scene is that the Japanese soldier brings his raised Japanese sword down on her. This film make me think deeply about war and humanity.

Lifted (2006)

Funny and cute story

[8/10 · 16 September 2013]

This short film's leading role is a young alien. Two aliens come to the earth by space vehicle, and they come to a man house. The alien tries to take that sleeping man from the house. But the handling never goes as the alien wants.

This short film is so funny and cute. That alien makes a puppet of the man and hit his head a lot of place. I wonder why he doesn't wake up. An examiner alien is expressionless while young alien test. At first, I think that examiner alien is scary alien but he is kind. My favorite scene is the sleeping man hits his head on the wall. I can't stop laughing when I watch this scene. This short film is a hilarious story, so I can watch this any number of times. This film provokes laughter, and I get an impulse to help that young alien.

Three Days in Kamakura (2012)

Heartwarming story!

[8/10 · 16 September 2013]

This film's leading role is three people, David, Keiko, and a small boy Jay. The setting of this film is Kamakura. David and Keiko are a couple but their love has cooled off. David works at English conversation school for children. One day, a small boy Jay's mother don't come to pick him up. Just at that time, a railway accident happens in Kamakura. For that reason, David and Keiko look after Jay.

The issue of garbage comes out in the beginning of the film. When I watch this scene, I think this problem is a common occurrence so I can't help but nod my head. My favorite scene is that they are playing with sand. They are just like a real family and they look very happy. Jay brings happiness to David and Keiko.

This film is a heartwarming story. This film reminds me of the most precious thing.

The Lunch Date (1989)

The Lunch Date

[7/10 · 16 September 2013]

This short film's leading role is an old lady. The setting of the story is the station. She bumps into a man and her bag's contents are scattered, so she misses train while she gathers that. She goes to tearoom to spend time while the train comes. She buys a salad, but her salad is eaten by a stranger when she leaves her seat.

At first, that strange man is a malicious man, but the old lady is bullish. She eats the salad with that strange man. And then, that strange man brings two cups of tea and gives her one. He is not malicious but he is kind. My favorite scene is that they fight for salad and eat. The salad is crispy to eat, so they make sound when they eat salad. I want to eat that salad when I watch this scene. I think you laugh in spite of yourself when you understand this film's title.

Fish Out of Water (2005)

Fish Out of Water

[7/10 · 16 September 2013]

This story's leading role is a man who goes to work by rowboat, but a lot of people go to work by car, so traffic congestion is terrible. All drivers are irritated. At that time, a woman finds him, and she gets a lift in his rowboat the next day. He gradually feels stressed by that. He treats his time as more important than quickness.

My favorite scene is when the man paddles the rowboat, because that scene is beautiful, and I feel comfortable when I watch that. It is pleasant to watch that man battle against the woman. These days a lot of people give importance to saving time, but those people forget to relax. People worry too much about spending time effectively, but this film reminds us about the value of peace of mind. I want many people who are pressed for time to watch this short film.

Gasman (1997)

Gasman

[6/10 · 16 September 2013]

There is one family, a father, a mother, one son and one daughter. The mother is trying to get her daughter to wear her dress. Children are about to go to Christmas party. The father is leading his children to the party. On the way, three people are waiting them, one older brother, one younger sister, and their mother. The father talks to their mother. And the brother and the sister join them. The father is asked to take them to the party with his children. At first, I thought this film is about the friendship between two young girls, but I was wrong. Maybe, that sister does not have her father, so she behaves like a baby and sits on the father. And for his daughter, it is not funny. It looks that may be the daughter thinks she is trying steal her father. At the last scene, the father holds two girls. It looks that they are made up with each other. But not, I understand how much the young girl loves her father and that girls can hide their claws.

The Crush (I) (2010)

The Crush

[7/10 · 16 September 2013]

This film's leading role is schoolboy. He falls in love with his schoolteacher and gives her an engagement ring. But his love for her is not required when he comes across her with her boyfriend. Furthermore she wears a real engagement ring which is given by her boyfriend. He reaches a decision to do a pistol duel with her boyfriend.

This schoolboy is so cute and his power of action is amazing. The pistol duel scene is absolutely scary and there is a sense of urgency, because his eyes are serious. Though, I can feel his real love with his eyes. My favorite scene is the first scene. That schoolboy is still young, but the schoolboy eyes are gentle and more grown up looking face. I don't know he looks through to penetrate into the teacher's boyfriend real heart but he does a good job.

Father and Daughter (2000)

Father and Daughter

[16 September 2013]

According to the title, this is the story of a father and a daughter. When she is young, her father goes on a boat somewhere. She waits for him day after day to come back. The young daughter gets old gradually.

It is a characteristic point that bicycles are used in all scenes. At first, she pedals the bicycle sprightly, but the bicycle's speed is slowed little by little with her aging. I feel sorrowful when I watch this short film. I like the scene where she pedals the bicycle with her family, because I can imagine her happy life. At first, I feel that she leads a lonely life without her father, but she makes friends, boyfriend, husband and children with growing age. This film's story is sentimental but develops with the bouncy rhythm, soften the meaning of the death.

Knick Knack (1989)

Cute animation

[8/10 · 16 September 2013]

This short film is animation, and the leading role is snowman in the snow globe. That snowman wants to go out of the snow globe, because the snowman wants to join the other toys. The snowman tries a lot of things, but the snowman can't go out.

I saw this film when I was an elementary school student. This film is funny any number of times I see. The snowman finds the exit but the snowman is shut up in the snow globe again. This story doesn't have an end. That is the funny point. My favorite scene is the snowman uses a lot of bombs. The snow dance and whirl in the snow globe when the bomb explodes. Furthermore, the snowman's face is soppy.

This short film is cute animation, so I'd recommend you to watch to children.

Paperman (2012)

Paper man

[10/10 · 16 September 2013]

A salary man waits for train with a lot of papers. A woman comes next to him. She also has a few papers. The wind blows away his paper. And then the paper sticks to the woman's skin, and get her lipstick on the paper. She smiles at that. But she is boarding the departing train when he notices the lipstick. He arrives at the workplace, he finds the woman in the building across the street. He makes paper planes and throws it, but it doesn't go well. He makes last paper plane which paper has lipstick, and it flies. But it doesn't come out well. He runs out of the workplace.

I'm satisfied with music and image. This film is black-and-white picture, therefor only lipstick is vivid red. It is memorable. This film reminds me of the flutter of a lover's heart.