Talk about a Johnny starring vehicle once again featuring a singer who should not be on the tv screen. It may have Miki Satoshi's name on it but its just a third rate Trick/Yabe Kenzo wannabe that's not even half as funny as it thinks it is. I can't believe I watched the second episode after the mind numbing first episode just to see whether Miki Satoshi might have some cool tricks for the interviewing part of the series. Avoid. I don't think I'm going to bother giving Ore Ore a try now.
Ore Ore is actually pretty cool. Nice story full of funny references and Kamenashi isn't as bad an actor as the Henshin Interviewer guy : P
ReplyDeleteI don't think Henshin Interviewer no Yuutsu is that bad though, Eri Fuse has some pretty amazing improvisations as usual, and Gebiyama grows on me. Still, the whole thing is a bit of a mess indeed...
Rootabega sez:
ReplyDeleteAllow me to largely agree with your review of Henshin. There are a few moments (the dude with the Andy Warhol hairdo at the spring is maaagic), but the dorama is a net loss thanks to the dominance and incompetence of the leads. Yes, leads. It's not just Johnny-boy who can't act his way out of a paper bag. His awkward female sidekick (this trope AGAIN??) can't dredge up a nickel's worth of dramatic or comedic tension.
It's like Miki is a band leader and he's assembled the hottest jazz ensemble in Japan, except he's been told by the venue owner "no solos allowed" (maybe a rimshot here and there). Furthermore, as a condition of being allowed to play at all, he has to prominently feature the venue owner's "girlfriends" doing lame lead vocals all night long. This is what this show feels like to me, and I hate it.
That ridiculous bit of fan service business when Johnny-boy transforms is, according to Miki-san, 100% the star's ideas. Thank god for small mercies.
Ore ore is much better, it has a fairly profound concept at its core, though it does tend to be a bit dark for a Miki film (only Tenten approached this level of disquiet at times). Of course, it features a whole lotta Kamenashi, but he acquits himself more respectably. It still would have been nice to have had a real actor in the main role.
IMO, large agencies have far, far too much power in placing their properties in J-ent vehicles, including genuine indie fims. If it's the difference between getting an elusive green light for a project or not, hiring a well-backed "talent" might very well be a poison pill the director must swallow.
And that sucks.
Sorry guys I have to say I disagree with all of you and proclaim ore ore to be one of the most pathetic projects gone wrong I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI could not make myself stay back for the Q&H afterwards because I did not respect this work.
It's sad that I only enjoyed one of the three movies that I went to see this year:(((