Jmovie review: The Forest of Love

As a long time Sono Sion fan, this movie has been on my to watch list for a very long time until today when I decided to restart my Netflix subscription and give it a go.

The Forest of Love is a movie about two girls who were going to be in an all girl Romeo and Juliet play in high school, a sleazy conman Murata Joe played by Kippei Shina and three guys wanting to shoot a movie and submit to a film festival who get involved with the girls and Murata Joe.

The Forest of Love feels like Sono Sion in his element but it also feels like a Sono Sion greatest hits movie because there are so many elements from his previous movies thrown in. However after the disappointing Shinjuku Swan 2 which I should have written about its good to see Sono Sion on top form.

Sono Sion is probably Japan's best director along with Koreeda Hirokazu. He knows how to frame shots and create great dialogue scenes that you can't turn your eyes away from. 

If I have one complaint its that the movie did not need to be 2 and a half hours. A good editor could have easily trimmed it to 2 hours and the story would have been more impactful. 

I am glad Netflix gave him all this money to make a movie but I wish they had given him a shorter leash in terms of runtime.

A word of warning: The Forest of Love is a sick and disgusting film and not a movie you want to watch if you want to feel good. I actually thought about stopping halfway because I thought it might be too heavy after a stressful day at work.

The Forest of Love is Sono Sion near the top of his game and could have been a must watch with better editing. There is a tv series version of this on Netflix which might play better or it might not.

I was actually worried about which one to watch first and decided to go with the movie because it came out first. I still have not watched the tv show version of Love Exposure yet.

Please support and watch on Netflix so Sono Sion can make more movies for them!

Very watchable movie that is not on the level of Love Exposure but is very Sono Sion and every memorable. For fans of Ryu ga Gotoku 7 aka Like a Dragon, Kamataki Eri from the game is in the movie! 

Sensei wo Kesu Houteishiki Episode 1

Sensei wo Kesu Houteishiki is a show about this teacher who has a creepy smile played by Tanaka Kei going up against a bunch of annoying student bullies who are trying to get rid of him.

Maybe there is an interesting story here but what got my attention the most was the very horrible acting by the students. 

You don't watch jdorama expecting good acting unless a show has Mitsushima Hikari or Abe Hiroshi but this is just revolting bad acting.

If the idea of a show about a creepy smiling teacher who puts up with evil bullies in order to turn the tables back on them sounds promising to you then give it a look but I just wanted to see the teacher bash of the hell of them. Avoid. 

Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo Episodes 2~4

If I have one complaint about Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo; the story about an assistant tabloid editor who's deceased son is accused of murder, is that the script is not nuanced enough and can be too blunt at times but I like the subject matter of crime, media and the police.

There is another issue that comes into the forefront in the second half of the series which is foreign workers in Japan. 

There are people who use studying as a front to work. There are people who have to work to pay back money to agents who arrange for them to work in Japan. 

Ultimately, Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo is the story of a father who wants to honour his son's life because they never got to patch up their relationship and about how jumping to conclusions can have disastrous consequences.

Not as good as Siren no Zange but still watchable because of subject matter but a bit lacking in execution.

Satsui no Michinori Episodes 3~7

 

Satsui no Michinori can at times feel like an excuse for writer Bakarythm and Arata to hang out with two young actresses and shoot the shit on the pretense of shooting a dorama about committing a murder because of the steady pace and dry humour.

However, watching Satui no Michinori, you can tell that Bakarythm has given much thought to the script because as slow and steady as the pacing is, Bakarthym knows how to pay things off. 

Bakathrym knows how to set things up so that the story goes somewhere that is connected to where it went before and it is brilliant, especially episode 3 and 7.

The question is of course, whether Satsui no Michinori is must watch brilliant? At the moment the answer is no (subject to change) but I still recommend everyone to watch this. 

Put up with the dry humour if you must but I promise it will be worth it. WOWOW has done it again.

35-sai no Shoujo Episodes 6-10

First off, the story got over my grooming concerns of the story but accelerating Nozomi's mental growth at a crazy pace. 

I would have thought it would take years for Nozomi's mental age to catch up but who knows? Its not like there have been cases of kids in comas for 25 years to base this on.

I enjoyed the dark turn that the story takes when Yuto tells her that he has to compromise his principles and she should grow up and act her age.

While Nozomi is trying to catch up for lost time, every other character is stuck in the past and she blames herself for it.

I enjoyed Shibasaki Kou's acting in this show as she does a decent job of portraying Nozomi through many mental stages.

The last episode though I did not like. Way too cheesy and everything is wrapped up too neatly in a bow.

The struggles that Yuto and Manami go through, they were entertaining characters but their struggles were undercooked and not... real enough.

On the whole I enjoyed 35-sai no Shoujo. It was an interesting concept that was decently executed but wasn't as satisfying for me. Watchable.

Koisuru Hahatachi Episode 8: Corona has arrived in jdoramaland

I have been waiting for the current corona public health crisis to feature in jdoramas for a while. It has probably happened already, just not among the jdoramas I watch.

I was of two minds about jdoramas incorporating corona. On one hand I want to escape from this depressing reality that we find ourselves in but on the other hand the world has changed so jdoramas should reflect the real world. Plus, things aren't going back to the way they were anytime soon.

I don't know why I was so happy to see remote working and mask wearing in Episode 8 of Koisuru Hahatachi. I think there is feeling of empathy when you know exactly what the characters are going through.

As for Koisuru Hahatachi, I thought I would know the story would go since I've probably seen 50 cheating housewives doramas by now but Koisuru Hahatachi has managed to surprise me with its twists and turns.

I would say its quite entertaining as long as you don't expect much and yes, someone really needs to intervene  in Kimura Yoshino's life and get her to eat some food. I have no idea how she is even breathing with how skinny she is. Watchable show and thanks hanadaya for subbing the series!

Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo Episode 1

I have been eagerly anticipating this show set in the same world as Siren no Zange and also covering the same issues; the relationship between crime and media and the police. Big thank you to citrine for subbing this.

The main character in Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo is the deputy editor of a weekly tabloid Shuukan Jiryuu, Shiga played by Kamikawa Takaya. In the beginning of the episode he tells this new transferee Inami who has been given the task of writing up on a idoru's scandal that the job of a tabloid reporter is to be hated.

Not long after, we find out that Shiga's son is suspected of killing a couple before trying to commit suicide. The deputy editor of Shuukan Jiryuu who hunts scandals has now become the target of the media.

I enjoy shows that make me think and Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo has made me think about how media sells by attacking people and jumping to conclusions. I also enjoyed Shiga's reaction to all that is happening to him because he knows exactly what is happening as he has done this many times to others. Although I must say, Shiga's writing of the article is way to naive for someone of his experience but I he probably can't think straight with all that has happened.

There is one thing I really don't want to happen with this story and that is I don't want the new transferee Inami to be revealed as the mastermind.  That would just cheapen the story and the characters.

If you have seen Siren no Zange and want more, definitely watch Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo. If you have not seen Siren no Zange, give it a go and lower your expectations and you might find an interesting show about media and crime.

Neko Episodes 1~3

Wherever HPriest goes, I usually follow and this time he is subbing a show called Neko is unfortunately is not about cats. 

Its about a girl Kaneko Mineko who has a brain tumour and a boy named Amane Koji who meet because of a cat and how their relationship progresses.

Neko is a cute and simple love story set in a seaside town about Mineko and Koji with lots of crying. Speaking of seaside town, I want to go back to Kamakura!

I don't think Neko is anything special but its simple fun there is a twist at the end of episode 3 which makes me want to keep watching.

My only complaint is that there are not enough cat scenes. Recommended for people who like young love + cancer doramas. Watchable.

Yoru no Sensei Episodes 2-10

THINGS I LIKED

+ Its got a lot of my favourite actors ie Mizuki Arisa, Renbutsu Misako and Yamamoto Koji

+My favourite episode is Episode 8 about the old dude.

MEH

= Formulaic GTO style story with an annoying teacher.

= I never really fell in love with the characters.

= I think Medaka is much better but then I haven't seen Medaka in a long time

 

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE

- Sometimes tries too hard to be emotional

- Some episodes are very meh.

 SUMMARY

OK GTO show about underdog students at a night school that is by the numbers. Watchable if you don't expect much but I would recommend Medaka if you have not seen it.