Reviews

First off, I would say this movie is not for everyone. I would avoid it if you do not like very slow movies.

This is a movie which beautifully relies on simplicity to tell an emotional tale. It's a quiet tale, full of feeling, full of longing. It's a deeply felt journey.

The gist of it is simple: China, 80s, the moutains of Hunan. A son is taking over the postman position of his father, who is forced to retirement due to arthritis. And for his first time doing it the father walks along, to teach him. The job is fairly simple: Walk a certain designated route, dropping mail in villages. But it's not that simple, because the postman must understand the villagers- and their hearts and the relationships among them.

It is a story of a father and son- and the understanding that passes between them of how much sacrifice this job entails. The son already kknows this and yet the journey together, the journey of passage for one and initiation for another- brings them to a point of transition and deeper understanding. This journey becomes a touchstone of both of their lives. It is a story of mutual appreciation, and of strenghtening the father-son bond but also increasing the love for the heart of the family, the mother, and her own sacrifices.

For anyone who knows and identifies with the joy but at the same time heartbreak of solitude and/or who enjoys solitary walks in the moutains, this movie may just prove a beautiful sight. For anyone who knows the separation from family for a long time due to a sense of duty or because of job, this may also be something to identify with.

It may not be a film for everyone, for it is slow, perhaps too slow, deliberate and reflective and lets feelings unfold on screen, though it speaks through facts and situations. It's a story of a father and son, the story of inheritance, the story of a journey of initiation and of sacrifice. It is accompanied with beautiful scenery and calming music- at times soaring with nostalgia which pierced right through me, beautiful cinematography, breathtaking at times, as we witness the wide expanses of the great moutains, the significane of the job in such a rural area becomes even more pronouces, as is the sacrifice. There is also some very intimate camera work at times.

It may seem very dated to some, however.

The acting is very sensitive and restrained from both actors and their bond feels very real; there is good character development as they learn more about each other The dog is also very prominent. The Chinese title of the film is "Those Mountains, Those People, That Dog", where the dog refers to the dog that accompanies our postmen on the way, a trusted companion, almost the second son, in the solitude of the long path that takes the postman away from home for many long weeks.

It's a thoroughly beautiful piece, which very much affected me the first time I saw it. I was very much taken by the painting the film created. For that reason alone, this movie will always be special for me.

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I loved this movie, the months I was waiting to watch it were not wasted...
Han Hyo-Joo confirmed one more time her acting talent and bringing tears to my eyes.
If somebody asks me to tell them about this movie in two words, I'll say 'warm sun'... This movie gave so many warm feelings...
Director's and cameraman's work is brilliant... The game of lights in this movie, in my opinion, is one of the main positive effects... Because of the light in the movie... everything is printed in the smallest details in my brain... the girls clothes... the guys hair... the sun in the room... the beautiful kiss... the family feeling with the dog... the massage...the drama watching time...their field full of the yellowest flowers...her, touching his face to 'see' him... (I can go on, until I've told the whole movie..thehe).
Though the plot is not something brilliant and new for a Korean movie, actors and the crew makes the movie unforgettable, in my opinion..
Watch it, you won't regret!

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For a normal viewer (one who is not familiar with K-pop/Super Junior), Attack of the Pin-Up Boys will make absolutely no sense. The story is about a bunch of boys who become popular after being hit by a bag of crap (?), I mean come on! BUT, for Suju fans, this movie is a must see. It is comprised of the boys we love most, acting as various stereotypes of male high school students. Basically, an ELF's dream come true. This movie is light and fluffy with several hilarious moments between the members. I also just wanna say, character wise, do not underestimate any of them-each of them have their own little.. quirk (some of which may actually be true in real life XDD) So, my advice for those who want to watch this: sit back, relax (DO NOT EAT WHILE WATCHING THIS-) and enjoy. Emphasis on enjoy: do not attempt to use your brain.

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After watching the anime i was really happy that they made live action of this show & even with my favourite japanese actress, Kitagawa Keiko, They could've put someone that looked more like George but still Osamu did an awsome job portrating him :)

I was expecting more intimate scenes between Caroline & George but it's still gr8. The music was okay, could have been better.

I really liked he chemistry between the main leads.
The only thing i didnt really liked was that it was a bit rushed. They could've made a drama that has at least 3-4 episodes, and describe better the love devolpment between George & Caroline.

Over all, the story was good, in my opinion the acting was gr8 even tho i think maybe Ikuta Toma would've been better but Osamu still did awsome job portrating almost the exact personality like in the anime, Keiko was also g8 and she even looked similar to the girl in the anime. Busing was okay but not really my taste but when we look everything together it definatly a 10.

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A great story in which you get closer to each character has the movie goes by with each of the artists hardships. The acting is good, even more when it comes to the relations between the characters. I especially love the light-old-jazzy music which perfectly fits with the movie's moods. If you are a fan of Arashi, you are bound to like this movie. If you are not a fan but you love historical mixed with slice of life and light humored movies, this one is for you !

~~nagareboshi nagarete kimi no namida wo nugutte onegai~~
~~tada koko de odayaka ni hohoendeite hoshii~~

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I was a fan of the anime and the manga, so I was really anxious to watch this.. And to say I was disappointed is putting it mildly. The original story was perfectly written, and if the movie had followed that, this movie would have been awesome. But, unfortunately no, they didn't do that. The reasoning behind the 7 overall is, that in and of itself, it wasn't bad, just high expectations not met.

I gave the story an 8 simply because, the original story was so perfect, and while the movie's script didn't match that perfection, it did give a decent try at it.

Acting wise.. can I just say DULL.. Kitagawa was not made for this role, she annoyed me to no end. Mukai, as George, was decent, but you could tell he was acting for a certain demographic, not actually being George. The other's played their roles very well.

I don't really remember the music, hence a 4.

Re-Watch is a 4 simply because I did re-watch it before writing this.

Overall-I gave it a 7 because it wasn't awful, but it wasn't as great as it could have been. If you are a huge fan of the Anime or the Manga, then do NOT watch this.

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I just finished watching this movie and while it is fresh in my mind I wanted to pen this review. I feel if I waited to write it, I might not like it as much or remember it's strange qualities. This is the kind of movie where you have to take it for what it is and let go of expectations when it comes to standard movie & storytelling fare.

This movie is very artistically shot/filmed. Beautiful cinematography along with inventive camera angles almost seems to be the goal rather than a solid plot. The Duelist is nothing if not beautiful to look at with a moving picture feel, light on dialog.

The acting is very well done. The sword fights are exactly how Amrita describes them; a lovely, potentially deadly ballet. I liked the comedic moments and the very slight whisper of risque and racy that also dances around in the film. The two lead actor's chemistry is palpable. Ha Ji Won is my favorite character in this movie. She seemed to me the one who had the most personality.

If you are in the mood to watch something a bit abstract and ethereal, The Duelist may be a movie you like.

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A Crowd Of Three tells the story of two friends who, for different reasons, are drifting through life. They are both orphans; directionless, scarred by their pasts and unhappy w/their lot in life. This combination serves to make them both a bit volatile. The journey they set out on is where this story starts moving forward.

This movie is dark. While watching I felt the same emotions they did as their journey progressed. I was bored in points, sad, tense and wondering how and where it would end.

The acting was actually very solid. It is no secret I am a fan of Matsuda Shota. He does a wonderful job playing Kento who seems, on the surface, the calm and more sensible of the pair of boys. With his emotions being repressed and boiling under the surface like a dormant volcano. This guy can act. Kora Kengo who plays Jun as more frantic; all his emotions out there for you to see. And almost a relunctant follower who doesn't want to be left behind by the only friend he has. There were many points in this movie when I found them both hard to like.

The plot is a bit wanting. Their journey a bit abstract. The ending intense. I felt as if the writing was good but this movie has quite an "Indy film" feel and so an artistic angle sometimes negates exposition and a solid trajectory of story. This left me unsatisfied.

The music is forgettable but I don't think it was meant to be anything but background sound so I gave it a 6.

My rewatch value is low but I'm not going to express why as that might spoil a person interested in watching. If you are a fan of Shota, I say give it a try. Also, if you are a fan of gritty, independent films you may like this. I'm giving it a 7. Mostly for the two leads.

I stayed with this for the acting and for that I don't regret watching.

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