My Teacher (2017) [Film Review]

My Teacher; or, The First Love

     Every hour of lost time now is a chance for future regret.

As soon as I saw the poster and trailer for Sensei!... Am I allowed to love you?, I knew that I had to check it out. I was expecting it be a rehash of Great Teacher Onizuka format, but I was pleasantly surprised. My Teacher is a little sweet film about innocent affection that should never have happened between a student and her teacher.
Release Info

Directed by: Takahiro Miki Starring: Toma Ikuta, Suzu Hirose, Aoi Morikawa, Ryo Ryusei

Language: Japanese Original Title: 先生!、、、好きになってもいいですか? Runtime: 112 min

 

Synopsis

Hibiki Shimada (Suzu Hirose) is an ordinary, 17-year-old, high school student. She has never been in a romantic relationship, but she spends time with her two best friends: Chigusa (Aoi Morikawa) and Kosuke (Ryo Ryusei) who are busy chasing after teachers they fell in love with. Touched by his acts of kindness, Shimada also develops such feelings for her history teacher, Mr Ito (Toma Ikuta). He takes her to a hospital, gives her a ride home a couple of times, and even helps in solving after-class assignments. However, Mr Ito perceives such tasks to be part of his job, nothing beyond that. Shimada eventually confesses her feelings to Ito, but he tells her that cannot reciprocate. As a result, she makes a deal with him: if she scores over 90 points in the test, he will allow her to love him. Discouraged along the way, Shimada does not give up in cultivating her feelings to Mr Ito.

 

Love Knows No Limits

I was afraid I won’t, but I really did enjoy My Teacher. I was worried that halfway through the picture (after the big scene revealed in the trailer) the story will turn into a preachy drama about how some relationships are forbidden, but nothing like that happened. The movie was evenly paced and had this peaceful, believable aura which made events unfolding on the screen seem plausible in real life. Even though there was a part of me knowing that something like this would never happened, I found myself cheering for Hibiki’s quest to win the unwinnable heart.

 

The rooftop scene is the most recognisable hallmark of the picture, but I have also enjoyed the subtle moments in Mr Ito’s office as well as the interactions between Shimada and Chigusa. Even the scenes with Fujioka (Kentaro Matsuo) did not seem forced at all. The school setting feels very much like another character in the film. Thankfully, the “outrage” component in the story is significantly toned down, because it is not the main focus of the picture.

With regard to performances, everyone is praising Toma Ikuta’s performance as Mr Ito. I thought it was convincing and okay, considering the fact that most of the time he plays a grumpy teacher who’s slacking during work hours. In my opinion, Suzu Hirose really carried the picture with her performance as a naive (yet decent and honest) student. The supporting actors did great jobs, especially Aoi Morikawa and Ryo Ryusei as Hibiki’s close friends. The only odd-actress out seemed Manami Higa as Ms. Nakajima. I have nothing against her, but she did not seem to fit the role of a teacher who is standing in-between of Ito and Shimada.

 

Recommendations

Go ahead and check it out if you are into Japanese school stories (or if you have your own secret teacher crush). Some manga enthusiasts may be interested in the fact that the movie is actually based on Sensei! comic book series by Kazune Kawahara. In my personal opinion, it’s best to watch the film at the beginning of a school year, as it has this inextricable Autumn-feel. All things considered, My Teacher is a very subtle romantic movie which leaves you wanting for more.

Overall score: 8/10

The Ending of Keizoku: Beautiful Dreamer (2000) [My Interpretation]

[Spoilers ahead! Do not read if you have not seen the movie!] Well, I’m finally done with the first (original) season of Keizoku series and here are my thoughts on the last 30 minutes of the theatrical feature that was supposed to wrap up loose ends from the previous 12 episodes and provide a closure to the overarching story of Section 2’s fight against their arch-nemesis Asakura.

 

1) The Island

In my opinion, the island setting provides an opportunity for two interpretations of the unfolding events. The first one is grounded in reality as the magnetic field caused by the volcanic eruption is making everyone see crazy visions. So basically, if it really is the influence of the magnetic field, then nothing physically happens to Mayama and Shibata as they board the boat and escape. In my second interpretation, I reject the magnetic field factor and assume that Shibata’s tale about the island being a gateway to the underworld is actually true. Therefore, Mayama and Shibata unknowingly enter the spiritual realm in order to face Asakura.

 

2) The (Un)dead Spirits

Extremely weird stuff starts to happen when Miku Kirishima departs with the ghosts of her parents and her sister, Nanami. It is at that moment when Shibata sees her father and Mayama encounters Lt. Tsubosaka. We already know that the father and Tsubosaka are dead, as well as Maiko and Mayama’s sister who appear later, but they actually serve as baits to lure the protagonists into Asakura’s trap.

 

So, what actually is Asakura’s trap. He firstly reveals himself in his original form (as known from the show) to Shibata and says: “Come over to my world. Why do you hate me so much? Why?! It is because I’ve killed? (Shibata slightly nods) It is my mission to make life immortal through death.” Thus, Asakura finally reveals his modus operandi: he was not afraid of dying in the show, because he actually transcended death and became a devil-like entity. He now desires a total victory over Shibata and Mayama by enslaving their souls for eternity and, in order to achieve this, he tempts them, just like Satan tempted Jesus on a desert: “And eternal life knows no hatred. Love is all around here! Here even I am being loved. Could you manage to respect me?”

 

3) Showdown with Madarame

The character of Madarame is basically an example of what happens to you if Asakura takes over your soul. We see Madarame die at the beginning of the film, but he magically shows up on a boat when Aya is about to set off to the island. Later, he actually kills her, “pulls her over to this world by force”, as he states, but her spirit refuses to become devoured by Asakura’s wickedness. She exclaims that the only way to immortality is living in the heart of a loved one. That’s why possessed Madarame kills Aya by shooting her “again”. Then, Mayama intervenes and, through inciting his anger, Madarame drags him into the underworld where he reveals himself to be Asakura: “That’s the good thing about being immortal. I’ll be able to live on in each of you. I can crawl into any body which can help me on. And to this art I owe my immortality”. However, Asakura cannot forcefully possess somebody. He has to make them give in their lives.

 

4) Tsubosaka’s Intervention

All of a sudden, Tsubosaka’s spirit steps into action and actually confirms that it is Asakura in Madarame’s body. However, he says the following: “Hatred doesn’t necessarily be something evil. If we would feel neither love nor hate, what would we be but lifeless puppets!”, then he salutes Mayama and orders to shoot. Soon after, Saori sacrifices herself by pulling the trigger. In my view, both Tsubosaka and Saori protected Mayama from Asakura’s influence by reinforcing in him his emotions, friendship with the lieutenant and love of his sister, respectively [things which make him human]. That’s why Mayama is able to defeat Madarame’s possessed spirit.

 

 

5) The Last Temptation

At the same time, Asakura tries to do the similar thing on Shibata, but it is her father who stands up for her. He points a revolver at Asakura and he, in a rather pitiful and desperate attempt asks: “Why do human beings feel hatred? Why is that so? Why can’t we all be friends? Why not?!” Shibata’s father replies: “I can do without friends like you” and, at the same time, Asakura and possessed Madarame are shot together. Shibata and Mayama have resisted Asakura’s mind game and escaped his grasp. Their souls have become purified, instead of poisoned, by making peace with the relatives they loved so much.

 

 

6) A Message

After the showdown, Shibata does not want to leave her father to leave, but he forbids her to accompany him. Maiko reiterates what Aya mentioned earlier: “You have to remember us, so that we can live on. That’s how it works” The father further adds that Shibata should think of the future and that soon somebody will appear [Mayama, of course!] with whom she will have a family. Therefore, the two spirits tell Shibata that death, even in the moment of greatest despair, is never an answer.

 

7) It’s Not Over Yet!

As Mayama sends Shibata off in a boat, Asakura emerges from the fiery rocks in his “physical manifestation”, a teenage-like demon, as black as pitch, with a multi-layered voice and a bomb across his shoulders. Angered at losing his own the game, he desires to physically annihilate Mayama. Yet, there’s a whole new factor to their fight. Mayama is no longer afraid of Asakura, which clearly makes Asakura crazy. Satan, who craved on fear, has lost his source of power.

 

The two charge at each other in a final showdown, only to collide exactly at the moment when volcano erupts. As a result of the island's destruction, the gateway to the underworld is closed and Shibata wakes up in reality, alone on a boat.

8) Mayama-san!!!

Shibata realises that Mayama could not have survived as she is drifting all alone. In the heat of the moment, she wants to commit a suicide, but, having remembered her father's message, she puts down the gun: “Mayama-san... I will live on and keep you in my soul... and thereby make you immortal”. When Shibata learns this value of life, Mayama surfaces all of a sudden, as if thanks to sheer serendipity.

 

Shibata hangs on to Mayama, not wanting to let go. The two will survive and live on together as the sound of a ferry is heard in the distance. Asakura has been defeated once and for all....

 

This was my take on the ending of a very interesting, dark and twisted, detective series. I’m sorry that it’s quite long, but I have to let it off my mind and give it some order, because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I think the reason why some many people found this movie disappointing is because it did not provide clear answers, but went into a full Twin Peaks mode. I personally didn’t mind it. Maybe you’ll find my explanation useful. If you have your own interpretations of the ending, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to discuss the film with you.

Keizoku: Beautiful Dreamer (2000) [Film Review]

Keizoku: Beautiful Dreamer; or, Deliver Us From Evil

     I will live on... and keep you in my soul... and thereby make you immortal.

After watching and reviewing the Keizoku drama series, I knew that I couldn’t miss the opportunity of seeing the theatrical movie, which serves as the conclusion of original series’ plotline. Many people regard it as a disappointing babble that does not provide any answers, but I count myself to the minority who liked the film. This is my review of Keizoku: Beautiful Dreamer.

Release Info

Directed by: Yukihiko Tsutsumi Starring: Miki Nakatani, Atsuro Watanabe, Nanako Okochi, Koyuki Kato

Language: Japanese Original Title: ケイゾク Runtime: 119 min

 

Synopsis

Shibata (Miki Nakatani) is promoted to the Section Chief post while Nonomura (Raita Ryu) is busy finalising his divorce. In the midst of it all, a girl called Isoyama (Nanako Okochi) arrives and claims that her mother is a survivor of Jinryumaru No. 7 luxury liner that sunk 15 years earlier. Allegedly, a daughter of the only people who did not survive the accident, Kirishima Nanami (Koyuki Kato), is inviting all of the survivors to join her on the Yakujin Island, which is known as the Japanese Bermuda Triangle. Kirishima supposedly intends to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their rescue. Worried about her safety, Isoyama asks for somebody to accompany her to the island. Shibata immediately volunteers and drags reluctant Mayama (Atsuro Watabe) with her. Fellow detectives don’t know that they are going to attend a supernatural blood fest.

 

Panties vs. Aspirins

Keizoku: Beautiful Dreamer continues the late 90s trend of issuing successful drama series out on the big screen, just like it was done with GTO: The Movie (1999) and Odoru Daisousasen: The Movie (1998). However, instead of appealing to new audiences and trying to branch out the franchise, Beautiful Dreamer rejects its theatrical momentum and from the very start makes it perfectly clear that it’s going to serve as a conclusion to the main characters’ story arc. A conclusion that is quite unevenly executed.

 

My main issue with this movie are the extreme shifts in tone throughout the first 20 minutes. The film opens with a death scene, then we get a foreshadowing vision, comedy, a little bit of exposition, comedy, and plot development. Inserts of wacky, out-of-the-blue moments worked perfectly in the Keizoku drama series, but here, they appear too quickly and seem forced. The best example is Nonomura’s subplot about marrying Miyabi-chan. Short mentions about that relationship in the drama were brilliant, but here these scenes are prolonged and overstretched. Instead of laughing, I was longing for the story to move on.

Indeed, the story moves on as Shibata and Mayama board the ship to the hellish island. The movie receives Agatha Christie’s flavour as people begin to die one after another. Even the humour picks up, especially thanks to Mayama’s uncontrolled badassery (locker room interrogation scene!). Resolution of the whodunit/howdunit mystery is satisfying, though it makes me suspect that the screenplay was initially conceived for a feature-length SP episode only to be adjusted to a theatrical movie later on.

Unavoidably, here comes the topic of the ending. Many commentators on the web disliked the movie for not providing straight answers about things which were set up back in the drama. Others, who were not that disappointed, sought explanations in the film’s psychological atmosphere. As for myself, I have to admit that I really liked the ending. I understand why it is being disliked, but it somehow managed to touch me inside. I liked its vagueness and supernatural approach. To me, Shibata and Mayama came such a long way together that clear explanations did not matter anymore at that concluding point of their story. If you want to read more on this, you can head over to my interpretation of Beautiful Dreamer’s ending.

Miki Nakatani undoubtedly gives her best performance in this movie. Right now, I really prefer the character of Shibata over Erika Toda’s Toma from Keizoku 2 SPEC. In addition, Atsuro Watabe is equally awesome as the formidable detective with a personal tragedy. Also, Nanako Okochi and Koyuki Kato deserve a mention for their masterfully played supporting roles. Music score by Akira Mitake is great to listen to, as most of the cues return from the drama and the main theme gets remixed.

 

Recommendations

If you haven’t seen the drama, you may feel left a bit in the dark. Yet, the Beautiful Dreamer is still enjoyable for its detective story component as well as the crazy dynamic between Shibata and Mayama. I liked it from beginning to the end, and the only regret I felt during the end credits was the realisation that Section 2’s adventures will never be directly continued. Nevertheless, I’ll live on... and keep Keizoku in my soul... thereby making it immortal.

Overall score: 8/10