GTO Revival (2024) [Special Review]

GTO Revival; or, A New Lesson
     Even if you don’t have these, you are you. You’re the cutest.
I have to start this review with a big thank you to Rise from Phoenix Talks Pop Culture Japan because without her, I would have completely missed out on the info that FujiTV actually cooked up a GTO Revival special with Takashi Sorimachi returning to his legendary role(!) Indeed, we live in the age where heroes of the 80s and the 90s keep coming for one last hurrah, from Indiana Jones to Batman, but I have never imagined in my wildest dreams that this phenomenon would also impact the GTO franchise.

Release Info

Directed by: Yoshihiro Fukagawa Starring: Takashi Sorimachi, Sae Okazaki, Rikako Yagi

Language: Japanese Original Title: GTOリバイバル Runtime: 91 min

Synopsis
26 years after the start of his unconventional career, and teaching the first class of high schoolers, Eikichi Onizuka works as a… food delivery man. However, he is soon called in by one of his former students who works for the Ministry of Education. Onizuka is asked to investigate a private school which is plagued by an influencer personality known as Judge-or-Laugh. Onizuka steps into action to free students and teachers from cyber-terror.

The Age of Cyberbullying
Honestly, as soon as Takashi Sorimachi appeared together with obligatory cameos from original cast members of the drama, I had a big smile on my face. On top of that, when a remix of the Poison theme tune by Sorimachi and Blue Encount kicked in, it was pure icing on the cake.

That being said, this TV special is not a perfect revival of the drama that manages to capture the lighting in the bottle, and understandably so. It’s been a heck of a long time since we saw Sorimachi’s GTO on the screen, and this episode has a lot of catching up to do to reintroduce the character into modern age.

The main conflict of the story is very interesting because it concerns all the schools across the globe: cyberbullying. It’s very exhilarating and cathartic to see Onizuka’s take on the matter, but his approach is mostly recycled stuff you’ve already seen in the drama episodes and the theatrical movie: With his unconventional approach, Onizuka empowers the victims and makes baddies confront their inner trauma.

Unfortunately, getting to the gist of Onizuka’s modus operandi is repeatedly interrupted by the episodic and disjointed narrative of the TV special that throws lots of new characters and constant exposition at you within the span of 90 minutes. As a result, this episode feels like a pitch for a new GTO season crammed into a movie format. This, unfortunately, doesn’t work well.

With regard to performances, Takashi Sorimachi IS (and will always be) Great Teacher Onizuka. This man is literally “too cool for school”, even when he is 50 years old. I also enjoyed the performances by Rikako Yagi, Mei Hata, Kosuke Suzuki, and Yosuke Kubozuka. Apart from numerous easter-egg cameos, there’s one that particularly stole my heart at the very end of the special, but I refrain from any spoilers.

Recommendations
All things considered, I enjoyed GTO Revival more than the theatrical movie from 1999, but still it doesn’t achieve the level of the classic drama. It’s an okay story for a one-time revisitation of GTO. However, I wouldn’t like FujiTV treat this as a backdoor pilot for a potential continuation of the drama next year. My thanks go to Skeweds Translations for translating this special.Overall score: 7/10

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Perfect Days (2023) [Film Review]

Perfect Days; or, The Art of Mindfulness
     Next time is next time. Now is now.
When I heard about a new movie project by Win Wenders centered around public toilets for the first time, I thought that the famous German director was going to commit another weird “auteur stunt” like Fruit Chan with his movie about toilets over 20 years ago. Thankfully, I couldn’t be more wrong. Perfect Days directed by Wim Wenders is not toilet-oriented insanity, but a thoughtful examination of our existence, and how we can live in peace with our surroundings.

Release Info

Directed by: Wim Wenders Starring: Koji Yakusho, Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto, Tomokazu Miura

Language: Japanese Original Title: Perfect Days Runtime: 123 min

Synopsis
Hirayama (Koji Yakusho) works for the Tokyo Toilet company as a cleaner. His life is governed by structure and rituals. He listens to music on cassettes, cultivates plants, reads books, but most importantly, he loves trees and takes pictures of them, trying to capture the elusive phenomenon of komorebi. We observe Hirayama’s life through his unlikely encounters with other people.

Slow Living
Even though the movie had its premiere last year, and it has been widely discussed on the internet for a few good months, I was able to see it by complete incident, when I found out that a cinema in the neighbouring city was going to organize a screening (the distributor over here circulates the film over cinema chains for two months).

Well, I went to see the film completely blind. I did not read the synopsis and I did not watch any trailer. All I knew was that Koji Yakusho was the lead and Wim Wenders directed the film. I think the best way to describe the film is to call it a cautionary tale with a cathartic release.

I fell in love with the character of Hirayama and his simple approach to life. In this day and age, when we are bombarded with overstimulation from all sides, it is indeed refreshing to see the quiet lifestyle of a boomer who is only passionate about his hobbies and oriented within the moment. I dare to suspect that Hirayama is not Wenders’ attempt to romaticise Japanese people, but an embodiment of the director’s personal warning against hustle culture and digital slavery.

In addition, I couldn’t help but notice a few nods to Yasujiro Ozu. Indeed, Wenders is an Ozu fanboy and the clear expression of this is the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio of Perfect Days, which gives the film a wonderful vintage flair. What is more, I am not sure if the movie was shot on actual film tape or on a digital camera, but the vivid colour grading is outstanding.

With regard to performances, Koji Yakusho proves once again what a legendary actor he is. From Tampopo to Perfect Days, the man’s over 40-year-long career is sheer epicness. However, I am deeply convinced that Yakusho is the only guy on the planet who could play Hirayama. His withdrawal from society combined with genuine gentleness and sincerity very much echoes other character played by Yakusho, such as Sugiyama in Shall We Dance? and Kantake Kazumasa in Kamikaze Taxi.

Recommendations
All things considered, I experienced the film at a perfect timing. Perfect Days is the kind of fatherly advice everyone needs to hear from time to time. In some Polish review, I read that the film is the perfect example of a motion picture promoting mindfulness. The problem is that it is hard to find other examples from Japanese Cinema. There are plenty of comedies, and quite slice-of-life tales, but Perfect Days sets the tone for a very unique cinematic experience. Last but not least, I encourage you to visit the official page of the movie, which is a work of art in and of itself, and it includes additional info about Hirayama's life outside of the film.
Overall score: 9/10

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Always: Sunset on Third Street 3 (2012) [Film Review]

Always: Sunset on Third Street 3; or, In the Shadow of the Olympics
     Today’s the first day of your new family. But remember… You will always be a part of your family, too.
It took ma a while, but here it is: my review of the third and final instalment of the Always series directed and written by Takashi Yamazaki. Is it a satisfactory conclusion of the trilogy? Let’s jump into the discussion.

Release Info

Directed by: Takashi Yamazaki Starring: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki, Maki Horikita

Language: Japanese Original Title: ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日'64 Runtime: 144 min

Synopsis
Tokyo, 1964. The city gears up for the famous Olympics that reintroduced Japan to international consciousness. The citizens of the third street also prepare to celebrate the sports event, but they also struggle with their personal affairs. Chagawa (Hidetaka Yoshioka) has to compete against a young writer who takes over his reading audience, whereas Roku (Maki Horikita) falls for a surgeon from the local hospital.

Always 64
Honestly, Always: Sunset on Third Street 3 did not sit well with me. When compared to the previous two entries, the third movie is riddled with pacing issues, episodic structure, and some odd storytelling decisions.

First of all, the beginning lets you think that the Olympics are going to function as a major overarching theme in the film, but that’s not the case (these are important only in two scenes). Secondly, humour bits are thrown all the time to lighten up the mood, but these feel forced, even to such an extent that the same music cue signals their appearance. Finally, as a viewer who fell in love with the characters, I do not agree with their send off. Again, I avoid the spoilers territory, but the third film primarily focuses on the conflicts of Roku and Chagawa. While the first character was given a bitter-sweet ending, Chagawa was given closure against his warm, deeply kind character. To me, it’s unforgivable.

With regard to production aspects, there are the same as in the case of the previous Always movies. Takashi Yamazaki really has an eye for visual, and likes to freestyle with special effects to achieve a comedic effect. The music score Naoki Sato feels repetitive in the third film, but it hits you in the feels nonetheless.

Speaking about performances, Hidetaka Yoshioka and Shinichi Tsutsumi rock as always. True stars of the third film are Maki Horikita and Kenta Suga who really stand out with their interpretations of the characters.

Recommendations
All things considered, Always: Sunset on Third Street 3 was a bit of a disappointment for me, but I knew I had to see it because of Takashi Yamazaki. I recommend it only for the hardcore viewers who greatly enjoyed the previous two movies. I don’t think there’s any creative potential for the fourth movie at this point, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the new adventures of the third street inhabitants.Overall score: 6/10

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Night Light (2018) [Film Review]

Movies focusing on family issues tend to be either extremely serious in tone or, on the contrary, very light-hearted. It is quite rare to see a motion picture centring on the father-son relationship through the perspective of nature. Night Light directed and written by Kim Moo-young is such a film, and it deals with the difficult theme in an almost oneiric way.

Release Info

Directed by: Kim Moo Young Starring: Song Jae Ryong, Ji Dae Han, Jung Ah Mi

Language: Korean Original Title: 밤빛 Runtime: 108 min

Synopsis
Hee-tae (Song Jae Ryong) is an herb collector who finds out that he is terminally ill. Suddenly, he receives a letter from his ex-wife. The content of the letter remains unknown, but it definitely has an impact on Hee-tae. We see him living in the mountains, leading a spartanic lifestyle, and collecting herbs. Soon after, his son (Ji Dae Han) arrives for a visit. The estranged father and son try to get to know each other while being surrounded by nature. Each day, they collect herbs and climb the nearby mountain.

Night Light is basically a slow-paced story about the appreciation of life and the acceptance of our fate. In a manner similar to the Japanese New Wave of the 1960s, director Kim Moo Young unhurriedly guides the viewers through a simple story with huge mountains looming in the far background. If you like long shots of walking through a forest, drinking from a frozen pond, or just climbing, then you will definitely enjoy this film.

Cinematography helmed by Kim Bo Wram is simply breathtaking. Some of the mountain shots could be used for a National Geographic documentary. Unfortunately, the music score is virtually non-existent in the movie. Apart from the haunting ending sequence, no music accompanies the scenes, which is a shame because it may have improved the viewing experience.

With regard to performances, Song Jae Ryong as the main lead is the movie's definite highlight. He convincingly portrays a troubled man struggling with an illness. The role of Hee-tae's son was played quite well by young Ji Dae Han. An honourable mention goes to the veteran actress Jung Ah Mi who managed to mark her presence in the story with a small part.

Recommendations
I recommend Night Light to anyone who is interested in great visuals, subtle character interactions, and loose narration. It is simple, yet multi-layered, look at the intimacy between a parent and a child. Let's face it, we are all, sometimes, pondering about life in the middle of the night, just as Hee-tae does at the top of a mountain.

Disclaimer: This review is an edited re-release of a text composed for AMP in 2019.

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