Blue Period (2024)

Blue Period. A Japanese coming-of-age film. Directed by Kentaro Hagiwara. An adaptation of the comic book with the same name portrayed by Tsubasa Yamaguchi. Starring Gordon Maeda.

The film depicts the youth of the people who really loves to paint pictures.

I was unfamiliar with painting because I was bad at it, so I got intrigued with the depth of portrayal and the young people's passion for success in the entrance exam of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. I was also fascinated by the quiet style which is not so dramatic and has no cheap romance. I was electrified by how the true friendship develops between the protagonist and his true friends as he becomes enthusiastic for painting.

The tall Gordon Maeda looked good with blonde hair. He had an atmosphere of sorrow, which was awesome and beautiful. He was perfect for a picture. Rihito Itagaki, a diminutive, handsome man, gave a good performance as a young man who has trouble associating with others and looks geek. I was kind of surprised how jealously the man sees pretty satisfied persons because the Itagaki was far different from the Itagaki who I had watched before.

ブルーピリオド（2024）

『ブルーピリオド』。日本の青春映画。萩原健太郎監督作。原作は山口つばさ作の同名漫画。主演は眞栄田郷敦。

絵の魅力に取りつかれた若者たちの青春。

描画の奥深さや彼らの東京藝術大学を目指す情熱は絵心の無い私には興味深くて、それほど劇的ではなくて安っぽいロマンスも無い静かな作風にも魅せられた。主人公の絵画への情熱が高まるにつれて、なれ合いではない真の友人たちと彼と間に生まれた真の友情にもシビれた。

長身で金髪の似合う眞栄田郷敦の憂いのある佇まいがカッコよくて美しかった。絵になる男だ。小柄なイケメン、板垣李光人もコミュ障でおたくっぽい役を好演。リア充を僻んだ目で見る様が私の知っている彼と違っていて少し驚いた。

Look Back (2024)

Look Back. An Japanese animation film. Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. An adaptation of the comic book with the same name portrayed by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

High school students, Fujino and Kyomoto, concentrated to portray manga, slept together in Fujino's room running out of their energy, awaked and concentrated to do it again. Friendship, love and a bond between them had budded over manga since they met. The film tells a sad but heartwarming story of the two young woman who kept on connecting with each other in their hearts.

Hearing that it was very popular, I watched it in a theater, however, it did not leave a deep impression on me because the two girl's world was far away for a middle-aged man like me. All the same, the ending touched me. Life goes on.

After that I came to want to see Blue Period which depicts young people feeling enthusiastic about painting pictures.

ルックバック（2024）

『ルックバック』。 アニメーション映画。押山清高監督作。原作は藤本タツキ。

一心不乱に漫画を描き続け力尽きたら雑魚寝して目が覚めたらまた描き続けた高校生の藤野と京本。絵を通じて出会って生まれた友情、絆、愛。いつまでも心のどこかで繋がり続けていた二人の哀しくも微笑ましい物語。

大評判だったので観覧したが、おっさんの私には女の子たちの青春は少し遠かったため、心までは響かず。それでも、ラストは沁みた。人生は続く。

そして、観覧後、絵を描くことに情熱を燃やす若者たちが描かれている『ブルーピリオド』を観る気になった。

Now You See Me (2013)

Now You See Me. An American mystery drama film. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Starring Jesse Eisenberg.

The story depicts the activities of four great magicians who are instructed by someone and do magic tricks as a team.

Mentalism relies on psychology, so I am intrigued with it, however, I do not want to penetrate the tricks in a magic show, though I think of magic tricks as intelligent and wonderful. I, moreover, regarded watching magic as a waste of time. A magic show is hold only to show how superb the magic tricks are. Unlike even a sports game, it has no human drama unless the magician is extraordinary.

The movie was stylish and good as a mystery one, however, I did not like it because I did not like magic so much.

グランド・イリュージョン（2013）

『グランド・イリュージョン』。アメリカのミステリー・ドラマ映画。ルイ・ルリエ監督作。主演はジェシー・アイゼンバーグ。

４人の名マジシャンが何者かの指示を受けてチームとしてマジックを繰り広げるお話。

メンタリズムは心理学でもあるので興味はあるが、マジックを見ていると、知的で凄いとは思うもののそのトリックを見破ろうとする気にはなれない。無駄な時間に思えてしまう。マジック・ショーは、そのマジックの素晴らしさを披露するためだけのもので、よほどのマジシャンではない限り、スポーツ観戦とも違って人間ドラマを感じられない。

本作はスタイリッシュでなかなかのミステリーだったが、マジックが好きではないため、それほど好きにはなれなかった。

The Scoop (2024)

The Scoop. A Japanese coming-of-age film. Directed by Keiichi Kobayashi.

Hibiki starring Yurina Hirate, an idol, in 2018 was so good that I had high expectations for the film but I often fought off sleepiness because the acting of Karin Fujiyoshi, who is the lead and a member of the idol group, Sakurazaka Forty-six, was not poor but too ordinary to awaken, though Akari Takaishi, my favorite actor, was brilliant. I loved to watch her, especially in the scene where she confronts Masanobu Takashima.

The development of the last part was really exciting more than expected. The catharsis was amazing. After seeing it, I thought that I wanted to do it again.

The star's performance was flat until the end, so I think that an idol should not easily be selected for the leading role but I hope that she will keep on trying to play hard from now on, for my favorite actors, Rina Kawaei and Mai Fukagawa had been idols for some years.

新米記者トロッ子（2024）

『新米記者トロッ子 私がやらねば誰がやる！』。日本の青春映画。小林啓一監督作。

アイドルの平手友梨奈が主演した『響 -HIBIKI-』（2018年作）がとてもよかったので期待して本作を観てみたが、主演で櫻坂46のメンバー藤吉夏鈴の演技は、特に下手とは思わなかったものの、あまりにも普通過ぎたので眠気との戦いとなった。だが、お目当てだった高石あかりは輝いていた。特に高嶋政伸との対決は観応えがあった。

終盤は想像を超えた怒涛の展開で面白かった。カタルシスがえぐかった。観終わった後にもう一回観たいと思った。

藤吉夏鈴は最後まで低調で、やはり、アイドルを安易に主演させるのは問題があるなと思った。しかし、川栄李奈や深川麻衣といった私が好きな役者さんも元アイドルでもあるので今後も頑張って頂きたい。

Brain on Fire (2016)

Brain on Fire. A Canada-Ireland-U.S. co-production drama film. Directed by Gerard Barrett. Starring Chloë Grace Moretz.

The story depicts a young woman who suddenly suffers from a mysterious phenomenon and even has an attack of something.

I just think that it could not be helped because they are all idiots when I am mentally suffering but am not understood by people around me, however, I would despair when I am physically suffering by something of unknown origin but I am not done. The lead, Chloë Grace Moretz, gave an enthusiastic performance as a sufferer in such situation. She is always really pretty playing any role.

I was reminded of the film watching the protagonist getting overwhelmed when nobody believed in her words in Smile.

彼女が目覚めるその日まで（2016）

『彼女が目覚めるその日まで』。カナダ、アイルランド、アメリカの合作ドラマ映画。ジェラルド・バレット監督作。主演はクロエ・グレース・モレッツ。

突然謎の症状に苦しみ始めて何かの発作まで起こしてしまった若い女性の物語。

精神的な苦しみだったら、誰にも信じてもらえない時は、「こいつら馬鹿だからな」と思えば済む話だが、原因不明の何かに脳や体が苦しめられている時にその苦しみを誰にも分かってもらえないと絶望するだろう。そんな様を主演のクロエ・グレース・モレッツがチャーミングに熱演。彼女は本当に何をやっても可愛らしい。

自分の話を誰も信じてくれず途方に暮れる『SMILE/スマイル』の主人公を観て本作を思い出した。