Ningen Shikkaku (2010)

Also known as: The Fallen Angel
Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: drama
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Iseya Yusuke, Ishihara Satomi, Koike Eiko, Sakai Maki, Terajima Shinobu, Muroi Shigeru, Ishibashi Renji, Morita Go, Ookusu Michiyo, Mita Yoshiko, 
Synopsis: Since early childhood Oba Yozo feels like he does not belong to this world, that his birth was a mistake. Until high school he tries to get away with smiling and making himself look dumb, but then he is seen through by his classmate. He enters art school, but after meeting Horiki, his life is interrupted by the circle of alcohol, women and poorness. Trapped in his thoughts, it is difficult to find any way out. 

Rating: 3/5
It is bearable to watch when you are drinking, even though one message that the movie tells you is that alcohol will ruin your life. And definitely do not drink alcohol when you are underage! But the movie goes much faster with it XD It is really slow and does not cover the real story behind the book. 

I really loved the book and I feel sad that they did not do the movie as well as there was the possibility. Most of all, you must have read the original story to understand even the most simple things in the movie, otherwise you must have wide imagination to think why one or other thing happened and the movie leaves a big space for your own imagination. 

Most difficult is to understand Yozo’s character. I know Toma is a great actor and he acted really well this time too, but the problem lies on script-writers field. In book they had Yozo’s thoughts all explained which made his actions more reasonable, but in the movie, they tried to get away with long “beautyshots” (as I call them) and “getting the atmosphere  to say everything else”. It does not explain a single fact to a watcher who does not know anything about the book. You must understand that Yozo was like an agonized genius. 

He had so much potential to become someone great, but he did not find his place in the world. Beside, he was really impressionable person and on certain point Hiroki was able to see him through and change Yozo's life into a total mess, while Yozo thinks of Hiroki as one person who understands him. I just came back from philosophy class, so I could make a really deep analyze on Yozo's character and his problems, but I bet you actually do not want to hear it.. Anyway, I feel that they did not show Yozo's mental state and reasons enough. 

It might be a small spoiler, but for example the reason why he decided to leave Yoshiko, the only woman who was able to change him, behind? It was not the reason, that he was unable to forgive her, but that he was unable to forgive himself. He as a man and an husband should have protected her or at least made some action after it, but he had decided to ignore it and it was something he was unable to forgive himself. I might add that Yozo basically saw all the negative things in this society and he was unable to find his way. He wanted to become artist, he wanted to become rich, but he needed education, which needed money etc. I hope all my readers know about how was the global situation in 1930-1950s. More than that, "Ningen Shikkaku" and especially Yozo's character are very autobiographical. "Ningen shikkaku" was one of the last novels Dazai Osamu wrote and there are so many parallels between Dazai Osamu's and Yozo's life, as suicide attempts etc.    

Hiroki was two-faced man, who loved to take advantage of others. He is one character who I hated in book and also in the movie. I feel that he was one big reason for Yozo's declension and the worst part 

is that he actually knew how one or other thing will affect Yozo. And if you want his motive in doing these things, then it is simple - he understood what kind of person Yozo is, he disliked him with a small interest, because he also knew that Yozo might become someone extraordinary and then there is always the way how to prevent that, which was exactly the thing Hiroki wanted to do. He only cared about himself and maybe a little of his mom too, but everything other was just unimportant to him.
I do not say much about the women, because I think that they really  did not tell anything important about them in the movie, but actually in book each of them has their own story, they own reasons, why Yozo is enchanted by them.

The movie is nothing compared to the book, but if you want to enjoy Ikuta Toma in a very serious and psychological movie, then watch it. I say, I managed to watch it with getting drunk (and believe me, it actually had no influence on my thoughts about the movie).  If you want to see it for the story, then forget it! Dazai Osamu's "Ningen Shikkaku" is one of the most famous literature masterpiece from war-time Japan and I think that no-one is able to make it into a movie without loosing its magic. 

Kamikaze Girls (2004)

Country: Japan
Genre: Comedy, friendship, lolita-yankee
Format: movie
Cast: Tsuchiya Anna, Fukuda Kyoko, Abe Sadao, Okada Yoshinori, Miyasako Hiroyuki, Koike Eiko, 
Synopsis: Momoko is a lolita, who sells his father´s old bogus brands to cover her expensive outgoing. One day she meets self-styled "Yankee" Ichigo. Between them bonds a friendship.
Rating: 4/5
It gets one bonus star for being my first Japanese movie and for introducing Japanese movie-industry to me. Even though it is my first Asian movie, I consider "Nobuta wo Produce" as the start of my addiction. I stumbled on the movie by accident on Youtube because I have always had a thing for cute lolita clothes, even though I have never worn them myself.

It´s a really great movie about friendship and of course fabulous lolita-clothes. The main brand "Baby, Stars Shine Bright" is an actual lolita brand, that was founded by Akinori Isobe and his wife Fumiyo. Throughout the movie you can see Momoko wearing lolita clothes, Sweet-Lolita style to be accurate, which means a lot of cuteness and laces.
I love the up-built of the movie. It has interesting start and amazing effects, which make the movie even more interesting. I like that they explain almost everything about Ichigo's and Momoko's life, but it is sad that they did not explain exactly Momoko's attitude. They say that she was like it since she was born, but to me it is inconvenient. But she has amazing sewing skills *jealous*

In addition, they show right emotions at the right time, except that Momoko had almost no feelings (beside her fantasy things). Even though Momoko says she does not need anyone, I think that actually her grandmother played a much important role in her life, than it seemed like. But maybe I think it like this because of my life..  Despite looking like a "small kid" and lacking of social skills, she is extremely smart and educated. Due to influences from Rococco-period, she is into classical music, reading and handcrafts. Fukuda Kyoko is absolutely brilliant in her role.

I knew Tsuchiya Anna before, but I knew her as a singer and voice-actress for "Nana". Ichigo is deliquent, her writing skills are equal to a first grade student. She is equally lacking in social skills, but with the difference that her actions are mostly inappropriate and rude. Compared to Momoko, she has a strong sense of justice and takes her promises seriously. At the same time from her backstory you can see that she once used to be smart average girl, but as a victim of school bullying, she decided to make the change. Ichigo gets on the bad side with her former gang and  Ahh, one thing about Ichigo's name! If someone does not know, then "Ichigo" meaning is "Strawberry", but "Ichiko" is "First child", that's why Ichigo thought that her name is not suitable for her as yankee.

There are many great lines in script, but I do not think they all are true. It is just my personality which does not want to agree with them. For example: "Woman cannot cry in public, always cry alone!" - Actually my mother raised me up with this saying too and for long time I held everything in me, so no-one could see me hurt, but in the end it is too painful. Now (like you have understood it already) I am pretty much a crybaby, though I never cry for stupid reasons! Only when I am hurt or when I see some sad movie.

Second line: "If there is something you like, take it! If there is something you want to do, do it!" - YES! People should be more adventurous, more spontaneity! ..but please obey the laws... it is not that great if you take everything you want or do what you want and end up in jail..
The last one: "Humans are cowards in face of happiness! Humans need courage to face it!" -
It all depends on, "what is happiness?" - if it is love and relationships then it really needs courage, but if it is something small like seeing a butterfly - does watching it needs courage? Yes, if you are afraid of butterflies, but then again, it would not bring happiness, people are supernatural if they work hard on want they want, so if you have big will power and won't give up, there is a high possibility to get what you want.

It is wicked and totally funny movie with many surreal scenes. It might seem to be girlish movie at some moments, but it is totally worth watching as it does not get boring. This movie has so many messages - friendships, broken marriages, bullying, fighting, illnesses, following your dreams, differences between city and country etc. There are so many things in it to what people can relate or find interesting.