Waiting in the Dark (Kurai tokoro de machiawase / 暗いところで待ち合わせ -2006)

Starring:
Rena Tanaka - Michiru Honma
Bo-lin Chen - Akihiro Oishi
Haruka Igawa - Harumi Mishima
Koichi Sato - Toshio Matsunaga
Mao Miyaji - Kazue Futaba
Shiro Sano
Fumina Hara
Ittoku Kishibe - Michiru's Father

Michiru has recently lost her eyesight. To make matters worse, her father dies shortly afterwards. She is now all alone and spends most of her day isolated in her home.

Akihiro is a Chinese-Japanese immigrant, that has had to deal with racism all throughout his life. He is now tormented at work by one of his older co-workers named Toshio.

One day at a train station in front of Michiru’s house, Toshio is thrown into the path of an oncoming train. The only person seen at the train stop was Akihiro. Akihiro frantically flees from the scene and manages to enter Michiru’s house without her knowledge. After a few days, Michiru starts to sense the presence of another person in her home. -- Lunapark6



I'm so glad I watched this movie. Okay, it's waaaaaaay slow but the story is so sweet that it was actually nice.

Okay, I admit that I was surprised to see Wilson (Bo-lin) Chen in this movie since it's a Japanese movie. He actually spoke the language well for the time given. Lucky him though since most of his acting was sitting in a corner not speaking at all.

I have to admit I would think that it would be scary to have someone in my home watching me if I was blind. But lucky her, he's cute and he's not malicious at all...but helpful to her. A little twist comes into the story and a relief it was for me. I had prepared myself for the worst but was surprised and elated at the end.

As I got to know the characters, I melted and yearned for their happiness. Not just as a couple but as they grew out of their shells. Even though they were different people, different backgrounds, they both shared a common bond....a personal prison that kept them from showing their true natures and their will to communicate without chains that held them to theirselves.

Really a good movie. I know most wouldn't like the movie because of how slow it moved but I thought it refreshing and meaningful to their characters.

Chuushingura 1/47 (忠臣蔵 1/47 -2001)

Starring:
Kimura Takuya as Hirobe Yasubei
Okada Junichi as Oishi Chikara
Fukatsu Eri as Horibe Hori
Sato Koichi as Oishi Kuranosuke
Matsuyuki Yasuko as Fujimi
Tsumabuki Satoshi as Takada Gunbe
Tsutsumi Shinichi as Asano Takumi-no-kami Nagonori
Matsu Takako as Aguri (Yozeii)
Kobayashi Satomi as Oishi Riku
Ohsugi Ren as Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu
Watabiki Katsuhiko as Kobayashi Heihachiro
Kaneda Akio as Ono Kurobe
Kamiyama Shigeru as Kanno Rokurozaemon
Ikeuchi Hiroyuki as Shimizu Ichigaku
Atarashi Katsutoshi as Hara Soemon
Harada Ryuji as Kataoka Gengoemon
Arai Yasutoshi as Maebara Isuke
Kawabata Ryuta as Takebayashi Tadashichi
Sugiura Naoki as Horibe Yahe
Tsugawa Masahiko as Kira Kozukenosuke
Washio Machiko


A story based on the popular kabuki drama. In 1701, Asano Naganori, attacked Lord Kira Kozenosuke with his sword in the Edo Castle after Lord Kira had taunted the young, usually mild mannered Asano. Although Lord Kira's wound was superficial, Asano was ordered by the Shogun to commit seppuku - suicide. Lord Kira, an important retainer of the imperial household, did not receive any reprimand. Asano's land and all the possessions of his family were confiscated.
Thus all this former retainers became Ronin (samurais with no lord).


In 1702, the 46 Ako Ronin (one was already dead) lead by Oishi Kuranosuke (Asano's chief adviser) came back to revenge on their fallen lord against Lord Kira and were victorious.

The 46 Ronin were ordered to commit seppuku later by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
~ http://www.nt2099.com/DORAMA/database.html

I didn't realize how old this was. Then as I'm publishing it.....2001! I thought it was recent since crunchyroll just put it out. I don't know why I thought that. Ehhhhh.

This was a really, really great film. It should be.....it's got Kimura Takuya. (I forgot to add him to my list. *blushes*)

This drama was a wee bit confusing. I should say a little bit rushed. Yasubei and Hori's story was almost non-existent. I understand this was about the Ronin's but if they were going to go all out about his betrothal and marriage to Hori....they could have atleast shown a little bit more about them. It was hard to except he loved her when he treated her like she was his servant only. I couldn't get that. It was obvious she loved him. And I know he was a samurai and lived like one but......ehhh, I don't know. Something was missing there.

I was disheartening to realize the conclusion of the story. You come to love the ronin and Yasubei and to know that their fate was to do harakiri....ehhhh. Whyyyyyyyy?

I love the early years of Takuya-san. He was such a cutey!!! And we all know his acting is superb!!!

Rockers (2003)

Rockers

I want this movie so bad....God in Heaven help me!! It has my Tamaki Hiroshi (my first love), Tamayam Tetsuji, and Sato Ryuta. Aaaaaagh! It's no longer published and hard to find. I neeeeeeeed this movie!