MovieChat Forums > Always san-chôme no yûhi (2005) Discussion > I just love this movie!!!!

I just love this movie!!!!

posted 18 years ago by peerah
14 replies | jump to latest

It has been showing here in Bangkok for almost two months now and still running! I've seen it four times now and it still gets me every time. It literally made me repeatedly laugh and cry from the first shot to the end!

This is definitely not a regular tear-jerker. I tried and tried to hold back the tears but eventually failed to manage just that. Not tears of sorrow, but tear of gladness and hope that this precious piece of work brings towards our lives.

A true hidden treasure of Asian cinema and a tasteful delicacy to your movie appetite. Utterly recommended for audiences of all ages!

I give it a 10+++++!!!!

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] HorrorMaster156 18 years ago

I agree! This movie was great. The drama and comedy was all top notch! Great movie!

Best Band in the World:

Switchfoot

[–] cooleon 18 years ago

u must be REALLY REALLY innocent to be touched by this almost propaganda film.
Good for u.
lol

[–] nemo25-1 18 years ago

I love the film too!!! Well acted and so funny!

[–] ericnsn 18 years ago

I found the movie to be very nice. I felt like the ending could have needed some work but that's not for me to determine. I like the director's other movies too so this was a must see.

I don't really understand why someone would call this film a propaganda film as someone on this board has but there is a theme of getting together to build the future that might irritate some people.

I'm not too fond of the male actor (candy shop owner) who was also featured in Juvenile, but he gives a pretty good performance. I like Koyuki as well.

Watch this movie if you want some nostalgia. If you don't like that, watch something else.
ericnsn

[–] flexocheng 17 years ago

If you do not understand why some people call this film propaganda, you really need a history lesson. Not only this film portrays a distorted reality of 1958 Japan, it uses the stylized mockery to appeal to the viewers’ emotion.

Watching this movie as a fantasy, I found it to be entertaining. The use of CGI in this film is very effective. However, putting it in the story’s historical context, all I see is dishonesty. In my opinion, call it propaganda is not inappropriate.

[–] vcfs0405 17 years ago

Mmm ... I'm not sure how sincere it is to describe the film as a distorted reality of 1958 Japan - unless you were around at the time or otherwise have access to insights that the rest of us don't. I think your prejudices are exposed in your use of terms like 'propaganda' and 'you really need a history lesson'.
It's a pity that such prejudices prevent you and another commentator from the enjoyment of being taken back in time to a period 13 years after defeat when ordinary Japanese were still doing it tough. Part of the movie's appeal is its presentation of Tokyo in the area close to Tokyo Tower in 1958 - and I have no reason to doubt the veracity of that re-creation. Like the other commentators, I wasn't there.

[–] garypen 17 years ago

The japanese in-laws who I just watched it with, who lived during that era, said it was very authentic. I have no reason to doubt them.

I'm not sure what the morons who keep saying "propoganda" mean. What the film-makers are trying to propogandize, and mor eimportantly WHY, totally escapes me.

[–] InGearX 17 years ago

yes I agree a great film

[–] guserusa 16 years ago

I also enjoyed this movie very much. I just finished watching Always and Always Zoku back to back. I really hope they come out with a third movie. I wish they could keep making new movies until they reach Japan's current time period. That would be a span of about fifty years. Some of the characters would have to die off, but the younger ones would grow up to adulthood. I'd like to see the transition of Tokyo then and Tokyo now using time lapse CGI.

I'm sure a lot of people probably would say that the Always movies are sappy and have predictable plots, but I don't care about that. I thought they were excellent feelgood movies about a postwar Japan. I loved the atmosphere. I loved Roku's country accent. I thought the CGI scenery was terrific. I enjoyed the details of the dogs roaming the streets and the peddlers going about their business. Somebody had said these movies were some sort of anti-war statement against America or something. What nonsense. I felt both the movies were just true-to-life daily living in Tokyo during that period. I sure wished I would have been able to visit during that time period.

I was very happy after watching four hours of Always. I've always liked Hiroko Yakushimaru and she played a wonderful mother. I felt sad about the doctor who had lost his family in the firebombing of Tokyo. I felt Junnosuke's sadness of being turned away by his mother. It didn't involve much thought just to sit back and enjoy the successes and failures of the characters. "Okane yori, daiji na mono ga aru, saa". I guess there are things more precious than money. Watching a feelgood movie is one of them.

I'm not sure which Always I liked best. However I honestly think that you should see the first before watching the second. I had to search my movie collection to find the first Always (2005). I almost watched the Always Zoku (2007) before I realized there was the earlier movie. I'll admit I'm not a great movie critic but I always enjoy watching Japanese movies (classics and current). I don't waste time digging for faults in plots. So corny or not, I have to say I enjoyed both of the Always movies.

[–] badboylh 16 years ago

I agree with you
this movie makes you both laugh and cry
only good movie can do it at the same time

i give it a 9/10

[–] godzilla179 15 years ago

To be perfectly honest, I only bought this DVD because Godzilla is in the sequel (dream sequence) and I didn't want to go into Always 2 blind. This is something straight out of the LIFETIME channel with subtitles, but I actually enjoyed it. I'll liken this to a Japanese Titanic...a chick flick in a historically significant moment. I'll give it a 8 out of 10.

As an asian cinema buff, I would have to say to all the haters....culture of a different people is not what you're used to. What you see as corny and propaganda is what they lived through and would be insulted by your ignorant opinions. You can't please everybody, but sit through Schindlers List and call it propaganda and corny and you just may feel unconfortable in your own skin knowing people lived like that at one time in history.

Blu-Ray is not worth the money