A josey type of story?
So, today I'm going back to classes, I wonder how that would turn out! Well today, I'm just sketching this thing finished!. Probably not my favourite choice of movie, but in a weird way this made me recall why I love so much to see Nino's acting. So weird. I mean the boys have this some sort of charming acting, but I always fall irremediable especially by Jun and Nino, and because of so different reasons! So today will be mainly rambling about Nino.
So, this is the movie in which we can see this weird, very weird hair cut for Nino, why? Well, everything has its reasons (#^_^#) *or not!*
Let's begin,
Movie: The Lady Shogun and Her Men
Romaji: Ohoku
Japanese: 大奥
Release Date: October 1, 2010
Runtime: 116
About the plot
So, this movie, *unrelated, but I noticed that lately I've been reviewing mainly movies and sps, maybe because they are shorter, or maybe there are not much left for me to see with the boys on them! (o^v^o) * is based on a manga, it's a josei manga after all, that fact may explain many things, but let's continue with this.
The story tells us about this fictional Japan,
"In the year 1716 a mysterious epidemic stickens men in the country of Japan, dropping the population of men to 1/4th of its prior state. With the drastic reduction of men, the gender roles have become reversed in Japan. Woman become the dominant members of society and males are sought out for the ability to produce children."
Well, this kind of plot made me curious and actually if you think about it, this scenario allows to face different situations and will irremediable float the problem of reproduction and survival of the society.
So, we can see scenes that are more explicit about sex than usual and there is a latent background with scenes provided to some women delight *which I particularly don't understand*, I mean there are a lot of homosexual implications, implicit and also mildly explicit. Frankly someone should expect that inside the chambers where there are located 3,000 males with no other purpose but to show the opulence in a time when males were a precious commodity. Then we can see how these men lived their lives looking for moving up to superior status, doing anything in order to achieve that.
About the cast...
Well we have Mr. Ninomiya as the main character, Mizuno is a young man who used to have a normal and cute hair at the beginning of the movie, he comes from a not-rich family and he is a normal guy who likes to practice with his sword and feels pity about the ladies who wants to have children but doesn't have money to pay for the "service" with an elegible guy such as him. He's obviously in love with this girl Onobu, Horikita Maki; it's funny how recently I've been watching a lot from her without intending to. She is a daughter of a rich merchant, however she appears to correspond Mizuno feelings. But, their union seems impossible because of their class diferences.
See? perfectly normal hair!
Now, what did just happend??
Anyway following the plot, Mizuno decides to join the Ohoku (inner chambers of the Shogun's castle) because of many reasons that seem meaningless after finding out what that really meant. Luckily for him things are going to change, and she is the main reason,
Women to the power!
No escort needed
She is the new female shogun Yoshimune, and she happens to be the elder sister in the special with Jun kun, the history of my family, Wagaya no rekishi, I recognized her because of the way she speaks, it's like a little lazy and she seems to be chewing something...(*^.^*) but don't get me wrong I like her, actually I like her more than in WnR, anyway she is a strong powerful lady who seems to observe beyond the appearances. *She's also in 47 ronin, I definitely want to see that movie for so many reasons (+_+)*
I was so certain he needed a double when carrying her on his shoulders!
This even looked better!
This movie gives Nino the chance to show better his romantic side, but he still looks a little stiff in the kiss scenes with the woman his character really seems to love, yes I'm talking about you Horikita Maki! I don't think she is bad in her role, but I'm not sure about the couple, she seems stronger than him, maybe it's because Nino is such an skinny and cute guy...and my prejudices about couples...But they do look cute, in a brother like poi!
About the views...
The scenarios were beautiful, I, once again, love historic movies, there's something magical about ancient Japan. The garments were really weird at times, *how could they walk with those clothes?* And the music was also good. The Ohoku looked real and scary.
About the storyline...
Well obviously this story is told in a women's point of view targeting women *josei duh!*, we can see many allusions to men being weaker than women, just from the start point where the disease only attack men, till the point where society continues functioning with the women's labour and even government, and in some point we get glimpses of how society would look like if the gender roles were inverted, again glimpses.
All in all is interesting, funny and curious. There are a couples of things also curious such as Ninomiya being the manly guy, I'm not going to say he didn't pull it off, but it is a little hard to believe, because of his looks, he is like the lowest in height and smaller in size in the Ohoku, yet we have to believe he is very capable with the katana to defend his "virtues". And probably he is also the cutest by far, that's maybe the reason behind his weird hair. Nino is still him, he does have many closeups where you can appreciate his awesome glares and mesmerazing charm, but he still doesn't look at all tough, gomen Nino-chan! But you are cute! He still doesn't convince me with his romantic scenes, I think he can portray an adulthood look, but a guy in love showing his love, he still owes me that!
About my marks...
All in all a nice-told fictionary story with a lot of social and gender matters and maybe a lot of fanservice, but I kind of dislike that and at some point it made me think 'Is this the way Jhonnys agency is?' *there's a part when they look like fans* Again, surely this is all women targeting, but since most of the other male roles are unknown to me, except for the one in Bambino, I'm not sure I appreciated that aspect.
To sum up 3 and a half stars out of 5, nicely done, weird plot but interesting development. Beautiful Nino's moments are always a plus. About the feeling, I fell in love with Nino all over again, his glare is awesome and his scenic charisma makes this movie worthed.
Let me tell you about the tonsure. During times of war, men had to wear helmets and so they shaved their hair to keep their heads cool under the iron helmets. It is, so to speak, the proof of a samurai!
Unoshin Mizuno
English Softsubs by Yuizaki-libra, Spanish subs from TOL
Well that explains the hair. Period, plus Nino was doing this movie almost at the same time of Gantz, so as in Nakai-san words he loves movies.
And I found out that there is a dorama of this manga too, with Komikado sensei! the actor, I think I could watch the movie at least, it looked nice!
See ja, good looking Nino! Even thought is J's month, gomen J!
