Jdramas, 'Torchwood,' 'Terminator,' 'The Savages,' & 'Hot Fuzz'
I caught up a little on some recent media! (*glee* It's so nice to find the time)
Japanese Drama
Bara no nai Hanaya - I have a sneaking suspicion that this one might end up my favorite of the remaining non-Kame dramas on my current season list (flocked link). Considering that this first episode had me openly crying at two different points, it has definitely shot to the top of the pile. Shingo is soooo good. I'm very impressed. All around, the acting is quite good and the story is incredibly touching and intriguing.
Katori Shingo as Eiji has really surprised me with the quality of his acting in this drama, but I suppose I shouldn't be, considering his experience. I've never seen him act before outside of the SMAPxSMAP skits, though, and while he does humor very well, I'm really happy with how he's handling this wonderful role of a single father struggling to make a happy life for his young daughter. He perfectly conveys both the deep sadness and loneliness he carries at losing his daughter's mother, and also the profound happiness he feels at being able to watch his daughter grow and thrive. Also, the little girl who plays Shizuku, Eiji's daughter, is phenomenal. And I say this despite the fact that she spends much of the first episode with a hood over her head, so she had to solely rely on her line delivery to be convincing, and oh, boy, did she deliver. This kid isn't just another cute face - she has a gravitas about her that is splendid, and her lines are so snappy and sparkling that I was convinced that under the hood was a vivid young girl. When the hood is finally removed, I could see that I was right.
The only time I've ever seen Takeuchi Yuko was in the much-loved Pride. As some of you know, Pride is one of the few dramas I've watched that I really, really didn't like. So knowing she was in this drama, after not liking her before, definitely gave me pause, but I'm giving her a chance. So far, she's very likeable and effective as blind Mio...although, if you've seen the first episode, then you know that she isn't blind at all, and that for some unknown reason her boss is setting Eiji up for major heartbreak. I can only wonder why - was Shizuku's mother possibly his daughter? I can't imagine why anyone would harbor such anger and resentment against earnest and kind Eiji to want to emotionally destroy him.
Verdict: I love it! I can't wait until the next subbed episode comes out! :)
Honey & Clover - I don't have that much to say about this drama except that the first episode was pleasant enough and intriguing enough to want to keep going. Ikuta Toma is likeable as Yuta and I enjoyed seeing Narimiya Hiroki again as the artist Morita. I'm sure that they're following the manga look, but I didn't really care for Hagumi being painted so broadly as this virginal rural innocent - dressed in a loose white gown with long dark locks tumbling around her shoulders. She seems nice enough, it's only a bit over-the-top. Again, I'm sure it must come out of the manga, but I don't love it.
Verdict: I like it, but don't love it.
British Drama: Torchwood Series 2 begins with a bang! This was a fabulous first episode of the new series that left me laughing my head off. James Marsters was wickedly funny and I liked very much how they handled the return of Captain Jack - the tension between Jack and the team was well done, and the trailer at the end was a tantalizing glimpse of what's ahead. While TW S1 may not have been the best or most consistently written drama ever (it definitely wasn't), I still maintain that it's one of the few dramas that firmly refused to ever hit a reset button - the theme was resolutely "consequences," so I'm looking forward to at least that this time around.
Verdict: I love it!
American Drama: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
I really enjoyed the first episode, mostly because it had high production values, Lena Headey (who I love), and Summer Glau (who I also love). :) It set things up nicely with plenty of the requisite Terminator violence, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how they develop the storyline. I do hope that they build some complexity into the story, though, so that it's not just machine-of-the-week.
Verdict: I like it, but don't love it.
Film
The Savages - Excellent film with terrific performances from both Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Unfortunately, it hit a little too close to home for me: elder care is an issue that my family has been dealing with for quite some time now.
Verdict: I loved it, but it was a bit painful to watch.
Hot Fuzz - FABULOUS FILM! I loved this so much, we all did, when we watched it this weekend. Hilarious and clever, it was a wonderful British sendup of oodles of cop films, and if you get a chance to see this, make sure you watch the bonus features - the outtakes are sidesplitting at times, and the 'Fuzz Facts' version of the film is fun, too. For my taste, I prefer this one to Shaun of the Dead (which was also terrific).
Verdict: I loved it!
Japanese Drama
Bara no nai Hanaya - I have a sneaking suspicion that this one might end up my favorite of the remaining non-Kame dramas on my current season list (flocked link). Considering that this first episode had me openly crying at two different points, it has definitely shot to the top of the pile. Shingo is soooo good. I'm very impressed. All around, the acting is quite good and the story is incredibly touching and intriguing.
Katori Shingo as Eiji has really surprised me with the quality of his acting in this drama, but I suppose I shouldn't be, considering his experience. I've never seen him act before outside of the SMAPxSMAP skits, though, and while he does humor very well, I'm really happy with how he's handling this wonderful role of a single father struggling to make a happy life for his young daughter. He perfectly conveys both the deep sadness and loneliness he carries at losing his daughter's mother, and also the profound happiness he feels at being able to watch his daughter grow and thrive. Also, the little girl who plays Shizuku, Eiji's daughter, is phenomenal. And I say this despite the fact that she spends much of the first episode with a hood over her head, so she had to solely rely on her line delivery to be convincing, and oh, boy, did she deliver. This kid isn't just another cute face - she has a gravitas about her that is splendid, and her lines are so snappy and sparkling that I was convinced that under the hood was a vivid young girl. When the hood is finally removed, I could see that I was right.
The only time I've ever seen Takeuchi Yuko was in the much-loved Pride. As some of you know, Pride is one of the few dramas I've watched that I really, really didn't like. So knowing she was in this drama, after not liking her before, definitely gave me pause, but I'm giving her a chance. So far, she's very likeable and effective as blind Mio...although, if you've seen the first episode, then you know that she isn't blind at all, and that for some unknown reason her boss is setting Eiji up for major heartbreak. I can only wonder why - was Shizuku's mother possibly his daughter? I can't imagine why anyone would harbor such anger and resentment against earnest and kind Eiji to want to emotionally destroy him.
Verdict: I love it! I can't wait until the next subbed episode comes out! :)
Honey & Clover - I don't have that much to say about this drama except that the first episode was pleasant enough and intriguing enough to want to keep going. Ikuta Toma is likeable as Yuta and I enjoyed seeing Narimiya Hiroki again as the artist Morita. I'm sure that they're following the manga look, but I didn't really care for Hagumi being painted so broadly as this virginal rural innocent - dressed in a loose white gown with long dark locks tumbling around her shoulders. She seems nice enough, it's only a bit over-the-top. Again, I'm sure it must come out of the manga, but I don't love it.
Verdict: I like it, but don't love it.
British Drama: Torchwood Series 2 begins with a bang! This was a fabulous first episode of the new series that left me laughing my head off. James Marsters was wickedly funny and I liked very much how they handled the return of Captain Jack - the tension between Jack and the team was well done, and the trailer at the end was a tantalizing glimpse of what's ahead. While TW S1 may not have been the best or most consistently written drama ever (it definitely wasn't), I still maintain that it's one of the few dramas that firmly refused to ever hit a reset button - the theme was resolutely "consequences," so I'm looking forward to at least that this time around.
Verdict: I love it!
American Drama: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
I really enjoyed the first episode, mostly because it had high production values, Lena Headey (who I love), and Summer Glau (who I also love). :) It set things up nicely with plenty of the requisite Terminator violence, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how they develop the storyline. I do hope that they build some complexity into the story, though, so that it's not just machine-of-the-week.
Verdict: I like it, but don't love it.
Film
The Savages - Excellent film with terrific performances from both Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Unfortunately, it hit a little too close to home for me: elder care is an issue that my family has been dealing with for quite some time now.
Verdict: I loved it, but it was a bit painful to watch.
Hot Fuzz - FABULOUS FILM! I loved this so much, we all did, when we watched it this weekend. Hilarious and clever, it was a wonderful British sendup of oodles of cop films, and if you get a chance to see this, make sure you watch the bonus features - the outtakes are sidesplitting at times, and the 'Fuzz Facts' version of the film is fun, too. For my taste, I prefer this one to Shaun of the Dead (which was also terrific).
Verdict: I loved it!