SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

morrison-dylan-fan After watching the superb French Neo-Noir The Connection,I started looking for other titles about to go from Netflix UK. Recently keeping a look out for unique movies from Asia,I stumbled on a landmark Asian American work,which led to me taking a photo.The plot-Japan 1918:After the death of her dad,Riyo's aunt makes arrangements for her to be a "picture bride",where a marriage is arranged via exchanging of photos. Shown a photo of hunky Matsuji,Riyo agrees to the wedding. Leaving Japan for a plantation field in Hawaii,Riyo gets set to meet handsome Matsuji. Meeting Matsuji,Riyo is shocked to discover a less than picture perfect likeness. View on the film:Given the film a much needed moment of lightness, Toshirô Mifune gives a very funny performance as The Benshi in his penultimate role,which gives cheeky nods to his Kurosawa work. Drained of any hope when she meets Matsuji for the first time, Youki Kudoh gives an exquisite performance as Riyo,with Riyo's painful desire to escape being one that Matsuji expresses with a simmering murmur and a cold shoulder towards Matsuji (played by a terrific Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa.) Painting her debut,co-writer/(with Diane Mei Lin Mark & Mari Hatta) director Kayo Hatta (who drowned in 2005) and cinematographer Claudio Rocha give Riyo's pain a strikingly lyrical quality,via the weaving of songs and sounds of moving plants giving the title an oddly supernatural atmosphere. Largely holding back from big melodrama scenes,Hatta gets under the relationship of Riyo and Matsuji by stiltedly going round the plantation in picture perfect shots.

ccthemovieman-1 This is a Japanese film but there is quite a bit of English also spoken in here. It's a pretty film, with nice visuals, featuring the scenic beauty of Hawaii.However, that was the only redeeming quality for me. The story was generally boring. Who wants to watch a young woman sulk for 90 percent of the film because her "picture" husband is a lot older than he advertised he was? Granted, that could be a bummer......but get over it!Only in the last 10 minutes does she do an about-face and become fond of him. By then, for most viewers, it was too little-too late. We'd fallen asleep by then.

da_hoku Picture Bride has an excellent look into Hawaii's past and the people who lived there in that time. The time, money earned and the hours that these people had put into their lives to survive and live, takes a whole new meaning to blood, sweat and tears.The concept of dating/matchmaking is something like what we do similar today via the net. Just that is more of snail mail. Very slow snail mail.The singing of the plantation's songs from the workers reminds me of the southern plantation workers' songs of their demise and future goals.The movie shows the hardship as well as soft romantic scenes that Hawaii can bring. Like the stillness of a storm coming and the sudden chaos of the rain and then the tranquility.

kenandraf Good historical drama which is very educational and also very entertaining to people who like history.Very good acting and script.Not as sensual and sexy as it is sometimes marketed,be prepared to peek into the pioneer spirit and human ability to adjust.Very touching as well for the spiritually mature. Not for people who do not like to think......