2016 ‘夏美のホタル’ Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki
Natsumi wants to become a photographer. She takes a bike which her late father left behind and goes to a forest to find a firefly she saw with her father. In the forest, Natsumi meets old mother Yasu and old son Jizo. They run a general store. Natsumi learns how to live in nature from them. She has happy summer days there. One day, Jizo tells her that he became estranged from his son in the past.
Japan
Japan
Watched it blind, chose it cause I thought Kasumi would be good vibes. Didn't realize it was by Hiroki, no big music mishaps that threw me off and ruined it this time. Just with the song in the credits, I was like "wow, that's almost as cheesy as Hiroki". I love that he was just like, "photographer strolling through the countryside worked well enough last time, let's do it again." Just with some Helpless-like motorcycle shots thrown in there. Oh, and all the river scenes were big moods.
Nice and pleasant.
Stories set in towns which train stations only have those one wagon trains always make me happy :)
This is the other Ryuichi Hiroki about a girl going to a small town to take pictures, but gone is Sakura Ando, replaced with marshmallow faced Kasumi who's almost too cute to pull this motorbike photography drifter shit off.
The first hour is great as we're introduced to the setting and all the characters. If you ever sat around on a Sunday afternoon watching marathons of Hyori's Bed and Breakfast you'll like what's going on here. It's nothing but naturally staged scenes & dialogue and beautiful scenery. All that good stuff.
However, the last hour gets jammed up with a bunch of different dramas, and he probably coulda cut loose some of it and trimmed it down 15-20 minutes making a…
I got more and more frustrated by the extremely wide shots where I was squinting to see what was happening, until I just let go and realized it wasn’t at all important to see the small details but to feel the width of the moment. Then I could enjoy.
I’m truly a sucker for these lazy day, loud insect, wandering romp kind of summer films from Japan. They’re peaceful, lovely, and not too melancholy. They make me want to go dip my feet in a cool stream and wait for fireflies.
Stories set in rural Japan are perhaps my favourite subgenre of movies. Mostly, they bring a rejuvenating innocence and celebration of life in the serene embrace of nature. Still, there are some movies that flood in like a tsunami and overwhelm you with a cathartic purge. They speak of life in both its tender and grim facades. They are narrated in the universal language of pain, grief and sorrow, but there are also a few little joyous moments to savour. The pain is nothing dehumanizing, rather essential for healing – indispensable to life and growth. Natsumi's Firefly is about these. It's about chasing fireflies – the fireflies of dreams, love, and longing.
Natsumi's Firefly (2016)
- Ryuichi Hiroki
Fed up with her aimless boyfriend, Natsumi (Kasumi Arimura) travels to a small town to pursue her photography ambitions. She befriends two locals who help her to find her way in life...
Another little Japanese gem which has everything I need to have a good time at the (Japanese) movies: beautiful(ly shot) scenery, a small town, people being kind to each other. As a bonus I even get Ken Mitsuishi!
Despite its generic title NATSUMI'S FIREFLY (referring to a photo motive she chases after due to her past) tells a profound story about family values carried by wonderful performances. Especially Kasumi Arimura who I'd just seen in the fun time travel film CAFÉ FUNICULI FUNICULA does so much with just being there. Such a screen presence. Looking forward to watch more of her.
Make or Break Scene: Natsumi arriving at the small town.
MVT: The locations.
Score: 7/ 10
A very solid but slightly unremarkable Hiroki. I liked the first half best, as the drama is very light and the narrative is almost fleeting. The second half is a little too heavy-handed in comparison, but Hiroki's base quality is definitely there. A few beautiful scenes, good acting and a complete lack of forced sentiment make this an easy recommend for fans of Japanese drama.
"Natsumi's Firefly" is pretty much one of those heart-warming films you'd encounter that revolves around the main character finding awakening and the meaning of life when traveling and adapting to life in the countryside. The only apparent difference, in this case, is of course Arimura Kasumi playing the lead.
The film had the potential to be way better; I mean even in this way, I already kinda liked it. However, I still feel there are several writing issues that include plot holes and underdeveloped characters scattered all over the place. Like I honestly thought the sculptor is Natsumi's father. Is he though?
I lost it at "Natsumi. Your dad ... he loved you"
This is the sappy Hiroki. He's good at it but this one didn't move me. Girl moves to the countryside, communes with locals, becomes a better person. Kasumi Arimura is okay but not anywhere near the grade-A Hiroki leading lady material we expect and deserve; other characters are just other characters. A couple gruffy old men. Meh.
Nice location, photography, soundtrack as per Hiroki. It cracks me up how He shoots intimate conversations from 30 meters away.
quiet and pleasant. nothing short of beautiful. ken mitsuishi put tears in my eyes towards the end.
