I WISH (Newport Beach International Film Festival Newport Beach California USA 2011)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

I Wish—highly imaginative Japanese film—is scripted for the teen and adult audience. It’s a good watch.

Storyline

Two brothers, Ryunosuke Kinami (Oshiro Maeda) and Kohichi Ohsako (Kohki Maeda), live in two diverse Japanese cities. Ryunosuke Kinami lives with their musician father and Kohichi Ohsako lives with their mother and grandparents. Kohichi comes to believe that when two new Japanese bullet trains pass each other for the first time that human wishes will be granted. Kohichi desperately desires his family to be re-united again. He sets out with several friends on a journey to witness the bullet trains passing each other so that he can yell his wish and have a miracle come true.

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director and Screenplay Writer Hirokazu Koreeda. Thank you to Producers Kentarô Koike and Hijiri Taguchi for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Ms. Mimura “Teacher” (Masami Nagasawa), Hideko “Grandmother” (Kirin Kiki), Mr. Sakagami “Teacher” (Hiroshi Abe), Wataru “Grandfather’s Friend” (Yoshio Harada), Megumi (Kyara Uchida), Kenji “Father” (Joe Odagiri), Higashi (Chôei Takahashi), Higashi’s Wife (Lily), and Kanna (Kanna Hashimoto).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s a good study not only of Japanese/Western culture intermixing, but also serves as a superb portrayal of childhood hopes, dreams, and imaginations.

Video Critique available at:

Ben Meyers