Movie Review: Byousoku 5cm
Yes, kind of late for reviewing this one, but it took me a while that it was out and getting around to watching. As with every Makoto Shinkai film, the greatest thing in this movie is the visuals. Shinkai is the best for depicting natural and subtle movements. Several scenes were just awe-inspiring in their beauty. Noteworthy scenes are when Tohno and Akari were walking in the snow, when Tohno and Akari were looking at the rising moon/earth, the whole rocket launch, and the falling cherry blossoms. Motifs like trains and birds flying again appeared in this film, too. You also have to respect the level of detail that was done. Even the logitech mouse looked perfect.
Now as for the story, I felt the first part was the best. Right mixture of emotional drama and eventual payoff. With a few lines of a monologue you really started feeling for these two kids. The second parts switch of focus worked well to highlight how Tohno looked to other people. However, may have been a bit too long, eventually cutting into the third part. Now, the third part needed to be longer. We’re thrust a decade into the future with a lonely and bitter Tohno recieving calls from his ex-girlfriend. Perhaps more screentime could of been used to show this relationship and how his past love shaped it.
I’m also not quite sure what to get out of the ending. For one thing, the music video part didn’t do a good enough job of telling us what all was happening. I didn’t even realize Akari was getting married till I read it in another summary. One first glance the movie seems to end with a lonely Tohno eternally pining for a love he can never have now, which may say something about siezing chances. On the other hand, his smile at the end hints that he’s come to accept his past and now truly move forward. So, it’s a bit open-ended, but works that way.
Overall, Byousoku 5cm was an excellent and bittersweet film that examined love, life, and how time affects them. Best part is still the visuals, which will be very hard to top for a few years I think. Suffers from being too short and a slightly muddy ending, but still enjoyable.
What I got from the ending was that Tohno accepted his past, but I wouldn’t go as far to say that he’s ready to move on. While it appears he seems to have moved on by quitting the company, cutting ties with his ex and refusing to answer her attempts to contact him made it look like Tohno is still a cynical person, unable to completely let go of his first love.
That being said, I agree that the third part needed to be longer. It didn’t do nearly as well in providing closure as it could have.
Comment on September 4, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
The devil’s in the details, I guess. It’s the type that doesn’t let on any more than it should, and if you’re not the type to pick up quickly on it, it doesn’t tell much. Didn’t you notice the lingering shot on Akari’s ring finger in the scene on the train?
I regard the pacing of the three like how a relationship cools off with distance; hence the intensity of the first mellowing into the second, and the blank sparseness of the third. Worked quite well for me.
Comment on September 5, 2007 @ 9:41 am
“I was sad in the end, sad was the end” is the best to describe my feelings. This guy is left alone (and I know how it is to be lonely) and move on, come on.
Always this move on.. Try to move on when you can’t be with the person you truly love.. Bang, she’s far away, bang she’s married. I hate this “move on” endings in animes, since it’s crap. It has nothing to do with reality. People with really strong will won’t accept move on! Well, declared as stupid, point pfff.
Looking at the other things, the animation is breath taking, the story intersting, however the end ruined it a bit “in my opinion”.
I always take such stories very personaly
Comment on September 5, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
which is why ef is going to rock so much
in my opinion.
Comment on September 5, 2007 @ 10:49 pm
yes i think the ending was really crappy… doesnt she still love him? why would someone do that to someone come on now.. overall it was a really good film but im kinda dissapointed.. really dissapointed.. im really pissed off now for some reason!!
Comment on October 10, 2007 @ 7:41 pm