Weekend Movie-Viewing

30 Lies or less
A Japanese heist/romance film
After three years, a group of con-artists come together on a train to plan a heist. Lingering over them is a painful incident that happened with them on their last heist --yeah, three years ago! One of their own scammed them and took the loot. As they plan, up comes the girl they all suspect to be the one who betrayed them. She's weepy, gorgeous and seemingly repentant...although she does know how to use the guys. The mama-hen is Takahara. She doesn't trust this girl and her relationship with the former chief went sour with the last heist. Basically, the last heist ruined everyone in some way and now here they are coming back from a heist (we don't see the heist) with a tonna money and now the money once again turns up missing. Since they're on a moving train and no one has left yet, they know the money is still on board. But who is the betrayer now? This is a good flick -- not esoteric or ultra-deep. Japanese pop films are as corny as American pop films; what can i say?

Swing Girls
Some lazy vaguely delinquent schoolgirls are stuck in summer school. After a series of events caused by their carelessness, they end up having to join the school band to play for the team. Love, committment, knowledge of the value of friendship and music etc all win out in the end. Funny.


Water Boys
Think Billy Elliot in Japan with synchronized swimming. Funny with a predictable happy ending.
This was a drama and also a movie. I saw the movie. It's fun and again...has that sentimental quality that makes a good pop film.

Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu:
This was a drama. Noble unconventional teacher who teaches his cramming-for-exam students to live in the moment.

Lovely rivals
In a small town a mean unpopular teacher and glum school girl with neglectful overworked mother both fall in love with hottie new teacher. (He was cute, not really hot.... IMHO) Teacher learns to love being a teacher again. A nice sweet little film.

Yeah, this weekend no real angst.