This is an ugly movie. The kind that makes you feel depressed and hopeless... but it's pretty good! In my opinion, this movie is actual, real horror. No ghosts, no 'creatures,' just broken humans; and that makes it all the more horrifying. Don't be fooled by the slow start, once it picks up, you won't be able to stop watching. It's disturbing, mildly gory, creepy, and the acting is great! The story-telling is great, the pacing is great, it's an overall good movie; and I guarantee you won't be able to forget about it for quite some time.

This is a small film, an unimportant one, but it's gonna duke it out with *The Wailing* for 2016's Asian top spot.

***SPOILER ALERT*** Don't read anything about this film before seeing it ... that's already a spoiler. If this film is flirting around your Watchlist stop reading now and watch it.

This is one of those Japanese love triangle stories about three people so insecure they can barely talk. Been there, done that. Then it's more. The triangle continues, but it mingles in a world that goes to a dark place.

A lot will be written about the what/where this story goes. It's pretty cool, I guess, but I'd like to skip that discussion and just point out how well done it is. *Himeanole* is quite Korean in its "Oh no! Don't shoot ... Hey! Great Shot"-ness. There are several scenes where you think "Really? The director is going to do this? Come on! Oh wait ... Hey. Nicely done!" At least I felt that way.

I've seen Keisuke Yoshida's *Cafe Isobe* [2008] and was very impressed. He mixes deep drama with comedy (from witty to goofy) with aplomb. I believe the secret sauce is his rhythm. He knows how to cut a film. The framing and edits actually add metadata to the scenes. Yoshida is physically in control of the visual rhythm. His storytelling is unconventional.

The casting of the film, and what Yoshida does with the typecasting, is genius. Again, a lot will be written about where boy band idol Gô Morita goes in the film. Kudos to him. Mad props. Cutesy powderpuff Aimi Satsukawa shares a little side-boob and side-butt, a hand bra (not her hands),and a pretty brutal rape scene with us. Oh my. Her "sex" scene (not graphic) stands out for what the director inter-cuts it with. It's one of those scenes where you initially think "Oh please, don't do this", but as it reaches climax, you will gulp. If you gulp in disdain or disgust I have no counter argument. But me: "Hey! Great shot!"

In a year of big important films I was supposed to like and didn't like, I needed this. For those who will say this is an important film, an impressive essay on guilt or bullying, I offer a raspberry. For me, the film is a directorial tour de force. It's not perfect. Mistakes are made (Yoshida introduces a "fat" character and has her indulge in bad eating-acting. When will that go away? (Her scene is still great, though) There are bumbling cops and some questionable character choices). But the film deftly succeeds in spite of it all.

Yoshida's *My Little Sweet Pea* [2013] is definitely the next film I'm going to watch.

After watching this I can say that this movie is a seamless quilt of all aspects of emotion. It's funny, tragic, romantic, scary, disturbing and it even has relatability in depicting the awkward moments of new relationships.

If you are looking at reviews you probably already know what is about so you just kinda want to know if it is worth your time. It was worth mine. It is filmed and acted well. The scripting and storyline may have a couple of holes but you won't really notice them. There was only one weird aspect about this. About halfway through the movie is when they decide to show the title and actors names. That sorta threw me for a loop because it seemed to come out of nowhere. That was strange for me.

Overall this is a movie that I could see myself watching again. Check it out.