Sekai no chûshin de, ai o sakebu

I've just seen this film yesterday at the University. As a very serious movie fan, I didn't expect anything of the film. Especially, being a typical male and the kind of person who is not too keen into romance movies. However, I was carried away after the first 15 minutes. I've been very busy lately with work but I still couldn't stop thinking about the storyline as I consistently found myself analysing the feelings and emotions from the perspectives of the people who are involved in the story. The philosophical statements in the film have also enforced a huge impact on my mind. They significantly play very important part in the story. I do not want give any more details but I strongly believe that this film should be seen by all movie goers.

This movie is based on a novel written by Katayama Kyoichi. The first print only limited to 8,000 copies but after Shibasaki Kou (that cast Ritsuko) had read it in a occasion, she was deeply impressed and recommend it on a magazine. Hence the rest is history and it had sold over 3 million copies in Japan which beat the sales record of Norway's forest. Due to the heat of the book, the story had bring into the movie which include the top of the crew in Japan movie industry.

Ritsuko role are only add to the movie and not appear in the original novel and the original "Centre of the world" is not in Australia in the book too. However, this movie still touching my heart as I had a common feeling which as I have pass my youth in the same 80 age like Saku and Aki, where walkman is such a precious thing in that time.

The score is very well done and is emotional moving, the main theme by Hirai Ken is excellently with stirring melody.

I highly recommend this movie but sadly it is not easily available in western country except by internet selling like yes.Asia 9 / 10

THere is so much to be said about this movie.

Its aesthetically beautiful. It's emotionally pure, powerful, & sad and its heartwarming as well as tearjerking. I won't tell you anything about the story because you probably have already looked into it. Well, if you haven't... DON'T! Don't spoil it for yourself. Find it somehow. Online. IN a store. Anywhere. Its amazing. Breathtaking. Gratifying. At the risk of sounding like more of a fanboy, I'll stop here.

The best Japanese film of 2004 without a doubt & maybe of the last decade.

A must see.

I hope for a region 1 DVD sometime soon.

I have just returned from holiday and had the unexpected chance to view this film during a 13-hour long plane flight. It was admittedly one of 60 movies on offer - mainly in English. I once lived in Japan for several years and couldn't help but draw some parallels to my experiences and relationships whilst living there. The title does not become fully clear until you have seen the entire film so I will not spoil it for you - the best thing is to approach the film with a completely open mind, with as little knowledge of the plot as possible. Suffice to say that I found this movie captivating from the very beginning, evocatively scored (the piano music really hits the spot), beautifully photographed, and the leading characters are all sensitively portrayed by the Japanese actors and actresses involved, many of whom will not be familiar to movie-goers outside Japan. Although it runs for almost 2 hours I found that the film never dragged and developed the story and characters at a realistic pace. I was touched by this moving story so much that it had me crying too !

A beautiful, beautiful movie. Haunting....and got me crying (and I don't cry easily!) It haunted me for days after watching it on cable TV, and even writing this comment made my eyes a little moist. This charming movie is made credible by the performances of the two young actors. I loved them and I loved the movie! What made it even more endearing was that there was no love scenes, no sex, no giggling teenage girls, etc. Nothing like those Hollywood or HK type teen romance. Watch it with an open mind and an open heart, and be prepared to feel... BTW, I just fell in love with the character Aki. If I ever had a love in my teens, it would be her....