April Story

Everything in this movie is beautiful! The scenery is, the actress is, the whole story is. Although it's a very very simple love story, you can feel the internal beauty that the director want to express if you can calm very down to see it. Sometimes while seeing it, I even think the plot is no more important. All you should do is to feel the beautiful things in it. Takako Matsu is famous most because of her lovely performance in many Japanese soaps. However, we can still see her excellent performance in this movie. Meanwhile, Shunji Iwai shouldn't be forgotten. He is a very gifted young movie director. He is simply an artist. You can know more about Japan movies after seeing his works. Frankly, I love this movie completely due to Shunji Iwai and lovely Takako Matsu.

This is not a movie for everybody. It is very slow-paced and takes a long time to establish its main characters, their behavior and their feelings to each other. The movie observes the first days of a young Japanese girl after she has moved from Hokkaido, the Japanese equivalent of Kansas, to Tokyo to attend University. At first the girl is very insecure and nervous about her new situation, but gradually she becomes more secure and falls in love with a fellow student. That's all the Plot there is, but this movie is not about a big story, it is about a person. Over the course of the movie we feel and share the girls insecurities, loneliness and finally opening up. Seldom has a movie so masterfully and with so much passion for its characters captured the problems of leaving home, being lonely in a unknown mega city and to be for the first time on one's own feet. I can fully recommend this movie for everybody who likes films about life and people, that move at life's speed.

the plot is quite simple:a Hokkaido's girl enters a Tokyo's university cause the man she unrequited love with is also in Tokyo. As an Asian,this movie make me reflect lots of my adolescence. there are 2 scenes are my favorites 1:girl with neighbor (the loneliness of the modern citizen) 2:the umbrella-borrow (Nireno is really pure)

PS the film's name which translate 'story about April' in Chinese make me think another film 'pieces of April'also is a great film

all in all if you want to relax for a easy plot movie it's a nice choice

*****/*******

High school graduate from Hokkaido infatuated by now-graduated senior applies and is accepted at the same university as the subject of her infatuation. Goes to school, tries to fit in, and works up the courage to talk to her crush for the first time.

The story has great promise, but at 67 minutes, nothing feels developed and many story lines just end abruptly. It feels more like a TV series pilot than a standalone movie.

The movie itself is fairly unremarkable. Many things are suggested but not said. Moves fairly slowly. Lots of sepia tones and misty whites. Ok if you're prepared to just relax and not expect too much in the way of story.

April Story is all about how simple and sweet a movie can be. You will be at total calm, quite and emotional while watching this movie. As a university student Uzuki Mireno has done a great job. She brilliantly potrays the character in the movie.