Always zoku san-chôme no yûhi

As my wife said the first part of the sequel was very good, we saw this second part together. Unfortunately without knowing the background of the characters, I could not empathize at all. I told her "the story seemed too much manipulated and I did not empathize it". She said she felt natural. Therefore, I strongly recommend seeing the first part before this one.

VFX effects are amazing. Tokyo scenes in the late 1950's are recreated in detail. I first saw the river at Nihonbashi bridge without highway above it. Now the river is cleaner than the movie. Yes, the rivers of Tokyo in high economic growth period was that dirty.

By the way, the locale is set to Tokyo in 1959. In 1959, I was almost the same age with the children in this movie. That time, there was a radio drama series "1, 1st street" and a TV drama series "Backstreet". Both dramas portrayed daily life at a backstreet in Tokyo. I was a kid in a local city, but was fascinated in the dramas with cordial atmospheres. The word "ALWAYS" in this movie title may imply to portray daily life too. But I feel every episode is too dramatically manipulated to be ALWAYS but ONE TIME. By the way the subject of the novel Chagawa chose for his masterpiece is good.

This is a sequel to the brilliant first film, set in the shadow of the Tokyo Tower. Its now 1959, four months later, and we're still with the same characters. The Tower is now finished. You still have the over the top Suzuki-San, you have Chagawa, who still pines for Hiromi, continues to struggle as a writer and still faces uncertainty as to keeping Junnosuke with him. In this film, the pretty Roku gets a boyfriend, and the Suzuki family takes in a young girl who is a cousin. She is at first very tentative but soon becomes part of the family. Like in the first film, things happen which make you laugh and cry. The laughs are even more frequent, and include a visit from Godzilla! The difference in this film is that the characters like each other more, which is just a great thing. This film, like the first, is just excellent, a feel good film that, though sentimental, is never overbearing. I love these characters. I would guess movie number three is in the works, as there is so much more for these characters to say and experience. You need to watch the first installment before you see this, but its such a treat to see both. Both films have my highest recommendation. They are both excellent.

One of the best family dramas I have seen. i was wondering how they would continue from the first movie where everything seemed settled. Boy, was I wrong! Not only does this movie wrap up everything (maybe?) but it had me crying tears of joy at the end.

The first movie got a 10 from me and I admit crying like a baby at the end of it. Part two was almost as good and worth every penny/yen I spent renting it. I will be buying the DVD box set of the two movies and will be very happy to watch them from time to time.

I could not recommend these two movies highly enough.

PS: If you haven't seen the first one DO NOT WATCH THIS ONE! You'll be lost and won't enjoy it. You have to see part one first.

Always Sunset on Third Street 2 offers more of what made the first one so damn wholesome, at times much more bittersweet, it retains the goodwill and warmth of its predecessor. Still just as unabashedly nostalgic and touching, Always 2 is exceptionally self-indulgent, very saccharine and perhaps a bit overlong, but it's also an excellent example of an emotionally satisfying drama with likeable characters and a wonderful sense of place and time. One that doesn't fail to get the tears welling, making for a feel-good film with loads of laughs. Extremely refreshing and just the tonic in these austere and pessimistic times. It shines bright. Although you just know every Godzilla fan has seen the opening 2-minutes of this and then nothing further, a huge injustice if there ever was one. However, you can certainly see why Yamazaki was chosen to helm the latest outing for the Big G with this sequence... I can't wait.