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One thing that is left after the credit title of "Good Luck" fades is that a great popular entertainment does not depend on the popularity of the stars. A 'feel good' series, despite the fact that it starred some of the most popular names in J-dramas, "Good Luck" demonstrates a great ensemble of all elements of 'good movie' working in harmony.

Takuya Kimura – iconic as he is in the landscape of J-entertainment- is a genuinely talented actor oozing with potentials. Although Hajime Shinkai – his character – is not what you would call a 'multi-layered' character, his portrayal of this highly spirited aspiring young co-pilot is genuine and credible. Kimura was able to avoid the pitfall of portraying this straightforward character as a comical, two dimensional character, instead, Shinkai is presented to the audience as a genuine, credible and quite honestly, lovable person.

Kimura's co-star – veteran stage actor Shinichi Tsutsumi (One Missed Call, Drive) only adds more credits to this series. Tsutsumi's character – Captain Kazuki Koda – a too serious senior pilot and eventually Shinkai's mentor – is a more complex character. There are more layers to Koda's character than Shinkai's character and as Kimura was able to add more depth to his two-dimensional character, Tsutsumi was able to portray perfectly all of Koda's multi-layered character. I would say that if Kimura was excellent in his role, Tsutsumi – almost stealing the show – was outstanding. He communicated Koda's grief, fear and shame through his eyes and facial expression – just enough, not exaggerated but very effective. I would say pay attention to Tsutsumi's facial expression while he was talking to Shinkai in the last cockpit scene of the final flight.

The pairing of Kimura and Kou Shibasaki as Ayumi is quite striking. At first I thought that the two does not have enough chemistry on screen, especially because being familiar with Shibasaki's cult movies record (Battle Royale, Kakashi, One Missed Call) I ridiculously thought that she was 'too mean' looking for Kimura. It turns out that she was perfect as Ayumi, a girl character that is refreshingly not the so-typical 'submissive office lady' type of J-doramas. Although I still think that she has more on-screen chemistry with Tsutsumi, probably because both have worked together previously.

Hitomi Kuroki is casted as senior Cabin Attendant Noriko Togashi, Koda's ex girlfriend. While her character is not really prominent, Kuroki is also fun to watch, at first I did not really recognize her as Yoshimi Matsubara, the distressed mother from Dark Water.

"Good Luck" might be supported by great names of J-movies, but its success as the best dorama in 2003 is not because of its stars, but because the stars were really able to show their star quality in working together to make this an effective, fun, interesting, worth-watching after hour fun.

I watched Gokudo sengokushi: Fudo by chance. I don't particularly enjoy violent movie and thought that the movie would just be another light hearted and maybe humorous Japanese movie (I read too many shoujo manga and Shosuke Tanihara was a star in one of the shoujo manga turn TV series) - despite the warning at the beginning that the film violates all limit and convention, therefore it is a must see. I was so sick in the first part of the film by the vivid portrayal of human decapitation I almost gave up watching it. The film is indeed true to its promise! It is so shocking in all aspects, I was literally blown away by it. Great film, well made and so refreshing! While the theme of high school yakuza gang may be not something new if you read a lot of Japanese manga, (Riki is the typical shoujo manga hero at the first glance) director Miike's exaggeration of the issue, ignorance of society norms, and wild ideas (a hermaphrodite? gosh!) gave the typically classic story line a pump. Highly recommended.

If film is about the message it wants to convey to its audience, this film has definitely achieved it. The subtle depiction of the gay community is so much different from the usual Hollywood stereotype gay men - your Queer as Folk kinda guy. While the soapy detail of Queer as Folk casts the image of the gay community as something really really different from the straight community hence giving it some sort of exclusivity (despised by many of the so called straight righteous community), Le Fate Ignoranti portrays the gay community as just 'the other human being.' Different maybe, but it doesnt emphasize the difference to the level that no straight mortal will be able to immerse let alone understand it. Le Fate Ignoranti portrays the gay community as just another 'group' in our society, facing the same humane problems - that gay men are nothing but another human beings deserve the same humane treatment and respect.

Michele is so differently refreshing from his Hollywood counterparts, full of dignity and no cynicism towards the world that you usually find in those so called gay Hollywood films. While Hollywood gay men show only insecurity with their identity, Michele is oozing with confidence and is perfectly comfortable with his sexuality.

This film and director Ferzan Ozpetek has definity done great job in the effort of establishing more insight into a 'more real' depiction of gay community.