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Contrast (Japanese Series)

This is basically a high school BL where two guys who have nothing going on in common somehow end up getting really close to each other, and that's kind of the whole point of the title too. There's barely any drama or fluff packed in here, it stays pretty straightforward the whole way through. A little bit of friction pops up here and there, but it's nothing compared to what you'd normally get in this kind of show. Runtime wise you're looking at 8 episodes, each one sitting around 25-30 minutes. The two guys carrying the story are Akira and Kanata, and funny enough they knew each other's faces way before they ever knew each other's names. Kanata's the type everyone likes, always got people around him, popular guy, but there's this distance to him that people can't quite place. Turns out he had an injury that ended his football days, and that's what pushed him into being more withdrawn, and it only got worse once his younger brother got picked...

I Love You Philip Morris

I was shocked when the moie ended declaring that this was a true story. I had such a hard time believing it was true because some of the cons seens in this movie are truly worth applauding. Things that a man can do and extents he can goto to prove his love for someone are shown very very well in this film. And when you have actors like Jim Carrey and Ewan McGreor, the premise becomes even more interesting. 

Steven Russell is happily married to Debbie, and a member of the local police force when a car accident provokes a dramatic reassessment of his life. Steven becomes open about his homosexuality and decides to live life to the fullest - even if it means breaking the law. Steven's new, extravagant lifestyle involves cons and fraud and, eventually, a stay in the State Penitentiary where he meets sensitive, soft-spoken Phillip Morris. This is where the love starts. His love for Phillip seems irrational and all-encompassing and when he is released he uses his powers of conman ship to get Phillip released too. After that his life is dedicated to earning or rather conning his employers out of enough money to keep Phillip happy. This sometimes creates tension between them because now it is not just about keeping Philip happy. Steven has now become addicted to money and con and he cons people one after the other. But every time he gets caught. He is now living his life sentence in a jail when he comes up with his final heist where he pretends he is HIV positive and makes everyone (including doctors and authorities) believe in his story and flees the jail ultimately just for his love for Philip Morris. 

This is an emotional and heartfelt love story that's driven by the on-screen chemistry between Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor. It's laugh out loud funny one minute and tugging at your heart strings the next. The good thing is that film never explains Steven's sexuality. It is integral to his nature and has been since childhood. Also the film focuses more on love between the 2 protagonists and I loved that aspect. It is sad that the film didn't get the acclaim that it deserved. Strongly recommend for love and comedy and trust me, it is NOT romantic comedy. (7/10)

Comments

KJ said…
A 7 out of 10? I would have given this movie a better rating. hahaha. I really enjoyed this movie. It's funny and sweet.

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