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Rent-a-Cat (2012) Review – Small Warmth That Visits Lonely Days

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  Header illustration for the film review essay of Rent-a-Cat (2012). Illustration created for editorial movie review purposes. 🎥 Film Overview Title: Rent-a-Cat (レンタネコ / Rentaneko / 고양이를 빌려드립니다) Director: Naoko Ogigami Release: May 12, 2012 (Japan), December 13, 2012 (South Korea) Runtime: 110 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes) Genre: Comedy-Drama Screenplay: Naoko Ogigami Country: Japan Language: Japanese Cinematography: Kazutaka Abe Music: Kosuke Ito Production Company: Eisei Gekijo Rating: 12+ (South Korea), Not Rated (Japan) Cast: Mikako Ichikawa (Sayoko), Reiko Kusamura, Ken Mitsuishi, Katsuya Kobayashi, Hidekazu Mashima, Maho Yamada, Kei Tanaka Box Office: 14,983 admissions (South Korea) Awards: Premiered at 2012 Stockholm International Film Festival, featured in 17th Busan International Film Festival Critical Reception: 6.9/10 IMDb, 65% Rotten Tomatoes (2 reviews), 6.5/10 audience score Note: Director Naoko Ogigami is known for her "healing cine...

In the Mood for Love (2000) Review - When Love Remains Unspoken

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  Header illustration for the film review essay of In the Mood for Love (2000). Illustration created for editorial movie review purposes. 🎥 Film Overview Title: In the Mood for Love (花樣年華 / 花样年华 / Fa yeung nin wa) Director: Wong Kar-wai Release: May 20, 2000 (Cannes Film Festival), September 29, 2000 (Hong Kong) Runtime: 98 minutes (1 hour 38 minutes) Genre: Romantic Drama Screenplay: Wong Kar-wai Country: Hong Kong, France (co-production) Language: Cantonese, Shanghainese Cinematography: Christopher Doyle, Mark Lee Ping Bin Music: Michael Galasso, Shigeru Umebayashi Production Design: William Chang Film Editing: William Chang Production Companies: Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Production, Paradis Films Rating: PG Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai (Chow Mo-wan), Maggie Cheung Man-yuk (Su Li-zhen), Rebecca Pan (Mrs. Suen), Siu Ping-lam (Ah Ping) Box Office: $14 million worldwide Awards: Best Actor for Tony Leung at 2000 Cannes Film Festival (first Hong Kong a...

Midnight Diner (2014) Review: A Place Where Food and Listening Heal

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  Header illustration for the film review essay of Midnight Diner (2014). Illustration created for editorial movie review purposes. 🎥 Film Overview Title: Midnight Diner (深夜食堂 / Shinya Shokudō) Director: Jōji Matsuoka Release: January 31, 2015 (Japan) Runtime: 119 minutes (1 hour 59 minutes) Genre: Drama, Slice of Life Screenplay: Katsuhiko Manabe, Jōji Matsuoka (based on the manga Shinya Shokudō by Yarō Abe) Country: Japan Language: Japanese Cinematography: Ryo Ohtsuka, Ryuhei Tsutsui Music: Seiji Kameda Rating: Not Rated Cast: Kaoru Kobayashi (Master), Saki Takaoka (Tamako), Mikako Tabe (Michiru), Tokio Emoto (Kenzō), Joe Odagiri (Ryu), Kimiko Yo, Akiko Kikuchi, Kiyohiko Shibukawa Note: Based on Yarō Abe's manga series Shinya Shokudō , first published in 2006. The film adapts storylines from the highly successful TV drama series (2009-2014) which aired at 1 AM in Japan—the same time the fictional diner opens. The series has been remade in South Korea...

Patch Adams (1998) Review - Finding Empathy Within Systems

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Header illustration for the film review essay of Patch Adams (1998). Illustration created for editorial movie review purposes. 🎥 Film Overview Title: Patch Adams Director: Tom Shadyac Release: December 25, 1998 (United States) Runtime: 115 minutes (1 hour 55 minutes) Genre: Comedy, Drama, Biography Screenplay: Steve Oedekerk (based on the book Gesundheit: Good Health Is a Laughing Matter by Hunter "Patch" Adams and Maureen Mylander) Country: United States Language: English Cinematography: Phedon Papamichael Music: Marc Shaiman Rating: PG-13 Cast: Robin Williams (Hunter "Patch" Adams), Monica Potter (Carin Fisher), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Mitch Roman), Bob Gunton (Dean Walcott), Daniel London (Truman Schiff), Peter Coyote (Bill Davis), Josef Sommer (Dr. Eaton), Irma P. Hall (Joletta), Michael Jeter (Rudy), Harve Presnell (Dean Anderson), Harold Gould (Arthur Mendelson) Box Office: $202.3 million worldwide Awards: Nominated for Academy Aw...

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) Review - Growing Into the Parent You're Learning to Be

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  Header illustration for the film review essay of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). Illustration created for editorial movie review purposes. 🎥 Film Overview Title: Mrs. Doubtfire Director: Chris Columbus Release: November 24, 1993 (United States) Runtime: 125 minutes (2 hours 5 minutes) Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family Screenplay: Randi Mayem Singer, Leslie Dixon (based on the novel Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine) Country: United States Language: English Cinematography: Donald McAlpine Music: Howard Shore Rating: PG-13 Cast: Robin Williams (Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Doubtfire), Sally Field (Miranda Hillard), Pierce Brosnan (Stuart Dunmeyer), Harvey Fierstein (Frank Hillard), Polly Holliday (Gloria Chaney), Lisa Jakub (Lydia Hillard), Matthew Lawrence (Chris Hillard), Mara Wilson (Natalie Hillard), Robert Prosky (Jonathan Lundy) Box Office: $441.3 million worldwide (second-highest-grossing film of 1993) Awards: Academy Award for Best Makeup, Golden Globe for Best Motion ...