Heavenly Forest (2006)
8KHeavenly Forest (2006). 1h 56m
“I was a bit surprised by the sometimes frank and honest dialog coming from Aoi Miyazakiu0026#39;s character in what for the most part is a very family friendly bit of Japanese young love/first love cinema. But it is appropriate for her character, a set-to-mature-at-any-moment young woman deficient in some necessary growth hormones needed to push her over the edge (that when triggered by a first kiss could ultimately be her … undoing) and seems trapped in young adolescence. Itu0026#39;s a very cute and cute-funny, and really sad, sad, film. Miyazaki teeters the edge between coy and seductive so well it made me dizzy … with delight. I could, however, understand her pouty lipped attempts at cuteness turning some folks off. She does slip out of it each time very quickly, though. Thatu0026#39;s part of her charm, I guess.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film is beautifully photographed. The u0026#39;heavenlyu0026#39; forest is fairy-tale gorgeous, as are the three young actors we spend time with. The story is engaging too, clearly a novel-adapted one.”
