On the heels of director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's academy award nominations, most people who are interested in his pervious works might want to check out Happy Hour, Asuko, as well as this film titled Wheel of Time and Fantasy. The film stars Kotone Furukawa, Ayumu Nakajima, Katsuki Mori, Shouma Kai, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Aoba Kawai, and, Hyunri. Most films have given rave reviews after watching this film showing that the director is on the raise.
There's three short stories contained in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. Each story tells of a relationship that ended badly but the characters try to pick up the remaining pieces, for even more ruin. The actions taken by the characters are vey manipulative in a way. However, I believe that we as the viewers can understand how love can make you act crazy sometimes. When you like or love someone, you want them to have an emotional reaction to you. Otherwise, your love doesn't feel real or validated. The cast holds the foundation of the script since most of the action is conversation.
Story one was my favorite and the best acted in my opinion which was probably why it's the opening ark. Furkukawa and Nakajima give Oscar worthy performances in the office and restaurant scenes. Viewers will be able to feel the mess up love that the two characters have for each other. They both try to hurt each other so badly that their relationship could never be stable even though they have still a great love for one another three years later. Story too would have been as engaging as the first story had the director went along with the "Honey Trap" theme. Instead, that idea falls by the waist side to be replaces by a somewhat awkward tale of events. We all know that the situation couldn't end well. The last story was was a tad bit too long. I've seen other people say this and I defiantly agree. One scene drags on for more than the scene needs to. I found myself skipping the last part because Things were stuck in a wheel of time...... Hamaguchi could have edited that down. Especially when I was yelling cut during a couple of points during the two scenes. I'm sure he had a vision though.
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy has a similar style to Hong Sang Soo where in conversations take a front row seat in most of his films but it's interesting. I'm happy for Hamaguchi receiving Oscar nominations even if he doesn't win.
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