A teenage girl’s family is wiped out in a car crash and she’s left in a coma, but through a mystical narrative device she’s split between her comatose self and a “spirit” self who wanders around the hospital wondering if she should succumb or awake as an orphan (albeit with a hunky boyfriend). I’m not familiar with the YA novels of Gayle Forman, but I’m pretty sure she reads Nicholas Sparks. Manipulative, banal and relentlessly drippy. But the acting’s good, especially Chloë Grace Moretz, who at 17 is showing signs that she just might survive the transition from child sensation to grown-up actor. Japanese title: If I Stay: Ai ga Kaeru Basho (106 min)
Don Morton
Don Morton has viewed some 6,000 movies, frequently awake. A bachelor and avid cyclist, he currently divides his time between Tokyo and a high-tech 4WD super-camper somewhere in North America.You may also like
Romantic Horror in Japanese Folklore and Literature
Japanese stories of love and ghosts that offer something both delicate and terrifying
Dining in Exquisite Elegance at HIGANKAKU
Chinese cuisine in the heart of Ginza
How “Sex Toy” Brand TENGA Is Changing Sex Talk in Japan
This iconic “pleasure item” is pushing the conversation forward and normalizing masturbation
What is Forest Bathing in Japan?
Physical and mental wellbeing through forest therapy
Low-Alcohol Craft Beer “Small Trip” Hits Tokyo
Brought to you by REVO BREWING
English Facebook Groups in Tokyo: Tips for Residents and Tourists
English Facebook groups for finding free stuff, making friends, volunteering, and more
Featured Artists for April 2024 – LOVEHO SELECTS
Check out this month's featured Tokyo creatives!