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QUILL: THE LIFE OF A GUIDE DOG

Wow, this is a very touching and emotional film cast with one of my favorite animals. First off, I really love this film for a couple of reasons. One being of Quill's extreme cuteness and how he catches everyone's attention every time he walks into the scene. Everyone feeds off of his reactions and the rest of the cast act pretty well themselves. They portray exactly what they are feeling inside. It is hard to tell they are just playing their role. Second, the teamwork shown in this film just blows me away as they are sharing a bond of trust and love. One of my favorite parts is the beginning when Quill is huddling up against his siblings. They are so cute. Quill, a Labrador, is a guide dog in training. He is experiencing how hard it is to stop at a street curb or corner and is having other obstacles as well. For Quill to come and stop when asked to do so, not to take a bathroom break even when he has to and most of all be loyal to his master no matter what is an awful lot to ask of a him. When Quill grows up to an adult dog, he is given over to his new master, Mitsuru Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayshi) a lonely middle aged man, who isn't fond of being guided around by a dog. They both go on the adventure of trust and teamwork as Mitsuru's daughter, Mitsuko Nii (Shinobu Terajima) narrates. Yoichi Sai directs this outstanding film. It is in Japanese and has subtitles in English, so you really have to pay close attention to the screen. Don't even pay attention to the Japanese, unless you know Japanese. I recommend this film for ages 6 to 12 because it is so adorable, funny, and sweet. Older ages can definitely watch this film as they will enjoy it and understand what is happening. Puppy and dog lovers, this is your film. Without a shadow of a doubt, I give this film 5 out of 5 stars, because it has comedy, emotion, drama, crises and, of course, cute puppies. Quill is a great film and I hope you love it as much as I do. Prepare to cry and laugh out loud. It lands in America on the 18th of May so please go and see this amazing Japanese film. No matter where you are at in the world, a dog is truly a man's best friend. Brianna Beaton, age 12, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. I LOVE this movie! It is heartwarming and the dogs are so adorable. I was not actually looking forward to watching Quill; I mean the title didn't seem very interesting. Also, it is a Japanese film with English subtitles, which didn't excite me. But as the movie progressed I like it more and more. Quill is the story of one special guide dog; a yellow Labrador named Quill because of a unique brown spot on his side. Shown as a docudrama, Quill goes from a small puppy with its mother being picked to be a guide dog because of his calm nature and sent to live with a foster family that loves and cares for him until he is a year old and then he is off to school where he learns to be the eyes for a blind person. Though Quill does not seem to learn as quickly as the other dogs, Satoru Tawada (Kippei Shiina), Quill's trainer, is patient and sees the potential in him. Quill is teamed up with Mr. Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi), who is not a dog lover and does not like being blind. Though the pair has a rocky start, Mr. Watanabe grows to trust and respect Quill. The ending is inspiring despite it being sad. Technically, Quill was average with good sound and cinematography. The dogs in Quill are simply amazing. They are so well trained. I thought they were the best actors in the film. The subtitles were a little distracting, I didn't like that I couldn't understand what was being said and had to read it, but as I got into the movie that became easier. I liked seeing what life was like in Japan and that there are differences from my town like the way the houses look, but there are more things that are same like how we love our pets. When my parents and I were done watching Quill we talked a lot about the movie from what it is like to be blind to how dogs are trained to be guide dogs to the story and characters. Quill made us smile, laugh and cry, but it also made us think. Quill was released in Japan in 2004, but has just been released in American in May 2012. Quill is a wonderful movie for any age, but it is better for kids who know how to read. Kids and adults both will enjoy it. I give Quill five stars! Hunter Willow Jones, age 11, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. I like this movie because it really got me interested in training dogs for people with disabilities. This 2004 Japanese docudrama is an adaptation of the novel "The Life of Quill, the Seeing-Eye Dog" by Ryohei Akimoto and Kengo Ishiguro, based on a true story. Quill is an adorable Labrador Retriever puppy, who goes to live with a kind couple who raise guide dogs, Mitsuko and Isamu Nii, played by Shinobu Terajima and Teruyuki Kagawa. Quill lives with them for a year and is then taken to a training school where he is trained by a strict man, Satoru Tawada. Quill is a bit slower than some of the other dogs during training, but he improves quickly and is sent to work with a very stubborn blind man, Mitsuru Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi.) Their friendship grows and Quill never leaves Mr. Watanabe's side, until he falls gravely ill. My favorite characters in this film are Mitsuko and Isamu Nii, the couple who raise Quill as a puppy. I like them because they were so nice, loving, and caring to Quill and while watching that part of the film, I felt very touched. This film is directed by Yôichi Sai and written by Soichi Maruyama and Yoshihiro Nakamura (Pokemon: Power of One.) The soundtrack was composed and recorded by the Kuricorder Quartet. I recommend this film to kids ten and up because there are subtitles and you have to be able to read very well. There is also some bad language, and there are some very emotional scenes that would be more suitable for older children. I give this film four out of five stars because it is slow-moving at times. Camille Bajema, age 10, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Quill is a beautifully rendered and tender film from auteur director Yoichi Sai. The first part of the film is delightful with Quill, a yellow Labrador Retriever, as an adorable puppy. As the film progresses, and Quill is paired with a recalcitrant blind man, the personality of the dog is imbued with as much heart as any human character portrayal. Be prepared to laugh and cry. Note: contains sensitively handled scenes about death and a funeral which may be disturbing to some audiences.

The story of a yellow Labrador Retriever guide dog for the blind named Quill. We follow Quill from the litter, his selection to become a guide, his life with a foster family until his first birthday, followed by highly specialized schooling in guiding the sightless. He is then paired with a blind man named Watanabe Mitsuru who is at first reluctant to rely on Quill. But Quill's great patience, gentleness and skill eventually wins him over and they become inseparable friends.