The storyline follows a little girl that writes a letter to her great-grandmother while they are both quarantined during the Coronavirus pandemic.
I love the heartfelt letters exchanged between the girl and her great-grandmother. Although the situation is frightening, we see the story unfold through the girl's eyes, who doesn't fully understand the scenario of the pandemic.
The cinematography serves its purpose. We clearly observe the girl; watch what she is doing, and what she intends to do. I really enjoyed the shots when she mails her first letter to her great-grandmother because the colors match the tone of the scene. Something that sticks out in my mind are the use of face masks whenever the little girl goes outside. It reinforces that this is story happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sets and locations are great! Everything is very realistic, yet new to an American film audience since this was filmed in Japan. You get a better grasp of what life looks like in Japan, because you are watching this story unfold in Japan. The background music is sweet and enjoyable and adds to the film's tone by emphasizing the Japanese culture. The actor that plays the little girl is unnamed for English audiences since the credits are in Japanese. She portrays the little girl with great finesse, particularly when she reacts to her great-grandmother's letters and also when writing her own. My favorite things are the settings and locations. For example, the room where the girl writes her letters is colorful and appealing. The mailbox location is also very visually appealing. The few montage shots of Japan are also pleasing and colorful and give us a sense of where this takes place.
The film's message is that family will always be important and keeping in touch through this difficult time is necessary to keep ourselves strong.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It would be great for a youth or family film festival because it's gives insight into youth from another country and culture. The theme about family also would make it play well. Reviewed by Abigail L., KIDS FIRST!
The storyline follows a little girl that writes a letter to her great-grandmother while they are both quarantined during the Coronavirus pandemic.
I love the heartfelt letters exchanged between the girl and her great-grandmother. Although the situation is frightening, we see the story unfold through the girl's eyes, who doesn't fully understand the scenario of the pandemic.
The cinematography serves its purpose. We clearly observe the girl; watch what she is doing, and what she intends to do. I really enjoyed the shots when she mails her first letter to her great-grandmother because the colors match the tone of the scene. Something that sticks out in my mind are the use of face masks whenever the little girl goes outside. It reinforces that this is story happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sets and locations are great! Everything is very realistic, yet new to an American film audience since this was filmed in Japan. You get a better grasp of what life looks like in Japan, because you are watching this story unfold in Japan. The background music is sweet and enjoyable and adds to the film's tone by emphasizing the Japanese culture. The actor that plays the little girl is unnamed for English audiences since the credits are in Japanese. She portrays the little girl with great finesse, particularly when she reacts to her great-grandmother's letters and also when writing her own. My favorite things are the settings and locations. For example, the room where the girl writes her letters is colorful and appealing. The mailbox location is also very visually appealing. The few montage shots of Japan are also pleasing and colorful and give us a sense of where this takes place.
The film's message is that family will always be important and keeping in touch through this difficult time is necessary to keep ourselves strong.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It would be great for a youth or family film festival because it's gives insight into youth from another country and culture. The theme about family also would make it play well. Reviewed by Abigail L., KIDS FIRST!
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