7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction trap and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding are the three episodes, told in three movements to depict three female characters and trace the trajectories between their choices and regrets.
Starring: Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Hyunri, Aoba Kawai, Fusako Urabe, Kotone FurukawaForeign | 100% |
Drama | 78% |
Romance | 18% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Coincidence and serendipity tend to not always come across as intended in films and can in fact often seem like the cliché ridden resort of a less than artful screenwriter. The "quirks of fate" explored by writer and director Ryusuke Hamaguchi in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy are therefore kind of interesting in that they really don't come off as overly contrived, at least contextually. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is in reality a triptych weaving together three stories which may not have enough in common to make this a more traditional portmanteau, but which all offer some nicely understated performances and some at times rather provocative mises-en-scènes.
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. I haven't been able to track down any authoritative information on what cameras were utilized for this shoot, though the IMDb does list a 2K DI. This is a sharp and appealing looking digital capture that offers very nice detail levels throughout. The outdoor material in particular pops well, though the film really doesn't offer any "showy" moments in terms of production design or palette flourishes. The naturalistic ambience of the performances flows through to the cinematography by Yukiko Iioka, and, as mentioned above, there are a number of really interesting long takes in the film that allow the actors to really inhabit their performances. As can be seen in some the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, there's a tendency toward yellow lighting or grading at times that can slightly defeat fine detail levels. This is another Film Movement release that struck my eyes as being just a tad too bright at times, as if there were a slightly milky haze over the imagery, but even given that perceived deficit, this is a well detailed and problem free presentation.
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original Japanese. This is a really talky enterprise, throughout all three vignettes, and as such surround activity tends to ebb and flow and also tends to be most noticeable in terms of ambient environmental effects. There's really not even that much music aside from a brief use of Robert Schumann piano music. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Whether rightly or wrongly, Japanese are often perceived to be emotionally tamped down, at least when compared to the more volatile denizens of the United States, and that lack of overt hyperbolic emotion may be a distancing factor here for some viewers. That said, the stories, while not always plying anything "new" or hugely unexpected, do deliver some truths about the human heart. "Meta" observers who like to pay attention to things like how Hamaguchi structures his shots will also find interest here. Technical merits are solid, and the supplements interesting. Recommended.
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