Movie Review: KITA KITA

KITA KITA

Rate: ★★★★★/☆☆☆☆☆

The movie is frustratingly beautiful. It’s been a while since I felt frustrated and amazed by it’s beauty at the same time. It is not your ordinary love story. It left me feeling sad thinking of what-could-have-beens yet it also left a feeling of happiness that even for a short period of time, love existed. And just like most of the viewers said, it’s a movie you must watch.

It took me quite some time to watch this movie because first, I am a fan of happy endings and I knew based on what I’ve heard, that this is a sad one. Second, Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez, though known for their acting prowess in different fields is an odd couple. Third, I am quite busy with work and school so I rarely have time to sit and watch a movie. But then, opportunity presented when we are asked to make a reaction paper presented by PRONEMA. Among the movies on the list I chose Kita Kita because I am quite intrigued by the number of reactions it got from social media and the recommendations I got from my sisters, co-workers and even my classmates.

The movie is mainly about a Filipina tourist guide in Japan, Lea, ‘Alessandra de Rossi’ who got her heartbroken by her fiance who cheated on her, gone temporarily blind and was taught to live again by a persistent and funny man, Tonyo, ‘Empoy Marquez’. The movie has an interesting plot. It was like a breath of fresh air. It was like a picture puzzle that you will find yourself in awe once you learned to put the pieces together. It showed the beautiful spots in Saporro, Japan which will make you want to travel.

The scenes with Lea and Tonyo were pretty light and funny. I was smiling while watching Tonyo makes his moves and laughed when he cracked jokes. So when he died, even if I already knew he will, based on the reviews, I still cried. I cried for Lea. It is just so sad watching something happy end in such brief moment. Their love story just started and yet it ended so swiftly. In a snap. What was heartbreaking was it happened as Lea retrieved her sight back. She saw the man who gave her hope to see again hit by a car and died. And the heartbreak didn’t end there, what made it more heartbreaking was when she learned that the faceless man who cheered her up during the times she was blind, was the same man who was homeless that she took time to bring food and water and encouraged to take a bath. It was devastating as the story unfolds itself when Lea reads Tonyo’s letter.

At the end of the movie, Lea visited the places Tonyo took her and relived the moment by blindfolding herself. For me it is a way of saying that even with Tonyo gone, she still has happy memories she can keep forever with her.

It is interesting how the scenes were presented as a countdown both on Lea and Tonyo’s point of view. It amazed me how the scenes were interrelated. So I will do so with this review, as what they did in the movie as a sign of patronage.

10. Ten, that is the number of times I played the official sound track after watching the movie.

9. I wish Tonyo had nine lives so he didn’t die.

8 . In the list of countries I want to visit, Japan is the eight. After watching the movie, I want it the first.

7. Seven is a lucky number which I wished Tonyo had.

6. I learned six lessons in the movie: Stress can make you blind. Eating cabbage can make you happy. The law of karma is real. Kindness kindles hope. Life is unfair. Love can heal.  

5. I gave this movie 5 stars and 5 thumbs up even I only have four thumbs.

4. I cried four big tears when Tonyo died.

3. There were three words that Tonyo did not say to Lea but was evident in his effort to make her happy and to make a thousand paper cranes just so she can see again.

2. Two Less Lonely People is now my favorite song

1. This movie deserves a one big loud of applause.