Control Tower Review

Movie: Control Tower

Romaji: Kanseitou

Japanese: 管制塔

Director: Takahiro Miki

Actors: Kento Yamazaki, Ai Hashimoto, Miyuki Matsuda, Akiyoshi Okayasu

Writer: Takahiro Miki, Yukiko Mochiji

He's an outcast in school living his boring life then one day an equally timid girl whom is also an outcast appeared to shine light to his boring life. This is basically the plot with coming of age elements and with the theme which is "uncertainty". These kids are just more or less 15 years of age; they have no control with their lives which is frustrating on every teenager's part. There is one big symbolism in this film which you can find in the title "control tower", control tower watches the travelers future and also serve as a mark if you want to return someday. I don't consider this as a romantic movie because I didn't see any romantic love it's more of platonic love. I mean it's not a bad thing because they still have great chemistry and you are free think there is such romance between them if that will make you better.

This film is focused on two characters so it is given that they are the ones to carry this movie which is they did. Yamazaki Kento and Hashimoto Ai are now established actors with talent to back them up, they are quite young here but you can already see signs that they will be great actors some day. Music contributes to the atmosphere of the movie with scenes that are accompanied by soft and melancholic music. Songs are catchy but also vital as it conveys what the characters are feeling, their emotion and every word in the lyrics makes sense. Cinematography is awesome too; I love the snowy landscape which will makes such eerie atmosphere.

It is not a romantic movie which might be disappointing for the fact that these two beautiful person shares good chemistry on screen but it's by no means a bad movie because you will get more than any mediocre romantic movies out there. A typical slow thought provoking Japanese film but it's only over an hour which is short compare to other Japanese movies.