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Dog
Star
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Country
: |
Japan |
| Year: |
2002 |
| Genre: |
Drama |
| Format: |
DVD |
| Running
Time: |
2H05 |
| Distributor: |
Universe
Laser & Video Co., LTD |
| Date
reviewed: |
06/01/2003 |
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| Producer: |
Sumiki
Miyake |
| Director: |
Takahisa
Zeze |
Cast: Etsushi Toyokawa, Haruka
Igawa, Ryo Ishibashi, Shigeru Izumiya |
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Story:
If love loses control between a master and a dog, what
will that lead to? Guide-dog Shiro’s last wish
is granted and is transformed into a man and finds his
ex-master. As love blooms between the two, Shiro must
go against time and his star-crossed love affair to
say goodbye. After confessing the truth to his ex-master,
Shiro is shunned away and not believed. When one’s
wish comes true that shouldn’t, what lies ahead?
Review: For such an ambitious thought of
a dog falling for his master, I have to actually commend
the writers and makers for trying to achieve such
a bizarre storyline. The absurdity of the plot just
got me so interested, but Dog Star falls short of
its sight due to plot holes and the glaringly underdeveloped
relationship between the characters. This is exactly
what happens when you take on such a daunting task.
Shiro is a blind man’s dog who suddenly fall
victim to a car accident. His master dies of the car
accident and is given the opportunity to enter Heaven
if he helps one soul on Earth. That one soul just
so happens to be his dog Shiro. He grants Shiro a
wish to become a man and with the new body that Shiro
is given, he goes to find his first master which whom
he’s always cared about. This becomes the conflict
of the film that Shiro and his dead master must overcome.
Well, as enticing the plot may seem, the holes that
were created throughout the film was surely a pain.
I was unimpressed with the characters and the relationship
that was supposedly brewing between this attractive
woman and this dog turned male. Shiro was characterized
as this stoic male whose emotions were hidden deep
within his soul. What didn’t seem believable,
however, was how quickly this young woman fell for
this stranger. Most of the time, the director would
display at least one scene that would glorify this
blossoming of love and I was waiting for it all the
way till the end. It never came of course. I’m
being a bit too harsh, I know. However, when compared
to a film like Fly Me to Polaris, where the characters
fell in love within this short period of time, I can’t
help but realize how unmoving the characters in Dog
Star were.
If the creators’ of the film took the time
to work in a decent romance and a few more scenes
that would convince us of this, then this film would’ve
been the magical story I know it could’ve become.
This film fails in displaying the power of love overcoming
all obstacles because it couldn’t overcome this
one flaw; not enough heart.
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DVD
[ NTSC, Region 3
] :
This
Universe release of the film is quite good for what
it’s worth. The film is transferred in true
anamorphic widescreen, but the DD2.0 soundtrack was
way too soft for my taste. The subtitling was really
easy to follow where the words were bright white and
well timed. There’s not much more in special
features so if you want a barebones version of this
film, then go ahead and pick up this DVD.
Reviewed
by Mark Flora
You
can purchase this film at : 
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| Story |
Cast |
Entertainment |
Subtitles |
Overall |
| 3 |
3 |
3 |
4.5 |
3 |

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| © 1999-2003 by KFC
Cinema. All rights reserved. |
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