StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

calibear_todd It's a surprising tearjerker, with good acting and strong characters you would expect who originated in the Iwaki coal mine, but it whitewashes the fact that much of that mine's wealth was as a result of WW2 slave labor. This is a problem the Japanese seem to have in confronting their history. Unfortunately, it wasn't only Japanese who suffered in the coal mines!

SailingSwanee Sat down with my daughter to watch this movie, not really sure what to expect. I am a fan of foreign movies, particularly Korean, Chinese, and Japanese, but also other parts of the world, so I don't mind watching with subtitles. In fact, I find foreign films much more realistic than a lot of the tripe out of Hollywood.This movie is very emotional, bringing tears (mostly happy ones) to both me and my daughter. The story is well told and the acting brilliant, and some of the gorgeous Japanese girls certainly helped to light up the screen, especially Yu Aoi who won "Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role" in the Japan Academy Prize.Realising at the end that this movie was based on an actually true story added much more realism to the story, and the plight of the girls and their families.A very inspirational movie, and a delight to watch. Why this only has 7 out of 10 on IMDb (at time of writing) surprises me. We loved it!!! Do yourself a favour and watch it.

DICK STEEL This is a story about change. Hula Girls, based on true events, takes place in a small Japanese coal mining town in the late 60s, where its town folks find that with the shifting reliance on oil from coal, the survival of their town is at stake when a major company decides to retrench and cut its headcount.In attempts to makeover their economy (ain't that familiar), the sleepy town has decided to come up with a "Hawaii Center", a resort like facility where the warm atmosphere of Hawaii will be recreated in their cold/coal environment. It's a drastic change from blue collar to the service industry, and with the young girls being roped in to be dance performers, the traditionalists are up in arms, against the entire project. Skimpy outfits and gyrating moves don't make it easy, and neither does an outsider being roped in to teach the girls a new skill, turn out popular too.Hula Girls, winner of many awards in the 2006 Japanese equivalent of the Oscars, and also the Japanese submission to the 2007 Oscar's Best Foreign Language film, actually seemed a little too familiar in its narrative style, bringing to mind movies such as Waterboys, Swing Girls, Linda Linda Linda, and the more obvious reference and similarity, will be that of My Mother is a Belly Dancer, well, for most of the first half anyway. But perhaps with this familiarity, it took less time for the audience to identify with it, and it set on its focus to endear the key characters to the audience.As mentioned, it's about change, set against the backdrop of changing industries, attitudes, and skills. It's a heartwarming story no less, about the strength of sisterhood, where unity sees them battling challenges ahead, much against all odds, especially when adversity comes from within. It's not all serious as it sounds, as there are ample comedy infused, especially with its outcast characters such as the nerdy mom and the plus sized tomboy, and their initial attempts at performance during road trips advertising their new attraction.Like movies in the similar genre, it doesn't take long to identify the leader of the pack, in Kimiko (Yu Aoi), as she becomes the protégé of the teacher Mrs Hirayama (Yasuko Matsuyuki), given the thankless task of whipping the girls into shape. Yu Aoi is no doubt the star of the movie, with her good looks and time dedicated for her to show what it takes. And expect a number of sniffles as the filmmakers weaved in classical dramatic moments primarily aimed at activating those tear ducts.At its heart, it's a movie on the triumph of the human spirit against adversity, and of friendship. It's not without its flaws, like when certain transitions seemed to suffer from lack of time devoted to provide more depth, but when the formula comes to the end, with its rousing, highly anticipated finale showed in its entirety and in full regalia, you'll no doubt be giving full of applause for its showmanship.Definitely going into my books as a contender for the best movies of the year. Highly recommended, despite its slow start.

jmaruyama For over 40 years, Hawaii has been a popular tourist destination for the Japanese. Over 1.3 million visitors from Japan visit the Hawaiian Islands on any given year. The Japanese love for the Hawaiian culture is also very apparent as evidenced in their love for Hawaiian music (slack key guitar in particular) and dance (the Hula). It is said that there are over 250,600 students currently learning the Hula in various Hula "Halaus" (schools) throughout Japan. Japan born, Korean film maker Lee Sang-il's wonderfully rousing "Hula Girls" touches upon that fascination and pays tribute to the expressive and beautiful art form of the Hawaiian Hula. The film is inspired by the the real life Jouban Hawaiian Center (at present called 'Spa Resort Hawaiians') in Iwaki City, Fukushima which was developed in 1961 in an attempt to stimulate the local prefecture's economy. Similar to Peter Cattaneo's "Full Monty" as well as "Linda Linda Linda", "Swing Girls" and "Backdancers", "Hula Girls" similarly centers on a group of misfits who conquer their insecurities and problems through the learning of a particular skill or talent (here Hula Dancing). While Aoi Yui ("Gaichu", "Memories of Matsuko") is given the lion's share of the movie's best moments (her dance solo in the end is marvelous), it is TV star Matsuyuki Yasuko who is the most interesting character, as a disgraced Tokyo dance instructor hoping for a second chance at redemption. The supporting cast is also quite wonderful with Toyokawa Etsushi, Yamazaki Chizuya and Kishibe Ittoku bringing great comic moments. While there is a lot of vibrant dancing in the film, particularly in the end, I kind of hoped for more elaborate and longer choreographed sequences. The comedy aspects are fun but there are scenes where you definitely will be shedding a few heartfelt tears. At 2 hours, the movie may seem long but actually I sort of wished it had continued further. Local slack key entertainer Jake Shimabukuro's music is prominently used in the background and deservedly so as it adds to the film's enjoyment. "Hula Girls" is a great, "feel good" movie that celebrates Hula and shows that the "Aloha Spirit" (which in addition to meaning hello, goodbye or love, can also refer to resolving any problem, accomplishing any goal) can transcend cultural differences and prosper in as diverse a setting as Fukushima, Japan.