The Magic Hour (2008 film)

The Magic Hour (ザ・マジックアワー) is a 2008 Japanese comedy film written and directed by Kōki Mitani.

This is the fourth film by director Koki Mitani, following The Uchōten Hotel. Set in the fictional port town of Sukago, the film depicts the slapstick that ensues when an unsuccessful actor is turned into a "legendary hit man" by the boss of the town who has his hands on his mistress. A big movie fan, Mitani's comedy is littered with homages to famous scenes from Hollywood classics and Japanese masterpieces. As an example of homage, Eri Fukatsu sings on the crescent moon in the play, which is Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, and the song is I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, which Sean Penn sang to Samantha Morton.

According to photography experts, "the golden hour, sometimes called the 'magic hour', is roughly the first hour of light after sunrise, and the last hour of light before sunset, although the exact duration varies between seasons. During these times the sun is low in the sky, producing a soft, diffused light which is much more flattering than the harsh midday sun."

In photography and cinematography, the magic hour is only a moment and the most beautiful time of the day, when afterglow of a sunset lights up around. By extension in this film, it means "the most glittering years of everyone's life".

A Chinese remake, Too Cool to Kill, was released in 2022.