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Zombiecalypse nightmare
All of Us Are Dead is South Korea's latest entry into its esscalating body of undead mayhem (Train to Busan, #Alive, Happiness).
All of Us Are Dead pulls no punches and unleashes a savage and seemingly never-ending assault of fast-running zombies on an unfortunate squad of students who've managed to survive the first wave of a zombiecalypse. With 12 episodes running 1 hr long each, it gets a bit exhausting at times due to continuous gore and violence, yet it sticks to the basics and delivers a positive outcome, although there's nothing new.
All of Us Are Dead's zombie action is never not impressive. Whether it's giant chaotic crowd shots, massive ensemble brawls, or tricky "oners," this is massively kinetic storytelling that will drain you as emotionally as it drains our heroes physically. Likewise, there are dozens of instances involving astounding body acting.
All of Us Are Dead may not offer up anything exactly new in the realm of zombie carnage other than its somewhat cruel and unrelenting nature, but sometimes that's enough to pull off some damn effective survival horror.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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Nostalgia feeling with feel-good breeze
A romance drama about two grown adults who had their documentary shoot 10 years ago and relationship thereafter, which ended eventually. After 10 years, it happens once again and yes it feels nostalgic in every way.The best thing about Our Beloved Summer that catches the eye is the cast. The charms of Kim Dami and Choi Woo Shik, who radiate youthful energy, fill up the screen, and the chemistry between the two naturally leads the story. The drama emphasizes the images of summer and thanks to this, the play’s overall atmosphere is full of freshness. Also it might feel relatable to many viewers' teenage life they lived.
The cast, whether be the lead or the supporting, had a great connection. The soundtrack is soothing and melodious which fits the setting of the drama. The story had depth, but it was fairly executed, if not efficiently. Also the supporting characters weren't given much exposure as one would have thought. Although it doesn't come close to other feel-good romance drama (like Hometown Cha Cha or When The Weather Is Fine), Our Beloved Summer manages to hold itself through freshness and nostalgic moments of reminiscing the good old teenage life.
To summarise, Our Beloved Summer ends itself as a dama that conveys the sweetness of love and the freshness of youth at the same time. It's effective enough to catch viewers' attention with it's fair, if not excellent story and screenplay.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Promising 1st act, followed by terrible 2nd and final act
Starring Kim Da Mi, The Great Flood is more than just a disaster movie, and you won't realize it unless you actually give it a try. The outcome, for me, was a big disappointment.The opening 30 minutes is breathtaking, it is the movie's strongest point. It is a "breathlessly tense" survival thriller with impressive digital effects that capture the terrifying scale of a global tsunami.
The protoganist, An-na (Kim Da-mi), a top-tier Al researcher performance is also greatly appreciated. Her maternal role performance is praiseworthy. She carries the physical and emotional weight of the movie, making her desperate fight to save her son feel grounded and believable.
The biggest problem and the twist comes in the second half, where the movie pivots from a simple disaster flick into an "ambitious action-packed puzzle box". Drawing comparisons to films like Edge of Tomorrow and Interstellar, it explores a recursive, "time-looping" narrative. However, this tonal shift leads to a super complex plot with so many loopholes, that by the final act I already got tired of seeing it till the end, and yes it still disappoints.
My thought - The Great Flood is presented as a disaster movie, however the narrative moves deeper with high ambitions, and a very little payoff.
My Rating : 3.5/10
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Worthy effort of being enjoyable, but not memorable
The Sound of Magic was one of the more eagerly awaited k-dramas of 2022, that had something different to offer than the rest of the shows.The drama could have offered more, had it not been restricted to 6 episodes. It has lovely visuals, solid performances, impressive song-and-dance numbers, and oodles of charm. Although what I would have loved to see more in the drama was the narrative, which I felt was not much effective.
The Sound of Magic has six episodes, and while they’re long, it sometimes feels like 10 or 12 would have better served the show’s ambition. Nonetheless, the drama is an enjoyable watch, if not memorable.
My Rating : 7/10
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Had more potential than it showcased
The first half of the show was quite entertaining. The ML's chemistry and comedic timing were good, and the overallproduction quality was great. The start felt fresh.Some emotional moments and quotes were also very touching.
The core theme of the story was good as well. Every person really does have their own language, shaped by beliefs, morals,
life struggles etc. In that regard, the show's message was strong, showing how people battling their own hardships are often misinterpreted or ignored. The idea worked story-wise, but not screenplay-wise. The leads' conflict swung between
unresolved and resolved that was dragged too many times, which made their chemistry very unbalanced.
After the first half, they really messed up the flow. I hated the jumbled mess of love triangles between multiple characters,
many of which were completely unnecessary,hence sidelining the core conflicts of the main characters. A lot of subplots were added, with little to no explanation towards the end.
Overall, Can This Love Be Translated started strong, with it's exploration of inner conflicts. However, the muddled second half - filled with unnecessary love arcs, draggy story and underwhelming screenplay, restricts the drama heavily, to reach to it's full potential.
My Rating : 6.5/10
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Cathartic, but a bittersweet ending
Queen of Tears is a K-drama of two halves. The first, composed of its early episodes, is an innovative take on K-drama romance. The other is a chaotic second half that squanders much of the potential of its beginning. The Netflix hit ended Sunday with a global audience that exceeded the wildly popular Crash Landing on You.In terms of chemistry, the leads were a perfect pair. It’s like they were crafted from the cosmic dust of perfect on-screen couples. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for other characters and sub-plots on the show, which are more disconcerting than fascinating.
Plotwise, the series started losing its charm in the second half as well. The amount of scenes that felt repetitive and the back and forth between the main leads only showed the lack of creativity of the writer. While the show we ended up with remains compelling, even fun, to the end, the decision to dispense with its profoundly tragic and emotional core makes the endeavor more rote and, at times, even boring. The series never recaptures the rare thrill of its early episodes, but nevertheless had a sweet ending that will surely be a satisfactory element.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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Folklore occult horror that shouldn't be missed
Exhuma is an enthralling, unique exploration of intergenerational curses, national history, and spectral hauntings. Kim Go-eun easily carries the dramatic load and Choi Min-sik gives his role a grizzled, weary authority. The journey moves viewers from the ghostly to the monstrous with meaning and history behind the horror, and while there are thought-provoking elements at play here there’s also a desire to deliver big, creepy, gory, beautiful thrills. The inclusion of rituals and ceremonies with historical influences craft a tangible world the story exists in, not necessarily adding undeniable plausibility, but certainly introducing disturbing situations steeped in beliefs and tradition.My Rating : 8/10
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Concrete description of human nature when in survival mode
Concrete Utopia doesn't do anything particularly new for the dystopian thriller sub-genre, but it’s consistently engaging and well-executed. is an emotional force of a film. Not concerned with the disaster itself or the spectacle it could employ to focus on the moment of tragedy, the film offers epic landscapes but always keeps an intimate eye on the people in the high rise.Concrete Utopia presents a disturbing picture of humanity that dribbles into the absolute worst when the social structure is dismembered and survival becomes the only need of the hour. Talking about the direction, Uhm Tae Hwa did a good job in capturing raw human nature in every possible way. The cinematography and acting, especially by Lee Byung Hun, were also enthralling.
Concrete Utopia is a gripping, disturbing, and powerful representation of the worst of society, yet equally showcasing the best qualities in humans and how hope, community, and decency will always exist through the dust and devastation.
My Rating : 8.5/10
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Blends the story of love and thriller in a well executed drama
Happiness, as the name sounds, isn't all about happiness though. This thriller drama sees an apocalyptic world where virus has created a havoc and residents of an apartment are surviving for their life.Happiness had a decent story with a very good production and overall visuals. The soundtrack though, was the best part in the entire drama. The music tuned to the perfect rhythm along with the key moments in the series.
Not forgetting about the leads who gave a commendable performance and maintained romantic chemistry among themselves. It might not be a part of my Top 5 drama of the year, but it was a very well made show which blended multiple genres/aspects and delivered a convincing result.
My Rating : 7.5/10
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An innovative concept, but finished a bit hastily
Squid Game had one of the best concepts, with mystery around few people who participates in a game with millions to win. The story is simple yet creative and it works most of the entire series.The start was strong, with violence and bloodshed during the games which built an intense environment to leave us guessing what would happen next.
The story went through well with a good last episode as well. But it still felt that it was not finished as it should have been ended, with an open ending hinting for Season 2 (Although I would have preferred this to end in a single season).
My Rating : 7/10
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Power packed with action and craziness
Bad and Crazy is an action thriller with a lot of comedy added with suspense as well. Believe me, you will not be bored in this drama due to it's intensity in story and an outstanding techno music to match with it.With an amazing political corruption plotline, adding with dual personality and drug abuse, Bad and Crazy doesn't leave anything that we cannot be impressed with. The bromance between Lee Dong Wook and Wi Ha Joon was a pleasure to watch, alongside the supporting characters who held this drama and made it power packed. Though some twists and tropes might initially leave viewers feeling muddled, power through them and the pieces slowly start to fall into place, compelling you to sit back, relax and enjoy the wild ride that is Bad and Crazy.
My Rating : 8.5/10
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A misguided fantasy
A fantasy drama retelling a story of our childhood in a confused drama version.With A-list cast, there was some sort of expectations, even if they weren't much high. But, instead of being magical, the show turned out to be boring and so hard to finish.
The first half of the show was diving into the nothingness - no story, no characterisation, only unnecessary conversations and unfunny moments. Now, about the characters. Suzy’s role was supposed to be intriguing — detached, emotionless — but it never evolved. Instead of pulling me in, it just felt flat, almost robotic. Kim Woo-bin had flashes of brilliance, but his genie/Iblis character was all over the place. One second playful, the next scary, but not in a way that felt layered… more like inconsistent writing. The supporting cast were just added layers. This is Suzy’s successive misfire, after 2023's Doona.
The visuals and OST were good, but that's about it. These were the only positives I could find about the show. In the end, the series misses an opportunity to explore the profound struggle between good and evil as it truly is.
Overall, Genie, Make A Wish is an extremely huge scale disappointment of the year.
My Rating : 2/10
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Polished & Pleasant, but too careful and safe
With an interesting dual-world premise, Love Between Lines quickly grabs attention. The drama is consistent with a good production, overall. The atmosphere is soft and inviting, and is easy to settle into.Where it falters is emotional weight. The romance is gentle and agreeable, but rarely compelling. Emotional beats are suggested rather than explored, and conflicts resolve before they can truly settle in. For a story that centered on intimacy and connection; the chemistry remains strangely restricted. The writing is okay, playing it's characters' safe through the themes of vulnerability and self protection.
Talking about the performances, the FL showed an array of emotions and her act was the best from the lot. The ML, though charming, had constraints in his expression, that at times felt awkward. The supporting characters were just there tbh, without contributing much to the story.
The pacing was inconsistent - almost 70% of the drama centered on the characters, with nothing more developmental otherwise. Towards the very end, the story progresses too quickly, making the mystery behind the ML's father's death an unconvincing arc.
Overall, Love Between Lines is very much watchable and delightful drama that smartfully tells the story in 2 different settings. However, lack of emotional weight and an inconsistent pacing, takes a lot of fun from the drama. Nonetheless, a praiseworthy and recommendable drama.
MY RATING : 3.5/5
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Through the streets of Taipei
Following around the streets of Taipei, Left Handed Girl follows a mother and her 2 daughters who just newly moved to the city.Technically, the movie is well directed, letting the audience view through the streets of Taipei through the character's POV. A vlog style direction is handled well by the newcomer Shih Ching Tsou through iPhone.
While the narrative is shaky at times, the characters are well written and shows their individual struggle to make through every day. Three generations of women working to support their families reveal archaic beliefs about gender and superstitions about left-handedness.
The biggest highlight of the movie was Nina Ye playing a 5 year old kid, seeing her family struggle through various situations and her own dilemma of being left-handed. There was pure innocence in her performance that really made me stick to the movie till the end.
Narratively, the focus was not constant. The pacing was uneven, the characters especially Shih-Hua-Ma could have been written better.
My Rating : 3.5/5
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A love letter to music
A story of a band and it's members, Glass Heart is a rare japanese drama that shines because of it's production, story, music and the characters.The series explores the struggles and joys of creating music and performing, as well as the power of music to connect people and transcend personal hardships. The story of a band's formation and their journey to success resonates with viewers who love music or dream of making it themselves. The soundtrack was absolutely amazing - energetic as well as soulful.
The characters are well-written and their backstories are explored as well. While the first half was totally fire, the second half loses a little momentum wherein a lot of aspects are covered in a very short time. The other characters' (Sho Takaoka and Sakamoto Kazushi) background could have been explored a little more.
Overall, Glass Heart is a well-made J-drama with high value production and a strong music that resonates with audience that appreciates music and stories about creative process.
My Rating : 8.5/10
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