John Hart

I was a little disappointed with the ending. Not a lot, just a little. But that is so common for C-Dramas, and usually it's more than a little.

Thanks for the tip! And what is WKW?

I won't spoil, but in Ep 27 you realize how attached you are to these characters.

We're in sync! My wife and I are doing one each morning with coffee. We start 27 tomorrow.

Forgive me, I guess 'nothing' and 'fluffy' seem harsh, but I don't mean it that way. Because a 9.5 about these characters and such is high rating. What would make it a 10 is if we found out it's a true story rather accurately told, right? Since it's not that but instead a brilliantly conceived 'people opera', it just lacks that one final 'thing' to make it a rave recommendation.

('People Opera' is my just made up term for a soap opera that is better than a soap opera.)

I will re-consider a 10.0 rating if this show sticks the landing, something nearly all other C-Dramas fumble.

I'm almost 2/3rds of the way thru and this 7.8 rating is ridiculous. Unless the series utterly collapses in the last third, this is currently a 9.5 from me. What makes it imperfect is that it's much ado about nothing. Where IMPERFECT VICTIM is about a complicated tricky subject, this series is kinda fluffy. But it's extraordinary high quality.

To be fair a lot of her movies are dismiss-able pin-up fluff. I do recommend SOME LIKE IT HOT, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, but especially the wildly ahead of it's time THE MISFITS.

MISFITS was an obvious source of inspiration for David Lynch. The story is sad and bleak, the tale of women navigating a man's world. Her husband playwright Arthur Miller wrote the story, and you get the impression he was a feminist telling her real story. It was her last completed film, haunting and yet ultimately epic in it's little way.

You and I agree on something: Zhou Xun. She's my favorite too. I'm a huge fun of Bette Davis from classic cinema, and I consider Zhou Xun the Chinese Bette Davis. That is my highest compliment. No one in America has followed in Bette's steps.

Do be a Bette Davis you career must be interesting at any age. Young Zhou Xun is charming, older Zhou Xun is compelling -- can't get enough of her.

RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE is how I became enamored with Zhou Xun and Xin Zhe Lei.

I spent decades knowing about Marilyn Monroe but not really knowing her movies. Then I did and I understood why she was a legend. But one of her most memorable moments is where she's only a supporting actress in ALL ABOUT EVE. In that film --

-- she essentially plays herself, a young unknown Hollywood actress. A wise critic type encourages her to go flirt with a Hollywood producer. She's a normal woman until she commits to introducing herself -- and THEN -- she launches like a torpedo from a submarine. Like a weapon.

https://youtu.be/SKhyLCjIpvw?t=35

Xin Zhe Lei is a gifted actress and stunning woman, but in this series she's also a weapon. I've seen other Chinese actresses attempt weapon status but really they're few and far between. Women that can slice thru barriers like a knife thru butter.

It's so much fun to watch a 'weapon' in action.

Il ne s’agit là que de notes préliminaires en préparation d’une critique à venir. En d’autres termes, si vous appréciez les films de Woody Allen — ceux où les personnages explorent les relations amoureuses, l’infidélité, et ainsi de suite — il est fort probable que cette série vous plaise également.

A solid 8 for a soapy speculative fiction piece. It would have been a 9 but for a convoluted subplot and that sad final episode which decided to not tie up a theme in an artistic way.

More here --

https://kisskh.at/profile/JohnHart/review/562664

It's weird to have been on this page all along to only have the Big Chi-eese agree with me.

It ties with the other best series I've ever seen, TO THE WONDER -- which is almost the same length and stars the same female lead.

Agreed! FLAWLESS!

OMG. I'm watching the ML in REGENERATION and thinking he's TERRIFIC. And now I learn he's in this?!? With Miss Terrific herself!!! WOW

Is this thing finally finally finally OUT?

FLAWLESS except for one goofed edit, but it's so minor most would miss it.

For fans who've seen this, my review includes an alternate ending. I'd love to know what you think -- https://kisskh.at/profile/JohnHart/review/551248

If you find my review above (set it to 'Most Recent') you'll see my take on how the story should have ended. I felt the series set up my ending but dodged it at the last second.

Just completed it. It's both a recommend but a warning that the story kinda unravels and gets sloppy towards the end. Leaves you satisfied, but not as satisfied as you could have been. Worth seeing if you don't know the two leads.

I'm still watching. I can promise you it's great thru Ep 18 -- 19 is bumpy -- and (so far) the quality drops to pretty good afterwards, although I'm around 23 now.

It's a great role. She was as good in SNOWY NIGHTS, TIMELESS LOVE and THE YOUTH MEMORIES.