The Butterfly

"Certain things don't rely on fate or luck but on the heart"

Please Don’t Be Moved aka Qiu Qiu Ni Bie Xin Dong throws you right into the story and continues at a breakneck speed as it races to the ending. The cast is kept to a minimum so that the focus stays on the main couple and their lightning fast journey.

You have to be quick to catch the thrust of the plot which is that a young woman had been transported into the story she was reading just as Yu Wan Wan was to be married. While her betrothed An Tang stood by, his illegitimate brother broke up the wedding and carried Wan Wan away convinced that she was a spy. Wan Wan believed the only way she could return home was by kissing An Tang. The villain, Chi Han, was quite persuasive as he fell in love with her causing Wan Wan to have to make a decision---Stay with the sexy villain or kiss the petty hero and go home?

If you are a fan of wrist grabs, there are wrist grabs aplenty and even a little sexy time. I’m always amazed how these short dramas push the envelope with kisses and intimate moments compared to full length dramas. Wang Xing Wei brought on the smolder as bad boy Chi Han. The philosophy of the writers seemed to be more is more with the emotional angst and longing. If fireworks are good, fireworks with snowflakes are better! The biggest drawback to the drama was that in trying to cram as much story as they could into a short amount of time, episodes often started in a completely different setting or emotional place than the last one finished in. The first few episodes were uneven narratively and emotionally but found a better balance as it went along. Certain key elements were skipped over to arrive in the place the writers wanted them to be, just the big moments arrived on screen, not the steps to get there.

Please Don’t Be Moved was a cheesy, fun, rollercoaster ride even when it bordered on whiplash inducing damage as characters’ emotions made drastic turns and pertinent plot points bounced in and out. If you enjoy time travel Cdramas and have 45 minutes to invest, this is one you might want to give a try.

11/2/23

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"Is it expensive because it's special, or special because it's expensive?"

Hunger followed Aoy from street food chef to the world of decadent fine dining. Thailand's class divide was explored through the world of cooking with a rather dismal view of the wealthy and the chefs who catered to them. The competition for food and domination led the main characters to define what it was they were really hungry for and what they were willing to sacrifice to sate that craving.

Aoy works in her family's small, crowded restaurant. Her friends are all searching for jobs, envious that she had a job waiting on her after graduation. Tone, a sous chef for Hunger, an exclusive catering company for the extremely wealthy, gives her a card to audition for a job opening. As run down and hot as the family eatery is, Hunger is large, militantly clean and organized, and run with an iron fist by Chef Paul.

During Aoy's tenure with the volatile chef, she learns much about herself and her hunger. Initially, she hungered to be special. As she is introduced to the lavish styles of the rich and famous she yearns for some of that for herself, especially when she sees Chef Paul treated like a rock star. Chef Paul hungers to remain relevant and on top, willing to do anything necessary to stay there. When he crosses the line legally, Aoy realizes she can no longer work for the popular chef. But she goes from one frying pan into the fiery wok. A promoter named Tos hires her to be the head chef for his new restaurant. She becomes scarcely more than a marketable commodity which all comes to a head at a bacchanalia party pitting her against Chef Paul in a cook-off.

Chef Paul's disdain for the upper class that kept him in his expensive home and lifestyle was shown through the meals he prepared for them. Bloody food, red sauces dripping from lips, raw meat lowered from the ceiling in a theatrical show brought out the primal, even sacrificial instincts in the diners. They didn't have the ability to understand quality, only the showmanship and popularity of the chef. In contrast, Aoy hungered to cook with love and with the flavors that had meaning for her. She hoped to touch the place inside where familial memories remained.

Hunger asked some interesting questions. "Is it expensive because it's special or special because it's expensive?" Which begged the question in regards to Chef Paul, was his food any good or did the diners perceive it to be good because of the display and rarity of ingredients? When Chef Paul insisted a diner drag the lobster tail through a gray sauce reminiscent of clay, did it actually taste delicious or was it supposed to because of the presentation? Also, "What you eat represents your social status." Which, again, doesn't always imply quality, just more rarity of delicacies.

Hunger went beyond the desires of food and class and even briefly delved into the physical. While massaging a slice of meat, Aoy and Tone shared a primal intimate moment as they caressed each other with their meat covered hands. Tone did not share the same level of hunger for fame and success as Aoy and Chef Paul leading to problems between the two young people.

The two ambitious chefs ended up seeking different routes to satisfy their ravenous cravings to be the best. Chef Paul was willing to sacrifice anyone and anything, including his morals to remain the supreme chef to the wealthy. Aoy had to determine what she was truly hungry for. Could only the hedonistic rich crown her with success and self-esteem or could her hunger be satisfied elsewhere?

If hunger had a flaw, it would be that the hammering of the debauchery of the wealthy was done too repeatedly and without any nuance. The film did seem overly long as well. I can't say that the bloody looking plates of food seemed appealing but they did showcase Chef Paul's inner contempt for his clients.

The central thrust of the film came down to Aoy's choices. Aoy had to decide what she truly hungered for and what would satisfy that inner craving to be special. What would she be willing to part with and what did she want to embrace? Hunger may not have completely satisfied me or introduced me to anything new, but I found it comforting and not too overbaked.

4/8/23

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Microhabitat reveals the choices, sacrifices and comprises people make as they become adults.

Miso, the title character, makes a living cleaning houses and lives on the edge of homelessness. Her joys in life consist of cigarettes, a glass of Glenfiddich whiskey, and her poverty stricken boyfriend. When her rent increases and the price of cigarettes doubles she makes the decision to move out of her unfurnished room.

Miso then begins the adventure of visiting her old band mates who have moved on and become more of what society expected of them. It’s a movie divided into chapters, each with a different friend she encounters with her meager belongings on her back.

Each of her friends have changed so much she barely recognizes them. They are all tethered to their own suffering—a stressful job, a loveless marriage, unwanted motherhood, divorce, etc. Despite her situation she brings understanding and kindness to each doorstep even when she is met with a lack of understanding from her former friends.

Like a warm breeze blowing through their lives, each person’s quiet desperation is revealed and Miso’s contented nonconformist life doesn’t seem quite so absurd.

Microhabitat is more observation than strict storytelling. Esom brings a serene almost ethereal quality to the screen as she shows Miso’s quiet determination. Her friends’ “normal” lives seem almost manic in contrast.

Microhabitat touches on what we value, the compromises people make, the economic fragility of people’s situations, and the depth of friendships. It’s a slow film with moments of humor, tenderness, and biting revelation. Miso’s choices may not sit well with everyone but they raise questions about what brings us joy, what we are willing to sacrifice, and the need for safety nets we all need whether emotional or financial.

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"The truth depends on who tells it best"

Copycat Killer was a copycat of numerous serial killer stories, set apart only by its relentless and gratuitous images of young women been tortured and murdered. Told in a time before social media, it tried to paint television news as bringing as much chaos to society as the brutal murders of imperfect victims.

The drama utilized character types we’ve seen before. Chris Wu played the brilliant and moral prosecutor with a tragic past who is a thorn in everyone’s side for not tolerating any dishonesty and doggedly devoting his life to solving crimes. I found this confusing. Prosecutors in my country use the evidence police bring them to go to court and try the cases, they don’t dig up the evidence themselves. Cammy Chiang was the overly earnest young reporter disillusioned with the news media. The criminally underused Ko Chia Yen was Wu’s ex and a psychologist to help him make sense of the killers’ motivations. Ko is a gifted actress who had few scenes and none of which showed her range. Ruby Lin’s news anchor and producer had potential but the writing let her down as well. The villains ranged from mildly complex to laughable.

Copycat’s writing was uneven and the pacing slow. The first three episodes were more confusing than world building. Story lines that promised follow-ups were dropped. In the initial episode, a killer made the statement, “As long as the evil in your heart is triggered, anyone out there has the capacity to become a killer…Do you think there’s no evil in you?” The writing clumsily tried to push Wu’s prosecutor into that ethical corner. The news media was shown as morally bankrupt, uncaring of how much damage their coverage did to victims and their families as long as the ratings were high. Due to their race to air the most graphic or emotionally volatile content they became complicit in the killers’ crimes.

Aside from the writing and pacing issues, the main problem I had with this drama was its depiction of women. It tried to have it both ways-repeatedly show scantily clad women tortured and murdered in a titillating manner and then call out the media and society for blaming the victims. One character that was written for us to empathize with due to his loyalty and connection to main characters simply emphasized how unimportant young women’s lives were. The noble citizenry vilified the imperfect young women as being unworthy of justice and finding their killers a waste of tax payer money. The old myth of only the perfect victim, the chaste and obedient woman from a good family, being worthy of our sympathy or help was trotted out again and again. Perhaps Copycat was highlighting how victims and their families are often victimized as much by “righteous” people as the criminals who committed the heinous crimes but the lingering shots on chained women or extended scenes of gratuitously murdered women muddied those waters. The drama also briefly addressed the troubling old belief that the family of a perpetrator was as guilty as the criminal and not worthy of a happy life even if they had nothing to do with their relative’s actions.

Copycat Killer was a disturbing drama, not because it dealt with serial killers or had gory scenes, which it did, but because in trying to show society’s misogynistic and limited views of women they simply reinforced violence against women as a means of entertainment.

11/17/23

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Walk, Eat, Wander and don't miss out on this delightful drama!

One Day Off was a soothing, tranquil drama which showed that all who wander are not lost. Served up in eight small bites of travel and food, the drama was easy to digest. It was also gently inspiring without overstepping into preachiness.

Teacher Park Ha Kyung dealt with life's stressors and monotony by using one of her weekly days off to travel. She explored new and old places meeting a variety of people along the way. Sunsets, bakeries, and butterflies led her to some of life's small and grand adventures.

By escaping her daily rut physically and mentally she stretched her mind and heart. "Life is about messing up!" Reflecting on how she was the same age her parents were when they had children, she also found ways to accept the inevitable effects of time and aging. She faced generational conflicts, "Democracy is always loud by nature" and learned to "Dance, even if you trip!" Her traveling also helped her to come to terms with grief and loss as she reminisced.

The drama was beautifully shot and helped the viewer briefly travel to new and interesting places as well. Lee Na Young made for a perfectly lovely traveling companion on these simple but enlightening journeys. Showing how Ha Kyung was slightly awkward at times, but more often than not accepting of where she was in life, I thoroughly enjoyed her performance. She gave just the right balance of maturity and youthful inquisitiveness.

Each episode encompassed a new idea as well as place and touched on various emotions. The drama offered up laughter, sorrow, and new relationship possibilities. Every place on her travel itinerary featured delightful food offerings. One Day Off highlighted how the moments of clarity, joy, and human connections make the efforts worthwhile. It also showed how those same wanderings can deepen the pathway into knowing ourselves, sparking new curiosity for adventures of the mind, regardless of age. Walk, eat, wander---One Day Off shows the journey is truly more important than the destination.

6/2/23

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"One mistake can lead to irreversible regret"

The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon was a tough film to rate and harder to review. The film showed how different people react when death stares them in the eye. Do you attempt to mend your ways or seek a lasting legacy no matter how reprehensible?

Chen Kui Lin aka the Kuilin Kid made a name for himself by taking out not one, but two mob bosses. While lying low he discovers from a pharmacist who treats gangsters that he has stage 4 lung cancer. She works to convince him to do the right thing and turn himself in. After praying to General Guan and tossing the divination sticks nine times he goes to the police station to do just that. Problem being that an armored car had turned over and people were lined up to turn in the money they’d pilfered. While waiting he sees a wanted poster with the top three fugitives. He was ranked #3. At that moment he determines to take out the top two to improve his legacy.

The first half of the film had numerous brutal, no holds barred fights between Kui Lin and the cop Chen Hui and between Kui Lin and Hongkie. Hongkie was vile, a rapist, and deadly. No tears shed for anything bad happening to him. The second half of the film delved into the spiritual side and repentance. Even a killer like Kui Lin could grasp at the thread of hope. At least before the violence erupted into new disturbing levels.

I’ve never been an Ethan Juan fan but I have to admit he did an admirable job as the killer who could murder people easily but could also be quite affable and charming. He rescued at least two people and tried to save a third. That didn’t mean he was a good guy and it would be wrong to idolize him. His last violent act disturbed me greatly and threw me into a moral quandary attempting to understand his reasoning.* The final twist wasn’t much of a twist and in the end, it didn’t matter, at least to Kui Lin.

The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon had high production values and well shot fight scenes. The acting was quite good and Ethan Juan made it hard to not feel some empathy for his character. The story could be uneven and the final third of the film took too long to resolve. Far from glorifying the gangster lifestyle, it showed that three evils no matter how fair or repugnant they might appear to be needed to be vanquished. Interestingly, only one facing death had the courage to do something unorthodox to rid society of the animalistic ills.

3 March 2024


***********Spoiler below**********
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The only way I could resolve the massacre at the cult was that after all the evil they had done including murder and destroying at least one child’s future, he thought they would continue their wicked ways . Many of the people in the cult who did not heed his warning knew it was a scam and were enforcers and the others who stayed behind were either in on it or so brainwashed that would continue to drive people to suicide or murder when ordered. The ambiguity of the ones left behind who were killed was very distressing to me and why I didn’t rate this film higher.
In the end, Kui Lin paid for his crimes and the pharmacist who got her three birds, actually a whole flock, with one stone was also facing a painful death herself.

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"Our mouths can tell lies, but our hearts don't believe it"

Analog Squad was a heartwarming made family and biological family drama that reached inside and touched me. Execution can make or break a story that’s been told before in different ways and this story nailed it. Without becoming maudlin the characters all faced secrets that they were keeping or were being kept from them.

“We lie to make other people happy”
Pond is a mysterious character when we meet him. He’s hired his ex-girlfriend to play his wife, a guy who works at a pager company to play his son, and a young woman whose family owns a video rental store to play his daughter. They head south to visit his dying father whom he hasn’t seen in over a decade. When his father makes a miraculous recovery the fake family has some tap dancing to do to keep the charade up.

“Everyone lies for their own sake”
Each of the family members is hiding a secret or several. Pond keeps secret why he left home, why his wife and children left him, and a host of other problems. Lilly/Mam is hiding a health problem. Keg/Mon hides the fact that his mom whom he adores is a nude model and that he’s going to the United States. His mom is hiding a whopper of a secret from him. Bung/Mag is hiding the fact that she’s a lesbian from her family, plus a family member is hiding a devastating secret from her. Pond’s biological daughter discovers a secret as she’s preparing to be married.

“Because when you compare it to death, anger is literally nothing”
The secrets could be overwhelming at times but most of them were dealt with a loving and forgiving hand as the characters worked through their complex feelings. This made family became deeply entwined with Pond’s parents and with each other. Just as real families struggle to communicate and confront complicated problems, the fake family found themselves dealing with many of the same issues. As they worked together and spent time with the “grandparents” they began to untangle some of the knotted challenges in their own lives.

“You have to accept that mistakes are a part of life and you deal with them”
The made family began to develop deep feelings for each other and the couple they were lying to, including love and guilt. The journey that took the longest to traverse was the one that had started the convoluted mess everyone found themselves in-Pond’s. Running away from the truth had caused him to make decisions that went from bad to worse over three decades and brought him to a place where he was ready to take his own life.

“Sometimes waiting is its own form of happiness”
For those of us old enough to remember the 1990’s and Y2K, this will bring back some memories. People were afraid that computers would stop working and planes would fall out of the sky. The fear was that it would be similar to an EMP blast that would cause technology to cease. Some of the technology on display included portable CD players (the darn skipping!), videos and video stores, and ancient looking computers that held less than your cell phone and were slow. Then there was the now almost obsolete technology of pagers and phone booths. Pond’s dad owned a photography studio and used cameras with film. They did a good job of taking us back to 1999 after the financial collapse and the devastation it caused people. By setting most of the story in a small village it was believable that it was 24 years ago. The best part of the cinematography were the shots of the gorgeous Thai scenery. The forests, water, and islands were stunning.

“There are no real or fake bonds. If we feel it, we feel it.”
This story of healing, reconciliation, forgiveness, and growth both in the family and made family was satisfying on several levels. Not every problem was neatly tied up in a bow, but most were resolved satisfactorily. Each member of the newly expanded family discovered something that filled an empty place in their heart. The family might have been fake but the love was real.

9 Dec 2023

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Ditto

Somewhere a screenwriter was watching the movie Ghost for the fifth time and decided it would make a great drama. Just trade out a police officer who can see ghosts for the clairvoyant Whoopi Goldberg and Satoh Takeru for Patrick Swayze. The title I Should Have Told You a Million Times was even reflected in the 1990 movie. If you've seen the movie, nothing in this drama will come as a surprise. Having said that, the characters were all likeable enough to keep my interest throughout the drama.

The story opens with a Sixth Sense beginning, but if you've read the synopsis, the suspense fell flat. Thankfully, they didn't drag it out. Yui and Naoki were childhood friends who reconnected and began dating. On her birthday, he disappears. Along comes Detective Uozumi whose latent spiritual sight evolves just in time to see Naoki. Uozumi works to figure out what happened to Naoki while he's embroiled in another murder investigation. The three become friends as they dig through the past to see how old relationships and old crimes are playing havoc with the present. There were also some Ghost Whisperer moments where they helped a couple of wandering ghosts with their regrets.

Despite some repetitious scenes and obvious borrowing from other sources, I enjoyed the story as it unfolded. The bromance that developed between Naoki and Uozumi helped cover over some of the weaker writing. The suave Satoh Takeru and nerdy Matsuyama Kenichi had a nice chemistry. Inoue Mao showed how hard it is to let go as Yui held on tight to a man she couldn't see. With all the extra time they were given and a translator as well, it was frustrating that Yui and Naoki didn't work through their emotions and regrets. In some ways, their relationship came across as fairly shallow instead of an intimate love---words matter.

The supernatural murder mystery came to its natural ending in episode 9, but then they decided to tack on a wish fulfillment ending for the last episode that almost completely ruined this drama for me. With one little tweak they had the opportunity to showcase the perfect ending for a tearjerker drama but by dragging it out, took all of the emotional punch from the previous episode. In time, I will block out the last episode, grind through the five stages of grief and remember the other episodes and engaging characters fondly.

7/5/23

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An affair tells the story of a married woman in her late thirties drowning in a gray world of mediocrity and what happens when she is confronted by passion and desire.

Seo Hyeon’s reserved life is comfortable but devoid of color and dreams. She is married to a man she has never been in love with. Her uninspired life is reflected by the traffic report station her car radio is set on.

U-in returns to Korea to start a new job and prepare for his marriage to Seo Hyeon’s sister. He is a young man bound by his father’s expectations. He falls in love with Seo Hyeon at first sight despite their age difference. Slowly and deliberately he pursues her. She tries to take refuge in familial duty but succumbs to his advances.

Seo Hyeon’s time with him is awash in colors, feelings, and dreams. He exchanges her traffic station for romantic guitar music and her predictable existence for one of excitement. For the first time in her life she falls deeply in love.

Ultimately she has three choices:
Choose to destroy her family and leave for a new life with U-in.
Maintain her duty to her family and stay with a man she has never loved.
Take a chance on herself and leave the gray world that has enveloped her.

Each choice has consequences involving loss. The question is which choice can she best live with?

The loves scenes are sensual in this movie and a bit of a shock after watching the guppy kisses of Kdramas. There is a sense of intimacy even in the scenes where they don’t touch as well.

The movie never seeks to excuse their relationship, more to understand her need for a lifeline out of the dark ok-ness she has settled for.

Lee Mi Sook and Lee Jung Jae bring these characters to life, their passion, love, and guilt.

The musical was okay, but not particularly memorable.

As far as rewatch value goes-just like U-in’s love for Seo Hyeon, An Affair is highly addictive.

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Res ipsa loquitur

Joseon Attorney 'appealed' to me because it stars Woo Do Hwan and it’s an historical, two of my favorite things. However, at 16 one-hour episodes it could not ‘sustain’ any level of intensity. Uneven performances and storytelling almost made me hold it in ‘contempt’. Woo Do Hwan’s performance ended up being the ‘grounds’ for me to finish it. Oh yeah, going to be law puns in this review!

Han Su and his buddy Dong Chi come to town looking to make money while plotting revenge on the people responsible for killing Han Su’s parents. Along the way he meets an undercover princess and turns enemies into friends.

I almost dropped this drama after the first episode as I 'judged' it to be cringey in the most 'arbitrary' way. Instead, I bit the bullet and was able to finish the 'rest' of the episodes. As the ‘cases’ became more interesting and the revenge plot deepened, I began to enjoy it more. The romance felt unearned and didn’t ‘exhibit’ much chemistry between Han Su and So Won. My chief ‘complaint’ was that So Won’s character wasn’t written very well. She was earnest but despite saying she trusted Han Su, her ‘actions’ constantly countermanded him. Bona had one expression which made her character even more uninteresting. Yoo Ji Sun had a similar emotional 'delivery' 'issue'. The king was largely ‘incompetent’ needing others to help make 'decisions' and couldn’t ‘bail’ anyone out.

The story 'diminished' in the last few episodes. The king 'rendered a decision' based on 'facts not in evidence' that drastically ‘damaged’ Han Su. In almost no time, Han Su ‘waived’ the ‘offense’ and was back to being buddies with the king. The ‘execution’ of alternating between comedy and drama was not well done. Woo Do Hwan ‘demonstrated’ a wide variety of emotions with his usual skill. The ‘issue’ of going from laughter to tears and back again, and not ‘settling’ on a thematic mood made it difficult for me to care about the characters as I find comedic responses to serious problems distancing. The OST lacked in coherency and was ‘liable’ to cause ‘motion’ sickness as it bounced from music inspired by 1970’s television, to rock, to overtly melodramatic tunes. Trying to fit in as many bromances as possible also ‘challenged’ the veracity of the story.

Joseon Attorney didn’t raise the ‘bar’ for historicals, but I don’t hold it ‘in contempt’ either. I’d make the ‘argument’ it could have been more ‘brief’ instead of dragging out the episodes and I ‘penalized’ it for some of the weaker performances. The drama didn’t do Woo Do Hwan’s talents any ‘justice’ either. After ‘examining the evidence’, my ‘verdict’ is that while it was ‘unobjectionable’, it was not ‘effectual’.

7 July 2024


*res ipsa loquitur-the things speaks for itself

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"Even before we entered the world we were marked by karma."

Lady Snowblood is the film that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. Yuki's blood spewing revenge is a cautionary tale of feminine vengeance. Splendidly filmed with an impassioned OST, the unique style based on a manga, and the excellent acting make this film one worth seeking out if you enjoy this genre.

Born to a dying mother in a prison on a snowy day, Yuki was charged with her family's vendetta against the villains who murdered her father and brother and viciously raped her mother. She grew up trained by a ruthless master to become the hand of death to the group that had decimated her family. One by one she hunts the villains down, in her lovely kimonos with a deadly umbrella to gracefully slash her way through the people who had inspired this life she'd never asked for. Beneath her beautiful veneer lay a dark and fiery need for payback for her dead family, one she had never known. Tasked with never feeling emotion, Yuki retains shreds of compassion as she interacts with those she comes across in her rampage. Ironically, she opens another cycle of vengeance by her actions.

The film lays the blood spewing on thick, every slash sends the gooey red paint flying everywhere. Puddles of blood enough for a slain army float around the unlucky bodies. As the story begins on a snowy day with a child born pure but commissioned with her first breaths with the bloody job of vengeance, so the ending scene leaves the beautiful assassin with her butterfly kimono covered in blood in the snow wondering if there is life after revenge.

There were some subtle and not so subtle political messages about corruption in the upper echelons of the military and government. And though the plight of the poor was pointed out, it dispelled the myth that the poor are always good hearted. I wish there had been more of an attempt to understand what a woman must feel growing up with brutal training and an unbreakable oath for people she had never met.

As many older martial arts films with swordplay tended to do, this one used the almost dance and slash technique. Best to not think too hard about the fight choreography from a realistic stance but to admire it for the stylistic forms.

Lady Snowblood was in many ways similar to other revenge fueled martial arts movies but elevated by the haunting music, colorful cinematography, and the stellar acting of Kaji Meiko. If eyes were knives, her targets would already be dead with the cold steely glare she honed in on them with. Kaji's expressive face and graceful moves enhanced the tension filled moments of her hunting her prey even when she had to settle for satisfaction instead of revenge.

If you are looking for a modern movie you may be disappointed. This is a film rich in character with old style effects. Revenge is a dish best served cold and Lady Snowblood served it on a silver blade.

"Forgive me! Spare me!"
"I shall do neither."

3/2/23

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"Everything will be fine when the sun rises"

From the moment you see four white circles dancing over frosted tree tops you know you are watching a master at work. Director Zhang Yi Mou takes on the spy genre with the grace and flare he has refined over the decades.

Four Chinese spies trained in the USSR drop into Japanese controlled Manchuria to rescue an escaped prisoner of the dreaded Beiyinhe camp, where prisoners were tortured, experimented on and killed. They want him to tell his story so that the world will know what is going on in those devilish camps. Unfortunately, from the moment they hit the snow covered ground and split up they find themselves in even greater danger because a traitor has revealed their mission to the enemy.

Xiang Chen partners with Lan as Team 1, while his wife, Yu, and Lan's lover Chu Liang form Team 2. Both teams run into subterfuge and lies dipped in murderous intent. The pace of the film moves ever forward with enough chases through the snow on foot, in trains, and in automobiles to keep things exciting. It's often a cat and mouse and cat and mole frantic affair. The script took a sentimental turn at the end, which frankly, I enjoyed because I'm a big softie at heart, even when watching a spy film. That's not to say there wasn't violence, fair warning for the squeamish, there were some utterly brutal torture scenes and deaths.

Zhang Yi Mou took a flawed script and made it gripping as each of the team members had to get by on their wits as well as their training. His trademark stunning shots and framing were in effect in every scene. This truly looked like a frigid world, emotionally and physically. The Republican Era costumes were sharp and spy approved black with plenty of Fedoras and fur-lined coats. Cho Young Wuk's music perfectly fit the scenes regardless of the mood. The closing song's melody was hauntingly beautiful. As a whole the film was stunningly put together.

Zhang Yi as the team leader did an admirable job playing the skilled and stoic spy. Yu He Wei as Zhou, the man dangerously straddling two worlds had me rooting for him and hoping I wasn't wrong. Unlike many Zhang Yi Mou films, the women's roles seemed less well defined though the two female spies held their own as they struggled to find a way out of the traps they were in.

Cliff Walkers wasn't a perfect film but I found it engaging nonetheless and a treat for the eyes and ears. Zhang Yi Mou has run afoul of the censors before so hopefully, this more patriotic film will give him more room to work in future endeavors. Having said that, he kept the political propaganda to a minimum focusing more on the individuals, their strategies to overcome the terrible odds and sacrifices that had to be made. I found it to be a well made spy thriller and worth checking out, especially if you enjoy this director's works.

9/24/22

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I looked forward to watching this drama because I liked the actors, writer, and singer-song writer. Unfortunately, I wanted to like it more than I did.

Story-The Good
A lot of US shows I’ve watched have a 6 to 2 or 7 to 2 ratio of male to female characters unlike real life. Strong female relationships are often sorely lacking. The writer of OSN has about a 50/50 ratio of male to female characters. The FL has close relationships with her sisters and friends! And surprisingly the mothers aren’t harpies. I found this encouraging and refreshing. I will seek out future dramas by this writer.

The Bad
I have no problem with slow burn romances but someone forgot to turn the crockpot on for this one. As of episode 18 the story was still trying to find traction. I struggled to connect with the FL’s motivation, the ML’s and her ex’s.

The Ugly
The FL had the characteristics of MLs I dislike. She was domineering, selfish, and unsympathetic. Just when she seemed to have some character growth she would revert back. The one time the ML showed vulnerability she pulled back instead of reassuring him and later punished him in a humiliating way. I couldn’t figure out what he saw in her and why he fell so hard when he had been burned badly before. I wanted to feel caught up in their romance but it felt flat to me.

Acting
I was underwhelmed by Han Ji Min and I loved her in Hyde,Jekyll, and Me. And who took the light out of Jung Hae In’s smile and the salt out of his tears? The baddies seemed tired and toothless as if they couldn’t figure out why they were doing what they were doing. Overall the acting wasn’t terrible but I’ve seen several of these actors do a much better job.

OST
As always, I love Rachael Yamagata’s music. However, the music clips often didn’t match the mood of the scene.

Rewatch Value
Not likely. Or maybe one day I’ll try again when I’m in a different mood and it will speak to me. Sadly I don’t think that it will as much as I will want it to.

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"Happiness is not a story, misfortune is"

Young love is a heady experience that eventually has to give way to maturity and communication or else the relationship is doomed to failure. Us and Them showed how love blossomed and faded, but never scattered away.

Jian Qing and Fang Xiao Xiao meet on a train headed to their hometown for Lunar New Year celebrations. The two hit it off and become friends. Both are struggling to make their dreams come true in Beijing. Xiao Xiao dates men older than her who are established because she wants to live in a nice house. After Jian Qing graduates from college, he works odd jobs selling games and porn. His dream is to create a video game but struggles with a lack of time and resources. After a second broken heart, Xiao Xiao moves into Qing’s cramped accommodations and the two eventually become lovers. Financial struggles begin to take a toll on the two as they attempt to make a living in Beijing.

By presenting the couple in the present (in black and white) and the past (in color) we learn how their expectations changed over time. Xiao Xiao went from wanting to live in a nice house to being content to live in a veritable dungeon with Qing. Qing doesn’t get that message and the pressure in his mind to measure up begins to build. Even as their fortunes change, Qing doesn’t comprehend what Xiao Xiao truly wanted. The older versions are able to look back on their younger selves and see the missteps and inevitabilities along the way.

The most heartbreaking element of the film for me, was Qing’s relationship with his father. His black and white problem-solving brain missed what his father tried to tell him. He diminished the sacrifices his father made for him, only realizing how his words cut when it was too late. Sometimes it is too late to say, “I’m sorry.”

Rene Liu created a gorgeous film with stunning snowy vistas, beautiful autumn walks, and claustrophobic living spaces. Jing Bo Ran and Zhou Dong Yu had a believable chemistry as young lovers and older, maybe wiser adults. Tian Zhuang Zhuang gave a touching performance as Qing’s dedicated father.

Us and Them conveyed through the obstacles Qing and Xiao Xiao faced that love isn’t always enough. Communication, trust, perseverance, and understanding are required to hang in for the long haul. All of these things are made even more difficult in poverty and when always on the move for shelter. The dumbest movie advice ever came from 1970’s Love Story, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” It’s just the opposite, love whether romantic or familial means saying you’re sorry and always working to do better. Or I suppose as this film declared, “If you see Kelly, tell her I’m sorry.” Us and Them was a bittersweet tale of love, heartache, and healing well worth giving a try.

17 September 2025

Patti Smyth may have said it best:


There’s a danger in loving somebody too much
And it’s sad when you know it’s your heart you can’t trust
There’s a reason why people don’t stay where they are
Baby, sometimes love just ain’t enough


Final note:
Don't skip the credits with real people giving ex-lovers messages. My fave..."Don't come back!" lol It also had a short epilogue.

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"Everyone lies"

I began Regeneration knowing nothing about it and was rewarded with compelling storytelling. If you have ever watched Kurosawa Akira’s Rashomon, you’ll find they have something in common. Never wholly trust in a witness’ testimony---"It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.”

At a memorial for conman Fei Ke, five seemingly disparate people were brought together for the reading of the will. For reasons I will withhold, the five began to tell about their relationships with Fei Ke. Each knew him in a different manner, but most were ultimately deceived by him.

Episodes 1-6 followed a similar pattern of how Fei Ke ingratiated himself into their lives and then scammed them out of money. All of the “victims” were innocent and well meaning. From episode 7 on, the tone changed and the revelations poured out. I found the final episode overly dramatic and unfulfilling which lowered my score. A shift in the tale of revenge would also have provided better closure for me. But overall, the characters were engaging, if often unlikeable. This was the strongest performance of Jing Bo Ran’s I’ve seen which was a pleasant surprise. He had to express a wide range of emotions as each interpretation of the past played out. I hesitate to say anything else which might spoil an intriguing ride of vengeance and deception.

I’ll end with an Edgar Allan Poe quote, “Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.”

18 January 2025

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