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"Love can be used to trick people"
Clans of Intrigue was another bonkers whodunit extravaganza from Chor Yuen, Ti Lung, and Gu Long. Maybe not a cast of thousands, but certainly a large and unwieldly who’s who among Shaw Brothers staples wandered onto screen only to be murdered soon thereafter.Chu Liu Xiang, the ethical thief, is accused of stealing the Tianyi Divine Water poison and killing four clan leaders. Kung Nan Yen from the Divine Water Palace gives him a month to find the real killer or his life is forfeit. Chu crisscrosses the area hunting down clues and thwarting murder attempts on himself. The renowned swordsman will discover that enemies may be allies and allies might be enemies as he seeks to uncover the truth while trying to stay alive.
Ti Lung shone in this role. He seemed to take delight in the light-hearted, skilled thief and swordsman. Ling Yun would have a larger role in Legend of the Bat but made the most of his sword for hire role here. Nora Miao, Li Ching, and Betty Pei Ti all played swordswomen with Chu in their sights for various reasons. Tien Ching and Yueh Hua’s characters had their own secrets to bear. This was one of Yueh’s stronger roles. He could be rather stiff in other roles so it was fun to watch him exercise his acting muscles in this one. Ku Feng showed up at a clan’s gambling den, another interested in party in who killed the chiefs.
This film was a wuxia detective story as Ti searched for clues with killers on his trail. I’m always amused when the bad guy wears an unassuming bright red costume. To quote My Cousin Vinny, “Oh, you blend.” There were surprising twists and turns for a 1970s martial arts movie.*** I’m finding that Tang Chia and Huang Pei Chih worked well together as martial arts directors. The action was fast and acrobatic. As much as I love Ti, he could border on kung fu posing at times and this choreography seemed to suit him.
If you enjoy old kung fu flicks and don’t mind a rapid release of characters and information, this is one to try. I’m disappointed that I’ve watched all the Ti Lung and Ling Yun “buddy” movies, they had a nice bromance. As always, I rate these films on a curve.
6 March 2026
Triggers: An arm ripped off. Suggested sexual encounters off screen. Suicide.
***The film had a lesbian relationship without making it too weird. A major feat for the time.
***Spoiler comment below:
There was also an “intersex” character which at first made me nervous because I feared the character might be shown in a derogatory manner. Thankfully, this character was also not ridiculed. It was a “gotcha” moment but for 1977 they didn’t get gross in their language about the character. The situation was simply accepted matter of factly which was a nice surprise even if it might have pushed the bounds of realism.
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"I'll check the shark fins"
Johnnie To’s Exiled was a thrill a minute ride with four gangster friends + 1 exiled ex-gangster friend who had to choose between triad loyalty to the boss or to each other. Throw in a wife and new baby making the stakes even higher.Wo left the gang years ago after an assassination attempt on the boss. He came back to Macau with his wife and new baby where four old friends are waiting on him. Two are determined to protect him and the other two are assigned to kill him. After a gun fight in his apartment which led to moving furniture and dinner, friendship won out but that left them all in a precarious position with not just one gang, but two.
This is one of those films that I rated on the genre as well as the film itself. The gangster genre can be a lot of lather, rinse, and repeat with double crosses and triple crosses. I was pleased that the friends’ bond was stronger than their triad bond. Of course, that meant copious amounts of blood and flying lead and bodies. The cinematography, music, and lighting were all well above average. The acting was perfect for the characters. Anthony Wong reined in his scenery chewing abilities as did Francis Ng while still making their characters edgy, unique, and decidedly human. Roy Cheung with his gorgeous long hair and Lam Suet made for loyal backseat friends. Given their profession, all of the characters had made acquaintances with Death and found the gallows’ humor in their strange situations.
Wo’s wife played by Josie Ho had an important role to play as did Ellen Chan’s “Hooker.” Simon Yam came to life as the ruthless crime boss. Benz Hui’s retiring cop showed up occasionally to inject humor into scenes and explain why the police never swarmed the buildings being torn apart by gunfire and littered with dead bodies. A Red Bull product placement might have been the best commercial for it ever as that can definitely proved it had wings. The fight choreography was often highly stylized and at other times straight forward yet always highly effective.
I loved the look and feel of the film but it was the friendships that sold me. I had no illusions about how this film would end but still cheered when Ng closed the door. If you enjoy bloody buddy adventures and a different approach to a gangster flick this might be one to try. Probably an 8.0 but I enjoyed it to the end so I gave it an 8.5.
28 February 2026
Trigger warnings: Sexual content, brief nudity, graphic operating scene, lots of blood and violence.
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"In my boring life a chance for adventure has arrived"
There are some films that resonant not because of extraordinary acting or a compelling story, but rather the way the director wields his brush and paints a film alive with deft and mysterious strokes. Such was Labyrinth of Dreams for me.Tomiko is jarred when her friend Tsuyako, a bus conductor like herself, is killed in a tragic accident. Tomiko and her other friend, Chieko, do not believe it was an accident. Rumor of a bus driver who is a serial killer has been making the rounds for some time. When he tires of a conductor romantically, he kills her, making it look like an accident. When Niitaka Tatsuo is hired at Tomiko’s bus line, Tomiko becomes determined to avenge her friend. The only problem is…she falls in love with the handsome, and possibly deadly driver.
The movie was filmed in black and white and based on a story written in the early 1930s. Due to the clothes, hairstyles, and bus model, the setting was ambiguous, but suffice to say it was set in the days of yore. Much of the “dialogue” was in letter writing form between Tomiko and Chieko and prior to her death between Tsuyako and Tomiko. A young Asano Tadanobu played the enigmatic Tatsuo. A man of few words he was served up as a sizzling sexy entre with a side order of menacing eyes. Seventeen-year-old Komine Rena wasn’t as strong in the acting department but did her best as the bored conductor who had a sexual awakening in the dangerous arms of Tatsuo. As Tomiko said, “Life was miserable and lonely. I wrestled with fate until the end.”
Director Ishii Gakuryu created a gauzy dreamlike film often obscuring the audience’s view with darkness, rain, clouds, even forest leaves. Blurred frames swirled the changes of scenes. The film was filled with symbolism. Battered moths struggled to free themselves from a vase or were attracted to a hot light impotently bashing their wings against it. There was little music and what there was of it was simple. Most often the natural sounds of rain, wind, or surf filled in for the lack of score. Several times complete silence or a blank screen were used to jar the viewer. Ishii kept the audience guessing whether Tatsuo was a cold-blooded killer or a figment of an overactive imagination.
Labyrinth of Dreams was an odd story of love, lust, and the intoxication of danger. Dreamily shot, the monochrome format only added to the mystery and claustrophobic atmosphere. This art house film will not be for the broader audience, but if you enjoy a film that is more experience than narrative it might be one to try. I’ll be looking for more of Ishii’s films to be sure.
“If both held their courses, then they would collide in 9 seconds and catastrophe would be inevitable.”
6 February 2026
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"If the sky falls, the tall will hold it up"
I stumbled across Forget You Not and to my utter delight found a hidden gem dealing with the joys and pitfalls of family, friendship, marriage, and work. Hsieh Ying Xuan and Chin Han gave beautifully realistic performances of a daughter and father distanced through their own faults and misunderstandings. Every chapter was meaningful and gave insight into their lives and loves. As only Taiwanese dramas can do, the characters were flawed and real, relatable guides on this journey into aging and life.Cheng Le Le’s life is shaken when her marriage falls into trouble and her “unreliable” father is diagnosed with dementia. Her rocks are her two best friends and her job as a stand-up comedian.
Each chapter in Forget You Not focused on a different aspect of Le Le’s life-her father, the mother who abandoned her, her friendships, her husband, and circled back to her father as his illness progressed and he became completely reliant on her. The episodes wove flashbacks with the present, never wandering afar and always giving insight into everyone involved. Aside from Le Le, we also peer into the stress of Zhang Kai’s privileged life, Cheng Kuang Chi trying to provide for his family working aboard ships, and Hsiao Fang’s pressure to raise a child largely alone.
The writing was thoughtful, showing people’s strengths and foibles. As in real life, marriage was a work of balancing expectations and needs, some not always fulfilled. Friendships were forged with people who were imperfect and faced their own crisis at times. As people aged, they suffered the loss of friends and family, whittling down their social circle we all depend upon. Parents were fallible, some capable of the job, others not. Children, even adult children, focused on themselves often shuttling parents’ needs aside. And ultimately, some children came to be caregivers of aging parents reversing the roles of a lifetime.
Forget You Not never shied away from the difficulties in relationships and caregiving. One of the most thankless and difficult jobs is caring for a loved one, often without any help. Even when done out of love and familial responsibility, it can bring a person to the breaking point physically, mentally, and emotionally. And financially. It is consuming and exhausting with the person always haunted by guilt with the questions of, “Am I doing enough?” Often followed by, “Will this ever end?”
This drama was heartbreaking and heartwarming. Following Le Le on her journey of self-discovery and a new relationship with her father was a deeply emotional journey for her and me. I tend to call out dramas that work too hard to manipulate the audience through cheap tricks and maudlin music. Forget You Not had absolutely gut-wrenching moments earned through authentic storytelling and nuanced acting. It was not all sorrow, for there were moments of levity, joy, and laughter. Sometimes when it seems the rain will never end, all you can do is dance in it.
28 January 2026
❤PSA-If you know a caregiver, please drop off food, ask to run errands, or find a way to relieve them so they can rest, shower, get out of the house/hospital for even a small amount of time. Anything so that they know they aren't alone. Sometimes caregiving takes a terrible toll on people's physical and mental health.
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"Liking someone has nothing to do with killing them"
The Vendetta of On was a fairly standard drama featuring a strategic genius bent on revenge after the murders of his loved ones. As always, when doing a familiar story, the execution is key and Vendetta acquitted itself well. Much like Mei Chang Su in Nirvana in Fire, Xie Huai An rocked his fur lined costume and stayed at least one step ahead of the bad guys…most of the time.Xie Huai An aka Liu Zhi has spent the last 15 years since escaping a massacre at his family residence plotting how to bring down the people responsible. The capital has changed ownership a couple of times and Xie is put to work by the new owner in finding the deposed previous owner as well as bringing down the traitorous and sly general of the Huben Army. Spies and sleeper cells abound, with layers upon layers of deceit and deception. Xie will have to count on his wits and friend circle to attain his goals and survive long enough enact his vengeance.
🟢What I liked:
It promised on revenge with the bodies stacking up early and often.
The tenacious and loyal General Gu. Despite being unable to walk he was still respected by his men. Was happy to see a wheelchair bound character written and portrayed so well.
Ye Zheng. I’m a bodyguard girl and was thrilled for Tong Meng Shi to play the role.
I wasn’t initially crazy about Faux Mo, but he grew on me and I was actually relieved his mask wasn’t removed later on as it helped my brain keep the continuity going.
The writers attempted to provide roles for women, even though most of the female guards were cookie cutter characters. I’m always astonished when these kinds of dramas all but omit women from the cast so I’m counting it as a win. Oddly, the casting director chose women who all looked quite similar despite the wide range of variety for the men.
The sets, wigs (important in these dramas!), acting, and fight choreography were all high quality. The drama also showed the cost of "othering" people.
Cheng Yi did a solid job as the obsessive Xie who had only one purpose in life. Even though Xie was usually ahead of everyone else, he did stumble on occasion without completely face-planting. I also enjoyed Wang Jin Song’s equally obsessive take on Wu Zhong Heng. There were numerous single-minded people in this drama who were in dire need of a trip to a bouncy house park.
❌What didn’t work as well for me:
Xie was an expert in nearly everything despite spending 15 years in the reeds. He left his home penniless, but somehow through the years acquired wealth and an extensive spy network. He was privy to secrets only a fly on a wall would know. He always seemed to have a change of clothes on him as well. Lol Pretty sure he had a Megamind “frequent kidnapping” card that was nearly punched full. He also had James Bond plot armor. Despite falling into his enemies’ hands time and again, no one immediately cut off his head, rather letting him hang around until he either escaped or killed them.
🤔Things that made me go hmmm….
The guards who defended the walls were in desperate need of remedial training. It was painfully funny how easily the enemy could scale the walls without anyone knowing on numerous occasions.
Characters were often gut stabbed with no lingering effects. I don’t care how good their medicine was or how tough they were, peritonitis is deadly.
The most chilling thing said in the whole drama for me was, “Everyone is a shadow guard. That’s the price of protection.” Yep, nothing makes me feel more secure than knowing my neighbors and co-workers are spying on me 24/7, ready to turn on me at a moment’s notice.
Overall, I found The Vendetta of An entertaining. The fights were fast and furious and we were weren’t forced to wait until the last quarter of the drama to witness Xie’s enemies begin to pay for their betrayals. The stakes were high and good guy losses hurt as much as I cheered the heads of the bad guys rolling.
18 January 2026
Trigger Warnings: A snake in episode 22. Decapitations, spurting blood, numerous stabbings, suicide.
~~Very Spoilery thoughts below~~
Does everyone keep a perfectly preserved identical head in their junk drawer?
I didn’t care for the sister’s story. She was ill developed and only served to add to Xie's man pain of which he already had enough. It was literally overkill. Not sure why she’s listed as a main character given her limited amount of screen time.
One of the more interesting duos raised a lot of questions for me. Cen Pickles and Wu were slaves of the lowest order in Tiemo. As slaves they murdered a number of people. Did I miss their story arc? How did they escape punishment in Tiemo and then both become highly educated? Was Tiemo advanced enough to have universal schooling for everyone? Cen ended up working in the Chang'an palace and Wu had been a teacher at the academy where the Chang'an noble children attended. No background checks from the secret police? I could see Wu murdering his way to being king if the Tiemo just wanted the baddest dude to be the leader, but Tiemo nobility were mentioned often which was quite a social leap for a wolf killing slave. I actually found Cen and Wu's relationship intriguing mostly because of the actors' abilities. Wu might have had nefarious plans for the people he intended to conquer, but the actor was fascinating to watch.
I don’t have access to the special episode. My guess is, just like soap opera rules, without a body, Xie aka Liu survived. His death, mirroring Zhou Mo’s in episode 1, kept him from being killed by the Huben Army. Though I don’t see him making daisy chains and hanging out at a pub. I’m not invested enough in the ruling class to care who took over the throne…for now. That throne room had a revolving door on it.
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"What kind of place this?"
Kyojo 2 had a new crop of recruits studying to become police officers under the watchful eye of Kazama Kimichika. Kimura Takuya returned as the no-nonsense Kazama who seemed to know everything happening in his purview.Once again Kazama had to deal with students who shouldn’t have been able to pass a psych eval or physical fitness test in order to get this far. He ferreted out their secrets and exposed their weaknesses. Some would be allowed to continue, others were shown the door.
Kazama was extra hard on his students because of the death of an unprepared graduate that also resulted in the loss of his eye. This fact alone made it harder for me to understand why certain students were allowed to stay in the program. **Minor spoilers to continue this thought are below the date. **
Kimura Takuya, the silver fox with the worst prosthetic eye since the wooden one from Pirates of the Caribbean, is always compelling to watch. Unfortunately, for me at least, most of the students were completely forgettable or memorable for all the wrong reasons. Kazama’s past had a small reveal, the biggest reason I watched this second part. If you enjoyed the first Kyojo, it’s likely you’ll enjoy this second one as it followed much of the pattern of the first.
17 December 2025
Minor spoilers below:
**
Steal a computer mouse? You’re out! Steal the ingredients to make a bomb? All is forgiven. Lie to a superior? No prob. Can’t tell time? No problem. Sexual harassment? No problem. Bullies are okay. Skittish students are okay. I dropped my score when near graduation a student at the firing range was so delighted at hitting the target they actually looked down the barrel of their loaded gun! To quote Zootopia, "You're dead bunny rabbit!" No wonder they have to have a constant flow of new students!
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"Let love be your guide!"
I was in the mood for a heartwarming story and the synopsis for Little Q drew me in. That and a beautiful Labrador retriever on the poster was all I needed to watch this film. While it portrayed the value of the guide dog program, it also failed rather spectacularly as well.Temperamental pastry chef and general all around jerk, Li Bao Ting, is losing his sight which makes him even crankier with everyone around him. At the same time, a family agrees to foster a lab puppy, Little Q, for a or the Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Organization. Despite the rules, the little girl largely attempts to undo Little Q’s training so that she will fail the stringent training and Chan Tsz Kiu/Chan Yu Qiao will be allowed to keep her. Q prevails and is paired with Li who wants nothing to do with the dog. When not sitting at home drinking he’s berating his apprentices at his pastry shop. He repeatedly tries to rid himself of the dog until he realizes Q’s value and attempts to get his life back on track.
So far, this general synopsis of the first part of the film plays out like many other redemption stories. The only problem is, Q would never have been given to Li in real life. There are far more people in need of guide dogs than there are guide dogs. Even if he had received one due to his family connections, the minute they discovered his mistreatment of the loyal pup, Q would have gone to a deserving person. For the first 49 minutes of this film, I have never hated a movie character more. Li’s 180 in outlook was enough to give him and me whiplash. There was no gradual buildup, just an unearned personality change. And in the final quarter another action happened that had me spitting nails I was so angry**.
I had a friend in college with a guide dog. Dennis was a beautiful black lab that was all business when my friend and I walked about campus as we shared several classes. But when he was off duty, I was able to pet him and give him treats and play with him. In the film there seemed to be a real concern that guide dogs lead a too serious life. When Dennis wasn’t working, he played with his golden retriever sibling and his human parents just like any other dog. The thought of someone treating one of these highly trained dogs so cavalierly was infuriating, even if it was just a film. Especially with a need greater than a supply of these loyal friends.
Yes, there was a nice little middle with happy, bonding moments with Q, but they were bookended by actions that were reprehensible. I appreciated that the film gave a shout out to the importance of guide dogs as it appeared to be a fairly recent program. Yet I was also appalled that Q was left with someone completely unqualified for receiving such a gift despite movie magic turning him into a loving caring person in a matter of minutes.
As a work of art, the writers worked hard to manipulate the viewer into feeling sorry for the little girl and eventually the owner. Due to the callousness and utter stupidity of the humans, my only concern was for the ever faithful yellow lab. If ever there was a film that showed we don’t deserve dogs, Little Q was it.
10 November 2025
**Spoiler comments below! **
When Li prepares to go to the US, he takes Q off the leash and throws the ball down a city sidewalk for Q to chase to distract her. What? He can’t see where he’s throwing putting Q at risk in an urban environment. Then Q chases his van down the road. The driver and Li’s sister see Q but do NOT stop the car and get Q out of harms way. Only when Q was physically blocked from following did she finally give up. Who would let a dog run down the middle of the street in a city?
Another problem was when Li decided to walk into traffic to commit suicide. He caused a multi-car accident which might have injured drivers and passengers as well as the financial cost. If he had succeeded, a driver would have been traumatized for causing a pedestrian’s death. Somehow, right afterwards he was able to smile-about everything. I’m guessing all those people in the cars weren’t smiling much.
I'm not sure what else they could do to try and gain sympathy for Q as they put her through numerous physical ailments. I love organic moments that create sympathy and even sorrow for characters both two-legged and four-legged alike, but the writers used a sledge hammer with little nuance to try and create emotions.
And the less said about the Dog Meat Festival the better.
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"Sexy food"
A Nation of Tteok was the fourth installment in this delightful franchise. Mimi, Ryu Soo Young, and Heo Young Man returned as our guides, this time walking us through the history of, making of, and variations of tteok.Tteok preceded cooked rice in the diets of the people as cooked rice required more sophisticated milling processes. Having been around since the Bronze Age, this has given people plenty of time to come up with almost endless variations on preparing the rice cakes. At last count South Korea has more than 250 types of tteok.
In episode 1, our guides went to a Buddhist temple in the mountains of Cheongdo to see how they prepared their vegetarian rice cake soup. The First Full Moon Fest came next with a huge bamboo bonfire. From there they explored the different kinds of tteok made with seasonal ingredients from different regions.
Episode 2 visited the historical and current use of tteok for the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festivals. Early royal banquet tteok recipes were shown. Provinces that had little access to rice found ways to make tteok out of potato starch or pine tree bark. And last but not least, the famous tteokbokki shown in so many school dramas was explored with many of its varieties.
During the 2 episodes the guides helped knead, pound, and form different kinds of tteok. They also sampled tteok made with chestnuts, pumpkin, kudzu, ginko nuts, jujubes, seaweed, different kinds of leaves, and just about anything else you could think of. It turns out tteok is quite versatile. Soups, “burgers”, wraps, treats, side dishes, and a host of other forms were showcased.
Tteok was said to bind the people together and eaten in happiness. Used for celebrations and milestones, it’s a food that historically was meant to be kneaded, pounded, and shared together with neighbors and family. Enfolded in the beloved food were the blessings and good wishes of the preparers and givers. Each version had its own form, texture, aroma, color, and taste whether rustically made or artistically created by fine dining chefs. For the most part, ajummas were the stars as they foraged for ingredients and then lovingly made the specialties from their regions. These special rice cakes showed the patience, persistence, and resourcefulness of the Korean people who discovered ways of making delicious food, even when it was scarce. If you have enjoyed the other three installments of this show, I could easily recommend this one. Sweet, comforting, and informative, this tteok went down easily.
3 November 2025
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Nine-year-old Eun Hee is preparing for her recorder exam. She’s using her brother’s hand me down recorder and wishes for a new one. More than a new recorder she desperately wishes for affection and attention from her family. Both parents are checked out emotionally. Big sis is seeing a boy behind their backs and staying out late. Her brother is doted on and orders her around, unafraid to hit her. As the youngest and a girl, there’s not much leftover for her from her stressed out mother and a father who is seeing another woman. When Eun Hee hears him whisper “I love you" to the mistress, how she longs to hear those words for herself. Her sister having realized she will never hear those words has sent her searching for acceptance elsewhere.
This film will make you want to give Eun Hee the hug she needs. It will also make you want to shake her disconnected parents. Much like HoH’s Eun Hee, this girl was trying to find a way to feel wanted by her family, loved. The shock she exhibited when a friend’s mom treated her kindly spoke volumes. Eun Hee also had a stubborn, defiant streak that broke through when she was being treated poorly which usually only led to more punishment but must have felt powerful in the moment.
The Recorder Exam focused on Eun Hee as the exam approached, her strained relationship with her family, her friendship with a classmate, and a need to feel like she belonged and was cared about in her own family. Even a few crumbs of kindness could set her free to soar if only for a few moments, if her parents could look outside themselves and see her. This film was well-written, well-directed, and well-acted with young Hwang Jeongone giving a heartbreaking and compelling performance. Definitely worth 28 minutes of your time.
8 September 2025
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"It seems a bit vague, your face"
I Love Camping aka Do You Like Camping was a short film by and starring Kim Kkot Bi. The film had little dialogue and was more of a relaxing vibe than plot driven story.Kim joyfully rides her motorcycle on Jeju Island, having to deal with rude sightseers and influencers. Setting up her tent and chair, she’s more into her book and camera as the wind whips her hair around than the man filming next to her. Rebuffing the influencer, her interest lies in the woman whose tent is next to hers--another seasoned camper who enjoys hiking and reading. What’s a girl have to do to get her neighbor’s attention instead of the influencer and his followers?
I Love Camping was a gentle campers crossing in the night story. The rough setting with the sea in the background, the nimble efficiency of pitching a tent, happy sighing while riding a motorcycle, all lent to the authentic feel of a woman enjoying her time on the road and perhaps wistfully wishing she didn’t always have to travel alone.
26 August 2025
Note: Listen to the closing tune for a deeper insight into the motorcyclist's feelings
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"Happiness is always remembered"
Show Me Your Love showed how poor communication and even poorer choices can lead to years of unnecessary unhappiness and resentment.As a child, Nin and his mom move from Hong Kong into her father’s house in Selangor, Malaysia. Sze Nga works long hours at odd jobs trying to pay off debt. One day she leaves for work abroad, giving Nin to her sister, and doesn’t return for 10 years. Upon her return, Nin is readying for university in Hong Kong. This time he is the one who leaves without a goodbye or forwarding address. Years later, married and with a child, Nin is told his aunt has died. His mother who has become a stranger and who is in deteriorating health becomes his unwanted responsibility. Mother and son struggle to bridge the chasm of misunderstandings lying between them.
The strength of this film lies in the performances. Pau Hei Ching was given a role that older actresses salivate over. Sze Nga was a complicated character with a wide range of emotions, all of which Pau covered admirably. Raymond Wong kept Nin’s emotions tucked close to his chest like the perfect hole card while holding a royal flush. All of the supporting characters added to the story without detracting from it. I honestly thought I was going to hate Nin’s wife after her opening scene but she ended up coming through for Nin and her mother-in-law like a real trooper. The biggest faux pas was Sze Nga’s return after 10 years but looking 34 years older as they swapped out the actresses too soon. Michelle Wai should have had those crucial and painful reunion scenes.
*****Depending on your idea of spoilers, this paragraph might hold one. Skip to the next paragraph if you are super sensitive to any plot elements. *****
My problem with this film was the basic premise. Sze Nga left her son to be raised by her sister which crushed him. The film implied there was very little, if any, communication between mother and son through the years, even after she returned. Did they not have mail service where she was working? No postmen in Malaysia or Hong Kong? Nin felt abandoned and deeply hurt and rightly so. It was only at the point of being too late he came to understand her behavior. Her cruel disappearance was all in service of fabricating a false memory of his father—who in reality was a deadbeat dad who had buried his family in debt. Her decision cost her time with her precious son. Losing his beloved mother for the majority of his childhood and adult life hurt Nin far worse than finding out his father was a jerk. Dude never showed up or contacted him once, pretty obvious he was not worth all this effort.
Show Me Your Love pulled all the strings available to manipulate tearful responses from the audience. None of the overtly sentimental tropes worked on me. My heart was broken for Nin who had been a happy child until he lost both parents for all practical purposes. Sze Nga’s actions deprived her of seeing her son marry, hold her newborn grandchild, and revel in her son’s adoration of her. Words matter, words children need to hear-often. The synopsis says that mother and son patched up their differences, a broken heart can be mended but the cracks, especially those created by regret, will always show and be felt. To quote an old saying, "Time wasted, is time lost, never to be regained."
23 August 2025
Trigger: Noble idiocy
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"Where is she?"
Shanghai attempted to be a noir murder mystery set against the turbulent time leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film boasted famous international stars and faces that would become more familiar. Shifting alliances and spies behind every door made finding a killer when thousands were being killed difficult if not meaningless.Intelligence officer Paul Soames arrives undercover in Shanghai to meet up with his best friend who is also an agent only to discover that he was recently murdered in the Japanese quarter. He goes to work as a Nazi sympathizing journalist in order to keep his German contacts. Within a short time he makes the acquaintance of a Chinese resistance member who is married to the head of the Shanghai triad who have a tenuous relationship with a Japanese officer. Soames becomes embroiled with all of them and their various activities while searching for the killer.
The murder mystery was honestly hard to care about. The Chinese were suffering astronomical losses due to the Japanese occupation. It didn’t help that John Cusack’s character was bland and uninteresting. His acting was equally uninspiring and lacking in depth. Gong Li was another story. She gave a strong and more nuanced performance as Anna Lan Ting. Her role as a resistance member was far more compelling and the movie would have benefited from focusing on her more instead of forcing the viewer to see nearly everything through Soames’ bored eyes. Chow Yun Fat played a supporting role as Anna’s husband. He did the best with what he could but was sidelined most of the time. Watanabe Ken’s Tanaka walked a fine line between nemesis and sympathetic character. Benedict Wong (Dr. Strange’s Wong!) played a Japanese informant and Hugh Bonneville (Knotting Hill and Downtown Abbey) took on the role of a newspaper editor.
Perhaps Shanghai was trying to do too much or maybe not enough. The film showed another angle of how vital strategic information that could have foreshadowed Pearl Harbor was not forwarded though it was more of an Easter egg than key plot point. The characters’ lives came to coalesce around a Japanese mistress and spy, that ended up being all but irrelevant. The implied chemistry between Anna and Paul simply did not work. Gong Li was believable but John Cusack sucked the life out of every scene he was in.
Shanghai had potential but failed in nearly everything it tried to do. The story and direction weren’t taut enough to be thrilling. The Shanghai matches had more sizzle than the sexual chemistry. And the murder mystery wasn’t much of a mystery. What was worth watching was Gong Li. She was gorgeous and mesmerizing as the mysterious and unwavering Anna. Chow Yun Fat and Watanabe Ken also pulled focus when they were onscreen. And it was fun to see Benedict Wong in an earlier role with that deep gravelly voice of his. Overall, Shanghai was watchable yet equally forgettable.
6 July 2025
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Yun Jie takes the news that her parents are leaving their small village to work far away in Guangzhou in stride, scarcely saying good-bye to them. She will remain in their village with her two younger sisters and grandmother. Along with going to school and doing her homework, she babysits, cooks the meals, cleans, helps an aunt garden, and aids her uncle when it’s time to harvest the rice crop. Jie is scolded for her grades dropping, but the tired child struggles to stay away during class and exams. Other grandparents and elders are having a difficult time raising their grandsons, the lack of fathers around causes the boys to act out and even put themselves in dangerous situations. Because teacher pay is extremely low, the turnover rate is high, with the kids receiving a subpar education. Yun Jie has much to do but little to look forward to in her life.
Most of the children in Jie’s village had no parents at home. Any child over 12 was weighing whether to quit school and go to work. The left behind children often felt left adrift. Jie may have spent time with others her age yet she never played and only once cracked a faint smile. Farming was not a sustainable model to feed a family yet still the villagers persisted. The time required to farm and the physical effort put a stress on the young girl already shouldering most of the household duties. Moving to the city didn’t guarantee success for those seeking a better life either. Factories were closing at an alarming rate, reducing job opportunities for the villagers. Lacking a solid education and other skills limited their employment opportunities. At one point, the family attempted to live together in the city. However, the sisters lacked the connections and proper thick red envelopes needed to go to school in Guangzhou. Yun Jie saw her life choices rapidly disappearing.
My heart broke for Yun Jie, the child forced to act like an adult. There were never any comforting cuddles or words and when it rained, she couldn’t even count on a dry bed. None of the grown-ups in her life were cruel, but neither were they a soft place to land when life got hard.
26 May 2025
Trigger warning: A dog being beaten to death, not graphically shown but implied
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"Let's find out our fate"
Thai Cave Rescue is a drama that I rated more on feelings than subjective evaluation. This was the first production to be given permission by the boys and their families. Best to remember when watching this that while they strove for authenticity, events and people were changed for dramatic effect. If you are too young to have heard about this real-life event or had no interest in the worldwide reporting at the time, my comments may be spoilery.I remember hearing about the boys lost in the cave near the Myanmar border with Thailand back in 2018. When they had gone into the cave like they had done before, they didn’t know that a monsoon rain was incoming that flooded much of the cave while they were inside. Like others around the world, I prayed for them every day and scoured the news often to see if they had been found, hoping they were alive. When they were found I rejoiced! But my joy was tempered with the news that getting the boys out of the treacherous cave was close to impossible.
At first it seemed the Thai government had been resistant to foreigners helping but those closest to the scene brought in expert cave divers from around the world. Hydrology specialists, drillers, no stone was unturned in trying to find a way to safely bring the boys out. What the drama didn’t tell was that when the divers were searching for the boys, they found four men who had been working in the cave and struggled to rescue them because the men thrashed around nearly causing death to all of them. Bringing 12 boys and their coach who had been stranded without food for over a week through 4 km/ 2.5 mi of some of the most dangerous underwater paths seemed an insurmountable task. There were underwater openings so small that it required the divers to squeeze through, other places stalactites and stalagmites were like stone teeth. Silt in the water made visibility low. And every day the rescuers raced against the clock as the rains caused the water levels to rise.
This drama did a good job of focusing on certain aspects of the Wild Boars team and the rescue efforts. Even at 6 episodes, the rescue efforts were enormous with 10,000 people on the ground outside the cave. Resources poured in from around the world. People gave of their time, their expertise, their money, and in the case of Thai farmers--their crops. People volunteered with food stalls to feed the people working around the clock to save the boys. The parents were shown in their anguish, praying for their children to once again be held in their arms. The governor dealt not only with his own personnel, but foreigners, the parents, reporters, and higher-ups afraid of losing face if the operation was a failure.
Most importantly, the boys were shown as the children they were. Their young coach taught them meditation to ease their minds and hunger pains. As one of the divers said to him, “You saved these boys, now it’s up to all of us to rescue them.” The Thai Navy SEALs stayed with the boys as others hashed out plans to bring the boys home. The drama didn’t shy away from the hard truth that bringing the boys out might have a low percentage of success. The estimates of success were as low as 30% of the boys surviving.
Beam Papangkorn Lerkchaleampote gave a beautiful performance as the Wild Boars’ coach who was willing to do whatever he could to protect the children in his care. The young actors gave very natural, unpolished performances which actually worked for this documentary style drama. Many of the older Thai actors had the complication of performing in both English and Thai with mixed results. Ek Thaneth Warakulnukroh as the Governor gave a complex performance as the man dealing with maddening officials, heartbreaking parents, overwhelming choices, and Mother Nature’s wrath.
Partially filmed in the actual cave and even the boys’ own homes, the drama felt real. The ever pouring rain could be felt dampening everyone’s spirits. The caves that had been so beautiful as the boys initially walked through became a dark watery monster as the waters rose. And yet people risked their lives, pitched in however they could, and always fought for these boys as if they were their own. It was beautiful to see how people could pull together when there was nothing to gain except helping 13 strangers.
In many ways, the Wild Boars became the world’s children as people rallied around them both physically and in spirit. “I’ve seen Buddhists, Christians, and animists, heads bowed in prayer. I’ve even bowed my own. Whatever you believe, believe in these boys.” Amen, Governor, amen.
20 May 2025
Spoilers:
RIP
Retired Navy SEAL Saman Gunan died underwater in the cave when he lapsed into unconsciousness.
Navy SEAL Beirut Pakbara died months after the rescue from a blood infection he incurred at the cave.
Beam died in 2022 before the drama premiered, found unresponsive in his bed by his family.
Real Wild Boar captain, Duangphet Phromthep died at the age of 17 in the UK by suicide in 2023.
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Ajummas Assemble!
Could there be anything more fearsome than three ajummas uniting for vengeance? Maybe, but for the self-absorbed and abusive men that had run afoul of our lovely ladies and one teen boy, the Avengers Social Club would strike fear into their hearts before the drama was over.Through a series of events connected to the local school, Kim Jeong Hye collects two other women in need of vengeance along with herself. The women agree to not physically hurt anyone or do anything (too) illegal. Jeong Hye’s husband is determined to become his father’s heir and brings home his 19-year-old illegitimate son, Lee Su Gyeom, to sweeten the deal. After all, mere girls can’t be in line for running a company. Gyeom isn’t thrilled with the father and mother who abandoned him leaving him to be raised by grandparents. It’s not long before Gyeom joins the Avengers group. Hong Do Hui is at the mercy of a wealthy con artist who wants to shake her down for money when the annoying woman’s bully of a son is “injured” after Do Hui’s son hits him. Lee Mi Suk’s husband has become physically and verbally abusive. He is running for school superintendent and is in bed with Byeong Su and the perverted principal Hong Sang Man. The ladies and Gyeom may be up against an abuser, the school system, the class system, and two major corporations, but they are about to learn just how strong they are.
ASC was a fun wish fulfillment drama. If you live long enough, you’ll be gleefully screwed over by someone and oh how satisfying it would be to have vengeance. As much as I love a good revenge story, ASC was far more about how the women grew as individuals and as friends. All three needed to find their confidence and courage to be their best selves. They also found that three is better than two, and four is better than three. Just like a pack of lionesses (+1 cub) they discovered strength in numbers. The three actresses were all quite good, especially, Ra Mi Ran, as ASC’s resident Unnie.
“Why are they doing this to us?” Rarely has there ever been a group of men less self-aware and more self-absorbed. The women were seen as either property, tools, or impediments. They would learn that it’s very dangerous to underestimate women. Even when it looks like all they do is wear pretty clothes and drink tea.
The biggest drawback to the drama for me was the length of the episodes. Several episodes in the middle could have been shorter with the conflicts and resolutions integrated into one episode instead of two, and the last episode almost felt like a long epilogue due to numerous flashback recaps.
What I learned from ASC:
Don’t anger the woman who cooks your food.
Friends teach friends to cuss and give them a safe place to let loose
Shin kicks are vile but in certain circumstances are well deserved
Korea has children’s books about rabbits who poo on other animals
Do not call women Stodgy Extra Ajummas (especially if any of them are going to cook your food)
The writers could not do math, a 17-year age gap is not small
Mangas can be research material for revenge
Despite the enormous earrings, the drama was set in 2017, not 1985
Never underestimate a woman in a chicken fight!
Some families are made, not born
And most importantly--Sometimes you can feel stronger just knowing that you’re not alone.
24 April 2025
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