One of the most engagingly jagged, utterly sad & frustratingly uncomfortable titles I've watched this year. Tackling some serious social themes such as poverty, social inequality, mental health, parents grief, morality and empathy, it centers around the meaning of family and bonding. Though there were some issues with the tone and pacing throughout the story progression and the ending could have been much better, the riveting performances from Ra Mi Ran, Kim Seul Gi and, especially, Jung Il Woo with his very challenging character, resulted in an interesting, thought-provoking debut film from a promising screenwriter & director, Lee Sang Moon.
A heartbreaking and deeply touching story of two broken, wounded and lonely souls, from totally different backgrounds, that find love and solace in each other. Dealing with dark, heavy and traumatising issues such as death of a loved one, murder, rape, suicide, execution, it still manages to make us viewers connect with the protagonists and share their pain and their journey to forgiveness, redemption, acceptance and love, thanks to the resourceful directing the well-fitted background music and, most of all, the exceptional performances of Lee Na Young and Kang Dong Won. Watch with caution.
Unique concept of a healing story which deals with serious issues such as depression, social anxiety, insecurities and traumas in a positive and uplifting way, but even if sometimes it's silly and too sugary, it also has some strong heartwarming moments. Yamada Ryosuke's character cuteness is overflowing and his smile is contagious - a perfect stress reliever.
A sageuk drama that, in spite being 15 years old, was way ahead of its time considering gender bending, sexual desire and orientation, homosexuality. Though the story felt repetitive, with endless painting competitions and scheming, the chemistry between the two female leads was the most intriguing and memorable part.
A heartbreaking, eye-opening, thought-provoking and very underrated movie about an elderly prostitute with a heart of gold. Sombre and slow-paced, with many strong, devastating moments realistically presented and lots of marginalized characters, this multilayered story is a piercing social commentary on elderly's welfare system, sexual desires, dignity, solitude and euthanasia. And what can I say about Youn Yuh Jung, her poignant, painfully realistic performance, her razor-sharp tongue and her fascinating persona? An unforgettable experience.
A smooth, cozy, heartwarming story with great character development, cute slow-burn romance and delicious food. I could watch Ichika cook like she did during the ending scenes of each episode for hours!
An intense, violent and emotional story about revenge, rage and utter desperation of a father that lost everything. Though the story was predictable and the pacing not very smooth, the cast, the cinematography and some great filming locations made this mentally exhausting story a memorable watching experience.
A black & white, silent film, with only orchestral music playing during its screentime. Does it sound boring and monotonous? 'cause it's definitely not! This is a real gem, that is really worth watching. A captivating story of motherly love, sacrifice and dignity, a timely social commentary on many issues valid till today, and a riveting performance -only with gestures and micro-expressions and without uttering a single word- from a talented, beautiful and tragic actress who left us too early. A must watch!
“How wonderful it would be if my whole life so far turns out to have been a dream. And suddenly I awaken and I'm someone else entirely.” Equally frustrating and captivating, this sad family drama is a bitter social commentary on japanese patriarch family stereotypes, the lack of communication and trust, the secrecy, the monotony, the role-playing of each family member when put on the edge of a financial crisis. But, among all the lies, the desperation, helplessness and isolation caused (or actually enhanced) by this bleak reality, there's still hope and a chance to make things right.
A thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction drama-special based on real facts, with lots of wonderful paintings, picturesque landscapes and an intriguing 'friendship' between two of the main leads. [Though I'm sure that seeing Nagayama Eita and Nakagawa Taishi with those particular hairstyles wasn't something anyone can really like...]
With a brilliant use of a non-linear backward narration, this quirky, inventive multi-genre film tells a story from 5 different perspectives, showing the intertwining substories of 5 different people during the same Friday evening, while slowly revealing their characters, motivations and intricacies. A fun, underrated little gem!
An emotional, deeply affectionate slice-of-life story, full of warmth and compassion. Minimal with words and dense with feelings, this is a poignant observation, serving also as a social commentary, on the life of young people through the reflective journey of the protagonist while meeting her old band-mates. Elegant, subtle but powerful acting from Esom, masterful cinematography and lighting in a tribute to bigger life dreams and smaller life pleasures.
This short black & white film is a biopic of the life and art of Katsushika Hokusai, one of Japan's greatest artists, ukiyo-e painter and print-maker of landscape and floral art, erotic prints, caricatures and realistic everyday life scenes of the Edo period. Though it would have been more captivating if it was filmed in colour, thus his beautiful prints would have been given full life, it still is an interesting watching experience and introduction to his work.
Though the plot was a bit cliché and rather predictable, the young talented cast, the unique narration approach and the clever use of the fantasy & mystery elements made this bittersweet story of first love and friendship an enjoyable youth drama.
Though the plot was a bit cliché and rather predictable, the young talented cast, the unique narration approach and the clever use of the fantasy & mystery elements made this bittersweet story of first love and friendship an enjoyable youth drama.
Hunger and ambition spiced with a bitter socioeconomic commentary on culinary extravaganzas in a long, dark -and slightly overcooked- thought provoking story, beautifully served through talented Aoy.
Intense, intriguing, very dark -and in some scenes extremely disturbing- psychological thriller about a sadistic & manipulative serial killer and a law student who tries to solve the mystery of one of his murders. Clever use of camerawork, editing and flashbacks in a well-knitted narration, as well as elegant and measured performances from Abe Sadawo and Mizukami Koshi made this admittedly difficult watch a memorable experience.
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Tackling some serious social themes such as poverty, social inequality, mental health, parents grief, morality and empathy, it centers around the meaning of family and bonding.
Though there were some issues with the tone and pacing throughout the story progression and the ending could have been much better, the riveting performances from Ra Mi Ran, Kim Seul Gi and, especially, Jung Il Woo with his very challenging character, resulted in an interesting, thought-provoking debut film from a promising screenwriter & director, Lee Sang Moon.
Dealing with dark, heavy and traumatising issues such as death of a loved one, murder, rape, suicide, execution, it still manages to make us viewers connect with the protagonists and share their pain and their journey to forgiveness, redemption, acceptance and love, thanks to the resourceful directing the well-fitted background music and, most of all, the exceptional performances of Lee Na Young and Kang Dong Won.
Watch with caution.
Yamada Ryosuke's character cuteness is overflowing and his smile is contagious - a perfect stress reliever.
Though the story felt repetitive, with endless painting competitions and scheming, the chemistry between the two female leads was the most intriguing and memorable part.
Sombre and slow-paced, with many strong, devastating moments realistically presented and lots of marginalized characters, this multilayered story is a piercing social commentary on elderly's welfare system, sexual desires, dignity, solitude and euthanasia.
And what can I say about Youn Yuh Jung, her poignant, painfully realistic performance, her razor-sharp tongue and her fascinating persona? An unforgettable experience.
I could watch Ichika cook like she did during the ending scenes of each episode for hours!
Though the story was predictable and the pacing not very smooth, the cast, the cinematography and some great filming locations made this mentally exhausting story a memorable watching experience.
Does it sound boring and monotonous? 'cause it's definitely not!
This is a real gem, that is really worth watching.
A captivating story of motherly love, sacrifice and dignity, a timely social commentary on many issues valid till today, and a riveting performance -only with gestures and micro-expressions and without uttering a single word- from a talented, beautiful and tragic actress who left us too early.
A must watch!
Equally frustrating and captivating, this sad family drama is a bitter social commentary on japanese patriarch family stereotypes, the lack of communication and trust, the secrecy, the monotony, the role-playing of each family member when put on the edge of a financial crisis.
But, among all the lies, the desperation, helplessness and isolation caused (or actually enhanced) by this bleak reality, there's still hope and a chance to make things right.
[Though I'm sure that seeing Nagayama Eita and Nakagawa Taishi with those particular hairstyles wasn't something anyone can really like...]
A fun, underrated little gem!
Minimal with words and dense with feelings, this is a poignant observation, serving also as a social commentary, on the life of young people through the reflective journey of the protagonist while meeting her old band-mates.
Elegant, subtle but powerful acting from Esom, masterful cinematography and lighting in a tribute to bigger life dreams and smaller life pleasures.
Though it would have been more captivating if it was filmed in colour, thus his beautiful prints
would have been given full life, it still is an interesting watching experience and introduction to his work.
Clever use of camerawork, editing and flashbacks in a well-knitted narration, as well as elegant and measured performances from Abe Sadawo and Mizukami Koshi made this admittedly difficult watch a memorable experience.