Haven't watched the original, but I have the feeling that this movie was a lost opportunity. With an intriguing concept, a great cast and engaging visuals, but a convoluted execution that created more questions than answers, and some plot-twists that served no clear purpose. It could have been so much better...
Based on true events of one of S. Korea's darkest moments, this is an intense, engaging political/ military thriller, fast-paced but easy to follow even though its long duration and its numerous characters. With a tight, dense and coherent plot, masterful direction, storytelling and production, and a superb cast (especially unrecognizable Hwang Jung Min in a blood-boiling role), this movie is a captivating experience for those who want to delve into S. Korea's history.
Though there was nothing out of the box or unpredictable, this was an entertaining, fun and easy watch thanks to the great cast, the fast pacing and the nice combination of comedy and action. Great for a family movie night.
Told in flashbacks and from different perspectives, this is the triggering and emotionally charged story of a young school girl and the suffocating relationship with her mother. With an indie vibe, a nicely blended element of investigation and a subplot that worked as a means of catharsis, this was a difficult but thought-provoking watch.
A female centered plot in an office setting, full of sismance and social commentaries about working women/moms and their struggles, challenges, sacrifices and setbacks. Though the storytelling had some issues, especially towards the end, and some characters felt a bit one-dimensional, it was a drama worth watching for Ra Mi Ran -who was exceptionally good in this, both as an intern and as a mom, owning her character and making it very realistic and relatable- as well as her family members and their lovely bonding.
Between PMS and Panic Disorder what ranks higher in suffering? A healing slice of life story full of warmth, consideration, compassion and empathy. An affectionate yet realistic and not overdramatic representation of people suffering from some challenging situations, that find a place to belong, connect, heal and form relationships -not necessarily romantic- that can change their lives. A soothing, rewarding watch.
Too short for a drama, too long for a movie. A high octane sci-fi thriller: dark, action-packed, bloody, gory, with an excellent cast and high production value, but confusing in terms of storytelling, characters interconnections and purpose, and lacking the essence and the background that could blend all the above in a captivating outcome. The scene-stealer badass FL, Jo Yoon Soo, as well as Cha Seung Won's eccentric persona and Kim Seon Ho, who slayed the last episode, were more than enough to make this is a decent one-time watch, but it could have been so much better.
A peculiar, dreamlike film with a mellow tone, elegant cinematography of beautiful Nagano's landscapes and eloquent performances form the cast, especially Sakaguchi Kentaro and Ichikawa Mikako. However, the extremely slow and mundane pace, the long duration, the fragmented narration -full of mystery and symbolisms that are never fully explained thus difficult to fully understand or make sense- and its vague intentions make this a challenging watching experience.
A down-to-earth, honest depiction of the complications, frustrations and disappointments of forcing romance and sexual relationships to an aroace person. Plus, the expectations of marriage for young women of a certain age from their family and friends, addressing them as a failed or incomplete life. Miura Toko was a brilliant choice for the FL, giving life to her complicated, reserved, solitary character. Even though it may be slow-paced at times, this film is a refreshing addition to the titles about aroace community, which still remains largely unknown and misunderstood.
A strange, refreshingly unique psychological thriller -spiced with large doses of makjang- focused on infidelity, revenge and their implications. Though the premise is definitely cliche, some actors should tone down their overacting and the ending may be confusing for some viewers, the clever retrospective storytelling, the classy filming and production, some unpredictable plot-twists and its short duration (only 4 episodes long) made this an interesting, bingeable watch.
The directing debut of actor Cho Hyun Chul is an affectionate and emotionally heavy coming-of-age story of two young girls that examines their friendship, hidden emotions and frustrations. With a hazy cinematography, a slow-paced but tense storytelling and many symbolisms that sometimes make the story hard to follow, this film is a sad experience, especially for those who know the real tragedy involved. Watch with caution.
I watched this unprepared, meaning I didn't know it was Miike Takashi's work. It definitely wasn't as violent, wicked, gory, fast-paced as his previous works, but it definitely had many of his signature elements. Engaging though a bit chaotic story, with some interesting twists and a few holes in the plot, intriguing performances and exemplary production. But, I have to admit that, overall, this film didn't add anything significant or very memorable to the genre, though it's good enough for Miike fans.
A high expectations movie which resulted in a lot of wasted potential: a talented cast performing one-dimensional characters, a thought-provoking premise in a convoluted storytelling, a flawed plot with more questions than answers given.
With wonderful cinematography of rural Taiwan and mostly a non-professional cast, this quiet, respectful slice-of-life film tells the story of an indigenous dysfunctional family, and serves as a social commentary about the disappearance of the traditional way of life.
Intriguing premise and promising cast, but subpar outcome with many missed opportunities in terms of storytelling, pacing and conclusion. Many characters and subplots felt underused or even unnecessary and what made me keep on watching were: * Lee Jung Eun's talent and charisma that make her give life to any role she's given * Choi Jin Hyuk's rare and genuine smile * Mi Jin's supportive parents and bestie Not bad, but it could have been so much better.
Dense plot, engaging storytelling and great production in a well-crafted, fast-paced investigation thriller. Though it took me quite a while to warm up to it, mainly because I found it a bit confusing and difficult to follow during the first episodes, it soon became absorbing and, even if some things turned out to be too convenient and neat, it still was very entertaining thanks to the veteran cast, especially Ji Sung, Jeon Mi Do and Kwon Yul, and their demanding performances.
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With an intriguing concept, a great cast and engaging visuals, but a convoluted execution that created more questions than answers, and some plot-twists that served no clear purpose.
It could have been so much better...
With a tight, dense and coherent plot, masterful direction, storytelling and production, and a superb cast (especially unrecognizable Hwang Jung Min in a blood-boiling role), this movie is a captivating experience for those who want to delve into S. Korea's history.
Great for a family movie night.
With an indie vibe, a nicely blended element of investigation and a subplot that worked as a means of catharsis, this was a difficult but thought-provoking watch.
Though the storytelling had some issues, especially towards the end, and some characters felt a bit one-dimensional, it was a drama worth watching for Ra Mi Ran -who was exceptionally good in this, both as an intern and as a mom, owning her character and making it very realistic and relatable- as well as her family members and their lovely bonding.
A healing slice of life story full of warmth, consideration, compassion and empathy.
An affectionate yet realistic and not overdramatic representation of people suffering from some challenging situations, that find a place to belong, connect, heal and form relationships -not necessarily romantic- that can change their lives.
A soothing, rewarding watch.
A high octane sci-fi thriller: dark, action-packed, bloody, gory, with an excellent cast and high production value, but confusing in terms of storytelling, characters interconnections and purpose, and lacking the essence and the background that could blend all the above in a captivating outcome.
The scene-stealer badass FL, Jo Yoon Soo, as well as Cha Seung Won's eccentric persona and Kim Seon Ho, who slayed the last episode, were more than enough to make this is a decent one-time watch, but it could have been so much better.
However, the extremely slow and mundane pace, the long duration, the fragmented narration -full of mystery and symbolisms that are never fully explained thus difficult to fully understand or make sense- and its vague intentions make this a challenging watching experience.
Plus, the expectations of marriage for young women of a certain age from their family and friends, addressing them as a failed or incomplete life.
Miura Toko was a brilliant choice for the FL, giving life to her complicated, reserved, solitary character.
Even though it may be slow-paced at times, this film is a refreshing addition to the titles about aroace community, which still remains largely unknown and misunderstood.
Though the premise is definitely cliche, some actors should tone down their overacting and the ending may be confusing for some viewers, the clever retrospective storytelling, the classy filming and production, some unpredictable plot-twists and its short duration (only 4 episodes long) made this an interesting, bingeable watch.
With a hazy cinematography, a slow-paced but tense storytelling and many symbolisms that sometimes make the story hard to follow, this film is a sad experience, especially for those who know the real tragedy involved.
Watch with caution.
It definitely wasn't as violent, wicked, gory, fast-paced as his previous works, but it definitely had many of his signature elements.
Engaging though a bit chaotic story, with some interesting twists and a few holes in the plot, intriguing performances and exemplary production.
But, I have to admit that, overall, this film didn't add anything significant or very memorable to the genre, though it's good enough for Miike fans.
Many characters and subplots felt underused or even unnecessary and what made me keep on watching were:
* Lee Jung Eun's talent and charisma that make her give life to any role she's given
* Choi Jin Hyuk's rare and genuine smile
* Mi Jin's supportive parents and bestie
Not bad, but it could have been so much better.