In a nutshell: Great film for people who like quiet, thoughtful films. Avoid if you like fast paced movies or do not want to cry.
Was this review helpful to you?
Definitely worth your time!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Such a HUGE disappointment (do not waist time with this one)
It has been a long time since I posted a review. I've watched quite a few different dramas that I felt I had to go and write a review about it as soon as I finished watching, but I never did. This time I was so disappointed and frustrated with the ending to be more exact that I couldn't hold myself and I had to write about what I feel. I can even accept the fact that the writing was not that good when being a screenplay writer is part of the story line. I can even accept that there were so many things that felt short, unfinished, not even necessary, but to not even satisfy with a good ending or at least a more normal ending, that I have a hard time to accept. I considered Raphael first male lead and Kang Jae the second male lead based on the synopsis.First, I have to say that the connection between the couples was not quite there, or for me was not equally the same. Oh Woo Ri and Lee Kang Jae even thought they were dating for so long I really didn't feel them as a couple. Maybe because I didn't like the male, I didn't warmed up to him. Oh Woo Ri and Raphael I felt them a little bit more and maybe just because the way the part was written for them but I know they were not quite perfect either. They were talking about a first kiss, he was talking about believing that faith has somebody better for him and because the way they filmed the moments between the two, with all the memories and the dreams they both had and the fact that she even reached to kiss him first which she did not do with Kang Jae, made me believe that she liked him more or at least she was feeling more attracted to him. The connection between her and Kang Jae felt awkward and cringe worthy at times, like the time they hold hands in the car and then they said they have to go pray because they held hands for too long. I mean what the heck.......... what is that? With the relation between her and Raphael I thought since the writers were pointing out that he didn't grow up with the type of family he always wanted, they will give him the family he was dreaming of by keeping him together with her. But to my disappointment it didn't happened.
Second thing that bothered me was the way I felt the two male leads were portrayed at times, and to me it looked like they were both stupid.
Third and not last thing that bothered me, but this really frustrated me was close to the end when they were both trying to win her back it was not fair that Raphael did not get one chance not even one chance to talk to her alone, but Kang Jae did have that chance at the memorial of his parents. After that the next day at her mother proposal party she had her mind made up. That was not correct if you want to give them both a fair chance. And the whole complications that are going to arise from having the baby with one guy and being married to another guy. Why do you have to complicate that baby's existence? I don't understand why? If you emphasize the fact that the female lead and Raphael had a first kiss and then a baby together, than why don't you keep that baby's parents together? Why put it in the movie, if you are going to throw the connection between them out the window? Even more, they also emphasized the connection that was building between FL and Raphael with all the times he was there to save her, and they still didn't end up together. I really do not see the point of having those scenes. I've seen dramas before where I wanted the FL to end up with the second male lead, but this was not one of them because of that baby which she should have had her both parents. If you have the pen in your hand and you write the ending, then why not keep families together? For the FL lead since she was a virgin, she would have been better paired with a man that had more experience and proof is the honeymoon moment when you have two virgins trying to do the grown ups thing and just ended up being another cringe worthy - I want to throw up moment. And don't even get me started on the stupid friendship between Kang Jae and Raphael. That was another moment that I felt I was going to throw up. Really? Really? Really writer or writers? I mean you have them fighting over FL like two roosters just to make them best friends? Really? Really? I am shocked that this script was even approved to make it to the screen. I can just keep going on, and on, and on but I'm too frustrated and the drama doesn't deserve my energy to continue writing.
Was this review helpful to you?
So glad that I ignored the negative reviews!
Hello, the Sharpshooter (HTS) turned out to be a decent watch. True, the show could have been executed better, but it had enough good elements to keep me engaged until it finished airing. It is not a serious and deep drama, even though its primary theme centered around the main characters dealing with psychological issues.The plot was nothing new. First loves reuniting with amnesia as a starting obstacle, but I liked how the show wrapped things up so nicely. Some commented that it was too draggy, and yes, a few episodes may be slow, but I felt that the show used the extra episodes effectively to show how the main characters overcame their trauma. At least, unlike other shows in which the character miraculously became better overnight within one episode, HTS took the time to show the process of healing for the main characters. Via Dr. Ding, the sharpshooter team's psychologist, the show provided details that helped to explain how the ML and FL finally resolved their issues. I liked seeing how the ML and FL worked with Dr. Ding to try out methods on the other, and it made sense that ML's journey took a longer time, having the extra burden of guilt.
The best part of the show was the casting, especially with the main and second couple pairings. The show hit the jackpot with the chemistry between Hu Yi Tian as Shen Qing Yuan (SQY) and Fair Xing as Tang Xin (TX). As individual characters, they were tropey (think cold, emotionless ML, almost perfect in every way except his EQ, and clumsy but endearing and plucky FL). However, as a couple, they made the romance come alive so naturally and so adorably that it kept me coming back for the next episodes. Similarly, the relationship may have developed differently for the second couple, but their path to being together was also a fun watch. The supporting cast, especially SQY's wingmen also deserved credit for adding flavor to the story. Also, there were some great scenes where the show balanced well between humor and poignancy.
I enjoyed watching SQY and TX grow together and individually from the natural conflict of their budding relationship and also having to deal with their past history that casted a dark shadow over them. What was ultimately gratifying to me was how the two healed so beautifully together, finding common ground and knowing how to bring out the best in each other. They complemented each other and reveled in each other's strengths. When conflict entered the plot that kept them apart, it was not a test of whether it will break them up but more of a testament that their relationship was healthy enough to adapt and overcome. I appreciated TX's patience and sweetness as she knew how to coax SQY during his fits of jealousy or moments of gloom, and I loved how SQY was consistently there for TX, even when he was struggling hard with his issues.
There were some frustrating moments that can only happen in dramaland. No matter how much they crossed the line or how unprofessional they were, the antagonists were able to get away with their actions multiple times. Fortunately, all the primary villains getting their just deserts provided the satisfaction that I typically needed for a happy ending. I wish that they built up the coach's character better since he seemed to turn a blind eye to all the atrocious things done to his sharpshooter team. Additionally, I will insert my usual rant about how terribly the c-dramas style their FLs. I simply do not understand why the MLs and SFL are usually dressed so stylishly, while the FL tend to be dressed in dowdy, old-fashioned, and oversized outfits.
Visually, HTS is a feast for the eyes because no matter who you look at - either Hu Yi Tian, Fair Xing, Kido Ma, Luo Qiu Yun, or most of the supporting cast, it was good looks galore. Acting-wise, most of the cast did a fine job, but I felt that both Hu Yi Tian and Fair Xing have not expanded beyond their current acting abilities since their characters in HTS were similar to those in their other dramas. They did well in general, but I would love to see them break the mold.
Musically, the OST was memorable, and by that, I mean the songs were effective in evoking memories of the scenes for me. I like the opening song, sung by Liu Yu Ning, and it reflected the hopeful aspiring tone of the underlying sports theme throughout the show. For posterity, I included the tracklist at the end of this review.
Overall, HTS pleasantly surprised me and I would re-watch to catch the nuances I may have missed during the first run..
I do recommend that you try this drama out and decide for yourself. If nothing else, the chemistry between Hu Yi Tian and Fair Xing might be enough to keep you watching.
[TRACKLIST]
The Daughter Of The Sea 海的女儿 - 王韵韵 Wang Yunyun
It's All Worth It 都值得 - 张玮 Zhang Wei
Sadness Is You, Joy Is Also You 悲伤是你，欢喜也是你 - 王韵韵 Wang Yunyun
Extraordinary Love 不平凡的爱 - 郑人予 Zheng Renyu / 徐艺洋 Xu Yiyang
What Happened Yesterday 昨天的事 - 冒朋呈 Mao Peng Cheng
Holiday 假期 - 兔子牙 Tuzi ya / Rabbit Tooth
Everyone Knows 大家都知道 - 薄何 Bo He / 李星彤 Li Xingtong
The Only Light 唯一的光 - 刘宇宁 Liu Yuning
Chain 连锁 - 硬糖少女303陈卓璇 Hard Candy Girl 303 Chen Zhuoxuan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa9t3cnggpU
Was this review helpful to you?
Cotton candy fluff with sprinkles on top.
What do you get when you mix The Brightest Star in the Sky With Moonlight but take away the dog?One would assume earth or a galaxy far, far away... but nope you get Assistant of Superstar, or maybe pop rocks... Anyway you get something sweet, easy to binge and fun to watch with highly predictable twists a spaceship filled with slices and a whole lot of charm!
Though the male lead is in need of a lesson or two about consensual behaviour, he never uses force to force himself on the female lead and does actually get that lesson done right.
He is also sweet, fun to watch, charming, just jealous and immature enough to make it cute and funny and not over the top. He is stupid but not to stupid, conceded but not to conceded... Slightly obsessed with the female lead but on a scale of Icicle to full on lava stalker Id say he is somewhere around bonfire.
The female lead is actually pretty smart and is the one with the slightly lower EQ among the two giving the dram a slight role reversal feel to it. She is very quiet... honestly I think she does more talking during the first two episodes then during the entire drama, but she speaks louder with action and mimics.
The second couple is... well... Lets´s just say I did not find them annoying but rather did fall in love with them however! I loved Pandoras energy... She does cross the line a lot and is more of a full on lava stalker and not just a bond fire, do not act like her, as a woman it may actually get you killed in real life... But she is definitely a sweetheart and well her heart was in the right place I guess...
Other then that the villains are pretty good looking and do their job well... I could have done without them but then we would not have any drama now would we...
All in all if you like star falls for assistant cliches, rivalry and broken souls mended this is deffenetly a good place to look for it... If you do not like that stuff, go watch something else.
Was this review helpful to you?
LI WU X LU ZHENG ?
Sooo many complaints about the plot being confusing but how many of you actually stopped watching it😏???Pledge of Allegiance is good because the cast is good and they keep you hooked even when you don't understand the connection between people anymore or make sense of the plot.
Li Wu and Lu Zheng do justice to their characters, which makes it so wonderful to watch.
The bromance is strong. So much sugar, and it is worth a watch because even if the plot keeps on going in circles, you won't stop watching (at least I didn't)
Was this review helpful to you?
Agent Provocateur.
Jiang Ying, a bewitching songbird catches the eye of both Du Xunyu and his father, shipping magnate Du Jingchuan. The way she lures and provokes both men with her innocent wiles and wraps them around her finger is riveting. She is clearly up to no good but Du Xunyu has his own agenda and is willing to play along with her. This short drama starts strongly with a predictable but well executed revenge plot. Masterful and nuanced portrayals by the main actors and searing chemistry and palpable tension between the leads elevates the simple plot with well-drawn and resonating characterizations. Li Muchen (as Jiang Ying)in particular delivers a captivating performance as a seductive and manipulative agent provocateur that sows the seeds of discord in the Du household.This short drama is compelling up to the final five episodes and then it manages to turn into a banal, draggy and somewhat sappy love story. The drama never delivers on the early promise of a very intense and passionate romance; lapsing into a very sweet one instead. The latter part of this drama is an example of how bad things happen when these short dramas end up with more budget and screen time. The ending was the worst - bafflingly attempting unnecessary melodrama when it should have and could have ended with a flourish after all the secrets are revealed. Although I still recommend this as a good short drama to pass time with, I can only rate this 7.5 because of the ending sag.
Was this review helpful to you?
We've all seen her in dramas, the woman who married into a wealthier family, who is faced with comparisons to people that are doing so much better than her and receives lots of pressure from her in law family. What makes this drama and its heroine stand out is the focus on her journey of growing stronger and questioning her status quo in life. That is not to say she's a weak woman at the start of the drama, because she can take a stand for herself when required, but she's just not a person that puts her own needs above everything else.
The drama raises several important social issues, the most prominent ones were the role of wife and mother in a family, education of children and affairs. Some people might be put off by the fact that the female lead starts an affair, but imho the affair topic was not the point of the drama. These two people meet and get closer, because they both feel kind of left behind in their respective lives, but the important point for me was not whether they would stay together or not in the end, but that they began to think about their current situation in life and whether they could continue living that way. I see the affair more as a starting point of their character growth, and especially in the case of the female lead that was really well done.
I keep talking about the female lead, but her character really was the heart of the drama for me. I realize now that I rarely cared about a female character as much as her and Kim Hee Ae's outstanding and relatable performance played a great part in that. She made that character come alive, so that I always felt her pain and was rooting for her to find happiness. The rest of the cast was impressive too, there were several characters that I hated with a passion, but the drama actually managed to make me feel a bit sympathetic for some of them, although that doesn't excuse their previous behavior.
There were some things I wish would have been done a bit differently in the second half, which is the reason I didn't rate it a 10, but those aren't any major flaws. All in all, I highly recommend this if you want to see a drama with a mature approach to its topics.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
What you need to know
This has a very good storyline, but a lot of people can’t get past the fact that it also was sponsoring products. They incorporated it in a fun way that not only helped progress the drama but to sponsor the products used to help fund the drama. If you don’t pay attention during the show, you will get lost and not understand what they mean so make sure that you do pay attention the entire time. There were a lot of comedic lines and the drama that made my stomach hurt from laughing so hard especially when the bodyguard and the counterpart from the other world met that scene, made me cry laughing. If you understand the story plot you will love this drama very much and want to watch it over again I know I did.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A love story, that is told in a completely unorthodox way. Impressive in a refined manner
Capturing so much feeling quite sensitively and lifelike, “Remember you” is definitely for KMovie connoisseurs - with a memorable story and two wonderful leads deeply touching the audience's soul.However, the story is not at all concerned with meeting common audience expectations. The KMovie chooses its own pace while poetically linking the loose threads into a three-dimensional pattern – in a stringent but by no means linear manner, purposefully but without any haste.
“Remember you” (or rather “Don’t forget me”, as the original title says) is mostly a love story through and through. However, it is a love story, that is told in a completely unorthodox way.
The past that lies behind – with the memory of it having the potential to ripping emotional abysses with brute force. The future, that lies ahead – with hope dwelling inside. The present – in which the ´now´ can become a safe zone. Within and throughout: the transcendent power of love.
There is something meditative about “Remember You”. We´re stumbling alongside the amnesiac protagonist through his (to him) strange present, with people coming and going. It almost feels like in a dream. He acts on the outside while inwardly commenting and silently asking his questions to an inner authority that should know... But the inner authority is mute.
The memories of the male protagonist, who suffers from amnesia, come back in fragments and immediately collapse again. The soul has found its own ways in dealing in a somewhat more bearable way with an almost unbearable reality. But ultimately, this situation, too, still is not really bearable either. The KMovie portrays a desperate psychological wrestling with reality - of the male lead on the one hand, and the female lead on the other.
Before we notice it, at the latest as soon as the puzzle has been put together, we suddenly find ourselves very close to the no less desperate inner world of the female lead. After being very close to HIM for so long and learning to feel with HIM, we suddenly find ourselves compassionate with HER emotional horror trip...
Impressive in a refined manner!
PS:
The KMovie “Remember You” is based on a short film by the same director. Based on this template, crowdfunding was used to raise funds for an international independent cinema film production. $32,000 was donated for this purpose. When it premiered in South Korea, “Remember You” grossed around $2 million already.
Was this review helpful to you?
The other two things I loved about the drama are the music and the location. While the music really set s you in the mood, the drama is set in Harbin, a Chinese city that looks like Moscow. The location is a stroke of genius and really adds to the atmospheric effect.
Highly recommended if you are in the mood for a noir
Was this review helpful to you?
For the acting, I seriously want to give a standing ovation to the main cast (Masataka Kubota) for his excellent acting and perfectly portrayed as Kaneki Ken. Why I said that he is perfect as Kaneki because every scene that has Kaneki in it, I can feel the main character's pain, sad, happy, nervous. For those who still not read the manga yet, Kaneki Ken is such a complicated and tragic character yet he brilliantly conveys his emotion as Kaneki Ken who got confused with his own body and the struggles to keep his humanity as a half-ghoul, half human. The other casts also played their character really well.
What makes this film not perfect is the CG. The CG of Kakugan seriously looks great but the CG of Kagune, for some reason there's a time that the Kagune effects look a bit awkward but don't worry, it's not a big deal.
Overall, I enjoyed every part in this movie. Since the first movie already good, I have a high expectation for the sequel and hope they will have more budget for the next film so the CGI will look more awesome and the viewers will more enjoy watching the film.
For all fans of Tokyo Ghoul, it is official that Tokyo Ghoul is getting the third anime series in 2018 for the adaptation of TOKYO GHOUL:RE.
Was this review helpful to you?
It's sweet as it's name.
This drama was like vanilla ice cream plain and sweet without any major twists and surprises. So you won't feel any thrill it's just a light, cute and fluffy drama with lots of cliches in it that will definitely make you cringe.It's a fairytale with happy ending. Probably Cinderella story. Rich, handsome, talented and there's even more he's her idol also so basically it becomes so unrealistic but if you like this type of stories then this is your cup of tea. It doesn't have many silly misunderstandings, breakups yeah but there's a irritating I mean very irritating second FL that's her character is only made for to we hate her. Still is wasn't bad it was good dose of fluffy ness after watching some serious stuff. The acting and execution was good, I liked the fact that FL wasn't dumb and ML wasn't mean.
Overall it was okay, it was good watch I enjoyed it's cuteness and sweetness...
Was this review helpful to you?
Khun Chai Taratorn is the first part of the very popular Suparburoot Jutathep series. It’s somewhat an exclusive Thai way of making dramas where three, four or five plots are connected by a main thread. In this series’ case, it’s the story of the five noble brothers, set in the after-war times in Thailand.
The first part of the story started in a promising way, it gets extra credit because it introduced us the main characters, their relationships and the general atmosphere. The premise of the plot seemed interesting; antiques robbery, cross-dressing and so on. However, the writing didn’t manage to keep things captivating. I think that’s the main issue with most Thai lakorns, they usually have interesting topics and characters but they tend to mess things up in the middle and near the end.
I found too much Indecisiveness to tolerate. Many main characters kept avoiding the obvious for the longest time that’s why the lakorn could turn out to be a little boring. Of course, the bromance moments between the brothers surely kept my interest, the way they eavesdrop on each other or plot against each other just for fun was priceless. I believe that’s the main strength of this series.
This may have been the non-interesting brother as some may call it but I surely liked Chai Yai’s character, apart from his indecisiveness of course. He was calm, caring and well-worthy of the eldest brother’s title. The acting was, not bad is all I can say. As many of you would know, Thailand doesn’t contain the greatest actors out there but they can be good enough. Grate did well with the character, at least more convincing than Preem’s acting. You see, beside Grate and Pope (playing the first and the second brother) who are well-known actors from Channel 3, Jame, Bomb and James (playing the other brothers) are newbie actors who made their breakthrough with this series so they deserve encouragement.
The female department was nice; I especially liked the two grannies. The triangle was also good, at least there’s no evil second female lead that you would gladly throw in hell. She had your average next-door neighbour girl feel into her despite being in the noble class. She was also a great friend of the female lead (something you would rarely see in lakorns or in Asian dramas in general). It’s her two sisters that I am worried about when Chai Pat and Chai Pee’s stories come; they will be the obnoxious type for sure. The second male lead in this part was also very nice and no, he wasn’t friend-zoned since he never grew a crush on the female lead in the first place.
Watch if:
-You like Thai lakorns.
-You dislike slap/kiss lakorns and prefer the other genres.
-You like good chemistry.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for something great.
-You’re not familiar with Thai lakorns; I wouldn’t recommend this as your starting point.
-You’re very impatient for developments to happen.
Khun Chai Taratron love story wasn’t that great to be honest, but as usual the chemistry in Thai lakorns is something you’d gladly watch. I am looking forward to the rest of this series, hoping that the other brothers’ stories will be more interesting than this.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Pretty well done and very, very tragic all at the same time. This show had some of the best casting I've seen in a drama yet, and Dong Chi (Choi Jin Hyuk) and Kang Soo (Lee Tae Hwan) stole it away pretty quickly. The secondary cast was simply amazing in their roles, and they were almost more important than the leads to me. To be honest, I think of the leads, Kang Soo was the best all around actor although Dong Chi certainly did a wonderful job. But considering that Kang Soo is still a little new, he never once failed his role. They kept in character and made you feel that the emotions they displayed were real and honest. I felt like they had great chemistry, bouncing well off of one another and the rest of the cast members. The relationships between Kang Soo-Chang Gi and Dong Chi - Chief Moon were very well developed. The secondary cast also worked wonderfully with each other, and the script successfully used them as both plot developers and stress-relieving comedy at all the right places. Jang Won (Choi Woo Shik) and Gwang Mi (Jeong Hye Song) were dazzling in their roles and played their parts exceptionally. Without them, the story would have been far to dark and depressing, but with them it was the perfect mix of comedy and serious thought-proving storyline.I didn't actually really care at all for Han Yeol Moo (Baek Jin Hee), and she took away some of the points I would have given the show. I'm not sure if it was bad acting or bad scripts, but her character just didn't really work. I'm used to the female stars being, well stubborn sure, but mostly good-hearted, solid morals, and someone who thinks of others first. But Yeol Moo has little patience for other people, actively and deliberately hurt her mom, and had no respect for the rule of law or her superiors. I mean, I understand that the point is that when bad guys are in control, you may have to work the system. But she actually was willing to sentence another girl to death or to sacrifice up evidence just to get her and her boyfriend out of trouble. Although the show never dealt with it, she was sometimes quoting basically the same thought processes as the bad guys she wanted to stop. It didn't help that her expressions were non-existent or just felt off, I never felt that her feelings (anger or love alike) were actually real.
Korean Dramas usually focus on personal relationships, with the political message in the background. However, Pride and Prejudice definitely pulled its themes forward, with the romance and friendships being largely a secondary plotline. The show questions the theory that "the ends should justify the means" with both good and bad characters trying to argue their point using this premise. Is it okay to do bad things for a good ending? Or what if you only do something wrong because it is the "lesser evil?" The show pulled in themes of Corruption, Pride, Self-Entitlement, Good v. Evil, Bad Leadership, and knowing when to draw the line. I thought one of the most interesting points the show brought up was the question of what to do when you can't defeat the evil. Most shows want to portray the bad guys as defeatable, but that isn't really true. Whenever one bad guy is defeated, another one is probably going to follow shortly. Furthermore, if the bad guy you want is only a middle-man, is it worth your career to stop him when you know the leader will walk away? We want to put everything on the line only when the person we're chasing is the ultimate evil. But what if he isn't? What if there are 50 others worse than him running around waiting to be stopped later? Will you still risk everything to stop the one? I liked this show just because it made me think, and gave us some interesting things to talk about when it was over.
The plotline was somewhat standard KDrama fare, but also threw in a bunch of unique elements. For the first time ever, there wasn't much of a triangle. This wasn't about the romances; the show wanted you to focus more on the philosophical questions of morality and good citizenship instead. The crime itself was actually well set up and had lots of new or unique little twists and elements. It wasn't the simple murder; there were about ten layers to even plot development, with each character having their own side to tell. The bad guys who weren't really bad guys, the good guys who made horrible mistakes, the bad guys who were just bad guys, and the good guys who were so good as to be little earthly good. The show pulled them all in, asking you to look at humans, our ethical systems, and the important question of when can the right go wrong.
There were of course a few plot holes (especially with the ending being so rushed), but overall, I wasn't too disappointed with it. On the one hand, the weak ending was a really, really weak ending. It went too fast, it left a lot of loose ties, it didn't finish things at all. On the other hand, t was well written and well-designed, even if it left me crying and largely unsatisfied at the end. To be honest, I think it needed an unsatisfying ending, because that's the point. The battle is never over, the next generation simply takes over the reigns and pushes on.
Was this review helpful to you?
