Reviews

Lovesick is a Taiwanese romance drama film released in 2025 that stands out for its blend of cliché romantic comedy with a bittersweet and emotionally complex twist. Directed by Hsu Fu-Hsiang, the film tells a story of lies, self-acceptance, and the discovery of love amid tragedy.

Synopsis

The plot follows Ye Zijie (played by Zhan Huai-Yun), a troubled and lazy teenager who, to escape classes and schoolwork, decides to fake a terminal illness. His deception, initially a way to gain sympathy and escape reality, becomes more complicated when he is placed under the watchful eye of Ye Zijie (played by Chiang Chi), the dedicated and serious class monitor, who coincidentally shares his name.

What begins as a game of cat and mouse, with the monitor trying to expose the boy's deception, evolves into an unexpected relationship. However, both their lives are turned upside down when he discovers a shocking truth: the girl he falls in love with actually suffers from a terminal illness. From then on, his lie becomes a burden, and the story, which had a light and comedic tone, delves into a bittersweet journey to complete the "bucket list" of a person who is truly running out of time.

Positive Points

Main Cast Chemistry: Zhan Huai-Yun and Chiang Chi's performances are the heart of the film. The chemistry between them is genuine, and the evolution of their relationship, from initial aversion to deep affection, is convincingly constructed. They subtly convey emotions, making the characters' journeys believable and moving.

Balance between Comedy and Drama: The film masterfully transitions between moments of light humor, caused by Zijie's ruse to maintain her charade, and the heavy drama that unfolds with the revelation of her illness. This balance prevents the plot from becoming overly melancholic, keeping the audience engaged.

Strong Emotional Message: Lovesick is more than a clichéd love story. It explores themes of vulnerability, honesty, and the value of every moment in life. The pretense of one character and the reality of the other serve as a powerful contrast, highlighting the importance of living fully and not wasting the opportunities life offers.

Verdict

Lovesick is a welcome addition to the Taiwanese romance genre. While it uses some familiar tropes, like "rebellious boy falls for good girl," it uses them to tell a moving and surprising story. Hsu Fu-Hsiang's sensitive direction, combined with the cast's captivating performances, makes this film an emotionally rewarding experience. It's a great choice for those looking for a romance that offers more than just a happy ending, but a sincere reflection on life, love, and what it truly means to be "lovesick."

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They work hard for the money.

There is a bouncy '50s feel to Tsui Hark's lightning-paced blue-collar comedy, Working Class. One that represents a communal place of camaraderie and bright, day-glo dreams with an abnormal amount of political hubbub amid the four-colour fun. It may be a relatively straightforward comedy, but the film still exhibits Hark's incredible ability to add something to even the most well-trod narratives, showing us how life can be pretty unrighteous and hard to get through, but that man can find the meaning of life even in the most imponderable and trivial places and really be happy. The performances are hilariously exaggerated, as are most of Teddy Robin's ridiculous sunglasses and the bottle of baby oil used to keep an often-shirtless Sam Hui out-glistening his dry-looking castmates, while the romance between Hui and the always stunning Joey Wong is adorable. The best thing is getting to see Tsui on screen... he is such a cool guy, oozes charisma and intelligence, while his direction is as scattershot and screwball as ever, with some very well-handled comic scenarios that manage to move from cliché to humour, all brilliantly underscored by a not-so-subtle and incredibly catchy Canto-synth cover of Donna Summer's She Works Hard For The Money. Those expecting innovation may be disappointed by Working Class, but the film is ultimately a dazzling little gem in Hark's impressive filmography, one that's guaranteed to leave a smile on your face.

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Great psychological thriller that messes up with your mind

It's been a week since I watched Memoir of a Murderer and I still feel dizzy just from thinking about it. I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to watch it but I did not expect that this movie would play with my mind as much as it did.

Memoir of a murderer is what the title implies: it's basically the biography of a former serial killer, Kim Byung Soo, who faces problems with his memory after he got diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. One day, Kim Byung Soo come across another potential serial killer, Min Tae Joo, who works as a police officer. Byung Soo tries to prove that Tae Joo is a serial killer while protecting his daughter from being a potential victim.

As one would expect from such an ambiguous premise, the film completely messes up with the viewers' mind. It had me constantly rethinking about what could be real and what could be false. Whom can I trust? Who tells the truth? I couldn't tell what was reality and what was a fragment of Byung Hoo's troubled imagination. The cinematography and the acting added to the distortion of the events, at one point I began wondering if I could be the culprit all along. There was not a single moment where I could settle for a final answer, every time I believed I had sorted everything out, the movie would prove me wrong. If it was a person, it would laugh at my confusion. During the last half hour, I felt like I was losing brain cells with all of the twists that occurred but it was so so worth it.

The production of the film was excellent. The dark and grey colours highlighted the bleak and mysterious atmosphere. The camera work was really effective, especially when it came to the characters. The editing and the combination of the scenes in general added extra layers to the ambiguous nature of the story. I couldn't tell what was truly happening and what was not.

One of the strongest aspects of the movie was the psychological exploration of the characters. When you have such a rich plot, you ought to explore the psychology of the characters and this is precisely what happened. Byung Hoo was a very complex person. You do not necessarily condemn his actions but you can excuse them to some extent. Even his murders were done with good intentions (or at least, that's what he believes). He is a troubled man who wants to protect his daughter and who is willing to go to great lengths in order to do so.

Tae Joo, on the other hand, appears to be the polare opposite. The film frames him to be a cold, manipulative psychopath who kills for the sake of killing. Although the film doesn't delve deeper into his past, his character still has so many layers to explore. I was constantly trying to figure out whether he was truly the culprit or not and I couldn't help but feel threatened every time he appeared. He was cocky, confident and despite the fact his cockiness got on my nerves at times, I was fascinated by him.

The cat-mouse game between these two men was thrilling to say the least. Byung Soo wanted to frame Tae Joo for his current crimes while Tae Joo wanted to frame Byung Soo for his past crimes. Both men tried to gain the trust of Byung Soo's daughter and both wouldn't hesitate to harm each other in order to reach their goal. It was mildly amusing to watch Tae Joo sabotage Byung Soo's attempts to find more evidence against him, I started feeling sorry for Byung Soo and the humiliation he had to go through.

Of course the successful portrayal of the characters must be attributed to Sul Kyung Gu and Kim Nam Gil's stellar performances. They did not just play their characters. They became the characters.

Sul Kyung Gu delivered an excellent performance, one that gave more depth to Byung Soo. I could feel his emotions through the screen. His frustration, his desperation, his love, his confusion. Everything was so transparent. I especially liked the way he used his facial expressions and his mouth, the little details in his acting captured Byung Soo's personality perfectly and proved how meticulous he is an actor.

Kim Nam Gil was one of the major reasons why I decided to watch the movie. Ever since I've watched him in Through The Darkness and Trigger, he has become one of my favourite actors. It goes without saying that once again, he did not disappoint. His role was very different compared to his other projects. Gone is the traumatized but kind profiler or police officer. Now he transformed into a serial killer who hid his true colors under his disguise of a good servant of justice. If any casting directors are reading this, I want them to know that I desperately need more evil roles for Nam Gil. He was phenomenal. The way he talked, the way he used his face, the way he acted...He commanded the screen and gave me the chills.

If I could pinpoint a small drawback that would be the pacing during the middle. The story never lost its spark of course, it's just that I found my attention drifting away at times after all of the chase between Byung Soo and Tae Joo. Nevertheless, the final act was a certificated banger. I do not want to delve into spoilers but be prepared: you will not be ready.

Do I recommend Memoir of a Murderer? Without a doubt! Those who love psychological thrillers will definitely appreciate it but even if you're not a huge fan of the genre, the acting alone and all of these guessing shenanigans will be enough. I am very curious to watch the director's cut version too and I cannot wait to dive deeper into this story.

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An entertaining movie-watch, good for exorcizing WWII resentments. It is violent, as was the Japanese colonial occupation, and in one instance near the end of the film it is gratuitously violent. Our sympathy by then for the elderly protagonist avenging the deaths of his father, brother and sister is almost able to excuse his actions. But not quite.

Lee Sung Min and Nam Joo Hyuk are outstanding as an accidental pair: Freddie/Han Pil Ju, an elderly waiter whose family was brutally destroyed in the Occupation, and the student In Gyu, also a waiter, burdened by his fathers hospital bills and loan sharks. Lee Sung Min has some recent and well-deserved success and Nam Joo Hyuk is about to finally make his post service comeback, which is why I picked this to watch.

Pil Ju carries out a meticulous plan to murder three Korean collaborators and one Japanese colonial official whose actions caused the deaths of his family. They are also now powerful people in South Korea who profited greatly from their betrayal of innocents. To begin with In Gyu innocently takes on the paid job of zooming Freddy around Seoul in a lovely little red Porsche. Then in increasing agitation as he realizes what Pil Ju is doing he comically tries both to stop his friend and extricate himself all at the same time .

Yes, the Occupation is long over (80 years now). Perhaps one should not encourage the holding of historical grudges. But as long as families still have remembered pain, resolution must be sought. This film justly abhors profiteering from war crimes.

Whether or not dramatic art actually encourages political violence via catharsis or not, has long been debated. See what you think. For my part the film is comical enough for sadness to be the dominant emotion rather than anger. The pain, brutality and cruelty of the long World Wars of the 20th century still casts a shadow -- but for those who do not know this history the film may lose some resonance.

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a quirky short film

Overall: this is a 13 minute quirky short movie where condoms have voices. I first watched it on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/1207/dom-2017 It later aired on Shortime (it was 100 popcorn in 2025).

What I Liked
- the way the guy bought it felt realistic
- made me chuckle a few times
- friendship

Room For Improvement
- them being very drunk beforehand
- the one guy trying to convince him not to use a condom

Note: this isn't a happily ever after, the main character's boyfriend cheats on him and then it's an open ending

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She Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)

*Kidnapped by bandits, the young Ai Nu (He Lili) is sold to Chun Yi (Bei Di), the ruthless and violent mistress of the “Four Seasons” brothel, a woman with a strong repulsion towards the male gender; Chun Yi, decidedly attracted not only by the rebellious character, but above all by the beauty of the indomitable Ai Nu, bends her to his will, leading her into prostitution; On the other hand, taking advantage of his high influence with Chun Yi, Ai Nu has the madam teach her the martial arts in order to be able to exploit them at the right moment; She aims to take revenge on the brothel's mistress and her wealthy dignitaries, seducing and eliminating them one by one...

A misunderstood gem from the incredible dreams factory of the Shaw Bros. studios, ‘Intimate Confessions’, directed by the blissful hand of Chu Yuan, has rightly earned cult movie status over the years thanks to its mix of genres, which go beyond simple wuxia, and its components of tension, sadism, explicit eros, revenge and unusual violence, which sparklingly determine its stylistic traits.

Chu Yuan had ultimately come to the Shaw Bros team after a career spent filming predominantly Cantonese-language pictures, with mixed production fortunes, some of which were also shot on behalf of his own company, the “Rose Film Company”; but with the ensuing crisis in Cantonese cinema in the late 1960s, the director moved on to other companies, working on predominantly Mandarin-language films; Following the bankruptcy of Cathay, his arrival at Shaw Bros could be considered an unexpected stroke of luck.

His acknowledged sophisticated and innovative style, coupled with the excellent direction of the cast and the studios careful attitude towards higher budget productions, put him a step above his colleagues who may have been more concerned with quantity rather than quality of filmmaking.

The first Hong Kong film with lesbian themes, at least as prominent (it must be remembered, this is 1972), and part of the ‘Brothel Movies’ (movies set in brothels, houses of ill repute, etc.), ‘Intimate Confessions’ is a melodrama with decidedly dark overtones. where the ambivalent dualism Love/Hate and the tragic fatalism that leads us to the beautiful conclusion, go hand in hand with the relationship of sadistic and masochistic submission that is reflected, ironically, even in the names of the main female characters, who are, moreover, decidedly charming.

Where “Ai” (Love) “Nu” (Slave) can in fact be rendered as “Love Slave” or “Subservient”. in contrast, and somewhat ironically, given the nature of the woman, Chun (“Spring”) Yi (“Happiness”) can be interpreted as “Plesant Spring” (or “Spring Happiness”); In addition, if ‘Four Seasons’ is the name of the brothel (which makes one smile, since it recalls wealthy hotel franchises...), four are also the main dignitaries who will have to reckon with Ai Nu's spirit of vengeance…

Ai Nu, who, from being the obscure object of desire (of both genders), in reality reveals herself to be totally unattached to any sentimentalism, aiming exclusively at a very personal revenge against men and towards the one who has de facto enslaved her, in order to overturn her own condition of submission.

In this contest, it is precisely the male element that does not make a good impression on any level, given that all the male characters in the story come out totally diminished, not to say reduced to impotence, both physically and emotionally; if the clients go so far as to physically possess the prostitute, but receive nothing in return, the poor official Confucian Ji De, hopelessly in love with Ai Nu, will find himself relegated to the unhappy role of platonic voyeur.

As previously mentioned, Chu Yuan's filmmaking skill lies in the accumulation of recurring motifs or clichés considered typical in wuxia: From the theme of revenge, to love and deception, to the use of martial arts, all the way to the grand finale with the merciless duel, but all with great attention to detail, starting with the truly remarkable scenographic decor, including veils, curtains and the beautiful clothes of the characters; the chromatic attention to the colours of the costumes that change according to the situation and the degree of drama also returns here.

Emblematic is the grand finale, very well-choreographed, all swords, blood and various dismemberments, where the two female opponents find themselves side by side, fighting with no holds barred, dressed practically the same and, in some parts, indistinguishable from one another: John Woo and the usual Quentin Tarantino (with a penchant for revenge movies), they will certainly have appreciated, considering the particular killing technique used by Chun Yi, as well as the solutions employed by Ai Nu to eliminate the four dignitaries: Striking, for example, the erotic stratagem of prolonged and repeated sexual intercourse to literally ‘ exhaust ’ the target.

Blood and violence, fights, but also irony, passion, with notable sapphic love scenes (see also the finale) that, in those years, returned a little in all cinematic latitudes, from Italian gothic (Mario Caiano above all) to the cinema of Jess Franco (the extraordinary ‘Vampyros Lesbos’ is from 1971), up to the beautiful vamps of Hammer Film Production in the UK.

In addition to all these aspects, some ‘secondary’ nudity, also justified by the location of the story (which, it should always be specified, takes place entirely inside the brothel) will have helped to broaden the audience, but ‘Intimate Confessions of A Chinese Courtesan’ is undoubtedly an absolutely excellent movie that deserves its international cult status and is still very much appreciated today, making it a must-see for every lover of Hong Kong cinema.

*A heartfelt thank you to Riccardo Esposito who, in his beautiful book ‘Fant’Asia’, has treated Chu Yuan's film in an exemplary manner, giving it due credit long before the usual, and often belated, festival recoveries; All the main themes, annotations and references on morphology and articulate Chinese composed words come from there
8 ½

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I suspect that Fruit Punch is one of those films that is best remembered through youthful rose-colored glasses. Watching this 1991 film about young adults finding their way and finding love sounded enticing, but watching it in 2025 was disappointing.

Five buddies decide to go into business together. Fail. Try again. Rinse and repeat. Two of the friends find girls and fall in love, though the way to romantic happiness is rocky.

Full disclosure, this isn’t my favorite type of film, made much worse by the director’s choices. The characters ran around, bouncing off each other, and anything around them like a drunk puppeteer was pulling their strings. Scenes rapidly cut from one to another. Everyone was frenetic and clumsy. Most of the characters were hard to sympathize with. And the acting was pretty abysmal. I was honestly relieved when the credits rolled. If you enjoy 1990s Hong Kong youth comedies you are likely to enjoy this much more than I did. Also, if these actors and actresses are among your faves, it’s probably worth while to watch and see them in their youth. If not, it’s skippable.

20 September 2025

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Well acted, entertaining, good plot twist.

As typical and predictable as a time loop concept film can be, this film is not simply following the story of Mesa, a rich girl who finds herself trapped in a time loop. This film is more than just a romantic comedy. It dives into themes of second chances and the importance of living in the present moment and even explores spiritual beliefs and the things we often overlook in life. Our life isn't always about us. And it also carries a meaningful message with its plot twist. Without giving away any spoilers, the twist adds more to the story than simply an effort to break the time loop curse.

While the storylines seem quite simple and lack proper backstory, this film has a good plot development. It's easy to follow from one story to another. Plus, the production values are top-notch. Everything from the vibrant cinematography to the overall production is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. The visuals are captivating, drawing viewers into the world of the story.

In my opinion, the highlight of this film is Toey Jarinporn's performance. Toey's portrayal of the protagonist is both funny and endearing. It's hard not to love her. On the other hand, Charlette Wasita shines in her role, impressing me with her nuanced acting. The supporting cast also performed wonderfully.

One thing that I personally like about this film compared to other Thai comedy films is that it doesn't rely on slapstick humor. Instead, it blends funny dialogue and good acting to create a light-hearted and entertaining experience. The humor is well-placed and complements the emotional layers of the story. Simple jokes yet effective.

Overall, even with a few minor flaws, 'Same Day With Someone' is considered a good film, as it not only entertaining but well-executed and well-acted.

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Hope turned to Sorrow

I was just looking for something light and happy movie, however, this brought sadness at the end.
I usually make reflections on the tv series or movie I watch and try to pick life lessons. In this case there are a few:
1. a true friend goes the extra mile though it may hurt her the most.
2. true friendship was tested in the matters of the heart
3. if you have good memories of someone you've not seen or will never see anymore, cherish them.

I was just left hanging, not knowing what really happened to the ML in detail. It seems they kept that from us, whereby it is just the brother who relayed to her. No matter what, a death just killed all the hope of meeting again, of continuing their journey together and even perhaps having a family.

I really do not like sad endings. However, we all encounter one way or another some sort of "sad" moments in our lives and what is important is how to deal with it and move on with life.

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What the what?

It was good at the beginning
when it got closer to the end I was like what is going on?
Why did he start beating up the dudes trying to save them? Miscommunication? No communication? Literally. Just be like I’m the girls boyfriend, and then the guard dude be like, I’m a good guy trying to recuse Mr whoever and he wants to take the doctor(girl) with too. But no, they beat each other and guard dude dies. Turns. And then they set him on fire instead of just piercing the brain with a metal rod? There is plenty of them, they are in a hospital…

Sprinklers go off, them all turning into like fish face zombies was pretty cool and new, wasn’t expecting that.

And then invincible dude, instead of continuing to run to the roof to get in the helicopter with the girl and little boy, he sends them along and nod at each other like it’s just a quick thing but his attack method is to punch, elbow, and kick all of them.
… he gets trapped in a car, windows breaking , them trying to climb in, then all of a sudden, BOOM. A grenade or something goes off. Surprise, he survives of course.

Let’s skip to the part where I start screaming,
He gets to the top, and he has a good amount of time to get to the helicopter. But he’s in fucking slow mo, HE HAS ENOUGH TIME TO RUN BUT HE GETS UP AND WALKS. RUNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
He stops, helicopter flys up, he starts attacking more fish zombos, boom building, collapse.
Ending confused me. Taking place somewhere else. She takes off her ring and turns around to look at the kid. What? Ring was symbol of relationship with the dude. Why she take it off and stare at the kid. They doin it or something?
But surprise surprise, there’s a surprise ending that he survived.
I’ll watch if there’s a sequel tbh
I would have rated it much worse if he didn’t survive, but I guess he did.

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An Enjoyable, fun and entertaining Movie

So, where do I even start. This had me hooked pretty early on, the plot was new, and it was an overall really fun movie which I haven't seen much of recently but this captivated me.
Personally it was light, easy to follow and to the point atleast mostly. What I loved most was Yoona's acting as Moon Yang because wow I loved her crazy and whole dress up and vibe. She was a very entertaining demon to say the least. I wan't a huge fan of hers but as of recent she has really upped her acting and I am here for it. On the other hand, we have Ahn Bo Hyun who has always been sooo freaking good and he delivered with the role. He encompassed Gil-Gu's meek yet kind nature perfectly. I adored the casting of our leads plus that dad, that actor is a veteran ahjussi and I loved seeing him as well.

One down part for me was that whole shaman guy or whatever, it didn't add a lot other than being a catalyst for us finding out Moon Yang's past. Probably the least enjoyable plotline for me. That guy added nothing much to the movie. Plus I would have liked more scenes between Gil Gu and the real Seon-ji. The ending was cute but I wanted more of those two.

Other than that, what a lovely, sweet and nice watch. I love a nice simple movie without too much going on and this crossed all the boxes. Loved it a bunch. Definitely try it out though I'd say it's less of a romance.

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Everything About Her was a predictable story about a mother who put her job before her son and when she is diagnosed with cancer desperately wants to see her son again, but pride gets in the way. Her spunky full-time nurse takes matters into her own hands and tries to reconcile the two.

Real estate mogul Vivian Rabaya grew up poor and now is merciless in business. Her ex-husband and son moved to the USA years ago and she hasn’t seen her son, Albert, since he was 17. After being diagnosed with bone cancer, she hires Jaica Domingo as her full-time nurse. At the insistence of Vivian’s right-hand man, Jaica calls Viv’s son, Albert, and tells him his mom has an architectural job for him. When that doesn’t work, she tells him she has cancer. Albert comes for the job but his anger toward his mother runs deep. Jaica believes he’s the best medicine for her boss and works to have them reconcile. Her mission is complicated by her attraction to the handsome architect.

I would have liked this film better if director Joyce Bernal had picked a genre and stuck with it. The romance was clumsy with cringey and obvious tropes. The comedy felt forced most of the time. It was better when it came from an organic place. What worked for me, was the enemies to friends relationship between Vivian and Jaica. It’s been done many times before this and better, but it was still entertaining to watch the two women work through their familial issues by leaning on each other. Vivian also realized she didn’t have much time to fulfill her bucket list spurring her to accentuate her altruistic endeavors. The son’s emotions were all over the place making Albert difficult to feel compassion for.

Everything About Her was at its best when the film focused on Vivian coming to grips with her new situation and Jaica helping her as she faced the medical fallout of treatments. Despite dealing with the side effects of the medications, Vivian was the usual healthy looking and energetic cancer patient often shown in movies. I always wonder if the writers have actually ever been close to someone who has suffered through chemotherapy and end stage cancer. Be that as it may, I would have preferred less comedy schtick and more authentic scenes between the characters as that was where the compelling moments came from for me.

19 September 2025
Triggers: Several vomiting scenes. F*cking cancer.

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A Lovely Experimental Cinematic Attempt

In my opinion, this movie draws heavily on Wong Kar Wai's classic film "Chungking Express," particularly the love story between the two characters played by Leung Chiu Wei and Faye Wong.
For me, this one is a kind of conceptual homage and a loose reinterpretation of what the story of Faye and Cop663 (from Chungking Express) could have been.

Zhu Yi Long's performance was interesting. It was indeed good and clearly reflected his own style, without trying to "imitate" Leung Chiu Wai.
However, I found it lacking in realism. His character was supposed to be "numb," but I found him more airhead like ... He clearly carried the movie on his shoulders, the intensity of his presence was lovely to watch.
Faye Wong's energy and her portrayal of her character were too iconic to be simply imitated.
Qiu Tian lacked originality, I felt she was simply trying to copy Faye Wong's free spirit, but in a rather superficial way. Her acting wasn't mediocre, just disappointing..

The direction was very creative, a little too far-fetched in a non-artistic sense, rather in a nerdy intellectual science fiction driven way, which means that the seriousness of the film from a purely artistic point of view dissipates very quickly, giving way to a more amateurish tone and visual...

The story was interesting, quite inspiring actually. I really liked the themes of it : alienation, mental illness, traumas, escapism, critic of ultra capitalism, connection, freedom, identity etc.

"Neither of us liked the scripts we were given.
But we just escaped them in different ways.
I chose to be numb. She chose to pretend."
Some of the dialogue was really deep, it's a shame that this depth wasn't always well executed, especially in the choice of scenes presented.

The chemistry was charming, lacking depth and intensity, but still very enjoyable.

Overall, the film's style seemed too "experimental" while tackling very serious themes, which isn't bad in itself, but not my taste. The film could have demonstrated more subtlety, nuance, authenticity, and depth in an artistic way.


I had a good time watching it, overall, for me, "Land Of Broken Lands" was more of a lovely experimental cinematic attempt (Indie vibes) with potential than a real serious film that added real impact and value.

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