I understand punk now
his experimental art movie is a mix of real life and fiction, following a young punk group in a diverse city where several incidents occur, and the group members try to make sense of them. The image of Bruce Lee keeps appearing, and it seems to have something to do with the incidents — or perhaps it’s simply an attempt to find answers that ultimately can’t be found.It’s hard to talk about this movie because there is no clear plot, only images and scenes that contrast with each other. We hear a lot of punk music, and between scenes, various foreigners introduce themselves in their own languages. For me, punk as a genre is just noise — but maybe that’s the point: to make noise, to let everyone express themselves loudly, to give a voice to those on the margins of society. So this movie is a punk commentary of our society.
This movie can’t truly be described; it just has to be seen. So I don’t have anything more to add here.
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So many characters, so little story
From the start until the end of this movie, I couldn’t really understand the direction it was going in. The movie begins by introducing all the characters with short clips and then slowly tries to connect them, but it doesn’t quite work. It’s a mix of many elements that, in my opinion, don’t fit well together. It seems as if the director incorporated every idea that came to mind without considering what would actually work for the film. Watching this movie feels like scrolling through social media posts, and in the end, you’ve just lost two hours of your time.Yes, there is a romantic storyline, but it’s overshadowed by unnecessary side plots, strange behavior, and lazy comedy. Even the kiss between the two people in love feels forced and unnatural. I’d say this movie is watchable, but it’s not very romantic, and the comedy isn’t funny—so I can’t recommend it.
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This review may contain spoilers
"I liked you first." "Are you sure about that?"
I finished the movie awe struck because of what you'll discover at the ending. I don't want to spoil. 😆It's definitely a good movie. It's cute.
It was about how a transfer female student and a male classmate who fancies the stars. She helped him get better with his grades. But life has twists and turns and it doesn't always go the way we want it to. But nevertheless it is beautiful.
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Ask for a water pistol, get intergenerational trauma instead
This is an odd movie. Firstly, Above the Dust isn't your usual Chinese production. Chinese film faithfuls will note the lack of dragon seal in the opening credits: the usual sign a movie has passed Chinese government film regulations (i.e. censorship).Director Wang Xiaoshuai did submit Above the Dust for review, but he ended up having it screened overseas, after the censorship process dragged on.* And I can see why regulators would take issue with the film's substance. It casts a critical eye on the cultural revolution via the viewpoint of a family descended from a rural landlord.
Second, the movie is also odd in its storytelling approach. Narrating through the eyes of a modern-day child who encounters the ghost of his grandfather is a well used narrative device. Using the kid's obsession with a water pistol as a springboard into major political themes was a clever move.
However, it felt like narrative cohesion suffered due to split focus. It touched on family betrayal, connection to land, urbanisation, and contradictions within state governance. Yet with so much to chew on, I felt the storyline didn't delve deep enough for me to digest any of this properly.
In terms of visual style, I'm not sure why, but the blanched colour grading felt grating to me after a while. I know its purpose was to emphasise the dry land and provide a dream-like quality. However, to me I felt like it was...obscuring something? I don't know. I just kept constantly wondering what the scenery really looked like.
Still unsure if I can say whether I liked this film or not. I'll need to sit with this one for a bit.
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* Source: https://variety.com/2024/film/news/wang-xiaoshuai-china-berlin-above-the-dust-1235913938/
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A not so deep story that didn't need a 2 hour run
It was a good indie like movie with a not so clear message, many awkward silences and shots that really didn't make that much of a difference, characters that you wonder what is their purpose, and a meh good ending.Story:
Sadly there isn't really anything to the story when it seems there is. Many things unfold and make you think oh here it comes, but nothing really comes. Sometimes change comes in an extremely subtle way that really doesn't fit a 2hours run of many empty shots!
It is more of a kill time in the summer movie than any message it allegedly tell.
Characters:
There isn't really that huge character development because our MC was set to work from the start and that's what she does. Aside from that there is a tiny development for MC and one of her relatives but it felt so insignificant because of many factors I won't spoil.
Production:
Screams indie in a not so bad way. Like the shots sometimes felt amateur and empty, and others it felt so artistic in a show don't tell way. It is obvious that the budget was somewhat tight but it was not an issue at all.
Acting:
Some characters really didn't even hit the bare minimum, while our MC did a really good job and some of the supports did well too. However, nothing too fancy was the outcome but it did fit the atmosphere.
Enjoyment:
I did enjoy watching the MC daily life, it is precisely why I gave it a high rating because it kept me there for 2 hours. However, it did feel like watching an empty shell afterwards. I got nothing out of the watch, I was left with nothing, and nothing really happened.
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Robin Hood plays it safe
Kundo feels as if some film bro wanted to play around with some Western genre tropes and picked up the first script that would suit his purpose.It's a typical Robin Hood style narrative. The underdog protagonist and his tight crew give their all as they fight against the tyrannical overlord. Swords swing, arrows fly. And a female character is even allowed a few lines.
The result is a patchwork of horses, fields, and fight scenes. And by patchwork, I mean patchy. The entire thing is very roughly sewn together. Once every 20 minutes there's an awkwardly inserted Western trope, after which the film awkwardly limps until the next one.
That said, there's a couple of well choreographed fight scenes in here that helped lift the production value a little. And just to help me get past the halfway mark is Kang Don Won who plays a captivating villain, aided by the fact that he's quite hot. Thank you for your service.
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One Of The Best Korean Movie In This Year
"Murder Report" is a 2025 South Korean psychological film about a desperate journalist who receives a phone call from an unknown person claiming to be a serial killer and wants to interview him.The film is a kind of film (one room) that such films are characterized by a stable environment and relies on dialogue and flashbacks (characters' past) to create an emotional and enjoyable environment series) is
The film gets into another mold in the second half when the events and the stories of the characters are generally connected and the director takes us into a whirlwind of emotional events and stories that completely turn the story around and offer us a wonderful plot twist
After All , Murder Report is a very good and unique film that, in my opinion, was one of the best Korean films of the year and absolutely worth seeing and trying out
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Xiao Ma (played by Lay Zhang) is a skilled man with a hearing impairment who lives with his daughter, MuMu (Li Luo An). Despite his ability to fix almost anything, he struggles to maintain a stable job that accommodates his condition. Yet, he does everything within his power to raise his daughter with love and dignity. Their modest world may be small, but it is full. The sudden reappearance of MuMu’s mother, Xiao Jing, sets off a chain of events that alters MuMu’s fate.
I couldn’t feel any sympathy for Xiao Jing. She accuses Xiao Ma of being selfish, yet never once tries to listen to MuMu, rebuild a relationship with the daughter she abandoned years ago, or understand the deep bond between father and child.
Xiao Ma is a devoted father who fights to give MuMu a life filled with joy, stability, and respect. But the film goes beyond their story. With a creative narrative and well-crafted conflicts, MuMu invites us to reflect deeply on the realities faced by people with disabilities and the families who live on the margins of society, especially in terms of communication, inclusion, and emotional connection. It shows how lack of accessibility and understanding can isolate, but also how love can break through those barriers.
Lay Zhang delivers a powerful performance as Xiao Ma, portraying a complex character who transcends his disability and commands every scene with authenticity and grace. His portrayal is natural, heartfelt, and deeply moving. Yet it’s Li Luo An who steals the show as MuMu, a bright, empathetic child, wise beyond her years. The chemistry between them is the soul of the film.
MuMu is a magical, touching, and profoundly captivating film. Genuine love flows from the heart, and true communication doesn’t always need words.
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The film embraces every cliché of teen romance: the impulsive girl, the idealized boy, and the childhood friend who watches from the sidelines, quietly judging and not always approving of her choices. Xiao Xia throws herself into her crush with zero hesitation, which gives the movie its comedic charm, though it sometimes sacrifices deeper emotional development.
This isn’t a story trying to reinvent anything. Instead, it delivers a sweet, nostalgic look at young love, the kind that starts with a single glance and feels like the entire world. Some conflicts resolve quickly and stay on the surface, but the film’s simplicity is also part of its appeal.
In the end, I Am the Secret in Your Heart is a light, easy watch. It won’t surprise you, but it will give you a warm, playful trip back to those teenage years when falling in love was chaotic, dramatic, and wonderfully naive.
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Love that tingles in nostalgia and cozy feelings
Love Untangled instantly unlocked my high school era and threw me back into that chaos of crushes, puppy love, and reckless decisions powered by zero foresight but maximum emotion. It captures that age when humiliation feels like the end of the world, yet you still dive headfirst because the butterflies are louder than your survival instincts. The vibe is youthful, messy in a cute way, and honestly just comforting.I had a full ecosystem of butterflies flying laps in my stomach while watching this. The story stays light without being empty, and even without major complications, it still pulls out different emotions like it’s running its own little emotional variety show. It’s a simple premise executed with so much charm that you don’t even look for anything deeper. You just sit there, watch the kilig unfold, and feel your heart do that little giggle.
This is hands down a perfect ten for me. It’s warm, it’s sweet, it’s nostalgic, and it delivers exactly what it promises. If serotonin was a movie, it would look a lot like this.
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This review may contain spoilers
You have to guess what the characters are thinking because they're certainly not going to tell you
You know what this movie made me think of? The 2023 Korean Netflix movie, Ballerina. I did not like that movie. See... Ballerina and Tee Yai: Born to Be Bad suffer from the same problem - a lack of dialogue. They give you great actors, incredible cinematography, interesting action scenes, but very little dialogue. You spend most of the time trying to guess what the actors are doing, how they're doing it, and at times, why they are doing it.Apo - my dear lovely Apo - has very few lines, especially in the 1st half. I think we were at minute 40 something when he said something and I asked out loud -to an empty living room - 'wait, is this the 1st time he's spoken?' Then I remembered that no. It was likely the 3rd time (in 40+ MINUTES!) - the other two times were at the temple and in the train.
He spends his time looking (glaring) at people and shooting them. I mean, that's cool, but also, WHAT IS HE THINKING???
We know why Tee Yai became bad, but why does he STAY bad? He sees that his friendship with Rek is strained and fraying, so why does he keep pushing and dismissing his friend? He keeps robbing, but why and to what end? What does he do with the money? What does he gain from all of this?
Tee Yai's bestie, Rek. He's very different from Tee Yai. Yes, they rob together, but whilst Tee Yai is ready to kill at the drop of a hat, Rek holds back. Rek also doesn't seem to enjoy their robbery lifestyle and has new priorities once Dao comes into his life. Basically, you clearly see that the relationship btwn Rek & Tee Yai is strained and that something's gotta give.
But they, once again, do not take you through that thought process and the conflicting emotions. Decisions are made, and you sit there like 'oh, I guess that's the choice you made'. Things happen, and you simply have to accept that they did. You don't know how or why they happened, but they did, so just roll with it. Just go with it, babes. Don't ask any questions
All in all, the writing, the script, and maybe even the post-production are at fault for what this movie is. A lot was left unsaid - and as per the credits, a lot was cut-, and I think that was to the detriment of the plot. They give you interesting characters, but don't care to flesh them out enough for you to care or root for them. Perhaps it is, as one commenter said, that this movie would have been better were it a series, or even a miniseries, to help us understand and connect with these characters better
What I'd have given to know more about
👱🏼♀️Dao - A prostitute in love with an infamous wanted criminal? Life dealt her some very complicated cards. Plus, can you imagine if we got a glimpse into her thoughts about brothel sex work and the violence that surrounds it?
👮🏼♂️Jakkrarat - Is he righteous or corrupt? Maybe he's morally grey? Or perhaps he's an overworked cop experiencing unnecessary pressure from his superior, and that's what turns him bad?
👨🏼Kid (Khit?) - He was a rich kid who shot his a-hole of a dad n went to join a wanted criminal's gang for (seemingly?) sh*ts and giggles. I want to know what pushed him to do that
Sigh... So many questions, so few answers.
Random side note: The number of times I said 'This man is so fine, Jesus' every time Apo came on screen.... That man is so goddamn fine. Christ! That long hair with a goatee is definitely a look that I'd like to see replicated in future movies/series👌🏾
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Found family trope done well
I quite enjoyed this movie, between the found family dynamics and the well executed visuals of ice sculpting, it was a nice watch.The show starts off in a juvenile detention centre where one of the instructors Chom, is dissatisfied with her job and wishes to go visit her father in Japan, the person she looks up to most. But the way to get there is through an ice sculpting competition for which she recruits four boys in the centre - Jab, Toom, Win and Jo - who along with another instructor, Boy, all try to gain a scholarship and fund to travel to Sapporo and participate in the competition.
Through the movie we get to see the group grow closer, and move forward from their pasts while training for and participating in the competition. It's got all the tropes you would expect of a found family story, and perhaps that's why it didn't make as much of an impact on me as I had hoped it would.
But I really enjoyed the bond between the six of them, it was light hearted yet deep, and despite stemming from a place of enmity or spite or selfishness, it grew into something incredibly beautiful.
It was a nice movie overall, a good one time watch.
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Well-deserved Golden Rooster winner
I can't think of another movie that deserves to win the Golden Rooster this year aside from Her Story (released in 2024). It is charming, heart-warming, and timely with its progressive themes. The dialogues are smart but not pretentious. Made me laugh many times and in one special moment, thanks to Zhong Chuxi and Song Jia who deserved all the trophies in the world, made me teary eyed. I will be looking forward to more movies from Shao Yihui. I hope she makes more movies about women and their life experiences.Was this review helpful to you?
Spectacular Performances That Hit You Straight in the Heart
I truly need to thank the casting director and GDH for trusting these rookie actors — Engfa, Jeff, and Keng — with such heavy roles. Their acting is spectacular, and I was genuinely impressed by how fully they embodied their characters.The movie hits hard with its portrayal of how greed can destroy people, regardless of age. It’s heartbreaking to watch a family fall apart over inheritance and wills, but it’s also painfully real. The film captures this reality and its consequences so well, and I honestly think it’s a fantastic representation of what happens in so many families.
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