Reviews

more than just a thriller

A Girl with Closed Eyes has been primarily advertised as a thriller, and as a standalone thriller or murder mystery, this movie is a decent watch, nothing too special. But as a deeper story on female rage, friendship, sisterhood, and sacrifice, this movie takes the cake. Director Chun Sunyoung wanted this movie to be about women, by women. How women are murdered again and again by the men in their life, even as they're left breathing in the end. All the cast did an extremely wonderful job at making the story come to life. Kim Minha and Choi Heeseo (Choi Moon) put on an amazing performance and created a dynamic between the two female leads that was not only full of care, but also intense and riveting. Special shoutout to Lee Kiwoo, who I was extremely surprised to see play such a different role from what I usually see him in, he did beyond phenomenally. And of course another shoutout to Song Jaerim, who never got to finish filming his role for this movie, but whom I thought about the entire film since his first appearance, and who I will always and forever deeply admire.

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A slow-burning descent into madness...

So there's a kind of horror that doesn't come from monsters or murderers, but from the constant hum of a alarm at 3 am, from walls that seem too thin, from neighbours who smile just for a little too long. It understands that kind of dread really well... at least for a while (?)

Ha-neul (loml) plays U-sung, a tired man in a tired apartment, just trying to get through life. He's quiet, polite (scared), and clearly not doing great. The kind of guy who's holding everything everything together with weak threads and cheap tape. At first, it's just noise. Someone's upstairs. Or maybe the walls. Or maybe it's him. The film never gives you clear answers, and that's what makes the first half work so well. You (don't) know what's real and what's just in his head, but you feel his exhaustion like it's your own.

The apartment complex becomes its own kind of cage. Neighbours are "strange". Conversations feel off. There's this eerie tension building, and for a while, it's genuinely gripping. I found myself leaning in, waiting for things to explode... or kinda for someone, ANYONE, to just give him a straight answer.

Then... the second half hits.

And look, it's not that bad... There's definitely some payoff. But the story gets messier, like it's trying to juggle too many themes at once: surveillance, power, greed, manipulation, real estate corruption and not all of it lands. The character of Jin-ho brings in a whole new twist that's clever in theory, but a bit chaotic in execution. The movie starts sprinting when it should have taken a breath.

Still, even when the plot stumbles, the emotions stay real. U-sung's spiral never stops feeling grounded. The film might lose its grip a little, but he doesn’t. You stay with him till the end, whether or not the ending satisfies you. For me, it didn’t fully hit, it kinda looked like it would land a punch but maybe that's the point.

Ha-neul is the no doubt heart of this movie. He makes U-sung feel painfully real the kind of person who disappears in a crowd, who people dismiss too easily. His unraveling is what keeps everything together, even when the story starts pulling in too many directions.

So no, Wall to Wall isn't a perfect film. But it's compelling. Creepy in a (very) human way. It taps into that quiet fear that maybe you're not crazy, but everyone around you is pretending you are.

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Thrilling Ride, Flat Ending

Living in a flat in a city, experiencing an existential midlife crisis and realizing you bit more than you can chew and now neck deep in sh*t, this drama hits so close to home that at first it was so painful to watch.

I can totally see myself in how the main character was written - at a time when you realized the life you dreamt of isnt exactly working out the way you planned and you're hanging on to dear life and barely moving forward using the faintest remains of fumes in the barrel that you can almost feel that all the walls are closing in (or have already). This is a very realistic portrayal of an insipid life played perfectly and strongly by Kang Ha Neul.

The story and the character may be boring on paper but the execution sure isnt. One by one the plot thickens with every character introduced and keeps you guessing about their motives. The whole first part I was even thinking that No U Sung is just going through a breakdown and is the real person causing the disturbance in the building. Just when he was pushed to his limit and ready to give up, thats when the real plot started to reveal itself.

For me the only weak part of this drama is that the ending is just as insignificant as No U Sung's life. I would have appreciated it more if they at least tied it with a yellow ribbon in the end just to give us a light feeling after watching it.

Also, Ive got to say that this is the reason why I keep Netflix subscription - because of their widest collection of content and the constant new releases every week. Some of them maybe worthless, but some like this onecan surprise you - new movies and series with 0 extra cost.

Overall, for me its an 8.

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Love in fearful world

Distant Place” isn’t a grand romance story, it's about fear of being seen different, growth and being with someone you love.

One scene that refuses to leave me is the car scene — a masterclass in emotional restraint and silent heartbreak. Jin Woo’s outburst isn’t about Hyun Min. It’s about the years of internalized fear, shame, and survival. But sadly, he unloads it on the person he loves most.

Hyun Min’s calm response? It’s the kind of quiet ache you only see in mature love. He wasn’t asking for the world — only to be acknowledged. And that’s what broke me.

I see Jin Woo as a reflection of so many people shaped by rigid, conservative structures. Not everyone can fight back loudly. Some people only realize what they’ve lost when it’s already slipping through their hands. His arc — from silence to accountability — is one of quiet redemption.

The symbolism at the end — with the lamb being born — felt like a quiet metaphor. A beginning. A moment of standing up. Maybe for himself, maybe for them. Maybe both.

The cinematography is stunning, the emotions painfully real, and the storytelling — honest.

Watch it if you wanna see a man fearing to love, learning hard way and slowly trying to stand up for their love.

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Very Well Written

Waaah, this is so well written TwT I'm crying. It's so beautiful, everything is so nicely connected, the smallest details, the smallest flukes and the depth of how everything happens for a reason is shown in the most perfect way possible. I'm glad I gave it a go, I love how it wasn't cheesy and the story didn't just flow around their love but also on how everything connects and how they're 15 years apart from each other but both lives truly as one. I love the character ni Seth (ML) so muchh, he did so well, he loved, he helped, he waited. And there's nothing more beautiful than two beings being fully as one. It's so "kilig" (made my heart flutter) and it gave me chills. Not far from how it made me tear up at the end but it was really pretty and both characters are so lovely and pure. Truly, life is filled of what ifs, gave me a nice dash of hope.

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A Plotless Movie?

I've never written reviews for any movies or series on MDL yet so it's my first time writing a review here. And because of how shit this movie was, ig I had to.
I'm a huge action fan and yes this movie did contain a lot of action scene but was it worth the watch? definitely not. Here we are shown that the ML, Jang Taeyeong is untouchable. He isnt just super strong but also someone who can fight off hundreds of people without him getting hurt.

Things I liked?
- The colorings of some specific scenes
- It ended.

What I disliked?
- Overpowered ML
- Action
- Plot
- The characters
- A lot of nude scenes
- The whole movie itself, yes it's shit.

Talking about acting, I genuinely don't know what the characters are supposed to be so idk what what even to talk about the acting. It's a baseless and plot less movie made to show the protagonist really really cool but failed miserably. He always chews gum to look cool? That wasnt even cool it ended up looking horribly disgusting.

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This movie should NOT be free! it's everything we are missing in Thai GL

I’m still struggling to put into words how this film made me feel. I don’t think a movie has ever affected me like this. It felt like I understood everything and nothing all at once—it was haunting, beautiful, and deeply moving.

I hope we see more films like this in the Thai entertainment industry, especially in GL. While the genre is growing, we rarely get stories with this much depth and emotional resonance.

The cinematography was stunning, but it was the story that truly pulled me in. Eve’s struggle to reconnect with her writing was heartbreaking, and I deeply related to that quiet loss of self. The older woman’s wisdom and presence brought so much hope—it reminded me that healing is always possible.

One moment that stuck with me was when the man saw Eve crying on the street. Without words, he understood—because he had felt it too. That silent recognition was so powerful.

This film was breathtaking. I can’t believe we got to experience it for free. Thank you for sharing something so beautiful.

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"Everyone is a jerk!"

What’s Up Connection was a bizarre film by Yamamoto Masashi that felt like it was made up as they went along. Set primarily in Hong Kong with a side trip to Tokyo, the film focused on a family of grifters and con artists attempting to save their homes from developers.

Chi Gau Shin wins a trip for two to Japan. Coincidentally, his mother wins a trip to Bali and his dad a trip to Thailand. No one thinks anything is suspicious about this. Gau Shin’s lover refuses to go with him because he’d rather go to Disneyland than shopping. Upon arriving in Japan, he discovers that his guide is new, speaks only broken Cantonese, and works for a cut rate company. Very cut rate. After a disappointing trip, culminating in being robbed, Gau Shin finally makes it home, with his tour guide and robber in tow. Once home, he discovers that a big corporation is buying everyone out and his girlfriend is now sleeping with one of the developers. His family has to decide whether to take the deals offered or fight.

What’s Up Connection showed a view of Japan rarely seen. Yamamoto filmed real homeless encampments and people. In Hong Kong, the problem of real estate development on low-income people was attested to. Relations between Hong Kong and Japan were also mentioned. The rest of the film was a migraine of a mess. There was an abundance of random action, noises, and bright colors. Characters were ill-defined and for the most part not terribly likeable. It was a world with an 8-year-old hacker, a mother who became angry when her kids went to school, pirate costumes, a UFO, blow up sex dolls, and one character who was played by two different actors.

This type of chaotic film with random nonsense bolting across the screen for two hours was not something I could enjoy. It had some entertaining moments and the family’s solution to its problem was interesting but not enough for me to recommend unless Yamamoto’s creative outlook on the world is your jam. There are plenty of people who love his unconventional style, so if you are one, this film might be one to check out.

17 July 2025
Triggers: Bare butt and a masturbation scene.

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So, I just finished watching Oshi no Ko: The Final Act, and… it’s a up and down for me. Not everything hits the mark. Some parts felt a bit rushed, like they were trying to cram in too much emotional weight too quickly. A few characters didn’t get the closure they deserved, and certain plot threads that were hyped earlier on kinda fizzled out. It’s not bad per se, but it left me wanting more — and not necessarily in a good way.

Overall, The Final Act is dramatic, intense, and still visually stunning, but whether it sticks the landing kind of depends on what you were hoping to get from it. It’s almost everything it needed to be… just not quite all the way there.

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Go in completely blind, let the narrative lead you, it's brilliant!

It's not possible to write a review for this film. Whatever I could say about the acting, about the camerawork, about the directing, about the script -- it would all be a spoiler.


Instead, I'll share some of my notes I made during watching:
* Oh, "one cut" means "one take"!
* Just enjoying the ridiculousness of the C movie horror zombie film :)
* Wow. This zombie film was taken in one single take.
* Things are not what they seem
* The Japanese dedication to art is always impressive
* Ending credits: Two for the price of one!
* How did they *do* it? HOW?

If you can, please go into the film without prior knowledge and just follow along. If you love zombie movies, especially of B or C movie quality, you'll have a great time, I promise.

Was it good?
Yes, [redacted]!

Did I like it?
I loved every minute of it! As a C horror movie, as a comedy and as a [redacted].

Who would I recommend it to?
To everybody who enjoys a good spoof of C movies about zombies, who loves their layers, and who can watch the same movie several times.

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A Handbook of Fake Emotions for Confused Teenagers

A story that aims to be moving… but fails
The film follows the usual tropes of the romantic teen drama: two young protagonists slowly grow closer through small everyday moments, meaningful silences, and a shared diary meant to serve as an emotional catalyst. Sadly, the screenplay is far too formulaic and lacks originality, recycling every possible cliché from Japanese school dramas: the shy yet deep boy, the cheerful girl hiding emotional wounds, rain during dramatic moments, and love confessions written instead of spoken aloud.

The film desperately tries to be intense and poetic, but lacks both psychological depth and the narrative courage to explore real emotional complexity. The result is an atmosphere that wants to be artistic but ends up feeling artificial — almost like a parody of a “sensitive Japanese drama.”

Strengths: clean aesthetics and a delicate tone
To its credit, the cinematography is well-composed, with soft lighting, carefully framed shots, and an intimate, natural look. The soundtrack, subtle and well-matched, supports the scenes without overpowering them. The chemistry between the two leads, while not electric, has a quiet charm. Their performances aren't groundbreaking, but there’s an honest simplicity in their gestures and expressions. Overall, the film is never unpleasant, and might appeal to very young audiences or those looking for something light and inoffensive.

Weaknesses: weak plot, prefab emotions, flat pacing
The main issues lie in the inconsistent storyline and shallow, uninspired dialogue. Everything is treated with an overly serious tone that isn’t backed by real substance. It’s as if the film wants to be profound without actually having anything profound to say. The pacing is extremely slow, and instead of building tension or emotion, it often drags. Supporting characters are forgettable, and even the central romantic arc lacks natural progression or meaningful conflict.

When drama does appear, it feels forced, as if inserted out of obligation rather than growing organically from the characters. The ending offers a neat resolution but with no real emotional payoff ,it simply arrives, more out of narrative fatigue than climax.

Conclusion
"Our Secret Diary" tries hard to be moving and poetic, but gets lost in its own aesthetic ambitions and emotional shallowness. Rather than a secret diary, it feels more like a notebook filled with generic inspirational quotes. Pretty to look at, sometimes sweet, but ultimately forgettable and empty beneath the surface.

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