Reviews

Be Careful With What You Wish For

This movie is really well-done - it's intriguing, thrilling and moves at just the right pace. I haven't seen anything quite like this before, so it feels like a unique experience for me. The twists and turns definitely keep you hooked up from start to finish.

There are lots of valuable lessons to take away from this film. One thing that really stood out to me, is the importance of being content with what you have. The characters in this movie are so driven by ambition that they're willing to cross the line - almost like they're selling their souls just to get what they want. And of course, the consequences are heavy.

As for the cast, Vhong Navarro delivered a solid performance. However, I personally found Alex Gonzaga's acting a bit over the top for my taste.

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Forgettable

First off, I'm a big fan of Ma Dong Seok's movies, but I also am not crazy about the horror genre.
This being said, I gave this a 7/10.

The movie suffers from the fact that the prequel is hard to come by. "Holy Night: The Zero" is a web toon that lays the foundation for this movies story and without it, it just feels like there is something missing. We don't really know the backstory and the why for several of the subplots.

Don Lee and his typical "knock'em out", "I'm invincible" charm was to me the highlight of this movie.
Gyeong Su Jin's character came off as annoying, but not because of bad acting, because of how the role was written. One minute she's so tough that she trys tondo everything on her own, and the next minute, she's so scared that she cannot do the easiest thing.

The story of this film was OK and the production was done well, but that's not enough to save this movie. I feel my 7/10 is being generous.

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A Story of First Love and Regret

"Architecture 101" is a gentle, nostalgic Korean drama that quietly seeps under your skin.
A film about first love, unspoken words, and how memories can both hurt and heal.
The story moves between the 1990s and the present day, told with great sensitivity. It's about two people separated by time—connected by unresolved emotions and a house that needs to be rebuilt. But what if it’s not just about bricks and concrete?

It will resonate most with those who have ever wondered, “what if…?”
A return after 15 years, a first love, and the silence between words.

Beautiful visuals, a melancholic soundtrack (the legendary “Etude of Memory”), and realistic characters make this film a quiet yet powerful reflection on a love that doesn’t last—but is never forgotten. 💔

⭐ 4.5/5
🎞 Recommended for lovers of slow, poetic romances with soul.

📖 Read the full review on my website: https://foxyseoul.com/architecture-101-2012/

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Muay Thai Meets Zombies – Brutal, Fast, and Absolutely Epic!

🥊 “When Zombies Meet Muay Thai… and It’s a 10/10 Knockout” 🧟‍♂️

I’ve watched so many zombie movies and TV shows, but Ziam easily ranks as one of the best. This isn’t your typical “run and survive” zombie flick—this is a wild mix of Thai martial arts and intense zombie horror, and it works so damn well. 👏

The pacing is fast, the gore is realistic, and the zombies? Absolutely terrifying—brutal, relentless, and so well done they feel real. Add in Muay Thai fighting sequences, and you get some of the most jaw-dropping action I’ve seen in the genre. Usually, it’s all guns and survival tactics in zombie films, but here the hand-to-hand combat is the star. 💥

Mark, the male lead, deserves all the praise for his performance and incredible stunt work. His fight scenes alone are reason enough to watch this movie.

If you’re into zombies, action, or just want something fresh and thrilling, Ziam is a must-watch. 10/10. Highly recommend—check it out on Netflix. You won’t regret it. 🔥🎬

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I might be too sensitive but I thought this movie was offensive

I had high hopes because I saw the name of The Wailing's director in it but the movie was a disappointment. They give up halfway on their characters and storylines, leaving a lot of wasted potential that if done correctly could have been an argument for social issues.

I don't know if the team that made this movie realized it or not but by discarding halfway their characters and plotline, the movie turned out to be offensive towards women. Firstly, by not explaining certain points and not delving deep enough into the characters, the movie portrayed women in a bad light. It gave the opportunity to interpret wrongly about the female characters (the woman shaman character, the mother, or the daughter, our main character). The problem was that all of these characters were not properly explained. I felt especially bad for our main character for being called names by her relative in the beginning, and other scenes (which I will not mention because I can't write too much spoiler), she was never given context on how she became like that or an explanation of why. They could have made it into the theme of overprotective mother, following outdated beliefs, and the concept of purity to build up and then portray the main character as a woman of a new generation, rebellious towards old perceptions. But no, they did not give any explanation, so our main character was stuck with (potentially) bad interpretation. Second, the cameraman was a male and he followed the main character, a female, into the female bathroom and the following scenes (which I will not elaborate due to spoiler rule). I thought that scene was unnecessary. It was insensitive and rude. Why would that scene contribute to the plot? Was it used as a horror element? If so, why would a scene like that be a horror? They shouldn't have included that scene. They could have had a woman following and filming the main character, and closing the camera/screen turned to black, leaving only voices to portray that scene. It was an unnecessary graphic.

Overall, the main character was portrayed in the wrong way, and the ending felt like it could be interpreted with a bad implication.

The movie felt vague, not in an intentional way, but in a way that they did not have explanation for the details they built in. The whole thing felt chaotic and a complete mess, just threw scary scenes in and hoping the audience freaked out.

Cinematography-wise, the idea of making it a documentary was good but they failed at executing it. The way they shot it did not give the creep and the aesthetic of horror at all. One of the ridiculous things was how the cameramen kept spawning at the end. One cameraman died, and the other immediately showed up.

I thought the movie would be exploring religion more in-depth but no, it was so surface-level. In the end, I still did not know what kind of deity is Ba Yan. At one point, they just abandoned that deity. The movie could have given us some basic rules, rituals, or myths about the religion to explain what kind of deity, what they are related to, and what is the connection of the main family with this deity (in a more in-depth way); the movie gave nothing. When the evil spirit came up, I was hoping we got a glimpse of what it was and some sort of explanation for it but in the end, the answer they gave us felt temporary, felt like they didn't know how to tie it up so they threw the answer in there and hoped it work.

The only good thing was the acting and it's why I have it a 2.

That is all I could remember for now but in conclusion, I thought it was offensive to women and lacked depth in every aspect.

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Hm, it delivers the message well I guess

First-time reviewer here and English is not my first language, so please take the review with a grain of salt.

I hope this will get another movie to continue since the ending made me go: "That's it??"

It's a solid movie, conveying the messages that it was supposed to, like an essay and argument delivered to the watchers. I missed the first few minutes of the film since I was late to the cinema, so there were some details I didn't catch. Towards half of the movie, the case was pretty much solved, very straightforwardly, which makes me wonder what they are going to do about the other half of the movie. They went down the route of making emotional scenes and social commentary. It was fine. Just don't watch it as a mystery, solving case kind of movie.

It was an interesting watch for me since it touches on how the social media/news industry works, specifically in China. Cinematography and effects were good. The storyline was predictable for me, still, I wasn't bored.

I only put rewatch value at 8 since, without the continuation, I would be kinda disappointed, the ending could have been smoother.

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"It's difficult to dodge bullets in the dark" Better to dodge this movie altogether

The Angry Guest was another Iron Triangle production with director Chang Cheh and actors Ti Lung and David Chiang. This film was a sequel to Duel of Fists which means (spoiler alert!) both men survived the previous film. One or both of their characters usually died horrific deaths in Chang Cheh films. Chan Sing returned as the baddie from the last film only to be engulfed by the Yakuza bad guys led by Chang Cheh and Kurata Yasuaki.

Chiang Ren escapes from the Thai prison where he was incarcerated for his actions in the previous film. He heads straight to Hong Kong to settle his score with Fan Ke and Wen Lieh. He’s stopped by Akiko who has had Wen’s mother murdered and girlfriend kidnapped. Her boss, Yamaguchi, wants the boys to work for him and is using Yu Lan to lure them to Tokyo.

This film did something a martial arts film should never do. It bored me out of my mind. It was more Tokyo travelogue with endless drives through town than kung fu flick. For a Ni Kuang film it made almost no sense. There were few fights until the very end and all of them were dreadfully choreographed. I’ve never been a big Tang Chia fan, and maybe because the characters were set in their present, the moves looked slower and clumsier. In modern clothing David Chiang appeared even more petite and less threatening than usual. Kurata could always bring the menace but he didn’t have many chances to show off his skills. Ti barely spoke through the movie. Bolo made a guest appearance as part of the yakuza brute squad. Unless you have a big desire to tour 1971 Tokyo or are a completionist of the Triangle, this one is easily skippable.

8 July 2025

Trigger warning: partial nudity and a sex scene. Apparently, Shaw Brothers didn’t pay Chang Cheh enough money to go to the dentist, his black teeth were frightening.

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Expect slow paced but it is really good!

Disclaimer: I watched this in Japan at the cinema, so do not ask me "where did you watch it?"

The acting across the board in this one is amazing! The cast is absolutely star-studded so it makes sense the acting is also toptier. Ayano Go really shows his range in this movie and does phenomenal. But it makes me so sad seeing how much he's aged since the last time I watched him in something. All my fav actors are slowly heading towards old-old *cries* nevertheless, the absolutely flawed this character and performance! I cried a few times just from his emotions and acting alone.

The rest of the cast did amazing too! I absolutely adored seeing Shibasaki Ko's range as she really brings it all to this role. And of course, Kimura Fumino really knows how to play good characters well.

Also, the child actors? Holy moly! They were all so good too! Miura Kira has a very bright acting future ahead of him if he continues persuing acting - he was more than very good. The other child actor who stood out was young Ritsuko but I can't find her name just yet).

The story was really good but I recommend going in without knowing much - I think it'll be far more enjoyable that way! However, please be prepared to be ANGRY multiple times throughout at this film; it is not a happy film at all, and in the usual Japanese film-making style: it has an open ending. Also, some of the characters (especially Ookura Koji, Sakoda Takaya and Mitsuishi Ken's roles). are going to piss you right off.

As a final add on but some criticism: while I am a Kamenashi fan, can someone explain to me why he's in all the promo for this movie alongside Ayano Go? Light spoilers but he has the least screentime out (maybe 5 mins max) of ALL the big names in the cast and is not a part of the main plot at all. So why he is 50% of all the promo for this film? Give it to Shibasaki and Kimura instead!

Psst. I know it's to get butts in seats but Shibasaki and Kimura are well-known enough actors by themselves to bring in an audience alongside Ayano Go and powerhouse names like Mitsuishi Ken!

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A Lyrical Descent into Love, Power, and the Politics of Desire

This is a unflinching film that offers a rare cinematic treasure: a bold, erotic, and emotionally raw exploration of queer Asian identity, trauma, power, and love—one that unapologetically affirms the complexities of BDSM and chosen family along the way.

Directed with fierce precision and poetic grace, the film follows Phoenix Du—an androgynous, magnetic figure caught in the violent undercurrent of political scandal and personal survival. After killing a thug sent to silence her amid her mother’s presidential campaign, Phoenix lands in the crosshairs of Prosecutor Jade Liu. Jade, herself quietly tormented by a legacy of guilt, Catholic shame, and the suicide of her younger brother, seeks a harsh sentence—not entirely out of justice, but perhaps as a way to punish herself by proxy.

What follows is not a legal thriller, but a psychological and emotional collision. When Phoenix and Jade finally spend a night together, it’s not just a transgression—it’s liberation. Their chemistry is not merely sexual; it is elemental. Here, the film ventures fearlessly into the realm of BDSM—not as shock value or taboo, but as a framework of radical honesty, vulnerability, and consent. For queer audiences familiar with the often-invisible dynamics of control, pain, and trust, these scenes are not just erotic—they are sacred.

Phoenix’s hundreds of letters from prison are both love poems and survival strategies, wrapped in ink and longing. They serve as a vehicle of reclamation—for voice, for agency, and for queer eroticism that resists erasure. Her unwavering desire for Jade is never framed as obsessive or pathological—it is seen as powerful, tender, and deeply human.

Jade, however, takes a different path. Terrified of her own desires and seeking refuge in the familiar scripts of redemption and heterosexual respectability, she marries Meng Ye—a genderless man she once spared from the cruelty of the system she serves. Yet, Meng Ye is not portrayed as a consolation prize or a safe choice; instead, he becomes a mirror, reflecting back to Jade her own fragmentation and longing. Their marriage is complex—muted yet genuine—structured around compassion rather than passion.

For queer Asian viewers, Letters to Jade offers something rarely seen in mainstream cinema: a narrative where race, queerness, gender fluidity, and kink are not obstacles to be overcome, but the very heart of the story. The film resists clean resolutions and instead allows for a multitude of truths to coexist. There is pain here, but also pleasure. There is silence, but also the fierce, pulsing clarity of Phoenix’s voice, even from behind bars.

Visually, the film oscillates between stark institutional grays and lush, intimate lighting that feels like breath against the skin. The cinematography honors both the harshness of the world and the softness of the women navigating it. And the performances? Riveting. Phoenix Du’s portrayal is electric—part flame, part wound—while Jade Liu captures the quiet devastation of a woman split between duty and desire.

Letters to Jade doesn’t tie its loose ends into a neat bow, but why should it? Queer lives are rarely linear. What it offers instead is a cinematic space where longing can breathe, where power can be tender, and where love—no matter how unconventional—can still be redemptive.

For those who have ever felt like their desire made them unworthy, for those who know the ache of waiting, and for anyone who sees beauty in the complicated, Letters to Jade is not just a movie. It’s a prayer. A protest. A love letter.

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Slice of life across times

The "spoilers" in this review are more along the lines of themes than specifics. The synopsis is bare bones and confusing enough I thought it might be useful to add a bit more. I gave it the tag just to be careful.

The first segment is perhaps both the most poetic and also the closest to a conventional narrative. Its three characters are well balanced - it's not "about" any one of them but about each and the interwoven situations they're in, with social pressures on someone who is both blind and lesbian, along with sisters who only have each other, and what happens when one of them has someone else as well. I loved the delicate French chanson in Mandarin feel of the music too. (If it's in another language, please let me know and I'll correct this.)

The second segment, about a different sort of love, asks for empathy and maturity from its viewers, and the third circles round to show us Diego (from the 1st) and Lily (from the 2nd) when they were younger. The 3rd brings in family sexism and pressure to be a girl in socially accepted ways.

Some might say I'm reading things into it, but the feel and format are such that it's the kind of film which invites a viewer to make other connections as well, like valuing your own life and yourself for who you are.

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Not a love story!

If you are watching into this movie expecting a sweeping romance, you might walk away a little disappointed. While it’s marketed as a love story, the real strength of the film lies in its portrayal of pre-war tension,not just from the soldiers, but from the families quietly bracing for what's to come.

One thing I actually liked was how the movie didn’t go all out showing war scenes. Instead, it kept most of that in the background and focused more on the emotions like the stress, fear and uncertainty building up before everything goes down.

The romance unfortunately, didn’t really land for me. It felt rushed and kind of half-baked. The connection between the leads is supposed to be deep and intense, but there just wasn’t enough buildup to make it believable. They have a few sweet moments here and there, but not enough to make me fully buy into the idea that they would risk everything for each other. It felt more like the movie told us they were in love rather than actually showing us.
The romance had potential, especially with the emotional backdrop of war and separation, but it needed more time I guess to feel real.
It didn’t ruin the movie, but it definitely held it back.

There are a few moments of light comedy sprinkled throughout, but they come and go without leaving much impact.

As for the performances, the acting is serviceable. Nothing groundbreaking, but nothing terrible either.

Overall, it’s a decent watch if you are into slow, emotional war stories that focus more on vibes than action. Just don’t go in expecting some epic, soul-shaking romance.

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