Reviews

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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The Breadwinner's Burden

It’s a story about a typical Filipino family — complete with extended relatives and all the drama that comes with it. It follows the struggles of an OFW breadwinner, Bambi, who’s been working abroad for years. But when she finally comes home, expecting to see the house she’s been sending money for… surprise! It doesn’t exist. Turns out, her brother spent the money and even pawned the house.

The movie hits hard because it’s so real. A lot of Filipinos with family abroad can relate to this. When you’re working overseas, people just assume you’re loaded. They keep asking for money until you’re left with almost nothing for yourself. Sad but true. Not everyone’s like that, but it happens more often than we’d like to admit.

It also highlights the tight-knit bond Filipino families are known for. Whether they’re going through tough times or enjoying the good ones, they stick together no matter what. That’s just how it is here.

As for the ending? Just be prepared — emotionally and with lots of tissues. 😅

And the Breadwinner is a heavy drama with just the right touch of comedy, which I really enjoyed. The production value is quiet good and the soundtrack in the end? Chef's kiss - it's deep and meaningful. And of course, Vice Ganda totally nailed the role — no surprise there!

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"Where is she?"

Shanghai attempted to be a noir murder mystery set against the turbulent time leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film boasted famous international stars and faces that would become more familiar. Shifting alliances and spies behind every door made finding a killer when thousands were being killed difficult if not meaningless.

Intelligence officer Paul Soames arrives undercover in Shanghai to meet up with his best friend who is also an agent only to discover that he was recently murdered in the Japanese quarter. He goes to work as a Nazi sympathizing journalist in order to keep his German contacts. Within a short time he makes the acquaintance of a Chinese resistance member who is married to the head of the Shanghai triad who have a tenuous relationship with a Japanese officer. Soames becomes embroiled with all of them and their various activities while searching for the killer.

The murder mystery was honestly hard to care about. The Chinese were suffering astronomical losses due to the Japanese occupation. It didn’t help that John Cusack’s character was bland and uninteresting. His acting was equally uninspiring and lacking in depth. Gong Li was another story. She gave a strong and more nuanced performance as Anna Lan Ting. Her role as a resistance member was far more compelling and the movie would have benefited from focusing on her more instead of forcing the viewer to see nearly everything through Soames’ bored eyes. Chow Yun Fat played a supporting role as Anna’s husband. He did the best with what he could but was sidelined most of the time. Watanabe Ken’s Tanaka walked a fine line between nemesis and sympathetic character. Benedict Wong (Dr. Strange’s Wong!) played a Japanese informant and Hugh Bonneville (Knotting Hill and Downtown Abbey) took on the role of a newspaper editor.

Perhaps Shanghai was trying to do too much or maybe not enough. The film showed another angle of how vital strategic information that could have foreshadowed Pearl Harbor was not forwarded though it was more of an Easter egg than key plot point. The characters’ lives came to coalesce around a Japanese mistress and spy, that ended up being all but irrelevant. The implied chemistry between Anna and Paul simply did not work. Gong Li was believable but John Cusack sucked the life out of every scene he was in.

Shanghai had potential but failed in nearly everything it tried to do. The story and direction weren’t taut enough to be thrilling. The Shanghai matches had more sizzle than the sexual chemistry. And the murder mystery wasn’t much of a mystery. What was worth watching was Gong Li. She was gorgeous and mesmerizing as the mysterious and unwavering Anna. Chow Yun Fat and Watanabe Ken also pulled focus when they were onscreen. And it was fun to see Benedict Wong in an earlier role with that deep gravelly voice of his. Overall, Shanghai was watchable yet equally forgettable.

6 July 2025

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indie short movie with an established couple

Overall: I gave this an indie rating bump. 17 minutes. Aired on Cul Drama's YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/O7RpyECuUM0?si=WXi_szpfEBu-pcUa The production also made this short BL series https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTzMpGBkGlIYOyVq-m3cPEdl4LBIh5hjX&si=Mcsx6cMcvi6-nbED

Content Warning: homphobia

What I Liked
- established couple went thru a realistic challenge
- the supportive classmate though wasn't a fan of how it seemed she was following them
- the mom

Room For Improvement
- wannabe girlfriend cliche
- fever after what was implied
- what was camera blocked at the end

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still cliché...

There is the boy who likes the other boy and still says "He's not that way". That cliché is sooooo old and is just annoying. The bullying consists in a passive way, shunning the other boy. The end scene does not really tell us if they get togehter or not at least the boy which is not that way seems to be that way.

So I don't like the premise much, the acting is a bit over medicore but for a coming of age story the actors are too old imho. Cinematography is nice, music is good but it lacks depth. Even for a short film there was not much substance.

Overall it's not bad but also not good. Even in 2020 we should expect better writing, more emotions and someone who stands up against bullying especially in a gay context. This is just medicore.

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Accountability and communication is necessary

Heaven × Candy had the potential to be a quiet, emotional tale exploring acceptance, vulnerability, and past wounds. For the most part, it was. The chemistry was believable, and the story had a grounded charm despite its low-budget, indie feel.

But then came the cheating.

This isn’t just about a “bad character choice.” It’s about how the film treated that choice. The Towa cheats on Kenta not out of confusion or weakness—but as a direct, cruel reaction to his own jealousy over Kenta’s job in adult films. Kenta never hid his profession, and Towa entered the relationship with that knowledge. So instead of having a conversation—he retaliates by cheating. And the worst part? It’s never addressed. No apology, no remorse, no discussion. Just a reunion with a vague “I don’t want to lose you again” thrown in at the end.

It felt like the film skipped the most important emotional checkpoint. Love without communication is not enough. You can’t pretend betrayal never happened and wrap things up with a hug and kiss.

That said, I still found parts of the movie touching and aesthetically soft. It had its moments. But this lack of accountability made it hard for me to root for them as a couple by the end.

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Watch will be worth....

I just loved this movie....!
It had such a gentle but powerful impact. The way Kiyoka cared for Miyo, not just as a husband but as someone who truly saw her pain and wanted to protect her, was so beautiful and rare. It wasn’t over-the-top dramatic but something about the soft pacing and emotional depth just stays with you. I think that’s what makes My Happy Marriage so unforgettable ,it’s quiet, but it hits deep.

It's a marriage of obligation slowly transforms into something far more beautiful a journey of healing mutuals understanding, and rediscovery of self-worth. Miyo’s character is heartbreaking yet incredibly relatable,, shy, kind and emotionally scarred, but never truly broken.

Kiyoka on the other hand, surprises viewers with his quiet tenderness. Beneath his icy exterior is a man who is not only capable of love but deeply loyal and protective. Their relationship is gentle and slow-burning, making every moment of connection deeply satisfying.

I’ve already watched it 5 times too and I never got bored, not even for a second. Every time I rewatch it, I notice new little details in their expressions and interactions that make me love them more. It’s the kind of love story that feels healing. I seriously wish there were more movies like this ones that show love as gentle, respectful, and slowly growing instead of rushed or toxic.

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