Reviews

How to be a bad parent - simple guide.

The way all the adults in this movie were truly awful and selfish - I failed to feel touched by any scenes, I was just fueled with frustration. No, I did not come out of this movie with a thought of how vulnerable deaf people are in society and how they need assistance (which alone is honestly borderline offensive), but rather - deaf people can be selfish and dumb too.

By all means Xiao Ma was a victim of his own demise. How many times can a person make the same extremely bad choice before we can stop feeling bad for them and accept they failed themselves? It's one thing when you once get scammed after trusting the wrong people. But to willingly do it over and over again, put yourself and your child in danger? Wild. He was just a bad parent. Not one choice he made was done for his daughter, but for his own selfish need to keep her next to him, not caring if it's beneficial for her or not.

The mother is not better. I do not care what was decided when the child was born - yeeting yourself out of their existence to randomly come back is never right. The way she did not try to slowly build a relationship with her daughter, gain her trust. Poor Mu Mu was forced into an extremely bad situation by both of her parents.

This movie left me with exactly zero positive emotions and thoughts. Every new development made me more angry.

That said, one thing Mumu delivers is the acting. What a performance from both Lay and Li Luo An. I am not going to pretend like I know sign language, but just from a visual standpoint, the characters did feel natural and fluent while using it - it never felt awkward. The emotions felt real and raw. If only the plot was better and the characters sucked less, I would probably cry alone just because of the emotional performances.

Visually speaking also no complaints. It's not outstanding, I cannot think of any memorable scenes in terms of shots and aesthetics, but I also cannot think of any bad aspects in that area of production. Directing and editing wise, I truly loved the "fighting, but pretending to party" scene in the beginning of the movie. It was adorable and it made me smile a little bit.

Overall, I'm just disappointed. The whole movie gives you the idea that deaf people are inherently victims to be made, naive and vulnerable and they need protection and support. When the truth is the majority of the issues male lead faced had nothing to do with him being deaf, but with him being dumb and selfish.

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Turn on the light ⇢ How production can ruin a movie.

It took me a month to finish Nokturno. I watched a few minutes here, a few minutes there, but it never grabbed my attention enough for me to dedicate more than 20 minutes in one sitting. Why?

How was the movie? I don't really know. I was mostly watching my reflection on screen because the film was so freaking dark. How can I feel invested in the story, when I literally do not see what is happening? Scared? Of what, when the scares I hidden in the black hole of the lighting department. It was simply frustrating. I was putting my laptop right in front of my face trying to catch a glimpse of that's going on. I honestly considered getting into the wardrobe with hope a pitch black could help.

I get it, horrors are usually not supposed to be all bright and well lit (though, some of the best titles do use light setting for their advantage), but we still need to see something. Anything.

That said, it's not like the poor lighting was the only issue. The plot itself was just mediocre at best. The idea behind the creatures? Interesting - that's the movie I want to watch. Or at least get a better, more elaborate explanation of the background. The way they did not flesh out the supernatural elements, the human one was underdeveloped too - the relationships between the characters, their motivations, reasoning for their choices. Everything was always summed up in one liner.

Nokturno feels like a cheap version of The Ring with The Nun aesthetics. It just felt extremely sloppy. Decent performances meant truly nothing when everything else was distractivelly bad.

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Curtain Call

Curtain Call (1984) ⭐️ 8/10

The story follows Miho as she pursues her dream in the musical world while also searching for her biological parents. Every year on her birthday, she receives flowers from someone she calls "Daddy-Long-Legs," whom she believes to be her father. It turns out the sender was using a random name, but along the way, Miho meets someone who truly feels like a father figure to her.

As we follow Miho’s journey, viewers are treated to beautiful scenery in every scene! Plus, since this is a semi-musical, there are plenty of songs and some really cool ballet choreography.

I really liked the heroine! She’s not only beautiful, but her acting and dancing are amazing 🥹🫶🏻 And guess what? She later played the mother of the heroine in Asadora Ohisama and the mother of the male lead in Hanbun Aoi! When I watched those dramas, I remember thinking how stunning she was, no wonder, she was already so talented and gorgeous at a young age! Harada Tomoyo plays Miho so well, especially in the ballet scenes and during her musical audition practice 💯.

And what I loved the most was the ending! It was so sweet how her mother and Takuji grew close because of Miho. In a way, Miho not only found a father figure for herself, but also helped her mother who had given up her youth to raise her find love again. It’s like her mother finally got to enjoy her youth too. So heartwarming!

Overall, I recommend Curtain Call (1984)! The main character is likable, she works hard to achieve her dreams, the visuals are beautiful, and it leaves you with a warm feeling thanks to its touching family themes.

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"A Sweet, Nostalgic Romance Carried by Irresistible Chemistry"

I watched Just For Meeting You because the lead actors are currently starring in The Seven Relics of Omen, where their chemistry is absolutely captivating—and it definitely carried over here. The film delivers a soft, nostalgic look at first love, with playful banter and a light enemies-to-lovers dynamic. While the storyline is predictable and the character development—especially for the female lead—could go deeper, the visual warmth and genuine connection between the leads make it a pleasant and emotionally satisfying watch. It may not break new ground, but as a fan of their current drama, it was a sweet bonus to see their chemistry unfold in a different setting.

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Somehow this might make you cry

I am a fan of the director and find most of his works veer into utter insanity. There's always a mix of humor, sadness and general chills. It's one of the better attributes of this director. You know you are about to watch something silly as hell when you watch his movies.

I found that the overall story in this was like 3 different parts. One was a haunted house horror movie, then a Shonen protagonist training montage and then family drama. I was in awe of how it transitioned. It definitely will be for a very niche crowd as it has tons of faults. However, if you just allow yourself to walk into this script you may find it has some good points.

The overall acting is kinda terrible. There were only a few good moments, which when they hit, they were strong. The quickness and dispatching of characters is crazy. It will surprise a lot of people. It is gory but not over the top. What will really set you off however is the reveal of why Sayuri is the way she is. Heavy warning and spoilers but there is SA of a minor in this story. It will be hard to watch even though this movie up until that point was somewhat hysterical.

This is why I said it might make you cry because the ending actually somehow made me tear up because of the wrong doings to Sayuri. The tonal whiplash is also a signature of this director. You may also come to the conclusion that he may not be that grounded himself but that's sort of why I adore his movies.

Which was surprising but understandable. But just like prior movies like OCCULT and SHIROME they tend to force you into all sorts of absurd emotions.
The music also was somewhat hilarious, swinging from Horror to Battle Anime to Sad depression. The ending theme really got me after everything was said and done. The final few scenes are actually really sweet and well shot. I thought overall the movie was well shot. It had just a little bit of everything for trickery to make you feel tense. I particularly enjoyed the flickering light sequences. There's some really pretty golden time shots in this movie. It seemed to be it's signature oddly enough.

I say give it a chance but only if you can get pass the SA and overall sporadic nature of the movie.

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?

HOW COULD YOU, I mean why, why would you do this to me. Their chemistry is just so utterly beautiful. The way they portray and picture such beautiful and talented actors pursuing what needed to give is so special to me.

this move got me all smiling and giggling like i would have the opportunity to acquire the passionate love storying. which this move had given me the thought of the idea of something I most desperately desire.

This Movie has truly made me crying full onrivers, repeatingly provocatively stupid. Because I hate showing this side of me, processing & showcasing the adversity and vulnerability of my weakness

THIS COULD’VE ENDED DIFFERENTLY GIJGKGKGKHKGKG

this move would’ve had so much potential to bring a perfect high school romcom (not saying that it’s not💔)

I hated how movie producers would quit separating two obsessive and lovable teenage high schoolers. everything is visually astonishing
The acting is pure and well proficient, the acting is very good which i can’t get mad. + kim yoojung is the it girl in the making i'll definitely tune in for her next hit drama and also hi miss han hyojoo we forever will be missed, truly.

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"An old shirt belonging to our son who is away; my wife washes it and hands it to me to wear."

Ballad of a Workman aka Ballad of a Worker was a loving ode to parents who sacrificed for their children to have better lives. Time jumps were often accompanied by stoic ballads and haikus. The film also showed the struggle many people faced as Japan rebuilt their economy after WWII.

Our story starts in 1946 when Yoshio returns home from the war, welcomed by his wife and son who had feared he was dead. Torako had moved to the countryside as the bombings devastated Tokyo. The only job Yoshio can find is working on the roads. As the years pass and he is promoted, Torako is paid to do housekeeping for the workers’ center. They don’t earn much but make sure that their son Toshiyuki is educated. When Toshiyuki leaves for Kyoto to attend college, the little family is hit hard by the burden of their poverty.

This film showed the progress of the Nonaka family from 1946-1962. Yoshio had to slowly learn to deal with his miserable job in ways other than drinking. Torako was the rock of the family, the one person who held things together. She worked a demanding physical job in addition to her own household duties but never complained or drank herself to sleep. Takamine Hideko and Sada Keiji were a great duo for the roles of hard-working parents. Toshiyuki dealt with stressors in Kyoto that his less educated parents could scarcely imagine. Yamamoto Toyozo may have been less experienced yet he still managed to convey Toshiyuki’s stress of being his parents’ great hope and reason for living.

The drawbacks to the yearly time jumps with accompanying heavy-handed ballads was that I felt like I missed out on more of the day-to-day lives of the family. They often bounced from one crisis to the next. Despite the family’s troubles, the parents kept moving forward refusing to be dragged down by their privation. Their quiet dignity was moving, even when they hesitated to accompany Toshiyuki to his new school for fear of embarrassing him. The son’s growth and learning to accept them as they were was also quite heartwarming.

Ballad of a Workman could have done with less ballad and more tender moments between Yoshio and Torako. The film showed that the job of parenting is never done. Even after children grow up, there is always something to worry about and plan for. What could have been an overly melodramatic story ended up being a heartfelt slice of life about a family with a dream for their son to have a better life.

“Together we’ve walked through the years. In times of laughter and tears. Our hands are roughened but you and I. We shall walk, foraging ahead with smiles.”

15 June 2025

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Funny movie which will pull at your heartstrings

This movie is popular for being a turning point in Korean Cinema, changing the usually "submissive" role of the female lead. Though I love that it challenged women's typical roles in movies, the behaviors the female lead exhibited throughout the movie would definitely be described as "abusive" instead of "quirky" by today's standards if the gender roles were reversed.

The movie hits the typical rom-com checklist, providing laughs from physical comedy and hilarious situations, yet pulling at your heart-strings at the same time. It was funny and I would recommend to someone specifically in the mood for an early 2000s romantic comedy.

Overall rating: 3.5/5
Quality: 3/5
Enjoyability: 4/5

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Internationally renowned for a reason

Whenever I mention that I enjoy Korean cinema, "Parasite" is usually the first movie people will bring up. Its popular reputation even amongst people who do not usually watch Korean movies is well-earned.

The movie brings thrillers and black comedies to another level by not relying on cheap jump scares, but rather by creating a too realistic and uncomfortable atmosphere which the viewer cannot escape. The many twists and turns and different use of symbolism to provides social commentary throughout the movie had me continuing to think about the movie after I was finished watching it. Which to me is the mark of a successful psychological thriller.

What I loved about this movie is that it is very impactful during the first watch, but also made me want to do some more research afterwards to look into the details and symbolism which I may have missed. This is a great movie to introduce people to Korean Cinema, and its subtle details and various easter eggs provides great rewatchability.

Overall rating: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

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Great Watch for Classic Korean Movie Fans

This is the first movie my K-Cinema teacher showed our class in 2022. Learning that this was the first Korean film to win an international award made me curious from the start. I was amazed by a lot of the traditional elements in the movie; from the costumes to the sets. It is a rather simple plot, however the comedic elements added a nice balance to the dramatic aspect of the film and made for a fun watch.
Though this is not the type of movie I would rewatch for fun on my own, I would recommend for any fans of classic Korean movies.
Rating: 3.5/5 (Quality: 4/5, Enjoyment: 3/5)

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"Blood flew!"

Assassination aka Assassin was a film by Shinoda Masahiro about the real life enigmatic ronin, Kiyokawa Hachiro. This is important to know because I was off balance for much of the film not realizing I was dealing with an historical figure who wasn’t nearly as clever as he believed himself to be. I kept waiting for the typical enigmatic ronin who knows how to strategize and despite a crusty exterior has a heart of if not gold, silver. That would not describe this shady and at times, cowardly and duplicitous character.

It's 1853 and the Shogunate is in its waning years while the Imperial Court is ascending. Conflict between the two for power is thrown into turmoil when Admiral Perry and his four warships anchor in the harbor. Both sides struggled with how to deal with the foreigners---make a deal or attempt to slaughter the better armed enemy. Men working for the Shogunate decide to hire Kiyokawa Hachiro to train men to do their bidding. He’s been attached to Imperial ronin, but after murdering someone seems to be willing to change loyalties. Hachiro is a well-educated, low class ronin that the elite samurai hate. He goes beyond the fifty ronin he’s ordered to hire and gathers several hundred ronin instead. Whether he delivers them to the Shogun remains to be seen.

Any film that has 2 ½ minutes of prologue and takes nearly 15 minutes to introduce characters is setting the viewer up for confusion. There were numerous major and very minor players that popped in and out of the film like a popcorn machine gone awry. Flashbacks and flashforwards were not well advertised meaning it was difficult to know what order the events took place in. Hachiro was a schemer who betrayed friend and foe alike. He was also not nearly the genius strategiser he thought he was. When he created a dangerous situation through his impulsive actions, he left those who were devoted to him behind to take the fall. He also seemed to take delight in raping a woman. I kept waiting for him to be redeemed or to be smarter than he seemed, but that was not the case.

Even with a despicable protagonist, I could still enjoy a well-made film. The constant skipping around in time, confusing parade of characters, inability to lay out a clear-cut plot, and a lead whose motivation for vile actions was never revealed made this film barely watchable for me. If I had been familiar with Kiyokawa Hachiro perhaps this film wouldn’t have been as frustrating, so those who are may find it far more enjoyable than I did.

15 June 2025

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Every day with you

Very nice. This movie fulfilled my craving for romantic stories I didn’t even know I had. The opening scene led us to expect a miracle—and that’s exactly what we got: a beautiful, heartwarming story that connects two young people in an extraordinary way, through music.

The production quality is excellent. The actors were good, though all except the main protagonists felt more or less like shadows in the background. The heart of the film lies in the miracle of love—a love that seems impossible, yet longs to share every day and every moment with the beloved. This is a movie for people of faith, for those who dare to believe. It truly warmed my heart while also entertaining me with lovely pieces of music.

In short: this is a classic Korean romantic movie with a somewhat original twist. The description says it's a remake of a Taiwanese film, which was already remade in Japan last year. I wonder which version is the best—Taiwanese, Japanese, or Korean? And who knows, maybe Hollywood will make its own version in the future as well.

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