Reviews

No justice for weak people

Just watched Silenced (2011), and now I believe even more that there's no justice in this world for the weak. This movie hit me hard—it's heartbreaking to see how people in power can abuse, silence, and destroy lives, while the victims are left with nothing but pain and fear. It hurts even more knowing this isn’t just fiction—this really happened. And in the end, none of the victims got the justice they deserved. No happy ending. Just quiet suffering.

I also read from some news that after the film was released, it caused public outrage and led to the case being reopened. But still, it doesn’t erase the fact that the victims have to live with that trauma for the rest of their lives. Some of them never even made it through. It’s painful, it’s unfair, and it leaves you questioning the kind of world we live in.

This movie doesn’t just tell a story—it opens your eyes, and breaks your heart. 🥺

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Short, Sweet, and Seriously Adorable!

💖 17 Minutes of Pure Cuteness — I Need More!! ⏰💘

I just finished Why Do We Have to Hide It?! and even though it’s only 17 minutes long, I LOVED every second! 🥹✨ Both actors are stunning and had great chemistry — the looks, the little gestures, the tension... all packed perfectly into a short runtime 💞.

The plot is super simple — two boyfriends keeping their love a secret — but it’s told with so much heart. Honestly, this short film gave me more feels than some full 8-episode series I’ve watched 😅.

I really hope this gets expanded into a full series one day — I’d be so ready to invest in it! 💸💖 Until then, this is a sweet, cozy watch that I highly recommend. Just wish it was a bit longer!

⭐️ 8/10
⏳ Short but absolutely worth your time! Don’t miss it!

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Creative Borrowing

Within the story it alludes to some search for immortality by a long dead ruler as an inspiration. However, as the story unfolds a connection to another theme comes through as it becomes clear to us and the characters that there is no safe refuge, no home, and that the mobs will hunt Seobok down to exploit him no matter the cost.

When the mobs close in and then are defeated the realization takes hold that there is nowhere to flee to and we arrive at another inevitable ending. The story and ending strongly evoked the same emotions and tragic ending of the novel "Of Mice and Men". I hope that doesn't give away too much, but it's that tragic collision at the end that makes the ending work so well and for the same reasons.

The same but different, and a well told story deserving in its own right.

Highly recommend.

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A Perfect Movie For Lazy Afternoons!

The title of this movie is aptly named. Aichaku literally means in Japanese ‘attachment’. But an attachment to an object that is more like a feeling of affinity- what the object means. It takes on an emotional attachment. And this movie is certainly that. It is a movie filled with a lot of emotional bonds.

However, it takes a long time for the story to get somewhere though. While the first half was interesting, even informative, it was mundane and uneven. It is a story about a focused American gay man, teaching English in the rural countryside of Chiba, Japan. His name is Lucas (Christipher McCombs) who strains to save all his money for something, to the point of forgoing almost all other pleasures. He bikes past an abandoned restaurant on his way to teaching every day and stares in, and we assume that is what he is saving for.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/06/13/aichaku-movie-review/

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The kind of movie I didn't know I needed until I watched it.

It's understandable that it's not everyone's cup of tea, along with everything else, basically. However, to me, I felt like it was well-written. We didn't get to know much about the main character, but we did get to see the burden that Yeo Reum was carrying, having feeling like not belonging in the world.

The acting was on point that emotions can be felt and the body languages, though not exaggerated, were so clear. I especially loved the tiny silent moments in between conversations/sign languages because it fit the vibes of the entire film. In a way, it calmed me down.

The cinematography was my favorite. I love the tones used since it was the kind of movie that not only warmed my heart, but also made my eyes happy with the calm scenery (huhu 미안해 I'm not familiar with movie terms).

A big part of me also find the yearning cute. It was the type of crushing that was not creepy and not overstepping boundaries (except maybe when he made her food because I felt like that's kind of an intimate thing to do).

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"Once you have your hair cut, you'll change your old worldview"

Mother and a Guest showed the cultural crossroads Korean widows faced in 1960. The small town, how people dressed, and the customs were in a state of flux. Much of the film was narrated by the kindergartener and the adults were seen through her eyes. She didn’t understand them and I can’t say that I did either.

Lee Kyung Sook and her six-year-old daughter Ok Hee live with her mother-in-law. Her husband died before Ok Hee was born. Kyung Sook wears her white widow’s weeds and chignon, never looks men in the eye, and is the epitome of demure. She clings to her widow’s integrity by not remarrying. Trouble develops when they take in Han Sun Ho as a boarder. Ok Hee is immediately taken with the soft-spoken artist and follows him around like a puppy. Could a romance develop between the widow and the artist when they are almost never in the same room and almost never speak? Well, that’s the question.

Throughout the film widows and widowers were shown remarrying and living happy lives. The old taboo was no longer enforced. Lee has been a widow since she was twenty-one and seemed relegated to forever being alone except for her daughter. Her wants and desires were irrelevant as well as her daughter’s. There could be no laughter and she’d abandoned her music. This film was supposed to be a melodramatic tearjerker, but the main characters inability to communicate was frustrating and at times infuriating. I was far more invested in the maid’s story or even the hairdresser’s.

Mother and the Guest was a snapshot of changing mores in South Korea after the war. It also showed the stranglehold on women’s virtue and filial obligations that did not loosen easily.

12 June 2025

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Showbiz is not what it is cracked up to be.

I watched this movie with casual interest. I watched it for Andy Lau, who I have loved for twenty years. It is a typical showbiz plot with self-absorbed talent aspiring for greatness, and achieving a deflated ego in the end. The movie received some positive feedback from western media for its satirical look at Showbiz, but it bombed at the box office in China. It was released during 2024 Chinese New year, which was shortsighted by the producers. You don't release a feel bad movie during the highest holiday in China.. The dark side of showbiz is universal and superficial. The movie transcended the barriers of culture, language and casting. Andy Lau took a gamble on the project.

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Only We Know: A Quiet Masterpiece on Love, Life, and Letting Go

This movie is excellent! It was my first time watching Charo Santos in a film and oh my! Her acting was absolutely phenomenal! As for Dingdong Dantes, I only realized now how great of an actor he truly is! The storyline is beautiful and well-structured, and it really captured my emotions.

However, this film is not for everyone. If you're planning to watch it, drop your expectations at the door. I watched it out of pure curiosity about how their story would unfold, and I was not disappointed. The movie delivered a touching and meaningful message, that as we grow older, one of the things we truly seek is companionship.

This film is about love, life, and everything in between. That’s why the original soundtrack, "Sariling Mundo" by TJ Monterde, fits so perfectly. And the title itself, Only We Know, says it all. Only we know the why, the what, and the how behind our choices and relationships. We don’t owe anyone explanations.

And lastly, we only live once. So go ahead and do what makes you happy, no matter what others think—because at the end of the day, Only We Know.

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Heart in the Right Place, Structure All Over

In And the Breadwinner Is..., Jun Robles Lana delivers a poignant, if occasionally chaotic, Filipino family dramedy anchored by the enduring star power of Vice Ganda. Set against the emotional terrain of sacrifice, betrayal, and reconciliation, the film follows long-time overseas worker Bambi Salvador (Vice Ganda), who returns to the Philippines after 15 years in Taiwan—only to find the home and family she left behind in shambles.

Her mother suffers from Alzheimer’s, the house is crumbling, and her younger brother Biboy (Jhong Hilario) has gambled away her remittances. Heartbroken, Bambi briefly disappears, only to return after a vision of her deceased father. Tragedy then takes a surreal turn when she is mistakenly declared dead, allowing the family to claim her life insurance. When Bambi finally re-emerges, she reveals she is terminally ill with glioblastoma, leading the fractured family into a final chapter of forgiveness and unity.

It’s a film filled with high-stakes emotion and broad tonal swings, culminating in a surprisingly whimsical coda that sees Bambi guiding souls as a flight attendant in the afterlife. The film doesn’t shy away from sentimentality, and when it works, it works well—thanks largely to a committed ensemble cast. Eugene Domingo, Gladys Reyes, and Kokoy de Santos, in particular, elevate the film with layered, compelling performances that transcend the occasionally uneven script.

That said, And the Breadwinner Is... suffers from structural inconsistencies. Scenes sometimes feel loosely stitched together, and the narrative often sidesteps deeper engagement with its themes. Conflicts resolve too conveniently, and some character arcs are rushed or underdeveloped. Vice Ganda’s previous filmography is referenced more than necessary, and filler characters detract from the film’s emotional weight.

Crucially, Bambi's illness is not rendered with the realism it warrants. A more detailed portrayal of her health decline—such as physical changes or choices around treatment—could have lent the story added depth. And while the film flirts with romantic possibilities for Bambi, particularly hinted during a holiday special, these threads are ultimately left unexplored. A reunion with her father’s spirit at the end, rather than an abstract afterlife vignette, might have delivered a more profound emotional payoff.

Despite its flaws, the film finds moments of genuine power—particularly in a standout long-take sequence where the family confronts their buried traumas. It’s in these raw, unfiltered exchanges that And the Breadwinner Is... taps into its full emotional potential.

This may not be Vice Ganda’s most polished film, but it signals a subtle evolution in her screen persona—less slapstick, more soul. While not structurally sound, And the Breadwinner Is... remains an affecting tribute to familial love, personal sacrifice, and the messy, often bittersweet process of coming home.

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