Reviews

Once tight, now just a memory

In this film, Mo Xingxing, Mi Sha, and Lu Li are supposed to be a trio of best friends. But honestly, the only real and wholesome friendship is between Mo Xingxing and Mi Sha. Their bond is super sweet, worth to watch!

Things start falling apart when Mi Sha secretly catches feelings for Lu Li and gets jealous seeing how much he cares about Mo Xingxing when she’s sick. Meanwhile, Mo Xingxing is this girl who’s really poor—like, eating actual garbage-level food. On top of that, she struggles with bulimia and anorexia, and doesn’t get any love from her family. So when someone like Lu Li shows her so much kindness, of course she starts to fall for him.

But here’s the thing... Lu Li’s only being nice to her out of guilt, since Mo Xingxing’s mom dead from saving his life. Deep down, he’s actually into Mi Sha. At first, I thought Lu Li was this selfless, caring guy, but then the ending totally threw me off. He ends up snapping at Mo Xingxing, saying he’s sick of pretending and can’t even be honest about his own feelings because he’s been “serving” her all this time. Like… seriously??? That’s your problem. Mo Xingxing never asked you to do all that. That scene made me so mad.

And don’t even get me started on Mi Sha. I disliked how she acted when she got jealous—like, she literally skipped visiting Mo Xingxing when she was sick, even though she had arrived, just because she saw Mo Xingxing got "affection" from Lu Li. Instead, she went off alone, brought a ton of food, and just started tearing open the packaging and taking tiny bites out of everything. It felt so wasteful. She’s rich, yeah, but that whole scene came off as, “Look, I can afford all this food and eat whatever I want—unlike Mo Xingxing who’s so poor she can barely eat proper food.” It was such a low-key flex in the worst way. She did it on her own, so it wasn’t really a problem—but it definitely says a lot about her character.

And then… the last straw was when Mo Xingxing got mad at Mi Sha for transferring schools without telling her, and Mi Sha got mad because Mo Xingxing never opened up about her illness. Then all the problems were never solved. All of them were bad at communicating. After that, Mi Sha just dipped—left everyone behind—and the story jumps back to the present, where she’s all grown up and reminiscing.

Honestly, I feel like the storyline was kinda messy and could’ve been handled better. But their friendship before all the miscommunication and emotional mess? Super cute and heartwarming. Also, the cinematography was pretty decent—lots of scenes that are totally screenshot-worthy.

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Scornful Woman

Just this morning, I listened to Oliver Anthony's new song, "Scornful Woman," about his difficult divorce, and now I've seen this movie, which perfectly suits the theme of human wickedness in relationships. At first, it seemed like it would be a feminist movie about men mistreating their women and causing them to become evil, but it was so much deeper than that. It explores theology, acts of evil, and human morality in a brutal and often shocking way, while still managing to—at least in my opinion—convey a Christian message. It reminds me a lot of Kim Ki-duk's movies.

One characteristic of the devil’s moral theology is the exaggeration of all distinctions between good and evil. No longer is there any sense that we might be more or less at fault, or take upon our own shoulders the wrongs of others by forgiveness, acceptance, patience, and love—and thus help one another to find the truth. On the contrary, in the devil’s theology, because we all fail sometimes, we consider everyone evil, and then there is no salvation for anyone. The movie showed this, but still offered a resolution in which a person can carry the burden of others and find redemption. The Korean title of the movie says: 천사여 악녀가 되라! That could mean: Angel, become a wicked woman!—as an invitation. But still, you have the freedom to choose good!

This movie was made in 1990, but the director postponed its release. It was submitted to the censors between 1990 and 1995 but shelved. It had its public premiere at the Busan Festival in 1998, and was only truly released in 2021 in a restored version. What a history!

This is not a movie for everyone, but it certainly inspired me to reflect on all of us wicked humans.

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An Surprisingly Intriguing Watch

I didn't expect this movie to be as enjoyable as it was, so I was pleasantly surprised. Shin Hye-sun never disappoints with her acting, and it was impeccable here. The female cop was also a really good actress and I enjoyed most of the scenes she was in. What took the show down for me was the male lead. His acting felt off sometimes for me and wasn't really engaging, though that may just have been the weird way in which his character was written. It felt like it was trying and failing to be Joe from You (more awkward and less creepy). That was my main issue. Aside from that, I enjoyed how the story was written and executed as well as the messaging that came through at the end.

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"A geisha's lie is not a real lie"

Mizoguchi Kenji once again explored the plight of women, especially those who served men in A Geisha. Ideally, well trained geishas entertained their male customers with their musical skills and genteel company, however, a barely concealed underbelly of prostitution bore out a more unsavory livelihood for many of the “Intangible Cultural Assets.”

Eiko winds her way through the streets of the Gion to find her deceased mother’s best friend, Miyoharu. Unwanted by her father and wanted too much by her uncle, Eiko has no place else to turn. She begs Miyoharu to help her become a geisha. Miyoharu gives in and pays for Eiko’s extensive training. When it’s time for Eiko’s debut Miyoharu is forced to borrow a substantial amount of money from the teahouse madame not knowing who is financing Eiko behind the scenes. The two women who have thus far refused to accept patrons may not have a choice when their circumstances turn dire.

This topic was used in a variety of films featuring geishas and bar hostesses. Women who accepted patrons or who turned tricks on the side seemed to get ahead in the night world of Japan. Women were interchangeable depending on whether a man wanted a newer or older model. One young geisha had a 62-year-old patron her mother had arranged. These men were not used to being told no and often took what they wanted. Eiko mentioned a new law that protected geishas, but everyone knew it was in principle only. The “living works of art” were simply told to “close your eyes.”

Kogure Michiyo gave a moving performance as the veteran geisha. One scene as Miyoharu slowly removed her kimono in order to do what she dreaded was silently heartrending. Wakao Ayako’s Eiko went from a naïve and exuberant maiko to a young woman who saw the shining beauty of the geisha world pulled back to reveal the money and depravity underneath. Regardless of what the clients did, the women were expected to be compliant.

Mizoguchi created an aesthetically graceful film of floating geishas that also showed the crass and contractual side of humanity. While the central subject of a woman’s plight and criminal lack of options had been covered before, often by Mizoguchi himself, A Geisha stood out with the bond between Miyoharu and Eiko. The loyal and protective relationship the women forged together as they faced horrendous obstacles was well worth watching this film.

10 June 2025
Trigger warning: Attempted sexual assault

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Wonderland could have been a hit movie if...

For whom haven't watched yet, this ain't a flop.
Actors gave their bet to portray their character but the story telling was something lacking. There were two stories with a few subsidiary stories. A movie needs to focus on as few character as possible as they have limited time. Either this should have been a drama, or this should have just focused on two stories. Time management was lacking.

The story needed to be easygoing, to the point and less-plot holes. If there'll be a sequel/ 2nd part coming, I'll surely watch cause there are several questions yet unanswered.

Overall, it is worth watching the acting of characters, specially, Park Bo Gum and Bay Suzy.
.^. _ .^.

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A Good movie if you wanna shed tears.

I was scrolling through Ding Yuxi's works and found this, and I'm genuinely happy that I found this. This movie tells the love story of Wen Heng (WH) and Yan Xi (YX). And it also focuses on one to value the people around oneself.

The Plot revolves around WH and YX, how they became acquainted, she had some issues with her family therefore her brother arranged for her to live in his friend's house and she met YX, both spent time together and fell in love with eachother but fate was playing tricks on them.
Yan xi had to go back to States because of his family issues, and he got depression and stayed there to not affect her and didn't let her find out at all.
And she kinda got depressed because he left her, and then finally moving on to the time skip, after whole 7 years he's suddenly standing in front of her, asking her for a second chance!
Before when they fell in love with each other fate played tricks on them and seperated them, but atleast they met each other, but this time when they finally got together fate played an even crueler trick on them, seperating them by Death.

I have read all the reviews and I agree that it could have been a great movie if it wasn't too rushed. They rushed the plot too much, it could've been great as a bit longer like 2 or 2.5 hr. And the thing I hated the most was editing, Like they paid the editing team right! But they didn't do the job properly! They ruined a good movie, Ding Yuxi and Ren Min did an amazing job, they acted so well, I have 0 complaints against their acting, but the editing was making it hard for me to watch.

There wasn't a single scene (where they were crying) where I wasn't crying, it was so sad. Her adoptive parents who seemed like better tha Biological parents, when her father told her to go back home and study *shedding tears* it was so emotional. There was a tacit understanding.

My favourite scene was-
When Yan Xi was with his friends and he was giving his friends his last instructions, I couldn't hold back my tears and I was sobbing. It was such a beautiful scene.

If you did read it till the end, I will suggest you watch it, I was sobbing while watching it. It's an amazing movie (except the editing and fast pace or what people call it rushed ).

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HEARTBROKEN

i am absolutely torn into shreds.. him going through time travel just put the cherry on top. this was probably one of the most beautiful movies i have ever watched. the story, acting, transitions, chefs kiss!! i am currently uncontrollably crying while writing this review :) i am thanking the people who made this bc they didn't make him die like the series!! these cuties deserve the absolute world and honestly i don't think i'll be recovering from this movie for a while.. the end credits also made my heart skip a beat but it was lowkey predictable (not like i wasn't not predicting it to be him but like still) that filled the void in my heart that was left from the series.. i don't think i have ever cried as much as i did in a movie or show.. thank you to whoever reads this bc i wanted to let no one or everyone know my opinion!! <3

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"Are you shoveling sand to live, or living to shovel sand?"

Woman in the Dunes is a classic Japanese film that I’ve put off watching for a few years. Not for any particular reason, I just was easily distracted by other films. And the two-and-a-half hours running time tended to drop it down the list as this Butterfly can have the attention span of a gnat. But today I dusted off my courage and hit play.

Note: We are not told the Entomologist’s name until the last frames so I will just call him E, because any term ending in ologist I usually screw up and trip over. The FL was never given a name so I’ll refer to her as The Woman, much like a character in Sherlock Holmes.

E is searching remote sand dunes hoping to discover a new variety of beetle that would be named after him. He misses the last bus out of town and a helpful villager tells him he can spend the night with a local. The Woman’s hut lies at the bottom of a sand dune pit and requires climbing down a rope ladder. She is very hospitable and strangely spends the night shoveling sand which the villagers haul up in buckets. The next morning when he attempts to leave, the ladder is missing and the unnatural sand cliffs are impossible to climb. He ascertains that he has fallen into a sand trap and is expected to shovel sand for his food and water with no possibility of parole.

The most beautiful and compelling character in this film was the sand. Director Teshigahara Hiroshi filmed grains of sand at the microscopic level and far above showing the mesmerizing rivulets across wide dunes. It was also unrelentingly invasive as it sought to take over the house and bury it minute by minute. Only for a minutes after a weekly bath were the characters bodies not covered in the tiresome fragments. They often appeared as if cursed by Medusa and turned to stone. The unearthly and unnerving music highlighted the strange shifting world the characters inhabited.

“Are you shoveling sand to live or living to shovel sand?”
Failure to shovel sand meant no food or water. The Woman was as much of a slave as E. How long had she been there? Was it a generational enslaved caste? She seemed to think of it as necessary for the village, but she never climbed the ladder and joined the villagers. It would never occur to her to leave. E struggled to escape several times before seeming to succumb to his plight. Was shoveling sand a parable/allegory about work? Especially salaryman work? Meaningless, repetitious, and almost impossible to quit. Other than enriching the union, it didn’t benefit society as a whole because anything made out of the cement it went into would be substandard and possibly deadly. There were other slaves we heard about but didn’t meet.

The characters lived on the bottom of the survival pyramid. Through a continuous grind of backbreaking tedious work, they received strictly rationed and controlled food and water. The sand continuously threatened to consume their shelter and their lives. They participated in raw, carnal sex. But eww, sandy sex brings on a whole host of indelicate problems. The pit provided no entertainment, no variety, and no real choices. The only true autonomy they had was to live (obey) or die (disobey). The woman desired a radio. Why? The outside news would only mock their isolation and enslavement. E’s curiosity ebbed until he accidentally made a discovery that excited him. Given his mental enslavement the revelation served to trap him more tightly.

The film reminded me of the original Star Trek’s pilot called The Cage. Warning! 60 year-old spoiler! Beings with telepathic powers needed humans to provide physical labor for them. They set a trap and used a beautiful woman as bait and reward. They also perversely enjoyed watching and punishing the humans. The villagers in The Woman in the Dunes were both perverse (they liked to watch) and cruel. Perhaps I’ve belabored the point attempting to understand this film and the story was simply karmic payback for the Entomologist trapping bugs in glass tubes and then pinning them to boards. In that case, he probably deserved what he got. Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

9 June 2025
Trigger warnings: There were a couple of nude scenes, but sexual encounters were done “tastefully” and implied more than showing body parts. There were bugs but not the ooey, gooey, or eight-legged kinds.

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Story: About a guy pretending to be straight by snatching himself a beard, but someone comes along and threatens to reveal his disguise.

Acting/Cast: Mediocre as expected of non-professionals, but putting in quite the effort.

Music: Forgetful.

Rewatch Value: Maybe if you care for it, but most likely not.

Overall Impression: One boy is definitely playing up his straightness, whether out of fear or to incite jealousy, is the question, or maybe a little bit of both. While the other determines to disrupt this lie. I am all for pain-pine-pitiful bouts of unrequited or requited love, but the violence between the two boys, only exasperated their misunderstanding towards each other.
The end scene, while poignant, serves an indication that some people will just run away from their feelings rather than confront them. The message of the film became muddy and convoluted when the execution wasn't up to par.

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Story: Mainly about a group of boys who are about to graduate and find themselves anxious about serving in the military as required by all able-bodied males of a certain age range.

Acting/Cast: With such a short time to digest, I couldn't distinguish who's who.

Music: Nothing worth noting.

Rewatch Value: Re-watch only if you are seeking more answers to your unanswered questions.

Overall impression: The main focus of the show is the jarring procedure of venesection, practiced by one of the protagonist. It's brutal and bloody, and showcases the extremes that some people take in order to avoid going into the military.
This ordeal is not lost on the men as the threat of being "exposed" looms over their head.
While the short film started out as Heartbreaking, the final scenes became horrendous and unnecessary.

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Story: It's a conflict between religion and homosexuality that many LGBTQ+ people who grew up in the Philippines grapple with. But instead of a devout Catholic, we see here a boy who is a practicing Muslim, but dealing with the same struggles.

Acting: Nothing to write home about. I can attest that they can ride a motorcycle around the city as they search for answers.

Music: The chanting maybe louder.

Rewatch Value: Not significant to warrant a second look.

Overall Impression: The message is clear, but the execution probably not. With perhaps better resources to support a longer length, this film could have been decent. As it stands, it's mediocre.

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Story: About a guy looking for some some. You know there's park where people just seem to stand there and look for partners, because what else they could be doing, unless they were looking for birds?

Acting: Just some sitting, but mostly standing around, looking unmotivated. If this is the intent, certainly they did the job. I could do that too and pass as acting.

Music: Nothing memorable.

Rewatch Value: Once is more than enough.

Overall Impression: This is like bad porn with clothes on. The black-noir effect is not fooling anyone.
A sad attempt at being profound but ended up being inconsequential.

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