Reviews

Sweet, but

This was an extremely sweet movie and it really hit the right notes to get the feeling of nostalgia and youth friendship, without making anything too over-dramatic.

I do have one big gripe with this movie though; the tone stays pretty consistent and light-hearted throughout but it does what a lot of Asian movies seem to do in the third act: the noble idiocy break-up, followed by the time jump reunion. While this movie subverts the trope a bit (thank god for that), I'm not the biggest fan of it being there in the first place and felt like there had to be a better way to incorporate character arcs without doing it.

Still, a cute film.

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I fell asleep

I started this movie with pretty high energy, but as soon as I pressed play all energy was drained from me.
From the beginning there was so much screaming that it became white noise. Screaming not even from being scared, it was simply a personality trait. when it finally got to the “scary” parts it was so lacking. I sat there straight face observing their faces because that was the only thing I could do. from my understanding this is a highly talked about scary movie, one where if you ask Koreans whats the most scary movie they will say this. I don’t get it, I’m usually scared at a bug hitting a window. I was so excited to see what all the hype was about but I was left with an empty mind.

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Even if u don't end up with loved one still love is love

If u r not obsessed with someone then u haven't love someone. I haven't read the book till today but I didn't want watch movie after watching series but today i watched it and it is quite good. Unlike in series Heung su liked him till the end even though they didn't end up together. Unlike im series he went to meet him in end. So i liked movie more than series. I thought series was one of finest gay themed series ever watched but i was wrong. This is movie thousands times better than series on everything. Acting, music, romance, love, everything on the top level. Yeah we all have different opinions but living as gay guy is fucking hard especially being poor. Anyway i loved it. I liked when Jae Hui ending with someone who is supporting her. Enjoy this movie.

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I apologize for myself for taking two years to finish this masterpiece.

Let me say that it took me a long time to finish this movie because I simply found it boring in the middle. I kept thinking: How can they say it's a masterpiece if I'm dragging my feet to finish it and I don't even want to watch it? And I'm grateful for mdl challenge for making me finish it because, ladies and gentlemen, it's a WORK OF ART.

The last thirty minutes, when the whole explanation of why the whole story happens comes, along with plot twist after plot twist, when you think you've gotten over one, another one is thrown in your face and you just have to deal with the whole mind-blowing feeling.

The acting is very well done, they deserve applause because I really understood both sides of the story. Speaking of which, justice for Mido because in the end, she was just a pawn in a bigger plan and she deserves much more.

What can I say about the ending? I thought about it a lot. What should be the fine line between love and morality? Was Mido the only woman who could truly love Daesung? love is love, even if it's morally wrong?

I apologize to myself for taking two years to see this work of art, and I agree that this film is a Korean classic to watch if you like heavier subjects.

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A Trainwreck of Catastrophe

Finally, after months without reviews, I’m back again and here I am, fretting over the so-called brand-new sci-fi movie "Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy". For your information, it is adapted from Singnsong’s much-loved sci-fi fantasy thriller novel under the same name. Prior to jumping into this movie, I’d had a peek of the first 20 chapters of the webtoon. I may not be an avid webtoon reader, but I still have some affinity to it (my favorite is Singnsong’s other work, which is "The World after the Fall"). There had been quite a few weeks after its release that I began to watch it. Normally, given the venomous-dripped reviews and its wacky rating, I should’ve avoided it at all costs. However, some part of me still wondered why these people were making a fuss over a failed adaptation (for Omniscient Reader: Viewpoint's lovers, it must have been a hard time for you all). So, without any hesitation, I plunged myself into the movie and I got to understand why this movie was called a chaos.

The movie follows the journey of an ordinary office worker Kim Dok-ja who’s living his mundane life with the aid of his favorite web-novel “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”, of which he has been ogling for 10 years (I’ve forgotten the exact time). One day, the story recently concludes its run and Dok-ja finds the epilogue quite a lackluster, so he inadvertently castigates the author (this is a contradiction against the OG source already where he actually praises the author) and triggers the system which transports him to the novel’s world. Alongside his new companion, Yoo Jung-hyeok, Yoo Sang-ah, Lee Hyeon-seong, Jeong Hui-won, Lee Ji-hye, and Lee Gil-yeong, he must navigate through this complicated world that he himself only knows and survive the ordeals and trials based on what the author has created before.

Based on my observation, the plot itself offers an intriguing premise with a blend of sci-fi and fantasy thriller, which has always been my favorite. Nonetheless, “Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy” doesn’t really work on me as much as other shows do. Glaring plot holes and unnecessary modifications can be found everywhere right from the get go (the castigation of the author, I mean). Another thing that I notice is how they change Sang-ah’s ability into healing, when she isn’t a healer herself. How he survives inside the sea monster’s tummy is still a mystery to me. Why do they have guns and sniper rifles as weapons too? And I believe Dok-ja isn’t a prophet – in fact, he has a reading skill that can make him see through other people’s abilities. Knowing what will happen in the future just because you understand and memorize the plotlines doesn’t make you a prophet, you know. Too much asking, I suppose. Let’s move on to another point.

Incongruous and grotesque CGI only worsens the situation and I can’t help but keep rolling my eyes over and over again. The monsters’ CGI is tacky and distortedly ugly, as if they were made out of 10-year-old kid’s plastic toys or even cardboards. Meanwhile, the scene where the gold coins churn out of the monster’s body after it is killed, is infuriatingly absurd as though this movie were some kind of RPG game such as Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and many more. By the way, against all of the people, I actually love the dokkaebi – it’s super-duper cute and speaks like a little toddler that I badly want to hug it (I’m fanatic over the word “dokkaebi” due to ALL(H)OURS’ song, SHOCK).

I can’t fathom why the hell they want to adapt this fantastic novel into a roller coaster of wreckage. I do feel sorry for Singnsong, you know. After all, they deserve better treatment. As for the actors, I have nothing to say except you’ve done a great work despite the not-so-supportive circumstances and I hope that you’ll be able to gain a foothold in other dramas or movies. But still, your efforts have paid off and I’m glad your acting is the last saving grace of this movie.

All in all, you really need to decide whether to watch it or skip it. I’m not forcing you if you’re skeptical, nor will I say it’s an awful movie as well because I still want to respect the actors’ hard work for bringing us the adaptation of "Omniscient Reader: Viewpoint" in a decent way. And my one last message to the director and screenwriter: Please, NEVER adapt "The World after the Fall" if you don’t want another hot mess to reignite again (because it’s my all-time favorite webtoon and no one can turn it into a fiasco unless you’re truly experienced). Time to end my review here. See y’all – good luck and happy watching and sorry for the long yapping!!!

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One of the funniest movies I've watched

I love comedies. Comedies is the genre I grew up with. In my country (Greece) we have many popular comedy series so I grew up watching them. As I grew older, I watched more movies and series and I can confidently say that Extreme Job is one of the funniest comedies I've watched so far.

The plot is not groundbreaking but it was so entertaining. A bunch of incompetent detectives who want to catch a criminal and prove their worth? Sign me in! I always find myself enjoying these type of stories of people who are desperate to prove their worth so I was obviously rooting for the team, no matter how many mistakes they would make. I went into this film pretty blindly so imagine my surprise when I saw that they bought a chicken restaurant in order to keep track on the criminal, Lee Moo bae.

The first half was mostly focused on the squad's attempts to open the restaurant and keep their cover as chicken restaurant owners. There were so many funny scenes and I admit that watching them cook these chickens made me salivate and crave some. They did a great job at making them look so delicious. The second half focused more on the criminals and how the squad tried to arrest them and it was equally exciting and funny to watch. Although the pacing became a little bit slower in the middle, the movie never lost my attention and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

As someone who is immersed in the world of kdramas, I must say that sometimes, korean jokes do not land, at least to me. I might chuckle a little but usually, I do not find myself enjoying them that much. However, that wasn't the case with Extreme Job. I laughed so hard while watching this movie to the point my abs got hurt. If you do not feel like doing cardio, this is a great exercise. Of course there were some bits that weren't as funny as other but overal the humor was pretty clever and the jokes were well-thought. The actors did a great job elevating the comedic parts. This is a big pet peeve of mine when it comes to comedies: many actors came across as awkward because their actions and the way they act does not seem natural and convincing. In Extreme Job, every actor did a great job with their roles. Each one of the squad members had their distinquish traits and running gags and the actors owned them. On top of that, their chemistry was excellent and the timing of the humor was to-the-point.

I was familiar with Ryu Seung-Ryong from Low Life, Lee Honey from Aema, Jin Sun-Kyu from Through The Darkness and Aema and Shin Ha-Kyun from Beyond Evil and Evilive. I admit that the actors I looked forward to see the most were Shin Ha-Kyun, whom I loved in Beyond Evil and Sun-Kyu who delivered some excellent performancies in Through the Darkness and Aema, in which he portrayed two very different characters. But all actors did an excellent job as I already mentioned. Seung-Ryong matched perfectly with the tired yet fierce of Chief Go, Lee Honey was captivating yet hilarious as Detective Jang, Lee Dong-Hwi as Detective Young-Ho made me pity him so much for being the voice of reason and Gong-Myung was charming and yet so funny playing the rookie detective Jae-Hoon.

And as for Ha-Kyun, oh my God, I have no words. Aside from the fact I was always at risk of having a cardiac arrest because of his styling and aura, he was amazing as the villain. it's my first time watching him in this type of role and if any casting directors are reading this review by any chance, I beg you, cast him in more roles where he's unapologetically evil! He was charming yet dangerous, funny yet mischievous. He carried the character with confidence and charm and despite his limited screen time, he stole the show.

I really enjoyed the characterisation in this movie. I connected with the team very quickly and at times, I wished I could be part of their little family - for this is what they were. I appreciate that the writers showed their bond through various scenes, although they would bicker and disagree with each other about the methods they should use in order to catch Moo Bae, they clearly cared about each other and did their best to work as a whole. I especially adored how exasperated Chief Go was while he was trying to guide the members, he gave off the vibes of a tired dad (I mean, he was already a dad of a teenage girl but he had to watch over four overgrown children). The chemistry between Detective Jang and Detective Ma was also really funny, their love-hate dynamic did not feel forced at all and despite them fighting or arguing, they clearly matched each other freak, as was shown in some occasions.

Aside from the good humor, the movie also had great action scenes. The fight choreographies were thrilling to watch (Twelve, take some notes how to direct proper fight scenes), they weren't many of them at the first half but the final climax was more than a satisfying pay-off. I keep rewatching them, I can't get tired of them. I also appreciate that they made made the fighting sequences believable by having the main characters getting injured instead of being these almighty superheroes who cannot receive a single scratch.

The soundrack matched perfectly with the comedic yet intense tone of the film. It had many humorous tones yet it added more tension when the film required it. A nice detail i noticed was the parts that resembled chicken noises, kudos to the people involved!

My only complaint (which still doesn't undermine my experience) is that I would have liked it if the writers had explored more the feelings of the team regarding their treatment from their supperiors. Once they got the taste of money and success after the restaurant flourished, they seemed to finally feel content with being good at something and receiving appreciation for that. We especially saw that with the Chief who was finally able to provide for his family. I think the writers could have utilised this aspect some more, it would be a good opportunity to add more depth in the characters and the story. There was an attempt to create a more serious tone but we quickly went back to the comedy.

Nevertheless, I had such a great time watching Extreme Job, it's one of the films I'll go back to when I'm in need of a good laugh. I strongly recommend it to those who seek something light-hearted to watch and if you love comedies, you might love this one too!

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Nearly untangled

The film follows the hollywood concept of casting someway way older to play up the 1 year age difference between teenage characters, but the male lead's acting and styling is good enough to not be distracting, especially as the rest of the teens are played by early to mid 20 something year olds. It's nice to see a high school narrative with no bullying involved and the teen characters are all charming, especially with their friendships, including between the two leads. The way the two realize and express their romance is lovely.

The male lead and his mom suddenly has to deal with a whole domestic violence plot line that is suddenly resolved at the end with nary a verbal exposition to explain how he's free to return to Busan to be with the female lead. It feels like missing a whole episode of a kdrama. I feel like had the movie had even half an hour more instead of being cut off at 2 hours, they could have completed the storyline, it's so weird it's like a whole chunk got deleted. Either the movie needed to be longer or it should have been a mini series or even full drama series instead. It would have been nice to see a bit more of the second male love interest as well as he actually seemed like he had more dimensions to him, not being shallow, top hundred in scholastics, actually appreciating the female lead's actions, but that's not as consequential as the male lead's plot being entirely missing.

The film is still a cute watch, it just feels incomplete.

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What does a creature made of water, an animated piece of paper, and people turning into stone have in common? Nothing, except they all end up in this mess of a movie. The production team, in all their wisdom, decides to take some “cool CGIs” and build an entire story around it.

The story ends up making no sense. The theme is supposedly about sacrificing romance for the greater good. The problem is that the movie never spend any time showing us what that greater good is, and why it is worth the sacrifice. So the poignancy is lost as we waste our time watching pointless scenes (e.g. the Monkey and Co chasing this one piece of paper).

The Women’s Kingdom is one of most intriguing fictional land in classical literature. Yet that never translates onto the big screen. Besides being all female, this place does not have a distinctive look or culture of its own. Even their clothing flashes between xianxia, Tang-era, and Chinese ethnic styling. The costume department and set designer couldn’t agree on one cohesive vision, just as the writers couldn't settle on a clear plotline.

Actors, no matter how talented, cannot save a bad movie. CGIs, no matter how awesome, cannot replace a good story.

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No tangles!

This was a refreshing break from some heavy dramas I've been watching lately. It is simple, short, and sweet. There's really nothing revolutionary about the story. It is a sweet coming-of-age love story wihich tries to show that you should and could be loved just as you are. In a society and culture obsessed with certain beauty standards, it is nice and a breath of fresh air to have something albeit simple to remind us that there's more to beauty than what the eyes see.

The show has no real complicated plotlines, it is a relaxing watch. It is light and a heartwarming watch. I recommend it if you have about 2 hours to kill and just want to have a break from long series, or heavy dramas.

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Wholesome!

The best part of this film was the friends group, whom are literally the definition of "ride or die". Every scene with the entire group was always fun, wholesome and even endearing. There's another good point: a surprising cameo from two big actors that I would have never expected to show up in this film. Ever.

Apart from that, the story is okay and well developed but there are certain points that remain unresolved by the end of the film that I would very much like to know since they are source of angst. Shin Eun Soo keeps growing as a leading lady and Gong Myung delivered, as per usual, but it was really hard to ignore he's a 31 year old man playing a high schooler. Especially, when the rest of the cast is in their early twenties.

This is a good movie to enjoy on a rainy day with some popcorn and just disconnect from the outside world.

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