Reviews

Eh

Disclaimer

What I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this movie. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this movie should get a better score and why it is better than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.

From this movie, I kind of get that they were trying to go with aspects that were done in horror comedies in the early 2000s (or just adult comedies like American Pie) – with one of them being boob shots. But it is a different era, and these guys just don't have the finesse that those movies did.

As mentioned by the previous viewer, the one and only good aspect of this series was the relationship between the brothers. It was nice seeing the interaction between them. Another aspect for me (as I did not read the tags) was to find out that the island was forbidden due to the zombies there. However, I just felt that this movie did not develop that aspect well enough.

The end result has left me a bit disappointed, and I guess for that reason, I really do not see myself recommending this movie to anyone. Even if you have time to kill, go and watch another meaningful or funny movie because this is not it. I basically watched this movie to get the letter I in my A to Z Watch Challenge (movie aspect) 2025.

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Families please don't withdraw donations! Know the suffering!

I am med student, constantly knowing about the suffering and sometimes in doubt of my profession, but this gave me hope, this gives the patients a hope, but families of great donors won't allow it, when would they know that their kin has done the best that could ever be done after he is no more!!! Let's all live after we die!!! not as one but as many as possible lives!!!

Peng yucheng has done a great job from accepting the role to making me cry for him and laugh out loud!! he is more courageous than those handsome guys out there who can't even act out a smile properly! yeah, he is not embarrassed about his appearance when the wig fell out during hello saturday variety show that has made me watch this beautiful two hour short movie

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Game turns deadly!

Wow, I didn’t expect the plot to actually get better, but it did—and I’m loving this movie so much. Huge props to the writer and director. Yumeko is really getting under the student council’s skin, beating them one by one in their own games. So they bring in this next-level psycho, Shikigami Makuro, who's even worse than the student council. He’s not just playing for money—this guy is willing to kill just to win.

For the first time, we see Yumeko kind of lose—not because she was outplayed, but because Makuro threatened to kill Mary if she won. That moment was wild. It wasn’t really a loss, though. She had no choice. Still, it was probably the most intense moment in the whole movie.

And the student council totally had it coming. They really thought Makuro would just ask to come back to school if he beat Yumeko? Nope. He flipped the whole thing on them, made Kirari step down, and even turned her into a housepet. You could kinda see it coming, but they were too focused on Yumeko to realize what was happening.

The final game though—ultimate Russian roulette—was insane. It was Yumeko & Suzui, Kirari & her secretary, and Makuro & Midari. It was less about strategy and more about luck. Like, deciding how many bullets to load, who to aim at, and who pulls the trigger. The tension was real, especially when Suzui had to aim the gun at Yumeko with three bullets in the chamber. Heart. Stopping.

Kirari was so cool as always. Seeing her and Yumeko kinda team up to break Makuro’s mind was awesome. I also love the friendships forming—Yumeko, Suzui, Mary, and even Kirari. It’s so good.

Honestly, I just hope they don’t stop here. I’d love to see more seasons or movies—not just remakes. This series just keeps getting better.

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Creepy exorcisms among South Korean graves.

Exhuma recklessly throws a bunch of disjointed horror genres into one pot and somehow manages to cook up a deliciously creepy thriller with a lot to say.

Choi Min Sik (Oldboy) leads us down a dark and macabre path through South Korea’s complicated history. A team of paranormal experts accidentally unleash terrifying forces after excavating a sinister grave of a wealthy family. Whoops! What follows is a strange and unpredictable journey about all the ghosts left behind by Korea’s traumatic relationship with Japan.

Director Jang Jae Hyun packs Exhuma with every kind of horror imaginable. It shouldn’t hold together as well as it does, but somehow the film is fresher and more powerful than expected. All the worldbuilding, all the rituals, and all the supernatural mysteries are held together by the cultural and historical context. Trauma is certainly nothing new to horror films, but Exhuma cuts deeper than most.

Choi Min Sik as the leader of the group is, of course, gripping and really sells the suspense when it becomes clear that they have taken on darker and more powerful forces than they thought. But it is still Kim Go Eun who steals the film thanks to a startling sequence early on that loudly proclaims the film’s formal intentions. The rest of the film doesn’t quite manage to reach that level, but comes close several times.

The opening is strong and loaded with eerie atmosphere and mystery, all the conventional genre tropes are in top form. But with a running time of 134 minutes, the film is a bit too long and would have benefited from a stronger middle point. A few more scissors in the editing room would have helped, because once the tension escalates we get a sensational finale where Jae Hyun has once again saved a surprise for the audience. Nothing can prepare you for where Exhuma goes, but no spoilers here!

Exhuma is an ambitious and exciting excavation of Korea’s past. The cinematography is as impressive as it is terrifying, the entire ensemble cast gives it their all, and the script never stops expanding the scope. At the same time, there is a fascinating thematic thread that lifts the film a step above its competitors.

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Good entry point movie for cis people

I watched this movie around 2 years ago, but I still think about it from time to time.
There are a few things I think are slightly weird/strange within this movie, but it is just bound to happen as a white westerner watching non-western movies.

The decision to make Rinko, a trans woman, and Tomo, a neglected and hurt girl, meet each other, is what made the story worth watching.
While the story is rather sad on some points, it is also really sweet and depicts Rinko is a very good light, showing some of her struggles as a trans woman in a humane way. Tomo's role in the story allows Rinko to really shine, while also serving as an outlet for the cis viewers.

I think it is a good entry point if you wish to make your close ones watch a queer movie with a transfeminine character in it, without it being transmisogynistic.

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A Smart and Exciting Movie That Keeps You Guessing

All I can say is—what a movie! I love that it picks up right after Season 2, so nothing feels out of place or confusing. The pacing was well-executed, and the flashbacks were just enough to refresh your memory without dragging things out.

The plot this time around is thick and well-written. We're introduced to The Village, an anti-gambling student organization led by Murasame, who surprisingly has a history with the student council president, Kirari—he even defeated her once, which definitely shocked everyone. Naturally, this piqued Yumeko’s interest, drawing her into the Village and its ideals.

But of course, not everything is what it seems. The student council launches a new election game where every student must participate, or face expulsion. The Village is forced to join, and two representatives—Arukibi and Inuhachi—step up, as Murasame refuses to play.

At first, it looks like the Village reps are doing their best to protect their cause. But then we learn Arukibi has her own agenda: she wants to destroy the Village from the inside by losing, knowing that if they fail, many of the students will fall into debt. She also has a history with Kirari and hopes to join her, but Kirari isn’t interested in her.

Arukibi and Inuhachi win games and reach the semi-finals. But then, Arukibi has Inuhachi kidnapped, forcing Murasame to step in as her new partner. Together, they face Mary and Kiwatari and win 4–0, gaining massive popularity and votes.

Then comes the final match: Yumeko and Suzui versus Arukibi and Murasame. Here’s where things get really interesting. Arukibi plans to throw the match, causing those who voted for her to lose—and fall into debt. Yumeko quickly gains 3 points, but what stood out was how she knew Arukibi’s plan from the start. She went along with it, staying one step ahead.

Even while being paired with Suzui, who genuinely wanted to win to avoid a 200 million yen debt, Yumeko remained in full control. Instead of finishing the match, she intentionally loses to mess with Arukibi’s plan. That reverse strategy was genius.

What I loved most was the unpredictability, the mind games, and Yumeko’s wit. She’s a master of strategy and poker face—like in the rock-paper-scissors game, where she calmly sipped tea the entire time and still pulled off a win with one card in hand.

Even though she “lost” the game, she made sure Suzui didn’t end up in debt by asking Mary to place a 200 million yen vote for Murasame—so when Murasame won, they won the bet.

This movie was exciting from start to finish. No dull moments, smart twists, and Yumeko once again proving she’s not just lucky—she’s brilliant.

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Watching plants

This is an interesting minimalistic indie drama with a lot of space for reflection. The main character is the owner of a Cafe Bar turned into Plant Shop, who works with plants and makes tea at the same time. His character is very distant and he speaks through narration because he is not very good in communication. The narration reveals his life story and how he came to appreciate plants but I had a lot of issues with his interaction with the customers. He serves them well (even though i didn't see him washing hands between working with dirt and making tea) but he keeps them at distance from himself. He doesn't show kindness or hospitality, in fact we don't see a lot of his emotions. I would expect more from a film that has "warmth" in its title. The various plants that we see during the film are more interesting to watch than the main character.

Still, if you like plants this is a nice watch. If you have a plant in your life, you might also reflect on your friendship with it. And if you don't like plants, you should force yourself to watch this film or, even better, go into the nature and hug a tree.

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Don't bother

Ok, this is an easy one. Based on the synopsis, I was reluctant to watch it. And I had the "great" idea to check the reviews.
Well, the movie is meh at best. Lots of plotholes. I can't say much 'cause I don't wanna spoil anything, but when the movie ends you will (or should) start asking questions as to why the events happened that way because, knowing what we know about her, she could've taken more easier and more logical moves.
Besides that, the acting is mostly meh, with some cringe moments when they are trying to portray "madness". Besides the "Bond villain" exposition dump, the script was barely ok (plus those plotholes, so maybe not that ok), and by that I mean not so broken as the usual k-drama. The pacing is ok, the slow pacing is needed to build stuff. Character development, no. You get the characters, they do stuff, thats it. Low/medium production value. Not that great vfx for the impact scenes, but the fighting ones are ok. The soundtrack is ok, I guess. It tries a couple of times to guide you in believing some scenes will happen, but mostly you won't be bothered by it. The cinematography is boring, nothing interesting.
Oh, don't believe the other reviewers. Unless you have a medical problem about seeing blood, its safe to watch. No gore involved, the bloody scenes look cheap. On this movie's page, between the "Cast" and the "Reviews" sections you can see the "Photos" one. The bloody shots appearing there? Thats what you'll get. The usual amount. So if you don't get sick from seeing a paper cut, you'll be fine.
It gets a 6 (barely) from me. Nothing special to hook you in. Definitely, no return value. Have a lovely evening.

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"Go the other way"

Samurai Wolf was directed by Gosha Hideo and starred Natsuyagi Isao in his first major film role as the titular character. Reminiscent of Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, a down on his luck ronin stumbles into a town populated by people willing to do anything to reach their nefarious goals.

While paying off his dinner by doing manual labor for the owner, from a distance Kiba the Furious Wolf sees two escorts killed by three bandits. He brings the bodies to a small dusty village looking for the law and finding none. The employees at the relay post immediately recognize their deceased co-workers. Nizaemon, the official messenger for the shogunate is a corrupt official who wants to force Chise, the blind owner of the relay post, to have to close down so that he can take over. Kiba takes an immediate liking to Chise and agrees to help her men transport the next big shipment. Nizaemon sends his men to kill Kiba, but the inconspicuous ronin proves to be “the devil.” The evil messenger calls in a ringer by the name of Sanai Akizuki, the only man who can kill Kiba. Other than the deadly Sanai, Kiba had his hands full with the deceptive and greedy residents as they double and triple crossed each other to steal a shipment of gold.

Gosha used a similar Spaghetti Western setup and music, the town even had a tower much like in Yojimbo. He also judiciously used sound. Several fight scenes began silently to increase the suspense and then implemented sound and music to drive the action on.

Gosha kept the action coming in this tight film clocking in around 75 minutes. Kiba was a poor, but clever ronin who was highly skilled with a sword and a pair of scissors. Much like Yojimbo he knew how to play people off of each other and had a good heart. Despite the short run time, most of the main characters were fairly well fleshed out. Nearly everyone in town wanted Kiba or Sanai dead or both, making it difficult for the accomplished swordsmen to have their epic battle. Unusually for a film from this era there was a fair amount of spurting and spraying blood.

I found Natsuyagi Isao utterly charming as the down on his luck, but never down on himself ronin. It’s hard to believe this was his first role. Handsome, flirty, and fierce, he made this film entertaining, even when the story hit a few rough spots near the end. The body count was high yet the film didn’t take itself too seriously and injected moments of levity. If you like old samurai films, Samurai Wolf is one to try.

16 May 2025

Trigger warning: Spurting blood. There was also a monkey that hopefully was not injured or killed during the making of this film.

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When I First Met You

Before everything else, let me clarify some stuff. I know this is a remake, and I have not watched the original or any of the other remakes. I do not know why I decided to start with this one.

I knew the entire plot before I even started the movie, not because it's predictable, but because I found out what the entire plot was a while ago, around the time the Thai remake came out. So again, I do not know why I decided to watch it.

But I watched it, and it was pretty sweet.
Though the love story left me unfulfilled, not the ending, their love story itself, more often than not there's a bittersweet tone to first love, full of unfulfilled promise and the longing look of yesteryear.
That's what this movie felt like, a nostalgic lens on your first love, which doesn't quite leave an impact as itself, but does make you look back fondly on your first love.
That's a win in its own way.

The actors did a good job, it's the first time I'm watching either of their works and I know Jin Young has acted before, and that it's Dahyun's debut, and they both did a very nice job.

There's not much else to say, it was a nice flashback disguised as movie and it wasn't half bad.

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When women are once again cast as villains.

This is a story of villainesses, reflecting a reality where society is ever-ready to paint women as the antagonists.

The film’s plot isn’t overly complex, but its psychological weight is undeniable, brimming with intensity and sharp satire. It centers on a woman deemed ugly by society’s gaze, ostracized even by other women who see her as an "outsider," a villain who defies their preconceived norms. A death unveils the grotesque schemes of an individual—or perhaps the rotten foundations of society itself—stemming from a woman condemned in the court of public opinion, judged by strangers who’ve never seen her face. Women are expected to embody virtue, grace, eloquence, and propriety, and any woman who falls outside these societal standards is branded a villainess—a demon. Her femininity is rejected, and society increasingly views the expression of womanhood as something repulsive, promiscuous, or sinful. Tragically, even those who don’t stand in the courtroom, who don’t wield the knife that takes a life, are complicit. They are perpetrators through their ignorance, naivety, and susceptibility to the manipulations of those truly pulling the strings behind the scenes. They are both culprits and victims—victims of manipulation, control, and even love.

The film’s protagonist, driven by subjective emotions, ingrained biases about women and societal norms, and her own experience of love, destroys her family and, ultimately, herself. In doing so, she transforms into a true villainess. To say that women are often scapegoated as villains doesn’t mean men are always the perpetrators. Beyond gender, this is about society, prejudice, and public opinion—and the film seems to echo this. Without the one-sided biases that fuel these narratives, could the puppet masters behind the scenes have succeeded in their schemes? Betrayal doesn’t only wound those who are unloved; it also scars the betrayers themselves, who forsake a piece of their conscience (if they have any left at all).

Ultimately, the film is far from difficult to watch. Everything has its own story, though the pacing feels slightly off, and the characters lack depth. The film doesn’t quite break new ground, and it doesn’t demand intense focus—sometimes to its detriment. Still, the ending delivers a satisfying punch, leaving a lasting impression.

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My May 2025 recommendations challenge

Watch this for my May 2025 recommendations challenge by DaffodilDaze. As usual, it was quite a headache trying to read MDL’s summary, so let's start with the story…

This is a story about family dynamics, self-discovery, and friendship.

The story about Tong and Mew, who meet when Mew moves into Tong’s grandma’s house and becomes his neighbor. Mew is a quiet boy who is often bullied by his classmates because they think he’s too feminine or "sissy." Their friendship begins when Tong saves Mew from bullies one day.

One day, Tong’s older sister goes missing during a hiking trip with her friends. Because of that tragedy, Tong and his family decide to move out of their old home. As a result, Tong and Mew grow apart and lose touch.

Years later, they meet again and begin reconnecting. This time, Mew is forming a band with his friends, where he serves as the lead singer and composer. When Mew reunites with Tong, he’s struggling to write a love song. Meanwhile, Tong is dealing with his own issues—he’s in the middle of questioning his sexuality, and there are problems at home due to his father turning to drinking after losing his daughter.

So, how does their story progress from here? Will rekindling their friendship help them face and overcome their personal struggles?

That's pretty much the story without giving the spoiler. Now what I like and don't.

What I liked:
- The story feels very close to reality.
- I really appreciate how Tong and Mew take their time to understand and admit their sexuality, instead of rushing into things like many typical teenage characters do.

What I don't like:
- The mystery involving June. I’m really curious about who she is.
- It’s a beautiful theatrical drama, but I don’t really like this kind of drama.

Overall, I’m happy that DaffodilDaze picked this for me. If I had waited to watch it on my own, it would’ve stayed at the bottom of my list

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Emotionally Exhausting.

This psychological thriller felt predictable to me when it comes to the plot, but its manner of execution combined with the taxing performances, particularly by Kang Ha Neul and Kim Mu Yeol is what makes it brilliant.
I'm sure that I might forget the name Jin Seok somewhere in in the future, but in no way am I going to forget his face and the rollercoaster of emotions that I felt while watching this.
[Though, there was one pivotal scene which seemed quite illogical and poorly written, considering the circumstances.]
Kudos to each and everyone who worked on this movie.

Sometimes there are instances and feelings which are absolutely impossible to put into words. And this movie is a paradigm example of that.

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