Reviews

not bad, but not the best

I went into this without knowing or hearing a single thing about it, just that it had a well written story. I always love stories that wrap around and connect everything in the end. This movie in fact did that, but not in a very satisfying way. Until maybe the last 15 minutes, I thought they couldn’t be together because her parents didn’t like him. Then my mind was blown when I found out his aunt’s son was the same person from the beginning. I didn’t find it predictable, which in a way could be good - but I found it more random and doing too much instead. I wasn’t fond of how she had to forget her past lover in order to move on. I find that to be a bad moral of the story. To move past the loss of someone you shouldn’t try to forget them, but accept what had happened. Also a lot of her sass seemed to just be comedic relief and no actual relevance to the story.

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PEE NAK COMES BACK WITH ANOTHER CURSE N ANOTHER ROUND OF HILARIOUS RIDE !! :)

Like PN 1, this too, is Not Scary.
And is MORE HILARIOUS n CHAOTIC than PN 1 😂

As said in my PN 1 Review:
Thai Comedies (Horror or Rom-Com), as usual, are always CHAOTIC ! :)
(If U are aware of Thai comedies, only then, U can enjoy this.
Bcz Every Country has its OWN TONE OF COMEDY, especially Japan or Thai comedies are not for everyone)

***
A Good Mix of Horror + Comedy + serious stories of the ghost's past and the main story.

Here, the TWISTS in the Main Story are Interesting to watch.

Apart from the Ghost's past n the main story, here a New Story of Rebirth / Past lives of some of the characters Aod, Noht, First, Balloon n the ghost, is beautifully blended into the main story.
This "Past lives" story is Interesting n Well Written .

***
Like in PN 1,
Even here, The ghost story n the main story depict religious process n rituals like "Ordaining to be a Monk", "Disrobing" etc in Buddhism and are Very Interesting to watch.

The Stories of Naga, boon of the Naga - "Nak" in the ordain process etc n the ghost's past life (how and why it has become a Vengeful Ghost), n how they are related to current main story, are Well Written.

The haunting scenes are funny n chaotic 😂
Even the scenes of the team trying to find solutions to the curses, the Buddhist Monks helping the team to ward off the ghost n to revoke the curses, are funny😂

***
Director Mike is known for Comedy genre!
Production, Screenplay are good enough.
Locations are cool.

***
Initially, there is a confusion whether there are 1 or 2 Curses, not only to the viewers but also to the characters too🤭

First Curse is the same as PN 1:
Whoever gets ordained at a particular Buddhist temple, dies.

Second Curse:
Whoever ordained in that particular temple, can't Disrobe (leave monkhood), else they die.

So the ghost keeps haunting, disturbing the process n not allowing anyone to be ordained /disrobed there.

Later, it is clear that the 2nd curse is the only curse in this movie n the adventure to find a solution to that curse, continues.

The confusion of the first curse is created bcz of Mean's character, who is trying to be ordained in that temple.
While the Disrobing curse n the related chaos is bcz of characters First and Balloon who are trying to leave monkhood, after getting ordained in PN 1.

The way how PN 1 n PN 2 are related with recurring characters, is well written.
The Naga hooded Buddha Amulet is just referred in PN 1, while it is the main story here.

***
Every Actor performed well.
Every Character is lovable.

The recurring characters n the cast, August, Aim, James, Pond n Tar are cool.

Aim n James as queer characters are hilarious n chaotic, as usual 😂

New cast n characters introduced here, are funny.
There are so many young Novice monks here, the boys look silly n funny.
First, Balloon, Noht n Aod with these young Novices are more chaotic😂

Mean is cool n plays a K-pop idol character.
Mean looks like KDrama actor Park Seo Joon ;)

Placement of that Insurance advertisement as a part of the story is funny.

***
In the end, the curse is revoked, the ghost is relieved / warded off peacefully and the ordain process of Mean's character n Disrobing of First, Balloon happens as planned n peacefully.

The movie ending gives a hint to next part /Sequel.

***
My RATING is 8.5 / 10

*** COMPARISON OF THE MOVIES IN THIS FRANCHISE:

Can't really Rank any movie as the most or the least favourite, in this franchise.
My Rating for all 4 is the same n liked all 4 equally bcz one with more comedy, another with subtle comedy but all have serious stories.
And so ALL 4 MOVIES ARE ENTERTAINING n FUN TO WATCH!

In terms of Comedy,
PN 4 < PN 1 < PN 2 < PN 3

In terms of Story,
All have Serious Interesting Stories.
Story of PN 1 is a simple one while the other three have twists n little complicated stories.

Also, Watched this franchise long ago n remembered these as STANDALONE n UNRELATED MOVIES n need to watch all, just to know the background and the relations of the Recurring Characters.

But now when I re-watched all 4, realised that all 4 movies are RELATED, may not be a Proper n Direct SEQUEL to each other.
But One movie's storyline is taken from a scene or concept from the previous movie. That's how they are related.

For eg;
1) PN 2's main storyline "One old Monk n Buddha with Naga hood Amulet" is discussed in 1-2 scenes in PN 1 n are elaborated in PN 2 as the main story.

2) PN 3's "Past lives, stealing Golden Anklets etc" is depicted in PN 2 n are elaborated in PN 3 as the main story.

3) PN 4's Naga n Plan's character is shown in two scenes in PN 3 n are elaborated in PN 4 as the main story.

And so Need to watch all 4 movies in the same order to understand n enjoy the franchise.

Also, it's fun to watch the recurring cast n characters in the franchise :)
Actor Tar, literally grew up along with this franchise, haha .

***
Give a try! Especially Horror genre lovers who love to watch every type n a variety of Horror concepts.

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The Ending Made Me Feel

I stumbled upon this on Daily Motion so I had no preconceived ideas of what this would be about. Sometimes that's a good thing because watching a trailer or reading reviews can make you pass up a good piece. This started off confusing from the start for me but the acting was good, camera was steady, images clear and no one sounded super exaggerated like in most Thai BL's I've watched. So I was like ok, let's watch for another 5 mins and give it a fair chance. I guess I'm sad because I don't know who wins in this. It's one of those movies where you get it but don't get it. The ending messed me up though. I had to run straight to the reviews to see if I was the only one disturbed, like nooo, give me an alternate ending please. But yeah, the ending could have gone in so many different directions honestly. The chemistry among the actors were pretty good with a natural flow so I liked that. All in all, it's worth the watch to put in your two cents but the storytelling or the editing could have kept us on track better.

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Heartwarming, down-to-earth and beautiful

I watched my first Thai drama 4yrs ago and disliked it so much that I hadn't gone back to Thai dramaland since and it so when I saw this in Netflix I wrote it off but the story was really right up my lane and based on a true story and wouldn't just stay out of my mind, so I decided to try it out and I'm glad to say that I did not regret doing so at all!

I love this movie. It is a beautiful depiction of the imperfection of family, and loving each other regardless of those imperfections. It's not a groundbreaking story or new but it's human and I loved that. I loved the down-to-earth acting and feel of the story.
I loved watching the story unfold and watching the normalcy of their lives and also seeing what little I could of the Thai culture.

I think the actors did a great job even the little granddaughter Rainbow. No one was hateful or unbelievable, I loved it. The Grandma-grandson duo obviously carried it and they carried it well!

I especially loved the grandma so so much, she was my favorite character. Reminded me of my grandma, all sass and character and strong-willed 'I can do it all myself thank you very much', and I bless God for each day of her continued good health.

I'm giving this show a 9.5 solely because of some editing issues that occured a few times like in the scene where he's talking to his uncle. It was few but it felt like something was cut out and I noticed it about 3 times. It was a tiny thing but I unfortunately kept noticing it. Other than that, this is a really beautifully shot movie, I'm glad I watched it, I'm happy to try out Thai media again and I'll love to rewatch this someday.
High rewatch value for just the lovely story and gentle depiction.

I noticed and loved the music and it added to the movie. Sometimes I don't notice the BGM or OST of what I'm watching and I usually don't mind because it means, at least it wasn't bad but sometimes I do notice and it's usually cos it's great or terrible. Here it was really good, a light and sweet BGM that added to the story and I liked hearing it.

Please if anyone has any recommendations in this vein, from Thai or anywhere else, please share with me.

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Touching Story, Troubling Details

Miracle in Cell No. 7 is a deeply emotional film that delivers powerful performances, especially from the lead actors. The acting is heartfelt and convincing, making it easy for viewers to connect with the characters and their pain. It’s a tearjerker in the best sense—sincere and human.

However, while the film succeeds in tugging at the heartstrings, its plot raises several questions. The way the main character is accused and condemned based primarily on the victim’s family’s emotions feels implausible and underdeveloped. Wouldn’t a grieving family want the true perpetrator to be found, rather than settling for an easy conviction?

Moreover, the way the storyline constructs the victim’s encounter with the male lead lacks credibility. The sequence of events leading to the accusation seems too convenient and not thoroughly justified, which weakens the overall impact of the narrative.

In short, Miracle in Cell No. 7 excels in emotional delivery and acting, but its storytelling stumbles with logical gaps and forced plot developments. A moving watch—if you’re willing to look past the inconsistencies.

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NOT SCARY, JUST FUNNY! :)

HILARIOUS n CHAOTIC ! 😂

Thai Comedies (Horror or Rom-Com), as usual, are always CHAOTIC ! :)
(If U are aware of Thai comedies, only then, U can enjoy this.
Bcz Every Country has its OWN TONE OF COMEDY, especially Japan or Thai comedies are not for everyone)

A Good Mix of Horror + Comedy + serious past stories of the ghost and the main story.

***
Director Mike is known for Comedy genre!
Production, Screenplay are good enough.
Locations are cool.

***
The ghost story n the main story depict religious process n ritual like "Ordaining to be a Monk" in Buddhism and is Very Interesting to watch.

The Curse - whoever gets ordained at a particular Buddhist temple, dies.
So the ghost keeps haunting, disturbing the process n not allowing anyone to be ordained there.

***
The Stories of Naga n the ghost's past life (how and why it has become a Vengeful Ghost), n how they are related to current main story, are Well Written.

The haunting scenes are funny n chaotic .
Even the scenes of the team trying to find a solution to the curse, the Buddhist Monks helping the team to ward off the ghost n to revoke the curse, are funny.

***
Every Actor performed well.
Every Character is lovable.

August is cute :)
Aim n James as queer characters are hilarious n chaotic 😂
Tar is so young here :)
Pond is cool.
Director's cameo as icecream vendor is cool.

Placement of that Insurance advertisement as a part of the story is funny.

***
In the end, the curse is revoked, the ghost is relieved / warded off peacefully and the ordain process happens as planned n peacefully.

The movie ending gives a hint to next part /Sequel.

***
My RATING is 8.5 / 10

*** COMPARISON OF THE MOVIES IN THIS FRANCHISE:

Can't really Rank any movie as the most or the least favourite, in this franchise.
My Rating for all 4 is the same n liked all 4 equally bcz one with more comedy, another with subtle comedy but all have serious stories.
And so ALL 4 MOVIES ARE ENTERTAINING n FUN TO WATCH!

In terms of Comedy,
PN 4 < PN 1 < PN 2 < PN 3

In terms of Story,
All have Serious Interesting Stories.
Story of PN 1 is a simple one while the other three have twists n little complicated stories.

Also, Watched this franchise long ago n remembered these as STANDALONE n UNRELATED MOVIES n need to watch all, just to know the background and the relations of the Recurring Characters.

But now when I re-watched all 4, realised that all 4 movies are RELATED, may not be a Proper n Direct SEQUEL to each other.
But One movie's storyline is taken from a scene or concept from the previous movie. That's how they are related.

For eg;
1) PN 2's main storyline "One old Monk n Buddha with Naga hood Amulet" is discussed in 1-2 scenes in PN 1 n are elaborated in PN 2 as the main story.

2) PN 3's "Past lives, stealing Golden Anklets etc" is depicted in PN 2 n are elaborated in PN 3 as the main story.

3) PN 4's Naga n Plan's character is shown in two scenes in PN 3 n are elaborated in PN 4 as the main story.

And so Need to watch all 4 movies in the same order to understand n enjoy the franchise.

Also, it's fun to watch the recurring cast n characters in the franchise :)
Actor Tar, literally grew up along with this franchise, haha

***
Give a try! Especially Horror genre lovers who love to watch every type n a variety of Horror concepts.

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I'm sorry, but this wasn't to my taste at all.

The acting and the production value was great, as it often is with Japanese films -- but this one doesn't have the tight writing I've been accustomed to by other Japanese productions.

The script wasted time on several love stories, but couldn't develop them all, and then proceeded to use cliches for additional drama. Cliches, I might add, for the women only. I was most diappointed by the mother's reason for "retiring", which is one of the most overused trope in films and dramas.

These tired plot points distracted from the two story lines that should have been at the centre of the movie: The love story between Takeshi and Johyun and the preparation for the tug-of-war. It could have been a sweet, community-focused slice-of-life. It could have been a love story of a man who struggles between his own dreams and expectations or between old dreams and new ones.
There were also hints at other stories: A man who's single misstep at high-school overshadows his whole life, a mother whose life has been dedicated to family and the family business, a divorced single mother who constantly is at odds with a sexist society; the list could go on and on.

And even though the film took the time to explain about the tug-of-war in several dialogues, I didn't even understand what was exactly happening during the tug-of-war. What is the purpose of the disruptors exactly, what was that about the loops, why does the rope have to be cut at the end?

The film gives us tantalising glances into a fascinating cultural event as well as into interesting plot lines -- but none of them is ever developed to a satisfying point.
All in all, I would have rather watched a documentary about the Sendai Tug of War.


Was it good? -- Everything was great -- except for the script.

Did I like it? -- Not really. Script and characters are at the centre of a film for me, and here they frustrated me.

Who would I recommend it to? -- I'm not sure. To people who want to know about Japanese culture maybe? But then there's not enough explanation fo it.

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"When it rains, I want to see you even more"

Yunbogi’s Diary was released in 1965, the year relations between South Korea and Japan were normalized. This boy’s diary was also, if not the first, one of the first Korean books published in Japan after the normalization. Though officially things had been worked out there were still unresolved feelings and issues between the two countries. Yubogi’s story was not only his own, but represented the stories of thousands of impoverished Korean children at the time.

Yunbogi is a ten-year-old boy taking care of three younger siblings. After his mother left them with their ailing father, it fell upon this child to earn enough money to feed them. His sister, Sun, also worked selling gum on the streets with him. Yunbogi goes on to work various jobs---goat herding, shoe shining, anything to bring in money. Yet still the tiny family is starving.

Director Oshima Nagisa used stills of Korean children set to music with voice overs by children and himself. He took the pictures while doing research for the short film. Ostensibly he hoped to coax guilt from the Japanese regarding their destructive occupation and the long-term consequences for the people. He also hoped to evoke compassion for the Korean people most adversely affected…the children. Japanese policies had gutted the country leaving the citizens in a deadly precarious position after WWII and then exasperated by the Korean War. Japan’s economy had turned for the better by 1960, but South Korea was still struggling. Oshima controversially highlighted the disparity by showing images of children and conveying the damning words of a 10-year-old boy desperately working to keep his siblings alive. Yunbogi’s spirit was strong, condensing into a powerful resiliency as he was knocked down again and again. Despite that resiliency, he was also a child who was willing to starve to death if it meant his mother would return home.

“Chili peppers when boiled down become even hotter. Barley dies and sprouts anew.”

4 May 2025

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