Reviews

Attempt at a dark comedy

The plus of the movie is a certain unpredictability of the story and the interesting idea of moral dilemmas concerning what happens to Mickey. So I really liked the final point that the movie makes switching the title of the Movie, but still, the manner in which the movie is made was just so absurd and parodical that it was unpleasant to watch for me most of the time.

It is hard to comment the acting also. Robert Pattinson was certainly very good, Steven Yeun was fine and Anamaria Vartolomei is very beautiful. The rest were comical beyond my understanding. I was put off by the actors trying so hard to represent the presidential candidates of the USA. I have seen many great imitations of Trump, but this one was the worst, just a strait mockery.

Seeing most of Bong Joon-ho directorial works I can see the pattern - a social political satire with highlighted class divide and raising awareness on some important issues. I commend it and I still look forward to more of his movies but this one was a little over the top for me.

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My April 2025 recommendations challenge

Watch this for my April 2025 recommendations challenge by TianD.

Story about M, a young man who decided to drop everything to look after his dying grandmother. However, it is not out of love that he took the role of a devoted grandson but for a hope of substantial inheritance worth millions.

M got the idea from his cousin, Mui, who got the biggest inheritance from her grandpa after she took care of him during his final days. So, hoping to get the same result with Mui, M is going to great lengths to become the apple of his demanding grandmother’s eye before time runs out.

At first, M was indeed doing it half-heartedly & his grandma knows it by heart. So, M goes to Mui again to learn about ‘the fastest’ way to win his grandma's heart. Mui 'teaches’ her way to M. So, slowly but sure, day by day M is getting closer to his grandma.

But was all M efforts taken into account by his grandmother? Will M get the inheritance he hopes in the end…?

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

What I like:
+ Told a story about the bitter truth about the reality of family and money:
> Where sometimes filial and desire for inheritance overlap.
> We really can't measure the love of our elders or between siblings to their mother with younger generations the same.
+ In the end M did learn about his grandma loneliness & really did all the grandson has to do with his whole heart.

What I don't like:
- How the title is kinda misleading. I think it's better with the other version, The Chinese Family. Reading the title I kinda hope they help each other to gather the money for their grandma.

Overall this good movies that really tell the truth between expectations & reality in the family. And also how to genuinely put ur heart for ur family

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MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. YOUVE BEEN WARNED

Every single second of this movie was worth it. Two pure souls who do everything in their power to help each other navigate through and endure the pain that life throws at them.
Hayasaka's selfless act of hiding his own pain so that he could help the girl who he just met. This shows how pure and innocent he was. He was because he was going to die soon, about to commit suicide, but seeing Sakura looking forward to "going to heaven" he made up his mind to make sure that the time that she has left on this earth, she cherishes it.. And his determination and devotion paid off Sakura did say "earlier, i wanted to die as soon as possible, but now i want to live. Even a day, a minute, a second longer is enough. But I WANT TO LIVE" shit this had my heart.

The way Sakura knew that Hayasake too is on the verge of death, he is scared of death, yet he is devoting the little time he has left to her was everything. The way Sakura helped him even after she herself died was everything.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the parallels(?) shown before and after Sakura's death. I am talking about how when Sakura was in the hospital, Hayasaka visited her and brought flowers and then Amy (SakurAI's friend) did the same when Hayasaka was in the hospital (after Sakura's death)... I honestly thought the drawing book scene was the end.. meaning Sakura's "after death" message to Hayasaka was over and now we would see Hayasaka living the best life the way Sakura wanted him to(which he did)...but no there was more and it was fucking beautiful. The INSTAGRAM POST, IT was literally everything it showed how hella much Sakura loved hayasaka. It showed hoe Hayasaka made her life do a complete 360 (from wanting to go to heaven to wanting to live ) that instagram post literally made me cry like shit.,

And i CANNOT talk enough about the Gerbera thing... 6 gerberas 3 gerberas omg both of them loved each other so much..They completely altered each other's life in the little time they had together....ohh and i guess Amy also fell for Hayasaka considering she painted 3 gerbaras on his nails but well Hayasaka never knew it because he thought she just drew those gerberas without knowing the meaning behind it (as he mentioned in his instagram post)...Oh and the ending told through Amy's pov was also really meaningful.....


wahhhhhh i really loved this movie PS im bad with names dont mind me..heheh

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Started INTERESTING but Ended as a NOT SO IMPRESSIVE ONE!

Movie and the Series are Not Related.
The common point in the movie n the series is that both are about Rumoured Haunting Ghost stories in High School, shared by the students, late in the night for fun n to pass the time but the haunting actually happening 😂

***
Movie started VERY INTERESTING with GOOD Horror Suspense n Jump Scares but ended with a NOT SO POSITIVE IMPRESSION!

The Second Half of the movie is BORING.

***
A group of High School students / members of school's Marching Band on one night in the school, Each took turns to share a haunting ghost story rumoured in their school.
There are 4 such stories.

(All these 4 high school haunting stories are very simple, just like rumoured ghost stories that we enjoyed gossiping about, in secret whispers with friends in school days and getting scared for no reason 😂
Same Vibe, screaming for no reason! Haha
Simple but Scary for no reason back then :) )

Later, those 4 students are haunted by the ghosts, same like how they said in the stories.

Here these haunting scenes are VERY GOOD. The horror vibe, the scary suspense, those Jump scares, all are GOOD n will be loved n enjoyed by Horror Lovers :)

And everyone in the friends group together, started solving the haunting stories to ward off the ghosts peacefully, by finding a solution to each ghost story.
From here, the movie got BORING.
The Ending to each story looked PLAIN, Rushed n Boring!

***
There's a 5th ghost story (the last one). It gave mixed feelings - not impressive, not bad!

Everything looked simple but a bit confusing at times with the characters.

***
Instead of as an Anthology of 5 Different Unrelated Stories happening one after the other,
Here the movie has all 5 Different Haunting Stories Unrelated but Connected by all friends Sharing, Experiencing the Haunting that is happening in parallel n Solving all stories, TOGETHER.

I liked this idea of writing the intertwined stories , All in One!
(stories are not related but everyone experienced it at the same time).

***
Good to see few known actors :)
Acting n Direction are mediocre.

Overall, can watch this for fun n to pass the time.
Not Very Boring n at the same time, Not Very Good.

***
My RATING is 7 /10.
(7 for the initial interesting horror suspense n jump scares - Good Horror Vibe)

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"My hobby is making you upset"

Naruse Mikio wasn’t afraid to have his female leads shun societal norms. He also wasn’t afraid to bring the tears and the pain. With a title like, Yearning, I’ll let you decide which category this film fell into.

Reiko has single-handedly saved and restored her late husband’s family story. Even though he died during the war six months after they were married and the original shack was destroyed in an air raid, Reiko felt the responsibility to build the store up. Her mother-in-law and two vipers for sisters-in law were happy to let her do all the work while they benefited from it. Her brother-in-law, Koji, 11 years her junior also benefited from her hard work by going to college and then becoming a slacker who spent his time and the store’s money on booze, women, and gambling. The little shop and others like it are being threatened by a new super market that can sell items cheaper than they can. The Morita sisters-in-law are planning on cutting Reiko out of the family store as the profits dwindle and new plan is hatched to save the business. More threatening to the family is when Koji declares his love for Reiko.

Takamine Hideko gave a beautifully complex performance as Reiko. Her wonderfully expressive face conveyed emotions Reiko would not allow herself to speak. Kayama Yuzo made a stunning Koji, handsome, with a primal maleness. There was no doubt why Reiko would be swayed by his desperate declarations. Koji also fiercely defended Reiko’s place in the family and in the store. The music, longing looks, and awkwardness all conveyed the terrible yearning of Reiko and Koji. While it was perfectly acceptable for ancient old men to wed teenage girls, a relationship between a woman a decade older than a man was unthinkable. Koji might have been willing to face society’s scorn but traditional, reserved, Reiko was not so open to the idea.

Yearning tackled the changing economic landscape, family dynamics, and a forbidden love. Naruse, as always, crafted an aesthetic film and multifaceted female lead. Takamine and Kayama gave heartbreaking performances as two people so close and yet so very far away. Along with, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, this Naruse film has now become one of my favorites of his.

"I wanted to stay here because you are here."

15 April 2025

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XIAO ZHAN IS NOT GUO JING

STORY
As adapted from classic book "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" this movie doesn't bring the original story that we remember, most of scenes hand-picked based on theme not mirroring the original book. The main is to get it colossal, going big exaggeration scenes about war which definitely missing important elements to get where the story end to. Hate to see it twisted and missing all the important details. With focusing on Genghis Khan, the Mongol army marched westward to defeat the Jin dynasty and then planned to head south to eliminate the Song dynasty. Skilled martial artists from various schools of the Central Plains were involved in the fierce battles - this is far from the book - Jin dynasty is the traitor from ambition and greed of Guo Jing's sworn brother Yang Kang and his step-father Jin Prince Wanyan Hong Li but without mentioning these traitorous characters - the script writer(s) made up story connection to fill the gap or tie the dots and unfortunately it fails to grasp the beauty of whole concept of the book 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' as to why this is such a beloved classic. But I kind of understand too, with so many adaption/version of this novel into dramas/movies since 1958, the Team wants to focus it from different angle - so different than previous productions but I feel like they fail to capture it's manifestation.

ACTING
For sure Xiao Zhan isn't Guo Jing. Guo Jing is a bit retard, naive, innocent, slow, big boyish strong young man. Guo Jing isn't a handsome youngster unlike Xiao Zhan, his honesty and loyalty that pull Huang Rong heart. The previous drama The Legend of Heroes 'Hot Blooded' actors are more similar features (Ci Sha as Guo Jing) in the book. Guo Jing doesn't have commanding present of him, he follows what Huang Rong says because she's the genius one while Guo Jing is the physical force/brawny. Although Xiao Zhan doesn't have much of make-up on, he lives by his reputation 'pretty boy' so we can't see Guo Jing in him. Xiao Zhan leads all men in the country as man-perfection but Guo Jing is just a down to earth man - in some scenes Xiao Zhan is being male-idol Xiao Zhan not slow-Guo Jing. I think that's the mistake. The girl playing Huang Rong is alright, I like the hairdo and make up - pretty basic and minimal. It's good....don't need super neat hair and flawless make-up where they're at Gobi desert.

OVERALL
It hits and miss. The producer forget important part to be colossal movie, skipping early chapters to straight to the end chapter of the book, a colossal without (or little) beginning. Its bigger but not better. Not a good movie, scale 5 is generous.

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Take responsibility, but for what?

Something bad happened, but you don't know who to blame. And if you know who, then you don't know how. And if you know how then you don't know why. Paralyzed by indecision, regretful of the past, fearful of confrontation. You can ignore it but that risks the consequences of your indecision. You're not a kid anymore and there's no curriculum to life, that's scary.

An uncomfortable watch, or maybe I'm not used to watching slice of life/drama stories, but a really good one; I needed to watch this.

P.S. The lead has an anxiety disorder, not discussed or diagnosed but it really shows in the way he acts. I find it to be good representation.

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Elegance Wrapped in Darkness: A Disturbing Descent into the Mind

This Review May Contain Spoilers

A hauntingly poetic dive into grief and obsession.
Park Chan-wook’s Stoker is not your typical psychological thriller—it’s a slow-burning, atmospheric tale that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. With its eerie cinematography and chilling sound design, it delivers a stylized exploration of familial trauma and the darkness we inherit.

What drew me in the most was Mia Wasikowska’s performance as India—quiet, intense, and unnervingly composed. Her transformation throughout the film is unsettling yet captivating. Matthew Goode’s portrayal of the mysterious Uncle Charlie is equally magnetic, delivering charm wrapped in menace.

However, the film isn’t without its flaws. At times, the pacing can feel deliberately slow to the point of testing your patience, and while the visual metaphors are beautiful, they border on pretentious. Some subplots—like the brief romantic entanglement—felt unnecessary and disrupted the eerie rhythm the film had so carefully constructed.

I rated Stoker a 8/10. It’s not for everyone, but for those who appreciate slow, character-driven narratives drenched in symbolism and suspense, it’s a rewarding experience. Not perfect, but definitely memorable.

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Masterpiece But Not For Everyone

To be honest, this movie had me floored. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it perfect, but it's dangerously close. A solid 9/10 for me. It’s the kind of film that demands your patience — the first act is a slow burn, and you might find yourself wondering where it’s all headed. But once it kicks into gear, it really kicks. The story unfolds into something dark, twisted, and absolutely unforgettable. It's a masterclass in storytelling and tension, with a unique take on revenge that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

What struck me most was how original and gripping the execution was. It’s not often that I watch a film and find myself literally yelling by the end, “Everyone needs to see this!” That’s how good it was. But — and there’s always a but — the ending felt like it overstayed its welcome. I don’t know what it is with Park Chan-wook, but he always seems to add that one extra scene that takes away a bit of the emotional punch. It's like he doesn’t trust the audience to sit with the impact.

Still, Choi Min-sik was phenomenal. His performance had this raw, almost feral energy that made his character both pitiful and terrifying. The premise itself is simple: a man mysteriously imprisoned for fifteen years, then suddenly released. Why? That single question carries the entire film and hooks you like a fish on a line. You need to know the answer. And when it comes — wow. Just… wow.

I went in skeptical, especially since this movie has been praised to the heavens, and usually that sets off alarm bells for me. But this time, the hype was real. It’s one of those rare movies that sticks in your brain long after the credits roll.

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Excellent adaptation!!

The original "Hear me" is one of my all time faves, is one of those movies that instantly brings a smile to my face so when I saw news of it being remade I was equal parts scared and excited.

I am pleasantly surprised with this adaptation, they nade very few changes to the story and they were very well done.

The scene with the parents is pretty much the same as the original and I'm so glad it was left untouched because it's so funny!

Even though I am biased, I can admit that the Korean version of Hear me is almost just as good as the original Chinese version.

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"Just as he wishes, I'll return as ashes"

Morning for the Osone Family was director Kinoshita Keisuke’s first film after the end of WWII. He had a lot to say about the disastrous and destructive Japanese war machine and the people crushed under its weight. The film rarely left the Osone’s home as the war played out in the household of the Osone family.

The Osone deceased patriarch had been a professor and pacifist. The mother raised her three sons and daughter to be educated as the father had wished. Eldest son, Ichiro, writes articles for the paper, one of which lands him in jail. Taiji, an artist, is drafted. He would rather die for his art than the ambitions of the military. Daughter Yuko’s engagement to Minari Akira is called off by her military uncle who comes to live with them. The gung ho and corrupt colonel turns the household upside down forcing everyone to accept his patriotic criticisms as the war rages around them.

Sugimura Haruko gave a phenomenal performance as a mother powerless to stop the war and stop her sons from dying. I’d seen her in numerous Ozo films, but here she really shone as a loving mother who cared for her children and mourned them as the war machine took its toll on her little family. Director Kinoshita held nothing back in his criticisms of the war and most of his vile spewed forth via Sugimura. Ozawa Eitaro played the militant uncle who represented the worst abuses of the military. His plate was never empty, always enjoying the best of everything while the enlisted soldiers went hungry. He bragged how Taiji would be beaten into submission in order to become a soldier. He felt no remorse and no responsibility for the atrocities committed abroad and at home. If there is a rule to war it’s that young men die. It makes it more bearable when they know that they are dying for a greater cause and not for the unbridled ambitions of the elite. Fury over the unimaginable loss of life and the needless suffering so many endured erupted often quietly onto the screen.

Clocking in at under 90 minutes with nearly all of the scenes set in the Osone house, the atmosphere became claustrophobic with air raid sirens blaring and the colonel filling the rooms with his hot air. Mother and daughter contributed to the war effort and to keeping the family going even as the war took so much from them. From Christmas 1943 until Christmas 1945, it was a long dark night before morning would break on the Osone family returning their hope for a better day.

14 April 2025

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I loved this movie SO much. It was so suspenseful and I was genuinely frightened while watching this movie because as a woman, there is times while walking that I have thought, is this man following me or are we just going to the same place? Do I have to run and cause a scene or should I post up and protect myself. Adding this fear on top of the FL lead being deaf just adds more terror to the experience that most woman have had and Wi Ha-Joon running SO fast in this added to it also. The only reason I gave it 8 stars was due to the fact that I felt like this movie could've been like 15-20 more minutes longer to wrap up the ending more cleanly seeing as it felt slightly rushed to me. This was a great movie overall and I have recommended it a bunch of my friends.

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