Reviews

Another side of Keita Machida (in terms of BLs)

I'm sure lots of people watched this because of Keita Machida. I myself really loved Cherry Magic so much before, and this one somehow is the total opposite of that BL lol. Sugiki and Suzuki were really sensual and less restrained in their attraction through their body language and how they looked at each other. As for Keita Machida, he plays Kurosawa, who is a total green flag in Cherry Magic, but here he is totally the red flag one between him as Sugiki and Takeuchi Ryoma as Suzuki. His acting was as expectedly great, but I have to say that Takeuchi Ryoma (who I'm watching for the 1st time) captivated me more with his character and acting. He really looks majestic while dancing, but also when he cries, it really makes me empathize with him. I found them being inspired by eachother to keep dancing on 2 separate occasions (without their knowledge) when they were both thinking of quitting to be quite beautiful. But also wanting to be the best in the competition was also the one to tear them apart just as they were sure they liked eachother, which is ironic. Personally, I can understand Suzuki more with his want to pursue a relationship with Sugiki even if they were rivals. For me even if they were supposed to be "rivals", they could have made it work if they really liked/loved eachother. I can also understand Sugiki was too focused on his goal and thinking he can't have a relationship with someone he will be competing against. Him being in that mindset won't do their relationship any good, so even if it sucks (for us as viewers especially) and is painful, he had to leave Suzuki and prove to himself that he could win the competition first. The ending with Sugiki as the guest performer means he reached this goal and has proved himself. I really loved that Sugiki and Suzuki did a 10Dance as the special performance, and he has opened his heart to Suzuki with that ending kiss and the promise to see eachother in the real competition in the future. Overall, an 8.5/10 for me as I liked their acting and the characters of their dance partners, who supported them and made them realize things they were missing. One thing I wanted to see was their relationship progress more during the movie, but the ending has left hope that there might be a part 2, as the manga this is based on is also not finished.

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English and Portuguese Review

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝-𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞
Forgotten starts off really strong, with lots of suspense and a strange atmosphere that pulls you in right away. From the beginning, you’re curious to understand what’s going on, and the movie does a great job of keeping you tense the whole time. As the story goes on, you start feeling just as paranoid as the protagonist, constantly trying to figure out what’s real and what isn’t. The film conveys that sense of confusion and fear really well.

The protagonist’s performance plays a big part in this. You can genuinely feel his desperation, and you end up falling into the paranoia along with him. The movie messes with your head on purpose and makes you uncomfortable, and honestly, that’s the best part of the experience.

The plot twist is good and surprising, but the final part bothered me a bit. The movie chooses to explain everything very directly, and because of that, the mystery and tension start to fade. For me, the psychological horror that was carrying the film becomes weaker there, making it feel a bit slower.

Even so, it doesn’t ruin the experience. Forgotten is still a movie that’s very much worth watching, especially if you enjoy thrillers that play with your mind and stay with you even after they’re over.

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𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐱𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐜̧𝐚
Forgotten já começa muito bem, com bastante suspense e um clima estranho que te prende fácil. Desde o início você fica curioso pra entender o que tá acontecendo, e o filme faz um ótimo trabalho em te deixar tenso o tempo todo. Conforme a história avança, você começa a ficar tão paranoico quanto o protagonista, tentando descobrir o que é real e o que não é. O filme consegue passar muito bem essa sensação de confusão e medo.

A atuação do protagonista ajuda muito nisso. Dá pra sentir o desespero dele de um jeito bem real, e você acaba entrando na paranoia junto com ele. O filme brinca com a sua cabeça, te deixa desconfortável de propósito, e essa é a melhor parte da experiência.

O plot twist é bom e surpreende, mas a parte final me incomodou um pouco. O filme resolve explicar tudo de forma bem direta, e aí aquele clima de mistério e tensão vai se perdendo. Pra mim, o terror psicológico que segurava o filme acaba ficando mais fraco nessa parte, deixando tudo um pouco mais arrastado.

Mesmo com isso, não estraga a experiência. Forgotten ainda é um filme que vale muito a pena, principalmente se você curte suspense que mexe com a cabeça e te deixa pensando até depois que acaba.

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The Hypocrisy of Morality vs Desire

From my interpretation, the thesis of this movie is on the hypocrisy of men. It believes that even men who act above prostitution, to some degree desire it, and that this cognitive dissonance disturbs them in a psychologically violent way.

Very graphic. Lots of assault and rape catered to the male gaze. But under it was also a societal critique of the hypocrisy of men who look down on the sex industry while also experiencing desire. It's as if the film is snarkily saying, "You think these things are terrible right? But are you turned on right now? See, even you are not above it." Whether or not that's true for the viewer, this seems to be an important theme for the film.

The man who hires the protagonist does all this woeful dialogue about his girlfriend's kidnapping, but watches the video of her gang rape over and over and we see a strange sort of smile on his face. Our protagonist pretends he is above sex workers but then is so violent towards one before having sex with her. Visually we see a father torn about his daughter's suffering, but then making out with the sex doll version of her. And at the end Koh (the antagonist) and the protagonist are described as being so similar yet different. At another point, a woman looks dead, and while trying to wake her, the man above her alternates between patting her face and patting her breasts. At first I just thought the set was probably just unethical, but when I thought about it in the context of the rest of the story I realized it's more likely commentary about the sexualization of women in that era. I think Koh to some extent was metaphorically a part of the protagonist who indulged desired to indulge in prostitution, a part that the protagonist could not really kill even though he wanted to. Over and over he chases Koh down, he imagines killing him in many scenarios, but there's always a hesitation to shoot him. And the one time he actually did (not in an alternate reality), he only grazed Koh despite his skills (which are emphasized several times throughout the movie).

The only woman who has speaking lines tries to disarm the protagonist, leaving just one bullet to kill Koh. The protagonist, after abusing her physically and verbally, and after having sex with her (she's a honeypot that's pressured into doing this by her asshole boyfriend, Koh, so its more like rape), is affectionate and even says he will come back for her after he kills Koh. When the phone rings, she begs him not to answer it. And when he does, Koh and his gang arrive, and the one bullet he has to kill Koh doesn't make its mark.

The moment with this gun, the partially-loaded gun, is very important. It marks a narrative fork in the story, and I think this represents what men like to believe themselves as. That they might be morally pure, that they would never do such a thing. In this version, he successfully shoots all of Koh's gang and survives. Torturing Koh to not give him an easy death. But when the second narrative returns to the narrative fork, we see that he succumbs to the gang. Interestingly, some of the dialogue is repeated throughout the film, once in the protagonist's mouth, and once by the gang at the end of the film, emphasizing again this theme of "we're not really so different, you and I."

I think the violence in the film and its soundtrack (which is made up of amazing free jazz tracks) reflects the cognitive dissonance in men who fight with their desire for the sake of their morals. It seeks to drag men into acknowledging their role in the sex industry, and to tell them "even you could succumb to this given the right circumstances." And yet it also condemns the sex industry, made most clear by the second to last scene where the camera goes through the sex doll rooms. It's followed by a scene that feels cyclical to the beginning, with the tree now much bigger than we first saw it, representing a sense of helplessness to the overwhelming strength of the sex industry.

This was made in an era when the yazuka were much more powerful and overtly dangerous. Women are clearly sedated and sold off in the movie. Metaphorically, the sex dolls, to me, represent the women who are so battered and destroyed by the industry that they don't seem to have anything of themselves left in them. There's a moment where the protagonist is rescuing a sex worker, and when he does, instead of being the love-struck damsel in distress we'd normally see, she has this terribly empty expression, clearly shell-shocked. The film cuts to only a few frames of the tree before continuing the scene. And the tree, which we saw shot in half earlier in the film, is now standing upright. In the beginning of this film, the protagonists shoots down the tree, representing his moral righteousness wanting to end these horrible events. But as the tree comes back and grows, it shows how big and unending human trafficking and sexual exploitation is.

Part of me wants to rewatch this just to look at it with a more critical eye, digging deeper into the metaphors and to challenge some of my interpretations. Another part of me does not want to experience this film again. If you're up to it, try watching this yourself and seeing if any of my interpretations resonate with you, and what else you might notice.

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Still offers something new after all these years of watching action movies

I was in a joyless mood and looking for something cool without requiring thought: if I would guess a team coming together, some training, gadgets, the usual spy fantasy, under a great mentor. While the intention was cognitive suspension, I suddenly found myself sitting up just to properly watch The Shadow.

I also assumed my interest was primarily for Jackie Chan, but the title turned out to be surprisingly accurate. The Shadow really is the point: unnerving, intriguing. The story itself is as straightforward as it gets and can feel predictable, but the action alone justifies the experience. There aren't many movies now that I imagine would be enjoyable in a theater, and in this economy? This one leaves a sense of longing for the big screen.

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DONT WATCH THIS MOVIE(Toxic movie for teenagers)

I'm surprised this movie has such a high rating🤨. The message of this film is extremely toxic: "He's violent, but I can fix him. he can change overnight if I wake him up, I just have to try harder." It's quite unrealistic that the male lead will change so quickly and overcome his trauma so fast just because of something the female lead said to him. The female lead has very low self-esteem, never stands up for herself, and is even pitiful😓, She even asked the male lead what type of girls he liked so she could adapt to his type(Changing herself to please him 😢, It's clear she didn't dress up pretty for herself, but to please him😔)...Worst of all, no one is talking about when the male lead threatened the female lead by yelling that he was going to hit her If she didn't obey him, in the minute 50:58😰, How scary! And she didn't even defend herself, she acted like nothing was wrong with that😥

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Anyone else found the son annoying.

The child was very annoying It's like he did not understand the world around him. You have water on the ground in your apartment and you want to swim in it. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is wanting the swim? The folks in the apartment block or trying to survive and... he wants his mother to carry him? No! and the Mother, is a super "Mary Sue". plot armory protected her until the end. No healthy man can watch this nonsense. Do not waste your time with this feminist dribble. Netflix Execs had their hands all over this production. Please Korean for the love that all is Holy, do not take cues from America regarding modern day entertainment. There is a reason why Hollywood is broken today in 2025 and is in freefall.

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The Great Film

I’ve been eyeing The Great Flood since the trailer dropped, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. The cast delivered solid performances and the plot felt fresh and intriguing. It can be a bit confusing at first, like you’re missing a piece of the puzzle, but once it clicks, everything suddenly makes sense and that realization is so satisfying.

What I really appreciated is how every detail actually matters. This is the kind of movie that rewards paying attention because you can clearly see how everything fits together in the end. Add to that the outstanding CGI and strong sci-fi execution, and you get a K-film that truly delivers. Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy stories that make your brain work a little before giving you that “ahhh, okay” moment.

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Hot Hot hot....but missing proper storytelling

​10Dance is a movie that looks absolutely stunning on screen, but unfortunately, it doesn't quite reach the emotional heights of the source material. It feels like a beautiful shell that’s missing a bit of the soul that makes a great BL story.
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​If you’re here for the visuals, you won’t be disappointed. The dance sequences are incredible—stylish, high-energy, and shot with a lot of flair. You can tell the actors put in massive work to make those ballroom and Latin moves look authentic.

​Also, can we talk about the Male Lead? (Whether you’re team Suzuki/Ryoma Takeuchi or Sugiki/Keita Machida). The "hot" factor is definitely there. The physical tension during the practice scenes is the strongest part of the film; that "silent" chemistry while they are dancing is way more powerful than the actual dialogue.
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​The biggest issue is the storyline. Because it’s a movie and not a series, the plot feels rushed and, at times, totally flat. We see them dance, and we see them "being hot," but we don't get enough of those quiet, intimate moments that make you actually care about them as a couple.
​In other BLs, you're rooting for the leads to be together because you feel their struggle. Here, it feels like the movie relies too much on the fact that they are attractive and good at dancing, rather than building a proper emotional bridge. By the end, I wasn't as invested in their relationship as I wanted to be.
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​Watch it if you want a stylish, "sexy" movie with great choreography and handsome leads. But if you’re looking for a deep, emotional story that will stay with you, 10Dance might feel a little bit empty.

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A door to a conversation we need to have

I think it’s hard, and it will only keep getting harder, to make a movie about Artificial Intelligence. So much has been said and done, the future has come and gone, it’s all moving at such a pace that it’s truly difficult to construct a story that has value and doesn’t feel already old or told. I think that was the value of this film.

The way the story approaches the human condition, trying to highlight what is desperately needed - humanity - for our kind to survive through trying times, was very touching. Having the story be told from the perspective of a mother (in progress), I thought was a great idea. The “end of the world” could simply be interpreted as any major crisis to humans. What keeps us alive is a wild combination of survival instinct and love. Anna, as the movie progresses, becomes increasingly protective, violent, but also deeply caring. All very core human emotions/reflexes. We are animals after all, not machines.

I don’t think this movie was really about what AI is made of, but what humans are made of. We are at a point where the difference starts to blur. Not just because of how human-like AI is, but mainly because of how machine-like we the humans are becoming. I can’t point out exactly what this movie is trying to tell us, because I think it’s not trying to tell us anything. It’s the kind of movie that poses a question, perhaps a different question for each viewer that is willing to engage. And so, a conversation starts.

It’s a shame it was received coldly, though I do think it’s not a Netflix-type film. It’s too complex for the average Netflix watcher who was waiting for a disaster action film. Wish I could’ve seen it at the cinema.

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"Dance is neither about technique nor stamina. Love is what makes it whole."

Sugiki fell first, but Suzuki fell harder!

Sugiki is all about Standard Ballroom dancing, while Suzuki slays in Latin Dance. But when Sugiki proposed to Suzuki to train each other in their respective styles and then compete in 10DANCE, it dissolved all the barriers. As a strict, meticulous waltz dancer, Sugiki followed the lead of Suzuki but the competitive spirit in him held him back. Later, when they blended their passion into dancing, the harmonious movements brought them closer.



🔥Impressed with:

The actors did a great job portraying the characters beautifully on screen. They amazed me with their brilliant dancing skills. Their floating smooth body movements are the result of relentless practice, and it shows. Hats off to them.

From the perspective of a non-dancer, this was alluring from the beginning. The dance's flawless steps, determination and passion was oozing out of the characters the way they portrayed the dancer's stamina. The muscle strength, control in body movements, that on-screen tension swayed me with its grandeur appeal. Their sensuality in their glances and body language, had me weak.

Let's not forget about the elegant and supportive dance partners Tajima and Yagami. Without their constant support and understanding, our leads wouldn't be here together. Shout out to the gorgeous ladies!



🚧Room for improvement:

I do understand that it's mostly about dancing rather than romance, as it felt sudden, rushed, with incomprehensible unexplored motives and incomplete.

I expected it to delve deeper into the emotions of the characters, their journey and meeting with each other, but they strictly (for obvious reasons) focused on the dance part. While watching Suzuki & Sugiki, I realized how immersed Takeuchi Ryoma and Machida Keita were into their respective characters that the outburst and breakdown of their characters needed more time, realization and understanding. But it ended and faded into a strict timeline like it didn't happen. Rivals to Lovers, it happened so fast that as an audience I felt detached from their dynamic. There's so much yet to be told.

The ending leaves room for another sequel, but tell me honestly, do you really think that's going to happen? I don't think so. It's pretty much evident they achieved what they wanted, but as an audience it frustrates me to think about how restless I felt when they ended the movie just like that.
It should have been a series, not a movie.

Overall, the gorgeous setting, enticing, insane chemistry is swoon-worthy. It wasn't without flaws, but it's only there if you realize it. Otherwise, this is a perfect Christmas treat that you can give yourself. Go for it!

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