Reviews

Visually stunning. Emotionally...not so much.

heard the ending song on youtube and absolutely loved it. I have to believe that such an incredible soundtrack must go with at least a passable movie...

watched 3-24-25

A fun watch with cool visuals and a good soundtrack but unfortunately the characters/relationships were really underdeveloped. I will keep listening to that ending song, but would be unlikely to watch the movie again. I need a lot more romance in my bromance, if you know what I mean. I know some have complained that some aspects were ripped off from Doctor Strange, and I think it's at the very least a strong homage. I was literally thinking, hey, just like Doctor Strange! And: this is really just a Marvel movie! But honestly that did not put me off. Give me glowing teleportation rings and two hot guys fistfighting on a CGI monster any time. Just maybe make it seem like the two leads want to make out? Pretty please?

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"I'm wearing a mask because I may have to kill you"

Dynamite Shaolin Heroes was a strange title for this Korean kung fu flick. There was no dynamite (darn!) and nothing related to Shaolin. I tend to steer clear of Korean martial arts movies from this era as much as I can because the quality was commonly low and that’s saying something for this genre. Usually, only Lo Lieh or Hwang Jang Lee can lure me in. To my surprise, DSH was watchable.

The Ming rebels are hiding the two surviving princes hoping their government can be re-established. There is a list of Ming rebels, not just any list, but a list written in blood. The evil strawberry blonde Viceroy is determined to get his hands on that list. Kang is helping the rebels and arranging a marriage for his daughter to an “idiot,” who is not only incapable of protecting her, but also annoying. Another man desires to marry the daughter but she turns him down flat because he used to be a killer. Fortunately, whenever a lone rebel or the fiancée is attacked a basket-headed fighter comes to the rescue! He never kills anyone meaning the bad guys keep attacking and killing the supporting good guys. But suddenly, he begins to kill the attacking bad guys led by the Viceroy. Holy doppelgänger Batman! Now there are two heroic basketheads. One who kills and one who doesn’t. Who could they possibly be?

Lo Lieh played the Killer and a man hopelessly in love with the female lead. Kwon Yeong Moon was the incapable fiancé and Not Killer. In real life, Kwon would go on to train Sylvester Stallone and Muhammed Ali in taekwondo. The moves were fast with lots of flipping and rolling around on the ground, often with characters doing the gymnastics in synch. While the moves may have been faster than other kung fu flicks from this time period the kicks and hits often missed by a mile (km).

Godfrey Ho directed this film, he of the cut and splice movies with ninjas added to random existing films. Here he had two heroes who were both in love with the girl. Oh, and there was a prince and the rebel list to protect. I was generous with my score because the basic concept of the competing basketheaded heroes was at least a stab at originality. The acting was acceptable even though Kwon did not strike me as leading man material. The version I saw was badly cropped, faded and dubbed with British accents. With films in this shape, it’s usually better for them to be dubbed because the white subs often run off the screen and are rarely legible on the light background.

While Dynamite Shaolin Heroes wasn’t a great film, for a 1978 Korean kung fu film it was above average. As always, I grade these on a curve, and for this Lo Lieh film I was extra generous.

24 March 2025

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More of the same

I don't remember all of the original Hitman but this sequel gives me the exact vibe and satisfaction at the end. This is the kind of movie that you know isn’t great, but you still want to see it. The highlight is the cinematography. The webtoon animated parts of the movie are the best and there is also one very short flashback that was filmed masterfully and it is hard to believe that it is from the same movie. The action was also pretty fun, but so unrealistic so i liked the animated action more than the one acted live. Most of the movie is comedy which is purposefully put in contrast to the serious theme of the movie so the actors try their best to be funny and, unfortunately forget to be credible. I can't believe they used "where is the bathroom" gag 3 times.

The premise of the movie is the connection between the webtoon and the real life, and I must admit that the producer managed to put a new twist to it and make it engaging. So in short, if you liked the original Hitman (2020) you will like this one.

PS. Is there a real webtoon based on this movie? If yes i would like to read it. I am currently reading gangster webtoon "무진".

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Feel good movie with an unexpected plot twist

So I basically watched the movie because of kyungsoo and I haven't watched the original as I watched this movie it started out slow but then it pick up pace the plot twist that I was not sure about but I felt like something was wrong with fl like nobody was noticing her she felt like air and the ml was talking to her the plot twist explained it really well she was from the past the secret she was hiding from him from the start the movie was good but ending felt like a tragedy for me especially for the ml like he went to the past in the end leaving behind everything even his dad the piano got destroyed so he can't go back only the fl can see him idk this just feels like bittersweet ending to me on one hand they ended with each other which is happy while on the other hand the ml lost a lot of his things in this process which is really sad

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not really worth it

I thought that the main focus will be to find aeyong (?), the kidnapped girl, but that wasn't the focus at all actually - like expected for the few small clips in the beginning of the girl (before she got kidnapped) and then in the very end, also only a few clips. Also they didn't show at all how or where or when exactly he kidnapped her noir anything else related to the kidnapping. I won't spoiler whether she was alive or not since I didn't put a spoiler tag here on purpose, in case someone wants to watch it exactly because my review is so low rated as in "it can't be that bad, right?" then those people should have the chance to do so without any spoilers. talking about no spoilers, this movie has no spoilers at all, you know from the beginning who the kidnapper is.

I personally had the hopes that they would show us in the first half the "kidnapper" but then in the second half reveal that it's actually someone else but nope.. you just know from the beginning who it is. it's not an evil mastermind either.

I read a few comments before making this review, that many people knew that the pastor will be .. involved into some crimes, so I assume this won't be a spoiler, but just in case;

POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD:

the ML has at first a small misunderstanding with the villain, thinking he kidnapped his son, he finds out that's not the case after the villain almost dies. anyway the ML gets the chance to confess to his crime due to meeting with the detectives who ask him about the interaction with the guy. he doesn't admit anything. then he becomes completely delusional because he is offered a better career opportunity (idk how to word it honestly, but still) like he is ready to not only keep quite about what he did but also willing to continue his crime in the name of God, completely loosing his touch to reality. he also finds out that his wife is actively cheating on him, having a whole affair, he forcibly makes her confess it to him and for God to forgive her - but only so he can keep his job opportunity, not out of love lmao.

of course the ML also gers lucky multiple times to not get caught by for example the dashcam, cctv, or literally by a witness - and that multiple times and it's literally just pure luck, not even because he is smart or anything, this is so underwhelming in my opinion.

also notice how, 99% of the time, Koreans use Christian religion for those kind of thriller kdrama? I have watched many already, some better than others, but so far I never came across a kdrama that uses for example Buddhism, Muslims or any other religion, I just wonder why? I'm personally not that much into religion, not an atheist either, but what's the hyper fixing on Christian religion?

SPOILER END

Last thing that I have to say is .. some movies are basically "boring" for a specific amount of time on purpose, so the viewers get the hope that the end will be good, like they are doing it for the grande final, a climatic end - THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH THIS MOVIE. the end is quite underwhelming as well, just like the overall movie, so if you have hopes that the end will make it worth it - it really doesn't.

I can recommend for example "mouse" with Lee seungi, in case some people who read this haven't watched it yet, it's a dark thriller as well that includes religion basically (but not kidnapping if I remember right, other crimes are happening there tho) and that one has many plot twists.

in the end this is just my personal opinion, as mentioned before anyone can watch it regardless of my review, I doubt this movie will be popular in any means, I just wish I had read such a review before giving it a chance.

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Bizzare, chaotic comedy at it's finest.. most of the time

I have never laughed as hard in public as I did watching this, I'm pretty sure at one point some people next to me thought I needed help because I was bent over holding in the loud laughter and snorting, on account of not wanting to scare anyone.

The story is about two brothers (best friends actually but referring to them as anything but brothers seems to get one of them very angry. That or the subtitles confused me) who buy a cabin in the mountains and a group of university students (this could be on me thought, the subtitles never called them students but I swear I could hear one of the brothers address them all as 'haksaeng') who are vacationing in the same region. The chaos that follows from the first meeting of both groups with each other and their individual meetings with the.. other lead.. forms a majority of the plot.

As established before, this was extremely funny, genuinely heartfelt at points and kind of gruesome. If gruesome comedy is not your cup of tea (not my favorite), you'll have a hard time with some of the scenes, but it's only few in the plenty comedy scenes this movie had. My stomach hurt from laughing too much and my face was streaked with tears by the time I had finished the movie. Because of the laughing.

If you've got an hour and a half, give it a try, especially if nonsense and chaotic comedy is something you like because the entire movie was just that and not much more, but they made it work! Oof, I already feel like a rewatch.

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Good Psychological Thriller ! Sad to see low ratings.

Like Actors have fans, some filmmakers also have fans. One of the few Korean filmmakers who have fans, Yeon Sang Ho is one of them. The audience watches his movies and dramas irrespective of actors. He created a benchmark for his works.

Revelations movie 2025 one of his recent works, collaborated with Screen Writer Choi Gyu Seok, both worked for Hellbound drama.

This movie runs on a thin line between the faithfulness of a religion and things, events which happen bound to happen or caused by coincidence. The movie raises thought proving questions about whether events are divinely ordained or simply the result of chances. The psychological story resolves between 3 main characters and embodying justice, fate, morality.

Characters Study.

1) Pastor Min Chan - He believes he is acting on divine revelations and executing divine justice. But his true nature unravels when trying to kill Detective Yeon Hee and doesn't care about the victim girl's life. While he claims to act on divine revelations and his earlier actions might have been marked as righteous punishments ( forgiving his wife's adultery, making lord confession with her, trying to confess his crime with the another pastor, trying to execute the criminal) but when he faced with exposure he resorts to murder for survival. This moment raises a key question - was he truly guided by faith or was he just using religion to justify his own sense of power and control.
This moment also deepens the movie's core theme - how easily faith can be manipulated to serve the personal motives of humans.

2) Detective Yeon Hee, - She stands at the moral crossroads and in two minds between professional duty & personal vengeance making her internal struggle one of the most compelling aspects of the movie. Her journey is not just about chasing the criminal- it's about confronting her moriarty. She has every reason to seek avenge but doing so would mean crossing the same line as those she hunts. At the same time she is faced with the chance to save a life, which contradicts the urge for vengeance burning inside her.

3) Criminal, The Fate --
he carries his traumatic past and eventually starts crimes with his traumatic past. This character embodies both victimhood & villain. His traumatic past shaped his actions and while he carries immense guilt the law takes his side. However, regardless of his traumatic past or anything once he commits a crime, his past can no longer excuse and becomes irrelevant in the eye of society & law. His fate Death - symbolizes the inescapable consequences of crime regardless of past suffering.

The Cinematography & the background music are awesome. Great acting from Shin Hyun Been & Ryu Jun Yeol. I personally like writing that exploring the psychological themes of humans. There's a word in the movie " You see, most tragedies in life are created by humans to justify themselves. Things like the devil and monsters are created by humans to justify themselves." This movie needs more recognition. Forget MDL ratings, just watch the movie and decide for yourself. I say " Sometimes the best way to know if a movie is good is to experience it yourself ".
I'm sure this movie gives you time-worthy entertainment.

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The story of 'Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya' ('The Man in Selya's Life') revolves around Selya (Rosanna Roces, '4 Days' 2016), a charming and provocative schoolteacher, who longs for a real commitment with salesman Bobby (Gardo Versoza, 'Kerida' 2003) rather than the purely sexual relationship she has with him, but the man refuses.
Tired of their complicated relationship and heartbroken, Selya runs away from home and ends up in a small town plagued by homophobes, bigots, and gossipy busybodies. There she meets Piling (Eva Darren, 'Bikini Open' 2005), who is also a teacher, and Ramon (Ricky Davao, 'American Adobo' 2001), a closeted gay man.
In an attempt to save his reputation and keep his homosexual relationship with Carding (Alan Paule, 'Son of the Macho Dancer' 2021), a married man with two young children, hidden, Ramon proposes to Selya. After hearing gossip from the townspeople regarding Ramon's sexuality, and his refusal to have a sexual relationship with her, Selya realizes that things will not end well, and returns to Bobby, only to regret her affair with this unscrupulous man when he leaves her pregnant and continues to refuse to marry her.
At this crossroads, Selya decides to return to Ramon and raise their child with him. Despite their platonic relationship, Selya is glad of her decision, realizing her worth as a woman.
Surprisingly, shortly afterward, Bobby reappears in the protagonist's life, intent on winning her back and starting a family with her and their child. Selya is forced to confront her own irony as she bravely defies the needs of her flesh and chooses the most rewarding and stable bond.

Curiosities

'Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya' was originally scheduled for release in 1997, but it became a resounding success with the censors, which is why it was released a year later. This controversial drama is based on the script written by Bibeth Orteza and directed by her husband, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, who has considerable experience as an actor, screenwriter, and director in a wide variety of genres (including the comedy-drama 'Hari ng Tondo', 2014).
The film is Rosanna Roces's second and final project with Reyna Films and one of the filmmaker's projects that addresses taboo subjects in Filipino cinema.
Winner of the Teddy Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, Germany, the Best Asian Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach International Film Festival, USA, and the Special Jury Prize in the Feature Film Competition at the Turin International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Italy, all in 1998, the courage of its creators with its premise must be highlighted, for its progressive nature, for its portrayal of homosexuals, for confronting the social climate of homophobia and censorship of the time in which it was filmed, which was little or nothing different from today's.
Watching it now, almost three decades later, the viewer will understand that its premise is neither novel nor does it represent a cinematic innovation, but its brevity and commitment to the story it tells undoubtedly paved the way for contemporary Filipino LGBT+ cinema.

The Best

The portrayal of a woman who faces her own prejudices in a community of gossipmongers, bigots, and homophobes, and who must choose between two men: a high school principal who is closeted gay, and a man who seeks a greater commitment to her.
Its messages of value, such as the unfair need to hide one's sexuality, the damage this can cause to oneself and others, and how minorities (including sexual minorities) have been forced to hide and even lie in many cases throughout history due to homophobia and intolerance.
The sudden change in tone.
The excellent camerawork.
The direction: Although some scenes needed polishing, it deserves applause for its recurring visual elements (such as the lattices) and, in general, for the beautiful scenes, the beautifully woven lines, the handling of the themes covered, and the long and well-thought-out sequences from the script to the staging.
The performances of the cast, especially the award-winning Ricky Davao as the troubled hero, are also very believable. Likewise, the character played by Rosanna Roces is very believable. With a more solid and nuanced role, Eva Darren achieves the best supporting role in Reyna's films.
Ryan Cayabyab's soundtrack is moving.
The juxtaposition of the two families in the finale adds drama and elevates the film.
The struggles of both Selya, a heterosexual woman looking for more than sex, and Ramon, a closeted gay man, are written in a way that shows them as true to themselves, regardless of the ultimate end. The character played by Rosanna Roces wants sex and continues to want it. The character played by Ricky Davao is gay and will remain so. And this is how homosexuality is portrayed throughout the film.

The Worst

The script, despite featuring witty lines and a rather unpleasant display of humanity, lacks continuity. The story struggles to identify Selya's true personality in her relationships with Bobby and Ramon. The dialogue is unrealistic. Above all, the subject matter is handled in a melodramatic manner that will put off most moviegoers looking for a more frank take on homosexuality.

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it's not bad.

So I watch this movie tonight it's not a bad action movie. I gave it a 7 out of 10. Interesting story keeps you engaged throughout, a good little side story about the main couple. Would I recommend watching this? I don't know I feel like this is a movie you would watch if you had nothing else on your list of shows and movies to watch. The preview I saw for it on Netflix tonight was a little misleading. I thought I was going to be better than what it was. It's only an hour and 45 minutes long. So it's not like I totally wasted my time with like a two or three hour movie. Overall a lot of action which I like the acting is decent there's some well-known actors in this movie as well. Like I said 7 out of 10 for me I can see why on MLD.com averages out to about six and a half to seven.

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Do we have to share blood to be family?

A strong performance from Kore-eda on the meaning of family. In this story of personal growth and lament we see a overly strict father find his family's worth. The idea of a child being switched at birth is fairly common in Asia drama, so I wasn't too keen on seeing it again. But thankfully this plot wasn't too hard on the emotions.

I can honestly say I didn't like father character at all. So bravo to the actor lol. Even in the end, I didn't like how it turned out for him. Ryota goes for very minuit changes so it's hard to really feel strongly in my opinion about his change of heart. The actor rightfully showed diverse ways to ignore his other actors on screen, making him to be really dislikable lol. He barely looked at people as he talked and I was livid.

But that's what so great about his portrayal. The other actors all felt more akin to "proper" parents. His wife Midori showed a very docile wife burdened by years of servitude. I appreciated that they called out traditional motherhood issues in Japanese society very subtly. She had a warmth to her child rearing but a tinge of fear because of Ryota's demands. The scene where she confronts him over his love of Keita was the best scene in the movie.


The other two parents felt more loving and caring about their children despite the way Ryota felt. Even though Yudai was seen as a money grubbing sleezebag, he felt like he cared much more about his children then Ryota ever did. The difference in interactions with both families really spoke to that. In a way I felt a little sad about Keita's upbringing because it seemed so strict and structured. But hopefully we see a glimpse of the family changing to better support allowing to live out his childhood. Yukari I thought felt very matronly and had a real repertoire with the children actors. She felt really sincere and positive.

Many of the scenes I feel drew attention to lifelines and growth. From the dad working as an architect to the artificial forest that housed many wildlife. The powerlines seen connecting area to area in one car scene I felt were like the red string of fate that connects people. All the little things in this movie were guiding principles of family.

It reminded us that things connect and grow no matter where they begin. The idea of family not connected by blood but by heart is a reoccurring theme in his movies. Not to mention also generational trauma passed down from father to son. The pushing of hobbies onto Keita at the behest of his father and the attempt to live up to Ryota's standards all felt very familiar to any child.

The traditional family structure VS the non traditional being explored in small details was great in this movie. I thought it was no better showcased then to both families reaction to Keita's injury. Or how both fathers reacted to fixing toys. Yudai allowing his children to watch and see the process of fixing rather then Ryota trying to hide his lack of skill and telling Ryuusei to buy another with his mother. There was a real subtleness in how this depicted their care style.

I think this movie will probably be more geared towards people who have children already. It will probably resonate more with them. However people who have family issues with their parents may find a little something to think about it.

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"Let others do the dirty work while you sit here and reap the rewards"

Last Hurrah for Chivalry was one of John Woo’s early directorial efforts. He used a traditional kung fu theme of revenge and turned it into a film about friendship and loyalty. The cast was strong and for a 1979 film in this genre was quite engaging.

Kao Pang’s wedding reception is interrupted by Pak Chung Tong, his father’s arch nemesis. In short order nearly everyone is killed except for Kao and his two trusted servants who all escape out the backdoor. Kao’s sifu takes care of him and gives him the name of the famous swordsman, The Divine Blade aka Chang San. Chang has given up the sword but Kao deviously manipulates him into picking it up again. Coincidentally, Tsing Yi, a great swordsman but failed assassin keeps running into Chang and develops his own grudge against Pak. The two swordsmen form a bond and attack Pak for different reasons, neither of which may be legitimate.

John Woo was an assistant director to Chang Cheh in several films. Much like Chang’s films, the blood ran freely and the body count was high. Wai Pak (Snake Venom) played the congenial, if hot-tempered Chang San, who was willing to risk his life to help a new friend. Damian Lau as Tsing Yi used his sword for money and had no attachments to people even though the local courtesan was deeply in love with him. Lau Kong's duplicitous Kao Pang came across as a smooth snake in the grass before he became unhinged. Lee Hoi Sang was thoroughly believable as the fierce baddie who struck fear into men’s hearts. At 38 Lee was tight. Most of his scenes were without a shirt and his workout routine was definitely effective.

Fung Hak On’s fight choreography was quite creative with limited use of wires until the final fights. He also played the assassin Pray. “Pray and accept your fate!” His fight with Wai Pak was intense but dragged on for too long. Most of the bloody skirmishes were with swords with kung fu thrown in for good measure. While many of the fights had the traditional 1970s rhythm, they moved quicker than the Five Venoms’ kung fu posing. Chin Yuet Sang’s Sleeping Buddha style required skill to implement even if it was done for a brief moment of lethal levity. One battle to the death took place by candlelight!

I liked how John Woo began the film with the traditional revenge trope and then quickly turned it on its head. Damian Lau and Wai Pak brought their characters’ bromance to life. Woo’s writing also made me care about Chang San and Tsing Yi. The betrayals and double crosses hurt and I cared about the characters’ outcome, especially in a film where the bodies were stacking up. It was a long and bloody road to discover who was truly chivalrous and who deserved no mercy.

Though I enjoyed The Last Hurrah for Chivalry it would still only be for fans of this style of film as the acting and fights are now dated. If you do watch old kung fu flicks, this Golden Harvest film has either been restored or well cared for, unusual for a non-Shaw Brothers film.

23 March 2025
Trigger warning: Bag of snakes! And hacking of said snakes.

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not sure why other people don't like this movie?

honestly I'm not sure why a lot of people don't like this movie? yeah there's some confusing parts and twists and turns but I think it makes it more interesting at least for me it did. but overall I think it's a fairly decent movie a lot of action which I love there's great chemistry between all the actors and actresses. so I don't know I thought it was good.

I will say this though at the end it gives you a weird cliffhanger vibe even though it's basically over maybe that's why people were confused by it or they just didn't like the story overall but I thought I was a good follow-up to the first one.

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In this world full of monsters Someone will come to open the door to Rescue us...!!!

Revelations reveal that ::
"People believe only what they want to see in their mind." OR
"They create images in their mind to justify their monstrous acts "

"Revelations" is a gripping thriller that masterfully blends mystery, suspense, and thought-provoking themes. With strong performances, a compelling storyline, and stunning cinematography, it keeps viewers engaged till the very end. The film’s twists and emotional depth make it a must-watch for fans of psychological dramas. A thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the credits rol

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We are patterns seeking creatures.

And when you mix that with religious fanaticism driven by guilt and fear, you are on a highway to hell.

Revelation for sure falls stronger on psychological thriller than supernatural horror. It’s not the scares, but the mystery that is the focus point of the movie. How far will Min Chan go? What will be his next action? And who will suffer the consequences.

The movie shows how religious belief can literally alter your perception and find patterns in places they don't exist. The way Min Chan saw Jesus literally everywhere from mountains to altars, angels in the sky - all to unconsciously convince himself he is on the right path and everything that happens is the god's will. Just to take the responsibility off of his back.

While I appreciated the fact we witnessed how easy it is to slip into religious fanaticism, I wish the introduction to the main character was a bit more elaborate and detailed. Not everyone spirals so bad when faced with the situation he was facing - what made him go so far? What internal and external factors led to that outcome? It’s something this story did not explore enough.

Surprisingly, what I enjoyed a lot was the fact that Seong Min Chan was actually not the smartest guy, I would even call him dumb. I mean… googling about the potential legal consequences of the crime you just committed is literally helping the police and prosecution with the investigation. And that was just one of many idiotic decisions and actions he made.

Acting wise - great. What else to expect from this cast. Obviously the most spotlight fell on Ryu Jun Yeol and oh boy he delivered. The psychological change his character went through from beginning till the end was so well portrayed I wish this was a short drama and not just a movie. On the other hand, some of the supporting actors kind of missed the mark, especially Moon Joo Yeon as Min Chan’s wife.

As much as I liked the production, somehow I wished the “holy images” he saw in random things were just slightly more vague. At the same time, I feel like they kept being more clear the more obsessed and delusional he became. Maybe it was just a visual way to present how much his perception is being affected by his mental state.

Overall, it was a weirdly light watch? Taking into consideration how serious the crimes of the criminal were, how far into delulu Min Chan went, I did not really feel that tense - more on the side of curious and entertained.

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