Reviews

Shock value fest.

A Frozen Flower definitely tries to do a lot—historical drama, palace intrigue, and steamy romance all rolled into one. It has beautiful cinematography, solid performances from the three main leads, and a messy love triangle? at its core. But does it all come together? Kind of. Misunderstanding, betrayal, consequences follow.

Now, the good stuff: The production is top-notch. The costumes, sets, and cinematography are beautiful. The film also doesn’t shy away from it wants to show, tackling sexuality, love, and duty in a way that was pretty bold.

The drama in the story is extra here, some plot points feel repetitive, and the pacing drags in the second half. The steamy scenes were a talking point and feel more like shock value than storytelling.

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A comedy carried by the acting performance

I'm not gonna spoil a lot - but the first three out of 8 stars go t o Choi Min Soo's acting - and I might be biased since he's one of the very few male actors I like like I do (he also looked RIDICULOUSLY handsome here) - but wbk he can do comedy since "What Is Love" and this just drove it home. The comedic timing of this man is just perfect. He is goofy, silly, dumb, and a one-man-comedy show at times. His character had flaws that were common among salarymen/men in general in 90s Korea, and some scenes did infuriate me just because of the pure misogyny oozing from them. But I had to remember, this is a korean office in the 90s. If you were a working woman, misogyny came at you with your paycheck.

The next three stars go to Choi Jin Shil, who didn't have as many moments she could have fleshed out, but was a joy to watch on screen. Hell, she could just stand there and she would be magnetic to watch. She just perfectly sold us her role and her emotions, and I really have nothing to say negatively. She looked so freaking cute in those glasses and one thing I liked about her character is that she had a good reason to be the way she was in the beginning, and her "change of heart" was reasonable and understandable. We really really lost an actress that could have enriched our screens to a peaked in high school ahh abusive deadbeat loser that should have been kissing the ground his wife walked on - it would have been ridiculous if it didn't hurt so much. I'm glad I'm able to watch her through the screen like this - and sad at the fact that there are young juniors of hers that we will write the above sentences about in a few years time.

The next star goes to the baby! Yep, baby Sang Ha was absolutely adorable and a cutie patootie all throughout. Nothing more haha. Job done well.

The last star is just the comfort level of this movie. It feels good, you feel good, it's a movie you could technically watch with your parents, some scenes are weird but they can be skipped in a beat. It's cute, funny and worth a little fun anecdote in the illustrious careers of our main leads.

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August – A Quiet Journey That Speaks Loudly

It wasn’t long ago that I stumbled across Zhang Zhe Han after watching Everyone Wants to Meet You. Like many, I found myself reading his story, what happened, what was lost, and how he came back. But something in me kept whispering that there’s more to this man than headlines, roles, or even his music. So I started searching, not for facts, but for something that felt real.

Then came August.

This documentary wasn’t just content, it was healing. I watched it with noise-cancelling headphones, wanting to shut out the world. Best decision I made. For 40-something minutes, I wasn’t just a viewer, I was walking beside him. The silence, the wind, the emotions, all of it felt painfully human and achingly familiar.

Zhang Zhe Han may never read this, but I hope somewhere the energy reaches him.
From one person who’s had to rebuild from nothing, who has sat in the dark, swallowed rumors, been misread, and yet still held on, just know:
It will be okay.
You’ve found a way back, and that’s already something many never do.

Thank you for letting 12 million strangers witness something so raw, honest, and unfiltered. You reminded us that there's beauty in starting over.

And a quick side note; Zhe Han and Jerry Yan in one frame? Someone make it happen. Same energy, same soulful silence… maybe it’s the hair, maybe it’s the heart.

“The tragedy isn’t in falling, it’s in never standing back up.”
And Zhe Han? You’re already on your feet.

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Short and Poignant– A Quiet Reminder of What Matters

I started following Zhang Zhe Han not long after watching Everyone Wants to Meet You. Like many, I came across his story—the career, the cancellation, the comeback—but something in me felt there was more to him than what’s been said or shown. That’s how I ended up watching Brother. One of those quiet little films you don’t expect much from, and then it stays with you longer than expected.

This isn’t a story that shouts—it just sits with you. And in that silence, it asks one thing: what would you choose? For Wang Yue, it was family over love. For many of us, that choice feels unfair, even cruel. But for him, it made sense. And somehow, by the end, it didn’t feel like a loss—it felt human.

Zhang Zhe Han carries the role with so much restraint, it barely feels like acting. Just a man trying to do right in a world that rarely rewards it. And honestly, I’m glad this story exists—quiet, short, and a little painful.

I truly hope one day we’ll see Zhe Han back on the big screen, where he belongs. Until then, pieces like Brother remind us of the kind of presence he brings—honest, vulnerable, and real.

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Mananambal: A Haunting Dive into Filipino Folklore with Nora Aunor at Her Best

Adolfo Alix Jr.’s Mananambal is a gripping exploration of Philippine mysticism wrapped in an eerie horror-thriller package. Set on the enigmatic island of Siquijor, the film follows a group of vloggers on a reckless hunt for viral content. Their target? Lucia (the legendary Nora Aunor), a traditional folk healer, or mananambal, who quickly proves to be far more than they bargained for. What starts as a sensationalist stunt soon spirals into a terrifying reckoning, as the island’s supernatural forces demand their due.

The mananambal tradition, rooted in Visayan folklore, represents the dual nature of healing and harm, bridging the physical and spiritual worlds. This duality plays out brilliantly in Aunor’s portrayal of Lucia, a woman whose silence is more chilling than any spoken curse. With her face deglamorized and her signature expressive eyes doing all the talking, Aunor once again proves why she is a National Artist for Film. Her presence alone is reason enough to watch Mananambal—she doesn’t need words to convey power, sorrow, or menace.

Bianca Umali delivers a compelling performance as Alma, Lucia’s daughter, whose inner conflict provides the emotional core of the story. Yearning to escape the constraints of her mother’s mystical legacy, Alma’s arc is both tragic and enthralling. Her chemistry with Aunor is electric, particularly in the film’s latter half, where familial duty collides with personal ambition in unexpected ways.

On the other side of the spectrum, the city-slicker vloggers—played by Edgar Allan Guzman, Jeric Gonzales, Kelvin Miranda, and Martin Escudero—embody the recklessness of modern social media culture. Their arrogance and disregard for sacred traditions set the stage for a supernatural backlash. Miranda, in particular, shines as Liam, the reluctant outsider within the group, providing a grounded contrast to his more hedonistic companions.

Alix’s direction ensures that Mananambal never meanders, balancing horror with cultural introspection. While the story treads familiar revenge-horror territory, the execution is precise and atmospheric. The cinematography takes full advantage of Siquijor’s haunting beauty—dense forests, cascading waterfalls, and shadowy caves serve as both picturesque backdrops and ominous warnings.

That said, the film could have leaned even further into the emotional conflict between Lucia and Alma. There were moments hinting at a deeper confrontation between the power of healing and the temptation of vengeance, but the narrative opts for a broader supernatural horror climax instead. Nevertheless, the final act delivers a shocking gut punch, an elegant tragedy befitting its themes of fate and consequence.

Mananambal is a must-watch, not just for fans of horror, but for those interested in the rich tapestry of Filipino folklore. Alix crafts a film that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, offering chills and cultural resonance in equal measure. And, of course, there’s the inimitable Nora Aunor—whose eyes alone could haunt audiences long after the credits roll.

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The film works as a metaphor for fascism

Soldier Abel (Sandino Martín) comes running and asks permission, without neglecting martial salutes, to appear before Major Mac Favila (JC Santos). The latter, from a position of authority, which he consequently abuses, welcomes him into a dark and gloomy space (as is the entire film) that looks and feels like a basement.
To get to the place it is imperative to cross a wall, or rather, a row of bars that emphasizes the feeling of an underground prison cell. On the other wall, in the background, in view of whoever arrives, there is a poster of Ferdinand Marcos. At his side, the even more despotic wife Imelda, and a rack of rifles. In the center is a long, narrow bench under bright lights. A new electric shock runs through the viewer's body: everything resembles an interrogation and torture room.
Far away, on the surface, you can hear the cadets singing military marches following the officer's voice of command, while they are evaluated physically and mentally, without their superiors taking into account the cruelty still present, both in the military and in the Philippine educational system.
But dark and gloomy here does not mean uninteresting; On the contrary: it is expressed in the psychological sense of the term. 'Esprit de Corps', the film adaptation by director Kanakanan Balintagos (aka Auraeus Solito), is stunning.
The film, filmed in the Philippines in 2014 and based on one of Auraeus Solito's own dramas written in the 1980s, is visually stunning and will remind us why cinema is considered the seventh art.
From a unique perspective that functions as a metaphor for fascism, the Palawan-Filipino filmmaker, also author of works such as 'Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros', 'Tuli' ('Circumcision') and 'Boy', opts for a closed frame that makes the viewer feel trapped in the claustrophobic and terrifying reality, both of the victims and the perpetrators themselves, of that dark and devastating movement of the 20th century that celebrates the idea of nation-state, of a leader who brings together all the power and usually despises democracy, seeking instead to establish a dictatorship that controls all aspects of public and private life.
Winner of three awards at the Cinema One Original Film Festival, including Best Director, Best Actor (Sandino Martín) and Best Production Design (Hai Balbuena), the film uses real locations, and a cast that combines established and non-professional actors to portray the crudeness of that ideology that has a strong inclination towards militarism and imperialism, and that often uses propaganda to mobilize national fervor and suppress any form of opposition.
A master of the art of documentary, as witnessed by '60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero' (2011), 'Sacred Ritual of Truth' (2002) and 'Philippine New Wave: This Is Not a Film Movement' (2010), the viewer quickly realizes that Auraeus Solito likes improvisation, but within certain limits. That is why in the film there are scenes that were not written, but improvised, and they remained in the final cut because they provide something new and fresh. It is easy to notice the dominant influence of Stanislavski, but also that in 'Esprit de Corps' there is a lot of Brecht. The contentions, the open endings, the appearance that nothing happens, the stopping of chains of actions are essentially Brechtian.
The film allows us to see how at the heart of fascism lays a perverse dichotomy: the glorification of "us" and the demonization of "them."
In a society and institution as homophobic as the Philippine army, we find a common thread of dehumanization: homophobia. This quickly takes shape as officers and recruits display the notion of "masculine machismo", alluding to strong warrior bulls to be celebrated, and those who, whether for reasons of race, religion, or for being weak "faggots", as the young men in the film so vividly call them, or any other arbitrary criterion, are marginalized, persecuted or eliminated.
For the record: Even though the ban on gay soldiers in the Philippine military was lifted in 2010, discrimination persists today.
The film explores the entire range of military philosophy: an officer must be, in addition to being... handsome?, strong; it should be a rock and not a simple gem ("What are you? Jade? Ruby? Turquoise?"). And something I don't know if it really matters or why, but you should know word for word Cyrano's short soliloquy "What is a kiss?", found in the work of Edmond Rostand.
Solito leads the viewer out of that dank, barred dungeon in search of an image of ecstatic beauty: a naked male form floating above us in the water, free from the weight of the world. It's a moment that takes your breath away, no matter what your personal orientation, and goes a long way toward justifying the insertion of Rostand's poem (why did Favila choose that poem anyway, to evoke the romantic nature of warrior culture? It suggests the sensuality of physical exertion and skin contact? Out of sheer perversity?) into the film:
"After all, what is a kiss?
An oath of loyalty taken very close
A seal on a confession
A pink red dot over the letter "i" in "loving"
An example of eternity murmuring like a bee
A balsamic communion with a flower flavor.
A fashion of inhaling the heart of the other and
To taste the edge of each other's lips
And the souls of each one."
Unintentionally or not, with this film its director makes you feel the irresponsible running, the pulsating rhythm of those words.
In this ROTC seduction and ranks game scenario, cadets are questioned for their knowledge and reprimanded for small mistakes. As punishment, they must do an inhuman amount of physical exercises while being physically, sexually and intellectually humiliated. For example, a cadet is accused of being able to claim to become an officer only because his mother became a prostitute to pay his tuition. Another hides before the arrival of the Father Rector at the soldiers' meeting place. He will then tell his companion Cain (Lharby Policarpio), both at odds with each other for outwitting the corrupt Major Marc for his position, that in his childhood he was sexually abused by a priest.
As the cadets are about to faint, the unexpected occurs... or perhaps the imagined: the sliding of a small towel, held by a soft hand, from the muscular back soaked with sweat to the rigid nipple. How will the cadet respond? What could happen to him if he refused to obey his superior's sexual desire? Is the hypocritical attitude one of the reasons why they can be so flexible? Can both the cadet and the superior openly ignore the question of morality? Is what happens in that basement with the low ceiling, bars and interrogation and torture bench that give the idea of a prison correct or not? Should that "prison" be eradicated? The truth is that much of the tension comes from maintaining that carefully cultivated act of evasion.
Auraeus Solito explores deep themes under the guise of an LGBT+ film, for which he decided to recreate the action in Marcos' dictatorial Philippines (overthrown before the play was written), and written when the director was only 17 years old and had just left high school. I should note here that the Reserve Officer Training Program today is no longer mandatory in universities, and attendance, not to mention the sense of relevance, is almost non-existent.
With his distinctive visual style, the filmmaker creates one of the most difficult films to watch in cinema history; a masterpiece that is both a fierce critique of totalitarianism, fascism, imperialism and corrupt power and human degradation, and a character study.
The director creates one of the films most overtly and lyrically obsessed with homoeroticism. Most of the time the cadets sweat and perform physical exercises half naked, under the gaze of the officers who scrutinize them, shout at them, approach their subordinates, touch them, incite them to continue sweating... At other times, you find them grunting against the bars, flexing their exhausted muscles against the concrete floor or grass, or with their bodies dripping with water after the soldier has been in a putrid river as punishment.
But there is not only homoerorism. Also in another peak moment, Auraeus Solito shows us eroticism in its various polymorphic forms: a naive provincial mentions his desire to one day see a diwata, and a forest spirit appears, in all its carnal splendor, represented by actress Sue Prado in a brief but brave cameo.
Capturing the aesthetics of the era, the cinematography and production design serve as the perfect backdrop for this captivating and thoughtful tale. It is a reminder that this political ideology advocates centralized power, fervent nationality and a disdain for individual rights, and has left indelible scars on the fabric of our collective memory. And cinema, with its unique ability to tell stories, has captured and presented fascism in a way that allows us to understand its horrors and reflect on its lessons.
'Esprit de Corps' not only serves as a reminder of the horror of fascism, but also as a call to action. In times when intolerance, hatred and racism prove to be on the rise, it is essential to remember our past and the lessons we have learned. Fascism and intolerance can take many forms and manifest themselves in different times and cultures.
Fascism lives, as demonstrated by the operation of ethnic cleansing, racism and human devastation, perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip, with exhortations to the armed forces of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to replicate the Hebrew revenge against the Amalekites referred to in the Bible: "now go and wound them and destroy absolutely everything you have and do not spare them, but kill them, both men and women, infants and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys".
Fascism lives, as demonstrated by the operation of ethnic cleansing, racism and human devastation, which in the name of Russophobia Ukraine has perpetrated against the inhabitants of Donbass, the vast majority of whom are of Russian origin, with exhortations to the armed forces of President Vladimir Zelensky to raise the flags of Stepan Bandera, the fascist, anti-Semite and leader of Ukrainian nationalism in the 1930s and 1940s, main organizer of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), and its armed wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Fascism lives, as demonstrated by the North American president, Donald Trump, who in his second term acts like a 19th century emperor, showing that the United States has a serious problem in its democracy, which is that of oligarchy, exhibiting an imperialist fascism, loaded with authoritarianism with which he mercilessly attacks people he considers subversive or who betray the country (in a new McCarthyism); migrants, whom he calls criminals, and persecutes with drastic methods while attempting to eliminate the requirement that his children born in the United States be recognized as Americans; imposing racism and patriarchal white supremacy in a country where half of the population is of black, Latino or Asian origin, and not white.
Fascism lives, and a film that not only serves as entertainment, but as a call to remember, reflect and act to prevent history from repeating itself, may be the best way to combat it.

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A heartwarming, soul-healing comfort movie you can't miss

If I could describe Hear Me: Our Summer in one word, it would be comfort. This movie feels like a warm hug—simple yet deeply emotional, raw yet incredibly healing. It sneaks up on me, melts my heart, and leaves me feeling soft inside.

The story itself is beautifully simple. No unnecessary drama, no forced conflicts—just pure, genuine emotions. It flows effortlessly, making every little moment feel real and meaningful. One moment, I’m giggling like a fool; the next, I feel warm and healed, only to end up crying my eyes out. It’s that kind of movie.

What makes this movie so special is how effortlessly it captures love—not just romance, but the love between friends, family, and even yourself. It’s not just about the big moments; it’s about the quiet ones too. The glances, the unspoken words, the little things that make life beautiful.

And the acting? Top-tier. Hong Kyung, Roh Yoon-seo, and Minju completely nailed their roles. Even the supporting cast delivered incredible performances. What’s even more impressive is how much emotion they conveyed, often without dialogue. Through sign language and subtle expressions alone, they delivered some of the most heart-wrenching, deeply moving moments I’ve ever seen.

If you need a movie to heal your soul, this is it. It’s heartwarming, it’s real, and it’s 100% worth every second. A new comfort film for sure.

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main lead is soo stupid

auu bru i got so mad watching ts cz like the main lead be getting me sooooo mad, girl the last time i cud rmbr she was deaf? so y the flip flop was she leaning her head close to her door when do shik was outside the door after he stopped wacking his hammer thing, as if she can hear anything like there was a big enough hole on that door girl he cuda js grabbed u by the neck and killed u on the spot r u that dumbb?? or u js relying on ur “im the main character” incstinct auff anyways i dropped it halfway its too much for me, not to mention all the good actors/actresses on hereee not the best movie i watched wud rate abt 6/10 honestly (no one wud be that dumb irl) pluss does she rly think the guy whos sisters abt to die will rly chose to save her life by putting his and his sisters lives on the edge?? (im rly rly sry for my grammer i was lwky mad writing ts:>)

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"Being warriors...what a misfortune"

Vendetta of a Samurai was written by Kurosawa Akira and directed by Mori Kazuo. It starred many of Kurosawa’s usuals-Mifune Toshiro, Shimura Takashi, and Kato Daisuke. Kurosawa wrote his take on the Igagoe vendetta of 1634. Far from glamorizing violence and the samurai code, it called into question the necessity of the vendetta.

The film opens with the usual legend of the vendetta with Araki Mataemon cutting down 36 samurai at the famous clash. The narrator then informs the audience that the number of killed was certainly inflated and gives a tour of the then present day in Ueno. The story restarts a few hours before the battle with numerous flashbacks from the characters waiting for their target to arrive. Young Watanabe Kazuma is duty bound to kill the samurai who murdered his brother. Matagoro has fled and is being protected by a powerful vassal. Kazuma’s brother-in-law, a famous swordsman joins the vendetta to help him out. Araki Mataemon understands the ways of the samurai and knows all too well he will have to fight his best friend who is charged with protecting the murderer. Kazuma, Araki, and two retainers wait in a teahouse having to confront their own fears and mortality before facing their sworn enemy.

“They haven’t killed you, but you look dead already.”
Kurosawa was no stranger to criticizing the samurai system. In Vendetta, I could almost hear the characters saying, “Is all this really necessary?” Mifune and Shimura were brilliant as the two friends who due to loyalties and tradition realized they would have to draw swords against each other. A scene as they politely talked and shared a cup of sake was heartbreaking. “This may be the last time we enjoy sake together.” As Araki and his crew waited in the tea house to ambush Jinza and Matagoro, panic nearly drove three of the men to their knees. When the opposing side rode into town and were confronted by them, terror filled their eyes, too. Most of these men had never drawn swords in battle before and being faced by people they had no real argument with for the most part nearly paralyzed them. The final battle was not fiercely and eloquently fought, it was purposefully awkward as the combatants processed the high stakes involved.

“Waiting is hard, isn’t it?”
The first half of the film was slow. During flashbacks, characters rattled off names and places not necessary for the crux of the story. An elderly man’s song in a flashback seemed interminable. Much of the story was told as characters reminisced while waiting. What the movie got right were the scenes between Mifune and Shimura. Also, once the opposing sides closed in on each other, the tension was excruciating. Araki’s men fought their own fear, shaking and sweating. Araki dealt with his feelings for his friend that he would have to kill in order to fulfill his duty. Mifune and Shimura were excellent, the story and side characters were good, but not great. As long as you don’t expect an action-packed samurai flick, and are willing to be patient with the back-and-forth nature of the storytelling, Vendetta of a Samurai had moments to be enjoyed.

5 March 2025

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STORY OF A GHOST THAT NEVER LEAVES THE SCHOOL!

I remember watching this in my younger years n all these years, had an impression on this as a SUPER Scary Horror n so was my fav back then.
SILLY ME! 🤭

(Maybe, back then it was scary to watch the physical assault/ violence towards students by teachers, mysterious deaths, Suicide / hanging etc..
hmm, all problematic issues for a young person )

Now as an adult, re-watched n I don't find it so 😂.
But Yeah, still I find the VIBE of that water dripping bgm music in the ghost haunting scenes, EERIE n is my favourite horror suspense scene bgm still ! :)
n So I say, it's a Good horror watch!

(Check out my Reviews for other movies in this Franchise :) )

****
Plot is Good.
The Twist about the ghost, that concept in the end is different.
Story of a Ghost, which never leaves the school! (Funny n Sad at the same time !!)

SAD! A Student as a Ghost forever stuck, in search of a True Friend! :(

****
The first half of the movie is a bit irritatingly SLOW Paced .

There is this feeling of unclear confusion throughout the movie.
Maybe that's bcz the flow of the story is not smooth, editing is not so good.
(For eg, Ji oh n Jae yi Looked like Rivals/strangers in their intro scene but in immediate next few scenes, looked Very close, all of a sudden!? ,
Close enough to sacrifice their lives!? :o )

But the last 30 mins n the Ending give a clear picture of everything n clears every confusion !

****
That "water droplet dripping" BGM gives the Eerie Horror Vibe

That amount of physical assault of students by teachers is unacceptable 😱

****
My Rating is 6.5 / 10.
(Actually 6 for the story, direction etc
but 0.5 included for that bgm music in horror scenes that truly created the tensed horror vibe )

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It’s incomplete drama because of unexpectedly incident

Love syndrome the beginning becomes full complete storyline if the director who directs this won’t die . I watch love syndrome the beginning first episode it’s not that much bad casting acting is good not bad . Also actors was handsome too. But I like old love syndrome III actors more than this actors . Legends that Olds can’t be replaced old is gold . But sadly when I hear about the actors who perform love syndrome III not perform together bl drama anymore it’s kindly sad me because one actor who perform as “it “character he lefts career as a bl . He is no longer perform as bl actor anymore. I really miss them so much because there chemistry hits different way to me .
I can’t rate this that much because it’s incomplete by the way . I don’t think so it’s next part will ever come in this life my hope was 1000 % gone .

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✒ Time Must Start Again ⏰ °7.7° °VG °

🕰Timing in life is everything; so the adage goes. In Hong Kong, time is G💰LD. As long as you move you'll live. Once you stop you'll starve. Over 200,000 Filipinos work in Hong Kong. It's most common to have a 2-yr domestic helper contract as Filipinos are not allowed to do anything else - unless they manage to become a citizen. Therefore, when Joy loses her job because her employers can no longer pay her, she takes an illegal waitressing job. The cops, inevitably, will come by to check IDs. When Joy sees them, she busts a move and runs. She ends up running right into the handsome bartender and 😙busts another move. She uses him as camouflage to hide from the po-po. Cops rarely bother a couple snogging in the alleyway, afterall. It's done so often in movies you might think that they would start checking, even if a duo is rounding first and headed for second, but it always seems to work.

The Filipino community in Hong Kong is small. Everyone is within 1° of separation, but it's large enough to support a Filipino radio station. (They have a nifty microeconomic system in place as well.) Joy thinks she got away scott-free only to wake up the next morning to a radio announcement about her! Ethan, the bartender, is looking for Joy so that she can return the kiss that she stole from him! Joy's friends go insane.

HLG is about what decent, but poor, people must do to survive: It is all about hard choices. It is also about the nature of love. Joy & Ethan. Ethan + Joy. She resists him, but she can't for long. The problem is that she's leaving. She's definitely leaving. She has a nursing degree that she can't use in Hong Kong. She's going to be a nurse in Canada. That's her dream, and n🅾thing's going to change her mind. N🅾t a thing/budkis/pist🅾🅾za/larkaflark/nuffink/jack squat/NATTY. Joy is no wimp. She has a will of iron. She warns Ethan to not get attached. Yet they allow themselves to fall in love. Every day they push the knife in a little deeper.

Their story is sweet and these protags are likable. He says he can handle it and he won't get in her way, but as that 🕰 approaches the pressure ratchets up. Because, ‘when you love, it's all or nothing. If you hold back, then why love it all?’ Ethan has a point. ‘There are questions inside of me that only I can answer,’ Joy insists. Joy has goals, a mission, and an ironclad agenda. She will not be swayed. Not now.

L💘VE. What does it look like? To Ethan it's: “If you loved me enough you would stay.” ♻ To Joy it's: “If you loved me enough you would want me to go.” Later, Joy asks the universe: “When a woman gives too much of herself, she's stupid, but when she prioritizes herself, she's bad. Where do we need to place ourselves? Is love only expressed through sacrifice?” Why so often, indeed, does every option, for women especially, seem irreconcilable? Love can teeter from selfish to selfless. Perhaps love always starts down in the selfish zone, but the more we sincerely love someone, the more selfless we should become. Leaving the shallow end and diving down deeper should elevate our love higher. If not, we must question how much in 💓 we are or how selfish we actually are. A young person should never be expected to throw away h/h future for a relationship, particularly a relatively new one. Talk about creating a debt for regret - No sane person would endorse that. Joy agonizes over this unexpected timeout from the race she's been running. Either option is valid. Her choice is hers alone. HLG tells young girls that their personal development and future is every bit as important as love.

Befitting a modest budget, most of the filming is on the street or in contained spaces. There's a couple of wow shots. They take a day off to go up into the mountains. On a cliff looking down on the city, the buildings are uniformly white. While they look like bad dental work there's also an ethereal beauty to the vista. The effect is otherworldly.

HLG is a 118 minute, 2019 release that is rated 8.2 on MDL. Overall, this is a well put together production. The writing, directing and acting all blend to make a great product with few flaws. This is a 🇵🇭Filipino production and I am looking forward to seeing more of their works. I've seen 2 🇭🇰Hong Kong productions, The Defected-8.2 and Hong Kong West Side Stories(7.5). Both of them are good but also dark, edgy, sad, and a display of the worst elements of humanity. The group that is the most downtrodden in Hong Kong seems to have a brighter outlook. Between the 3 productions, one wouldn't think it's the same place. HLG is well worth the time to get a peek at life in Hong Kong from the view of the hard working, overlooked Filipino community. We🇺🇲 have alot to be thankful for.


QUOTE📢

Choice is only for the rich.

〰🖍 IMHO

📣78 📝72 🎭79 💓70 🦋67 🌞71 🎨70 ⚡30 🎵/🔊78 😅23 😭47 😱30 😯49 😖20 🤔45 💤0 🔚70

Age 12+ Adult situations kissing - mild. Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested

Re-📺? Not opposed


In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

Historical/Period:
Overlord 8.4,
The Sleepless Princess 9.1 (there's a minor fantasy element),
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword and the Brocade 8.6 (in the style of ancient Chinese opera),
Ruyi's Royal love in the palace (episodes 1 - 49 are a 9.3. While looking up it's historical accuracy, I learned how heartbreaking the rest of the show is. It's over 80 episodes, so that's a hella-lotta hurt. I am not up for it now, so I stopped at episode 49, which is a perfect ending. I cannot recommend episodes 1 - 49 enough. It's near perfect).


K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo 8.5;
The Kings's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9


Fantasy - Heavenly realm:
Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain 7.5;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome siblings 8.7;
Heavenly Sword 9 (Kung-fu!);
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Eternal love 8.3 + its sequel Eternal Love Of dream/Three Lives, Three Worlds, 10 Miles Of Peach Blossoms 7.7 (I watched these in the wrong order, which was a shame. EL is not without flaws, the FL being the biggest issue, but overall it's outstanding. The sequel was not originally planned. EL actually tells the same story as ELOD as a secondary romance, and the show was so popular that they did the sequel and changed quite a bit).
Love and Redemption 10

China excels at period and fantasy pieces. There's no Action or Modern Day Chinese features for me to recommend. There are a few that I've enjoyed, but they pale when compared to Korean shows, some of which are listed here.

K Modern Day romance:
A Witch's Love 7.8;
love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch your heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's okay not to be okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;

K Action:
K2 8;
Private Lives 8.1;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1;
Signal 8.6;
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4


Originally 〰️🖊 May 2024

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A haunting film that needs contemplation

This film is probably more so in the category of Art House. It's message and themes maybe up to debate and won't be for everyone. Many of the central questions asked in the film don't really get answered. It is more up to interpretation by the audience.

The setup for the movie is a little strange, A girl who lost her purpose offers to drive two unknown woman to see a friend who may or may not have attempted suicide. That is the question they are trying to answer by this road trip. The quiet and longing looks of the characters are the main plot of this movie. The dialogue is very carefully chosen. It seems deliberate with how slow the pacing is to let the actors body language do most of the talking. This is a special side of Aoi I haven't seen in any of her movies. This sense of melancholy and grief but also subtle gentleness. It's something mesmerizing. Ando's character felt like grounding while Kutsuna's actor felt like an observer. When they finally reach Miki, we see a really interesting sense of dread and regret without going melodramatic.

When the film began, I thought it was going to be about Haraki finding herself on a journey with new friends. But it turned into so much more. It was almost like a story about reconciliation and loss re-contextualized into a vehicle for growth and truth. The movie doesn't hard line examine these feelings really but it's up to the viewer to find meaning and this is what I found.

The movie's scenes are gorgeously shot. The car ride scenes emphasized the closed and withdrawn emotions with the sea scenes acting as a cathartic release of all their pent up emotions. The symphonic music that Yoko Kanno created for the film only enhances the feeling.

Honestly the film is slow paced burn and it might not leave you happy or sad in the end. It just holds a very special atmosphere that isn't like many movies.

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A subject that should be understood by all

When we initially get a glimpse into the lives of Haruko and Mikio, all seems well.. but then the cracks start to form. This is a perfect visual of what depression is. What we do and see on the surface is not always what we are screaming on the inside.

The very realistic depiction of depression in this movie is fantastic. Mikio suffers daily and consistently but without knowing why. He has a good wife and mundane job that slowly is eating away at him. The catalyst can be said to be the stress of work, but the movie immediately dispels this. Which is what is special about this movie. It seems the writers really understood the many things that break a person. In Japan's society depression and suicide are really pressing matters. The society tends to focus on the group good rather then the individual's needs in Japan and things like depression are known well but stigmatized.
We see this in how others tend to brush off his depression in the movie and think he's just being lazy.

Haruko's constant struggle to make her husband feel better is heartfelt and realistic. When we go through all the stages of support and love, we get a clear image of how much she cares for her husband. Mikio's actor Sasaki plays his role with such conviction. There was a real sense of emptiness in a few scenes and a real sincerity to how he approached the feeling of depression. Both of them worked so well together in all their scenes. I enjoyed the small moments of their relationship like the cooking, sleeping or caring for animals. It added a lot to their relationship. The church scene was beautiful. The side characters also allowed for growth with the interactions they had so it was overall a good cast.

The music played it's part well. The piano and violins added much feeling to the scenes. There was a sense of loss and defeat in all the little music segments.

The movie ended off on a really fantastic note. It's not always perfect but neither is life.

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