Reviews

Wasted time.

Somehow I missed the "bittersweet" tag. Luckily I wasn't too invested. There were a few cute moments between the two leads, but otherwise I just kept waiting for the story to start before realizing it was over. There was nothing compelling about any of the characters- no depth, no connection. The FL's face was pretty much set in a perpetual emotionless void. The scenes were not well connected, and a few random unexplained events didn't help the situation. The crying scenes were not the worst I've seen, so I suppose that is the the young actors' credit. Overall it was underwhelming and a wasted 90 minutes.

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No is No

Social commentary on gender roles and SA through an unusual—and what many might consider an uncomfortable—lens of literal role reversal. The story does not give the viewers any context as to why the gender roles are reversed, not that it matters; in this world, men get pregnant and women do not. That is all we know, and that is all we need to know.

We follow our main character, a young man having a pregnancy scare. There isn't a whole lot of time to dwell on this fact due to the runtime, but it does a good job of making us feel the distress he is in. We learn the circumstances of how this situation came to be and are able to sympathize with him and his feelings. That being said, unlike what the synopsis might imply, we see almost nothing of the FL.

The story does well in showcasing the struggles women face with their bodies and how a lot of men do not understand, much less care to do anything about these issues, all from the perspective of what would happen if the roles were reversed.

Despite enjoying the premise as an avid fan of role reversal and everything wacky, I understandably found it to be lacking in its overall execution of the themes and presentation. I believe a work like "Hiyama Kentaro no Ninshin" to be better, not just because of the vastly longer runtime but also because of the approach. At the very end of this short film, I'm still not quite sure what exactly it DID intend to say. That forcing someone is bad or that our ML was overreacting in everything? Maybe that's the intrigue, the fact that it is left ambiguous without a clear final message. Sometimes things just are.

Overall, it's an interesting short watch but no masterpiece. If you're a fan of role reversal, you'll enjoy it, and if you're not, you might find the perspective interesting regardless as long as you can accept the initial premise.

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◇ Was it what I was expecting? Yes
◆ Did it live up to its potential? Mostly
◇ Would I watch it again? Perhaps
◆ Would I recommend it to others? Sure

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Mature Fiction

If you don't know anything about the movie, you might be entertained. The first half of the movie, despite some nice music and eroticism, for me was quite boring, but in the second half, this mature drama movie turned into a suspenseful triller out of nowhere. I thought I will have to force myself to watch the entire movie but surprisingly it turned out to be a worthwhile watch. The main actors were a little static but solid. The main quality of the movie is the story with mature themes of complicated relationship and some unusual elements.

Without revealing the story, I can mention a theme of reality. This movie is obviously a work of fiction, and it is difficult to accept it as realistic. Nevertheless, the movie makes us think what reality of our lives do we choose to live. There is a reality of our emotions and reality of our reason, the reality of our relationship and the work that we do to contribute to society, the reality of our beliefs, of our history, but there is also a hidden reality of our passions and imagination. Which reality do you choose to live?

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You are my home, but what if that home is full of regrets?

As the movie title suggests, it is a simple second chance romance storyline with full of crying, shouting and regrets.

I loved LOVED the prequel movie "Hello Love, Goodbye!" and been eagerly waiting for this to release. But after watching it, the excitement, it's gone. Completely gone. It's not like I didn't know what will happen but there are certain things that were overlooked for the sake of "love" even if that love questions you "will it last this time?"

One thing that I'm not quite happy with is Ethan cheating on Joy. I know he was not sober, not in his right mind, completely lost, mourning but still, still I can not help but wonder, can you rebuilt trust once it's broken? It takes time. I was totally happy with the previous ending, I was ready to accept sad ending but this happy ending disappointed me.

All above thess, my love for Kathryn Bernardo is infinite and irreplaceable. She singlehandedly carried the whole movie. Her expressions, crying, antics are to die for! God, what an amazing actress she is ><

Overall, whoever watches the first part and dying to know what will happen and sucker for happy endings, then please go ahead and watch it. It's still a pretty movie with foreign setting and beautiful scenery.

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If you gotta do both, watch movie before drama version of this series

Fresh off my Love O2O high I of course had to check out the movie adaptation and was kinda disappointed. Not only did they have to compress the story, they ended up compressing some of the special effects as well, or at least that was how it felt like. Those fight scenes were super lame and staged, man.

Now while Weiwei in the novel visually looks closer to Angelababy than Zheng Shuang, AB's acting is just scraping the surface of stuff. Jing Boran does not look too great in his game character get up (that silver wig is atrocious) after the memory of Yang Yang in the same role so I had trouble believing he was this amazing charming dude that everyone admired.

It's good for eye candy and I guess MV material if you take some clips, but this is like the low carb low sugar version of Love O2O.

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A Heartfelt Summer Tale with a Deeper Message

Hear Me: Our Summer is a beautifully crafted romance drama that effortlessly captures the essence of a sweet, breezy, and soothing summer love story. With its warm, atmospheric storytelling, the film feels like a gentle glide through the golden hues of summer, making it an easy and enjoyable watch.

The two lead actors deliver outstanding performances, bringing depth and authenticity to their characters. Their chemistry is both heartwarming and genuine, making their romance feel natural and deeply engaging. The film does not rely on grand gestures or dramatic twists but instead focuses on the quiet, tender moments that make love stories truly memorable.

Beyond its romantic elements, Hear Me: Our Summer subtly raises awareness about the lives of the hearing-impaired community, shedding light on the discrimination they often face from so-called "able" individuals. The film thoughtfully portrays how they are just as capable as anyone else, proving that they can contribute to society in meaningful ways rather than being seen as burdens. This underlying theme adds a layer of depth to the narrative, making it more than just a love story—it becomes a powerful statement on inclusivity and acceptance.

The cinematography beautifully complements the storytelling, with warm, sunlit visuals that enhance the film’s emotional appeal. The supporting cast also does a commendable job in bringing the world of the film to life, adding richness and authenticity to the narrative.

Overall, Hear Me: Our Summer is a heartwarming and thought-provoking watch. It seamlessly blends romance with social awareness, making it both touching and enlightening. With its charming leads, meaningful message, and soothing summer ambiance, this film is a must-watch for those who enjoy heartfelt dramas with a purpose.

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Pretty packaging but plot misses the point

Technically, this movie visually was a feast—all pretty, bright colors and CGI throughout. Chen Kun as Qing Ming was also very pretty and of course Wang Likun as the Peach Blossom Fairy was absolutely gorgeous. But honestly while I was really looking forward to seeing it when it released, having just come off the high of Mark Chao/Deng Lun's Yin Yang Master, I just couldn't "get" the film once I started watching.

The two characters that were supposed to be relatable to the audience, Shen Le (Shen Yue) and Yuan Boya (Qu Chuxiao) ended up feeling irrelevant and annoying; it felt like they were just there to conveniently push the plot along at certain moments and be clueless/weak/helpless the rest so Qing Ming and co. could save them and be cool. I had trouble connecting emotionally with the cast—that is, I couldn't buy their sudden camaraderie. One minute they didn't get along and the next there's an impromptu drinking session where everyone gets drunk around a table and smiles and are friends? So when the "final battle" happens over that bridge above a cliff, they can all rally together and be angsty at the male lead (Qing Ming) as he angsts about his past? And then the whole thing just ends on a cliffhanger with a blatant open ending that leaves me unsatisfied and plot elements unresolved? Look, the other yin yang master movie did this too but they at least wrapped up the main story in the first movie first! It can stand alone just fine! This one makes me think of a movie missing a limb or something—or maybe a heart, because I couldn't get the emotional cues (and I cry really easy at stuff!) and no matter how sad or awful some characters' past were I just felt bored seeing it and wish they'd move on to clarify what was going on with the main storyline first!

Granted, my memory of this film is a bit fuzzy now but my impression of it remains (I even watched it twice when it first came out to make sure I didn't miss anything, the plot was just so fast and zippy). It just gives an impression of "let's bring all the cast together to highlight how cool and tragic Chen Kun's Qing Ming is and set it up for a sequel later." The overall impression of the movie is a lot of style (like the other Yin Yang Master) but not so much substance, and if you dig too deep into the plot you find that it is generally kinda empty. You can't just look hot and broody and expect the audience to sympathize with you based on your looks! That's just superficial stuff, it won't resonate!

Also, I can't remember a single song or track from this movie while I still remember the main insert song + leitmotifs from the other one. Nothing resonated enough with me to stick! All I remember is that one colorful fight scene with all the sliding doors...but you can't use a fight scene to prop up an entire story, you know.

Don't take my word for it though—watch it yourself. I can't help but think that others feel the same way, since YYM:DOE (Dream of Eternity) inspired so much from it and this one...just doesn't. Look, you can always check fanworks to gauge audience reaction to a work. Both yin yang master movie fandoms are tiny overseas, but there are currently 17 fanfics for this movie on AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/tags/%E4%BE%8D%E7%A5%9E%E4%BB%A4%20%7C%20Sh%C3%AC%20Sh%C3%A9n%20L%C3%ACng%20%7C%20The%20Yin-yang%20Master%20(2021)/works) compared to the 748 for the other one (https://archiveofourown.org/tags/%E9%98%B4%E9%98%B3%E5%B8%88%20%7C%20Y%C4%ABn%20Y%C3%A1ng%20Sh%C4%AB%20%7C%20The%20Yin-yang%20Master%20(Movies%20-%20Guo%20Jingming)/works).

I think the numbers speak for themselves.

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Dark action fantasy, has depth the more you watch

Wang Xiwen's acting is so good in here okay her crying scenes broke my heart.

That aside this movie was something when it came out, I think it was the only one I've watched more than 5x in a row. I loved the mythology, the cinematography, and I'm frankly surprised it came from Edward Guo's hands since he's know for convoluted storylines but this one was clear and poignant throughout. I even joined a Discord server for the series and wrote stories for it after a while, it was just that addictive.

It has high rewatch value to me cause I picked up on details every time I went back and I'd recommend it to anyone, especially those who are a fan of bromance. Also Wang Duo is in it as a morally-gray villain again and he is sooooo good at those roles, you can watch just for him alone!

You can always trust Guo for his visuals so the overall style was dark, broody, and super stylistic + symbolic, he loves his blatant symbolism as well as his subtle hints so it's fun to catch details he slipped in on a rewatch. Music is dark and melancholy to match. I feel like a lot of his works have a subtle Japanese tinge to them so he really was the perfect director for this story based on Japanese onmyoji xD

The story was simple and straightforward but I liked the twist with the princess being the villain in the end and all the mini story arcs that wrapped up for each of the characters as they progressed. I also love the parallelism that Guo favors so much, fir st with Qing Ming listening to his master's farewells in the beginning of the movie and THEN how that elegantly segueways into his master bidding farewell to the princess that part was sooooo good it gave me sadness goosebumps.

Really sad Deng Lun got canceled in c-ent because I WANNA WATCH THE SEQUEL SO BAD DANGIT AND NOW IT'LL NEVER COME OUT...sobs have some leaked clips here I guess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEVaOqoE40M

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As a fan of the Blue Period anime I think the movie took unnecessary liberties with some of the characters like Ryuji and Yatori's 3 best friends. That being said the movie still overall follows the themes of the anime. I haven't read the manga so I am not sure how different the movie is from that.

Maeda Gordon is actually perfectly cast as Yatori. I really liked his performance. The scene with Yatori and Shin at the pastry shop and the scenes with Yatori and Ryuji were very well done and we see the growth of those characters in those moments. Takahashi Fumiya played Ryuji and he was absolutely stunning. Another great performance by him as well. However, I feel like his character's arc was rushed.

It's a better movie in my opinion if you haven't watched the anime. If you have seen the anime you can't help but compare and find the inconsistencies and flaws. It's worth a watch, all the same though.

2/25/25

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"You can't get hung up on morals, you'll just feel remorse"

Corporate espionage handled with all the finesse of the yakuza took place in The Black Test Car. Not lovers, families, or morals were more important than the mission to bring the Pioneer sports car into production and beat the competition. “It’s all about winning.”

Onoda leads the team to get the Pioneer sports car produced and keep its identity a secret. Much time and money has been invested in it, but he discovers that their larger rival, Yamato, may have placed a spy in their midst. His trusty sidekick, Asahina, is equally ambitious and loyal to the company. Their nemesis is Mawatari, an ex-spy who worked for the Imperial Army in Manchuria. Both companies employ dirty methods to steal information-bribery, blackmail, intimidation, prostitution, and outright theft. Nothing seems to be too low or too devious in their efforts to come out on top.

Rank capitalism and devotion to duty brought out the worst in all of the characters. Onoda made it clear from the beginning, that he would sacrifice anything or anyone for the Pioneer. Asahina started out much like his boss, even pressuring his girlfriend to prostitute herself to glean information from the duplicitous Mawatari. Takamatsu Hideo glided Onoda easily between devilishly charming and ruthlessly frightening. Tamiya Jiro’s Asahina walked the fine line between being blindly selfish to conflicted as he realized the harm he’d done to someone he loved. Asahina’s girlfriend, Masako, was poorly written. She was there for Asahina’s character growth and as a sexual object rather than a woman with any consistent actions.

Director Masumura Yasuzo made a stylish film with aggressive music reminiscent of Godzilla’s Ifukube Akira. The acting was stellar. My problem was that I had no one to root for. Both teams were reprehensible in their espionage and sabotage efforts. Asahina took steps to distance himself from the gangster methods that ruined and ended lives, yet I disliked him the most for his efforts to manipulate and pimp out the woman he claimed to love. The competition between the industrial spies may have been all about winning, but in the end, they were all losers to me.

"It's a rock, but it has more warmth than you."

25 February 2025
Trigger warnings: Sexual scenes, though no overt nudity, and one bordering on assault

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Could Have Been Better.

This is probably my least favorite SPEC sequel. The story became confusing with the sudden introduction of prophecies and the unnecessary return of Ninomae, who’s still being used by the villains.

Sebumi frustrated me the most — after all the seasons and sequels, he’s had no real character development. He remains mostly useless, always acting as a shield for Touma. His survival feels like pure plot armor — with injuries like peeled skin, multiple gunshots, and nails all over his body, there’s no way he should still be standing. Despite everything, he never truly contributes to the fight.

The story felt all over the place, and the enemies were weak and unmemorable. Their powers, like the fire-and-ice woman and the guy with octopus-like weapons, were underwhelming.

The only consistently well-written character here is Touma. This was the weakest sequel so far, but I’m still holding out hope that the next one improves the plot and brings some much-needed clarity.

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More people need to watch it!

The Time of Huannan is an emotional rollercoaster that’ll definitely make you cry. The story concept is intresting , it really feels like we’re experiencing everything with the main character as he's discovering his Father's past life and his friends group. The 90s setting adds a cool atmosphere, making it even more immersive. I’m still confused about Liu Yonghui and Chen Baodeng’s past connection, but that mystery adds to the film’s impact. The cast were amazing loved seeing them in this movie, and overall, this is easily one of the best Taiwanese movies I’ve seen. Definitely a must-watch!

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