Reviews

Surprised To See!!

As a person from south india,i have watched a movie called Sudani From Nigeria,this movie was a eye opener to me.Just like this movie was a surprise movie for me. As of all now im the first person who is writing the review of this movie,and i could tell everyone that if you watch this movie you would not absolutely say "it was a waste of time",i watched through a youtube suggestion which was this movie's teaser, i was surprised and i went to watch this movie,the cast especially the tribe was such a emotional and attracting one,then of course our Ryu Seung Ryong should give a shout out for his acting,the main lead not including tribe was extreme job cast which was very funny and the making was a remarkable because it was perfect and its hard to find a korean cast like this most of the korean films will only consists of korean people but there where many people and it was wonderful to see such a cast like this,after all this movie was a funny,emotional,experimental film.The length of the film was also notable because it ended within 1 and a half hour and it was simply but powerful

Thanks for this film❤️

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Squandered potential

The premise for Bat War is ripe with potential. A strict military colonel comes onto the scene to enforce a ban on traditional Thai music. But there's an exception. While he holds traditional Thai music practitioners at gun point, one house of music is allowed to continue playing and teaching.

Trying to slap comedy onto this premise was not the best idea. Music is such a drawcard for film because of how its pulls at the heartstrings. Music practice is a deeply personal thing, imbued with meaning for both the musician and their audience. I think Bat War could've been a beautiful production if there'd been both this emotive quality AND the comedic elements. Alas, no.

As such, the comedy falls flat. Having soldiers run around brandishing their guns at old guys playing their music just isn't very 'ha ha' material. It doesn't help that the acting is Hallmark Movie quality. The dialogue and cuts are awkward and stilted. And the music doesn't get to shine.

I dropped this around 30 minutes in. But not before I had scrubbed ahead to see what the motivation behind the music ban was, only to find it trivial and disappointing. I had originally thought when I first saw this movie pop on my Netflix recs that it might've been based on a real historical ban - but quickly realised in the first couple of scenes this was not the case.

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the power of friendship

Overall: some of us are lucky enough to have at least one friend who supports us, tells us like it is, who loves us and who we learn and grow with on our life's journey. This movie tackles several heavy issues that plague our world and yet it isn't depressing, because there is joy in the friendship between Jang Heung Su and Koo Jae Hui. Aired on Viki www.viki.com/movies/40843c-love-in-the-big-city Make sure to watch to the very end.

Content Warnings: suicidal thoughts, unwanted outing, homophobia, sexism, cyberbullying, bullying, vomiting, voyeurism, beaten up, hate crime, drugging, rape off screen, past attempted suicide off screen, abortion off screen, blood, intimate partner violence

What I Liked
- acting (I cried several times which rarely happens)
- their friendship/bond thru the highs and lows
- tackled real world issues in a realistic way without feeling preachy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the flash forward to start
- voice over towards the end
- wished there was more time to delve deeper into the issues brought up

Differences between the movie and the series (besides different actors)
- the movie has them as equal protagonists with shared screen time whereas Jang Heung Su is the protagonist in the series and it's about his life journey
- the movie centers on their friendship whereas it plays a role in the series, but is not the core of the series

Is it BL?
- there is m/m romance in it but Jang Heung Su is not in a relationship at the end, it does end on a hopeful note though

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Nothing special easy watch

I’d give this movie 4/10.
It’s an old ghost comedy movie. There’re parts that made you laugh. But there’re parts that lack of connection. Thanks to Mario and other 2 YouTubers, they kinda saved this movie. The ghost lady role is added to lead to the male lead’s journey. The actress who portrayed this role is a new face. Maybe it’s the reason why she barely used face expression. Some parts she even looked quite awkward in acting. Anyway, the main story focuses on the male lead’s journey. If you need a laugh then go watch this movie. Though It’s nothing new, and very easy to guess.

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This movie is an experience… The ending is… a choice.

I struggle with collecting my thoughts after finishing it. It was something else.
The funniest thing is - I knew the spoiler. But I did not remember it till I was way past half way through the movie. So when the memory hit me I was just praying the whole time it was my imagination.

While many people say the twist, revelation, the ending was THE factor that made the movie huge, personally I would probably rate it higher with something “less”. I found out the truth and thought - that’s it? That’s the motivation? For all the shit that happened, it felt a bit underwhelming. That said, the storytelling was extremely solid and the tension, thrills and piling up frustration was so high I had to take a break halfway through the movie. My brain was just filled with question marks.

For many the motivation and the extent of the imprisonment and why it happened was the reveal, the plot twist. For me? The last scene of the movie That’s when the true traumatic experience starts and ends, leaving the viewer in a state of complete shock.

Many describe Old Boy as a cinematic experience, and with that I have to agree. Putting aside the shocking aspects of it, it’s just an extremely well made, well edited, well acted and directed movie. Masterfully crafted.

Overall, I think I need a few business days to come to terms with what I just watched.

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Gripping plot, I wish it went even deeper on characterization for more emotional payoff

The movie follows the story of a duo of scammers, brother and sister, as they are grifting on old people, leading a very despicable lifestyle. They are living in a parallel world to regular society, full of misfits and scums. It is not necessarily an anti-hero tale but rather a dark thriller as they are trapped in an infernal spiral of events following succession of very bad decisions as well as very poor family background.

I think some of the emotional, more intense moments could have been elevated even more. I feel we were deprived of emotional payoff relating the fate of some of the characters. I think the heroine was so cold, despite having some fit of rage that sometimes scenes that could have been heart-gutting were handled in a too detached manner. There were of course some clear bonds between characters and I loved the relationship between the heroine and her younger brother. But it could have been even more elevated: as the script could have spent even more time detailing the sibling relationship, making it even more twisted to accentuate that unhealthy but also ultra solid bond they share.

Even though I wish Ando Sakura (who played Neri, the main protagonist) would have been able to show more range and nuance, especially in the more sweet or painful moments...I liked her overall. What brought the story to life was the gallery of characters who are surrounding her: there are many colorful support roles that were very well-played with the right touch of craziness and darkness. Yamada Ryosuke, as the other main role, is shining in his part. His character is the triggering factor of the events and he is the driving force of the movie.

The production value was very good. The decors in which the characters are evolving are really well made. The costumes are participating is setting up the characters in a very efficient way, allowing the viewer to grasp what's not directly told...The music is not memorable but felt fitting for the movie.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a dark thriller. There is some psychological aspect to it that I really enjoyed but I wish it would have been pushed even further. There are a lot of interesting elements relating to the relationship between the two main roles that could have been elaborated more for deeper emotional payoff. However, it was still a pretty exciting story to follow with a lot of craziness and darkness. I don't think it aims to make us love the protagonists neither to provide a well rounded social critic. But it is in overall pretty entertaining and quite captivating.

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idk about this one.

I didn’t feel the chemistry and everything felt rushed in their relationship.
Also what grossed me out was how the students were talking abt her being grapped…like uhm wtf?? even the girls in her class were basically just being straight up mean and mocking her. So cliche and messed up.

the cast is good, the acting is good as well but personally I think it could have been better. the music is good but…

I love how they showed the dangerous aspects of the entertainment industry

Rewatch value obviously is low for me but it was a good one-time movie so try it out yourself to make up your own opinion

Anyways Otomo is my fav character because he’s well thought and unlike Kou, was always there for Natsume

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Sweaty hands that wrecked my heart...A brutal and nuanced story

This short movie managed to convey a fully fleshed story featuring two characters that clearly love each other in different way. Love can be hurtful when not reciprocated at the same level but different kind of love can coexist without one being necessarily more powerful than another. I think there was some room to do much more with the script but given the duration of the movie, they effectively convey the point of the story.

Honestly, the scenario got me teary-eyed a couple of times which is quite an impressive achievement for a movie of only 19 minutes. The acting was pretty good: I totally believed in the feelings portrayed on screen by Bible and Jes. Maybe for some scenes, it could have been even more raw but they found a right balance to have the characters act naturally in some heart-wrenching situation.

The production value was quite good with a soundtrack fitting the melodramatic arc of the story. It was maybe a bit overpowering and could had been toned down, but nothing really deterrent to the story depicted.

I would recommend this movie to people that are looking for a short emotional story that will leave you with a strong lasting impression. It might wreck you heart but it is worth a shot for the simplicity in which it portrays two characters loving each other albeit somewhat differently.

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A sci-fi GL film with potential, but...

Being Thailand's first space film, Uranus2324 seems rather promising and has a lot of potential but falls short in many aspects. I watched it three times to get to the point of writing this review.

I like the idea of star-crossed lovers caught between the sea and the sky (or space), but the story itself falls a bit flat. The screenplay really drags it down. The conflicts and emotional parts are there, but the lack of a solid background story makes it difficult for me to fully invest in their journey and emotional connection. Even after watching it three times, the overall vibe still feels pretty shallow. But what I found refreshing is how this film sidesteps the topic of sexual orientation. The love shared between Kath and Lin feels very natural, and there’s no scrutiny surrounding it.

The transitions between different periods and parallel worlds are also not as smooth as they could be, making it hard for me to stay engaged throughout the film. The special effects are not bad, but occasionally feel unpolished. If the CGI had been more refined, I would've been more immersed in the experience.

Despite the shortcomings, there are a couple of redeeming qualities that make this film worth your time. First off, the cinematography is great. I'm a sucker for beauty shots, and the camerawork really captures the essence of the story in a visually appealing way. The use of color, light, and composition effectively enhances the on-screen storytelling. And let’s not forget the action scenes; those fighting, freediving and spaceship sequences are quite impressive. Another highlight is FreenBecky’s natural chemistry. Their on-screen dynamic is palpable and authentic. It helps carry the film through its weaker moments. They’ve got some serious acting chops! The way they embrace new challenges and step out of their comfort zone truly brings great results in the end.

Even though it didn't hit the mark, Uranus2324 is still a decent watch. It's a good effort overall, but if only it came with a bit more polish in the script and story pacing, it could easily become a standout sci-fi GL film.

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Somewhat weak case but well presented

I really liked the first season of the show so I was looking forward to the movie a lot. It wasn't quite what I expected and it didn't really feel like something that needed a whole movie dedicated to it, as far as the importance to the overarching plot of the show is concerned (the connection to Garo was flimsy at best), but it shared enough of the same vibes the first season had to be an enjoyable watch.

(Spoilers beyond this part!!)

Pros:

- Now while I said that it felt weird that this particular case got a movie by itself, it defenitely benefitted from the length and detail afforded to it by the movie format. It was very dedicated to setting up the right atmosphere and giving the characters time to show or process their emotions, something that might not have been possible time wise, had it been in the episodic format of the show.

- Totono as a character was exactly as I have come to know and love him in season one, so no surprises there. It really did feel a lot like a faithful continuation of the story and while some of his 'human nature rants' as I like to call them felt a little out of nowhere, they did manage to tie those into the story as well in the end. Did they sound a little abrubtly preachy? Yes, but not really more so than during the show, so it wasn't really unexpected. The bit about therapy at the end I especially support, the whole family shoud really get some by the end of this...

- There was no over the top questionable acting from any of the characters, but there were some standout performances for me. Shioji's acrtess didn't shine much during the normal or happy scenes of her character but she really nailed the emotional scenes. Be it the moody teenage angst or the heartbreaking grief at the end, as soon as she got to portray more complex emotions she really stole the scene! Same goes for the murderer, who was bland throughout (probably by design) but gave a quite convincing and nuanced performance during his arrest. The way he petulantly started lashing out at everyone and how his whole demeanor changed was as unexpected as it was good. It showed how skewed and unstable the character really was below his unremarkable appearance.

Cons:

- By far the weakest part of this movie (and my biggest gripe with it) was the plot. Or rather the motivation for the antagonists that brought about the plot. While killing people who looked a certain way that didn't fit in with the original family might have made sense during the first few generations to avoid suspicion, there really was no point to keep doing it in modern times. It could be easily explained through people marrying into the family and in turn, continuing the murders based on appearnace was incredibly suspicious. It just makes no sense that the people involved would't have thought of that at all, so it seems really contrived, especially since the parents digging into the story should have been enough motive to keep the murders and therefore the plot going.

- This might be a personal problem from watching too many similar shows but the 'bad guy' was really predictable. As soon as a character shows up that doesn't really have to be there story wise who also acts too friendly or unremarkable it immediatly seems suspicious to me, but this is more of a pet peeve than anything :P

- I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have liked this movie much as a standalone, so it really is more like an extra long episode for fans of the show than anything else. The story itself doesn't need any prior knowledge from the first season, but Totono's character and his oddities are well established throught he prior episodes, so both the way he acts and the way the case unfolds might seem a little odd if you haven't gotten used to it from the show.
Mostly though it's that the case itself isn't really interesting enough to carry the whole movie, so unless you're a fan of the show (or at least another format of mystery to iunakare) I wouldn't really recommend watching.

TLDR: If you liked the show you'll probably like the movie, unless you're very particular about the case having to make sense, then you probably won't. It wasn't outstanding but if you just want to see Totono be Totono then it's an easy watch and a good way to pass the time while waiting for the second season.

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Good old Chinese action comedy

Jackie! Panda! Kung fu! It doesn't get much more Chinese than that

I wanted a fun stupid action comedy and I got exactly what I was looking for.

Being a Jackie fan since about 20 years ago, I can't say that there were any big surprises. The story is nothing new, the execution and the quirky characters make it fun. I especially enjoyed Shi Ce playing the panda caretaker, that is scared to bits, but goes out and beyond to protect the little Panda baby. Some parts of the CGI look sloppy, others are really detailed. They did put a lot of effort into the Panda, which makes sense seeing it's the main star of the movie.

To me this movie's charm lies in the fact that you get the good old stunts, but some new faces and a pinch of self-irony.

Jackie, playing himself, looks tired and the fighting is visibly exhausting him, even with his hair dyed you can tell that he is old. Well, because he is old! He is an aging action movie actor, that still keeps on going, because people love what he does. And he himself loves it too, but he also just wants to sit down and enjoy his ice cream sometimes. (one of my favourite scenes)

But I'd argue that you don't need to be his fan to enjoy the movie. You do have to enjoy this kind of slapstick comedy though.
I'd probably rewatch for the same reason I've rewatched Jackie's other movies countless times - for the fun and well choreographed fight scenes.

I do hope Jackie will enjoy his retirement at one point, but until then I am happy to see some more Action!

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You know the genius when you see it

A stunningly beautiful production with great idea for the "plot" seamless masterful editing and content that will blow your mind. This short gem tells a "story" of human experience, emotions and entrapment from which we can free ourselves. I found this moving, inspiring and hopeful. Honestly, after seeing another mini drama by this director, I knew this was going to be great, but the final effect was absolutely fantastic.
It is hard to describe what you will get/enjoy about this movie as it all depends on who you are, what is your lifetime experience and level of personal growth/sense of meaning. I have not seen a movie of that magnitude in a while.
You are not losing much by watching - maybe 20 minutes of your 'now', but I guarantee this will stay with you, no matter what you rate it.

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More like "How to make millions of viewers cry before the movie ends"

The intricately personal movie about family dramas, gender and generational disparity among Chinese (and Thai-Chinese) communities, along with several heart-knocking quotes from M and Amah, it hits close to us. It hits close to us.

We watch and sob, and then cry, and then crying harder in every development of the story.

Hearing that this movie is shortlisted for the 97th Oscars is a groundbreaking news, but sadly it didn't. I can partly blame to the Oscars themselves and their favoritism towards European cinema, but thinking it was also something that really hits close to Asian people, and without any bridges there will be a gap for non-Asians to learn and understand this kind of family drama, and that's understandable.

However, it's still a little speck of hope that one day Southeast Asian cinema can have its place, and I'm placing my bet on Thailand.

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