Bloody when South Korean gangsters settle scores.
New World is a sometimes bloody thriller that, despite its length, manages to keep the tension up almost the entire way.When the leader of a large criminal organization dies in a car accident, a power struggle begins over who will take over his place. In the highly hierarchical organization, there are two candidates for the leadership position, each of whom leads two factions of criminals, and the loser risks both being murdered himself and having all his followers murdered.
With one of them, the arrogant and materialistic Chung, the police have managed to place one of their men, Ja-sung, who over several years of work has managed to rise to the top and is now Chung’s right-hand man. Since his wife is pregnant, he hopes to soon be released from his assignment for the police, but the death of the leader and the ensuing power struggle put the situation in a different position, and he is forced to continue with his assignment. Fearing what will happen to his wife and future children, he is torn between loyalty to his profession as a police officer and loyalty to Chung and the group of underlings who completely trust him.
The film sets the tone right away, with a bloody opening scene in which a suspected infiltrator is tortured to death. The film then follows a traditional but effective dramatic curve, where dialogue dominates while the premises of the film and its characters are explained, before the action scenes take over towards the end.
The film's greatest asset lies in the acting. Having a bunch of costumed gangsters running around and fighting with each other could easily be silly, but thanks to a simultaneously restrained and fateful, personal and conscious acting style, the characters appear as cool as they themselves seem to want to be perceived. The many extreme close-ups of the characters' faces, showing both sweat and the slightest twitch of their eyelids, bring us even closer to their inner thoughts. A constant awareness of the characters’ personal stakes, especially the risk to Ja-sung, creates a tension that is maintained throughout the film. It is heightened by the many twists and turns in the story, which make the film both unexpected and unpredictable.
The police chief who gives Ja Sung his assignment is played by Choi Min Sik, known from Oldboy, otherwise the actors are relatively unknown in the West.
The photography contributes a lot to the coolness of the film and the characters. The camera really enjoys the color-saturated images of the exclusive surroundings in which the wealthy gangsters move. The sterile and stylish surroundings reflect the perfect surface that the characters seem to want to convey, but stand in stark contrast to the chaos that prevails beneath the surface, where loyalties are questioned and lives are at stake. The editing is smooth and flawless and the image composition balanced and well thought out. The editing keeps the pace up and the tension intact even through the less fast-paced scenes, which retain their intensity through a combination of close-ups and tense dialogue.
It is actually unclear what illegalities they are actually up to, apart from murdering scoundrels. But that does not matter much, what is clear is that the organization has unlimited money that primarily benefits those high in the hierarchy, and that it takes cold-bloodedness and violence to get there. The tension that has been at a fairly even level through large parts of the film rises towards the end in a crescendo of violence and blood that makes the rest of the film fade, while the final scenes are etched on the retina.
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Why Every Butch Deserves a Jane, Not a Pie
As a butch myself, watching Yes or No was a journey of mixed emotions. While I love the visibility, I have to be honest: Pie’s personality is not romantic—it’s a nightmare in the real world.Pie starts the relationship with heavy prejudice, and unfortunately, she never outgrows that "self-centered" mindset. In the real world, a partner like Pie is a second battlefield. She is high-maintenance and demanding, constantly refusing to share your interests. For example, Pie turning off Kim’s video game while she was playing was incredibly rude and dismissive. Kim showed genuine interest in Pie’s hobbies, even bringing her a jellyfish aquarium, but we never see Pie reciprocate. Even when helping with Kim’s university project outdoors, Pie did nothing but whine about being there during the holidays.
Her lack of trust is also incredibly destructive. In the scene where Jane kisses Kim, it was visible that Kim had an eye mask on and couldn't see. Instead of using common sense, Pie jumped to the idea of cheating and destroyed Kim’s thoughtful gift in a fit of rage. She loves Kim in the dark but rejects her in the light to protect her own image.
While Pie whined about Kim’s university tree project, Jane was quietly nurturing a plant of her own to understand Kim's passion. Pie was ashamed and rejected Kim in front of her mom, while Jane was proud—she flirted openly and fought for Kim’s attention without shame.
As a butch, it was impossible not to fall in love with Jane. My heart ached for her because she represents the genuine sweetness and good heart we actually crave. Jane showed "brave softness." She didn't find Kim shameful; she leaned into Kim’s world and gave the kind of silent, honest support that is the real prize.
A warning to my fellow butches: Don't let the "Happy Ending" fool you. If you check the sequel, the jealousy and toxicity only get worse. Girls like Pie rarely change because they think their lover’s job is to "endure" their flaws. Kim might have chosen Pie, but any butch who knows her worth would have chosen Jane in a heartbeat.
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A fresh bite on a familiar genre
Odd Family: Zombie on Sale is a quirky Korean zom-com that flips the undead genre on its head, centering on a dysfunctional rural family who stumble upon a zombie from a chemical lab mishap. Instead of panic, they see dollar signs: the family patriarch gets bitten, gains youthful vigor, and they turn it into a bizarre fountain-of-youth scam for the village elderly. Directed by Lee Min-jae, it blends slapstick chaos, dark humor, and oddball heart without typical gore overloads.It is exactly the kind of movie its title promises — weird, warm, and wonderfully funny. It won't scare you, but it will make you laugh and, unexpectedly, tug at your heartstrings. It is simply a well-executed zombie horror-comedy with a great cast, great characters, and okay story.
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Nothing lost in translation!
When a film in one language gets adapted for the screen in another language, it often loses a bit of its original essence. Happily, this 2025 Thai remake of the 2022 Taiwanese film "Marry My Dead Body" more than does justice to the original. Chiefly, the remake resurrects the original's sense of whimsy, maintaining a light comedic touch throughout. To differentiate itself from the source material, a few details change, but these innovations serve primarily to add a bit of Thai spice to the mix. The Red Envelope never feels like a shot-for-shot remake, although it does retain a few notable screen shots from the original. Those deliver the hijinks as effectively in this version as they did in the progenitor. As with the original film, a young man finds himself bamboozled into a ghost marriage. A string of terrible bad luck overwhelms his natural reluctance to marry a dead person, and he agrees to the union in a bid to change that luck. As with most ghost stories, the plot then concerns itself with the living person trying to figure out what tasks the deceased left undone, so that they might move on to whatever is next. Along the way, the audience is treated to a man streaking through a sobriety check, a Pose-style dance off that would make Mother proud, a Muay Thai boxing camp, and a cops-and-robbers shoot-out. Lead actors Billkin and PP Krit, serving here as executive producers as well, established a proven chemistry with one another across multiple previous projects, and they use that familiarity to good advantage here. The actors bounce off each other in a way that keeps the film energized. If you enjoyed the Taiwanese film, you'll probably enjoy this take on the same story. If you never saw the Taiwanese film, you don't need to start there as this version stands on its own merit.Was this review helpful to you?
Monstrously bad
It has been a long time since something irritated me as badly as Hoshi 35. Ostensibly billed as a kaiju flick, it underperformed in that manner epically. The kaiju was on screen for less than five minutes--in all forms. The rest of the film was a disturbing tale of human sacrifice, brain washing, and murder. If that sounds more exciting…it wasn’t.1000 years ago, in a remote village near the Tengen Mountain, a young woman is sacrificed to the Beast of the Star. Whenever the meteor appears in the future, young women are sacrificed to keep the Beast happy. Two geology employees studying the crater stumble upon the deadly and very creepy secret. They manage to escape when the villagers decide the outsiders are too big a risk. Thirty-five years later when a meteor approaches Earth headed for the mountain, the two return to the village hoping to save the villagers and keep another tragedy from happening.
Why are young women always sacrificed and not the village elder, warriors, or virgin boys? And in this case also offered up as some sort of companions? The film started turning into a village horror story but didn’t commit to that angle. Instead, it came across as misogynistic religious rites gone very wrong. After a bloody beginning it strayed into very boring territory.
A rubber costume was created, so why not use it more? Aside from the lack of a kaiju presence, because dear goodness I was truly wanting the villagers to be stomped on, the biggest transgression was in regards to the actors. Many of the older actors had been in numerous kaiju films. Odaka Megumi who played Aki starred in multiple Heisei Era Godzilla films. They even wasted Moll (Kobayashi Megumi) one of the Elias from the Mothra Rebirth trilogy. Almost no kaiju scenes and Godzilla/Mothra alums being relegated to this dreck-monstrous.
24 April 2026
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Totally on the nose but everybody is Lord Voldemort
Have seen lots of comments wondering what the film is about and I just don't get it. I'm terrible at getting hidden meanings but thankfully 'Exit 8' laids it out plain and simple to me: it's a movie about breaking the cycle of trauma, a very touching perspective of a man who has to deal with the reality of becoming a father and the responsabilities that come with it despite never having a father himself and basically having no idea on "how to do it".I thought it was a very refreshing context and overall entertaining piece.
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I can’t speak high enough of the young girl who played the FL. Incredible!
Yang Enyou is a Revelation. It would be an absolute travesty if Yang Enyou (who plays the young orphan, Zhang Xiaoyu) does not become a global megastar after this. Her performance is truly, unbelievably brilliant. In a genre often dominated by stoic fighters, she brings a raw, visceral vulnerability that anchors the entire film. You don’t just watch her pain and anger, you feel it in every single frame she occupies. She goes toe-to-toe with martial arts veteran Xie Miao and in many scenes, completely steals the spotlight. Her ability to convey that level of soul-crushing grief and white-hot rage at such a young age is nothing short of a masterclass in acting.The only reason this isn’t a perfect 10 is that it is occasionally very difficult to stomach. Even for a gritty revenge thriller, the level of violence directed at a child is extreme. Seeing a young girl get gang-beaten, kicked, strangled and even poisoned is incredibly heavy and may be too much for some viewers. While it successfully fuels the fire for the eventual revenge, those specific scenes are undeniably brutal.
The sequel manages to surpass the original by adding a profound emotional core. Watch it for the top-tier action, but stay for the legendary performance by Yang Enyou. If this is the start of her career, the sky is the limit.
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No mercy given
The absolute standout of this film is the subversion of the tired mercy trope. Usually, in C-Dramas, villains who commit unspeakable atrocities get away with a slap on the wrist or a moral lecture. Not here. When the villain—a man guilty of murder, torture, and rape—has the audacity to beg for his life, the ML gives the most satisfying response imaginable. Instead of taking the high road, he promises a brutal, visceral end (breaking limbs and worse) before finishing the job. It is refreshing to see a hero actually deliver the level of justice the crimes deserve.At just over 60 minutes, the film feels a bit too short. The world-building and action are so tight that you’re left wishing there was more time to sit with the characters.
The inciting incident involving the leading woman is incredibly heavy. The combination of her being brutally assaulted while her family is massacred was a bit too excessive and too much for my personal taste, even for a revenge thriller.
Overall, if you’re tired of holy protagonists who forgive everyone, watch this for the ML's uncompromising brand of justice. It’s a lean, mean action flick that doesn't pull its punches.
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Just watch it (only if you're emotionally ready)
A great film that depicts a real problem still very present in our societies. Beautifully done, might I add...had me smiling, crying, and yelling the whole film at 4 am in my bed.This movie has become one of the new additions to my favourites list. I'd recommend it if you want to see a heartfelt story that has many aspects anyone could find relatable, especially for those in that stage between being a teenager and an adult.
Rewatch value only that low cuz I don't want to put myself through that again, but I'd be up for showing this to someone else.
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Beatiful take on life and love
10/10 will never watch againWas left traumatized but ngl
The cinematography, the cast, the acting, the script, the plot, the ost, just absolutely everything about this movie is top-tier and such a masterpiece I will not shut up about. I just can't move on from this movie that I made my siblings watch the lyrics video on rain wedding (cuz why not it's so beautiful).
This movie had me on chokehold. It showed how unfair life is esp' in the rural areas, how people can be deceiving, people are selfish but at the same time people can be selfless, and how one lie can wreck a person. Life is unfair with many challenges yet he still chose to love again and to fight until the end. It showed several social issues that are VERY relevant in this time and age. Overall, it's not just about the durian farm, it's about society as a whole.
To end this, I would like to share that..........wtaf why universe whyyyyy likeee why him
Thank you 🙇♂️
P.S. I have watched this 2 years ago and has yet to rewatch it, still not ready for the pain it's gonna cause
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A Wonderful Movie! Watch it if you get the chance.
Don’t be discouraged by the low ratings! This is a wonderful movie through and through.In Young (FL) is a young dancer at the Seoul International Arts Company who loses her mother in a tragic accident. A year later, her dance instructor reluctantly invites her to live with her to prevent her from secretly sleeping at the dance studio. Now, In Young must juggle living with her cold and strict dance instructor while dealing with the dynamics of the other girls in the dance group.
The living situation of this happy-go-lucky yapper and the strict, disciplined professional instructor was the highlight of this show. It is comedic, sad at times and very well acted. The supporting characters, particularly the pharmacist, round out the cast nicely.
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"If you lose yourself, you'll be digging your own grave"
Hero (1997) is a remake of Chang Cheh’s 1972 The Boxer from Shantung. Shaw Brothers was on the downhill slide when they had Corey Yuen helm this bloody blast from the past starring Kaneshiro Takeshi.Ma Wing Ching and his brother Tai Cheung flee the drought-stricken Shandong Province to start over in Shanghai at the beginning of the 20th century. Their new home is filled with people looking for work and people looking to take advantage of them. Ma makes a strong impression on benevolent crime lord Tam See who was also from Shandong. Tam befriends the hothead as Ma makes his presence known in town. Malevolent crime lord, Yang Shuang, is determined to eliminate Tam and Ma for good.
The storyline was thin, with most of the characters being the same depth of cardboard. Despite Kaneshiro’s screen presence, Ma Wing Ching was hard to root for as he was overly proud and easy to anger. Plus, everyone was involved in crime, including the police. Yuen Biao played the “good” crime boss and Yuen Tak chewed the scenery as the “bad” crime boss. Yuen Wah and Corey Yuen provided comedy relief on occasion as did Jessica Hester. Jessica had little to do as the romantic interest. Valerie Chow was featured more prominently as the femme fatale.
Corey Yuen and Yuen Tak were the martial arts directors which meant the fights were wild featuring kung fu, hatchets, flaming hatchets, swords, chains, bamboo spikes, pistols, automatic weapons, hidden knives, a canon, and even holy Looney Toons---an anvil! There were two intricately choreographed fights centered around a horse. The credits stated that no animals were harmed or killed and I really hope they were telling the truth. My biggest disappointment was that badass Yuen Wah wasn’t showcased during the fights being relegated more to emotional support or humorous moments.
During the first half of the film, it was a challenge to invest in the story as Ma picked fights, staked out his territory, and arrogantly ignored the advice of people with his best interests at heart. As stunning as Kaneshiro was during his brutal encounters, I found his character difficult to like. Ma’s redemption arch required copious amounts of blood and limbs. My score is based largely on the creativity and fierceness of the fights. It was also fun to watch Yuen Biao and Yuen Tak take each other on in a ferocious kung fu battle. They did not disappoint. The final free for all was ridiculously over the top, hilariously so at times, yet entertaining. Graded on a mild kung fu curve.
23 April 2026
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault. A fight that littered the street with limbs. Gruesome impalements. Almost continuous smoking. Sometimes it was hard to see the characters' faces due to the clouds of white. Yuen Wah's dreadful haircut.
Connection note: The Yuens in this film all attended Yu Jim Yuen’s China Drama School.
Slightly spoilery observation below:
Characters survived catastrophic injuries, recovering quickly from wounds that should have killed them, left giant holes in the characters, and/or would have caused deathly infections. Never underestimate kung fu plot armor!
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Heartwrenching and Thoughtful
It’s a slow and thoughtful movie exploring selfishness and self.It begins as a contemplative romance but halfway becomes a tragedy that reveals more and more of why it’s called ‘Egoist’.
It recontextualises what you initially watched as a romance to reveal something deeper. You could easily watch it as a tragic romance where a son without a mother and a mother without a son find comfort in their shared grief. Or you could watch a man slowly take over the role of a son and replace his own mother, erasing both her and Ryuta from their narratives.
I love that you can see both perspectives and have very different experiences.
The acting is great and the cinematography is enjoyable.
It’s well worth watching if you want your heart to hurt.
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Cute zombie movie?
Okay I’ve watched a lot of zombie movies but this one was a bit different. I would compare it more to Warm Bodies than any other zombie film. The main zombie who doesn’t thirst for blood but a vegetarian diet wins your heart pretty early on. I won’t give away the ending but I’d say it’s definitely worth watching.Was this review helpful to you?
Super cute!
This was a really fun watch! It's exactly what I wanted out of a cute little youth romance movie, and it was paced surprisingly well throughout. The leads have good chemistry and I like that there's no annoying villain character in this — it makes their character arcs really refreshing. The ending ties everything up nicely as well. Remember to stick around for the post-credit scene!Was this review helpful to you?
