Reviews

who is the real you?

I don’t think I can truly find the right words to explain what this movie is about, but what I can say is that it was absolutely amazing! I have a deep admiration for Sakura Ando and appreciate the projects she chooses; she is such an interesting actress with a remarkable range in her performances.

This movie explores themes we don’t often discuss: identities. One's identity is the most important part of who we are, yet for most of us, it can become something we want to reject in order to be someone else. When we do that, who is the real you? This film not only addresses identities but also examines how society can persecute individuals based on who they are.

The movie also highlights a phenomenon known as "evaporation," which refers to how tens of thousands of people in Japan voluntarily disappear from their established lives each year without a trace. Driven by overwhelming social pressure, shame, debt, or failed relationships, these individuals abandon their families, jobs, and identities to live anonymously, often aided by a specialized industry of "night movers" and this pretty much what Mr X used ( fake Daisuke).

How much can societal labels affect you? I think we all understand that feeling when the world sees you as someone you are not and stamp on you label or an identity. This is illustrated through the character Daisuke Taniguchi, who, as the son of a convicted murderer, changes his identity to start anew after being defined by his father’s actions. We also see Akira, who was born and raised in Japan and speaks only Japanese, he is constantly belittled due to his Korean heritage and feels like an outsider. Similarly, Yuto struggles with his identity after his mother changes her surname following her divorce and remarriage, resulting in confusion about who he really is.

The film delves into the complexities of identity, often showing that people do not truly know one another. For example, Rie, who was married to a false Daisuke, wanted to uncover the identity of the man she thought she knew. Ultimately, she realized that she didn’t need to know the “truth”; Daisuke’s name became irrelevant because he was the person she knew at that time. This emphasizes that we can only truly know each other through interpersonal connections. A person can embody many identities at once or change quickly, and none of those identities are any less “real” than another.

This is just a beautifully crafted movie, and I can’t fully convey all its elements in this review. It is filled with depth, thought-provoking questions, and insightful answers. The story is powerful and made me reflect on my own identity. I highly recommend this film as a masterpiece of Japanese cinematography, and I hope it reaches the right audience to appreciate the gem it truly is.
One’s identity is a vital aspect of who we are; however, for some, it can define them in a way that makes them yearn to reject it and become someone else. If or when this transformation occurs, who is the real you?

My only complaint is that I wish Sakura Ando had more screen time. She is an extraordinary actress, and her expressiveness makes her performances uniquely talented.

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Good concept, weak script

Masks have long been associated with mystery and fear across different cultures worldwide. The idea of hiding one's true identity behind a mask taps into fundamental psychological fears, making them the perfect tool for horror movies to evoke a sense of unease and terror in the audience. In this film, the concept of Phi Ta Khon, a traditional masked festival in Thailand, is used as a backdrop for the supernatural horror elements of the film. The spooky masks donned by the dancers bring an air of mystery and dread to the narrative, setting up a potentially frightening experience. However, despite the promising concept and the potential for a frightening tale, the film falls short in its script and execution.

The story manages to build suspense and delivers a few jumpscares, but the plot, though promising, fails to fully capitalize on the great concept at its core. It feels flat and lacks the necessary depth to truly engage viewers in the film's world. I think the biggest drawbacks are the lack of solid character development, plot holes, and some weird plot points. Despite the plot twist, the movie struggles to maintain its tension as the story unfolds. As a horror film enthusiast, I found the twist to be rather predictable and unsurprising. The changes in tone and focus during the second half throw off the film's atmosphere, making it lose the momentum it built with the creepy Phi Ta Khon in the first half. I sighed and yawned quite a few times.

Mos Panuwat delivers a good performance, showcasing a different side of his acting abilities from his previous BL roles. However, his portrayal lacks the intense emotions needed to really draw you in. In contrast, Diana Flipo delivers an average performance, which doesn't really highlight her best work to this point.

Overall, "Ta Khon: The Cursed Mask" is a decent horror film that falls short of utilizing its great concept to its full potential. While the idea of blending tradition, ancestral beliefs, and horror elements is intriguing, the uneven story flow and lack of proper character development hinder its overall impact. If you're looking for a genuinely scary and emotionally gripping experience, you might end up feeling let down.

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Most unexpected plot twist ever !

Last winter, we parted is a thriller that had the most unexpected plot twist ever! Usually, in movies, you can pick up on certain signs or details that hint at upcoming events, but this movie completely took my breath away;I didn’t see that twist coming at all!
I love Japanese thriller because they are dark and often explore the craziest situations ever. The characters in these movies tend to be incredibly complex, twisted, and deep, and this particular film was just perfect example.
One aspect I really appreciated was how the cinematography matched the story seamlessly. The use of cold tones perfectly complemented the macabre feeling conveyed by the plot, and the cinematography significantly elevated the entire movie.

I highly recommend that you watch this movie without reading any plot summaries or watching trailers. It’s truly an amazing experience, and I believe that approaching it blindly will enhance your enjoyment even more.

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Utopia of Love

Can love last forever, or is that just an illusion or a utopia? This beautiful movie is an ode to love, presented in an artistic and rich way, offering plenty of details that each enrich the topic of love. In our time, it has become almost a rule that marriages don’t last or don’t work as intended, and each failed relationship seems to influence others to fail as well. In that environment, is it still realistic to believe in love?

I really liked the topic of the movie and how it was explored — with no definitive message, but instead open to personal reflection and conclusion. I also appreciate the style of the movie, which is a little unusual yet very artistic, while still remaining mainstream and entertaining. The filmmakers made the movie special without making it too weird. But most of all, I liked the characters. They had a special aura about them, especially the female lead, Mi-jeong. She is so naturally beautiful, without any need for makeup — something that has sadly become the standard for women today.

This movie is slow and graceful, just like a pavane (a piece of music and a dance), and it feels like a ray of light, inspiring viewers to take a leap of love — honestly and naturally. There is eternal Love above us all.

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Nice movie on taoism horror

Very good horror, I could only watch family/comedy/taoism horror type, and this has become the top in my taoism horror ranking.

The plot is interwoven nicely, and the beginning is truly impactful. The taoism plot points also held up to scrutiny. Although the plot points surrounding hsu chuan is kinda forced, like how could he take so long to notice something is wrong with his wife? Also I feel like seeing ah yi spitting blood at the beginning should have made people wary, and then his call about taoist should made him alert but he is alone and just froze.

The actress who played muhua is incredible, all her expression were on point. Sadly I think the one who played hsu chuan isn’t as good. If we compare them when they’re possessed, hsu chuan expression sometimes are awkward and couldn’t convey the terror. Other cast didn’t have many important scenes so I can’t judge but they seem to be fine.

Also the credit seems to hint on another season so I’m waiting for it

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Nice movie with stellar acting

Just watched this today, it was good movie. It successfully made me empathize with the characters.

My criticism is in the few plot point:
- jumping between trains, while the situation not being smooth makes it not as unrealistic, I still think the choice of adding this scene is puzzling
- the stabbing by ahui, I know this is to make sure aren can’t escape death, but it’s such flimsy excuse and later ahui death message makes it more laughable
- the perpetual cycle of bomber, this person family died in bom so police must die scenario was repeated thrice, it’s too boring and unreasonable. Being psychopath would’ve been better reason than grieving for their lost family

That said this movie truly has stellar acting (except the mom), austin lin and vivian sung acting really moved my heart. Their eyes, the way they’re trembling… 10/10

But overall 8.5/10 from me

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This two hour movie took me four hours to watch because I had to talk to a wall about it

Definitely shouldn't watch it just because you've seen some interesting edits and like Jeff Satur because I did. Not because it's bad, but it was really heavy.

Scenes and places they filmed in was so aesthetically pleasing. Cast was so good, story overall is so good. Especially the symbolizm they used, I don't think I catched all of them but one with the fleas investing Thongkham's house as a metaphor for mo and the mother taking over his house he got from working from NEGATIVES. This man really worked his ass off just for ending up like that. Also how Thongkham was going to lose everyting he had with Sek was told by how Mo took off Sek's ring to give it to mother.

*major spoilers*
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I really loved the main character Thongkham almost to the end, until the r*pe attempt scene. I do understand the motive behind it but it was still so uneccesary, it made me really disgusted. He shouldn't have even think about it as a solution. Still I am greatful they didn't sugarcoat it. Jingna was an amazing character too his death was really sad. I was really pissed at Mo from start but after a while we see she had her reasons. Especially with how women are treated in general. She had a hard life too.

I love angst stories but sometimes I wish for queer people to have a normal life so I will stick to BL series for a while now until I feel brave enough to watch another Naruebet Kuno movie.

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bittersweet

this was a short movie, but don’t let it fool you. when the film started, i I didn’t have high expectations nor wasn’t sure what to expect because i thought i kinda had the plot of the story figured out. even though it was true, i found myself with tears by the end.
i think Sang Beom could have been more sure with who he was and his identity before going into the relationship. the opinions and expectations of those that surround you shouldn’t matter if it with someone you truly love. i think Sang Beom did, but by the time he was sure it was too late.
i thought this film would have had a happier ending. i was a bit confused when Min Ha said they should break up, although i got the idea that Min Ha was giving too much to someone who wouldn’t do the same. they seemed so happy around the fireworks and sparklers for him to say those words with a smiling face.
he possibly felt he was doing a good thing, but Sang Beom’s internal feelings weren’t expressed yet.
the ending of Sang Beom at the same beach is what really got to me. it was bittersweet and i was honestly hoping Min Ha would pop up behind him. good story, would definitely rewatch and recommend! 🙌
reviewer note- i don’t write reviews often so it might not be very thorough but i tried to get all my points across.

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Why the wait

This left me with more questions than answers.

The acting and story was good. The use of blind spots and silence were effective. We get the stark reality of what it is to be deaf. Albeit, we know sound and he doesn't.

The questions that remain:
Why did he wait until the other was getting married?
Why was it so important then?
What made them lose contact?
What purpose would it serve now than earlier?
Was it to show that he operated on a different frequency to everyone else?
The symbolism of him at the end being a face in the crowd, then looking back, would suggest regret. When he got the answer at the wedding, his face conveyed everything. Why the ending?

He keeps saying, he is trapped among the crowd.
He traps himself and speaks too late. The word friend has no warmth. It does show how important he was to his friend as the friend continues to practice and use sign language even though they have been separated for five years.

For me, these are the types of films that are rewarding to watch as it creates further thought. It could have been longer.

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