Reviews

Interesting Plot but not enough time!

So i really love the plot idea tbh, i would've loved it to be way longer ofc and deeper, there were a lot of subplots that could've been explored more in depth & i would've liked more screen time of the MC's and their chemistry. I'd like to see such a similar plot in another serie~


I was also shocked to find out that the MC's+ side characters are in a real Kpop group together hahaha🥰


the acting is okay, its the first time! (KB seems like a good potential to get into acting i think? with more practice he could get very good!) i would LOVEE to see more of the MC's maybe in another drama? :3 their chemistry is really good

overall you can watch it for passing time, its cute and short!


if any of the group members read through reviews, you did great! fighting! 💞


support the irl group! they're great :)

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Quiet Romance

Title: "Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san" MOVIE – Teasing master takagi-san

Story:
As a fan of the anime and manga, I was so excited about this movie. I’ve also watched the live-action series featuring a younger Takagi and Nishikata, but you don’t need to have seen it to enjoy this film as it stands well on its own.

What I appreciated most is how this movie captures the same relaxing and nostalgic vibe as the anime. It’s quiet, slow-paced, and even a bit awkward at times, which some might find dull, but I personally enjoyed it. In fact, it feels more like a true “coming-of-age” story compared to the live action in their younger years. The romance is subtle and focuses largely on ML realizing his feelings.

While I liked the film overall, I was slightly disappointed by the absence of other characters (Yukari, Hibino, and Sanae), as well as the minimal development in the relationship between the leads from their childhood days. But I loved that they showed "100% Unrequited Love" and also baby Chi.

That said, I really appreciate this adaptation, and the confession scene stood out to me for its realism. Although the side story about the students felt quite average, it didn’t detract too much from the overall experience.

Acting/Cast:
I enjoyed the chemistry between the ML and FL. It’s subtle but fitting for the tone of the story. I really loved Takagi. Here, she’s less clever, more demure, and more shy. This shows her growth into a woman and the actress did an excellent job. Nishikata remains as innocent as ever, but there’s more depth to him now. He’s not just a boy anymore but a teacher trying his best. Watching him slowly acknowledge his feelings and with more maturity to his character that I really appreciated.

Music:
I love the music/OST for this. I hoped they kept the anime version OST or atleast the first song tho so it’ll be more nostalgic
Rewatch Value:
I will definitely rewatch this especially when I just want something light, and relaxing.

Overall:
I may be biased since I really love karakai jozu no takagi-san but this for me, delivers a touching, quiet romance that fans of Teasing Master Takagi-san

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Great Musical Movie with a Good Message

I haven't watched the original 1982 movie nor the 2018 stage musical so I have no other platforms to compare the story of this movie to.

I thought the story was able to tell a good message about how fanaticism and idol worship can lead to destruction. I also love the songs, they are present to move the story forward or inform about the characters, instead of just being there.

The acting was excellent. I thought Aicelle Santos was great and she was my bet for Best Actress but the rest of the cast is also praiseworthy. They all have excellent skills and in my opinion are all better actors than a lot of famous actors you see in Philippine TV.

9.5/10 stars

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Excellent Movie with Great Acting Performances

I'm not intro prisoner movies but I was so excited for this movie the moment it was announced because of the cast (Dennis Trillo plus featuring Iza Calzado) and the director (Zig Dulay, who directed one of my favorite Filipino series Maria Clara at Ibarra). It did not disappoint.

Surely there are some parts of the story that is a bit predictable (I kind of guessed that Dennis's character is nicer than he is, why else would a movie that stars him as a prisoner be a movie about hope and kindness?). However the way the story is presented still amazes me. I love the fact that we are presented a complete picture of the story through two different narratives/points of view. First, from Ruru's Javier character, where we understand why he thinks criminals can never be repentant of their actions and then later on Dennis's Domingo, where we learn that we never really know a person's real personality unless we actually spend time with the person.

I thought Dennis's character Domingo has some similarities with Flower of Evil's (https://kisskh.at/54625-flower-of-evil) main character Do Hyun Soo, both are suspected criminals, both are talented in woodcarving, both have close relationships with a little girl. Even with the characters having similarities (even both shows have a theme of even a person who appears or has done wicked things in the past, he/she can show some goodness), Green Bones is still very different from Flower of Evil, and its plot is very unique.

The acting performances are also great. From the trailers alone, it's very obvious that Dennis has amazing range and acting capabilities. You see him as the character, not as Dennis Trillo playing the character (I especially felt this as I'm currently watching his TV series Pulang Araw where he played a ruthless Japanese officer). He has good chemistry with the little girl who played his niece Ruth (Sienna Stevens). This is my first time watching Ruru Madrid and he certainly was able to held his own against Dennis Trillo. Wendell Ramos is effective as a ruthless guard, he really was so scary in this movie. I also enjoyed seeing Alessandra De Rossi and Iza Calzado, both gave great performances despite their acting parts being short (I also love Iza and Dennis's family chemistry). The girls who played Ruth (Sienna Stevens and Sofia Pablo) are also great rising young actresses. I love seeing Mikoy Morales here after Pulang Araw, it's hilarious to see him and Dennis being friends here when Dennis's Pulang Araw character tortured his (Mikoy) character.

I'll rate this movie 9.5/10

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Amazing directing of sophisticated layered characters!

Such a wonderful piece by Okita Shuichi Kantoku whose sense of humor is sophisticately elevated with unique acting crew!
I was pretty amazed to see this cast assembly starting with fact that we will be watching Igawa Haruka as a mom more often, also m, cannes winner Yagira with nice touch of interpretating the "normals" of society, of course magnificent NON and a layer of reality, KAHO that bonds audiences with the story.

Film also won the JSFF title of Nikola Stojanović Legacy Award, apparently a big deal in Serbian community, but it definitely proven is wastly underrated overseas.

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The happiest 1h49min of the day

What a healing movie❤️
I personally loved it and gave it 10/10. The plot is well written. The lesson is clear and the acting is on point. Throughout the movie, you learn to appreciate the hearing ability you have and sounds around you. How scary the world would be without sounds. :'(
I particularly liked how "calm" it was. Who said you need a script and words to convey messages and emotions? Everything was crystal clear through the facial and body expressions of the actors, especially Hong Kyung.
Romance wise I'd say it was actually natural and relatable. They're at a stage where they get to know each other. You can't take shortcuts in love so their relationship is slowly building up and I could feel it.
Anyways, I highly recommend it if you're looking for something healing and stress relieving.

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Movie VS Series - A Case of Perspective!

Having watched the series earlier this year and now the movie, you can see that they come from the same source material, but there are stark differences between the two productions.

The series tells the story of the male lead and his struggles to find love in the big city. It takes us through his different encounters in the gay scene. It shows you his life and friendships in the city and it also takes you through his growth and development as a writer. It does this in detail, because it has 8 episodes and has the time and space for exploration, which the movie cannot do.

The movie tries to tell the same story, but places more focus on his friendship with the female lead, ending sweetly with her wedding. The series continued past her wedding and showed what happens with this friendship when she is now in her marriage era. I enjoyed seeing her husband’s character in the movie which I feel I missed in the series.

I also feel the audiences may have been different for the series vs the movie. The series was indeed a queer love story and was enjoyed and treasured by those who consume the media. As a fan of BL, I found the story was steeped in realism and didn’t have time for fluff, leaving many of us breathless.

Oops, I think I just gave myself away. I absolutely prefer the series. It gave me a glimpse into real gay lives which I deeply appreciated.

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Story was all over the place

Let me start by saying that this is an honest reaction as a viewer. I'm not trying to ride the hype train, nor am I discrediting the actresses for their hardwork and effort.

Going into the movie, I was super excited. After all, this is the first sci-fi film for a Thai GL pair. However, during the first 20 mins, it was clear that the creators wanted to convey too many messages and decided to just add everything all at once. The story was going in so many different directions that the viewer is left wondering what is going on. They could have refined the dialogue as well. A lot of lines were repeated and didn't feel natural between the supporting actors. Whatever they were trying to do with this film, it did not work. I wish they went for a more thoughtout script than this.

By the middle of it, the movie was just dragging on. The soundtrack was its saving grace, tbh.

Again, no hate or ill intentions towards the actresses at all. They did a good job with what they were given. That said, this movie isn't worth the hype.

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Good things, are felt in the heart

“Her” stories can sometimes feel like one step forward two steps back. With so many feminism themed stories, what makes Her Story special?

Grounded. Relatability. Chemistry.

First, Her Story found the right balance between our female leads’ strengths and weaknesses. As one of the quotes I read online before mentioned, “There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness.” For a movie that’s character focused, half the battle is won when it has main leads whom we can relate to.

In Her Story, we are able to see Tie Mei’s capable sides - upright, honest, independent, forgiving, helpful and adaptable. We also see her cowardly sides - strong facade, bad temper, insensitive and unwilling to rely on others. Not only Tie Mei, other characters have multi dimensional facades that make audience relate to them. Ah Ye, though a hopeless romantic and has low self esteem due to family upbringing, is courageous in her pursuit of love. Sure, she is the friend that we will scold for giving attention to a guy that’s undeserving. But she is also honest with herself and always willing to take the first step in relationship. The last person who forms this stable triangle is Tie Mei’s young daughter, Mo Li. A little perceptive beyond her age, she is often able to point out the crutch of the issue in a few words. Though this child also has her moody, sensitive and more innocent side befitting of a child.

With such strong characters and great actresses portraying them, the other half of the battle comes the script and messaging of Her Story.

Remember the one step forward two steps back I mentioned at the beginning? I am glad Her Story is taking two and probably three steady steps forward - which I hope will be the wave that leads feminism themed story to a positive direction.

Her story openly explore and ask us whether we should question some of the common mindsets we have been holding for awhile now - the open talk about menstrual cycle, saying No firmly to behaviours you don’t like about sex, the shallow mindset of feminism that misses the mark, the “rule” of capitalism and pragmatism, being honest about your own experience and feeling, judging people when you aren’t in their shoes, as well as being our own harsh critics and prisoner.

These aren’t anything new or groundbreaking. And they sound like heavy, sensitive topics. But I love how Her Story raises them rightfully, carefully, heartwarmingly and wittily through the chemistry and love we feel Tie Mei, Ah Ye and Mo Li share. This gives a positive, forward momentum to face these common issues we face day to day.

I generally instinctively avoid heavy themed social stories because there are often more noises than groundbreaking insights among the opinions. Her Story feels special because it contains a level of grounded optimism and wit in delivering a feminism themed story. And so, this is Her Story, moving forward.
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“Because we are optimistic and confident enough, we thus can face tragedy head on”. ~ from Her Story
“因为我们足够乐观和自信，我们才能直面悲剧”. ~ 好东西

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Merry Christmas

Unattainability. No other word so clearly defines Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Unattainable pursuits for perfection, connection and forgiveness. An affecting and hauntingly beautiful experience about finding common ground even in the most hellish of circumstances, an undercurrent of revolutionary discourse in masculinity subversion bubbles furiously throughout the film deepening its already poignant lamentations about war's humanity-stripping effect and the self-imposed prisons that are obsession, honour and shame. Cultural divide and human nature encapsulate Nagisa Ōshima's film and one that he directs with the utmost care and attention, every shot is purposeful and framed with an immaculate beauty. It's relentlessly grim, constantly off-balance, periodically moving and continually striking thanks to Tōichirō Narushima's enchanting photography. There's a certain mystical quality to the performances of Bowie and Sakamoto both as arresting as each other, most likely a causality of their star power as musicians. However, it's the all-too-human reflections of Kitano and Conti that make this a true tearjerker with the duo sharing the film's final and most powerful moment, sometimes all it takes is a "Merry Christmas" to get the tears flowing. The real kicker for many is the film's utterly intoxicating musical score by Sakamoto; it stays with you long after viewing, conjuring up an atmosphere of regret, lost love and repressed heartbreak that we see in Yonoi's unrequited love for Celliers bloom. One of the most powerful pleas for tolerance ever committed to celluloid, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is one of the most captivating and mournful looks at the atrocities man commits to himself, so much is said without words, sometimes just emotions are enough. One that acquires depth and emotional scope the more you dwell on it, I should know, I've been thinking about this film since I first watched it two years ago and it's every bit a masterpiece now as it was back then.

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Don't Shy Away From Being Yourself ❤️

Life becomes a little easy - when you find people who accept and love you for who you truly are. This message is exceptionally narrated in this movie through the main leads who are deemed "different" by society but manage to hold on to each other and fight through prejudices/biases of society, friends, family and their own self to eventually loving and accepting themselves for who they truly are.

From the moment we're born, society judges us for our looks, height, skin color, skills, sexual orientation, behavior, and more. Biases and prejudices are ingrained in people’s minds upon first meeting us, and while some may change with understanding, many remain. Despite progress, there’s still a long way to go to eliminate these judgments in today's world. "Love in the Big City (2024)" is a commendable step in the right direction, and I applaud the cast, crew, and original novel creators for this remarkable film.

The movie powerfully portrays the challenges of "being different" through a heartfelt narrative that evokes a range of emotions—smiles, tears, and everything in between. The female lead is someone I've admired for a long time, but this was my first time seeing Steven Noh in action. Known from "Pachinko," his portrayal, even within a limited emotional range as his character demanded, showcased his immense talent. The main leads bond together on the common ground of being labelled outcasts and the movie progresses from their 20s to early 30s showing us how they fight the societal prejudices, missed chances at love, inner fear of showing their true self, facing their family, overcoming failed relationships to ultimately accepting their own true self, and being proud of it.

The line "How can being yourself be a weakness?" resonates as the film’s strongest message. Personally, as someone who has faced various judgments from young age from strangers/close relations alike movies like this offer a solace of sorts - a feel-good factor that reinforces the importance of learning to love your true self, before seeking it elsewhere.

The film does not come across as preachy - but rather resonates with me (and am sure others) because it does not shy away from showing the good/bad and ugly side of journey towards self-acceptance. Profound, Powerful, Engaging - from start to finish, would highly recommend it as a must watch ❤️

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As a stand-alone, pretty good. As a continuation, empty.

If this movie stood on its own as a second-chance romance tale, I might've rated it higher. While the main characters were consistent to the drama prequel versions of themselves, they were perhaps too consistent. It felt as if they didn't really learn and grow from those events. Xavier especially easily fell back into his old cycle of giving up his own happiness for other's expectations. Which, yes, 1000% happens. But was was the point in the webseries then?

It was also too tropey for my liking. Not necessarily because of how many there were or even how they came in quick succession of each other... But because they didn't really DO anything. As one reviewer wrote, it was "like empty calories."

The movie ultimately felt like a waste of time. We didn't learn or see anything new from these characters. Nor did we even get any fluff of them being a couple. We cycled back into the same angst as the webseries, and ended in much the same place as the webseries too actually.

I will say though, JC (Milo)'s performance was quite spectacular. When he broke down in front of Xavier and asked for him to stop messing with his head... it was so real. I felt that.

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