Reviews

A movie where nothing happens

I want to start off by saying I watched this some years ago and I remember it vividly. I was up at 2 am having searched for an hour trying to find a way to watch it, and I found a way. Ever since then, I think about this movie often.
I'm not really sure what the plot was and I don't think there was much character development — but nevertheless I still deeply enjoyed it and woukd rate it 8 stars. This movie also sparked a new love for niche indie films where nothing truly happens.
For whoever is reading this, I would recommend you watch it. Just don't expect anything in particular. It's a good movie to take a break to. I'm not a thought out movie critic so I can't give a well written thorough review on what's good and bad about this movie, but I genuinely liked it for some reason.

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Ruined by the ending of the movie

I was looking for a sad movie but not one who made me depressed..
In the beginning of the movie everything was toooooo slowly at point to get bored..some scene when there is silent wtf
I really felt in love with this couple they were born to be a couple ultra mega chemistry...even im sure she is older than him xD
I have felt so impressed by the plot twist but the final minute made me furious why ending like that I wanted an happy ending I wanted her and him to back to be a couple..escaping was such a coward decision..im sure together they can overcome it..if she really wants she can never give up..and why nothing was explained about the causes of this issue whyyyyyy.
I really fely joy while watching it maybe being in love with someone is not that bad buttt they still deserve a happy ending.The room scene was just wow he really did his best for her to not forget her..she just wanted him to be happy..not not suffer anymore..but i firmly believe that without her..he will suffer more.
I hope they will produce more movie like this one but with ending on point.

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Everyone Praising This (except me)

I was really looking forward to this movie after all the hype my group mates made about it.
I really wanted to like this movie.
I really wanted to have hope it would get better as a watched.
I really could not believe I sat through it all.

Some people like shows/films because of who the actors are. That’s all I can figure. Win’s fan base is massive. He seems like a great guy and a good actor. If you exclude high-five bro that is. But F4 Thailand I thought he recovered and went up from there. But I digress.

The plot was predictable, the acting was mostly average with a few better scenes and a few not so good ones (Win was very good), the characters were frustrating at some of their choices and actions, the ending was just sad.

There is a trope has developed lately of sad endings, killing off a main character and showing the remaining one trying to reconcile and heal. And if you are a glutton for heartache, a masochist, someone who just enjoys a good devastating cry, this is absolutely it for you. It just isn’t for me. Before you come at me for the whole “healing is part of life and this is a happy outcome overall” I just can’t see it that way. No convincing will work.

I will keep watching Win’s works as I come across them (hopefully with happier endings). But I will avoid this one much like I avoid 2gether.

You don’t need trauma to have a good show.

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I CAN'T SEE BUT I SEE EVERYTHING..I CAN'T HEAR BUT I HEAR EVERYTHING...

Am not a Manga reader so whenever I give any manga insprired drama,I have no expections to meet.
And when it comes to japanese melodrama I go in looking for winter on a summer day,life lessons
or tears.Either way I always get what am looking for..mostly tears,for Japanese writers are gifted at that.

I read reviews and many were positive with a "But" neverthless I saved this for my PWL and I did like it,
somehow it kept me on edge because i had a weird feeling that something bad was going to happen,
even though many had spoiled the end but who can trust Japanese writers?

Tomohisa Yamashita is a veteran actor and he never does wrong in my eyes and I was thinking he could
play Steve Wonder so easly.Its the first time watching any Yuko Araki work but I think she did a stellar job.

Japanese cinematography and production are never up for discussion,they know what they are doing.
The story was beautiful,I learnt permenant lifetime lessons on disability,love and the fact that giving up
should never be an option.It makes you appreciate the gift of sight,hearing and ability to speak.
There was some plots holes which I wished were filled butI dont want to mention
them to avoid spoiling it.But In a two hour movie,its not easy to close all the gaps.

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this aint a cliche sickness movie...

Even if This Love Disappears From the World Tonight* hit me right in the heart. Uff, it’s a gorgeously filmed love story that truly dives into what it means to love someone when time and even memory are slipping away. The leads are bound by a promise that’s both heartbreaking and beautiful, and as their bond grows, the story pulls you deeper with it. This isn’t your usual “sickness” trope; it’s about the fleeting magic of love and how memories shape us, even as they fade. If you’re into emotional, thought provoking stories, this one’s an absolute must-watch.

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Cruel and Unusual Punishment

I had no warning. I did not do my usual research before watching this drama, and I paid the price.

The story started out so well and moved along albeit a little slowly for my taste, but I really got invested in this couple. Loved the ML's sincerity and his well-intended if a little misguided actions. The FL did a great job of acting - but I can't say the character written for her endeared me to her. She certainly paid for the decisions she made and the biggest mistake of staying with the SML.

The writers blamed Fate to write the cruel destiny of these two lovers, and I despised them (the writers) for that. The tasteful and beautifully shot intimate scenes, and the unrushed way the couple fell in love was the heart of this piece. The ML was perfect. The FL was initially silly and naïve, but she eventually gave in. I was so invested. I loved them together until she made that stupid choice... and just when I thought it would all come together, the writers threw in that agonizing twist that just about broke my heart and had me screaming at the screen.

I am so sorry I watched this drama. So sorry! I will look for this ML's other works, and I hope there are some. But as for the writers of this, I will never watch anything they produce again. Ever. Lesson learned the hard way, next time I research before I click 'watch'. This was a very painful lesson for me.

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Mediocre Film but a Much Better Adaptation of Uzumaki

Because of how shit the Uzumaki anime has been, I'm curious how the 2000 movie faired.

(See my review of the anime: https://myanimelist.net/reviews.php?id=541621

See my review of the manga: https://myanimelist.net/reviews.php?id=541619 )

Note: Uzumaki means spiral so the name for this movie can either be Uzumaki or The Spiral.


§ Overview

The story starts with Goshima Kirie going on her way until she finds her boyfriend's father observing something. This bloke has been obsessed with spirals. Kirie's boyfriend, Saitou Shuuichi, feels something is amiss in this town, which he calls the curse of the spiral. Eventually, his father dies and a series of horrors plague this town.


§ Remarks

As a horror story, this is so-so. It doesn't appear in the conversation of Japanese horror stories compared to the likes of The Ring with its iconic character of Sadako.

It has an acceptable enough use of cinematography, and the motif of spirals appears frequently as it should.

That said, I find this a better adaptation compared to the anime. One may fault this for having been released prior to the completion of the manga and that it's not a complete adaptation. But what it adapts, it executes too well. It does not suffer from the phrenetic pacing of the anime.

The elements of several chapters appear, but they are modified as needed. This movie does not attempt to make a one-to-one adaptation. The net effect is that a select few horrific events are given the full effect rather than being diluted as in the case in the anime.

Also, since the manga wasn't finished when this was originally shown, it had to make an original ending. It's a so-so ending compared to the full impact of the manga ending, but philosophically speaking, one can make the case that it's better.

Kirie's survival is low, but it leaves that possibility. Also, the movie failed to establish that they are unable to leave town. Hence, by sheer coincidence, we don't know if it follows the malevolent universe premise of the manga. This hole is what makes it ironically better.


§ Conclusion

I'm not sure I would recommend this movie by itself, but for those who are already fans of the Uzumaki manga, I give this a full recommendation.

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not groundbreaking, but definitely cute

this was quite a predictable movie, but sometimes you need a feel good romance that doesn’t try too hard to surprise you LOL. the start was a bit iffy because of the shy acting and such but im glad i stuck with it. the characters grew on me, and for a high school romance, it delivered exactly what i expected: lighthearted, sweet, and fun. its not groundbreaking, but it’s the kind of movie you can relax and enjoy without overthinking. perfect for when you’re in the mood for something simple and cute!

pros:
characters are likable
sweet moments
easy to follow
great for fans of high school romance
low stakes
character development
pretty cast

cons:
slow start
lacks originality
predictable
not too much of emotional depth

overall, if your looking for something lighthearted and an easy 1 hr & 50m watch, definitely RUN to this

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I really liked this b/c Jeon Jong Seo as OkJu is absolutely fantastic! I have only seen in her Money Heist: Korea and she was one of the best things about that show.

She carries this film and that opening scene was excellent but then the action was non-existing. It was a bit slow for my liking at the beginning and I get that they were trying to get the audience to understand why Ok Ju would go through those lengths to avenge Min Hee. Some of the flashbacks went on a little too long. Overall, I enjoyed it. I was even taken by surprise when she killed one of the characters. Did not see that coming!

Kim Ji Hoon never disappoints! This man can play the worst villain and then the complete opposite. The scene where he is working out... Oh my goodness!

10/26/24

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Kung Fu Jellyfish!

Jellyfish Eyes is a children’s movie by director Murakami Takashi that showed children, adults, and “scientists” attempting to process the trauma of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Everyone searched for answers on how to be safe in an unsafe and unpredictable world. Or if you just look on the surface it was about children with magical creatures that were often used like Pokémon cockfights.

Masashi lost his dad during the tsunami. He and his mom have finally left the evacuation camp and moved to a new place. Moments after moving in he discovers a creature he calls Kurage-bo (Jellyfish boy) who devours their stock of Chee-kama. His uncle Naoto works at the university’s lab with several creepy scientists wearing black capes. They are seeking a way to collect the life force that creates disasters and the small creatures they call F.R.I.E.N.D.s were a byproduct. Masashi learns at school that everyone has a F.R.I.E.N.D. though the other students have controls they can use to make their creatures invisible. They also have contests where their creatures fight each other. When Tatsuya sics his critter on Masashi, Kurage-bo defeats the chief bully’s frog with martial arts. Go Kung Fu Jellyfish! Masashi makes friends with Saki and her giant dog F.R.I.E.N.D., Luxor. Saki’s mom belongs to a cult that attempts to control the uncontrollable through picketing and prayer. It’s not long before the creepy caped scientists’ goal is revealed to be fiendish in the old school burn things to the ground and start over format.

The movie primarily focused on the children and their relationships with each other and their F.R.I.E.N.D.s. Though the actions of adults and the government were called into question, the children’s violent tendencies showed that cruelty starts young. Masashi and Saki wanted to avoid the Pokémon, I mean F.R.I.E.N.D. fights. Their selfless actions came to change the hearts of the bullies. The two young actors gave good performances as Masashi and Saki. Saitoh Takumi as Uncle Naoto played several handsome versions of himself.

Jellyfish's CGI was adequate, but not stellar. The creatures were all different and creative. Kung Fu Jellyfish made a variety of transformations when needed to help save the world. During many of the fights, I was disturbed at creatures with no agency of their own forced to fight each other. Give the kids brass knuckles and bats and let them duke it out instead of setting basically enslaved creatures against each other. On the positive side, Masashi and Saki were against the fights. The film did offer a little something for my kaiju loving heart which boosted its rating for me.

There were not one, but two delusional cults that wanted to cleanse the land. Adults turned to whoever promised them some sort of control over disasters and evil. Kids today are more science savvy so the convoluted science babble the black cloaked nihilists banged on about might leave them shaking their heads. While the children learned about cooperation and bravery, the adults just wandered around in a fog leaving the world saving to the kids.

Jellyfish Eyes was not a great film and could have cut its run time to eliminate a couple of draggy places. For younger children the film had enough random action and small creatures to possibly keep their attention. I thought the film had several cute moments for children and also tried to address the community trauma parts of Japan suffered in the aftermath of the tsunami and Fukushima disaster. Masashi and Saki had an endearing friendship as they both tried to come to terms with the loss and change they’d experienced all while playing with their not so invisible F.R.I.E.N.D.s. They even found time to save the world.
(Rated as a children's film)

27 October 2024
Trigger warnings: What looked like a suicide. Bullying.

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Potential

It's not an entirely new story but it is an interesting take. I remember seeing a similar movie years ago with a similar plot. I think the biggest problem with this movie is the writing, or lack thereof. I can't blame the actors for a lackluster performance when they aren't given much to work with. Sandwiched between the NC scenes are what I assume is supposed to be "plot" but it doesn't contribute anything. It probably would have been better marketed as just soft porn. The NC was good in the way it was realistic for how gay sex is. The potential lies in how it can influence other movies/dramas within the genre, but not on its own

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Unlikable characters and unsatisfying ending

I hated a lot of things about this.

Carrie? Awful. She didn't care about anyone but herself and she was a truly terrible friend to Jonathan.

Shane? Awful, but he was just doing his best. At least I thought so until the weird sex scene that came out of nowhere. Why did he do that? Did he have feelings for Jonathan or was he doing that to keep him from leaving?

Jonathan? He deserved better than what both the other characters put him through emotionally.

The ending? Awful. Where is the closure? It ended without actually knowing where Shane stands or knowing his motives for certain things he did. Is he picking Carrie? Is he picking Jonathan? Does he get to keep them both? Does he lose one? We just don't know and that made the entire experience of the movie a waste of time because nothing actually mattered and nothing is resolved.

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Saucy love

I've read that Korean dramas can be clean cut and conservative, while the movies can be a bit edgier. This was definitely edgy!

It was also so refreshing to watch as it dealt with BDSM in a very adult way. I didn't feel like it was approached in a sniggering or childish way. People like different things and the movie explored that.

It explored the consequences of someone trying to be authentic with others. Until we share ourselves with others, we will never know how accepting the other person will be or how supportive. There were some sad moments and some funny moments. There were also some interesting moments - going to the shop and looking at what's offered was eye opening as was what the FL did for the ML. Who knew that the quality of the rope matters?

What I liked: the personality of the ML was so well acted. He was vulnerable but determined in what he wanted.
What I didn't like: the ending was a bit abrupt and a little silly, but also predictable.

It's made me look at all my co-workers in a new way....

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