Reviews

A right person at the wrong time is the wrong person.

This film was really fun to watch because it had a perfect blend of real life, romance and comedy. Oh My Girl is a Thai romantic comedy that showed the funny and sweet moments of young love and finding yourself through heartbreaks and its lessons. It is light and easy to watch aa the characters are easy to relate to. It has a good balance of funny and sad moments that kept me interested from start to finish.

Storyline:
The story is about the unexpected things that happen when the main characters meet and it is both fun and touching. The story unfolds in a way with funny moments that do not feel forced and sad moments that feel real. The screenplay does a job of mixing romance with everyday life making the characters feel real and relatable. I loved how the characters were shown in a way. The realistic approach of the character won me over. The subtle difference between like and love is very visible in FL, 2ML and ML. Love is supposed to heal, it shouldn't hurt.

Acting:
The actors did a job and the main leads had a nice chemistry on screen. They showed the innocence, awkwardness and excitement of love in a humorous way. The supporting characters added depth and humor to the story making it more interesting without taking from the main story.

Cinematography:
The director did a job with the film's colorful and fun cinematography which went well with the happy tone of the story. The pace of the film is well done, kept me on my toes to see what will happen to the characters. The use of locations and creative camera work made the film look nice making it more fun to watch.

Overall it was a fun film that let me escape into a world of young love and laughter. It is a film for people who like romantic comedies and stories, about growing up and feeling real emotions. The film is lovely because it is simple and shows emotions making it a memorable film.

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Unspoken Feelings and Hidden Connections

This movie explores themes of coming out, longing, and discovering love. It goes beyond dialogue and simple body language, capturing emotion through the way the characters move, touch, and look at each other. There is always a sense that something deeper lies beneath what is said and done.

At times, certain moments feel underexplained, as the story seems to jump ahead without fully showing why the characters behave the way they do. This can make parts of it slightly confusing. Still, the film feels grand and emotionally rich overall, making it an enjoyable watch. The dancing scenes, in particular, stand out and add a beautiful layer to the connection between the characters.

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This film was very obviously made with a shoestring budget. The most obvious is the audio quality. It seems they had issues with the original sound and had to dub most scenes later, and some of those dubs have a slight echo to them. Cuts between scenes are often hard and jarring, some supporting actors seem to have taken on the job just for the fun of it.

However, despite all of these technical issues, the film is worth a watch. Both main leads do a good job of portraying their characters -- I wish some of the newer BL productions had this high of acting quality -- and since this is a character driven story, that is the most important part for me.

Tum's story, who is the character we mostly follow in the beginning, is a classic coming-of-age story: He leaves the familiar shores of home and sets out into the wide world, where he meets people whose life is unusual for him, goes through rites of passage, falls in love, makes peace with his father, and finds what he wants in life.
Personally, I find Kim's story much more interesting -- he is a boy who is very lonely, who drifts over the island like a ghost. He is the one who embodies the feeling of "other" that makes us feel Not Seen. A supporting character puts it like this "มันคงจะดีนะ ถ้าใครสักคนเห็นเราอยู่ในสายตา" -- "It's probably good, right? When someone has us in their view." This desire to be seen, to be understood, is a very human trait, I think.

This could have been maybe made a little bit more obvious for the casual viewer; instead the writer tried to insert another metaphor into the story -- a metaphor which is related to wate: Pivotal scenes are often either in the rain or at the sea shore, and the girl who ties two storylines together is called น้ำ /náam/ "Water"), so I suppose this is intentional but I'm not sure what it means.
Together with the aspect that there were some scenes that didn't add much to the story, I think that the script could have been tightened slightly to make the theme clearer.

One last thing: The film is tagged with "BL", "gay", "young love" and "sexual awakening" on GagaOOLala, but it isn't, not really. In my view, it's less queer than "Confetti", and that one went over the head of many viewers, according to reactions on letterboxd. It's perfectly possible to view "Summer to Winter" as a film about a strong friendship between two young people.

As it is, it's a fine low-budget film, with some beautiful shots of Koh Tao, decent acting by the main leads, and a good, though not great, screenplay.


Was it good?
Overall, I think this was actually quite nice for an indie low-budget film.

Did I like it?
I would have liked it sightly better if the editing had been a bit gentler, but yes, I did.

Who would I recommend it to?
Not to people who only want to watch BLs. To those who love coming-of-age stories, and who like metaphors.

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THAT PERSON YOU'LL DIE FOR...

I have a very hard time reviewing movies because I'm a "series " girlie.
I like to explore a story, see characters development over time, so movies are a bit ostic to judge.

plot:
a boy and a girl , who met as kid, see each other again once adult. they fall in love but destiny is not always in our hands..or is it?

the plot is very simple and not that deep which means there isn't that much to talk about.

why do these candles work they they do? I don't know.
does it have something to do with his mother? we don't know.

that's what is good and bad about movies... you have to take everything at face value because there is no time to explore anything.

we speed run through their love story which is basically done in 2 minutes. I didn't feel a particular connection to them but overall we can still feel the love they have for each other.

there is no time to get attached to them as people so I just focused on something universal: the pain of losing your loved one.

you enjoy the movie not because of what is happening TO THEM but because of WHAT is happening to them.

you still feel the fear, the urgency , the worry and the pain even though, unlike other reviewers , I didn't end up crying.

I didn't quite like that the FL tried to contact the ml after her wish because that would basically break the pact you made with destiny.

I think it would have added more pathos If she just stopped looking for him.

the ending is happy because it seems that fate is letting them finally rekindle.

the acting was good overall, the tone of the movie felt right.

definitely an easy watch but don't expect nothing devastating.

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heartwarming slice of life with a Zombie twist

I read this as a Webtoon as it originally was being published, so imagine my surprise when they announced it as a film. The film stays true to the source material and keeps the humour. I had initially thought that they wouldn't be able to keep some of the funny moments but surprisingly they gave the same energy and vibe. The show is a softer Zombie slice of life so the only hard things to get through was the end, luckily i was prepared. Its heartwarming but at the same time sad. Get ready for a stellar cast that makes the whole film be cute heartwarming and an overall enjoyable watch.

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Perfect high School Gl

I love this short film sm. It's fairly realistic portrayal of highschool couples. The ending got me ugly sobbing. I really loved them sm😭😭😭 the only complaint I have is that it's short. But even so I feel like it was perfect for this show. Short and sweet while it lasted just like the couples, with a bitter aftertaste.

This show portrays how mistreatment of queer couples/ppl and could be also trying to portray
misogyny in society which also interlinks w the mistreatment of queer individuals (this is just my thoughts on it, I tend to overthink stuff often maybe this was not even a point in the show but I feel like there are hints to it in the show)

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Stop comparing and judging before it's completed!

I have watched 13 espisodes and find them to be entertaining and fast paced. I find the actors all did a good job. I find that the story lines can definitely stand alone and you really don't have to watch Princess Agent to understand this series. I disagree with people knocking the FL because she is young. I think she did a great job so far and it isn't fair to compare her to others. I think, so far, this series is just as good as PA. I watched PA just before the release of Rebirth so it is very fresh in my mind and I honestly don't think Rebirth as a production and it's actors are not lacking anything if people insist on comparing. I also think there's a lot more eye candy in Rebirth, (both male n female)and my only complaint so far is not seeing more /enough of
Yan Xun! 😂🤩 Sorry, but he's my fave of the 2 ML in the story and though he's obsessed and possessed here, I still root for him 😂 Yan Xun's character was also my fave in PA (and I think ZKL makes a cuter Yan Xun).

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I really loved their pairing, their chemistry is just amazing ❤️

This movie truly touched my heart ❤️ The story was beautiful, emotional, and engaging from start to finish. The acting was absolutely amazing, especially the main leads—they brought their characters to life so perfectly.
Every scene felt meaningful, and the chemistry between the leads was just magical ✨ The music and visuals made the experience even more special. I didn’t feel bored for a single moment.
This is definitely one of my favorite movies, and I would love to watch it again. Highly recommended to everyone who loves emotional and meaningful stories 💖

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Not a story to comfort, but to understand

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Between the Lines
igiam’s reflections on drama, character and hidden meaning
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— At the final stop, we all get off

I didn’t connect with the beliefs shown in this film.

Some rituals felt distant to me, even uncomfortable at times.

But beyond that, there is something much more universal at its core — a message that is deeply human and worth reflecting on.

“The Last Dance” is not really about death. It’s about how we face life, how we deal with loss, and how we understand the time we are given.

One of the lines that stayed with me is:

“Life is like a bus. When it reaches the final stop, you have to get off.”

Simple, but undeniable.

The film also explores fear — especially the fear of living, not just dying.

Through Dominic, we see a very honest perspective: life is difficult, unpredictable, sometimes unfair… but still a gift.

And maybe that’s the point.

You don’t have to agree with everything to learn something from it.

This is not a comforting story.
It’s a reflective one.

igiam | Observing Stories Between the Lines

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Love and Peace

I want to start this review by saying I liked this movie a lot, especially compared to previous Heisei Generations movie. However, for newcomers I would like to point this out: Watch this movie AFTER finishing Ex-aid and watching first 14 episodes of Build. Otherwise, it may feel weird.

I like the story. Main villain of this movie was kind of weak in my own opinion, however, I think core question of this movie was nothing to do with the villain. Instead, the movie asks "Why do Kamen Riders fight?", and we get to see the answer of it from Ryuga Banjo's point of view. It might not be the most in-depth story, but I like the core message, and it was enough.

We get to see some of our favourite riders yet again. And since this is a movie, all the suit, all the action etc. benefitted from having a higher budget. I really like the action, and special effects, especially in the first half of the movie. Everyone did a good job in terms of acting as well. If you are into Kamen Rider, I highly recommend watching this movie.

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A very good and touching story, but not emotional enough to make me cry.

The fact that she loses all her memories every time she falls asleep is really interesting. The scene on the bus where she dozes off, wakes up, and doesn’t remember him at all is still very memorable.

Then there’s him learning about her illness and doing everything he can to make her happy. The moment that surprised me the most was when he suddenly dies. I really didn’t see it coming. I liked the story overall, but it happened so abruptly. In the moment you’re like “wow,” and right after you’re left thinking “why?”

I feel like his character and his heart condition weren’t given enough development. Ending the story so suddenly like that feels quite abrupt and probably won’t please everyone.

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I thought this was gonna be a silly gl that is space themed

my bad for watching the movie without knowing anything about it except there's an astronaut on the poster 😭😭😭.

anyways i wasn't expecting the production quality i didn't reliase it was a high budget ish film.

Dialog and voice over was often lacking, felt a bit dry at times, the store and timeline and get a bit confusing but i liked the concept.

oh and the often the English dialog felt too dry or written in a way that lacked emotion or was too formal.

their chemistry was insane but yea.

i need a minute rn. def would recommend tho. like better than expected but there's quite a bit lacking in terms of dialog writing mostly.

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A mild-flavored addition to the Grand Maison universe

Before I talk about this movie, we need to establish that this is the third big installment in the Grand Maison universe: there's a drama series, a special episode and this movie (there is also a spin off mini series, but that's more of a side dish, pun intended).

When I'm writing this, in my location I could find the drama in both Netflix and HBO max, the special only on HBO max and the movie "elsewhere" (there are some good fansubs and some not so good google translate ones both out there).

The Grand Maison Tokyo drama series is remarkably good.

It has a lot of ingredients (pun intended, again) which make it enjoyable: the incredible food (production design is consistently superb throughout all installments), the character dynamics, the always enjoyable jdrama journey of the group of outcasts doing their best for a common goal.

However, what makes it remarkable is the dynamic between the two leads: the iconic duo of Kimura Takuya as the complicated chef Obana Natsuki and Suzuki Kyoka as the level-headed chef Hayami Rinko. Two legends who come together and meet each other in a way only they can.

The special episode, after the drama, was a disservice to this dynamic.

Rinko being the head chef for Grand Maison Tokyo and Obana learning to thrive more as her sous chef due to his difficulty relating to people was what made the success of the drama believable and enjoyable. Rinko being a woman, a head chef and learning to stand her ground without compromising her sensitivity was a standout from the series that the special squandered by making Obana and his childish way of helping out "in a tsundere way" remove agency from Rinko.

The movie doesn't fail them as much as the special did, but it can't re-capture the freshness (pun intended, for a third time) of the drama series. It's just alright. It's mild. And underseasoned course.

There are some episodes from the drama that are more enjoyable than this movie, to be quite honest. It's not bad, but we know, after a dozen episodes, that they can do better. When you remove Rinko from a lot of the main moments and underplay her value, Grand Maison goes from something unique to yet another KimuTaku drama where he's the coolest guy who knows more than anyone else but can't get along with people (A LIFE comes to mind). Rinko does more here than in the special, but not nearly as much as she did in the drama, where she was in a level playing field with Obana.

The majority of the main cast not being included in the movie also makes it less entertaining. Ok Taec Yeon is a good addition to the cast, but his background is a bit of a re-hash of both Obana's and Moe's. Aizawa is only present on the sidelines and Kyono is also a bit missing. It's like the special was intending to break ground for the movie to be more prominently about Obana, even though the theme of the movie is 'learning to work together'.

All in all, it's not bad, it still has that amazing production design that makes Grand Maison a stand out, but the drama remains the best of the installments so far.

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Echoes of loneliness

There is a distinctive branch of Japanese cinema that is crafted for a specific audience; these are stories you don't often hear. They tend to be controversial, sad, and hard to digest, delving into deep human emotions and leaving your heart heavy with a sense of understanding and melancholy.

"52 Hertz Whale" is a perfect example of this cinematic style. I do believe you should possess a unique perspective and a mature taste in storytelling to appreciate the beauty and depth of this movie. Because this movie is painfully beautiful, it brings together storytelling, acting, and cinematography, truly a hidden gem.

Spoilers ahead***

For those unfamiliar with the story of the 52-hertz whale, allow me to provide some essential context. The "52-hertz whale" is an individual whale known for emitting calls at a frequency of 52 Hz, which is significantly higher than the 15–25 Hz range typically used by its relatives, such as blue and fin whales. This high-pitched calling makes him inaudible to other whales in the vast ocean, which is why he has been dubbed the loneliest whale in the world. His story transcends mere marine biology; it serves as a powerful metaphor for human loneliness and the universal yearning to be heard and understood, which is the essence of this movie.

I find it brilliant to use the story of the 52-hertz whale to illustrate human loneliness. Just as the whale sings in high frequencies across the expansive ocean yet cannot find another whale to hear him, many people experience a similar sense of isolation. It highlights the feeling that, at times, one's cries go unheard in a world that often feels so vast. It emphasizes how rare it is to find someone who can truly perceive your struggles and extend a hand when you are in need.

That's what Kiko also experiences. She has endured relentless abuse from her mother since childhood, forced to live like a servant abused just to take care of her stepfather. When she is about to do the unthinkable, fate intervenes, and she encounters someone who finally hears her.

In contrast, we have Ango, who harbors a deep secret and has been calling out for help since childhood, yet nobody, including his mother, has ever heard him. When he meets Kiko, he recognizes her silent suffering, perhaps because he himself has been a lonely whale navigating a vast world largely unheard. In reaching out to help her, he connects with her loneliness because he understands what it feels like to be a lonely whale.

Ango's story is heartbreaking. As a transgender man who falls deeply in love, he grapples with the crushing realization that he cannot give Kiko the love in the way she needs. He deeply wishes for her happiness and does everything he can to support her but ultimately acknowledges that he is unable to provide the love she deserves. This conflict between his profound feelings and the reality of their situation is incredibly heartbreaking. Although he heard Kiko, nobody heard him, and his ending was deeply painful.

The introduction of Itoshi feels like a twist of fate, a symbol of how those leading lonely lives, much like the 52-hertz whale, are destined to intersect with others who understand their pain. Their interactions reflect a journey of trauma bonding, highlighting the shared experiences of abuse and emotional neglect. Kiko recognizes the same suffering in Itoshi that she herself has endured, and as Anko provided her with salvation, she strives to offer the same to Itoshi.

This narrative is profoundly layered, melancholic, and beautifully articulated; it can truly be described as pure poetry. The acting is exceptional, breathing life into the complex characters, while the cinematography captures evocative moody blues that enhance the film's atmosphere of serene yet somber melancholy. My hope is that more people discover this cinematic treasure; it is a profoundly beautiful work, resonant with heartache yet deeply relatable, inviting audiences to reflect on the universal experiences of love, loneliness, and the desire to be understood.

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Just Okay, But Not Without Its Moments

I'm sorry, folks, but this was just an okay watch for me. While I grew up on and loved the Jaws installments—and still enjoy modern shark thrillers—I don't usually watch dramas centered around other predator premises. This one is about an alligator that goes loose during a storm. That said, there were parts of the storyline that kept me engaged, which is why I saw it through to the end. The film explores the social politics of officials, family and community ties, and includes several poignant moments that reflect love and sacrifice. So, while it was just okay overall, I wasn’t mad at it when I reached the end.

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