Honest Review
This movie made 3.8 billion RMB box office so I was curious and after watching it, I totally get why. It is off the bat captivating and a very realistic subject we can all relate to. Who doesn't want to make some fast cash? Cyber fraud is very real nowadays playing into the minds of those struggling wishing to make a quick fortune. It is base on a true story which is totally my thing but I would not trust all the details with any China movie/drama. However it is directed beautifully, well cast, fast pace, engaging, relatable and a great subject to warn society about a very real problem. I would say every actor did their job but female lead and the villains shined the most and their characters are more challenging.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"Life is like that"
Tokyo Story is a quintessentially Ozu film. The story about the dissolution of a family was emotional without being dramatic. Every frame was composed with the utmost care as if evoking a painting. Shot from the mat, the camera never moved, only the people, drawing the viewer in for an intimate window into this troubled family’s life.“Be a good son while your parents are alive. None can serve his parents beyond the grave.”
Retired couple, Shukichi and Tomi, make the long, arduous trip from their southern fishing village to Tokyo to visit their children. Due to the distance it has been years since they’ve seen each other. Instead of greeting their parents/grandparents with open arms, everyone seems put out that their lives and households are being disrupted. Shige, the eldest daughter, pawns them off on the couple’s widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko. Unlike their flesh and blood children, Noriko takes the day off and shows them the town, treating them with great care and respect. Afterwards, Shige and her brother Koichi, pool their money and send their parents to a seaside spa. The spa ends up being a loud hangout for young people causing the elderly couple to return to Shige’s the next day. She’s upset that they returned early because she has a party planned leaving the couple literally out on a curb. Noriko takes in her mother-in-law while Shukichi has a reunion with old friends and goes out drinking and reminiscing. Realizing they are a burden on their children, the couple boards the train the next day to go home. They are able to see their middle son who works at the Osaka railroad when Tomi becomes ill on the train and has to disembark there. Satisfied they have seen all of their children for possibly the last time, the parents state that their children may not have lived up to their expectations, but they are better than most leaving them satisfied.
“To lose one’s children is hard, but living with them isn’t easy either.”
Ozu never truly goes into why the children are not only distant but disrespectful as well. The father drank heavily when they were younger, whether that caused a lingering anger he wasn’t telling. Despite Noriko being a dutiful daughter-in-law and widow, her short marriage to Shoji eight years ago was a difficult one for he also drank heavily. Shige grated from beginning to end, always finding fault, never giving an inch. When her husband brings home expensive cakes for her parents, she scolds him that the delicacies are too good for them and then eats the cakes herself! Yet Ozu and the characters simply accept her as she is, never calling her out for her rude behavior. It is what it is.
“Isn’t life disappointing?”
The grown children’s lives are busy as they hustle to make a living in a town with too many people after the war striving for the same thing. Their children reflect the same attitude as their parents, they are rude and disinterested as well. Every generation of the family is disintegrating, held together by memories and tenuous traditions. The father states, “Life is like that.” Death happens. People forget. People move on. Relationships are always in a state of constant flux as people change, suffer, succeed, fail, grow older. Families, like marriages, require emotional upkeep to stay together and relevant, something this family has neglected. Life was also taken for granted, the thought that their parents would always be around. When death visits, the children still can only think of themselves and their lives with only Noriko going out of her way to help. Stay busy, stay moving, and you don’t have to think about the difficult things in life.
“Isn’t life too short?”
Tokyo Story is one of Ozu’s more beautifully shot films, and one that took the viewer beyond a small world. From the parents’ fishing village to Tokyo, we’re taken along with the parents to discover new sights. The music is subtle, just like Ozu, perfectly setting the tone when used. School children sang just as the story needed a bolus of hope. Often only the rhythmic sounds of nature were used or mechanical as with a ticking clock when a character realized all he had was time left. Despite the larger world the characters inhabited his meditative rooms and pauses still reigned supreme. Ozu’s beloved train began the film as the parents journeyed on their last trip to see their children and a train ended the film as a character was freed from her guilt and allowed to embrace a new future.
Everyone ages. Relationships change. Children become parents and then grandparents themselves. Life involves death, irrespective of age. Loneliness is a harsh mistress. I hope Ozu’s assessment that life is disappointing and everyone will eventually not only suffer from alienation but also cause it isn’t inevitable.
2 February 2024
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a good storyline and plot
to be honest. i would like to praise script writer who come out with that kind of storyline. aside of nudity and sex scenes. all the plot was clearly told us about the difference perspective from each of characters.i could relate for both wife and mistress feeling very well. it's just that, after a few times of rewatching it. i still has lingeries feeling with questioning about how depth the husband feeling or love towards his mistress. i do believe, husband does love his wife so much from all perspective that shows in movie although he does cheat with someone's else. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love his wife or less care. he still has a lot of affection towards his wife.
it just, i feel pity towards mistress. from my perspective, even though he love her. but it's still could not surface the love he has towards his wife. i feel a bit disappointed when he doesn't has a firm stance about his child with his mistress. though they make the ML die frozen was a good way to end the stories. so, the main issue about which one he love the most or which one he will choose will stopped when he die.
i like the way, how they make the FL and mistress get to be a good friend and end up with a good way. getting along and handle their emotions maturely. although the mistress seem to be more emotional in the end cos of ML wanna severed their relationship. for me, it was logical for mistress to behaving like that, in her age and life experience.
both wife and mistress didn't act rashly also a good sign of mature and healthy way to educate viewers, to choose wisely if they were facing this kind of situation.
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This review may contain spoilers
Pandora's Box
Mariko and Shiino are two peas on a pod, as both had though upbringing and was in a toxic environment. Due to this, they were able to empathize, support each other, and form a strong bond. Her whole journey to uphold their "promise" of seeing the sea, reminded me of Pandora's Box (also due to Mariko's ashes being on a box). Her whole journey were full of despair, and bad luck just like what Pandora unleashed upon opening the box. As Pandora's Box had "Hope" amidst the foul, pain and darkness, her journey's conclusion also gave her Hope that served as will to carry on living for her beloved. It made me realize that through out her journey, there was Hope beside her.This story, despite being common, was able to make me feel heavy and it made me remember that the world is indeed cruel, unfair, yet fair. Through out the movie, it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. It ran just right even if it only was 90 mins, it wasn't too fast nor too slow. The speed made sense, specially taking into consideration that this only happened for maybe 3 or 4 days.
Nagano Mei really pulled me on the story, she was able to really show the longing, loneliness, and confusion she felt from Mariko's passing. Most of Mei's project that I watched had her as someone that is innocent, and soft spoken and to see her shouting and talking with a sharp mouth was new for me. The delivery of her dialogues and monologues were one of the things that kept me engaged on the story. She is able to evoke despair and longing for her dear friend. Nao also doesn't fall short on her acting, I was feeling concerned like Shiino the whole time. Her delivery on the "It's all my fault" lines was so great that it felt like I needed to tell her thay she wasn't at fault and also say what Shiino said that the world was at fault for her demise.
The inserts had a hopeful feeling on it an example would be when Shiino had the answer for her question, "Where should we go?". Hope was scattered through out the film, even thought it isn't really that noticable. The ending song had the calm vibe on it, just like how droplets of water drip sound after a heavy rain.
It is a heavy film that can also make people's heart ache, a great film that is good to rewatch also but if you don't want to feel that again you can skip rewatching this. For me, I will pass on rewatching this because this movie is something that you can only see and feel once. Like having a feeling of "wanting to watch it for the first time again".
Overall, this is a heavy drama that easily captures the feeling of losing a person that is important to you. The story was pretty straightforward. The acting was what made this film a great watch. A big props to the director, original author, actors, staff that was able to make a film like this.
To watch this, you should be mentally ready as topics in this movie may be a trigger.
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Meh film
I love my monster horror movies, they are just fun to watch whenever you wanna feel like a kid again, seeing monsters destroy shit and then seeing humans try to escape or fight back at these monsters, see what plans they can come up with to win, but this movie... this film is just boringly mid, pretty predictable what is going to happen throughout the movie, they didn't even fight the ginormous octopus that is shown in the poster, It was just teased in the beginning of the film that some mysterious monster destroyed this underwater lab to set up the opening of the movie and then again at the end bit of the film too I guess set up for a sequel??? but I doubt it would get one because it's bad.The movie was too focused on the human drama that's going on between the characters that the monster was pretty much ignored in the film, well... not totally because they explained it a little, how they discovered this new species of octopuses in the Antarctic, how it can be used to develop something beneficial to the humans, they also fought with it, but just the small ones throughout the film, though at the end a semi giant octopus showed up and it wasn't that much fun to watch. Another thing, and this is where what made me throw my suspension of disbelief out of the window, is when this one scene where an octopus was able to escape, then made itself invisible and went to use the computer, hack it, and send a distress signal to the big boss I guess?? like how??? I would've understood it if they stated that it was some kind of alien octopus species that existed years ago and was frozen for so long that global warming thawed them, like I just couldn't wrap my head around it, how this octopus is so smart without any explanations.
The CGI is somewhat passable. If you could ignore its jankiness at times, then it's not gonna ruin your viewing experience.
The characters, none of them stuck with me, they are all boring and tropey, except for Wang Xing Chen's character of course, I'm biased since I mainly watched this because of her, she's hot as always and some of the scenes that she got are very expected from her.
So yeah, meh monster film. I wouldn't recommend it and certainly, I wouldn't wanna watch it again.
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ENTERTAINED ME...
The utilization of the same location as "CONCRETE UTOPIA" for the building scenes appears to be a curious choice, adding a layer of familiarity for viewers. While unconventional, this sequence provided an enjoyable diversion. The visual effects maintained a consistent level of quality, with CGI that, while not groundbreaking, was competent. However, the reliance on clichés such as the mad scientist, zombies, and transformed humans felt uninspired and failed to captivate. As a result, the film may ultimately be relegated to the realm of forgettable entertainment, lacking the originality needed to leave a lasting impression. Despite this, there's still some enjoyment to be found in its execution, making it a passable option for casual viewing.Was this review helpful to you?
SEoD3 - Mixed bag.
I was pretty excited for this entry in the series after having really enjoyed the second movie. There are some really good things about this one as well, but a lot of not so great things as well.Forgive me, it's been a couple weeks since I sat down to watch this and I must admit that it's a bit forgettable. I didn't like the new characters in this one and I felt that it hurt the overall story. As well, I think our main guy went through a bit of character digression, as he's more rakish (kinda like he was in the first movie). The way he treats women is pretty unforgivable, and here I thought he'd moved past that since the end of the first instalment.
I think that's the main issue we're running into here. Each movie is quite different, featuring new crew members behind the scenes, and none of them can seem to agree who this protagonist is supposed to be. It's jolting, and coupled with some convoluted plot twists, it can make for a pretty unsatisfactory output overall. On the plus side, this still feels like a full production, unlike the first entry.
Hoping the next one ups the ante again a bit.
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what the hell was that....
Honestly want to give it a lower rating but i feel bad for the actors and actresses who had to act in this shitshow.I'm typically an open minded person and try to not rate things too lowly but within the first 5 minutes of the film, i was genuinely shocked at how terrible it was already. i tried pushing through and watched the full thing.
I don't even know where to start..
first of all.. WHY ARE THEY MAKING MINECRAFT ZOMBIE NOISES ?? this is supposed to be a serious drama yet it doesn't seem to take itself seriously at all. i thought it was supposed to be a comedy/parody one but its not. it's tagged in suspense and horror. Going along with what i've previously said, i am TERRIFIED of zombies yet this didn't even scare me one bit. Some of the zombies are smiling ?? and the sfx doesn't look good at all, i understand that could be because of a lower budget but cmon now.. the main zombie literally had vampire teeth AND WHY IS IT FIGHTING ???
Secondly, the acting in this is honestly kind of poor and i'm not sure if it's because of script or the way everything was shot. and when it comes to script overall,, yikes. So this started because of a cat ??? which started because of... covid ?? LOL. not to mention the way the movie starts off in general ?? typically there should be a more suspenseful opening than that but you showcase one of the main characters "dying" within the first minute just to switch it at the end, i suppose it makes sense bc why show all that but it makes no sense how he had all those zombies on him and NOT ONE bit him.
Going back to the plot overall, yikes. so it started because of a cat bite/scratch in which he attacked his partner, he then makes his way into the city to.. break into a shop and eat raw meat..? and when people get close to him he growls at them and hugs the raw meat closer before running away... interesting "zombie" then he runs into the main guy looks at him then walks away ?? i suppose it could be becuase he didnt fully transition yet but still.. also for a girl whos drink got "spiked" she sure knows how to move quick LOL.. and i lost it when they asked "why is he so fast" and its a zombie barely moving at all LOL .. also the phone that got thrown on the floor is completely broken ?? and you cant use the other phone because its locked.. yet there's an emergency sos feature on all phones.. it'd be better if it was just dead or there was no signal or something. also why did no one notice THE AXE ON THE WALL.
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"What's the earliest memory you can remember?"
This movie focuses on the life of Yo and her relationships with the people around her. The pacing was just right, the movie didn't feel too short nor too long but just right. And that is one thing that I liked in this movie. There were parts where it felt fast, considering the things that surrounded that relationship but its conclusion gave way to the path her story went.The cast did great, from supporting cast to the main lead. Shida Sara had great facial expression and body language. There were times I felt confused by her expressions but sometimes even in real life, expressions or words alone cannot convey the entirety of message that you want to. I also liked Suzuka Ouji and Kikuchi Akiko's acting. I liked that Meiko was kind.
The OST or inserts weren't easily noticable but I liked the outro song.
I might rewatch this because I find the story interesting especially on the thought on the difference of each relationship we have with each other. Also Suzuka Ouji.
Overall, this was a wholesome slice of life that wasn't too deep nor too shallow. The feeling of "just right" was what made me like this movie.
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Waste of good actors
I don't understand why a great actor like Chen Kun participated in this film. This is for kids. Maybe that's his goal, he feels like a father, leading by example, fighting "evil". The premise that monsters are equated to evil and then he is supposedly unbiased, only on the grounds that he is half-monster is childish. I don't care about the production, because visual effects are again, appealing to video game addicts, which I'm not. I watched reluctantly less than half of the movie, waiting for a turn of events. But it is so predictable, following all the cliches, so I dropped it.Was this review helpful to you?
Felt like something is missing
This film strongly echoes Rachel McAdams' "The Vow," as both couples endure a car accident, experience amnesia, and rediscover love.Kang Ha-neul has been a favorite since "To The Beautiful You," and the chemistry with So-min is delightful. So-min's charm and Haneul's versatility shine, especially in comedic roles.
The storyline defies typical romcom expectations, portraying the chaos and humor of modern relationships. So-min using Haneul's law certificate as a coaster adds a hilarious touch.
I rate it 7.5; despite being a Haneul fan, I remain unbiased. It's a must-watch for a funny romcom, though the pacing feels slightly rushed. More scenes pre-rekindling love would have enhanced the experience.
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cute romance movie <3
For a relaxed romance film, this one is a great choice! The movie is adorable, especially with the perfectly cast male lead – his looks are spot on. The chemistry between the leads feels natural, progressing from friends to lovers without any forced moments. I watched it twice, still amazed by the unexpected plot twist. Plus, I appreciated that they didn't portray the friend negatively after discovering the female lead's pretense.While the plot is predictable with the inevitable conclusion of the main characters ending up together, the narrative skillfully balances themes of friendship, ongoing life, and personal growth. To enhance the experience, additional scenes depicting the characters after their confession would be appreciated.
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great
L'histoire du héros So Si Min, qui dirigeait autrefois le pays grâce à ses compétences de haut niveau en hapkido en tant qu'athlète de lycée. Sept ans plus tard, après être devenue enseignante à temps partiel, So Si Min se retrouve la cible du méchant étudiant Han Soo Kang. (Source : Soompi) ~~ Adapté du webtoon de Kim Jung Hyun. Modifier la traductionL'histoire du héros So Si Min, qui dirigeait autrefois le pays grâce à ses compétences de haut niveau en hapkido en tant qu'athlète de lycée. Sept ans plus tard, après être devenue enseignante à temps partiel, So Si Min se retrouve la cible du méchant étudiant Han Soo Kang. (Source : Soompi) ~~ Adapté du webtoon de Kim Jung Hyun. Modifier la traduction
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Predatory Cliche
We have the cliche of the older gay looking to take advantage of the (presumably underage) gay.The student lead isn’t bad. The whole conversation between him and his crush does not add up with what the crush tells the teacher afterward. It’s like two different people happened.
Ending isn’t terrible, I like the student’s perspective. Could have done without the after credits scene.
Wholly skippable, to be honest. Though the year in which it was made likely has a lot to do with the plot.
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hurt-felt tandem did it again but...
the first part kinda triggered me cos i thought there was cheating involved lol.the story was good, though a bit cliché, especially the ending.
bella and jc's acting was really good, as expected from them. but the side characters kind of ruin the mood every time they are in the scenes.
some of the dialogue was also kind of cringey. though ellis' punchlines were all great and heartfelt.
i like the transitions from the present to their memories or imaginations. it was smooth and well thought out.
the soundtracks were also perfect for the scenes; they enhanced the mood and made it more emotional.
i like how ellis was honest with his feelings and laid out his intentions.
i love astrud's honesty, straightforwardness, and humor. she knows what she wants—what she needs—and explained it to ellis with great clarity. she didn't give ellis any false hope. and i like how relatable she is. (this part might be debatable, depending on the viewer's perspective.)
all in all, it was still a good movie, but it was not what i expected from the hurt-felt tandem.
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