Reviews

Too bad comparing to the original story

The original story contained many great things. It was built upon a wonderful fictionary world of many events, which are connected with what we are seeing now in old books about Buddhism, or in many statues in the pagodas. It explains the true meaning of the scroll, and many hidden philosophies of the two parties: Jiang Zi Ya represents one party, and Shen Gong Bao represents the other one, and why they became oppositions, why many Buddhas have their animals to ride on (as we can see from many photos in the book or the temples or pagodas). The original story also mentions that a new Kingdom will be born and led by a new King. It is totally different in this movie: the new King will be the hair of the throne of the old one, who is a bad King (King Zhou of Shang / Di Xin).
It is too bad that the team could not keep the story as close as the original one. It turned out to be a very conventional story, nothing is special.
Maybe in the future, we will have a chance to see the original story in the movie(s) rather than a movie uses the characters and some events from another old book.
If you come to see a movie as someone who doesn't know about the original story, you might enjoy it because of the visual effects, actors, and music.
But for me, it is just a movie without a soul!

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the winged man and his wingmen

if you're like me and you were interested in this movie because you wanted to watch a matsuyama kenichi in love, i am happy to report that the concept is indeed as adorkable as it sounds. however, those the romcom elements do not start until literally 46 minutes into the 1 hr 45 min long movie, and they unfortunately don't stay for long. romance is the premise but not the point of this journey. these first 46 minutes are also straight full of matsuyama acting his pants off, and then you realise exactly Why he was hired 1hr 3mins into the film, so fans of his that understand his modus operandi will still find something to enjoy while watching even if you were romcom baited like me.

the entire movie had very noir-esque vibes with WAY more gore than i was anticipating for a movie branded as a fantasy romance. this gritty quality ends up being plot relevant later; and to complement them, the cinematography strangely also /looked/ humid??? besides the light, casual, summery costumes, almost all of the earth-based scenes take place in an okinawan shopping arcade, and there were hundreds of extras and constant parades of traditional okinawan performing groups. the movie was very visually busy and had a very cramped vibe, like these people were wayyy too close together and they couldn't tell if the sweat on their bodies were theirs or someone else's. imagine a baz lurhmann film shot on super 8 whose cartridge has been lost on a beach for three years, that's what this movie looked and felt like. it was impressively visceral but VERY asynchronous with the fantasy romance genre.

the patchwork nature of the story was unique and Might have worked in a 30 min tv show format, but in a movie it is not fun or quirky. it creates terribly awkward pacing and the effect of really lazy storytelling. honestly the whole movie kind of felt like it was different people's half-baked story premises that couldn't hack it as their own movies, so they were frankenstein'ed into one movie instead. (it's ironic that chasuke is constantly slamming his heavenly peers for their shitty 'screenwriting' when i very much am doing the same about this movie xD) i can confidently say this is not a movie i've ever seen before, but i also can't help but feel that that's on purpose

[SPOILER] the ending was TENSE and almost made the entire weird movie worth it if only it were executed better. it was resolved in a deus ex machina that i honestly wouldn't have minded because it could have been an excellent tongue-in-cheek reference if not for the extreme lack of payoff. unfortunately, i did not care about the characters' happy ending because i was not ever led to believe they wouldn't get it. [END SPOILER]

all in all, though, i think i'd rate the film higher if only it were marketed as a fantasy drama instead. my expectations were set in a certain direction, and since they weren't fulfilled, i'm rather disappointed. HOWEVER, i did enjoy myself and can acknowledge the movie for fully committing to the things it did well: maximalism, novelty, and matsuyama kenichi being Fucking Weird (complimentary).

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Very Disappointing

I've been a fan of the Whispering Corridors movies for years and was looking forward to watching this one, but honestly it's so tepid and mediocre that it really doesnt merit to be in this franchise. I was very disappointed. The story is unoriginal, predictable and very unrealistic in all the wrong places. Seriously bad writing. Kim Seo-hyung is an amazing actress but unfortunately, if the material you are given to work with is not up to standard, no matter how well you act, the audience will not be engaged. The meandering disjointed plot, colourless characters and stretched out resolution are a total turn off.

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A Kamen Rider Carrying Anno's Spirit

Shin Kamen Rider is a flawed but incredibly fun movie. The info dumps that come with the story structure can hurt the pacing - Hideaki Anno seems to love scenes of characters explaining powers and lore in long-winded explanations, detailing all the little bits of science that go into his concepts. The structure is also very much akin to Shin Ultraman, feeling like an homage to several episodes in one movie rather than being a movie with a single plot line throughout. However, the music is stellar - either one-to-one pulls or fantastic remixes of songs from the original 1971 Rider series. The fight choreography is fun and exciting, the designs of the villains and the redesigns of Ichigo and Nigo are brilliant. The characters have fun chemistry and all work well together. It is an exciting homage to the franchise.

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If you're doomed either way, is it better to have hope or be hopeless?

intro:
The movie's native title, "화란," is an old-fashioned transliteration of the word "Dutch". Yet, in the movie, the Netherlands symbolizes Yeon-gyu's hope for a better life, alongside his mother. At first, it seemed almost paradoxical that the English title of this film should be "Hopeless," when the original title came closer to "Hope". Perhaps this is because Yeon-gyu's utopic version of the Netherlands is in and of itself a form of false hope: the Netherlands is not the idyllic, free of economic inequalities, country Yeon-gyu makes it out to be.

"Hopeless" follows Yeon-gyu, who still has hope, and Chi Geon, who has hope only for Yeon-gyu. It is a story of tragic kinship between a boy and a man who never got to be children.

acting:
The acting from all cast members was stellar. This is especially true for the lead actors, Hong Xa Bin, Song Joong Ki and BIBI. They played their characters so well, their emotions were so raw and genuine, that I couldn't peel my eyes away from the screen. When they cried, I cried. Their performances, both subtle and loud, were award-worthy.

plot:
A story following the descent into darkness and moral corruption of a protagonist has been done a thousand times. Similarly, there are a library's worth of gangster flicks. What makes "Hopeless" different? In terms of plot, nothing really. Instead, what "Hopeless" brings to the table is something intrinsically human. The focus here isn't flashy action but the characters themselves. Perhaps I'm just imagining it, but I found the camera's focus to be more often than not on the characters' faces. With limited dialogue, it is these faces that tell much of the story. And tell a gut-wrenching story they certainly did. "Hopeless" offers a story you've certainly heard before, in a way you'll likely never hear it quite like again.

I'd been looking forward to this movie ever since I learned of its existence, and for the past couple months had been eagerly checking this page in the hopes of news of its release. With the trailer's release, I knew this movie would be amazing. Safe to say, my intuition was correct. In fact, I was so immersed in this movie that I can't even comment on its cinematography. I guess a re-watch is likely in store for me. I highly recommend this movie to any viewer able to withstand graphic violence. Please have a box of tissues at your disposal.

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An okay movie to kill some free time

It's a sport-themed high school GL. Although the film doesn't focus heavily on sports, the developing relationship between two players serves as an important subplot. As they navigate the challenges of sports, school, and personal struggles, their feelings for each other deepen, leading to tender moments and heartfelt confessions. The romance between the two players adds a layer of sweetness and vulnerability to the story.

This film addresses the critical issue of sexual harassment within women's sports, a topic that deserves significant attention. While this film manages to highlights the concern, it doesn't quite provide a tidy resolution to the issue. The absence of proper action against it might be a deliberate choice by the director, but it somehow leaves me with a sense of unease, as the characters' struggles with harassment are not fully resolved.

While this movie has good story, the character development is underwhelming. Although the main characters are likable and relatable, their growth throughout the film feels limited. Despite the intriguing premise and the potential for emotional depth, the movie's ending is predictable. Overall, it is a pleasant movie.

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A completely different movie, Chinese, different in that I have never met a blind gay man in a movie story. The form of processing also corresponded to this, when most of the scenes were gloomy, dark and, surprisingly, a large amount of time was devoted to the constant masturbation of the "blind man". I wouldn't choose the film for a second viewing right away, maybe sometime in the future.


Naprosto jiný film, čínský, odlišný v tom, že s osleplým gayem jsem se ještě ve filmovém příběhu nesetkal. Tomu odpovídala i forma zpracování, kdy většina scén byla ponurá, temná a překvapivě byl věnován i velký časový prostor neustálé masturbaci "slepce". Snímek bych si na druhé zhlédnutí hned tak nevybral, možná až někdy v budoucnu.

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Hopefully the movie will be better, I still don't understand the connections and even the mysterious story full of corpses doesn't take me much. But everything can change, as the film will feature proven actors and young Pinoy stars Elijah Canlas and Kokoy de Santos, which is already a guarantee of success.


Snad film bude lepší, takto zatím nechápu souvislosti a ani mysteriozní příběh plný mrtvol mě moc nebere. Vše se ale může změnit, neboť ve filmu budou hrát osvědčení herecké a mladé pinoy hvězdy Elijah Canlas a Kokoy de Santos, což už dopředu je dost záruka úspěchu.

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This time, the ghost story didn't grab me as much as, for example, He's Coming To Me, because there were also elements of horror. On the other hand, everything is professional Korean and 100% gay, so I don't regret the overall satisfaction and time.
This time, the ghost story didn't grab me as much as, for example, He's Coming To Me, because there were also elements of horror. On the other hand, everything is professional Korean and 100% gay, so I don't regret the overall satisfaction and time.



Příběh s duchařinou mě tentokráte tak nevzal, jak např. He´s Coming To Me, neboť zde byly i prvky hororu. Na druhé straně ale vše profi korejské a 100% gay, takže celkově spokojenost a času nelituji.

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And again the topic of a bigger age difference between a man and a young man. Such a pleasant Korean summer. I can only recommend this refreshing short film, in addition to the brilliant sk tit from ŠK. Definitely worth a try.
And again the topic of a bigger age difference between a man and a young man. Such a pleasant Korean summer. I can only recommend this refreshing short film, in addition to the brilliant sk tit from ŠK. Definitely worth a try.


A zase téma většího věkového rozdílu mezi mužem a mladíkem. Takové příjemné korejské léto. Tento osvěžující krátký film mohu jen doporučit, navíc s vybroušnými sk tit od ŠK. Za jedno zkouknutí určitě stojí.

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Yes, I agree that even ten years ago in Korea, the gay mini-story was spun differently than it is today, everything is evolving and I accept it. Yoon was an unassuming young man, and I was surprised that he was played by an actor who was 29 at the time. How can one go wrong with Asians at that age


Ano, souhlas s tím, že ještě před deseti lety se v Koreji gay minipříběh točil jinak jak dnes, vše prochází vývojem a já to akceptuji. Yoon byl nevyoutovaný mladíček a překvapilo mě, že jej tehdy hrál herec, jemuž bylo 29 let. Jak se v tom věku dokáže člověk u Asiatů zmýlit

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