Reviews

**Mentions of SA & ED**
Our FL is a brilliant and passionate cook, but she is still cooking for her mother's students instead of following her dream of being a chef and doesn't seem to have that push to follow that dream.
The film begins with our endearing yet apathetic FL who instantly gets judged for buying lots of pudding, but it turns out they are for the children she's cooking for and we get to watch her create delicious meals for them with ease, before talking to her mother who spends her daughter's birthday putting her down, doesn't turn up to her self-cooked birthday meal and simply texts her "eat less." "You're getting fatter."
Some neighbourhood kids decide to mess with our FL, because simply existing as a plus size woman is just unacceptable and they throw eggs at her, this is followed by some comic relief with her opening the door to a smiling delivery driver with a meat cleaver aimed for him.
It turns out her mother has bought something for her daughter's birthday after all, she's signed her up for a weight loss programme. When she gets there, the instructor asks her why she wants to lose weight and her response of "My mom wants me to." With such a deadpan face made me almost spit my drink out.
On a hot summer's day, she meets her neighbour on the stairs and the two walk up to their respective doors, only for the elderly man to attack and grope her from behind before she throws him down the stairs. The wife of course says the husband would never as he's hauled off in an ambulance, our FL is too ugly to molest obviously so why would he /s? Until our ML comes out to defend her. He comforts our FL and reveals he used to be fat himself before he invites her to come for a ride in his van while he finishes his deliveries.
The two begin to bond and become fast friends, with the secrets of our ML's weight loss revealed after the FL notices marks on his knuckles and after she follows him with his left-behind work lanyard, she discovers him throwing up the food she'd just cooked for him.
The people around her treat her as though she's something to be ashamed of, the ML treats her as just a delivery client when his friend enquires who she is (but that may be his own shame at her finding out about his ED) and her mother doesn't put her chef photo into the menu. The weight loss centre seems to switch between constantly chastising her and pushing supplements/weight loss surgery. From every angle you can practically feel the world suffocating her step by step and the actress plays that sense of battered deflation so well.
Her breakdown and quiet sobbing in her bedroom after her fight with her mother had me crying right along with her.
She leaves the job at her mother's academy and decides to get the weight loss surgery, every step of it alone and her depression is clear to see in the way she acts and looks, no need for her to say a word.
This movie and this actress are great at showing her mindset in every scene. It's evident when she loses her sense of taste and her food starts to be affected, her joy and final straw seemingly broken.
The way she confessed to her mother how she'd tried everything and still wasn't good enough had me crying for a second time, it was a quiet moment between mother and daughter that shouldn't have had to happen for her mother to see her as a person. A broken, tired person. But it was needed, it was a cathartic scene and I enjoyed the people watching and seeing her smile.
I liked the side plot of the little boy and how he brought a sense of hope in the story, that maybe his life would be different when he grows up and it really showed how no matter how many people judge our FL, she had never done it to someone else.

There are a lot of quiet, contemplative moments in this movie, with soft music and the orange/red hue giving it a hazy feeling that pull you into the almost mundane, repetitive and sedimentary life the FL lives and I couldn't stop watching. All the praise to the main female lead as her acting and chemistry with the other actors gave it such a slice of life feeling that I got lost in the film. The cinematography and direction was beautiful and at some points you almost felt like you were walking with the female lead and her discomfort in a world that doesn't just not accommodate her but demonises her for just being her. I will definitely watch this again in the future, such a brilliant film!

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this had the same vibe, of the 2nd season. reading the description was sure this was a retelling of the plot, with a happily ever after ending (as don't think, there will be a season 3 or another movie).
but it wasn't a retelling (+ summarization) of the BL series. one could just watch this movie & get a general background to how everything started (went on in the series), & considering the 1st season, it would save them a lot of headache lol (well i was the only one having a bad trip😅😂) if u know u know. 🙄

(pretty sure) was the odd one out, cause the 1st thing i did was search if Kazuki was in the character list. he's a side-character that has almost no screen time & yet he has always been my favorite (think mainly cause of how everyone kept bad-mouthing a pretty sane/normal/healthy in the head character) 😌🖐
also noticed Shitara & Anna; the sec saw them, was sure (what i thought would happen in season 2) would occur here. kinda hard not to come to that conclusions, as Shitara came off as even crazier then Hira (& that's saying something, dude obsessively addicted to Kiyoi).

having watched this, wont say this was perfect or loved every sec. it was good (for sure enjoyed it more then the 1st season) & thankful that now that we get Kiyoi's POV, it doesn't feel one-sided. where Hira is the subservient, pushover that's being taken advantage off & gaslit. like in season 2, u see that Kiyoi's as addicted & his attitude, actions in the 1st season stemmed from his insecurities. that he as addicted to Hira as Hira is to him. so putting the "drama" of the kidnapping aside the plot was cute & they both finally (in their own way) committed to each other.... "and they lived happily ever after".😊👍

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Too many trigger warnings to mention!

Sep 2023
I had read various reviews, but a friend with similar viewing tastes to me, said it was actually a really good story... warped and shocking, but excellently done. So, in I stepped.
Along with the captive, Makoto, the viewer is assaulted pretty quickly.
Chained to a gurney and bound, so begins a relentless regime of horrendous sexual abuse, using a variety of sex aids and the captor's own fingers.
Makoto is kept clean, spends a lot of time alone and is quickly allowed to move around enough (though chained by one ankle), to reach a toilet and table containing water and nutrient / vitamin tabs; no food is given.
Beyond the scenes of assault, we learn what lead Katsuragi Makoto to attempting a drunken suicide, from which he is saved by his captor, Yoda Ryoji.
We also learn why Ryoji appears to be numb to the suffering his intolerable levels of abuse cause, for what he sees as a therapy to awaken Makoto's senses and make him want to live.
It surfaces that both are suffering crushing levels of guilt for similar reasons.
Over time, Makoto begins to form a weird but inescapable bond with Ryoji; it's almost like he has become addicted to the intense pleasure he ultimately experiences, even though at the same time, he is visibly disgusted, shamed and hurt physically by it (for obvious reasons ~ he's a straight guy, so it's going to hurt).
As time goes on, however, and the pain diminishes, he seems to lose the shame and humiliation he felt, too. Ryoji tells him that his desire to live is there (basically, suicide should never have been an option ~ he didn't really want to die).
How this ended, I kind of saw coming and wasn't surprised.
Whilst Ryoji sexually assaulted Makoto multiple times, he actually raped him once and that was the culmination of his 'therapy'. He was then left alone and realises it appears he is able to leave.
The ending is poignant and I find that utterly bizarre; yet it is.
I mean, this should be an impossible piece of work to watch. I actually hate scenes of intense bullying and/or where a character is walked all over and too weak to do anything about it. I've dropped dramas like that, which are actually like a kid's programme compared to this.
So I cannot explain why I felt I just had to finish this and, more to the point, could!
Perhaps it's because there isn't any actual cruelty from Ryoji. He is calm throughout, and explains his actions, even though what he's doing is appalling. He never verbally humiliates Makoto and is totally clinical in his attitude. There is no violence with the sexual acts at all; he does not go out of his way to hurt Makoto (in fact there's an instance where he himself was totally vulnerable).
It really is the most visceral, disturbing and yet compelling thing I've ever watched.
It is not simply BDSM porn, that's for sure.
Totally and utterly warped, but it gets away with it. Just.
I could never watch it again though.

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"I don't have time to die"

When Jimmy Wang Yu jumped off the Shaw Brothers ship, he sailed to Taiwan and made seven films there in 1971. Blood of the Dragon aka The Desperate Chase was one of those films. This film boasted many Taiwanese regulars-Lisa Chiao Chiao, Yi Yuan, Lung Fei, and Miao Tian. The fights, as many were from this time, utilized weapons instead of fists and kicks.

A young beggar is asked by a dying rebel to take a small bamboo container with a SECRET LIST to the prince. Jimmy Wang Yu's White Dragon uses his silver spear to save the boy when Lung Fei and his goons capture him to acquire the list. The White Dragon/Lung Tai and Ni Chiu take the list to the prince but are attacked as the prince is holding a grudge against Lung Tai. The prince uses a trick sword and Lung Tai's ambivalence about fighting the prince to wound the legendary warrior in white. Lung Tai and the boy escape to Lisa Chiao Chiao's restaurant where more bad guys are waiting to attack. After defeating or running off the bad guys all while bleeding copious amount of blood, Lung Tai explains that the hotheaded prince is actually a true patriot and at the top of the Secret List's names of rebels. The prince and Lung Tai make nice before Miao Tian and Yi Yuan bring their forces against the restaurant to retrieve the list.

I know that Wang Yu has been revered by kung fu fans but I've never cared for his acting. He tends to come across as stiff and smug and his fighting sluggish. I was pleased that he was looser in this film and his fighting quicker. Lisa Chiao Chiao didn't have much to do except wring her hands and stand around. You Long as Ni Chiu did a good job and thankfully the kid wasn't written as distractingly annoying as so many were. Miao Tian, Lung Fei, and Yi Yuan had limited scenes but could always be counted on to be properly menacing as the bad guys.

With the exception of one fight most of the fights were one man against several or many. Lung Tai had his silver spear, while the prince had a magic blade, Lung Fei had a chain with a blade covered metal ball, and Yi Yuan had a sword that could transform into a chain and back again. Yi Yuan's general also had the equivalent of throwing stars. The fights ranged from well done to sloppy. When the big groups were fighting against one, there were times that stuntmen flipped or fell back when they were nowhere near the action. Bodies being thrown or kicked far distances looked absurd even for a wuxia. You could also see at least one person tuck the spear under his arm when he was supposed to be run through with it. Overall, the fights and there were a lot of them, were entertaining with high stakes and numerous combatants.

More importantly than Jimmy Wang Yu for me was director/writer Kao Pao Shu. She was one of the very few women who had the chance to direct these masculine movies. I wish there had been stronger women in the film but we can't have everything. The White Dragon was an anti-hero, the lone loner who wanted to be alone, but when the chips were down could be counted on to stand up and fight for what he thought was right no matter the cost. The pace of the film kept it engaging as the swords and spear flashed almost continually.

9/15/23

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Beautiful cinematography, lighting, costumes and overall quality.

I was surprised at how high the quality of this film was as the poster suggested it would one of many low budget low level demons and swords.
It is definitely not low budget, the camera angles, high definition, beautiful and perfect lighting as well as costumes, well choreographed fight scenes all point to a high quality production.
The colour choices were also lovely.

The acting looked good but the one thing I cannot discern is whether the story is good as I could not find subtitles for this so cannot comment on the story.

Visually though it is a treat.

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BWH&H 7: Shifting Away

Finally, we shift away from Hiroshima and the clans we have been familiar with. In fact, there are no crossover characters at all in this one, and Hiroshima and one of it's factions are only mentioned very briefly (blink and you'll miss it). The results, unfortunately, aren't great though.

The film felt like it was initially building to something more, but by the time we get to the main drama, it just devolves into the main character's many attempts at assassinating someone he holds a grudge against. There's an unimpressive car chase late in the game, and that's the only thing that really stands out. I think the motivations are kinda dumb for pretty much everyone involved, and just like with the previous film, I was bored by the end.

As an aside, this one does take place after the 5 main films in the original series, so it's technically an unrelated sequel rather than a sidequel (like New Battles 1 was).

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BWH&H 6: Bit of a weird one...

The first of the spin off sequels, although it's really more of a sidequel. I believe it takes place around the same time as the 2nd film, and though it features a lot of the same cast members, most of them play new roles. All except Yamamori... which is an odd choice. Even his right hand man is played by the same guy as in the previous films, but goes by a different name. It's weird.

The biggest drawback of this movie is that it often feels like a rehash of the first film of the original series. We follow the same main cast member playing a new character, but who is very similar to his other role. It almost begs the question as to why they even bothered to go this route when they could have set it in the future with all the characters we already know.

I was a little bored by the time I got to the final Act of this entry. Definitely nothing new or exciting going on, and it's pretty forgettable overall.

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BWH&H 5: The Real Ending

The director of the BWH&H was convinced to do one final, closing chapter with this fifth film, and we should all be very pleased about that. While not the best entry in the saga, this one really does conclude in a satisfying, yet realistic way. It focuses on the changing of the guard within the Yakuza factions of Hiroshima, and how the next generation is unlikely to avoid the pitfalls of their predecessors.

I think the best part of how they tie this up is that it does so without being too predictable. It would have been so easy (and lazy) to just kill everyone off in one last conflict, but they chose to actually study the effects on the characters we've been following instead. I think it's a great ending!

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BWH&H 4: The Initial Ending

This story closes out and attempts to tie all the loose ends from the third film. While they would go on to make another, final chapter, this one does a pretty admirable job of tying things up from the previous one.

The funny thing about this entry is that it kind of spins out of control here and there, going places you wouldn't have expected it to (especially given its premise). I think the ending sums up everything this series is trying to say, even if it doesn't give us the definitely conclusion we are keen to see. No one is happy by the end, and those are haven't yet paid know that their time is coming soon. This is the realistic view of the Yakuza, rather than the sensationalized one, that the creators are wanting us to see.

The 3rd and 4th films really go hand in hand, so it's hard not to view this as its own separate tale sometimes. It doesn't take away from my enjoyment of it, however, as it is one of the more intense entries.

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A fun retelling

I clicked on this movie for two reasons: 1) The Netflix algorithm knows me pretty well and 2) I was bored and didn't have the energy to start a whole new show so I thought a movie was perfect.

And boy, was it. This isn't just a re-imagining of Red Riding Hood and Cinderella's stories, it's basically fanfiction just using the characters and giving them entirely different stories (but still using key plot points in a clever way). And I mean that in a good way. As the other reviewer said, Hashimoto Kanna played Red Riding Hood really well. I loved that they turned her into a detective that has flashes of inspiration - though I'm going to be honest that even now I'm not sure if they're visions or her mind just connecting dots. But even not knowing that, it was really cool to watch.

Everything about this re-imagining - from having two witches instead of a fairy godmother to the murder Red Riding Hood solves - made these classic stories feel fresh and new. And our prejudices of what we expect to happen in this story is clearly expected by the writers since they play on that in a fun way.

But it's not all solving murder and fairy-tale magic - there's love and humor and wit, too. I wouldn't call this movie a masterpiece, but it was really good in a lot of ways, and one I'd enjoy rewatching for sure.

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Knife fights with a side of kung fu

The Iron Triangle of Ti Lung, David Chiang and Director Chang Cheh set aside kung fu for the most part and picked up knives instead for The Duel aka Duel of the Iron Fist. The grand duel foreshadowed from the start would pit allies against each other in a fight that could not be avoided.

Set during the early part of the 20th century, Ti Lung's Tang Jen Chieh is the godson of a local Triad lord and brother to Ku Feng's Jen Lin. A hired killer, David Chiang's "Rambler," helps Jen Chieh when fights breakout. With buddy Hsiao Mao (Cheng Kang Yeh) they seek to protect Shen Tian Hung, but he is murdered during one of the huge brawls that begin the movie. Jen Chieh takes the fall for the fight, bids his girl Butterfly goodbye, and hides in the south until the heat is off. He returns home after numerous attempts on his life with only Hsiao and his now drunken brother on his side. The former accountant Kan has taken over the gang and is seeking his death. Jen Chieh is devastated to find that Hu Di/Butterfly is now a prostitute. With his world turned upside by treachery and death, Jen Chieh vows vengeance on those responsible.

The Duel's strength was the prickly bromance between Jen Chieh and the Rambler. Their complicated relationship gave depth to the impending collision. I've never been a David Chiang fan, but he and Ti Lung did have a nice chemistry together. I'm always happy to see Ku Feng, especially when he's a good guy. The problem I had with the movie was that the narrative felt poorly paced and needlessly confusing in others. Fortunately, the relationships between brothers and frenemies created a compelling movie when the plot lines didn't.

Tang Chia and Yuen Cheung Yan kept the fights interesting even when they were the few or the one against many. Close-ups were used which meant they couldn't have randomly flying bodies in a huge scrum. The slices and kicks were well timed and for a 1971 Hong Kong film---fairly fast. Instead of fists and kicks most of the fights involved knives or other sharp objects. The duel commenced after another free for all brawl in the rain with the two combatants wielding bamboo poles fighting in a puddle-filled courtyard. The death toll was high for this film, high even for a kung fu flick. I was disappointed that guns were brought in for the final battle. I don't mind trampolines, wires, and creative filming, but for me, guns don't belong in kung fu films. Because of the rapidity of skirmishes it was hard trying to distinguish the faces of the stuntmen extras and fighters-Chan Sing, Jason Pai Paio, and Yuen Woo Ping were among the many familiar names.

The Duel was an entertaining, if slightly different, film for the genre. The action rarely slowed down and the double crosses and revelations kept going until the end. Ti Lung and David Chiang displayed the special rapport that saw them through 20 films together. If you are a fan of old martial arts movies, this is one to try.

9/14/23

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