This review may contain spoilers
Spoiler for story 4.
Story 1:The acting was unnatural and felt very forced and awkward. I'd take into consideration that she as most likely a child at the time, but if I'm going to be real harsh I've seen younger children with better acting. It wasn't like she was feeling the emotions, it felt more like she was forced to express them. Story was empty and nothing was really connected or at least they didn't make it obvious. Her actions didn't make sense.
Story 2:
Acting is a little better, but really awkward and unnatural during some parts. But I can't say the acting was good. Or decent to be frank. I'm writing this as I'm watching and nvm, the acting is bad here too. The story doesn't make sense. But the sound effects are okay. Special effects were nonexistant. Literally. it was clearly a human in a cheap suit. Also do they live alone? They look like 14? Some of the close up looks like CP.... very uncomfortable to watch.
Story 3:
Acting wise i guess it's a little better as there are now adults involved. The main actress acts like 4 but looks at least 16, it's weird. Sound effects were good. No, nevermind. This is the worst acting I've ever seen. It's like watching a weeb doing the HMPH! KYUUU uwu sounds. This is awful. It hurts.
Story 4:
Here is when I realised the girls are connected. But story wise it still doesn't make sense. Acting is better. it actuallly didn't hurt watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Confused about end ***SPOILER***
****SPOILER********SPOILER****
****SPOILER****
****SPOILER****
So I’m confused did Joon not get out? It showed him going back in so did he die? But at the end it showed him covered and hold his camera 🤨🤨
Side note it reminds me of the movie ‘Silenced’ well more like a sequel years later.
Ignore this part I just needed 500 characters lol
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
Was this review helpful to you?
In 2 hours, I loved and connected more with these characters than I do for dramas that are 16 hours in length.
It's a simple story just enough hurdles, love triangles and other dynamics to keep it interesting. But it isn't the plot points, it's the way the actors, writing, and director were able to build out full characters that grow to love each other on screen. It's also the way this is it shot with a poetic, dripping with golden nostalgia, millennial way.
By the end, this show hits on the high school dreams of many of us, to find love, unexpected, spontaneous and early with someone caring and mature and good looking. It's the thrill of realising that you can have a crush on someone and they can have a crush on you back. It's the knowledge that some of our best life moments are behind us, and there is no way to get them back.
For lovers of slice of life, love set in a short period of time, stories tinged with equal hope and sadness, this one is for you.
Was this review helpful to you?
Action movie with a sci-fi angle: not that original but beautifully acted and produced
This movie is about the encounter of former intelligence agent Ki Heon and Seo Bok, a human clone whom the mere existence might have a huge impact on the globe if made public. The story is not really original in terms of concept as well as pacing and resolution but it hits at the right times the right notes, making it an entertaining watch.The biggest flaws in terms of the story relies in its villains which are really dislikeable and lack too much of nuances to be interesting. The dialogs between Ki Heon and Seo Bok with some of their most peaceful moments really strike a chord with me but at the same time, it was totally counterbalanced by the antagonists scenes which were worth quite a few eye-rolls.
The acting was amazing. It is a well known fact that Gong Yoo and Park Bo Gum are great actors, and here they are really stellar and bouncing back on the talent of each other. The secondary cast did a good job overall despite the lack of subtlety and substance for some of the roles. Moreover, the foreigners performances were okay overall and not distractingly bad like it can happen sometimes.
The production value was really nice. I was super impressed by a lot of the action scenes, with both main male leads totally credible in it. The props, accessories and scientific aspects of the film were well conceived and believable. The soundtrack did not necessarily leave a deep impression on me but was suitable.
I would recommend this to people looking for an action movie with a sci-fi angle and some stellar acting. It is not original at all and the antagonists actions and dialogs can be a little cringe, but if you love Gong Yoo and/or Park Bo Gum, it is for sure worth the time.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
0 people found this review helpful
Not much a different with the story between this version & Chinese version. But somehow, I don't know what or how this version feel more warm than the Chinese version. It feels more like Mr. Namiya cover me with blanket and tell me everything gonna be OK.
And somehow I also more like the version of the youth here, Yaguchi Atsuya, Kobayashi Shota & Aso Kohei, than the Chinese version. I forget or just simply don't know what make the different to be exact. But maybe the youth here feel more bitter & how Mr. Namiya in his last letter really give the warmth in one of their heart (I forget which one. Haha...)
Oh and I really love how they give us preview or a glimpse about the 3 youth future, this is a big different, cause as I remembered Chinese version don't have this. But just correct me if I'm wrong. Overall this one of the movie that give warmth to our heart after watching...
Was this review helpful to you?
Brutaly real
A two-and-a-half-hour Filipino film, and it's a blast. Anyone who likes dramatic stories will find something to their liking. And also an excellent concert of well-known Filipino actors (and very nice!!) in the main roles ... and in general, the first part - the prison part - was played very well by the other actors. Cruel, raw, real. Dirt, betrayal, violence. Friendship, feeling, tenderness, love. Dismemberment, death, hatred. So much goes into few films, only the child victims bothered me there, and therefore a step lower than the highest rating ... Very good, Rommel (Sid Lucero) and Esteban (Emilio Garcia) ... the film is absolutely BRUTALLY REAL, portrays life without embellishments in this island nation, which is also a Christian island in a sea of Islam and Buddhism, and that just got me, even though I'm more of a lover of romance and non-violence. And the fact that the film lacks a higher meaning is something we who want to understand Asian or Pinoy productions have to get used to, that's just the way it is ...Was this review helpful to you?
Mind Blowing!
Just watched "The Moon" ! I feel like everyone should watch it atleast once! I can't believe CGI of Korea have so improved, it actually felt like watching a hollywood movie. It deserves a lot more recognition than it has now. I was quite indulged in this movie. I cheered with them, got stressed out with them, got emotional with them. I wish if I could've watched it in the theatres, in 4DX, it would've been such a wholesome experience. Now I even want to learn more about the moon, its craters, physics and everything.As weknow, Korean movies specialise on emotional part in each movie or drama and never fails it. The same happens here too. Kyungsoo is proving his acting skills to be unmatched again. Even if every breath,I could feel the tension the scene required. And as always, Sol Kyung Gu nailed it. Kim Hee Ae's Role was such a powerful one. And all the supporting actors did a great job. The political issues about the missions, the worries of every scientists, the hardwork, everything was delivered on point with a little bit of thrill at every bit of the movie.
I feel stupid for us giving metaphors to moon, calling it a symbol of love and as of what is happening there actually, is quite ironic. Its chaos right there.
Anyway, as said in the movie, the moon is for none, its not a place which we could fight for. Rather, its for the whole planet, where every person could undoubtedly say "its ours".
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Totally not what i expected
I watch this because people talk about this a lot. I know nothing about this movie but "Straight police and gay ghost." Just like other people, i was intrigued by that. I don't watch the trailer, I don't even know the genre, but i read about people saying to prepare for some tears. So I'm expecting some heartwrenching LGBTQ+ movie like YNEH.This movie totally not what i expected. Comedy+Horror+Action. What a combo!
For the comedy, they nailed it! It's so darn funny!! I swear the english subtitle ain't do the movie any justice if you know the language trust me it'd be more funnier LOL!
I didn't expect they'd use lots CGI for this movie, like the gunshots, the truck, etc. Not that good but for a movie whose genre not even action?? They totally got a hell of budget ((not complaining)).
Also, I like how the movie flowing, the pace is perfect. The comedy is sooooo good lmao like I'm laughing so hard that i forgot about 'prepare for some tears' part. It's too funny that I can't take the movie seriously, and when it gets to the serious part i was totally stunned.
I thought the story would lean towards the love between them, between the Police and the Ghost, but they showed us more. The unconditionally love from a parent. The story is so GOOD, so good that i can go from laughing to crying real fast. And the ending— I can't describe it, I can't even watch the movie clearly bcs of my tears.
The tears so good it gives me headache lol.
Also let's talk about the acting??? BRUH THEY ALL KILLED IT. The ambulance scene where Ming Han about to passed out, the captain said "who are you talking to??" And Ming Han said "My...Husband.." and then passed out. Hate me as much as you want, but that scene for me is equal to Tom Holland's "I don't wanna go" scene! It's so good that you'll moved to tears!
Wriing this while wiping the tears i shed on the chair. Totally recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Samurai daddy take your kid to work day
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance was the first in a series of movies about a disgraced ronin caring for his baby son while seeking revenge on the people who murdered his wife and framed him for treason. This ronin of few words left a trail of spurting arteries along with piles of limbs and decapitated heads.Ogami Itto was the honored executioner for the Shogun until one day the treacherous Yagyu clan decided they wanted his position for their clan. They murdered his wife and set him up on treason charges. The wily swordsman not only escaped the executioner's blade but won his freedom as long as he stayed out of Edo. Pushing a secret weapon laden baby cart, he had a sign reading "Sword for Hire" and "Son for Hire." No longer using his feared name, he and his son were now known as the Lone Wolf and Cub. An assassination job took him to a hot spring in a mountain village being terrorized by bandits. Playing a sheep looking after his lamb he found himself among captured travelers. It didn't take a fortune teller to know what the fate of the bandits would ultimately be.
Ogami had his own code of righteousness formed by his job and his responsibility to his son. It meant when he saw a woman being raped and her father murdered that he didn't step in, which didn't exactly grant him a halo. Nor did it stop him from servicing a prostitute in front of crowd in order to "save" her. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Like other 1970's movies, there was plenty of sexploitation. Had they toned down the naked women and sexual violence I would have enjoyed this movie more.
This film felt like they were setting the table for more courses to come. I was surprised how quickly the movie was over and how little happened in the present as there was copious use of flashbacks. Wakayama Tomisaburo was an accomplished martial artist and his skill showed during the fights. At least the fights I could watch when I wasn't closing my eyes during the severing of limbs and buckets o' blood spewing everywhere.
Lone Wolf and Cub reminded me of the Mandalorian only with more blood and flying body parts. Ogami's son could have given Baby Yoda a run for his money in the cute kid with a lethal daddy department . If you can overlook the '70s sexploitation and are in the market for an old school gore fest samurai with a baby who is also seeking revenge film, this is it.
8/31/23
Was this review helpful to you?
Not the best iteration of the "Itazura na kiss" story but entertaining and nostalgic enough
This movie is a new adaptation of the well-know "Itazura na kiss" story. I have seen quite a few of those, the first one being the Taiwanese drama with its two seasons which will always probably the best to my eyes, for sentimental reasons. The story in itself might seem simple and cliché as it is centred around the one-sided crush of air-headed Yuan Xiang Qin toward cold genius Jiang Zhi Shu but there are a lot of elements being it. That is why despite the plot being very straightforward in itself, I must say that it seems like a daunting task to try to adapt this story into a movie, and it was done in a not too shabby way, it just cannot hold a candle to some of the other adaptations I have seen in my opinion.There are just too much to say in not enough time. The story has very little time to be told given the movie format and therefore it feel a bit like if the film tries to tick a maximum of the box (comedy, romance, more emotional points...) but without having the time to build up really on any of it. There are a bit too much of slapstick and heavy comedy for me given the length of the film and the secondary characters are not exploited well enough. They do not have that much screen time and it felt a bit lacklustre (or ultra-irritating in the case of the role of Zhi Shu's Mother).
In terms of performance of the actors, I found that the male and female leads were both matching quite well the characters. I appreciated their acting in the more emotional and dramatic scenes where they did a suitable job but was less impressed by their comedic scenes. There was also not that much chemistry between them and the pace of their relationship is so fast that it makes it less believable. The secondary cast was mostly disappointing at best and really annoying at worst depending on the role played.
Despite those flaws, there a lot of the classical important moments of the romance that are present and provides some satisfactory moments overall (due possibly from my side to a strong nostalgy). There is just enough modernization of the plot and the set up to allow the story to fit better the current time and remain relevant as a teen rom-com. There is seemingly a lot of care that has been put in the filmmaking with a lot of vibrant colours, which make the overall vibe very rom-com colour-coded and charming.
I would recommend this to people that are looking for a rom-com movie with a forced proximity trope between a genius, rich and cold male lead and an innocent, air-headed and clingy female lead. It is quite stereotypical and it has be done so many time, but it is still entertaining. If you have seen previous adaptations, you might find yourself disappointed like me as a lot was forsaken for the sake of brevity. If you are new to the story, you might no see as many flaws and be able to enjoy it for what it is: a cute and likely not that memorable romance.
Was this review helpful to you?
Underrated
If you know Quentin Tarantino's work and other older black comedies and genre-blending films from different eras you will dig this. It's highly rewatchable and fun. The atmosphere, the cinematography and the performances are excellent. And you have to pay attention to the dialogues to fully enjoy it. There are no explicit scenes, but the sexual tension between Chani's and Kim So Ra's characters is so thick - I love when actors can do that.That scene with the dog and the finger in the end reminded me of ''Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'' with Robert Downey Jr.
I found two versions of English subtitles and one of them has all the curse words censored with *** and the characters curse a lot! Censorship is a strange thing to do since they let you know from the beginning that this is 18+ and contains strong language. This can be distracting for some people so look for the good subtitles.
Was this review helpful to you?
Important movie for South Korean cinema, start of Lee Joon Gi stardom <3
This historical movie tells the story of a(n) actors/clowns troupe at the court of the infamous and tyrannical King Yeon San in the beginning of the 16th century of the Joseon Dynasty. I quite enjoyed discovering this rather original part of Korean history with the tale of a king and "his clown".Story-wise, I found it poetic and beautiful: it is about artist lives in trying times, mental health issues, court ordeals and much more... The pacing could have been better but I was overall pretty invested in the plot despite some of the characters' choices being quite illogical (or at least not very smart). It make sense in the context of the poetry of the film, but at the same time it can feel a bit frustrating. It is fair to say that huge gestures and statements might trumps here practical and sensible decisions.
The bromance was epic in a way but could have been pushed further as well as the interactions with the secondary characters which remained quite superficial. Still, acting-wise, Lee Joon Gi, Kam Woo Sung and Jung Jin Young are really good and solid in their respective roles with some stellar moments. A lot is left unsaid regarding the relationships and sentiments which is interesting as the viewer is really relying on the actors performances to understand the feelings rather than on the dialogs.
I loved the OST which supported so well the measured dialogs and their sporadicity, it was made of sorrowful instrumentals, fitting for the dramatic mood of the film. The production value is great, there are a lot of really amazing acrobatic scenes as well as dances / comedic / jesters bits. All the costumes, accessories and decors felt high quality (especially as the movie has been released 18 years ago, I was pretty impressed).
I would recommend this to people that are curious to see the movie that made Lee Joon Gi's talents recognised. Personally, I first discovered him in the 2005 drama "My Girl" and clearly I do not regret to have finally taken the time to go back to watch his first big movie performance for which he was particularly (and rightly so) praised for. If you like historical movies and are not afraid of a gut-wrenching poetic journey, you will likely enjoy it!
Was this review helpful to you?
1This review may contain spoilers
Blued app short film ad
In a series of short film ads Blued produced, this one is for Mother's Day. So accordingly, this is a story about a mother coming to terms with her teenage son's burgeoning sexuality.The relationship between the mother and her son is precious. Mother is sad because she's not close to her son as much as she used to be: she notices the changes in her son. And while her son is getting more and more distant, the mother is worried and is looking for new means of communication with her son. Realizing that he is looking to identify where his penchant lies, the mother tries to talk to him through an app.
The "difficult-to-communicate" mother/son relationship is a usual one in adolescence and focusing this film on it is an excellent idea. Through misunderstandings, errors and generosity, they manage to mend the damaged relationship. The character of the mother is someone we all dream of having as a mother: kind, understanding, open minded and most of all loving unconditionally! Her son is a typical teen thinking the adults are the enemy.
The boy uses the app to try out a gay relationship: girls do nothing for him. The person who shows up is his schoolmate. Now here is the huge problem with this film: the schoolmate forces himself upon the boy! They eventually end up having a relationship, but was the force really necessary to make the point? This short scene shaved off two stars from my ratings.
It is a really good movie if you manage to make abstraction of a hugely problematic scene. The rest is perfect!
Was this review helpful to you?
Good story about medical professions in a tough situation like SARS pandemic in 2003
"Eye of the Storm" is a movie about the 2003 SARS pandemic in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It showed case the stories of how the nurses and doctors, including the hospital administrators, were trying to cover up the patient zero and the spread of SARs.It also showed the ugliness of human behaviors regarding life-and-death situations. It started out slow, and the story progressed nicely. It also showed the human kindness of everyone trapped in the hospital and how they helped each other in a tough situation. The heroes were the doctors and nurses caring for patients and their families.
Overall, I enjoyed it and gave it a 7.5 rating.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"Everyone's dissatisfied"
Ozu explored the family life of a cog in a wheel salaryman. Sugiyama Shoji personified the endless, hopeless life of the literally white collared worker who made just enough to live on but not enough to get ahead, much less dream of something different.Shoji and Masako have been married for a number of years but after the death of their baby son have drifted apart emotionally. Shoji's family is now primarily populated by the people he works with, ex-army buddies, and mahjong companions. Masako has a widow neighbor and a jaded mother she can turn to. Due to Shoji's nighttime habits of mahjong and drinking, the couple are behind in their rent. The disaffected worker is about to knock Ozu's ubiquitous train off the tracks when he begins an affair with a younger woman named Goldfish.
Aside from A Hen in the Wind's male lead, Shoji was one of the most unsympathetic leads in an Ozu film that I've seen so far. He frittered away the family money, barely spoke to his wife and treated her like a maid. He brought drunk friends home to sleep it off and walked out one evening when he surprisingly came home early and dinner wasn't ready yet. To top it all off he scarcely covered up his affair which seemed cruel. His wife did all the laundry and he didn't think she'd notice the lipstick faithlessly adorning his clothing? He didn't think she would smell another woman on him when he sauntered in after having sex with Goldfish? When she finally did confront him, he tried to gaslight her and lied like a five-year-old. With the exception of one woman who told her to stick to her guns, others, including her mother, convinced her to apologize for her part in the marital estrangement and go back to her husband. Thankfully, Shoji did finally apologize to her, however with all the emotional depth of apologizing to someone you'd accidentally bumped into. As the husband in Hen in the Wind did, he wrapped up the story with a "let's start all over again" happy ending. Ozu banged on about how disillusioned salarymen were and largely blaming Shoji's infidelity on his employment dissatisfaction. Where was the insight into the grief Masako was obviously still dealing with and her loneliness? Where was the compassion for a lonely woman with a husband who spent most of his time away from home? Why did she have to apologize for her husband sleeping with another woman?
Ozu's composition and framing were as exquisite as ever. There were the typical scenes in an Ozu film with singing and game playing, occasionally both at the same time. The 2 hours and 24 minutes film dragged badly in places. How many drinking and singing scenes were truly necessary? The waxing on about the meaninglessness of a salaryman's life became repetitious. Over and over again, Shoji was shown spending time with just about anyone but his wife which began to wear thin. It was doubly painful because Shoji never mentioned loving his wife whereas numerous characters commented on Masako's love for Shoji. At no point did Ozu show the reason Shoji decided to turn his marriage around other than for convenience's sake which made the decision emotionally hollow.
Ozu's insight into the long hours and drudgery of death by overwork was stinging. The commentary on women with unfaithful husbands was disheartening. The nicest comment about wives was Shoji's older friend played by Ozu regular, Ryu Chishu. "No one is more dependable than a wife." Sounds like something you would say about a brand of tires or dishwasher. I didn't find the unfaithful and cold Shoji a compelling or sympathetic character. He was an irresponsible husband who did nothing to earn his wife's forgiveness. Ozu made many meaningful films, for me, this wasn't one of them.
8/29/23
Was this review helpful to you?
