Reviews

Fun and entertaining

Unofficial Operation (2023)

This movie is based on a true story about a Korean diplomat who goes to Lebanon to rescue another Korean diplomat from kidnapping.

Ha Jung Woo is best at playing this kind of character, while Ju Ji Hoon was great as the taxi driver who helps with the rescue. Their bromance worked well as they are close in real life so the acting felt natural.

There's some action, like the car chase scene similar to MI, the feels of the movie like Mogadishu. And there was a bit of comedy too. Though the last 10 mins became a bit dramatic compared to the overall tone of the movie.

It doesnt offer anything new to the genre, but as HJW and JJH said in their interviews, this was supposed to be great movie to watch and enjoy with the whole family (and i agree!). Try to watch on the big screen!

Rating: 8.5/10

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Mansuang Comes Out With a Bang!

One of the movie I looked forward to in 2023 and they delivered every part of the movie well. From amazing production to beautiful cinematography, everything in this movie was beautiful. When it comes to reviewing Mansuang, one of the most important thing to highlight is that every single actor, from main actors to side actors played their role incredibly well. The acting is a 10/10 without any hesitation. One thing that could be improved is that they should release the uncut version as it was reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours. Although the storyline was not impacted by this, it would be great if we can dive deeper into every scene. Overall, an amazing film to watch!

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This was just too much! I am heartbroken after watching. I knew It would be devastating but I didn't realize I would be so angry after watching b/c of the injustices these children faced at the hands of adults who were supposed to be protetcing them. Parent and/or guardians should not have the right to take thier childs voice away. The events in this movie just have me so emotional right now. I was yelling at the screen and asking where the media was to shame all these damn people.

The cast is great but the young actors are the standouts here. Kim Hyun Soo as Yun Doo and Baek Seung Hwan as Min Soo.

8/28/23

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Wong Fei Hung once again fights opium dealers, this time in Heroes of Heroes, with a little help from Beggar So. An evil opium smoking and opium dealing prince found himself overextended when he managed to make enemies of both men even with the vicious Red Lotus gang backing him up.

Special Commissioner Lin asks for Wong Fei Hung's help in cleaning up the city when the Emperor declares an opium ban. So Chai from the wealthy So family is bamboozled by Prince Barac into siding with him on the opium issue. The Prince is not only addicted to opium but stands to lose a fortune if its banned. When the prince hooks the young So on opium, Wong Fei Hung steps in to rescue the promising fighter. The two kung fu legends will have to work together to bring down the prince and free the city from the grip of opium addiction and dealers.

The first fifty minutes of this film were narratively scattered and filled with slapstick comedy. I found it tedious and underwhelming. When the secondary characters stopped hogging the limelight and So and WFH stepped up with their fists and kicks in the second half the movie turned for the better.

Wang Jue made for a very bland Wong Fei Hung. Donnie Yen was much more interesting as the young Beggar So discovering his destiny. Hung Yan Yan/Xiong XinXin succeeded in making the sinister Prince someone who was difficult to defeat. Fennie Yuen started out as the intrepid princess reporter with her camera, but quickly became a damsel in distress. Ng Man Tat and Sheila Chan were mainly used as comic relief, really bad comic relief.

The fights, especially in the second half were entertaining. There was a lot of wire-work and sped up camera action, but also some nice hand and foot work. Donnie was young, fast, and limber. I always enjoy watching him fight. The Yuen clan choreographed interesting fights using weapons, scenery, tiger, crane, and drunken fist styles of kung fu.

If you love 1990's slapstick comedy complete with goofy prosthetic teeth, you're in for a treat. If you're like me and just don't get it, but do enjoy old kung fu movies, be patient and wait until around the 50-minute mark and the fun will begin.

8/27/23

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Discovered this film/series since early 2010s and have watched it thrice a year!

I've been in love with this film/series for years and have always seen it at least thrice a year. I can't name one bad thing about it. The action is excellent and fire. The cast is fantastic, including all the extras! Usually, extras don't try since they figure they won't appear on screen but that didn't happen in Crow Zero. Every extra looked like he/she belonged! I can't praise this film/series enough. Even after all this time, I never found it cringy or that I needed to skip parts. I always sit through the whole film like it's my first time. Crow Zero to this day, 10+ years later, is still one of my all-time favorite films.

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Well produced BL with a VERY good concept but still not enough, I want more

Finally sat down and watched it, second Taiwanese film I've watched where the main BL "couple" (or not so in this case it's kind of one sided) does not end up getting together at the end which gave me insane whiplash because the regular motherload of BL focuses on how quickly the main couple becomes canon

Anyways this one has an actual plot and I thought it was pretty intriguing, the idea of a homophobic cop being forced to marry a dead gay guy because he has been cursed with bad luck after picking up a red letter and now he has to solve the mystery of his murder is actually cool, it's not a meet cute plot it's not a contrived highschool scenario it doesn't feel like fanfiction this actually feels like a movie

It's scooby doo level mystery but I thought the weakest part about it is Mao Mao, it's nearly impossible to sympathize with him throughout the duration of the movie, another issue is the comedy, Taiwanese humor is so lost on me it just barely ever cracks a good enough punchline but there are definitely some that got a smile or two out of me

The production value though, oh my god did they spend a good dime on this movie especially the CGI which looks really stupid but they still went out of their way

It also ends unceremoniously I was honestly surprised, it was a very weird decision to have the ghost reincarnate at the middle of the movie and then have it come back as a gag to the plot and then re-reincarnate for even less of the emotional value at the end with a half baked confession from the dad

For BL standards, this is good, we almost never have a decent plot and this one at least bothers having an overarching one, carried by Greg Han who is actually so insanely hot my god

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Acceptance

On the surface, it is just a silly romcom about people meeting and breaking up. Something seen so many times. But just on the surface. Because the moment you throw in the mix gay main characters the story gets to be so much more than a simple romcom.

The plot follows two best friends, HaNeul and Bong Shik and their relationships. HaNeul has been in a long-term relationship with a closeted man who does not dare tell his family that the person he loves deeply is a man. HaNeul finds that so frustrating and they keep fighting and breaking up repeatedly. Until one day HaNeul is kicked out and goes to squat with his friend Bong Shik. He is a youtuber who pretends he plays badminton. One day he catches the eye of a real badminton player who persist in hitting on him. Bur BongShik is does not want a relationship because he is HIV+.

The main characters are worried about acceptance, how the others see them and will they like them for what they are be it gay or ill or both. The actors are all extraordinary and the award goes to the actor who plays HaNeul, Lee Hong Nae: he is handsome, cute and so talented. He manages to bring to life the emotions and conflicts and fiery temperament. The other actors are just as good! And of course there is the staple of korean cinema and tv: the ajumma herself, Lee Jung Eun, brilliant as always.

Production values are rather low: this looks and feels like a short web movie. The kind you find loads of on youtube. But a bit longer. I guess they did not have much of a budget and the cameras they used must not have been very sophisticated because everything is so cold and clinically sharp. Because of it, I had a bit of trouble getting into the movie, I could not feel anything special about it. And then I realized I did. There is one song and it was hilarious: the guys at one point sing a silly song during their podcast and it is to be seen to be believed. Magic!

The director managed to make the film seem light and fluffy while correctly treating serious issues. Kudos! Well done!

This is a lovely movie and definitely a very good, uplifting rewatch! Go for it!

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Pleasantly surprised!

I am an avid watcher of military movies/dramas and also quite an aviation enthusiast, so when Yibo was rumoured to be starring in this movie, i was very looking forward to it. However, life has been quite busy and I forgot about it but suddenly this movie (and full version at that too!) pop up on my YT homepage!

I was pleasantly surprised by it to be quite honest. While watching the trailer quite some time ago, most of the comments on youtube was how it was a chinese remake of topgun (having seen the trailer around TG Maverick release date). However, it was nice to see that they have gone quite a different route with this. I like how they pressed on no matter how brilliant a fighter pilot is on the frontline, there are actually much sacrifice and blood goes behind the scene to deliver the aircraft at its best.

What i like:
-Commander Zhang was such a leader. He nurtures and build all these heroes bit by bit.
-Yibo was in his element. His acting is mature and almost natural in his fighter pilot role
-there are many themes that are carried out brilliantly throughout the movie. Some of them are (of course!) patriotism, maturity comes after you are humbled by failure, wingmanship, and of course, sacrifice! Theres also a little bit of a love plotline, and i like that they are very softly integrated into the storyline. The FL and Yibo’s love story was professional at its best, between 2 busy officers who are on the path towards a greater goal, but found the understanding in the middle nevertheless.
- mygod, even though it was only about 1 and 1/2 hours in, the movie can already built up quite a story behind Commander Zhang, that when he sacrificed himself for the mission, i was bawling my eyes out in solidarity with the soldiers/engineers working under his command and with him.
-the final flight test was such a drama. I was gripping my duvet intermittently in anxiety trying to will them back home. Lol
-the recording at the end of the movie was so heartbreaking but the pilot’s voice sounded so calm honestly *criesabucket
-the scene where yibo and the team make a fly by/over show above Commander Zhang’s son’s game was chef kiss. Showed such a camaraderie between the team and their appreciation for their mentor’s sacrifice.

What i have problem with:
-the opening and closing fight scenes are so fast forwardy, making them seem quite unnatural and video game-like. My expectation honestly was at 30% that this will be a good movie seeing the first fight scene. Im glad that the subsequent story after that redeemed back my attention and expectation.


All in all, for such a short movie, it was quite gripping and intense. Highly recommended watch.

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People Who Care About This Premise Are Kind

I wanted to love this movie, really I did. The premise sounds unique and wholesome. Covering the subject of plushies and why people might feel attached or drawn to them and their comfort was great to see on-screen in theaters, but short lived. I don’t wanna be too harsh on the film since I admire its efforts and attempts at doing something different. You can tell the film was made with love and a passion and understanding for adorable stuffed creatures.

If I had to describe the film in two words it would be “soft” and “melancholic/sad”. There’s a lot of sweet and cute moments, especially with the wide range of plushies on featured. I admire the film’s sympathetic approach to youth and mental health. While it’s not perfect, it’s rare to see films that solely make it the focus within the context of plushies. There are a few neat moments where the direction shifts and even some plushie POV shots. The OST is entirely instrumental, besides the ending credits, and consists of an arrangement of funky plucks and strings.

Each character faces their own struggles and cope through talking to a stuffed friend. Besides the main semi-love interest, the other characters are given little screen-time and even less is known about them. There is a brief moment that touches on a conflict of a queer character, but aside from them, the side characters are not all that interesting. This films is ambitious and wants to address so many topics, it winds up under-developing most of them. The movie’s biggest demand, however, is its runtime and pacing. Despite the average runtime, this movie felt FAR FAR LONGER. I left the theater feeling like I had been there for 3 hours and even checked my phone a few times, which I try to avoid at all costs. There’s nothing wrong with a slow burn and I expected the movie to be a slice of life with a slower pace. But OH BOY, was I not prepared for how slow it felt.

The film also briefly deals with the topic of sexual harassment and assault that I think is worth mentioning. Thankfully it’s not shown on screen and treated in a serious manner, but I DID NOT expect that topic to pop-up in my cute plushie movie. I just wanted to warn people since I didn’t see it mentioned as a warning for the film. Worth mentioning is also how I didn’t notice any licensed character plushies out of the like 50 stuffed animals that were in the film! I can only imagine how many plushies they got and what they did with them after. I hope they were donated or given away, they’re too cute!

If you are interested in the film, it can be worth watching for the experience and warm premise. I don’t think there is much of a rewatch value, but I’m sure some people will like it more than I did. I wish the filmmakers and actors all the best, I hope to see them in future projects.

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Remarkable True Story Brought to Life on the Big Screen

I'm surprised that many didn't realize this is a true real-life story, prompting me to share my thoughts on it. Personally to me, movies adapted from real-life stories are always worth watching due to the tales they tell, information they share, or awareness they raise. Consider, for instance, the Korean movie shedding light on issues like exploited disabled children that stirred public attention for justice. So the essence lies in understanding the core of movie adaptations. Without further ado, the real-life story of this movie revolves around a successful young woman who encounters a suitor.

He gave her all affections possible for the likes of the stars and promising the moon for her attention and they entered into a relationship. As their romance blossoms, culminating in marriage. Yet, she discovers her husband isn't who she thought he was. He becomes a freeloader, a reckless spender, and a swindler of her hard-earned wealth. She did tried to share her wealth (yes she’s a successful self-made career woman) with him as she appointed him as the top management of one of her companies but later she realized he’s been swindling her money when her staffs informs her there’s a large sum of money no longer in company funding and once she tried looking for him, he went missing for many days until he came back one day and admitted of having financial difficulties and confessed of having huge gambling debts. He again promised moons and stars to her that’s he will change his habitual gambling and turn into a new leaf. She believe him blindly for the love she still had for him but later after not long, he resumed to his old self. Then she thought of getting a divorce but realized she’s already pregnant and was contemplating to tell him and give him a last chance to repent and be a good person again…hoping the news towards fatherhood will cure him but alas he didn’t! He planned a ‘good trip’ to bring her for mountaineering as it’s her passion and she trusted him. But the most scariest part was when he went with her to the top of the mountain (I forgot which place it was) and he lovingly hold her in his arms from behind hug and whispered into her ears asking if she have any regrets in life. She blurted out there isn’t any regrets as this is all I want in life (she’s a successful career lady making lotsa money, parents well and healthy, and now her husband seems to turn into a new leaf and they are having a baby together!) but the next second right after she said that answer, he whispered (as though it’s sweet nothing into her ears) ‘Then you may go to die’ and he just pushed her down the mountain!!! (note: he’s the husband and will be the main beneficiary of all her entire wealth including assets, companies, etc!) But thankfully life works miracles when least expected, although she fell down the mountain below but her gravity drop was greatly reduced by the leafy tree and she managed to land down although very much injured (she had broken about 17 pieces of bones all over her body) but still having breath and a lost mountain climbing tourist saved her!!! It was totally a nightmare when she was sent to the hospital but yet the authorities called her husband because not knowing he’s the culprit to her fall (she was unconscious) and he begun to act out his concern as a caring husband (disgusting right??!!) and she was unable to tell the truth of her fall as he looks after her 24/7 in the hospital…thankfully at one point (finally an opportunity timing!) she managed to pretend to her husband she forgave him and convinced him to let her contact her very best friend and from thereon she managed to speak to her best friend with somewhat underlying message (guess only best friend can tell when saying coded words etc hints) to rescue her. It wasn’t mentioned in her real life documentary what exactly did her friend did but managed to bring the bad murderous husband to jail! But bad news is supposedly 33years of jail term was subsequently reduced to less than 10 years as he appealed and won it. Now it’s almost time for his release… and I think probably that’s why this movie adaption is made, to bring into public’s attention of this real life story.

It’s very disheartening to know someone closest such as husband role in life is the person who is plotting for a murder! Worst of, for he knew she’s pregnant (in this movie it was slightly tweaked to be more touching that ML didn’t know FL was pregnant…and I cried at the last scene) but in reality story the husband knew it!!! Such a cruel man to kill off own child…mother + child!

One important point to share, the real life lady told during the interview that later in life only she realize her husband actually why wasn’t the person she thought she knew before marrying, bcos he researched on her via social media and knew everything about her likes and dislikes which is how he plot out a character to be her exact love match! This is also a good warning for us not to keep posting our inner most thoughts as we wouldn’t know who’s lurking outside seeing our daily lives and plotting against us…to kill us or whatever bad intentions!

The film is an exploration of the human psyche and a testament to resilience—crucial lessons that extend far beyond entertainment. The heart-wrenching tale of a husband's betrayal reveals the darkness that can lurk in those closest to us, delivering an emotional punch that lingers long after the credits roll. With powerful performances and haunting realism, this adaptation stands as a chilling portrayal of twisted intentions. It's not just a movie—it's a wake-up call to the unsuspecting, a reminder that even the closest relationships can harbor the most sinister motives.

Hope I could share more such as the interview story link but I’ve watched in on YT many mths ago…however, it gave me a very deep impression as I cried when hearing her words and life story so much that I begin searching to validate if it’s a true story and now I can only penned down what I remembered from it.

As the director masterfully delves into the psychological intricacies of human nature, the film succeeds in its mission to unmask the hidden faces of deception. While this genre might not suit everyone's tastes, the film stands as a poignant reminder that some stories demand sharing, serving as a stark warning against the unexpected hazards that life can bring.

P.S. Nini is also one of my favourite actress and again she nailed the best friend character well…and even the ML acting is good here.

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A Beautiful Ending

Once again Utsukushii Kare has surpassed my expectations. Yeah, I don't know how they keep doing that either.
Hira and Kiyoi have grown significantly since the previous season and their relationship is a far cry from its unstable beginnings in the first season.
The movie focuses on two things: Firstly, Kiyoi's acting career and all the pitfalls that come with it, including rabid fans (and oh the juxtaposition here absolutely destroyed me in the best way, this was a brilliant story-telling device) and prying tabloids (which it tackles very deftly through Anna's character and her relationships which I thought was a perfect balance to the direction Hira and Kiyoi's relationship takes over the course of the film).
Secondly, Hira's difficult journey of reconciling his deep-rooted insecurities both in himself and his relationships, with his secret belief in his own superiority, and learning to finally, finally meet Kiyoi as an equal in their partnership. The last line specifically really hit me like a truck, it was absolutely perfect.
This movie is beautiful, poignant, deeply charming and provides the perfect ending to a brilliant series.

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The Moon, THE BEST!!!

This is a spectacular film with great visualization of the universe and of course the moon itself. If you enjoy watching space movies like Interstellar, Gravity, and The Martian, you will definitely love The Moon for real!! The CGI packaging is very good and the background story makes everyone curious. The flow is very neat and doesn't feel rushed. The explanation of each character is very detailed and not excessive. Tense scenes are followed by brief rests with witty jokes before the tension rises again. As for Kyungsoo's acting, he truly gives his best. I can feel the anxious feelings that Sunwoo experiences through Kyungsoo's acting, even from a single breath he exhales. The other actors are also very capable and make the film very dramatic and of high quality. The Moon, THE BEST!!!

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Film within a film

I found this movie in a list of best zombie movies of all time and went into watching it without looking up the rating or reading the reviews. I think it greatly impacted the way I felt about this movie. Going on imdb and coming here on mdl made me realise how different people's perception of the same form of art can be.

If you are here to watch a hardcore zombie movie, this one is not it. It is light hearted, almost comical. More than zombies, this movie focuses on the blood, sweat and tears that goes behind movie making, the chaotic environment through which people on set have to push through to create a masterpiece. This movie pays homage to the heroes behind the camera.

First 35 minutes are a little hard to watch, especially if you have motion sickness like me. Since it is a one take shot and about zombies, there is a lot of running and shaking and it made me feel sick. I almost dropped it there but I am glad I decided to sit through it. When the one take shot gets over, then the real movie starts.

Honestly till the 40 minute mark, I couldn't really figure out what was going on but when I did understand, I was left engrossed in it. It was extremely enjoyable. The intricate details that viewers often do not pay attention to while watching a film are brought to light in such a nice way. It was extremely appreciable. It is indeed true that a hardworking and smart person can change every crisis into an opportunity. This film rightfully depicts that.

The actors did an amazing job. I don't think anybody was in the supporting characters here, everyone was a main character if you see it that way. I was amazed to see such a beautiful portrayal of the behind the scenes of a movie set.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and it shocked me when I saw how low this movie was rated. Ofcourse people can have different perspectives but if you love the art of film and filmmaking then this movie is a must watch! 10/10 will watch again.

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Watch it & don't just listen to the reviews.

This is a sequel of 2018 movie The Meg.
A group of ocean scientists who studies a megalodon that is supposed to be an extinct breed of shark living at the bottom of the Mariana Trench encoutering problems created by people supposedlybpart of their team. They will try to survive not only being stuck in Marianas trench but also attacks of pre historic, weird sea creatures.

The movie is injected with lots of funny humor even during serious, scary situations that it helped viewers who don't fancy a "doom and gloom before successful ending" stay til the end. It is like sensing not every key character will die at the end and that makesbme feel more at ease watching this movie. Not everyone are chicken like me but this movie is a bit more of how I like it when it comes to an action packed film.

This movie isn't just about Jason Statham's unbelievable stunt and comedic straight face humor. Aside from a giant, pre-historic sharks, it has giant octopuses, sea anemones, and deep sea scarry, fast, walking lizards. All of them including vicious evil people, are creating a situation for key casts to escape from.

They made it a simple for the story as to the why the evil doers wanted to kill and destroy billion dollar worth stations and equipments but they made the "how" complicated and unbelievable. There's deep dive robotic exosuits, and unimaginable walk along the seafloor of a 25,000-foot-deep trench. Karate mive against the sharks, and incredible stunts done by key characters. This series is injected by implausible action moves and ways of surviving that viewers will understand that it is a movie that can't possibly have a chance of happening in real life. It is for entertainment and it will entertain.

All BGM used in this movie are my favorites which explains my rating.

Do I recommend it? I do, however much bad reviews it received I have to be honest that it will satisfy a weekend movie night craving.

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