Reviews

An Afternoon that Can Change Everything

Xiao Yu is accustomed to following his older brother and stumbles upon an unexpected scene one afternoon. This raises several questions: does he feel lost, confused, angry, surprised? One of the strengths of the screenplay is to let the audience draw their own conclusions about Xiao Yu's feelings.

Another intriguing aspect involves the father. I wonder to what extent he is aware or pretends to be ignorant. This ambiguity adds additional tension to the narrative.

While the focus primarily rests on the younger brother, the short film subtly hints at Feng's perspective as well. I was left questioning whether he doesn't feel secure enough to fully embrace his life, if he's waiting for the right moment to reveal himself, or if he simply values maintaining his privacy. It is evident that he cares for his brother while giving him the space he needs when he sees that Xiao Yu is drifting away from him. This decision may stem from the same reason he creates a boundary between his home life and love life—to preserve his personal space. Feng loves freely, yet simultaneously keeps it a secret.

Ultimately, "One Afternoon" brilliantly demonstrates that not everything needs to be explicitly stated for the story to convey its message. The unsaid and the silences contribute to the narrative power of the short film.

It's delightful to see Huang Chun Chih again, whom I previously enjoyed in "HIStory3: Make Our Days Count." His natural interaction with Lin You Quan and Ping Chen Wu is remarkable and brings authenticity to the entire performance.

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"Man is too small when faced with the vastness of nature"

Dersu Uzala was based on the real lives and friendship of Dersu Uzala and Vladimir Arsenyev in the Siberian wilderness during the early 1900's. The impressive film about friendship won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1976. Aside from its famous director, Kurosawa Akira, you aren't likely to recognize any of the names in this Soviet-Japanese film, but don't let that deter you as the performances were all first rate.

The film begins with Capt. Arsenyev and his men doing a topographical study of the Ussuri Region. Local hunter, Dersu, enters their camp having followed them for much of the day. The next thing he knows he has become their guide. Dersu is wise, kind, and generous as well as being a skilled hunter. The soldiers are largely unaware of the world he sees and hears around them. "Got eyes but don't see." At first the men are amused at his views, such as fire, wind, and water being alive and "strong men" to be wary of. It doesn't take long for them to come to respect him and trust his guidance. He also teaches them compassion for people and animals in ways they had not thought of in his special lessons on wilderness etiquette.

Arsenyev learns the hard way what disregarding Dersu's advice means in the life and death world of winter in the dangerous world. The two men slowly build on their trust and respect to develop a deep and abiding friendship. The movie could have comfortably ended at the 70-minute mark, and I did find the first half more compelling. When Arsenyev returns to the wilderness he finds his friend older, but largely unchanged. They race to each other and embrace as if soul mates and maybe in some ways they were. Only after an incident with a tiger, do Dersu's facilities begin to decline. The aged tracker and hunter finally relents, acquiescing to his friend's invitation to come live with him in town. Dersu understandably struggles to adapt to the confinement of city living. The film hauntingly ends much as Arsenyev's 1923 memoir.

This film is one that will find itself with a divided audience. There was almost no conflict which could be a deterrent for many, especially with a 140-minute running time. The characters found themselves in few perilous moments or facing life altering events. At the same time, it was an expedition into the beautiful world of the Siberian taiga and the development of a devoted friendship. People from disparate places came to understand each other. The film could almost fall into a slice of life travel drama with its languid, graceful pace.

Kurosawa's signature style appeared throughout the film. An encounter with a tiger leads to a mystical moment for the tracker, a seemingly innocent encounter that had profound effects on his psyche which reminded me of other Kurosawa characters affected by surreal events. Kurosawa's own particular blood red sky and sun also reflected in the ice was used in several scenes, reminiscent of Dodesukaden's sky. A faint rainbow appeared at a hut in the misty woods as happened in several of his films. At times, Kurosawa's signature winds and fog obscured the scenery, heralding in moments of significant changes. The film was beautifully shot in the Russian wilderness and accompanied by an elegant musical score. Rivers, forests, snowy marshes, and a frozen lake shared the screen with actors trudging through and over them. Despite the exquisite landscapes and evolving seasons, Kurosawa kept the story focused on the two men. In one particular segment Dersu and Arsenyev become lost when returning from a frozen lake. At Dersu's bequest they desperately cut the tall marsh grasses in a blinding wind storm for a makeshift shelter in order to survive the bitterly cold night. This scene with few words was stunning and emotionally gripping.

George Lucas has eluded that Yoda may have been loosely based on Dersu. With Dersu's broken Russian and oneness with nature it would be an easy leap in logic. At one point when Dersu was in danger after saving the rest of the men, he had to orchestrate his own rescue advising the men how to accomplish it. While his abilities seemed almost magical to the city folk, his skills were honed over a lifetime living in the harsh conditions needing to always be aware of his surroundings to survive. I believe he would have agreed with Yoda, "Do or do not, there is no try."

Rather than a man against nature theme, the story advocated man living peacefully and reflectively with nature and other people. Nature may be unforgiving, but it was also possible to learn from her and receive her gifts. Kurosawa showed not only the best of humanity but also the cruel face of humanity as well in the way heartless men treated animals and other humans. Though he touched on several subjects the overriding core of the film and its main focus was the friendship of two men from different walks of life who bonded in the wilderness.

It would be hard to overstate the skill Kurosawa used in the making of this film. The raw, scenic landscapes seemed to have personalities of their own, much as Dersu believed. Though the story was simple it was not simplistic. The unbreakable friendship of Dersu and Arsenyev resonated deeply with me. Even at over 2 hours long, I would happily watch this film again.

6/6/23

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Gripping and unsettling revenge story with some interesting narrative and production choices

This extremely dark movie is a revenge story centred around a crime committed in a middle school background. The plot is unsettling as the viewer witnesses a patchwork of criminal acts, toxic behaviours, mental health issues and disturbing scenes. I found the pace of the story really good as the film progresses and the motivations of some of the characters unveil. It might feel a bit over-the-top at some point but it succeed in being frighteningly believable somewhat. I appreciated the ambivalence of the ending and the fact that there is a greyish morale to it...

Acting-wise, the cast was overall pretty good. Matsu Takako is good as this distraught, cold and relentless character seeking revenge. She is a bit over-shadowed by the performances of the three teens actors: given their young ages and the darkness of their scenes, I found them pretty impressive and convincing, even though sometimes their acting might have been a bit too "over-the-top" or uneven.

Production-wise, it manages to showcase the different perspective of the stakeholders in a gripping way. Even the more narrated parts (which are "telling" more than "showing") are captivating to follow due to some inspired mise-en-scene. There was some elements that I felt a bit too exaggerated (in terms of visual effects or for example with the blood spattering...) to the detriment of the poignancy of some of the scenes but it was still super impactful overall. The soundtrack was suitable for the film but not memorable to me.

I would recommend this to people looking for a gripping revenge story, quite different in its narrative style. If you loved manga such as "Teseusu no fune", you might love this as it gives some similar vibe. Given the crime committed as well as the various topics approached in the film, it features heavily (a lot) of really triggering components. I would strongly suggest to look at the tags before watching this if you have any triggers. If you don't, this could be better to go watch it blind in order to not spoil yourself of course.

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Is it worth watching?: Hmm... Kinda, if you have time and not-so-high expectations

After reading the movie description, it seemed so promising that I watched it immediately. The first thing that struck me was how much it didn't seem like a movie. While they did manage to convey the story, it was done in a somewhat inadequate manner. It could have been so much better...
While the plot was interesting, the explanations about the baby and the father seemed like they were some absurd, made-up excuses just to keep it within the time limit. There were too many plot holes, and everything felt so rushed. I just felt that the execution could have been so much better.
That being said, it was a good watch. The character development was amazing, and the father and baby interactions are adorable. Well, except for the baby's inner voice, which we could have gone without.
Overall it was okay... Is it a waste of time?: No. Is it a productive use of your time? No for that too... But most importantly, I had fun, so I'd rate it as worth it.

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People, where is the condom ??

Many reviews have been made that I agree with so for me there is just one question left: Where is the condom ?
Everybody is having sex with everybody but protection is never mention, not even once !! This is out dated.
About the plot: well I love you so I'll just send you to prostitution ... (eyes rolling).

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Disrespectful and consenting sexual abuse.

This movie is disrespectful to all women and the sinopsis doesn't even come close to what is coming. You go into that movie unprepared and this is not a tribute to women this is consenting crime, violence and sexual abuse, you should know that.

Reasons why I do not recommend this movie:

- adult female lead is raped by a male coworker just like that and at the end he says "this is your fault" ... WTF ?? And apparently it never crossed the director's mind that the female lead could report that to the authorities... Unbelievable !! This is medieval.

As it is not enough:

- mature female lead has sexual relations with a schoolgirl, equals minor, equals pedophilia; even if is the schoolgirl that initiates the action it doesn't matter because adults should know better and should take the responsibility to say NO to that kind of actions;

As it is not enough...

- schoolgirl is beaten and raped by her father and in the director's mind explicit sex scene between father and daughter once is not enough so let's show it twice (at this time I just couldn't see so disgusting it was).
- as if there was not enough nudity already let's make the actresses topless in that last scene, well just because;
- that schoolgirl's skirt is too short please STOP!

I gave an 8 for the acting out of compassion for the actresses.

This is why I do not recommend this movie.

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Am not going to go over what this film is about as that has been covered in full quite adequately.

What I do want to say is this - in some entitled first world countries there are certain privileges and freedoms some of us take for granted, a number of us want want want or need need need and unfortunately we get so caught up in our own selves most of the time, that we don't always pay attention to what is happening in less fortunate countries or countries that are totally divided - like South Korea and North Korea.

This film may be fictional and not so new anymore, but it is likely based on elements of truth when it comes to what might happen when someone betrays their country.

As far as I'm concerned everyone should have the freedom of choice and not be made to pay the consequences for wanting something different especially if it is the opposite of oppression or not conforming to one way of thinking that is narrow.

Life is meant to be lived and it should be lived to the fullest yet some are denied this basic human right just for being born on the wrong side of the border and in a totally restrictive country.

"Secretly, Greatly" will likely be in my top 10 Korean movies for life!. AAA+++

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"They have the strength, the brains, and the will to struggle!"

Little Toys not only told the tale of a passionate and talented young toymaker, but also used the toys she made as an analogy for the war creeping up on her doorstep. The movie was decidedly propagandistic and no wonder with the strain of civil wars being fought at home and a foreign army invading as well. Like many in their situation, movies were not only entertainment, but at times catharsis and a call to arms.

Ruan Ling Yu played Sister Ye/Xiu Xiu, a toymaker extraordinaire in an idyllic rural village, whose business kept many people fed. Married to a slovenly, but kind husband, she had two children to care for as well. A handsome engineering student in town fell hard for her, but she refused to run away with him. Always seeing the big picture, she challenged him to finish his degree overseas and return to China to improve their country's industry and help lift the poor out of poverty. Emboldened by her patriotic words he set off to do his duty.

The movie begins with numerous comedic moments, but this is a Ruan Ling Yu film so don't fall for it. She once again played the avatar for the suffering women of China, if not China herself. Despite being loyal and patriotic, not the flawed fallen women she often played, she still met with endless suffering. Along the way she dealt with the death of loved ones, the disappearance of a loved one, civil war, becoming a refugee, competing with cheap foreign goods, the Japanese invasion and the infamous January 28th incident, as well as debilitating PTSD. That was a lot of tragedy to work into one film.

At the time, China was dealing with class issues as well as political ineffectiveness and corruption. To avoid censorship, the name of the invading army was never mentioned. You didn't have to be a history major then or now to know who it was. While some of the speeches meant to inspire felt organic to the scene, some of the leftist and nationalistic speeches could be stilted and rather awkwardly wedged into conversations.

What I found interesting was the use of toys as a metaphor for the soldiers, playthings moved about during war. Scenes of toy guns, tanks, and planes were overlaid with battle scenes. Many of the weapons, planes, and tanks used in the battles resembled the toys previously shown giving the scenes a surreal feeling as toys gave way to deadly reality. Even at the end of the film, Xiu Xiu confused her toys with real soldiers and weapons, calling them to fight.

Ruan Ling Yu gave a nuanced performance exhibiting numerous emotions from gentle caring mother to a woman broken by war and tragedy. She truly was a gifted actress taken from the world too soon. Li Lili, another famous silent film actress, portrayed Xiu Xiu's teenaged daughter. Though not as subtle she also gave an impassioned and at times light-hearted performance.

While Ruan was captivating, wringing as much emotion as she could from each scene, the film felt overly long and disjointed at times. Because it covered so much ground and often glanced quickly over tragedies, I found it difficult to connect emotionally with the large cast. The film felt more important as a historical piece than as a piece of entertainment. When Ruan pierced the crowd around her with a steely gaze at the end of the film and shamed them, declaring they needed to fight for their country's survival and then stared directly into the camera challenging the audience, it crossed over from being a popcorn movie and into a call to arms. There has always been a place for these kinds of propagandistic movies, especially during times of desperate national crisis, it's just best to know what you are going into with this film as it could be heavy-handed at times. To be sure, regardless of your feelings about the subject matter, the film is worthwhile viewing if only to watch one of the few surviving Ruan Ling Yu films.

6/5/23

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"0.1% of World": A Serendipitous Telepathic Journey Filled with Comedy and Heart

"0.1% of World" is an extraordinary movie that I stumbled upon by chance, and it has now earned a permanent spot on my list of must-watch films. From the very beginning, the premise of a telepathic connection between the male lead in Germany and the female lead in China sets the stage for chaos and comedic brilliance.

The initial moments of the film are pure gold, filled with hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings as they navigate their newfound telepathic abilities. They can hear each other's thoughts, feel each other's pain, and even experience the effects of alcohol when the other is drinking. The comedic chemistry between the leads is electric, providing endless laughter and amusement.

As the story progresses, the characters realize that constant bickering and fighting won't help their situation. They slowly begin to find common ground and learn to live in this strange reality they find themselves in. However, a major fight leads to a temporary breakup, which ironically serves as a catalyst for them to discover their true feelings for each other.

Fate plays its hand, and the characters continuously miss each other in their daily lives, adding an element of longing and anticipation to the story. Fast forward a couple of years into the future, and they finally meet for the very first time, and from that point on, the story takes an unforgettable turn.

While "0.1% of World" is a captivating film that takes you on a serendipitous journey, one aspect that some viewers may long for is a definitive kiss to seal the deal and provide closure. It would have been a perfect way to conclude the journey and provide a sense of fulfillment for those who followed the characters' tumultuous path.

Despite this minor longing, "0.1% of World" remains an exceptional movie worth watching. Its blend of comedy, heart, and the unique telepathic premise make it a captivating cinematic experience. Get ready to be immersed in a world where laughter and emotions intertwine, leaving you thoroughly entertained and rooting for the characters' happiness.

Overall, "0.1% of World" is a delightful film that proves that love knows no boundaries, even in the face of extraordinary circumstances. It's a testament to the power of connection and the beauty of finding love amidst chaos.

Note: This review is written by me, edited by ChatGPT for readability.

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Great portrayal of Long’s Acting Ability

I throughly enjoyed this short and was drawn into the conversation easily. As it progressed I was impressed by the one-take quality and sense of intimacy. it seemed that I was listening in on what became a very private conversation. I have no clue what was meant by the ending, so I’m going to pretend the last few minutes did not happen. I’m coming to this after watching Long play Day in Love Syndrome lll, where his character’s conduct is largely toxic and irrational, altogether unappealing, except in terms of amazing physical appearance. What a relief to see him play a very nuanced role in which subtle shifts in body language and facial expression role are key. The startling contrast between the roles make me respect him as an actor and look forward to more.

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Degrees of love

Degrees of love

This could be an educational movie about MILK: where it comes from and what becomes of it! The story of milk is told through 4 separate GL romances of different degrees following the maturation and transformation of milk into a cheesecake! Very symbolic!


The Cheese Sisters is a cute movie, the actresses have great chemistry and the countryside is really pretty especially in the first story. Each story is about 30min long. There is not much conflict and no toxicity whatsoever. I liked how the movie was constructed with every degree of love from friendship to committed relationship. Even the titles of stories can be understood as descriptions of these relationships. You will spend a nice moment watching this and then you'll forget about it!

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Incredibly well executed sapphic love story

This was too short and I wish we got a full movie to enjoy the blossoming love of the two leads .
But what we got was incredible , this is one of the most realistic portrayals of a lesbian relationship I've ever seen.
Story:
After a granddaughter of Tsuyako's finds a box of old photos we are transported to post-war World War II Japan, where a younger Tsuyako who works in a factory and has a family meets a childhood friend Yoshie ,who is planning on moving to Tokyo. The two reminisce about the past and that leaves Tsuyako with a very important question: Does family come first before true love?
Overall everything was beautifully portrayed , the actresses did an amazing job of showing longing, pain and sorrow. It was directed and produced by a woman so the lesbian portrayal wasn't sexualized and it showed in the sexual scenes where it mattered most .
I cried like 3 times for those 20 minutes so I would say worth watching, but prepare to tear up at the gritty realism of life.

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Romcom with Realism, for good and bad

What I loved and hated most about the film is the healthy dose of realism to this romcom. From the stressful in-laws (on both sides, for different reasons) that weren't overdone, to the getting-used-to-each-other phase of being newlyweds, to the stress of living in a place that isn't your own, and more. It was real but it was funny. And the leads were so cute. And despite Angie being hot-headed and Jed being rather weak-willed, I would dare to say that they were a perfect mesh for each other. They knew how to apologize to each other after a fight, and really wanted the other to be as happy as possible.

But, we also get the other side of that realism: the likelihood of a man cheating on his spouse goes up significantly with pregnancy. For a number of reasons. Loss of attraction. Less bedroom activity. Change in the spouse's attitude. Etc. Etc. And in reality, many spouses will still forgive their partner afterwards with the reassurance that it won't happen again, after a good/sincere apology, and/or on behalf of the baby and their post-partum state.

Even when this plot element was introduced, I still really liked the movie. The way Angie handled it was spectacular. And I expected nothing less from my girl. Even when she's on her last leg of pregnancy, she handled that like a boss. And it looked like she was gonna make Jed work for her forgiveness.

But alas, the film botched the story towards the end. Jed didn't grovel as much as he deserved to. And several characters contributed to this narrative of the infidelity being an easily forgiven transgression - on behalf of him being a man and it not meaning anything. For instance, Jed's mother seemingly shocked but relatively okay when it came to light - because, I mean, what does it matter if your son went against basic loyalty morals since you hate your daughter-in-law? And then Angie's father gave this whole spiel about how "men work different" and "just because we cheat doesn't mean we don't love our wives anymore" speech while comforting her.

And then we have Angie saying she feels bad because she married Jed in the hopes of changing him? That didn't even make sense with the movie! Did me and the scriptwriter watch the same movie? At most, Angie hoped Jed would grow more of a backbone and stand up against his parents wishes/opinions. What does that have ANYTHING to do with his ongoing affair?

This could have been a great movie. And I would have loved to debate the "should she/shouldn't she forgive him" aspect of the story. But the ending just really messed that up. It made the cheating out to be much a smaller dealer than it was, and tried to paint hot-headed pregnant Angie as part of the reason it happened.

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NEVER AN OPTION

I have to say that I didn’t liked this title because, I know that there are so many things that they bring in this, but the super Stockholm syndrome is too much for me. He says he was trying to make him want to live but, hey, that’s not the way to do so. It was so so violent and sometimes (always) too much. I also have to say that I liked the final, like the very end, the two last scenes, if you forget everything that happened before, it is a beautiful scene if you focus on it. So yeah, the acting was awesome, they did so well and the production is also good, but it doesn’t compensate the rest. So yeah, i give it a 2.5 because I liked the last 2 scenes and the 0.5 for the acting itself.

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