A danger to count on to fall for a character who doesn't know what they want.
In the beginning, I was hopeful, but then I started to lose hope every minute; I desperately begged one of the boys to say, "I love you!" No need to kiss or something, just I wanted to hear someone say it. The turning point, the final act of this drama, was devastating; it was cruel. As for the ending, I felt betrayed. But I realized I didn't know Naomi well. Or maybe I pretended not to know Naomi. He said he didn't know what he really wanted; I just didn't listen because I was too drawn to the idea he would have had a young love with Maki. I was disappointed with Naomi.This is purely a comment from an audience perspective and I don't include any technicality comment for this title.
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Very Weird
This movie was all over the place. Plot-wise it was really like the director would ask himself "What else can i add to this movie?" and proceeded with the first thing that came to his mind. Like what was it with the secret organization? They barely played any significant role there!About the characters: Broccoli and Mushroom all the way lol. And I also liked the sismance of the three women. One thing that was really bugging me was that Broccoli (can't remeber his real name, sorry) had really curly hair/wig. And one time he got kicked out of some club and thrown onto a poster with black man with dreadlocks. What was that?! Some badly disguised racism or what? It felt so unnecessary for the scene to be there.
the second half of the movie was better than the first one, as more crazy things were happening and it was just more funny overall with more screaming, running around etc.
I don't think that it's a horror as MDL states, I'm usually such a scaredy cat but I wasn't scared at all during this movie. Maybe because it's pg13 lol. This reminds me there are two scenes when the ML is completely naked and forwards facing but on Viki everything is blurred out and censored so you don't need to worry if you're watching it there. not sure about other video services though.
One last thing, what was the scene at the end? It didn't make any sense at all, it was there to just shock the viewers.
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what
what the hell did i just watch even like a man assaulted some guy he liked in high school for an hour and then somehow got that guy to fall in love with him just to be like lol nvm i dont trust u bye oh wait yeah lets fuck even thoguh u have a fiance now like what did i just watch i cant do thi slike genuinely and then at the edn the guy thats been cheating on everyone and their mom the entire movie was like wait maybe i shoukdnt cheat on ppl let me clean this fucking ashtray WHY DOES THIS REVIEW HAVE TO BE 500 CHARACTERS FUCK U MYDRAMALIST IM DONE WITH MY REVIEW LET ME FUCKING POST ITWas this review helpful to you?
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What value is human life ...
WOW. This turned out to be a very poignant and moving story for me. Given the existing ratings it got on MDL, I didn't think it would affect me the way it did, I was deeply moved by it and have nothing bad to say ... it is brilliant on many levels. It had me pausing in reflection many times and is indeed as the closing song says, "Scenes from a family, which could be anywhere" ... even mine, thousands of kilometers away in another country, another culture, another family, another time.The movie is based on the true story of Hashimoto Kouji, who is a screenwriter and broadcaster in Japan. He used to work in a cash truck and in 2001 he opened up a comedy theatre called "Lumine the Yoshimoto". It was here that he became a theater seated writer and later a screen and broadcast writer. "Blank 13", is his story about his father who went missing for 13 years. When they 'found' him thirteen years later, he only had a few months left to live. Hashimoto's life is portrayed by Takahashi Issei in the role of Matsuda Koji.
From what I can gather, this movie was Saito Takumi's directorial debut, and, in my opinion, he nailed it beautifully. Saito has an eye for the profound and subtle ... he quietly captured so much of the nuances and complexities of human existence ... each scene was loaded and yet flowed so effortlessly from one to the other. The sets; the lighting (in some scenes the lighting was like the chiaroscuro effect used in a Rembrandt or a Vermeer painting); the flashbacks; the beautiful music which flowed like a stream helping you to move along as the story progressed; the actors ... all perfectly portray the sadness, the struggle and the melancholy of ruined lives ... the stunned disbelief at what it was that others valued the deceased for, the latent resentment and sadness of the remaining family members and their pain at never having 'what could have been' ... all contrasted at the end by the little life that was yet to be born. It is a masterpiece of portrayal.
The title, "Blank 13", refers to the 13 years of Matsuda Masato's life that was a 'blank' to his former wife and sons ... though I personally think Matsuda Masato's life was probably to one degree or another, 'blank' even when he was with them. However, the story is really about the effect on the family when they learn about what those 13 missing years meant to the people who were in attendance at his funeral. On the one hand, it was pathetically comical, while on the other hand it was a stinging slap of pain, betrayal and hypocrisy, all laced with a profound sense of disbelief. To find out that their father was admired for his magic trick of turning paper into a baseball, respected for his collection of porn centerfolds; appreciated for the money he provided for 500,000 yen buddha beads for a fellow in trouble and for the medical expenses of his roommate's mother ... smh ... there is really no coming back from that ... even the letter Matsuda Masato wrote and sent to some person to read it out at his funeral in return for 5 out of 6 platinum teeth that were in his head ... it was hollow, just meaningless sounds coming out of a stranger's mouth ... Matsuda Masato was nothing less than despicable.
Yoshiyuki's words at his father's funeral were totally understandable - "I never found a way to like this man ... I tried to forget ... mother was put through great hardship ... I hated him to death and yet listening to what everyone said ... "
Koji's following up on Yoshiyuki's words, saying it was nice to know (belatedly) that his father was the kind of person who practiced magic; the kind of person who helped people in trouble when he was broke himself; the kind of man to hold on to Koji's composition that won a prize; the kind of man who sung the song "Atonement" ... so heartbreaking ... things that Koji wanted from his father but never got. Koji goes on to say that he also despised his father but after hearing from all the mourners, he felt like he might like him a little ... but he is conflicted and finally says that he actually may feel like he might be sad. It is sad ... so terribly heartbreaking and tragic ... if it was me, I would have left like Yoshiyuki (in fact in real life I did).
What value is a human life ... is it is the number of attendees at their funeral ... is it their legacy ... does the 'value' come from being present in someone's life or does it come from being absent ... or maybe it is both? One thing for sure, the value of someone's life definitely doesn't come from how many people attend their funeral. As for their legacy ... present or in absentia ... who knows what the knock-on effect of that is across the myriads of lives that have directly or indirectly been 'touched' by that person ... it will be different things to different people at different times ... and so maybe in the big scheme of things, there is value to all existence ... who knows.
Finally, after all is said (and not said) and done, Matsuda Masato's body is relegated to the crematory fire and is turned into smoke and ashes. A Shakespearean end in a way ... life going up in smoke, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. BUT ... from ashes, new life can spring forth. Koji is like the ashes of Matsuda Masato's legacy ... and from that he and his girlfriend have spawned new life ... hope they did/do a better job than his father Matsuda Masato.
A masterpiece.
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An epic tale of unwavering loyalty, love, and hatred
An epic tale of unwavering loyalty, love, and hatred. I loved all the characters here. Their motives were clear and well-developed, and I felt like I knew them all:- The second male lead that was tortured until all his heart knew was hatred.
- The female lead with undying loyalty and love that carried over from before she could even remember.
- The male lead with the weight of the kingdom (and the world) on his shoulders.
- The second female lead with a good head on her shoulders.
- The mastermind villain who just wanted to prove himself to his emperor.
It was an emotional tale with gorgeous cinematography. However, there were several holes that needed filling in order to fully understand how we got from one scene to the next. Scenes that presumably got cut out due to funding or the review board, as their absence was very clear. So a lower rating would be absolutely justified by those that prioritize plots over characters.
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A thought-provoking movie.
I recently finished watching Glory and My Name and was searching for something along those lines. Nothing caught my interest, so as a last-ditch attempt, I just entered the tag for bullying and browsed through the search results until I came across Elegant Lies.Elegant Lies is the story of a family that comprises of a mother and two teenage daughters, Manji and Cheonji. Their world is rocked when the youngest, Cheonji, commits suicide leaving her mother and older sister reeling. The movie largely follows a non-linear narrative as it delves into the story of Cheonji and the series of events that drove her to the edge.
Losing a loved one can really throw one off, especially if it's sudden. So wrapped up we are in our own lives that we tend to miss the signs or dismiss them momentarily, promising ourselves that we're going to check up on that one friend, that one acquaintance, or call up a family member that's been acting off lately. But before you know it, it's too late. Sometimes, things don't even feel any different, which tends to hit you harder. We see Manji, the older sister, grappling with this as she sets out to find the truth behind what might've driven her younger sister to take such a drastic step. As she goes through Hwayeon, her sister's friend, or Mira, her best friend's little sister who was in the same class as Cheonji.
Through Sangbak, their eccentric next-door neighbor that they gain after Hyunsook and Manji are forced to move following Cheonji's death, Manji learns things about her sister from this stranger that are in complete contrast to what she knew of her. Here, Sangbak expresses a point that is still relevant even today; we are more comfortable confiding in people we don't know as opposed to the ones we do because they won't subject us to scrutiny or wield those precious bits of ourselves that you shared with them like weapons to hurt you. As Hwayeon did. As Mira did.
Bullying doesn't just have to be physical confrontations or stealing someone's lunch or precious possessions. Sometimes it can be one's obliviousness or a thoughtless comment made in the heat of the moment. We all think we're good people and strive to make the world and others think so as well, not realizing that for some people, we're the actual worst. The realization that we often have trouble coming to terms with, as seen in Hwayeon's case, when she starts skipping school, stealing dishes, and badmouthing her parents' restaurant so they'll be forced to move apartments instead of confronting the possibility that she might be complicit in her friend's death.
The movie explores the themes of bullying, regret, friendship, isolation, grief, healing and familial relationships in various ways. Despite the sensitive issues and topics tackled here, this movie was quite watchable. It wasn't too intense that you had to stop, but it wasn't too lighthearted that it failed to deliver the message it was going for.
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Asano Taigi will be forever remembered by the world.
This movie is adapted and based from a real life story, and describe the life of a real person, teenager named Asano Taigi. Based on what is described the movie, he is seen to be a kind and cheerful person.He created the fight song for his Alma mater, Ichifuna Soul (which is still used until today as a cheering song) and some other pieces.
Unfortunately, this gifted person had to face cancer in real life and despite setbacks, he managed to write a few pieces of music with his gradually weaken body when he is battling with his cancer in real life. He lost his battle on 12 Jan 2017 and his friends who are attending his funeral are playing the music he composed there as a way to remember his 20 years of life.
If he still alives today, he would be an teacher on a Japanese school teaching music or even composing additional pieces of music. Despite his short life, this movie is dedicated to him to record his brilliant life, so that he can be remembered by the world.
You can find a lot of articles that are dedicated to him on Japanese internet, which you are welcome to read. Also do check up the subber Edward Wong which subbed this movie for your enjoyment.
May his soul rest in peace.
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Just let me tell you, if you are a fan of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga and anime series, then you are definitely going to enjoy this movie as much as I did!Where do I begin? The novel is so well adapted to the big screen, the writing, the characters, sets, costumes… all of it it’s just wonderful and loyal to the original series. The BSD world has come to life with this film and I love it! The acting and fight scenes were on point, and I enjoyed the cinematography, although the tight budget for the visual effects was pretty obvious. However, they still managed to do a decent job. I know isn't cheap to make a movie where almost all your characters have supernatural powers, so I have to give them extra points for the effort!
The cast did a wonderful job as well, reprising their roles from the stage plays. Although I missed Tawada Hideya as Dazai, I have to admit that Tabuchi Rui was amazing on the role! Oh my, he definitely has those crazy vibes from Dazai! XD
The plot never fails to entertain you and it almost feels like you are part of the story (a little spoiler, we actually are xd). Also, I would have liked to see more scenes with Ranpo and Chuuya, they didn’t have enough screen time and it’s such a shame cause they are two of the best characters!
8 out of 10!
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The Confidence Man JP: Episode of the Hero
3 people found this review helpful
As usual, a brilliant 'The Confidence Man JP' movie!
Been following the confidence man from the first drama in 2018 and it's such a pleasure to be able to watch the movie in the next consecutive years... every movie is charming and it gives off a very nice impression. Not to mention that almost all of the casts (main roles and supporting roles) are top class actors! Everything about this movie is perfect. I can't describe it properly but if you've already watched the previous movies and drama, you'll get just the same amount of joy after watching it.Side note: if you're not a fan of Higashide Masahiro because of his scandal, trust me, you have to put your feelings aside. I hate him too, but it's such a waste if you don't want to watch the movie just because of him, the movie is too precious! Think about how many people are involved in making the movie, and how all the staffs and casts put their effort into this movie.
Also....I'm touched how the staff still put Takeuchi Yuko's and Miura Haruma's character in this movie...I'm crying 😢
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It would have been nice if the story had been a bit longer.
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whole review
okay so honestly i only watched the whole thing because of nijiro but if i hadnt i wouldnt have watxhed the whole thing because honestly it was a little boring.acting-
the mother speaks eng alot and shes not a native english speaker so i think she has a hard time actually delivering the english lines, but when she speaks japanese she does just fine but her tone in eng makes it sound like shes just reading a book out loud. the actual english speakers sound weird also, they also sound like they are just reading a book and when i first started watching it i genuinely thought that i had picked the dub instead of sub because it was so bad. the only good actors are nijiro and his friend in the movie and when the mom speaks japanese.
story-
slow moving and a bit pointless and boring.
music-
i barely remember it
overall- wouldn’t rewatch
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Aberrant romance and captivating mystery that leads to making a difficult decision to leave
A multilayered neo-noir with a dash of eccentric yet almost inappropriate romance. This film conveys an outlandish narrative wherein the rigid, workaholic police officer Hae-joon (Paek Hae-il) obssesses then falls for the main suspect of a murder case he is investigating, Seo-rae (Tang Wei).The first half was not immediately engaging, but it was able to successfully build-up tension between the complex lead characters while in a middle of an intricately-created murder mystery. What I find unique here compared to previous Park Chan-wook's filmography was that I was able to follow the plot easily compared to some of his works yet there were still subtle context clues and nuances that I had to think twice. Unfortunately, the second half was not able to hold the same calibre of obsession and tension as the first half. For me it was quite draggy, and the runtime could've been shortened since it already had a tight and suspenseful first half.
Also, the well-thought cinematography helped the overall quality. It was carefully crafted which was very prominent on the scenes where Hae-joon was imagining he was on Seo-rae's side. The camera angles and shots amplified his obsession towards the case and towards her as well. The foggy weather, the mountain and the sea (based on the Confucius quote mentioned) striked to me and perhaps to the storyline as well.
Aside from that, I highly applaud Tang Wei's performance here. It's the first time that I watched her and the fact that she's not Korean but speaks the language suprisingly well, together with her morally-gray characterization, speaks amounts of her effort as an actress to nail the role. Park Hae-il's performance is also nothing to be brushed off. I think that this might give him a nomination for this year's Baeksang, if not win just for that final scene where he was able to portray anguish and longing emotions (very well).
Overall, a great movie despite with its fuzzy moments. This may not have the same quality as Oldboy and The Handmaiden, but Decision to Leave creates a distinct caliber that proves why Park Chan-wook definitely is a master of this craft. The neo-noir element was not as intense as the aforementioned movies, but the addition of the aberrant romance and captivating mystery ultimately proves why there was a difficulty to make a decision to leave.
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An Extremely Powerful Piece of Art
"Method" is a compelling and mature film that portrays the trope of a forbidden romance while exploring mental health and obsession- the concept of "taking things too far."Story - The entire storyline from start to finish will push you through a whirlpool of emotions and gives you a lot of food for thought. While I see a lot of people reflecting on the more romantic side of the story, I looked more in the direction of someone so obsessed with doing things ''right'' that it weighed heavily on their psyche. This caused the lines to truly blur between what is real and what isn't, which inevitably lead to changing the lives of not only the afflicted person but the people around them as well. The story just had so many layers to it that it made for an extremely interesting watch.
Acting/Cast - All the actors did an amazing job, Park Sung Woong's performance in particular. He really brought out the manic energy in Jaeha that guided the story. Oh Seung Hoon and Yoon Seung Ah also played their roles very well, they nailed their expressions which really brought out the emotions in their characters.
Music - The music was well done and matched well in different scenes. It enhanced the actor's performances and completed scenes perfectly.
Rewatch Value - While I genuinely loved this film, I will be honest- it's kind of a downer. While I don't plan on rewatching it on my own, I would watch it with friends and family to show it to them.
Overall - "Method" is an amazing film that even if you aren't interested at first glance, I think you should give it a try anyway. It's a change of pace from the more happy-go-lucky attitude of descendant films/shows of the same genre.
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Grief Knows No Boundaries!
14/01/2023This is not based on a true story, but takes elements of what likely happened after the Sewol ferry disaster back in 2014 as well as what most might experience when losing a loved one.
This story mostly focuses on one family that loses their 16 year old son in that incident and how each family member is impacted by his loss as well as others that knew him.
Grief knows no boundaries when it comes to a parent losing a child, a sibling losing a brother or sister, a relative losing a relative or a friend losing a friend.
We see a mother that has difficulty moving on who is stuck in grief and still in mourning, an estranged father trying to make amends and re-establish himself in the family and a young daughter being caught in the crossfire of that grief and sorrow standing in the shadow of her oldest brother who is no longer there.
There is definitely a void that can never be filled when we lose friends or family due to tragic circumstances.
About his friends...
His friends come into play as well - one that held him on pedestal, one that has survivor's guilt and even his best friend who is grieving deeply as well only can't find it in himself to interact with the family - especially the grieving mother. There is one part near the end in which he, the best friend, says to her he doesn't know why he avoids her yet I am sure most of us can guess why? Sometimes we don't know what the right words are to say or how to act towards someone that has lost someone to death, also, it can be a cruel reminder of who is no longer in our own lives anymore.
So, with this movie we also get to witness what it is like for others beyond the family just a bit.
It is a slow burn film yet it isn't really boring and the point of it I feel is powerfully delivered.
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