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Not enough action
Su Can the son of the Admiral in charge of destroying the opium being brought in by the Prince is essentially an aimless youngman who doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of his government official father. He's happy to go around with the beggar clan just living his life and being in love with Lady Ruyu. Lady Ruyu is a performer whom the Prince has taken a keen interest. She rebuffs him and also gets into a kerfuffle with Su Can. The Prince sets in motion a plan to eliminate Su Can and is father so that he can continue his opiod busniess.After the murder of his father and then the Beggar clan leader Su Can seeks out revenge. It's not a bad movie but the movie is choppy. Somethings happened way to fast and too unbelievably. I did like the costumes and the cast though. I just wish there was a more coherent story.I can see why this has a low rating. I really wanted to like this film and it really should have been good and enjoyable. The runtime was a short 73 minutes and maybe that's why the story falls apart?
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No Impact
I came across this movie in my recommendations on Youtube and decided to give it a try.Let's start with the story. It's interesting enough, as there seem to be some layers to be uncovered, but the editing is all over the place and all the scenes lose any impact. They fall in love supposedly deeply, but you can't feel any of it. The emotional scenes lack any impact, because once again the editing make them seem out of the blue. Even the fight scenes, while pretty, eventually end up lacking any excitement.
Most of that is due to editing, but I must also mention the acting. Unfortunately, not that great. Also unfortunately, it goes for the whole cast. Whether it was the directing or the acting ability, none of the actors had any presence on screen. The ML is expressionless. Even if the character is written as a cold snake demon, you would at least expect him to show some expressions once he warms up and falls in love, but his face literally didn't move. At all. Throughout the whole movie. It was like looking at a picture. The female lead, while a bit better, didn't really do that great either. Their chemistry was also non-existent, so with the two of them in the most scenes, you end up watching a very boring couple. The SML is just there. No real impact. Very bland.
The music didn't really help either and seemed out of place sometimes. It didn't always match with the scene you were watching.
All in all, none of the aspects of the story had any impact. The story had potential and with better editing and a more charismatic cast might have been much better, but it ended up being on the boring side.
This story may actually work better as a drama. Giving the characters more time to develop and adding a bit more background. As a movie, it's a bit lacking.
There's also a part two, but I'm not sure if I'll be watching that.
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Poly? ACE?
Disclaimer: Please do not come down on me like a ton of bricks! Be kind to me! I am just ignorant and trying to educate myself!If you are not familiar with the terminology or the very notion of polyamourous relationship and the meaning of ACE, you'd better do some research before watching this otherwise you'll find it incomprehensible!
There has been a huge development in sexual orientation terminology within the general population and, I hate to admit it,I did not keep up to date! Recently, there was a thread in the feeds dealing with it, but to be honest, my english being far from fluent, I did not understand much! The same is with this movie!
This short movie came highly recommended so I thought I might write a sentence or two about it since I spent some money on vimeo to watch it!
So from what I saw, please be indulgent of my ignorance, this is a story of three men in love and who live together: two engage in sexual activity and the third one, being repulsed by the notion of anyone touching him, just watches the other two and takes pictures (he's a photographer!). The end!
The actors have really good chemistry and their characteristics come out through just a few phrases. The cinematography is a bit on the dark and colourless side. The music...was there any? Can't remember! Rewatch value is high: first because you paid for it so you rewatch it often(LOL!) and second, in order to see tiny details which help understand the story better.
I would have liked the movie to be longer, to get some back story about the characters. Nothing there unfortunately! This is just a moment in time, when they decide to live together! A short movie which has the privilege, it seems to me, to be the first along with Koisenu Futari, to speak openly about ACE individuals. And as such, it is a unavoidable watch! It doesn't hurt it, either, to be excellent for those 18min and making everybody who's seen it want more!
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Bad Critic Reviews ≠ Bad Movie
Before you start looking for reviews, especially the negative, I advise you to watch the movie first. Before I watched it, so many people told me it wasn't any good, boring, confusing -- you know the drill. I particularly love the cast, so I didn't let it bother me much, and when I did watch it, I absolutely loved the film. It's so intricately detailed and truly entertaining to watch.I understand why some would say that it's confusing, but I believe that actually being interested/curious about the story would be more than enough to make it understandable. Sometimes we're already prejudiced with opinions from others that we unconsciously refuse to appreciate something as it is. I think this is the same for this film.
Moreover, Alienoid is truly an entertaining movie. It's a new sensation that I haven't seen anywhere, and the director (Choi Dong-hoon) really outdid himself with this one. Although mixing historical elements (and guns!), fantasy, modern settings, time travel, and aliens wouldn't be so much of an inviting idea to many, it surely made my jaw drop for most of the movie. There was just the right amount of action, comedic relief, and plot in it that you won't realize it's coming to an end. I also loved how there was a vast range of characters that corresponded to each timeline -- especially the two mages!
Anyways, I loved the main three's (Kim Tae-Ri, Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Woo-Bin) characters so much! I can't wait to see more of them in the second installment. It's actually really funny how KTR and RJY's dynamic in Little Forest is so contrasting to them in here! (Plus, Thunder (KWB) in the pink suit absolutely slayed!)
The film duration is quite long (2h22m), but the story made use of it perfectly. The pacing is also good, which makes it seem like it's not even two hours.
Great movie to watch with friends and/or family!
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DIDN'T SEE SOMETHING I DON'T THINK WAS COMING FR!!!!!
This title is just absolutely solid at least the first half which is very promising. The plot got confusing in the latter part which is a plot twist. When I was really watching it, I was so glued at anything happening between young Phop and Dew and how just their homophobic town came crushing gays like homosexuality is an epidemic. The part where homosexuals were blamed bcuz of the STDs rampant presence in their town and forcing gays to be straight. It's just disturbing and sad to see that, especially when Phop participated in the so-called treatment. The bruises he got from the "treatment" is cruelly sad and I got infuriated. The story was so compelling. The moment of spending with each other and running away from their homophobic hometown together. I really sobbed at that entire first part. The plot gotten confusing. It's like "what in the world??!! Am I still watching the same movie?!!??” This became another story of a forbidden love between a teacher and his student. The reincarnation thing made me realize that I was still watching the same movie. Not really a fan of gender swap here. It would have been better if Dew reincarnated as a boy. It became like a weird connection between the two.Even they ended up together I still think there still some things left unanswered like his wife, Liu's bf and anything I forgot to mention. I assumed that when they bungee jumped they died from drowning bcuz apparently the harnesses weren't attached to them.
I like the cast especially Nont and Ohm. Actually they are the reason why I watched this. I think they served a raw and pure talent and effort which paid very well. I love how intense the drama here. It really encouraged my senses about hatred toward homosexuals. I think this movie do a lot better if the another lead is not female. Didn't have any other issues except to the loose ends it left in the end.
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Amusing and entertaining movie to watch
Halmeoni was annoying at first but after a slight lens adjustment, perspective towards her changed. That is what the director wanted me to know when I was watching this film, and it was successfully done.The introduction of Mal-soon halmeoni was rather unpleasant. She is shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant. Later on, her daughter-in-law is not able to tolerate her attitude and was admitted to the hospital. Halmeoni realized that maybe she is a burden to her family and wanted to escape it. This is the reality that is currently faced by our elderly. I actually liked the transition of the first scene which defined ageism by the halmeoni's professor son then towards the scene with halmeoni and her family situation, then went to a point that she may be sent to a home for the aged. Because of that, she wants to be given another chance at life which was granted...with a twist that she returned to a 20 year old lady physically but mentally still her.
Now that she has returned to a youthful appearance (she changed her name to Doo-ri), she is now able to pursue her lifelong dream, which is to become a singer. Comedic scenes were abundant here and all did not fail to make me laugh out loud. Her feisty grandmother stature was ever present despite being in a 20-year old body, which made the comedy pleasing to watch, but what I liked here is that she is now able to minimize her previous crass character and somewhat evolve into a new character that is more understanding of her actions in the others' perspective without losing her unique character. Also, her being in a band with her grandson was not only hilarious, but the songs were just great and the lyrics and message were also fitting with the story. I actually thought the actress that played Doo-ri wasn't the real singer of the songs here, and was surprised and pleased when I found it out later on. She has a nice voice.
She is (almost) able to rekindle her romantic side as she developed feelings to the charming Seung-woo PD. I actually liked how she was able to reexperience romantic love, especially with after what she went through with life. Despite with a sad ending at that part, I still felt content with them both.
What I also found great in this movie, and personally, its highlight, is that it was able to explore more on the backstory as to why Mal-soon halmeoni became who she was. It was mainly to support her newborn son as she was now a single mother after the death of her husband that she had to create a stern, firm, and most importantly, a feisty person, in order for her and her baby to survive. I still find it wrong though how she did it, as seen on one scene. Yet to the unfamiliar person, she may be shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant, as I mentioned earlier. With that in mind, this is the reason why her neighbor and friend (and former servant), Mr. Park has struck with her all these years. I loved how the pacing of the movie slowly emphasize this side of her to me, the viewer, and at the end, I was able to understand our halmeoni, in an understanding as same as Mr. Park. I also admire that their "romance" was left open, and the final scene was just funny.
Plot wise, this movie is light in terms of emotion and predictable. But it did not fail to entertain me and bring comedy, it was just funny, especially on the "younger" Mal-soon/Doo-ri scenes. The music was delightful to hear, and the pacing as mentioned, was properly executed. There were some parts that I felt was conveniently ended (e.g., her relationship with her daughter-in-law, although to be fair, it has a time skip to a year later). I also wanted it to explore more on the "ageism" issue, as what was shown on the first scene, since it was fitting for our halmeoni, but somehow, they forgot to address said issue. Still, an amusing and entertaining movie to watch.
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I really liked the characters and the story for the most part. The FL and both ML really good. It's an average film with your standard revenge plot. I loved actor Wang Yung Sheng. He's the villian here but I like him in everything he plays in. His skills and charisma, always awesome. I didn't think the fight scenes were all that spectacular but there were two that were well choreographed. The fight scene between Jeanie Chang (FL) and Chan Lau (4th Brother) was excellent and the work with the pot was fantastic. The other was a fight scene between 2 older gentlemen; one of whom is the villain. Even though i don’t remember these 2 characters they were apparently part of the subplot. Fight was great with the 2 veteran martial arts actors. That was better than all the fights between any main characters. I really didnt even reacall the subplot while watching and was flabbergasted when the 2 showed up to fight over the 36 Deadly Styles book.
Bolo Yuen is here and for some inexplicable reason he is wearing a redheaded, braided wig. I literally, need someone to explain to me as to why the hell that wig was used. It looked like a black woman's wig from the 1970's disco era.
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I have no idea what I just watched but let me explain
Now, before I begin I just have to say that I do not fetish shame and when I read the synopsis I thought, "hmm, this looks like an interesting short film." However, after watching this I am truly wondering what the fuck did I just watch.The idea is there but was poorly executed with the lack of dialogue or monologue in order to understand the main character. I understand that sometimes one's fetish does not need to be understood by others, maybe that was the director's intent, however, it leaves the audience, such as myself, wondering if I truly wasted 14 mins of my life watching this and thinking, "okay?".
We get a scene where he is at the dentist and the dentist tells him how horny the main lead left him which then the later scene proceeds with the ML groping the dentist THEN NOTHING. There is no continuation or explanation as to if there is an affair between him and the dentist, or what was the purpose of that besides the ML's fetish with teeth. I was also left confused as to whether his fetish for teeth is for his own, his boyfriend's, or if he groped the doctor because he touches other people's teeth.
the director seemed to have tried to portray the main character's internal dilemma with his own fetish by, obviously, concealing it from others and not finding any sexual satisfaction from sex with his partner.
I gave it a 3.5 because a lot was left up for interpretation and when I say a lot I mean the entire thing since there was not much to work with besides a scene WITH A LOT OF FLASHING, which I would have appreciated a warning because my brain was stunted for a while looking at all those flashing lights to which I did not even understand the purpose of.
I would not watch it again and if I do, it would be maybe to determine if there was a hidden message somewhere in those 14 mins. If you are watching it because its rated, "R" then there are some scenes (3?) but that is all it is and maybe some more development would have made it better.
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Stinks
I didn't have a hard time following the story because I read the manga a long long time ago so I had an idea where it was going, this doesn't change from the fact that this: sucked ass.I don't remember if I even liked the manga to begin with, but oh my...this..this stinks.
People are really writing essays on this when really, this drama doesn't even require two working brain cells to understand the message. Because in actuality there's nothing powerful or inspirational about it. On the contrary, the narrative is soooo vapid, toxic and frankly very immature. This has as much depth as a an angsty wattpad book written by a 14 yr old. Also, all characters are deeply unpleasant. And don't get me started on the cinematography, nothing impressive just cringy superficial shots with no intention behind them.
If this is art to you, I beg you to widen your horizon.
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This was the age before CGIs, so the production team got very, very creative. Watch for the tree demon and underworld battle sequences. These scenes were designed not just to wow, but to look as realistic as possible. This was exactly the kind of special effects that can withstand the test of time.
The acting was good all around. Leslie Cheung was, as always, a natural. Next to him, Joey Wong seemed to be trying a little too hard, but she was beautiful nonetheless. The love story was much too rushed and shallow for me. The comedic scenes were pure genius and more than made up for it. That outrageous Taoist rap had me laughing so hard I nearly fell off my chair.
You can't talk about this movie without mentioning Leslie's rendition of the theme song. There will never be anything quite like it. And there will never be anyone quite like Leslie Cheung.
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Amazing
Overall this movie was fantastic. This movie had an incredible story and was produced amazingly. I felt the the effects and effort put into CGI portions of the action scenes was well developed as it didn't look cheap or overdone.The performances of the actors and actresses were phenomenal. I recognized the lead actress immediately and I think the rest of the crew was right on par with her to bring the story to life. Lastly I loved the mix of action, comedy, and drama. I felt like script was well developed and nothing came off too typical or corny.
I would 100% watch again! Great job! I am so excited and hopeful for a part two.
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Fluffy Romance with Screaming Silence
This movie is pretty much the typical, girl has a bad day, meets a cute boy who helps her up and they start spending more and more time together and just like most rom coms end up falling in love.The girl seems to have good hearing while the boy is deaf, leading to the people around them being skeptical towards their love , add to that how society often teaches people to pity the deaf resulting in hearing people either feeling sorry for them, getting annoyed/ showing 0 consideration or having hearing people only come near them to make them selfs feel good... Leading the male lead to be scared and scared shitless when facing the possibility of falling in love with a girl who can hear. This was done pretty ok.
What was done well was turning the sound as well as translation of sign language on and off giving us a window to how it can feel to not understand what people are saying.
The leads had really good chemistry, with great (HOT) dance scenes. The over all focus was on finding solutions to the problems deaf people face in their day to day life. The male lead is also shown as a competent human being which is always a plus.
It does still ave some issues but it was a decent movie, with a lot of cliches and pretty shots.
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Here’s the thing - I truly believe this could be a decent movie about the parallel universes collapsing into each other and male lead trying to figure out how to stop it. Edit out all the alien monster flick scenes and tweak the plot slightly, and you get a good sci-fi mystery with nice aesthetics.
Instead we’ve got cheap halloween costume type of aliens running around, barely developed plot and ridiculous out of the blue romance.
Overall, I kind of got what I expected looking at the poster, and yet cannot stop myself from feeling disappointed, because I saw glimpses of potential as I was watching.
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"is your love bigger than the love i give?"
just let that sentence sink in for a moment..."is your love bigger than the love i give? tell me, what's the difference between your love and mine?" no sentence has ever made me feel more than this sentence did. i am an avid reader, i've read more than 300 different books since 2020. on top of that, i usually go for whatever will break me the most - and yet i've never been more impacted by a sentence than this one. i think that says a lot, about this movie (or perhaps about me).
i watched 'your name engraved herein' for the first time, the day it was released - i had been sitting waiting for it to show up on netflix, and i was not disappointed when it came - quite the opposite actually. i watched it three times within the first week, just because i loved it to a point, where i wanted to make sure that i had seen it all. i think i've watched it 5 times since then (probably more), and i still find something new to unravel every time.
i can't tell you just why this movie means everything to me, but perhaps, it's because i see parts of myself in it.
i showed the movie to my best friends just a few days after it came out, on new year's eve - and i was bummed to say the least, when the only scene they found interesting was the shower scene one .-. i think it saddened me how they missed the whole point of the movie. they saw it as something light, something that's easy to forget (which i don't blame them for), i just wish they had looked more into the depth, and realized that this movie isn't just about two boys getting together, it's about the struggles of humans, finding your identity - and being free to express the said identity. it's about religion - and the question of who's right when humanity and your beliefs collide.
also, the way my heart broke every single time jiahan had a scene with the priest - the way jiahan was so DESPERATE for birdy to accept him back - not because of the physical intimacy, but simply just because he loved him to pieces. especially the way he was just so desperate, and longed so much to be accepted, to feel normal that he literally said " help me go to hell, i'd rather go to hell now - don't all homosexuals deserve to go hell? maybe more people would UNDERSTAND me in hell." how heartbroken does one have to be, to wish hell upon themselves? how heartbroken does one have to be for a RELIGIOUS person to prefer going to hell? because that way, there might a slightly bigger chance of acceptance?
i cried as i wrote this, i don't think i'll ever be able to leave this movie behind.
thank you, if you read to this point - i hope you enjoy/enjoyed the movie <3
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What the actual Fuck?
just...WTFdidnt understood a thing. Maybe I'm just dumb.
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