Reviews

"Love Untangled" acerta no romance, mas erra no drama

"Eu fiz um ovinho para cada vez que pensei em você."

Love Untangled é um filme leve e extremamente agradável, que acerta muito ao entregar um romance adolescente simples e fofo. O roteiro do filme constrói de forma tão delicada a relação entre Park Se-ri e Han Yoon-seok que o casal se torna incrivelmente autêntico e envolvente.

Conseguimos sentir o amor e a conexão dos protagonistas florescerem em cada cena, demonstrando um encaixe perfeito. O desenvolvimento individual de cada personagem também é notável: Park Se-ri é a onda de esperança que resgata Han Yoon-seok do caos de sua vida, e, em contrapartida, ele a ajuda a abraçar e gostar de si mesma. Essa jornada mútua é o ponto da obra que realmente conquista o espectador.

No entanto, o filme peca ao abordar o drama familiar do protagonista. Essa subtrama parece pouco desenvolvida e deixada de escanteio ao longo de toda a história, resultando em um conflito dramático exagerado no final.

Por ter sido negligenciado, o desfecho repentino — a partida de Han Yoon-seok — falha em causar a sensação de aflição que deveria. O drama não parece real, soa apenas como um artifício forçado e sem criatividade para gerar um obstáculo na vida do casal e dramatizar o encerramento. É um detalhe que prejudica o impacto emocional da reta final, servindo apenas como um empecilho superficial e inorgânico para o relacionamento.

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Naah this ain't it for me

I was excited because this was in the same universe as Kill Bok Soon, but sadly, it disappointed me.

Well, already in the beginning, i had a bad feeling about when the first fight was about to happen, and suddenly the main character cracked a joke, like wut?!?!?! It was all serious and shit, but you had to crack one up, and that took me off.

The first fight happened, and it felt off already, because it was so obvious that they were using ropes to do some impossible movements; they weren't even trying to hide it. I came into this movie expecting fights here and there, but for the most part of the movie, it was mostly goo goo gaa gaa toxic romance. I mean, that's fine and all, but it was really messy.

This movie was a let down, sadly. It could've been better, as this is tied to Kill Bok Soon.

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So many emotions i'm feeling after watching.

The movie has a lot of questionable elements. It’s very dark, heavy, and sexual, with many scenes that honestly felt excessive or unnecessary. It reminded me a lot of The Handmaiden in terms of the sexual content, which often felt over the top. Unfortunately, the film also gave off a strong sense of being made for the male gaze, which was frustrating because the story itself had so much potential. It felt like such a good plot was partially wasted because of that choice.
That being said, the film is still stunning in many ways. The cinematography is beautiful, the atmosphere is intense, and the performances are excellent. The ending especially left a strong impression, tying everything together in a way that felt both emotional and powerful. Personally, I’d give it a 7.5/10. I think it deserves more credit than it gets, but I can also understand why some people don’t like it. It’s one of those films that really splits opinions you’ll either connect with it or find it off-putting. That’s why I’d say don’t rely too much on the ratings; it’s a movie you need to experience yourself to know whether it’s a hit or a miss for you.

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I honestly didn't think it could get worse...

But here we are. After my rant about the first part of this story, I went and watched the conclusion of this adaptation because I was hoping now that the characters were going to be university students, perhaps the story would pick up. I was wrong.

Not only Megami Korin: After has all the same issues as its first part, it also has the nerve to brush off bullying and stalking as things you for for someone else’s sake. It’s a new level of delulu I hope to never see in a jdrama or jfilm ever again.

PART 1 REVIEW: https://kisskh.at/profile/namjhyuns/review/497366

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I am so angry.

The japanese version of True Beauty lacks the unhinged and hilarious camaraderie from the original korean version, which it's a bummer because the friendship among the kids and how the leading lady learnt to love herself thanks to their support it was one of the best parts of the story. Instead, this version decided to put the emphasis on the romance and love triangle, which was incredibly unnecessary considering the actors got barely any chemistry together.

The family dynamics were not only toned down but changed (as I am finding it's the usual move in a jdrama adaptation of a kdrama) and I wish they wouldn’t have. One of the main conflicts' in the original story, it's the FL's relatioship with her mother and the way people were constantly comparing her older sister. None of this happens in the movie, so other than the external conflict of bullying, there's no inner development to be resolved. Which, by the way, it's another thing they changed: the bullies in this are a tenth of the original and there's no confrontation or consequence to their actions.

All of this changes meant that there’s almost no comedy in this rom-com. It's just a romance about a girl who one day found out make up and it made her feel pretty.

Koki looks like a deer caught in the headlights all the time, I don't know if this was a script change or the director's fault but it's like he very loved female lead of the original True Beauty had a lobotomy. And as I much I appreciate Watanabe Keisuke, he had no business playing a high schooler when he is thirty. I'm sorry but this was not good. Miyase Ryubi has a random cameo/guest role in this, and honestly? They should have swap him for Watanabe. Maybe we would have a more compelling love triangle

It does have some nice moments, Tsuna Keito and Sato Jiro being the highlights, but that's about it.

PART 2 REVIEW: https://kisskh.at/profile/namjhyuns/review/497372

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A timeless masterpiece

By now i have watched this movie a many times and i would say that you will not get bored even after rewatching it because the story is so well written, i am not korean so it took 2-3 watches for me to understand every element shown in movie because to understand things deeply i always search about them. apart from this the cinemotography is very good and the way movie takes turn is also nice because after one hour into the film you migh question that everything went well than why one more hour is still pending and from that moment movie catches the speed and than its just a nonstop mindblowing journey and with some twists for first time watcher, at last i would highly recoomad this movie because movies with good storyline are very few in korea in my opnion.

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A rare case where more jumpscares would benefit the movie.

It’s based on a really simple concept filled with really effective jumpscares, and then made it more complex and took away the majority of the potential jumpscares and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

I don’t think it gives me enough substance to see the potential depth and build that psychological horror of the situation and male lead’s real life circumstances, but since it also took away a lot of the typical horror elements, it also does not quite serve as a good horror movie. It balances between simple, but effective and complex and reflective and does not really hit a homerun in any direction.

If I had to guess? Analyze? I’d say the theme of the movie is dealing with regret and guilt. The loop is not just about checking for anomalies, but also about dealing with your inner struggles. Male lead regretted his hesitation after hearing the news from his ex-girlfriend, he regretted not helping the mother in the subway. He regretted his inaction. Hence the ending somehow makes sense for me. It’s left to various interpretations though, there is no clear cut idea what it means. And that’s kind of how the whole movie rolls - throwing stuff at you without explanation, things that feel related, but not quite. You kind of get the full picture, but not really.

Ninomiya Kazunari did a great job as Lost Man, but I have to say my favorite performance was Kochi Yamato as Walking Man. Be it for his creepy blank expression, or even creepier smile. Or his desperation and regret, fear, anger. Such a tiny bit of the plot, yet such an expressive performance.

To be honest I feel like the movie was both too annoying and not annoying enough. I should feel the frustration of the lead being stuck in the loop, but I don’t feel like he was stuck in it that long… The number of mistakes he made was minimal to what would be expected, knowing how minimal some anomalies are. At the same time I was so annoyed, because he kept lingering a bit too long in the corridor even after noticing the anomalies. What are you exactly waiting for? There is no new development going on - you see something off, you turn around right away. And yet this man was checking them all out as if he was in a haunted house in an amusement park.

It was a decent movie, maybe the issue were my expectations.

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Fell Flat

They tried, but it honestly fell quite flat for me. Got me a small chuckle here and there as well, but by the end I was kinda zoning out, just waiting for it to end. Thankfully it was short, so I made it to the end, though I feel it could've been a tad shorter and it might've fared better with some scenes being cut or at least shortened.

The production value also felt quite early 2000s, so seeing (2025) surprises me, though they did have a drone in the budget at least, as was seen in a certain shot with the drone being visible in one of the shadows.

My biggest gripe was probably the audio mixing/mastering. 2/10 for that. Certain scenes were barely audible with their whispers, only to suddenly be shocked by them speaking at a normal volume, and then suddenly the music blaring at an even higher volume. It's as if they completely neglected it, or only recorded audio from one source, so in e.g. one scene they're standing with the back to the camera while talking quietly and you can barely hear it, as am I guessing the camera location was maybe the microphone location as well, and recording someone speaking softly and quietly with their back turned away from you, from a small distance on top isn't exactly gonna make for great audio.
This is definitely one of the few times where dynamic range compression (DRC) would actually improve the audio experience instead of destroy it, lol.

4/10, with 5 being average and just "OK".

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FIGHT FOR HIS CAREER

I love the plot of he actually want his career back but he did something unexpected and weird. Jeongwoo act as a woman are so good, even though people should notice he's a man in the first glance from his body figure and voice🤣but maybe they doesn't want to judge quickly

Jeongwoo story is sad, since his own life disappear after one news then he lost everything.
(Spoiler)
I glad that that girl doesn't become his love interest after he knew she's the one that spread the story of him.
People should confront other face to face if they really unsatisfied with their action instead of share in social media, social media are so scary about spreading hate

Overall, this is good, balance humor with Captain Seo that looks like an idiot hahahahah. Recommend to watch :)

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This isn’t just romance with butterflies — it’s also love that aches and falls apart.

"Love is not forever, but it's true while it lasts."

This film paints a raw and relatable picture of modern love. It strips away the fairytale sheen of love and shows it for what it often is: messy, complicated, and fragile. It’s a story of two people who love fiercely, but never at the same time, never in the same way. What makes this story unforgettable is how close it cuts to real life. You don’t just watch it, you feel it.

Like the young Luna, in love, we may have experienced insecurities, which somehow broke parts of ourselves. We get lost. We become toxic. We lose ourselves and turn into someone that we don't want or hate to be.

There are also moments in life when ambition burns so brightly that it blinds us, not to the world, but to the people standing right beside us.

The female lead, with her eyes fixed firmly on her dreams, unknowingly begins to drift away from the man who once grounded her. The male lead, consumed by doubts and insecurities, struggles to hold on as distance and constant arguments tear them apart. It is quite a reminder that love alone cannot carry the weight of misaligned priorities.

And when it's no longer healthy, when we find ourselves shrinking instead of growing, it's better to let go. Because love isn't about holding on until it hurts. The greatest act of love is choosing to walk away, even if it means breaking your own heart just so the both of you can finally breathe again.

The beauty of this film lies in its honesty. It doesn’t glorify love, it questions it. It leaves you wondering if love enough when two people are no longer walking in step?

Kudos to DIREK JPL for daring to tell love this way— unvarnished, unapologetic, and brutally honest. A story so raw it tears right through you. For anyone who’s ever loved someone but couldn’t make it work, this is a must-see.

With this film, ASHTINE OLVIGA really has cemented her place as VIVA'S NEXT SUPERSTAR. Her natural radiance draws people in warmly and captures hearts. This shined throughout the whole movie. AT ANG GANDA GANDA NIYANG UMIYAK! Nakakadala lahat ng scenes niya, and the way she delivers her lines... there's so much emotion and so much truth that every word feels alive. Her eyes carry depths that words alone cannot capture, her tone shifts with precision to mirror every unspoken sentiment, and her pauses echo louder than noise. I just can't wait for this girl to have more projects in the future because she is truly a one-of-kind gem.

As for ANDRES MUHLACH, he is promising, but there's still plenty of space for growth. With more workshops and experience, he can surely develop a stronger presence on screen. But I must applaud him roon sa confrontation scene with Luna sa may parking lot. Although he needs to work on his enunciation and not mumble his words when speaking in Tagalog, that scene was HIS SCENE. HE OWNED IT! With the right training and gradual build-up through more acting roles, he has the potential to grow into a more convincing and versatile leading man.

Also, his charm and appeal are qualities that can't be ignored. I can't even count the number of times I cursed kasi sobrang gwapo lang niya and very eye candy sa screen.

As for their chemistry, WALA AKONG MASABI. Sobrang natural, hindi pilit. Yung para silang couple na domesticated na. Exhibit A yung scenes nila sa condo ni Luna. Parang sa sobrang natural nila sa barely-intimate scenes, mapapaisip ka nalang talaga if may bahid na ng katotohanan ang mga nakikita sa screen eh. Sa sobrang kilig ko, bugbog ang abot ng casual viewer kong friend.

ASHDRES is really one of the most promising love teams, as well as one of the most promising actors and actresses in today's generation. With proper guidance, promotion, and projects, they could achieve— or even mahigitan-the accomplishments of past iconic and legendary love teams ever known.

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Just .... Discusting .

if you are a straight person, religious, support the clean cenima , don't like to watch in movies the Nude sences , lisbians or Gays , dirty perverted men or you don't like to see your favorite actress (or it was) naked and do it with another woman in front of Camira and director so you will see how is that move is a pure piece of shit like I saw it ... this movie is not for you or for me ... Just RUN ...RUN ...

BUT ... if your are form LGBTQ+ community , love erotic movies and love seeing naked women all the time on TV or the narcissistic prevent sotries , congratulations .. you found the best (almost porn) movie in the world ...

I watched this movie by incident just because I found Kim Tae Ri's name on it and I never noticed that tages and R Rate before watch it ... Man I want to lose my memory to forget this crap I watched... I was so disgusted and revolted even i didn't finish the movie ... If I want to watch porn or GL or BL we have many sites that provide it so why do that industry force us to watch it in Movies !! just why !? ...

FUK you Netflix ... you started all of that ...

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Real and Raw

I'm currently finishing the Kdrama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty and began exploring the story of King Yeonsangun of Josean. This led me to the movie The Treacherous. As a foreigner embracing entertainment that is coming out of South Korea, I have realized much of it is the sanitized Kpop and Kdrama version of Korea. When I find a more realistic story, I find I'm drawn to it. Much like Bon Appétit, this movie is also a fictionalized version of the tyrant king. However, it did not try to cover the tyranny with the fiction. Every country has its shameful history and South Korea is no different. In modern times this king would have been diagnosed and treated for a mental illness where perhaps he would have lived a fairly decent and fulfilling life with medication. In ancient times, his illness was the terror and death of many thousands in his country. The portrayal of this has been superbly captured in the storyline, the acting, and the production of this film. It is a hard watch at times, but the actors portrayal of these characters caught in the grips of tyranny without much support or resources is powerful. It is raw, especially in the portrayal of the sexual appetite of the king. The film did not shy away from the realness of this. It is definitely different from the usual Kdramas I've seen and the unrealistic innocence portrayed, but it has also captured a sense of reality that others have not, and for that, I really liked it. I also appreciate the hard work it took for the actors to do some of these scenes. The madness, the sense of powerlessness, the portrayal of being forced to do something you wouldn't do is very real in the characters portrayed by the actors. I have much respect for those who worked on this film.

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"The day will turn into night"

The Funeral was Itami Juzo’s directorial debut in 1984. In this instance, the film is exactly as described in the title. For three days a family gathers to mourn the death of the father, bringing together a peculiar yet largely relatable group of people.

When Amamiya Shinkichi dies suddenly of a heart attack his son-in-law, Wabisuke Inoue is put in charge of the funeral. His mother-in-law, Kikue, wants the funeral to be held at the house near the Kamome Hot Springs. Inoue and his wife Chizuko know nothing about funerals and make a mad scramble to find help in figuring out all the customs and procedures. Everyone has an opinion on the various rituals, including which way the head should be facing and which way is north!

Itami showed many of the common funeral experiences regardless of customs--children unfamiliar with death playing in the background, laughter and tears as people process their complicated emotions, telling stories, arguing over procedures, and the financial costs. Then there were customs I was unfamiliar with—watching the loved one be cremated, salt being thrown on those returning from the crematorium, and the various Buddhist rituals. It was delightfully human that the relatives unused to kneeling for so long had cramping feet and knees. The funniest bit to me was when funeral novices Inoue and Chizuko consulted a video which might as well have been titled “Funeral Etiquette for Dummies.”

This appeared to be the first main film role for Miyamoto Nobuko, Itami’s wife. I found her face lovely and expressive. Ozu favorite, Ryu Chishu, played the ever-chanting priest with a fine eye for cars and expensive tile. Where the film lagged for me was a main married character dealing with his crazy mistress in the woods which included a fairly graphic sex scene. And she was cray-cray. The deceased was a serial philanderer that everyone accepted matter-of-factly.

The Funeral was a slow story with mostly gentle humor, showing both the reverence and irreverence that accompanies death and mourning. A far more pragmatic than sentimental experience-- because even at a wake, people need to know when to leave, how much money to donate, and how to tell a mistress to pull her weeping self off the casket.

27 September 2025
Triggers: Partial nudity and sex scene.

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Young Love in Full Bloom

I had the chance to catch one of the many block screenings of Minamahal: 100 Bulaklak Para Kay Luna, Viva Films’ latest romantic drama written and directed by Jason Paul Laxamana. The film stars Andres Muhlach as Raffy and Ashtine Olviga as Luna—two fresh faces given the challenge of carrying a love story that spans youthful infatuation, growing pains, and the bittersweet truths of adulthood.

What struck me first was the sincerity of the film. It isn’t flashy or overly manufactured; instead, it leans on honesty, heart, and grounded storytelling. While chemistry often serves as a film’s main attraction, here it’s not just a highlight—it’s the foundation. The connection between Andres and Ashtine feels lived-in, and Laxamana builds a story around them that resonates long after the credits roll.

Beneath its youthful surface, Minamahal has surprising depth. It’s not only for teenagers navigating their first romances but also for adults who can still recall the ache and beauty of those years. Personally, Raffy’s quiet struggles with his siblings hit close to home—his hesitation to voice his needs, fearing he’s a burden, mirrors how many of us carry ourselves in our own families and friendships. It’s a rare thing for a love story to echo so strongly across age groups.

The film may appear simple at first glance—two students stumbling through love, ambition, and compromise—but it has a way of tugging you back to your younger self. That innocent stage of love, where every glance feels monumental and every goodbye feels permanent, is captured with striking authenticity. There’s nostalgia here, but it never feels forced.

Ashtine Olviga shines as Luna. She approaches the role with both strength and vulnerability, creating a character that feels real and memorable. Yes, there are echoes of her previous work—her Luna at times reminded me of her turn as Jay-jay in Ang Mutya ng Section E—but that familiarity doesn’t detract. If anything, she digs deeper here, showing a maturity in her craft. She breathes life into Luna in ways that linger well beyond the film.

Andres Muhlach, meanwhile, carries the weight of being a Muhlach with surprising grace. True, there are moments where you catch glimpses of his father Aga in his delivery, and his Tagalog accent isn’t always perfect. But what he lacks in polish, he makes up for in raw sincerity. He reminded me a lot of Sam Milby during his early years—green around the edges, but brimming with potential. There were scenes that begged for deeper emotion, maybe even tears he couldn’t quite deliver, yet his honesty shone through. Watching him grow into Raffy felt like watching a young actor slowly claim his own space in the industry. He’s not leaning on his family name; he’s proving he has his own story to tell.

Is the film perfect? Not at all. There are uneven beats and moments that betray the inexperience of its two leads. But oddly enough, that’s where much of its charm comes from. The rawness of the film—the fact that it doesn’t try to be overly polished—gives it an honesty that feels refreshing in local cinema. For a debut outing, it’s a brave and beautiful step forward.

Together, Andres and Ashtine bring a natural energy that makes the film sing. Their sweet, sassy, and giddy moments aren’t forced; they’re heartfelt, even in their flaws. You find yourself rooting for them—not just as Raffy and Luna, but as actors finding their place on screen.

Minamahal may not tick every box for a flawless romance, but it doesn’t need to. It’s nostalgic, heartwarming, and relatable, a film that brings you back to the sweetness of young love while reminding you of the tougher lessons life demands. More than that, it showcases two rising stars who are just beginning to bloom.

And the ending? It resists pure fan service, choosing instead to land on something more meaningful, leaving us with lessons to carry forward. That choice elevates the film, making it more than just a love story—it’s a reflection on growth, courage, and the beauty of simply being honest in love.

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