Reviews

a suicide in school?

we are transported into a catcholic school where a horror flick with equally scary social issues in korea occuring.

I have mixed feelings for wishing stairs, but overall was enjoyable and engaging, unlike that shithole that is voice. Throughout we follow and discover the mystery of what went down that day, how the 3 others start to hate each other as they are hunted by the ghost.

this film benefited from a short time span, it was well paced and made it engaging, anything longer would have had me bored out of my mind. Also the jumpscares were great and unexpected, just when it's about to slow down it comes at your way + the complimentary music.

one of the downfalls of the film is it's production, most of the important parts are full black and it didn't help that the site's quality is bad, we're they trying to make it more scarier? If that was the case, they failed miserably and causing viewers to unengange more than anything.

another thing I hated is too much annoying side characters, with no actual significance. some took too much screentime just to die, others had too much lines just to never appear in the film again. It didn't help that I wasn't familiar with any of the main characters so I was confused half of the time, spoiler, I had to take notes.

Eon Ju is the epitome of a friend, to have someone willing to die for you, would undoubtedly treasure her forever. Characters we're annoying and at times unrootable, but was expected since we're in a high school setting, overall potrayed well.

thought it was a satisfying ending and justice was served. at the last part it was poetic but also a statement to watchers, why suicide is a problem and how we do not know what one is going through, so it wouldn't hurt to be more kind and understanding.

This is me just nitpicking but that twist was at the very very very end was unnecessary, not needed, and no one asked for. the film despite its flaws, was entertaining and better than the whispering corridors that I've seen so far, if you like horror and the issues within teenagers it's highly recommended, also very timely even in modern korea or the world.

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Good enough!

I like this type of movies and I don't want to say that this wasn't good but while it was going well, at some point I didn't understand the reason the male lead suddenly called female lead his girlfriend and the other day he said it was just a test. I don't know if I have been watching romantic movies for too much time but it seemed silly to me. I don't mind that the plot wasn't something new, but the fact that the thing I mentioned before was done without a realistic reason just to be done. Overall it was a nice movie, I liked female lead who was a romantic and pure soul and male lead had a good character too. I would recommend it.

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Not better than the Part I

Pacing-wise, I didn't have many gripes, but the chemistry? Nah, it was still playing hide-and-seek. Now, in the sequel, Hirose's acting took a nosedive. Heck, on second thought, he wasn't exactly setting the screen on fire in the first one either. Sure, he dialed up the emotion a smidge more than Yamada, but that wasn't exactly a home run.

Now, let's address the elephant in the room—the actors' appearances. Hirose looking like he's about to hit 40 throws such a wrench in the works. It's like trying to picture a pineapple in a snowstorm—it just doesn't compute. Even if they'd transported the whole thing to a university setting, I wouldn't have been able to buy it. And chemistry? Oh boy, it was MIA. That ending? Yeah, it fell flat as a pancake.

Honestly, the story had the potential to be a skyrocket, but it ended up feeling more like a sparkler.

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Underwhelming

I really wanted to like this one, but it just didn't do it for me. The whole idea sounded great, but the way they pulled it off and the acting were kind of a letdown.

I didn't really sense much chemistry between the characters. The guy playing Seiryo seemed to capture the whole falling-in-love thing a bit better, but he looked way too old to be a high schooler. Honestly, he seemed closer to 40 than a teenager, and seeing him in a school uniform and calling someone "senpai" felt a bit off. As for the actor playing Shino, even though he looked younger, it was still hard to buy into him wearing a uniform or falling for Seiryo. Maybe a reboot with more fitting actors would be a good call. And those kissing scenes... they were just plain weird. It's like the actors were scared of touching lips or something.

By the way, I've seen other J-dramas where actors in their twenties pulled off younger roles way better. So, it's not impossible to make it work.

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Weird, but cute!!

I really wasn't sure what to expect, but this wasn't it. However, I'm glad I watched it!

This turned out to be a very cute musical with decent music and a sweet story. The animations were a bit awkward, but everything else worked - for what it was. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different when you just need a break from all the usual "normal" BL stories and tropes, especially since it's so short!

The only thing that took me by surprise, and I probably just did not read the full synopsis, was that it was a musical. So, initially I was rather shocked when the candy was suddenly alive and singing. My first impression was, "Um, this is weird." I kept watching and it quickly grew on me as I got the feel for what they were doing, and by the time it was over I was very happy that I watched it.

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Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May

It is short, sweet, and well executed, it might be a little gloomy and a bit confusing, but I think this is what is making this movie even more artistic.

How often do we have a story with a happy couple (long term happy couple)...with normal lives, striving for perfection, reaching their dreams...supporting each other, etc
And yes I understand being scared to tell your story. We all come from different backgrounds and many factors affect us. I think this short movie made me think about myself, 20+ minutes made me think more than I have imagined. I tried so many times to tell many stories, but never my own. Why is that?

This is why this is a good movie!

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weird mix of fantasy and reality comic and serious

fantasy mixes with reality in this movie as a teenager's weird sexual obsession is the background for many stories of other inhabitants of his apartment block and middle school。 there is a lot of silliness in this movie but also、 if you are open minded a lot of interest and amusement though not entirely lighthearted some serious developments in the story though、meaning it did not drag for me at any time。 hiraoka plays his role well and his contortions bending and stretching maybe made him taller in the end！ it ends with more obvious manga parodies and an unexpected ironic outcome in one point of story。 worth watching to fill two hours WARNING: if you are a real middle school-er let your parents see the title only not contents unless they have liberal views as there are some really "explicit" scenes here they may not take in the comical way intended！！www

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If the world is such a romantic place, why are things so difficult for us?

Money or romance? Social position or love? Family or lover? Hope or despair?

The Road I Travel with You starts out like a romantic comedy/drama with lilting music driving the conversations. A retired geisha's sons have fallen in love with women above their station. The problem is that their mother has already started matchmaking for them and the young women in their hearts are out of reach due to their families' rejection of them. The young men are not so easily dissuaded when it comes to affairs of the heart. Neither is their mother dissuaded when it comes to their futures and money. What starts out with a hopeful beginning quickly turns dark.

The movie takes place mostly in living rooms with stiff acting and even more stilted dialogue. The film frames and cinematography are not particularly creative or interesting. Overall, this felt like a more clinical version of Romeo and Juliet. The young people are in love and can see nothing past this love. The parents are practical to a fault and want secure financial futures for their children even at the cost of the childrens' happiness. Emotions should have been boiling over, yet everyone remained eerily calm or in the case of the retired geisha completely detached from her sons' reality.

This movie could have been more emotional, more gut wrenching if everyone's feet didn't feel like they were nailed to the floor during scenes and if their emotions reflected the dialogue they spoke. At no point did the young men and women convince me of the depth of their love or despair, making the tragedies that would follow hollow and meaningless to me. I would never try to dissuade anyone from watching this romantic melodrama, but for my experience, this short movie clocking in at 1 hour 9 minutes felt more like 3 hours.

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Expected More from this

This movie was not what I had expected.

I enjoyed the movie. It felt dark, and gritty. I loved the characters, even with all their flaws and insecurities.

The movie is about flawed characters and their tangled life. Which I do not mind, its just that I do not have to like them and/or sympathize with them. The character Imagase is obsessed, a stalker and cajoled his "Love" into having sex. He pushed him to a point where the other guy "Falls" in love with him and longs for him. Otomo repeatedly and continually cheats. He has no respect for anyone else's feelings. I think he is a sociopath. Extremely self-obsessed and emotionally immature. Yes people like these are all around us and in a movie we would like to see the redemption part of such characters. Here I felt that was missing. There was no redemption for Imagase. He is still as obsessed with Otomo as he was before to a point tha he cannot even enjoy sex with someone else, even though he chose to leave Otomo. Otomo appears to have redemption by falling in love with Imagase, which is really unrealistic, cause this is a realistic movie and sociopaths need serious rehabilitation. By loving someone you cannot redeem yourself. There was no serious consequences for the two lead characters, they have treated other people with such disrespect that the movie should have shown some consequences for them. Yes, one can argue that they did not end up together and there was no happy ending. To be honest these two characters cannot be happy together unless they work on their issues. May be at the end the makers wanted to show some glimpse of road to redemption by Otomo, but Imagase was left hanging. All in all it was not a satisfying experience for me to watch this. I am all for movies portraying complex characters who are ruthless and self absorbed. But I am against glorifying them and I think in this movie both these characters were glorified and the director wanted us to sympathize with them. Sorry I could not.

Overall: Its not a movie I would recommend, guess its basically up to you to give it a try.

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Wisdom of the gays

I finished this movie last night, and like always, I either forget what I have watched right away or it becomes something I need to analyze deeply. This movie is one worth analyzing. It is NOT masterpiece, visual effects are just too much and lame, but there is something more to that. I will try to keep it short!

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE:
• Visual effects
• Acting is average
• Lack of intimacy (and I do not mean bed scenes)
• Lack of chemistry (not entirely, just not enough)

THINGS I LOVED:
• Story, whole story
• Encounter with every character was a story of it's own and had a deep profound meaning, I just needed to look below the surface:
* Old gay couple with a 23 years long relationship and everything that the life brings is perfect metaphor for in sickness and in health,
*"Hungry" lesbian is a symbol of a struggle of being unaccepted by her family but willing to risk and do absolutely everything just to be with the person she loves,
*Lesbian in a hotel is a symbol of making a decision work vs love etc
• End, wonderful sad ending. Even though slightly unexplained I was into it. It has some space for personal interpretation.

OVERALL:
This movie is a rough diamond. As I am visual type of person, I can not get over the visual effects, but I can appreciate the tiny details like scents, and photography that is not bad at all. So if someone has time and money this movie screams for a remake, just make it less obvious and give more time for character development, include more LGBTQ+ characters and I guarantee you an awesome movie that can be worldly famous!

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Hong Kong love triangle with a "Fatal Attraction"-like ending!

First of all, "nudity' is not a big part of this movie: you see the back and butt of Veronica Yip in one scene, the rest is women in (very nice-looking) lingerie, two girls in small bikinis, and a dress or two ripped open but no nipples revealed. There is also 'simulated sex" but no visuals.

This is a hilariously funny but dramatic movie!

An antiques dealer Simon (Simon Yam) plays the boyfriend/lover of a leading Hong Kong lawyer Sandy (Sandra Ng) but gets involved with a married woman Mrs. Lau (Veronica Yip) over an antique watch which he desperately wants to get his hands on!

Simon and Mrs, Lau begin a passionate love affair on land and sea, culminating with Mrs. Lau becoming obsessed with Simon, and the death of her husband. Simon's trial is very dramatic yet ends with a fabulous twist to the ending!

The main three cast put on a very convincing show of being in love or lust with each other, with Simon playing a suave 'lady's man' who makes all the right moves and says all the right things to keep his libido and the two ladies satisfied throughout the movie.

Sandy, played by a known comical actress, keeps her relationship with Simon on edge through the movie, with several funny scenes to keep you awake for more! Mrs. Lau portrays a nymphomaniac when it comes to passion!

The two-support cast also do a great job in their roles and allowing the main cast to complete the story: I would like to mention
Valentino (Michael Chow) in his support role and one off-the-wall scene with two bikini-clad beauties; you will laugh your head off during and after the scene!

The music and cinematography were excellent for this time period, and the locations shows off some of the best scenery of Hong Kong for this time period

I like the way that the movie flowed around the type of dialogue that ordinary people would have in their daily lives.

I like the scenes of the antiques mall and the high-end dresses worn by the bidders and lady friends of the other bidders.

The food presented envisioned high-class society members enjoying the best food as their normal meals; everything reeked of high society Hong Kong in the 1990s.

I did not like the 'rushed' buildup of the plot/story; it could have spent a little more time on this aspect.

The ending was a surprise; I didn't think that it would turn out the way it did, but I was hoping for a happy ending for Simon and Sandy!

It had the right combination of comedy/drama/and a fight scene as well!

RE-WATCH VALUE: Definitely!

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Enjoyable Kids Movie

I enjoyed this kids' movie but really wanted to love it. I think kids will like it a lot, but it did get a little slow in the middle. I thought it was going to be a little more like the American movie 3 Ninjas, not that it's a great film but kids really like it. There was some heaviness about the boys and why some of them were left at the monastery with the monks. In fact, it was sad as hell to me. Overall, the cast was really good, and they found "real kids" to play the parts of the young monks.

Yoon Sung Woo as Piggy was fantastic, and he was a good friend to have trying to be supportive and listen. Really liked that character. I like the main child actor who played Jingu as well but my apologies b/c I don't know his real name and since I don't read or speak Korean, I have been unable to confirm any of his information. Choi Hyun Jin and Ham Hee Soo both fit their characters as well.

There were some genuinely funny moments between the kids and one of the villains.

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Finding back the love of learning

A lot of times people have slowly forgotten the purpose of learning like how we used to be. Education had somehow become a tool or an instrument just for the sake of competing for qualifications, to use it as a weapon to threaten others, or it's just another money game to further widen the class difference between rich and poor, as what has been depicted in the movie. In fact, learning should be an excitement of discovering something with the intention of interest in it, instead of just using it to survive, but sadly there's only so few people that do so. In this case, the movie tried to achieve a pure heart for learning mathematics with the chemistry between Choi Minsik and Kim Donghwi that is so impeccable because no matter if we're old or young, learning should be a fun thing as how it always should be from the beginning.

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Ekin + Joyce + dog are the best parts of this movie

Ekin Cheng's character Evan is thankfully not the sexist person I was imagining from the robot girlfriend premise - at one point after getting his robot girlfriend 001 (Chrissie Chau who does quite well too) he speaks up for a lady being talked down to by a rich entitled guy.

Joyce Cheng playing a different sort of robot girlfriend 003 compared to 001 and 002 is refreshing, but her character's nickname is a fat joke in Chinese, and she could have gotten more character development.

There's a cute doggie who does not die! And some commentary on the concept of human versus digital memories.

Unfortunately, apart from the heart-warming sisterhood between the robot girlfriends, and Evan's ex Janice being seemingly reasonable in the first half of the movie, the flesh and blood exes are basically catfighting the robot girlfriends - not very feminist as it implies actual woman can't be nice!

Evan's ending involving a girl wearing spectacles (representation for feminine presenting people who wear glasses!) is kind of cute, but the other two guys getting identical happy endings is too much of a coincidence.

In fact, this movie would have been better if it had been just about Evan and 001 with 003 as her bestie! The other two guys didn't really leave an impression on me.

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Kept me on the edge of my seat.

Woa! This was such a heartwarming movie. Even though the base of the story is very simple and dare i say mainstream, the way the writer and director kept me on the edge of my seat was very well executed. I was completely qlueless untill the very last 10 minutes on how the story would end. And to be fair, i didnt mind it at all. The actors were great. And even though there were obvious hints about the female leads general feeling throughout the story, i felt very much comfortable with either choises she could have made in the end. Very great story about new and old friendships.

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