Reviews

A Beautiful Idea That Wanted More Time

I went into 0.1% World completely blind. No synopsis, no trailers, just the promise of romance. And for a while, that worked in its favor. The movie opens with a strange, sudden connection two people, living in different countries, linked in a way that makes distance meaningless. Pain, emotions, and physical sensations are all shared in real time. The moment that clicked in my head, I had that quiet thought you don’t say out loud: this feels familiar. Not in a copying way more like a reminder of how powerful this kind of idea can be when it’s handled right.

At first, I was enjoying myself. The bickering pulled me in immediately. An Yi and Gao Ang don’t meet, yet they clash like they’ve known each other for years. Their arguments are petty, impulsive, sometimes silly, and that’s exactly why they’re fun. Watching two strangers sabotage each other’s lives while being forced to share pain and embarrassment shouldn’t work but somehow it does. The awkwardness never tips into unbearable secondhand embarrassment. It stays playful, chaotic, human.

An Yi feels like someone you recognize instantly. Young, hardworking, exhausted in that quiet way people are when they’re trying to hold life together. Gao Ang is more restrained disciplined, careful, and emotionally guarded. Patrick Shih gives him a grounded calm that carries scenes even when the writing rushes past moments that deserved more time. You sense there’s a deeper story inside him, even if the film doesn’t always slow down enough to tell it.

And this is where my feelings start to split.

The concept is strong enough to invite big expectations. When you introduce a connection that allows two people to feel each other across distance, it naturally makes you think about what that kind of bond means. Not just romantically, but emotionally. Identity. Loneliness. Boundaries. The way being seen can be both comforting and terrifying. The movie touches these ideas, but never fully commits to exploring them.

Everything feels slightly off in pacing. Some emotional moments pass too quickly, like the film is afraid to sit in discomfort. Other scenes linger without adding depth. I kept thinking how much more there was to uncover Gao Ang’s inner world, his isolation, his past; An Yi’s emotional life beyond work and surface level relationships. They’re connected in the most intimate way possible, yet we rarely stay long enough inside what that actually does to them.

Visually, the film is soft and pleasant. The music supports this tenderness well. Piano themes, soft background tracks nothing overwhelming, nothing distracting.

The film talks a lot about self love and worth, sometimes too directly. Instead of letting those ideas grow naturally through the characters, it repeats them until they start to feel instructional. Love here is careful, restrained, almost afraid of crossing lines. That makes sense emotionally but it also leaves the romance feeling slightly unfinished.

And somewhere in the middle of all this, I found myself thinking about other stories that used distance and connection not just as a gimmick, but as a way to explore longing, timing, and identity. Not because 0.1% World fails but because it shows how close it comes without fully crossing that line. The difference isn’t ambition. It’s depth.

Still, there are lines that stay with me:

“Maybe some things are better left in memories. Some people are meant to be missed.”

“Why are you wearing gloves?”
“Hands are very important for a pianist. If my hand is hurt, you won’t be able to play the piano again.”

0.1% World is a watchable, sometimes charming, sometimes frustrating. You’ll smile at the fluff. You’ll enjoy the banter. You might even feel a quiet ache settle in your chest during certain scenes. But you’ll probably walk away thinking: this could have gone deeper.

Some stories stay with you because they change you.
This one stays because it reminds you how rare it is to be truly understood, even briefly.

And maybe that’s what the 0.1% really is.

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Dorm is not exactly a horror movie in the traditional sense.

Ton (the main character) is a bold, assertive, extroverted young boy with many friends. He's enjoying his life until his father, with whom he has a poor relationship, decides to pack and ship him off to a boarding school in Chon Buri. His father says he wants him to spend more time on studying than watching television, but Ton knows that is a lie—he knows his father is having an affair and his father has sent him away so that he never reveals the truth.

At first he's lonely and does not fit in well. The strict administrator, Miss Pranee, doesn't seem to be doing much to make his adjustment to the school easy. All this changes when he befriends Vichien (the secondary protagonist), whom he soon learns is a ghost who dies every night. It seems Miss Pranee appears to be a common denominator in his death— nobody can quite figure out why.

The movie is best described as average—the acting, cinematography, directing, and script are just okay. Nothing too bad, but nothing too great either. The predictable plot is drawn out.

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A Heart-Warming & Fun Ride You Shouldn’t Miss

As the film begins, Cha Eun Woo's character did warn us that it will be a sad story. But as it concludes, his character agrees, that maybe it was not that sad. And I couldn't agree more. This is one of the movies that will stay with me for a long time, and I couldn't have asked for a better start to my 2026 viewing experience.

I had been wanting to see this movie because of the cast in it. I think anyone who's familiar with Korean entertainment would have seen the cast members in more than one work, and know that individually they are a powerhouse. Together, they were even better. The story is about friendship, how it changes over time and about how friends struggle to find the "next time" to do something together as they grow up. It carefully, cleverly, humorously and tearfully shows us how that "next time" happens for these friends as they plan to go on a trip to Thailand.

I understood the plot twist early on - yet it left me in tears. Yes, it has elements and fun as you'd expect from stories about friendship (think: The Hangover) and at the same time you need to keep tissues handy (think: 20th Century Girl, Way Back Home, Soulmate etc. I don't want to give out spoilers, but a fair warning. Personally, I don't like to watch such movies, cause hits home on a personal level. But then I can't help how beautifully they have addressed heavy topics of loss, with a dash of humour and lots of heart.

Definitely a one-time watch for sure - you'd not be bored, and enjoy the ride. And the message: "next time" it is indeed vague, so value the present and make the most of it. This is definitely my mantra for 2026 - you'll know why when you see the film. I am not giving it a 10 cause its a masterpiece, but then again I found no faults, stories likes these are my weakness.

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Tender and intense in correct moments!

This show was clearly done well, the production was amazing! But I mean it was Netflix show after all!

I loved the cinematography, it was very well executed. I was immersed in the movie's world right away, unable to take my eyes off the screen. The lights, colors, movements, camera angles, all of it! All those aspects came together and created a beautiful and emotional story as well as the amazing atmosphere.

We got both tender and intense moments woven together. I could feel the emotions through the actors movements, without anyone saying a word. I was enchanted by the actors movements, those dance skills surely needed a lot of work! I also loved the quiet but strong emotions we could feel in many scenes.

All in all I loved this movie! It was fresh, well executed and beautiful as a whole.

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Watch for the tension, not for the plot (trigger warning: sexual harrassment)

This film was not a waste of my time, because I felt like it lit a spark in me that I have not seen for a long time (possibly because I took a break from films and dramas that are like these).

I would recommend this if you simply need a mere tick-in-the-box for "enemies to lovers" or even "Dance BL". Also if you like one character being like ice or snow, and the other being like fire or sunshine. That said, there are a few options that are far better. I suppose this film is a manga adaptation, so I don't even think I can blame the directors for everything that I am about to complain about.

The love shown in this film does remind me of this quote from another Japanese film, Happyend, which states, "You can say important things without words". A lot of the development of this relationship seems to be like that - without words. But in a way that seems to be almost unhealthy. The avoidant character Shinya Sugiki shows hardly any signs of true character growth. It appears that what drives his character growth is a quote about dance I find to be rather cringy - "love is what makes [dance] whole". Honestly, it seems like whatever minimal character development happens for him is pinned on this quote. Shinya Sugiki is actually a fascinating character in general, though. A lot of dichotomies. Like being self-sacrificing and also a control freak.

DON'T GET ME STARTED on the amount of boundary violations and questionable things this promotes (nothing new to BL). Stuff like Shinya Sugiki pushing his genitals against Shinya Suzuki at the start and he never even apologises for it. SEXUAL HARASSMENT HELLO? And then Shinya Suzuki literally forcing himself on Shinya Sugiki after Sugiki pushes him away. CONSENT WHERE?!!!

Cultural misrepresentation is there of The UK to some extent (I live here and it's not all old white men and women - but I suppose the ballroom scene might be like that still). But primarily of Latin American culture. The idea that Latin American dance and culture is simply "sexual" - i.e. how Suzuki describes it - is a stereotype. The British (in my eyes partly represented somehow by Sugiki) are not that cold either, although we certainly have plenty of courteous avoidants if you look in the right places, like for instance my former taste in men.

The plot makes no sense whatsoever, like how does calling someone lame then suddenly result in a surge in romantic closeness (I suppose I can see why perhaps because its like maybe the character who was called lame was like "He's the only one who sees me and will call me out for my mess"). But the reason why Sugiki keeps pulling away emotionally and physically is never made that clear, although of course self-image issues do play a role. You know what, I should give this film a bit more credit because there is at least some reasoning behind the push-and-pull dynamic. Like Sugiki talks about how he sort of became the "grim reaper", i.e. how while he wanted to replace the person in power during ballroom dances and become like a more chivalrous and warm version, he inevitably (as humans do) enjoyed being in power, and we can sort of see this leaking into his life in general.

Also, the women are sort of just supporting characters. Although they have distinct personalities, nothing about their background or story is well-developed. So if you are a fan of having side character women who actually have their own story (I know not all of you are), then this is not the film for you.

Anyway, that's it. In sum, watch for the steaminess and the aesthetics (I'll leave complaining about the smoking aesthetic for another day), but keep a critical mind and separate this romance and the cultural depictions from reality as much as you can. Or maybe that's what I need to do with my pattern of being drawn to avoidants in the past.

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A good time

This is a really good comedy thanks to solid jokes, dialogue and situations in which our characters find themselves in. The chemistry between the actors is really good, Kang Ha Neul and Han Sunhwa are definitely the standout with the unhinged and savage performances, while Kang Young Seok delivers a very fun character and Kim Young Kwang some heartfelt scenes. The friendship is the best part of the story.

While I really enjoyed this film, I can't help but feel The First Ride missed an opportunity to properly develop mental health issues in the aftermath of a tragedy. In one hand, I am glad this wasn't a sob fest but, at the same time, sometimes this issues were used as a punchline and even forced the story to be more emotional when the set up was already touching enough.

Overall, this is a good watch and I recommend it.

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Where Pain Meets the Brush: Finding Yourself in the Lines of Life

I went into The Lines That Define Me because I wanted to see someone finding meaning or healing through art. And that’s exactly what I got, which is why I ended up really loving it. I watched it, finished it, and then just sat there for a while. Not because anything huge happened, but because the feeling stayed with me.

The movie is quiet and slow in a very intentional way. It doesn’t try to shock you or force emotions out of you. Everything happens gently, and a lot of it sinks in later rather than all at once. The way it shows grief and figuring life out feels real nothing dramatic or overdone, just steady and ongoing, like ink slowly spreading across paper.

At its heart, this story isn’t really about sumi-e painting. It’s about standing in front of an empty space and realizing you still exist, even after life has taken so much from you. Sosuke Aoyama isn’t chasing success or recognition. He doesn’t even know if art is his thing at first. He’s just drifting, unsure of what he wants, until life unexpectedly puts something in his path and asks him to try.

Sumi-e itself is simple and unforgiving: black ink, water, and space. No erasing, no fixing mistakes. Every stroke stays. And maybe that’s why it reaches Sosuke the way it does. When he encounters it for the first time, his body reacts before his mind can catch up. He breaks down without understanding why. That moment says everything: sometimes pain recognizes beauty before we’re ready to name it.

Kozan Shinoda, the master, isn’t the kind of teacher who lectures life into you. He embodies it. He paints the way some people breathe without panic, without apology. What he teaches Sosuke is deceptively simple and devastatingly profound: art is not about copying what’s in front of your eyes, but revealing what has already taken root inside you. Skill is secondary. Presence is everything.

And then there’s Chiaki brilliant, burdened, sharp edged with expectation. Living in the shadow of genius can dim even the brightest talent, and her struggle feels painfully real. Watching her move through self doubt, pride, resentment, and longing is like seeing someone untangle themselves from a legacy that both shaped and confined them. Her connection with Sosuke isn’t clean or romanticized it’s tense, awkward, and human. They help each other quietly through art, challenging one another, sharing small moments of understanding, and finding a way to stand on their own while still meeting in the space between ink and silence.

The visuals are impressive, and the acting is so good, really bringing the story to life.

What makes this film quietly devastating is how it understands contradiction. Love that nurtures and wounds. Care that exists beside cruelty. A past that both shapes you and suffocates you. Sosuke’s history marked by neglect, violence, sacrifice, and emotional whiplash doesn’t get neatly explained away. It lingers. It stains. Just like ink does.

The visual language mirrors this perfectly. Sumi-e paintings aren’t loud. They don’t beg for attention. They leave space. White space. Breathing room. And in that emptiness, meaning grows. Watching Sosuke paint feels like watching someone slowly grant themselves permission to live. Every brushstroke becomes an act of defiance against numbness.

This film believes something quietly radical: that people are not finished products. That we are unfinished lines, constantly redrawn by pain, love, chance, and choice. That even when life breaks us, it doesn’t erase us. It just changes the way we move across the page.

It isn’t flawless. It doesn’t try to be. Some moments are familiar, some emotions arrive softly instead of explosively. But that’s exactly why it works. Life rarely gives us climactic speeches. It gives us mornings we didn’t think we’d survive and somehow did.

By the end, The Lines That Define Me doesn’t leave you with answers. It leaves you with a feeling: that it’s okay to start where you are, with trembling hands and an unsteady heart. That meaning isn’t found it’s practiced. Daily. Imperfectly. Honestly.

Watching this film feels like borrowing someone else’s grief and realizing it fits disturbingly well. Like discovering that healing doesn’t always look like happiness sometimes it looks like sitting still long enough to let yourself feel again.

This isn’t just a coming of age story.
It’s a quiet reminder that even after everything, you are still a blank page.
And the lines you draw next are yours.

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In classic indie road movie fashion, childhood friends reunite and undertake a journey to their hometown, Circumstances and chance bring them briefly into and back out of the lives of a variety of individuals. One of the friends is a middle-aged man having a moment of crisis.

The other is an elephant - a large, expressive presence with his own mind and inclinations. Bong isn't in the MDL database and I'm not sure how Adrien would feel about adding him in, but the film itself appropriately recognises him as 2nd lead in the credits.

The movie is set entirely in Thailand, with Thai cast, crew and dialogue, but Singaporean screenwriter/director Kirsten Tan brings a different tone to it. She's also lived, worked and studied in several countries so perhaps this film doesn't truly belong to any one country. The film-making itself is quite capable (it's her debut feature-length). Aside from the elephant, the story is solid but unremarkable - it's a road film. The people they meet along the way are a mix of generic and more realised individuals, though the individuals are also types.

The more realised individuals are treated with respect. As characters, they're both unconventional and obvious, in that indie road movie fashion. I'm of two minds on this - Tan could have done more, but the familiarity of the types also brings a sort of calm normalcy to it, like the mundaneness of a job-induced moment of mid-life crisis and the way life is full of individuals if we bother to take the time to notice them.

At times there's a gentle, dry, slightly absurdist (because elephant) humour. The overall indie vibe tone is familiar - in many ways, I wanted something less generic and a distinctly Thai feel, especially the freedom and spark we see from many Isaan directors. But this is solid indie fare.

With an elephant.

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Love Untangled: 9/17/2025

I enjoy romance movies, however the usual downside is they aren’t done well. By this I mean when things such as the romance fall flat or the storyline feels rushed, usually one of theses things takes place. However in this movie they did not, though I do kinda wish the story was longer the pacing was really well. I also really liked the romance, it developed naturally and felt fitting. I also love how the ML loved the real her and not the girls she was trying to become, it was something really refreshing. The only thing I didn’t like was the forced breakup arc, it felt dumb but at least it was easily resolved. Overall an amazing movie and I definitely recommend watching.

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L♥DK: 7/21/2025

This movie honestly had so much potential but it just fell flat. Like I know the plot was pretty stereotypical but I expected more. Don’t get me wrong it some pretty quite romance scenes but at times I felt there was not development happening between the two characters. It also felt like it was taking forever for things to happen at the same time to. I honestly only really liked it cause of the cute romance scenes that did happen and the cast, however I have no intention to watch the sequel to moving seeing as the main cast is completely new actors but same characters. Personally feel like that’s a sign that maybe the movie shouldn’t happen, so I won’t watch.

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Best gay-themed feature out of Asia in a long time.

Exceptional.

This will def end up in my top ten, as soon as I watch it a time or two more to pick up on all the things I'm sure I missed.
That said, while I'm always thankful to anyone who takes the time and trouble to sub a film, the subs I saw for this are hella confusing at times, plus there are times the subs disappear altogether, which is, of course, frustrating.

It was refreshing to see a gay friend group presented as something other than a collection of annoying, predictable gay stereotypes. I'm looking at you, "Love In the Big City."

Second lead Kim Hyun Mok is a gifted talent to watch. His characterization is rich and full. He drove the film nearly as much as did the lead, who is not listed above, but who I'm going to try to hunt down and add to this page. He too is excellent, plus being extremely attractive in a unique way and having a rocking bod.

Great acting, direction, production values, cinematography; now if I can get clear on some plot elements... :D

I did not get the ending I was aching for, but that's OK. A lifetime of Hollywood flicks tied up with a perfect bow at the end are the source of that ache, but seven years of Asian films, especially Korean, have taught me that not getting what I want can deepen the viewing experience. Even as I pined for the ending I wanted, I somehow masochistically liked that I didn't get it. :P

Highly recommended
9.5/10

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