Reviews

interesting stories had great potential whipped with great acting

1. Bandi - 8.5/10
the collection of Unframed movies, begins with director Choi Moon’s soft and surreal storyline of the titular character Bandi, a teen girl who lives with her mother. mother and daughter visit the grandmother. The three of them are emotionally grieving due to Bandi's father's death. The grandmother keeps seeing her son in the house, while So Yeong (wife)doesn't talk about him, Bandi had a stammering problem for which she is also bullied.
Bandi however feels solace in her father's room and tries to talk to her mother. They both visit a forest to see fireflies(Bandi) where the mother and deceased father had promised to come. This shows they had a communication gap which is minimized when they keep on talking. While returning Bandi asks for her grandmother's number to stay in touch. The end is surreal as it ends at the same place where it started with a stronger bond between So Yeong and bandi as they talk about her father.
The character Bandi also emphasizes the title Bandi (Firefly). Just like a firefly flickers, Bandi stammers in spite of that they both bring smiles.
The scenes of the forest and park give a natural feel, whereas the restaurant gives an emotional touch. it is visually emphasizing that the movie ends where it began.

2.ReRun - 7/10
It takes us on a brief journey of a failed actor with his aunt by Son Sukku.
Soo In visits his aunt to send her off to a wedding ceremony but her health deteriorates on the way. while she gets an IV, she glimpses of her daughter. Soo In gets an urgent gig but gets uncertain. When they both reach the venue late, only a few close families are there. While he is looked down on because of having no proper success, he also feels out of place. He remains calm, fills up a food plate, and presents it to his aunt, showing his care until the end When all the others were just trying to talk.
The movie shows how an unsuccessful person is looked down. While he is the most genuine person who cares for his aunt with small gestures and doesn't really talk back. Soo-In's kind personality is all we all need to see his amazing acting skills.

3. Vote for INNO - 10/10
Park Jung Min brings the third piece which is a darker tale behind the faces of innocence. It focuses on a rigged class president election in a junior high school, where a bully manipulates an unnoticed student to win against a rich kid who uses the money to lure voters.
the intense music favors the visuals that how it was rigged and who actually won the elections. It gives a highlight of the adult political world in the form of class president election, where kids do campaigns, give speeches and bully the ones below them.
I was shocked to see the environment in class. Yes, students should have competition but here it is so unhealthy focusing on the present adult political world. All the kids gave a phenomenal performance. The music and editing are equally amazing to give an uncanny joy to watch “Vote for, I don’t Know”

4. Blue Happiness - 7/10
A clear critique of the oppressive nature of youths in present-day, Lee Je Hoons gives a bitter-sweet modern couple in “Blue Happiness”. Chan Yeong is a young man who is job hunting meanwhile working as a chauffeur and is in a live-in relationship with his girlfriend. He coincidently meets his former classmate who convinces him to do stock trading. While in the beginning, he manages to make money he falls into the loop of the stock market and incurs losses both in money and relationship.
This highlights the modern youth problem of job hunting who sometimes knowingly or unknowingly fall into these gambling games. They ruin themselves while losing money, relationships, and sometimes life too. the struggles of Chan Yeong played by Jung Hae In are the only good thing about this story. He simply connects the audience with his emotions. Story TBH is nothing special.

OVERALL
It is a good watch, by the actors, turned directors it is a good effort with liking possibly two or more short of the films. The messages within were very deep and complicated.
The performances were excellent in all.
The cinematography was amazing in all of them.
I wish to see Park Jeong Min more work as a director.

REWATCH
I wouldn't rewatch it, but I'd say if you're a commuter, you just found yourself two days' worth of entertainment

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The main focus is not primarily on the action but the intervals. Intimate play. Highly committed.

The story is told quite sensitively, calmly, just a few dialogues. It is almost studio theatre that relies on the two main protagonists and thus on the haunting performance of Bae Yong-joon and Son Ye-jin.

´He' is typical male, who feels like he owns the world - and now being confronted with his pride being hurt , whereas 'she' represents everything that makes a "good" wife: devoted, caring and - in case of doubt - convinced that she herself is to blame. However, for both of them as their former worlds fall apart their encounter sets processes in motion. They start questioning their lives. Quietly the chance for new orientation, for a new self-image and changed standards when it comes to relationships open up.

The title "April Snow" refers to the fact that the two protagonists love different seasons: he loves winter and she loves spring. Snow in April thus symbolizes a bridge that leads the two together. In the original, however, the title reads something like "Excursion" and refers to 'his' wife and 'her' husband who, as part of their affair, go on a secret trip on which their serious car accident brings everything to light...

(At first the story somehow reminded me a bit of the US movie "Random Hearts" from 1999. The KMovie "April Snow" from 2005, however, is not a remake, just a similar story.)

Yes, it is not a funny movie. Yes, it is intimate play on high studio theatre level. No effects. Just intense play. The main focus is not primarily on the action but the intervals in between. It´s different. Highly committed. Intense.

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Best for horror and zombie lovers

Usually I not write revies as such but I think this time it was important because I was literally pissed.

Usually we watch K-dramas/movies so that we can feel relaxed but to be honest after this movie I have to watch some other nice loving k drama to attain mental stability. If you are not that person who can handle horror and zombie movies then I will recommend you to not watch it or at least watch Train to Busan, All of us are dead, #Alive first because this movie is somehow really sad a lot of blood, violence and will surely give you a mental unitability.

But now If only talk about actors and plot then I think its okay I can't complement them much but its not bad acting is on point its even intense then other zombie movies so its good but I guess they somehow lacked in plot which is my opinion.

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I was here for my babies not for all these people-

I didn't enjoy this at all... Did I have too high expectations after Gameboys? I don't know but I'm just gonna tell you guys my review on this movie.

After the ending of Gameboys I seriously thought we were gonna get that much needed skinship and cuddles and kisses and hugs that the boys couldn't get because of social distancing. However, everytime we did get that we were interrupted every 2 minutes by the side couple (who I can't stand) and/or the horrible aunt that came uninvited to make me lose my cool and smash the pause button everytime she spoke a word. I was only happy when we had Cairo, Gavreel or Pearl on screen, other than that I was ughhhh.

I don't know if I'm the only one who couldn't enjoy the movie bc of the side couple but I felt that they were just constantly interrupting A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE was when Terrence arrived :))) I wanted to k*ll him.

Anywaaay, apart from that I think that this story deserved a happy ending... I do enjoy a lot tragic endings, I live for those but this story didn't need that. I can accept that Cairo had to go to his province but for Gav to leave to the States was a bit too unnecessary.

In conclusion, I feel like Gameboys as a first season can be highly recommended but up until the episode 12 where we do get a happy ending and no annoying side couple. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

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This is your trigger warning.

This "review" is really just for those who need a warning.

Because I tend to stay away from the comment section because of spoilers, I wish I had somewhat peaked at them this time. Because they're right. It's not for the light hearted.

This movie made me physically sick.

Zombie lovers; feel free to pass this movie. It's pretty much just rape gore on steroids under the guise of zombies.

I get this movie isn't for everyone. it sure in hell wasn't it for me.

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A Hymn to love. Go with the flow of beauty...

I don't care if they are related... Their hearts doesn't care either.

I had the similar feeling when I watch: In the mood for love or Comrades: Almost a Love Story. Some kind of forbidden love, the feeling that we can sense in every look, gesture, without having the complete scene.
The rhythm is slow, built with the story, the ten-year gap where they never forget each other, even if they don’t understand it.
STORY – simple and beautiful, with the way that was filmed. The silence, the expressions saying a thousand words. The chemistry was awesome!
ACTING – it was good! If you just consider the 2 main actors it was AMAZING!!
MUSIC – loved Taek Ik Theme, painted so beautifully the last scenes…
REWATCH – maybe, with someone next to me, holding hands…
OVERALL – something like: “Whenever you feel like smoking, just think of me”… Holding a plant instead of a cigarette, laughing as only someone in love can.
I think if you are used to independent great movies, with the velocity of a story and not the superfluous way that we live now, if you just enjoy beautiful stories with depth, please watch it…
If you are used to Hollywood media, k-pop or kdrama world of beauty and visuals and that kind of stuff, don’t watch this. The world will appreciate.
Someone wrote that you have to be intelligent to watch this movie and understand it. I am not sure if I agree, I think is more of having a sane emotional intelligence. If you have, enjoy the ride!

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Way more than a cheezy silly rom-com

I first saw a clip of this movie on TikTok and I'm a big fan of funny rom-coms so I had to watch it. I cried, laughed, and blushed while watching this movie. This was also my first Filipino movie ever and one ill remember for a long time.

I loved all the characters equally. Don't get me started on the main couple, they are SOOOOO cute together and their chemistry is immaculate. But not all dramas are rainbows and butterflies. As I said I cried while watching this. Now I don't mean just a couple of tears, I mean a whole river. I never knew something so small could become so big and affect me so deeply.

In all, this movie was more than amazing, it gave me all these different emotions. My new favorite comfort movie.

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This movie was the purrfect ending of the whole Kamen Rider Build era, it really was. It corrected everything the previous movie messed up - that annoying girl was gone, gone, gone! - and we - or at least I - got everything we wanted: Sento & Banjo together again, Kazumin & Misora finally dating, Gentoki & Sawa finally dating, Grease finally getting an upgrade... and we saw Build fighting on-screen one last time!

I loved that we laso got to see Mad Scientist Sento Kiryu one more time, him being all clever and devilish, doing dangerous experiments juuuuuust this side of evil, considering his subjects were human, and yet being a ball of sunshine - and Banjo being happy simply because Sento was happy. That was so good!

I admit that the beginning was a bit over the top but at least it was actually a part of the overall story, not just some crazy shenanigans for the sake of crazy shenanigans, so there's that.

Overall, this movie made me grin when it ended which is all one can ask for from the last movie in a series, right?

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Sweetly Simple

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

Edited on 9/8/2024: This is an updated version of my original review to match my current writing style for BL series that were edited into a movie version.

If you need something to left-up your mood after watch an overly serious/dramatical series, this movie/series is for you.

The series/movie: This was a very cute series. It has a simple, but good storyline. However, the script does have many weak elements to it. The cast did a great job portraying their characters and the cinematography was beautiful. I really enjoyed the songs that were used and felt the music really helped set the mood the scene it was used in.

The movie: They did a great job editing the episodes into one cohesive movie. They only added one random scene in the movie which did not add anything to the storyline. I think it was done to add more minutes to the movie. The only negative aspect is they cut out the behind the scenes and bloopers shown at the end of episode 8.

Random Notes:
I recommend watching the movie version because the editing made the storyline flow much better. However, you will be fine watching the series version too. If you do watch the movie, don’t forget to watch the end of episode 8 for the behind the scenes and bloopers.

******Potential Spoiler Alert******

The time span for Yoon Do Gun and Choi Jung Woo’s relationship development was too fast. They should have swapped the time span of the competition (1 month) and the time they were apart (3 months) around.

The ending had a very quick conflict resolution and felt a little rushed.

It was very weird how everyone forgave each other very quickly.

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NOT A TYPICAL BL AND FOR THIS IS THE BEST BL "MOVIE" THAT I HAVE WATCHED!

for me this is the best BL movie that I have ever watched. Everything about this movie is fantastic and at the same time intense. The plot is well-written, the actors and the crew really made justice. I really like this kind of BL because it is not typical story like puppy love or the generic BL plot. This is in another level, it talks about perspectives, problems, societal pressure, well-being, suicide, and most importantly LOVE. The build-up, chemistry between the two actors, and the sex scenes are phenomenal. If you watch this, you need to have an open mind and think about the message that it wants to portray.

I REALLY LOVE THE TWIST WHERE THEY'VE BECOME THE COMFORT AND MEDICINE FOR EACH OTHER. I HOPE THERE'S A PART 2 OF THIS MOVIE. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE ATMOSPHERE OR THE AMBIANCE, IT'S GLOOMY THAT'S WHY YOU CAN SENSE THAT IT IS A HEAVY DRAMA. NEXT IS CINEMATOGRAPHY AND THE TEAM OF COURSE. BEST BL INDEED.

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Such a good idea

but so many clichés and prejudice. And the slapstick was sometimes a bit too much for me. It is supposed to be a comedy however so...

In short: A blind detective gets help from a young cop (he's the brains, she's the muscle). He works on cold cases, she tries to solve the disappearance of a childhood friend. Sounds good so far right? Because the foundation for this plot actually is not bad.
The actors are great too and their chemistry is there (not special but believable).
Solid watch for entertainment with a note of detective story so far.

BUT, and those are things that are big issues in my eyes:
- self harm presented as something done to get attention
- being gay presented as a "normal phase for a teenager" (the issue here is the "phase" thing, like if it was a choice)
- crossdressing presented as something people who rape and have a mental disease do (look at silence of the lamb, same issue)
- Jealousy being portrayed as a female trait and a mental illness that can be passed down via the female line of a family... ouff.

And, quite frankly, replaying the crimes (in real) to solve them might've been part of the comedic part, to make fun of all the Sherlocks and their ridiculous brain power, but seeing Ho Ka Tung (Sammi Cheng as the female cop) being beaten off again and again was uncomfortable.

So, to round this up, I don't know if I can recommend this. I certainly hope that they take up the plot idea again in the future and leave out the unnecessary jokes and prejudice.

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True (comedy) wuxia with great actors

Slapstick with a serious undertone and great fighting scenes.
The path is the goal could be the underlying message.

The story is a patchwork of different peoples stories in different times, their desires and motivations. Glued together by He Anxia (Wang Baoquiang), the young monk, asked to leave his monastery to experience the world and kind of make his own mistakes to understand all of it.
It's like a theater play with really great actors, infused with some comedy to make it lighter.

I'd recommend it for a Sunday evening watch.
And because of Chang Chen, Aaron Kwok and Danny Chan Kwok-kwan :D

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It is about Sisterhood - with a deep connection transcending age and nation. Yet in a man´s world.

When watching KMovies, one stumbles across productions that are surprisingly quiet and told with comparatively few words. "Moonlit Winter" is one of them. A quiet road movie of a mother an her daughter enriched with pictorial symbols and allegories. Like a long cold winter night.

It's about the unhappy love between two young girls that wasn't allowed to be. (SIDE NOTE: To this day, homosexual love is socially outlawed in South Korea. Starting with the younger generation, a little more tolerance is creeping into society, but only at a snail's pace they are starting to find something like solid ground under their feet.)

It is about the (need for) reconciliation with the past. About shame, guilt and forgiveness. And about choosing yourself first. Self love. And then, strengthened in that, one can choose anything, including a relationship... even if it's a homosexual one that still is socially undesirable...

Intense! The list of awards is correspondingly long. However: The intensity could easily be missed, because the quiet, long winter nights are what they are: Long. Dark. Cold. If you don't discover the magic of the diffuse moonlight for yourself, then time can get pretty dreary and gloomy.

The cast fits the show. They are all radiating and keeping the intensity in minimalistic terms.

It is about women with a deep connection transcending age and nation. About Sisterhood!
Tender. True. Yet in a man´s world.

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Intensive. Rough. Monosyllabic. If you don't let that put you off: Definitely worth seeing!

On average, every month (!) around 1,000 North Koreans flee to China in the hope of thus escaping hunger and persecution. Around 80 percent of the refugees are women. In many respects they are dependent on their unfamiliar environment - due to the uncertainty regarding residence law they practically live in a legal vacuum. Their fate all too often ends in the hands of smugglers and human traffickers who shamelessly exploit their insecure situation and ruthlessly make use of this for their own profit. The women are kept in brothels under slave-like conditions or forced into marriage. The bribes are increasing in view of tightened border controls. And unfortunately, China delivers all the refugees it identifies as such back to North Korea, where they then await torture and death. They live in constant fear of attacks, violence and deportation.

"Beautiful Days" tells the true story of a North Korean woman who makes it out of fear and dependency into an independent identity and a new life in South Korea. Her new life not rosy either, but it's free and self-determined.

Lee Na-young convinces here in a true-to-life and unembellished depiction of a bitter, merciless development process - from the abandoned teenager, who is forced into sex work and marriage, who is then threatened with taking her child away to sell it, and then despite all the hopelessness, persistently and unswervingly manages to escape her pimp, emancipate herself and earn enough money as an independent woman to support her family in China from afar.

By the way: In "Beautiful Days" there are actually no "beautiful" days. The title is pure irony. Dialogues are minimized. There is hardly any room for closeness and tenderness in this rough, monosyllabic world. The few loving gestures can practically be counted on one hand, but their effect is thus even stronger.

Intensive. Rough. If you don't let that put you off: Definitely worth seeing!

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