Reviews

The first half was engaging, but...

I read some reviews so I partially knew what the movie would be about before I started watching it. That's probably why I didn't have too many expectations for it.

The first half was engaging, but after the plot twist, it became predictable. Each subsequent simulation was no longer exciting. Of course, I understand what the creators might have had in mind and what they wanted to show, but I think this film doesn't capture it best.

Even Da Mi's great acting couldn't save this movie for me. But I don't mind the ending and I don't understand the difficulty in understanding this story. But I guess that also indicates poor execution.


It's not a bad movie, but it's not one of the best either. Even though I didn't have high expectations, I'm still a bit disappointed.

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Watch the Prequel First

I stumbled across the prequel "Everyone is a Freaking Idiot" [listed as "Everyone is a Stupid" on MDL], a short but impactful film. In my opinion, any viewer of this film must watch the prequel first for essential context.

This film centres on the relationship between the two boys from the prequel, Sosuke and Satoru, one year on. We are introduced to Haruka, another student from their earlier school days. All three strive to be better people, despite being tormented in one way or another. The hurt they feel seems to have no outlet, though, and they struggle to find their footing.

Both films are very low-budget, but very well-directed and acted. The story may seem slow, but, in fact, is very tight. Nothing feels extraneous here. Yes, there is some awful camera shaking at one point, but it is only mildly distracting. The music fits and isn't intrusive.

Both these films tugged at my heartstrings, and I could not look away. Both are well worth the time spent watching.

[With special thanks to the fansubber who made both films available to international audiences.]

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Underrated gem from Tsukamoto Shinya; one of his finest!

It's a pity this movie is so underrated, because it is such an amazing combination of psychological + horror + fantasy.

The atmosphere draws you in instantly, with the way the characters look pale / sickly / inhuman, the almost dream-like cinematography, the haunting score, the darker night shots with a silence that leaves the viewer with a looming sense of dread that is to come..

At it's core, the story is simple. Two twins born into a rich household; one was abandoned due to a scar, and the other kept. Due to different circumstances, both grow up differently. The rich twin grows up gentle, with a prejudice against people from the slums. The poor twin grows up in the slums, using theft and murder as a means to survive. His life leads him to Rin, our female lead. They have a passionate relationship, and one day, the poor twin goes away promising to return. She is met with an ill-fate where she is almost raped and she burns the rapist's house as a result. She goes to the river to clean herself and the rich twin finds her in a naked state. He falls in love with her at first sight. Unknown to her, she assumes the poor twin is back. But soon she realises he is not the same man. She falls in love with the gentle demeanour of the rich twin, fakes amnesia and marries him. Soon after, the poor twin returns and locates the house that abandoned him. He vows revenge, but is filled with further hatred and jealousy when he witnesses his lover happy with his twin. He watches them and observes them. He then slowly kills his parents, and subsequently traps the rich twin in the well, and takes on his identity. He makes love passionately to the FL who then grows suspicious that this is the poor twin who has returned. She questions him about it, but he constantly dismisses her claims, and finally as proof, she strips his pants and notices he doesn't have the scar (she imprinted on him in the slums) and is led to believe that he is indeed the doctor. She is thrown into deep turmoil. After that confrontation, he goes to the well and realises the other twin has disappeared. One twin is killed, the other survives, and goes on to have 2 babies with the FL.

The question remains unanswered - who actually survived? Could be either.
It could be the rich twin who survived because there is a look of horror on his face after he kills the other twin. There's a realisation that he became the exact animal he despised.
But the ending scene with the man calling the twin an arrogant bastard, his face turns to horror as he watches him- as though he is aware that this isn't the doctor.

But that answer is not key.

Our director never dilly-dallies and cuts straight to the plot, and delivers in every frame. It isn't just the frames or the score, or the cinematography. Even the dialogue and themes he explores is rather thought provoking.

(1) People from the low class slums are presented and viewed as dirty, as inhuman. The doctor and his family have a clear prejudice against them. But what is interesting is that Tsukamoto Shinya depicts how regardless of that difference, both men brought up in very different classes have a desire and are capable of loving. Both are jealous; the rich twin despite being at the brink of death is occupied by the thought of his wife sleeping with another man. The poor twin despite wanting revenge and feeling betrayal, is consumed by the idea of his lover and another man sleeping together such that he devours her body the moment he takes on the identity.

(2) Animalistic behaviour of men; when it comes to survival, we become animals, and that's when we realise we are all cut from the same cloth. Both twins grew up in different circumstances, but are not very different when it boiled down to survival.

(3) The mental state of a woman torn between her ex and her husband - The FL really delivers a fantastic performance here in showing us her turmoil. Can she be blamed for the choices she made? No.

It's interesting how she recognises that this isn't her doctor husband through the act of sex. She notes that this man is more passionate, and doesn't finish in a minute, further highlighting how the doctor though taken in with her clearly couldn't give in to her fully because he wasn't aware of her identity, while this poor twin knowing fully well that she betrayed him, wants her entirely. There's a shot where he slides in his face under her arm (which is the poster for this film) and it's a very interesting frame - like he's conjoined to her and can't be taken away from her. That does make me wonder at the end - could he have died and have possessed the kind doctor?

There's probably a lot more that I want to write, but I'll leave it here for now.

All in all, this is a film worth watching. Despite being made in 1999, it is exceptionally filmed, and written. Highly highly recommend it!

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I have to admit, I was skeptical going into this movie because I’m not a fan of student-teacher romance storylines. But somehow, this one managed to feel painfully romantic. Maybe it’s the cinematography, maybe it’s the way everything looks almost unreal, like a dream—you can forgive a lot when it’s that cinematic. But… is it really okay? That’s the question that lingered the whole time I was watching.

Plot*
17-year-old Rio is a high school student who is always the center of attention thanks to her beauty. Because of her traumatic past, she’s learned to care only about herself. Friends and boyfriends exist mainly for her amusement or gain, and she’s focused on money and fun above all else. One day, Rio takes some photos to develop and is handed the wrong envelope. Inside, she finds pictures of a man and falls for him at first sight. Determined to find him, she begins stalking him, unaware that he has been diagnosed with cancer, and the photos are essentially his death portraits. From there, the story follows Rio pursuing him while he tries to keep her at a distance.


Controversy / Thoughts:
Here’s where the movie gets complicated. Rio’s behavior can feel disturbing, she pushes and chases, sometimes aggressively, and the story romanticizes it. Her lifestyle, dating older men, living extravagantly in Louis Vuitton, is glamorized in a way that feels unrealistic and morally grey. And yes, Kouki’s illness is used to soften the situation, but it doesn’t fully justify the age gap or the way her behavior is romanticized. Watching it, I constantly wrestled with these feelings: part of me cringed, part of me couldn’t look away.
And yet… despite all that, I found myself genuinely invested. Rio’s persistence, her raw emotions, the way the cinematography captures her and Kouki, it’s hard not to get swept up in it. The movie makes you feel her heartbreak, her obsession, her hope. I hated that I was enjoying it at times, but I couldn’t help it. There’s an undeniable emotional pull here. I found myself rooting for her, for him, for them, even when logic screamed that none of this should feel romantic.

One of the things that struck me most is how exaggerated and unrealistic Rio’s life is! her sugar baby lifestyle, her outfits, the extravagance of her world. But instead of feeling shallow, it adds a certain energy to the movie. It makes her character fascinating to watch and gives the film almost dreamlike quality. Watching Rio navigate her obsession, her heartbreak, and the consequences of her choices made me reflect on the way movies can make impossible or uncomfortable things feel emotionally real.

In the end, I can’t fully say this movie is “okay” in terms of ethics or realism. But as a story, as an emotional experience, it works in a way I didn’t expect. It made me feel conflicted, moved, and strangely connected to characters I probably shouldn’t have. I disliked parts of it, and yet, I can’t deny how much it stayed with me.
This is one of those movies that will make you question what you feel and why you feel it, and somehow, that makes it unforgettable.

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A sequel that messed up a non-existent story

I watched this literally immediately after watching the first movie, and if you've read my review for that one, you may recall that I'm watching them to scare myself more. And that I wasn't quite satisfied with the story aspect of the movie. Well let me pivot! Because I didn't know having a story could disappoint me this much.

As far as the scare factor goes - this was okay. A few good jumpscares, if you watch it with the volume up, definitely very scary. And once again, too much gore for me (why?), but not the scariest thing out there.

The story - too bad because there's too much and not enough at the same time! All I wanted was an ounce of explanation, but this was absolutely nothing. It was like watching two different movies and I only liked one.

The first half of the movie is a cross between horror and adventure with Yak venturing into a haunted forest to battle his ghosts, and I mean that literally. It felt like a way for them to just inflict a bunch of on-screen hauntings and killings for the sake of the shock factor but.. it didn't do the intended job. Because to be shocking, you need some emotional connection to the characters and all of the new characters were people who were on-screen for a combined screentime of maybe half an hour. This was the backstory that I so desperately wanted after the first movie, but it went off on an unknown tangent, introducing new characters and not providing context for old ones. And the worst part? It had almost no connection to the second half.

The second half was much better. I would've preferred this be the entire movie because it focused on the family and their struggle not only with the evil spirit but their past experience. It had great flow, the characterization actually felt on point, too bad it lasted around 45 minutes in total. Because again, I know this is based on a novel, based on real events, but I think when you're making a movie you can tell those events in a more coherent manner? It was such a strange and fragmented experience, going from a really almost unnecessary and boring first half to a good second half.

This was okay. I think the first one was much better and I don't know what the story will be in movie three, but this was just okay.

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Unexpected Gem

The thing about The Merciless is that, on paper, it’s a story I’ve seen many times before. Prison hierarchies, power games, loyalty, betrayal, none of this is new to me. And yet, while watching it, I never once felt bored or disconnected. That’s because this movie lives and breathes through its actors.

Siwan and Sul Kyung-gu completely carry this film on their shoulders. Their performances are so powerful that they make the story feel brand new, even when the structure is familiar. This is one of those movies that reminded me why acting matters so much. A good plot is important, but great acting can transform everything.
Sul Kyung-gu, especially, was the heart of the movie for me. From the moment he appeared on screen, there was something magnetic about his character. I found myself wanting to protect him, to save him at all costs, even when I wasn’t sure he deserved it. That emotional pull didn’t come from the script, it came from the way he inhabited the role. He was the movie.
The chemistry between him and Siwan is another reason the story works so well. Their dynamic feels tense, layered, and constantly shifting. Add to that the endless twists, and suddenly a familiar plot becomes gripping again. I genuinely didn’t expect to be this invested.

Plot*
Story-wise, we follow Jae-ho and Hyun-su, who meet while both are behind bars. At first, Jae-ho presents himself as a protective, almost fatherly figure. He seems amused by Hyun-su’s fearless bravado. They soon form brotherly type relationship. Jae-ho controls the cigarette trade in prison, and as the film moves back and forth in time, we slowly learn the brutal path that led him there.

What also really stood out to me was the cinematography and camera work. The film has that raw, early-2000s energy before everything became too polished and Netflix-clean. The camera moves with intention, often making you feel like you’re standing right there with the characters. Combined with the performances, it creates an immersive experience that pulls you in completely.

In the end, The Merciless reminded me that even a familiar story can feel new when it’s told with conviction. It’s not perfect, and it doesn’t reinvent the genre, but the acting, chemistry, and atmosphere make it absolutely worth the watch. This is one of those films that stays with you, not because of what it says, but because of how it feels.

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"I'm asking you because I know nothing"

Itchan and Satchan was a short film focusing on two adult sisters as they prepare their grandmother’s house for renovations. Boxing up a lifetime of belongings is time consuming, especially when rounds of “Red Light, Green Light” have to be played as childhood memories come to the fore.

Single, pregnant Itchan and her married sister Satchan are faced with the task of boxing up their grandmother’s belongings. Though the reason is that renovations on the house will soon begin, they don’t believe their grandmother will ever return home. As the two sort out toys and dishware, memories are unearthed as well.

Sorting through a family member’s things is nearly always a daunting task. What to keep, pack, give away, or throw away? Each item is imbued with a past and the feelings associated with it. A toy starter gun, a flickering ball, a marble, and a hula hoop, all cause the packing to halt. For a while the sisters were transported back to their past when life seemed simpler and they were closer. Adulthood magnified their differences and the distance between them. Background noises echoed the sisters’ exchanges-children’s laughter, howling wind, and the scraping of a marble rolling along the uneven floor.

Itchan and Satchan was a tiny slice of life between two women largely avoiding the task at hand and unsure of how to bridge the gap between them. The sisters packed up belongings filled with warm memories and unpacked grievances that had been hidden, but not forgotten. Heavy on symbolism and silences, this film could have used a few more honest conversations or maybe I just wanted to learn more about their lives. Worth giving a try if you like slice of life.

30 January 2026

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So many emotions in a short film.

This 37-minute film accomplishes what many, much longer series cannot —it gives a succinct story with MANY emotions and different facets of the plot, all in such a short time. The chemistry between the two main leads is undeniable. Despite being labeled as "best-friends," they seem to share a much deeper, world-changing bond. I particularly like how the film deals with grief, guilt, and deception in both of the main leads. The supporting cast, while small, also provides small details to the story, which help flesh out the characters.

All in all, I've rewatched this film probably about once every six months since it came out, and I find I like it every time. Take this with a grain of salt. I'm a sucker for pretty men.

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"Life is money"

Dying to Survive seemed like a film written for me. Small time heroes clandestinely go up against a large pharmaceutical company bleeding terminal patients dry and by extension, the government. Goodness knows I’m nearly always up for a story socking it to the greedy companies who only care about the people who can pay for their products. But somehow, I never quite connected to the characters in this film, try as I might.

People suffering from Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) are suffering and dying because the treatment is cost prohibitive. The international pharmaceutical company jealously guards its medications and profit margins. When a patient, Lu Shou Yi, approaches a small-time erotic supplement shop owner about smuggling a generic version of the cancer drug pirated in India, his and other patients’ fortunes change…for a while. Cheng Yong’s dad is ill and needs a surgery, but Cheng is broke. He takes Lu up on his offer and begins smuggling the drug in. The problems begin to mount along with his profits. The police and a counterfeit drug con artist both are on his tail.

I think part of the problem I had with this film was that Cheng Yong wasn’t very likeable. His recently ex-wife was not unaccustomed to being hit by him. He was brash and often self-centered. That he worried about getting caught by the police didn’t bother me. I can’t imagine anyone not being deterred by the thought of spending up to a lifetime in jail, something his customers didn’t have to worry about. Their concern was dying without the life-giving medication. When Cheng had his 180-degree personal transformation, it was dizzying. I could have also used more character development for the leukemia patients I was supposed to care about.

Xu Zheng gave a solid performance as the morally conflicted Cheng Yong. I might have had problems with how he went from a selfish capitalist to completely selfless savior, but Cheng sold it as best he could. If you are a Zhou Yi Wei fan, you might be disappointed as he doesn’t have much screen time as the detective in charge of hunting down the source of the “counterfeit” drugs. Cao Bin had no problem going after the actual drug scammers but began to feel his conscience prick him when he discovered the drugs Cheng’s customers were using were legit, just not on the national drug list. And at a fraction of the cost. Even people not suffering from poverty can be financially devastated when having to pay exorbitant prices for medications.

Large corporations and insurance companies should not have the power of life and death, so I was pleased that Cheng Yong and his crew bucked the system instigating changes to the health care system in China. I couldn’t read the explanatory credits at the end of the film, but I’m sure it said that policies were enacted to make cancer drugs much more affordable and available or I doubt this film would have been made. But I will always celebrate any win that bloodies the nose of those who prey upon the sick and the weak.

30 January 2026

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The girl in the red dress

Something about the Li Min lingers with me. Maybe it's the way I can find next to nothing of her online. Vanishing, quite like her character (Song) in the film, with only her son as proof of her existence. Just like this film being one of the only records of Li Min's existence.

As for Zebrowski, he went on with his life and continued being famous. Resembling what I imagine happened in the film; Wolski melancholically thinking of Song occasionally, but ultimately moving on with his life and marrying his fiancé.

As for third-wheel me, I'm stuck with a new "Roman Empire" of a girl showing off her red dress to the whole village thinking she was getting married.

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Perfect Days feels like a visual answer to the question of why Japan is so deeply loved. There is something profoundly healing, almost spiritual, about Hirayama’s life. The quiet tranquillity, the peace found in monotony, and the gentle rhythm of his days feel like a reminder of how life could be lived. Watching this movie felt like escaping to Tokyo, not to chase excitement, but to rediscover beauty in everyday life. It’s hard to put into words just how deeply healing this film felt.

Plot*
Hirayama is a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. His life follows a strict, repetitive routine: waking up, getting ready, watering his plants, buying the same coffee, going to work, and ending his day at the same bathhouses, bars, and small restaurants. On the surface, his life is monotonous. Yet against the backdrop of buzzing Tokyo's skyscrapers, traffic, and fast-paced modernity. Hirayama’s existence feels almost revolutionary. Like he’s the only one who has figured something out, the rest of us are rushing past.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully explain how this movie made me feel. There’s something almost ironic about the fact that this film began as a documentary project meant to showcase the architectural beauty of Tokyo’s public toilets, and somehow evolved into one of the most powerful and quietly moving movie of the last decade. So much of the movie feels nostalgic, even without relying on overt sentimentality.

*Hirayama*
Hirayama’s routine repeats itself almost identically every single day. The same movements, the same places, the same rhythm. Yet instead of feeling boring, it becomes comforting. Healing. He is a taciturn man who speaks very little; in fact, nearly 90% of the film unfolds without dialogue. And maybe that’s exactly what makes the film so poetic. It doesn’t impose meaning on the viewer. Instead, it trusts you to feel it on your own,
One of the most striking moments in the film is Hirayama’s lunch break at a temple. Like clockwork, he sits surrounded by nature, watching the leaves sway gently as sunlight filters through the trees. This phenomenon—komorebi— " sunlight leaking through trees"- refers to the beauty and wonder of rays of light dappled through overhead leaves. It represents a poetic, aesthetic concept of nature’s beauty and tranquillity, often signifying moments of peace, mindfulness, and the fleeting nature of light, something that exists only once, in that exact moment. Hirayama takes photos of Komorebi, sitting under the same trees every day, yet no picture is ever the same. It feels like a quiet reminder that even within repetition, moments are fleeting and unrepeatable.
Nature plays a crucial role in the film, constantly contrasted with the surrounding modern cityscape. Towering buildings, rushing commuters, and traffic noise set against the calm of sunlight, leaves, and wind. Hirayama is often the only one who pauses to notice these details. He sees beauty where others rush past. Even in traffic, his stillness feels like being untouched by the chaos around him.
The film introduces a subtle change when Hirayama’s runaway niece comes to stay with him. Her presence disrupts his routine and gently challenges his way of living. It’s during this time that we begin to learn more about him, and it’s also one of the few moments when he speaks. What initially seems like the life of a sad old man cleaning toilets slowly reveals itself as a conscious choice, a life he stepped into, not out of failure, but out of a desire for peace and contentment. By the end, his life evokes not pity, but quiet envy.

*Tokyo’s public toilets*
The Tokyo public toilets themselves become works of art. Each one is architecturally unique, some blending seamlessly into nature, others showcasing modern technology, transparency, maze-like structures, or even playful mushroom-shaped designs. It’s architectural innovation at its finest. Choosing toilets instead of skyscrapers to represent Tokyo feels strange at first, but the more I watched, the more poetic it became. It’s precisely this unorthodox choice that gives the film its uniqueness, turning something ordinary into something contemplative.

*Cinematography*
The cinematography carries the same nostalgic weight. The camera moves deliberately, often lingering on Hirayama’s expressions—those of a man who seems content, peaceful, and deeply present. There’s a softness to the way he is filmed, as if the movie itself is breathing at his pace.

There are still so many things to say, and yet not enough words. One final detail that lingers is the music—old American classics playing against a Japanese backdrop. The contrast feels unexpected, but it is an essential part of Japanese history and memory, adding another layer to the film’s gentle nostalgia.
Perfect Days didn’t try to impress me. It didn’t rush me. It didn’t explain itself.
It simply existed and invited me to slow down and exist with it.
And somehow, that was enough.

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A decent horror that relies on jumpscares

I'm trying to dip my toes into the genre of "serious horror", aka, movies that will definitely give me nightmares, ensuring my sleep cycle is ruined. And Netflix has been on me about watching Death Whisperer and I said why not. I want to watch more horror movies despite the fact that they are evidently not great for me.

To the horror end - Death Whisperer is a very good movie. Tons of jumpscares, extremely scary looking ghosts and ghost adjacents, an incredible cast who've done a great job at pretending to being scared and actually scaring me. Plus, tons of gore (which I was not prepared for so that was a nice surprise!). It's a classic horror formula I've seen lots of times.

The story - is okay. I expected a bit more. I wanted a good setup and some decent explanations but going scare heavy, the plot was all over the place, and we got no real conclusion (rectified, hopefully, by the fact that there are three more movies in the series). I know it's based on a novel based on real events, but I can't but feel a little let down. This is an occult based story and I don't usually expect them to have a detailed backstory, but some would've been nice? We got, "it's been happening for centuries, now it's happening to you".

The characterization - that was the worst part. Again, I know it's a real event, but this is a fictional version, no matter how true to the original event it is, and I think they could have done a bit better there. Characters do things that are completely out of.. well character. And the explanation is that the evil spirit made them do it. There are more than 10 main characters here, which ensures that you can't really develop them as characters, which is okay. But I refuse to believe that in what should have been moments of desperation, these people were so cavalier about stuff?

Overall, this is a decent horror movie. I'm hoping to get more out of the sequels because the story here left much to desire - but I would recommend it if you're in the mood for something pretty scary.

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Garbage!!!

The writer was probably high when he wrote this garbage. People kept saying it was really good and super relatable about social media and stuff, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was an absolute waste of my time. First of all, nothing about the streaming app made any sense. When everyone was busy looking for the girl, were the country’s police just sitting around with their hands up, or watching with popcorn? Nothing really made sense, and it felt like the writer just thought, ‘Let me write some random nonsense.’ And nowadays the MDL comment section is garbage too — as if they got paid to say it’s such a great movie.

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