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Watching this themed movies/series you got to concentrate hard, because every time the boy is speaking it's actually the girl speaking, and every time the girl is speaking, or doing something, it's actually the boy saying and doing this. It's like you should imagine the girl while the boy speaks and vice versa. You need to constantly remind yourself of this which is not something you are naturally used to as audience. Plus these characters are such that the girl's is agressive and the boy's sensitive, lol.
Any romance progress the main girl & boy can make during the body swap also is with each other only, because with any other people it would mean those people are either the wrong sex, or wrong orientation, after the mains swap back, lol. But, having something on with each other would be probably difficult, too. Cannot imagine a romantic kiss where you would have to kiss YOURSELF? Gee, I kinda wished they'd just switch back soon.
I gotta admit that at one point by the end of this movie, I seriously expected the boy to swap bodies with the gay boy, desperate to finally somehow be with the girl. (Because she decided to stay in the male body as it suited her for playing soccer and it also happened to be the body her crush was attracted to.) I also debated whether the boy has fallen for Eve. Because during this movie, so much runtime was dedicated to each of them developing something with someone else, a basic writer's mistake. But I guess it's never easy to write this kind of stories.
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This review may contain spoilers
Well, It Was Something
I placed a spoiler alert at the end of this review.The series/movie: The story idea(s?) seemed cute. However, there really is no clear story concept. The script is greatly under developed and goes in many different directions for no reason. It also had many elements that made no sense. See potential spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more info. There is also very little character development with both leads. The acting from most of the cast was good.
The movie: They did a great job editing the episodes together to make a very cohesive movie version. They also added a nice introduction scene at the beginning of the movie to explain why Han Ba Da is moving to the town. There was one major editing problem towards the beginning of the movie.
Random Notes:
Watch if you have some time to kill and have nothing else on your must watch list.
******Spoiler Alert******
Another Korean BL series that has a 1-year time jump for no reason. There really is no explanation why Tommy left Han Ba Da. Yes, he wanted to continue with his music career but that didn’t mean he had to completely cut ties with Han Ba Da.
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For fans of Parasite and Ha Yoon Kyung
What grabbed me about this short film is, without a doubt, its production. It feels strongly Parasite-inspired in its lush setting, muted palette, and tone which blends thriller and satire, and although it lacks the depth of the movie it's aping, I do think that viewers craving something with a similar vibe will come away reasonably satisfied.The same goes for fans of lead actor Ha Yoon Kyung, who is now gaining recognition for her role in Extraordinary Attorney Woo. She does well with the material she is given - there's a nice moment in the trailer where you can see her seething as she watches the other maid frolicking in the garden with their (male) employer - and her character is queer, which is always a plus.
That being said, it does feel like due to the focus on emulating Parasite's atmosphere, not enough attention was given to other elements of the movie. The story and characters are not especially fleshed out, and the younger maid Ji Yoon's characterisation as a mix of ingénue and femme fatale may be divisive. On a technical level, the editing is sometimes confusing, making it difficult for viewers to tell where characters are in relation to one another (this is a particular problem in the second half, which takes place in the nearby woods).
Despite the flaws, though, I do think it's worth watching as one of the more ambitious short films I've seen, and it does certainly make me wish that there were more works involving queer female characters in this line.
Pros:
- great atmosphere, high production values
- Ha Yoon Kyung plays the lead character, who is queer
Cons:
- story and characters lack depth
- editing can be confusing
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A hidden gem
Having watched the trailer, I was expecting this short film to just be a fun physical comedy about the main character trying to avoid her ex-girlfriend while still doing her job as second camera assistant. And it is successful in that regard - the comedic scenes really are very funny - but it's also doing a lot more than that.The main character is someone who has failed in multiple respects: she wants to make movies, but now she can only help other people make theirs; she seems to still like her ex, but now only avoids her. On paper, it sounds depressing, but the main character's situation is treated with delicacy and humour, and the ending is gently uplifting.
What I was most surprised by was how much ground is covered. Despite the the story taking place over a single day and there being no music and only sparse dialogue, there's a great deal of thought and emotion packed into this short film's 11-minute runtime. The director has an excellent sense for how to let the scenes breathe while also keeping them as concise as possible, and the two leads hit it out of the park with some genuinely affecting performances.
I really hope more people will watch this short film, and I myself will definitely be checking out the directors' other work should the opportunity arise.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Not all progress is forward
Shot in black and white Kontora casts a surreal experience over the viewer as a father and daughter seek to heal in the midst of their grief and mend their broken relationship. They are aided by a mysterious mute wanderer who only walks backwards.Sora discovers her recently deceased grandfather's war diary, a journal that details the vicious treatment of student scholars turned soldiers near the end of WWII. He had hidden his "metal arm" deep in the forest and Sora becomes obsessed with finding her grandfather's treasure. Ultimately, she is helped by the mute homeless man and her father.
All three main characters are lonely and lost. Sora seemingly has no friends and only had her grandfather to confide in. Her father has been adrift and bereft since the death of her mother. The vagabond meanders through town in threadbare clothes walking backwards with people staying out of his way. When her father accidentally hits him coming home from a party one night, Sora determines to care for him against her father's wishes.
Sora's cousin, who had failed to become a dancer and returned to town attempted to befriend Sora. Her father, the rich uncle, greedy for more, at first only wanted Sora's house to add to his collection, but after hearing about the "treasure" set his sights on it, further driving a wedge between family members. When the treasure was found the meaning behind Grandpa's words were obvious.
The mute man whether quiet sage or spirit in need of healing, in his own peculiar way helped pull daughter and father together on the quest for the missing treasure. A movie with a smooth glass surface became murkier and more turbulent as the characters dove deeper into their relationships and what they needed. It would take the miracle of working together to fight back to a bright surface.
An odd slice of life movie on coming of age, the power of family and desire for healing, Kontora perhaps ran too long. It could ramble slowly over the roads again and again of the small town and the hills and valleys surrounding Sora's home.
The performances were heartfelt and natural. Newcomer Mase Hidemasa gave an emotional performance as the mute without uttering a word. Marui Wan managed to convey the conflicting emotions of the insolent, independent teenager in search of meaning, relationship, and something beyond the borders of the nearly empty town. The performances were backed up by a forlorn musical score.
Despite a small budget and reportedly being filmed in 10 days, Kontora looked polished and felt meaningful even when it tried a little too hard to be mysterious.
7/25/22
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Only A Psychopath Would Watch This Movie!
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND DEPICTIONS OF HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION! ^BI had to force myself to finish this movie; I do not understand why 'anyone' would even want to watch this crap!
Movies like this do nothing but keep teh hate that has smoldered ince WW II going.
If you really know me, I just love an 'oddball' movie once in a while...or more often...
This does not count as an oddball movie; the only person who should watch this movie is a person who denies the atrocities of WW II!
I wouldn't even consider it an "exploiation" movie since the leadership not only kills those who were prisoners, but also their own (Japanese) men!
I remember seeubg the original film under a different name, and it actually, in my opinion, somewhat worse than this one.
I like macabre and psychedelic movies, but frankly I wou;d not include this film in either category.
The only good genre listing is "HORROR": that it is, from start to finish!
MORE LATER!
As he is forced to kill the Chinese, his mental state begins to deteriorate.
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Love and hope
the story is well constructed and well narrated through a magnificent performance by the two protagonists who with their day to day are introducing us to their love story and in detail they are exposing their life story, which explains the difficulty of fitting in a society so conservative that it rejects homosexuality and much more lesbian women.wanting to fit into those standards generates pain in the characters who do not stop loving each other. It is not the typical drama of lesbians doomed to fail because the story is built on the basis of wanting to bet on their real love story. and with it there is hope
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Light n the dark
this short film demonstrates how much can be told in depth with only the support of the actors and their gestures. the sordide of the environment arises naturally from the scenes of the daily life of the people on the fringes of society, here there are no rich houses or universities, only loneliness and hope that arises from the love that in a fortuitous and unexpected way connects the people and saves them. it is tough but beautiful. hopeful and as the protagonist is light in the darkness through love.Was this review helpful to you?
a BL themed musical
Overall: this was an actual musical performed in front of a live audience and we are watching a recording of it. It had a slow start but I managed to make it through the first part and I enjoyed the second part more. Watched on Gagaoolala.Content Warnings: suicide threat mentioned in song, manhandling, non con picture taking
What I Liked
- outfits/styling
- modifying the set
- music/choreo
- funny moments
Room For Improvement
- there were a lot of characters and it took me awhile to figure things out
- slow start, picked up halfway through the first part
- the stereotypical fujoshi character
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Too short
I Have Too Many Girlfriends is a very short movie ~8min.I suggest you watch it instead of hesitating to watch or not to watch.
The movie is uploaded on Youtube and the channel (CheezeFilm) is actually releasing lots of very short movies like this so you might want to binge some.
Personnaly, I didn't enjoy this one much because even though the production and acting were good, the plot was not my taste. Kind of harem, unrealistic setup but I guess a touch of humor and fastpaced.
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Inspirational and heart warming
It was great to know So Wa wai, his personal and professional life. This movie is a classic example of story writing done well. when real-life hits the screen (biopic) makers always sugarcoat reality, portray leads as nothing but good characters, and justify their wrongdoings. In this one, the audience is left to make their own judgments. The story starts on a strong note with mother's love for her child and her conviction to make him better. I cried and laughed at every So Wa wai's accomplishments like a proud mom. They shed light on the huge pay gap between Olympic and paralympic athletes when the effort they make is same. It is sad that potential sportsmen are unable to compete due to financial circumstances. Also validated Asian parents insecurities and their intervening nature accurately.Everyone acted well and perfect fit for their roles. Actors who played So Wa wai in every phase of his life are brilliant to the point I had to search if they casted someone with disability.
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Short but impactful
In few words this was on current affairs. It showcased the intensity of emotions of two characters at the time of such unprecedence. Being quarantined was something we all experienced and to see it from others perspective felt so relatable. Soo-jin played by KGE is done very beautifully. Kim Joo Heon did a great job as well. I liked when they showed the couple together and how they miss the special moments they once shared. Pandemic brought up a sea of emotions for us all and the main leads were no different. I wish this was a full feature film but it was nonetheless a short master piece.Was this review helpful to you?
Fragility and beauty
This is a gentle and poignant reminder to savour life and our own frailties.The story plotline is sad and I shed a tear at the end, however, I recommend this drama for the beautiful production and telling of this sad story. I did not feel that there was any exploitation between the couple as his desire to be useful morphs into caring then love for this intelligent and beautiful older woman. The cinematography and dialogue alone make this very watchable. If you love books and writing then you will appreciate how the unfolding novel is like a metaphor for the inevitable sad ending of their relationship.
Showing Matsumura Ryouko's ex husbands stern and practical nature is a good counterpoint to her young lover So Chan Hae's more nurturing personna. At 50 she is attractive, intelligent and a respected teacher facing a known disease that will rob her of her humanity.
The creation of the random library is an act of love and displays how in tune So Chan Hae is with her. The fact that this library survives in its original form leaving a legacy of their love is one of the plot twists that I loved.
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