Reviews

A Mediocre Imitation of Something Greater

The potentially interesting (although not entirely original) premise for this movie is not done many favors by the actual content. The often impressive action and hints of the character development and progression of a better movie are muddled into mediocrity by confused writing, unlikeable protagonists, and a cliché villain plot with few tangible stakes. And that's not even mentioning the usually abhorrent visual effects. I'm not usually one to dock a show for it's cgi, but it really trivializes the content, even more than it already is.

And really, that's one of the biggest flaws with this movie. One of the core concepts of the premise is that the "Seven Masters" have obtained many mystical abilities through their mastery of martial arts, and that these abilities can be taught to those with enough Qi. But from the beginning, the tone is confused. Initially, the concept and abilities are trivialized, used nonchalantly and played off for comedy. But later on, they are glorified and something to be used with great caution and responsibility. The Seven Masters (although there are only five, somewhat funnily) are viewed as both stereotypical bickering old people and also martial arts masters worthy of great respect. Having this sort of duality is something that can be pulled off, but it's not done effectively here, and the two sides only seem to detract from the other.

By far the biggest asset to the movie is the action: as it should be, for a martial arts movie. The choreography and stunts are for the most part very well done and extremely dynamic. The only problem is the story that contains them. Having great actions scenes is good, but to make them really impactful, you need tangible stakes, rising tension, and emotional investment from the characters. These things are all attempted by the story, but each falls flat in its own way. The stakes are far too grandiose and unexplored to be meaningful to the audience, the tension is messed with when the comic relief starts to detract from the main story, and our characters are too numerous and too unexplored to develop much attachment from the viewer. Even between the two protagonists (in what was likely supposed to be a romance subplot) there is pretty much no chemistry, meaning no investment when fighting for the other.

What I hoped would be the saving grace, was the protagonists. My initial impression was a guy with little skill but a good heart and unshakable morals. However this notion is contradicted time and again as he whines about training, disrespects his teachers and the privacy of others, and even considers fleeing at crucial plot points. It feels like a weak imitation of Karate Kid in a place where there shouldn't be one (keep in mind we're talking about a karate *kid*, who complained once and was done, versus our adult protagonist who never shut up). In fact, the whole training montage was done poorly in my opinion. What's more, there's very little character development, and perhaps he even gets worse from where he starts as the movie progresses. Towards the beginning of the movie, he is obsessed with learning the "Palm Blast" move so he can get stronger. Of course, we expect that by the end that he'll learn that martial isn't about just being strong. Instead, he just learns the Palm Blast move and that's that. Cool...

In summary, let me say this. My drive to continue and complete this movie was singular: the catharsis of a previously weak (but likeable) protagonist learning to be strong and proving his enemies wrong. If you're looking for that, turn back now. If you're looking for a good story, turn back now. If your looking for good characters, turn back now. If you're looking for comedy, you might be satisfied initially, but the story gets more serious very quickly, so I'd say turn back now. And finally, if you're looking for some solid actions scenes... well, I mean, you'll get those, you'd just probably be better off finding them in a better movie. So with that, overall, I will recommend against watching this movie.

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In Pursuit of Dreams

Asakusa Kid is not so much about the whole career of Takeshi Kitano, but rather it focuses on the legend’s humble beginnings. It is a touching story centering on a relationship between a mentor and his student. We see how “Take” learns tap dancing, performance wit, and comedic timing. Eventually, he becomes “Beat” Takeshi we all know and love, but this kind of transformation comes with a price.

If I were to make a cheesy cinematic comparison, I would say that Asakusa Kid is a heartbreaking callback to Rocky V (1990), but the difference is that the movie we discuss is based on real events. Consequently, we are given an insight not only into Takeshi Kitano’s trials and tribulations as a young comedian, but also into the world of Japanese stage comedy of the 1970s. From erotic cabarets to manzai skits, the realm of entertainment outside of Television (which was a groundbreaking novelty at that time) feels stale and outdated. This stark contrast marks a conflict between Master Fukami who clings to the traditional stage and Take who desires to make a name for himself.

I really have to give a shout out to top notch production design. Just as with The Naked Director drama, the viewers are transported back in time to Japan of pre-Bubble era. Interestingly, apart from a closing song by Soul Cobra Twist, we can also hear Takeshi Kitano himself singing the Asakusa Kid song. The music from the master himself really enhances the film’s finale.

With regard to performances, Yo Oizumi really steals the movie with his wonderful portrayal of Senzaburo Fukami. You can’t help but feel the character’s pain, especially in the second half of the story. Additionally, Yuya Yagira is amazing as young (and old) Takeshi Kitano. He got all the tics and mannerisms right. Additional praise goes to supporting actresses, in particular, Mugi Kadowaki as Chiharu and Honami Suzuki as Mari.

All things considered, Asakusa Kid is not about gore, violence, and exploitation, which were so popular in the 1970s. It is a delicate coming-of-age tale about a student who feels indebted to his wonderful teacher. By knowing Kitano’s beginnings, you become more appreciative of his cinematic endeavours. This movie is definitely worth a try.

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Needs an experienced director.

Story: Has potential

Special effects: Good

Execution: This is where it was lacking. I want to say that they should've turned this into a TV series but as the movie progressed, it would be scary to see it in this medium if done by the same director.

Acting: They can do it but it seems the director did not pushed them. The actors weren't newbies in acting, yet it doesn't seem their hearts are into this project.

Again, the story has potential. The universe can be developed further. It's just the execution of the project which pulled this film down. With that said: 6 out of 10 stars only.

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Controversial, Bloodthirsty Yet Classic…

Filmed by the late and venerable director Kinji Fukasaku ‘ Battle Royale’ sadly marked the director’s final film before his death but is unsurprisingly highly-regarded as Fukasaku’s magnum opus.

The “ fight-for-survival” genre in films and productions has long been held accountable through the success in Western literature and media. However ‘ Battle Royale’ has long been held accountable amongst Asian-movie enthusiasts as a classic modern game-changer to the genre and whilst often lesser-known against more recent productions, the drama’s legacy has notably lived on across popular culture as an ultra-violent social and sardonic satire upon teens, Japanese society and the widening romantic ideologies of violence in popular culture.

The movie imagines an alternate-future where Japan’s judicial system and government have broken down and delinquency amongst youths runs rampant. In an attempt to pass Draconian judgement upon the new generation the Japanese government puts into law the Battle Royale Act : a piece of legislation which means that a nominated group of young people are forcibly marooned together on an island, and forced to kill each other until one survivor is left.

In the current events of the movie reoccurring main lead bitter and spiteful teacher Kitano ( Beat Takeshi) nominates his class for their acts of disobedience by skipping lessons- explaining the rules and sending the bewildered teens out into the wild of the island as he watches gleefully from afar as the teens begin to grow nastily animalistic as cliches fall apart and distrust runs rife.

The bloodthirsty violence of the movie had admittedly remained a great divide for viewers with some perturbed by the explicit scenes of massacres and blood amongst a main cast of predominantly teenagers ( sans Takeshi and
Ando Masanobu) whilst others may note a form of wry satire by the director against his own personal experiences during childhood as well as intertwined with masterfully-stunning scenes and shots.

There’s a wide range of different characters in addition to Kitano throughout the film; our reoccurring main lead
Shuya Nanahara ( Tatsuya Fujiwara) who remains strongly morally-guided throughout the movie by promising to protect his deceased friend Yoshitoki crush and his classmate Noriko Nakagawa ( Aki Maeda) ; a reserved and good student who was often a prime victim of bullying in her class, Shogo Kawada ( Taro Yamamoto) - the ragtag and gruff transfer student alongside the antagonistic drive of sociopath Kazuo Kiriyama ( Masanobu Ando) and dysfunctional classmate Mitsuko Souma( Ko Shibasaki) play pivotal roles throughout the storyline.


Admittedly whilst the opening brought a proficient introduction to our main players and the world-building of the series where delirium and fear plague the teens during their descent into moral decadence, the main- climax of the movie could often lack proficiency. Whilst the duration length and pacy storyline had to maintain more subtle backstories and revelations the movie could often lead some key characters towards feeling less-developed than others and sometimes less engaged at times in the tales of friendships, betrayals, attractions, crushes and unrequited loved which emerge in the blood battle.

However the entirety of the movie can be often to be cited as not merely just a satire but a metaphor toward the painful and anguished experiences of youth which is brilliantly brought to life by the spine-tingling soundtrack of the series ( which is most notably reciprocated in recent films and productions as a homage to the film.) The ending of the movie is initially divisive but does offer contemplation for viewers. Overall a classic movie which whilst not for the faint hearted is powerful.

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The movie from the beginning was dark, it was unpredictable as it went on.. I don't know why I chose to watch this movie but now, I'm glad I did. The title was kinda misleading though, or maybe I assumed it the wrong way. I assumed the movie to be about a plan, like a robbery. Poor me, I didn't know what it was all about!
The movie may look as if it was poorly taken, but trust me you won't be disappointed in the end. I kept on asking myself how this is gonna end because you won't know where the story is going. The acting was really good and expressive!
This is a story about three orphan friends who were happy but things got worse due to a particular incident and how they overcome it in the future.
As for me, the ending was satisfying.
Watch it and you won't regret.

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Surprisingly beautifully filmed!

Obsessed is a 2014 South Korean erotic romance film about an affair between two married individuals, set in a military camp in 1969.

I'd first like to say that I love the chemistry between the two leads; you can feel the intense emotions Song Seungheon has for Lim Jiyeon (and even the lack of feelings he has for his wife). Even the shy, demure looks Jiyeon gives Seungheon was beautifully incorporated in the feverish, passionate forbidden love between the two. I'm not sure if the costumes/sets in the film were historically accurate, but they added a nice touch to the mood, from the hair salon frequented by the commissioned officers' wives, to the steamy scene in the Jeep(?). I would also like to add that the music complemented the film very well, which is a first for me because I usually never pay attention to the scores used in dramas/films.

And yes, I believe that "Obsessed" has a high rewatch value, simply from how well the romance was filmed (.. and not just the sexy time scenes lol).

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An Unimaginative Gangster Movie…

South-Korean director and screenwriter John H. Lee’s ‘ A Cut Runs Deep’ (1999) is a movie which is often unspoken about and hidden under the radar amongst South-Korean movie enthusiasts. Yet whilst Lee’s visually streamlined movie presented some intriguing themes within its notable Asian-American cast and certain ultra-violent scenes, ‘ A Cut Runs Deep’ could often fall victim to its cliche-ridden script.

The storyline is set in New York and focuses on half-Korean Ben (Alex Manning); the main character and narrator of the film. Ben works as a delivery boy at a dingy Chinese restaurant which he also resides in and during a particular delivery he ends up encountering a suave and introverted young man called JD (David Lee McInnis). There’s an oddly dangerous air surrounding JD which Ben can’t quite put his finger on but after taking a shining to the young male lead, JD ends up imitating Ben into his gang and leads his down a violent and destructive path.

Admittedly whilst the dialogue could sometimes feel slightly lacking during quintessential moments arguably one of the greatest standouts of the film came through main leads’ Alex Manning and David Lee McInnis’ onscreen performances- adding a touch of brutal humanity even during more generic moments of the series.

However where an ultimate downfall lay with ‘ A Cut Runs Deep’ was that Lee didn’t seem to be trying to add his own personal touch to otherwise overused genre of film . Naturally its evident that there were socio-commentaries in the storyline which were brushed over from economic and social injustice in Asian communities, prejudice and racism which can occur also for biracial individuals. However in a film where our main lead is stuck on the edge between his biracial identity and a seeming ticket of freedom out of his deadbeat job, Ben’s own opinions and character drive rarely seemed to reflect more profound reasoning for the existence of these themes in the movie with Lee executing these commentaries into more effect .

Naturally this resulted in the seeming chronicle transition between Ben being an “ innocent child” and a “ gangster” rarely feeling more impactful for viewers due to lacking scenes of being able to see the main leads’ development in more depth. Consequently Lee’s heavy reliance upon an an abundance of snipped and inauthentic “ gangsta”-style dialogue and poorly-developed stock characters ( “ the prostitute girlfriend” and the “ intimidating loose-cannon boss”) often create awkward and forgettable scenes for viewers. A low-budget admittedly did not necessarily give the drama a great start with filming advancement, but the dichotomy between imaginative and generic filming techniques by Lee became evident throughout the film, with an ending which didn’t seem to truly deliver its intended greater impact also.

Overall whilst not an unwatchable film with decent performances by our main leads, social commentaries towards issues which are still prevalent today and certainly should be given some praise amongst attempting to subvert certain generic stereotypes and cliches of Asian-gangster flicks of its time, Lee’s ‘ A Cut Runs Deep’ is a fairly generic gangster flick which lacks elements of ingenuity and memorability also.

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It was the mother, really!

With a background in Religious Studies, mythology and knowledge of shamanism, atheism (and many other ism's) I found this movie fascinating and intriguing.

Religiosity can be a strength for many people, but religious fanaticism usually is detrimental to all socio-economic classes, especially the poor!

Over-religiosity can lead to fanatics like David Koresh, Jim Jones and even a mother like Hee Jin's, briliantly played by Kim Bo Yun.

Religious fanaticism can lead to conditions such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and even worse, such as the disassociation of those close to the practitioners, such as Hee JIn's younger sister, Kang So Jin (Shim Eun Kyung), whose every scene except for the very last one (with mother dead) showed her mother's overbearing impact on her life. It can even lead to residual problems to others, such as Hee Jin's cough at college, which stopped after her mother's death.

Hee Jin's mother, in my opinion, had already crossed the fine line between 'believer' and 'Satan's henchman'.

I admit it was slow at times, but part of that was necessary to set up the interaction of opposing forces in the movie.

The movie started working on the question, "What is faith" to the participants, although it gave up before it go to any conclusion (and it wasn't long enough to come to any definite conclusion as well!). It should have been, possibly, a series instead looking at such topics more thoroughly.

The other reviewer complained about the film being slow at times; I agree, but this movie wasn't so much about action horror, as it was about a continuous philosophical horror which will let down some viewers.

A complaint about the "murders without reason" is answered later on in the film; the tenants of the apartment build from admiring, then fearing, and ultimately condemning Kang So Jin, as she is manipulated by her zealous mother. Enter the shamanass and the tenants find out how powerful, and dangerous, Kang So Jin' mother is!

I admire the use of black and white to make the apartments and complex itself fit the eerie atmosphere of the film during most paranormal scenes. The main and support staff also work well together to create a film that should become a classic in the future.

The director used every inch of film to build on the film's atmosphere (the furnace room lit only by a cell phone light) and did an excellent job. Without so much of a "Gotcha" moment of fright, this movie seems to keep you rather in constant suspense, which I thought the director did a good job.

I could write another 7-8 pages on this movie, but you probably wouldn't stay here that long!

Suffice to say, come here every Halloween or more often and be prepared to be glued to the edge of your seat, rather than being occasionally scared out of it!

I down-voted it due to unanswered questions at the end but really felt it deserved a better score

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Fell asleep in first half but second half took a 180 turn

I watched this movie in four parts... lol the first three times, I kept falling asleep. Nothing was really happening, it was boring, and I had to get my friend to recap for me. Thank goodness my friend kept prodding me to finish it, because halfway through the movie literally goes from 0 to 105. It's all action, gore, fighting, and the main lead being OP af. If you like seeing the protagonist beat up foes, this one's for you. Story-wise, though, there's a lot missing.
(Also, one of the reasons she made me watch was to see Da Mi and Woo Shik before Our Beloved Summer aired lol. I like both actors - they have young faces and bring refreshing emotions to the screen.)

PROS
❀ Good introduction to the actors | I haven't watched Itaewon Class but Kim Da Mi left an impression on lots of people and she did a good job in this movie too. Even though her character was written very lazily, she still managed to give off very intelligent and savage vibes for her character. Woo Shik was great in Parasite and in The Witch, he plays the lunatic working for the evil scientist quite well. Honestly, I'm impressed with how well he expressed the character because his lines bordered on cringe sometimes. The Witch is a testimony that movies can be successful, despite poor writing, due to the execution of the actors and the producer.
❀ Fun action, especially towards the end | Once everything gets out in the open by the middle of the movie, the action is non-stop. You basically watch the main character Goo Ja Yun beat all the bad guys up in a very satisfying way. The production quality for the action was eye-catching and vibrant, which makes up for all the boring scenes in the beginning. Like I said, the movie goes from 0 (nothing big happening) to 105 (a LOT of things happening) lol. So if you're struggling while watching, try to push through to reach that middle part.

CONS
✕ Really sloppy writing | This movie takes the idea of "genetically engineered superhuman children" and... that's it. Lol. It doesn't progress past the vague idea of one of the superhuman children turning against the researchers and nothing is deep. Main character Ja Yun wants to live and protect her foster parents. That means getting rid of the people after her. Solution? Kill those people. I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and have seen this vague storyline done 10+ times through Western books/movies/etc. The Witch: Subversion doesn't offer anything new, unfortunately, nor does it stand out against the myriad of stories with the same theme. The story doesn't have depth, the characters barely have depth, and the superhuman plot is not used to its potential. Everything about this movie just screams "shallow."

OVERALL
Honestly I feel like you shouldn't watch it until Part 2 comes out. Part 1 ends in a cliffhanger, there's barely a storyline going on, and the characters felt like caricatures. The reasons I kept watching were 1) my friend basically forcing me and 2) the main actors. The action towards the end and the female lead kicking ass make it worth the watch, but everything else is a hazy memory in my mind.

(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)

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Storyline has so many red flags

First of all, who ever rate the storyline of this more than 7 over 10 or 3 stars out of 5 IS A SURE FREAK. (I’m referring to those who rate it an almost perfect like how could y’all overlook the pedophilia and grooming in this movie???)

Acting is great. All casts deliver their emotions and characters very well.
Cinematography is also good. It’s giving us that nostalgic feeling
Music is also good

However, let’s discuss the storyline.

First half (which is a bl) is outstanding. It makes us pity both the characters as gays during their times are considered a disease. We can literally connect w/ their characters as they are so good w/ delivery of lines and emotions.

Now let’s discuss the last part, the incarnation part, which is really disturbing and problematic. First of all, a teacher and student relationship is a big no no. On top of that, girl is a highschool student, literally a MINOR and Sir, you already have your own family and all of a sudden you’re targeting a high school kid just because he is the incarnation of your ex???

And u guys are actually ok w/ that?? That’s grooming and pedophilia 😭 How could y’all rate it a perfect 10 omg

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Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse team up again for what would be director Benny Chan's last movie. Raging Fire is an old school good cop versus bad cop revenge extravaganza.

The story is really nothing new, though it does try to show the difficulties Hong Kong's police face with pressure from varying groups. It also asks the question, what does it take to push a good cop over the edge? I was able to call out the major plot points and turning points without reading the synopsis in that it strays very little from stories done before. What Raging Fire has going for it is over the top, frenetic action sequences. Whether with fists, knives, guns, or cars, the action choreography is graphic and breath-taking.

Raging Fire's other strength is its two stars. Donnie Yen as Bong, the tough, honest cop gives a captivating performance as a man struggling to survive in a system that does not reward integrity and sacrifice. Nicholas Tse's Ngo chewed up the scenery and his opponents in a mesmerizing performance of a wronged cop out for revenge. One of the strongest scenes is a quiet, tense conversation between the two men who used to be friends, taut with anger as they play cat and mouse, not knowing for sure who the predator is. Yen and Tse have amazing chemistry.

The rest of the cast, including Qin Lan, who plays Bong's wife, have very little time or moments to stand out. The good cop team and the bad cop team characters are not very memorable.

Raging Fire's explosive action sequences propelled by its two stars' energy tumbles headlong to the climax everyone will know is coming, providing enough entertainment to make this a movie worth watching. Hold on for the ride because the action is non-stop.

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the title can mean 'never forever apart' or 'never forever together' - confusing but very Korean, as we got an open ending. i enjoyed this movie - read a lot of mixed comments and considering the topic (that's a bit sensitive - to put it mildly) i get why. but all in all i enjoyed this very much - more than i thought i would...

first off Vera Farmiga is a great actress, so didn't expect anything less then what i got from her - seen David McInnis in a load of Kmovies and dramas, never found his acting lacking, but here it was a bit off, maybe cause his strong points r action(?) not emotion. or maybe his character was a bit lacking in general - bottom line we need his character's POV.

we start off with Andrew's fathers funeral and his 'attack' on his wife (heard that there r people who get horny at funerals, its a need to affirm they r alive or something along those lines). as i have never felt this way (only depressed and sad) will go by what i've heard. and from there to him standing on the roof and looking below, was scene after scene of his silent personal "drama" - which considering the only thing i had to go by, was the description - i guess his reason was his low sperm count. he never verbalizes much.

Sophie on the other hand gives u tons to "work with", u know what she is feeling not only with words - the desperation that makes her do something unthinkable. her humbling herself, when surrounded by his mother and those weird cult like believers, preaching at her (her need to pray in order to conceive, cause she is obviously the one at fault) her taking it quietly - cause of her love for her husband. his suicide attempt, fueling her hopelessness and despair, swallowing her pride into approaching Ji Ha - with a bold unthinkable "job offer"... let alone going through with it - u see that its abhorrent to her, and when u get that she did conceive in the past and aborted the baby, without Andrew's knowledge - how guilt is also playing a huge hand in her desperation to convince, this time and make amends to her "suffering" husband, that she feels she wronged cause of aborting a baby when they weren't even married or committed in anyway.

Ji Ha has his own problems like any illegal immigrant, he is working around the clock to make ends meat and find a way to become legal, plus bring over his gf. he is basically living in isolation. so what starts off as "look at the money" and just do it.. turns into jealousy when he finds out that Sophie's husband is also Korean, plus them being well off and happy - him seeing everything he wants, already in the hands of another - like him is what makes him belligerent - but that blow-up also brings them closer - ironically.. what at the start was mechanical, after the fight turn's emotional - they connect, treat each other like humans.
as will happen when two desperate people find each other, they cling... is this love? hope? guess with the ending we get, it is... at least that's what i chose to believe - she needed to forgive herself and let go of a man that was depressed, and a baby was just a band-aid (she finds that out when Andrew finds out that it aint his baby). and no person tries to kill themselves just cause they can't conceive - there is much more that's going on - that's why i keep saying - Andrew's character is lacking...

the open ending according to a lot is her answering Ji Ha's call and them both moving to Korea, considering the beach - but then i ask, why the kid talking English?!? her being pregnant indicates Ji Ha is the father, not cause of the beach but cause of the choice of wool she is knitting with - the red was the shirt he wore in her "day dream" (when she was having a party and missing/fantasizing about the man she "missed"). personally i think as she left Andrew and comes from money, she had the ability to keep Ji Ha from being deported, plus he Is the father of her baby. (lets not forget Ji Ha said he never felt connect to Korea) that's why i think they still in the US. but the important bit is that everyone agrees that they remind together - so happy ending - so enjoyed this, for sure a rewatch and would happily recommend.

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A BL horror with an interesting ending

This in reality is a noble gesture in trying to provide a different feel to the BL genre. It frankly is not very scaring but it did have a very interesting ending to it that came as a surprise at least for me. However, the main actors were certainly not afraid or ashamed to show their Adonis bodies nude or in very tight underwear and speedos. How refreshing! A BL movie that showed guys being guys in scenes that called for nudity. We did not have to speculate or guess. We saw. It brought this to an adult level without it being in any way pornographic or celicious. Kudos for them for doing this even if the production was a bit week.
You can see my full review of this movie at BLBliss.com.

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