Reviews

Definitely not the typical "Emotionless chef rediscovers the spirit of cooking" story.

I didn't expect it to touch my heart as much as it did, the premise was a very familiar one. A cold, emotionless, perfectionist chef, sent on a culinary mission, finds the true meaning of cooking along the way.
Well at least that's how I predicted it to go.
By the midpoint, there was this almost-breaking the 4th dimension moment where our chef went, "So I'm supposed to be moved and realise food must be cooked with love? What bs!" And I realised that no, this is not going to be just another typical take on the trope.
In the end it turned out to be a realistic, heartfelt discussion about how many people care about you in the world, even the people you'd think are most unimportaht and unrelated to you, and at the moment you think you are most alone in the world, how they would all come together to help you and you don't even know it. When you realise it you might even be too late.
It was a story about love transcending generations, through family and not-family, and I was so moved.

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Beauty and the Beast but make it about fish people

Not gonna lie I kinda liked this movie...
I feel like fantastical romance movies with happy endings are few and far between when it comes to Chinese cinema. Although I don't know the tale this movie was inspired by in "Strange Tales of Liao Zhai" (there's like, tons of adaptations for the stories in there), to me it's straight up Beauty and the Beast. And personally, I could rewatch BatB retellings all day, any day, so of course this would be a hit for me.
Thank you Productive Procrastination for the subs!

PROS
❀ Fast-paced storytelling that manages to fit a lot | It felt like I watched an entire drama in these 2 hours. Obviously it's much harder to get onboard the romance and chemistry due to the inherent rushed nature of the plot, but it's the price you gotta pay for romance movies, lol.
❀ Low-key surprised at the CGI/visuals | I don't except much when it comes to CGI in Chinese films/dramas, but I was pleasantly surprised at the ones seen here. The fighting scenes were elaborate and fun, the romantic scenes/scenery were gorgeous (if fake), and the settings in general were very fantastical. I liked it!
Another note on the production value: It was way more intricate than I expected, including background instrumental music, which made it easy to get immersed in the story.
❀ Main couple was easy to cheer for | Their romance isn't deep, but typical to what you would find in a BatB retelling. The FL's acting was not too bad (she's so pretty!). I didn't like her character in Intense Love, but at least in this movie her character's actively trying to escape her fate and figure out the mysteries.
❀ Pretty OST | I'm a fan of the ballad song that comes up when the leads get together. It's called "The Song of the Sea in My Heart" and fits well with the dramatic tones of this movie.
❀ Happy ending!!! | With a nice, intense kiss scene in the middle of the movie too. Swoon!

CONS
✕ Cheesiness | It do be kinda cheesy at times. Also, there was so much happening in the last half that got me shook (a combo of the writing + acting + graphic effects). Not a bad shook! Like a "whoa, okay, that's happening" shook. Prepare yourself.
✕ Why did the ML have such an indifferent expression the whole time? | Mans took "brooding" to another level.
✕ Misunderstanding level: 0/10 | No misunderstandings happen outside the classical BatB storyline.

OVERALL
If you're looking for a quick fantasy romance, this movie delivers. It features all the components of Beauty and the Beast, gorgeous (but fake) backgrounds, low key well-done action scenes, and a happily ever after!

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Loved It

As a person who likes dark gloomy worlds, I really enjoyed this movie. I had just finished watching the 04 cutie honey when i watched this and they are literally like night and day.

My biggest complaint (which is more like a nitpick) is all the cuts during the action. I can see it was done to hide the fact that the actors and actresses are not martial artists, so I can let it slide. However, when the stunt actors took over, it was beautiful action.

The story was excellently paced. Never did I feel like asking why any character just magically changed opinions to service the plot. It was well planned and thought out.

The actors and actresses were great. I had never seen any of the main cast but I fell in love with Nishiuchi Mariya's acting.

Now, I need more of this Cutie Honey and I don't think I'll get it.

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Funny Toku Movie

There were problems with the story that could have been fixed. For example, the whole uncle thing was rushed. We see her care so much for a random guy that honestly, I didn't know if he was good or bad until the end. I guess it might have to do with the fact that I know nothing about Cutie Honey prior to watching this. However, this movie was just a fun watch. It was great to see how the personalities of Honey and Aki interacted. And the CGI was bad, but it fits this kind of movie. It owned how bad it was and just made it more enjoyable.

Now, I'm off to watch the newer Cutie Honey movie/show.

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this is not my type of story though the "inspired by real events" always gets me.
though the movie was not boring during the 2 hours, I still wished for a little more touching moments, and maybe angst but not devastation

like they could've bonded more during the night, they could've cooked together, the kids could've played together, the adults could've talked about books or music, something that gave the parting a more bitter feeling

I've actually seen a few movies like this, and I'm actually glad there was no sudden hidden evil because no matter what, there was too much evil there ;(
though I knew someone was bound to die, no wonder I liked Koo Kyo Hwan, he's the D.P cutie! that makes it sadder ;(

behind every conflict, behind every war, there's normal people who want normal things but they're in situations they can't control ;(

sad, heartbreaking, violent, scary, devastating and yet heartwarming and hopeful TT_TT

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I usually love these type of movies, they are actually one of my favorite type of movies. But this movie just hits differently and not in a good way. It was actually going well until I saw the special effects that was used, especially on the shark. It makes the shark from jaws look real and that's saying something. Another thing that irked me that they had problems sinking some of the sound to some of the actresses. So I study media and I pick up on things quickly and that their voices actually don't match there lips moving, so it looked like off beat lip syncing.

STORY/PLOT
I stayed for the story to be honest, and it's possible my ranking is higher because of it. The story had real potential and probably the only reason I stayed to the end. I've watched movies with similar plots and absolutely love them, this is why I gave it ago.

ACTING/CAST
The cast they chose did a pretty decent job. Sadly though I didn't form any emotional connection with any character except maybe for the main guy character because of what happened in the past with his wife, other then that nothing really. But I still believe they are great actors, it might've been this movie that didn't give them justice.

OVERALL
Even though I loved the idea of the plot, it definitely needed improvement. Also the special effects definitely weren't the best (especially for something that came out in 2020) which I believe ruined the experience for me. It's a good pass time if you have nothing better to watch, but I would not come back and rewatch it.

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The previous Zero-One Others film is just a setup to this entire film, and once all the setup is out of the way, we are in for a treat. If REALxTIME is the series' true ending, the Zero-One Others films is the series' epilogue, and it's final statement about its message about AI & machines, and what is the true meaning of "justice".

It's bittersweet, yes, but this how they want to move forward. This is, surprisingly, one of the most mature ends the series had. Last time I experienced this kind of feeling was with the final episode of Kamen Rider Blade. Bittersweet endings are fine especially if the lesson hits close to reality. To put it simply, I really like this movie.

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Such a beautiful heart moving movie

This movie was beautiful, it reminded me how God can send such blessings in your life and He will keep reminding you of your true worth. because just like a child, so honest and encouraging, he thought he was worthless but she said otherwise just like God, God looks at your heart, that why He tells us to be like children in His Word, the bible because they are so honest and look more on how you feel rather than how this world works, our Worth is God, not this judging world so anyone who needs to know I Love you, God Loves you so much he gave His only begotten son so you would not perish but have eternal life john 3:16

I really recommend this movie its really good and I cried, I really believe you will too ^^

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Short & Sweet

Overall: a 20 minute movie about a mom visiting her son who is hiding something from her. Make sure to watch carefully during the closing credits until the very end. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- I thought it was funny how the mom started cleaning right when she arrived as I totally relate to this
- that the mom was not stupid

Room For Improvement
- it might have been neat for the mom to realize things when she went to the coffee shop but not say anything, just smile and drink her beverage or lay in wait to see who showed up after she left, but I was okay with how it played out (watch all of the closing credits!)

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Where Cinema Becomes Compassion — A Tender, Time-Bending Gem

Orange is a rare and unique cinematic experience that slips into your heart so quietly that you don’t even realize how deeply it has settled until the tears arrive. I was genuinely stunned by how beautifully this story unfolds — not with spectacle or drama, but with gentleness, patience, and a sincerity that feels almost disarming in today’s world.

What begins as a soft, nostalgic high-school tale slowly reveals itself to be something far more profound: a meditation on regret, friendship, and the fragile weight of a single life. The story never rushes. It breathes. It invites you in with small details — a glance, a hesitation, a letter written with a trembling hope — and before you know it, you’re holding your breath along with these characters, hoping desperately that time might bend just enough to save someone they all love.

The romance between Naho and Kakeru is tender and understated, but beautifully real. What moved me most is how the film honors the ordinary moments — walking home together, sharing a lunch, small kindnesses that seem insignificant at the time, yet become everything in hindsight. That is the beating heart of Orange: the truth that the tiniest choices can soften someone’s loneliness… or accidentally deepen it. And how unbearable it can feel when we realize, too late, that we could have done more.

The performances are exceptional — achingly honest without ever slipping into melodrama. The actors carry their characters’ hopes, guilt, and longing with a quiet, lived-in naturalism that gives every emotion weight. And the film’s pacing — slow, careful, beautifully restrained — mirrors the way real grief expands and contracts through memory.

What impressed me most, though, is how thoughtfully the film handles its subject matter. It approaches depression and loss with almost reverent sensitivity. There is no exploitation, no cheap emotional manipulation. Instead, we are shown how deeply a small moment of compassion can matter… and how life-changing it can be when people decide to reach toward one another rather than away.

By the time the story completes its delicate arc, you realize you’ve witnessed something more than a romance. You’ve witnessed a group of friends choosing to rewrite their own cowardice and regrets into something brave and hopeful. Choosing to love someone so fully that even time itself is asked to give him another chance.

It’s cathartic. It’s tender. It’s haunting and hopeful in the same breath.

Bring tissues — not because the film is cruel or tragic, but because it’s unforgettably human and healing. Because honesty like this always finds a way to touch the deepest parts of you.

✨ A quiet masterpiece. ✨

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I am not into the Horror genre but i am currently obsessed with Kathryn & Daniel so i am literally planning to watch everything i can find with them on Netflix.I definitely enjoyed the story,which are unlike anything other i have watched.I watched it with my younger sister who also enjoyed the movie!The film was pretty much spooky but done with much feelings. Daniel portrays the rebellious teenager Cedric who meets the coffin seller Leni portrayed by Kathryn.Despite their bad start they fatefully meet again but under the circumstances where they this time will lose their beloved ones to the grip of a dead spirit that will haunt everything they hold dear.Together Cedric and Leni decides to destroy the spirit.

I found the little boy Macmac very cute and my heart broke so much for him! It was so sad seeing him having to see those dead spirits.Cedric is a very mean guy from the start who under Leni`s influence starts to soften.I thought their blooming romance in these horrifying circumstances was very well done.I mean,the chemistry is always off the charts between them,love them so much!

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A mediocre introduction to computer shogi

To be honest, I don't know how to review this movie. Unlike karuta, go or chess, I know nothing about shogi and so I am sure to have missed a lot of the meaning/depth behind few scenes.

Take my review with a pinch of salt as it would be based completely on entertainment value and comparative rating with movies/shows/documentaries on chess variants.

Story:
The inspiration for the movie comes from the Denou-sen, a human versus machine battle where an ai-based computer shogi program played against a professional player, and is set in the early 2010's where computer programs were just getting developed.

Awake starts of slow, picks up in the middle but comes to a quick end. The pacing of the movie felt weird to me and I found the story quite disjointed up till the last 40 mins. After which it ended without much fanfare, leaving the feeling of an incomplete story. To me, this movie fell more under the 'slice of life' genre than anything else.

Acting:
The characters felt very one dimensional to me and I couldn't really connect with any single one.

There were some exaggerated scenes where I couldn’t understand why Eichi got so hyper but otherwise the social awkwardness and introverted nature of the main character was displayed wonderfully by Yoshizawa Ryo.

There were some beautiful instances in the movie where we were shown the dedication the secondary lead had to shogi (particularly when he is playing practice matches with the AI) but these moments were far and between.

Music:
There is very little dialogue in this movie. Music plays a huge part during the silent intervals and many times I felt I would prefer someone said something rather than hearing a tune playing in the background. Though, the melody during the game moves is good.

Overall:
I am pretty much on the fence about this movie. It lies somewhere between meh and okay. Overall, I had more fun watching the movie on AlphaGo. I knew what I was getting into with that one and it kept my interest till end unlike this movie, where I couldn't care less what happened to the characters after the match.

So in conclusion, if you aren’t aware of AI programming this isn’t a bad movie to start your journey but don't expect to be wowed. Its just about okay for a one time watch and that's pushing it.

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