This review may contain spoilers
Good content on a Bold Topic
Love and Leashes is really on a very bold topic. BDSM is a topic that has usually been covered to show nudity and unnecessary sex scenes. So i was pleasantly surprised to see a movie on this topic without sex.Honestly it was the best movie on this topic, a lot better than highly popular Fifty shades of grey.
I liked the way the whole plot was executed. Instead of female sub the male lead was the sub and female lead was Dom. The female lead was strong. Even if she was cold I loved seeing her stand up for what was right most of the time.
Our male lead was like a cute puppy but had suffered a lot due to his propensity. His gf dumped him just because of his preference and I think he considered himself weird. Honestly you can sympathise with him for not being accepted for who he was.
I particularly didn't dislike anything except some loose ends here and there. But on the whole it was likeable.
If you want to know about BDSM without much caring about the sex scenes you can watch this movie.
Overall it is 8.5/10 for me.
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Taxi Driver - A Film Anyone Who Loves Korea Should Watch.
A touching, but not too touching film that portrays the reality of independence and revolt beautifully. Casting was incredibly well done, and the acting was too. Either way, every character in this film holds their place firmly and creates a story that moves and inspires you, and reminds you to open your eyes and pay attention to the world around.Particularly glad to see great acting from the foreigners here as well- instead of sticking out like a sore thumb, as we usually see in Korean media, they fit in naturally to this well-directed film.
I was particularly impressed by the pacing of the film, it gets to the story quick but uses the quiet moments to speak just as loudly, if not more so, than an action scene. Some scenes are intense and emotional, but it's never overwhelming- instead you enjoy moments to breathe and compress the impact of the scenes you've seen in a perfectly written flow.
I have almost nothing negative to say about this film. It hits top marks on everything. I would say that the story is put first, and cinematography and music second, but that isn't a bad thing when the story is this important to tell.
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Fun Casting and Dialogue, Confusing and Empty Storyline
Steel Rain 2 should be separated from the viewer's mind from the first, artistic and touching Steel Rain. Steel Rain 2 is an entity all it's own, a completely different genre.The plot is non-existent. Not that they didn't write a plot, and that events don't take place, but that the plot is so packed-full with events that don't lead into the next- and complicated, but unfortunately useless action, that I can barely call it a story line. I would much rather call this an amalgamation of short action sequences. However, that can easily be fun for a viewer, so it depends on your taste. I would compare the scope of this film to a Hollywood Michael Bay film.
The cast and chemistry was just as great as you might expect, with the sad exception of Angus Macfadyen. It's wonderful to see western characters have roles in the Korean film industry, but unfortunately the chemistry didn't match with the other two leading actors - who have a great sense of how to perform the play-by-play, back and forth dialogue. This might be a problem with cultural and language differences, or a direction issue, but it was a frequent killer of the excellent chemistry between Jung Woo Sung and Yoo Yeon-Seok as awkward political leaders.
As a lover of OST, Soundtracks and film music, I regret to say that the music was misleading and unremarkable.
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This review may contain spoilers
Bittersweet ending
If you've watched 2gether: The Series and Still 2gether, then just skip to the last couple minutes of the movie since the rest of it is just a clip compilation recap of everything that happened in S1 and 2.In the last few minutes of the movie where we see them at their graduation, it hit me how far these characters have come especially Tine and Sarawat from who they were in the beginning of 2gether: The Series. Watching them through the montage of them after graduation was so cute and for a split second I thought the baby was theres but its not. Still, I've really grown to like Sarawat and Tine and will miss them. It was so fun watching the shows and I will definitely be rewatching s2 (I've reserved my opinions on S1 in my review). Despite a lot of the flaws the shows have, I've grown attached to the couple and will enjoy rewatching my fave clips. 2gether trilogy may not be the best BL drama out there but I like to think that Tine and Sarawat are one of the best couple
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Fun, refreshing and satisfying
I love that in 2022 we can finally see stories like this! Under-represented themes that aren't bogged down by being too deep and heavy. This film managed to balance showing the healing and freedom that comes from self-acceptance & embracing difference in a way that remained fun, sensual and heartwarming.This was 100% your classic, heart-fluttering romantic comedy with great chemistry between the leads, but it felt especially refreshing and satisfying in the way it shone a light on how much fetish & kink culture can teach about consent & power dynamics in healthy relationships.
Plus, I loved that rather than making fetish & kink the butt of a joke like we usually see, the film manages to avoid stereotypes and find the humor and comedy in a way that feels modern and well, about time already! It was tasteful and genuinely funny.
The soundtrack fitted well; low-key, not cheesy or distracting. The writing, visuals and acting were all on point. The actors and director really did such a good job of making every scene and bit of dialogue enjoyable or meaningful to the story without it dragging at any point.
I'm sure some people are going to worry about too explicit scenes but there really aren't any.
If you like fun, light-hearted romance and comedy then I really recommend this film.
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"Suffering is the human condition" in art form.
"Moneyboys" is a raw, visually stunning drama that exhibits the gritty and provocative lifestyle of young, gay escorts. While there are some steamy moments, the story focuses less on the "customer service" aspect and more on what motivates these characters despite the risks involved. With an impoverished upbringing and the weight of his family on his shoulders, prostitution is a means of survival for protagonist, Fei.What we get as viewers is a study on this character. We're taken through a series of experiences and events that make up Fei's life. We witness how the stigma of both his sexuality and profession effects his family life and the mental toll it takes on him. Through Fei's various interactions with other characters, a clear theme rings throughout the film: the sacrifice of one's happiness for the sake of others. Lovers sacrifice themselves for the ones they love, young adults sacrifice themselves to meet family expectations, LGBTQ+ sacrifice themselves to fit the molds of society. When does the cycle of suffering end?
The story finds its anomaly in Fei's childhood friend, Long. Unlike the often numb and apathetic Fei, Long is brimming with life. He sees the perks of being a money boy as a way to live happily for himself and not for the sake of others.
Before I had a grasp on the film's narrative, I was already in awe of its cinematography and editing. The moment I clicked play, I got the feeling I was in for an artistic experience. Atmospheric lighting and color grading sets the dark and solemn tone for the film. Neon colors pop through the screen. There are some close-ups and shaky camera shots that make for intense moments, but you'll mostly see the use of still-camera wide shots. Frame by frame, it appears as though characters are moving through a sequence of modern life art pieces. It doesn't linger on one shot for too long though, especially in the beginning. Scenes are often fleeting, dialogues seem to end just shy of a complete conversation. A stylistic choice that gives the film obscurity and keeps it from dragging, but disappoints story-wise. At times, I was left wishing I knew more about what these characters were thinking and experiencing.
Aside from maybe one actress with a bit part role, all actors were convincing. Lead actor, Kai Ko, did well portraying the emotionally detached Fei. He surfaces the character's vulnerable side in ways that feel both realistic and relatable. The charm and charisma of Bai Yu Fan's Long is definitely one of the film's highlights. There aren't many dramatic acting moments so if you're worried about it being a tearjerker, you're in luck. "Moneyboys" is pulsing with emotion but it isn't necessarily a sad movie, just realistic. It's a bit longer than the average 90 minutes, but very much worth the watch.
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AI Hate You
As a Thai film student studying abroad, all I can say is that this film just perfectly encapsulates everything that I have once said about what Thai Cinema needs to improve on. The story is interesting I'm not gonna lie, but the attention to detail, the build-up to every scene are just so bad. Like seriously, why do most Thai films these days just bunch so many things into a 1 hour and 30-minute film? Every film teacher I've been with always told me to just focus on that one specific idea and make the story revolve around it. I just feel like this film doesn't even have an identity. I know the main message of it is how robots and Ai's can have a heart, but they didn't really emphasize it to the point where I felt like yeah this AI actually liked, Lana. There were so many other sub-plots that distracted the connection that is building between the AI and Lana that just I didn't feel any emotion at the end. Not just that but the dialogue is just sub-par. I'm so sick and tired of me being able to guess every single line the character is going to spit out and that just showcases the laziness in the scriptwriting of this film and the attention to detail. And yes I'm taking a dig. And I want to because I want to see great Thai films, but if we keep doing this all the time then Thai films will never reach the place it needs to be. There is no need for over-the-top CGI or film equipment in general. All Thai cinema needs to focus on is the story and how you can keep the message and the narrative consistent throughout the whole film. The detail you need to focus on in every single scene in the film is lacking in 99% of Thai films.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love yourself
Been waiting to watch this full movie after watching the trailer.The story starts from the present time, with a few flashbacks to help the storyline. Xiao xi is the one who helps Han Bing when Han Bing is bullied because he is fat, but at the present time all of that reverse. Because Xiao xi want to pursue her dream, she drink the magic potion but it risk her friendship with Han Bing. It's a good thing that at the end she choose her friendship after all that up and down.
Lesson learned to love yourself first before you expect others to do that, because sometime all good thing might be happened after you accept yourself. Which sometime hard to do even though you know it. Great romance comedy movie to spend and watch before you sleep.
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The enduring love
If you're looking for steamy action, better watch porn. If you're looking for a movie that'll well up buckets of tears, better watch some overrated melodrama. If you're looking for a movie that supports LGBTQ+ relationship, find something else because this isn't it.The take of this movie lies more about waiting, thus, the title which entails the passing of time. Most parts of the movie will also involve elements of waiting and anticipation, and will only result in more questions than answers. Oftentimes responses to questions are delivered subtly and most of the time not directly at the main characters but with what's happening with the people around them.
The main theme of this movie is more on love that perseveres and endures over time. It might be cliché to quote a passage saying that love is patience and does not keep records of wrongs, but this movie provides a preview of those who exactly love this way; they're always at a dead end which was strongly framed in a scene at the care facility, and their lines go something like this:
YJ: "I have nowhere to go home to"
Mom: "I have nowhere to run, he (referring to SY) has nowhere to go"
It could have gone tragically for YJ. The mom could have hated everyone. SY could have died. Yet we're treated to an ending of the three being reunited, sharing drinks and a toast, but everything was still stalemate. Mom being ok with things back the way they were, fully knows well everything, didn't choose to hate the two boys. SY oblivious to the love that the other two characters had for him (he may have suffered a bit of amnesia). YJ who still patiently waits but explicitly expresses he is tired and lamenting that only SY seems normal among the three of them.
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Thrilling take on an teenage cheating syndicate!
This was such a refreshing movie to watch. I really liked the dramatisation of the clever escapades of a bunch of teenage students. School stories are a thing of past for me and it's really difficult to connect to them now but this movie made answering multi-choice questions as thrilling and exciting as robbing a bank in 'Money Heist'!Summary in one sentence - A smart high-school girl takes advantage of her brain to make money by selling answers.
Lynn was brilliant as the high-school genius-turned-hustler and her accomplices or enablers Grace & Pat were equally good. I felt for Bank's loss of naivety/innocence as he realises intelligence can get you only so far. It sucks how close to home this story hits. Even though being smart in Asia is not equivalent to being a nerd in the western world, money & connections unfortunately, speak everywhere in the world!
Overall:
Bad Genius is a great pun and a totally apt title for this excellent and entertaining film. I highly recommend this for all who are fans of the school/teen and coming-of-age genre. An 8.5/10 for me!
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I liked how they dealt with the theme, explaining the terms used and making us participate in the research of the protagonist.
Absolutely recommended.
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Great concept but…
I love Mario Maurer & Bai Fern’s chemistry but… their comeback here is such a great disappointment.Tbh, human possessed by an Ai is a new concept and has alot of potential. But, myghad, the script was terrible! It was so confusing, or let me say the script, the plot makes no sense at all.
I just can’t. I cannot dare to waste my hour & 30 mins when I can just skip everything and just watch it for 10 mins.
I rooted for their comeback, but this movie, is just so disappointing. I hope next time they choose a well written script and better movie for their comeback.
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This review may contain spoilers
Time manages to weave together the disparate stories of a retired assassin team, the problems of the elderly, assisted suicide and team pregnancy. It brings together a cast of well-known older Hong Kong actors---PatrickTse, Bobo Fung, and Lam Suet and gives them a chance to shine. They did not fail to take advantage of the opportunity to show that they've still got it.Patrick Tse at 85 showed he could still be a menacing threat as the flying blade assassin who had been relegated to cutting noodles in his golden years. Bobo went from terrorizing her victims with her throwing weapons to singing in a small-time cabaret. Lam Suet, the getaway driver, now suffering from various illnesses and struggling to pay for and receive proper medical care spends his free time with a prostitute he's fallen in love with.
Without being morbid, Time shines a light on the plight of the elderly---illness, loneliness, ungrateful children, poverty, and the knowledge that more sand has run out of the hourglass than remains. The old team gets back together when they find the older population requesting their services and they earn extra spending money respectfully doling out assisted suicide. This works out fine until the blade man discovers his intended victim/client is a teenage girl.
Bobo did an amazing job as the mother with a child who believed because she gave birth to him, she was eternally responsible for him. The fact that he was a grown man who was married and a father and responsible for his own child escaped him. Lam Suet gave a heartwarming performance as the team member who kept them all together, finally getting his chance at a quality main role. The actress who plays the teenage girl was the weakest link in this movie. She was unable to keep up with the rest of the experienced cast. The youth story threatened to take over the narrative, but stopped just short, or maybe went slightly over the line. It did give Patrick's loner character a chance to connect with someone and discover a part of himself he didn't know existed.
There are many touching scenes in this movie and Time deals with its gray-haired characters and their problems with sensitivity and gentle humor. It shows that people of a certain age need love, time, attention, and care. And in the case of Time, it showed that actors who are no longer young still have stories left to tell.
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Mr. Jung and his Jiwoo...
The cutest, informative, intriguing and sexiest K-Movie I've ever seen. I loved it. The male lead as Jihoo was adorable and very hot especially when he would handle the misogynistic boss of theirs and coworkers. Reading his bio, I came to realize that he was in a group I used to listen to, it's no wonder since he's so handsome, I spent a lot of the movie going "Gah he's so cute". Since I enjoyed his acting, i'm definitely checking out his other stuff. Gorgeous female lead; The way she portrayed Jiwoo was how I imagine a inexperience person would be like in that lifestyle. Seeing Jiwoo gain confidence in her role as his master had me excited for her haha. Though, I admit I found some things odd but it was just a personal preference thing, I spent 99% of the movie intriguied and giggling. The ex annoyed me though; She dumps him for who he is instead of trying to understand him then tries coming around to make sure his life is in ruins just cause she is miserable? Hated her. Han was a surprise and that's all I'll say about him. Wish we had more on Hye Mi and Woo Hyuk but I get with movies things have to develop quickly. Anyways, I loved it and would rewatch it again when I don't know what to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
The perfect combination of sexy and cute
This was a sexy and cute love story between two office co-workers who start a BDSM relationship. I don't really know much about this subject but one of the key things that made me like this film, it's the equality between them despite being in a dom-sub relationship. Everything is a mutual agreement based on preferences and needs from both sides.The film never centers around sex itself, but mostly on the mutual agreement based on preferences and needs of both sides. This allows for the story to explore on other aspects of the relationship through contrasting colors indicating the character's emotional state.
Leading man Jung Ji-hoon presents himself as a clean-cute, friendly and career oriented. The story goes deep into why he has a need for BDSM and particularly being a submissive person in the relationship. It has to do with unfair expectations society has on man, but I won't say much because I feel like he explains it perfectly. Lee Jun-young plays the character really well and doesn't shy away from the physical acting, which is hilarious and smut.
Jung Ji-woo is the perfect counterpart for Ji-hoo. It's clear she has been raised in an open minded household and as a result she is an independent and outspoken young woman, who is not afraid to call out her boss's sexism and misogyny. It brings her most headaches than she deserves, to be honest. This character trait is what allows her to go into a BDSM relationship filled with curiosity and excitement, as she finds the physiological release she needs. So-hyun's performance is excellent. Quiet yet strong.
The production is solid and very entertaining. And I think they did a good job presenting what is BDSM and all its nuances.
A very entertaining watch and I highly recommend it.
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