Reviews

A Somewhat Realistic Love Story That Almost Works

How often do people go through life believing that the grass is always greener somewhere else? And very often, we find that a new place only brings about new pros and cons.

As someone who's lived and worked in six countries, I know this truth only too well. Places always have new and interesting things that you find appealing, and things that you miss. This is even true of the country you come from. In short, it's a no-win scenario...so long as you continue to believe that there is something better over the next hill, instead of learning to simply appreciate where you are.

Majhoy is a young Filipino woman who has moved to the Faroe Islands. She is married, has a young daughter, and works two jobs, including an Asian Restaurant/Food Truck. It turns out that there are a number of Filipino women living there...mostly for economic convenience. "Love? What is that?!" one of them jokes.

Nico is a young man who is a producer of documentary films. He visits the Faroe Islands to find out more about why so many Filipino women move and live there. It doesn't take long before he focuses solely on Majhoy. It takes even less time to realize that they have feelings for each other.

Majhoy's husband is a significantly older man. And despite his slight brusque demeanor, it's obvious that he loves his wife. He doesn't mistreat or abuse her.

It becomes obvious that Nico will do anything to take Majhoy back to the Phillippines; ignoring Majhoy's marriage or even the welfare of Lena, Majhoy's daughter. He can only see his own wants and needs. He naively believes that it is that simple to swoop in, disrespect a living situation, and make off with Majhoy.

Unfortunately, Majhoy makes the mistake of capitulating and even giving Nico some sense of hope that his dreams will be fulfilled. It isn't until Majhoy's husband returns from his fishing trip that she realizes that all-in-all, she has a husband who loves and cares for her. Both characters behave selfishly and disrespectfully which makes them unsympathetic and easily unlikeable.

In the end, the one person you feel the most sorry for is Sigmund (Majhoy's husband). The writers try to make you feel sorry for Nico and Majhoy but their selfish, underhanded lack of respect for anyone else makes that difficult. Why? Because it is impossible to be happy while hurting others. It just doesn't work. One's true happiness never comes at the expense of anyone else.

The movie is beautifully filmed in the Faroe Islands. The islands, indeed, look like something out of a fairy tale. I wouldn't be surprised if tourism gets a boost after people see this film. I certainly would like to visit!

The performances are also very good from the entire cast. But if you're going into this film, hoping for a romantic, uplifting love story, you won't find it here. In many ways, the story is too real for that. A big reason that the story doesn't fail is because the writers stayed true to the situation and the characters rather than "give in" to make a "happily ever after" ending. Much like the Faroe Islands themselves, the film leaves you cold and desolate, but true given the reality of the situation.

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How Expectations and Different Goals Affect A Relationship

There aren't very many realistic relationship movies out there. Most are mired down by cliches and melodrama where everything always works out in the end. If that is what you're hoping for with this movie, you'd best move on, for this is one of the best films about relationships that I've seen in recent years.

Relationships are work. Period. And the more expectations that two people bring to the table, and the more differing goals that are brought, the more likelihood that the relationship is ultimately doomed.

This is a poignant story of two people who meet on a train, heading home for Chinese New Year. I've lived in China. There is no greater mass migration on the planet than during Chinese New Year. I lived in Shenzhen, a city of 20+ million. The city looked like a ghost town.

Jianqing is a young man living in Beijing. His dream is to create video games. He works at a small kiosk. He doesn't make much money, and his room in his apartment looks more like a metro station...people crammed together and living in bedrooms that look more like cubicles. It's a simple existence that doesn't seem to hold much promise, based upon Jianqing's dreams.

Xiao-Xiao is a young and vibrant woman, full of life, and seems to hop from place to place. Her dream is finding true love. So much so, that she invents stories of boyfriends in order to make her own goal--Jianqing--jealous to the point where she hopes he might come around.

Eventually, Xiao-Xiao pretty much takes the initiative and the two make love. She moves into Jianqing's cramped bedroom. Xiao-Xiao's dream is fulfilled, and she even reminds a frustrated Jianqing that she doesn't care if they live in a box. However, Jianqing firmly believes that Xiao-Xiao can't possibly be happy in their current living situation. In the process of trying to better their living situation, he slowly begins to alienate her, failing to understand that Xiao-Xiao only cares about being with him.

The story is masterfully told by taking us back to 2007 and progressing through the years up to present time. All of the flashbacks are done in color. The present is in black and white. The director is demonstrating a time when dreams were attempting to be realized up to the point where everything is now stale, desolate, and unfulfilled through the black and white landscape of crushed and unrealized dreams. Of course, in the present, after bumping into each other for a final time, they begin to wonder if things could have been different. Based upon how they each saw things, they realize that it couldn't have been. Xiao-Xiao has a bit more wisdom to see the folly than Jianqing.

Jianqing can only focus on--what he feels--his failure to provide for Xiao-Xiao. Xiao-Xiao already knows the futility that he was already everything to her; that he never needed to struggle and fight to make her happy. She was already happy. But, of course, he failed to see it.

Only in the end, when they are finally able to let go, do the vibrant colors begin to fill the landscape, almost as if it were happening in that very moment of their realization and appreciation for what they had...and frankly, still have.

Not only do people's expectation and goals often differ, but people also change as time moves on. Depending upon the couple, these can appear to be insurmountable barrier. And for those who choose to refuse to see what is right in front of them in the other, it too often is just that: an insurmountable barrier.

Most relationships fail due to a lack of communication; to talk things out when it's obvious that things are moving in two different directions, taking each person with them. Perhaps a film like this will inspire folks to look a bit harder at what--and more importantly who--is right in front of them. It's funny and sad how often most people fail to notice.

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WTAF (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

this is the type of movie where after watching - i wanna hurt everyone involved in making it - like WTAF!!! i was so delighted when i noticed "baby" Saitoh Takumi at first as Noeru, but pretty fast this train goes wayyy of the tracks - dives straight into whacko territory...
like Noeru been a promiscuous teen - in the description its watered down "...Noeru decides to hit on Taishin..." hit my ass, he just assaults him, and gives him a BJ in the restroom - like hello?!? and here Taishin keeps telling Noeru he too young to drink - ugh what a joke. plus this made in 2006 not 1996 where Aids was a "new" disease and people thought it was made-up propaganda. so seeing Noeru getting "used" by any tom, dick and harry was nauseating to say the least, and his supposed reason was anticlimactic - and i guess everyone can react differently to any given situation, and he an extreme personality, so he went over-board. but where the parents at?

even Taishin that was kinda normal, was off - like when Chidori the psycho just rushed into his flat looking for Noeru - that wasn't a sane moment - and Taishin as an adult should've known something was very off with this kid. being that obsessive about his friend after telling Taishin that he loved Noeru . anyone else would've seeked out Noeru to touch base and make sure he was ok, let alone inform him that his bff was nuts. Taishin just ignored the whole situation as if nothing happened and only when he saw the add (in the papers) about Noeru being brutally attacked, did he go look for him - like WTF was wrong with these people - its like warning signals r going off and they deaf, dumb and blind...

so everything that happens after isn't shocking, but u start with Taishin and Noeru on the train, blood smudged fingers intertwined and after everything that happens, my head went every which way, as to what could've happened but the reality of Taishin taking Noeru's dead body to the sea, cause that was his wish with his childhood bud Ken - so Taishin could then walk into the sea together and i'm like f*ck u very much - but this a crap ending - this love?!? plz - so Chidori got off scot free? or his punishment is his guilt - like plz with this poetic b.s that amounts to nothing -

i'm sorry i watched this as this was crap, a lot of quote's about love, friendship etc that want to give this movie gravitas that it lacks in spades , basically this amounted to shit all - plz

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jumpscares, laughs and tension (oooooo) and handsome faces

this was brilliant. i loved it so much and it got me so engaged, there wasn't a moment where this film didn't have my full attention. i'll rewatch this again some time and for those who like zombie/thriller movies, this is definitely a must watch! i watched this with my family and everyone loved it. Also got to love Gong Yoo (has to be one of my favourite Korean actors/actors of all time. Every character played a big part, nothing was meaningless although the tension and angst did make me shout at the characters quite a few times. i really could not recommend this enough. it was also really funny, i don't know what else i could've asked for.

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Home theatre reduces the experience > Should have been in THEATRES for INTL audience too

Awesome Cinematography , Action Scenes and Background Score. Home theatre reduces the experience a lot for these portions.

Storyline : For a New Viewer , its a bit disconnected , First half is Slower as compared to second half , But sit through that else Story will not make much sense.

Acting : Chun Xia surprised me the Most and Mark Chao's QM ended up being a slight disappointment as compared. Wang Duo is a decent Actor BUT if you place him 90% in the scenes with Mark Chao it weakens his strength. Besides even with Older makeup he looked Younger him. His Best part for Finale Fight and death stares. But his romance with WZW doesn't hit hard when a Mark Chao and Deng Lun are in there.

QM is a soft guy but his body language isn't hence MC is a bit misfit. Mark is a Manly guy acting a softie which makes it a bit hard to see the overall show. His fight scene while Stopping an Impulsive Boya are good. His comic teasing are FUN but whining isn't.
BY is impulsive & confused but Denglun legit portrays it without much Dialogues. Kudos to that & He is not Over the top rough guy but figuring stuff out. The right limit to act and Overact was displayed in the Movie. His disciplined action scene are done Good.
Wang Ziwen is pretty and Her climax scene strikes Gold. If not her Wang Duo's ZX Priest words are not that Powerful to leave an impact. It was her Fangyue's desperation that Changed the game. Chun Xia character I wish had more time. She was Fun.
Mark Would have been a Far better Shou Ye /The Master or even Denglun ,the Romance then the tragedy would have been 10000 times better , WD was better suited as QM /BY. Because he looked the youngest.

Movie is worth a Watch! Cuz Mark Chao and Deng Lun are rare to Find at one Place.

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entertaining and full of life

●HOW I CAME TO IT
Am not a fan of J-movie but whatever I have watched until now they have never failed to surprise me so Here is another J-movie to check off my PTW list. This is like a sweet and crunchy choco pie, filled with fruits and nuts, which means with each bite of the event there is an unexpected taste that is delicious than ever.

●PLOT VIEW
I read the synopsis and pretty much says all but still, I didn’t know what should I interpret about the movie before watching it. Is the girl bratty in nature? is the guy cunning as he marries for money? Why do the parents want the high school teens to marry? Everything is answered in the most quirky way possible. It shows the most unexpected things with over-the-top cuteness. The story is simple yet its unfolding is like opening a lotus flower which has roots in muddy water but is still beautiful as no other. The story is not new a girl dreaming of a prince charming, boring right. but this movie is refreshingly unique. Something I've never really seen before...a love story I've never heard of.  From the opening scene in the bedroom to the ending scene, everything was special and put a smile on my face. The richness, poorness, parents of FL was over the top but that basic really suited her. ML didn’t fall for her but eventually understood the meaningful love he received, that was the beauty of the movie.

●ACTING/CAST
Yûna Taira as Karin Oriyama is like a spirited princess who has got every wish fulfilled. She is sweet, cute, graceful but a little clumsy. She played her character like a pro and one cannot stop but adore her for the ruckus she goes through. She had astounding facial expressions and an amazing fashion style.
Kento Nakajima as Nao Tsurugi was a surprise, he is not hidden in the FL shadow but has his own share of charm when it's unpredictable that he should get angry or laugh. He is a mature guy who acts after understanding the situations sharply. He did the emotional scenes fairly well, can feel his emotion through his eyes.
All the other characters, parents, manager, friends, house owner everyone were an excellent supporting cast. They made the movie more watchable.

●MUSIC
There is a birthday song, good lyrics, and a mood maker. Also, there is a song at the end credit which has an amazing music score. Otherwise, there is a super amazing BGM that makes the scenes beautiful.

●REWATCH
This movie can be watched anytime. Actually, I rewatched it already twice. It gives enormous laughs with the crazy lines and acting of the everyone is worth watching.

●FAV SCENE
The first sorry scene is my favorite. I had never seen any scene like this before, everyone's reaction was priceless.

●FAV DIALOGUE
What's wrong with choosing him for his face? - Karin Oriyama

●RECOMMENDATION
If you like romantic comedy, cohabitation, fluffy romance then this movie is for you. If you don’t like these genres then also give it a try this movie will not let you down.

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I was unprepared

I had been thinking about watching this movie for a while before I finally got around to it. I read multiple plot synopsis's on different websites to decide but 1 day I was looking for something to watch and up popped this movie in my mind. Now, after reading about it you'd think someone would mention that it's a freaking musical but nowhere in the cliffnotes did anyone deign to mention to me that yeah, they randomly break out into song about whatever really, or maybe I missed it, I tend to skim things because ADHD is really something. I mean they weren't bad songs but I believe my face was something to the effect of Shrek and Donkey's faces while watching that Welcome to Duloc song while I was watching the first song play out in front of my eyes. Why did no one tell me? I was completely blindsided! It was a cute movie in the end but you should warn a girl first. I am warning you now, turn away if you're not in the mood for a musical. The acting and singing were good, I wish she was a bit more open to him overall. Also, there was a tap dancing number with the actor Takumi Saitoh, who I call "The Professor" for reasons and I don't think I'll ever look at him the same after. I thought we had a good thing going professor, I found you extremely attractive in Hirugao and you do this to me. I have collected all the things you've left at my house and put them in a box, call me when you want to pick them up. I shouldn't be writing reviews on no sleep but here we are. Oh, the movie I'd say it's worth a watch though.

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hard to describe

To be honest, if it wasn't Joon ki I wouldn't even know the movie existed but here we are. I usually only watch dramas with my fav actors and watch them instead of the storyline but this one was totally different.
I read some commend says it's about friendship or love, but I can't say that. Is this a bromance or love between two males? I really don't know. Their bond is beyond these words. They only have each other as a friend/family/lover/protector so it's not even important what you call it. it's just about the bond between two people.

The acting is amazing. I can't believe Joon Ki is just a rookie actor here. I felt every emotion he displayed deeply. And
Kam Woo Sung was excellent. I can't praise him enough.

The storyline was perfect. I watched it yesterday and I still think about it and can't watch anything else.

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Great movie

It was so interesting seeing part of the ancient yayoi Japanese culture. I mean, the movie was made in 1974, but still. It's so cool to see the similarity between their culture and indigenous people from my country. I learned a lot . The acting crew also did a great job. The acting was ok, the story too, they did the queen dirty though. She was not very smart. But I don't know how accurate that is to real life. Although the set had some things that I believe shouldn't exist at the time, they did a great job too 😂 The songs were mostly using koto and the taiko, which I liked.

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True love rarely goes smoothly, especially when it happens during a politically tumultuous time and both lovers are framed for different murders.

The no-name female lead was a Robin Hood who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. A brilliant fighter, she looked after her group of people and helped protect their small, somewhat peaceful island within a sea of deceit and battles. The new leader of the Wu Dang tribe stumbled across her on his way to deliver the curative red pills to the emperor. He promised to give her a name worthy of her beauty and skills. Along the way he was framed for murder, she was framed for murder and everyone ended up in the mountain fortress. As often happens, they fell in love and he gave her a name.

Trying to keep up with all of the plots and traitorous groups was difficult at best. Most of the time I was a bit lost as to who was supposed to be the bad guys. Except for Wu Dang and the mountain fort, the rest were duplicitous murderers. When the story stayed with the lovers, I found it to be engaging. Elsewhere, it tended to lose it's way, especially near the end.

The heart of this movie was the love story with all of the betrayals swirling around them for external conflict and to test their love and trust. The actors certainly looked earnest enough, though I wasn't completely sold on their chemistry. I'm really not sure why it was titled, The White Haired Witch. Zhuo Yi Hang had substantially more time on screen and development than Lian Nishang (the name he gave her). I was disappointed that she was given less time and character development for what could have been a much more interesting character. The titular character shouldn't be relegated to practically a supporting role in her own film.

The cinematography and costumes were beautiful and the natural scenery made for alluring settings. The movie did not disappoint in these areas. The CGI was disappointing when it came to people leaping around the mountains.

I thought many of the fight scenes were good. Most were fairly short and brutal. It was a wuxia which meant there was some flying around and special powers. None of that bothered me in the least. The only problem I had was when huge armies clashed with the view narrowed down to a few people making the battles small in scope.

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom had great potential, it was beautiful to look at but was let down by the muddled political plots and lack of meaningful evolution for the main character.

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Wow

By Hollywood standards Weir Sukollawat Kanarot should get an oscar for this one because wow! I had to watch this 3 times to fully absorb it, after finding it which wasn't easy. Seeing Weir, who's as straight as they come play gay, traumatized by death and a monk shows his depth and range as an actor. I didn't watch this as a regular viewer or fan I watched it with a director's eye. I would cast him in anything. The camera were was good too. Clearly Weir has integrity and dignity by refusing to do any nudity. I'd also read that they used "hand talent " for his character and that Weir found it harder to play a monk than to play gay which I found interesting. The bai sri were lovely and the work that goes into making one amazing. This story was both interesting yet sad.

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Just finished

I just finished watching this and it was good. I don't know, I expected more romance from it after reading the plot synopsis. Where was the romance folks? Besides a kiss on the fore head there was nothing. It's really tragic at the end honestly but it's not so sad that I can't go about my day like Moon Lovers or something (Who hurt that script writer?). It was overall good. I wish they had a happy ending though. I'm a sucker for a happy ending. I don't know how they would've done it, like maybe he got off the bus right before it crashed or something and surprised her when she saw the cherry blossoms at the end. Let them be happy even though she was 18 and he'd be 56 at that point, just to know he's alive is enough. Although if he was gonna die anyway why can't he just be transported back to the future with her? Wouldn't that be cool. Japanese movies are always so sad man.

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Spineless Plot. Good way to waste time.

So I was bored and wanted to try a Kmovie since I have been watching only kdramas. And I felt that after Train To Busan, Kmovies might be really great since TTB was such phenomenal movie that brought in so many emotions in me. But I guess this was a low budget movie when I watched the first couple of minutes into the movie. So I didnt hold expectations. With nothing expected it was a good movie. I kinda liked the whole plot..that she was a very simple girl that never dated, had no experience in love or dating. But with just the help of a book she kind of started to get confident. She even played hard to get even though she has no dating experience just because the book said to take some time. But there's one thing I didn't get was if she liked her boss and he did too..then what was the problem in dating him when even she said it on his face that she likes him...?! That was a bit confusing. Also I get that she couldn't go for the academy since she has to look after her ill mom..but what was it that caused her to feel uncomfortable to face him??!
So plot wise it was really bland and nothing special about it. Acting was good. There were some familiar faces in it. But I wouldnt say you should make time to watch this because its not worth all that sacrifice. If you are bored and have nothing to do might as well watch it if you like. Or can put that time into something worthy. So I do regret that 1 hour I put into watching this. I guess I should have looked up some better drama to watch instead.

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