Reviews

Everyone should watch this

I am watching this on 1.1.2022. I mention this because it was wonderful to start my year off with such a powerful, profound movie. It is basically a story about whether reunification is a possibility. On one side you have people who have surmounted the propaganda issued on both sides of Korea, and realize that people are people, and the other side, who have been so indoctrinated with the propaganda that all they can see is an enemy.

In using the term “side”, I am not speaking particularly of North or South Korea, but of people in general. Although we mostly attribute this discussion to North and South Korea, still in 2022 it is applicable here in the U.S. Will we eventually become just like the Korea’s….some people so entrenched in hate that they have chosen to typify anyone who does not match up to their own agenda….as enemies? It is a real possibility here…and in this movie it shows the ramifications of such thinking.

I was moved to tears…seeing that the end game of this type of divisional thinking….leaves lives scarred so traumatically that they can not move on emotionally. Then survivors, ones who could move on…..often pass their hatred on to further generations and so it never ends.

It is beyond my capability to understand how South Korea has allowed the U.S. government to tear apart a whole country; that they would give allegiance to another country who literally slaughtered millions of their countrymen, instead of embracing their own peoples, their own culture. To me, it isn’t as simple as choosing communism or so-called democracy - that is just an excuse, a rationalization. Millions died during the Korean War and yet South Korea chooses the U.S. as their father instead of embracing the rest of their country. It saddens me no end. There are families on both sides that have not seen their families in decades.

Watching this movie will perhaps remind you of the important things that are really at stake in this situation.

Read More

“You said you wanted to turn back the time”

‘Love Buzz’ is one of those short films you happen to come across once every blue moon that makes you want to scratch your head in confusion—not because there is anything inherently wrong with the plot but because it’s baffling how a plot like this only received the green light for a 29 minute film.

☞ PLOT

‘Love Buzz’ starts off with a wacky premise. A boy travels back in time to help his ‘mom’ meet his ‘dad’ and eventually fall in love. I was a bit worried when I started this but as the film goes on the plot started to unravel. I was very much reminded of the 2019 Taiwanese drama ‘Someday or One Day’ and the 2019 Korean drama ‘Tomorrow with You’ as I watched this. I’m trying to make this as spoiler free as possible so I won’t dive into the details but it definitely is reminiscent of those dramas. Despite its short length, it does a good job of mixing the time travel element with the romance and comedy. The only true compliant I have about the plot is that I wish it was longer because it was rushed in the last 10 minutes. I’m surprised that ‘Love Buzz’ did not get a sequel or, at the very least, a 12-16 full length follow up. If an A List all star cast was included in this film than it definitely would have garnered more attention. The plot is solid but the time constraint makes it hard for it to actually flourish. Still, this was one of the better paced short films I have seen.

☞ CAST
No complaints from me. Choi Ji Hui had a certain charm that made Ji Woo captivating. Lee Han Ik as Woo Jin was just as captivating, as was Bae In Hyuk (it was fun seeing his earlier works since I last saw him in My Roommate is a Gumiho).

☞ PRODUCTION
I did have a problem with the editing. There was a lot of quick cuts and cut aways which I was not a fan of. Surprisingly, despite the weird editing the pacing and plot was cohesive. If the editing was sharper I would have given this a higher score

☞ OVERALL
‘Love Buzz’ was a solid short film that i immensely enjoyed. I’m kind of bitter there was never a follow up sequel or a full length drama because there is still so much to explore plot wise. If you have 30 minutes free and want to watch a cute, heartwarming, and funny time travel film than check this out! I’ll probably end up rewatching this fairly soon just to see if I missed anything the first time around

☞ 8.5/10 ★’s

Read More

Yikes, didn’t expect it to be this disturbing

Came across this movie because of LJS, and wanted to see him in a negative role and wow I got ore than what I bargained for. VIP is an unsettling movie that makes you question if this much gore was really necessary. The plot is fairly decent, a little bit confusing in the beginning with respect to the timelines but once you figure out the characters there clarity. The cast does a pretty good job and Lee Jong Suk takes it to another level with his feeling less stares. I appreciated the fact that they didn’t glorify him or his actions which could have easily happened. At various points we get to see him as someone pathetic who deserves to be punished for his sick actions. Overall a decent movie, there’s lots of trigger warnings but (rape, murder, torture) so watch it if you can put up with such heavy content.

Read More

Meaningful Overall

This is a very slow moving movie. One thing I will say, is the acting is the best I’ve seen, especially the child. The story, although slow, had a deep meaning that involves acceptance of yourself, and how much it means to you. It left me with mixed feelings. I didn’t particularly like the ending, although I read it as the characters moving on in their life. Like of a re- birth, so to speak. It is worth watching it for the superb acting. But as I mentioned at the outset, it is VERY slow moving, with many conversations and scenes that should have been shorter. I would call it a BL, but more implications of a BL. But if it was more physical, it wouldn’t have fit the story.

Read More

Gripping, emotional storyline.

For over a year I battled to see where to watch this movie, until I eventually stumbled on it in Dramacool and gave it the attention I'd wanted to give it for long. And honestly, this movie is a BOMB. The love triangle is intensely captured. Imagine, chief and the king, with the former growing up under the latter and the latter loving the former from their formative years...and Chief, even as a kid, saying the best person is one who would lay his life down for the king. Reading through comments here I can see people berating the king and hating on him, but in this instance I feel he did what he had to do given the circumstances. I do not applaud it, but I understand it, and him. Furthermore, with the introduction of sex between the Chief and Queen, we see Chief opening up to a new, strange love he'd never witnessed and also being sad about it; he did go to the queen, then sleep next to the king and cuddled him, with tears leaking from his eyes. That was a sign that he loved this man, and he felt sad and confused about loving another. Then the anger, the sense of betrayal, the brutal punishment meted out, are all mind blowing. For me, chief did really love King, even though he told him otherwise in his last moments, to deeply hurt him. I know I would say the same, in the same circumstances... But the love remained there, as, even as he lay dying, he turned to King, in those very last, dying moments he had. That, dears, was love right there.

Read More

Would it have?

This was amazing to watch this was heartwarming and bittersweet at the same time

I enjoyed listening to all the songs and the last one especially was probably the saddest song. My favourites would probably be stand by me and sayonara. When sota joined with the last two lines they both sounded amazing.

The ending has me in tears a whole river. i watched it today and rewatched the ending about twice already and it always ends up with me crying.

Especially since the song I kinda feel like when aki was singing it was about sota before they switched back. I feel like when aki was singing sayonara it was about sota and him after they met and all their journeys they had together.

I feel so bad for aki. I was hoping for him to be standing at the end but in the end he wasn’t it’s as if he finally found peace and could let go.

I feel like when sota’s spirit ( when they switched) was in the crowd I could see that he could see him fading away even though they barely knew each other or even met they had grown a beautiful friendship. It looked like sota quite didn’t want him to go.

I still can not get over his spirit leaving in the end when he was singing. The last song will always make me cry honestly it’s amazing but quite sad at the same time

I wonder if sota met aki earlier would that have changed things? Would it have ended the same way? Would it have ended differently? Would aki still end up dead?

Read More

Its was an over all ok movie but compared to the manga i thought that the Subaru that was casted was a bit too elegant for the roal and not adventerous and rough like the original subaru. The acting was also a bit akward especially in the parts where the actors spoke english. At moments where actors entered a scene was also really akward. When actors exited and entered a scene it kinda felt like i was watching a play instead of a movie.
The dancing didnt really make me go wow! when i was watching it. All the dancers danced the same tbh. I also wished that they would have incoporated some of the impactful moments from the manga.

Read More

Exceptionally Well Done Documentary Film on "Field of Wonder" ONE OK ROCK Live Streaming Concert

This documentary is the last film I watched in 2021, and I was completely blown away by it. My encounter with One OK Rock was many years ago when I found their MVs on YouTube, even before I found the rabbit hole leading to the Asian dramaland. I fell for their high energy, wildness, loud music, plus English mixed Japanese lyrics. I love most of their songs, from the heavier “No Scared” to softer “The Beginning”. I didn’t even know that the latter song is the OST of the “Rurouni Kenshin”, the first of its famous movie installments.

=====

Production: The making of this video is exceptionally well done. Specifically, I love the smooth shifts between their rehearsal and the actual concert scenes.

The subtitle was well done.

Story: The film starts with restless Taka telling us how hopeless he felt when Japan and the rest of the world were shut down because of the pandemic. Their last world tour was Australia tour in March 2020. Everyone was afraid, especially when Toru was contracted with the COVID-19. Forever a visionary, Taka started having this dream to create a live-streaming concert online. Most of the film then spent on how they prepared the concert. However, we also see a glimpse of their personal lives, for example Tomo spending time with his three little boys (the newborn is cutely presented in his father’s arm in the credit scene), Taka visiting his dad whom he once was estranged from, the members playing sports and barbecuing together.

I like the fact they also collaborated with other Japanese musicians and singers not from rock genre to perform together. Especially for the singers, each has their own unique voice and style and blended together harmoniously during the duet and chorus.

I also like the angst during rehearsal scenes on the second and the one day before the concert, when typhoon blasted Chiba, Japan where their live-streaming concert is held. Although there was no sign that the typhoon would stop on the concert day, the group and the team still rehearsed professionally and didn’t lose hope.

Acting: What to say, they’re performers. It was quite interesting to watch a glimpse of their anxiety in performing at an empty stadium, not seeing crowd neither hearing their cheers. However, one the concert started, the band and other performers just loosened up; especially knowing 100,000+ people bought online tickets (totaling to 110,000 live audience).

Visual FX: No complaint, everything was artistically created, like they were making a real movie!

OST: Although this film is not a video of their concert (you need to buy separately for their concert video), but we also hear and see them performing popular songs like “We Are” and “Wasted Night”. Their new song “Wonder” was also introduced at the concert. Taka singing a cappella the last line of “Wasted Night” as the last song gave me goose bumps, and closed the concert impressively.

=====

Lastly, congratulation to Toru who announced his marriage to Japanese model and actress Omasa Aya on 28th December 2021! Now with three of the band members are married, we’re waiting for the last eligible bachelor of the band Taka, to find his life partner!

Read More

Perfect Movie To Start New Page

If you are looking for a simple romantic story, this is for you! The director behind this movie is famous for that genre and A Year End Medley won't disappoint you. In this cold weather, we get to watch 7 different heartwarming beautiful tales from 7 different couples on Christmas day setting.

Every character here are individually interesting and has a well written background to build their personality. I thought 2 hours movie wouldn't be enough to show every character's details, we don't have only 2-3 people to introduce, but a whole 14 characters! Despite the duration, they managed to show each of their layers, goals of the couple arc, and how they are linked to one and another.

I must mention out of all the couple, my favorite couple here goes to Yong Jin x Lee Young. Such a cute mature girl with supporting boyfriend! Beside fav couple, I love all the characters plot but if I have to choose, I will pick Kang Haneul's character as the best arc! From depression to comedy and move to breaking down, what a journey from his acting! Of course all the actor & actress also delivered the plot well, but Kang Haneul is just beyond.

I love the production team took care the clothing. They are all so pretty to look at. The cinematography in this movie also well taken. What I dislike from this movie might be the soundtrack only, they use a cliche classical music *cough* canon in d *cough* and that kinda ruin the flow for me, i just wanna laugh at that part.

Anyway, this is a nice movie to start the year, I wish there will be a sequel or maybe make it into drama series instead, all the stories are interesting to watch and they still have many to reveal.

Read More

LOOKING FOR FUN ? COME HERE

This has to be one of the most enjoyable movies I've watched.
Starts off with a hilarious concept and ends the same way.
Consistent comedy accompanied by action.

The acting is above the roofs . Impeccable!
I couldn't stop laughing every 2 minutes there was something hilarious.
Even the dialogues were golden.
Movies such as these are rare.
All the things were simple, they didn't try to complex anything and the result is wonders.

Even the action was clever, pleasing to the eyes.
A must watch movie.
A gem in terms of comedy.

Read More

This is the holy graal

Man, this movie is all that you are looking for, they give you action, love, sex, affection. The whole movie was built in a beautiful way. It's addictive. Like I just finished but I want to come back to this movie. I think certain points of this movie were well thought out, they literally can blow your mind in some points, but can give such a warm hug in general. The soundtrack was good too, I'm right now seaching the music, the actors do a good job too, they really put out all the emotions that the story want to tell us and the story was good, if you are sensitive take care to watch.

Read More