Reviews

A deeply moving piece about identity

I was holding off watching this movie because I thought it was gonna be deeply sad. What I got instead was a movie about the ideals of morals, self identity and the roles families play in our lives.

This movie felt deeply upsetting. Kore-eda carefully layered all these actions that made it feel like he was leading us to a material conclusion only to swerve many times. I expected many things but I was wrong. It was amazed how he played with our preconceived notions of how we view events without any details. I also think this movie is a little bit of a discussion about the harsh culture in Japan about responsibility, even when it's not your fault.

The acting was superb from everyone. I felt bad for everyone by the end. Saori the mother, felt like she was constantly struggling to understand her child. Hori, the good willed teacher who wasn't even doing anything wrong. Someone who did care about his students and tried to be a better person. His girlfriend I think was meant to show his displeasure of the mundane life he had.(If it is to be believed she's from the hostess club). He also being a child of a single parent household demonstrated another aspect of the story I think is overlooked. Someone who is kind and t to help but in the end gets trampled by everyone else.

And Minato's storyline took such a swing that I didn't even realize what was happening at first. I think his realization of his sexuality is what sealed the deal that this movie is simply incredible. When we understand the events leading up to the main story, everything really starts to click. I was impressed with many revelations such as how dirty ended up in his mug and how he was trying to protect Yori.

As usual Kore-eda focused on a lot of character moments that just tell you so much more without having to say it. The act of spreading of I think cheese (?) on toast. Or how Saori did a slight head tilt as she was going up the stairs to talk to the teachers. The careful ironing of Minato's shirt.. all these moments really make a kore-eda film go from good to great.

The music was peaceful and solemn. They lead you into a sense of quiet melancholy.

Just being able to sit and really envelop myself in this movie, I reflected on how the bonds we have shake the foundation of self worth. Minato had no father and to me it felt like he was lost because of it. Yori had a father but he was mainly absent and treated a child who clearly had some sort of ADHD or autism as scum. The parallels of family households where one is present and the other it's fine have profound effects on our mental states. I felt so bad that Yori was being constantly bullied and his only friend didn't even try to stand up for him. The sociatile pressure of keeping up appearances hit harder once the realization of his sexuality came forth.

It reframed all of Minato's actions in a different context and then the story took on a whole other meaning. Same with the title, "Monster." That could mean more so many things in this movie now that I understand. Society, a slur, a responsibility, anguish, self worth.. it really makes you think about how we see each other.

My only main concern is the ending is very abrupt and I don't like that they left a huge thread about what Saori and Hori did after they didn't find the children.

Either then that, this is fantastic.

Read More

A Beautiful Idea That Wanted More Time

I went into 0.1% World completely blind. No synopsis, no trailers, just the promise of romance. And for a while, that worked in its favor. The movie opens with a strange, sudden connection two people, living in different countries, linked in a way that makes distance meaningless. Pain, emotions, and physical sensations are all shared in real time. The moment that clicked in my head, I had that quiet thought you don’t say out loud: this feels familiar. Not in a copying way more like a reminder of how powerful this kind of idea can be when it’s handled right.

At first, I was enjoying myself. The bickering pulled me in immediately. An Yi and Gao Ang don’t meet, yet they clash like they’ve known each other for years. Their arguments are petty, impulsive, sometimes silly, and that’s exactly why they’re fun. Watching two strangers sabotage each other’s lives while being forced to share pain and embarrassment shouldn’t work but somehow it does. The awkwardness never tips into unbearable secondhand embarrassment. It stays playful, chaotic, human.

An Yi feels like someone you recognize instantly. Young, hardworking, exhausted in that quiet way people are when they’re trying to hold life together. Gao Ang is more restrained disciplined, careful, and emotionally guarded. Patrick Shih gives him a grounded calm that carries scenes even when the writing rushes past moments that deserved more time. You sense there’s a deeper story inside him, even if the film doesn’t always slow down enough to tell it.

And this is where my feelings start to split.

The concept is strong enough to invite big expectations. When you introduce a connection that allows two people to feel each other across distance, it naturally makes you think about what that kind of bond means. Not just romantically, but emotionally. Identity. Loneliness. Boundaries. The way being seen can be both comforting and terrifying. The movie touches these ideas, but never fully commits to exploring them.

Everything feels slightly off in pacing. Some emotional moments pass too quickly, like the film is afraid to sit in discomfort. Other scenes linger without adding depth. I kept thinking how much more there was to uncover Gao Ang’s inner world, his isolation, his past; An Yi’s emotional life beyond work and surface level relationships. They’re connected in the most intimate way possible, yet we rarely stay long enough inside what that actually does to them.

Visually, the film is soft and pleasant. The music supports this tenderness well. Piano themes, soft background tracks nothing overwhelming, nothing distracting.

The film talks a lot about self love and worth, sometimes too directly. Instead of letting those ideas grow naturally through the characters, it repeats them until they start to feel instructional. Love here is careful, restrained, almost afraid of crossing lines. That makes sense emotionally but it also leaves the romance feeling slightly unfinished.

And somewhere in the middle of all this, I found myself thinking about other stories that used distance and connection not just as a gimmick, but as a way to explore longing, timing, and identity. Not because 0.1% World fails but because it shows how close it comes without fully crossing that line. The difference isn’t ambition. It’s depth.

Still, there are lines that stay with me:

“Maybe some things are better left in memories. Some people are meant to be missed.”

“Why are you wearing gloves?”
“Hands are very important for a pianist. If my hand is hurt, you won’t be able to play the piano again.”

0.1% World is a watchable, sometimes charming, sometimes frustrating. You’ll smile at the fluff. You’ll enjoy the banter. You might even feel a quiet ache settle in your chest during certain scenes. But you’ll probably walk away thinking: this could have gone deeper.

Some stories stay with you because they change you.
This one stays because it reminds you how rare it is to be truly understood, even briefly.

And maybe that’s what the 0.1% really is.

Read More

Dorm is not exactly a horror movie in the traditional sense.

Ton (the main character) is a bold, assertive, extroverted young boy with many friends. He's enjoying his life until his father, with whom he has a poor relationship, decides to pack and ship him off to a boarding school in Chon Buri. His father says he wants him to spend more time on studying than watching television, but Ton knows that is a lie—he knows his father is having an affair and his father has sent him away so that he never reveals the truth.

At first he's lonely and does not fit in well. The strict administrator, Miss Pranee, doesn't seem to be doing much to make his adjustment to the school easy. All this changes when he befriends Vichien (the secondary protagonist), whom he soon learns is a ghost who dies every night. It seems Miss Pranee appears to be a common denominator in his death— nobody can quite figure out why.

The movie is best described as average—the acting, cinematography, directing, and script are just okay. Nothing too bad, but nothing too great either. The predictable plot is drawn out.

Read More

A Heart-Warming & Fun Ride You Shouldn’t Miss

As the film begins, Cha Eun Woo's character did warn us that it will be a sad story. But as it concludes, his character agrees, that maybe it was not that sad. And I couldn't agree more. This is one of the movies that will stay with me for a long time, and I couldn't have asked for a better start to my 2026 viewing experience.

I had been wanting to see this movie because of the cast in it. I think anyone who's familiar with Korean entertainment would have seen the cast members in more than one work, and know that individually they are a powerhouse. Together, they were even better. The story is about friendship, how it changes over time and about how friends struggle to find the "next time" to do something together as they grow up. It carefully, cleverly, humorously and tearfully shows us how that "next time" happens for these friends as they plan to go on a trip to Thailand.

I understood the plot twist early on - yet it left me in tears. Yes, it has elements and fun as you'd expect from stories about friendship (think: The Hangover) and at the same time you need to keep tissues handy (think: 20th Century Girl, Way Back Home, Soulmate etc. I don't want to give out spoilers, but a fair warning. Personally, I don't like to watch such movies, cause hits home on a personal level. But then I can't help how beautifully they have addressed heavy topics of loss, with a dash of humour and lots of heart.

Definitely a one-time watch for sure - you'd not be bored, and enjoy the ride. And the message: "next time" it is indeed vague, so value the present and make the most of it. This is definitely my mantra for 2026 - you'll know why when you see the film. I am not giving it a 10 cause while I found no faults, it is a bit low on the rewatch aspect.

Read More

Tender and intense in correct moments!

This show was clearly done well, the production was amazing! But I mean it was Netflix show after all!

I loved the cinematography, it was very well executed. I was immersed in the movie's world right away, unable to take my eyes off the screen. The lights, colors, movements, camera angles, all of it! All those aspects came together and created a beautiful and emotional story as well as the amazing atmosphere.

We got both tender and intense moments woven together. I could feel the emotions through the actors movements, without anyone saying a word. I was enchanted by the actors movements, those dance skills surely needed a lot of work! I also loved the quiet but strong emotions we could feel in many scenes.

All in all I loved this movie! It was fresh, well executed and beautiful as a whole.

Read More