Reviews

Martial Arts Parody on Crack

If you start this expecting a serious or even a simple comedy with martial arts element, the chances of one being disappointed will be quite high. This was parody, and had not one serious moment in the whole show, or any particularly coherent plot.

That said, there was a basic plot about a princess attempting to save her kingdom from the queen (and her lover). This movie detailed her adventures in trying to seize the throne back from the usurper.

More than that, however, this was also a comedy of circumstances of familiar characters from Jin Yong’s (Louis Cha) classic martial arts novel, “Legend of the Eagle Shooting Heroes”, though one could be forgiven if no character seemed recognizable in this movie except for their names.

Populated by stars from the HK entertainment industry’s heyday (1980-90s), this show was worth watching just for that, if one is a fan.

This was crack parody of the best kind, and if one watches it without preconceived ideas and just let the physical and nonsensical comedy flow as they come, one is in for an entertaining show full of belly laughs.

Give it a try, if so inclined.

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short & very fast version of Korean AutumnTale

Maybe the one represent my mind already wrote by baylyn. Yeah rather than movie this more like very very long trailer. This movie really remind me of Korean classic endless love story drama, that today I just find out the real title is Autumn Tale & this movie based on.

If you just watch this movie you will find out many many plot holes & confusion along the way. It just so confusing with their way jumping from 1 scene to other. The one supposed to be very loveable & touching scene & plot became so annoying & short with all the lack of explanation.

Yeah I really hope for China to have this version of drama instead they insisted to make a movie out of this drama. Actually this drama can be a good movie if you know how to make the right scrip & where to stop at this drama.

If you want to have all the right feeling for this movie, just skip this movie & just watch the Korean version of Autumn Tale. That drama make my eyes so sour to open because so many cry I did while watch that drama :P. I give this movie quite high rating because I still honor the Korean drama plot itself.

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a light youth drama

Decided to watch this movie because G.E.M. sang the OST and it's honestly one of the most fitting songs. Honestly, this movie was alright, it's definitely kind of predictable but not too cliche. If you're looking for a light romance/youth movie to watch, this is the one. It's not too emotion-heavy or deep, and pretty comedic in some scenes, so it's on the more playful side.

First time seeing the actors/actresses but I enjoyed their acting, it definitely wasn't a let-down, their depictions of their emotion was really convincing, so props :)

If i had to critique it: It's kind of frustrating in some places because misunderstandings between the male and female lead, also it doesn't help that the second lead is the obstacle 99% of the time. (I know this is part of the plot to build up the finale and make the ending climatic)

Overall, though, Do You Love Me as I Love You is a pretty decent movie to watch and definitely enjoyable.

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one of the best movies ive watched

coming from someone who only watching romance movies / dramas i wanted to watch this only because someone recommended it and even then it took me a while to just sit down and watch it but once i started it i was glued to my tv, it was so
(i am not super great at writing reviews i just felt like this movie deserved it,)
the plot of Better days is so emotional and sadly realistic in some aspects it was always keeping me interested into how it would turn out for the two mains and i just wanted things to be easier for both of them,
and if the plot and important message of this movie alone isn't good enough for you to watch it then you are in for a treat because everything about this movie was beautiful, the cinematography and scenes were perfect it felt so real and 100% convincing, every emotion that characters felt in the moment was displayed on screen so well and it made you feel the things they felt, it gave you a deeper dive into how they felt. The music was really fitting and was added in when needed (not to much not to little) + the intro set the tone of the movie well (into scene confused me at first but was short and i understood it at the end of the movie so its no big deal). The cast was a 10/10 for me, they fit the characters so well and the acting never made me cringe or even think they could do better, both main leads did an amazing job of getting into the characters, it felt so real the whole movie. this movie was so amazing and i could definitely re-watch it many times (i probably will be)
don't have a lot to say but if you haven't watched this movie you definitely should (please read the tags and make sure you can deal with topics that are discussed / shown in this movie)

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Don’t Bother

I watched this because I chanced upon a drama list video which introduced this movie as a must watch because it’s cool and interesting.

I was filled with anticipation and could not wait to watch the movie! But, this movie isn’t good at all.

Don’t bother with it because:
- there isn’t much plot / storyline
- the action was mundane - just a lot of climbing
- there’s nothing much to this movie

I watched because I liked both the male lead and female lead. They did their job/ roles well but this movie is totally nothing to shout about. It’s kind of boring actually. I fast forwarded it. There’s nothing touching, nothing romantic, nothing really happens.

Don’t bother.

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When it comes to movies about historical figures I tend to take them with a grain of salt, sometimes a whole bag. I'm neither familiar with Xuan Zang's life nor am I a scholar of Buddhism or this time period so this review is based sheerly on my enjoyment of this film as a work of art. Though I am sure there are discrepancies as with most historical films I have no quarrel with the filmmakers for at least the major characters were dealt with respectfully. I've also neither read the novel nor seen the movie Journey to the West which are based on Xuan's life.

Xuan Zang set out for India, when it was forbidden to leave the country, in order to bring copies of more accurate Buddhist scriptures home. Reason, laws, and the threat of death could not deter him from his holy quest.

The cinematography was extraordinary and a treat for the eyes as Xuan traveled through both cities and desert wilderness, often alone. Varying from lush green to desolate sand and stone, and later snow capped mountains, the scenery was breath-taking. Ancient ruins, temples, and shrines are visited. Often the scenery showed him barely visible, a tiny monk making his way through a vast and sacred world. The music fit with the mood perfectly.

This is a slow, reflective film as Xuan's faith meets up against disappointment and hardship. Living in a time when I can find information with the push of a button, I'm in awe of someone who was willing to risk death, imprisonment, starvation, and thirst to increase his knowledge and faith and then the overwhelming desire to bring it back home again to share. His journey took between 16 and 19 years depending on the source and he covered over 25,000 km (15,534 miles). This film gives a glimpse of what he accomplished, the people he met, the effect he had on others, and the joy the scriptures brought to him. There are a couple of narrative hiccoughs when an inexplicable time and place jump occur, but that's a rarity, and a small quibble. The censor's heavy hand causes a few shadows as well. For the most part this is a film to soothe the eyes, ears, and soul. Every moment and person is treated as holy and a gift. It may be the idealized version of his life but it was a pleasure to sink into it and let the beauty of the colors and notes and love for all life wash over me.

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Obviously, comparing one film or television show to another can only go so far in terms of giving the viewer an accurate understanding/expectation of what they are about to watch, but I think it is a fair assessment to say that this little film is very reminiscent of such gems as Our Times and Crazy Little Thing Called Love (the movie, not the drama). They are not exactly the same, of course, as they each utilize different prominent tropes, and just because you like one, that does not mean you will like the other two. But for me, all three evoke similar feelings and explore similar themes, thus my comparison. There's ample parts nostalgia for the best parts of childhood (on behalf of the adult viewers like me, obviously), the pangs of a crush (requited/unrequited), the awkwardness of being young, the heartbreak and disappointment of wanting something and not getting it, how Intense everything feels when you're still growing up. For me, these three movies just get all of these things right, and that's pretty important for a youth film to work.

As far as Love the Way You Are is specifically concerned, I love most everything. I love the main characters, I love the storyline, I think the acting is pretty fantastic, I will never get tired of revisiting the themes of these sorts of films, and even the expectedly silly and nonsensical bits were immense amounts of fun. I did find the ending to be a bit over-drawn, which is not necessarily a surprise to me. I always enjoy getting to see the male leads point of view after seeing everything through the female lead's eyes for so long. Even though his feelings are pretty obvious, it was cute to watch them unfold. But it was such a long sequence of him going through every single meaningful moment of the film that I couldn't help but feel that maybe it didn't need to take quite that long. Cest-la-vie, I guess.

For me, this was a charming little movie that I would gladly watch again.

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Pretty dark shitt

This film has a certain kind of 2000's vibe, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio,camera work, the mood, shots,direction and cinematography everything was spectacular.The characters were pretty fucked up through I don't know if it's really how Japanese kids are but I guess that's how they try to portray their lives in movies.I liked it a lot it's pretty good imo.I can't imagine myself as any of the characters they all were kinda fucked I hope if anyone's going through this they may find warmth and peace. How should I put it I haven't watched such kind of film in a long time so i feel kinda depressed after watching this but I enjoyed it anyway. You should definitely watch it if you enjoy depressing dark movies, this is the sort of film not everyone can appreciate though.

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Human are more dangerous than demons

A human mad with desire is far more dangerous than any demon." -Ogre,
Yes, this quote completely describes the movie, with various human characters showing their vulnerable, wicked, hideous, and ruffian sides only to fulfill their greed of becoming superior.

This was the third installment in the Hanaoni trilogy. This part shows the story of Tochizuka Momoko, who is the bride of a demon but is dumped by her groom. as the story moves forward, I realized that it's the first part of the Hanaoni, but from the perspective of Momoko. It shows why she did crazy stuff in the first part, making Kanna's life difficult in school.
Many sympathize with Momoko, saying she did everything to survive in the school, but doing crazy stuff and plotting against others in whatever condition you are is not right. however, I liked her character shades, proving her vulnerable side as a weak girl, but then a jealous girl showing her evilness. Hibiki was a notorious character who showed his best in end, which fulfilled the purpose of his presence worth in the movie.

The chemistry is amazing, her relationship with Horikawa Hibiki, which keeps getting deeper each day. While appreciating each other better and also accepting each other past, it was pleasing to watch. I liked this movie more because I had a soft stop for Kanna. Her chemistry with Kaki is delightful to watch, although it has less screen-time, it felt satisfying to see them together.

the ending is worth watching, which certainly did not predict but is a great surprise for me. and tell you that I absolutely loved it.

The BGM was repetitive from the previous movies but that was fine as it only enhanced the scene more beautifully.
Having known the story once, which is like I know what's in the box, it wouldn't give the same feel like the first time, while I was curious, but I guess I will give it a rewatch with part 1 of the movie.

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A HIDDEN GEM

I kinda get why this didn't get that much attention in Korea as this topic is pretty taboo and I preach the writer for the genre and storyline they choose.

The cast may not be those actors and actresses you see everywhere in a drama but I'm really impressed by their portrayal especially the main character. The emotions and characterization every actor in this film showed is one of a kind, this may come off as a comedy film at the trailer but this story is much more than that, the realism of every situation is kinda scary because you know this really happens in real life. The story speaks a lot for the teens and young adults who struggles and it portrayed it very well.

Young adult matters.

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I usually don't frequently watch movies or shows that were like autobiographical accounts of real life people simply because I can't bear watching if anything bad happened to the people shown in the show, since it's based on real life events. But sometimes I do brave through it since one should try to learn about the past and understand the history of things that shaped the present.

That said, it was interesting to see how the freedom fighters in the past try to fight against the colonist at its own land. Park Yeol was indeed an intriguing person and his love affair with Kaneko Fumiko was really so sweet. It's amazing to witness how Park Yeol continued to fight for his country and in the process enlightening even the local Japanese allies to try to change their country.

Lee Jehoon never ceased to amaze with every role he played. He really brings out the eccentricity of Park Yeol's personality as well as strength of character.

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Fun, uplifting and motivating

Hilarious yet heartfelt, this movie is a celebration of youth, friendship and finding your place in the world. It'll definitely make you want to call your friends (and maybe move to a remote village!)

Story - A little far fetched at times, but that can be expected of a comedy, and they played it really well. It was quite predictable of the genre but in a good way, 8.5/10

Cast - The acting was all good and very convincing, 10/10

Music - Soundtrack was perfect, lots of bright, upbeat music that perfectly complements the scene. The music completes this movie, 10/10

Rewatch value - I'm not the type to rewatch movies often, but this is a light, happy movie that you could definitely rewatch if you wanted to, 8.5/10

Overall, Coffee or Tea is a very fun, touching comedy with plenty of thought-provoking moments. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but was more profound than I expected. If you're looking for a movie to make you smile, then this is the one!

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Based on a manhua, A Man Called Hero can at times look like a cartoon come to life. That's both a compliment and a complaint. When Hero, the hero of the story, wields the red glowing sword of destiny in the opening scenes you know you've entered fantasy territory.

The story takes place early on in China, then mostly in the United States, with a side trip to Japan. The narrative is constantly broken up by the use of flashbacks telling Hero's story which I found distracting. There were times it was hard to tell what time the characters were in and where they were located. Characters twenty years older tended to look almost the same as they did when they were younger to further confuse the issue.

It took a while to figure out the central conflicts were other than Hero being born under a “death star” which means he had to be a loner who wanted to be alone to keep his loved ones safe. Turns out a shady Japanese ninja and his henchmen wanted the kung fu secret of Hero's master which pitted Invincible and his ninja crew against Hero. It’s a martial arts movie which means they don’t need much of a reason to fight, but it’s always helpful to have a believable reason.

A Man Called Hero boasted a stellar cast though few had much screen time. It truly seemed a waste of Shu Qi, Ken Lo, and Yuen Biao. Bit characters became important and seemingly important characters dropped out of sight. There was a dearth of character development outside of Hero's and even then, we're missing out on nearly 20 years of story. It's hard to care about characters who only spent a few minutes on screen. Even the father-son relationship felt hollow. There were a lot of major plot holes that were never filled.

The special effects were very good, especially when the shape shifting ninjas who were dressed like chauffeurs battled Hero and his buddy Shadow. In a movie with so little character development, it would have benefited from more stunning action scenes than the few it had.

A Man Called Hero was mildly diverting but there wasn't enough depth or bright shiny objects to keep my attention through much of it. If you are a fan of Ekin Cheng, this particular manhua and know the story, or even a CGI buff, you might enjoy it. Kung fu enthusiasts may be disappointed.

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