Reviews

LOVVVEED IT!!!!!

This was a beautiful movie.
There are sooo many things that I loved about this movie but I'll include only a few
1) It was set in the countryside of Japan which in itself gives the movie such a calm and soothing vibe. It even goes well with the theme of the movie cause sometimes just a calm atmosphere can solve a lot of problems.
2) The little girl's perspective. I was just beautiful to watch how simple somethings are but we adults just complicate it. The time she said that papa likes shun and shun likes papa too, why is that weird, it's not weird right. Then towards the end ' If you say sorry to mama then papa, mama, shun and sura can all live together '. All this made me tear up because this reminded me of one of the sentences of Hayao Miyazaki that 'children are special because they are not affected by the logistics and common sense of adults'. This just tells how simple everything is for children, they see it as what it is and not complicate it.
3) When shun just come out to the people in town and they just accepted it as it was nothing different and the old lady said " Shun, Live Proudly ".
It was such a wholesome movie and I even loved the ending.

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WARNING: This may destroy Pharm/Bank's image but this will prove Fluke's acting range

I had put off watching this movie for a long time because of the odd premise and the reviews I read. But I really missed Fluke's acting and this one was conveniently on Netflix, so I went for me.

Oh boy.

While watching it, I found it intriguing (and disturbing), but as the ending credits roll, I looked back and found it hard to pinpoint the key message of the film.

What did I just watch?

What was the movie trying to convey? It left me scratching my head.

Fluke's acting was impeccable. As the OST song (sorta) went, "Even if it's wrong, I'll still watch it for you".

A a character, Wine was a bag of contradictions. The opening scene set a trap for viewers by painting Wine as a victim - being told by his loved one, right after s*x, that he had never loved Wine and that he was just using Wine for his ass. And that coloured my vision of Wine's actions. Even though what Wine subsequently did was clearly wrong, I couldn't put it against him. To my horror, I was screaming for Wine not to release Tee because his trust will surely be betrayed again.

But Wine is not a victim. Even in the case of Boy, Wine was the one who approached Boy. They were willing buyer and seller (gosh, this film!!) of s*x and benefits.

What about Night? Did he really love Wine? Or was it also a for-benefits type of relationship?

Towards the end of the movie, I had the idea that perhaps Night isn't real. Perhaps he was just a fragment of Wine's imagination. Because he sorely wanted to find someone who loves him and will never leave him, crushed by the prank Tee pulled on him in the deserted building, Wine just imagined a person who's survival relied entirely on him. The stakes are high - perfect to exhibit mutual love and commitment. Also perfect for revenge against those who did him wrong. We also see Night wearing the same clothes as Wine. Is he an alter-ego, the hidden, ruthless side of Wine? Is that why he has to be hidden in the dark and cannot go under the sun? This would also explain the illogical final scene - the guitar and Night appearing in the cell out of the blue.

But then I recall that even outside of Wine's memories, there was someone who saw Night (the student at the phone booth). So perhaps that split personality theory doesn't stand either.

I'm really confused, but not motivated to think deeper into the movie.

The highlight of the film is definitely Fluke's acting. Although this was made several years back in the early years of Fluke's acting career, he did a very good job in his portrayal of this multi-layered character. Gentle and passionate towards Night, guilty yet cruel towards Tee, sly and manipulative towards Boy - he was all of that, and more. A psychopath? I shudder.

(Bonus is the kissing scenes. One could really feel the heat of their desire from through the screen. Very professional!)

The last Fluke work I watched was My Bromance, and I was shocked by what I saw in this film. What versatility!

Perhaps the theme of the film is best summarised in the lyric of the OST:
"Please know that someone can do everything just for you. Because I love you with all my heart, nothing can stop me. Even if it's wrong, I'll still do it for you."

It's a romantic idea to think that one can do anything and everything for their loved ones. But what if that "everything" is wrong? And what defines what is wrong?

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a depressing movie, if there ever was one that fit the definition to a T

the start was weird, cause it opens with a sex scene and even though u can't see faces, u know its two guys and one of them (cause of the mullet) is Dae Shik. then u move to a scene where he is saying goodbye to a smaller-framed dude that is reluctant to part ways. u know its the "bottom" from the first scene (cause of his body-frame), and then he says "...ur my brother..." (⊙…⊙ ) and i'm like - is this some weird incest angle that i didn't foresee - but then thought, cause this is Korean maybe its more a term of endearment and respect, for an older "acquaintance" - just for a sec - that was an weird ass start (⊙_⊙;)

but this just gets so depressing. its more about life as a homeless person, the way society treats them, how they interact with each other - how they basically survive. to say its ruff is putting it lightly - its brutal!! then it is about a "love triangle" that's "starring" in the description. there really aint no love triangle here (!) Dae Shik falls for Suk Won and that's about it. Il Joo is a non-factor and even she wakes up to reality pretty quick, but cause of the life she has led - she tries to hang onto something that will never happen - and that's the end of that. there is not a sec where Suk Won was interested in Il Joo - its just physical and that also comes to not, as neither really want each other. even the scene where Il Joo prevents Suk Won from going with Dae Shik, was her using Dae Shik as a means to keep Dae Shik with her - then her wanting Suk Won. like Suk Won's staying back with Il Joo, not cause he cares for Il Joo in the least - but cause he just found out that Dae Shik is gay and, now he is worried/wondering if the only reason Dae Shik was so good to him, was cause he's after his ass -

Suk Won is a wounded/lost soul and from the little u see of Dae Shik - u get that not only is he the "leader" type, the one that walks in a takes charge (not in a bossy mean, muscle-head type, more personality wise, like a big-brother that takes care of all the lost souls). plus he is also the only one that finds it in himself to take care of those surrounding him - so little wonder all the other homeless people consider him "boss". he always keeps finding (collecting) wounded-souls to save whether it be suicidally lost Suk Won, or ironically (also) suicidally , depressed and jaded Il Joo - an each in turn latch onto him cause he is a safe-haven, that might help them weather the storm. ironically or not Dae Shik falls for Suk Won and as he knows Suk Won aint gay he just wants to be with him, take care of him without the need for reciprocation.
if anything this is more a love story. and not a "happily ever after" ending either. but there is a kind of acceptance and peace, between the leads, at the end. but after everything they've been through, u just want them to have a little peace and happiness, and in a way they do find it (but for a blink of an eye) and then over - the end.. bottom line good movie but very depressing

there is a lot more going on in this movie - and a ton of feelings bombarded u watching this - not a boring movie, but not for the faint of heart cause its really gruesome - the reality these people live on the daily - and feel like the big question that's never addressed is Dae Shik on the streets as penance for abandoning his family (son) but that's another matter - great acting but aish i'm sad

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What the heck did I just watch????

The romance is so thin here...particularly the resolution. And how strange was it to watch the male speak to everyone in English when he's surrounded by Koreans speaking their native tongue? Bizarre! Either choose another actor or pick a language lane!

So weird. I love this trope which is why I watched in the first place, but this didn't cut it for me. I was happy it was less than 2 hours which made it a quick binge, but there were so many flaws here.

Perhaps it just didn't age well. The "Pocahantas" comment comes to mind as well as others. I do think the FL is a good actress (can't say the same for the ML based on this anyway), but as a woman in the corporate world she made so many professional and personal faux pas it's unbelievable. (This fault lay in the writing and not the acting)

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Pretty cool movie, I really love the noir vibe. The visuals felt like seeing an animated movie that came into life, which was the best kind of noir environment. Hard to believe that the movie was made in 2016, instead of... like few decades earlier.

Making Hong Gildong a detective gave the character a unique kind of appeal compared to how the character was usually written, even more as an eccentric detective that moves like a ghost. Lee Jehoon really brings Hong Gildong's character to life with his portrayal of an eccentric thief-like detective with a mysterious past. Not to mention carrying a painful past.

I love the fact that the movie had Hong Gildong having to go around with two kids on tow in order to locate the person who had ties to his past. Really love the interaction they have between them as Gildong slowly started to open up his heart to the kids despite the kids being the grandchildren of his enemy.

Go Ara was really fit for her role of Chairman Hwang, like she really brings out the classy aura of the person who supported Hong Gildong from the shadows. And I have to say that Kim Sunghyun as the main villain was really cool; like some anime villain archetype, complete with his shiny glasses.

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Mr Icicle meets Mr Hot cup of milk

This drama is sweet but also makes me go what... The story is sweet we have the emotionally closed off icicle in desperate need of some one to though his col, cold heart and Mr heart or more fitting Mr Hot cup of milk who is a tad obsessive and in desperate need of a lesson in consent and finding his self worth.... Unlike other obsessive male leads this guy shows persistence without any aggression witch makes it hard to dislike him, This movie (also as a series) shows us the importance of equal footing in a relationship with the added bonus of sweet loan sharks.

All in all an okay watch.

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Good series, bad first movie

Everything was an excuse to someone rip the girl's clothes off.

If you ignore this fact (which is 90% of the content itself) you are left with some really really poor directing. I know it's the 70s, and it's low budget. BUT CAN YOU PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF ART DIRECT A GOOD SCENE AS WELL?? christ, in all the violence scenes people were punching the air!! You know, you can hit someone for real, it's not gonna kill themmm lmao, oh my god, I felt like the actors were afraid of kill each other with a god damn slap. Why can't you do some camera tricks to make the action look real?

Anyway, I won't touch the flaws in this movie (I only scratched the surface, don't wanna go there). It's a decent prison movie if you ignore everything else, also, unfortunately this first entry is actually necessary in order to understand Sasori's backstory and stuff... it's a pretty solid series in general, and the other movies are better (at least the second and the third, which are my personal favorites).

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Didn't see the plot twist coming

I enjoyed this movie even though there are a lot of negative reviews, which I guess are warranted. However, everyone has their own opinion but for me I just want an interesting plot and some great acting and I think this has both.
I've seen so many A-dramas now and I think this could be the only one that I did not see the plot twist at the end coming. I am still processing it, but at this point I think it worked.
Of course I have more sympathy for the FL, the ML gets what he deserves as he is not a very nice fellow, clutching at straws to settle. But who knows, FL may turn out ok, but it is just so uncertain as seen in her final expression in the film.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie.
It is getting harder to find good A-films/series as I have seen most all of them. I am hoping they keep coming.

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exquisite and a very tastefully done, simple love story

rewatched this movie after watching Song Seung Heon in Voice 4, LOL. i first discovered this movie after finding out that Liu Yifei was his real-life girlfriend then, and they had a movie together. i wanted to watch this movie because of this power-visual couple and boy, did they serve~

also i must say i was curious about Song Seung Heon dating someone who's not Korean when there are so many beautiful Korean celebrities already, but when i watch Liu Yifei in this movie, i kinda understand LOL. her beauty is insanely breath-taking.

i am not really a movie person. i used to watch a lot of older Bollywood movies that are very well done, so i don't know much about good romantic movies from East Asia. i particularly find this movie just exquisitely done. there's just a good mixture of happiness, sadness and cute moments that permeates into the story making it really tasteful and well-balanced imo. i also really loved the way he loved her, and is always considerate of her despite fate being so cruel to both of them. he's just an all around a remarkable portrayal of the life of the super-rich, yet deep inside is just another human being who's lonely and willing to fight for his love.

give me good stories of ill-fated love anytime and this is definitely one!

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Underwhelming execution & doesn't meet expectation plot-wise

Rurouni Kenshin-The Final

Great stunt without a doubt, however, in terms of plot & story wise, they didn't give enough justice to the manga. Enishi Jinchuu's arc doesn't give enough impact to the Final as it shoud be. Jinchuu's arc without Jinchuu's climax & neither Kenshin's character development (his struggle, how he overcome it, etc) also present in the show. Everything was conveniently solved & Kaoru's role hv been reduced significantly to be nothing but a damsel.

It's quite dissapointing, to see how they remove the most crucial arc from the last chapters of the manga so the movie felt underwhelming to me, "plot & moral of the story" wise.
Rather than being served as The Final, it felt more like Pre-The Beginning to see how they've made it in favour to Tomoe's arc too much but not to Kenshin's as the living character himself.

Still, if you're just looking for a great action-stunt movie, this one fits the bill & you won't be dissapointed.
It has one of the best, if not the best out there.

My final rating 8/10. I just can't express my dissapointment enough to think their potential have gone wasted, oh how it could be & what IF.

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The End

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final is the fourth and penultimate entry to the live-action adaptation series based on the Rurouni Kenshin manga series by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The final adaptation, Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning has already been released in Japan while the international release will follow soon after, so hopefully we won’t have to wait long for that.

Most of the production team remain the same, comprising the screenwriter-director, cinematographer, composer and costume designer who were involved in the previous 3 instalments. Therefore, we get pretty much the same high-level quality of production and technical execution. Takeru Satoh and Emi Takei reprise their roles of Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru respectively while Mackenyu Maeda joins the main cast as the primary antagonist, Yukishiro Enishi.

The plot this time revolves around revenge arising from events that transpire in Kenshin’s backstory, the brief revelation of which shall form the basis of the main story for the fifth and final instalment. Themes of love, vengeance and atonement are explored to the fullest as part of the melodramatic undertone throughout. Regular supporting characters take a backseat while the major developments and interactions are focused on the 3 main characters.

Though the plotline is minimalist and simplistic, there are certain unanswered questions that arise during the storytelling which, in the end, do not really matter or impact on the overall conclusion. The closure is clearly defined and, regardless of what happens in the sequel, this is pretty much the end of the Rurouni Kenshin saga. Perhaps certain elements could have been fleshed out more but, all things considered, I’m satisfied with how things turned out amidst the poetic nuances.

As far as the acting is concerned, Mackenyu Maeda’s Yukishiro Enishi gives a compelling portrayal of the tormented soul, despite the seemingly anachronistic vibes (his entire team appears steampunk). There isn’t much more to say about Takeru Satoh and Emi Takei - they already embody the characters that were essentially written for them.

The action, as usual, does not disappoint at all. The choreography of the sword fights and stunts is truly insane and literally takes your breath away. The final duel is one of the best I've seen in recent memory while the multiple "boss-fights" are equally astonishing. Even the closest recent comparison, Swordsman (starring Jang Hyuk) pales in comparison to this amazing spectacle of physics-defying human feats.

At the end of the day, if you’ve been following the Rurouni Kenshin series, then you have to watch the conclusion to the series through this production. For those who are new to the story, if you enjoy action and sword fights, this movie will not let you down.

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Great if you're bored

Alright so, I watched it because I had nothing to watch that could pass time and It's honestly not that interesting in my opinion. Sure the plot is alright and the visuals make it more interesting, but everything was just bland. The actors were good though ! The fact that it is in black and white makes it a bit more fun to watch. There's a little bit of homophobia and internalized homophobia, so beware if you're sensitive to that topic. Also there is a couple tiny sex scenes, maybe one or two but they aren't major or very graphic at all. Let me add that there might be a scene where some viewers may find disturbing and/or uncomfortable to watch, it's sexual, but I won't spoil it.

Overall, if you're really bored and just want something to watch, I recommend. But if you're actually trying to enjoy something I would recommend going for something else lol. But again, this is just my personal opinion !!

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What happens when scientists discover a planet hiding behind Jupiter that is home to Ghidorah and a bunch of devo sunglasses wearing aliens? Unfortunately, not a lot.

I would only recommend this movie to completionists or people who enjoy early 1960's sci-fi movies. When Godzilla does a little dance after a fight and uses his boxing method, there's also little doubt this movie was not made for adults.

Godzilla and Rodan have almost nothing to do until the last three-tenths of the movie. Most of the movie explores the story of the aliens attempting to take over Earth which might not have been so bad if they hadn't tried to overtake humans by boring them to death. There was a plot to use Godzilla and Rodan in their conquest, but let's be honest, Godzilla moves pretty slowly, it was going to have to be a long game. The plot was thin and convoluted even for a Godzilla film from this era right up to the ending. A thin plot can often be overcome by some interesting monster action. Even in that area this movie failed as parts of the action scenes were recycled from earlier movies.

I may be a Big G fan but even grading on a curve like I do with all of his movies, this one was disappointing.

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At least better than High Kick Girl

This one actually has a story and a director, and it's alright. But I feel like the whole movie could've been much shorter.

The fights are okay. The acting is OKAY. They cast a lot of real fighters (including the foreigner who plays Keith (he also played a random guy in High Kick Girl). There's Rina Takeda whose acting is good and fights really well. I think everyone else's acting were pretty much alright, nothing that would break your immersion. Of course there are a lot of lame plot moments but there's no need to get picky on this movie. Just stop.

The story is not bad but it's worthless. All there is to it is the action, which doesn't holds the film together in this case.
Wouldn't watch again and I don't recommend.

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