Reviews

find the Director's cut

If you can find it, the Director's Cut really makes the story make a lot more sense. It adds only 20-30 minutes but frankly I'm not sure why those scenes were cut while the long boring parts of the father in the hospital remained. It clocks in at 3 hours though so it is quite long.

This is one of my all-time favorite films. While it's not perfect it still makes me cry in all of the same places, especially the ending. For me Ying was the most important character and the hero of the film. But I am a sucker for unrequited love stories and characters who give up their loves because it's best for everyone.

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I really like it

If you watched Pornographer, you “must” watch Playback and Spring Life Continued. I posted before, according to the Twitter of the production company, the correct order to watch is Pornographer, Mood Indigo, Spring Life, Playback and Spring Life Continued. I didn’t know this and watched SLC first before Playback because SLC was available. Not a big deal but watching SLC the last will definitely give you a better feeling of completion. I have to admit I haven’t watched Indigo because Kido creeps me out. I will probably watch it eventually.
Now about Playback, I love this better than Pornographer. This dives deeper into the personality of Rio and the development of their relationship. I think the whole series is a 9 for me. But bear in mind this is a movie, so compared to the series, everything here is a little rushed. I still think it showed everything needed to be told. I don’t really think I have spoiler in this review but I checked that anyway. ☺️

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The long road to the destination we all knew

The first thing I want to say is that I deeply appreciate that they made the decision to make this a movie and not a second season, a few months ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that the world faced, the format of home series invaded us, some very good (like Gameboys or Hello Stranger) and others so bad, but so bad that I will not even mention them here because I refuse to give them even the slightest recognition.

Obviating the production and acting, these series were a success mainly because of the proximity, around the globe as has rarely been seen before, we were all living a situation similar to those presented in these series, we all had to face the new model educational and work, loneliness, confinement, fear and uncertainty, we all feel for a moment that the world stopped, in that context is where these series are born that quickly conquered our hearts for their simplicity, but at the same time familiarity.

And although the situation continues to be complicated (unfortunately in some countries more than in others) the reality is also that in a certain way the return to "normality" has begun to occur gradually, so it seems to me a more than correct decision to place this film is that transition towards a normality more similar to the status quo, keeping the distance clearly.

Now leaving that point established, we walk itself to the history of the film, although I think it is a bit "unnecessary" it did not seem bad at all, but let me sink in on this point; the first season (let's hope only one, that the BL has already demonstrated with enthusiasm that the second seasons are not its strong suit) closed the plot that had been presented to us from the beginning, although they are not explicitly "boyfriends" it is more than clear that their feelings are mutual and the rest can be concluded by the spectator himself.

The film decides to go the lengthy way in search of that ending that we all knew they would have, please no one expected that they did not stay together, it would have been an intrepid decision (perhaps based on genuine moments of frenzy caused by the strange pandemic life) but That was never on the way to take and it shows in the second one, well, the point is that due to fate, the ex-girlfriend of one of the protagonists needs it and he sacrifices his true love for his sense of responsibility, so far nothing new the truth, the protagonists are forced to live together on a school trip and it is from this point that everything turns into a great check of all the tropes of any series or romantic movie, BL or not: same room, seeing themselves naked "casually", feeling jealous for a new subject (who has zero possibilities, even more so if his introduction happens in the middle of the film, the viewer would never forgive that, mainly because do not know this new character at all), a breakup, a new failed reboot attempt, a public confrontation, a character that very Obi Wan makes the character or characters reflect on their true feelings, a beautiful reconciliation and confession in the beach, a kiss, the end.

As I said, a great check of everything that has to be done in a film, the reality is that it does not contribute anything new, or innovative and many of the emotional and close resources of the series are lost here, however, the film does not It is bad, it is quite short so it is not annoying at any point.

Despite being a fairly common film, it has some elements that make it entertaining, to begin with, all the main and secondary characters are pleasant, none of them is a villain, nor are they intriguing people or anything like that, they are normal young adults and despite that there are some tensions between them, each and everyone acts like normal people, they are polite among themselves and their intentions for others are not negative, although they are selfish at times, but under the line of real people.

Let's see a bit of the party scene, I liked it a lot, the main reason I think is that despite them being the focus of the scene from the viewer's point of view, they are not the center of the action for the rest of the characters, they are one more, living their own affairs, this of course is personal taste, but something that in general bothers me about the teenage or college romance series is that: it seems that everyone cares too much about what they do, in life really things are not like that, maybe your friends care a bit, but let's not lose our minds, no one is going to found a fan club for you, least of all at university those people are only worried about surviving; so personally the montage the scene seemed like a pretty good decision.

Anyway, the film does not add anything new to its own history, nor to the world of cinema in general, but it is entertaining and the romance is sweet, the good thing is that you can also see the series and the film as separate products so the existence of neither of them ruins the other for you, which in general is a good creative decision in this type of production.

Finally, I don't want to leave without mentioning: What happened to JC Alcantara? What do you feed that boy? He grew like a lot, right? He is also beautiful, he realizes.

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Paradise is too cloudy

This is a genuine gangster movie, it's what you expect from a gangster movie: blood and violence galore and it's not disappointing in that regard.

The film presents us with a vision rarely seen in K-Dramas, a Korea mired in corruption and moral destruction, at least from the perspective of the characters, which I think is portrayed very well in the dark and warm colors in the ones that the whole movie is presented.

The great virtue of the film, we undoubtedly find it in the cast, from the main ones who do a wonderful job, to the secondary and background actors who help to increasingly reinforce the idea of ​​the moral decadence of the protagonists, is simply wonderful how each and every one of the actors is committed to their work and immersed in the world that the film poses.

Now perhaps, my problem with the film is that it pretends to be a little deeper than it really is, the is violent and raw and that is what they want to reflect at all times, and that is why there are so many dialogues about death and the search for death it throughout the film, however I do not think it contributes anything beyond that, at times it seems that it seeks to become, more in a thriller of intrigue and persecution, but from the second one is more than clear that It is not the path I will take in the end.

The film is not hopeful at any time, from the beginning to the end you know that the lives of these people are only sinking more and more, for me it is what made the film entertaining, it was easy for me to enter the world of the film, understand how their characters saw life and knowing that the film was only going to be a bloody and violent festival without redemptions, because they were not necessary, it was not the aspiration of the story that its characters change or be better.

The movie is good and entertaining if you manage to get into the conventions, but if you can't, the most likely thing is that you won't be able to enjoy it and, on the contrary, it leaves you with a feeling of dissatisfaction, so I suggest that it be viewed with caution and discretion. Even so for the mere performances I think it's worth giving it a try.

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The story telling is well constructed and discloses its plot like a puzzle with a twist at the end I never saw coming if you like revenge or vengeance story this is a good movie to watch. The strength of the movie can also be its weakness the biggest issue for the story in my opinion after almost an hour into the movie, I still don't know what is the intention of the lead character and why is she doing what she is doing. Next issue is the side characters in the movie especially the police, they are bland and boring, they had very little background information and were there to fulfill a particular purpose, such as the detective he is there when murder took place and he did job which is to only investigate the case.

Acting in the movie, only the lead actress and the actor playing detective OH are the stand out in this movie, they did a fine job. The rest are not bad.

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Short Review

I dont know about you guys but, this movie made me cry ugly tears. The plot was amazing, I was confused at first but i got more and more into it. It was literally everything. I'm sure the editing and things for the aliens and stuff, that was AMAZING. Like, look how good of the editing it was, Literally. I didn't expect to cry since i dont watch cry while watching much dramas/movies. This one made me feel some type of way. It was really good. I enjoyed this, i dont know why people gave it bad reviews, everything was amazing. I recommend this to people who like sci-fi, robot, alien things. This movie was amazing. I'd rewatch this again.

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Surprisingly Poignant

It is packed with very good storytelling and believable human drama. Two somewhat dichotomous individuals meet by chance and get to explore and see each others qualities and flaws in a different light. This is a surprisingly well written movie with some excellent dialogue that helps move this story along fast and furious, but it still does not feel rushed. This is a good solid story. The screen chemistry between the two main actors was palpable and very good. This flows much better as a movie than the series but both are the same. It is just easier to follow in movie format. You can read my full review of this good movie at www.BLBliss.com.

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always choose the 2nd lead!

1st of all I have to say, I'm a huge fan of both SYJ and KKW, but I'm not biased when I say their acting performance was amazing!

I'm not sure if they were purposely "obvious" cuz they just wanted the journey not the shock value, or if it's just as I call it "mystery genres are dead"

I have lost hope in all crime genres and mysteries, it's been atleast 5 years since I thought a twist was shocking or revolutionary so it's nothing new for a twist to not faze me, and indeed I saw through it all but still it was a great watch


now for the story, to be honest, with stories like this there's always 2 options; it's real or it's fake. we've seen so many stories about having visions of the future so it's not that shocking to see her believe it, but I'll say the writer played it too safe by making all the "unfortunate" events around girls and worse, those girls didn't talk

so the only outcome is, memories, ie recalling which shows how a good title can atleast hide the plot, or they never intended to


so basically their plot twist was obvious, they wanted to make us doubt Seon Woo because that's where it usually leads to, the girl who forgets and the killer who pretends to be her husband, Secret Obsession had that plot to T. so even if the 1st time it seems "twisty", I knew they weren't going there..
also, actually the point I liked this was how obviously Seon Woo loved her. though as an actor I know he can pull both the sweet and the dark so I didn't doubt him as a serial killer but it was a nice subtle touch. as if to say "never doubt him"

also the fact that Yeom Hye Ran came and heavily implied that her husband abused her was a clear sign, also the way Seon Woo acted when he finally got caught, as if he was begging Soo Jin to believe his lies..



now the only thing that shocked me was how Ji Hoon was alive xD I thought that was another recalculation leading to the moment she got hurt, but it was wrapped up too fast and I hated how they had to kill Seon Woo cuz you know, he killed before and he's a main so he can't have a happily ever after

so I refuse to acknowledge that ending and will think they both finally fled their misfortunes and lived happily ever after

ok, I'll complain more on how both events would've been "self defense" so they reeeaaalllly didn't need to hide it or even worse bury a live body..

the ost was basic but I appreciated the low volume on the chewing, and I'd actually want to rewatch this but I would want the fire and hospital scene cut xD

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It was so touchingly good. Everything hurts.

You know with the tragic past / medical dramas that you'd better be going in with a box of tissue.
The acting was amazing -- well of course, we got seasoned actress Yoshitaka Yuriko and upcoming rising star Yokohama Ryuusei
And villain-wise we got Machida Keita which was a hugeeee surprise for me <3 (known for Cherry Magic!)

I really like the way this was shot, with some slow and fast development
The best part was seeing that dog grow up LOL. Suku is so cute (and no it doesn't die in case you needed to check #DoesTheDogDie)
The main storyline... Well I don't really agree with some of the things the male lead did, but since it's a movie it didn't lead to an overbearingly stupid draggy plotline so I don't complain
In fact his decisions brought me the biggest crying point of the movie where I continued crying until pretty much the very end because of how touchingly sad everything was.

Anyway, watch if you're ready for a feels trip and enjoy good production value, good acting, and a cute dog. Don't watch if you like happy movies because this is obviously not it.

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One to see

I almost started sobbing in the end really. Based on the description it's not really what you would expect, but in a pretty good way. In my opinion it is more about a daughter learning about the ups and downs of her seemingly unaffected mother who was phased by the deaths of her husband and father in law. Through this we learn what her mother meant when she said, "Goodbyes are easier with the ones dead than those alive." She had her heart broken time again by her loved one saying goodbye and had to put herself back together time and time again making her a character that you pity by the end and maybe mad at her even though you understand why she did what she did.
The casting is very great Sandra and Vicky are two talented actresses and we were able to feel everything that they felt especially in the end. One thing I thought awkward was that Qi Yitian was seemingly playing a 20-23 year old but his actor at the time was 30-31 so while watching this all I could think was that he doesn't look like he is in his early twenties.
The music really gets to you in the end and while the lyrics are a bit corny they will tear at your heart. Overall this is a movie that you should watch if you get the chance!! Maybe this won't become your favorite movie but one you can enjoy!!

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Get to go! Easy going.....

Okay so before we start forget whatever you thought about this movie. My review is gonna fill new ideas.
This movie is like Shazaam! if u have seen this english movie before you get what i am talking about but for those who didnt its like a family comedy movie with a good vibe. This is gonna be a very short review since you can pretty sure guess now.
The director of this movie sure is versatile. This aint nothing like his other movies. Trust me, you will be laughing in places and you wont even know. Pay attention to the minute details if you do, the comedy will increase.
The actors did a good job but not a great job except for RSR and since the others characters have short screen time i couldnt decide much. Anyways overall it fit together.
This is the type of movie you see for fun or with family or with kids. A basic Disney movie with a good ending about how much parents love kids even though they do mistakes.
ENJOY Y'ALL!

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So many Half-baked Stories!

I didn't like 'Yakuza and The Family'. Maybe because it tries to cover too much, there are lots of half-baked stories that don't make sense. For example, both the guy's best friend and his woman_adults with decades of life experience_show extreme behaviours: one moment totally rejecting him and then immediately helping and accepting him into their lives; and then when things go wrong, leaving him alone and putting all the blame on him. What exactly did they expect?

In any case, I wish he would talk to me after his prison time: I have a simple suggestion for him: Don't show up for 1 or 2 years, maybe travel to some distant city, but keep connection with friends and family. And then gradually coming back to normal and family life. I swear to God that I could guarantee a happy family life for the father, mother and the kid.

Last but not least, it was nice to see that Japan slowly but surely has reduced the Yakuza problem. This slow disappearance is the best!

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This series has a story. A very good story.

The story line is nice, and ofc the acting skills are very good and powerfullllll. Its nice because you can see the love and care they have for each other, even the principal you can see how she cares for the kid. I love the way they care for each other.
(I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY)

(YOU MUST WAAAAAAAAATCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

YOU MAY LOVE THE CHARATERS TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

I DONT KNOW WHAT YO SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! JUST WATTTTTTTCHHHHHHHH THIS SERIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

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Is this BL?

I like this movie a lot, even though I'm not wild about the ending.

I think it is an excellent piece of queer cinema, although not necessarily BL. It doesn't use any of the tropes, archetypes or narrative beats I would expect from the genre.

I would recommended it as queer cinema. Beautifully filmed and acted, thoughtful and thought provoking. Although it is more likely to make you cry than smile.

It's one of Taiwan's few queer film pieces of this type, and stylistically it owes a lot to early Japanese queer cinema. Which, in turn makes me think of the new Japanese stuff we've been getting that harkens to those roots like Restart After Come Back Home or His the movie, but less cerebral as it has Taiwan's signature excellent chemistry and visceral passion.

Your Name owes a lot to its sibling source (?) project 2017's Red Balloon. So If you enjoyed YNEH then you should track that one down, it shares a main actor. You'll probably find it worth watching. Korea's Just Friends? also tackles enlistment but is way more BL.

I feel like if you're a big fan of YNEH then you probably also enjoyed (or would enjoy)

Love of Siam (Thai)
I Told the Sunset About You (Thai)
Present Perfect (Thai)
Life: Love on the Line (Japan)
Junjou (Japan)
Does the Flower Bloom? (Japan)
Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese (Japan) v. explicit
Gaya Sa Pelikula (Pinoy)
Papa & Daddy (Taiwan)
Goodbye Mother (Vietnam)

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