Reviews

Would have been better if it was a TV series!

What a cliché! - this is what came to my mind several times while watching this. The story feels like it was not written for a movie! But was one episode of a multiepisode drama! There was no time to explore or get atteched to anything! I did not really get what genre the story wanted to conform to..The friendship between the main leads was sweet but so rushed that you cannot feel the chemistry! Also I could predict exactly what was going to happen! Well, it's not like there was some mystery to begin with..and right when I got a little interested, it ended!
Great actors, bad story.
If it was a several episode longer TV drama with a string of different cases like the one in the movie, it would have been a hell lot interesting.

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Anything but swallow

If you're looking for a movie that contains a lot of love and romance, this isn't for you. You only realize after watching this movie what you have actually witnessed, regardless of what you think about it when you press play. It is a movie that tackles a lot of psychological problems and it is often misinterpreted by viewers. What makes this movie so worthwhile is often overlooked. The movie really is touching, not in a romantic way, but it will definitely capture your sympathy. If you're here for the steamy scenes, there's better movies for that. The negative aspect comes with the lack of dialogs, as I would certainly have enjoyed more backstory to the characters. However, again, it isn't a movie that's there for the romance and relationship building. Definitely worth a try, it isn't your typical lovey-dovey storyline as I personally don't think there's love involved at all.

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Short... but so sweet!

Story: Back story and world building was mostly through narration, but for a period drama and with such short time frame, it was good enough. And the back story was interspersed with scenes that made the plot move.

Acting/Cast: The two mains were really good. I don't know if they are veteran actors, but the way their eyes and voice projects their character's emotions and inner struggle. They are really good, even on par to those Cdrama actors in a Cdrama with a lot of funding.

Music: The ending ost is ok. Maybe because the film is short that is why there is no time for the OST to hit on me like other c-period drama had done.

Rewatch Value: Because it is short and has complete story, I will surely re-watch this in the future.

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My opinion about this movie

Really enjoyable movie.
What i liked about this movie: it was a really funny movie and the main-character played his part well even tho he didn'treally looked like the main character in this movie. They also talk about ghost but not in a scary way like a fun way.
What i didn't like about this movie: it didn't really make sense and they also didn't explain the story properly like the end how they knew where to go all the time and how to find the other cop. Some parts were not appropriate because of the joke they made

They only cared if the movie was funny enough so i graded this movie 7/10 and also the cast was pretty good it didn't look bad at all actually to re-watch with your friends if yall wanna see a movie that has comedy

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This is one of the Millennium films and it's not bad. The film did start off on the wrong foot with me by declaring Mothra a bad guy. If they got on the bad side of Mothra they had to have either been messing with her tiny twin besties or trampling the environment, but I digress.

I was impressed with the FL, Yashiro Akane. Women are often prominently featured in Godzilla movies, this time they got it right. Even though the failure of not defeating a new Godzilla with her weapon and being unable to control her vehicle leading to another vehicle getting crushed under Big G's feet were laid squarely at hers she was able to redeem herself. She was strong, smart and no damsel in distress or screamer as is usually required of women in monster movies. A welcome relief. Ultimately, she was put in charge of controlling Mechagodzilla in the fight when Godzilla returned.

Kiryu, the mechanized Godzilla, built on the 1954 Godzilla's skeleton unfortunately had some DNA memory of the destroyer unknowingly coded within it. I wasn't sure or not if this was a deliberate message that building bigger weapons of mass destruction can be as dangerous as the foe before you.

The humans in this movie were the best of any I've watched. However, the training sessions went on too long for me. I watch Godzilla movies for the monsters, not the people. The star of the show was missing for huge chunks of time as if they'd forgotten about him. Long, loving shots of the mechanized Godzilla and the soldiers' training sessions could not replace him. When he finally showed up the fights were good, but lacking in energy and urgency. It's a perfectly fine way to spend 90 minutes on a lazy Saturday afternoon, but it could have been so much better.

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Exorcism rules

I don't know why I watched this - I dislike horror as a genre and it needs to be exceptionally well made or innovative for me to enjoy. This was not exceptionally well made - but I know why I watched - Park Seo Joon Ssi!
The plot was fairly standard. The only unusual element was the ML "atheism" which I enjoyed in so far as it existed at all.
The demon was OK if predictable - seemed very standard and actually pretty dull
The lighting budget was extremely low. That seemed very predictable too
None of the characters were well developed, and, while there were opportunities for psychological exploration they were not followed through. I think if there had been more exploration then the frankly manufactured fear could have become much stronger. None of the battles seemed real because they were kinda preplanned.
In addition, from the very start I thought it a shame that the "possessed" were depicted exactly as if having a particularly frightening schizophrenic episode which - before they were understood to be a mental illness and not the embodiment of evil - led to many desperately ill people being tortured by various church authorities (and this still happens in certain cultures). It made me deeply uncomfortable, and the writer/director could have done much better.
I watched this to the end, but frankly fast-forwarded a good 30% of it.
The good things - the acting was excellent from all involved. I thought the SFX were good. Some elements of the design were very pretty - PSJ's wardrobe for example, his car, his bike; the demon's bar looked pretty cool, and the logo was stylish. Trying hard here - hope you appreciate the effort.
If you like this kind of guff, you may enjoy.

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Too shallow

First of all a big applause to the director for even opening the themes about the problems of BL industry. That definitely needed courage. Sadly the documentary stays too shallow, not really addressing the problems, not really going into any depth at all. I have no idea why are here Bright and Win, their answers are definitely scripted, so their contribution is actually zero. But there are probably not many active BL actors willing to talk about their industry and its problems. I would pay a lot of money to hear the real answers of such legends as Max and Tul, or Mew (who can definitely tell a lot of nasty stories) or Saint etc.. But of course that is just wishful thinking. But the director could talk about other problems - fanservice, stereotypes in bl works etc etc, but he did not.

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Look at it through a different lens!

Okay, so I went into this movie with the lens of the way I watch other dramas, however, midway through, I had to back pedal, and instead watch from my theatrical lens (as someone who majors in acting). This film asks you to see the story through subtext, indeed it tells the story of death and the aftermath of it. How it affects those around them.
Do NOT expect this to be a fluffy school drama, watch it through the subtext and you'll find heart-breaking story in its depths... overall I would rate this lower from an avid Korean drama watcher perspective, but higher from an actor's perspective
To make it make sense to those who may not have picked up on it, it is quite clear that midway Hyeon Jae passes away while walking with the new student, the aftermath is what follows

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WHAT THE.... ????

Why did they introduce a new conflict at the very last episode --- if they won't follow it up with another season? This ended in 2015. It's now 2021, so most probably, there won't be a Season 3. This is another ADDICTED HEROIN -- cliffhanged forever!

Btw, Season 1 is much better than this Season 2. This has unnecessary plots that didn't help in the main story arc -- like the couple they met at the beach -- and that ridiculous subplot about baby photos being used for blackmail. What's with that??
Speaking of the beach couple, that YanYan and An Ziyan's chemistry is oozing! They should have a BL together!

The best thing about this Season is the acting of Maiding's mother and other support actors. However, it wasn't made clear what made Mai Ding's parents suddenly change their mind (literally overnight!) and accept An Ziyan as their "son-in-law." So many flaws and loopholes.

One surprise though are the sex scenes. Take note that this is from CHINA! Very brave of the producers!

One (obviously) unintentionally funny scene was the love making in the car. It was interspersed with An Ziyan singing a love song to Mai Ding. I don't know but it just came out really laughable and quite ridiculous!

Another thing that is quite bothersome is this: Why are all the lights and lamps turned ON even during daytime in ALL interior scenes? Amateur lighting director? Sorry, but they're really distracting!

And what's with that big, monstrous frame behind the dining table in Mai Ding's house? An empty frame without a mirror or a painting?? Sorry, but it is really attention hugging.

And that girl that Mai Ding's parents want him to date --- how old is she? She looks 10 years older than Mai Ding when they're supposed to be the same age! And An Ziyan's sister who looks older than her mother!

In summary: They should have stopped at Season 1.

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Angst stemmed from a society that shuns

The entire movie was a cry for help, it is about two boys handling their inner demons in very different ways, one taking to recklessness and the other latching on to even the slightest bit of affection, so much so that it turns to obsession...It was heartbreaking to see one having only himself to talk to and him recording those conversations on his camcorder, while the other was seemingly popular but he knew that no one cared much for him and rather he garnered respect by evoking fear in others...The way they met and how it piqued their interest of wanting to get to know each other was quite precious but was made out to be something so much more complicated, leading to them being ridiculed by many...This caused him to distance himself from the friendship, which the other couldn't seem to handle...he turned aloof, while he turned more and more obsessive...his last desperate cry to his mother was so pitiable and painful, yet no one helped him through that and he ends up doing something which I will probably never understand, but with that he surely destroyed his last chance of keeping himself sane...
Overall it was disturbingly real and although I cannot condone his final decision, I do not have the right to judge him for it...
The direction was seamless and as a cinematic experience it was thought provoking and quite wholesome...It made me feel terrible for ever having judged someone without knowing their circumstances, since we rise by lifting others and not by pulling them down...

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I watched this because Irene was in it

I have never written a review for a kdrama or a movie before, but for some reason I felt compelled to write one for Double Patty (probably because there are no reviews as of the time I am writing this). To preface, I had heard about Double Patty earlier last year when it was reported that Irene would star as the female lead in a movie. I was extremely surprised because the only prior acting experience she had was in a web drama that didn't really get much attention (I recall a lot of people talking about it), and starring as a lead in a movie seemed like a big jump from that. Now here is the review (I'm bad at writing essays so I'll just format my review based on the rating criteria above):

Story: The story is about two characters who each have goals (one wants to be a news reporter and the other wants to be a wrestling champion). They both strive towards their goals, experience setback, meet each other at their low points, help each other overcome their setbacks, and ultimately reach their goals. On a basic level this story is fine, but I think it was the poor execution of it that made me feel like it was bad.
The biggest problem I had with the movie is that the main characters' backgrounds and motives are not well established. In the first two and half minutes of the movie we are shown a slideshow of both characters and how they reached this point of wanting to do what they want to do. Lee Hyunji's father and her father's friend were in the news industry. And while the friend succeeded, Hyunji's father did not. We do not know why he ended up failing, but we are shown a picture of her father protesting against the privatization of news. As for the other character, Kang Wooram, we are shown that he got into Korean wrestling while growing up. The relevant characters in his backstory are his friend/rival who quickly surpassed him in wrestling, and his wrestling mentor (big brother figure?) who has just passed away. That was it. Each character was given less than a minute and thirty seconds to establish who they were and what their motivations were, and now the rest of the plot is driven by that. Now I get this isn't a television series, so we aren't able to have hours of screen time to set up the characters. But if this is all we are given, it is hard to feel interested or invested in our leads' journeys. Movies that do a good job of establishing the characters and their motivations don't just tell you who the characters are, but they show it to you. A good example of this, I feel, is Forrest Gump. In Forrest Gump, we see all the formative experiences the main character has (in fact, we almost experience them with him) and then we reach the point of the "current time". Now of course I'm not saying that a movie has to spend 80% of the time establishing the characters, I just think that character and motivation establishment can take its time and can develop even while the plot is moving.
The other thing that bothered me was the relationship between Lee Hyunji and Kang Wooram. The first time the characters have contact is when Wooram catches a few glimpses of Hyunji in a restaurant and outside, and just has the expression of "wow yeppeuda." Later, the first time the two actually meet is when Wooram goes into the burger place that Hyunji works at and awkwardly orders the late night special. From then on, Wooram frequently goes to the burger joint because he likes pretty girls and good deals (who doesn't) and their interactions compose of them checking each other out when the other person isn't looking. Following this unknown amount of time, Wooram shows up one night to the burger joint drunk and they are conveniently out of patties (even though the main thing they sell are burgers and there are no customers). She knows that he is sad because of his mentor's death so she takes him out to eat, then takes him back to her place for some beer, then decides to go to his mentor's memorial service with him, then they walk around his hometown like a couple, then she comforts him while he is mourning over his mentor, then she successfully encourages him to continue pursuing his wrestling goal all within 2 or 3 days. Of course it's possible for two stranger to progress their relationship this quickly, but it probably isn't very common. Furthermore, it may just be personal taste, but I find it hard to root for a relationship that is based off of physical attraction as opposed to one built on an emotional connection over time. Or maybe that's just the jealousy kicking in saying "we get it, you guys are both hot." Regardless, all I felt was a sense of apathy towards their relationship as I didn't feel moved or invested in it.

Basically the movie felt like it was mostly being carried by Irene's face and Shin Seung Ho's body.


Acting/Cast: Irene's (Bae Joohyun) acting was mediocre. The thing I looked forward to the most when watching Double Patty was seeing the range of emotions Irene was going to show. I was thinking "maybe we'll see her cry, or see her ecstatic, or even see her angry." But we got mostly neutral Irene, shy Irene, and smiley Irene (shy and smiley Irene overlapped a few times). I don't know if she was doing a bad job of expressing her character's emotions or if her character was just written to be really bland. Also, it felt like half of her scenes were either eating food or drinking soju like a commercial. I remember specifically this one scene where they were on her rooftop patio and she was handing Wooram a can of beer. She had her head tilted slightly forward, her hair gracefully falling down, perfect makeup, perfect lighting, a big smile on her face, and there was even some wind making her hair flow. This was in the middle of the movie and it looked like they were filming a beer ad. I paused the movie right then and there and considered closing out the tab. Nothing wrong with looking great and being a CF queen, but it seemed like either she or the director was leaning too much on that, and it gave her acting a very unnatural feel at times.
As for Shin Seung Ho, his acting was not bad. Although not particularly amazing, he did have the one crying scene which was a pretty good performance.
Everyone else was fine, but none of them really stood out too much either.

Music: The music did its job, I didn't really notice it and I don't feel like going back through the movie to listen to the sound track. There was that one song that Irene sings that you hear in the trailer.

Rewatch value: The only reason I would rewatch this would be to give it a proper review. Then again, I rarely rewatch movies so I might not be the best person to make a take on this.

Overall: I don't think a 5.0 is "bad". If we rate a movie from a scale of 1 to 10, regardless of the distribution, the average should be 5.5 right? So a 5 is just below average. I don't know what to say except that I did not expect that it would take me over two and a half hours to write a review and now I'm up at 4 AM not knowing what I'm doing with my life. I spent more time and energy writing this review than I did on my English papers in college. There is more I would like to talk about on this movie, but I'm bad at articulating my thoughts in written form so this will be it.

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Randomly encountered

I only saw this because it was on yts.
Plays like an art film and a slice of life plus some absurdity added into it. The film is very slow and nothing really happens until it dumps everything onto you in the last 20 minutes. Most of the movie is just the protagonist going about her mundane life and encountering a bunch weird and eventually traumatizing things in the context of her mother dying. Acting was meh and even bad at times along with a bunch of weird events that is thrown in that the protag keeps encountering . This is definitely some college student's indie movie project because the production company is a university.

I will say one thing that is great though is the music and the ending scene. There's only like 2 songs in the entire movie and it plays near the and it's both very good (I wish I knew the title of the songs, if you know please tell me!). Also the ending scene, the way it was shot and the music along with the commentary was great. Still cliche but it was done great.

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Sweet and Realistic

I really liked this movie and all the characters in it. The movie is entirely from the ML's point of view as we see him fall in love with the FL as a child and later grows up to follow her and his dream. I loved his devotion to the FL and I loved the friendship between the leads. Even though we don't see any of this story from the FL's point of view, you can see that she also loves him, maybe as much as he does her.

What I found really realistic about this movie was the relationship between the leads. How they both clearly love each other and want to be more but don't bring it up to each other because they don't know how the other feels. Their relationship seemed like that of two people who are holding on to each other for fear of losing the other person if they ever admitted their feelings. The FL was very forward with the ML in the sense that she did so much to make sure the ML was next to her, going so far as to make him her assistant. The ML also moved all the way to her school to be next to her, but he never tells her this. His shyness and nervousness prevent him from being as open to her as she is with him. She even criticised him for treating her like a stranger when they see each other, and that is because he's too nervous to do anything else. But she forces her way in, in a way that he both likes and accepts.

I loved that they are immediately able to click and be friends after seeing each other several years later. It's like their relationship was just on pause and immediately resumed after meeting each other. Despite all the years, they've never forgotten each other and seem to value each other a lot.

The actors also seem to have good chemistry, though I would have liked to see more scenes between the ML and FL. Midway through, right when a romantic attachment was begining to form between the charecters, the actors started to have fewer scenes together until the end.

The entire plot is revolved around the ML's love for the FL and the FL's persuel of her childhood dream that prompts the ML to also go after his. It's a very sweet and fluffy romance with nothing else to it, great for when you don't want watch anything serious.

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Breathtakingly beautiful and honestly almost perfect

This is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, and I don't say that lightly. I loved the show, but this film gives us more breathing room and time to spend getting to know the characters - to see how time changes them and their relationship.
This isn't your typical BL stuffed with fanservice, and in fact I would argue that this isn't BL at all. Instead it's a gorgeously filmed, exquisitely written, and flawlessly acted film that celebrates the existence and resilience of LGBTQ+ folks, which caused me to ugly-cry at more than one place in the film. The characters aren't caricatures - they're written to be real people who are meant to be together and who fight to be together - sometimes fighting themselves and their preconceived notions of what "normal" is.

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"When looking at someone, you should look at the other side, where the shadow is deepest.”

Hiasa disappears amid the devastating 3/11 Tohoku earthquake, and tsunami strikes Iwate Prefecture, of which Morioka is the capital city. During Konno's search for him, the truth starts to unravel, revealing Hiasa’s other side and the deepest part of his shadow. Years later, Konno seems to conclude that his friend Hiasa himself was perhaps a fish swimming in the wrong waters, unable to conform to the world around him. In the end, it felt alright for him to remain a mystery because a mystery was what he was.

The characters convey their true thoughts in such complex and subtle expressions. Along with the symbolic connotations portrayed through things such as fish, plants, and fire, there are many hidden implications in the words that the characters choose to express, their gestures, actions, and reactions. It was very engaging to grasp the various subtle meanings weaved behind their lines. And I greatly appreciated the many symbolic connotations presented that allowed a lot of room for interpretation.

The detailed cinematography handles the aspects of perspective and tone very well as it uses that factor to convey complex emotions and moods during each scene. The soundtrack and lack thereof are very fitting and add to the dismal and the tranquil atmospheres throughout the film in a very subtle yet evident manner, making each scene even more compelling.

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