Completed
Once Upon a Star
0 people found this review helpful
17 minutes ago
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

An underrated, nostalgic movie.

This movie is so underrated that almost no one talks about it. But I'm glad I found this gem. A movie about a movie is something that has been done before, but ‘Once Upon a Star’ still manages to stand out in its own unique way. While this kind of movie (like Singin’ in the Rain or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) mostly focuses on the actor, actress, or director, this movie centers on the little people, which are traveling cinema troupes that roamed rural Thailand, bringing outdoor cinema and dubbed movies in the 1960s and 1970s.

This movie successfully takes the audience back to the 1960s-70s era with detailed settings and props. I like the fact that they took something from history that isn’t given as much attention in most movies, which is 16mm film live-dubbing. It’s something the younger generation might not have any clue about but is worth knowing and learning about. And it also highlighted Thailand’s most famous movie star at the time, Mitr Chaibancha. (Feel free to Google him)

The plots are well-stitched and developed neatly. The movie moves at quite a slow pace by showing them struggle to make a profit, taking any job possible even as far as outskirt area. But despite its slow pace, it doesn't feel too draggy. Thanks to the beauty shots. It also included a triangle love involving Manit, Kao, and Kae, which takes up just a nice portion of this movie in order to create an emotional conflict between the characters. Every character has a distinct personality and a story to tell, all of which blend together in one big narrative, but their characters are somewhat underexplored.

Although the main focus of the movie is the journey of the cinema troupes, it actually gives a glimpse at how Mitr Chaibancha’s popularity played a huge role in Thai culture, as well as Thai cinema and movie growth. His life adds more depth to this movie and makes the whole context of this movie reasonable. When he passed away during the peak of his career, it seemed like the cinema business died with him. His death pretty much brought an end to the 16mm era.

Overall, despite a few flaws, it’s a good movie that recounts a historical tale and have good messages within the storylines. It deserves as much attention as other period movies. In my personal opinion, it is a good and entertaining underrated movie.

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Taguan, A Quickie Musical
0 people found this review helpful
by selbee
3 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

A perfect lockdown confession

One thing is certain, Philippines have nailed it in the department of lockdown BL romance, nobody does it better! This short film must have been one of the first ones and it is practically perfect! So please, can someone tell me why is this so badly rated? It is a wonderful, well written, produced and acted short film. So why you don't like it, people?

When you finally realize that you are actually in love with your best friend, you want to tell him, in person, immediately, right? But with the lockdown, it is difficult so Tristan cries not knowing how to tell Chris about his feelings. To comfort him, Chris takes out a box of shared memories (tickets, toys etc.) giving Tristan courage to confess when he realizes that that box means more than just best friends!

The lockdown seems like a distant memory these days, we have all moved on and seeing this short movie brings back the memories of uncertainty, fear, doubt. The characters here feel all that which makes Tristam, in particular, take stock of his life and dating experiences and finally accept that the most important person in his life, the person he loves the most , is his best friend.

The three short songs are just the right means to convey sincere feelings. The actors are cute with those dimples (sorry, I fall for those every time!). The production values are high, the editing is excellent considering this is basically a static film where they both barely move. It is cute and butterflies inducing, so go watch it! Only 15min long but they managed to tell a story of a lifetime in it! Talent does not lie so I will start digging now and try to find their other works. If there are any. Fingers crossed!

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Taguan, A Quickie Musical
1 people found this review helpful
5 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5

Declaration of love in times of pandemic

Cinema has always managed to create wonderful worlds, fantastic scenes and perfect dialogues where feelings and words combine in an ideal way to express the very essence of love.
Each couple in their personal history has a movie, a scene or a soundtrack that is part of their memory, moves them or makes them exchange knowing glances because it evokes special and unique memories.
There is nothing more powerful than a good love story brought to film or television, and a script full of witty and emotional phrases that support it. Whether they are spontaneous gestures, proposals for a hand, or cathartic moments that change everything, declarations of love are the best way to consolidate a romance on the big or small screen, and to bring the audience to the brink of tears.
Written and directed by Jose Jeffrey Camañag, the Filipino short film 'Taguan, A Quickie Musical' presents us with a declaration of love between two boys in the midst of the pandemic caused by Covid-19.
Also known as 'Taguan, Secrets Kept' and released on May 30, 2020, the audiovisual, of the Romance, Yaoi, Comedy and Musical genre, shows us the telephone communication between the two best friends Tristan (Jayson Santos) and Chris ( Vince Conrad) who, forced into social isolation or home quarantine, are locked in the confines of their homes.
Between drinks of alcohol and tears, Tristan calls his best friend by video call to confess a secret that he has kept deep in his being for years. This is how the musical narrates that very special online video chat of two teenagers who, during quarantine, realized that they wanted to end their friendship... to be more than just friends.
The protagonists perform three songs in the almost 15 minutes of their magical transition from friendship to something deeper. The songs are "Ganito Pala", "Munting Ala-ala" and the title song of the short film: "Taguan".
With spoken lines and Filipino music in the voices of the two protagonists, 'Taguan, A Quickie Musical' was created through a novel program from the Artist Playground company, called Artist Playground Theatrix, a new form of visual and auditory performance art that uses the latest in technology that combines musical theater and film in its final production.
The team behind the audiovisual is made up of award-winning creatives and entertainment industry experts. The narrative, script and lyrics of the songs were created by José Jeffrey Camañag, filmmaker who won the Live Entertainment Awards and festivals as Best Director.
The music is by multi-award-winning maestro Jesse Lucas, while the editing is by Carl Santos, the artistic direction is by Roeder Camañag and the project director is Paul Jake Paule.
In the midst of such a long pause that led to the cancellation of premieres and filming and the confinement of actors and film production experts to preserve their lives, short films like this came to experience new concepts and executions never before made.
Challenging themselves to do something new, they managed to create and produce virtually so that the cast and crew could stay healthy and safe amid the pandemic. The writer and director never physically met the rest of the creators and artists during the filming process. Camañag managed the talent remotely. The two protagonists not only act, but are also filmed at home.
In this way, the project is one of the highest-profile cases of a filmmaker seeking to adapt production to the demands of the global health crisis. While hundreds, perhaps thousands of films and television shows in the Philippines and around the world saw production halted to protect actors and crew during the pandemic, Camañag produced and gave us 'Taguan, A Quickie Musical', a play simple, but with an intelligent and timely dialogue, marked by the circumstances that humanity was experiencing at that time.
Jayson Santos and Vince Conrad are a revelation, two incredible actors and singers that I hope to see again on other shows.

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The 47 Ronin: Last Part
1 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 2.0
The 47 Ronin Last Part took up the talking and sitting from the first film, for two more hours of talking and sitting. Mizoguchi Kenji made a beautiful looking movie for 1942 and the acting by Kawarasaki Chojuro was as exceptional as the first part. Finally, after 3 hours it was time for the catharsis of revenge after the mountain of dialogue, right? Not really. Just more talking.

Oishi discovered that his request for the Asano family to be restored failed which caused him and the other retainers to dance with joy. They could now avenge their lord and restore everyone’s honor. Oishi promptly set out to find more people to talk to, not the other Ronin, they were the invisible Ronin. The day after his visit to Lady Asano she received a letter detailing the Asano Ronin’s attack on Kira’s castle.

Four hours of talking, 47 Ronin, and the most important action shown was the hotheaded lord at the beginning of the movie who caused the downfall of his family. I used the analogy of Star Wars in my review of the first part. To continue that analogy, this film would be like the Rebel Alliance General Dodonna (minor character) receiving an email that the Death Star had successfully been blown up. Anything exciting in these films happened off screen. Show, don’t tell, is a much better payoff for the audience. I want to see Luke flying his X-Wing with Darth Vader right behind and those 47 Ronin attacking the castle and lopping off Kira’s head.

After Kira’s defeat there was almost an hour left. While confined, the Ronin had time for a talent show, flower arranging, and lovers saying good-bye, lovers we never met. At the beginning of the movie, we were treated to a Noh performance. But all was well because we were told over and over and over and over how taking vengeance on Lord Kira was the honorable thing to do and restored the honor of the family and the Ronin and showed how honorable Ronin behave. Even Lord Asano’s wife said her husband pulling a sword in the Shogun’s palace was a boneheaded move but he must be avenged or he would forever be a laughingstock. Asano’s impulsive action affected thousands of lives and caused at least 50 deaths, not counting the Kira contingent, all because someone called him boorish. If this movie was supposed to inspire the audience, I wonder how well it succeeded.

The one area where the movie didn’t let me down was Mizoguchi’s filming style. Every frame was exquisite. The sets and exterior shots were refined and well lit. The only drawback was often the characters were filmed so far away it was difficult to make out their facial expressions. The technique was quite distancing emotionally from what should have been an emotional movie. Then there were those invisible Ronin. Seventeen men stood in for the 47 and we learned almost nothing about any of them, no connection, no empathy for their plight. When they did talk it was all about being ready to die. Or being happy they were about to die. Or that everyone died with honor. Even for a propaganda film, the call for self-sacrifice was laid on thick. The kids were told in the first film, “Samurai children must behave as if nothing is wrong during a crisis.” I suppose when you’re about to awaken a sleeping giant you want everyone onboard with the party line.

For a movie with the title The 47 Ronin, this felt more like homework than entertainment. Four hours of dialogue with much of it repetitive was more than I could take. I want to see outtakes of the exciting elements that happened off screen-forbidden love and castle assaults. Since Mizoguchi refused to show us those things, he could have easily condensed this movie to two hours. It’s not like he was devoting those four hours to character development beyond their loyalty, stoicism, and desire for revenge and death. In the first film, it appeared he might have been leaning toward the characters resisting the rules of a corrupt Shogunate and rebelling (honorably of course), instead their actions were seen as heroic as they adhered to the bushido code and surrendered to the authority of the Shogun. An interesting film time capsule from the war era but it would help to be a fan of Mizoguchi or chatty samurai films with zero action.

18 March 2024

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The 47 Ronin
1 people found this review helpful
12 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

"A single drop of water has turned into a wave"

The 47 Ronin was not only based on a play but also inspired by a historical event on January 31, 1703. This film was shown in two parts, which makes writing a review difficult. It would be like watching the original Star Wars and the story stopping before they attacked the Death Star. The first part was almost two hours of introducing a plethora of characters and lots of waiting around while Councilor Oishi decides what the Ronin and vassals are going to do. Will they all commit seppuku? Attack the Shogun’s forces coming to evict everyone from the castle? Or will they seek revenge on the Lord who instigated the problem and escaped scot-free?

Lord Asano attacks Lord Kira in the Shogun’s palace when the protocol expert repeatedly besmirches him. The price for his hotheaded action of drawing a sword where swords can’t be drawn is hara-kiri. The inspectors don’t believe he deserves the fate, in fact, he acted like a samurai should and Kira was the sniveling spineless samurai. Because of Kira’s political connections he’s released and aside from Asano losing his life, all of his properties are confiscated and his samurai become masterless Ronin. Councilor Oishi is slow and thorough, making sure the farmers and townspeople are taken care of while the Ronin are looking for blood. Theirs or the Shogun’s soldiers or Kira’s, they don’t particularly care. Oishi gains pledges from the remaining men, around 50, that they will abide by his decision. A year later, after a subterfuge plan finally comes to an end, Oishi can execute his heart’s desire. Roughly translated, “It’s go time!” and Lord Kira had better find a good hiding place.

Kawarasaki Chojuro as Oishi had to give the more nuanced role of a man whose decisions were repeatedly questioned by his subordinates. One wrong move meant disaster for all involved and more importantly they could not restore honor to the Asano family. At one point, he goes so far as to drive his wife away by carousing at the local pleasure house and refusing to see the anxious Ronin who are tired of waiting for revenge in order to sell his ruse. At this point there were so many characters introduced, the only other memorable ones were the initial investigator and an old friend.

When a film begins with “Defend the homes of those who fight for Greater Asia”, you know it’s probably a propaganda film or at least was expected to be one. It premiered one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. While it was a call for loyalty, honor, and self-sacrifice for soldiers and citizens, Mizoguchi Kenji also included the Ronin questioning authority and acting on their own beliefs and willing to accept the consequences for those actions.

As a piece of art, the film was interesting if too long. I felt much like the impulsive Yasubei who was tired of sitting around and not knowing what Oishi’s ultimate plan was. Let’s go take this jerk down. But Oishi was a strategist who not only wanted to avenge his lord by killing Kira, he wanted to stand up to the Shogunate and expose favoritism and unfairness. It didn’t help that his plan was nearly derailed by well meaning allies. “Water will always drip from cupped hands.”

Part One was well made, it was Mizoguchi after all, but it began to feel like death by PowerPoint. Like Oishi and the other Ronin, I’m ready for the vengeance to begin and justice, if not prevail, at least not be completely denied.

“Even more than cherry blossoms
Scattered by the breeze
Memories of the passing spring
Bring unbearable regret”

18 March 2024

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Real
0 people found this review helpful
15 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Real movie has alot of confusion??

Real movie has alot of confusion but the actors acting usually superb and I watched just for kim soo hyun becausse he is star boy of Korea and highest paid actor . He did a great job in movie . But story is confusing 😔 and also i know it's psychological movie but it has no logic in this movie but we love to see kim soo hyun acting and he is soo hot🤪
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My Precious
0 people found this review helpful
15 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

A bittersweet ending but it was worth it.

The reason for giving it an 8,5 to the story was because I felt they cut many important scenes, that's why I'm so excited for the series version, I'm sure it'll give us what was missing.

It's a good movie about first loves and childhood friendship, they had their flaws but were always there for each other.

I like how they mentioned about them in another universe, they were soulmates but lacked communication, we could see how a little action could've changed how everything ended, if Tong had come back that rainy night, they would've been the ones getting married.

PD: a tiny part of me wants a different ending in the series, but I would accept the same ending either way.

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Crazy Little Thing Called Love
0 people found this review helpful
17 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

A Cult Classic

This is another drama I found again after many years. It’s a cult classic. It’s an utterly relatable first love story, which was quite unexpected given the unrealistic nature of some parts of the movie/story. It has a grounded charm to it that makes you fall for it despite this. I think this might be why the later iterations of this failed to capture the same magic.

If you’ve ever had a crush on someone. If you’ve ever wanted to better yourself for the person you like. If you’ve ever experienced teenage heartbreak; this is the story for you.
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A Frozen Flower
1 people found this review helpful
20 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Love or lust...Intricate and layered with jealousy, fear, passion and a lot of bad decisions

This historical movie tells the story of Hong Rim, the Chief of King's guard and his relationship with King Gong Min who ruled in the latest half of the 14th century of the Goryeo Dynasty. I find very interesting the period of history in which the film is set as well as all the the romantic premise which build up in a gut-wrenching love story.

Story-wise, I really enjoyed the imbalance of power in the relationship and in the romance. Nothing is as simple as it seems as the feelings get more and more intricated and layered with jealousy, fear, passion and a lot of bad decisions (which frustrated me a lot as they were not super logical sometimes)...It was really love and lust leading to madness in a heart breaking way.
Despite it relative long length, I found the pacing of the movie quite good. My only regret is that we do not spend enough time on the beginning of the relationship between Hong Rim and King Gong Min: I would have loved to see their kinship and affinity evolve in something more, especially with the difference in status in the context of the court. The ending was very satisfying to me because the final actions of the protagonists made it very clear to me as to where their affections were truly lying. I am convinced that it is NOT what was said that is the most telling regarding the romance but rather what was left unsaid and rather shown by the characters.

The acting performance for the three main roles was pretty solid. The trio of Zo In Sung (as Hong Rim), Joo Jin Mo (as King Gong Min) and Song Ji Hyo (as Queen No Guk) worked very well together. I found the relationship between the two male leads the most compelling one but Song Ji Hyo hold her own quite well in these very tortuous relations. Regarding the secondary characters, it was quite good overall, no obvious stand out on the support roles with the exceptions of some of the guards. It was really nice to see some familiar faces acting as secondary characters: Song Joong Ki, Noh Min Woo, Jo Jin Woong ,Yeo Jin Goo and Park Sung Hoon.

The production value was really impressive, even looking at it 16 years later. The fight scenes were very good and the more gruesome parts felt very effective in conveying the violence of the story at that period of time. I loved the decors, it felt rich and well put together. The numerous (but purposeful) sex scenes were also very well filmed. I enjoyed the soundtrack, in particular the scenes were some of the characters were singing: really beautiful and poetic.

I would recommend this movie to people looking for an historical movie with a gut-wrenching love story. The romance is really interesting in the dynamics that it explores. I wish the scenario would have spend more time on some aspects of the relationship and I got frustrated by some choices made by some characters...But overall, I was very satisfied by this movie and its ending as well.

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What Did You Eat Yesterday?
0 people found this review helpful
22 hours ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Charming, funny and possibly one of Japan's tv gems

This is a series with heart, where humble home style cooking and everygay life blend seamlessly together. It was such a delight to watch, and soooo easy to binge watch all 12 of the 30 minute episodes.

Adachi Naoko's script beautifully highlights changing social attitudes in a subtle and impactful way. We meet a relatable and endearing odd couple; Nishijima Hidetoshi nails the emotionally restrained, frugal and very private Shiro, a small firm lawyer with a heart of gold who favours neutral colours, salaryman suits and loves a bargain; his partner Kenji is a warm, gently camp hairdresser in white jeans and bright T-shirts who sees ice cream as not a rare luxury, but an essential occasional happiness.

In many ways also, both personalities represent the older and modern outlooks; the olde worlde 'don't ask, don't tell" generation and the modern "I'm out and loud and never ashamed" era.

Uchino Seiyou, as Kenji (Ken) has an amazing natural knack for physical comedy and plays a wonderful cheeky, campy and over caring other half who provides many moments of amusement.

It is also wonderful to seeing so many middle aged and senior characters taking center stage, reflecting the diversity of real life we all see in society, at work and at home. The ensemble cast are evenly paced and weighted. Shiro's parents are easy to love and essential to the series.

Another charming aspect, the lead characters demonstrate their recipes, so it was like a bonus 5 minute mini cooking show in every episode!

Although there is limited physical affection, there is no doubting this couple's genuine love for each other. But this does remind us that even 5 years later in mid 2024, Japanese laws (and in many other Asian countries) have not kept pace with society's acceptance of the LGBT community; 65% of Japanese people support gay marriage.

There are also two telemovies that continue the story after the series, 2020 and 2021 (to be reviewed).
Overall, it's easy to see why millions of viewers fell in love with this little gem. You won't regret!

***THANK YOU FOR READING! Follow me to be notified of more reviews! ~Fumiyawagi

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Shaolin Abbot
2 people found this review helpful
1 day ago
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 3.5

"Punches and kicks don't have eyes!"

Shaolin Abbot was another telling of the burning of the Southern Shaolin Temple, this time with David Chiang as Chin San and Lo Lieh once again playing the traitorous white bearded Taoist Pai Mei.

The Shaolin temple has been resisting the Qings but lacks proper weaponry. Monk Chin San is sent to the Taoist temple in Er Mei to learn how to make firearms and gain blueprints for them. He also spends six months learning new kung fu techniques and is befriended by the master there and his niece Wu Mei. The second in command, Pai Mei, collaborates with the Qings and leaves rather than have a Shaolin monk in residence. Upon returning home to the Shaolin temple, Chin San finds the monks dead and the temple blown up. The dying abbot tells him to take the weapon blueprints south to Guangdong and rebuild the temple there. Chin San heads south and finds a loyal Buddhist patron who convinces others to support the building of a new monastery. Unfortunately, the Qings and Pai Mei are hot on Chin San’s trail and determined to kill the monk before he can complete his plans.

Shaolin Abbot had what should have been a compelling story, but I found it underwhelming. Running around 80 minutes, it felt twice that long. The acting was okay. The fights were slow, painfully slow, even for 1979. I could have handled kung fu posing if the choreography or the characters were more interesting. They weren’t bad, just bland. These are the hardest kind of reviews for me to write. Shaolin Abbot wasn’t terrible or good, just okay.

17 March 2024

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Past Lives
3 people found this review helpful
1 day ago
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 10

Beautiful, Poignant, Heart warming, Heart wrenching

It was beautiful, poignant, heart warming and heart wrenching all at the same time. One of the best movies I've watched. It really gets you thinking philosophically. Life is nothing but a sum of conscious choices that you make and you constantly think about the various "what-ifs", something all of us have experienced — the branching paths of life. The person who goes out of state for college must wonder what it would have been like if they had stayed closer to home. The person who lives in the town they grew up in dreaming about if they had accepted the job offer that would have taken them out of state. The person you went on a couple dates with but it didn’t work out because of timing. Our lives are full of these what ifs. And if we entertain every one of them, it can become a burden. A cherished burden. But a burden all the same. The movie gets at the idea of closure and letting go and being okay with living the life you have, and leaving the rest up to fate. You can’t be everything to everyone. Part of getting older is coming to terms with who we are rather than who we could have been.

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Single in Seoul
0 people found this review helpful
1 day ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

Presumptions & Perceptions

This movie is an essay on presumption and perception.
Every scene explores how different people interpret the same things based on how their life experiences have shaped their point of view. From the editor's notes to the male writer, to the editor's "romantic life," and the conflict about a couple's first love story.

Beautifully shot scenes, excellent acting, and a story that challenges the viewers presumptions and perceptions.

I was super excited for this movie because of Lee Dong Wook and what I thought I would be seeing, and I ended up seeing more than I expected.

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The Crimson Charm
3 people found this review helpful
1 day ago
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 7.0

"No need to be rash. Someone will kill you tomorrow!"

Ivy Ling Po and Chang Yi avenge their master in The Crimson Charm. The film is an older Shaw Brothers, not a classic, but still watchable if you enjoy early martial arts movies.

Chiang Tzu Chao and his daughter, Shang Ching, enrage the Yellow Gowned Chief of the Crimson Charm gang when Tzu Chao kills his son who was attacking a young woman. Tzu Chao and Shang Ching are befriended by the Blood Master during an encounter with Tsao Kang’s men. Tsao has decreed Chiang and all his disciples will die the next day. During the bloody battle, only three Chiang disciples initially survive-Han Yu, a badly wounded Yu Fang Fang, a mortally wounded Shang Ching, and the Blood Master. The three ultimate survivors will independently forge new skills and resolution to take revenge on not only Tsao Kang but the head of the Crimson Charm gang, Lin Han Su.

The acting covered a wide range in this film. Fang Mian as Tzu Chao can always be counted on to do a good job, but Shih Szu as his daughter was quite limited. At first, Ivy Ling Po’s performance was annoying as a pouty disciple but after she faced disaster, her character’s resolve and steely determination was a much more mature turn. Chang Yi’s appearance never seemed to change in films whether he was 26 as in this film or 40 in later films. James Nam showed a broader range of emotion as Ling Wu Lui, the Blood Master. Ku Feng appeared at the end of the film as the Crimson Charm Chief, bald, bare chested and sporting a leopard vest. Ku always seemed up for whatever directors threw at him.

There was a mix of sword work, other weapons, and kung fu. Shih Szu really struggled to be convincing holding a sword. Ivy Ling Po, especially in the second half of the movie did a much better job, even with her handicap. I always like when they allow the woman warrior to take her own revenge without the help of the male characters, and Ivy was able to shine during a battle in an inn. Chang Yi and James Nam both had good fights against the various Crimson Charm clans. One fight engaged tridents with annoying bells on them. The loud weapons might have made me go berserk as well. Body parts flew and #2 red finger paint ran everywhere throughout the movie.

The Crimson Charm had little story to it, only multiple revenge layers. And in the end, it showed just how destructive revenge can be as many of the clans lay in waste. While not one of the more well-known Shaw Brother films, it was entertaining once you get past some of the awkwardness of the first twenty minutes. For old kung fu movie fans. As always, I rate these niche films before 1990 on a curve.

17 March 2024

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RedLife
0 people found this review helpful
2 days ago
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
absolutely loved the movie.. but i'm a bit sad cauae i thought som and peach will end up together!! Please make more movies like this and and please make it a happy ending for the couples.. Please my humble request 🙏
absolutely loved the movie.. but i'm a bit sad cauae i thought som and peach will end up together!! Please make more movies like this and and please make it a happy ending for the couples.. Please my humble request 🙏
absolutely loved the movie.. but i'm a bit sad cauae i thought som and peach will end up together!! Please make more movies like this and and please make it a happy ending for the couples.. Please my humble request 🙏

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