Reviews

Ringu is a classic that most of us will know. Whether we know the American remake, or we sneakily watched the original when we were told not to watch the scary movie everyone's talking about, most horror fans know / have seen it. I'm glad to have finally added this to my completed list.

We all know the storyline etc, so I won't spend time writing about that.

The music within this film was something that was done extremely well. During times where nothing particularly spooky was happening, the music creates such an atmosphere that gives you goosebumps and chills.
The technique of making the film overly dark was something I particularly enjoyed. It allowed for you to lean forward and squint at the screen. It set up times where you felt increasing paranoia waiting for something to jump out when you're least expecting it.

However, despite all of the film's good points and sections that grip the viewer, I don't think I could rewatch this.
The main female lead is one of the most annoying characters I've watched in a movie. Her random mood swings, her inability to do almost anything that makes sense and to aid her family; it all adds up to a character I honestly just want to punch. The actress did an amazing job but the writer(s) definitely could have done much more with her.

After finishing this, I'm not even sure if I want to finish the series and watch the rest of the movies. Ringu finishes very strongly and doesn't have much need for follow ups; they seem very much like a claim for more money rather than a want to continue the actual story – but perhaps I'll find out.

Overall, very cleverly done, but if you like strong smart lead females, then you might wanna watch this just for having watched a classic.

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This is a movie about trans ppl for cis ppl

TW in this movie: transphobia/rape/sexual assault/implied suicide
I don't have to explain the movie´s plot since MDL already does that, and it's a good summary.
This movie gives a good representation to systematic transphobia, but the representation of trans ppl (women because there's no trans men) isn't good. Which is weird because there's a good amount of trans characters, however we know nothing about them besides the fact that they're trans. This is why I believe the movie isn't for trans ppl, they don't show what's like to be trans, they just portray how the experience transphobia (and trans lives aren't just about being trans, they're also about being people, just like cis)
I wouldn't recommend this movie to trans people, because it only shows fear, and things they might already worry about. However, I believe it's good for cis ppl to watch, so they can see how the system affects trans ppl and why they're still fighting, and why cis ppl need to be better allies.

PD. I'm agender but my gender expression is what you'd expect from my gender assigned at birth, so I don't identify as cis nor trans

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A Long Visit is such a heartwarming movie. I knew within the first 10 minutes that I would love it, and I did. The story is told so well and the two lead actresses played their parts beautifully. It is truly a masterpiece. The theme of a mother/daughter relationship has been done countless times in the past, but few have been portrayed to the same calibre as A Long Visit.

This is a movie that will re-define your view of what a mother is. Whether it’s sacrificing her own life goals so that her child can achieve great things, or enduring a painful relationship for the sake of the children, Jisuk’s mother is a true example of how far a woman is willing to go to make her children happy.

It is a lesson on appreciating things we take for granted. Most of the time, that is something that we have from the beginning of our lives but never think twice about, because we don’t know any different: most of the time that is our own mother. Jisuk herself largely ignores her mother when she was young, wishing to get away from her family and live elsewhere. When Jisuk learns that her mother endures the beatings from her husband, simply so that her daughter can have a stable home, this is the moment that Jisuk (and the audience) realise just how deep a mother’s love is. The newly found love for her mother increases tenfold when Jisuk also becomes a mother and this is when she truly realises how much she means to her.

This is one very emotional movie so don’t be surprised if you find yourself shedding more than a few tears, especially during the latter half. I advise you have at least two packs of tissue before you begin this movie. Actually, have a third pack, just in case. You won’t forget a movie like this for a long time.

This is a must-see for everyone.

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Probably one of the best romantic comedies ever made, "My Sassy Girl" definitely delivers where it counts. I watched the movie after it being recommended by a friend; almost didn't watch it because it was made a decade ago; but in the end am so glad I did.



I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this film. The lead characters are superb in their acting, and the lead guy's character is to die for! He doesn't leave much of an impression in the beginning, but trust me, he'll become your favorite by the end ^___^

The main character, "the sassy girl" whose name we never find out btw, is excellent! I've never seen a character like hers. Truly refreshing!



The story revolves around the innocent guy meeting "The sassy girl" and their life afterwards. Filled with comedy and heart warming moments, this movie made my day! Hope you will enjoy watching it as much as i did :)

Definitely a classic ^_^



p.s My rating on the music is just a formality. Frankly i did not even notice what music was there in the background. Was enjoying watching the movie too much!

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For those who watched the series this is a good extra episode. I wouldn't say that it brings the story to an end. I didn't feel a difference to the end of the series. But still it was nice to watch.

Story: It was not a really special, but still a nice story. Sometimes I thought I was watching splatter(well with green blood^^) and some fighting scenes were a little long, but apart from that it was fun to watch.

Acting/Cast: The cast was well chosen. Kame and Anne were great as always and I thought that the girl actor was really good too. Well the only unnatural thing about their acting were the monster postures, but that is probably to get closer to the anime.

rewatch value: I rated it a little low 'cause it only feels like one of the episodes, nothing special, no closure.

All in all really good but more of a special episode than a movie. I hoped they would show a bit more about their future, but I don't hate open ends.^^

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[Written/Watched 19 Oct, 2019 on Letterboxd.]

It's really hard not to think about "The Wailing" when watching "The Mimic" (on Shudder). And that's not to say they're identical films (they're not), but both films feature a character whose good senses fly the coop despite being warned against doing the thing that will doom them.

With "The Wailing", it was kinda understandable. The daughter was still alive (to a degree) and the father acted on instinct instead of wisdom. "The Mimic", however, ultimately argues the mother's grief over her missing (and likely dead) son was stronger than any lasting relationship she could've maintained with her husband and her daughter, their only surviving child. That's bleak as hell, but it suited the tone of the film (which was never particularly optimistic to begin with).

It's kinda hard to view a mythical tiger as a soul-eating antagonist. Largely because "Tigers Are Not Afraid" (a film that uses tiger imagery in a positive light) still hangs heavy in my mind.

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Wow. Just wow. I went to watch A Taxi Driver blind. All I knew was Sang Kang Ho and Ryu Jun Yeol are in it. And it's based on real events. But that's it. I don't know anything about the Gwanju Uprisings nor Jürgen Hinzpeter, the German journalist which Peter is based on. But I left the theatre in tears and in awe.
A Taxi Driver is an incredibly moving, inspiring and brave film. It's a film that honours the bravery of ordinary people, the unsung heroes that battle in the face of fascism and brutality. Taxi drivers, students, journalists—coming together to do one thing: tell the world.

As a journalism student, I have a romanticized view of the type of journalist I want to be—journalists like Peter. Those who risk their life to tell stories that are undiscovered and that are censored. That's the type of journalist I aspire to be. If that's what I'm going to end up becoming is another story. Perhaps that's one reason why the film shook me to my core. Given the political situation in Hong Kong as well and the tension between press freedom and self-censorship here, I feel that, as an aspiring journalist, I have the duty to tell the world things like this—just like Peter, just like Mr. Hinzpeter. And just like Mr. Kim (Sang Kang Ho), who feels that he has the responsibility to his taxi customer—and eventually, to his people.

This is an inspiring film given that to some, especially in a capitalist society (where I'm living), taxi drivers are not seen as honourable jobs. Even today, the reputation of journalists is diminishing. Yet, we have Mr. Kim, a widower who makes-end-meet to provide and care for his 11-year-old daughter as a taxi driver. And despite having to leave his daughter behind and in the face of danger and even death, he owned up to his responsibility.
I will take you to the airport no matter what.

A father that his daughter will forever be proud of.

Perhaps, if you too, see the horror and the brutality that he's seen in Gwangju, you would feel that you have the responsibility to tell the world about it—for a better future for your daughter and future generations. The characters are unsung heroes who are selfless and go through lengths to get the world out there. Jae-sik, a university student (Ryu Jun Yeol) and the taxi drivers.

I have seen many films with Sang Kang Ho in it but to me, this is one of the, if not the best performances of his to date. Sang, a veteran film actor proves his versatility combining comedy and drama and switching between the two with flawless execution. He is the heart of this film. But the soul is the bond, despite short, of the two men: Mr. Kim and Peter. In real life, Hinzpeter tried to search for the real Mr. Kim up until his death in 2016...with no luck. Mr. Kim's son said that his father passed away from cancer four years after the uprising. This film, is a tribute that's too late for the two. And for the other people who helped the two get the word of the Uprising.

Jang Hoon (who worked as an assistant director to Kim Ki Duk) and cinematographer, Go Nak-seon have done a profound job in the film's visuals. The details are apparent and particularly the chase scene between the disguised police and Kim and Peter looks like a sequence out of a dystopian film—a very good parallel to the horror of the fate of the protestors. Its combination of black/red and smoke just produces this eeriness and oozes an apocalyptic mood. That said, the taxi driver vs. military chase scene to me, is an amazing "action" sequence. Not only because of the way it was delivered visually but also emotionally.

Jang and Go makes use of saturated tones to achieve the vintage effect. With occasional slow-motions and close-up particularly during its dramatic sequences (blood flowing out, people getting shot) may perhaps be too sappy for some but it allows not only for drama but also for portraying the horror and a sense of hopelessness. Combine that with hospital scenes and injured protestors of bodies of the deceased—it overwhelms you but it tells you: this is wrong. And that is why we need to tell the world about it.

While A Taxi Driver may be different things like a tribute to the unsung heroes, it also taps on the dangerous roles of foreign correspondents and their local contacts particularly when it comes to war reporting. But this responsibility that we have to tell the world is carried in their heart.
Combining comedy with action is evident in its indoor scene as the characters laugh and cheer only to be swept away by the sound of bombs—looks trying to live normally while caught in the terror of war.

A Taxi Driver is powerful. It is brave. And it is inspiring. Perhaps no words are enough to say how I applaud these people (especially their real life counterparts) on their bravery. No, you don't have to wear a cape to be a hero. You could hold a camera. And you could drive a taxi.

Yup, I definitely cried bucket of tears for this one.

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If you're a fan of zombie movies, Gong Yoo or just great filmmaking then please, for the love of all that is good, watch this movie!!!

Also, bear with me, this review is gonna be long...

STORY -

I'm not even being hyperbolic when I say this is one of the greatest zombie movies I've ever seen. As an avid fan of all zombie movies, from the serious horror ones to the comedic parodies, I was completely and utterly blown away by Train to Busan. Not only was the script something I've never seen before, but it was so well-paced and so perfectly executed with just the right touch of horror, suspense and heart-warming humanity that it simply just skyrocketed into my top favourite zombie movies of all time.

There have been so many reiterations of zombies and what they are and how they act, and while Train to Busan's zombies aren't exactly unique, I found it so interesting that they don't seem to die. What I mean is almost all zombie movies have a moment of epiphany when the heroes realise they can kill them by a headshot, but in this one, they seem rather invincible and I think that's what adds to the horror of TTB's zombies. Of course, you find out more about them later on in the story, but that involves spoilers and I'll keep this review relatively spoiler-free. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the way they depicted the zombies in TTB and I love that they set this movie on a train. I think the only other movie I can think of that comes close is Snowpiercer (a revolution set on a train with Chris Evans, quite good too), but that didn't have any zombies. Funnily enough, it was also directed, produced and written by Korean filmmakers (not the same ones, but I feel like TTB may have been inspired by it?)

Another reason why I love this movie was the human element of it. Normally, I'm the kind of girl that likes gory zombie movies where it's more about the zombie kill and less about the people, but this one captivated me from start to finish. Maybe it's because I'm a Gong Yoo fan, but honestly, the most horrifying moments in TTB didn't even have anything to do with zombies and everything to do with the lack of humanity shown by some people. There are several instances in the movie that made you want to scream and reach in and kill some people yourself. I guess that's how you know a movie's completely succeeded because it made you have such a visceral reaction to it.

The best part, however, of TTB was the love between Seok Woo and his daughter Soo An. And the love between Sang Hwa and Sung Kyeong. And the bromance between Seok Woo, Sang Hwa and Yeong Guk. Basically, what I'm saying is the main cast really freaking killed it. The chemistry between all of the main characters really added a touch of lightness to an otherwise dark movie.

ACTING/CAST -

Did I mention how much I love Gong Yoo? I saw Goblin before I saw this and fell madly in love with him (as did most people), but my gosh, if you're ever in doubt about his acting, this movie will steer you back on the right path because he really outdid himself. Every moment with him was a delight, or as delightful as a dark zombie movie can be. His character development throughout the movie was so natural and so gradually done that I really have to commend him for it. Kim Soo An, who plays his daughter, was also fantastic. She's such an incredible child actress!! Honestly, everyone was so good in this movie!

MUSIC -

I gave this a 9 because there weren't 'songs' in this movie like you find in dramas so I guess you could say it was forgettable in the sense that I didn't really notice it, but I honestly think that's because I was so gripped by the story to even notice anything else. I do have to say that the score really helped elevate the suspense of certain scenes and really helped ramp up the heartache in others.

REWATCH? A million times yes!!! I want a Train to Busan 2!!!

OVERALL... PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GONG YOO, WATCH THIS!!!!!

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Honestly, the only reason any one watches this is because of Super Junior which is a TOTALLY OK reason to watch this. Don't walk into it thinking it's a masterpieces just because SuJu is in it. Now don't not watch it because it has a low rating, it's definitely worth watching especially if you don't expect too much out of it. The story line is simple and relatively easy to understand--the Siwon/Ryewook electrical fingers notwithstanding--and it's relatively enjoyable to watch (even more so if you are a SuJu fan). You might rewatch it from time to time as it is a light hearted movie and it's a great way to pass the time and have a few laughs. Go into it without expecting anything from it and you might find you actually enjoyed it!

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Power, sex and romance in a playful and joyful relationship . . .

First of all, what a wonderfully fresh take on relationships between consenting adults. The attitude of 'Sure, why not? Could be a lot of fun' that infuses the whole movie is a welcome change. Instead of dragging on for hours and hours whether or not they should be in a relationship, they actually date.... and try things out. I also like that there is an exploration of the consequences in the realm of the everyday (no serial killers!).

Second, the acting here is great. The main characters and side characters are distinctive, and the male and female leads have a great mix of comedic timing and more serious feelings. They also treat the material with respect - people who engage in BDSM are people just like anyone else, and you truly believe the characters are enjoying themselves.

The music didn't register, some scenes will stick in my head for a long time. Highly recommend if you'd like a more mature exploration of dating and relationships. The 2 hrs flew by.

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Story: The majority of viewers have typically seen the Japanese Drama ‘Kimi wa Petto’ staring Matsumoto Jun first. I haven’t so I’m going to base this review off of the fact that it is a movie and not a remake. It frustrates me when I read reviews and they are about how this sucked in comparison to the drama. The movie, truly, is not that bad.

It’s really refreshing to see Jang Keun-Suk with a light-hearted and go-with-the-flow character. His character was very sexy, crawling on floor to address his ‘master’ and even pulling down his shorts at one point. I really saw him in a different light. Trust me when I say, for those of you who loved him in You’re Beautiful, your thoughts about him aren’t going to be so pure. Especially with those dance moves and the bathtub scenes. With his cute and funny acting, you can’t help but admire the fact that in addition to manly roles (Itaewon Homicide) he can be cutesy as well.

The romance was so adorable and interesting. Not many people would agree to being someones pet. It was intriguing to see their relationship grow and develop over time. How she only thought of him as Momo and then towards the end fell in love with him. It was very funny to see the way he acted with her, saying perverted things like, “I only touched your chest,” and her reaction. They seemed to have some good chemistry on screen.

While I admire the romance, I don’t admire Eun-Yi as a person. While she is hardworking, I found her very weak. For example, you don’t bring your first love to your house, while another man is living with you. I mean, come on, no one is that stupid.

Music: It had some pretty good tunes, nothing I would put on my iPod though, if you know what I mean. There was one song that was sung in Engrish by JGS. I couldn’t understand half of what he was saying but the melody along with the acoustic guitar sounded nice. He just needs better pronunciation.

Cast/Acting: A lot of people are saying that JGS was cast to show off his dancing and singing skills. In reality he had to take dance lessons for this role. It isn’t as if he was cast soles because of his dancing. I think he did a great job, as I said earlier. While there is room for improvement and he could have done better, I think he did pretty good.

Kim Ha Neul, was okay. I can’t give her too much credit because it isn’t that hard to play a normal, stupid girl in love. There wasn’t much of a challenge and she didn’t really do anything but keep one man on a leash while another guy pursued her. With that in mind, her chemistry with JGS wasn’t that bad. They were cute together.

Rewatch Value: 9

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this thing was hilarious. my fav actors kim kang fkn woo and shin min ah. kang woo i swear was made on the 8th day coz everything i see him in i fall in love hes just too beautiful. the story is amazing and funny. shin min ah has always been my favorite actress. all her roles she does the perfectly and her dimples and cuteness make u fall for her too. she's a beautiful blind girl dating a beast but the beast lies and tells her hes good looking. she finally opens her eyes and did not expect the turn of events. the soul singer in the movie is awsome even the 8th dragon guy.

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