Completed
Past Lives
4 people found this review helpful
by lilili
Oct 22, 2023
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Not as good as I expected

People have been raving about this film and one of the leads, Yoo Teo, became a favorite after I saw him in the Kdrama Love to Hate You so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, I feel let down after seeing this. It's definitely not a bad film and the cinematography is stunning. But the characters are underdeveloped and I especially had trouble with the FL who I found neither likable or interesting. As someone from a non-English speaking family who moved 3000 miles away from home as a young adult, I expected to relate to the story's characters and themes but instead they mostly left me cold.

The saving grace of the film is Yoo Teo, who delivers a wonderful, melancholic performance as a man who can't bring himself to stop asking what if. His eyes hold all of the emotion and poignance that should've been present in the film's writing and the FL's characterization. Alas, he was the only person I empathized with.

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Completed
Chronicles of a Ghostly Tribe
4 people found this review helpful
Mar 26, 2017
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This drama was just a bit strange for my tastes - however, that seriously might have been because it had bad subtitles. I'm not sure - I mean most of the drama I understood perfectly. But towards the end, I started losing track of things. I genuinely couldn't tell if my subtitles were weird (the sentences made sense) or the drama itself just got too plot-holey.

I'd say the first 1/2 of the film is really excellent. Lots of underground adventure - tombs, monsters, evil traps, etc. Then, the last 1/2 was vaguely understandable and cool. I mean, I understand what happened in the end - I'm just not quite sure about all the pieces and why things worked that way. Maybe it's just me?

Plenty of suspense and action. NOT however really much about tomb raiders at all. To me, the description was really misleading

My plot would be something like:

The 1900s were a time of discovery and new insight into the ancient past as more and more secrets are dug up from the ancient tombs. But sometimes one can dig too deep. When Hu Ba Yi steps up to explore a mysterious occurrence deep underneath the Kunlun Mountains, he could never have predicted the adventure that awaits him. In a desperate battle to save humanity from an ancient evil long buried, Hu Ba Yi and his friends will have to unravel the mystery behind what happened in the past and how to prevent it from repeating itself in the future.

To be honest, this was more of a mixture between some sort of 30% "lost world" / "Jurrasic Park" and 50% "Riddick" and 20% an Indiana Jones movie. It's got tombs and supernatural stuff and all that. Which was awesome - It really wasn't about tomb raiders or tomb raiding. Definitely no buried treasures and Certainly not comparable or similar to The Lost Tomb, Mystic Nine or the other dramas supposedly based on this book series.

Still a lot of historical background, mythology, action, and cool "underground" scenes. I'm not saying don't watch it, it's got merit on its own for what it is - just know the description doesn't really fit. The Candle in the Tomb, this is not. It wasn't meant to be - so I'm not sure why it is described like that.

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Completed
Sky of Love
4 people found this review helpful
May 30, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
i always ignored this movie when it popped up in my suggestions list on youtube. partly because of the hair (the male protagonist has absurd white hair) and partly because the poster made it seem too dramatic and unreal.
but i thought of giving it a try once i exhausted my drama list.
and boy am i glad i did.
this movie had me crying like a baby by the end of it. although the plot is very overboard-unreal-dramatic (i mean how can a relationship go so absurdly wrong? how can all the bad tragic stuff happen to one cute innocent harmless couple?), this movie had it all-romance, (initial)cutesy-comic scenes (they're very hard to find later on), beautiful, admirable love of the purest kind. and tragedy. alot of tragedy.
this movie is probably not for practical people or people who look for logic in the stuff they're watching. but if you're looking for melodrama, romance, dreams and inspiration, then this movie is a must-watch. :)

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Completed
Miss Granny
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 18, 2015
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
Snow days prevail and Miss Granny was the one of the best to bring a smile. This movie about the circle of life and the regrets accompany us along that path.

Story>> Granny story is not a new story. Its a realistic twist to a story done very well. Other age shifting stories are about youth, men, women, yet this is about a 70+ person reversing her age process whilst preparing for death and the impact it has on her family. The magic of the storyline is she never left being a granny in all her mannerisms, style, candor and wisdom which ends up being her most attractive characteristic. Enamoring her to many young & old in heart and soul.
Acting>> the cast & actors were so perfect portraying the aging & complex family dynamics. SDi was and remains one of my favorite actors with is accurate depiction of someone with depth and a fine sense of humor.
Music>> Was centerfold to the story of giving her a chance to live out a singing dream for once in her lifetime. Music was old school and extremely heartfelt (without any translation) Granny had some pipes!

Overall>> this story is solid family drama of common families coping to live under one roof while straddling the multi-generational dynamic and surviving. Granny will make you laugh, cry. smile and cause you to reflect on you & your family core strengths. Granny is must see for ALL ages & cultures...

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Completed
Into the Faraway Sky
4 people found this review helpful
Nov 7, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.5

Believing makes my wish come true, people call it a miracle.

The words, "I was able to fly because I wanted to fly. Believing makes my wish come true, people call it a miracle."
When I saw this, I was surely still a high school student, an age that is said to be a child in the world.
The childhood and freshness that I felt even at that time.
I remember thinking that I liked Ryunosuke Kamiki's acting.
Now that I'm an adult, I'm sure that what I feel and what I see is different, so let's see it again.
That's why movies are wonderful. (What's the story)
And I saw it again (laughs) That's right
! !! The boy, Kamiki-kun, is precious,
Somehow it reminds me of Wes Anderson (laughs)
I'm a child, I'm free, I have a dream, and adults just got older.
"I wanted to make a movie that gives me the power to keep believing when I can't believe something." It was a movie that was
really full of power.

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Completed
Soulmate
4 people found this review helpful
May 5, 2023
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Beautiful, you will cry so hard to the point it hurts

I have no idea where to start I just loved how it was put together, I don't even know how to word it. It just flowed perfectly making sure it gives our hearts a good sharp nudge. No need to think twice this movie is such a must watch. The actors were amazing, will for sure be watching more of their projects. I haven't watched the original and I've heard its better but I don't even know how that could be possible because when I tell you I'm in love with everything about this like MMM I'm in love with this genre and type of story.
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Completed
Albino
4 people found this review helpful
by Beni
Jun 6, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Disrespectful and consenting sexual abuse.

This movie is disrespectful to all women and the sinopsis doesn't even come close to what is coming. You go into that movie unprepared and this is not a tribute to women this is consenting crime, violence and sexual abuse, you should know that.

Reasons why I do not recommend this movie:

- adult female lead is raped by a male coworker just like that and at the end he says "this is your fault" ... WTF ?? And apparently it never crossed the director's mind that the female lead could report that to the authorities... Unbelievable !! This is medieval.

As it is not enough:

- mature female lead has sexual relations with a schoolgirl, equals minor, equals pedophilia; even if is the schoolgirl that initiates the action it doesn't matter because adults should know better and should take the responsibility to say NO to that kind of actions;

As it is not enough...

- schoolgirl is beaten and raped by her father and in the director's mind explicit sex scene between father and daughter once is not enough so let's show it twice (at this time I just couldn't see so disgusting it was).
- as if there was not enough nudity already let's make the actresses topless in that last scene, well just because;
- that schoolgirl's skirt is too short please STOP!

I gave an 8 for the acting out of compassion for the actresses.

This is why I do not recommend this movie.

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Completed
A Round Trip to Love Part 2
4 people found this review helpful
Mar 21, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
Watched part 1, gave it a 6.5, just watched part 2 gave it an 8. WOW, part 2 had a much better story line and better acting,. If you watched part 1 and didn’t like it, don’t stop, watch part 2. Ties up all loose ends from the first one. I won’t give the ending away, but if it had ended different, I think they would have ended up together. They both truly loved each other. But again, society and parent involvement split them apart. I get so irritated when parents in dramas and real life, have the opinion that things in life should be a certain way and force it on their children. It shouldn’t matter who children decide to love, marry or not marry, have kids or not. If everyone would have just left them alone and just let them love each other, everything would have turned out so different.

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Completed
Train to Busan
4 people found this review helpful
Jan 2, 2017
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10
I have been a fan of zombie movies ever since I watched Romero's original Night Of the Living Dead in middle school. Any chance I get, I watch them. Some are good, but most are really cheesy. I still love them. Train To Busan is in a class all by itself, however. It reminds me of a mix of Romero's Day Of the Dead and the British zombie virus movie 28 Days Later, both of which are masterpieces. Except it surpasses both.

From the get go it keeps you on the edge of your seat and freaks you out with the gory and truly horrifying cinematography. It is is so lifelike that the hordes of zombies will give you chills down your spine!

In terms of acting, it really didn't feel like anyone needed to strain themselves too much. Mostly it was all about showing the overwhelming terror and I feel like everyone did their job there. I was especially impressed by the child actress who played Gong Yoo's daughter. She played the sad and serious little girl to perfection. Her character was written differently than most children are written. Instead of being the cute and helpless little kid, she was an earnest and quiet one, brave and wise for her years.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of zombies and horror. It stands out from other Asian horror movies and can rival even the most acclaimed Western horror movie. I will most assuredly rewatch it, probably many times over. 10/10

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Completed
Seven Days: Monday - Thursday
4 people found this review helpful
by Shiro
Dec 30, 2021
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Fun, sweet, interesting plot

I am trying to find the right words to describe the first part of this beautiful duo (both movies and characters).

The movie starts off showing us two very different beautiful boys.

One is known for disappointing the ladies by having a beautiful face but never living up to the charm the girls expect from him. The other is known for being more of a fantasy than a man, who will give more or less anyone a chance to live in the dream of dating him for one week, before he ends it in a beautiful way leaving all his exes happy with the experience. While this behaviour has become well known and more of a joke, this wounded soul really is just trying to mend his broken heart and fall in love.

The first guy is of course cureus and seems to have the approach "Ill try anything once" having this set for a week seems to make it "safe" for him to enter and have fun with it....

The dynamics between these two very different characters is really sweet and fun to watch as they try to understand each other.

And is definitely an interesting start making you long for more... luckily this is from 2015 so part two is already out there and fully subbed...


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Completed
Windstruck
4 people found this review helpful
May 30, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
The story was a little far-fetched, but really beautiful, with the right dose of romance, comedy and tragedy.

The acting was good, because I have to say that they don't kiss once or even say I love you once. But while watching this movie , I laughed, scream and cried with them at the right place. You feel the love they have for one another, to the point that if they had put a kiss or the eternal I love you in there , it would not feel the same at all.

I totally recommend this movie , if you are looking for a good dose of realistic acting , and a story that make you think that their are more to life than the daily hassles that plague us.

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Completed
May The River and Sea Flow Upward
4 people found this review helpful
by Bubili
Sep 26, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 1.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
Story is Ok. But, if we're going to be honest directing, acting, editing ... it's awful. It’s so bad that I just had to write a few words.

Throughout the film, story is interesting, but incomplete, especially the part about tradition, family, relationship between parents and children in that part of our planet.
Poorly written dialogues, cutting scenes is awful, editing and directing, as if it was done by someone who before this saw camera only in the store. And if only someone had invested a little effort and at least 1000 €, this film could have been great .


Although in the end, all the bad things I've listed are irrelevant, what matters - film has a message -* Love is love* and gives support to the LGBTQ community.

If you have one hour and ten minutes free and you don't have anything else to spend them on, then watch this movie.

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Apr 6, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
In the beginning this didn't look like my kind of movie it looked a bit childish but then I really got into the story and characters. Entertaining and the graphics are done well. It's basically about people dealing with their guilt and how the past continues to haunt them. Death is used as a metaphor for a life that's devoid of family and loved ones because of some mistake you made when you were young. I personally liked all the guardian reapers and the dark humor was nicely done. What I didn't like was that they basically used DO for clout, he's not even on the poster. I just noticed. I honestly watched it to support him. But clout or not he did his character well and it was important no doubt his character. And the second season teaser in the end I liked it, will definitely try the next one. So in short entertaining watch.

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Completed
Lust, Caution
4 people found this review helpful
Jun 7, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5
I had this on my "not interested" list based on ONE review saying how she nearly threw up watching it. Stupid thing to do. The movie was amazing. Hard to watch? yes. But it was raw, real, and beautifully acted and written. If you don't like sex scenes, then skip. If you have a rape trigger, then skip. If violence offends, skip. This movie was tragic and yet beautiful. It is not for everyone and not something you watch often if you don't want to land yourself in a dark place, but it is something worth watching if you want to see a truly well done but painful-to-watch movie.

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Completed
KUNDO: Age of the Rampant
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 19, 2015
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Kundo started out really well. Even though the story was familiar I felt like it was a fresh telling. It had interesting characters and a lot of familiar faces that i always enjoy. However going into the climax of the film i felt like things got a bit ridiculous and broad. The detailed stories that we had seen earlier gave way to lots of cool action scenes but I felt the second half lacked heart and organization. A few things were left unexplained and just seemed far fetched in the world they had created previously.

The performances were solid but not exceptional. Funnily enough i felt more drawn to the villain played by Kang Dong Won ,maybe it was his eyes or beautiful costumes but I found myself getting annoyed at the hero and wanting the villain to be reformed and join our group of bandits.

It's a decent movie and it sticks to the genre pretty closely. Don't expect any surprises or surprise revelations the plot is very simple and straight forward. The only surprise was how much they swore (at least in the subtitles) and how many balls/penis innuendo there was.


Watch this if you like martial arts, a good Robin Hood retelling or are a fan of any of the stars.

It was ok , but nothing more .

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