Romantic comedy with a serious side

This drama started off brilliantly, it got me hooked straight away. It was really funny & cute but has a serious side with some quite dark moments but the overall feeling it leaves you with is hope & happiness.
I really was going to give this a rating of 9 but just a few things were nagging at me. The main reason for not wanting to give it a 10 originally is that it can drag a bit, not enough so that it's unenjoyable but enough so that it's not perfect. My next reason is to do with the plot, while I loved it in general, specifically there were some plot holes, the main one being that we never find out exactly why Go Chan-ho was "helping" Jung Hyeon-su, I really wanted that to be explained.
Nonetheless this is a super drama with a great cast ?‍?

Read More

Annara sumanara

So I had seen one trailer for this while looking for something to watch & thought this looks nice & fun but it is so much more than that. There are actually a lot of serious & dark elements to this short series which I wasn't really expecting & is probably the reason I have not rated it higher.
However, I absolutely adored this show - the first episode was just mesmerising - it had me hooked immediately. Ji Chang-wook is utterly perfect as the Magician (I definitely will be watching more of his work, I also think he should play a vampire at some point - he'd be brilliant) & the rest of the ensemble was cast really well too.
The first few episodes feel quite musical theatre but I'm fine with that however things turn darker towards the end of the show. It does feel like more could be done with this, there are certainly a few unanswered questions. Overall, this show puts a spotlight on many pertinent societal issues whilst throwing in some singing & dancing along with a few tear-jerking moments... what more could you want?

Read More

Fun, comedy, crime caper

Thanks to The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme & the University of Manchester I got to see this for free in the cinema.

I was not familiar with this series when going to watch it but I really enjoyed it. At first, I was a bit apprehensive knowing that it was based on a TV show, not having seen any of that thinking I may be a bit lost with the plot & character histories but it was easy to follow. Most of the characters are likeable or intriguing & the story was entertaining, funny & kept me interested through the whole runtime. Things started to go a bit wacky near the end but it was all good fun & I'd like to watch the show & the other movies now.

Read More

Jasmine is my hero!

The ending of this film has to make this one of the most realistic war films I've seen. It shows the horror & brutality of war in a 'simple' scene showing civilian casualties. I suppose this film could be seen as propaganda but as China was the underdog in this scenario I think it would have been very moving & filled me with patriotism at the time. The final scene is extremely moving & very interesting historically & technologically.
This is the only feature-length silent film I've seen so far that I would consider watching again - although it isn't completely silent as it was dubbed with a few songs & some sound effects.

Read More

So I thought this was gonna have a bit of drama at the beginning & turn into a kind of rom-com... unfortunately, it was the other way round.
It has quite a generic rom-com style storyline to begin with - woman has accident, gets amnesia, can't remember the last 5 years; she remembers being on her honeymoon but now she is divorced & doesn't know who she really is. So, of course, she goes to her now ex-husband to try to regain her memories... let's all guess what happens next... exactly, their romance is rekindled = total rom-com right?! No, not right. This takes a very dark yet realistic turn & the final act is utterly heartbreaking. I thought the ending was quite beautifully done despite the serious & upsetting subject matter... I just wish it had been a rom-com; it is a good film but the ending is just too depressing for me.

Read More

Amazing, epic, fantasy, love story from China

Chinese dramas tend to be quite long & I haven't found one that has held my interest long enough to complete one... until now. The synopsis appealed to me as I've always had an interest in Gods, Goddesses, fantasy & the like but I was slightly concerned about the love aspect & the length of the series.
The three main characters of Jinmi, Xufeng & Runyu are pretty likeable from the beginning and the settings are out of this world (literally most of the time); the production value for scenery and costumes are immense. Yes, 63 episodes is a bit long and whilst watching I felt the human story arc could have been shorter (or turned into a series of its own) but by the finale, I was wishing it would continue for much longer. The series really lies upon Yang Zi's shoulders, as the main protagonist for such a long series her role is vital for its success. Her portrayal of Jinmi is quite extraordinary in my opinion & whilst I prefer the Jinmi of the beginning more so than the end, the character development is beneficial for the storyline & shows the versatility of this actress. Runyu's character arc is definitely the most interesting & well-rounded but also the saddest. The acting from most of the cast is pretty much perfect & I love some of the support characters very much but I must say that Deng Lun & Luo Yun Xi (especially in the later episodes) display some of the best pure, emotional acting I've seen from actors in a long time!
It is serious with love, life & death being major themes but their are lighter moments & even proper laugh out loud ones, especially in the begininng. The ending didn't feel as 'wow' as I was hoping for; it actually felt a bit anti-climactic to me after the epic battle & heartbreak preceding it. Also, I was disappointed that we didn't get to find out what happened to Mr Puchi and Fox Fairy but hopefully, the sequel can shed some light on that ??

Read More

Beautiful but dark

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2021 Online Special without whom I would not have seen this film.

I was very wary of watching this especially due to having watched Miyamoto last night & its blunt nature but this is a beautiful film despite dealing with difficult topics. Yes, there is a scene or two that may be triggering but they are shot in a tactful way with quite quick edits & it doesn't last that long unlike in Miyamoto.
The beginning is intriguing & within around half an hour we get into the main body of the film which is about two young people escaping their dismaying lives as well as the police. There is most definitely a Bonnie & Clyde/Thelma & Louise vibe to it but at the same time it is really different. I believe this is about discovering yourself & a pure relationship/love.
The acting was phenomenal and the scenery is breathtaking; it does have a slightly ambiguous ending but there's also a revelation right at the end which is very emotional and makes you think about fate & life coming full circle. Overall, I think this is a beautiful, emotional, touching & thought-provoking story that will stay with me for a while.

Read More

Sweet Musical Tearjerker

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2021 Online Special without whom I would not have seen this film.

This is a really sweet film, I wasn't sure what to make of it at first but I ended up really enjoying it. There is some beautiful cinematography on show here & the script is simple but effective. The two leads are brilliant & the supporting cast is one of the best I've seen. 
You really get pulled into this world & by the end it really tugs on your heartstrings!

Big Bonus: The music is superb & really fits the story ?

Read More

A new take on 'the other woman'

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2021 Online Special without whom I would not have seen this film.

This is a really interesting film, looking at 'the other woman' in a way few films (which I've seen) have done before, with honesty & humour. The characters all feel very real & their motivations are generally understandable. In the middle of this very grown-up story is a teenage girl trying to figure out her own life whilst the people around her are making decisions she just can't fathom; she makes some brave & mature choices that really show her strength of character & give the film a strong foundation. The other two female leads both give stunning performances but in very different ways; however, Murata Yui as 'the other woman' displayed such an emotional & likeable interpretation, of a role that is normally very unlikeable, stole the show for me.
Technically, there are some brilliant shots, including quite a few close-ups of the actresses staring straight into the camera, which make those moments feel really intimate.
That ending is just screaming for a Thelma & Louise-esque sequel ?

Read More

Special Effect Space Extravaganza!

This was a bit long (it's only just over 2 hours but feels much longer), long-winded & too technical for me in parts (it's the science part of sci-fi I'm not a huge fan of lol). However, I felt there was a lot to like about this film, the story whilst being mildly preposterous was intriguing thanks to the human element. I thought Jin Mai Jaho did an excellent job as Han Duoduo, becoming the emotional heart of this movie. My favourite part was when she delivered a heartbreaking speech to the world & everyone decided there was still hope & they would help to save the world!
I had an unprecedented 45-minute intermission which didn't help with the length issue so a rewatch is in order for me to develop a complete opinion on whether I really liked it or not.

Read More

Oh My God! I Loved It!

If you want lovey-dovey romance this is not the series for you (for the most part it deals with unrequited love) but if you want decent characters, a great story & a fantastic cast then definitely watch it! This was quite focused on a big company run by a family & the business aspect does play a large role in the story but it's the relationships between all of the characters that make this drama special. The three leads have very intricate relationships with each other, Hyuk's relationship with his family is so intriguing & the relationships with Jun's original 3 co-workers that develops over the course over the series is so sweet, I loved them all. The fight scenes were surprisingly brutal & shocked me a little but it just made me love certain characters even more. It's a very funny drama - I laughed out loud during every single episode - & it is very difficult to get a big laugh out of me. I liked that Jun has an unconventional life & lives the way she wants to - I really admire that. I enjoyed watching Kang So Ra's performance, Choi Siwon is really great in this (as per usual) & I'll definitely keep an eye out for more of Gong Myung's work.

Read More

Sherry Baby!

I have seen one other version of this 'film' before & it was a serious drama... this film is most definitely not a serious drama in any shape, way or form. It is a fairly short, absurdly funny, silly film (it has a dark undertone but I definitely view this as a comedy) & perhaps surprisingly I enjoyed it. I say surprisingly because the setting & genre was so different from the original work. It is very highly stylized which I really like; it put me in mind of some work by Sion Sono. It actually gets a bit slow towards the end but the gag reel alongside the credits makes up for that.

Bonus - Donnie Yen being all Four Seasons singing Sherry was A-MA-ZING - I think I'll watch it again just for that!

Read More

This drama is short and sweet... once you get into it. After the first couple of episodes, I still wasn't sold on it but I'm glad I stuck with it because I did end up enjoying the drama. The drama kind of throws you in at the deep end, each episode is only half an hour so there are no proper introductions to the characters in my opinion; I think that is why it takes so long to get into it. The drama starts and you are right in the middle of the story straight away, basically a group of 5 women living their best lives in Hong Kong. They are all late twenties to thirty (I think), they love to party, have to focus on their careers and are trying to find Mr Right but in the end, this drama is about friendship and how important it is to these women.
I am still slightly confused by the end of each episode - the "episode" will end but then there is a minute or so of some women being interviewed (mainly about the party scene in Hong Kong), I have no idea who these women are, are they who the characters in the drama were based on? I have no idea but after a few episodes, I got used to it and actually found some of the insights and stories from "real women" quite interesting.
Finally, I just want to say that I was blown away by Adam Pak's performance in this drama! Why isn't he in more shows/films???

Read More