Cheer
The Morgue
This review may contain spoilers
If I have to describe the Terror Live in one sentence I would say: One room, an anchor, a terrorist, a live broadcast and lots of thrills.I have been waiting for this ever since it first came out and I can say that I am quite satisfied. The story of this film is located in one room, the radio station, this may seem so little for a thriller to happen but I take that as a positive point because the non-diversity of locations forced the focus on the plot and dialogues instead which is a great thing. The Terror Live builds a great tension and thrilling moments that it may even feel suffocating in a good way.
The film starts out very fast without the meaningless time-filler introductions; it was engaging ever since the first minutes and it kept drawing the attention until the very end. This film doesn’t contain any dull moment and you can never think that it became boring because the order of displaying events was quite well-done in a way that will make you anxious about what will happen next. Also, the messages delivered in this film concerning the government, mass media and terrorists as well as the questions it asks about their involvement are well-crafted. And no, this is nothing like any terror anything you’ve seen before since it doesn’t follow a stereotypical pattern at all.
The acting was marvelous. Ha Jung Woo proves, once again, what great of an actor he is. I always praise him in my reviews not because I am biased with him as a fan girl (although I do find him quite charming) but it’s due to his absorbing acting skills that keep getting better and better after each film he makes. And man does thriller roles suit him so well! I am complimenting the acting because if some pretty face idol who doesn’t know how to act did this type of role then everything would have went downhill that’s why choosing great actors is one the most important elements of making a successful film.
The characters were intriguing and very well-done as a whole. There’s no hero in this film because our male lead is almost an anti-hero instead of the opposite side. The anchor had the greatest character developments ever where he started as a sloppy carefree radio host then he became a serious anchor and at the end…Well, it’s a spoiler.
The cinematography is catching and pretty similar to recent Korean thrillers visuals with only little CGI used in the process. And I don’t think a second rewatch of a tight suspense film is a good idea.
Watch if:
-You’re in the mood for a great suspense thriller.
-You like the Korean way of making thrillers.
-You like Ha Jung Woo or want to discover him.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike thrillers and suspenseful stories.
The Terror Live is one of the better Korean thrillers made in recent years, if you want to watch this film then make sure to prepare yourself for an astounding ride.
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A Better Tomorrow was the film that launched John Woo reputation as an action director after few failures in other genres. Through this film, Woo broke the usual Hong Kong ways of making action films that should always be either Kung Fu or Wuxia; he made a gangster film that became an absolute classic.
The film itself has a deep involving plot. It’s true that I admire John Woo films because I am an action junkie and I am forever in love with violent films but that’s not everything that I love about Woo’s films. What I also appreciate is his ways of making us feel the characters and care for their destinies as well as the relationships between them. The story within A Better Tomorrow is not some shallow action telling; there is the suffering of characters, the angst, the friendship, the brotherhood, the loyalty, the sacrifice and the rest of John Woo favorite themes that he never fails to make them shine.
If we leave the drama behind, we get an amazing action film with well-choreographed gunfights even if they were in a lesser amount than John Woo’s later films “The Killer” and “Hard Boiled”. You see, the usual John Woo pie of making action (heroic-bloodshed genre) is: guns, lots of guns, many people (preferably dead more than alive), two (or sometimes three) heroes who kill and kill then kill again, explosions, crazy gunplay and bullets flying everywhere. A Better Tomorrow was the film that started it all.
The acting was great, this was also the film that launched Chow Yun Fat’s stardom and made him take a big leap of success as a films’ actor. After this, he took the main role in almost all John Woo Hong Kong films. Then there’s Ti Lung and Leslie Cheng as a somewhat third lead; the three of them had a great combination but Chow Yun Fat had the strongest performance.
The characters weren’t always cool; they had their own pathetic pitiful moments which help the audience relate to them. And let’s not forget that their development was quite wonderful.
The cinematography was nice; I recently re-watched this film and it wasn’t even obvious that this was made in the 80’s. Needless to say, this is a great re-watching material especially after a long time of first viewing.
Watch if:
- You like John Woo action films because this is the one that started it all.
- You enjoy gangster films with brotherhood and friendship themes.
- You’re in the mood for a great action film.
Do not watch if:
- You dislike Action or violent films.
- You dislike John Woo’s work.
A Better Tomorrow is a classic out of its genre and a deep action film that still feels so good even after 30 years.
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I saw this film by chance when I was browsing through some pages and I realized that I forgot to add it. You see even the newbie me didn’t like this and found it quite ridiculous; I am sure I would’ve rated it 5/10 at the time but now, even 3/10 is still too much. I am being a little bit nice.
Well, I don’t usually write negative reviews; I prefer publicizing the good dramas and films instead but this time around, I just had to go a little against my general rule and I don’t mind being hated for my straightforward thoughts. I will try to keep things shorter than usual because this doesn’t deserve any length.
This film’s story felt so unoriginal at first, and then it failed to deliver anything that grabs the attention, it was seriously boring to follow. Those who are watching this for romance would find this quite lacking and very disappointing. Yes, I am not romantic stories’ lover but I can list several average films that would beat this one to pulp. I am sure that even the fans of the genre would find this film’s story absurd if not unwatchable.
The acting was unbalanced, untrue and absolutely unbelievable. I felt like the director was putting a knife on the actors’ throats to make them act or something, they just couldn’t grasp their characters. But maybe the actors are originally bad that the director who’s already in deep trouble for creating a bad storyline didn’t care any longer what happens with his movie. The chemistry was disastrous, obviously forced without any feelings to portray.
Watch if:
- Well, I am going to leave this blank because I don’t want to recommend it to anyone except those who accept any type of romantic stories.
Do not watch if:
- You want to watch a good romantic story.
- You want to watch it for Mike He. Really, this doesn’t deserve the trouble.
- You’re looking for chemistry or something cute.
Love at Seventh Sight had storyline issues and major acting problems but the main element to blame for this foolish film is the director who failed to make things balanced.
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Now, let’s leave my proud self aside and talk about the drama. This is the original root of both “Love Me Not” and “That Winter the Wind Blows”; the Korean film and drama are remade from this Ai Nante Iranai Yo Natsu. I always had this drama under my radar ever since I first saw the film few years back but the lack of subtitles pushed me away, luckily I had enough courage to pick it up lately.
If I compare versions; I would undeniably state that the original Japanese version is the most realistic one but not fast paced as I thought it would be. However, the flowing of events was quite smooth that the drama felt very addictive. Although I should’ve watched this drama slower, because after all, I had to be extra focused on what they say but I just couldn’t slow down. It didn’t even matter that I already knew what will happen next (except for the ending of course because I knew it would be dissimilar one way or the other).
What also lacked in the Japanese version is the skin ship; there was lots of skin ship in the Korean remakes especially the drama but in here, it was almost absent. Many people would consider that disappointing, as for me; I found nothing wrong with that because the genuine feelings spoke better than touches in here. Also, this drama’s ending is way better than the ending of Love Me Not and That Winter the Wind Blows combined.
For those who aren’t familiar with the plot, this drama had an enjoyable atypical story. It could have gone a little astray at some points but it always managed to come back to its usual pace in no time. What also catches the eye about this drama is the sincerity of emotions displayed even if some melodramatic moments were a bit too exaggerated.
The acting was pretty enjoyable and believable. I am somewhat having Watabe Atsuro’s phase and I am glad to see one of his older dramas where he did a great job with the role. As for Hirosue Ryoko, I really like to see that actress around; she always manages to attract me in. The rest of the cast did a respectable job.
The characters felt very real. For instance, the way Reiji was portrayed was straightforward in an almost perfect manner; the way he talks, smokes, acts around other people is the core of how that character should be like. As for Ako, she was also quite good and she didn’t show unbalanced contradictions which I truly appreciated. The side characters were also good but I am sure some of them could have been better than that.
It’s a given that the Korean remakes were more beautiful than this when it comes to visuals especially the drama because that’s what Koreans do best: their remakes are always glowing with dreamy cinematography and sceneries but you should keep in mind that this was produced back in 2002. I also should mention that this drama was set in the summer while the Korean film and drama took winter as their set. It’s a bit insignificant but I found the winter background way more appealing than the summer setting.
Watch if:
-You liked any of the Korean versions because this is what started it all.
-You like the Japanese way of making melodramas/Life productions.
-You want to watch something different and enjoyable.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike remakes; just stick with the version that you already watched.
-You dislike life and melodramatic dramas.
-You want to watch a vividly shot drama.
Ai Nante Iranai Yo Natsu is a well-made drama with a nice topic that deserves to be watched even if its Korean remakes got all the attention. It’s a loss that many are prevented from watching this drama due to the lack of subtitles.
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To start with, you need to know that this was made in the late 80’s so it’s useless to compare it to recent action films that use progressed techniques. And despite that fact, The Killer puts many recent Hollywood films to shame. I still insist that John Woo created his masterpieces in Hong Kong; he never made a film of “Hard Boiled”, “A Better Tomorrow” or “The Killer” caliber in Hollywood except for “Face/Off” perhaps.
This film’s plot is rather simple: an assassin who’s thinking twice about his career, a hot-blooded police officer, a singer who went blind and the bad guys. But being simple doesn’t mean it was shallow. On the contrary, The Killer had too much depth to rely on which made some people complain that it was a bit too “melodramatic”. I disagree on that thought, because the little drama in this film helped the events’ flowing in a natural way and of course, John Woo never misses a chance to display his favorite themes: Loyalty, brotherhood and honor.
The core of this film, on the other hand, is the essence of action. Personally, I consider John Woo one of the better Action directors in the world if not the best. The man redefined the “action camerawork” and the violent heroic bloodshed films which inspired many other famous action directors around the world. As a usual dish of John Woo, the gunplay choreography was mind blowing especially the last sequence of the film; it was pretty marvelous. Needless to say, this is a violent film where cars exploded and bullets were flying everywhere.
The acting was high class. Chow Yun Fat sparkles in John Woo’s films in a way that makes me think that he’s probably the best male lead Woo ever had. The man has a great onscreen presence that proves his great acting skills. And let’s not forget Danny Lee who made his breakthrough in Hong Kong cinema through this film and it’s undeniably one of his best roles up to date.
As for the main characters, they were violent which makes you think that they’re immoral but that’s not the case. John Woo always makes his main characters cool and “The Killer” wasn’t any exception, the two characters are drawn in a way that you would feel their nobility, acts of honor, loyalty and friendship. The rest of the characters were also pretty well written and suited for the film’s storytelling.
The cinematography and camerawork were astounding and quite alluring. It doesn’t even matter if this film was made back in 1989. And yes, it’s a great rewatch material; I am writing this review basing on my latest rewatch session of this film.
Watch if:
-You like action films because this is most definitely one of the best.
-You like John Woo because this is one of his Hong Kong masterpieces.
-You like violent films with lots of gunplay.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike John Woo’s work.
-You dislike the action genre.
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To be able to enjoy this film, you first need to prepare yourself mentally, open your imagination, widen your horizons and forget about the usual filmmaking. If you’re unable to do that then it’s unnecessary to even think about watching this.
This film talks about one of the most famous Japanese folklore tales; Goemen who’s almost a splitting image of Robin Hood with some changes. This also takes historical events and figures from the 16th century into consideration but this should never be considered a reference to Japanese history because it’s inaccurate most of the time.
The film’s pace was really fast; sometimes it doesn’t even give you a chance to think twice. It’s action packed and quite bloody and violent. It’s a samurai/ninja tale so you can pretty much expect a lot of fighting, killing and blood splashes all over the place but it wasn’t overdone. Beside the martial arts and swords clanks, there were also bromance, humor and even some little romance moments so it doesn’t leave you room to complain about the extra-focus on action.
The casting of this film was spot on. Eguchi Yosuke is such a talented actor and one of the best older actors in Japan; he has a strong onscreen presence which made the role suit him very well. The other actors where quite good especially Osawa Takao; I really loved his interactions with Egushi.
The characters were also rather enjoyable with all of their interesting developments. It’s true that most of the characters in this film are real historical figures but that doesn’t specifically mean that every character development and destiny is historically accurate.
Now, let’s speak about the cores of this film which are: CGI, visuals and realism. This film is packed with CGI, it’s a fantasy alright but it’s not a Hollywood fantasy; this is made in Japan. I am not saying that as a bad thing, I actually mean it as a good thing because no one will dare to make or even give the green light for a similar film to be made in Hollywood. The CGI in this film was never meant to be real; it’s not only unreal but it’s also mythically surreal. Just think of it as if you’re playing a Samurai or a ninja video game or watching an animated book being made into a film; that’s the best way to get used and to accept the effects in this film. And yes, creativity has no limits; Kiriya Kazuaki deserves all the respect for taking his chances and making this film.
The visuals where eye-catching and the somewhat dark cinematography was very well done. Maybe the costumes used for this film aren’t historically accurate. Because after all, those armors aren’t what samurai lords and vassals used to wear but that’s trivial for the storyline’s flowing. And just for the record, this film was made with a low budget so it’s pointless to compare it with visually proclaimed Hollywood films when it doesn’t even get 10% of their budget.
Watch this if:
-You’re an action lover but as I mentioned, you should keep your imagination alert.
-You like Samurai and Ninja stories.
-You’re into somewhat weird Japanese cinema.
-You like to watch an impressive Japanese tale that resembles a fairytale without the exaggerated storytelling.
Do not watch if:
-You don’t appreciate creative filmmaking; it’s useless to waste your time on this.
-You dislike Japanese weird films and you find them strange and a waste of space.
-You think you can compare this to other films you’ve seen before.
-You like to watch historically accurate productions because this one isn’t.
Goemen is a film against standards; it has its own genre and needs its own viewers. Needless to say, this is absolutely not directed for everyone.
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I watch older Jdramas (1996-2002) from time to time and I usually enjoy them but this time around, I was a little displeased. Nisennen no Koi is listed under the genre “romance” and it’s indeed a romantic drama but that wasn’t exactly the main focus here. There was a promising chemistry that could have been better handled, there are some good romantic elements but everything took forever to happen and the exaggerated focus on side plots ruined many interesting events.
This also contains the “Spy” theme but as expected, it wasn’t very well executed either. At some point, the screenwriters went on circles repeating similar events that we all know what the outcome will be. That leads us to another negative point about the plot; almost everything was very predictable including the ending. And what makes the matter worse are the irritating side plots that serve for nothing except for the running time. Now, if I have to mention some good things about the screenwriting, I will solely give credit to the concept; the story as a whole was attention-grabbing but the execution ruined a potential great watch.
The acting was good enough. Takeshi is a films’ star but he made three dramas in his career and all of them were Japanese. Although I still believe that his acting is well-suited for the big screen and that he’s better off as a films’ star; I still loved to see him in a drama role and man does he sound so great speaking Japanese! His co-star Nakayama Miho is a good older J-actress that I like to see her around, romance dramas fit her acting on a great level.
The characters were likeable but they were too obvious if I may say. The male lead was a little better though because Mashiro (the female lead) was such a boring predictable character from any angle you look at her. The rest of the characters didn’t raise any interest except for the Saeki, the smart police officer but that little attention I gave to his character disappeared with time when I noticed that he became dumb.
This was made back in 2000 so don’t expect any dreamy cinematography; I know that many people dislike watching older dramas. The soundtrack, on the other hand, fulfilled its purpose in a good way.
Watch if:
-You like older dramas.
-You’re looking for a different type of romance.
-You like the main leads.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for gripping romance.
-You dislike older dramas.
Nisennen no Koi had great concept but the execution and the storytelling ruined any chances to make it remarkable or even memorable drama.
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This film is written and directed by Na Hong Jin, the maker and the co-writer of the mega-successful thriller “The Chaser”; he even brought back the two main leads from the 2008 film. I am slowly becoming a fan of the director and I will eventually watch everything he did or will do.
So let’s talk about the film; it’s practically a wronged-man thriller style of story. There’s also a slice of the Korean life and society displayed in moderate amounts. For starters, the title “The Yellow Sea” is the passage between eastern China and western Korea peninsula which leads us to “Joseon tribes” the Korean people who settled in eastern border between China and Korea after the World War II, they have closer relationship with North Korea but they often immigrate to South Korea due to the growing economy. Joseon clan people are unwanted by everyone, they’re poor, desperate and often viewed as criminals and thugs. Our two main leads belong to those people.
The story of the film is engaging with lots of suspense and intriguing questions that will be answered in the most unexpected ways. The storytelling is divided into four major segments that narrate the protagonist’s life in details. On one hand, the first two parts were a set up to explain the characters, the main event and the motives but it also throws little hints. On the other hand, the last two parts contained more complications and excessive speedy events. I must admit that I enjoyed the latter half better; it’s not that the first half wasn’t interesting but the second part outclasses it.
The Yellow Sea is a violent film with gory scenes and bloody killings; there are explicit cutting scenes but for me, it wasn’t extreme gore. It’s at the same level as “The Chaser” and “The Man from Nowhere” and falls a little behind compared to “I Saw the Devil”. But that’s a bit insignificant, what really matters in this film are the exciting chasing scenes, the survival spirit and the suspense to find the truth.
Now if I have to list the shortcomings, I will only mention the exaggerated length that bothered me. Two hours and a half is overlong, I would’ve given this an easy 9 if it was a little shorter.
As I mentioned above, the main actors are the ones from “The Chaser” with reversed roles. It’s no secret that Ha Jung Woo is my favorite young Korean actor, the man is so suited for big screen acting and he keeps drawing me in each time I see him. And what makes me appreciate him even more is the fact that he knows how to choose great roles. Then there’s Kim Yoon Suk a veteran Korean films’ star that knows how to make his character feel so vivid and alive. The acting department is simply top-notch; everyone did what they had to do.
The characters, on the other hand, are hateful; there’s no hero here. Our protagonist is not a saint, he makes many immoral decisions and floats between the good and the bad sides but that doesn’t really matter because you will find yourself rooting for him to reach the end line, the guy is a freaking survival machine. As for the villain, he is one of the best I ever saw; he’s vivid, smart and strong. He makes you thrilled every time he appears on screen. The rest of the characters will make you feel unsympathetic towards them but they add a great taste to the story.
The cinematography is intense, dark, amazing and most of all very well fitting. But the camerawork troubled me a little in some of the chasing scenes where Na Hong Jin decided to use the “unsteady camera” technique; those scenes were an uneasy watch to be honest.
Watch if:
-You admire Korean thrillers because this is one of the best.
-You like “chase” films.
-You like the director and the main cast.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike gory films but this isn’t excessively bloody.
-You’re looking for an easy watch.
The Yellow Sea is an interesting view of some of the Korean society slices mixed with suspense and crime. It’s absolutely one of the better Korean thrillers.
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Let me keep this review shorter than most of my other detailed long ones. This is a classic action film produced in Hong Kong by the master John Woo and it’s definitely one of his better works to date. When I say action, I target every meaning behind the word. This is the epitome of the action genre that puts the majority of Hollywood action films to shame.
Is there a plot? Not really, is there realism? Heck no! The guy fires hundreds of bullets without even reloading, what common sense are you talking about? But who cares about that? The lovers of the genre don't watch for the plot or for realism, what matters in action films is the intense style of violence, bullets flying and once again violence! This is an extreme action film where everyone holds a gun (or two) and fire until they die. People are everywhere, explosions, motorcycles blowing up in the air, cars exploding and bombs. It’s all there, the camera was everywhere and those slow motion scenes are just magnificent. Nothing less from John Woo’s explosive directing style.
The main leads are cool just like John Woo’s typical main leads. The acting is superb, on one hand there’s the great Chow Yun Fat that lacks recognition and on the other hand, there’s the well-known great Hong Kong star Tony Leung. It’s a dreamy powerful combination that allows John Woo to make use of the brotherhood theme that he loves so much. There’s also a nice performance from Anthony Wong as the bad guy but he falls behind compared to Yun Fat and Tony.
Watch this if:
-You love action films because this is one of the best.
-You’re looking for action entertainment.
-You like John Woo’s films (especially his HK ones).
-You like any of the cast.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike violent films because this is the essence of violence.
-You’re looking for a certain plot because there’s nothing special in this film’s story.
-You dislike the genre action.
So why does this get a 9/10 from someone who’s very cheap with his ratings? It’s because I am an action junkie and Hard Boiled is one of the best Action films ever made in the history of cinema, PERIOD.
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Since I am going through a massive rewatch mission of old Martial Arts films; I decided to include other old Hong Kong/Chinese films to the rewatch party as well and what’s better than Wong Kar Wai’s genius pieces? After seeing this film again, I can fully understand why I loved it the first time. The magic magnifies even after years of first viewing.
As everyone knows, I am not a romance person or someone who cares about the “moving cinema” at all and I can hardly watch an artistic film and completely appreciate it but all of that is in a world and Wong Kar Wai’s productions in another world. Kar Wai is one of the fewest directors that I look forward to watch their romance tales even if I am not a big fan of the genre. Do you know why? Because he’s a master who knows how to portray love with the intense power of silence to make it feel gripping. The man uses only few pages of script and the rest is told through magnificent ways, the rule in Kar Wai’s films is: everything that’s unspoken is stimulating and even what’s spoken is full of wisdom and hidden meanings.
I am surprised at people who say: “Kar Wai’s films don’t have a plot”, I mean are you sure we’re talking about the same director and films? I am a fan of Wong Kar Wai and his splendid of ways of making love stories because many need to understand that romance films shouldn’t always be: met, smiled, fell in love, kissed and Tada Happily ever after tale story just like they shouldn’t be: met, fell in love, disease, death and cries . Wong Kar Wai’s breaks those rules to create outstanding pieces.
Now, let me just stop here or I won’t be able to refrain myself from talking about that brilliant director.
There’s a story behind this film. Actually, Wong Kar Wai found a problem with editing his film “Ashes of Time” (that was releases the same year by the way) so he left it behind then wrote and directed Chung King Express in the meantime. The film is about coincidences, brief encounters, loneliness and painful love but that’s not what this film is all about, there’s also warmth and fun to enlighten the watch.
Chung King Express is divided into separate narratives about two policemen; the first is about the dark heartbreaking side of love led by Takeshi (who gained his breakthrough due to this film) and femme fatale; the inside-conversation he had were simply intriguing in a way that would make you completely understand the character and its suffering. The second story outclasses the first if I may say. It’s not only because it’s less dark or because it had more run-time but also because it takes on other interesting turns. It’s about Tony who suffers the problems of post-breakup until a cheerful soul came along.
The acting was good and the characters were quite fitting for the storytelling. Takeshi still didn’t gain much experience while doing this film so Tony and his female lead merit more credit.
As usual, Kar Wai’s camerawork was amazingly done and the cinematography was quite alluring for the film’s theme. And let’s not forget ‘California Dreaming’ that was a great choice of theme music.
Watch this if:
-You like Wong Kar Wai’s films or you want to meet his work.
-You appreciate different types of love stories.
-You like artistic love films.
Do not watch if:
-You think Kar Wai films “don’t have a plot”.
-You dislike any of the cast.
Chung King Express is a stylish storytelling of love tales orchestrated by the excellent love stories’ director Wong Kar Wai with a notable set of cast.
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This review may contain spoilers
While the first part focused on the set up, characters and politics; the second part went straight to the battle itself. This film is made as a package so you simply can’t watch one and ignore the other. They’re strongly attached in a way that makes them feel inseparable.I will skip the history in this review, I wrote about it in the first part and any extra historical information that I give in this film would be considered a spoiler for those who aren’t familiar with history. But let me just make something clear, John Woo didn’t exactly follow history. He changed many events for the favor of his storytelling, so the outcome and some facts can be misleading for those who want to take this as an accurate “historical reference”.
Red Cliff 2 is all about war and everyone knows that everything is allowed in war; whether be it contaminating the enemy’s camp with deadly contagious diseases, using the enemy’s spies against them or burning down the Navy. That’s war, it’s ugly and everyone loses at the end, the deadly battles and the horrible truth are definitely there. However, that’s not all what war in John Woo’s film is all about. There’s more to tell through the splendid battle scenes.
The heart and soul of this film is the epic battle of the Red Cliff that marks one of the greatest wars in Asian history whether because of the number of soldiers involved or the smart distinguished generals who were leading armies. It’s 800,000 against 50,000; the first is led by the outrageous yet politically clever Cao Cao and the other is headed by the combination of Sun Quan and Liu Bei with the magnificent aid of the intelligent Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu. The battle was all about tactics and strategists where the two advisors play an important role at confronting a huge army. The famous 36 Stratagems and 'Borrowing the arrows using the scarecrows' are one of the greatest psychological war techniques I ever read about in history and John Woo did an superb job by making them come to life.
The amazing strategies aren’t the only thing that clicked about this film; there’s also the astonishing portrayal of battles scenes, the blood spilling, the wonderfully made fire scenes and most of all the emotions and the reactions of characters’ involvements.
In this part, there’s no further explanation of actors; I already made everything clear about their amazing job in the first part. As for characters, I still insist on the over-use of the female characters, they weren’t only all over the place but they also were historically wrong.
The other characters’ developments were well-noticed between the first and the second part. We get to see more impressive sides of historical heroes especially Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu.
This film’s cinematography was stunning. The visuals, colors and the sceneries were well-fitting for an remarkable piece of Chinese war epic.
Now, if I speak about the film as a whole; I would say it’s one of the best war strategy films ever made and absolutely one of John Woo’s better works. This is not a sequel; it’s a second half of the same film so you should understand that this is supposed to be watched as a whole. Do not see the American or the European cut versions; you should search for the original release of the two films or you won’t be able to feel the whole magic.
Watch this if:
-You saw the first Red Cliff because they’re inseparable.
-You like war films or John Woo’s HK works.
-You like strategy films.
Do not watch if:
-You’re expecting a historical documentary where everything is accurate.
-You do not like war films.
Red Cliff 2 is the second part of an amazing Chinese film that deals with the famous “Three Kingdoms” epic displaying the Red Cliff battle with all of its spectacular strategies and tactics.
Red Cliff as a whole is one of the better films’ that successfully demonstrated the art of war.
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I really dislike the word “epic”, I believe it’s over-used and misunderstood by many but if I can call a film epic then Red Cliff must be one of the fewest that are allowed to have that description. I saw the DVD release of Red Cliff back in 2009 so I initially thought it was only one film but later on, I re-watched them separately and I am able to judge each production on its own.
Now, as a usual part for my historical productions’ reviewing, I must give history credit and allow the film to be put in its exact temporal and special frameworks. It’s because I am history’ lover that I can’t help but narrate some facts that happened in real life thousands of years ago, so let’s have a little round in history before reviewing the film itself. You can always skip this part if you find it boring.
The year is 200 A.D, the late Han Dynasty and the place is the famous China. Cao Cao (Prime minister of the Han Dynasty), the most cunning, evil and fierce man in the Chinese history took control over Northern China and made the emperor a puppet ruler but that wasn’t enough so he decided to embark an attack on Southern China’s ruler Lord Liu Bei who is known by his generous deeds and strong general followers. Cao Cao led a huge army of eight hundred thousand soldiers to conquer the south which forced Liu Bei to seek alliances with other Southern Lords, the young ruler Sun Quan and military expert Zhou Yu. In order to convince them, Liu Bei sent his prime advisor and the most impressive strategist in Chinese history Zhuge Liang to accomplish the mission.
Cao Cao’s enormous army is constituted with surrendered lords so there was no loyalty and thus he always feared betrayals, which makes him envious of Liu Bei’s side that’s full of great generals that aren’t only loyal but they’re also quite strong. However, no matter how great the generals are, they’re massively outnumbered by Cao Cao’s army so how can they overcome it? The answer can be found out either by reading history or watching the film because I would be spoiling things if I mention it but let me warn you that this film doesn’t exactly provide the entire answer.
Enough with history, the film itself was well done in a way that would let you get to know what happened even without searching it up. The storytelling may not have been flawless in any way but it did deliver what has to be told. John Woo is known for his badass action films and I do agree that they’re his strength point but there are other elements that people forget or refuse to notice about his works such as the characterization. John Woo is a master at building his characters by using the brotherhood and honor elements and he didn’t change his rule in this film; he only reduced the amount.
What this film excels at beside the stunning cinematography is the war techniques. We get to see John Woo's interpretation of Zhuge Liang's "ba-gua" strategy, the fighting abilities of each general and the amazing portrayals of several wars’ strategy although the major battles were saved for the sequel. The use of slow motions and the clever built up of battles and action is an extreme plus point for this film.
The acting was high-class. It’s really challenging to find good actors who can give the famous historical figures their right characters and what’s best than Tony Leung, Kaneshiro Takeshi, Chang Chen, Fengyi Zhang and several great HKC actors for the job? They did quite well with their characters but I’ve got to give Tony higher credit for the way he made Zhou Yu feel so firm just like the history describes him to be. It’s one of my favorite Tony’s roles up to date.
There’s also Takeshi who made Zhuge Liang, which is one of my favorite historical figures ever, feel so vivid but maybe a little more too humorous than he should be. To be honest, I thought Takeshi was too “pretty” for the role. I like the guy, I really do and I believe he’s a great actor but I wasn’t too confident to see Liang being portrayed by him. However, after watching this, I was proven wrong and my doubts went into thin air.
The women department in this film felt a little unnecessary but still fitting. I liked Vicki Zhao’s casting and role but I am afraid I can’t say the same about the first big screen’s appearance of Lin Chi Ling.
The music for this film was pretty suitable for the theme and the rewatch value is high because this is one of the greatest films’ that deserve to be reviewed.
Watch this if:
-You like Chinese history or you like to get to know it more.
-You like war films’ because this is one of the best.
-You like John Woo’s films.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike war films.
-You dislike any of the cast.
Red Cliff is surely one of the greatest war films ever made with the touch of Asian history and some Hollywood cinematic techniques delivered by the master john Woo in the most beautiful way ever.
This review is for the first part of Red Cliff and the second part is coming up next.
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Usually, Korean gangster movies are either a hit or a miss for me depending on how well the execution and the storytelling are done. Nameless Gangster managed to get the good points out of the general theme.
This movie is set in the 90’s Pusan when Korean government announced war on organized crime. The gangster world got shaken in a way that threatened its existence but that’s not the main focus of this movie. It takes us back in time to tell the story of two gangsters and the struggles they encountered to reach the top. This is a story about a wannabe gangster and a hot shot gang leader that deals with loyalty, betrayal, gangsters’ codes of honor and clashes in the underworld where those two individuals tried to co-exist like a united soul: One is the muscles and the other is the brain. However, creating harmony in the gangster life is almost impossible.
While the story of the movie isn’t exactly exceptional or flawless by any mean; the acting was. I am sure that I would’ve not liked this the same if there was a different set of cast. Choi Min Sik is the lord of Korean cinema when it comes to versatility and flawless roles’ portrayal and his “gangster-like” character was quite hateful in a loveable way. Ha Jung Woo on the other hand is climbing way too fast on the top of my favorite young Korean movies’ stars. He’s creating a shiny name for himself whether by the roles he accepts or the way he makes them feel so attractive. At this rate, I am sure he will become another lord of Korean cinema soon. In this movie, Jung Woo was so fitting for the “gangster aura”; he did so well with the process of his character’s development.
The other set of cast were also well-chosen even if some characters felt a little unbalanced for the setting.
I’ve got to give some credit for the cinematography since it was well fitting for the gangster mood. The music was also quite good.
Watch this if:
-You like gangster movies.
-You’re in the mood for something different and dark.
-You like Choi Min Sik, Ha Jung Woo or both because they were great in this.
Do not watch if:
-You’re not into crime/gangster movies.
-You’re not a fan of the main cast.
Nameless Gangster is a movie about survival, friendship and loyalty in the underground gangster world from the viewpoint of a wannabe gangster and a proclaimed gang leader portrayed by two of the best actors in Korean cinema.
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I am actually surprised at myself for not picking a taiga drama before even if I am a hardcore fan of history; I watched historical films but never a taiga drama. I think I was scared away by the length considering my low patience level but after starting this drama, that factor didn’t matter anymore.
Before I review this drama, let me first explain what taiga dramas mean. They’re Japanese yearlong historical dramas produced by NHK and each taiga takes a specific historical character to tell his life with 98% of accuracy. Unlike most of Korean Sageuk that tend to take a little part of history and built a completely inexistent story on it, taiga dramas tend to tell the history in the most believable accurate way ever. Of course there are some dramatic effects but they never sabotage history or add imaginary characters on their own. And don’t worry, they tend to explain everything whether at the beginning or in their “Travelogue” at the end so you won’t feel lost at all even if you’re not familiar with history.
Tenchijin is set during the late 16th century: The warring era which marks the most chaotic period in Japanese history where all the daimyo (clans’ lords) were fighting for the rule and power. That era happens to be my favorite fraction of the Japanese history because many of my favorite generals belong to that period. And while I previously know every single thing about the era and the destiny of its characters including my favorite names, it still felt so fresh and amazing to watch the characters I read about being alive.
During the chaotic era of schemes, betrayals and greedy intentions, NHK decided to pick the Uesgi and center their 48th taiga drama on them. For anyone who knows history, the Uesgi aren’t actually the type who ruled Japan or searched for personal gain. They have a mystical aura around them ever since the lord Kenshin’s days. It’s all about the justice for the Uesgi and Kagekatsu (Kenshin’s adopted son) followed his lord’s path of justice by the great help of this drama’s main character Kanegatsu. This storytelling is about the calm, patient, non-greedy, loyal and righteous vassal who lived his life serving the Uesgi, caring for the commoners and creating a distinguished name for himself. Kanegatsu may not have been famous like many generals of the warring era who gained popularity even in current days but he was respected and acknowledged by most of them for his thoughtful thinking and great techniques. He may not have been a great warlord but he was one of the best strategists of the era and one of the fewest who genuinely cared for farmers and the poor.
While telling the story of Kanegatsu, this drama had to center the light on many other characters and events of the era like the ever popular generals: Kenshin, Oda Nobunaga, Saru Hideyoshi, Ishida Mitsunari, Tokugawa Leyasu, Sanada Yukimora, Date Masamune, Maeda Toshie, etc. Those plot changes were quite alluring because they introduced the important figures of the era, their interactions with Kanetsugu and their thoughts about the country’s future. The main character’s meeting with those famous generals added a different taste to this drama. While some of them were his allies, others were his enemies. Considering Kanetsugu’s sense of justice and great talkative manner, you will be looking forward to how he will reply to their compliments or repay their harsh comments.
There are a lot of political clashes in this drama between daimyo lords, the rulers, the vassals and even the wives. However, this drama isn’t all about politics. It contains amazing friendship moments, some romance, heartwarming relationships and great bromance. It will always manage to keep you interested.
It’s a given that you cannot produce a great taiga drama or any historical telling without great actors who know how to make characters feel alive and this drama’s casting nailed it in that part. Tsumabuki Satoshi being the male lead for this drama was one of the main reasons why I chose it as my first taiga and no, it’s not because of fangirling reasons. That man is one of the best Japanese actors nowadays and what’s better than a taiga main role to make him even a better actor? He delivered so well, whether in the foolish, serious or heartwarming moments because that’s what his intensity is all about. What also made the acting department even more overwhelming is the presence of other astounding actors such as Abe Hiroshi, Oguri Shun, Matsuda Ryohei, Kitamura Kazuki, the veteran Utsui Ken and many others that made great scenes and awesome portrayals of the generals. There were some astonishing duets with Satoshi in many scenes.
In a line, I will mention that some battles weren’t portrayed in a good way but the cinematography and the soundtracks were quite fitting for the theme.
Watch this if:
-You love history and want to know more about the Japanese warring era.
-If you like accuracy because taiga dramas have the most informative plots ever.
-If you want to discover taiga dramas but beware that they’re nothing like sageuk.
-If you like the set of cast especially Satoshi because he was amazing in this.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike anything historical.
-You’re not a fan of the Japanese warring era.
-You dislike any of the cast.
Tenchijin is a wonderful ride through the warring period which marks the most interesting part of the Japanese history. The drama takes the life of Kanetsugu as a reference to the Uesgi clan to tell his struggles and deeds through the chaotic era to reach the peace era.
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I usually agree with Japanese ratings because they’re generally objective and I frequently disagree with international ratings because they’re often biased. This time around, I disagree with both of them; this drama doesn’t deserve the low ratings at all.
Kurokouchi isn’t your typical detective drama with an investigation hero or some genius scientist in it. How is it different? For starters, this is not an episodic drama where each episode they solve a case then move to the other one; Kurokouchi takes the 45 year-old 300 Million-Yen robbery case from a different angle. It’s notable to mention that the 300 Million-Yen case is a real robbery that took place in Japan back in 1968 and remains unsolved until today. The storyline is the writer (the mangaka’s Koji Kono and Takashi Nagasaki)’s hypothesis about what actually happened.
This drama is more of a crime mystery thriller than a detective drama; there are too many dark moments going on that differentiate Kurokouchi from any other detective drama. Of course, this remains as an investigation plot with a police department and detectives but there’s more than that to the storyline. It goes into depth of thrilling events with unexpected turns that make you eager to know what will happen next. The variety of developments and side stories that are always connected to the main robbery are a major strength point that counts for this drama.
The acting was pretty good. The performance by Nagase and Watabe Atsuro were quite remarkable; it’s been a long time since I haven’t seen them in anything that I forget how great they can be at portraying their characters. As for Gouriki, I will leave it at “Passable”; I think the main problem that people are finding with Ayame is her repetitive appearance on TV dramas and her lack of roles’ diversity. I didn’t hate her acting but I despised her character, she was a waste a space and a typical prey of “female dumb police partner” personality who knows nothing but asking stupid questions and lurking around for nothing. I wish that Japanese would change some of their female detectives’ characters. It’s about time that we get some strong, hardcore female investigators in the police department.
As for the male lead; this drama displays an anti-hero, a police officer who’s nothing like any other detective you saw before. He’s someone who affiliates with corrupted politicians, someone that you can never predict what he will do next. Kurokouchi always manages to surprise us with his choices and unexpected revelations. What also makes the character quite fascinating is its dark humor; it’s quite likeable even if it sounds hateful. On the other hand, there’s Sawatari: a manipulative silent character who always smiles no matter what. I happen to like those types of characters so I grew an ultimate liking to his way of thinking and it didn’t even matter that he was an evil figure in the drama.
Other characters were pretty well written to suit the diversity of crime stories and side events that always occurred in this drama. However, some of them weren't quite good and I still can't get over the sudden disappearance of a certain character.
In a line, the music suited the drama’s detective theme in a good way.
As usual, the rewatch value is always low for suspense twisty dramas that lose their factor of surprise once rewatched.
Watch this if:
-You enjoy non-episodic detective dramas.
-You like real stories but remember that this is only based on a hypothesis.
-You’re in the mood for a Japanese Crime/Thriller.
-You happen to like Nagase Tomoya.
Do not watch if:
-You’re not interested in detective dramas.
-You dislike Nagase Tomoya.
Kurkouchi ‘s definitely one of the best produced Detective dramas this year even if it’s underrated both nationally and internationally.
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