WolfieGrrrl

Is the rabbit god or a physical representation of guilt?

Above all else, everything about the production and the acting is superb. Major props to the direction and lighting department because the atmosphere and the cinematography are on point from start to finish. The strong Christian theming is consistent not only in the episode titles but in the sound design and the dialogue as well. At times, I felt as though I could hear the organ pass judgment on the characters as it sang its requiem. For a horror/thriller that wants you to know that there is never truly a moment of peace between you and your sins, these elements come together flawlessly... even if the music did seem to be a bit distracting in places.

The story itself is well-crafted, but it wound up being reliant on predictable twists - partly because it does a fantastic job of laying out clues for the audience to pick up on and partly because the tropes the plot settled on feel a bit underwhelming for the genre. Make no mistake: it is meant to be a messed up tale, but certain details in the execution just were not my cup of tea even for horror.

I have never read the manga this miniseries is adapting, but Nana's story is very reminiscent of the way people cope with religious trauma. Each time she talks about Ryo in religious terms instead of directly stating what he did to her gives off the strong impression that she struggles to frame what happened to her in a way that doesn't use Christianity as an explanation or justification. With that in mind, I am left with far more questions than answers.

All in all, I would recommend this series to anyone in search of a story that makes you think and maybe leaves you a bit confused.

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A fine first attempt at writing a relatable story!

I'm going to be completely honest here: the censor blur on the uniform's school patch was super distracting and, for a moment, I thought it was supposed to imply that something was wrong with their boobs.

Anyway, the pacing is painfully drawn out and all I'm getting from the "plot" is that Erol's boba tea brings all the girls to the yard. It's pretty clear that this story is meant to be a collection of little moments in the lives of queer teens and I can at least appreciate it for that. Plot would be nice, but there doesn't need to be one if you're just looking for vibes and characters to relate to.

One episode is about those moments where you catch a glimpse of someone, feel an instant attraction, and want to get as close to them as possible. The next is about wanting to pursue a relationship and not being sure how to go about it. (Here, I am very grateful for the way the "romance" non-con kiss trope is handled!) And the last is about the struggle to confess your feelings before you miss your chance.

For the most part, the characters are great, but Yi Qing makes me super uncomfortable. I get that she's supposed to be awkward and cute, but she is really out here inviting herself over to her crush's house without even asking. I really do not like her one bit and no amount of cutesy posing is going to make this okay.

Unfortunately for anyone hoping for a conclusion to the main love triangle, the third episode ends with a cliffhanger. In a way, it tries to satisfy the shippers with a "choose your fighter" style end card where the canon falls short, possibly with the intention of filming another season that never came - so it gets one point in my book for creativity!

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Coming out can be hard to do.

Poor Yu Bin just can't catch a break. I don't know if this is meant to be the same Yu Bin as from "She Makes My Heart Flutter", but she is played by the same actor, which makes it true in my heart!

For a short form piece of media, the progression of the plot and character dynamics really doesn't feel rushed at all. Rather than explicitly being a fluffy romance story, the narrative does a fantastic job of unpacking queer issues in a sympathetic way (that is never preachy!) with characters who aren't unreasonably mean just to create drama for the audience. There are no antagonists here, only humans trying their best to cope within a society that still judges them for existing.

It is so refreshingly nice to see queer people understanding each other's struggles and not punching down when they feel hurt. No one ever said that a breakup had to come with hatred for your partner, and this series goes out of its way to be so thoughtful and kind about it. The writing does such a good job of normalizing not vilifying someone for not yet feeling safe or comfortable enough to come out in public, or for not being comfortable hiding for the sake of their partner.

Finding someone who is at the same stage of life as you and has the same needs in a relationship is so important and so good. Never compromise someone else's safety or comfort for your own. Whatever life may bring, however you choose to live it, what matters most is that you like the way you're living right now.

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Timeless love between a demon lord and an elf.

This special lays down the groundwork for an intriguing story about a demon lord pining to be remembered by an elf she loves dearly. But how did they end up in this situation?

Part 1 introduces a question from the elf's current perspective and then the demon lord takes us back to their past in Part 2 to provide the answer. Each part is shot and narrated in such a way where the actors dub lines over their scenes, yet the characters don't always move their mouths to speak even though they are talking to each other. Despite the many blurred lines this direction creates, it doesn't feel like any part of the story has been lost. Instead, it comes across as an interesting stylistic choice that suits the music video/compilation aesthetic of this fast-paced, short-form content.

If you find yourself in the mood for a vaguely wuxia-themed fantasy, this one has a plot that is easy to follow and beautiful scenes to momentarily lose yourself in. Just be prepared to end the video wanting more to sink your teeth into.

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It ended just as it began.

I love the warm energy of the bartender. She always seems to know just what to say to make her guests - and perhaps even the viewers - feel like they're visiting an old friend. Her bar becomes the cozy backdrop for lesbians in various stages of love and romance to safely unload their feelings about their place in a society that very much doesn't want them to openly exist.

The addition of in-character interviews at the end of the first few episodes is a nice personal touch that gives the series a quirky home video vibe. It allows the audience an opportunity to learn more about the characters that are only seen onscreen for a handful of minutes at a time.

Sadly, the moment we really start to see these characters and their stories unfold, the series ends. But perhaps, in a way, that's a lot like the barhopping experience. You sit down with a comforting drink in a cozy atmosphere, chat with the understanding faces around you as you share your life's ups and downs, and maybe you learn something from the different perspectives you've encountered before you inevitably part ways. In the end, what really matters is the good times we had along the way.

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A found family can be so powerful.

Each episode features Sakamaki ("Mackey") and Kenta solving a new case together as Mackey's hidden past steadily catches up to them. For a mini series that started out lighthearted before dipping into darker elements, it does a good job of balancing humor with seriousness and gradually revealing every piece of information that is needed to understand the conclusion to the story.

The dynamic between the leads is adorable. Mackey is the more serious and level-headed one of the duo, determined to help others and complete a task no matter the legwork that goes into it, though his stoicism and practicality can sometimes blind him to what is directly in front of him. Kenta's more energetic and lax nature, preferring to take the quickest and most comfortable route to his destination, may make him seem more immature in comparison, but he is a much-needed ray of sunshine when he provides just the right touch of humanity to a case or digs up information that would have been difficult to acquire otherwise. Their individual strengths perfectly fill in for each other's personal weaknesses and the companionable familiarity they exude while bantering is so charming I couldn't help but smile.

While I'm not a huge fan of the "you have to return to your family" messaging in episode 2 because it doesn't really address the nuance of such situations, the sentiment was delivered with good intentions and it tied in surprisingly well with both of the main characters' personal backstories. I feel like that at least helps to apply the message to very specific circumstances, especially when put into context alongside such a significant found family narrative.

The soundtrack has an unexpected J-pop idol vibe to it, so I was pleasantly surprised that the main leads sing in an OP shot like a music video. For a project that was created so King Records could promote them and their song, this makes a lot of sense and does a fantastic job of showcasing their chemistry!

Overall, this series is a valuable nugget of stress relief that is definitely worth watching if you like a good mystery that doesn't keep you guessing too long.

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Great characters, familiar plot, confusing execution.

Don't you just hate it when your ex comes back from the dead to steal the pet you lovingly raised together after catching a glimpse of you with your new side piece?

This whole season hinges on a pretty confusing and significant misunderstanding.

The finale of season 1 showed Yu Ling Feng actively trying to save Chu Ye from falling to his death and ultimately failing as Chu Ye pries his hand away. This season begins with Wu Ye swearing revenge on Yu Ling Feng for abandoning him and living in peace for 10 years, which leaves anyone paying close attention feeling like they've missed a significant part of the story.

The intended arc of the season is pretty standard for the genre it's having fun with and I do appreciate the tongue-in-cheek jokes about their production budget along the way, but the fact that it doesn't make sense for Wu Ye to jump to that conclusion after what he witnessed begs the audience to suspend their disbelief and enjoy the ride until episode 32 delivers a half-baked answer. Look, I love a good "betrayal" plot thread as much as the next person who lives and breathes angst, but this plot device could have been executed much better. I mean, maybe it would have worked if Yu Ling Feng HADN'T risked his life to try to save him or if we'd been allowed to see more of Wu Ye's inner turmoil as he came to this conclusion.

But at the end of the day, it's an easy story to turn your brain off for and the characters are so endearing I'm willing to give it a pass simply by nature of being entertaining. Just... maybe brace yourself for the finale because the plot decides to throw comedy to the wind and make a lunge for the audience's hearts (and maybe our brains as well).

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The title will draw you in, but the bunny is the true star of the show.

Have you ever consumed a piece of media where the characters felt so clichéd and uninspired that you found yourself thinking "if I was a character in this story, I would be smarter"? Well, they say that a tragedy is when the tropes are hungry and the hero is in the wrong story, and I personally think this series makes the case that sometimes a comedy is when the villain is in the right one!

Right off the bat, the effects are impressive enough for its budget, the costuming is nice to look at, the acting gets the job done, and the overall atmosphere is pretty much what you'd expect from a wuxia... and then the villain gets replaced by the writer and the tone takes a hard shift into the ridiculousness of Just A Guy trying to Not Die in a world where his reputation has already stacked the odds against him. I admittedly haven't watched much wuxia as of this point, but I appreciate the little tongue-in-cheek moments about the genre. Despite the comedy sound effects being more in-your-face than I typically prefer and the episodes being very fast-paced, I quickly got used to it as I settled in to enjoy the pretty scenery and fun character arcs.

I am a simple creature: I like a good enemies to friends to lovers(?) plot and this miniseries served its purpose. There is something so intriguing about the Yu Ling Feng / Chu Ye relationship - one suffering for years at the harsh hand of his superior, then suddenly the dynamic shifts because unbeknownst to him a new person has taken over the role and starts working to build up trust, affection, and companionship - so if that's your jam but you don't feel the need to see it explored in a drawn out slow burn narrative, this bite-sized story may be for you.

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The continuation that adds nothing to our understanding of the characters but is still sweet.

Contrary to where the previous season's credits left off, season 2 does not pick up right where the story ended.

The dynamic between Jung Ah and Manager Lee remains exactly the same as before, though the unaddressed cliffhanger leaves the situation feeling awkward now. To distract us from our lingering questions, the bare-bones plot of these four episodes tries to add some tension by introducing a challenger for Manager Lee's attention. And yet, somehow this season feels more disjointed than the previous one and I can't seem to place my finger on exactly why.

We are treated to some occasionally sweet moments between our main characters and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it throwback to the first season, which is nice for anyone who just wants to see more of the same! Unfortunately, the company office space has changed. It's a colder and more sterile environment than the warm and cozy office of the first season, so the characters feel less at home in that space.

Predictably, this season has an open ending, leaving us once again to ponder the same question we've been hearing from the very first episode. At least the title still tracks!

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These three episodes perfectly encapsulate the meaning of the title.

This first season is cute as a short standalone story with minimal plot to speak of and I think it's served best that way.

Jung Ah is just a girl trying to navigate her feelings as she starts her new job at a cosmetics and beauty company, which is really just the backdrop to her internal monologue rather than a character unto itself. And yet, it still feels cozy and comforting to see everyone there. The atmosphere has a warm glow to it that makes the characters seem at home in this space they spend so much of their time in.

Framing the story as a series of social media posts Jung Ah is making about her office life is also a nice touch for these bite-sized episodes, particularly when the final credits show the commenters speaking on behalf of the audience watching. It builds a kind of rapport between the viewers and the characters that is charming to see.

The final episode leaves us at a question - the same question that the title asks and that the main character ponders throughout each encounter with her manager - and it works surprisingly well. But as for the answer...

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Love in the rain transcends gender.

No matter which way it plays out, this scenario did not sit well with me.

This is a scene picked straight out of someone's trusty fanfic arsenal and yet, despite the actors trying to play the dynamics slightly differently for each couple, I felt like I didn't know enough about who they were or their relationships with each other to truly care about them as characters or want to see them kiss. Instead, I found myself recoiling from secondhand awkwardness and wishing Jimin could just escape already because anyone making those kinds of sudden advances raises all sorts of red flags in my book.

The dialogue exchange is incredibly awkward and the acoustics in that one stairwell must be wild because it sounds like the first two scenes were recorded inside a tin can. I guess it did accurately capture the feeling of being trapped while hiding from the rain with someone you aren't super close to, so I'll give it that!

To this short film's credit, I appreciate the intended message behind the juxtaposition of these scenes - love happens, regardless of gender - so in that way it's admittedly sweet. The first two scenes were practically the same right down to the "non-con is just a joke" bit, which combined with the echo to activate my fight or flight instinct, so the strikingly different way the third scene was played (despite following the same script) caught me off guard. I can't tell if I liked it a smidge better only because it subverted my expectations or if the slightly improved production for that segment contributed.

The sound quality makes a miraculous recovery here, so perhaps that's why the chemistry started to feel a bit more natural to me. The lack of an echo makes the characters seem closer, as though they're nervously feeling out the space between them while their curiosity and interest grows. I'm still not a huge fan of the setup for the aforementioned reasons, but at least it felt like I was watching something a little bit new happen.

All in all, this is a fine short to watch on a rainy day, but it's just not for me and that's okay!

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An unabashedly queer retaliation against bigots.

This short went from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. At first, you think you know exactly where it's going... and technically you do... but it suddenly takes a slightly out of pocket turn from serious to comedic. And it's great. It literally and figuratively gives the middle finger to people (particularly men) who think they have a right to women's sexuality.

Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of using harmful stereotypes to fight back against equally harmful stereotypes - fighting fire with fire just hurts everyone in the long run - but I can't help feeling like this short was trying to make that point in its deliberate structuring of that confrontation.

Either way, it's a good laugh and I couldn't help smiling at the ridiculousness. The cartoonish acting and visual effects really are the icing on the top of the cake.

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A sweet music video with a lot of potential.

The light vs dark, enemies to lovers, and forbidden love tropes that are being set up with this short teaser promise a good time and the production value is impressive for what it is, but the short clips spliced together to create what is essentially a music video aren't strong enough on their own to present the full story. It's easy to follow along with what's happening and the concept definitely left me wanting more; it just didn't leave much of an impression behind other than "this would be great as a series."

In a lot of ways, it feels like a trailer for an upcoming series rather than a story in its own right, so if you're in the mood for bite-sized content to get you daydreaming, it's worth the 4 minutes it'll take to watch it.

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Just the right balance of cute and relatable "new relationship" awkwardness.

If you love a good coffee shop romance, check this one out. The sound quality and pacing aren't always consistent, but it has its charm.

Admittedly, the acting and the script started out rather dry as the story struggled to pick up. Knowing this is a romance, the "annoying younger sister who makes herself a nuisance for attention" and "put-upon older sister" dynamic between Ava and Pun in the first few episodes didn't appeal to me very much. Thankfully, as the meaning of the series' title became clearer, their personalities grew to be more palatable - much like how, through repeated exposure and a dash of sweetness, even the most bitter of coffee can be enjoyable.

The bite-sized episodes seem to be the perfect length for the style of story they're trying to tell, but that does make the progression of the characters' relationship feel rushed, especially if you want to enjoy the pining before the payout. At least the little casual moments they share leading up to it give us an idea of how their feelings developed and I appreciate the real awkwardness between them as they build up to admitting their feelings. It hit me in a relatable way and I started to like how naturally they interacted with each other. I personally could have done without the "friend sussing out the new relationship" scene right afterward though.

Honestly, I don't think the last three episodes were necessary. They kind of dragged and milked that coffee metaphor for all it was worth, but I'd be lying if I said they aren't a cute bit of extra fluff.

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Ambiguously queer Phantom says be queer, do crime, join the revolution.

Song at Midnight takes Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera and seamlessly adapts it into a movie about political unrest, the desire for revolution, and the need to fight for freedom.

This Phantom (like the original) is a victim of war and corrupt politics, in hiding from those who mean him harm, and continuously craving love he cannot hold onto, but Song Danping is depicted as a more tragic and innocent victim than the possessive and murderous Erik.

Where Erik decides to mold Christine into his eternal bride, Danping spies a young man (Sun Xiao Ou) struggling to perform and decides he has just the remedy for that - in exchange for a little comfort...for his ex-girlfriend. No strings attached, as it would turn out. Accepting no for an answer is the most chill thing I have ever seen a Phantom do and I will admit that this one has a very soft place in my heart for that reason alone. Also, it's hard not to notice that these two men have such intimate chemistry that their relationship can be contemplated further than what appears on the surface.

Rather than being raised as a murderer for hire, Danping left home to become a revolutionary fighter during the Second Chinese Revolution and later took up a new identity as a successful actor, all the while living in fear that his connections to the revolution would be discovered. Unfortunately, he is eventually caught and punished not for his connections but because he fell in love with a woman who was above his station. This poor man survived a whole revolution only to be tortured and burned with acid for the crime of falling in love.

This movie is often referred to as the first Chinese horror film and I can see why. The typical horror movie elements are definitely present here.

~ The eerie atmosphere of the rundown theater and the slow, suspenseful walk down the hallway leading up to it.

~ Women screaming in horror.

~ The overacted moment when Danping's bandages get removed and he sees his scarred face for the first time.

~ The equally overacted "woman succumbs to madness" trope.

~ The (accidentally? erotic) torture scene.

~ The tragic/forbidden love story through lines.

~ The attempted assault and subsequent murder.

~ The angry, terrified villagers wielding torches and pitchforks as they chase the "monster" through the night with intent to kill.

Parts of this movie are dark and hard to make out in its current state and the editing is noticeably choppy in places, but I have to say I can't recall ever seeing a horror movie open with a shadowy figure singing a long-winded and poetic serenade to a stone-faced lady who looks possessed before now, so I was immediately intrigued.

The opening is very slow-paced and focuses more on building the atmosphere than introducing the audience to its plot. The aforementioned artsy serenade, featuring a lot of beautiful nature shots, takes up the majority of the first 13 minutes. So, when the Angel Theatre Troupe finally shows up, the story unexpectedly continues to drag for a short time while the performers wait out in the rain, knocking on doors until they find a place to stay. Most likely in an attempt to build suspense, they eventually take a drawn out walk down the eerie theater hallway to reveal the rundown mess inside. Thankfully, the plot picks up from there and it becomes easier to follow.

The music is beautiful and Song Danping's makeup puts certain other sunburned Phantoms to shame, especially during the initial reveal where his skin almost looks like it's melting off his face.

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