Heracin

This is a fever dream, with incredible visuals : artsy, obscure, lenghty

This movie was quite an incredible cinematic experience. It was really thought-provoking but also quite lengthy and difficult to digest in one sitting, which I did.

The story in itself felt like a fever dream, jumping the viewer from vignette to vignette with some striking visuals. Each story had its own graphic palette of colors and tones, its own way of filmmaking...The care on the esthetics, the meticulous attention to details, was the best part of the film. However, while the craft being outstanding, there was also a lack of clarity in the storytelling that felt a bit frustrating to me, making the viewing experience also somewhat tiresome. I wish they would have done the set up and the ending in a less conceptual way, to brought together better the whole movie.

Acting was really good with the minimalist cast doing a solid job. Especially Jackson Yee, who I didn't know and who was incredible in this. I am astonished at how good he is and the range he demonstrated. I will definitely be looking forward to watching him in more roles.

I would recommend this movie to people that enjoy artsy, conceptual and experimental movie. If you want a good brain scratch, this is the movie for you. It is for sure not without flaws in its storytelling and pacing, but it really leaves a strong lasting impression on the viewer who is bound to be left with many questions and thoughts.

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A story about connection and intimacy : I wish it would have been longer to amp the angst <3

I quite enjoyed this Japanese BL which features an unconventional relationship between two characters suffering in their respective love life and finding comfort and solace in each other. Their pathway to happiness is a muddy one and the script does a good job at making the viewer understand their pain. There are some points where I feel the scenario could have been better, more specifically regarding the support roles and their motivations. I feel that some of their choices (especially the reason behind the attitude of Fujisawa Kazuaki) was a cope out to absolve the character and explain quickly his behavior.

The acting was good overall. Muto Jun (who plays Hagiwara Kazuaki, one of the main leads) has eyes that emotes so well. I was pretty impressed by him. I found the acting of Ito Asahi (who plays Nakarai Sei, the other main lead) suitable for the much more closed off role he has to play...But I think he could have done more in the emotional part to amp the angst, especially toward the ending.

Regarding the more intimate moments, they were okay but I would have wanted the tension and the passion to be even more palpable. Given the need the main characters had for each other and the lack of intimacy being such a central part of the plot, the directing of those scenes felt a bit too tame. The production value overall felt relatively low-budget and minimalist, but it managed to create some impactful moments (the museum scenes, all the rain sequences referring to the title).

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a BL with a more mature story. The series is not without flaws as I feel the conclusion was a bit too quick and I think an epilogue would allow to better round up the drama. But I truly loved how the characters connected despite being already committed in relationships and how the story focused on the intimacy issues in established couples. I enjoyed the murky and painful aspects of the the relationship, but you might want to check the triggers if you have any.

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Office Japanese BL with a friends-to-lovers trope that could have been exploited better

This Japanese BL set in an office settings depicts the romance between 2 former friends that find each other back working for the same company. Even though the premise of the series does not seem particularly original, I really liked the first half of the show which provided the context and the background to the beginning of the relationship between the two main leads, back to when they were in middle school. It gave a very painful and real feel to the friends-to-lovers trope as there are a lot of trauma and social pressure faced by the characters at a pretty young age as they are trying to figure themselves out.

However, I was less enticed by the second half of the show which focalised a bit too much on an external conflict with an office manager villain...I'm really not sure if it brought any additional value to the relationship. Given the shortness of the show, I would have preferred the adults version of the characters to spend more time on dealing with their past trauma and handling the internal conflicts than on all the office drama. For me, there was a bit of a missed opportunities in terms of romance, passion, pining and as well as mental health conversations.

Overall, the chemistry between the two main lead was quite average even though they share some relatively noteworthy scenes. I found myself being much more interested by the performance of the actors playing the part of the characters younger. Maybe because that was the part of the story that I found the most compelling...In any case I think they did a good job and were more convincing than their adult counterparts.

The production value was pretty standard for a BL Japanese office drama. Nothing stands really out but it does the job. Similarly, the music was not very present and not that noticeable neither in a good or bad way.

I would recommend this to people looking for a BL office romance. It has some defaults in its storytelling and does not exploit all of its potential but it is still a pretty compelling watch if you like friends-to-lovers trope.

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Sluggish plot saved by strong world building, production, characterization and my love for the cast.

Let's face it : this series is not without flaws : the main one being its lethargic pace. It felt so slow at times that I am pretty certain that putting the show in speed ×2 would make the dialogs seems to be at regular speed....The scenario is not dense enough for the duration of the drama and the story could have been covered in 8 episodes of 1 hour rather than 12 episodes of 1h10 to 2h. Despite me loving the main cast that I first encountered in DoMunDi Friendship reality show, I couldn't help feeling their acting was also a bit unequal depending on the individuals.

Having said that, I LOVED the atmosphere, the world building, the soundtrack. This series has its own color with a real artistic vision. Its esthetics felt very cohesive and the various special effects, costumes and make-up were solid. It is really setting itself apart from other BLs I have seen and felt fresh. The overall story was really interesting even if slow-paced : for once, I felt that redemption when offered was deserved as it was the outcome of well-written ill-fated relationships. The karmic burden, the white and black magic, the previous lifes : it was captivating. The opening generic as well as the soundtrack were work of art in themselves, setting up perfectly the small traditional village and fantasy atmosphere.

The chemistry between the main couple Peem/Khem (played by Keng and Namping) as well as the secondary couple Chan/Jet (played by Tle and FirstOne) was also great, with the secondary couple being my fave of the series. I feel the characters of Charn and Jet were the heart of the drama, they were animated and charming : their bounds really made me swoon so much. I cannot wait to watch Tle and FirstOne as main leads in another work : both their chemistry and acting was super convincing ! Peem and Khem had also some very nice and hot moments but I was less invested in them than in the secondary couple. It is partially due to their characters being more closed off but also unfortunately to some less convincing acting, mainly by Namping. He felt sometimes bland here, which is a bit of shame because I expected more of him from the previous title I saw him in. It might be linked to the role/directing, so I will definitely keep an open mind for his future performances.

I would recommend this to people looking for a dark fantasy BL drama. While slow-paced, it takes the viewer into a well-rounded journey featuring characters with motivations that made sense. The romances were very well-built as well, with a lot of fiery chemistry, angsty slow-burn and butterflies inducing moments.

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Side Ep with the "villain" point of view: totally dispensable and less interesting than main series

I'm currently enjoying so much my watch of the taiwanese BL series "Kiseki: Dear to Me" that I was compelled to watch this side episode of 20 minutes centred on the story of Zhang Teng. He is the weakest part of the origin drama, so I was hoping that this special episode would allow some development and nuance regarding this character and his "villain" arc.

Unfortunately, this special episode did not exactly meet my expectations...It is totally dispensable and it did not make me be more convinced by the character of Zhang Teng. I kept also being unconvinced by the performance of the actor playing that part. He is for me the weakest point of the cast but I must admit that the script and filmmaking are particularly cheesy when relating to him and that the issue might be more relating to storytelling than to the acting.

I would recommend this to people that like the main series. It is totally dispensable and you will not miss anything by skipping this. But still, if you are finding yourself wanting more from those characters and their universe, it is a relatively satisfaying watch (despite the repetitive aspect of of some scenes). To be noted, this side episode should be watched after viewing episode 8 of the origin series.

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Would have benefited of a longer runtime

The idea behind this BL story is really good with the fantastic twist that allows the main character to grow out so much. Unfortunately, if I like the concept in itself and I was pretty convinced by the arc of the main character and the office environnment/issues, I think the romance aspect would have benefited from a longer runtime to feel more fully-fleshed.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for an original BL office story. It lacks a bit in terms of romance but the main character arc, which is full of hope and life lesson is really well made.

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Interesting journey of the main character trapped in toxic relationship(s) : a wild ride!

This BL drama features the intricated relationships between Da On, a young and handsome salaryman and Seong Hyeon, Jae Min and Su Hyeon all connected differently to him. It is quite a dark series with a lot of toxicity in the various bonds between the characters themselves. The main character is trapped in his past and present feelings and there are a lot of craziness happening, which I found very exciting to follow as the story progressed.

There are some strong psychological elements underlined in the scenario and I would have loved to dig further into the layers of the various characters as the series progressed. It could have been even more complex and nuanced but overall given the drama's length, I found the overall main character development and narrative around the evolution of his feelings very believable and gripping. There are a couple of elements in the storytelling and choices made by the characters that convinced me less but nothing dithering my interest for the drama as it unfolded.

The acting was quite solid, especially Kim Jun Seo who played Da On. He was the center part of the story and it is him making his character so attaching and touching that made the series so compelling to follow. Next to him, the three others actors did a good job showcasing properly real range of emotions : from sunshiny to batshit craziness. There were a few instances were I felt they were a bit strained / rigid in their acting but they all fully committed to their parts which I appreciate.

There was clearly not a huge production budget and sometimes the sets felt a bit lacking and poor. But there were some interesting ideas in terms of directing to effectively display the main focus point of the romance(s): the best metaphor for me being the scenes with the ring(s). Such a statement of what worked and what did not work in the relationship(s). The background music could also have been better, it was a bit too heavily handled on top of some scenes. I enjoyed some of the songs but I did not find any of it memorable.

I would recommend this to people looking for an intense BL featuring toxic relationships coupled with some crazy twist and turns. I wish some parts would have been developed more, and that the ending would have been as captivating as the build up to it, but overall, I think this watch is a wild ride well-worth the time.

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Enjoyed the ride but will not make it into my top favorites rom-com if I'm honest

This rom-com series features one of my favorite trope: "friends-to-lovers". I really enjoyed the romance and all the build up that was made around the main couple, they successfully managed to make convincing the shift from friendship to romance. In terms of writing, the first half of the series is the most substantial one and clearly the most heavy.

There are a lot going on in the life of the various characters and I think that some stories have a strong resonating power and will not leave the viewer indifferent for sure. I enjoyed to dip my toes into slice-of-life territory with the characters but I regret also some shortcuts taken by the writing regarding some storylines. Despite that feeling, I think that pacing could have been tighter (with definitely shorter episodes) and that the overall drama could have benefited from some streamlining. I feel that the mix of genre between rom-com and slice-of-life elements could have been better balanced and spread through the duration of the series.

The acting was very good with solid chemistry from the two main leads. I really loved Jung Hae In and Jung So Min pairing, I will keep catching up on their respective works. The ensemble cast was pretty great as well: the actors and actresses playing the parents and neighbors really insufflated life in all the family background of the main characters. In terms of production and filmmaking, it is quite standard for a rom-com. I found it pretty and colorful but not really impactful. I have similar feeling regarding the OST, it is already fading away from my memory.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a rom-com with substance and good acting. If you enjoy slice-of-life stories, this might as well be a good fit for you. It is more heavy in terms of topics it approaches than the poster and title would left supposed. So if you are looking for simple fluff and light romance, it might not necessarily the one to pick. In my opinion, it is definitely worth a try despite some weaknesses in the writing.

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Convincing chemistry saving sluggishly paced story

I quite enjoyed this BL featuring the romance between grumpy music student Qin and sunshine art student Duang. The cat and dog energy was in full force with them, making their dynamics fun and sweet to follow.

I really liked the way that TeeTee played Duang...It might have felt like A LOT in the first quarter of the series but as I get used to it, I became quite endeared by the character...which I must admit is probably a mirror of how Qin, the tsundere cold student felt, facing the over the top puppy energy of his suitor. The romance beginning could have felt stalkerish for some but I was charmed by the sweetness of it all, as well as the unexpected layers of the two main characters.

Was it without flaws? Certainly not. The pacing was properly sluggish, with a lot of screen time devoted to competitions and school aspects that did not really matter in the grand scheme of the story. Half the series felt like fillers but still, as I got more and more endeared by their relationship, I followed quite happily the less inspired moments of the story.

Another big flaw of the story is coming from the secondary couple played by Otto and North. I had a good prior feeling about the cast, having watched all the seasons of DMD Friendship, but unfortunately Otto and North definitely needed more time to be able to carry their storyline, which was clumsily written and felt very awkward with the recurring English talking...Maybe sticking to just speaking Thai would have already helped them? Having said that, I quite enjoyed the other relationships with the friend group being really cute to watch when bantering with Duang.

The production value was very good. DoMunDi production is proving once again that they can really develop a vibe specific to a show while maintaining great filming quality. It just feel done with care and budget. The soundtrack was not outstanding though, except the credits song, nothing really memorable to me, which is a bit of a shame given the central place of music in the story.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a sweet student BL with a sunshine x grumpy romance. The story could definitely be better paced and not every arcs is worth that much screen time...But the romance evolution, the unexpected deeper moments really save the series and make it worth a try.

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Memorable movie...even if the plot never fully reach destination

I truly loved this movie centred around 2 ballroom male dancers, one (Sugiki) being specialized in "standard dances" and the other (Suzuki) specialized in "latin dances", as their rivalry relationship evolved as they work teach each other. It is very much a characters-centric film with the main focus being on Suzuki and then Sugiki. I loved to see the ennemies-friends-to-lovers bond that formed in a very organic way, even if the reason for them to work together is a bit forced.

I loved the production value, there are some memorable and impactful scenes, with the chemistry being excellent between the two main actors. Overall, the cast did a great job at emoting and at dancing and showing proper dance stances and figures. The two secondary female roles were ultra interesting and it is a bit of a shame they are not put in a more central position in the movie.

My main regret regarding this movie that I truly enjoyed is that the main characters never reach the destination of their journey. The movie never got to the 10Dance event and the other competitions felt a bit like a letdown. I also had the feeling to always watch the same kind of dances rather than the full variety of each of the style. It is understandable as the cast are not professional dancers and might not have been able to carry more challenging moves or to cope with a lot of variety in addition of showing properly emotional luggage of their characters. Still, I would not have minded a bit more of variety in the dances themselves.

I would recommend this to people looking for a ennemies-to-lovers BL with a dance twist. Despite the fact I found some elements odd or contrived for scenario purposes, the payoff was worth it for the journey that the characters are going through... Even if the destination (with the goal of the story set up from the beginning) is never really reached.

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Sweet and youthful story but strong deja vu feeling

This SP drama of about 2 hours features the encounter of high school girl Jang Dan Bi who on her way to pass her college exam is by magic brought back into the past, in Joseon Kingdom, where she met with King Lee Do. This drama requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief regarding the survival of the heroine in the rought past, with her thin knowledge. The humor helps a lot as it makes it pretty clear that nothing should/can be taken seriously, except maybe the budding feelings between the King and the high school girl.

A lot happens and the SP is overall well paced, but I must admit that it took me several sittings to watch it because of a lack of investment in the fates of the main characters. It was pretty obvious where everything was going and the fact I saw similar stories in the past did not really help me in grabbing my attention. I felt no angst at all regarding the characters as the solid rom-com tone made it clear that no worries were expected from the viewer.

Acting was good and chemistry worked, even if probably not as much as I would have wanted. It was my first time seeing the leads and I cannot say they left me a super strong impression but it was a real pleasure to see Ahn Hyo Seop in his debut role, bringing eye-candy to the screen. The production was good and I quite enjoyed the OST with his modern songs, very fitting the "fun" vibe they were going for.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for an historical rom-com with a fantasy twist. If you enjoy back to the past romances like Scarlet Heart (much more serious and dramatic) and "Queen and I", this might be a good pick. It is very light with little surprise but it is a sweet watch.

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Too predictable and bland, where is the needed angst ?!

This harem (?) BL was super average overall and brought nothing new to the table. I was overall happy with the endgame because the chosen guy was my fave among the suitors but too be honest the competition was quite bland and it is mainly because I enjoy the trope of the "main" relationship that I rooted for the endgame pair.

It lacked surprise overall, with the main character Do Ha being a super innocent pushover... The series tried to show his progress and growth but overall, it felt very flat and easy, with him being super passive, dragged from one guy to another before finally "deciding"...But the choice lacked angst and passion, even if I still think it was the only one making sense given the relationships dynamics and what was shown from the four main protagonists.

Acting was average, I liked a lot Cha Se Jin (very charismatic) as well as Cha Yu Hyun but I found Jung Su Bin and Lee Do Han too meek and monotonous in their expressions...It might be because their parts were the less interesting ones but for sure it would not have hurt to see them demonstrate more variety in their approaches of their respective roles. Production felt very standard for a South Korean BL, very proper and colorful, without anything really outstanding.

I would not recommend this to people because overall it is just a basic run-of-the-mill BL. I also feel that the harem factor was not exploited well enough to make it interesting, which is a shame. However, it is an easy watch, with some hot actors, so you might want to give it a shot if you have run out of option in the genre or if you are looking for something harmless that will put your brain at rest...

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This SP lost all the entertainment value from the main series

It was so boring !!! Part of what made the main series entertaining was the high level of toxicity, the gaslighting and the overall mess. Here, what remains in this SP is empty storylines, cringe, poor acting and NSFW scenes which felt honestly lacking compared to the main show. Sorn, one of the ML, also became tamed and lost (most of) his unhinged and toxic side which was making the show crazy but entertaining.

The directing and filmmaking was very poor and the hair styling crew kept failing with their work on the series being even worse in this epilogue than in the main series, which I did not think was possible.

I would not recommend this unless you loved the main series and are just looking for something to watch with the actors serving some steamy scenes. For me it was even more a miss that the main series because of how tamed and empty it felt. The unhinged and entertaining factor went missing...And when that's gone from a trashy show, there is nothing left to have fun with...

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Interesting context and 1st half, weaker in its conclusion

This movie features a different kind of mystery locked-room, since as stated in its title, it involves 6 lying university going through a quite crazy (and highly competitive) hiring screening process.

There were enough characters and twists to make it interesting while remaining quite focused on a central mystery. If the first half was really good with all the build up to get into the locked-room and the locked-room aspect working pretty well in itself, the overall conclusion and morale was a bit on the weak side. The societal criticism felt lacking as the cycle seemed to be repeating at the end. The motivation of the actions of one of the character felt poorly explained to try to patch everything together in a clunky manner.

Production-wise, it was good enough to make every aspect of the events happening in the locked-room clear, except for the conclusive ones which were lacking (mostly because of the writing). Acting-wise, it was solid. Each member of the cast manage to play very well the bright and darker side of their characters' personalities.

I would recommend this to people that enjoy locked-room mystery. It is a bit different from the usual ones as the context of the screening hiring interview makes it a rather unusual flavor. However, the writing is weaker in the second half which, coupled with an average pacing, tempered my enjoyment of the movie.

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From entertaining to super bland... Disappointing...

This drama was so entertaining with its first arc : it had everything for a fun watch...
- Cold office manager aka hidden Yakuza-Boss? Checked.
- Unhinged and entertaining moments with an overall cheesy vibe? Checked.
- Entertaining story with a cheating boyfriend and devilish colleague? Checked.
- Hot shower scene showcasing a tattoo as well as glasses and office tailored suit fashion? Checked.

But then....Past the halfway mark, it became super bland... While the heroine was kinda a Mary Sue / blank canvas from start, the male lead became super tamed. From being a spicy and domineering Yakuza boss to a standard basic male lead from any average middle-of-the-road romance... I would have loved for the hero to remain on the ruthless outlaw side of Yakuza night life and to bring the (bland) heroine into the dark side...But the script decided to remove any darkness from the main lead and to absolve him with a conclusion that felt really too easy, which was really disappointing.

I would not recommend this to people as I found it to be so bland past its half-way mark. The heroine is kinda a wet towel of nothingness but it could have worked if the hero would have maintained a dark and unhinged yakuza side. Unfortunately, he became tamed and his hotness did not manage to save the series which became boring.

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