Fun drama but muddled at some points

First of all, the plot. "Perfect Match" is a pretty straightforward story, though its weakest points are episode 1 and the 7-8. The catalyst for Junior's (Mook) transformation is kind of... dumb. Plastic surgery on your cheeks, who does that? Anyway, Junior has a reaction from the chemicals uses and develops pimples all over her face. I like that Junior's transformation, both physical and mental, is slowly played out during the series.

Now on to Suea (Push), Junior's love interest. Honestly, Push is irresistible. I love his confidence and playfulness. His interactions with Bie are simply adorable. Around episodes 7-8, I was confused by some of his behavior. I guess he was just supposed to be jealous, but some of the things he said just came off as mean. He, thankfully, goes back to being nice in the final episode and his behavior is explained somewhat. P.S. I was not really a fan of the big reveal at the end.

All in all, after watching "Girl Next Room," I'm loving these anthology dramas. They're short, usually below ten episodes. And they're all connected in some way, but not enough that it'll be a problem if you skip one. After finishing "Ugly Duckling," I'm planning to watch the "U-Prince" series and "Senior Secret Love."

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Run-of-the-mill horror flick

I enjoyed this movie primarily for Kathniel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla). As a couple, they are to die for and I will watch any movie with them in it. I believe fans of these two will also enjoy this movie. Otherwise, it is just a typical ghost kills everyone one-by-one movie that every has seen at least once.

The one thing that was interesting about it was learning Filipino superstitions regarding wakes, such as not going home directly after a wake. I've never been to one so I don't if there are any such traditions in the US. The story became slightly more interesting after learning the ghost's motivations wasn't just because said teenagers violated a bunch of superstitions.

Was it scary? Eh, no. Lol but I don't believe in ghosts or spirits so these kind of movies rarely scare me. To conclude, horror fans will find this movie basic or forgettable but Kathniel fans like me will be happy to see their favorite pair in something different from their usual rom-coms.

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Surprisingly addictive

I picked this drama up randomly when I saw it on the front page. I don't usually watch J-dramas as they are airing since I usually prefer to wait until the whole thing has been subbed. However, I liked the poster and saw that it was being subbed by Blitz. I went to the website and just clicked play. Before I knew it, I had watched three episodes in a row which is rare for me. I'm sure I would've watched all of it in a day if I had waited until now to watch it.

Regarding the story, it takes a lot of the standard shojo tropes and clichés and twists them. A lot of the time the story didn't work out the way I expected, which is refreshing for a revenge drama. It really makes me interested in reading the manga. Especially after learning Natsumi Ando is the author. I recommend her series, "Kitchen Princess" and "Arisa." Watadou is on a whole other level though! If the manga is as good as the drama, I'm happy to see Ando-sensei come so far.

In conclusion, I enjoyed every minute of "Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru" (what a title lol) and it is definitely one of the best and most interesting J-dramas I've seen in a while. The chemistry between the leads Hamabe Minami (my new favorite actress btw) and Yokohama Ryusei is on point. I absolutely loved seeing them together and will be on the look-out for their other projects. This is a good drama for both old and new fans of J-dramas, highly reccommended!

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Cute and Fluffy

I've only watched a handful of Chinese dramas, but I've noticed an overall vibe from the ones I've seen. They're what I would describe as "cute and fluffy," meaning they make me smile and relax. Of course, "Count Your Lucky Stars" like any drama has its share of emotions. However, for the most part, the drama was just a nice escape. I would also recommend not going into this drama with too high expectations. It doesn't take itself seriously and you shouldn't either or you'll probably be disappointed.

Jerry Yan and Shen Yue's chemistry was amazing! Honestly, when I heard they were going to do a drama together, I thought they were cashing in on Meteor Garden's popularity. I was pleasantly surprised. (P.S. I don't mind the large age gap, but you might. Fair warning.) I also enjoyed the side romances, though Ruru and Bao were dragged on a little too much while Wen Xi and Mu Yang happened at the snap of a finger! The second male lead was so wholesome. I really hope he gets a main lead in a drama. Another warning, Shen Yue's love rival was so annoying!

That's it cause I don't want to give away too much of the story. I recommend this drama if you're fans of Jerry Yan or Shen Yue. But remember to keep your expectations low! This isn't some revolutionary drama. It's just a cute, light drama to relax to. Also, it's very suitable for binge-watching.

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Chinese version of Big Little Lies?

On YouTube, I saw YoYo promoting this show as the "Chinese version of Big Little Lies." Watching 'Goodbye, My Love,' I actually got 'Big Little Lies' vibes off the overall mood of this. However, in terms of plot and story line, there aren't much similarities. Instead I found myself comparing it to Showtime's 'The Affair," one of my all time favorite shows. It has infidelity, set near the beach, and told from multiple points of view.

Back to 'Goodbye, My Love,' the story of a husband cheating on wife is nothing new really, but it manages to keep this tired old plot interesting. There are so many twists and turns. And refreshingly, I didn't see them all coming like usual. The acting is on point, especially by the lead actress. Her character goes through so many emotions and stages. I think that was what I appreciated most about the drama. Nothing was black and white and all the characters had shades of grey. Even the characters that were seemingly the villains were flushed out.

Lastly, a warning to those who don't like open endings. Though I personally liked the ending of this show, a lot of people probably won't. Also, a special mention to the music. The opening and ending theme songs perfectly matched the tone of the show.

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Amazing

IOTNBO has definitely made it onto my favorites list. I loved it so much. Originally, I wasn't going to watch this drama. I saw the trailer and I didn't really seem like something I would be into. Cut to two weeks later, I was browsing mdl's calendar to see what was playing on my birthday. This drama was the only thing appealing and logistically also the only one I could catch up with. Then I saw a video on IG of Mun-yeong yelling at a deer lol. I could no longer resist and binged the first eight episodes of the drama. I absolutely LOVED it.

My favorite theme of IOTNBO is healing. Seeing the main three characters gradually heal as well as the other patients just warmed my heart so much. Overall, the look, acting, characters, music, everything was perfect. I will definitely watch this drama again. Likely in the next two months or so. Short review since 200 people have already written ones before me.

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Just okay

This drama started off strong for me. Of course, the plot isn't something revolutionary or anything. But, it was a really cute story of two sisters returning to their hometown and falling in love there. I really liked all the flashbacks of Bebe (Mook) and Mint (Krist), which were just adorable. The story lost me around episodes 8 and 9. Everything just became so over-the-top, especially with the SFL. I didn't even hate her until episode 9. At that point, she was just insufferable.

My main issue with the drama remains Mook's character. She's shallow and materialistic, but I actually didn't start to hate her because of this. Her character actually goes through some good character development. However, she clearly cheats on her boyfriend and this is never addressed. I know he turned out to be jerk, but we're just okay with cheating now??? I'm sorry but they really failed her character in this one.

Lastly, the final episode was good atleast. I appreciate a nice happy ending, even if it was a major "Pair the Spares" moment. Look that up on TVTropes if you don't know what I'm talking about. I probably won't ever watch this again, but atleast it introduced me to Krist. I'm definitely going to check out some of his other stuff.

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An interesting take on complicated feelings

This film's story seems cliche at first, but actually becomes interesting. Cali (played by Liza Soberano) has not forgave her ex Gio (Enrique Gil) for cheating on her a couple years prior. Suddenly, he is thrust back into her life when they have to work together. Now he has to convince her that he has changed. This description is simple, but where this movie shines is its portrayal of complicated feelings.

For most of the movie, Cali struggles with whether to forgive Gio or not. She receives pressure from all sides. Some calling her "heartless" for still being angry with him, others yelling "Once a cheater, always a cheater." The thing is: feelings are not that simple. And that's why I liked this movie. It did a good job on showing how complicated feelings and relationships are. You are free to forgive or not forgive someone whom you felt has betrayed you. Your feelings are always valid. I love that a rom-com had me thinking this much.

I had some issues with a few plot details, but I won't include them here since I already made a rant in the comments section. Overall, I think this was a good movie. A little emotionally heavy, especially towards the end. I particularly liked the part where they visited Korea. It's fun to see the country from the eyes of Filipinos and it was a nice contrast from the rest of the movie. I recommend this to anyone who likes romance, but I suggest you avoid it if you hate cheating story lines.

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Not the best from Kathryn and Daniel

My first Filipino movie was "She's Dating the Gangster" followed by "Can't Help Falling in Love." Now I LOVED these movies, though I felt SDtG had a couple plot holes. So I'm obviously going to have high hopes for any Kathryn Bernardo & Daniel Padilla movie. Unfortunately, "Crazy Beautiful You" did not live up to my hopes. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was enjoyable but it did not have any sort of brilliance that the other two films I mentioned had. This is just another run-of-the-mill rom-com full of plot inconsistencies.

First, Kathryn and Daniel were great. Chemistry top-notch as always and I'm still looking forward to watching their other movies. However, the plot of "Crazy Beautiful You" is just all over the place. Kathryn's character Jackie has an about-face too soon into the movie. They should have played her being a rebellious brat more. Kiko's (Daniel) family dynamics are interesting, but handled too haphazardly. Once his annoying brother Marcus is introduced, Kathryn's character development in thrown out in order to focus on a pseudo-love triangle.

I think the overall message about the importance of family is great though the delivery is somewhat muddled. Additionally, I liked the way they handled being selfish/selfless. Selfishness is bad of course, for the most part others' feelings should be considered. However, being selfless is also bad but in different ways. No one should try to take everything on by themselves. This message I think was just as important in the movie. I recommend "Crazy Beautiful You" to all Kathryn & Daniel fans since I think they're great no matter what. But if this is your first Filipino movie, I suggest watching the two I mentioned up top first.

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Short and enjoyable

I enjoyed this so much. It was light and fluffy, making me smile the whole time. I picked up this series since I'm becoming more interested in GMMTV and its actors (I really liked Jan. I'll probably look for more of her). Since it's a web series, "Youniverse" I felt had a very different look from the ones they broadcast on TV. It felt more raw and the actors seemed as if they were really just regular high school students. As for the story, it was really simple but enjoyable. I liked watching the two couples form. The ending had a bit of twist, but I'm still hopeful.

Anyway, this is a short review since I just wanted to put a few thoughts on it out there. I would recommend this series to anyway who has forty minutes to spare. Trust me, you'll enjoy it!

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Just an average rom-com

I absolutely love rom-coms, which is drawing me more and more to Filipino movies. I watched "You're My Boss" because I loved Toni Gonzaga in "Starting Over Again." Her acting ultimately saved this movie for me. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad. It's just...average. It's the same rom-com you've seen fifty million times (i.e. it's full of cliches). Though this is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you like predictable rom-coms. As for me, movies like this are my guilty pleasure so I enjoyed it.

To quickly summarize the plot: Albert, Georgina and Pong's boss, goes on vacation and leaves her in charge. Georgina wants to redeem herself after an embarrassing viral video and will do anything to save the company's biggest account. This includes having Pong pose as the boss in order to win over Mr. Najimoto. Side note: was Mr. Najimoto supposed to be sexist? He just assumed Georgina was an assistant and wouldn't talk to her. Another note: I'm assuming the actor wasn't actually cause his English accent was over the top at times.

The second half of the film shows Pong and Georgina really falling in love. For this part, I would definitely say this is worth a watch. They are so cute together, especially the way Pong looks at Georgina when she's not paying attention. One last complaint: the ending was wrapped up too easily! I can't be the only one who thought this. Anyway, I would still recommend this to rom-com lovers even if you aren't seeing anything new.

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An interesting rom-com

First, I want to say that I liked this movie even though the student-teacher relationship kind of bothered me at first. Thankfully, they are not student and teacher for that much of the movie. The plot is simple, Ginny is an architecture student in love with her professor, Marco. They end up splitting up after three years together and Ginny moves to Barcelona. Four years later, Ginny receives an email from Marco that he originally sent after they broke up. Cue the tears T_T Ginny moves back to the Philippines and ends up working with Marco on converting a house into a restaurant. However, Marco now has a girlfriend, Patty.

My favorite part of the film was that their whole past was not revealed at the beginning. Instead, more is revealed as Ginny and Marco remembered certain things. Also, the flashbacks are shown from both of their POVs so it's completely fair. These parts ended up being my favorite. The film kind of became problematic for me towards the end, but I'm trying to keep this spoiler-free. I ended up giving this a 7.5 since I liked *most* of it. However, by the end I was unsure how I really wanted it to end. Did I want Marco to end up with Ginny or Patty. Still not sure...

Anyway, I recommend this to anyone who likes rom-coms with interesting twists. Also, this movie reminded me of the American movies, "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Little Black Book," both of which I also liked.

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Fun fantasy film

I want to say first that this movie is not a remake of the Miyazaki Hayao film! They are both based on the same children's book by Eiko Kadono (who also makes a cameo in the movie). Keep this in mind if you decide to watch this.

Though nowhere near the brilliance of Miyazaki's classic, it manages to stand on its own. It suffers from a few issues common with live-action adaptations. The CGI animals for instance, especially the baby hippo. I found it distracting for some reason. In some scenes it was a puppet, others full CGI. Other than that, the film's effects were pretty good such as Kiki flying. As for actors, I absolutely loved Koshiba Fuka (Kiki) and Miyazawa Rie (Kiki's mother). They were great in my opinion. Tombo's (Hirota Ryohei) character took a minute for me to warm up to. I found him very abrasive at first, though I liked him by the end of the movie.

Though not a certifiable hit like the 1989 movie, this film was fun overall and a perfect pick for children. I was touched during several moments and even cried during the climax. Watch this only if you're willing not to compare it too harshly to Miyazaki's movie (though I also realize comparisons are always inevitable).

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I'll watch anything with Hana Sugisaki

After watching Hana-chan in Hana Nochi Hare, I'm slowly going through her filmography. I've liked everything she has been in so far, even that weird "Bleach" movie lol. "Haken Uranaishi Ataru" is unlike any drama I've seen before and definitely would not be something I would've watched if Hana had not been in it. For J-dramas, I usually only watch romantic comedies and manga adaptations. Anyway, I'm so happy I watched this!

Though I couldn't necessarily relate to every character, I found myself touched by their problems. I cried a lot, of course lol. One character hit pretty close to home for me, but I won't say which! I loved seeing Ataru help fix their problems and then see how they all changed after. By the end of the series, they all worked so well together that I wished I could have worked with them. Regarding Ataru's character, I think Hana played her rather well and the mystery of her background was a nice touch. Though I liked her best once we really got to know her.

This review got kind of rambling, gomen. I think anyone who likes slow-paced, slice of life dramas will enjoy this series.

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A meh adaptation.

Since I'm watching all the Itazura na Kiss adaptations, I guess I'll review them all as well. Note: I've read part of the manga and seen the anime, so they are the only thing I can compare this drama too. Another note: my favorite part of this drama was probably the ending theme, which paid homage to the manga (so adorable!).

I didn't hate this drama, only it left me disappointed at certain points that I felt the manga/anime did better. For some reason, Kotoko never annoyed me as in the manga/anime as much as she did in this drama. No offense to Sato Aiko, who was a bit screechy at times. I think it was mostly a writing issue. There is never a moment when Kotoko becomes just fed up with Naoki (God, I really wanted this moment). It's incredibly frustrating. On the other hand, I rather liked Kashiwabara Takashi as Naoki. I felt more sympathetic to him than Kotoko tbh. She really seemed like an "ordeal" to him and I kept telepathically telling him to run away.

As for the rest of the cast, I thought Asada Miyoko and Akashi Ryotaro were perfect as Naoki's mom and Yuki. I really enjoyed his voice-overs in the episodes. The majority of the other characters were good/okay but no stand-outs. I was disappointed in Kinnosuke's character. Though Aoki Shinsuke resembles him really well, they reduced his character to pure comic relief and he becomes a lot more annoying because of it. And lastly, I thoroughly disliked Ozawa Maju as Reiko (Yuko in the manga/anime). She was portrayed so evil in this drama with absolutely no sympathy at all. Ugh I really hated it.

The ending of this drama left me with mixed feelings, which I still cannot put my finger on. I've given it a rating of 7, only because I didn't absolutely hate it. If I was a professional reviewer, I would likely give it a 5 or 6. I think only die-hard fans should watch this (and even then y'all might not like it). Casual fans should beware, unless you're the type to skip scenes (alas, I'm not). Well, on from this meh adaptation to the next.

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