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The production values of this older Taiwanese drama weren't terribly high yet it felt real and honest. If it had one flaw it's that it confronted too many social issues and was unable to spend enough time on each for the characters and the audience to fully digest their consequences.
Days We Stared at the Sun was gritty, raw, and devastating with glimmers of hope quietly woven through the unlikely friendships.
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Unless one is familiar with the book it's hard to get a handle on how this world works, because they simply did not spend the time needed to build it for us. The leads bonded together faster than Wolverine and Rogue with a similar relationship dynamic. The gruff, world weary, reluctant hero and the abandoned young woman with a power that frightens people.
It felt like the FL's one acting note she was given was to stand there and look pretty and forlorn. Not a lot of depth to the performance. The ML spent most of his time running and jumping which to his credit, he did well.
The CGI was very good and creative. The problem for me was that the story overly-relied on it and over-estimated how interesting it is without an emotional story to propel the characters through the monsters and labyrinths.
It's a shame they didn't spend a few more minutes developing these characters because there is an interesting story behind the wall of CGI.
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Flawed drama about flawed and broken people
The Trunk was filled with deeply flawed and wounded people. No one walked away looking like a hero by the time it was all over. There were many moments of frustration over truly idiotic decisions and the never welcome noble idiocy. Through it all Gong Yoo showed why he is a top actor regardless of country.Han Jeong Won cannot get over his ex-wife, Lee Seo Yeon, and takes the pills she supplies to sleep and get through the day. In order to maintain any contact with her he has to agree to a 1 year contract marriage to Noh In Ji. Lee married a younger man, Ji O, and uses him like a Boy Toy. Jeong Won and In Ji tie the knot by signing a contract which is stored in her designer trunk. The trunk and a dead body are later found with the police investigating this damaged group of people.
When a drama or movie bounces back and forth repeatedly in time, it’s usually a clue that the story isn’t that deep but the writers want to make it appear to be mysterious. Such was the case with this drama.
The story itself dragged most of the characters over the coals of desire and despair. Han made a terrible decision during a moment of anger and desperation. In Ji seemed to see what Han could not, yet made numerous idiotic decisions. Lee had a right to be angry even though she created a deadly situation, yet decided to punish Han into self-destruction. Not exactly the most likeable lot, yet Jeong Won and In Ji slowly dragged their way toward atonement. I was disappointed that a few of the familial elements were never cleared up.
The Trunk was stylishly shot and had a beautiful OST. Some of the acting was exemplary while some of it was perfunctory. The scattershot approach to storytelling was confusing at first but by the fourth episode was clearly laid out. Han’s mansion resembled a fun house with mirrored scenes and wild swirling circles and lines. The cold, severe decorating scheme would be enough to cause isolation issues. Shortcomings in stalking laws were brought up as well as a tyrannical view of bisexuality and terrible invasion of privacy and internet laws. For me, the only thing that held it together and made it worthwhile viewing was seeing Gong Yoo once again in a starring role even if his character was often shoved to the side. This was closer to a 7.5 drama but the cinematography, music, and GY’s acting bumped it up to an inflated 8 for me. Welcome back, Gong Yoo, don't stay away so long next time!
29 November 2024
Triggers: Sexual content and nudity. One gratuitous scene and other more “artistic” ones and two shower scenes that go lower than Kdramas.
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"Only good things lie ahead"
The makers of Karma liked to take the viewer on a ride that jostled back and forth and side to side for the most part in familiar territory. While I’m sure they thought we’d be shocked and awed, there were few surprises. I do admit to falling for one of the red herrings for part of the drama. Sometimes this style of filming and script writing can feel overly contrived, but for me, it worked in Karma…for the most part.Six people’s lives became entangled both from despicable actions in the past and foul deeds in the present, the majority of whom deserved whatever karma dished out. And karma was as ruthless as a finely honed scalpel but not nearly as kind.
I don’t want to say much more because this short drama is best enjoyed coming to it fresh. The cast was strong, not that you’ll like most of the characters. Even the “good” characters harbored abhorrent secrets. Karma was a dark and twisted knot of the worst of humanity’s foibles. A better title for this drama might have been “Just Deserts.”
8 April 2025
Trigger warnings: Foul language. Gruesome scenes.
Tiny spoilerish comment below:
There were a few scenes that came across as comical when the drama began to feel like Weekend at Bernie’s gone awry. lol
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"Live life without a single regret!"
My Housekeeper Nagisa-san was a drama I could go along with for most of the episodes, and then I hit a wall. I’m not sure what the writers envisioned but they didn’t do a very good job of laying out the reasons for characters’ actions.Mei is her pharmaceutical company’s “Outstanding Employee,” which everyone is reminded of often. She is completely dedicated to her job, has little patience with people, and is extremely competitive. She is also secretly a huge slob and subsists on instant or fast food. Her mother wanted her daughters to work even after they married so that they wouldn’t be miserable like her. Mei’s sister, Yui, became pregnant in college and married upsetting her mother greatly. Yui works at a housekeeping service and hires Nagisa to clean Mei’s house and prepare her meals for a 4-day trial period. Mei hates the idea and calls him an “ugly old man.” An event occurs that causes Mei and her mother to accept Nagisa’s help. Mei finds that Nagisa gives good advice and it’s nice to have someone caring for her. A cute business rival who lives across the hall makes her life more complicated.
I liked that Mei was a team leader and her boss was a woman. Often women are all but invisible in business dramas. Of course, there had to be one female worker who had an emotional breakdown because she couldn’t handle the work, a stock trope in business and medical Jdramas. Apparently, Japanese women are very fragile and cannot handle the pressures of work, or so dramas would have us believe. Working long overtime and socializing afterwards was showcased. For Mei, it was embarrassing to have a housekeeper. Why? Men often have wives who take care of the house and all their needs. It wouldn’t be embarrassing for single men to have a housekeeper or mother to take care of them. One character was aghast that Mei would be alone with a MAN in her apartment. Well, clutch my pearls!
Having just turned 28, Mei was being pressured on all sides to marry. Her parents didn’t care who she married as long as he had a pulse. At the same time, her mother and sister hadn’t spoken for years because Yui had married in college. Damned if you, damned if you don’t. Two characters declared themselves and their intent to marry on first dates before the first course arrived! I spend more time and thought committing to what to order for dessert than these characters did deciding on a mate during a first date.
I enjoyed the developing friendship between Mei and Nagisa. People who have magical housekeeping powers always appeal to me. I did, however, have some concerns about the final romantic choice Mei made. Just a heads up, Netflix has 10 episodes listed. The last episode is mostly a recap and is listed separately on MDL as a special. I have spoilery thoughts listed below…
11 May 2025
SPOILERY THOUGHTS
The relationship between Mei and Nagisa was perplexing to me. The age gap was significant. I always wonder what people talk about from very different generations, but 20 years is doable. Despite her work successes, Mei seemed very young in attitude. She had no idea what decisions were involved with marriage. When she went on dates, she always wore a huge bow in her hair and practically pinafores like a child in the 1800’s.
If she and Nagisa had both come out as asexual it would have made more sense. They showed no sexual desire toward each other or anyone else. There was zero chemistry between the two, no longing looks, no tender touches or kisses. They had an odd mother-daughter dynamic. Even in the end, it seemed more like a business arrangement than romantic marriage. She needed to be taken care of and he needed to take care of someone. Everyone has their kink and if they were happy, that’s all the matters. The problem was, the drama tried to make it seem like it was something more than transactional and it failed on that part for me.
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"The only thing you can do for a person who is gone is to live"
I’m always hesitant to write reviews on films based on mangas or books because people who have read them are often able to fill in the gaps with their reading experience. Having not read the manga my review will be based solely on my reaction to the film.Shiino works for a verbally abusive boss. He’s labeled “@sshole boss” on her phone. While eating lunch she is horrified to hear on the television that her best friend has died. She discovers Mariko has already been cremated and the ashes given to her father. With little thought she talks her way into his apartment and steals her friend’s ashes at knife point. After running barefoot through town and seemingly owning only one pair of shoes, Shiino decides it’s time to take a road trip to the beach with her friend. She digs out an old pair of dilapidated Doc Martens, fumigates them, and takes the first bus out of town with Mariko’s ashes in hand.
Through flashbacks we learn that Mariko and Shiino had been friends since childhood and also that Mariko’s father had been abusing her since then. Their friendship endured many of Mariko’s cries for help and ultimatums. On her journey to take Mariko’s ashes to the ocean, Shiino suffered set-back after set-back aided only by a man dressed like the Grim Reaper who appeared whenever she needed help. While ostensibly this was Shiino’s journey through agonizing grief at her friend leaving without saying good-bye, I was always distracted by Mariko’s ongoing abuse at the hands of the men in her life. Were there no child services called or available when she showed up to school bruised and broken from head to toe on a regular basis? Did Shiino repeatedly try to get her friend to see a therapist to deal with the traumas she’d suffered? Why didn’t they call the police when one of the men beat both of them and attempted to break into their apartment or when one of Mariko’s lovers broke her arm and robbed her? Was there ever a point when Shiino stopped enabling Mariko’s self-destructive behaviors and attempted to get her the help she desperately needed? Shiino had her own issues that could have used a professional helping hand as well.
Grief and its 1000 cuts by haunting memories filled My Broken Mariko. But it also left unanswered the most important question of how both women’s lives might have been changed if they’d stop accepting whatever abuse was heaped upon them and sought to gain some agency for their own lives.
3 August 2024
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"What is the meaning of those days?"
The Days focused on the immediate aftermath of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami and their catastrophic effects on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The events were shown from the side of the workers and their heroic efforts and the political side which was hindered by personal stakes, ineptness, and evasion of responsibility. The performances were engaging and nuanced and by far the strength of this drama based on the tragic real-world calamity."Mistake or destiny?"
When the earthquake and tsunami devastated the electrical grid, the power plant was left without electricity relying on back-up generators to keep the safety measures going. Never dreaming that a tsunami would reach the heights it did, the generators were ruined by seawater. Men in the control room were in the dark both literally and in relation to what was going on in the deadly monsters they were in charge of. Maejima was assisted by veterans Furuya and Osugi as well as younger operators who sought to do what they could only aided by flashlights.
"Forlorn hope"
Manager Yoshida Masao set up headquarters in the Seismic Safe Room to assess the damage and brainstorm responses to the critical issues. Hampered by a loss of almost all communication after the tsunami and largely cut off from the rest of the world the plant operators had to use what they had to try and determine the status of the four units. They resorted to using car batteries to attempt to open vital valves. Things went from bad to worse with aftershocks and hydrogen explosions. Yoshida sought to protect his workers as best he could even while knowing they risked their lives as they attempted to gain information by traveling into the belly of the radioactive beasts and for the workers who fought to remove radioactive debris to bring the fire trucks and the hoses needed to supply water to cool and de-pressure the escalating situations. Eventually, he made the hard decision of who would stay as he ordered the evacuation of most of the workers, knowing that those who remained might die if the worst happened.
"Our company has lost its mind."
On the political side of things, Prime Minister Yan was not advised by nuclear power experts but often those who seemed to be political appointees-who needs an economist during a nuclear disaster? The management at TEPCO was completely unprepared for such a disaster and the manuals gave no guidelines. Both the political and business advisors seemed to be more concerned about giving unpleasant news or being held accountable. They also worried about looking bad to the public and never mentioned the nuclear meltdowns by name. Their ineffectual echo chamber could have led to even more devastation if Yoshida had listened to them. Yan at one point belittled the heroes' efforts. While the people safe from harm worried about plausible deniability, they failed to supply the plucky workers with the basic supplies they needed.
"We don't have a guide, we're in it to the end."
Yakusho Koji gave a powerful performance as Yoshida. Without histrionics he conveyed the calmness and strength of the man in charge of saving the nation with his decisions. Yakusho expressed grief, horror, resoluteness, and exasperation with his face and body movements and provided a stalwart character for the others to trust in and lean on. He showed Yoshida's defiance with deftness and even humor. It has been a long time since I have been so engaged by an actor's performance. Takenouchi Yutaka, Kobayashi Kaoru, and Musaka Naomasa played the operator warriors in the dark control room who braved the dangers so close to the deadly radiation. Though their faces were often covered by protective equipment and respirators the veteran actors' performance came through. These men portrayed, like Yoshida, knew their chances of surviving were slim to none and yet they did whatever was necessary for the greater good.
"I can no longer leave here alive."
The drama displayed the events and actions almost hour by gripping hour. I was always shocked by how much the operators had accomplished when the time clock was shown. Yoshida came across as the hero of this story and the faithful men who risked their lives to cool down and calm the radioactive beast that had the power to leave a third of Japan uninhabitable for decades. The actors who played the fearless Daiichi workers gave understated and formidable performances that were compelling and emotional. The Days was a cautionary tale of human hubris in the face of nature and yet how there are still heroes among us. It is a drama well worth the time for viewing.
9/7/23
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"Sis, daringly keep going ahead"
Red Sorghum was the film that launched Zhang Yi Mou's and Gong Li's careers. For his directorial debut, Zhang's movie won many awards including the Berlin IFF's Golden Bear Award for Best Picture. Saturated in deep colors and textures and accompanied by music that fit every scene perfectly, this 1987 film showed what the world was in for with his mesmerizing style of moviemaking.A radiant 22-year-old Gong Li played Jui/Grandma, a bride being carried along in a palanquin to be married to a 50-year-old man with leprosy. Jiang Wen as Yu/Grandpa was the expert carrier. The men sang a bawdy song of her fate as a young "ugly" bride marrying an old leper. As she bounced up and down in the small litter you could feel her nausea growing. When they reached the wild red sorghum fields a bandit attacks the group, but the men are not so meek as to let him take the bride into the fields. After the wedding she is allowed to return home with a donkey as a wedding gift/payment to her father. Along the way she is once again set upon, this time alone, and Jui runs frantically through the wind driven sorghum chased by her assailant. The masked man turns out to be Yu. He stomps the sorghum down into a verdant bed with all the gentleness of a wild beast. It was difficult to tell whether Jui initially gave her consent, I hope so, because afterwards, she fell in love with Yu. On her return to her legal husband, she's told he was murdered by an unknown killer. The workers prepare to leave but she convinces them to stay in a profit-sharing business. A drunken Yu shows up and she kicks him out. She's kidnapped for ransom by other bandits. After her return, Yu pees into the wine crocks as if marking his territory and carries her off like a sack of potatoes. Instead of ruining the drink, it is now transformed into an exquisite elixir and business booms.
Yu was often portrayed as a primitive male, dirty and brash, and Jui rarely called him on it. Thank goodness, Zhang displayed a more favorable view of women in future films. It was also a credit to Jiang's performance that Yu was considered even somewhat likeable. With the exception of her relationship with Yu, Jui came across as a competent and independent woman.
Jui gives birth to Yu's son and all seems well. It's a magical winery where anything can happen. Life is often lusty and humor filled. Then the movie switches from How I Met Your Mother to The Deer Hunter. The Japanese invade the peaceful village and one of the villagers is flayed. The film ends in a blood bath, as if everyone had gone swimming in a vat of the red sorghum drink under an eclipse. ***
I am a big fan of Zhang Yi Mou's style. His movies are luscious to drink in, the lighting, sets, costumes, and props are all feasts for the eyes and this one was no exception. I would really like to have a set of the drinking pottery, they were beautiful. Few people can capitalize on scenery as he does, color-soaked fields and skies were suitable for framing. A young Gong Li already exuded the power and sensuousness of a grown woman. Her character took over the winery, mothered a child, and called men to battle quite believably. With a running time under 90 minutes, the characters were not well developed, we know little about them except what we see on the screen. Gong Li's and Jiang Wen's exceptional performances helped me to overlook some narrative issues. The change in mood was abrupt and jarring when the shocking violence erupted, I suppose much like in real life when horror and tragedy hit out of the blue.
Red Sorghum showed the fierce tenacity of the rural people in northern China as they faced a variety of adversities and most times were able to create victory and song out of difficult situations. The film was imperfect, but very much worth the effort to experience the premiere stunning collaboration of Zhang Yi Mou and Gong Li, one of the best partnerships in filmdom.
6/30/23
*** A word of warning, there were disturbing scenes. Animals being butchered and skinned were shown up close as well as the human flaying which I could not watch. There were two urination scenes as well. And depending on how you interpret it, a possible rape.
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This review may contain spoilers
Time manages to weave together the disparate stories of a retired assassin team, the problems of the elderly, assisted suicide and team pregnancy. It brings together a cast of well-known older Hong Kong actors---PatrickTse, Bobo Fung, and Lam Suet and gives them a chance to shine. They did not fail to take advantage of the opportunity to show that they've still got it.Patrick Tse at 85 showed he could still be a menacing threat as the flying blade assassin who had been relegated to cutting noodles in his golden years. Bobo went from terrorizing her victims with her throwing weapons to singing in a small-time cabaret. Lam Suet, the getaway driver, now suffering from various illnesses and struggling to pay for and receive proper medical care spends his free time with a prostitute he's fallen in love with.
Without being morbid, Time shines a light on the plight of the elderly---illness, loneliness, ungrateful children, poverty, and the knowledge that more sand has run out of the hourglass than remains. The old team gets back together when they find the older population requesting their services and they earn extra spending money respectfully doling out assisted suicide. This works out fine until the blade man discovers his intended victim/client is a teenage girl.
Bobo did an amazing job as the mother with a child who believed because she gave birth to him, she was eternally responsible for him. The fact that he was a grown man who was married and a father and responsible for his own child escaped him. Lam Suet gave a heartwarming performance as the team member who kept them all together, finally getting his chance at a quality main role. The actress who plays the teenage girl was the weakest link in this movie. She was unable to keep up with the rest of the experienced cast. The youth story threatened to take over the narrative, but stopped just short, or maybe went slightly over the line. It did give Patrick's loner character a chance to connect with someone and discover a part of himself he didn't know existed.
There are many touching scenes in this movie and Time deals with its gray-haired characters and their problems with sensitivity and gentle humor. It shows that people of a certain age need love, time, attention, and care. And in the case of Time, it showed that actors who are no longer young still have stories left to tell.
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Also, I liked that the FL didn’t recoil from the ML’s kisses as if he was going to give her a root canal. They had a healthy tactile relationship. One of the few Kdramas I’ve seen where the couple was in a believable intimate relationship.
I found the acting solid all the way around.
Regarding the OST: I dinged it for the overuse of Stand By Your Man. They could have cut the use of that song by 80%. Bonus points though for Rachael Yamagata’s Something in the Rain. Already downloaded it.
I will rewatch all or at least parts of it when I’m having a bad day and need a smile and a warm feeling in my heart. I definitely recommend giving this drama a try.
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"I'll take you along to hell"
The Whirlwind was a high stakes political drama that pitted two formidable players against each other. Lies, corruption, bribery, murder, there was nothing off the table in this deadly game for power. In the end, the winner would be the one who was willing to place all their chips on the table in a daring bet, risking everything.“Just when you think you have it under control, you find that you don’t.”
When there is an assassination attempt on the President, Prime Minister Park Dong Ho becomes the acting president. Only problem is, he’s being investigated for bribery. Dong Ho plans to use the office to rid the government of corruption and exonerate his friend who was also framed for bribery and died. Deputy Prime Minister Jung Soo Jin is determined to bring down Dong Ho due to his investigations into the Daejin Group and its control of various judges, prosecutors, and politicians such as herself. The two play a relentless game of cat and mouse always trying to stay one step of the other, never worrying about getting their hands dirty…or bloody.
“At your age, courage can be dangerous”
Just like a twister churning up everything in its path, Dong Ho and Soo Jin were willing to destroy anything and anyone in their way. Dong Ho’s powerful mesocyclone was fueled by his burning desire for justice. Soo Jin’s corrupt cloud of energy came from the need for power and influence. Dong Ho found that in order to achieve his goals, he would have to borrow the playbook of his enemies all while trying to not become what he hated. Soo Jin and the comatose president both started out fighting the dictatorship in the past but had transformed into the very things they’d fought. Political alliances changed rapidly and both manipulated the media. No one was safe with a crooked prosecutorial system and judges for hire.
“Only a greater lie beats a lie”
While The Whirlwind was intriguing it could also be exhausting. There was no room to catch a breath from the oppressive atmosphere. The whirlwind of plot twists turned and flipped in every episode. The characters’ emotions and relationships had little nuance. Everyone was taciturn and calculating with little to offer to those closest to them, even their children. Park Kyung Soo’s script never slowed down even when bouncing over enormous plot holes. Kim Hee Ae played the duplicitous Soo Jin well with one exception. I don’t know if she kept her mouth open to make it look as if she was feral and always baring her teeth or has a breathing problem but I found it distracting when she was onscreen. Sul Kyung Gu was given little emotional depth to explore and often wore the same expression from scene to scene. Kim Mi Sook as Dong Ho's Chief of Staff was the MVP for me as the person who knew who, how, and when to attack. Numerous veteran actors played unscrupulous politicians on both sides of the aisle.
“There’s only one cross”
An old saying goes, “A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes. By the time the truth catches up, it’s too late.” Dong Ho quoted a variation of this and sadly it is all too true. Once a lie becomes embedded, especially a lie people want to hear, truth becomes overshadowed. Many of the things that occurred in this drama have correlations in real life around the world. A powerful corrupt leader manipulating his followers to overturn the government, manipulation of and by the media, judges taking bribes, and powerful corporations buying support for the changes they want enacted, happen all the time. In this drama, one man was willing to sacrifice everything to wipe the slate clean like a whirlwind. But how long before new players move into the void to once again purchase favors? How long before those longing for power and influence sell themselves to the highest bidder at the cost of justice? Despite its flaws, The Whirlwind was an infuriatingly compelling drama.
15 September 2024
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" A married daughter is like water that's poured out"
Director Tsou Shih Ching created a chaotic yet charming film using an iPhone and some of her own memories. Three generations of women working to support their families reveal archaic beliefs about gender and superstitions about left-handedness.Cheng Shu Fen with her daughters I Ann and I Jing move from the countryside to Taipei where Shu Fen sets up a noodle shop stall in the busy night market. Their apartment is crowded and the market noisy. While Shu Fen works the noodle shop, high school dropout I Ann chooses employment at a betel nut and smoke stand. I Jing goes to grade school and helps her mom afterwards, making friends throughout the market. When Shu Fen becomes saddled with debt connected to her ex-husband, her business hangs in the balance. Born without a Y chromosome, her family refuses to lend her money as they would have if she had been a son. Shu Fen’s father refuses to let I Jing use her left hand around him saying it is evil and the Devil’s hand. The old superstition leads to some curious consequences. I Ann begins a relationship that leads to its own consequences.
At the beginning it was difficult to tell if the little family actually cared about each other. Much of the film was shown through I Jing’s innocent eyes or I Ann’s jaded ones. Young Nina Yeh as I Jing gave a wonderful performance for one so young. I Jing struggled with her grandfather’s order to comply and conform to his societal view on left-handedness. She was the sunshine in the dark alley of their lives. Ma Shih Yuan’s I Ann was a tough nut to crack, always cloaked in a hard shell. Yet there were scenes where her vulnerability broke through revealing the caring, loyal young woman beneath. Ever exhausted physically and emotionally, Janel Tsai showed how Shu Fen had her own unmet needs. Each of the three longed for acceptance, affection, and attention, never daring to speak their inner desires. All three exhibited tenacity and independence often clandestinely supporting each other. One of the more touching and relatable scenes in the film took place with I Ann and I Jing traversing the market lacking any words of affection but overflowing with poignant emotions.
Left-Handed Girl followed Shu Fen and her family as they faced opportunities and set-backs in the chaotic, busy streets of the night market. Starting over is never easy when gender obligations and limits rear their ugly heads. All told, four generations of women had their own secrets that culminated in a catharsis that led to the truth, forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. Everything you could want from a spunky family drama of women looking for a better life.
2 December 2025
Trigger warnings: Smoking. Sexual content. Brief nudity.
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Even if you start at a disadvantage, you can still be first across the finish line
Zero to Hero is an inspiring biopic about twelve-time Paralympic medalist So Wa Wai. So was the first para-athlete from Hong Kong to win gold and still holds the record in the 200m sprint. Zero to Hero is a feel good movie that also doesn't shy away from it's characters' faults and harsh reality.So Wa Wai was born with haemolytic jaundice which resulted in cerebral palsy. His mother was told he would never walk or be able to hold chopsticks. And he would only be able to hear 10-20%. She carried him on her back, literally, until he was four. In a desperate life or death moment, the mother challenged him to walk. As he gained more ability, they learned he may not walk well, but he could run.
As a teenager he joined the para-athlete's association and trained to run in competitions. The way to his success did not always run smoothly. His family was poor and used desperately needed funds to help him achieve his success. The movie highlighted how difficult it was for Paralympic athletes to continue training and competing with few subsidies from the government.
The true heart of this movie was the mother-son relationship. Sandra Ng gave a beautiful performance as the resolute mother who refused to give up on her child and sacrificed greatly to ensure he became all he could be and that he would have a financially secure future after she was gone. This created conflict with Wa Wai as he worried she was using him at one point and with his younger brother who felt at times that his only role was to be Wa Wai's future caretaker. Though perhaps flawed, the strength of this mother's love and determination to gain the best for her son and for him to overcome his limitations shined through. "Run to me at the finish line."
Leung Chung Hang's performance never felt patronizing. He poignantly portrayed a child dependent on his mother who grew into a man with his own goals and need to help his family. Yet in the end, it was the love for his dedicated mother that gave him the strength to attain those goals.
Heartwarming and inspirational with enough realistic edge to keep it from being treacly, Zero to Hero is a winner.
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"Nothing matters more than staying alive"
Legend of Zang Hai combined China’s corrupt imperial court system with a hint of tomb raiders’ creatures and a whisper of LOTR’s “my precious.” Though the titular character had Sherlockian genius, the plot’s logic didn’t always make sense. That didn’t stop this drama from being entertaining to watch.Our hero’s family is wiped out by corrupt officials with only ten-year-old Zhi Nu surviving. Saved by a masked man he’s secreted off to a special revenge training camp designed just for him. Ten years later and renamed Zang Hai, he and his sifu, Gao Ming, head for the capital to take down his mortal enemy---the Marquis/Duke Ping Jin. Before you can say, “Mycroft is a moron,” Zang is working for Ping and putting his plan into motion. He has to amend his game plan when he determines other dastardly villains were involved with the demise of his family.
This is another Cdrama where I had to SORAS (Soap Opera Rapidly Aging Syndrome) the main lead in my mind as thirty-three-year-old Xiao Zhan did not look 20. I enjoy his screen presence so it wasn’t a big problem for me. It was a little harder to accept that Zang was an expert in nearly everything at such a young age. I also liked Zhang Jing Yi as Xiang An Tu, the owner of the Zhen Tower and also a hostage Dongxia princess. She was calculating and independent until like most FLs in Cdramas, she became less so as the drama went on and the romance heated up. Huang Jue as Duke Ping Jin did too good a job of making the villain sympathetic. The writing for him also made it difficult to believe he was the same guy who had a macabre wardrobe hiding in his basement. The last evil character revealed was the weakest for me, I found his character, motivations, and acting less than compelling. Though it was really hard to top the scenery chewing Huang. And of course, Liang Chao as ZH’s sifu who had a complicated loyalty was endearing.
The cinematography, scenery, costumes, and sets were all lovely. The music wasn’t intrusive which was a win for me. The cast was huge which meant many characters were thinly drawn. They still filled their jobs effectively-the loyal childhood friend, the dutiful but not too bright bodyguard, and various and sundry minions and court officials. I made a comment about Lord of the Rings and one scene was directly lifted from the first film. I kept yelling, “Ride, Arwen, ride!” In another instance, a person holding the artifact stroked it with a crazed look and I thought he might actually say, “My precious.”
A brilliant lead who can think and talk his way out of nearly any situation is nothing new, but that’s okay. “There’s nothing new under the sun.” It comes down to execution and for the most part Legend of Zang Hai did a good job. This story with Zang’s uncanny rise through the court and search for a magical artifact were not meant to be realistic, just entertaining. The final 12 episodes weren’t as tightly constructed as earlier ones and the third arc felt particularly uneven. Yet overall, I had a good time with this drama and binged it rather quickly. If you are a fan of Xiao Zhan or dramas that don’t adhere to a realistic storyline, it’s one to try.
5 July 2025
Spoilery comment below:
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Finally! A male version of La Femme Nikita!
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"Your love has made me human"
Dear Hongrang was a dark, twisty, tropey drama featuring two of my favorite Jae Wooks. Instead of the familiar fight for the throne and court politics, this fight played out within a wealthy merchant family that’s made a deal with the devil. When a long-lost son returns it sets a powder keg of greed and avarice on fire.Jae I has spent the last twelve years searching for her lost younger brother Hongrang after the family mostly gave up on him. Her stepmother wants her dead. Her father only sees her worth in the columns of assets and liabilities. Her older adopted brother Mu Jin is being groomed to take over the family business and has a not so secret crush on her. One day a stranger with no memory of his childhood is brought in who turns out to be her brother Hongrang. Or is he? And what murderous mysteries are hidden behind the expensive walls and hanboks of the wealthy and nobility?
Dear Hongrang takes a strong stomach to watch. Children were kidnapped and tortured in painful and vile ways. Wives who no longer fell into the asset column were taken out to be murdered. Slaves and those without power or prestige were considered less than human and expendable while those with power often walked a fine line between sanity and insanity with overtly sadistic tendencies. Into this bloody mess Jae I and Hongrang went from being adversaries to allies, and “siblings” with complicated feelings for each other.
The cinematography, lighting, and music were overtly gloomy and melancholic. One particular scene went ATLA Tui funeral with red lighting. Deceptive sunshine only gave the viewer a breath to brace for upcoming pain. The sole spoilery comment I’ll make is that you need to prepare yourself for a high body count, many of which you’ll hope will be boiled in bronze. I didn’t find the drama particularly suspenseful as most of the turning points were well foreshadowed. I did, however, find it entertaining largely due to Lee Jae Wook and Kim Jae Wook’s performances. Kim has definitely found a niche for himself playing handsome, criminally maniacal characters. While this short nightmarish drama will not be for all tastes, it managed to tell its gruesome tale without overstaying its welcome.
18 May 2025
Trigger warnings: Dismemberments, more gruesome deaths than an average Kdrama, torture scenes, and child torture scenes
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