1
heartaem
England
One Missed Call is probably the medium that started that old email chain mail - remember how paranoid you used to get recieving an email saying if you don't pass it on to so many people some scary thing will kill you during your sleep? Welp, if that terrified you, you probably want to stay away from this movie. Meanwhile if paranoia creeping down your spine everytime you hear your phone ring or vibrate is something you want, then watch on.
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this movie. I knew the general premise and at first, it seemed more like Final Destination than anything else. It's not really until the third character that anything really starts to happen, and things get spooky.
Maybe I'm more desensitised to horror than I originally thought. The music didn't do me justice personally, nor the acting; none of these actually scared me. It wasn't until we see the things happening that things got scary for me. That was more all down to the darkness effect used for me, more than anything. I think if I hadn't seen as much horror that uses the same effects, I would have been more scared by this and more on edge.
There were two different plot lines occuring nearer the end and it got quite confusing for me to figure out what was going on between all the characters. There was a lot happening, and I think the second plot line could have been dropped or made much simpler.
I probably wouldn't rewatch this. Maybe once if I don't watch the sequel/s until further into the future and I want to remind myself what happened in the first; that would be the only reason. The ending for the first film alone ends it all very well, and doesn't leave much room for another movie; I'm not sure if I'm excited to see where they'd take a second movie, or if I want to leave it rounded off as it was.
Overall, this does have a good scare factor. It's enjoyable, the plot is well enough that you can sit through it without being bored even if it's not scary to you. It's a good movie if you haven't seen it, and I definitely recommend it.
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Or at least, I expected Teke-Teke to be somewhat good. The story of a woman's torso going around Japan cutting people in half, and two desperate girls trying to break a curse. It sounds like quite a lot of Asian / Japanese horror movies, but this one has potential. It was based off of one of the most famous Japanese urban legends of all time! This legend was so famous, people use to avoid train stations if they could go with other people after dark. It held districts in fear.
And that fear was exactly what I was looking for within this movie. Maybe it's my own fault for holding so many expectations, many of which were high – but this really didn't do it for me at all.
The acting was relatively well done in most moments when needed, but there were many times it just didn't come through. The characters do something insufferable that sometimes leads to death and you're just left staring at the screen like "Were you born naturally stupid or did you have sections of your brain removed?"
That's part of this that I'm pretty sure I lost IQ points watching. It's generic horror movie dumbness but it seemed even more rampant throughout this and I assume that's down to the characters not being believable as people.
The CGI was painfully to watch, especially as Teke-Teke starts jumping around. It's meant to be tense scenes that have you sat on the edge of your seat, but you just sit there laughing at how purely ridiculous it looks. Now props to the editors and everyone, this did come out in 2009 when CGI wasn't as great – but it was still a degree better than it was in the film and it seriously could have been better.
It's been months since I saw this movie and I can still write a coherent review on how bad it actually was, that's alarming.
Overall, if you're here to watch something scary, give Teke-Teke a skip. However if you're here to watch something comedy, give Teke-Teke a try. They were in the ballpark with this movie, but in the complete wrong state. Comedic in general, not as horrifying and scary as you would think and a bit of a let down to the original urban legend.
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Wow.
First of all, I didn't read any summary before I went into this movie. I put it in and that was it; I let myself be pulled through the movie with what the director wanted us to see straight in the face. This is probably a decision that I'm very glad I made.
Not knowing what to expect allowed me to be pulled along on a string with wide eyes and open mouth. It allowed me to discover the movie with no prehibitions and I'm glad – if I'd read the mixed reviews and such before I'd watched it, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much.
It's dark and twisted. There's a semblance of heaven versus hell, trying to do good before you lose hope, finally giving up only to find hope again. There's something archaic about the tropes but Thirst somehow brings this around into a new form of horror.
Now the basic plot to this is very much that - basic. It's been done countless times before across all forms of horror and thriller and honestly I'm a little bit sick of it. However, there's something about the characters that makes this plot work; they bring the overdone trope back to life and make it something enjoyable and dark. It's something that holds placement inside the title of "cult classic" and "original".
I truly believe if the cast were anyone else, this would have been as amazing as it was.
This film is dark, poetic, sexual and raw. And it paid off. It worked and it's beautiful.
I don't think watching it again would be as amazing as the first time, however. Part of the charm is experiencing it for the first ever time, and I think some of that would be lost watching a second time around. However, I would definitely watch this again for the story line and the characters.
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Yikes. Oh yikes. How I regret the last one hour, twenty eight minutes and twenty one seconds of my life. That's right. I even regret the twenty one seconds.
First of all, despite it's seeming connections and/or similarities to Train to Busan, without even having watched Train to Busan, I can very confidently state this is nothing to do with it nor does it even come close to Train to Busan's level of horror. This is crude in its performance and has a plot that could be guessed by a five year old.
First of all, around three quarters of the way through, the entire scenery becomes red and orange and yellow. It's almost impossible to actually see anything except the subtitles – which actually makes these scenes even more confusing. The editing is almost as thought they've super imposed the entire film section across just blood red film. It's sore on the eyes and very convoluted as to what's happening.
The acting. Some did very well, some did very bad. Some made their characters very believable people. Others made me just sigh and roll my eyes so hard I think I sprained a muscle or two in my eye.
The plot was basic and boring and if I say train of dead (ghosts), I'm pretty sure you could guess the entire plot and majority of what happens correctly.
The writing made me feel quite sick. I don't know much about Thailand and their attitude towards LGBT, etc. But one of their characters being a transvestite and being every single gay male stereotype you can possibly think of just isn't it. I almost turned it off countless times due to this one character being pretty offensive – at least to me as a gay male. People will find him funny, I thought it was trash.
Overall, I really regret this movie, I really just want to forget about it and I really recommend others don't even try. Find something else. It's worth the time to find something else.
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We all know the storyline etc, so I won't spend time writing about that.
The music within this film was something that was done extremely well. During times where nothing particularly spooky was happening, the music creates such an atmosphere that gives you goosebumps and chills.
The technique of making the film overly dark was something I particularly enjoyed. It allowed for you to lean forward and squint at the screen. It set up times where you felt increasing paranoia waiting for something to jump out when you're least expecting it.
However, despite all of the film's good points and sections that grip the viewer, I don't think I could rewatch this.
The main female lead is one of the most annoying characters I've watched in a movie. Her random mood swings, her inability to do almost anything that makes sense and to aid her family; it all adds up to a character I honestly just want to punch. The actress did an amazing job but the writer(s) definitely could have done much more with her.
After finishing this, I'm not even sure if I want to finish the series and watch the rest of the movies. Ringu finishes very strongly and doesn't have much need for follow ups; they seem very much like a claim for more money rather than a want to continue the actual story – but perhaps I'll find out.
Overall, very cleverly done, but if you like strong smart lead females, then you might wanna watch this just for having watched a classic.
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Trigger Warnings: attempted suicide, beatings, army/military
Story
So I didn't know anything about the storyline before I got into this, and it starts off pretty hectic. It starts off with a large bang, and it doesn't stop too much. Although some of it is pretty guessable and obvious as the story goes forward, it was still thrilling. It caught my attention, I couldn't turn away from the screen, and I was lost to it. My only qualm is that I feel like it moved a little too fast for my liking, almost as if they were rushing through the editing process to get it released and get all the main information out into the film, but either way, it was solid and enjoyable.
Acting/Casting
I feel like all the casting was well done. I don't know much about Korean actors nor who they really are, but I felt like each character matched their personality look wise. Each actor and actress really did an amazing job and it was hard for me to remember this was pure fantasy. This is a fantasy film and the acting was so well done, I forgot that this doesn't happen. At least not in the world we really know. The standout role for me was Joo Ji Hoon as Haw Won Maek. There was something about him that really caught my attention; he came across as his personality, his character really looked the part, and I found my eyes drawn to him more than anyone else on screen at the same time as him. Also, Kim Soo An as the God of Deceit. A child that can take on such a menacing role with little mercy shows a lot of acting skill and I'm intrigued to see her in other movies and roles.
I said I only watched this for Do Kyung Soo and the truth is, it was a little hard for me to see him as Private Won. Maybe that's because I'm so used to him being the usual goofy D.O I know from live stages and interviews, but the fact he could take on such a role and make it believable was truly incredible. I forgot who he was a few times, just from how he created the character on screen, and I think it was truly a moment for me to realise just how much of an amazing actor he is.
Music
The music throughout the film really worked well with it. It was hard to remember it was just a backing soundtrack as it went on, and the music really blended in with what was happening on screen. The sound editing and music choices overall worked really really well with the film, and it made it much better, in my opinion.
Rewatch Value
As much as I enjoyed this, I don't think I would watch it again. I've seen it once now, and the thrill was there, it was enjoyable, but I think this is more of a one view wonder. When the second film comes out, I might rewatch this then, just to refresh my memory of the plot line, but I wouldn't sit and watch it through again out of enjoyment.
Overall, this was a really good movie, well made, well acted and with an extremely talented cast, and with a stellar soundtrack, but it's more a film you watch once and then only once more in the future before the next film. It was good, but I really don't see myself enjoying it all the way through in the future.
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I felt like there could have been more added to the storyline per se, it was all a bit give and take, I think. There was a lot where EXO could have done more with their acting, there was a lot where Gayoung could have toned down Inchul Gal a lot more as well. I don't know where the line was drawn between being way too much and way too little. This isn't to knock the acting at all, don't get me wrong - I think all actors and actresses did really well with what they were given for the show, I think the script and character writing could have just balanced it out a bit more. I keep saying this does have a bit of a cringe factor, and truth is, if the characters had been toned down a notch or toned up a notch then I think that wouldn't have occurred - this is my own personal opinion, I know quite a few people who love it how it is.
This is a show that definitely has charms. When I say it has a potential rewatch factor, there are some episodes I will definitely watch again, namely the last three. I wouldn't watch the entire season again, it's too much - especially the first few episodes. The storyline was well written, but again, it all came down to the characters themselves on why I wasn't too keen on this. Incheon Gal was way too over the top; I know she was supposed to be but it did quite get on my nerves.
All in all, I think at least every EXO-L should give this a try. My bias list is in tatters, I laughed and cried my way through it and - surprisingly - a member of EXO doesn't die in this one! A rarity!
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It's Dangerous Beyond the Blankets: Pilot
3 people found this review helpful
I was excited for this reality show back when it was first announced in 2017, due to the inclusion of Kim Min Seok (aka Xiumin) in the show, a favourite celebrity of mine. When it first aired, I somehow completely forgot about the show, but managed to find it again just before the second series aired on the 5th of April.
Watching this through was absolutely wonderful. Although there are a lot of awkward silences that make you shift as a viewer, it's still absolutely wonderful. There are many instances that make you laugh out loud, although the editing of repeating clips a few times can tend to kill a funny moment very quickly, there is a lot of humour in this, that truly brings out the humour.
This show was almost never aired, due to having a cast of quiet people, but the celebrities managed to come into themselves and create relationships on camera and show their true personalities whilst having fun out of their comfort zone. This is probably one of my favourite reality shows and they truly managed to come out with a show that caught the attention of many people. If you like even one of the celebrities in this show, you should definitely give it a watch. It's hilariously brilliant.
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Truth be told, I only watched this as I bias Xiumin, and I finally wanted to watch his web drama after watching his movie [Seondal: The Man who Sold the River] and falling in love with his acting. The two roles are very different and far apart from each other, and I wanted to see how well he managed to take that on. Being his first drama, and both his movie and this series being filmed whilst he was a rookie, I have to say, I was blown away. To be a rookie actor and to turn around what he did with Dojeon's character was absolutely wonderful. Dojeon is a character you can really relate to, or I can personally as someone shy and similar to his characteristics.
The acting overall in Falling for Dojeon is brilliant. I felt like all the characters were real people, not just people being played by actors, and they all felt like you could just walk outside and bump into them on the street. The storyline was really sweet, and to see how everyone matured and developed over time was lovely to see.
The only qualm about this I have is that it definitely could have been much longer. Although it was well paced out for how long it was, there was a lot more that could have been done with this show. For the most watched web drama of 2015, it would have been nice to see a follow-up episode/series after the final episode just to close up a few plot holes and such. However, for what they had with the show, the actors really all did wonderfully, the storyline felt pretty solid, and the ending was sweet enough, with a tiny little cliffhanger (with an obvious enough answer) to keep you guessing a little while after finishing the drama. Although a little cringy at times, Falling for Dojeon really grips the viewer enough to entertain throughout the whole six episodes. A shame there wasn't more to this.
I'm definitely going to be watching this much more in the future, and hopefully will be able to get this on DVD. For my first ever K-Drama, I'm definitely impressed and it's made me want to go on to watch plenty more.
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From the start of Seondal, I found myself hypnotised. The storyline played out beautifully, fully capturing your attention from the start. With a harrowing beginning of war and loss, it's hard not to feel for the characters at the start. The first thing I noticed was Seungho Yoo, playing the main character - Kim Inhong aka Kim Seondal. His acting as our main character shows within the first few minutes as his honourable character begins with his protective nature and charm. Seungho really creates a character that is likeable from the beginning - even though we know Inhong is written out and scripted, Seungho brings a truly amazing feeling to the character and truly makes Inhong his own.
Following on from Seungho as Inhong, there is also Kim Minseok as Gyeong. An idol that I have grown to be quite fond of over the past year, Gyeong was a character that I was very much looking forward to meeting in this film, and my expectations were definitely not let down. Kim Minseok brings to Gyeong a side of the character that felt playful, but still serious. Along with his own heroic and honourable actions, it's hard not to fall in love with this misshapen small family of crooks.
The storyline itself of family, loss, and revenge truly shows the spirit of this film. A storyline that's often overdone in a lot of genres and in many countries nowadays, this film truly brings to light how it all connects together. It's been a while since I watched a film about family and it was as connected and well done as Seondal is. There's a connection between all the characters, and as well done as the film has been made, it's obvious that they all had a lot of fun filming it. When you can see this, I believe it truly makes the film even better, showing that the actors truly enjoyed themselves.
Overall, this film truly has a lot of charm to it. With its mix of comedy but yet darker storylines, innocence and the ruining of innocence, and the reminder of war throughout, this touched my heart in ways I never expected this film to do. I found throughout this I felt every emotion that the producers wanted us to, and I found myself in tears numerous times. If you've never watched a Korean film before - I recommend this is your first one. If you are looking for another film to watch, I recommend this. It's a work of art, and I will definitely be watching this plenty more times in the future.
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