I have mixed feelings about this movie

Frustration, fear, suspense, disgust, and surprise.

Should you watch it? If you want to feel dread and at times screaming “noooo!”, then yes.

The music score here just existed, it was pretty generic.

The cinematography was pretty simple but effective, it portrayed the atmosphere quite well. At times it felt, that it would’ve worked better as a horror movie because then they could've explored more intense feelings and even go through a grotesque route. Oh well...

The premise seemed interesting: two women make a contract, that the pregnant one, will give the baby to the infertile one. They move into the house in the middle of nowhere, so both women could safely observe pregnancy. Unexpected things happen.

Both women looked happy with each other and would’ve had a sisterly bond, but men in their lives (both of their lovers, as well as ruthless hunters) were quite disgusting about it. Except one, the painter, which was like a protector of the vacation house, where both women stayed.

Men here were written as threatening, and the worst part is, they are believable. They treat women as rabbits for sex, men here are lustful and see women as objects. In this movie, men do not care about boundaries. (except one - the painter, which was protecting them, but then again it was implied he was into them as well).

I disliked the ending. It felt empty. I know that both women have developed, but they stayed in the same situation, with same men they started out with (yet I believe that they will learn to be independent at some point). Are they happy? It’s for a viewer to decide. My interpretation: No, not really.

Change is scary, and it is hard to leave established relationships. So hard, that one might start believing that there is a no different path, so the only way to cope is to please them and to find people which can fill the void.

Read More

Tragedy of daughters that want to please their mothers

It's a character study of two characters' - mother and daughter, both of them try to please their mothers, disregarding their own feelings. This movie shines in the character department, all of them feel real and flawed. The soundtrack and cinematography create a picturesque atmosphere, which contrasts with the unhealthy dynamics of our main characters.

If you enjoy psychological character studies and generational tragedies - this one is for you.

The story has three segments:

First one: Memories of mother (we see how she meets her husband and her interactions with her mother, she displays people-pleasing tendencies and urges to always agree with her mother), none of her choice was because she wanted it. Marrying or having a daughter, she did it all because it would make her mother happy. She wanted to be a good daughter. This character showcases how dreadful lives of people pleasers become and how their attitude to please everyone (especially authority figures like mother) brings pain to everyone around them.

Second segment: Memories of a daughter (how she is living with mother that doesn't love her and from young days notices that mother loves grandma more than her). The tragedy is, the grandmother provides unconditional love to her grand-daughter and that makes her mother upset. Through daughter's eyes we see how unhealthily attatched to grandmother is her mother.

This movie brought many emotions out of me - disgust, anger and sadeness. I couldn't help but show middle finger to the screen when some characters would come in. They were insufafrable, because I knew some women like that in my life.

Acting was good, it relayed unsaid emotions pretty well and it created suspense, because actors relied well, when characters' were unstable and holding in their emotions.

Soundtrack: Orchestral string music that creates a fairytale like atmosphere. I have a soft-spot for such music, thus it's always A+ when movie utilizes it well. I was a bit surprised that movie ended on "hopefully-happy" musical track, as if trying to sooth the viewer

Would I watch it again? Well- I skipped first 7 minutes accidently and started to watch from them on. After I completed a movie I returned to the beginning and was happy that I did not treat movie like a murder mystery. Because first seven minutes showcases daughter hanging from tree and audience is faced with question if mother loved her or not. So I would suggest also starting from 7th minute.

Read More

imperfect youth and relatable love stories

For anyone that likes well-written characters and not your cliche plotlines. At times it was painfully realistic and made me remember my first relationship. This movie caught the essence of youthful love, the emotions of it, awkwardness, and coziness.

It follows three couples as they experience first love, break-up, and even grief. There was a storyline for friendship, as well, which played out as wholesome.

Characters were my favorite part of this movie. All of them were distinct and showed different aspects of their personality as the movie went on.

Kosaka Rei and Shikano Nana's relationship was my favorite, perhaps it was relatable. Rei showed his affection through his actions, even if his words were mean at times.

Another highlight was Kyapiko, which struggled with loving yourself and tried to find love in others. She was faking her cute demeanor, and yet had a delightful best friend which cared for her.

The cinematography made it realistic, continuous shots made the viewer feel as if they were experiencing events as they happened to the characters. The relationships weren't glamorized, it made me remember the days when I was too with friends and crushes fooling around.

I disliked music in this movie because at times it felt out of place. Thankfully most of the movie used natural sound, which helped with immersion.

Should you watch it? Yes, if you want to reminiscence about your high school or even university days, and experience imperfect characters.

Read More

Family dynamics were meh

I like these kinds of survival movies, where people are stuck in one location. What makes them entertaining is suspense and character progression. Yet this movie had one annoying family.

Characters: Scriptwriters why did you make a mother and daughter such useless characters? Why was father the only one that was useful? I know that for some people this bickering would seem relatable, but for me, it felt like the stereotype "man is the head of the family". Do you seriously think that daughter and mother would be helpless during such a situation?

What's the worst was constant blaming of the father for everything. It was exhausting to watch.

Sound-design and music: It was alright.

The ending was anti-climactic. Rewatch value is literal zero.

Read More

For those that liked classic japanese horror (no jumpscares)

A mysterious box and an unlucky group of friends discover it. Our main lead - Hibiki was the only one interested in occultic things, thus can see ghosts.

The plotline is as simple as one can get, BUT it was enjoyable. The first half had a great atmosphere and visuals reminiscent of Fatal Frame II (yes that classic about two sisters, village and curse, seem familiar?). The second half and the final sadly weren't as great.

Characters were bland, but it was alright, because actors, even with minimal script shown decent emotions and somehow managed to create believable characters.

The soundtrack was spooky and created an atmosphere. It had major Jigoku Shoujo vibes. The cinematography was decent as well, with long-shots, reflections, and plenty of shadows that delightfully hide the spooks and main characters.

If anyone looking for an easy spooky time - this movie will do the trick.

Read More

Boys find love but they don't have chemistry

Two main leads didn't share that spark (or I haven't noticed it). Perhaps authors wanted to go for realism (you might never know with whom you fall in love!), but it didn't work.

The movie was unnecessarily long and slow, there were too many empty scenes (look, bland spring scenery!), which were supposed to let viewers think about the character's decisions. But truth be told, there wasn't much to think about. There weren't even many memorable moments between our leads. Sometimes it felt, that scriptwriter had material only for 50 minutes (and this movie would've worked better as an episode 1).

The characters were alright, but I didn't care about them (This movie had 100 minutes to make me care and yet they failed).

Mitsuomi - Shy, yet caring, also want to inherit the family business. As the story progresses he becomes more genuine.

Yamato - happy-go-lucky, always wears a smile on his face, yet is clueless about social interaction. Hides pain and loneliness behind the smile (cliche, but when done right can become interesting, yet this time it was the only cliche, which was said, like exposition by other characters TWICE).

The movie had a flashback scene, it tried to symbolize how our character falls in love, but it felt lazy. The ending didn't feel organic either. Everything wrapped up so quickly. Am I supposed to believe that Yamato decided so quickly? So perhaps it didn't mean that much to him, after all? These are interesting questions, which showcase depth in characters. Pity we wasted our time on those bike rides and didn't provide the main couple with meaningful scenes. (there were plot-points, but they were just plot points).

Look, don't waste your time and grab some manga, webtoon, or check out Kinou Nani Tabeta? which shares a similar dynamic, but there characters have CHEMISTRY. Or if you want laid back stories try Rental Nan mo Shinai Hito.

Read More

Heartwarming mature romance and friendships! You might binge it!

Love Village editors know how to create a compelling narrative that hooks you in! They know how to select reality show members, that will vibe with each other and most importantly feel like genuine friends.

This reality show felt more genuine than most because the cast was set to rebuild the abandoned house and make it pretty together while building their romance and friendships.

I was glad that we got a reality show that focused more on the romance of 40s-year-olds, quirky ones, with personality and joy! Somehow I felt more confident to grow old.

Music was mainly Backstreet Boys songs or instrumental, unpopular opinion - but lyrics fit the scenes and opening! So if you are a fan, be warned, you may get distracted!

Will I watch it again? Nope! Will I wait for season 2? Yes!!

Read More

Unsafe even at their own home, jealousy and threats, yet the harmonious family prevails

Tired of all the angst and dark family dramas? This one is perfect for you because it features a wholesome family and how they bond through being stalked, pranked, and even almost killed.

This family featured good vibes and engaging mystery, which had plenty of twists and red-hearings that made sense in the end (trust me on this). When everything was started getting unfold it... was so much fun! The clues were right there! One might feel like Sherlock trying to pace the mystery.

The characters were the most fun part - timid brother, which finds confidence in himself, the journalist girl which is cool and reliable. The family - father and mother, shined in their own way. Mother always smiling and being kind (I enjoyed every scene she was in! What a ray of positive sunshine she was). Father's banker subplot was really good too because viewers couldn't help but root for him to uncover companies' secrets. I suppose the least interesting character was - sister, but even her final speech made me tearup.

The kitten! It was the highlight of the drama as well!

The music score felt nostalgic because it had a similar vibe as one in Liar's Game and at times felt like it was getting inspiration from BBC's Sherlock.

Apparently, Kuroiwa Tsutomu (screenwriter of this drama) enjoys writing suspense, and... He is really good at that, so I will surely check out his other works ♥

Read More

Ending sent shivers down my spine

If you want melodrama with bloody twists and over the top characters - this drama is for you ♥
Also, every single episode ends with the song "Cö shu Nie – undress me", and it is a treat for ears ♥

Is it cheesy? Yes.
Is it absurd? Yes.
Is it engaging and made me binge it before the flight overseas? Yes!!

Characters - the memorable stereotypical characters, but the twist is all of them will do ANYTHING to win the heart of our kind-hearted and at times naive bachelor. The most entertaining girl for me was - former idol, every time she was on screen it was interesting and funny. Truth be told, all of the cast was funny and had great chemistry. Yet the usage of politician character... It felt like it reflected how the director sees women politicians (I might be wrong thou).

Plotline - because the run time is only 6 episodes with 24 minutes, the plotline was moving at a quick pace, but even so, we got to know the characters and their motivations. There were even surprises! The viewer until the very end did not know the answer to the mystery (because we had few options!).

It's not the most unique drama nor the most complex, but it was fun and enertaining. If you want to relax after a hard day at work or just to watch something with friends - this drama will do the trick.

Apparently, it's the same director which worked on survival j-drama Limit.

Read More

Will Twitter users save manhole-man?

A man after party falls accidently into the manhole in the middle of the night. His phone battery is alive, yet his friends are sleeping , police thinks he is faking it, and the time is running out, because he is wounded.

As last resort he creates a twitter account to ask for help. But will keyboard-enthusiasts save him in time or will he meet his demise for sake of their amusement?

The main lead carries this whole movie with his performance. As audience we are stuck with him and his phone. Not only it is entertaining to see how events unfold, but it also mirrors how internet-help is two-edged sword in real life.

There were few twists in the end, so your enjoyment of the movie, will be dictated how much you enjoyed those reveals.

BUT overall it is good experience, surprisingly well paced, and has a commentary on internet culture.

Read More

Twisted love tainted with blood

When society punishes people for being not beautiful in their eyes, some become monsters.

Every episode features a vignette of specific characters' moments in life. From the 80s to current times, we follow how characters without being self-aware punish themselves and their loved ones.

Young-lady hiding her face for love.
Young-man searching for love through streamers.
Old-lady that creates lies about her son to be adored by society.
Young-lady who finds friendship in dark places.
Young-girl disregarded by society due to her blood.

One of the most beautiful korean shows of 2023. Cinematography was creative and aestheticly done throughout the series. The main highlights were episode 1 and 7.

For those that like heavy-scripts, comedic horror and ill-fated tragedies.

Do not watch trailer. It spoils everything. Watch it blind.

Read More

It's alright to feel bothered by little things

This j-drama doesn't judge, it doesn't moralize, and it creates a space for listening, to be heard.

I watched this drama slowly through one year. When I felt down, I would toon in and watch one episode and then, I would feel better. Because I knew I was not alone, being bothered by "little" and "insignificant" things.

Some episodes were better than others, but they made me emphasize with various people. The writing was good, it made characters believable and viewers could easily imagine their lives "off-screen".

I liked this drama and I believe I will come back to it after the years pass.

Read More

Unintended dark comedy

And it's overhyped.

The main problem I have with this movie is the weak characterization of our main leads. A loser, a high school girl, and a nurse. Some side characters too, but damn they all felt generic. We don't even know their "wants", the only "want" we know is our main lead's - to be a hero (and it's just because his name is Hideo, rather shallow, no?)

We are supposed to care about our cast and feel suspense once they are dealing with zombies. But viewers in 30 minutes will understand that our main character is lucky beyond repair and unrelatable.

The way they treated women characters in this...It baffles me. Even if they had fighting potential we didn't see them in action.

A generic zombie story, with great special effects and cinematography. The zombies looked scary and disgusting, it was creative special effects makeup. Yet it felt like women were... sexualized...those angles.

Music, quick editing, and one-liners created a dark comedy. Surely it's hilarious when one zombie is spouting about deadlines and when another person is running like Jack Sparrow. As comedy and unintended parody of zombie movies, it is rather good.

The first half was more interesting than the second one. By the 70 minute mark, it started to feel a bit boring.

Don't expect Train to Busan, perhaps it's more in tune with Peninsula (that one at least had one or two likable characters).

Read More

This movie is a male power fantasy

and it doesn't shy away from the fact that their target audience is middle-aged men.

Man gets kidnapped and is locked up for 15 years (by the way, he looks the same age before and after) and becomes a badass, pro at fighting and spouting random facts (due to television being the only entertainment he had). Not only that, he gets a young girl as a lover (rather tragic, truly).

Conceptually I can give the story, acting, cinematography, and music great scores, yet this movie was hilarious and I couldn't take it seriously.

At the start it was funny and I chuckled at the nonsensical nature of it (if you like Japanese humor you will like it too). But then the second act starts and the viewer is supposed to care about... Characters.

Then climax and reveal happens, impressive acting performance, emotions going through the roof.
Yet I don't care. I don't even shed a tear or gasp in surprise (spoiler was revealed ages ago to me).

"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep, and you weep alone." wonderful quote that says how I feel about this movie.

One of the most annoying features of Oldboy- male gaze (our character is lustful). And at times it's quite random, especially in the second half (because in the first half it was played for comedic effect).

By the way, female characters here are basically just decoration (it's not about them after all + it's 2003 movie).

Will I rewatch this movie? Nah. If I need I will look up gifs or screencaps for wonderful cinematography.

Read More

When one capitalizes death and individual experience of death becomes commodity

People start getting prophecies about when they will die, they are "bound to hell", soon enough many groups start to be interested in unfortunate souls that got said prophecy. For some it's a witch hunt "they are sinners, that did awful things! Thus we can violate them" for others it's a money-making machine. Imagine selling the VIP seats to rich folk to witness how other-worldly beings decapitate the sinner. Imagine live-streaming said death and not be frowned upon for doing so, because it was "god's will". Would you watch such live streams? Would you abuse those that presumably did awful things? Are you the one that tries to justify bad/good things as god's will or fate?

Violence is what we enjoy watching. There's plenty of violence in "Hellbound", long scenes, bloody, almost intimate. We are the audience that is checking out live streams of judgment day. The violence in the series is utilized as a theme, for viewers to question their taste. Is violence entertainment? what emotions do I feel when I witness such acts on screen?

This show is for those, that enjoy analyzing the subtext which series provides. I don't think that religious folk would enjoy this series as much because the belief of hell and sin are flipped in this series and left ambiguous. (but if one is aware of religious (mostly Christian) texts then it provides interesting subtext)

The acting was great as always, the emotions were raw, some characters were hateable, and in general, it was a job well done.

Rewatch value is there, because once one knows characters' motivations, one can see their actions in a different light.

SPOILER: I'm excited for season 2 because it feels like they are following the "reborn" theme, which will be even more exciting!

Read More