Overwind
Canada
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The characters really brought this story to ahead. If that was a good or bad thing, I don't know at this time. They all had flaws. There was no perfect character, in fact none of them were close to being perfect and I think that was by far the biggest challenge the writer had to make because you have all these characters with separate goals and motivations and it's hard to gel them into one coherent message or theme.
At the base, you have college students that are trying to get by and shape who and what they want to be. But then there are characters that have emotional baggage they've been carrying and haven't really expressed to others and if you combine that with all the external elements like family and love then things tend to get blurred.
Was the message that everyone should understand each other? That everyone shouldn't keep things bottled up inside so not to hurt others or that everyone should express themselves freely even if knowing it would turn out bad. There was really no answer and it was severely needed to give some sort of closure to the story given how absurdly abrupt it ended.
Overall, it needed a clear message and a clearer answer and because it didn't. You get mixed reviews and confusion and even anger because an audience watched for 16 hours and never got a pay off.
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And I'd like to think the rather dark subject matter does happen more often than not in real life which is why it's rather paramount to have common sense when it comes to unrealistic fantasy because in the hopes of becoming something more, you end up in a place you probably never thought you would be.
The acting was solid. I liked the gritty camera work because it meshed well with the hard-hitting story that was shown, so complimentary and I liked that this is a very unique story, tackling a taboo pressing issue in modern day life.
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The story for the most part is okay. It did one important thing and it was to keep me on my toes, wondering what was going to happen next and for an action thriller deal, that's exactly what you want.
The pacing and action scenes were great and realistic although the CGI could've used some work. The characters involved all served their purpose albeit at the expense of a plausible story. More notably, the hero of the story almost in every scene has to prevent three supporting characters from getting hurt or killed which really exposes the thinly fabricated backstory of the villain and more importantly why the bad guy did what he had to do. They never really explained it and I doubt it will be ever be explained.
And on a bigger note, some of the scenes were just plain violent. This is not for the weak of heart. Lots of fire, smoke and extras caught in the crossfire. I think on a larger scale, these scenes helped me stay invested but at the end of film, it got me thinking. Wasn't it just overkill at that point?
Like I've mentioned watch it with an open mind, maybe with a cool beverage and a friend or two if they're around. So you can enjoy this thrilling movie and afterwards wonder, what the hell just happened?
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This review may contain spoilers
After a full day and a half, I've made my mind about Hotel Del Luna's rating... It's an 8. Let's make no mistake, this series is good and will most likely be the best drama this year. A complete blueprint of what a fantasy drama should be, full of romance and mystery and world building which excels very much in that regard.
However there were times when I personally thought nothing was happening in the story especially in the middle parts of episodes and would often fast forward to the points where the characters I cared about actually moved their arcs forward, it reminds me of formulaic storytelling were a villain of the week or monster of the week or in this case, ghost of the week happens and all the main characters have to untangle and solve. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this format but in a digital world where we can skip ahead, it kinda takes away from the traditional raw emotions meant to happen.
The series had phenomenal acting and it's star IU continues to shine throughout. YJG also holds his own with what he's given. It's beautifully shot with every frame seemingly from a movie. The soundtrack is ok. Not as memorable as other dramas have had.
Basically this is Goblin-lite with the roles reversed and the actions reversed. You had 900+ year old Goblin waiting for his bride to take the sword out of his heart and end his existence only to end up, falling in love, dying and staying to eventually see the bride of his life move on without him. Here, you have poor weak and naive Gu, the human hotelier falling in love with someone knowing full well the only way she could truly move on is if she left him and he does whats best for her, sacrificing his happiness for hers, sending his last guest off but the key points in both cases are the memories left behind, both leads didn't want to lose the memories and that to me is the most painful thing.
Being reminded everyday for the rest of your life of what truly made you happy and not being able to re-live it or in this case remember it, was never truly an option for our male leads. So they will continue on, living without the other that made them happy. A love like that goes beyond time and existence. It shines eternally without waver and without valour.
Gu becomes the tiger in the painting, looking at a time now lost but a time remembered.
It's not all roses however, there are flaws. I do think Gu's backstory is notoriously weak, almost Mary Sue like. The late reveal at the finale seems like a cop-out for not having any relation prior. I do think if you were rooting for the second lead, you got cheated tremendously. All that build up for not but even more noticeable was in the last few episodes you didn't really see any kisses, just a lot of lingering hugs.
I interpret the ending as its shown. Gu, never taking the meds continues to live his normal life, outside of Korea. Eventually when he does pass on, he sits at a bench and meets Man Wol again in a brand new life but their actual conversation doesn't necessarily mean they just met. Maybe they're already together in that life so happier ending but sad loves are always more memorable.
The supporting cast also had it's moments as well. They had to have more scenes because we'd get bored of the main couple by the fourth episode. It was very much an ensemble and group effort to make this series enjoyable as it was.
I do think as time goes by, this will be remembered as one of the greats. Up there with BBF, YWCFTS, DOTS and Goblin and rightfully so. Also wouldn't it be something if Kim So Hyun's first manager at the Blue Moon was Jun Ji Hyun... :)
And here I thought the hotel industry was boring.
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The only true drawback is that aside from the story alone which is a throwback to an earlier k-drama back in the 2000's-- it's not really memorable. It's been two weeks since I've completed viewing and I'm drawing a blank as to what scenes stood out. Maybe the kiss scenes or the confession scenes but nothing truly memorable and in no way is that a detriment to the drama itself. I would rather a drama have a compelling story to keep me hooked all the way to the end rather than one that falls apart at the seams making me not want to continue further.
Hopefully this drama like it's main character is a sign of more hopeful and progressive things to come for Chinese drama.
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A very gritty presentation. There's nothing glamorous about the world of drug enforcement and nor should be and the film doesn't pretend about it's morals either. An emphasis on how the poor live and feel plays very heavily throughout.
A highly stylized action film with the only flaw being it can be too much at times. The director is given free reign to shows his skills with the camera using one-shot techniques, obscure close-ups and seemingly flawless camera movement.
My biggest gripe would be the thin story behind such a bust without anyone really questioning anything. But maybe that's intentional...
Maybe in the current political and social climate ongoing in the Philippines speaks volumes about what the film is trying to portray. That maybe the only way things can get better is when they're at their absolute worst.
The soundtrack was pretty cool too.
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The game of courting. The game of texting or sms. All those games that couples or want to be couples play in the hunt for a meaningful relationship. This film coming out in 2010 features a lot of the technology which would be considered ancient now. The invention of FaceTime and portable cameras and vending machines that have cigarettes. It shows how far we've come and it's only been eight years. What would another ten bring?
The story itself was okay, it flowed very well. Nothing was forced and I think that was key. If you force these characters to be together then there's a better chance this doesn't feel as natural as it should which would downgrade the romance a bit. This was a more realistic approach about how friends end up becoming something more than just friends.
My only gripe was it was mostly all about the chase. There was no time to showcase what happened after. I felt kinda cheated but in the same way, it ended well and apparently there are sequels which I haven't seen yet but on it's own, it gets the job done.
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This is one of the films that tries to be smarter than the audience in the sense that we're just mindless fools not paying any attention to the story and who wouldn't blame them considering this story fails to attract any attention as you watch it.
It follows a thief who's been in the slammer for five years and gets released only to start thieving again... like two minutes after his release. Right away, plausibility thrown into the deepest part of space. Questions like what's he been doing the whole time in prison or how is it a master thief only gets five years? He's probably not that good considering he got caught--questions like those are ignored all throughout so don't bother asking.
Everyone in this plays such a cliche role where nothing surprisingly happens and when something does, you see it even before the movie was written. It's not remotely mysterious in any form. All the twists and turns are so choreographed that it's not even natural, that the actors are just going through the motions, getting a hefty paycheck with little to no motivation to push what they know is a poor story.
If this was the last movie on Earth, I'd find something better to do. Read a book, fool around with a significant other. There are better things in life than to waste two hours watching the cheesiest heist film in all of cinematic history.
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This lighthearted drama had so many good intentions within that its difficult to find a fault in the execution. The acting was great. LSK has shown great range in the roles she's taken so far. The OST is very good and the story is very much like a fairy tale which may lead back to its name choice, Weightlifting Fairy.
The theme of self-worth is present. Some have too much and others don't have enough but it's a very good message to get across because you give as much as you get. All these characters understand that and in the ever-hectic world of kdramas, it's very rare for that to happen. There's a sense of empathy and compassion throughout and it's very infectious.
Even if you're not the biggest sports fanatic, I'd recommend a viewing or two.
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I think the weird and peculiar situations that some of the side characters had just seemed so off, almost to the point of unbelievable.
While I think the first season emphasized more on food than story. This season was quite the opposite, more story than food.
I liked that the thin gray line between friendship and romance was explored, especially in the last arc. It was the most interesting part of the show to be honest. A sorta will-they-wont-they feel throughout.
I think if you don't relate this back to Season 1, it works surprisingly well. I think if you tie it back then it basically downgrades the first season being all for not but as a complete stand-alone or loose spinoff, it totally works.
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Now I understand that all dramas need that suspension of disbelief in order to work and in that sense, this did well until it became repetitive to the point where the fast-forward button was the only legitimate option other than dropping completely.
The plot started off kindly but doesn't really do much except serve the main characters goals on silver platters. The theme of working for money and working to survive is ever so prevalent that it becomes tedious and misunderstanding. My only recourse is if you don't like what you do--then quit--find something else. Why be miserable at work and let that follow you home?
It was good to see YSH in the main role as opposed to being the sidekick and he played his character very well. Too well. Jung Ki is very beta. So very beta that I almost dropped this because he was so beta. I understand the contrast dynamic between the two leads but I still hoped that our hero had some standing principle of fighting back and granted it eventually came but for how long did it take? The female characters had no such problems as they were very strong independent women but Jung Ki and even Mr. Park, how they ever went into a cut-throat business world is beyond me.
The best episode of the series was the last one because throughout the entire show they kept teasing this romance arc. The biggest problem being it was too late and so very little as opposed to the chase.
The story could've gone in a multitude of directions but I feel as though they played the safe game. There was one big instance in which I was excepting a divorcee to enter the fold but it never happened and they never explained the situation so to me, it sounds like the writer needed the safe ending.
It's an okay watch but nothing groundbreaking and I wouldn't go outta my way to see it.
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Words cannot comprehend but I also can't post pictures so words will have to do.
It's an honor among thieves caper as the plot revolves around stealing some royal jade. The acting is good from both respective leads. Their chemistry was intense. Good looking people attracting other good looking people. I do feel like the film even though it deals with sensitive topics regarding Chinese and Japanese history doesn't take it self seriously to be thought distasteful. I mean, there's some supernatural elements that can't be explained other than it looks cool.
If you need to watch something to take your mind off, I'd recommend something else but if this is the last film on earth that you're ever going to see... Maybe read a book instead. I don't recommend this to any history buffs, that's for sure.
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The Unbearable Lightness of Inspector Fan
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I liked the ideas involved. It's very peculiar in a way. Similar in a sense to the French film, Amelie. The story is being told by a narrator and personally, I hate the use of voice over in films but this one did it the right way. It didn't take away from the story and it helped build emotional bridges for the viewer to latch onto.
The costumes and set designs were done really well. The acting and music was really good as everyone played their part perfectly although I do think Dong Yu's character was sorta cliche and in the grander sense, not needed. The overall plot really keeps you guessing as to how everything unfolds right until the end credits so in that respect, it's a good movie that keeps you invested throughout.
But once you find out about the reveal, it just doesn't have the impact that it should have because you find out how jaded the particular villain was. I was surprised by the end reveal regarding the character in question.
All in all, a decent whodunit for anyone wanting to take a break from the emotional binging of Korean dramas and focus on a light but fulfilling two hours of Chinese cinema.
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The story revolves around an old frail man who is a thousand steps ahead of everyone else, who has his own ambitions and ultimately will see those ambitions come through no matter how costly it is to himself.
The casting was excellent. WK played his role beautifully. The action and sword play was very exciting to watch and although watching a seemingly old man start flying around like a young Jet Li seemed a bit much, you do have to suspend disbelief somewhere.
It was a solid start, enough to keep me interested with the usual meddling in the middle and a very somewhat predictable race to the finish. For fifty odd episodes, a drama has to stay interesting for the viewer to want to come back and this one did enough to do that. It took a total of two months on and off to complete.
I did feel that the writers dropped story lines in the sense that characters who I thought were going to be big players turned out to be one and done. It was to help the main plot go forward but there weren't any subplots to latch on to because of it. There is a romance element that is very discreet. You could argue that it was never really there in this timeline but the strong sense of bromance is in full effect if that's your liking.
All in all, a good drama to get away from the real world. If the ending seems bleak, I prefer the alternate one that's out there and really is the true ending.
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