Reviews

Best Wuxia movie I've watched this year!

Idk what the reviewers are talking about. I got hooked by this movie because of trailers. Hollywood made a ton of shitty trailers, DONT FOLLOW THEM! Anyhoo, I admit the martial arts in this movie were a bit flashy, ppl flying off a horse, lots of jumping and flying kick...... BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO GOOD. The cinematic fight scenes did help to make you glued to the screen. While they make the plot so simple : guarding an important figure to chang'an but giving the backstory of the MC and his enemies. Also HOW IS NIC TSE STILL LOOK THE SAME LIKE 20 YEARS AGO? HE'S 52! costume wise, it's in a desert, so the tone is earthy colour. There's one scene remind me of Mad Max lol. Overall if you're looking for a wuxia movie, you can try this one.

Leia Mais

This was one of those laid-back “absorb the atmosphere” kind of flicks, ones that take the time to show random things like an old man walking down a hill or a train clicking across the scenery…and it reminded me not just a little of the terrific Hiroshi Abe/Tomoko Yamaguchi drama “Going My Home”: Same story of a city resident going back to visit his relations in a small old-fashioned town, and once there, sitting back and taking in the slowed down pace on the town. Heck, they even got YOU to play his younger sister in both of them!

Yui and Abe’s acting skills are impeccable and the way they play off each other is captivating! Actually, everyone was really great, such natural and organic scenes which were composed mostly of dialog, GREAT dialog which grew and simmered like real conversations… so realistic, at times if seemed like I was watching a hidden camera video recording of some family’s life!

Watching this has really reinforced my Yui Natsukawa love, man…she was so doggone pretty and delicate in this one, not at all like the tough realist Natsumi Hayakawa (her character in Kekkon Dekinai Otoko), but both really great characters. And of course, no matter who she plays, her characters always have those signature dimples, and in fact, there's a scene where Mother (played excellently by the awesome Kiki Kirin) even comments, "Oh, you have cute dimples!" LOLOL

PS. Was really cool to realize the line “Aruitemo, Aruitemo” used as the title of this movie came from none other than the immensely gorgeous Japan chanteuse Ayumi Ishida’s song “Blue Light Yokohama”, how cool is THAT!!!

Leia Mais

Don’t let the 56 episode tag scare you away. Yes— it is long and Yes— some parts could’ve been shortened and Yes— it is a melodrama with makjang tendencies. But— it’s so worth it!

First and foremost, this production is well-made, well-cast and well-acted. The leads are capable and play their roles with class and conviction. The villains, oh my, they made me grit my teeth and ball my fists throughout three-quarters of the show but it’s all thanks to the brilliance of Wu You as the contemptible Wu Xin and her dorky, shameless mother, Wang Ai Yu. The duo gets away with witchery, spinning lies over the course of 17 years.

Amidst this human sorcery, life goes on blissfully for Zhang Guo Guo, growing up not knowing her fate as the heiress to an esteemed embroidery powerhouse. But truth and destiny will prevail as the power of the plot and amazing acting tie every event together in a journey worth our patience.

Very much a melodrama, with all the angst and tears you’d expect from this genre, Guo Guo and Yun Kai’s sweet and uncomplicated love for each other is secondary only to the main storyline— Guo Guo returning to her roots. Also entwined in all the sub-plots is the enduring message of maternal and paternal love - biological or adoptive, it can be likewise powerful or destructive.

Stellar, stellar cast including little Le Tong. What an ensemble of perfection. Well worth the angst!

Leia Mais

Chinese Restaurant 9— A Season to Remember

Chinese Restaurant 9 truly felt like a warm family this season, and each member shined in their own way 💫
Huang Xiaoming led the team with calm strength, always carrying the weight of responsibility yet never forgetting to care for everyone like a true leader. Jiang Yan was the gentle “mom” of the group her cooking filled the restaurant with comfort, and her kindness wrapped around everyone like home.
Ding Yuxi “Bridge King,” wasn’t just a sous chef , he was like the caring big brother of the group. He looked after everyone, always stepping in to help no matter the task, and his support made the whole team feel stronger. And then there was Shen Yue 💖 the bright soul of CR9. She wasn’t just the finance manager or photographer, she was the sunshine of the group. With her warmth, sincerity, and quiet determination, she made every moment feel genuine and full of life.
Zhai Xiaowen::" brought youthful charm and endless creativity (his zucchini creation will never be forgotten!), while Patrick Yin amazed with his multilingual talents, always connecting with guests and making them feel welcome. And finally, Lin Shuwei, the wise teacher-chef, guided the kitchen with patience and experience, ensuring every dish carried both flavor and heart.

And I really loved the cutest banter between Shen Yue and Zhai Xiaowen their bond was the best part of this season, always bringing smiles and laughter💛
Together, they weren’t just a team they became a family. Their laughter, teamwork, and care for one another made this season unforgettable. I’ll truly miss their interactions, but I’ll always treasure the warmth they shared. Wishing every member of the CR9 family endless success and happiness in their journeys ahead 🍴🥢🍲🍜☺️

Leia Mais

sweet & charming innocence

the story feels like a prequel to a love story but it does so in a cute and charming way. went into this not sure what to expect due to such a wildly mixed bag of opinions, but I found myself laughing a lot throughout the episodes. loved seeing winny and satang in this too, they both added so much to the already great story. in fact, the supporting cast were all amazing, this felt really well in terms of their performance together.

this is lighthearted, with a great representation of fearful, timid, yet entirely sweet dancing around with the idea of confessing. thoroughly enjoyed all of this.

my only subtraction to my score is having to see joong be so serious for most of this. would’ve loved to see him act cutely more lol

Leia Mais

It started really well and was quite interesting in the beginning but my interest dwindled towards the last few episodes. This drama left me with one question: What happened? It felt prematurely ended and left me a bit disappointed. It's supposed to be a drama and I had a narrative for an ending. I guess it's mainly because the last few episodes dealt with matters that were beyond my understanding: Accounts, stocks, mergers and acquisitions in legalize. Perhaps, if I was a native speaking Korean, I would be able to understand better because I can follow the conversation. As it was, there were times when the subs were coming so fast my eyes were getting strained from reading.
Anyway, there is no question as to how well KMM portrayed his role. I feel bad though that "Jeon Ji Won's "(JYH) character was not completely fleshed out. I enjoyed listening to the two arguing in court, not for the content but for their voices.
I may re-watch, perhaps, just to try and understand what al the talk was about.
This is not a drama for everyone unless you are KMM fan.

Leia Mais

Addictive murder mystery period drama with complex characters

This show had me hooked from the beginning! It had so many of my favorite TV elements: a slow reveal of characters' complex backstories, a murder mystery, glamorous period costumes, and a variety of badass female characters. Also, compared to Taiwan's normal campy, cutesy TV fare (which I do love, to be clear), Light the Night is a huge step up in production quality and story.

The show revolves around Rose and Sue, two best friends and house mothers of a 1980s Taipei nightclub. As the episodes unfold, we learn about each of the supporting characters and the drama leading up to the pilot episode's murder. We don't learn the murder victim's identity until the very end, setting us up for Season 2 to investigate the murderer's identity.

I would highly recommend watching this show not just once but multiple times; it's definitely the type of show where you'll pick up subtle details during a rewatch. An artfully crafted story, superbly acted, scored, and production designed, I can't wait for Season 2!

Leia Mais

Well-meaning but not always well-executed

As someone who adored the film adaptation and has gone back to it again and again and again, this was pretty darn faithful, showing how one meaningful connection can expand someone's world and how all you really need is one person to see and understand you, just one.

I liked how this Taichi showed more of an interest in Kohei right off the bat, which led to some lovely, thoughtful moments. And Kohei was more forward with his feelings in his own way. However, over time, I did begin to feel like the drama was dragging its feet. By making Taichi more attached to Koehi but also more dense, there was this constant circling around his feelings. And while I, of course, was happy to see them explore hearing loss and the different perspectives and struggles of people who are deaf/hard of hearing, I think it took away valuable time that could have been spent with Taichi and Kohei. While they focused on Taichi's passion for making a better world/helping others, Kohei ended up taking a backseat. Some later episodes had barely any scenes of Taichi and Kohei together, let alone from Kohei's point of view.

The ending also didn't quite sit right. While it did its job and was sweet, it felt rushed and lacking.

I think this drama wanted to be bigger than it was and lost itself a bit.

I wasn't disappointed, per se; I just think they could have done more.

Leia Mais

Breath of Fresh Air, Mature Romance, but lacking a bit in memorability

Refreshing, mellow, and mature. A very comfortable watch, celebrating the small moments and the simplicity of falling in love with the right person. No villains. No huge misunderstanding/lack of communication. No beating around the bush. Very much a breath of fresh air.

However, the one thing that keeps it from being 10 stars in my mind is the lack of memorable impactful moments that stick in your mind and make you want to replay the scene over again after you finish. This film didn't have any of that.

Still, rewatch value is high for when you just want something cozy to cuddle up with.

Leia Mais

A Swing but A Miss

Potentially, this could have been a great BL series but it ended up being another formulaic series from Thailand. Conceptionally, a great idea but it turned into a soap opera, unfortunately. They had GREAT actors who are beyond stunningly handsome and turned an interesting story into a mundane romp through boredom. For sure, they were an enchanting couple with no real substance to their relationship. The ending was simply dreadful and astonishingly dense. Not high on my list of watchable ones which I know I am in a minority here. I just did not believe their relationship, even if it was so cute.

Leia Mais

Story : I will never forget the story, i found this dorama when i just in junior high (a bit mature dorama for my age) but yet, this dorama introduce me to what love is, and it is a melodrama, so such a sad ending will definitely excepted, i really hate sad ending, but for this dorama is acceptable and so beautiful at the same time.
Acting : they really into the character, especially the main character, you can feel the love and the sacrifice of the male main lead and the agony and loneliness of the female lead.
Music : the soundtrack of this dorama is still in my Ipod list, i still humming of the soundtrack melody sometimes,that's why it's outstancding.
Rewatch Value : i'll certainly want to watch it again but not so desperate to.
Overall : it's a beautiful melodrama with a twist that not imaginable, the cast is good in portraying the character and the soundtrack is so captivating, i still have it in my Ipod and still sing it in the karaoke box sometimes.. ^^
Recommend it! :D

Leia Mais

Revenge vs Protection

Across the Furious Sea is a cinematic ride for those who like their drama grim, gritty and in constant unpredictable movement. A cat and mouse game of revenge versus protection that conveys in subtext the disparity of parenthood between the classes.
Ultimately this is a story about facing the truth , whether about oneself, or those we love and accepting responsibility for our actions & treatment of others.
It has violence both bloody and sexual but the real darkness is in the characters.
While it was messed up, sad, tragic , thrilling and so well done at same time ,the end message of the movie comes across the sea loud and clear.

Leia Mais

A lot of reviews compare "Meteor Garden" to the other "Hana Yori Dango" adaptations, which I don't think is really fair... Not only was MG the first drama version, it was made on a pretty low budget. Producer Angie Chai bought most of the F4's clothes from local thrift shops and had a hard time getting funding for some of the scenes. Nevertheless, Chai had a vision and it paid off. "Meteor Garden" is considered the first of the popular "idol drama" trend and launched her career as a prolific producer. The drama made household names out of Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan, Vic Chou, Ken Chu, and Vanness Wu. All went on to have good careers, though to varying degrees of success. It also introduced the sweet and popular Rainie Yang.As an adaptation of "Hana Yori Dango" (or "Boys Over Flowers"), MG is probably the most faithful to the manga. MG combined a few characters (notably Makiko and Sakurako [Li Zhen] and Seinosuke and Junpei [Xiao Shun]), but I was pleasantly surprised to see Matsutaro (Ah Song, played by Wallace Chung) and Amon (Ya Men, played by Blue Lan). Neither of the latter characters have been featured in any other drama, not even the Japanese version. Additionally, MG follows the manga almost scene by scene, only skipping over about one arc. It's unfortunate that the manga was not finished yet, so the writers had to make up an ending. I was not really a fan of the last episode, besides the very last scene.For fans of the manga, I would say this is a must-watch, despite the low production values. Barbie Hsu's (Shan Cai) and Jerry Yan's (Dao Ming Si) chemistry was also on point. It's no wonder this version was so popular at the time that it aired. A popularity that endures to this day. I'm very excited for the upcoming remake since Chai has promised to make another faithful (but updated and flashy) rendition.

Leia Mais