Completed
Hidden Love
6 people found this review helpful
Aug 25, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Hidden Love: A Heartwarming Journey Through Love and Growth

"Hidden Love" is a spellbinding youth romance drama that captures the essence of love, friendship, and personal transformation. Adapted from the novel of the same name, the series introduces us to Sang Zhi and her secret affection for Duan Jiaxu, her brother's friend, as their relationship blossoms.

This drama is a refreshing take on the genre, with a focus on heartfelt storytelling and character development. Sang Zhi's journey is portrayed with authenticity, avoiding the clichéd "love at first sight" trope. Instead, her feelings develop gradually, showcasing the realism of young love. Duan Jiaxu's character is equally well-crafted, adding depth and sincerity to the narrative.

One of the drama's standout features is its balance between tender romantic moments and the exploration of deeper emotional themes. The talented cast's comedic timing and chemistry add layers of enjoyment, making every interaction engaging and relatable.

Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan deliver extraordinary performances as Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, capturing the audience's hearts and emotions. Their portrayal is a testament to their exceptional acting skills, as they convincingly bring their characters to life.

Supporting characters, including Sang Yan and the parents, contribute to the richness of the narrative, making the world feel authentic and relatable. The drama's cinematography captures the essence of youth and adds a visual dimension to the storytelling.

While a few minor drawbacks like pacing and filter choices exist, they do not overshadow the drama's overall charm. The soundtrack complements the story beautifully, adding an extra layer of emotion to the scenes.

In summary, "Hidden Love" is a captivating exploration of youthful romance and growth. With its exceptional performances, engaging storyline, and genuine characters, it offers a heartwarming viewing experience that will leave you smiling, laughing, and cherishing the journey of love. Don't miss this delightful drama that invites you to immerse yourself in the beauty of hidden emotions and blossoming relationships.

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Completed
Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty
6 people found this review helpful
Nov 9, 2022
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 15
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Ancient Chinese Detectives Go Sci-Fi

In a year when I’m getting far more out of C dramas than K ones, Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty still manages to be a standout. It’s been hailed an underrated treasure where its been seen and indeed, I don’t disagree. While the title and cast might not inspire hordes of viewers to take a peek, it is a worthwhile entry into the crime genre. What makes this series shine ever so brightly is the meticulous and painstaking world building. Of course the show wouldn’t be quite as entertaining without the core male characters, Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming and Fei Ji Shi who are wonderfully penned to be as alike as chalk and cheese. There are female characters too but are relegated to support roles and love interests. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that they aren’t needed because they do have significant parts to play especially those within the investigative team, the joy of watching this 36-episode drama is not found in their exploits.

The world where all these crimes are staged bears a strong resemblance to the Tang dynasty probably during the second reign of Emperor Ruizong due to the presence of the powerful Princess Taiping and her equally powerful nephew, the crown prince Li Longji. The politics matter quite a bit as it influences how the lead characters navigate their way around key crimes involving nobles and the royals in Chang’an, Nanzhou and Luoyang. After cracking a major case involving the sale of a tea with dubious ingredients in the capital city, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming are banished for their good work to the south. One has the feeling that it’s done in part so that Lu Lingfeng can get his delightful growth arc and for the two men to do some much needed cleaning up in these places.

Both men are observant and intelligent but the advantage that Su Wuming has over Lu Lingfeng is the passage of years — wisdom and experience and the privilege of being the only apprentice of the great Di Renjie, the great Tang statesman. It becomes increasingly evident that the older man is meant to instruct the younger in the error of his ways and turn him into a law enforcement officer worth his salt. Lu Lingfeng, who begins his career as a martial arts pugilist, embarks literally and metaphorically on a journey that sees him go from being a rigid arrogant hothead to a far more circumspect, methodical and adaptable detective. There's even an old-fashioned nobility that comes across as quaint. To further assist him in that goal of growth is the persistent Pei Xujin, his love interest who is an accomplished artist in her own right. While the two don’t have the type of chemistry which raises the temperature in the room, some of his character building (on hindsight) does depend on having her hanging around especially when she has her young family retainer Xue Huan in tow.

Along for the ride is the obligatory physician Fei Ji Shi whose greatest pleasure in life is boozing and chomping on chicken. Despite his bedraggled appearance he has real skills and useful medical/scientific knowledge that comes in handy in various cases. He is entirely his own man, wandering in and out of the narrative largely at his own convenience.

Strange Tales is unabashedly a classic detective story modelled after the golden age era. The quirky Su Wuming has the shrewdness of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and the self-deprecation of Peter Falk’s Columbo. He is certainly the man to have around when the bodies pile up and the culprits are nowhere to be found. What distinguishes this show from others in the genre are the science-fiction/ fantasy elements. The weapons used to perpetrate these murders are often tools of another world although the investigation process is grounded in the familiar strictures of the genre.

What keeps the show from being deadly serious and unerringly enjoyable is the humour. It is a funny show and the show does have fun at the characters’ expense. But the dialogue is for the most part witty and there are genuinely hilarious moments that emerge from an intelligent script. It’s certainly and easily one of the best things I’ve seen this year.

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Completed
Bad Buddy
5 people found this review helpful
Dec 20, 2021
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

Best BL of 2021

I began watching this series before it was completed and had to wait patiently for new episodes. Never have I been so anxious to know what happens to fictional people. I have never seen a story that captivates the unpredictability of emotions so perfectly. The complication of having family drama and the pressure of keeping everyone will be happy at what may seem to be the cost of your own happiness.

The story centres around Pat and Pran and builds so much that I honestly was wondering where they can go, but they found a way to not only keep it fresh but captivating. They are separated both at school and at home, due to faculty wars and family wars, which had me wondering if this series is really a BL because their was no one for them to be in the same space unless they are fighting. Then in the heights of emotions and battles, emotions get out of hand and then that balcony scene happened. I was literally holding my breath. The actors really showed of their skills in this scene, the will they wont they dynamics came to a head. the tension, the intensity, the emotion and the uncertainty had me at the edge of my seat. I was so worried about what was going to happen that I had removed the subtitles and tried to judge what was going on from their actions. This had me broken from the moment Pran walked off and left Pat standing there. I literally could not process it and I had to re-watch the scene with the subtitles only for every word to pull at my heart to have it finally ripped out when he walked off.

When it finally began to look like they got everything figured out, the curtain drops and its back to square one. I felt for Wai the most because he actually was genuinely hurt by his best friend keeping secrets. The writing on this show truely captured the essence of having to keep things a secret for everyone to be happy. While also showing that love has no limits and doesn't require much for you to have all you need. That moment when they returned home because they realise it isn't all about their happiness, made it worth so much more for me because too many times people forget your actions affect others.

This show truly was a rollercoaster of emotions with highs and lows, the best part about it is that, no matter which emotion they had someone right there with them. It was an amazing experience going through this part of their lives with them.

PS: If you have made it to the where the Pat's dad refused Pat's friend gift. Congrats to their parents for possibly turning into adults.

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Completed
The Red Sleeve
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 27, 2021
17 of 17 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

the machinations of a gilded cage

TLDR-
You may expect the normal melodramatic saquek, but this drama will surprise you.
Gorgeous OST, beautifully shot cinematography with layers of deeper meaning that'll break your heart when you're paying attention; a strong plot that doesn't meander, and very strong acting throughout to keep it all seamlessly tied together. Even saquek-tired viewers will be pleasantly surprised by this fresh, even modern take on a real-life story.

Thoughts on the main leads:
Lee Jun Ho: I've been a devoted Lee Jun Ho fan since watching his first main role in Just Between Lovers. I first watched that series because I really liked the premise and the cover photo, and quickly became utterly enamored by Jun Ho's character. He was charismatic, deeply troubled, and full of old physical and emotional scars that drew me in throughout the entirety of the series. The arc between him and his grandma crushed me and I thought his emotional scenes were masterfully done (including his public breakdown in the street when he received his diagnosis). I had no clue he was an IDOL until I looked him up afterward and saw that his real-life persona couldn't be more different from his character in the series, which impressed me even more. From then on, I was a huge fan and looked forward to his other roles. His charisma certainly knows no bounds and is not limited to 1 genre. He portrayed his role as the crown prince (and later as the king) masterfully and I can't help but replay his emotional scenes over and over. His relationship with his grandfather, the king, was troubled and full of complications that I enjoyed watching play out on screen. It teetered so often on domestic abuse with the emotional and sometimes physical warfare the king inflicted on him, despite how often he claimed to love him. The dynamic was interesting and effective and I found myself both angry at the king and full of pity. In the end, I could sense the raw loneliness, grief, love, and pain Yi San felt for him.

Lee Se Young: Although I'd only seen Lee Se Young in another saguek, The Crowned Clown, that series also happens to be one of my all-time favorite KDRAMAS so I had high hopes for her. Her role in The Crowned Clown was much meeker in character, and I actually thought her character took away from the overall plot and pacing of the drama because I thought the most interesting aspect of that drama was Yeo Jin Goo's Clown Ha Sun and King Yi Heon and when the romantic melodrama aspect started taking the forefront of the drama and pushing the suspenseful dynamic of the twin brothers to the background, it changed my overall interest in the show (although I still loved it for different reasons). Her role in The Red Sleeve is much more prominent and gives her a lot of room to stretch her acting skills, both emotionally and physically and in different genres, so I especially loved watching her this time. Her facial expressions are so emotive and I found myself laughing and crying with and at her on several occasions.

OST: Gorgeous. Emotive. Enhanced every scene without overwhelming it.

Plot: Surprising and fresh with subverted tropes, strong and empowered female characters, broken stereotypes (female saves male MULTIPLE times, female with strong willpower, sensitive man, etc). I loved Deok Im's strength as a woman in her determination to live for herself, regardless of the pain she'd feel by not going the easy route. I loved that she saved Yi San and was able to protect him on multiple occasions. I loved Yi San's consideration for Deok Im later on in his conviction to treat her as a woman and not as an inferior subject. I loved Yi San's royal guard and his adorable gullibility and fierce loyalty. He brought on moments of much-warranted levity which brightened both the scene and Yi San's countenance. I loved the friendship between the court ladies and the moral greyness of some of the other women. I loved that the "antagonists" in this drama wasn't the true villain; it was the palace and its rules that entrapped our main characters and the "heroes" were the very people that were pillars keeping the palace living and breathing.

Episode 14 Update:
I've grown very frustrated with the relationship between Yi San and Deok Im.
I understand there are many complexities, and I empathize and understand Deok Im's fears and insecurities toward accepting the role as a concubine so I can't fault her for refusing the role and putting herself first; however, Yi San has only ever been fully honest with her regarding his feelings and his desire to keep her safe whilst she's *brutally* turned him down so many times, I've lost count. She disregards his feelings to intentionally hurt him and push him away despite her true feelings, and she only ever treats him for his title and not as a man. Yi San frustrates me as well because he's so painfully aware of his title, that his desperation to be treated as a man by Deok Im understates how serious and challenging that request would be for a normal person to hear. All physical skinship, excluding the reuniting hug, after she saved him from the ambush, has been physically forced and one-sided, including the kiss at the end of Episode 14. If I'm being told to believe she wanted that kiss because she submits into it at the end, no thank you k-drama world, that's not how reality works. I'm frustrated he did that, and I'm frustrated that it was *once again* a one-sided show of affection (that she didn't even ask for). I want to see HER fight for him *as a man* just 1 time and she hasn't. It has only ever been for her king and highness (excluding the time when they were children), and I pity him for that (despite disapproving of his behavior toward her physically).

Episode 15:
"I have deceived his Majesty. His Majesty may deceive the court ladies at his will, but a court lady may not deceive the King."
UGH. Still pretty frustrated with their relationship. They're both in very difficult positions, both on the level as a man and a woman and as King and court lady. I selfishly really just want her to hug him and tell him she cares about him too and he's not so painfully alone in the world.


Epsiode 16 & 17:
Oh. My. Tears. What a heart-breaking, gorgeous, beautiful, punch in the gut.
I love the ending so much. I love the subtle and nuanced cinematography that captured so elegantly the "prison walls" that framed so many of our characters throughout. I loved that Yi San stripped away and laid himself bare for Deok Im and that she *finally* openly acknowledged her love (and without saying it still) for him. I loved that they ended up together and both willingly chose the other in the end. If I'm not making much sense atm, it's because I'm still typing through my tears.

Can't recommend this drama enough, and I'm so happy our beloved cast and crew received the proper attention and accolades that were well deserved.

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Completed
The Brightest Star in the Sky
6 people found this review helpful
by DKJB92
Aug 4, 2019
44 of 44 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
Been watching Kdrama and Cdrama for years but haven't wrote a review. But because I felt like I have to say something about this series here is my first attempt.

I just finished the series an hour ago and the songs kept playing on my mind so I thought of writing this. Overall, the series is cliche as to most of us who read and watch dramas. But what makes it unique is how the artist portrayed each character that changed the viewers perception from ordinary to extra-ordinary. I was actually been waiting for this drama.

Plot wise, a common wealthy male lead falls in love to a nobody female lead. But of course, that what gains the public's interest. The transition of the story line was indeed smooth. There were unexpected twist but most were predictable. If you ever love music this series is for you. It contains finding your inspiration, persevering for your dreams and overcoming sufferings. RomCom side of this story is strongly bonded at the same time I find it cute. As for the other side stories, I must say, only Cdrama made me hate second lead male. Originally I would vouch for the second leads, but this drama just didn't work that magic. Nonetheless, the antagonists made just the right balance to make this drama perfect.

As for the characters, what I hate about dramas are female lead being too submissive and weak, and so, that's one of the strong points of this series having a strong personality for a female lead. Although sometimes she acts stupid, it only shows the natural flaws of a person in reality. ZTao on the other hand, was the perfect guy for this drama. Like he was just being himself during the whole duration of the series. The vibe he portrays were all natural and not just an act, from his singing and interaction with other the casts. Just like watching the life of a real star unscripted and that's what amazed me.

Of course, there will always be a weak points. What I dislike about this drama is that it has to end while the story was just starting. I think, 44 episodes were enough, but then it felt like most of the airing time where wasted by unnecessary side stories and ended up rolling the credits way too rush. I was really anticipating for his time on the stage but saw none, what a petty. What are those practices for??!! (Ranting because its unjustifiable, you'll know when you finish this series)

Nevertheless, I would recommend this to those of you who's lost their purpose in life. Learn from the script and the characters way of life. There were many hurdles, but despite that they overcome.

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Completed
Mam Gaem Daeng
6 people found this review helpful
by Valier
Oct 4, 2014
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
The first half was amazing. It was funny, romantic, full of friendship and simply great. Unfortunately as soon as they return to Thailand the drama takes a nose-dive. It feels as if they changed the writers. The characters seem almost schizophrenic. They change their opinions at every turn. The only ones who stay constant are Pat - he just continues to be spineless right until the last two episodes - and the main couple. But those two were great! Krit and Matt had perfect chemistry and made it seem like it was real and not just for a lakorn. If the director had stayed true to the first half, the show would have been a new favourite of mine! As a whole I don't regret watching it!

Rating:

3 points = 'hmmm...'
Rewatch value: I normally don't rewatch dramas, therefore.....

6-7 points = 'it's not better or worse than any other drama out there'
Story: nothing new, but enjoyable nonetheless
Music: not bad, but not very memorable either

9 points = 'I loved it'
Acting: Matt and Krit were fascinating. I could imagine them reacting the same way in real life. And for once the gay best friend was kind of funny and not simply annoying. Besides, I loved their friendship! It showed throughout the whole show and made my heart all fluffy ;)

10 points = 'I would die for it'
I don't give away 10 points. It really is that simple :)

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Completed
Swallow the Sun
5 people found this review helpful
by helkwo
Mar 5, 2015
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I am writing this review after watching this drama for the third time. And every time I re-watched this drama, I have rated it a little bit higher. Yes, the story isn't exactly original or unpredictable but I have to admit that it is entertaining.

I have no idea what the budget for this drama was but they must have spend it a fair bit, especially for the overseas locations. I can't say that the actions were done that well but for a Kdrama, it has one of the biggest gun battle scene I've seen in a drama.

Overall, the acting was okay, the story was good but what was exceptional was the OSTs, there were some very memorable ones that stays with you.

I would recommend this drama to anyone who is bored with rom-coms or melodramas and want something with a revenge theme and a lot of action.

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Completed
The Disguiser
6 people found this review helpful
Apr 12, 2021
48 of 48 episodes seen
Completed 13
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

False face must hide what false heart doth know.

The biggest draw of the Disguiser is its best loved Nirvana in Fire cast. Paradoxically, this spy thriller could not be more unlike Nirvana in Fire yet at the same time, it cannot be more like it. Boiled down, it is another memorable bromance built around a family that sacrifices for a worthy cause; in this case the kind of country they want for their future generations.

Set in 1940s Shanghai during the time of the Japanese puppet government, the prominent Ming family is caught up in the struggle between Japanese, KMT and CCP forces. Ming Jing, the matriarch is formidable in terms of how fiercely she both disciplines and loves her three brothers, whom she raised. She is the family peacemaker and the one the brothers deceive to protect. The Ming family hierarchy is hilarious - both Ming Tai and Ming Cheng fear oldest brother Ming Lou, who is in turn terrified of Ming Jing.  Since the youngest Ming Tai is Ming Jing's favorite, he is actually the most powerful brother! Although both Ming Cheng and Ming Tai are adopted, their bond exceeds that of most blood siblings and the individual relationships between the four siblings are well dimensioned and developed. The remarkable chemistry between this veteran cast effortlessly draws us into feeling a part of this amazing and perfectly imperfect family.

As far as spy thrillers go, this is suspenseful, fast paced and action packed. While the action shots are visually thrilling and artistic, it is quite incredible that protagonists seem to be completely bullet proof and villains take way too many fatal shots to die. The overall plot errs on the side of being overly intricate and fails to convince that so many pawns have to be sacrificed so callously to ensnare the enemy. That said, some of the most powerful, shattering scenes are at the moment of truth when it dawns on the players they are pawns and when the villains realize they have been played. All the villains are introduced early on and are layered characters with their own individual strengths and weaknesses that make them very, very dangerous; especially Wang Ou's gorgeously unstable, oddly naive and sadistic Wang Manchun. This casts an shadow of imminent peril around our beloved Ming family's idyllic private moments.

The way Jin Dong portrays Ming Lou, a double agent whose "false face must hide what false heart doth know" stands out among superb performances all around from this exceptional cast. He wears many hats - traitor, patriot, mastermind, mentor, disciplinarian, manipulator, liar, brother and family man. His true feelings and loyalties are revealed only in almost imperceptible changes in expression or gestures as he fluidly manipulates his chess pieces into doing as he wishes. He is the picture of sincerity and devotion as he turns the deadly Wang Manchun into a giddy, lovesick fool with his sweet loving lies. Alas, she misses that flicker in his eye that says he actually loathes and pities her. He keeps Ming Jing in the dark to protect her and only lets Ah Cheng get the closest look at his game plan and true intentions. I don't know why Wang Kai always gets saddled with the role of the most loyal but most obtuse one but I get Jing wang vibes every time is onscreen. I am glad this time he is teamed up with Jin Dong and not Hu Ge. I love their relationship - Ming Lou is at surface a tough mentor but by communicating outcomes, he actually gives Ah Cheng agency to execute his missions as he sees fit. His approach with Ming Tai is completely different - he keeps him at a strictly need to know level and at arm's length but gives him the most difficult tasks with much more limited degrees of freedom to make decisions. Ming Lou is an incredibly complex, smart character but not unrealistically so that things always go as planned. In this high stakes game, the enemy is not stupid and is capable of learning from mistakes. Some of the most riveting moments are when the brothers are cornered and forced to choose between family and their mission, their ideals, their country.

Hu Ge as the sophisticated, dashing and deadly assassin Ming Tai aka the Scorpion takes the meaning of eye candy to a whole new level. Paired up with his life and death partner, the vivid and lethal Yu Manli, they cut a flamboyant and bloodthirsty trail through the highest echelons of their enemy. Hu Ge delivers some extraordinary and memorable moments as Ming Tai, notably his love hate relationship with his lunatic, radical mentor Wang Tianfeng and his complex bond with Yu Manli. However overall, I did not love some aspects of his portrayal and how this character was written. Although I don't mind Hu Ge playing the 20 something Ming Tai initially, this character must be able to grow up and mature, which he does masterfully to become the leader of his espionage unit. It pains me to complain about Hu Ge and to be fair, he was short-changed by the scriptwriting and casting. But the frequent regression into his younger self; a spoilt, pampered and immature youth doesn't sit well with me, especially towards the end and after everything he went through. It does not help that his arguably unnecessary love interest Cheng Jinyun is portrayed by a complete plank of an actress. They did not connect and the romance was so irritating I kept hoping she would tragically run into one of the many stray bullets flying around. Casting a mannequin would have been better than this boring and totally expressionless actress. This is made more stark by the fiery, intense and palpable connection between Ming Tai and Yu Manli. Song Yi absolutely stole the show with her insane, bad-ass articulation of this psychotic, relentless assassin And her chemistry with Hu Ge is off the charts. She is the character I cared the most about in the drama, the one that scared me and broke my heart at the same time.

While hardly the masterpiece that was NIF, this is still an excellent drama and a wonderful way to reconnect with a fantastic cast. Not to mention... ahem... Hu Ge in black tie... I rate this a solid 8.5.

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Completed
Hero
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 27, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

All is fair in love and war...

For those who love wuxia or Zhang Yi Mou's films, Hero will weave around you, wrapping you in its hypnotic effects of color, music, scenery, and skilled performances. The film is a poetic examination of the different facets of being a hero and the sacrifices required. As a fan of both wuxia and Zhang Yi Mou I found this film breathtakingly beautiful and emotionally heartbreaking.

It is helpful to understand on the first watch of Hero that the story is not told in chronological order or from a single viewpoint. Each viewpoint and version of the story has a particular color hue. When the warrior Nameless is brought before the Qin emperor, gray and black dominate the color scheme. Nameless has killed the three most infamous and dangerous assassins in the realm granting him unprecedented access to the emperor, coming within 10 paces of him with only several rows of candles between them. The emperor asks Nameless to explain how he came to possess the weapons when even 3000 soldiers could not acquire them.

Nameless (Jet Li) tells the emperor a story of how he defeated Sky (Donnie Yen) and his silver spear in the rain accompanied by an old blind man playing the guqin. Every time I watch this movie it is a treat to see Jet Li and Donnie Yen fighting in the rain with water dripping from the rooftops. Next, in a world gone crimson, Nameless explains how he defeated the warriors and lovers Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Broken Sword (Tony Leung). Broken Sword believes that calligraphy and sword fighting are intertwined. He and Snow are the masters in a calligraphy school drenched in red but have a rift driven between them. This vermillion school is the home of primal emotions-jealousy, hate, lust, and revenge. Nameless wants a banner with the unique and 20th version of the word "sword". This memory has a sequence with an extraordinary fight between Snow and Moon (Zhang Zi Yi). In a spiraling storm of golden leaves the two women swirl and parry until blood is drawn and the leaves echo the color of life and death.

The emperor doesn't believe Nameless and gives his version of events now told in blue. The characters are calm, clear thinking and accepting instead of being ruled by their passions. Instead of Nameless ending up with the swords because of vengeance, this time the lovers willingly hand over their swords in order for the skilled Nameless to kill the emperor. After Snow sacrifices herself Nameless and Broken Sword have a balletic battle over a tranquil cerulean lake.

Finally, the truth is told in white as death hovers ever near for the characters and the genuineness of their motives is revealed. The emperor's memories of Snow and Broken Sword attacking him three years ago are in green with floating green curtains hanging from the throne room ceiling. In this emerald world Broken Sword had a moment of clarity and that clarity distanced Snow from him.

Zhang Yi Mou's lush and color saturated frames were romantic and stunningly spectacular. Every version of the events was filtered through the chosen color-lighting, wardrobe, and sets. He is a director who always knows how to get the most out of nature's scenery whether in the wind blown desert or a verdant hillside. Tan Dun's score was splendidly lovely and mournful.

This film had a dream cast. Jet Li's reserved acting was perfect for the Nameless and committed warrior. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung have never looked more beautiful. Snow and Broken Sword had a tender yearning for each other tragically tethered to her burning desire for revenge. They were truly the emotional heart of the film. Neither the lovers nor their swords could ever be parted. Their final scene was emotionally shattering. Zhang Zi Yi played Broken Sword's servant, Moon. Thinly drawn, she filled it out as much as she could. Donnie Yen was only briefly featured and brought the martial arts credibility to go along with Li's. Chen Dao Ming gave the right amount of balance, maybe more humanity than he deserved to the tyrant emperor.

Despite being a wuxia, the fights were not the main thrust of the story, even though they were well choreographed and shot. For those not familiar with the genre, the fights often relied on wire work. Though most of the actors were quite graceful as they danced and twirled in the air, there were a few gaps. The choreography tended to err on the side of the visual instead of the realistic which made for imaginative sword work. Jet Li moving through the rain drops is still one of my favorite movie images. The large Qin army raining down impossibly numerous arrows on the calligraphy school with two characters countering them conveyed the dire situation of the heroes and the high stakes.

The only thing that kept this film from being perfect for me was the ending. The emperor's adage that the brutal destruction of his enemies and annexation of their lands was for the greater good and the hero's acceptance of this was disturbing. I thought it was ironic that the old calligraphy master said, "Qin arrows can never annihilate our written words." In reality, the emperor did just that by massive book burnings and burying alive over 400 scholars who disagreed with him. I do agree with Broken Sword that the goal is to be rid of the desire to kill and the need for the sword and to live in peace with one another. Because this is not my country and history, I do not have an educated view on this emperor, only a limited personal opinion. Whether desiring to kill the emperor to prevent further war or letting him live to prevent further war, the heroes were willing to sacrifice all for their beliefs.

Despite the ending, I loved this film. The haunting score, the lush colors, fanciful fights, and sorrowful love story pull me in every time. In large part due to the stellar cast and Zhang Yi Mou's exquisite directing style, I have found few wuxias better than this one.


3/27/23








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Completed
Ghost
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 9, 2013
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
It is a Japanese remake of the American film Ghost. They both used the song Unchained Melody, have the same story as one of the lovers will die and became a ghost, but the plot in the Japanese version is different.

It is ver romantic, emotional and you can feel the grief after the lost of someone you love. The special effects is good, the fighting scene and the thrill when uncovering the reason of death.

The wedding ceremony is so surreal but romantic indeed.

Well, I feel both happy and sad at the end. It is fantasy but it gives hopes and idea of eternal love. Both actors were good and I like Song Seun Hun (male lead) speaking Nihonggo.

Overall, I like the movie.

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New Tales of Wulin Heroes
6 people found this review helpful
May 12, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Love these snippets!

I like how the main drama had its own closure and finding out there were these snippets were a lovely bonus for me.

It was nice to see how the SML did not wallow in unrequited love and did not have to have a SFL for him to live a good life. Something dramas usually don’t cover and this one does it well. Seeing more backstory of his friendship with the ML made the scenes where he looks forward to the letters even more heartfelt. The touch of humour there when he says he doesn’t want the letters but actually treasures them made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The scenes where the ML first interacted with the FL was a fun little extra especially the part which had the chicken. He talked to her more normally back then. You could see that this changed later on. On one hand he loved her but knew he couldn’t. On the other hand, he had to keep seeing her with another man who was using her but she didn’t know it and instead was determined to help / save / marry him. If you loved the ML in the main drama, you will swoon even more in this bonus version.

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Completed
The Comments
6 people found this review helpful
Jun 12, 2021
5 of 5 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers
This drama will stay with me for a very long time. It's, hands down, one of the best Thai dramas I've ever seen. Actually... no, it's one of the best dramas I've seen, period. All the characters were so rich, so 3D and every single one of them - everyone but Newwiee's Khan - had his or her hand in what happened to Papang, even she herself because even she was not blameless.

It was so interesting, the way the layers were slowly peeled off, revealing to Khan - the outsider in this story - what happened to his sister, who her friends truly were, what they had done, what she had done, how much she hadn't been telling him because she didn't want him to worry, her sweet big brother. So much ugliness and toxicity...

"Don't let your comments kill another person."

Yeah.

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Completed
The Heart of Genius
5 people found this review helpful
Aug 5, 2022
34 of 34 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Entertaining

It's a well rounded story about parallel universes, and if you like these light sci-fi kind of drama (like Someday or One Day and First Love Again) you might like this one as well. The problem here is that the characters lacked emotion. The best one is the female lead's father, but the rest didn't get me attached to them. When the actors changed from child to adults I couldn't feel the connection between them either.

So, if you're looking for a romance to get emotional and root for the leads, I don't think you'll find it here. And I don't believe it's just the actors fault, the script didn't make them close either.. it felt like they didn't really care about each other. At the same time, it's nice to have a romance without it being over the top, I guess you need some balance and for me this wasn't enough.

Despite everything, it's the kind of drama that makes you want to talk about it (hence this review) cause it leaves you thinking and it's pretty interesting.

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Completed
Spaceless
6 people found this review helpful
by Rose
30 days ago
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Beautiful & Emotional Short Bl

This movie made me cry ,this is such an emotional short
bl.........
Such a beautiful & emotional storyline
Everything about this movie is perfect..............
So excited to see Bible & Jes in "4 minutes" series .......
Thier chemistry is insanely amazing in "Spaceless" short bl .............
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Completed
Deliver Us From Evil
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 13, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
I watched "Deliver Us From Evil" last night. It's a good Action-packed movie. The fighting and knife scenes are really great, it was shot in a unique way. I can't comment on the cinematography, because there was nothing special about it. All I can say is that they worked hard to reduce shaky cam scenes to the minimum, it's almost unnoticeable. Concerning the individual performances "Hwang Jung-Min" is really good as a contract Assassin, he was ruthless and skillful, but I really missed his sense of humour in this movie. "Lee Jung-Jae" as a brutal villain is really eye-catching, he was fierce and his presence was really haunting, "Park Jung-Min" as a transgender was something special to watch. The low point of this movie (for me) was the storyline and the plot, there was clearly a lack of backstories to give the audience a hint on how the characters reached the present day. In simple words, there was almost no (Character Development). I feel like they should've gave this one more time. It gives you this weird feeling that you're not satisfied with the conclusion of the whole story. Overall I would say its an enjoyable experience as an action-packed movie, but unfortunately I wouldn't put on a top 10 list of korean movies released in 2020.
I will give it a rating of 7.5/10.

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