To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories
6 people found this review helpful
Possibly the best BL I've watched
Very honest. The writers didn't hold back, and they gave us a painful, complicated, genuine, character-driven story to chew on. Unlike with (admittedly lovely) fluff, if there's a happy ending, it will be well-earned.The pacing was perfect, they didn't rely on any stupid editing gimmicks or forced drama, the acting was impeccable, the cinematographic choices made sense and added to the scenes, and the writers had a firm and loving grasp on all their characters.
This story is not easy, but it may help you grow as a person. I love it. Actually my first review got deleted, but I love this season so much I found the patience to rewrite it.
You can't know this, reader, but I'm excruciatingly critical. I have no complaints, though, so hopefully if you're on the fence, that helps you leap over it and dive right into this experience.
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PROS:
+ The main character is painfully dumb and is totally unequipped to face a serial killer; this makes her incredibly charming and likeable
+ While the plot is pretty simple, there are some heavy elements that still pack a good emotional punch
+ The violence is brutal and messy, which removes the feeling of safety and shows the antagonist has no bounds to his methods
+ Good relationship between the main character and the little girl [supporting character] that creates a good balance of light-heartedness in this dark film
CONS:
- Some of the plot unfolds in a very unconvincing and "lucky" way that seems far-fetched from reality
- There is a poorly-constructed side plot that initiates the action, but has no other purpose (or resolution)
Yeah, I've seen a few of these serial killer revenge thrillers. I still love them though!
Trust me, Monster is less generic than the poster, tagline, and title would lead you to believe. This is a super entertaining film that I'm glad I watched. However, I doubt I'll ever want to see it again.
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Change yourself into new person after plastic surgery by the hands of Dr. Han Kang Woo.
This was a clever suspense drama which revolved around a woman with full of secrets.The story is fabulous. It is well paced and with enough suspense to keep you look forward to next episodes.
Jee eun han was so struggled that she lost her memories after her plastic surgery. It was as if she wanted to forget everything in the past and start new life with new face. It also helps her to meet Han Kang woo. Their chemistry in the first few episodes was great, but later it just got lost & felt forced.
For me, I watched this drama for Kim Jae Won. He performed brilliant. He could devote his life to the person he loved without expecting anything in return. And also there is another saver for this drama - Jo Hyun Jae. He was a lost person who was a result of wrong upbringing when her mother left him in care of other persons. Lee Mi Sook was great as always. You will get puzzled till the end whether she is negative character or positive character.
The sour spot for this drama was Nam sang mi. Her demeanor was kinda forced and artificial. Nam sang mi can't play complex character and her acting makes Jee eun han monotonous, while Jee eun han performed by Lee She Ah shines in that short time of hers. Jung soo jin seemed evil to the core as Han Eun Jung is pro in these kinda roles.
I wonder who is that kid played Yoo jin. he is such cutie.
I loved the music and songs. They matched with the theme of series.
Must listen songs- Save me and Snowball.
Overall, it is watchable at least once.
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This review may contain spoilers
I would disregard the high praise review that this got by spicycurry21. This show starts off really well, I loved the positive relationship between the main leads, however, what killed this show for me was the constant disregard for logic. The bad guys could come and go as they please to literally beat up a CEO of a successful company and no cops, or law enforcement was called in. There are cameras everywhere these days and could be used as evidence for the crime, but no one ever files any report of abuse/battery. Even should you not want to file a report, hire security or something, but nope, logic is not a word the director of this show is familiar with. Also, the crazy laughs that the evil people in this show always perform was really over the top and unnecessary. I mean, I knew what I was getting into when I started the show but the laughs really were jarring, even for someone like me who watches so many lakorns. I sometimes felt like the poor actor was going to have lung issues cause of the awkward cough (ahem poor Korn).
In addition, the ML's acting is seriously stiff. I felt like all his smiles and actions were forced and robotic. He is very good eye candy, but his acting is lacking and he should not be the ML of a show when he's underperforming in almost every scene. As for the FL, not sure why the previous review thought her character was supposed to be childlike? She's a mature working woman and Kwan did a really good job at performing a very rational (read: the only rational person in this whole show) person who doesn't respond hastily and actually tries to discuss issues and arguments with her partner in a mature way. I was highly impressed by that aspect of the show.
I don't think I'm being overly harsh on this show. It's 2019, writers can come up with way better reasons for why a character behaves in a certain way, and I even found glimpses of good writing at the beginning of the show (other than the reason for why the evil dude wants revenge, I can't wrap my head around that still--he hates the ML cause his father praised the ML when he was younger, thus he has harboured hatred for the ML and wants to destroy his life and kill him...like WTH is with this psycho reason?) Despite a good start, everything post episode 7 was a disaster due to lack of logic. The biggest example of this is when ML's sister, Nam takes her mother to go live with Kim (the evil guy), even though she knows he's dangerous. She's mad at her brother but doesn't think twice about going into the home of an evil man she herself doesn't trust. Yet Nam has the audacity to be mad at Tiya for somehow betraying her brother (who I would like to point out is married to another woman) while she's living in the home of the biggest rival of her brother. I really had to stretch my patience with Nam at that point.
I admit I skipped through the show towards the last few episodes, but from what I did catch, the ML was going to get married to evil guys younger sister, unless I'm mistaken, he was still married to his first wife at that point....so...how was he getting married again without getting a divorce from his wife? It exactly points like this that I think people should avoid this show. The chemistry between the leads can't hold a candle to the stupid that was performed in this show for anyone to waste their time watching it.
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Overall, the movie was spectacular. From the music to the pretty faces, right down to the acting and mouthwatering desserts. The interactions between the four men were adorable at times, and I laughed myself out of my seat at others. I've always been a fan of Kim Jae Wook, so to see him here was a real treat.
Wonderful movie, and one I will definitely be watching again when I have the time.
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The chemistry ... oh man, the chemistry between the lead protagonists is soooooo good. Their love is sweet and nurturing. I particularly liked how Ji Chang Wook depicted the differences between Healer and the shy Bong Soo. It made me very reminiscent of Superman and Clark Kent.
I found this drama very balanced across its genres. It touches on mostly Action and Romance, but there's just enough Comedy to keep it light enough. It has all the good feels, but it is by no means a melodrama. Thank goodness. I cannot recommend this drama enough. In fact, I am ready to watch it again!
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This review may contain spoilers
A historical, emotional journey
This isn't my first time watching this drama and probably won't be my last simply for the acting of Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo. Don't get me wrong, the supporting cast is outstanding but the two main leads embody their characters; it's like watching the real emperor and empress alive in an unfolding story.The hardest part of this drama is to observe the cruelty of a king and husband in middle age. He goes from youthful hope to bored tolerance and it is Wallace Huo's very nuanced portrayal that leads to a viewer understanding the heart of a king. In mid life, he rebels against the idea of not being allowed a choice of behavior. The empress calls him out on his callous indifference to a privileged life and the ensuing clash of dialogue is one I could watch daily. Masterfully written, directed and acted, it is a true to life scene between an exhausted wife and bored husband with the concluding split resulting in a husband and ruler slowly facing his flaws.
As a female viewer, it's hard for me to watch the history of harems. To love your husband and observe his pleasure with another woman is something I cannot imagine but, the history was real (pretty much in all cultures) and the emotional damage is displayed. This drama takes an unflinching approach in writing to their family dynamic and I would recommend it for anyone wishing to see a palace drama. It truly is a masterpiece.
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This show is an absolutely touching drama. I've watched 7 episodes yet but I can say I've learned lots of things from the charachters already. About things, about enjoying life, always loving yourself, loving the people around you, protecting the ones you love -no matter what you are going through.
I felt so close to the charachters as if they were all my friends. I think it was about the actors. All of the actors are really talented that they make every charachter look special and brilliant in a way. Even the evil ones, I guess.
You can easily tell music had a really important place in this drama. Starts with a quite beautiful song, ends with a beautiful song. You will see the charachters playing music instruments, different for each one of them.
My recommendation for you... I gotta tell you- if you are not so familiar with the dramas, this show might be challenging for you. And if you are an emotional person, I guarantee that you will be crying every single episode. Because I did, literally.
But doesn't matter which position of life you are in right now, I suggest you to watch this show. It will definetely give you something good, different, something to think about. Inspire you, maybe. I think I will be re-watching it whenever I feel lonely or sad about something.
Really good show in my opinion! x
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The movie depicts a 13-year-old girl, whose recent years left her as an outsider. Having lost her spirit she detaches from regular life as well as her friends. The alienation leads her to (un)conscious searching for something that would give some meaning to her life. And that's where the typical story ends. Taking path that is difficult to define (destructive, excluded, hopeful?) she slowly falls into the abyss of loneliness (or so it seems?).
The number of questions in even the simplest try to introduce the plot comes from the art of directing. The artfulness of the movie is hidden in the very taciturn way of the use of words and music. It follows the doctrine the less is more where much has to be deducted from the scenes and the way the sounds are distributed (muted parts). Having said this, music in this movie plays an important mood-building role. To say it more distinctly - if the credit music gives you -not to spoil- deep emotions, the movie served it's role.
The acting cannot be left unmentioned. Miyazaki Aoi, then 16, did a marvelous job, her acting was pure and innocent on one hand as well as plain and emotionless that suited perfectly the portrayed character's lack of direction. Also Yu Aoi's acting shined. Her cheerfulness mixed with the feelings of empathy made her character, almost, the only positive one.
Other supporting creations are noteworthy as well. One can easily find the reasons for Sachiko's, main character's, actions from their behavior.
All in all, it's a complete picture, that definitely might be difficult to digest by some people as well as marvelously epic for others.
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Fell Asleep
I was bored.I'd like to believe that Deranged is a poor misinterpretation of the title. If it is not, then this movie is poorly named. Frenzied is probably more appropriate. Basically, a man is trying to save his family from a pandemic. His ex-colleague is trying to cure it, while is brother, a cop, is trying to get down to the bottom of the misshapen corpses being found in waterways.
The premise is sound. The execution was not. There are plot holes that can't be ignored. The writing was slow. I think some crucial scenes remained on the cutting room floor. The acting was good enough. It wasn't great nor was it poor. It just was. The music conveyed the emotion of the scenes so it was good.
Overall, I would not recommend this movie. There's no way I would have fallen asleep late morning on a thriller unless it was much less than thrilling.
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STORY
I never read the manga, so I'm not sure how many story arcs were based on it, but the script was tight and had that perfect blend of (light) black humor, pop culture wit (and tons of riffing off old detective shows), parody and physical comedy to go along with sympathetic characters, intrigue, and heartwarming moments...which to me is a perfect sum of why this genre is such a pleasure to watch! I tend to be a poor judge of how much Japanese humor translates, but I think even people who don't catch all the cultural references (some are a bit subtle) would find the characters and situations entertaining.
The cases were diverse and unique, no matter how standard they were, thanks to the great characters and acting. The stories had heart, and were a really fun range, from family situations to a 50-year-old cold case, to matchmaking, to treasure hunting, to starring in a slapdash "hero show" play for kids. You won't see street fights or too many dead bodies (there are some, however!), but each case has just enough mystery to be compelling in itself, beyond the already compelling character and relational arcs. While it's episodic, as usual there is a definite progression that makes the whole season feel very satisfying and complete, even if you don't know all the characters' backgrounds and there's no unifying thread. Still, you can't help but want more when you get the end! And happily, it seems like there's going to be a season 2, which is a huge detective show triumph! Really hope it happens.
CAST/ACTING
As for the actors, you can't go wrong with Eita and Morita Go, who are both hilarious in their roles as quirky partners who both characterize the agency's motto—to be "compassionate and meddlesome." They had great relational and chemistry with Yamaguchi Tomoko as their boss, who I wasn't familiar with and was surprised to find out how few roles she's taken over the past decades. While her character is the typical smart, tough-yet-caring, independent middle aged single female boss (and I must say, I always love those characters), her zanyness is refreshing (she's always nursing some new drink, treats her employees like bros). She has major flair, and Yamaguchi pulls off her character perfectly.
Fukuda Kyoko's character...not so much. She almost always had on one of two botoxy kawaii-puzzled expressions, and her general over-selfconscious aren't-I-pretty aura made it hard for me to warm up to her somewhat generic and distracting character. I've liked her in a few roles that forced her to be a little more complex (e.g. Second Love), but she tends to not have much range, and in that sense I think this was a casting error even if her character is a stock one. The contrast is just too stark, especially when someone with flair like Aoi Yu comes onto the scene and her interaction with Eita's character is just oh so interesting-fun that you wish she was a main character! However, eventually Ranko-chan becomes more useful to the team even if she's more of a foil, and I stopped being annoyed as the other characters somehow made her seem cooler. Nearly all the supporting and guest actors did fabulous jobs, and I felt each episode got better and better.
OST/REWATCH
I loved the music, which was one of my favorite detective show jazz soundtracks next to Take Five...thanks to RADWIMPS (eclectic band that is great with soundtracks)...and make sure you watch the end credits each time...especially in the last episode. Too fun. Even though I rarely rewatch dramas—and especially not anything mystery-related—I'll probably rewatch this one sometime in the future as it's such a feel-good drama. It definitely will go on my list of favorites!
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This drama brings an average plot to life. Tokunaga is one half of a comedy duo that is struggling to secure real gigs. He comes across Kamiya, and their friendship begins with a bright spark (pun definitely intended). What I like about this drama is that it tries to stay realistic. It doesn't stay bright and cheery throughout the series. Instead, all of the characters take hits and deal with them in their own way. It also portrays a wonderful friendship between Kamiya and Tokunaga, and it is a joy watching them interact on the screen. The humor of the series was never lost on me, and I found myself laughing at a lot of the skits they showed. There are a few slow scenes, but due to the nature of the drama it works well.
The only thing I would criticize about the story is the last thirty minutes. It's pretty unnecessary, and I wish they ended it differently. I've never read the novel (and, as far as I know, there is no English translation), so I cannot say whether or not the drama sticks to the original ending. If it does, then I suppose it's an okay ending. If the writers changed the drama's ending, then... why did they do it this way? At least I can say I was certainly surprised, haha. Despite the ending, I would still wholeheartedly suggest this drama. Don't let the last thirty minutes I vaguely mentioned drag you away from watching it.
I never feel like I can properly judge actors, but I didn't find any issues with the cast. At no point did any of them make me cringe. I never thought to myself, 'yikes, that was pretty bad.' I thought all of them really suited their characters, and everyone was brought to life. I really liked Kento Hayashi in particular, and I can definitely picture myself watching something with him again in the near future.
The music was really good, no surprise. I don't have any complaints. Brother by OKAMOTO'S was instantly added to my playlist the second I finished the first episode.
I've only ever rewatched one thing, so I don't envision myself watching this once more. Clearly, I'm not big into watching things more than once. Maybe in a few years I would come back to this, but as for now, I have no plans.
Overall, I definitely would suggest this to those who want to watch a touching drama. It's a wonderful drama that deserves to be more popular than it is.
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A suspenseful story about a boy who tries to save his friends from an unknown enemy and gets erased.
There are no spoilers here, proceed safely. :)“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” also known as Erased is a thriller live action adapted from a popular manga (which further inspired an anime) of the same name and I must begin by saying that I have watched neither. I went into the story without comparing it with other adaptations, and without having an idea of the storyline.
Erased has a very fast paced plot packed into twelve half-hour episodes; it has no "filler episodes." But don’t let this deter you from picking up this drama because despite its fast pacing, the story is well explained, brilliantly executed and supplemented with great characters and good acting.
“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” follows our protagonist Satoru who has the unique power of undergoing spontaneous "Revivals" which pull him back into time again and again until he manages to correct the wrong happenning around him. In the very first Revival that the audience see, it is clear that while Satoru emerges as a hero, there are still collateral damages involving him.
The story picks up after his mother’s murder; Satoru is a wanted suspect and is taken in by Airi, an eccentric co-worker, when he is pulled back in time. Normally Revivals take place for incidents taking place within one to five minutes ago but this Revival surprisingly takes Satoru back to his childhood. Satoru soon understands his mission; to save his mother in the future timeline and to stop the Revival, he must save three children who were kidnapped and murdered in his childhood.
“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” keeps you guessing. Even when you narrow your suspect, the story twists. And there is always a collateral damage. Will it be Satoru this time? Will he be Erased?
“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” combines beautiful scenery from Satoru’s hometown which will not only indicate the passing of time but also reflects on the current mood and is used to depict that yet another Revival has taken place pulling out protagonist back in time. Satoru was a brave person for that was how he was raised by his mother. This drama had a interplay between two mothers—Satoru’s mother who is one of the best I've met in a drama, and Kayo’s abusive mother. Apart from Satoru, the side characters were pretty real, they had their motivations for what they did and contributed to the story in their own way.
Speaking of characters, Erased had a really well written antagonist; a serial killer with an obsession to fill his void in his convoluted way. The most surprising thing was how the show traced the similarity between the murderer and Satoru; each trying to fill a void in their own way. This was something I also noticed in another Japanese drama I watched recently, "Ishi no Mayu."
The concluding scenes were heartening, with each of the older children from the town leading healthy lives and pursuing their own passions. Satoru stops trying to hide himself away, and that shows in the success of his mangas.
Two themes strongly resonated with me after watching Boku Dake ga Inai Machi; first being the importance of a family and no, I don't mean blood bands. I mean a family; people who keep you safe. People who cherish you. People who protect you and become your safe spot. A family can be anybody really, it can be a group of three boys who protect you. The second is trust and the faces people put up. Another underlying message is that there is always something that can be done.
Rewatch value is a bit low because I hardly rewatch dramas except my favorites, and because once the criminal is exposed a second time will not hold the same amount of suspense but the emotional journey may be worth a second time; there are many scenes like the Christmas Tree and scenes with Satoru and his mother and of course my eccentric girl Airi, that I would like to revisit.
8.0/10 for this gripping story, I would encourage everyone to give it a go. :)
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I absolutely loved watching Liza Soberano on-screen,she looks so beautiful! I also know she starred as the second female lead again in "Got To Believe" which is another KathNiel starrer.So glad she gets the female lead roles now!Again,i adored this movie.It is lovely,funny and so romantic!Absolutely love the dance sequences with Ivan and Patchot-simply magical!
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This review may contain spoilers
A lot has been already said about the second season and I agree with most of it. I loved the story and I can completely understand the fear of coming out at, especially at a workplace. I could feel Arthit's internal struggle, but at the same time, my heart bled for Kongpob. You can see the love in his eyes and I have no idea how no one noticed sooner (even in season 1). Singto brought so much warmth to his character and was an amazing contrast to Krist's portrayal of Arthit (which was also very well done).The only issue I have with the story is that their relationship hasn't really progressed in the 2 years we haven't seen them. Arthit still shied away from any physical contact with Kongbop, even when they were alone at home. As mentioned, I understand his internal struggle, but 2 years is quite a long gestation period for their love to blossom, wouldn't you say? Cudos to Kongpob for having such perseverance.
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