If your here for romance, you get a few scenes but the majority is plotting, misunderstandings and poor choices.
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But let me tell you what's the most appealing about this show : firstly, the story begins with Shu's family, He shows us around how he is living with his older brother and parents, at first sight it seems to be a good home with lovely people, but something is wrong, cause he still does not know what is his place in society, as if his future is uncertain and still obscure and in some way I can totally relate to his character and that's probably the reason why I love him so much.
So with the help of friends, Kotomi and Keiko (who were his classmates) he will finally be able to find a purpose in life and the answers to his questions.
What I loved the most, is the strong bond between Shu, Kotomi and Keiko. They are from different world but it did not prevent them to enjoy life and having fun together. Okay, Shu is the only guy between two girls but he simply wants to share his happiness and daily issues with friends, it just happened that Kotomi and Keiko were asking the same questions as him and wanted to find happiness and see if there is a future waiting for them. Shu sees them as confidants and trusting persons with whom he can tell anything about life, family and work.
It was simply a pleasure for the eyes seeing them experience what is the true meaning of ''friendship'' and enjoying all these little moments of life.
I do really like Shu's family, his parents and brother are really funny and always putting him in some embarassing situations when his friends come and visit them. I loved how his parents are really open minded and let people coming to their house and discussing about anything freely ;)
I was also really surprised to see how the scriptwriter managed to deal with suicide, divorce and dismissals without making the story too heartbreaking. Of course I felt sad for the characters, as they have to cope with their own problems because nobody can do it in their stead but they never wallow in self-pity.
The music was great too and I always appreciate when Japanese insert some American songs in their shows, it makes it even better and ''California Dreaming'' was appropriate for Yume no C. as for the ending song I liked it too, it is a Japanese ballad style, like I love them.
To Sum it up, it was a great show about friendship, just a bit slow. I expected a lot from this one and I ended up to be a little bit disappointed because I found the first three eps to be really amazing and then I don't know why but the show lost some of its magic. So that's why I'm only giving it an 8 score.
PS: I was so happy to see Kudo Kankuro, crazy as always. Anyway ''craziness'' is his trademark and it is always a pleasure to see him in dramas too.
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This review may contain spoilers
I would definitely recommend this to anyone! This Chinese Variety show is basically a dating show whereby the people (contestants/contenders/competitors for&of love) live in the same house. By living together, they would obviously start interacting with one another. Everyone starts out by keeping a lookout on their love interests and then proceeds to the courting and etc. I don't wish to spoil so much... but I would give a tip of advice for those who are planning to watch this, there really are certain times where you would hate or dislike certain people (the contestants) in this show. At the same time, there is kinda like a panel of judges (they're all celebrities) and they give love advice or talk about a lot of topics concerning the idea of love and of relationships... It's quite fun honestly, watching them somewhat debate on various topics pertaining to love, makes someone like me, a hopeless romantic and also somewhat of a love expert feel envious because I ALSO WANT TO JOIN THE PANEL!!! Besides that, there's also free ice cream on every episode for the contestants living inside the house and the judges in the panel... damn it...
Also, in this season, there's actually a season 2 already, I'm currently watching it, the panel of judges have largely changed but the main three still remains to be the main hosts for the second season. Ok on to the main point, in this season, the contestants or contenders for love are actually ordinary-but-not-really-ordinary-people at the same time. You'll know once you start watching the show. But don't worry it's not scripted or anything. It's just that "majority" of the contenders are actually ELITES... or could be considered as they're all pretty successful on their own. By successful, I meant career-wise. Really, it's very exciting!!! It's like watching an actual idol drama but without the scripts and with a lot more realism to it as well as the subtlety (or maybe not) of a typical love story one might possibly experience in their time on this planet. And throughout this journey of watching this show, you'll get to have your ships sailed and on the way only to end in the Marianas Trench or whipped by a thunderstorm called the "third-party". With some being like the Titanic, it seems like sunken transportation with no hope of seeing the daylight... but no, no, no my dear people. If you remember carefully, even though physically, Jack didn't and Rose did. Jack went to heaven or nirvana or whatever place you believe a person goes to after their time on Earth. So technically they did move on and have a new life... What do I exactly mean by using this analogy or comparison, you might ask. Well, I'm basically giving you an overview or a sort of foreshadowing. I won't explain because it not only might ruin your fun in watching this show, it would also ruin my fun in making this somewhat suspenseful spoiler/review... idk honestly... but yeah!
I really hope more people would watch this!!! Great way to relieve the boredom as well as the thirst and itch for a bit of romance, especially for the hopeless romantics... lol
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A masterpiece on wheels.
Japanese have proven time and again how to make us emotional with their dramas. It's not that this drama is overly dramatic or anything, but you feel that the characters could be anyone you might know or even relate to you in a certain way.Madoromi Barmaid was a very pleasant surprise, because I wasn't expecting a drama about cocktails to be so heartwarming and have so much meaning. You can see some resemblance with Midnight Diner, as the story was more about people and their lives than it was about food. It's the same here. The cocktails just provide a backdrop for the stories to come alive, as people experience the joy that it is to drink a cocktail specially made for them.
Each episode features a unique character and their story. Most of the time, they have to overcome some problems that they might be facing in their lives, and by having a cocktail at Yuki's bar on wheels they will face their issues and feel better afterwards. The special cocktails made by Yuki are like therapy for these troubled souls. Episode 9, for instance, is one of my favorites and the perfect example of this cocktail therapy.
The girls are absolutely lovely, especially Yuki. Mai Kiryuu was perfectly cast for that role. She has this gentle aura that makes people feel at ease at her bar and talk to her. And who could forget their adorable pet piglet, Bamboo.
I also loved the music, especially the opening (SHE IS SUMMER - Bloom in the city). It's a warm and mellow song, which is a perfect match for the whole drama and what is about.
Finally, I just want to say that this is the first time I felt compelled to write a review for a Japanese drama after having watched about 400 of them. It's one of the loveliest dramas I've ever watched, and despite its name and premise, I hope more people who are on the fence about watching it to just don't hesitate and experience this wonderful drama.
I'm only rating it as a 10, because that's as high as it goes here.
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But I like to make exceptions on some hidden gems like this one. (My only written review is about the family drama "Lee Soon Shin is the Best/You're the Best, Lee Soon Shin" with IU and Jo Jung Suk) I don't claim that these 2 dramas are the best or perfect, but they hold their own and has more to offer once you started watching it. Simply put, I'd like to promote this kind of dramas that were underrated or were overshadowed by more popular dramas.
The Flower in Prison may not be your typical epic historical saga, but It's beautiful and satisfying, nonetheless. For me, TFIP is about REVELATION!... so please bear with me while I explain my point through my simple understanding.
STORY:
First off, this is a sageuk (historical) and makjang (melodrama) type of drama, so you can't compare it's narrative and pacing to mini series with 16 - 20 episodes. But that said, It has few draggy moments but tolerable for a 51 episodes long show. The story is simple with all the usual ingredients of a historical show....but though it's a political drama, most of the events were focused on the life of the leads being ordinary people and their struggles to fight injustice and persecution. The main story focuses on our female lead, born and raised in the prison (Jeonokseo) and her journey from prison damo (tea server, translated as warden) to a spy, then merchant...and so on...and in the process, gained friends and uncovered secrets and tragedies of her birth that lead to vengeance and triumphs.
When I said a REVELATION, I was talking about the casts of this show. The cast is awesome, specially the support.... Most of the support are famous veteran actors, but the few new ones held their own against the veterans. You'll be amazed on how the support casts delivered their characters in such a natural yet memorable performances.
CASTS:
This is my first time watching Jin Se Yeon and Go Soo as leads in a drama. Although they both performed well in most parts, they were actually awkward as couples. They don't have enough chemistry to pull out the romance. But since the drama itself is about vengeance and struggles, you won't really need to focus on their romance to continue with the show. Go Soo for the male lead for me was just average.
My first revelation is Jin Se Yeon! OMG!!! I was so amazed on her fighting skills! You'd know that she really trained hard for this role. We've seen female actors do fight scenes, but never as swift, accurate and as cool as she does. (except maybe for Ha Ji Won)..... it's like watching a female Jason Bourne!!! Most of the main fights were really planned and executed well by the directors and actors. I've seen her short romcom drama, "High End Crush" and she's completely different in both dramas. I hope to see her career grow more and becomes the next Ha Ji Won that can do both romcoms and action dramas.
The other revelations are the main support, the actors playing the powerful villain couples Yoon Won Hyung (Jung Joon Ho) and Jung Nan Jung (Park Joo Mi).... and Seo Ha Joon as King MyeongJong.
Jung Joon Ho and Park Joo Mi are veteran actors so it's not surprising to see their good performances... but not every good actors (or veterans) can really fit well and do justice to their given roles/characters. Jung Joon Ho's portrayal of Yoon Won Hyung is scary yet funny at the same time. I don't know if the characterization is historically correct, but the actor's performance will leave you hating, fearing and loving YWH. I believe the actor earned acting awards in this role.
Same with Park Joo Mi... I can safely say that her performance as Jung Nan Jung is the core that keeps me glued in this drama. She's the the perfect villain that you'll love to hate, and the actress gave us a soul crashing performance. I haven't seen her drama "Ladies of the Palace" where same characters are portrayed in the same period as TFIP, but I guess it helped Park Joo Mi a lot in portraying Jung Nan Jung. I love watching great antagonists as much as the protagonists, because I believe they bring out more of the leads character if portrayed well.... just like Lady Mi Shil in "Queen Seon Duk".
And then, there is Seo Ha Joon as the King. This is my first time seeing the actor, and am really amazed with his range of acting! You can see him being awkward, goofy, confused...then serious, dignified and commanding!.... all in a natural and subtle way. You can't help but to love his character, and empathize with him, specially in the heartbreaking scenes. His "Best New Actor" award for this drama is really well deserved!! I hope he gets more great roles.
The rest of the support casts are also remarkable, even the goofy ones in the prison office. They all gave the drama the comic reliefs and plot continuations it needed.
Overall, this drama is a good one and I'm proud to recommend this to Historical Drama lovers. It may not be compared to other dramas from MBC like "Empress Ki" , "Horse Doctor", "Moon Embracing the Sun" and the likes... but definitely worth the watch. Not sure if others wold re-watch, but I've already seen this twice.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mature show ... Love it
When i say "mature" i mean that the characters didnt act like children, arguing without listening and crying every minute. That can get old quick. There wasnt any of the normal "misunderstandings" that isnt cleared up until the end. There wasn't a rabbit chick after him, using every underhanded trick to get him. No mental breakdowns that caused a year(s) break up.The only complaint is that there shouldn't have been a second male lead. Poor thing was domed from the start.
This show is about a woman that meets a man. Man and woman has prior disagreement and dislikes each other. Their get together isnt realistic, but when they do, you can see that they can last. They are easy going and flows with it.
My favorite part of the show are the characters and how much they grow to trust one another. I especially like thst he isnt the greatest at everything. She laughs at him a lot and poke fun at him just like a real person would. Even the supporting roles were mature and realistic (maybe not the owner of the museum)
He doent save her from a robbery or a knife fight but he helps her to be able to join her two worlds and live comfortably. He comes with his own issues but i love how she show concerns without juding him. Her asking him to draw her is such a romantic part.
This show was better than expected. To think, I actually jumped it like 10xs. Im glad i finally watched it.
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A journey to become a better person.
A Fresh Start!I untangled the twisted knot.
I also took out the thorn.
Without lingering attachment or regret...
I straightened out my passion.
I let the twisted relationship go.
With a lighthearted feeling and a confident mindset...
I erased yesterday with the hope of tomorrow.
One of the strengths of this drama as it's name 'Poems' which also makes it different and unique from other dramas. It's a journey to become a better person which is represented and executed with touch of poems in very realistic way. This drama teaches us many things. 'Never judge book by it's cover' although you won't like many characters in the start but when you explore them and there backstories every character is realistic and likable. If you are finding just a typical rom com then it's not the place cause it's more than just romance...it's a warm hearting and feel good drama.
There isn't anything extraordinary or amazing in it but still it's definitely worth watching. Every episode every story has it's lesson, lesson of life sometimes even bitter truth. It was good, slow paced but I really enjoyed...
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This review may contain spoilers
The effects and graphics are very good which makes the movie more scary for some people. Also the storyline was very organized and it really takes the audience into everything. Even the exorcist scenes we're very well executed and believable. Also the story had some interesting turns which suprised me. Also I think the best part was the acting. I enjoyed the acting of the cast members (both of the main and the support) really really much.
There was too much blood and gore for a 15+ movie. Also the movie tried to scare the audience with a little too much jumpscares. The whole exorcist theme can be very unrealistic.
But all in one I think it's worth watching.
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It's a real movie.
It's not a movie where people get lucky or found true love in a blink of an eye or are very nice people without any flaws that get good things in the end. This is a real movie, about real life. About people who get lucky and unlucky, about people who are judged by society and about people who build love with love.
The story may sound cliche but it has a really unique point of view. It has a nice pace and it keeps you glued to the screen wondering what will happen next and how it will happen.
The acting is amazing! The way the characters are built, the way they interact with each other, with themselves and with society is really astonishing. Erika Sawajiri and Takayuki Yamada are really amazing.
The music is also good and touching. And I have to give 10 to the re-watch value because I have already re-watched it several times.
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Guinea Pig 3: Shudder! The Man Who Doesn't Die
7 people found this review helpful
Shudder! He Never Dies is one heck of a hilarious gory film. You didn’t read that wrong, gore films can also be penetrated by important amounts of humour especially if they’re Japanese. They always manage to insert dark humour into the bloodiest productions.
Unlike the previous two Guinea Pig’s films that skipped any attempt to create a plot and jumped to the gore itself. This one tried to build a little plot, okay maybe a tiny bit but it was somewhat meaningful. He Never Dies differentiate itself from all the other films of the Guinea Pig’s series because the main character was the one inducting pain to his own body. He realized that he’s an immortal so he can’t actually die no matter how hard he cuts his wrists, throat or any vital spot.
Having a funny take wasn’t meant to reduce the amount of gore in this film; it was actually reinforcing it with several brutal acts to one’s body. The depiction of gore was plain realistic even while showing the insides or the beheading. The special effects used for this part were pretty much convincing except some little details here and there.
As usual, the lack of a subtle plot forbids me from rating this any higher. As I said before, gore for the sake of gore don’t deserve any high appreciation from me even if this part and Flower of Flesh and Bones pleased me the most out of the whole series.
Watch if:
-You like extreme gore films.
-You like the Guinea Pig’s series.
-You like gore films mixed with dark humour.
Do not watch if:
-You can’t handle bloody sadist gore films.
Shudder! He Never Dies was absolutely the funniest part of the whole Guinea Pig’s series. But being humorous doesn’t mean it was light, the usual elements of sick gore films are still there.
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Ultimate JieJie/GreenFlag, "Blended Family" Romance
In a sea of shows featuring Red Flag MLs and Innocent FLs, this show stands different.Overwhelmingly, the show is positive and should be watched, but there are absolutely a few glaring flaws.
Biggest Negatives:
😖 The male make-up and wig glue was criminal - multiple times it broke my immersion simply because I could not stop staring at the glue and white powdery face wondering if it was hot and literally melting off?
😖 Plot holes/inconsistencies before the end were mild but within the last episodes there was one period of time where the scene KEPT switching between day and night; and the events of the last episode specifically both appear to be days AND months apart simultaneously.
Biggest Positives:
❤️ Intricate balance of family values between old and new love ESPECIALLY with a child in the equation
❤️ A ML who isn't just a green FLAG but rather an entire FORREST
❤️ There is an episode dealing with how he deals with the the situation after he believes the FL's been assaulted and it is now probably THE best and loving scene(s) of a ML ever (*yes the scene before it could be triggering as it's definitely on the REAL end of the spectrum versus many shows doing over exaggerated "cartoonish" versions).
❤️ The conversations, arguments, and pleas characters have regarding their hopes for the future including the ending dialog (all nitpick flaws aside)
🙃So, what is the show about?🙃
Our main character is the FL; an "unacknowledged" Concubine of the Lu household, held there by her lack of status in society, her previous gratitude and devotion to her partner (2ML), and the daughter she shares with him.
The show demonstrates family politics in a realistic manner regarding the feelings of people who are in various forms of relationships with other people. It focuses on maintaining a level of distance between unmarried and unentangled individuals which means there is VERY little "true" physical intimacy between the leads. Perhaps as a bit of a bait, the show inserts two "dreams" of the MLs into first part of the show, but they are always clearly stated as "dreams".
It features a Love "Square" which includes: The 2ML in love with FL but unable to acknowledge her and often forced to humiliate her. A 2FL who is married to him but feels trapped in HER marriage. She imagines herself in love with a man she never saw the face of and so resents her husband and being forced to marry him. Our ML who is the calming and protecting force for the FL which stirs the jealousies of the 2ML. And the FL who has to let go of all her childhood devotion in order to break free of the torment his family subjects her to and embrace the new chance at life with the ML.
Within the story, there are two simultaneous plots weaving back and forth. The first is the family dynamics of the Lu family and the FL's struggle to remove herself and her daughter from their grasp and regain her independence. The second is the bringing to justice of the Lu and Xia families regarding their corruption in the present and their past deeds around the death of the Princess which saw the FL's father die as a result.
A core component within both sides of the show is family and it's role in making one step up with courage or back down in cowardice. Because of this, while all of the characters are multidimensional, the one I found the most fascinating was the one that was LEAST striking of all; the 2ML.
Chen Ming Hao had the job in this show of being unassuming, hunched, timid, someone who would fade into the background. His character calls himself a coward. Every other character has the job of being forceful and being given an actual presence to work with. Whether it's Kay Song as 2FL with her signature almost-crazy then sympathetic aura; Eddy Geng as the ML who has the "easy" time of being given the flashy "I'll protect you" and "I'm a big shot so you have to fear me" scenes; or Zhu Li Lan who's character is written with the forceful resolve to make her situation for her and her daughter better by any means... CMH had to make the audience not necessarily "hate" him... but be sad and disgusted with him. In this he excelled. He also proved, which is why the character itself is so fascinating, that when given the chance by the script, that he TOO could have stand-out scenes during which he is either confirming or denying his character archetype.
Overall this show is highly recommended with the expectation set that there ARE issues regarding timeline (especially towards the end), that the makeup/wig department with the males could be a lot better, and that there is VERY minimal physical intimacy scenes.
Final Rating wavered between 8.5 and 9 due to negatives because for ME they drastically affected my ability to enjoy an otherwise AMAZING show.
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The show was originally slated for 80 or 85 episodes but ultimately ended with 73. This show is very funny and enjoyable and you get that each episode there is something to learn from it. And you feel like apart of the family, even though you are on the outside looking in. You get to know more about each character and watch as they better themselves. There is moments when you are so used to seeing a particular character, that when you don't see them you wonder where they are ad when you will see them again.
You will laugh, worry, gasp, smile, cry and wonder. As this drama takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. A kind of drama that will want you asking for more and wondering why not? Depending on how you take drama's in, you will either watch more then one a day, or end up going on a marathon then going omg it felt like yesterday i watched this episode when you are farther off from the beginning, and closer to the ending
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Flight 1980 to Honolulu
Everything that you’ve ever wanted to know about the technical and operational aspects of the aviation industry can be found in this movie. But don’t worry about getting confused or overwhelmed because the whole concept is conveyed in layman terms and in a very entertaining manner. The running time of about 100 minutes will quickly fly by without you noticing it.Based on the original screenplay by Yaguchi Shinobu, who also directed the film. Tokusho Kikumura (Ju-on film series) serves as cinematographer while Japanese musician Mickie Yoshino composed and arranged the music, which features Frank Sinatra’s Come Fly With Me as the theme song. Tokusatsu productions’ special effects director Hiroshi Butsuda and VFX specialist Koichi Noguchi (Tokusatsu Research Institute) are involved in the production.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) collaborated substantially on the project through the use of their commercial airliner (Boeing 747-400), equipment, personnel uniforms and hangar at Haneda airport (aka Tokyo International Airport). ANA even contributed their technical expertise to the screenplay and assembled a team to oversee the filming. The director himself researched extensively by travelling to the home of Boeing in Seattle in a bid to ensure the key elements of the story stay true to factual accuracy as much as possible.
This film was heavily promoted where 25 cities and airports all over Japan hosted the marketing campaign in 2008. Additionally the US premiere screening was held at Boeing headquarters in Seattle, Washington and attended by Joseph F. Sutter, the developer of the Boeing 747. The success of this film helped spawn 5 side stories as well as a number of TV programs and books.
What I Loved
I absolutely adore the story and the storytelling approach. I would consider this production as semi-comedic, cheerful with lighthearted undertones, highly educational and definitely moving with a lot of heart and soul. Initially coming across somewhat as a parody of aviation-themed shows, the film gradually settles into a fast-paced and action packed docudrama that consistently holds my attention. I find myself quickly immersed into the multiple perspectives of the myriad colourful characters throughout what has been a truly riveting rollercoaster ride indeed.
The attention to detail in terms of the authenticity of the technicalities involved is quite astounding. In addition to the numerous events that take place at the airport as well as in the airliner en route to Honolulu from Tokyo, viewers are also taken behind the scenes to witness the frenetic activities that go on at the control tower, radar centre and hangar. Real life people are convincingly depicted through smartly-written characterizations that include the pilots, cabin and ground crews, mechanics, air traffic controllers, radar room controllers, operations personnel and even the variety of passengers themselves. Thanks to this movie, I’ve been exposed to new jargon such as purser, pitot tube, birdstrike, and birdman, among others. I’ve even discovered that crows and pigeons are smarter than seagulls which are more likely to crash onto a plane.
Production-wise, the film has aged very well for one that was made in 2008. Neither the visual quality nor the cinematography technique appear dated. The visual effects are generally well rendered, particularly in scenes of mid-air flight. As far as the set designs are concerned, obviously the principal photography took place in an actual plane and the airport, so I have absolutely no complaints on that front.
The film features a large ensemble cast with many familiar faces and each of the portrayals are afforded almost equal screen time. For the most part, the extended focus is on Ayase Haruka and Tanabe Seiichi, who are credited as the leads in their respective roles of the inexperienced flight attendant Saito Etsuko and the young pilot, Suzuki Kazuhiro. I’m a fan of Ayase Haruko who projects a refreshing take with an upbeat and sunny disposition while Tanabe Seiichi delivers a charming and humorous depiction of the Captain-in-training.
Of the supporting cast that caught my attention, the experienced Terajima Shinobu commands the screen with her portrayal of Chief Purser, Yamazaki Reiko. Tabata Tomoko’s Kimura Natsumi is a blur of motion with her lively enthusiasm, and Eguchi Noriko catches the eye with her intriguing air traffic controller, Mizuno Yuriko, despite her limited appearance. Additionally, Ito Aiko mesmerises as Miyamoto Rie, the radar room controller.
Final Thoughts
Do not be fooled by the “fluffy and romcom-esque” poster. Happy Flight is so much more than meets the eye. I was intrigued from the get-go and enthralled all the way to the rousing conclusion of the story. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best-produced, most expansive and detailed contemporary Japanese films I’ve ever had the opportunity to savour. Kudos to the entire production team for a job well done!
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This was a lovely story!
I got hooked from the beginning! I found it sad the tragedy that erupted in their former life and that Female Lead decides to fully on protect and love her Male Lead Husband in her rebirth and tries to cure his beastly disease. I love the Male Lead, he had such calm control while being passionate only with his wife, while also having this ruthless streak to him. These two had no misunderstandings between each other and always supported each other in everything! I loved that!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Although originally not expecting much from it, I liked this series from the very beginning and have even become somewhat obsessed with it towards the end. Therefore I believe it deserves an in-depth review.Story
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It seems important to me to look at the two main aspects of the story separately. On the one hand, there is the story of Lin and Somchai, who happen to meet and develop feelings for each other. On the other hand, there is the story of Lin being courted by an angel and by the devil, thus a human torn between good and evil. From the trailers, I expected to see mainly the first aspect, with the angel concept having only little impact. However, the second aspect has (at least for me) quickly become the dominating part of the story.
First some thoughts about Lin and Somchai. I must confess that I have not been much invested in their story at the beginning. It already sounds very cliche: two strangers meet by accident, need to spend time together and at some point start to develop feelings, even though they have never really thought about love before. Very predictable, not very original, and at odds with the second aspect of the story, that is very much based on the defining difference of angels and humans. However, Somchai and Lin were undoubtedly very sweet together. I still wasn’t convinced by their affection for each other, until the final episode hit me really hard. Never expected such a tearjerker, but here we are. Everything about Michael’s struggles when discussing with Gabriel and his final talk with the Lord was so nicely done, emotional and wise at the same time. Thus, although the ending was ultimately predictable, I must admit that they managed to create the ideal happy ending for this aspect of the story. Love is indeed stronger than anything.
Moving on to the second aspect. I was seriously blown away by how well they handled the eternal battle of good vs. evil and by how seriously they took the angels theme. It’s hard to tell what angel mythology the authors have based the story on, with Christianity being anything but mainstream in Thailand (in any case, they mixed in some clear Buddhist elements, making it even more interesting). I have looked at it from a Catholic background (plus I’m named after an archangel, so I’m really invested in the topic) and was amazed how well they actually depicted the angels’ hierarchy and even tried to enact the mythical fight between Michael and Satan. There have been a few theologically questionable elements which I will point out later, but overall they managed to not only use the angels as a funny supernatural gimmick, but as a serious framework for discussing problems of good and evil in our daily life and beyond.
Lin was shown as a weak character, not surprisingly so with all her terrible experiences as an unloved child and her permanent daily struggles, and therefore she was a perfect prey for the devil. I don’t think she was ever supposed to be a likable character, but she seems very relatable. Michael’s strict principles and his initial naivety in looking at mundane problems contrasted very strongly with her negative views on life. Throughout the series, both of them went through important learning processes: Lin learned to believe in good again, made real friends and reunited with her mother; Michael learned that principles can only be a guideline, so by simply evaluating people’s merit points and granting wishes solely on that basis, Heaven misses out on the concrete circumstances of individuals’ lives. Along the way, under Michael’s influence also several side characters underwent very positive developments: Lin’s mother, her landlady, her co-worker (and modeling agent) and of course Punpun. All of this provided for many memorable heartfelt moments, raising important moral questions.
Now, for this second aspect to fully work, I feel like the series could have ended with ep. 11; it is hard to imagine the Great Michael taking the kind of radical decision he took in the finale (if they had used just any angel instead, it would probably be more fitting). Alas, I think we should weigh both aspects of the story evenly, and therefore I can certainly overlook such little problems.
Theological problems
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I will now briefly address three of the theological “problems” I encountered.
First, Lin’s suicide attempt. Since it was basically the beginning of the story we didn’t get much information about that particular moment of Lin’s life; however, Satan admits that he pushed her to commit suicide in order to drag her to hell. Now, it is imaginable that the act of suicide could be the final step in a series of developments that Lin underwent under the influence of the devil, and having Michael doing everything to save her displays how her “good side” is unwilling to let her end her life. But throwing in the suicide without a deeper reflection on it leaves us with the brutal suggestion that committing suicide is necessarily an act of evil and an automatic ticket to hell, which is a very old-fashioned teaching not broadly supported by modern theology. The repetition of it in the finale made it even worse, since Satan didn’t even seem to be present anymore (but she still emphasises that she wouldn’t go to Heaven if she had died).
Then, the final confrontation between Michael and Satan. I was looking forward to that moment, but it was acted out somewhat strangely. There is a basic problem in this case (besides the controversy over the very existence of Satan, obviously): true, Michael ultimately defeats Satan in the bible, but only at the end of times, the Apocalypse. The devil cannot be defeated (neither by Michael nor by anyone above him) before the Apocalypse, because only his presence guarantees individual freedom of humans (to choose good or evil). Therefore, the outcome of the confrontation is very realistic: Michael can very well send the devil away, but it is clear that he might come back whenever Lin allows him to (he knowingly says “see you soon”). The part with Michael threatening to destroy Satan and Lin asking to spare him consequently doesn’t make sense, also because destroying the personification of evil cannot itself be an act of evil; the scene serves its purpose as displaying the positive developments both Michael and Lin have undergone, but undermines the good/evil question (not severely though, as one could also interpret it as a test knowingly posed to Lin by Michael).
Finally, it was never properly explained whether Serena’s weird “temptation” of Michael was actually Satan’s initial plan or just part of his effort to confuse Lin. It would have been interesting to see what the devil could possibly gain from such an arrangement.
Besides these “problems”, it is worth pointing out that the depiction of Michael and his incarnation is clearly modelled upon Jesus (filling in the blank they left with not clearly identifying the Lord of Heaven). Making him walk on water in ep. 11 was a nice hint at that. In that sense, Serena’s temptation could be taken from the bible, only that Jesus in contrast always knows the identity of his tempter.
Technical aspects
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All actors did a decent job, only a few were a bit overacting (Police Angel, talking about you!). Of the three mains, JJ was obviously the shining star, I can’t criticise him in any way; what a wonderful performance! Mek was incredibly cool in his role and only got better towards the end. Jane … I don’t know, she was certainly weaker than her co-stars, but I guess that fits with her role.
The way the story was told was pretty conventional; no special camera or editing techniques were used, the storyline was very linear. I wish they had tried to hide Luke’s identity better, that could have provided for more surprises along the way. The overall production value was okay; the special effects in ep. 11 were visibly cheap, but I think they did the best they could.
Conclusion
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Long story short, this series has it all: good message, relatable characters, humour, romance, plot twists and drama. It takes its guiding themes very seriously and embeds the story into an incredibly well thought-out concept. Sure, it is not perfect. The middle part could have been accelerated a bit (10 episodes would overall probably have been enough), some silly humour could have been toned down, the depiction of the devil could still have been improved and the two aspects of the story could have been interwoven more neatly. But let’s face it: for an all-ages GMMTV show this is really outstanding! And why am I not surprised that once again the director is a woman?
I can only recommend this hidden gem to everyone, particularly to those of you looking for “simple but catchy storylines” (as pointed out by another fan of the show) with relatable characters and a good message. I loved it!
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