Don't watch if you're sensitive
An honest warning to anyone who doesn't like insanely disgusting/gory horror: DO NOT watch this film *please*.I was so taken aback by how disgusting the scenes with the clay were, it made me feel sick (and I've seen my good share of gore). I just want to warn others who might want to check it out as it's available on YouTube (for some reason???) please make sure to not eat anything while you watch.
Anyways, this was more of a wtf horror film for me. It's almost comedic sometimes, and honestly I was screaming at my screen for half of the film because the cast was so stupid. The story was also way too short in my opinion, and most of it was crammed into a lore dump scene. The students were so shallow, there's almost nothing to know about them other than their names and that one girl is from tokyo and something with a guy and two girls who crush on him idk man.
If you want a *disgusting* funny horror watch go ahead, but if you can't stomach gore and disgusting looking clay with sounds that make you gag, stay away
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Good if you ignore the end
This film gave me the same vibes as Innocent Curse (こどもつかい) which is an insanely good film, so my hopes were up from the start.I loved the main cast, the initial plot and that it's confusing why things are happening. The rabbit character was also very interesting, and I like the unconventional naming of the film as well (even though the reason for it was wayyyyy to short in the film itself imo, they should have expanded on it). It had me hooked from the beginning to find out what happens next.
However, when the "fake ending" came like 30 mins before the end I was so confused, like the film is trying to stack twists on top of each other? The "fake ending" sounded a lot like an epilogue, and together with the time skip I thought it'd really be over, so why add another 30 mins of weird stuff that fuck up the "fake ending"? If the last 30 mins weren't part of the film I would have liked it, but whatever mess the end was made it so much more confusing and lost the film a solid ★★★☆☆ rating for me.
So overall I'm a little disappointed tbh
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Fight, Repeat, Repeat
Hot Young Bloods is best viewed as an 80s-tinged coming-of-age nostalgia piece driven more by atmosphere and episodic conflict than by accumulating narrative consequence. The leads largely operate within recognizable archetypes, and while there are hints of emotional and relational shifts, most conflicts reset rather than permanently reconfigure character dynamics. Meaningful change is compressed into the final stretch, rather than developed through earlier structural turning points. The film is therefore most rewarding as an energetic hangout experience and as an early showcase for performers such as Park Bo-young, Lee Jong-suk, and Kim Young-kwang, rather than as a tightly engineered coming-of-age narrative.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This movie will make you crave dumplings
One of my favourite genres of movies is the ones based on a true story. In my opinion, there is so much to learn from those kinds of stories, and this is one of them. The story is based on the woman behind the creation of famous Wanchai Ferry dumplings.
The story follows her from when she first moved to Hong Kong to the birth of her empire is so inspiring and at the same time heartbreaking. How a mother of two children, abandoned by her husband for not giving birth to a son, was treated like a parasite, yet she never gave up and did everything to sustain herself, despite not even speaking Cantonese and having to go through so many difficulties to survive.
I would definitely say one part of the movie that struck me was when her empire started, and she had a chance of finding love with the officer. She did not take that chance. I think she made the wisest decision considering how her husband left her. She did not want to base her happiness on someone else, and she put that all in her business, which rewarded her by becoming the most famous all around the world.
Overall, the movie is great, although I must say the editing and the excessive computer usage for some of the areas took the cinematic feel from the movie. But again, I am not very familiar with Chinese movies, so maybe this is the usual style. But for me, some backgrounds did not look realistic, and you could see how heavily they were edited or green-screened. That’s the only negative thing I have to say about the movie.
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A diamond in the rough
The fight scenes are excellent and never feel overcomplicated. For a low budget film under 90 minutes, this movie is surprisingly good. It’s a true diamond in the rough, proving that a tight budget can still result is quality storytelling and dynamic action. I just read the female lead bio, so it make sense to me now why the action flowed smoothly.Was this review helpful to you?
The Weight of Vengeance
I went into An Arrow Through the Heart expecting a simple revenge story, and while it follows a familiar wuxia formula, I still found it to be an enjoyable watch. The story centers on Yang Hai, who survives the massacre of his family and dedicates his life to mastering archery so he can one day avenge them.What I enjoyed most was the focus on archery. It's refreshing to see a martial arts movie where the bow and arrow take center stage instead of the usual swords. The action scenes were entertaining, and I liked watching Yang Hai grow from a frightened survivor into a skilled warrior. The friendship he builds along the way also added some heart to the story.
The movie isn't without its flaws. The plot is predictable, and if you've watched a lot of historical Chinese action films, you'll probably guess where the story is headed early on. Some of the CGI and visual effects could have been better, but they didn't completely take away from the experience.
The acting was solid overall, especially considering the film's straightforward storyline. While none of the characters are especially deep, they were likable enough that I wanted to see how everything played out. The pacing also kept the movie moving, so it never really felt slow.
Overall, I'd give An Arrow Through the Heart 7.5/10. It may not reinvent the wuxia genre, but if you're looking for an entertaining revenge story with good archery action, beautiful historical scenery, and a satisfying conclusion, it's definitely worth watching.
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awesome show
don't watch it expecting some intense high action film. it's a really good show. it focuses on how two friends navigate through their shitty life after getting scammed. I've seen reviews saying it was rushed. I mean, it's a movie not a series. many things I left undeveloped for the viewers to interprete on their own. it's worth the watch. the chemistry the two leads have is amazing and I want to see them in more movies together.the aesthetic of the film is perfect, a neo noir film that takes place mostly in the night.
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A Bittersweet Slice Beautifully Told
Separated by language, loyalties, and ideologies, a tap dance team of prisoners in the Geoje POW camp during the Korean War, led by a disenfranchised Black Army sergeant, learns to communicate through rhythm and the joy of dance. Can the beauty of this art form connect disparate factions driven into conflict in the name of national pride or ethnic identity? Swing Kids is a bittersweet slice of humanity that explores connection in a world obsessed with differences.Was this review helpful to you?
Now we're playing with power, Nintendo Power!
Finding out that The Avenging Fist was originally supposed to be an adaptation of Tekken filled me with an indescribable joy. Naturally, it should have been a winner; I mean, it's Wong Jing doing an unofficial video game adaptation. Unfortunately, Future Cops, this is not. A convoluted homage to sci-fi classics, or at least one that tries to look like it, utilising extensive CGI and a production design motif that can only really be known as a neon metropolis, there's certainly a video game look to this glossy spectacle. The over-the-top design is quite welcome; the all-powerful gauntlet is a literal Power Glove after all, as it puts us in the right mood for the action fluff to follow and while the action is Corey Yuen's department, his trademark fluid choreography is muted beneath camera tricks and VFX plug-ins. What's left is serviceable enough fighting, but it's certainly not the main attraction here. This really is pure spectacle if nothing else, a well-produced mishmash of comic book platitudes and overused plot devices. Looks are seemingly more important than anything else to director Andrew Lau. Fantastic visuals are one thing, but being flooded with them at the expense of everything else leaves little room for excitement or empathy, especially when you proudly boast about the appearances of Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, only to then criminally underuse them. Biao at least gets to shine as a villain, albeit a frustratingly mute one at that, while Sammo is dripped out in some truly incredible costumes, the very shiny metal hat is a feast for the eyes, I want one. It's a shame that most of the new guard can't compare; they might look pretty, Gigi Leung and Kristy Yang especially, but largely lack the presence and Peking Opera chops of their older counterparts. Far more fascinating in its failures than it ever is in its successes, The Avenging Fist is certifiably insane, building itself on some classic Hong Kong action tropes but never seems to find a footing on any of its one thousand elements, crashing and burning in such a spectacular fashion that it's almost praiseworthy in its disastrous ways.Was this review helpful to you?
I knew I would like this
I am a bit of a fan of psychological horror and liminal spaces…so i felt like this would be something I’d enjoy. it got to the point rather quickly, which I really liked a lot…I heard that it was based on a game and wondered how they would do it being a 90 minute film but that didn’t seem to be an issue. By the time he noticed he was in a loop, i knew I’d start loving it…once he ran into the walking man and he was just smiling, i was hooked. some people were saying it’s an anti abortion film but I didn’t get that at all. that seems straw grasping to me and looking for something that doesn’t really exist.🤷♀️Was this review helpful to you?
Watching a wall would have been the same experience
Just not what it promised to be. "Thriller"? "Horror"?? Literally where were those elements? Thriller means heightened feelings of suspense, excitement or anxiety. But the only emotion you get from this show is boredom and slight frustration. Then, the horror. That genre is supposed to either disturb or scare you. Her killing were not shot in a repulsive or violent way, so it didn't feel unsettling at all. Finally, the romance. Here, they did in fact include romance. Was it good though? Not at all. A suicidal guy who spied on his neighbor and a serial killer is such a good premise to a dark romance show. Yet, they somehow made their relationship one of the most boring ones. At first, the ml is a low-key perverted guy who falls in love with the first beautiful woman he sees. And when he finds out she's a killer, while madly disturbed, he still pursues her. Then, suddenly he's talking about how that's not who she really is and how she can change. Prior to that, there was no development in their relationship. None of their scenes together felt like they had any substances to them. It was like watching two wets socks interact. The ending was the only thing I liked. Not the final scene, but the one before that, iykyk.Was this review helpful to you?
speechless
The weirdest thing a human can watch .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................just WOW!!!Was this review helpful to you?
Great Horror Moments, Weak Emotional Build-Up
I haven't read the original webtoon, but from what I've heard, this adaptation remains far more faithful to the source material than the Korean version. Even so, I found the Korean adaptation to be the stronger and more cohesive production overall.The pacing here is relentlessly fast, leaving little room for Yu (Jongwoo) to develop as a character. As a result, I struggled to connect with him emotionally. The relationship between the two central characters also feels underdeveloped. Yu and Kirishima (Moonjo) share surprisingly few meaningful interactions, making the gradual shift from uneasy familiarity to overwhelming fear feel abrupt rather than earned. Their psychological dynamic—arguably the heart of the story—never reaches the intensity it should.
One scene I kept anticipating was the restaurant sequence from the Korean version, where Jongwoo is dining with his girlfriend and college friend before suddenly noticing Moonjo. The mounting dread in that moment remains one of the most memorable scenes in the Korean adaptation because it perfectly captures the psychological hold Moonjo has over him. I expected a similarly effective buildup here. Instead, despite Yu and Kirishima having far fewer interactions, Yu is already terrified of him. Given how little distinguishes Kirishima from the other unsettling residents at that point, it raises the question of why his fear is directed almost exclusively toward Kirishima rather than the entire building.
That said, this adaptation deserves credit where it excels. Several horror sequences are more disturbing than their Korean counterparts. Jun's decapitation is genuinely horrifying, and the fate of Yu's girlfriend was the biggest shock of the entire series. Those moments demonstrate that the show is capable of delivering effective, visceral horror when it fully commits to it.
I also have to commend Kirishima's portrayal. While I still prefer the Korean adaptation overall, Kirishima's eyes carry an almost inhuman, demonic quality that makes him deeply unsettling whenever he appears on screen. His presence alone contributes significantly to the series' eerie atmosphere.
Overall, while this adaptation succeeds in delivering several memorable horror moments and appears to stay closer to the source material, its rushed pacing and underdeveloped character dynamics prevented me from becoming fully invested. For me, the Korean version remains the more effective adaptation because it gives its characters—and especially the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist—the time needed to breathe and evolve.
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great for a one time watch
This film was a surprisingly engaging watch, it delved into some creepy atmosphere during the final thirty min ish of the film especially. The film is made in a way where it looks like it was just a group out exploring a haunted hospital. which adds to the overall suspense and authenticity of the actual exploring of the hospital.
What initially drew my attention to this film this much later after the release was the fact that it is centred around Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, an actual real and abandoned mental institution located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, Its one of the real like actual spooky abandoned places in Korea. The hospital closed its doors in the 1990s, officially due to issues related to sewage and economic difficulties, rather than the supernatural reasons implied in the movie. But the blend of reality from the real ghost stories and fiction creates an intriguing effect that enhances the film's effectiveness; combining actual historical elements with horror storytelling kinda elevates my experience when I watched the film it added some good suspense and intrigue.
Throughout the film, there are several genuinely frightening things. However, I don't see myself rewatching it. Much like many horror films, once you've experienced the twists and scares, they lose some of their impact on subsequent viewings
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What a story
This is bestest movie i watched in my life. I really liked what an acting of that actor ohh my god really fantabulous 👏👏 while watching the actor i can say he given his 100% effort usually when we watch a rehab people we can say how much they suffer and how uncomfortable it feels like, but i have to say hats off to this actor while watching the movie i felt very uncomfortable looking at jackson yee which means he completely behaved like one who has that disability.Most important thing this movie conveyed was never give up even though if you are not perfect and normal. We people have many flaws like dark skin , loss of hair we feel like to give up as well as not go in front of people, despite his disability he thought he was a normal person and never gave up and infact wanted to show his talents and efforts in front of others and never hided himself at home and also his romantic desires phase was very touching his dreams are really heart wrenching . But yet he tried his best until he achieved. Even his own parents was not supportive and was doubting his birth disability but this person always tries hard working a master brain and overcoming this obstacles and also maintain a good nature by searching positivity despite in his negative environment . Mostly i never watch emotional movies but this movie i wanted to watch and it was the bestest movie and wanted to write a review.
All the actors acted well his grandma's character was one of lively and supportive character for her grandson. She is the person who protects him and also treats him normal by giving adventurous new tasks in life
Last but not the least director and story writer deserve the praise who came up with this unique idea and story.
A must watch movie and i urge everyone to watch this masterpiece when life feels like overwhelming and giving up. This movie is best motivation and also helps us to go on.
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