Reviews

Wasted Time: A Disappointing Watch

In all honesty, I found the movie to be incredibly boring and confusing. It felt like an endless slog with no clear direction, and I kept waiting for something – anything – to happen. Unfortunately, that moment never came. In my opinion, this is one of the worst films I have ever watched, and I genuinely felt that it was a complete waste of my time.
The reviews praising it are lyinggg; they're very misleading. Perhaps I missed something that others picked up on, but I can't help but feel that the overwhelming positive feedback doesn’t reflect the reality of the experience.

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There better be a 5th movie!

I'm going to keep this short and snappy but this was AMAZING! And I only have three points to make:

1. Every year a Kingdom movie comes out, and every year I am reminded of how damn attractive and talented Yamazaki Kento is!

I watch these movies every single time in the cinema and it trully is the best way to consume these movies. Seeing the scenery and battles and everything on the big screen just makes the whole experience and the movies even better!

2. Also, they better announce movie 5 soon because the ENDING to this one!!!!! OMG I NEED MORE! We are definitely no where near finished with any arc, plot, or story. And this movie definitely raised stakes by A LOT for Shin and company.

3. Every single movie in the Kingdom series just gets better and better with each installment! 9/10!! GIMME MOVIE 5 NOW ALREADY!

I would happily watch another 3-5 movies (2 and a half hours each at this point) come out over the next ten years of this series. It's SO GOOD.

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Holy gangsters :)

It is said that spirituality should not be used for jokes, but sometimes that is justified. This film uses different religions and spiritualities in a very good way, for a joke, but also for inspiration. For a moment it may seem that the film makes fun of faith, but in fact it conveys the message that faith has its own strength and meaning, and the message that different faiths together give greater strength is also noble.

The Korean title of the film is 목스박 which stands for 목사 (pastor), 스님 (monk) and 박수무당 (shaman), according to the three main characters who suddenly take on the roles of these holy figures leading to various funny and absurd situations. Since this is a family friendly action comedy after all, I am a little disappointed with the excessive use of curse words. The characters are just as crazy as they should be, to combine the comedy and the action for a fun watching experience. In some absurd way, this is a good movie about religious dialogue and cooperation.

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I finally watched it this evening, "Psychokinesis" is an electrifying cinematic experience that blends supernatural powers with human emotion.

The film's compelling storyline, well-developed characters, and seamless special effects create a captivating spectacle and a gentle touch that nuances every character so that you see that everyone is trapped in an intertwined set of dynamic forces, nobody is purely good or evil, just human. Director Yeon Sang-ho brilliantly explores the emotional journey of an ordinary man who gains extraordinary telekinetic abilities. The action sequences are exhilarating, and the humor adds a delightful dimension to the narrative.

Why I give it 5.5 Star?

1) There were lots of scenes that I think unnecessary and the story itself seems to be lacking.
2) There were some characters that were pretty useless. For example: What was the point of Director Hong? She brought nothing to the movie. They could have simply kept it vague.
3) There are so many plot holes that you stop caring about them entirely. Who cares if we switch between throwing bombs at our enemies to saving them from falling off a building?
4) If you're into superhero movies, yes watch it, and be entertained. Just don't look for realism, a message, or anything profound.
5) who the big bad guy/girl is? I mean Who is the Villain?
6) It causes disappointment because it was less exciting than was expected in the end, it felt a bit flat with an extremely anticlimactic ending.

Overall, I don't love the movie much but I don't hate it either. It's more of a so-so.

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Who is the monster?

This has to be hands down my favorite watch of the year so far. I'm probably not even coherent enough to talk about this but the storytelling in this was just brilliant and I could not stop watching but I was also feeling every ounce of dread, anxiety and sadness that the characters went through.
Long story short: The storytelling in this is simply brilliant. Long story long: the plot unravels each point of view and fleshes out the characters in such a masterful and thoughtful way. I don't want to reveal too much because I think one brilliant part of this film is to experience it as you go; just watch it with no context and let the narrative and the suspense take you over.
The acting in this was also probably some of the best acting I've watched. I wish Jdramas were like this, honestly. The raw performances from the adult actors was so moving and encompassing. I could put myself in the mother's shoes almost perfectly. Feeling every ounce of anger and anxiety that she felt. But even more amazing is the performance of the little ones. They were too good. Too precise. Too touching. They just grab your heart, sueeze it then fling it into the sun!
The production is also brilliant from the fire scene to the torrential rains to the details of the mundane and arranging the different perspective of the same scenes over and over again. Everthing was brilliant.
Negatives: None. But if you have a weak heart, maybe keeping some sweet drink near you for possible fainting spells that may catch you unawares as you freak out over the turn of events.
I highly, highly recommend this film. It's one of those movies you don't want to miss.

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Never visit forests with lots of figurine statues!

I don't know why I started watching this at this hour, it's literally midnight and I'm scared to go to bathroom now!

When I started watching this I had very little faith in what I was about to watch. Cause the rating was relatively low for a mystery horror genre but I was being whimsical to watch "something new today" and Hoon Payon surprisingly turned out to be much better than I expected.


At the beginning things feel a bit all over the place. I was feeling distant with the plot cause they were introducing more characters and yet things were getting more obscure and complicated as I was losing interest. But, but after the second half things were started to improve and unfolding mysteries slowly. I just couldn't take my eyes away from the screen. Felt like if I blink I might miss something. And I was not disappointed at all! AND THE PLOT TWIST IS JUST AMAZING!

Hoon Pa Yong is meant as a spiritual bodyguard to guard your asset from theft, and to protect you from the harm of black magic and evil spirits. You basically know what you're about to watch and rest just people being selfish, secretive and scornful. So the film is all about curse, ghosted monks, and JUMP SCARES⁹⁹⁹⁹!!! I'm 3 mins in and I'm seeing a sharp object injected into eyes >_< and poking into skin until blood comes out...I can't explain you enough how much I hate these! JUST. NO. In those scenes I just covered my eyes and peeked through two fingers. Superstitions are made by human for human to scare the shit out of you.

Now coming to the characters, they were not perfect but they did their best. This is my first time watching Phuwin, he was so-so. But Up, ouuufff he just nailed it! I've watched all of his series and now this movie, I can say this is his best work!

Most importantly the cinematography was just awesome. The cinematographer skillfully selected each and every object to give you that eerie chilling vibe. At first glance it looks calm and tranquil but soon you start fearing the atmosphere. It's just aesthetically scary all over.

Overall if you're looking for something quick horror mystry pill to spike up your adrenaline then it's a good watch. But remember, watch this at night for best results ;>

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Is there luck for everyone?

What a strange movie! This is not a movie I'd want to watch twice, but I'm still glad I saw it. It is about a talisman that brings luck to his owner and about a man who tries to finally put an end to the failures he has experienced all his life. The actors should be complimented for being able to sustain the movie since it relies mostly on the performance and acting of the two main protagonists. The entire movie actually has only three scenes in which the entire action takes place. There is only the addition of a church in the background at one scene, which seemed to me to be a convenient insert to the story about superstition. I hope that the church is shown to turn the viewer away from superstition and towards the true faith. The question about happiness and whether there is enough happiness for everyone or whether we have to steal it from each other is also interesting.

My complaint is that the story is dragged out for an hour and twenty minutes, and I would shorten it by a whole hour. All the dialogue is repeated at least twice, especially the message about the lucky talisman, which the filmmakers decided to explain ten times how it works. I think the movie would work great as a short movie, but it is also watchable like this thanks to the energy and effort of the main actors.

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Definitely not for everyone but a fantastic movie

I just finished the handmaiden and to me it was a truly magnificent movie. It can get pretty graphic and leaves little to the imagination. Going into the movie i knew very little about it but I would say that you can go into this movie without knowing too much as long as you´re aware it is 100% for a mature audience.
The relationship between the two female leads is shown very well especially given the time period the movie is set in. The twists and turns the story takes throughout its 3 parts (it says which part the movie is at in the movie itself) was everything i could have hoped for. The acting is phenomenal in my opinion, the story very well written and the music ties it together perfectly.
I give this a highscore for everything else but i wouldn´t say it has a lot of re-watch value. It is very much a one of those experiences that is fantastic once but would just not hold the same magic the second time around.

It really isn´t for everyone and if there are certain topics that you are sensitive to I would suggest doing your research on the movie first.

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More Relevant Than You Think...

This is a creepy film. I think the type of horror films a lot of people are used to is fast and cheap scares that would make you uneasy for the moment. In some ways, a lot of horror films feel like roller-coaster rides. Thrilling at the time, but forgettable in the long run. Not this film, the pace is slow, but the scares creep up behind you and just stick with you. There is a strong hint about the dangers of technology, and how it can drain the life out of people. Also, how isolation can be a silent killer to anyone stuck in it. It is another well told apocalypse story that is interesting to watch play out. I do think the acting can be a hit or miss. I personally think it works for the situation the characters were in, but I can see how it can be dry for some people. I'd say check this film out if you enjoy a slow-burn.

(I say this as a bit of a loner myself, and also being online a lot. Oh no, I'm next.xD)

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Female lead remains a stranger even after the show

This movie isn't for everyone. It's a slice-of-life film that focuses on conversations and the strange friendships among strangers and Chihiro. You'll end up with many questions after finishing this movie. There are numerous unresolved storylines, but I personally think that was the creators' main intention for this film. Instead of solely focusing on Chihiro's past, they emphasized her conversations and special bonds with the strangers in her life. I believe this movie portrays strangers as the central theme, with Chihiro, the female lead, remaining a stranger even after the show.

Would I recommend this to others? That's a tricky question because I think some people may not like it while others might. Personally, I enjoyed the film because I'm a sucker for slice-of-life stories, and I was looking for something calming to watch. It truly embodies 'calmness'. Despite its runtime of over two hours, it didn't feel long at all.

So, if you're looking for something that focuses more on conversations with others, a female lead who is lonely yet can provide comfort to people, and are prepared to be left with many questions—which can be both a pro and a con since you can interpret the film however you like—then you would definitely enjoy Chihiro's journey.

I would rate it 8/10, but since Chihiro and the other characters felt like a home to me, I would give it a higher rating.

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Definitely a no no

I love my shark shows, been watching alot of them in English. So I was actually quite excited when I found this show, unfortunately was greatly disappointed. I know, the sharks mostly are CGIs or if ever mechanical in majority of the shark movies, however, the shark in this movie... is omg totally disappointing and looks more like a big rubber shark. There isn't really much of a storyline for this movie - this is my very personal opinion - but mostly nom nom nom of the shark.

From my personal opinion, I wouldn't recommend this movie. Unless if you love what you read in the synopsis of the movie. I definitely would not do a re-watch of this movie either. The cast, they did an alright job. Personally, I don't really see much "acting" but the casts involve did their best. I just feel the storyline did not bring it any justice.

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“Who’s the Monster?”

“You have an amazing talent”

“Do I bite and poison others?”

“No, but when you’re attacked you let go of all your strength and give up”

“That’s not a strength”

“You stop feeling”

“Am I Hoshikawa Yori?”

I really couldn’t put it into enough words how phenomenal this movie was in the sense that it just, completely overwhelmed me. The thing about children is that yes, their worldview differs from those that are older than them, and yes maybe they don’t, perhaps, fully understand the complexities of life as adults, But i feel that more often that not, children are aware of things; they think and feel and process feelings just as we adults do too. However, there’s a certain rawness, a brutality to the truth that they don’t avoid.

Listening. To not simply hear what is being told to you, but to truly listen and understand. Throughout the entirety of this movie we are led to believe that there is one big mystery that must be revealed. Is Mr Hiro truly the “Monster” that he is portrayed to be, or is the monster Minato? Perhaps even Yori? At different points in the film we are led to believe that this ugly truth could be that this was either a detailed scheme conducted by two disturbed young boys looking to wreak havoc, or that there was a cruel teacher who has been abusing his authority and his pupils. We are even led to believe that Minato could be monster who had been caught by a classmate killing a cat (Allegedly). We see as Minato’s mother Saori jumps through hoops to defend her son from who she believed to be a monster, an abusive monster: Mr Hori. She searches for answers that would support her beliefs and feeds them, recklessly discarding anything that doesn’t align with her version of events. A notable example of this would be when the possibility of her son being the “monster” is suggested to her but she vehemently rejects this idea completely. In an attempt to prove Mr Horims guilt and in turn, Minato’s innocence, she visits Yori and instead of listening to him, gets him to corroborate a story that paints Mr Hiro as the abuser.

Now, Mr Hiro can indeed be seen as a victim here as he goee through his fair share of suffering as a result of false accusations. However, he is not completely innocent and also fails to pay attention and listen. Listen to the children. After being accused by Minato and his mother of physical abuse, he pleads his innocence adamantly, failing to realise that his actions come across aggressive and unhinged especially towards the children. Hori begs for the testimony of a student of his who states she witnessed Minato hurt a cat and begs her to show that he isn't the monster everyone claims that he is, but rather that Minato is. Here is one of the many mistakes the adults in this film make. They fail to listen. Yes they hear what these children tell them, but they only hear what they want to hear, which is why when he begs her to tell the principal that she saw Minato kill that cat, to prove his innocence she claims that, that is what she said, and she would be correct. At her response he lashes out and she is frightened. What all these adults fail to recognise all along is, that the real ‘monster’ had been there all along. Right under their noses.

Saori visited the house of the monster, and hell, Mr Hiro even met him himself. If they had not been so caught up with their own problems, fuelling their own narratives, they would have recognised the bigger issue at hand: Yori’s abusive father, The Real Monster. Upon visiting Yori’s house, Mr Hiro hears the words that started this all, come out of Yori’s father’s mouth. “His brain has been switched with a pig’s”. Yet Mr Hori doesn’t question this, or even attempt to connect the dots. Saori saw the burn marks and bruises littering Yori’s body, and rather than asking who they were from, or why he was so comfortable being left at home for long periods of time, she asked if it had been Mr Hiro who had inflicted the wounds. Another failure, another missed chance to save Yori from the monster.

For Yori and Minato, there was no doubt in their mind who the monster was, and they had not once wavered from their belief in this. For these two boys, the truth was so abundantly clear to them, the monster was Yori’s father. Whatever was going on with Mr Hori, With Minato’s mother, with the school, it didn't concern them, all that mattered was that they had each other and their special place, their escape from judgement, from lies and pain.

We are given several examples throughout the film, of this raw truth that children possess. Minato tells his mother “I’m not like dad” the truck sound conveniently passing by as Minato tells her something that he’s been holding back for so long, once again Saori fails to hear what it is that he’s really trying to tell her. It can be argued that it was either the loud sound of the truck To listen. Minato wasn’t trying to tell his mother that he wanted to be like his father, or get muddy like his father, or play rugby like his father, but he was telling her he isn’t like him. He doesn’t love in the same way his father did. In the way his father loved his mum. He tries to tell Saori he loves another boy, that he doesn't love a woman like his father did. and that is why he tells her “I’m not like dad” The raw truth. If only Saori had heard, had truly listened, had asked what this all meant,

Would we be fair in assuming that maybe, just maybe things could have panned out differently?

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