This review may contain spoilers
Sadness, doom and gloom
I didn't not expect a sad ending AT ALL. "Won't it gets better when we are adults?" As a queer person i ask myself that every day.the movie got a bit too real ,i really wanted to cry. The drawing at the end was simple but it said a lot,shi really hits home.Would i recommend? Yes if you are really looking for a sad queer story with realistic vibes.
Would i rewatch? Maybe when I feel like being sad but most likely no just because it's too real and sad.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Ugly Truth of Worshiping "Image" in the Eyes of Others
The story follows a man in his forties who lives with his blind father—a legendary craftsman of Korea’s finest traditional seals. He receives a call informing him that the body of his mother, who disappeared 40 years ago, has been found. Alongside a pragmatic, scoop-hungry documentary producer, the "ugly" truth about the mother’s death and her past begins to unfold.This is a movie about ugliness—not just the physical kind the mother was shamed for, but the ugliness of the soul. In the very first scene, the blind father gives a long speech about how people wrongly assume the blind don't appreciate beauty. Hold on to this sentence, because it defines the entire film and its shocking twist.
The movie is built on the idea of "stigma." The mother, whose face remains hidden for most of the film, is branded as "ugly." When she married, people mocked her, thinking that just because someone "noticed" her, she suddenly thought she had a voice and rights. There is also the stigma of bullying, the victim-blaming faced by her coworker, and the blind husband's own feeling of being "cheated" or fooled.
The most "ugly" things in the film are the "walls of trophies." Whether it’s the father’s awards for his beautiful craftsmanship or the old factory owner’s disgusting photos of his "prey" displayed like achievements, both built their glory on spiritual rot. In the end, the only one labeled "ugly" was the only one with a beautiful soul.
Everyone else is ugly in their own way. The producer is a hypocrite seeking only success. As for the son, he deserves an entire series of articles to describe his character. The ending is striking; when we finally see the mother’s face in a photo, she is a carbon copy of her son. If the son were a girl, he would be the "ugly" one.
He inherited his mother’s face (which looks average for a man) but inherited the rotten soul of his father—the man who killed his mother simply because of her looks. The father interpreted every laugh around him as mockery of his wife’s ugliness in a society that worships "image." A society that literally idols how it looks in the eyes of others. The son chose to keep that "idol" standing by burying the truth.
In the final scene, the son breaks down in hysterical tears, signaling his defeat. He surrenders to the social "idol" despite knowing it’s a lie. He chose to protect his father’s reputation as a "beautiful Korean legend." Shattering that image would be a massive slap to the face of society, and his choice was driven by pure selfishness and fear of losing his own status.
The movie is good, but the "reveal" felt a bit weak. Given the build-up and the documentary-style interviews, I expected a much bigger shock.
The first real shock is the mother’s past with her brothers, who only showed up for the inheritance. They described their childhood as a "happy family" right before the truth revealed she was actually a survivor of a very toxic family. She was honest and brave—the exact opposite of everyone else—yet she was betrayed by the person closest to her, all because of her face.
Was this review helpful to you?
Red Herring: The Movie. This is pretty much dog's crap
A scummy dude gets killed; his equally scummy brother - but with pathological violence issues, instead of being a crack-head wife-beater - sets out to find the killer and hand out a miscarriage of justice.I'm all for revenge flicks, vigilante flicks, thrillers... I don't like violence, but it can fun when it's unrealistic, and conveys the sense of urgency when it's done right. Here, the violence is because all the main characters are scum of the Earth and don't know how to do - and probably aren't even much good at - anything else.
Obviously then, we don't have a good motive to cheer for the lead in his quest, nor can we support him, since he's an epic arse-hole.
The plot is an absolute mess too!
The first 6 minutes were mindless flashes and people not even introduced properly, in a student-like montage. It was a very bad sign and, unfortunately, the rest of the story barely progressed.
We had a writer character in the film just to prove am insipid, stupid distraction, a missing woman we never got to know or really care about, some fight scenes which were not fun, but, where not overly brutal (thankfully), did a good job in turning me off of the main character, and dull dialogues, as everyone walked around not much giving a toss, and being too secretive or thinking they're too cool to have any real conversations.
Honestly: there's nothing to recommend and I'm gutted that I wasted an hour and 40 minutes watching this, instead of something else.
Don't make the same mistake.
Was this review helpful to you?
Short, sweet, and universal.
Touching and ending in sweetness (and realistic kisses). The synopsis on MDL is misleading. I'd say it's: Three pairs of best friends. One friend decides to run away from something, the other friend wants them to stay. What is revealed from both sides changes their dynamic.All three couples acted well and had slightly different takes on the dialogue so it didn't feel too repetative. With the three couples experiencing the same scenario, it really emphasized that love is love, no matter the genders.
The music was perfect for it too.
Was this review helpful to you?
good news is hilariously goof
I didn't expect it to be this funny it has a great balance shifting between dark humor and being serious. . the acting was amazing the script was also great . I haven't laughed this much watching a movie in a while. if you're hesitating watching it and putting it off like I did I would recommend you to watch it !Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
movie potrays a simple yet deeper message
This movie clearly portrayed how society's standard of the word 'ugly' affects the life of a person. Just how simply Jung hee was killed just because she was not pretty enough. As we already know how Korea is with beauty standards, and this movie shows us the dark side. Jung hee had a bad past, yet she was a kindhearted soul, yet she was killed brutally. It's sad to think of how she had an unfair life. But in the end when we finally see her, we understand she was never ugly, just the society said her that she was, and she just believed and most importantly, she helped her colleague yet was blamed for it.Was this review helpful to you?
Good Sequel (but not as interesting as the prequel)!
I love horrors and watch every type of horror movies.Loved prequel (first movie in this Franchise) and so I was excited to watch this.
***
Just like the prequel, this is not a scary or a disturbing one, just an easy-going one without jump scares.
The story of the first movie continues here and like the prequel, this is a serious horror where you find the family still struggling to ward off the evil spirit, possessing the members in the family.
The eldest brother continues his search for ways to save his possessed family members n goes to any extent to protect his family.
***
Story and Direction are Ok.
Cinematography is Very Good.
The Haunting scenes are Good.
***
The first half of this movie -- the adventures of the eldest brother along with another team continues -- search for ways to ward off the ghost -- this part is Ok and didn't capture my interest much. It's boring at times.
But some scenes here, like the ghost creating hallucinations n confusing the search team, are Good 👍🏻
Second half of the movie is more interesting to watch 👍🏻
The ghost possesses different members of the family.
The brothers n the remaining family members really struggle to protect themselves from the evil spirit.
Here, The hallucinations that are created by the ghost, give an eerie vibe and all such scenes are Good.
Overall, this movie is Ok, didn't impress me much :/
(First movie is Very Good, compared to this n somehow, this movie didn't meet that expectation)
(Maybe, seeing all the handsome brothers in the family n to get their constant attention, the ghost continued troubling the sisters n mother. Just Joking! :) )
***
My Rating is 7.5 /10
One time watch!
***
In this Franchise, loved the first movie. It's more interesting than the second one.
Waiting for third movie.
(Check out my reviews for this movie franchise)
***
Was this review helpful to you?
Good one! (Not the best one though)
I love horrors and watch every type of horror movies.Not a scary or a disturbing one, just an easy-going one without jump scares but captivating viewer's interest.
This is a serious horror where you find a family struggling to ward off the evil spirit possessing one of the children in the family.
Story and Direction are Good enough.
The Haunting scenes are Good.
Enjoyed watching this horror movie.
***
A family of brothers and sisters along with their parents staying in their house located in an isolated place, face the haunting and the brothers struggle to protect their sisters, especially the little sister who is possessed.
The eldest brother looks irresponsible initially but goes to any extent to protect his family.
The hallucinations that are created by the ghost, give an eerie vibe and all such scenes are Good.
(Maybe, seeing all the handsome brothers in the family n to draw their attention, the ghost troubled the sisters. Just Joking! :) )
***
My Rating is 8 /10
Rewatch value: Yes
I will recommend this movie to horror genre lovers!
***
In this Franchise, loved the first movie. It's more interesting than the second one.
Waiting for third movie.
(Check out my reviews for this movie franchise)
***
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Confusing storyline but good acting!
I enjoyed this watch but I have to say, the storyline is a bit hard to grasp. I had to spend time actually pausing and thinking about what's going on and how we ended up where we were. For instance, the background of the main character coming over from N. Korea was not explained properly and I still have no idea why the main character was so darned mad at the ex-boyfriend?! .. or why he was being blackmailed. I had to reach all the conclusions by myself which left me feeling a little miffed.The acting was really good though, I will say that, and it was a very raw representation of struggle. Also some very full frontal crotch shots (one very early on!), if you enjoy that type of realism.
Having said that, I won't forgive the writers for the ending... that was unclear and somewhat depressing as I hoped for something a bit more cheery.
Was this review helpful to you?
Why “It’s Okay!” Deserves Your Time
It’s Okay! is an absolute gem. I went in with no expectations and was even a bit confused in the first few minutes, as it blends drama and comedy in an unusual way. The cinematography and color palette lean toward a serious tone, which perfectly matches the heavy themes the film explores ~ loss, competitiveness, and school bullying, among others. These are all experiences that can push us to wear emotional masks and sometimes act defensively or even aggressively to protect our hidden pain.At its core, the movie is deeply human and surprisingly wholesome. While some may feel it naively suggests that people can simply drop their masks and become instantly kind once their vulnerabilities are exposed, it still offers a hopeful vision of what we might aspire to. That alone makes it quietly powerful.
The acting is on point, and if you’re like me, you’ll quickly grow attached to the characters ~ especially In Yeong, beautifully portrayed by Lee Re. The original soundtrack complements the musical and theatrical elements wonderfully, and the choreographies are engaging and a joy to watch. Even if the story is somewhat predictable, the emotional investment makes you want to follow the characters all the way through their journey.
Overall, I can only recommend giving this film a chance. It’s not very long, but it’s a sincere and heartfelt effort—and in my opinion, it truly succeeds.
Was this review helpful to you?
A neon-soaked cyberpunk-infused drug trip
A feverish, neon-soaked descent into a cyberpunk-infused drug trip at its most excessive and imaginative, Tsui Hark's adaptation of The Wicked City is less concerned with coherence than with spectacle, atmosphere and a restless sense of urban dread. Playing exceptionally fast and loose with its source material, the pacing is absolutely relentless, opting for a mafia-style soap opera with a doomed love at its core, rather than the political ramifications of its origins. The visual insanity of the film feels almost unearned in the grand scheme, with Hark and director Peter Mak unleashing a barrage of practical effects, grotesque creature designs and kinetic action sequences that are truly chaotic. It all oscillates between horror, action and dark fantasy, delivering sex, violence, bizarre sensuality and outrageously colourful lighting. Yet, beneath the excess lies a familiar Tsui Hark preoccupation: anxiety about modernity, urban alienation and the hidden rot beneath a glossy metropolis. There's a deep-rooted obsession with transformation permeating throughout, bodies mutating, realities slipping, identities dissolving, creating a sense of constant instability. At times, this works brilliantly, evoking a city on the brink of moral and supernatural collapse; other times, it overwhelms the narrative, which can feel fragmented and rushed. The performances from the central cast are entirely serviceable; they function well within Tsui Hark's heightened, stylised universe. Leon Lai operates as the brooding protagonist with stoic restraint. At the same time, Michelle Reis brings an alluring, tragic presence that fits the film's noir-inflected tone. A fascinating artefact of unrestrained creativity, where ambition matters more than polish, seductive, violent and perpetually on the verge of completely losing its sanity, there's a method to The Wicked City's madness. Its storytelling is messy, its mythology underexplained, and its indulgences plentiful, but if you're willing to meet it at its level, it's a wild, flawed and ultimately unforgettable ride.Was this review helpful to you?
Interessante
Um filme adulto interessante sobre uma mulher sexualmente reprimida, em busca de liberdade e autoconfiança. A chegada de um novo cozinheiro ao restaurante do pai funciona como catalisador para que ela comece a se abrir, emocional e pessoalmente, e a se reconhecer como mulher.É um bom filme, me manteve entretida do início ao fim, e as cenas de sexo são tratadas de forma íntima e delicada, bonitas de assistir.
Ainda assim, senti falta de mais profundidade e de um foco maior nas questões centrais da protagonista: seus conflitos internos, suas motivações e o processo de transformação poderiam ter sido melhor explorados.
No geral, é um filme competente, mas que deixa a sensação de que poderia ir além. Daria um ótimo short drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
You'll protect the world. I'll protect you.
This movie features the relationship of two broken teens that find solace in each other in very dark moments in their life. The way they care for each other and how their bond was formed through trauma was both heartbreaking and amazing. It is a dark and heavy watch which still had some welcome (while unexpected) moments of hope and light shining through the pain.The cinematography was great : there a lot of striking scenes that left me a memorable impression. The way the director managed to bring to screen the tension felt by young people going through exams and social pressure at that crucial moment of time was excellent. The way the few moments of freedom and carefreeness shown among the heavy burden carried by the leads was very moving.
The cast did overall an excellent job with Zhou Dong Yu and Jackson Yee being incredible. I did not know Zhou Dong Yu and but I already knew that Jackson Yee was amazing...Here they both impressed me so much that I for sure plan to watch more of their filmography. The way their eyes bore so much weight and pain and care : simply striking !
I would strongly recommend this to people that are looking for a well-written story supported by excellent acting. There are some minor flaws regarding its pacing and the fact I would have loved to see even more deepened some elements but overall it took me on an intense journey that I will not forget.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This should have been a drama
Ao No Kaerimichi was such a great watch. The reason i am giving it 7/10 is because of the format they used. This should have been a drama and not a movie. The amount of characters and stories were so rich that it could have benefited from being a drama, which would have given more time for better storytelling. With the movie format, the story felt rushed, especially trying to squeeze ten years into 120 minutes, which took away so much depth. The characters were fascinating and went through real struggles, so it would have been refreshing to see it in a drama that could have provided the right space to explore their stories and feelings.**Plot**
The stories of seven high school graduates unfold in Maebashi.. Some live in their hometown, while others pursue their dreams in Tokyo. Their lives intertwine, and they reconnect when a tragedy strikes, forcing them to confront reality and realize that their dreams didn't unfold as they had wished, revealing how life has taken unexpected turns.
Was this review helpful to you?
