Completed
12th Assistant Deacon
2 people found this review helpful
by andjel
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Exorcism for me and you

I came to this movie after watching the "Exuma" and I can say that between these two movies there are many similarities in both the atmosphere and the structure of the movie. Although this is a short movie, it is divided into chapters whose names are written over the screen in English, Korean and Chinese language. The difference is that here it is about demonic possession, and in "Exhuma" it is about the dead who have not found their peace. Also, similarly, the center of the action is on the characters, so here the deacon who participates in the exorcism is even more important then the act of exorcism itself.

I really liked the movie. It is quite intense and scary, but also comforting in a way. I personally participated in two exorcisms, and I never wanted to do them again because, to be honest, I am afraid of darkness and evil. That's why this movie has a good message. We all have bad experiences and dark areas of our life, but if we want to live in the light, we cannot run away from the darkness, we must face it and overcome it. Therefore, we all need some kind of exorcism, some sort of cleansing and liberation.

PS. If you want to know the whole story of this short movie watch "The Priests" (2015).

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City ​​Hunter
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 5.5
Story 2.5
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 1.5

Hit and miss

The movie was an interesting watch, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. While it was definitely weird, quirky, and campy, the humor and storyline could have been better fleshed out. Having watched the Chinese adaptation of the movie, I know the potential for hilarity and absurdity that this type of movie can offer, and unfortunately, this version of the movie didn't quite live up to that standard. Nonetheless, the movie did have its moments and the villain's plan was intriguing, despite not being explored in much detail. I'm looking forward to a potential sequel and seeing how the story develops.

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Exhuma
5 people found this review helpful
by tataaa
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

disappointing

Exhuma promised spine-chilling horror but delivered predictable scares and a lackluster plot. Despite its atmospheric cinematography, the film relies too heavily on clichés and fails to innovate within the genre. Jump scares feel telegraphed, and the central mystery lacks depth, leaving viewers unsatisfied. While the cast delivers solid performances, they're stifled by a script that fails to engage
Visually, "Exhuma" delivers in spades, with atmospheric cinematography and expertly crafted set pieces that serve to heighten the sense of impending doom. From dimly lit corridors to decrepit graveyards, every location exudes an aura of malevolence, inviting viewers to lose themselves in the film's sinister world.However, where "Exhuma" truly falters is in its execution of scares and plot development. Despite the best efforts of the cast and crew, including standout performances from the lead actors, the film struggles to deliver genuine moments of terror. Jump scares are telegraphed well in advance, robbing them of their intended impact, while the central mystery lacks the complexity and depth needed to sustain interest. Ultimately, Exhuma falls short of my expectations.

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Exhuma
3 people found this review helpful
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Overhyped movie?

This movie is good, one of the overhyped movie this year it considered as one of the top grossing movie this year maybe because of the castibg. I don't understand why it is talked about its not one of the best thrilling movies that I saw its just a typical ritual movie the story is very common.
The movie is not that bad its just a common story not that scary at all. The casting is great, they got the best actors in this film and they really did their best. The cinematography is great they got the best shots. It was nicely done.
Kim go Eun did a great job, she really nailed as a shaman, she really did the shaman chant excellently. I really love his acting here.
Lee Do Hyun is really given that his a good actor but he also did his exceptional acting skills in this film. But what caught my attention is that he looks hotter in this film.
Overall the movie is great and common, not worhy for an award.

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Walk Cheerfully
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 7.5

"I may be a bad man but I can be sincere"

Walk Cheerfully was the second of Ozu Yasujiro’s crime films from the 1930’s. Before he endlessly contemplated how modernization affected the traditional family, he directed this film about a gangster who fell in love with a good woman and turned his life upside-down.

Kenji the Knife and his crime buddy Senko work together to steal wallets and blackmail people. Kenji is involved with a hard-hearted dame named Chieko. One day he sees a beautiful woman picking up a diamond ring in a store. As fate would have it afterwards, he almost literally runs into her and her sister in his car and gives them a lift. From then on he is completely smitten with Yasue while his friends think he is playing her for her money. Yasue has her own problems at work as a typist due to a pervy boss who thinks she would jump at the chance to be with him. Her mother advises against her quitting as she is the sole breadwinner in their little family. Kenji and Yasue begin to see each other until Chieko tells her what he does for a living. Kenji has to decide if he loves Yasue enough to go the straight and narrow for her.

This early Ozu film would be hard to peg as one of his. The simplest reason was that he was not the screenwriter for this film as he was for his more famous films. His directorial style was unlike his post WWII films, too. There was a great deal of movement as he hadn’t solidified his filming from the mat style. He was still in his filming feet stage as there were at least three scenes with people’s shoes. While each frame was well composed the sets reflected Kenji’s grittier lifestyle in lieu of the picturesque compositions he would use later. People talked more naturally instead of staring head on toward the camera. There were still the geometrically inspired shots and loving attention to everyday objects. This film had a light comedic touch often shown through the gangsters walking and dancing in sync.

I enjoyed this film more than Dragnet Girl which revolved around a gangster falling in love with a good traditional woman, too. Like that film, Yasue wore traditional clothes and the gangster moll wore western attire. Takada Minoru was suave as the gangster wooing Kawasaki Hiroko’s Yasue. Yoshitani Hisao as Kenji’s friend Senko had a comfortable chemistry with Takada. The buddies supported each other in their life new goals while a third crime partner as well as the moll couldn’t let go of the criminal way of life or Kenji. Sakamoto Takeshi who appeared in several Ozu films through the years portrayed Yasue’s lecherous boss.

For a silent film, Walk Cheerfully was an easy watch as the story was straightforward. A bad boy falls in love with a good girl. He changes his way of life for her and must decide when things get tough whether to fall back into his old ways. The intertitles made the story comprehensible and the actors gave thoughtful performances that clearly showed their emotions without overacting. While there were a few slow areas, overall the film was an enjoyable watch.

28 April 2024

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Maundy Thursday
1 people found this review helpful
by Hariin
Apr 29, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Justifiable? (Don't forget the tissues)

I can fully confirm how heartbreaking it was to watch this.
The story and the characters were amazingly built up, I felt so much for both the mc's and I ended the movie feeling even more for them. It's easy to say that I won't be forgetting about this movie, thinking about the unfairness of it all. Life is unfair, hurtful and devastating, but the only thing left at the end is love. I will always believe that. And if you want more confirmation on that fact, this story will always be there to remind you.
Just don't forget to stock up on tissues.

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Human Too
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

shorter movie that focuses on bullying and discrimnation

Overall: although it's very low budget, I gave them points for trying to address serious real world problems in about 43 minutes. Aired on YouTube https://youtu.be/p3vl7la7-oA?si=OVtJfstzAUw1aF55

Content Warnings: near suicide, sexual assault, bullying including physical bullying, cyberbullying, non con picture taking/sharing, unwanted public outing, held against will, manipulation, violence/punch, homophobia

What I Liked
- the scene of them eating ice cream
- addressing issues like homophobia, marriage inequality, bullying
- friend called out the teacher and the bullies
- supportive parents

Room For Improvement
- they shouldn't have had the friend do that if they wanted the viewer to want two characters together
- bleeping the Thai swear words was distracting, they likely would have been fine with not bleeping them on YouTube
- not translating text messages
- subtitles, though I didn't really take off points for this because at least they added something
- an open ending with the m/m romance aspect

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Pantasya
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 2.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
Story: A collection of erotic shorts about men fantasizing about other men in uniforms.

Acting: No better than amateur porn stars.

Music: Maybe the sound of beeping horns can even lull you to sleep.

Rewatch Value: Not bored enough to do so again.

Overall Impression: This feature is actually just glorified porn trying to pass as avant-garde film. The stream of consciousness monologuing may impart some life truths that may seem profound, but they are overly gratuitous. I will not totally give this a zero though, but maybe an F for F-fort.

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My Rainy Days
0 people found this review helpful
by nyxi
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.5
This review may contain spoilers

Umm...

Actually, I initially couldn't bear to continue this movie. At first, the female lead's character was so bad as that is one of the people I disdain the most. The peer pressure, gaslighting, etc., she did make me uncomfortable. So, I dropped it. Then, for some reason, I picked it up again.

I thought that the "Professor" would date her after she turned 18, a legal age. However, I was proved wrong lol. But then, I tried to understand him. He probably thought he didn't have much longer to live, so he pushed it. Otherwise, he couldn't contain his feelings, but as an adult who is 18 years older, he should have been rational. But then again, regardless of his reasons, I wished that he hadn't given the girl any hope, or maybe he could, but he should have firmly rejected her, considering his situation, their age gap, and her still being a minor. She might have experienced awful things at a young age which caused her to mature way too early, but that's the more reason.

I don't know what occurred that made him suddenly kiss her and take one closer step into the relationship as she even got into his house. Still, I was disappointed.

Though I'm glad that the female lead had character development, for some reason, it felt too sudden. I can understand why she cut off her previous relations, but not in a way that she suddenly became soft-hearted. For me, there should have been an additional drive that changed her step-by-step. Anyway, as for the acting, I don't know, I think it lacks a little.

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City ​​Hunter
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

fun to watch

I've watched this recently, and it's really fun to watch. The plot is clear and fast without interrupting, and for a comedy the action is even and the actors are also very funnyand cute, especially Ryo.

Nice camerawork that showed different kind and angle of shootings.. How I wish they make into drama series..
They have potential to develop the storyline.. Hopefully there's sequel..

Overall it was exciting and fun movie.. I really enjoyed watching it ^_^ Highly recommended
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City ​​Hunter
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

As if you actually live in the manga

Disclaimer: I read the mangas, years and years ago
Story-wise.
All I can say is that, I would like to see these casts in a series. It was just too short for me who read all the manga, even up to Angel Hearts. But the blend of one part of the full storyline with the other part as it creates a cohesive story is quite nicely done. 90/100
Characters.
They portrayed the characters with almost perfect scores. The costumes, cars, apartment, even Ryo's way of standing, the way he moves and all of his quirky anecdotes are very much displayed there. Kaori's and Saeko's characters also almost fully fleshed out as well. Can't be too perfect though since we can't have a 200t hammer swinging all around every time, but the denim jacket is spot on for Kaori. Attention to details are 98/100

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone that have interest in a funny action drama movie. Perhaps, similar to Jackie Chan's movies.

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Best Sisters Forever
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

An exploration of the growing drag culture within Taiwan's queer landscape

The 2021 short film 'Best Sisters Forever' revolves around the elegant Xue Rong / "Snow" (Heng-Chi Kuo) and the fun and frivolous A Du / "Cavon" (Soda Voyu), two gay "sisters" best friends, who after having a heated discussion about issues of promiscuity, end up distancing themselves from each other.
A tragic event allows the reunion of the two "sisters" a decade later. Knowing that their days together are numbered, the couple embarks on an adventure in hopes of recapturing lost opportunities and creating happy memories. Along the way, they make important discoveries about life, love, friendship, and family. Promises are kept and a long lost dream comes true.
The year after releasing 'Your Name Engraved Herein', a film shortlisted for four awards at the 57th Golden Horse Awards 2020, Liu Kuang Hui (Patrick Liu) offers in 'Best Sisters Forever' an authentic vision of the drag sisterhood in that Asian island.
Associated with GagaOOLala, the Taiwanese director explores the growing drag culture within Taiwan's queer landscape, and reflects on questions of identity, empowerment, bonds and brotherhood within the flamboyant Taiwanese community.
To this end, the film features original performances by some of Taiwan's most famous drag queens at Taipei's most iconic LGBT venue, the historic Red House in Ximending District.
"What has always fascinated me is this special sense of bond or brotherhood that exists between members of the gay community but is rarely talked about or discussed in the mainstream. "So, this is where I wanted to play with this idea of ​​'sisterhood' and create a story around it specifically in the context of drag," Liu says when premiering the work.
With the intention of visualizing 'drag' and brotherhood within the community, Liu calls on two of the most important actors in the Taiwanese entertainment industry: Heng-Chi Kuo and Soda Voyu.
The first is a singer, director and composer who makes his official screen debut as an actor in this film. In addition to acting, Heng-Chi Kuo performs the main theme of the film: "Don't Rub Salt on the Wound", a song composed in 1999 for A-Mei, the singer considered a gay icon and defender of Taiwanese indigenous and LGBT+ rights throughout the Mandarin-speaking world.
For his part, Soda Voyu is an outstanding actor, winner of the Golden Bell Award, with an extensive filmography, which includes the film 'Tale of the Lost Boys', from 2017, the drama 'Magic Showdown', from that same year, 'iHero 2' and 'Your Name Engraved Herein'.
Thanks to 'Best Friends Forever', both actors play drag characters in a film for the first time, an experience that both together describe as "very entertaining but challenging, a special project that was worth pursuing, especially for its deep cause and the "so necessary drag defense."
Best Sisters Forever is the third installment of GagaOOLala's 2021 anthology 'Queer Up The Volume', a collection of original queer stories, each with their own title track and music video, aiming to portray the different facets of the community. contemporary queer.
The Queer Up The Volume project also includes other titles, such as the second season of GagaOOLala's successful Thai-Taiwanese BL co-production series, 'Call It What You Want 2', by Anusorn Soisa-ngim (Aam); 'Light', from director Adiamond Lee and starring Jed Chung, Max Liu and Ding Ning; the Taiwanese BL drama 'Dark Blue and Moonlight', and 'Fragrance of the First Flower', the lesbian miniseries by director Angel Teng (Bao Bao), winner of the first prize of the GagaOOLala Pitching Sessions 2020.

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Us and Them
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Don’t wait until it’s too late to say I’m sorry

A bit slow to begin but well worth staying with it. watch the entire credits too right to the end. While I was watching it, at times I had difficulty in believing that the two main characters were ever in love in the first place. It is not immediately evident, but becomes more clear in retrospect in the second half of the movie. I would also recommend watching this movie in one sitting. I watched it over a few nights broken up in pieces and perhaps I missed some of the continuity and may have to watch it again, but I know by the end of this movie I really liked it.
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Stay with Me
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 27, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 4.5
This review may contain spoilers
Story: Two boys go from friends to being more than friends, but less than lovers. Their shenanigans escalated from silly things like spinning bottles on their foreheads, to more brazen acts like throwing Molotov cocktails in public streets. And at some point, probably experimented with each other during one of these reckless escapades. But to what extent, we don't really know.

Acting: The actors are not too shabby.

Music: Unmemorable.

Rewatch Value: If only to figure out whether some parts are a dream or the reality.

Overall: We see two friends bonding with each other for different reasons. Jie Yu uses his friendship with Yan Shiu as an escape from the real problems his family had been facing, with his mother working hard, and still had to help at the shop his father was supposed to oversee. His father doesn't seem to take responsibility; he wakes up late and he runs off to "business trips" that no one knows where he really went. Tired of picking up his father's slack, Jie Yu goes and spends more time with Yan Shiu. But the time spent made Jie Yu confused about what he really feels, especially when sex gets in the mix.

All the scenes of both boys being together are interspersed with scenes of Jie Yu riding solo on the streets. The camera work was choppy as the frames go back and forth the present and the past. If the film's intent was to confuse the viewers, it certainly did its job.

So many questions were left unanswered. Was Jie Yu running away because he had developed feelings for Yan Shiu , or was he just escaping the increasing intimacy of their friendship? Was Jie Yu denying his sexuality or was he afraid that Yan Shiu was only fooling around and wasn't as invested in their friendship as he was? Nevertheless, we will never know whether the lovemaking between them really happened or just a figment of Jie Yu's imagination.

I'm leaning towards the belief that they did sleep with each other, since Jie Yu said he wanted to go back to being friends. But whether he meant it or not, was another question.

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Rose Skirt
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 27, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Clear and strong message: the fight for LGBT+ rights in Taiwan has not stopped

Inspired by the "skirt week" controversy at Banqiao Municipal High School in Taiwan, where students fought for men's right to wear skirts in the student center, the short film 'Rose Skirt' (玫瑰色的裙), from 2021, tells how while the well-intentioned students carried out the exercise in a playful and boisterous manner, Xiao Yan, the only boy in the class who really has desires to crossdress, remains silent and hides his longing.
From Taiwanese writer, director and producer Angel I-Han Teng, 'Rose Skirt' is a queer coming-of-age short that depicts the ambiguity of growing gender consciousness in teenagers. Yan, the teenage protagonist of the story, faces his desire for feminine expressions while struggling with feelings of guilt and shame. Is it internalized homophobia? Is it homophobia? The truth is that he is afraid to admit his true self to everyone.
Starring Xiang-Dao ChenKey, Yi Rou Kao and Etsen Chen, the film continues the filmography of a filmmaker interested in addressing issues related to identity, gender, feminism and human rights with a subtle sensitivity.
These themes are addressed by the filmmaker since her first work as a screenwriter of 'Bao Bao' (親愛的卵男日記), from 2018, directed by Shie Guang Cheng, or 'The Fragrance of the First Flower', winner of the Gold Award in the GagaOOLala Pitching Sessions, and 'A Balloon's Landing'(我在這裡等你), from 2024, among other film pieces.
The short film addresses a conflict already seen before, but from a different angle. When society downplays the issue and affirms that a man, regardless of his sexuality, can wear women's clothing, they drown out the voices of those who really want to cross-dress.
In a subtle way, the filmmaker uses this conflict to weave a deeper and more delicate narrative. But what is striking is that the short film is set in Taiwan, the only territory in Asia where LGBT+ people have achieved some social and human rights achievements, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage.
The filmmaker's message is that, despite what has been achieved, the members of this human group still suffer from misunderstandings and humiliations, which generate fears and insecurities. The objective of the film is clear and forceful: to point out that Taiwanese LGBT+ people must still continue the fight for full recognition of their human rights.

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