Reviews

Comfort movie ??

The movie is surely a familiar melodramatic stuff reminiscent of similar films such as “Iris” (2001) and “Still Alice” (2015), but director/writer Jeong Jae-eun handles his story and characters with care and consideration. At one point, the movie makes a little fun of Ryoko’s most famous work which was incidentally inspired by her crumbling relationship with her ex-husband, but it respects her artistic passion and dedication nonetheless, and that is why it is often poignant to watch her struggle to write through whatever is still left inside her mind. Although her relationship with Chan-hae initially looks clichéd, both of them are presented as human characters we can care about, and it is engaging to watch how their relationship is developed along the story.

The lead performers of the movie support the movie well with their good performance. Miho Nakayama, a Japanese actress who has been fondly remembered by many audiences in Japan and South Korea for her charming performance in “Love Letter” (1995), deftly handles a number of obligatory melodramatic moments in the film, and she is fabulous whenever she is required to express a lot of things via her beautiful face. On the opposite, Kim Jae-wook, a South Korean actor who has mainly worked in several South Korean TV dramas, is solid in his understated acting which effectively functions as the solid ground for his co-performer’s showier performance, and, as far as I heard from others, he did a fairly nice job of speaking Japanese with some necessary awkwardness as required.

Although it is not so different from many other neat Japanese melodrama films during recent years, “Butterfly Sleep” distinguishes itself to some degree via its interesting setting and sincere storytelling, and its overall result is both entertaining and touching enough for recommendation. It may be predictable, but this is a well-made movie packed with genuine feelings, and it certainly earns its tears in the end.

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Not meant as a stand-alone movie

Before watching this, you should watch the prequel mini-series to make sense of it. It's really cute, kind of an F4/Boys Over Flowers thing. I watched this first before the prequel and I kept on wishing that the movie would show the reason behind the leads' actions. The movie did show some glimpse of what happened in the prequel but it's not enough. And it's not the film's fault because this is meant to be watched after the series and not as a stand-alone movie.

The actors acted on point and it's really cute and funny once you get the to know the whole story (mini-series + movie). The movie in itself also portrays the brotherly love of 2 friends who had grew up together.

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Heartbreaking

I knew what this movie was about going in but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for it. It is an amazing movie, the acting is phenomenal and the cinematography is beautiful, but I felt sick watching it. This movie is very very upsetting and I don’t think any amount of warning will prepare but I will try. This movie includes on screen child abuse and on screen child sexual assault and rape as well as ableism. It is tragic and horrifying. The child actors did so well, I am not certain if they are actually deaf or not but they did an amazing job. Min Su’s “I don’t forgive him” scene was one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have ever watched in cinema. Those poor children, it is truly horrific that this is based on a true story. Gong Yoo did amazing as did the lead female actress. Overall I would very highly recommend this movie but only if you can emotionally handle it.

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Tan Song Yun, my favorite actress, was the main reason I chose to watch this movie. Despite knowing she plays the second lead, I was still drawn to it. The story follows a girl who has faced numerous hardships since childhood, yet she perseveres and continues to live her life. When another girl enters her life and offers her hope, things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that her crush is engaged to her best friend. Despite her feelings, she makes a mistake that changes the lives of all three involved. While most people would distance themselves after such a revelation, she continues to meet him, ultimately leading to their separation as she chooses to prioritize her friendship. To discover the outcome, you'll have to watch the movie. As for the fate of the first lead, it remains uncertain until the end.

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Ending is unclear

The leads were my favorite, which is why I decided to watch the drama. However, since I watched it in 2024, I found it a bit dull. Nonetheless, the story was intriguing. It revolved around a girl who wholeheartedly trusted a boy, and he reciprocated that trust. She considered him her everything, but he also prioritized his friends and interests, causing a rift in their relationship and leading to their breakup. However, the storyline became unclear afterward. It depicted a scene where after two years since their break up he called her to meet , but their meeting scene was brief, with no dialogue exchanged. Instead, it shifted to past scenes, leaving the ending ambiguous. Consequently, I felt like I wasted my time.

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A nice diversion

Im Chang Jung plays a freeloader with a streak of larceny, but overall has a good heart. He keeps running into a wanna be actress from the local bookstore who can't get him to pay his late fees. One night, by a quirk of fate, they meet and witness something that will change their lives.

It was the main cast that made me want to watch this movie, and they delivered. While the pace was pretty good, it's debateable as to whether a few early scenes were needed and could have been cut to improve pacing.

Don't stop watching when the ending credits start!

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I will never recover from this - Recommended!

This movie was just wow. It was a roller coaster full of emotions. The acting was amazing and I loved the two main characters (still do). If you ask me, will I rewatch this again? Yes, I will. Even if it breaks my heart again? Yes, I will.

20th century girl made me bawl my eyes out. It was so beautiful yet so sad. The first time I watched the movie I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought I would just be watching a sweet high school romance with A HAPPY ENDING!! It was indeed not a happy ending. When Bo-Ra finally confessed her feelings to Woon-Ho I really wished he would've just stayed even if it was just for a day. Watching them call on the phone all the time and seeing Bo-Ra age, waiting for him to come back was one of the saddest things to watch. I despised Woon-Ho for it, I thought he moved on and went on with his life in New-Zealand. Him not picking up, not messaging her, deep down I could feel it coming, but I refused to believe it. When Woon-ho's little brother, Joseph, finally broke the news to Bo-Ra, I was glad she was finally able to move on and to live her life without having to keep waiting. Even though I wished Joseph would've told her sooner, the expedition was a really nice touch to the movie and it was beautifully done.

Although I wished for it 20th century girl to have a different ending, it just shows that no matter what, you should just go on with your life and move on instead of waiting. Moving on and making the decision to do so is hard especially when you're holding on to the past and pain, but eventually it will help you to live your life the way you want to live it.

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Sweet and quirky - Recommended!

This movie was so cute! When I first started watching I kind of had my doubts about it, but once the story went on I really enjoyed it. Although I was confused about why they used Gi-Jun's face for Jong-wook. It was really weird to see him play 2 characters even though he wasn't Jong-Wook. However, I absolutely loved both main characters and their sweet and funny moments together. The last scene in the movie at the airport was really sweet to see actually. It just showed that they were indeed meant to be and that your first love doesn't have to be your soulmate. It was a cute touch to the movie. The movie is a bit slow and it had moments where my attention slipped, but overall fun movie to watch if you're bored :)

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"Human beings have the best of times as kids who know nothing"

A desperate father traversed a dusty road outside of Tokyo searching for work during the Depression in An Inn in Tokyo. Ozu Yasujiro held back nothing in this his final extant silent film. Regardless of the lack of sound, this tender and tragic story of parents struggling to provide the basic necessities of life for their vulnerable children was emotionally compelling.

Kihachi and his sons, Zenko and Shoko, carry their meager belongings in one small pack. Most days they must choose between eating or shelter. If they are lucky, they can turn stray dogs in for 40 yen. In a sprawling industrial complex, Kihachi is unable to get past the front guard to even apply for a job at one of the factories. He and his boys meet a widow and her young daughter who are in the same dire straits his family is, maybe worse. Otaka is looking for work, but as a woman, there are few available options. Late one night when Kihachi and the boys have nowhere to go but under an awning in the pouring rain, an old friend appears and takes the bedraggled family in. She helps Kihachi find a job and provides a room for them. Only a thin line stands between them and disaster or happiness.

This film was fairly realistic about the time of economic calamity. It was heartbreaking watching Kihachi and his sons mime eating their favorite meal and drinking sake on painfully empty stomachs. A father having to make the choice of whether to feed his children or provide shelter for them for the night was cruel. Zenko made a foolish choice of purchasing a hat with money he made that could have fed them. His father berated him but then turned around after being hired and spent money on sake. In the desolate fields, Kihachi and Otaka marveled at their children’s resiliency in an endearing moment as the kids developed an instant bond while playing. As Kihachi’s affection for Otaka grew, he assumed she would find respectable work as he did, though his good fortune was aided by an old friend and the benefit of being male. When tragedy inevitably struck both Otaka and Kihachi made devastating sacrifices. “Thus has a soul been saved.” Saved, maybe. But the future of the children was put into further emotional and financial jeopardy. Which further illustrated that people pushed to the edge of survival will do things that might seem immoral, especially when a parent is protecting a child.

Even though Ozu refused to have sound and spoken dialogue, the studio insisted on a musical score. The instrumental music was mournful and a touching addition. Dusty fields outside the factories provided a hopeless wasteland threatening to swallow the destitute wanderers made all the more surreal as children played among the industrial equipment. Sakamoto Takeshi as Kihachi, Aoki Tomio as Zenko, and Iida Choko as Otsune performed in numerous Ozu films and gave strong performances here. Ozu constant, Ryu Chishu, also made a brief appearance in a bit part.

Ozu painted a bleakly realistic picture of poverty and despair with moments of hope and sunshine often provided by the children. He also had his characters illustrate that despite the bleakness of their existence there were still opportunities for heartfelt kindness, laughter, and generosity. If you enjoy the films of Ozu Yasujiro or quality silent films, this is one to try.

5 April 2024

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Utterly Beautiful.

Watched it yesterday. It's one of the greatest films in my recent memory.

Everything in this film is so relatable and is very real. I cried and I couldn't stop myself from tearing up from the first 30 minutes of the movies until the very end. The message is so strong and Bilkin, Grandma and the rest of the casts just did something we call 'Magical' in the world of the acting.

Cinematography is also on point. It looked real, but also artistic and very cinematic. This will resonate in every viewer hearts for so long and the tearing effect will stay hours after finished the film.

It's not often that the people in the whole theater cried and sobbed their hearts out like this. One of a very magical moment for the whole 2 hours.

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