This review may contain spoilers
A must watch
NOTE: This review is full of spoilers, because it's me rambling about this movie since I have no one to talk about it.I kept Forgotten on hold for a long time and I kind of regret that now. This masterpiece perfectly hits my taste. A psychological thriller which will occupy your brain and leave you questioning.
As the movie began, I was pleased by the adoration JinSeok had for his brother. From the synopsis, it was clear or can be guessed that elder brother was kidnapped and replaced by an evil lookalike. But the series of revelation had me questioning my choices back-to-back. There were lies, deception, a mental trauma coping mechanism and not to forget— A manipulative timeline. I had not saw that 20 years of leap coming.
After the revelation of truth, when JinSeok said with full confidence that he didn't kill the mother and daughter. I really believed him and doubted that SeongUk might have got the wrong person. And I was wrong. AGAIN. They showed his POV, all that misery and sufferings and still I didn't get disgusted by him. Because it wasn't his fault. All the murders that happened wasn't his fault, it happened by accident and all of that was because he wanted to save his brother, his only family left. But in all that, he created another orphan like him. No matter what, I couldn't ever bring myself to hate JinSeok. He wasn't a monster, situation made him.
Another major twist was fake YoonSeok (SeongUk) being the victim's family. An orphan. How hard it must've been for that poor soul to live in this cruel world all by himself. My heart ached for both of them equally. Both of them were victims of disturbing fate and both decided the worst possible, yet most relieving decision to end all the misery— suicide.
About HaNeul and MuYeol's acting, it was good and admirable. All their emotions of pain, betrayal, fear were on point. Especially, HaNeul's acting when he was scared or being tortured or was sitting isolated in his room. I could feel his anxiety out of the screen.
Initially I was going to rate this drama a 7.5 overall. But directors pull out that scene in end where they both met each other 20 years ago before all of this happened, which made me cry for them more and gaining a point more. So, I'll give it 8.5.
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Park Chan-wook is a master
This was immaculate.The things capitalism will put you through. Love how this film turns a mirror to its audience to decide what’s moral. Who to root for? At what act do we decide to become horrified and who gets chastised? No one wins. There is no right or wrong under this system. Just eat or get eaten. It’s a tragic reality.
The approach to these topics reminds me so much of Memories of a Murder. The tone will go from outrageously silly to petrifying within a blink.
Amazing sound design, beautiful cinematography, impeccable editing. The best stuff is coming out of Korea and has been for quite a while.
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ABSOLUTE GEM OF A MOVIE
We were on a plane to Europe when my husband, who never ever watches K or C dramas, recommended this to me so of course I had to watch it immediately. Side story: He said he watched it vicariously through other people's tv screens when he flew to Asia some months ago and even without sound he thought it was funny and right up my alley. He was right. This movie is an absolute delight!Yoona KILLED IT with her "evil" character!!! I think she deserves an acting award just for all the yelling she did in this movie lolz! It's definitely a sign that she needs to play more spicy characters in the future. Everyone who's criticized her acting chops for years should ask for forgiveness because THE GIRL HAS RANGE y'all! I'm not even like a huge fan of hers but I've always thought she gets too much criticism.
Ahn Bo Hyun is marvelous as always. He's an amazing actor whatever role he plays but this is my favorite type of role for him. The cute, puppy dog in love, innocent type in the vein of his characters in Her Private Life & Yumi's Cells.
If you haven't seen this movie, go and watch now because it's a laugh trip!
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This review may contain spoilers
beautifully shot and acted movie
Overall: I feel like I'm too stupid to completely understand this movie :( Watched on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5756/the-time-of-huan-nan-2024Content Warnings: blood, violence, abuse, homophobia, death (it's complicated)
What I Liked
- acting
- production value
Room For Improvement
- he was unfazed after going 30 years into the past
- she didn't seem older after 30 years?
- I was a bit confused, no worries about butterfly effect?
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Filipino Superstition Turns Deadly in Rosario
I have to start by admitting that Rosario was never supposed to be my kind of movie. Horror is not a genre I normally seek out, especially when it involves the devil, Catholic rituals, religious imagery or anything that starts with Latin chanting. So when I was invited to the premiere night, I was honestly hesitant. I still went because I like the cast, I wanted to support them, and I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to watch a movie with friends. What I didn't expect was to spend most of the film genuinely scared.Rosario takes a familiar supernatural-horror story and makes it feel distinctly Filipino by centering the narrative on a funeral superstition involving a rosary. The belief is that when a rosary is placed in the hands of the dead, it must be cut before burial. If it remains whole, something bad can happen to the family. After Magda, James, Beth and Ave's mother dies, that ritual isn't properly completed, and the family soon finds themselves dealing with a terrifying series of supernatural events.
What I enjoyed most about the concept is how recognisable the beliefs are. There were several moments when I found myself thinking, "Ah, so that's why," or "We have that belief in our family too." These are the kinds of superstitions many Filipinos grow up hearing from their parents and grandparents, so seeing them incorporated into the horror made the story more relatable. I also liked that the film eventually explains where the belief stands in relation to Catholic teaching and makes it clear that the superstition itself isn't actually a Roman Catholic doctrine.
The horror is surprisingly effective. The opening immediately had me uncomfortable because of the Latin chanting, which was basically the film announcing that it knew exactly which buttons to push. From there, the movie builds tension through atmosphere, sound design and dark settings, while throwing in jump scares at just the right moments. Some of them genuinely caught me off guard.
Aubrey Caraan is one of my favourite parts of the film. Beth is loving, protective and willing to do almost anything for her family, and Aubrey gives her enough warmth and determination to make her easy to root for. Her scenes with Lance Carr are also a welcome change of pace. Their chemistry brings some lighter and sweeter moments into an otherwise frightening story and gave me a much-needed chance to breathe.
Jairus Aquino was my standout performer. He brings confidence and emotional weight to James and, for me, gives the strongest performance among the cast. He has a natural screen presence that makes his character believable even when everything around him becomes increasingly chaotic.
The cast isn't entirely consistent, though. Yumi Garcia's Ave has plenty of importance to the story, but I didn't think the emotional material was handled as strongly as it could have been. Her relationships, especially with the woman who raised her, needed more depth and stronger emotional exchanges. Meg Imperial's character also feels underwritten and doesn't get enough material to make a stronger impression.
Suzette Ranillo, however, has fun with her role as the sharp-tongued and easily offended aunt whose actions unintentionally help trigger the curse. Rose Van Ginkel also leaves an impression despite having limited screen time. I just wish the film had explored Rosario's backstory further because there was clearly more story there.
Where the movie loses some momentum is in the climax. Without spoiling the ending, some of the deaths feel more like consequences of characters making questionable decisions than the curse itself. That makes the final stretch a little frustrating because the film had built up such a strong sense of dread earlier.
Still, Rosario succeeds at what it sets out to do. It may not reinvent horror, but it creates an effective supernatural thriller by combining Filipino superstition, family drama and Catholic imagery. Roni S. Benaid clearly knows how to build horror around Filipino beliefs, and Rosario feels like one of his more polished efforts.
And here's the funny part: I kept saying that I hate horror movies, yet I have already watched Rosario three times. I saw it during the premiere and later attended a block screening, so apparently being scared hasn't stopped me from going back.
Would I call Rosario perfect? No. Would I recommend it to Filipino horror fans? Absolutely. Just don't expect me to volunteer for another movie with Latin chanting anytime soon.
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Sunday afternoon movie at Best
While it look like a sport comedy, it also revenge movie. Natsuko was blackmailed in become a pitcher for local baseball team by the head coach Shigeno, who told her, she got to take on husband debt who was killed.I feel the two main leads try best on this small Independent Film as rest support cast kind of made up the numbers. For there was a couple funny moments but also a couple dark bits, like the coach hitting Natsuko near start of the film.
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This review may contain spoilers
My Aug Recommendation movie
Watch this because recommendation challenge from 𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒊. Let’s discuss movie…The story follows Mikio, a meticulous, hardworking corporate employee, and his wife Haruko, an easygoing but struggling manga artist.
Their ordinary routine is upended when Mikio, overwhelmed by the day-to-day pressure of his job, suffers a sudden breakdown marked by severe fatigue, insomnia, and an inability to cope with his daily work. Sensing something is deeply wrong, Haruko encourages him to seek medical help, which ultimately leads to an official diagnosis of clinical depression.
His doctor advises him to step away from work to recover. However, Mikio feels immense pressure to maintain his career and hesitates to leave, burdened by financial worries and societal expectations. Seeing that forcing himself to keep working is pushing him toward a complete collapse, Haruko steps in with a bold ultimatum: if he does not resign from his job, she will divorce him.
Haruko initially blames herself for failing to notice what Mikio was going through. As she learns more about depression, however, she begins to understand that Mikio's condition isn't simply a matter of being weak or having a bad attitude.
As Mikio's recovery proves slow and uncertain, the dynamics of their marriage quietly reverse. Driven by her decision to support her ailing husband, Haruko steps up as the primary breadwinner, shouldering financial responsibility while learning to adapt to the daily fluctuations in his mental state.
And as Haruko and Mikio have to adjust to a new life where neither of them can simply continue doing things the way they used to. Through their struggles, they become more honest with each other and discover that supporting someone doesn't mean fixing everything for them.
Rather than relying on melodrama, the movie finds its emotional strength in the small, everyday moments of caregiving and recovery. It delivers an uplifting message about the importance of rest, patience, and spousal support without ever becoming overly sentimental.
That's pretty much the story without giving anymore spoilers.
This is truly a movie that highlights the taboo topic of depression without feeling like a stereotypical "depression movie"—it manages to be honest about the struggle without being overly gloomy or heavy. Sakai Masato and Miyazaki Aoi both portray Mikio and Haruko perfectly, bringing a genuine warmth and authenticity to their roles, which really helps the story land.
That said, it was a little bit of a shame this is not really my cup of tea; the pacing is a little bit slow, and I found myself getting bored at times. And this exact reason I can't give this movie much higher score it actually deserve... Eventually it's all back to my own taste...
So, thanx to Arclei that suggest this movie, I really glad I can watch this movie in the end.
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Jung Jae Ho and a team of negotiators are sent to Afghanistan to secure the release of 23 kidnapped South Korean missionaries. The missionaries ignored the travel ban, took the same road where Germans had recently been abducted, and unsurprisingly were abducted as well. Jung thinks he can walk into the president’s office and demand the release of the hostages and be home by dinner. The sticking point for the government is the demand for the release of 23 Taliban prisoners. A single release caused an uproar recently and 23 would be disastrous. Jung’s superiors are often more concerned about their reputations than the hostages’ lives. NIS operative Park Dae Sik is better informed about local customs and politics but largely ignored by the white collars from Seoul. Jung finally turns to him when his own efforts fail spectacularly.
This was not an action-packed film, but rather a cerebral thriller. There was one action scene in the film and I strongly suspect it was fictional, added because Hyun Bin looked like a badass on a motorcycle and fighting mano a mano. While I could appreciate the delicate and frustrating negotiations, the struggles within the Korean delegation did become tedious after a while. The final blood and tears negotiation was worthy of the grand finale.
The script did try to be well rounded. There was not outright Islamophobia. And the South Koreans were shown in the wrong when they arrogantly dismissed local customs and hierarchy. Most characters were portrayed as real flesh and blood men regardless of their side in the conflict. (Aside from the female hostages there were no women in the film.) I did have reservations about Kang Ki Young’s interpreter in brown face. And as so many directors do, Im Soon Rye used the dreaded sepia or yellow filter to indicate a third world country. It’s really time to retire that technique. There were sections where the music was so loud I couldn’t hear the conversations, a problem when they were speaking English with no subtitles.
Watching Hwang Jung Min and Hyun Bin in anything is usually worthwhile and the strongest recommendation for this film. If you enjoy the back and forth of complicated hostage negotiations involving different countries and groups this is a film worth trying. If you are hoping for something more action packed, this is not that film.
12 August 2026
Trigger warning: Smoking
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Kendi Hayatının Seyircisi: Desert of Namibia
Bu filmde Kana’yı izlerken sürekli “Bu kız ne yapıyor?” diye düşündüm ama garip bir şekilde onu tamamen yargılayamadım. 21 yaşında, epilasyon salonunda çalışan, hayatıyla ilgili hiçbir hedefi yokmuş gibi yaşayan ve ne istediğini kendisi de bilmeyen biri. Honda’yla birlikte yaşıyor ama bir yandan Hayashi’yle görüşmeye başlıyor ve sonunda Honda’yı bırakıp Hayashi’ye yöneliyor. Yani daha baştan ilişkiler konusunda ortalık karışık. Kana’nın asıl problemi bence hangi erkeği sevdiğinden çok kendisinden bile ne istediğini bilmemesi. Honda ona iyi davransa da bundan sıkılıyor; Hayashi başlangıçta daha heyecan verici geliyor ama onunla yaşamaya başladığında bu ilişki de kısa sürede kavga, öfke ve fiziksel şiddete dönüşüyor. Kana’nın bir anda parlayıp sonra hiçbir şey olmamış gibi davranması özellikle rahatsız edici. Ama film de zaten onu “haklı” göstermeye çalışmıyor.En ilginç tarafı Kana’nın bazen gerçekten dayanılmaz biri olması. Aldatıyor, karşısındakileri kırıyor, arkadaşlarının derdini doğru düzgün dinlemiyor, öfkesini kontrol edemiyor… Ama sonra yalnız kaldığı anlarda o umursamaz tavrın altında aslında ne kadar boşlukta olduğunu görüyorsun. Film bana “Kana kötü biri mi?” sorusundan çok “Kana neden hiçbir şeye bağlanamıyor?” sorusunu sordurdu. Hayashi ile kavgalarının giderek neredeyse rutinleşmesi de çok çarpıcıydı. Başta korkunç ve ciddi görünen çatışmalar zamanla o kadar tekrar ediyor ki ikisi de aynı döngünün içinde sıkışmış gibi oluyor. Yönetmen Yoko Yamanaka da bu şiddeti Kana’nın kendisini ifade edemediği yerde kullandığı bir çeşit “dil” olarak ele alıyor. Bir de filmin ortalarında ve özellikle sonlara doğru gerçekçilik iyice kırılıyor. Kana’nın koşu bandında koşarken kendi hayatını telefondan izlediği sahne mesela… Bana göre filmin bütün meselesini özetliyor: Kana kendi hayatının içinde ama aynı zamanda kendi hayatına dışarıdan bakan biri gibi. Yaşıyor ama gerçekten katılmıyor; sevgili değiştiriyor, çalışıyor, içiyor, kavga ediyor ama hiçbir şey içindeki boşluğu doldurmuyor. Filmin sonunda da klasik anlamda “Kana düzeldi, artık her şey yolunda” gibi rahatlatıcı bir dönüşüm yok. Bence zaten filmin güzelliği burada. Kana’nın hayatını çözüme ulaştırmak yerine onu hâlâ arayışta bırakıyor. Namibya çölü de benim için tam olarak Kana’nın iç dünyası: dışarıdan uçsuz bucaksız bir özgürlük gibi görünen ama içinde yönünü bulmanın inanılmaz zor olduğu bir alan. Yuumi Kawai ise filmi resmen sırtlıyor. Kana’yı sevmek zor ama izlememek de zor. Bir sahnede sinir oluyorsun, diğerinde üzülüyorsun, sonra tekrar “kızım sen ne yapıyorsun?” noktasına geliyorsun. 😭 Film bana göre romantik ilişkilerden çok 21 yaşında olup önünde bütün hayat varmış gibi görünmesine rağmen hiçbir yere ait hissedemeyen bir kadının boşluğunu anlatıyor. O yüzden de biraz yorucu, biraz sinir bozucu ama bittikten sonra insanın kafasında kalan filmlerden.Was this review helpful to you?
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Irritating FL and very fast paced
TW: mentions of su1cide in the movie.I normally don't care that much about the acting but rather the story and the making of it. But for this movie the issues issues really was the personality of the FL. Maybe my rating would've been higher if I liked the FL... This is not meant as attack towards Toey Jarinporn. Aside from my irritation on Mesa I do have to admit that this story was really cute, especially the moments between Ben and Mesa. I was afraid to start this movie. Anything that says Netflix makes me afraid. Maybe I should cut this crap and just accept that Netflix does make good/average stuff.
From the beginning on I shipped Mesa and Ben but Tul wasn't really in my mind. I knew Mesa had a different partner but it was really obvious something between them would happen. The break up was way too early for me to give a fuck and that also kinda ruined how I saw the movie. It was too rushed, to the point where I hadn't really had the time to build empathy for Mesa. I just preferred Ben, he's tuff.
Mesa really pissed me off. It was the overreactions and the slightly high classed/pick me conversations. Instead of thinking the actress is bad, I think this was meant to be. Actually her acting was amazing and I think it really was done with a reason. I don't remember the name of the characters, I think it was Min. But from Min's actions it was clear that she had the exact same idea about her as I do. I think the reason she was stuck in this loop also had to do with her ignoring her surroundings and being self centred. Even though I feel heavily irritated by her, I love the expressions she made. They reallyyyy reminded me of Cooheart. What I also found impressive and really nice is how Toey her English is understandable, which is rare given it's a Thai series.
I actually realllyyy liked Great Warintorn and idk why but something about him makes me blush like he's amazing. His smile makes me shy like bro what. Barely any actors do such a great job at giving me that reaction. I should definitely watch more of his series/movies. I've also seen Man Trisanu before in step by step and I really liked him as actor, he's amazing. I am a bit disappointed in his role as Tul but the story of Tul in general made 0 sense aside from him trying to break up with Mesa all the time.
As someone with French blood, I really love how this movie was shitting on us. I love how they included all sorts of tourists including Japanese and French. The French family being portrayed as loud and rude was so funny to me and I really don't mind. The kid was so annoying as well like omg I would've had such an urge to slap that kid if I was Mesa. I know Thailand has a lot of issues with tourists absolutely disrespecting rules and I'm just really happy they 'addressed' this.
The styling and colours are amazing. Somehow just every shot feels right. And Mesa's outfits??? Hello??? She is sooo beautiful. I have 2 other movies from Suea Yanyong on my list and I really do wanna watch them now. The poster absolutely fits what I was thinking about the show. I'm not usually interested in composers, however, it is super nice that they had Phil Chapavich compose. He did amazing work in the Next prince.
Another small thing I disliked was the ending made. It no sense to me I'm so sorry. I get who she ended up with etc but I feel like it was overall rushed and just confusing. I have to admit that I personally am not the biggest fan of movies because I feel like series give a more in depth feeling of the story. This is my first time making such a long review on a movie and I wouldn't call it necessarily good. I'm not sure what to think. I'm a big fan of the production but less on the story. I would say it's quite mid.
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When Worlds Collide
The director is Italian (Giovanni Fumu), the setting is a sort of American small town, and the main characters are Korean. This creates an interesting mix of worlds in a story about a Korean couple who travel to a foreign land, only for something strange to happen. I really liked the story and, as a result, the movie itself.As a low-budget Korean-American co-production, the film clearly operates with limited resources. This is, of course, a B-level movie with lower production values, and the American actors weren’t particularly strong. Still, the film delivers an uncomfortable sense of suspense and mystery that makes the viewing experience satisfying. From start to finish it keeps adding new layers and never becomes boring or repetitive. Even when the plot occasionally feels illogical, it redeems itself by the end, so I’m very glad to have discovered this movie.
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I Almost Forgot How Much I Like Lee Jun Young
I watched this mainly because of Lee Jun Young, and seeing him as such a horrible character was quite an experience. After watching him in completely different roles, I wasn't prepared for how convincing he would be as a villain. He made me genuinely hate his character, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give his performance. Shin Hye Sun was great too, and I loved seeing her in such a physical role. The movie doesn't try to be overly complicated — it's entertaining, satisfying and has plenty of action, which was exactly what I wanted from it.Was this review helpful to you?
A touching story, but the plot holes are impossible to ignore
This is definitely a touching movie. The bond between the father and his daughter is incredibly emotional, and there are several scenes that genuinely broke my heart. The movie knows exactly how to manipulate your emotions, and honestly, it works. 🥲However, once I stopped crying and started thinking about the actual plot, I realized there are way too many logical holes.
The biggest problem is that so many situations only happen because the characters conveniently behave exactly the way the script needs them to. The whole chain of events leading to the father being imprisoned feels increasingly unbelievable the more you think about it. Some characters make ridiculously questionable decisions, while certain problems could have been solved much more easily if anyone had simply communicated properly.
I also felt that the movie sometimes relies heavily on emotional manipulation to make us overlook the weaknesses in the story. The friendship between the prisoners is heartwarming, and the scenes involving the little girl are undeniably powerful, but some developments feel like they exist purely to make the audience cry rather than because they make sense within the story.
That said, I can’t deny that the movie is effective emotionally. The father-daughter relationship is the heart of the entire film, and the actors do a great job selling those emotional moments. By the end, I was absolutely devastated even while thinking, “Wait… but how does this actually make sense?” 😭
So, great emotional payoff, questionable logic.
I enjoyed the experience, but I probably wouldn’t call it a perfectly written movie. Bring tissues, but leave your brain at the door.
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Good story, great acting, fantastic film
I waited a year to watch this film and was pleasantly surprised at the story and well overall rounded acting. It had some comedy and some romance to it and the story was balanced. I will probably watch again and catch some missed shots and dialogue. I recommend if you want to spend two hours watching a good film.Was this review helpful to you?
A story of love’s redemption
Who doesn’t love movies about second chances? There’s the ubiquitous Groundhog Day and If Only. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve watched this trope, and somehow, every time, it still feels good. Why? Because who doesn’t want redemption?We live our busy lives, often forgetting about what really matters until it’s too late. Regret is what makes us human, and sometimes, it is that very regret that can consume us. Watching this beautiful rendition of love and redemption, brilliantly brought to life by Arthur Chen and Zhe Yu, reminded me of something simple: in life, don’t wait for a second chance.
I’m a big fan of Arthur Chen. His debonair looks, his presence, his attitude. I enjoy all of it. I also like the fact that he is controversial and has, at times, been the subject of attempts to “cancel” him in China. Can you imagine living inside a bubble where you are expected to live up to standards that even ordinary people couldn’t sustain?
And in this movie, the chemistry between Arthur Chen and Zhe Yu is palpable. It sparkles. I especially cherish the way they look at each other. There’s an authenticity in those moments that makes you forget you’re watching actors. Their chemistry doesn’t feel manufactured; it feels lived.
I’m glad I watched this despite all the controversies surrounding Arthur. At the end of the day, I believe we should be able to appreciate art for what it is. If we judged every artist solely by the life they lived, there would be so much art, music, literature, and cinema that we could no longer enjoy.
Sometimes, the art deserves to stand on its own.
And perhaps that is what Yesterday Once More ultimately reminds us: we may wish for a second chance, but the real gift is recognizing what matters before we need one.
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