Reviews

This one is a film for all those who love the art of painting. The four Sumi-E painters all have – or will have – their own way of approaching the art and expressing themselves through it. JFF Theater had this film under the title of “The Spirit of Dō”: A collection of films that explore and appreciate traditional Japanese arts, culture and the connection between human and nature.

Here, it’s mainly told from the point of view of a young man, whose past hold a tragic event, and who finds not only solace in painting but also a new way forward in life.
As such, this film is less straightforward about showing and explaining the art of Sumi-E than “Every Day A Good Day”, which introduced us to the art of tea making,. I still loved the many close-ups of the brushes painting ink on the paper and the insight the film gave us into the art. The connection between human and nature is much more subtle than in “Every Day A Good Day” but it’s still obviously there. The subtlety also makes the film not obnoxious about the message it carries (unlike in “The Zen Diary”).

Another thing that I liked was that there was no romance at all. I feared that there would be when they introduced the young woman, who is only two years younger than Sosuke – but they connect over their art and their struggles, and it all stays very, very platonic. I would have liked it more if the film had placed Sosuke firmly in the “still a beginner” category and have her stay on a much higher lever of expertise in the ending scene (as it is, it feels too much like the tired trope of the man who starts as a beginner and supersedes the female teacher in the end) – I do think the script made it clear that they both have learned that it’s painting their own lines that’s more important than any outside appreciation, but it was nevertheless slightly disappointing for me.
Having Sosuke as the beginner who is still not in the lime light would also have been a better fit for his overall humble personality.

As always, whatever is on JFF Theater, is of high quality regarding filming, editing and acting and with great attention to detail. I admit, I was a bit distracted by Sosuke’s hair – but even here, the way it was styled reflected his state of mind.


Was it good?
It was! It had a good story with a clear emotional arc and still gave insight into the art of Sumi-E.

Did I like it?
Surprisingly, yes. I wasn’t too sure about the subject – painting is really not something I connect to and the “Spirit of Dō” collection and all JFF films that get philosophical can feel too overbearing very quickly for me. I even shed a tear or two.

Who would I recommend it to?
To painters and appreciators of painting. But with the caveat that one should be in the right mood for a slow film.

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A (mostly) good adaptation

I finally sat down and watched the film adaptation of Paradise Kiss, having read the manga and watched the anime many years ago. For the most part, it stayed true to the source material, which I highly appreciated. The original story is short and sweet just like the film, though it did feel a little rushed at times (in particular Yukari and George's relationship progress). Though I'm not normally a huge fashion person, the fashion aspects of this series were always very cool to me, and the film definitely lived up to it, too.

I've never really liked George as a character; he was always too pushy, intense, and arrogant for my taste. So, if anything, I guess Osamu Mukai did a great job, because those feelings I have towards manga and anime George stayed the same while I watched the film. (Didn't like the almost-sexual-assault scene, though. I get what he was going for, but that was still a bit too much just to prove a point.) Still, despite my feelings re: George, his actor did a great job, and so did the others. My favourite portrayal was Keiko Kitagawa's as Yukari. I always watch live action film adaptations of anime and manga with a bit of scepticism, which might sound 'snobbish', but I've seen my fair share of awful ones to warrant keeping the suspicion around. That being said, the acting overall in this film convinced me that some manga-to-film adaptations can be good.

Oh, and I really adore the approach to and portrayal of Isabella here. In the anime, she's voiced by a woman, so it's a lot less obvious that she's trans until someone says she is and she then has the conversation towards the end of the series with Yukari. But in this film, they had Shunji Igarashi portray her (brilliantly, by the way) and properly convey the fact that she's trans, not shying away from the subject. I know people always say that only trans actors should play trans characters, and I can agree to *some* degree, but I still think there are ways for cis actors to respectfully portray trans characters. And that's what I saw in Paradise Kiss. The scene with her and Yukari before the fashion show made me cry in the anime and goddamnit, I cried again while watching the film.

It was a great watch, overall. Didn't overstay its welcome, held my attention from start to finish, and left me wiping tears off my face at the end. Will definitely rewatch.

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Finding My Gundam was a cute, short, heartwarming film starring a young braces wearing Ryu Jun Yeol in what appeared to be his debut film.

A young man is asleep at his desk with pieces of an action figure he is working on scattered around him. The film doesn’t say for sure what the young man’s issue is, whether it’s agoraphobia or another anxiety disorder, but it’s clear he’s highly uncomfortable being outside of his cluttered apartment. The only organized space is his bookcase of neatly ordered action figures he has assembled. When a delivery man haphazardly slides a package toward his door but not near it, our introvert is in a conundrum. In his endeavor to stay partially within his safe space and still retrieve his precious box, he accidentally locks himself outside. Thus begins his awkward and strangely pleasurable journey to the locksmith.

I found this short film soothing and refreshing. This young man was thrown into his worst fear and while there were negative experiences he was also shown kindness and had the chance to show kindness to another. Definitely worth ten minutes of your time. I only wish it had been longer, I would like to have seen if his forced adventure had any long-term healing on his life.

5 May 2026

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?nope to pedophile actors

stupid movie to a t, especially the pedophile leading actor. Kim Soo Hyun is not worth watching, his hypocrisy and greed is astounding, he should be shunned. South Koreans should choose their priorities over these kinds of so-called celebrities who are actually wolf in sheep's clothing. This soul less bastard should've gone to hell instead of Kim Sae Ron, who was a great actor at such a young age. The abuse these young female actors take from these male bastards need to stop. stupid movie to a t, especially the pedophile leading actor. Kim Soo Hyun is not worth watching, his hypocrisy and greed is astounding, he should be shunned. South Koreans should choose their priorities over these kinds of so-called celebrities who are actually wolf in sheep's clothing. This soul less bastard should've gone to hell instead of Kim Sae Ron, who was a great actor at such a young age. The abuse these young female actors take from these male bastards need to stop.

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i feel most of the youth will relate very closely with M

a lot of people will praise the acting, the production, the story, etc and i praise that too but the thing that really made it so special for me is the simplicity and innocence of a grandson portrayed in the story. the background and setting hit me hard so much even though i'm not thai. my own grandma too lives 10mins away from my house but it's been a year since i visited that house bcuz of my fear of being judged by them for my poor academics. but this movie reminded me of the long summers i spent at her house and how she used to tell me stories while sleeping inside a mosquito net hung from the wooden frames of her bed. so relatable that my grandma too gave up on meat too for prayer.

overall this movie is just a reminder that don't overlook your elders cause they will never overlook you.

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Life on the surface may not be all what it appears.

"Sameday with Someone" was a good sleeper find, much like the Hindi movie "Dhoom Dhaam" was . "Sameday" works, mostly due to the performance of Toey Jarinporn Joonkiat. Even though her acting career has spanned over a decade, this was my first look at her work. That's not a knock against her. The majority of my watch listed here has been Korean Based.

Getting to the point spoiler free- "Sameday with Someone" was a fun watch. Maybe a litte jagged as to where it was heading at the beggining, but when it became clear, it all made sense. I laughed out loud many times as the main character navigated her way through a time loop. The story wasn't intense but it was enough to entertain for 2 hours. Joonkiat really is the glue that binds it all together.
If your open to a fantasy type element, with 2 hours open for a little comedic change from other genres, I recommend "Sameday with Someone"

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Bloodthirsty to the brink of insanity

Soaked in a nihilistic air of dread and foreboding, Killer Constable trades flashy heroics for a grim exploration of loyalty, desperation and moral decay. Imbued with dark, rainy atmospherics that mix the look and feel of the Japanese Chanbara classics with the craftsmanship of the Shaw Brothers hits, it's a wonderful feeling to have finally found a film by Director Kuei Chih-Hung that I can at last call good, and of course, it's the only wuxia he ever made. It's a stark, fatalistic and sobering tale where everyone is exhausted to the depths of their souls, every swordsman is a sadist, and every blade has to be bathed in blood before it's put away. It's not one to shy away from violence, covering the film and even the camera in contrasting splashes of bright red arterial spray as the brutally bloody swordplay dominates the runtime. Often shot in a way that's akin to a horror film, complete with spooky settings and moody lighting, all the while leaving us constantly haunted by increasingly surreal depictions of abject poverty and futile warfare. Despite moments of grandiosity overshadowed by sullen melodramatics and some deeply unsympathetic characters, where even the titular constable is cold-blooded and heartless, the performances of the film's cast shine. Chen Kuan-tai illuminates the screen with fighting skill and emotional passion, out-grimming the Grim Reaper as nothing stands in the way of his mission, not women, children or even his friends. At the same time, Ku Feng, as his equal, plays an especially homicidal robber-chief who thinks nothing of throwing all his men at their relentless pursuer; ethics of right and wrong become increasingly blurred, with only Yu Tsui Ling being the only cheerful performance in a sea of despair. Unfolding over a series of black, smoky, impressionistic wastelands, Killer Constable can be a deeply depressing experience just as much as it can be an incredibly thrilling one, a film that's both blessed and cursed by its unique style, downbeat, gloomy and bloodthirsty to the brink of insanity.

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Quiet coming of age, pairing normal slice of life school friendships with a month in a very unusual young life. Back stories are mentioned and quietly present, giving it layers for those who will give it attention. The theatre life woven throughout adds more, as well as providing additional interest on its own merits. All in all, this is very well done.

And below this is spoilers as it pertains to the very end. If you haven't seen it, please stop now. Seriously - it's a great film. Find it somewhere to watch, preferably legally if you can, to support quality filmmaking. Don't spoil yourself. Go back. Please. Ok, Is that ample warning? =D

The end shifts it from friendship CoA to BL. My first thought on realising this was "Yep, there are even female characters to be rejected for the boy, including an ex who still had feelings." That seems to be important to some BL, that the masculine boy realising feelings of same sex attraction had hetero options. We even learn of this through a young woman's words - before we see the boy's actions.

Many of these sorts of stories are well done, and I count Confetti amongst the best and appreciate the CoA complexity of emotions. Individually, telling diverse stories is so important towards nurturing empathy and understanding. But there is also an ecosystem in which these sorts of stories are the norm, these stories which always make girls and young women secondary, characters to be rejected for the boys' happiness.

So I'm happy for stories of boys growing and understanding themselves, of gay representation in coming of age and I still feel for girls who have this added into the mix of what society tells them it means to be female.

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Sound Bigger Than The Horror

A horror with classic formula, full of obnoxious characters making selfish and ignorant decisions that endanger everyone. Well, without them there is no horror story, right?

No complaint about the acting, I love them all staying true to the character. Thorough the movie there was non stop jump scare with freaking loud sound, it was supposed to scare me, but it became repetitive, tiring to be completely honest, and even funny at some point. Story wise, there might be a dozen of plot hole unexplained, given the short duration. Feels like this movie would be more wrapped nicely if they gave us back story snippet, but instead they left us hanging. I only came to understand the story more after reading some theory. This also became a hit in Korea, because the real background setting. Maybe for foreigner like me- it didn't impact me as much as it is only full of cheap scare.. but if you want that experience, you might enjoy this! As for me, unfortunately this isn't the type of horror I am into.

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August was a documentary bike ride to Lhasa, Tibet taken and directed by Zhang Zhe Han. The short film was part scenic trip and part journal revelations.

After being publicly canceled in August of 2021 and dragged through the mud by netizens, Zhang was afraid to leave his house and be seen in public. (Having read the complaints, it seemed like the punishment did not fit the crime at least from this outsider’s perspective.) Music helped restore the embattled actor and he found new ways to express himself, find work, and begin healing his wounds. This documentary was one of the ways he let people know that words can hurt and that he was choosing to focus on the positive.

There were times the set-ups felt overly staged as he played with children, helped a restaurant owner cook and serve, learned from river raft guides about their business and relationship, or interviewed a Tibetan musician. Having said that, I enjoyed the bits and his chats with the different people who opened their lives to him. The scenery, as expected, was stunning. Mountain vistas, glaciers, rivers, green fields with nomadic herds, all were soothing as Zhang experienced them.

If you are a Zhang Zhe Han fan, I could highly recommend “August” as he bared his heart and discussed his life without going into the “scandal” that nearly broke him. If you don’t know who he is, the documentary is still a sweet ride through the Tibetan mountains with brief glimpses into the people who live and work there.

4 May 2026

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The meaning of Life in Death.

One of those movies, I want to keep a personal copy of because it's so deep and profound at its exploration of the meaning of life and death, grief and all about being a human being. It uses its characters, setting and props to tell a deep story. (broken phones, tombstone, remains, space, garden, dumpster).

"The fact that he sold his most expensive tombstone for a pet, while people couldn't afford it and that there was a whole department of uncollected human remains people with no name in the end.

I personally think being a human being is a ridiculous burden that a few people feel.

It was both funny and profound, the way you just didn't have personal space reminded me of what all humans need.

The movie explores life and grief and what it means for different people. How do you get closure, how do you mourn for people you loved and people you hated.

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The movie just hits the spot....

I know I’m ridiculously late for this, and honestly it probably feels pointless with thousands of reviews already out there… but after watching this masterpiece, I just couldn’t stop myself from putting my feelings somewhere.

This one feels like home. I’m actually a little disappointed in myself for not watching it sooner, because now that I have, it’s settled itself so deeply in my heart. I already know that whenever I feel low, this is what I’ll come back to for comfort.

Outstanding story, and truly outstanding performances by Steve Noh and Kim Go-eun. What they portrayed together was so raw and beautiful that I’m genuinely at a loss for words.

What I really loved is how it stayed grounded in reality. It didn’t sugarcoat anything, especially the struggles faced by a gay man or a free spirited woman like jae hee...It felt honest, real, and quietly powerful.

This wasn’t just something to watch… it was something to feel. ❤️

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My biggest mistake was watching this and having absolutely no idea what it was about.

My eyes still sting as I write this. This is my first Taiwanese film, and I was incredibly careless in not reading anything before watching it. I wasn't familiar with the actors, but they did a fantastic job. I thought it was just a sweet story set in an unfamiliar time period because I was trying out a new environment, so I finally gave it a try.

A-Cheng's behavior really bothered me at first, but the feelings he showed were so pure and sincere that I gradually grew to like him. It even made me wonder for a moment if anyone would ever like me like this in real life? What would I do then?

The ending made me cry, feeling like I was the one who lost someone close to me, especially seeing everyone around him lost in their thoughts when he die. I was completely unprepared for the ending.

For this first Taiwanese film I've ever seen, I want to leave a review as a core memory. The first impression it left was truly memorable. I probably won't rewatch it unless I feel like crying my eyes out again.

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