Reviews

Trust

Bravo to Park Jin Young for his outstanding performances, I said that because he played a dual role. Even though Il Woo felt some type of way about his twin’s disability, deep down he really loved him. This movie will expose a lot of darkness surrounding the characters that are being portrayed in this film. You will experience an emotional connection between Jo Woo and his brother, plus his brother’s best friend. I’m just sorry that it took me so long to find this jaw dropping movie!! I would not be surprised if this movie received a lot of awards for not only acquiring an outstanding cast and crew etc. It will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat!!
Thanks to all the subbers for giving me the opportunity to watch such an incredible movie!!

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"To those we remember fondly"

While looking for something to watch on the Criterion Channel, I stumbled across a short film by Wong Kar Wai. He made Hua Yang De Nian Hua (listed as Fa Yeung Nin Wa on MDL) while prepping for In the Mood for Love. Numerous old Chinese films thought lost were discovered during the 1990s in a warehouse in California, USA. Wong used the archival footage and spliced together images of glamorous actresses in a variety of roles and set the short film to the song Hua Yang De Nian Hua made famous by Zhou Xuan.

Edited beautifully, the film flowed easily to the rhythm of the song that also used a clip from “Happy Birthday.” There weren’t any words, but it was gratifying to see a short film dedicated to women and their roles in Chinese and Hong Kong films. Dancing, smiling, crying, moments of love, sorrow, and violence were highlighted as well as some truly gorgeous costumes. At less than three minutes, definitely worth a watch.

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A Limbo of Emotions

What did I just watch? I am not sure. First i though that this is an art movie. Then, because of amateur acting, i thought that i am watching a student project, but at the end, this appears to be an experimental Indie movie about people who stay in an unknown Limbo of life. There is no story, and even the events that happen are deleted with the change of perspective so the story doesn't really matter. There are some elements of religion and even supernatural, but mostly we observe the characters who are stuck in their emotions.

In favour of the movie, this is a complex and unique watch, and the runtime is short so the viewers will stay engaged, but be ready to enter - together with the characters - into an Unknown. There are only questions and no answers here, only a glimpse of a light at the end of a tunnel.

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What a ride

The movie kept my stakes high. The plot, the cinematography, the thrill, the action everything felt very optimized. It felt extremely realistic, which in movies like these, are hard to achieve.

There was no unnecessary drama in between. The emotions felt perfectly right. I love the fact that even though there were main roles in the movie they blended so well with the side characters it never felt like the movie revolved around them. Which again made it extremely realistic. I love how they didn't make only one person become the "hero" of the movie, sacrificing themselves while saving other. They all tried their best, whether it was the crew operators at the train, the officers working in the headquarters, the crime department, rail engineers, even the politicians. All the people who worked in the rescue team did a fabulous job at portraying the Calamity, the hidden stress and the emotional devastation. It was truly mesmerizing as a viewer how they managed to capture everything so to the point.

I loved how they give so much attention to portraying the actual rescue operation instead of unnecessary drama so at the end when a little dramatic scene came up it perfectly mingled with the rest of the events. Over all it was thrill ride for me. If I ever go to Japan and get on a bullet train I might rewatch this movie just for the thirll.

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Why did it feel so cheap?

From writing, directing, filming to acting and editing - everything felt cheap and mediocre. Which is somehow surprising, since the cast is actually rather good, filled with well known supporting actors.

The plot was extremely basic and predictable. I'm confident halfway through the majority of the viewers will understand the mystery behind the house. The structure of the plot was also extremely messy. The opening scene logically makes sense, but the way it was "blended" to the story just felt off.

Not one character was well developed and that includes So Hui. Detective Nam should not even exist, since he did not bring anything to the table. In Gyeom's introduction was good, but the way his connection was explained was not. Hye Ran was there to fill the screen.

Overall, I was rather bored. I did chuckle a few times, but for completely wrong reasons.

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Honestly I kinda like it, I don't know why, I just like it.

It's objectively not that good of a movie, but it felt like the soul in it managed to touch me I guess.

The acting was alright, I think the FL did great though I might be biased and the humor is surprisingly good at times.

The cinematography is alright but I can't remember the music.

Usually with these aspects in mind I wouldn't like a movie so much, but there is just some magic in it I guess.

I recommend watching it when you're feeling lost and to not expect a romantic story.

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✒ ☠ Pawnshop Ghost & Garbage Girl: Dark Knight On Fire ❣ °8.9° °outstanding°

He came outta nowhere… TMFN opens to a 2 month police sting in which only the police get stung.

Won Bin (Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War) is Cha Tae-Sik, the “Pawnshop Ghost”. He lost a wife and child. A child ended up finding him. Kim Sae-Ron (Heaven's Garden, Bloodhounds) portrays Jung So-Mi, the child - Garbage Girl. She's yet another brilliant K🇰🇷kid actor. Her performance is world-class. We are treated to some truly scary psycho bad guys, regular Joe cops, and some Kpop hairdos. Screenwriter & director, Lee Jung Beom, also brought us Samjin Company English Class.

TMFN is a 2010, 119 min release that is rated 90 on AWiki / 💯 on RT. My son has only seen a couple Kdramas. He joked in the beginning of this show that many Korean actors in this film look like Michael Jackson - or perhaps MJ was trying to look Korean? (Korea does have the most beautiful male leads in the world, imo). He quickly settled into the story, though, as the film is fantastic.

So-Mi has a mom who is only 25% there. Most of the time, she's turning tricks and taking drugs. So the little girl often visits the ghost, eh, /guy/ at the pawn shop. He doesn't talk much, and he doesn't seem overly friendly, but she knows he's decent. He frequently feeds her and buys all of the random junk that she sells him. So-Mi's mom doesn't trust him, though. It's obvious that there's something a little different about him.

That police sting? Just when the police were on the brink of making a huge arrest, a rogue criminal element came in and took everything from both parties, the police and the target of their criminal investigation. These criminals got away with lots of drugs and ALL the money. Now, everyone's after them. The police and the jopok (mafia).

So-Mi's mom is caught up in the net and dies while she's being questioned by jopok thugs. They haul off So-Mi to child traffickers. It's heart😳breaking. All of these kids are put to work. Some are sold. Some of them are used to harvest organs. Stories like this are worldwide. Millions of children go missing every year. It looks like this all really goes on. Pause your busy life for a moment and reflect on that…

Tae-Sik learns what's happened to So-Mi and he hits the trail to find her and bring her back. From this point, the film is reminiscent of the excellent movie, Man on fire, starring Denzel Washington. The bad guys have no idea who's coming for them. We're all gonna find out.

The craftsmanship is excellent. Film is a visual medium, and this is a man, and a film, of few words. The story is mostly told visually. You'll have to put down your phone! When he agrees to “run an errand”, things suddenly take on a blue glow / turn a neon blue outside. The director uses a blue filter over some scenes. The color blue is associated with trust, dependability, and stability in Korea. The color palette is, otherwise, heavy industrial grey, which suits the subject matter. Handheld camera work in the action scenes builds tension and excitement. We follow him right through a 2nd storey window down to the street. Hold onto your hat!

TMFN is the perfect Friday night flick. It's inspiring, scary, exciting, and fulfilling. It's also an excellent choice as an introduction to 🇰🇷Korean programming for your unexposed friends and family.

As the film ends, the sun is coming up in Seoul🌇. Warm light bathes the screen. Strength lends strength. So-Mi will live, and So-Mi's life will never be the same.


QUOTES📢

The ones living for tomorrow get f💣d by the ones living for today.

I only live for today. I'll show you just how f💣d up that can be.


〰🖍 IMHO

📣9 📝8.2 🎭8.5 🌞3 🎨7.5⚡9 🎵/🔊6 😅0 😭6 😱5 😯5 😖8.7 🤔5 💤0 🔚8


Age 17+ for Rated R language; Drug trade torture; Torture of a woman in front of her child; A body that was organ-harvested. Rated R - restricted

Re-📺? Did

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A Love That Gently Breaks You: Under the Hawthorn Tree

Watching Under the Hawthorn Tree was a deeply moving experience. The performances by Zhou Dongyu and Shawn Dou were absolutely phenomenal — there’s nothing to criticize. Their appearances suited the characters so perfectly. Shawn Dou especially stood out with his warm, honest smile and bright, youthful eyes — he embodied the kind-hearted, genuine boy that Sun Jianxin was meant to be. His presence was both beautiful and quietly powerful.

The cinematography and direction were simple, but that simplicity worked in the film’s favor. The framing, the stillness, the restrained camera — everything felt intimate and sincere. The director did a brilliant job bringing subtle emotions to life.

This is the only Chinese romance film that has made me cry this much — and not just quietly tearing up, but sobbing. The scene where Jing Qiu and Sun lie together in bed, talking softly, was unforgettable. Sun tells Jing Qiu that one day she’ll have a child, she’ll be a mother, a grandmother. Jing Qiu asks, “What about you?” and he says, “If you live well, then I live well too.” That broke me. I cried. And when the final scenes came, I couldn’t hold it back anymore — I cried out loud.

Their love story was “just enough” — never overdone, never exaggerated. It felt real. It was tender, grounded, and delicately portrayed. I especially loved how Sun loved Jing Qiu — in every little way. How he couldn’t help but sneak out with her behind her mother’s back. And then, when Jing Qiu finally tells him she’s thought it through, that she’s ready to do whatever he wants — Sun, like any man deeply in love, of course wants to take that step. And it was one of the rare moments of raw honesty that Chinese romance films don’t often portray — that desire rooted in love. But then… he sees she’s not quite ready, and he stops. He respects her. That moment felt so human, so gentle, and so powerful.

Sun’s love for Jing Qiu was quiet, careful, respectful, and utterly genuine. Even in his final days, he gazes at the photo of them that he’d taped to the hospital wall — clinging to that last thread of love.

Sun passed away. And Jing Qiu would go on with her life. Life must go on. No matter how beautiful or tragic a love story is, it too will sink into the river — just like the hawthorn tree, and the land where they first met.

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Families Are Complicated

Honestly it's difficult to describe this movie.

I wouldn't say I enjoy watching it, but I definitely enjoyed analyzing it, especially since I knew the ending. Counting the foreshadowings, looking for visual metaphors, etc.

In fact, I enjoyed this more because I knew the ending.

The acting is pretty good. Everyone was very convincing. Kim Young Ae was amazing, I was both terrified of her and pitying of her. I think it's worth watching just for her.

The visuals were suitable for the theme and the music or the lack thereof sets the mood.

The events happening in the movie feels unrealistic to a certain extent, but some aspects of it do feel realistic. The complex relation between parent and child, the awkwardness between family, the fights between them, etc.

At the end of the day it was just an alright movie for me. I can't say I hated watching it, but I won't say that enjoyed it in particular.

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Where Hitchcock Ends, and East Asia Begins

At first, "Forgotten" feels like another thriller about memory loss, kidnapping, and piecing together fragments of a broken past.
But like true Hitchcockian mastery, you think you're watching one kind of story — and by the time you realize what it really is, it’s too late to be safe.

In today’s age of fast emotional overload, true psychological horror — the kind that builds dread like a pressure system, quietly, patiently — is becoming rare.
Where Hitchcock’s suspense often lived in personal terror — the guilt of the individual, the terror of exposure — "Forgotten" evolves the formula.

"Forgotten" doesn’t just trap you inside one man’s fear. It traps you inside a culture’s understanding of community, family shame, and moral responsibility.
Here, guilt isn’t a solitary emotion. It echoes across generations, families, and public lives.
It’s a kind of horror that doesn’t just threaten your life — it threatens your worth, your belonging, your memory itself.

In an era that demands instant catharsis and louder emotions, "Forgotten" dares to haunt you slowly.
It trusts that real devastation — like real memory — happens not in shocks, but in silence.

Forgotten doesn’t scream. It whispers until the floor disappears beneath you.

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The Stone - a riveting directorial debut for Pae Arak Amornsupasiri

STORY
Ake is down on his luck, trying his best to find money to treat his bed-ridden father, when he is suddenly thrusts into the world of amulet trading. He makes multiple frenemies as he finds himself in posession of a highly coveted authentic amulet. At first glance, I thought the vibes of this film would be similar to Netflix series The Believers which also involves amulets and elements of thriller/mafia but I was genuinely surprised and delighted to know that this wasn't the case. If The Believers focused more on the religion aspect, The Stone focuses more about the amulet industry of Thailand. It is not without its cliches, with the main murder mystery being easily predictable but I'm sure The Stone's charm lies more in its execution for those same old plots.

ACTING/CAST
I've been sold on Jaonaay's acting since his debut in Bad Genius and The Stone was just another phenomenal acting performance from him. However it's not just Jaonaay but all the supporting characters are equally superb, especially Jaii who plays Seng Paradise and Aheye in the role of Muay. It's hard to believe those two are more active as singers because their acting were so natural and effortless.

MUSIC
I expected nothing less from THE Pae Arak and I got so much more than my initial expectations. The rock-fused scores had me on the edge of my seat, especially during the action sequences. I would love to get the scores on STREAMING because it deserves way more recognition.

REWATCH VALUE
I feel like The Stone is a film that you can only fully enjoy it the first time you see on the big screen because of all the twists and turns that the story take during its running course. I'd love to watch it again when it comes out on Netflix though (@ Jungka do your magic)

PRODUCTION
Pae Arak does this film so stylishly. There are comedic moments definitely signature to Thailand's style of filmmaking but there are also editing choices which I felt were very creative and unique. Some of my favorite shots were the large wide shots of the Amulet Expo Convention and I'm in awe by that whole sequence in the film. It was crisp, fast paced, beautifully shot for an incredible turning point in the story. The last action sequence was also EVERYTHING and it felt earned without it being an unnecessary bloodbath cliche jammed in to satisfy the (toxic alpha) male audience who will perceive this film.

OVERALL
The Stone is an incredible directorial debut from Pae Arak. It's the kind of film where you can see the passion and determination of a debut filmmaker shining through while you see his signature in almost every aspects of the film be it from screenplay, cinematography, coloring, score, editing... it has tidbits and sprinklings of past works he's been in (such as Khun Phan or Doi Boy...). One of the most unique action thriller films, Thailand has had in the past few years I'd say (and I say this while acknowledging the existence of 4Kings universe so that's HUGE).

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