"The Pig and the Pearl"
The Neighbor’s Wife and Mine was one of Gosho Heinosuke’s earliest films. The title of the play for which the main character was writing was called “The Pig and the Pearl.” Pretty much summed up the married couple in this story.Shinsaku is walking on a country road and comes across a man painting a landscape. Because the area is quiet, he thinks it would be a great place to live and write. The “famous” writer asks repeated questions of the painter who becomes perturbed at the interruptions, and down right angry when Shinsaku disparages his artwork. The two end up in a childish fight broken up by a pretty woman from the village. Shinsaku rents a house for himself and his young family soon thereafter. To his chagrin, he finds that even quaint towns can be noisy at times.
Immature Shinsaku called his wife, a very young Tanaka Kinuyo, an “idiot” several times, berating her for not being quiet enough or the children not being quiet enough. When he asked, “Why did you have to have a baby?” I loved her reply, “You were responsible, too!” From there Shinsaku scolds her for backtalking him. He was malleable when people flattered him, but unable to use kind language with his wife. Kinuyo constantly nagged him to write so that they could pay their bills instead of him playing mahjong with the boys or hanging out with the neighbors. When he finally attempted to write, annoying sounds sent him into a tizzy. Perhaps all this was supposed to be a marital comedy, but I just found him ever grating and not remotely funny.
As this was Gosho’s first “talkie” he must have felt liberated being able to use sound. Scenes were filled with long minutes of people singing or playing in a band. An airplane was heard and shown which much like the music did little to move the story along. The movie felt less like a cohesive story and more like an experiment with songs and running gags. One song called, “Speed up!” at least gave Shinsaku a modicum of writer’s inspiration. It was also the mantra I repeated as the minutes dragged by.
21 April 2025
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It has nothing to do with horror movies
The movie is categorized as horror and romance, but why didn't I feel like I was watching a horror movie? There are so many mistakes in terms of the story and events. How can it be classified as horror when it only contains a few horror scenes? Why is it classified as a horror movie? Let me choose a sentence that fits the word horror in the movie. Do they mean by horror that the grandson of the family will be cursed because of what happened in the past because of his family? I'm sorry to say this, but the movie doesn't deserve to be classified as horror. Choosing the romance category is a good choice, perhaps because of the relationship between the two leads, but I'm sure the director had no idea about horror or how to make a horror movie. If there is anything worth evaluating this movie, it would be the choice of actors, cinematography, and the flow of events while watching it because you won't get bored, but in terms of directing, it doesn't deserve any evaluation due to the weak productionWas this review helpful to you?
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Masterpiece, which you wouldn't dare to rewatch and won't forget.
The dark side of life, which we often try to ignore, even if it’s just the next block away. Some people are programmed to fail and deprived of any aspirations or future. This movie was transformative for me, like a reboot of life. It’s a powerful stimulant to re-evaluate my surroundings and be more appreciative of what I have. During the four hours I watched it, I felt my chest being squeezed and a lump in my throat nonstop. There couldn’t be a happy ending because it would destroy the essence of the lesson and erase the positive effects, such as gratitude for what we have.The meaning of an elephant everyone can substitute by something else, ethereal or a dream goal.
The acting is astonishing. I’m used to seeing Peng Yu Chang as a bright and mischievous actor and his characters even when situations were bad, but here he portrays an abandoned and neglected teenager, at the beginning of his career which is even more commendable!
This is the heaviest Asian drama I’ve ever watched, and I’ve watched a lot. The director’s work reminds me of movies by Krzysztof Zanussi. I would put “An Elephant Sitting Still” on my list of the 100 best movies ever.
The movie would probably benefit from better music, but it could be overkill. It was already depressing enough. My advice is to watch it in parts and/or avoid watching it before a working day. I was postponing it for weeks myself.
Rewatching value is high and controversial because it will evoke a range of the same emotions, but do we really need to relive them? Hopefully - not. Similar art pieces from my list include “The Green Mile,” “American Beauty,” “Requiem for a Dream,” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”
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"Got backup?"
Chongqing Hot Pot was a strange amalgamation of buddies flick and thriller where most of the turning points relied heavily on coincidence and luck. Clocking in around 90 minutes, it felt much longer.Three childhood buddies, Four-Eyes, Xu Dong, and Liu Bo are trying to peddle their failed hot pot restaurant that lies underground in an abandoned bomb shelter. Gambler Liu Bo owes a huge sum of money to the loan shark Seven. He’s hoping the sale of the restaurant will help him pay off the ruthless businessman. A buyer is willing to put some money down on the hot pot spot if they expand it. In the process of expansion, they accidentally knock a hole in the building above which coincidentally happens to be a vault in a bank. To steal or not to steal? And how to repair the floor so that no one notices it? They gain help from an old school friend who coincidentally works in the bank and is unhappy with her co-workers and had a crush on Liu Bo in middle school. Their efforts are thwarted when coincidentally a crew of deadly thieves picks that bank to rob on the day their plan is to go down.
Despite all the beatings Chen Kun’s Liu Bo took at the hands of the loan shark gang and the robbers, I found my mind wandering during much of the film. Aside from Liu Bo, the other friends were underdeveloped and not very compelling. It didn’t help that the buddies were supposed to be in their mid-twenties and the men’s ages IRL ran from 35-40. The story depended heavily on fate stepping in over and over again which detracted from the urgency and real threat to the characters.
Chongqing Hot Pot had an interesting premise as the down on their luck friends had to decide if they wanted to continue to be losers or become hunted criminals. Turns out the three didn’t have to undergo any character development as fateful coincidence lent them a hand in their decision and future.
21 April 2025
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Sorry I came for a Laugh
First of all I kinda expected the ratings to be this low due to the concerns the viewers had with the story. Nevertheless I enjoyed it a lot. I came for a laugh and it delivered, I even decided to skip some of the scenes that talks about issue's regarding, well the hardships of women in male dominated fields. I feel like the reason why the story was a little disappointing is that, they tried to differ from the usual, romantic route and the this is a message to the public route. They used the gender swap and showed some issues that a woman faces, and yet it never went full on redemption arc, it was lacking to viewers. Another is that they could've went with the usual, I was too bad, my life becomes shit, I learned my lesson, now I changed for this new woman I met, trope, ikyk. Maybe if they just decided to lessen the mom's involvement and rather focus, on the leads story together and or alone. Also no romance is an ok decision as I feel like it would be way too fast, unless they decide to forward time and add time for the lead in moving on, still that's marriage right there, I understand why they didn't go that route.If you watch it just for laughs it's good. But if you care for it to be a masterpiece, it's not for you.
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One of the best chinese dramas ever watched
I loved it. The acting of the main leads was brilliant. It is a must-watch drama that you could watch again and again. I wish there were more brilliant movies and TV shows like these. I just wish it could have ended a little differently. After everything they had to go through, I wish it had ended a little differently. (Don't want to give away too much).Was this review helpful to you?
Pretty much sums it on up
Y’all low-key right it was a good movie it was just kinda boring I guess I was expecting more you probably get like a few cute scenes and that’s it , it wasn’t allat I mean it’s a 2018 film yk —————————/—————————————————————————————————Was this review helpful to you?
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The Korean Version of an Asylum Production
This was horrendous. I wouldn't even call it a natural disasters movie. I would just call it people's random lives that somehow intertwine with no logic with some disaster on the side. This was a typical asylum production that we have here in the states type of film. You can't get into the science of underwater earthquakes and tsunamis adequately because it's done in under two minute scenes. Furthermore, the obnoxious comedy that is unnecessary in the middle of the disaster just makes you roll your eyes.Only reason it got a 4 and not anything lower is because the CGI was actually pretty decent. Otherwise, absolutely avoid at all costs.
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Recommended
A very good movie if you want one that makes you feel tension and not get bored, then this is for you. It really is a very good movie. Personally, I was stressed out by how the killer always somehow managed to get close to killing her. It was so stressful and irritating. I was truly scared for her (so much so that I feel like you can get into her role and feel her fear and desperation too much).I loved how, despite him underestimating her, she proved him wrong and ended up being his revenge for all the crimes he committed. Without a doubt, the best thing was that someone he never had faith in and only saw her as weak ended up being his end.
Although something I would have liked to see was Do-shik's past, the background or more about his past, of course as long as it is not to justify his actions, but to see how he became that psychopath, it would have been interesting to see but I know that was not the focus and I still liked the movie.
Wi Hajoon as Do-shik is too handsome (he always looks handsome but here he was on another level)
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I understand what they were going for but the execution was poor
Poor execution, but I get what story the writer was trying to tell.....at least I think I do.The acting, lack of chemistry, poor writing (specifically characterization), editing or directing or whatever production work needed to be done just did not do the subtext plot justice, imo. But to be fair, they probably didn’t have much of a budget which would explain why this film was a mess.
This was just a bit short of a 90minute film, yet it feels like we did not get as much information as we were supposed to for the amount of run time. I couldn't really understand Shima and how exactly his attraction for Togawa formed. I couldn't understand his character exactly, because what do you mean your gay office romance gets outed in the most ridiculous way possible, you quit that job, find a new job and then decide to get into another office relationship with a man whose sexuality you're not even sure of??? Like, it was giving zero self love/ lack of self preservation on Shima's character. But again, I feel like if only Shima's feelings or head space was better conveyed, his decisions would have been better received by the viewers, or at least me. It would have been so much better if we were shown more of what Shima felt, he came across as so stilted and just plain strange.
Honestly, my issues with this film seem like a hallmark of the Japanese filmaking/watching experience. Idk if that makes sense, but watching this film gave me similar feelings of confusion, strangeness and discomfort in the way that only Japanese films do. It's the reason I don't watch much J-drama, so maybe it's just a personal thing and the Japanese filmaking style doesn't match with me. Though this is not my universal experience with J-media. I have enjoyed many a series, movies etc. Its just most of them are misses like this one, but it probably comes down to a low budget reason.
Anyway, I cannot recommend this if you're looking for something romantic to watch. It's more like a slice of life movie with a 'learning to love again after heartbreak' kind of theme but even that sounds more optimistic than this film made me feel. Give it a shot, if you want, but don't expect much.
P.S-So I see this was a 2014 movie which explains things more. My review still stands but is probably too harsh considering the time this came out, the BL space didn't have much quality to go off of. So yeah, *with my 2025 lens,* it wasnt a great film, but I understand what the story was trying to tell.
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"A wise man never endangers himself"
Stanley Kwan’s Lan Yu told the story of a decade long up and down love story of two men in Beijing starting in the late 1980s. Based on an internet book by an anonymous author, Lan Yu won Golden Horse awards for Best Leading Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Audience Choice Award.Chen Han Dong intercepts a college student, Lan Yu, who was intended as a paid date for someone else. The night ends up being kismet for the two men. The older Han Dong may want to keep everything transactional, but Lan Yu has lost his heart. As always, the road to true love never runs smoothly. Through the years, Han Dong makes decisions based on fear of commitment and a desire for a life that is more normal in appearance, all to protect his heart which always ends up breaking Lan Yu’s.
Kwan resisted using outside influences as impediments to the men’s relationship. Family, co-workers, and friends seemed to have no problem with Han Dong and Lan Yu being together. While the two didn’t flaunt their relationship, neither did they carry it on in the dark. Han Dong’s own insecurities and selfishness caused the crises between them.
The film was beautifully shot and framed. You do have to make note of the small comments and changing seasons to determine when the story has shifted forward in time. Kwan kept the script spare, focusing on the high and low points. I wouldn’t have minded more development of the characters, but the director preferred the relationship lean and mean. Liu Ye and Hu Jun had a lovely chemistry with the characters often doing what couples do---talking, eating, or hanging out with friends and family. There was sex as well, but nothing gratuitous, with the exception of early in the movie casually showing full frontal nudity as the two talked. The ending was disappointingly common for the time.
The older and more financially established Han Dong ended up being the character needing the most growth. He could be maddeningly obtuse and unaware of his own feelings frequently expressing himself with his check book. The film wasn’t perfect and the title character could have used more depth, but overall, I enjoyed Lan Yu. Not all relationships work out perfectly, nor are all lovers perfect, even when destiny calls.
20 April 2025
Trigger warnings: Full frontal nudity (only in an early scene) as well as derrieres
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I Enjoyed Frozen Hot Boys A lot..
This movie is a 10/10 for me. It was anything but boring—heartfelt with just the right mix of drama and comedy. I loved how it tackled the idea of ending up in the wrong place, like juvie, and showed that it doesn’t have to define you. The brotherhood was powerful, and Boy is easily my favorite character—he’s unironically hilarious.Was this review helpful to you?
"Our lives are the very definition of disaster"
Often the only way out is through, but in Exit, the only way out is---up! Two underachievers help save a birthday party from a toxic death by using their extracurricular skills. (Warning! a few climbing puns tumbled out while writing this)Yong Nam spends every morning hanging out on the monkey bars at the park strengthening his climbing skills. Unable to find a job, he’s a disappointment to himself and his family. He schedules his mother’s 70th birthday party nearly 2 hours away because the girl he had a crush on in college works there. Eui Joo may have a job but she carries most of the weight while also fending off her boss’ advances. The two ex-friends meet at the party during a rocky moment. Soon they will both put their climbing skills to the test when toxic gas is released in the city and they have to find a route to lead the people in the building to the roof.
Exit was entertaining if you didn’t look at the science of it too closely. There were crevasses in the narrative logic that hurt the story’s balance. I was afraid it would fall into a slapstick comedy but fortunately, most of the “comedy” took place in the early part of the movie. Jo Jung Suk and Im Yoon Ah worked well together, elevating the material. The climbing element gave a different twist to the urban disaster genre. At one point Yong Nam said he was going to be boulder and only interview in the tall buildings because they were rescued first, yet it was when he and Eui Joo harnessed their skills that they helped save many lives, including their own. Suffering from a harsh economic job landscape, the two proved that their lives were hardly useless and their rock-solid abilities came in handy. They also inspired a community of basement dwelling underachievers to use their unconventional hobby to light the way as the duo raced along the rooftops. Exit may not have scaled new heights, but there are moments when it will keep you on edge.
20 April 2025
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"I may be the last friend you'll make in this life"
Director Park Hoon Jung’s The Childe played out like a live action version of a Looney Tune’s chase scene, albeit with more realistic gore and blood. Some place buried under the bodies might have been a cautionary tale about the haves and have nots, but you’d have to dig pretty deep.Marco fights in illegal boxing matches in the Philippines. His Filipino mother is sick and needs an expensive operation leading Marco to hunt for his Korean father. One of many children abandoned after their Korean fathers went home, Marco’s search has done nothing but cost him money he doesn’t have. One day out of the blue, a Korean lawyer appears with all the papers Marco will need to travel to Korea. His wealthy father is ill and he must go there now. Dear papa has been searching for him! Yeah, because life is just that fair. On the flight over, a strange man offers his friendship and warns him that all is not as it seems. Oh, if only Marco knew the half of it. The young boxer is traded off from one killer to the next until a final battle that will sort out the intricacies of the dysfunctional family and killers.
The Childe was entertaining but hardly suspenseful. The story and character development were painfully thin propped up by numerous car chases on empty highways and streets and foot chases that led to nowhere. Marco seemed to have a homing beacon that caused him to run straight into the arms or car of the enemy. In a country with strict gun laws, everyone seemed to have one, including a school child. There was the overt gore showing that chaebols can get away with literally murder and killers can walk down the street armed with no one noticing. Most of the humor came at Kim Seon Ho’s Nobleman’s expense. A proud “professional”, he suffered numerous humiliations at the hand of the man he’d named a “friend”.
The Childe was superficially entertaining in a maladjusted world with a family no sane person would want to be a member of and a professional killer that didn’t seem quite sane. Marco found that a nebulous brotherhood might be more valuable to him than being a wealthy half-brother.
20 April 2025
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Must Watch
Viva La Vida boasts a compelling storyline that effortlessly keeps you hooked from start to finish, blending heartfelt drama with moments of humor and hope. The film’s portrayal of two young individuals battling serious illnesses is both authentic and deeply moving, highlighting themes of resilience, love, and the human spirit’s capacity to find connection in the face of adversity. The chemistry between the lead actors, Peng Yuchang and Li Gengxi, is palpable and natural, bringing their characters’ evolving relationship to life with sincerity and nuance. Their performances are outstanding, capturing the vulnerability and strength of their roles without ever feeling forced. Supported by a strong cast and thoughtful direction, the movie balances emotional depth with lighthearted moments, making it an engaging and memorable experience that resonates long after the credits roll.Was this review helpful to you?
