Reviews

Important Issue

I love the focus being on bullying since this is a global wide issue for school age children and an issue that can persist into adulthood especially in the workplace.

Great movie! Strongly written and executed story. The bond between the pair was beautiful, very unconventional, but deep and long lasting. I was glad to see the outcome was still desirable for the two. Also, the acting was great here. I was easily able to connect with their stories as they poured their hearts and souls out to each other. My only complaints were one major plot hole that made me wonder how was the girl able to get close enough to be murdered and I wish they showed more of their later years as we only got a glimpse.

Otherwise, this is a highly recommended watch.

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No, just no

At first, I thought The Groin aka Between the Navel and Knees was another remake of Dangerous Liaisons, only in the how can we make it even more disturbing way. Still not sure if this was inspired by it or not. There’s not much information to be found on this movie, most likely because it was awful and didn’t make much sense.

Jang Won and Choi Min make a bet regarding who can be the first man to take the chaste Widow Yoo to bed. The stakes? If Choi Min loses, he must give Jang Won everything he owns, including his “wife.” If Jang Won loses, he forfeits his life. Both men begin their subterfuges in order to worm their way into Yoo’s life.

Fair warning, there were many, many sexual scenes. Most were not filmed or acted well. Apparently, in polite Joseon society, people had sex outside or in front of open doors incessantly. There was also a terrible sexual assault and flashbacks to it as if the first time wasn't enough for audiences. Several scenes featured bare breasts if nudeness offends you. Most of this film offended me by how poorly it was made. The acting was very amateurish, which did not help with two unlikeable male leads. The writer(s) chose rather awkward leaps in logic which made little sense. The production values were also rock bottom.

For the most part, it felt like the writer(s) had watched one of the many versions of Dangerous Liaisons and decided to f*ck around and find out how they could make a classic erotic story of betrayal and love worse, so much worse.

31 January 2025
Trigger Warnings-nudity, sexual content, sexual assault, and suicide

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Slice-of-life meet-cute at a cafe : not a lot to see

Let me preface this review by stating that it is not a bad short movie...This just flew right over my head. I understand the concept of the main character investigating his romantic options at the cafe. But the result was so evident to me because I felt the main lead anticipated it already that I did not get why it took that turn to finally circle back to the obvious. If the main protagonist had felt more conflicted and surprised, that might have worked better.

The main actor playing the customer at the cafe was very charming and the three barista were okay as well. Nothing outstanding but sufficient given the simplicity of the plot. Production had a limited budget but was effective in featuring a calming place and smooth atmosphere.

I would not necessarily recommend this to people because I don't think you get out of the watch anything special. It is quite soothing in a way but very mundane as well.

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Disappointing...Wasted potential because of weak writing and unclear intention

After watching this movie, I am mourning the lost potential of what could have been an exciting and dark story mixing loan sharks and high school bullying. Not sure if it is the fault of the script, the editing or both, but unfortunately the pacing of this film was all over the place. The stakes were pretty slow to be put in place and the ending felt rushed. The ending left me unsatisfied by the lack of morale and overall character growth. At the end, I'm not sure what the intention of the story was and that's a bit of a bummer.

The acting was not exceptional but satisfying given the writing issues. Yoon Seon Ho is clearly carrying the movie on his shoulder and is doing a good job depicting the anguish in which his character is constantly living. Yoo In Soo is excellent and I wish his role was better written in order to give him more room to play, especially at the end. Next to them, the females and villains roles lacked charisma.

I would not recommend this movie as I feel the pacing and writing were quite lacking. If you like Yoon Seon Ho and/or Yoo In Soo, it might be worth giving it a shot for them.

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***Warning*** A very important film but difficult to watch

Warning, a very important film but difficult to watch, there is no romance or even love in the film. The film is saturated with domestic violence, and my personal sexual assault was difficult to watch (and I have seen violent films) There is a sick obsession with fear and submission in the film. Battered woman syndrome, this is a sharp criticism of the society we live in and it is in every country in the world, we see abuse and ignore it, it touches on the issue of transparent people. The casting was perfect as was the acting of all the actors, they did an excellent job of conveying the message, I do not envy them how they were able to play these scenes.
Not doing spoilers just warning those who are going to watch the film there is domestic violence, nudity and sex (forced) and abuse.

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Swaps surrealism for sheer horror

Swapping the dark fantasy and wild surrealism of its predecessor for sheer unnerving terror, Tokyo: The Last War still manages to feel ambitious even with its relative limitations and plenty of spine-chilling imagery. The story is much more straightforward, with a narrower narrative focus which lends the plot a greater degree of urgency and momentum; teeming with plenty of visual flair. You don't need to dig very far to find out the film was predominantly ghost-directed by Lam Nai-Choi and even features some choreography by Philip Kwok, expanding on the Hong Kong-styled elements of the first film. There are plenty of truly harrowing sequences throughout this film, the tone is consistently bleak, rarely containing a moment of hope for its characters, with the firebombing sequences especially delivering goosebumps whenever they grace the screen. The combination of having effects work by Screaming Mad George and H.R.Giger doing the art direction gives the film a strikingly gruesome edge to it in which people are dispatched in horrifically brutal fashion. The performances from the central cast are all solid but it's really the returning Kyusaku Shimada who steals the show, Kato is given a much more menacing edge this time, with plenty of build-up as this darkly oppressive figure. Combined with a great musical score by Koji Ueno, Tokyo: The Last War is certainly an escalation of that of The Last Megalopolis, a dramatic departure in tone and style but that only makes it more compellingly different and mesmerising. One that is certified to leave chills lingering long after it's over.

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Life On The Run With Plenty To Keep You Engaged

Shotai deals with what happens to someone who is wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime, and finds themselves on death row and then manages to escape. It also has a parallel story regarding what has happened to the FL’s father who has faced injustice, the show’s main theme. It would seem the Japanese detectives are biased, although troubled by past events from earlier investigations into the ML.

The film is a slick production and the two hours passes by quickly. Our protagonist, although on the run, is seeking the truth of what happened that lead to his arrest and subsequent trial. During his life on the run, he adopts different disguises, works in different jobs, but his personality remains consistent throughout - he is kind and thoughtful.

Although we don’t get to see much regarding the legal side, apart from court scenes, show undersells how the Japanese justice system works -which is different to what little we see on screen. In this respect, I marked the movie down half a star for this very point. However, it doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of this movie.

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Watch this before you watch the anime!

I'm not gonna watch the anime soon, but I might as well check out the live action. And boy, I like it.


§ Overview

At the Shuchi'in Academy, a prestigious high school of the rich, there are two renowned students: 1) Shirogane Miyuki, the president of the student council who had transferred earlier, and 2) Shinomiya Kaguya, the vice president and heiress of the Shinomiya group.

Both like each other, but both deem a confession as a sign of weakness, which is why both will try to induce a confession from one another. Whoever confesses first loses.


§ Notes


1. The guy acting as Shirogane Miyuki, Hirano Shō, seems similar to the character design of the anime, but he doesn't capture how fierce he looks. He can make himself look silly.

The anime version of Kaguya-sama has a weird look, a petite but mysterious woman that I think no actress can really capture her look. To her credit, Hashimoto Kanna is beautiful, and her look as Kaguya is so cute that I don't mind if she doesn't completely nail down the Kaguya look. Her acting is rough around the edges.


2. If you think of a romantic comedy, you usually think of tropes such as a guy or girl being shy around their love interest. Or perhaps blushing around them and fumbling their confession. Also, the physical comedy is over-the-top.

Kaguya-sama Love is War, at least the anime and manga version, is praised by some as the best romantic comedy. Sure, it has over-the-top humour, something that's a staple in a typical romcom, but the dynamic is different. Both fancy each other. The question becomes, who will confess first? How do you force the other party to confess? This dynamic sounds like war and game theory, which is different and interesting.


3. It remains to be seen if I will really find the anime version the best romcom.

Note that the director of this live-action movie is also the director of Nisekoi live action. I rated that one an 8 out of 10, while this is just 7.5 out of 10. It's statistically tied, but perhaps I found this way over the top than my taste permits, even though Kaguya-sama the anime is better regarded than Nisekoi.

Be that as it may, putting up with its OTT comedy is worth it when you consider its game theory aspects.


4. Most anime viewers have judged this as trash and in no way near the anime. I don't know if that's true, but live action movies tend to be inferior to the anime. I recommend only watching this if you haven't seen the anime, or for someone like me who wants to see if the inferior live action version would captivate me enough to seek the better anime version.

Of course, I am also watching it to enjoy seeing the beauty of Hashimoto Kanna so there's that.


5. I won't be specific about this, but there are some events in the latter half of the movie that feel there will be no more movie 2 and that the story will end. But for some reason, they found some justifications for coming back to square one and resuming the game theory dynamics.

This is a bit of a letdown.


§ Conclusion

This is a decent introduction to what some feel is the best romantic comedy, at least the anime/manga version. It's generally enjoyable if you can overlook how over-the-top it is. Hashimoto Kanna is a beauty and might be a good enough reason for some to watch it.

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UNDERRATED PEAK MASTERPIECE!

This was the greatest movie I’ve watched in a really long time, I have not seen a film that’s been this funny, emotional, and great. She was great in My PS Partner, I never knew she’ll be in this role? Because I watched 200 Pound Beauty and man… I couldn’t even recognize her. I’m shook to hear the news-

It hits in all the right places, you’ll be surprised. It doesn’t follow other movies it’s a great display of relationships and how we fall in love and apart!!!

This movie was everything that I felt had been missing from kdramas. It’s filled with lots of raunchy and adult drama but it’s done so well, honestly every scene connected with each other and flowed. This was great. I have to say the chemistry between the leads is electrifying and the sparks are there. I didn’t think too much while getting into this because I thought it would be alright, but man I’m just blown away. This movie is a cult classic, I can’t wait for having Kim Ah Joong come back!!!

What a great film.

THAT SONG TOO OMLLL I CAN’T BUT FEEL SAD WHILE LAUGHING

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"My job is to be your son"

Coming Home Again was directed and co-written by Wayne Wang, the director of the Joy Luck Club. This independent film’s budget was far below that mainstream film. The story focused on a son making peace with his dying mother as he came home to take care of her and prepare the traditional New Year’s Eve meal for the family.

Chang Rae left his prominent New York job to take care of his dying mother in San Francisco. The family had moved from Korea when he and his sister were young because his dad had landed a good job in the States. The story alternated between Rae’s actions on NYE and his memories of his mother. Stricken with stomach cancer and having dealt with two rounds of chemo, his mom was struggling with the effects of both. Rae patiently took care of her and cleaned up after her. He learned more about his mother and what she sacrificed for them as they talked and reminisced.

Coming Home Again was a short slice of life film revolving around one pivotal day in a son’s life. I wish that they’d played out a few more of the family dynamics as the sister and father were given little time. It might have been for the best as their performances were not as strong as the leads. Rae regretted having to go to an exclusive boarding school when he was young, feeling that he would have gotten to know his mother better if he’d stayed at home. Despite a few childhood resentments it was clear that he adored his mother.

Fair warning, this was a low budget film, the sets, costumes, and even acting reflect that. I've rated it as an independent film shot with limited funds and time.

Not much happened in the story, and yet in small meaningful moments a world of things happened between mother and son. Little irritations revealed deep heartache and pain. Love was communicated in ordinary acts of caregiving and preparing a meal with his mother’s recipes. I’m not an immigrant, so I cannot attest to that element of the story, but I have been a child caring for a dying mother, and know how every shared piece of her thoughts and history was a gift, and every minute act of service, a tiny way of trying to give back the love that had been selflessly shared. Coming Home Again was spare in details, yet still a rewarding watch.

“If you’d stayed home, you might have liked me less.” “I might have liked you more.”

30 January 2025

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beautiful

A great, delicate movie. 2019. Gong Yoo as a very worried husband trying to do his best for his wife and daughter. A very beautiful Jung Yu Mi, made up to not look as if she were made-up, as a woman worn out from the wild 24 hr effort it takes to be a baby's main caretaker and the main housecleaner.

The character Kim Ji Young, whom JYM plays, begins occasionally when very tired or stressed to speak in the voices of other women in her family, articulating the lives they have led as they connected to hers. Her memories in her dreams and while she is awake slide into these dissociative states, which are realistically seen from the outside by her confused husband and/or family. The beauty of the film is that KJY makes a powerful unconscious connection with that community via familial memories. What she cannot articulate for herself consciously is communicated as she enacts the perspectives of others.

She is not alone -- she sees friends occasionally and slowly begins to wonder if she can return to work. Everything seems to conspire to make it so hard for her, for mothers, to work, to take leave, to come back to work. Everywhere all over the world this is a long slow hard change to make, and it is individual people in every family who slowly one by one make those incremental steps happen.

There is nothing, nothing like the masterful way emotion is handled in Korean cinema. She suffers from postpartum depression, but the focus of the film is not clinical, but on the delicate shifts of relationships. I wept when her brother turned and said, next time I will bring you cream buns. You will know why if you watch the film.

I often say that what I love about SK cinema is its absurdist edge, but the surrealistic european heritage which is drawn on was never just about absurdity, it was always about art's journey through the subconscious of society to rescue the strengths of dreams and nightmares. The sheaves of our daily life are always interleaved with our dreams and only the very best cinema can come this close to depicting that.

The MDL list has everyone there, for once, from the cinematographer to the writer. So, take a look; the director is Kim Do Yung, the composer is Kim Tae Seong, and the writer is Yoo Young Ah.

Dont be afraid to watch this film. There was a lot of interesting fuss in Korea about it and about the book it was made from, but the film stands on its own.

ps. I try hard not to say this sort of thing but SK is no better or worse objectively in the treatment of women than the west or anywhere else in asia; its just a shock to see men so entitled as to publically try to shame women back into the Stone Age. In SK women fight and dream just as we all do; everywhere it's 2 steps forward,1 back.

Cinema has the power to shock simply by the enactment of fact. Because This Is My First Life was very first show where I had ever seen the fact that women are given less to eat as children enacted. I knew it was real, a fact, an historical fact, perhaps in the past for developed societies but definitely part of demographic data about childhood mortality, but it was a still a silent shock to see it on screen in front of me. I dont know why. Anyway, just saying...

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Greed Greed Greed

I read some of the reviews but they didn't highlight the major cause of the problem yes there was a mention abt lgbt rights and injustice but the story was majorly about how a greed or obsession of possession can make you blind to the point that you are willing to kill other even sa other and this depicted very clearly in this and not only the greedy main characters hit the rock bottom but they also drag others into the thorns who are obviously innocent so with their actions they had their karma that Greed can make things go worse than expectations And the more you chase it the more it's difficult to get it and even though you get it the consequences only make you regret and that what happens in this story

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This is such an amazing movie! I did not expect it to have such an impact on my life.

Loved the storyline so much. This show clearly demonstrates that a career-obsessed life leads to loneliness, while a balanced career and family life brings happiness. Having someone to love, care for, and rely on is such a blessing. At least, that’s what I took from the movie for my own life.

I loved how they wrote the friendship between Park Gang and Jo Yoon. They’re never jealous of each other and genuinely feel happy and proud of each other’s wins.

Loved how they balanced the comedy and slice-of-life elements so flawlessly. Such a heartwarming movie.

The production is amazing—there were no errors to point out.

The acting! Kwon Sang-Woo and Oh Jung Se nailed it! Loved their acting so much!

And the twins! Park So-Yi and Kim Jun. They’re so young but such amazing actors.
Of course, Lee Min-Jung!

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There will be a third installment

If you are fond of the horror mystery franchise, you won't be disappointed, but it will challenge you on the story
the story is a continuation of the first film The Priest and the 12th Deacon, this will challenge your belief and a grown a customed too, that there are people performing unofficial exorcism that some are undocumented because they are not the norm, they are called dark nuns, these are nuns authorized to perform the ritual unofficially if there is no exorcist available,
as long as the nun is chosen by faith, just like the priest, the priest is still not yet finished on his seminary but he was chosen.

Cast is powerhouse, but the cast full potential was not displayed , why it will overshadowed the story, story is simple, straight to the point, exorcise the 12 manifestation,

Music was ok, but at the climax part, the music starts to play and it helps a lot during the climax,

I will rewatch this again, because the movie screen is not good in where i watched it.
a definitely rewatch, song hye alone is a definite rewatch.

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