Reviews

✒⌨ 2D Love °5.9° °good° ?%?

Gamers don't need a dating website because they can make good matches while gaming. Our protags are fans of the RPG (role playing game) Chinese Ghost Story/CGS. FL, Wei Wei, even has an in-game spouse - until she gets dumped. She won't be in the dumps for long, though: Her white knight is in the wings.

Computers don't just facilitate hook-ups; they make identity theft pretty easy, too. While Er Xi may not have stolen Wei Wei's ID, she did borrow Wei Wei's CGS game character, which leads /Wei Wei's/ crush to pursue /Er Xi/ in the game, thinking he's hanging out, virtually, with Wei Wei. It also leads men at Er Xi's summer internship to believe that SHE'S the top female CGS player. Er Xi, unawares, is getting all kinds of attention in the name of Bei Wei Wei, and Bei Wei Wei wouldn't have it any other way-way-way.

That's the same paragraph I used for the show review because, in curious fashion, 2016 saw a show and a film released that were based on the same story. I watched the show first and find myself unable to assess this film without comparing. It feels like a completely different story in many ways, thankfully. But the core programming is identical:

Xiao Nai is the school ‘s supreme catch. Not only is he finishing up school, but he's designing a new game with his buddies. They are marketing it to companies and will run into all kinds of sleaze👾 in the business world. He's also a serious gamer and CGS is his 2nd home. He witnesses the top female player being game-divorced and decides it might be nice to pick her up as a game-wife. He's also glimpsed Wei Wei playing CGS at an internet cafe 😍. He's making 2D and 3D moves on her. Wei Wei is “The Belle of the Computer department,“ but her paths haven't crossed much with Xiao Nai ~ she /thinks/. She's been hanging with him on the CGS servers, she just doesn't know who her game spouse is IRL/in-real-life. In the meantime, Er Xi uses Wei Wei's alternate ID to play the game and ends up being mistaken for the top female player in CGS. This brings her into virtual contact with a guy chasing Wei Wei IRL. He thinks he's flirting with his crush and Er Xi believes she's developing a new virtual relationship that could become a real world fling. One of them is more wrong than HE would guess and the other is so wrong, but so right.

That's the setup. They are meeting in the game and building impressions in their imagination. Next, they will face and deal with the IRL implications.

Both the show and movie are watchable and enjoyable for romance fans. I don't think either feature does anything but toss lite snacks to the romance fan base. They aren't going to please any other watching group. So, you romantics out there, this is worth watching for the first kiss; it's swoony. The romance is mutual. Xiao Nai is “The Man”. He only plays for keeps.

I know my rating makes it seem like I didn't like the film. I did - it's definitely over the line of demarcation. It has some great moments along with its corresponding problems. Until recently, China consistently put out (arguably) watchable, relaxation-inducing, but mindless drivel under the guise of modern-day features, while at the same time they cranked out all-world fantasy and historical pieces. I have my theories about this… China's modern day features have been cluttered up with wooden acting, inane dialogue, and lazy plotlines. Things started changing noticeably around 2018. Now, there's many modern-day Chinese features I have been able to watch and not just enjoy, but LOVE - without wincing in pain at all. Coincidentally, many characters in these new-and-improved contemporary Chinese works will mention watching Kdramas. It's like China got a memo. They've responded well.

As for a comparison, the film is 100 minutes and the show is nearly 1400 minutes. The show should be better. The movie has more natural looking people and a more natural feel when it comes to interactions between the characters. It's so loose and free feeling, compared to most Chinese modern-day features (2016 & earlier), that I double checked to make sure it wasn't a Taiwanese film. Because of that, the film feels differently from the show, even with some of the same scenes. From the start, the characters feel real; this movie is part of the positive jump forward. There are minor pacing issues, though, where things almost drag.

The FL isn't awful in the show, but she's just better in the film, being feisty and active in the relationship. She isn't shy. She becomes part of the team, not a piece of fluff on the side. It makes more sense how the film has Wei Wei actively involved with the company and making the game. She is a computer major, afterall. In the show she acts more like a liberal arts major and soon-to-be 50’s housewife. One of the show's deficiencies is how Wei Wei remains too demure. A confident and capable Wei Wei would have been a welcomed sight.

Er Xi in the show is said to be homely, when she's definitely north of an 8. She's one of the show's assets. I rolled my eyes every time they denigrated her character's looks. (The show focuses on looks too much. It gets wearisome). Show Er Xi could play Tinkerbell, she's so cute. Movie Er Xi is perky and would qualify as less than a 7 based on looks alone, though the actress beams an uplifting carefree air. I'm only commenting on looks because it's a theme in the story - perhaps the main theme. The truth is that there are very few ugly people, and confidence is the sexiest thing. The rest of the movie-friends get alot less play due to the 1300 minute differential. They didn't utilize the friends well in the show, either.

As the credits start to roll we hear about one of the guys falling in love with a female game character who turns out to be a man. It's a bit that got alot of screen time in the show and was handled particularly well, except for the wrap-up.

Overall, the flick has higher highs and lower lows than the show. The characters are solid and there's great moments. It is quick & abbreviated, with light drama that is resolved too easily. Just keep that in mind.


QUOTE📢

If you go outside the wall an inch, I'll move the wall an inch. If you go outside a foot I'll move it ten feet.

〰🖍 IMHO

📣5.5 📝4 🎭7 💓6 🦋7.6 🌞5 🎨7⚡5 🎵/🔊6.5 😅2 😭2 😱0 😯2 😖0 🤔1 💤2.5 🔚6

Age - there's nothing objectionable and nothing about which to make an age caution. As soon as kids can keep up with the subtitles they are good-to-go with 0-2-0.

Re-📺? Doubtful

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So Much Potential Wasted

Hear Me: Our Summer is a fairly wholesome movie that portrays sign language beautifully. The actors did an excellent job expressing their emotions. However, the plot was rather basic and lacked that certain something that could have elevated the entire experience.

The romance, in particular, was poorly executed and, in my opinion, is one of the main reasons I didn’t enjoy the film. The male lead not only made me uncomfortable but also ruined the romantic aspect with his behaviour in the context of love. I don’t mind that he fell in love at first sight—that wasn’t the issue. The real problem lies in how he went about getting to know the female lead. Completely infatuated, he came across as almost a stalker, a simp, and it was unbearable to watch. His behaviour didn’t reflect that of a 26-year-old man but rather an inexperienced teenager who had just discovered love and had no idea how to approach women—and definitely not in a way that could be considered charming. It was very difficult to connect with the male lead, to the point where I started skipping his scenes and only focused on the parts involving the female lead and her sister.

The scenes with the female lead and her sister, on the other hand, were very well done. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, but their interactions were what kept me motivated to continue watching the movie.

That said, the acting overall was good, and the emotions conveyed through sign language were well executed. However, for a film that’s 1h49 long, I ended up skipping over an hour of it due to the lack of depth in the script. This was a movie I had been looking forward to for a long time and was very excited about, but it ultimately left me disappointed. There was so much potential, but it feels like it wasn’t properly realized, which is quite unfortunate.

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Suspenseful, but I liked it a little less than Blind

My biggest complaint with this movie was the cinematography. There was a lot of crazy camera work that was apparently supposed to put us in her shoes, but she was blind, so every time that happened, it killed the suspense for me.

There were some periods when the acting was less than stellar, but not throughout the whole thing, thankfully.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!!
I liked this movie from the standpoint that we got to see what happened in his past that made the perp a bad guy. I also liked that they didn't kill off the detective like they did in Blind. And since it was a newer movie, the social media aspect worked really well.
I also liked the end where her new "brother" was in a band in a tribute to her brother that died.

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Main story that feels like a side-plot.

I’m sad to say, but there was something strangely satisfying about this movie. It did not feel like the main story. It felt like one of the side plots in a drama. A bit wishy-washy.

Yes, the story was technically moving. Love how it showcases disability focused on the children and how it affects them and their guardians. I also truly appreciated the focus on communication and the patience needed to create a bond with a child who does not use the usual channels of communication we know.

The acting was amazing, especially from Jung Seo Yeon who was only 7 when she portrayed Eun Hye. And yet, while the movie made me smile from time to time and the interactions between Eun Hye and Jae Shik were adorable, I was never truly moved.

Maybe because there was just too much going on plot wise? MLs failed career, gangsters on his ass, hunting for the “aunt”, then side plots with the watermelons and that small family, his bond with Eun Hye. At the end everything felt underwhelming.

Overall, I liked it, but did not love it. Maybe it would work better in a longer format, or with some plots trimmed.

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A sensitive and wonderful film

The film is a decade old, but at the same time, in terms of the plot, it is timeless, and it is true that it is supernatural, but at the same time the most sensitive and human, there is unconditional love in it. The casting is perfect, as is the soundtrack, and the film rightly received so many awards and praise. The actress Han Hyo Joo is wonderful and plays the role perfectly with a quiet and penetrating voice. I highly recommend it 10/10. I also recommend watching the drama of the same name, The Beauty Inside, which has the same great plot (instead of a man who changes characters every day, in the drama it is a woman who changes once a month, and falls in love with a man who has a disease that he does not recognize, (a disease that exists in real life) and how both of them do not give up on love and bridge the gaps.

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A huge downshift

In its attempt to one-up The Peacock King, Saga of the Phoenix unfortunately feels like a massive downturn often coming across as a huge internal battle between two directors whose styles do not fit together, cutting the darker and more adult fantasy elements to make it more kid-friendly was a poor move. Poor Yuen Biao spends most of the film encased in ice and nobody seems to care, granted the sequences helmed by Lam Nai-Choi are a sight to behold with plenty of great special effects work and dazzling production design, however, the action is sorely lacking even if it is rather well shot. Nobody ever sets out to make a bad film but sometimes even the best intentions go badly awry, there's a wealth of oddness and general daftness to keep you entertained but it lacks what made its predecessor special. Granted the film does earn an extra brownie point with me for having Zatōichi himself, Shintarō Katsu, in the film even if it is a relatively small role. By the time Biao returns to the film to set things straight, the damage has been done. Truth be told, the film is passable in spurts but sadly, it's also 25 minutes too long. The scope of Saga of the Phoenix may be smaller but there's still a lot of charming creativity which means I can't hate the effort, although catering the film for a younger demographic did not help matters and hurt its overall impact.

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Hear Me: Our Summer Review - ZyKuu

"Actions speak louder than words" - The story was very simple and easy to follow. There was a gentle atmosphere this movie laid out that allows the viewer to be calm in enjoyment. Two nitpicks I have pertain to the dynamic of both main leads Yong-jun and Yeo-reum. I feel as if their relationship did not develop naturally or at a reasonable pace. Also, I believe that there was bit of romance lacking between them. The cast was very small in this project. Yeon-jun's parents were fabulous as they nailed their roles as expected. The secondary couple I wish had more interactions and screen time. Ga-eul was a character I wish we got to spend more time with as I found her story interesting. The background OST was nice and helped set the mood when needed. This film delivers important messages about family and life that many people can relate to. It also peaked my interest towards learning ASL as one day there may be a time it will come in handy, along with making the people who communicate using this language feel more comfortable. In conclusion, I would only recommend this film if you have some free time to spare!

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"Amah, you're my number one."

One scene that stuck with me is when the grandmother seeks help from her wealthy brother, only to be met with indifference, which broke my heart at how success, hard work, and failure can divide families or create unspoken tensions, which reflect inequalities that exist within even the closest bonds. I couldn’t help but think of my brother and hope the both of us never lose sight of having compassion for each other as we age.

It captures the bittersweet journey of aging and the richness of a life fully lived, even as it approaches its end. It reminds me of the struggles, joys, and sacrifices that shape a person's life over the years. It’s a poignant reminder that every elderly person has a unique history filled with experiences that deserve to be acknowledged and cherished.

Grandma’s story serves as a gentle reminder that, at the end of the day, success and failure matter far less than the love and care we give each other. It’s those moments of kindness and connection that truly endure.

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Flop ending

the movie was doin good till her husband decided to b a cuckold and she exposed her video like that s bravery? lol what a joke, she s nothin but a parasite, at least the husband had some rationality and goodwill behind his acts.. the wife was just a shameless dirty mop where people wiped their shoes..

i know they both cheated, but the context s different. For him sex was out of lust, but in the wife s affair, sex was a tool to fulfil her greed and ascend the ladder. which makes it more disgusting and degrading.

that lube sex scene was unnecessarily too long.. i understand they were showin us how that art was bein made with her gripping the sheets durin the act.. but it was too fkn long to look at

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One of the Saddest Movie I Ever Watched.

When I Started it i thought It would a good movie with a happy ending, but in the end I was crying..........................................................................................
































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Intimate, highly stylized and experimental docudrama from queer Chinese filmmaker Cui Zi En

'Night Scene' is a highly intimate, highly stylized and experimental docudrama from filmmaker Cui Zi En, one of the most prominent cultural figures in the Chinese queer community, which focuses on male sex workers in Beijing.
Camera in hand, the director descends into parks, nightclubs and other public spaces to interview both real-life "rent boys" and actors posing as male prostitutes.
In this work Cui Zi En manages to scrutinize one of the greatest taboos of contemporary China: male street prostitution.
The film becomes a unique portrait of a twilight world in parks and nightclubs, which oscillates between documentary and fiction. Cui filmed gigolos and real actors playing homosexual prostitutes, without detailing precisely who is real and who is not. There is no strict distinction between homosexuals and prostitutes, nor any moral verdict. However, the director has filmed an ambiguous and layered film, as limitless as the lives of prostitutes in China.
Cui Zi'en's second film in four months is more of an expanded footnote to his memorable 2003 effort titled 'Feeding Boys, Anaya'. As in this work, 'Night Scene' investigates the lives of prostitutes on the streets of Beijing, here using the most subtle narrative to gather first-person interviews to document the clandestine sexual world of the Chinese capital.
While not as compelling as 'Feeding Boys, Anaya' and less formally interesting than 'The Narrow Path', Cui's one-take work, 'Night Scene' found a home at the same festivals that have regularly showcased his work, as well as the support of critics and the public.
The docudrama explores the construction of queer discourse in China through the lens of male prostitution, and thanks to a fragmented and layered narrative that is combined with diverse perspectives and polyphonic voices, giving rise to all these representations being presented in one performance highly conscious that it needs to be put into context: that is, China's queer visual discourse, which is constantly under construction and in need of self-criticism.
Presented in the Official Selection of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2005, Busan International Film Festival, 2004, Viennale, 2004, and Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival, 2005, the documentary collects confessions of sex workers as they speak directly to the camera, but it also features some fake scenes.
I draw the viewer's attention, because since all the false scenes are located in the footage at the beginning of the film, we can come to believe that we are actually watching a fiction film and not a docudrama.
The line between fact and fiction is blurred from the start, but in some ways the faux approach helped make the more intimate, one-on-one scenes with the sex workers feel much more vulnerable and personal.
Cui Zi En shows mastery of an intimately embodied vision, the effective use of the haptic camera, reflective performances and subjective editing strategies, characteristic features of his work, with which he manages not only to present alternative perspectives on issues of identity from within of queer communities but, more significantly, practices a boldly performative and intimately engaged mode of documentary filmmaking, and in the process challenges the very distinction between documentary and fiction, truth and opinion, self and other.
Its embodied approach not only demonstrates the potential for minority discourses to actively and critically engage with social reality, but also represents an important direction – that of increasing reflexivity – for the continued development of documentary film in China.
The candid confessions of all those interviewed offer a glimpse into the culture of street sex workers in the Chinese capital, touching on common themes such as gay rights, class disparities and the search for true romance.
The docudrama also follows a gripping story about a young man named Yangyang, who discovers that his father is gay. The boy sets out to investigate his father's hidden past and confronts his secret partner Xiaoyong in the process. At the same time, in all this confusion, Yangyang is surprised to discover that she also falls in love with a boy, Haobin. But his world falls apart when, after a while, he discovers what his friend really does.

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Donnie Yen Being The Best

Really enjoyed this film. I saw the trailer a few weeks ago and was hoping it would be playing on the big screen near me when it was released internationally. So happy it was. The movie was inspired by a real case and that part was very interesting. It's terrible that the Department of Justice just wants convictions instead of the truth sometimes. I felt bad for Jia Jie and his grandfather when he was convicted for the drug trafficking crime. The truth doesn't always mean a person won't be convicted. The Judge even said he goes by eyewitness testimony, evidence and the jury. All three things can be notoriously compromised. As the film states no justice system is perfect but it should be the job the the Department of Justice to get to the truth!

I loved this movies actions scenes they brought levity to the heaviness of the subject matter. The opening scene was fantastic. Played out like a first player video game in some parts. God how much I missed Hong Kong action flicks. Don't get to see them as much as I used to. I really loved the scenes on the train as well; very well done. Donnie Yen never disappoints, he directed and stars. The rest of cast was great as well. MC the actor playing Jing Wei the young detective was so good. Kent Cheng as Bao Ding and Lau King as Ma Bo were great too!

1/18/25

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Made me realize the beauty of silence

This was beautifully produced wow...the natural sounds around them while they signed was so calming. I loved the plot, the cast, the music?? The music was really cute. It sounded like it had emotion, helping with their emotions cause it's only signed. I don't understand the low ratings for this. Maybe they felt it was slow cause it was an everyday life kind of movie, but I can't stop thinking of this!! The pool scene where she realized he could speak was so emotional. Just all of this in general was adorable. Not to mention the cast?! WOWW THEY'RE SO GOOD. The signing was so smooth and well portrayed ♡ Definitely would watch again. Hopefully I'll be able to see this movie on a streaming service soon!

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