Reviews

Nang Nak set as coming of age

Modern coming of age adaptation of 1999's classic Nang Nak, with some nice extra nods to that like Nard's full name. Low budget with inexperienced actors but, like every Mae Nak, it's all about the emotions - the love between the young parents and the love Thailand has for Mae Nak's story.

This isn't one to watch because it came up in algorithms or you're after horror. You'll be missing the context of a story told many times where the intended audience knows nearly every turn, and how each adaptation finds its own way to move our emotions.

if you know and love Nang Nak though, give it a go and watch it with your heart.

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Don't romanticize toxic behaviors

I'll summarize the story without giving any spoilers: Imagine a kid who has a toy in the bottom of his trunk, a toy he doesn't like, doesn't care about, isn't interested in, doesn't value, and keeps throwing it around without caring if the toy breaks, because he doesn't give a damn. Until one day, when someone sees this toy and asks if they can keep it, take care of it, then the kid throws a tantrum and says he loves the toy and clings to it. But as soon as this person leaves, the kid kicks the toy into a corner. That's it for 3 movies. 🤢🤬
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NOTE: There is a very cute boy in all 3 movies, who really loves her and treats her like a princess. I was rooting for him and not for the toxic jerk.😥

NOTE 2: This shouldn't be called a romance. Don't romanticize toxic behaviors. If you identify with this character, find a therapist.

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Don't romanticize toxic behaviors

I'll summarize the story without giving any spoilers: Imagine a kid who has a toy in the bottom of his trunk, a toy he doesn't like, doesn't care about, isn't interested in, doesn't value, and keeps throwing it around without caring if the toy breaks, because he doesn't give a damn. Until one day, when someone sees this toy and asks if they can keep it, take care of it, then the kid throws a tantrum and says he loves the toy and clings to it. But as soon as this person leaves, the kid kicks the toy into a corner. That's it for 3 movies. 🤢🤬
-
NOTE: There is a very cute boy in all 3 movies, who really loves her and treats her like a princess. I was rooting for him and not for the toxic jerk.😥

NOTE 2: This shouldn't be called a romance. Don't romanticize toxic behaviors. If you identify with this character, find a therapist.

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Don't romanticize toxic behaviors

I'll summarize the story without giving any spoilers: Imagine a kid who has a toy in the bottom of his trunk, a toy he doesn't like, doesn't care about, isn't interested in, doesn't value, and keeps throwing it around without caring if the toy breaks, because he doesn't give a damn. Until one day, when someone sees this toy and asks if they can keep it, take care of it, then the kid throws a tantrum and says he loves the toy and clings to it. But as soon as this person leaves, the kid kicks the toy into a corner. That's it for 3 movies. 🤢🤬
-
NOTE: There is a very cute boy in all 3 movies, who really loves her and treats her like a princess. I was rooting for him and not for the toxic jerk.😥

NOTE 2: This shouldn't be called a romance. Don't romanticize toxic behaviors. If you identify with this character, find a therapist.

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The highlights of this movie remain the acting - Choi Min-sik is just brilliant and evil, and his presence overshadows the protagonist. The score complements the scenes very well, even during jump scares. Technical qualities such as the makeup, gore, and locations are also great. However, the script has serious problems. The protagonist is Bruce Lee-powerful when convenient, but for unexplained reasons, he repeatedly delays intervening. As a result, female victims are subjected to harm and violence due to his hesitation, and the camera work becomes problematic when this happens multiple times. Additionally, a ridiculous and unbelievable coincidence occurs in the middle of the movie involving a taxi, an event that could make for an entertaining short film on its own. Finally, the ending makes no sense, as the only people who suffer are innocent victims. Overall, this movie is worth watching because there are entertaining moments throughout.

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Unfaithfulness is the antithesis to romance.

I wasted nearly an hour with this movie. There was a beginning segment, and then after what seemed to be quite awhile, a time jump. During the first "act" I kept waiting for...something. Some explanation, some missing piece of information that would make sense of things. Then there was the time jump- which was underwhelming and felt detached somehow, but I kept thinking that at least now the story would arrive. Unfortunately I was wrong. Netflix has some explaining to do, labeling it as romance and a romantic comedy. In what way can this be labeled romance?? Unfaithfulness is this antithesis to romance!!

Oh, and this is yet another glorification of a disgusting individual. What is up with Kdramas and repulsive females??? [I'm looking at you club president Jan-Di.]

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Worth to Watch

As I never watch the Taiwan’s version of Seret, I had zero expectations for this movie. But as I know the casts are good actors in South Korea, I believe that they’re going to deliver the movie as good as the original one (well, in my opinion). And its true!!!

KyungSoo’s eyes while acting always able to deliver all the meaning of his acting. He always acts with his eyes. His eyes always speaks for his acting. And Won JinAh’s acting such a lovable one here. Her loves for YooJun really that deep like duhh, I even can't describe it properly. Shin YeeEun? She’s so gorgeous here! Her acting as YooJun’s close friend who misinterpret his action’s really good.

I guess you guys need to watch this movie. It’s so enjoyable tho.

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Lucid childhood dream

Realized by Joon-sung Kim by following coincidentally a childhood dream of his, 『Lucid Dream』 (루시드 드림) follows journalist Dae-ho Choi, whose specialty is revealing big fish's misconduct, as he tries to get back his son who was kidnapped during a family outing in an amusement park. Helped by benevolent people touched by his determination, our protagonist will use not less than, as the title mentions, lucid dreams for finding his child again: an audacious artistic attempt that'll have trouble blooming, just like other elements of this particularly oneiric adventure.


And precisely, the main problem is that oneiric part, that is really over-the-top. In themselves, lucid dreams are not a problem, and basing a movie on them is rare and cool; but being able to visualize pieces of memories as lucid dreams and then to analyze them as the fancy takes one? Without mentioning the concept of shared dreams… Admittedly, the movie makes use of its science-fiction label; but sci-fi, because of its science part, has to be duly justified for one to accept to believe in it. You can't make rules out of nowhere; and the rules you set up have to be backed up if you want them to be *science* and not just *fiction*.

Speaking of fiction, the plot has noticeable loopholes. That technology for solving cold cases is incredibly efficient! so why isn't Detective Song or the police as a whole more interested in using it? Also, how can this expensive technology be so easily used by complete strangers? if at least there'd be a small sentence saying « okay, i'll use it for my research and get the funds from that », that'd make it more believable. This is the kind of details that lack but are crucial for the story elements to hold up. In addition, at the end of the movie, many points remain unsolved: what has happened to the cool disabled guy? to the chad support detective? to Detective Song?
In the same vein, the story is rather predictable. We know the father is gonna find his son, we know his son won't die, we know that himself won't die. There's no suspense. Okay, we feel surprised that the villain was actually Detective Song — but his way of thinking is weird and hard to comprehend, especially for someone supposedly as clever as a detective: how will he explain to his daughter that she survived? how will she grow up knowing her heart comes from a little boy?
But to be fair, if we put all of that aside, the movie is able to distract one neatly up till the end.

That is notably thanks to the characters, which are pretty good and well played by their actors. The only problem about the characters, is that the most interesting ones are the secondary characters: each of them is specialized in a given domain, has out-of-the-ordinary skills, and some unique or quirky personality. While the main character is really just a father chasing his son with no other personality than that… if only his past of journalist would have been more valued!
What's even sadder is that among those characters there are some renowned actors: Soo Go for the father, or the celebrated Kyung-gu Sul, who in the same year demonstrated a brilliant performance as a Korean mafioso in 『The Merciless』… For both, their performance in Kim's movie is lacking.

From another side, I noticed something particular about this movie. Several times, it reminded me of manga: manga also offers a lot of exaggeration and impossible fiction like the shared dreams, or the fact that the hero is determined, or that he meets a lot of new friends each of them having particular skills, being particularly friendly, having strong personality to the verge of eccentricity, having their own locations that look impossible to exist but you are amazed in front of them (like for real, this disabled guy's base is pretty cool)
For real, i'm pretty sure the movie would make a cool manga/manwha/comics

Finally, as for the soundtrack, it is forgettable (and i forgot it for that matter), as well as the scenery — except for one scene at the end of the movie, where we get to see a devastated city as the final glimpse someone has before dying: having delivered a nice view of what that moment could look like, we get there to see genuine artistic thought in motion, for which we can salute artistic director In-jun Hwang for his work.


All in all, 『Lucid Dream』 is quite the mainstream movie: we know where we'll arrive and few are the elements that'll surprise us. The core of the scenario is appealing, but badly implemented, as are the story, the plot and the characters to some extent — and that's too bad considering the movie's cast. But hey, if we fill just a bit the plot holes, the movie will surely make a very good manga (or rather manwha here): waiting for that now :ok:

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Wanghedi and his friends experience life, music and dreams

5 young Chinese rappers gather for an audition with the promise they will sign with the famous director Goddot.
But there's no script, no direction only the fact that they should sunbathing and make music ( using free beats if possible)....
And so, the guys wearing some Hawaiian funny outfits are trying to enjoy their time on the island and create a bond....
They are passionate about music, but none of them dreamed to be a musician...
WangHeDi's dream is to smoke a cigarette and feel the moment when exhale the smoke like letting go all the pressure that fame, expectations and netizens hate put on him.
Another rapper dreamed to become a movie director am go to Cannes Film Fiestival with his film starring WangHeDi.
WangQiMing, the oldest among them and who has a family dreamed to shot the movie, but because of lack of direction he quits.
PuSha dreamed to speak French fluently with a beautiful girl.
They are just dreams or these can become reality? The film ends by the news that the filming process must be put on hold in director's Goddot orders, not knowing exactly what's going on....
The director of the film I Dreamed A Dream mentioned before premiere that his film is an unusual work, not easy to watch and understand... The filming process also and " the script" were decided by the actors themselves...
So, based on these factors, this is my understanding about this film.
As a "post credits" mention about the film I Dreamed A Dream is the fact that 3 of the rappers who met by chance to film this movie, one year later have established their own music label SEEWE and released a rap album Dreams of the Youth....
In fact, this final mention made me appreciate the film itself.

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"Behold the snow waits to be seen"

Love Under the Crucifix was Tanaka Kinuyo’s 6th and final film she directed. Set in the late 1500’s, the film included characters based on real people, Sen no Rikyu, the legendary tea master, and Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the “Second Great Unifier.” The rift that developed between the two men played out in the forbidden love story of Rikyu’s adopted daughter Ogin and his former student Takayama Ukon.

Ogin receives a marriage proposal that would be difficult to turn down. Her adopted father, Rikyu, knows that it would be unwise to make a powerful enemy but he tells Ogin he would follow her wishes. She meets with the only man she has ever loved, the stalwart and faithful Christian, Ukon, hoping he will finally confess his love for her. Because Ukon is married, they cannot be together. He would prefer she take her vows, if not, Mozuya would be a good husband. Crushed that he will not admit his feelings for her, she leaves hoping to never see him again. Fate is not that kind. A jealous husband and an even more jealous political rival will use the two for their own purposes. Even the most powerful man in the country who has had a falling out with Rikyu plans to punish the tea master through his daughter.

The Christian religion played a part in the film, as Ukon was a devout follower. I wasn’t as familiar with his harsh beliefs regarding love and remarriage. Hideyoshi began to crack down on Catholic priests and lords who were Christians believing that they would create political chaos and be a danger to him. Though Ogin was a Christian, her primary religion was Ukon. Unable to be with the man she loved, she could not simply love the one she was with. Ever faithful to Ukon, even when married to another, Ogin practiced her faith in love zealously. It was only by courting hell and death that she truly felt alive. Ukon for much of the film was unable to be as honest as Ogin was, whether due to his religious constraints or fear of the illicit passion she offered.

Arima Ineko was a powerhouse as Ogin with her volatile nature and commitment to Ukon and her family. Nakadai Tatsuya felt wasted in the role of Ukon. He often played characters with sizzling sex appeal and barely constrained madness. I could almost hear him thinking, “Don’t smolder, don’t smirk.” Ukon kept his feelings locked down tight, knowing that one day he would likely be crucified. Crucifixion wasn’t reserved for Christians, the cruel execution method was more often exercised on adulterous couples or those whose love didn’t remain within the proper societal bounds. Ukon struggled to maintain his faith and stay away from Ogin. Rikyu had no problem with Ogin following her heart, even if it caused him difficulties with the powers above him. And Ogin just wanted to be herself and be free to love the only one in her heart, even if that commitment led to death.

Love Under the Crucifix started out slow as it bounced around the political landscape. Once Tanaka settled down and focused on Ogin and her struggle to love and live, the movie came alive. The famous actress was only 53 when she directed this film, I wish that she’d directed more.

“Rather than a glorious flower in bloom, a weed blooming unknown amongst the snow, is the true embodiment of spring…the heart of tea lies in the simplicity of nature.” For Ogin, one moment of unbridled love, lifted her cold heart out of the snow and into the sun.

8 February 2025

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extremely real, extremely sentimental

family dynamics are incredibly powerful, especially when you're young. this series was phenomenal

this series is almost like a 2 in 1 - we get to see our main characters grow up together through their harsh reality, become each other's first real love, and also their adult lives, navigating the world around them. i cannot express how fucking cute these characters are. the awkwardness of not knowing how to approach eachother, make the first move, and the fear of being wrong are all so incredibly realistic and beautiful.

i have a lot of good things to say about this series. we see actual consequences, and an extremely convincing story unfold. consequences for being unable to reach, consequences for lying about a certification, and the consequence of choosing a first love over what's around.

the storyline was truly beautiful. i could see myself rewatching a good few times to really take the entire story in. i'm not a big fan of time gaps in general but this series might've changed my mind a little bit. we have to work for the happy ending - which means communication and answers.

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Another fun story with actors we know

Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran are at it again, solving a murder while being goofy. Since they are not playing Tang Ren and Qin Feng, they are allowed to change up their roles a bit. Wang’s A Gui is much more serious, focused and skilled than Tang Ren. Lin’s Qin Fu is not the magic genius, and more an average person. This allows the story to be more balanced between them, with each bringing skills and insight, while also allowing both to be funny at times. The supporting actors are all fun characters and have parts to play. Chow Yun Fat is great. John Cusack plays the villain well.

The story itself is fine, trying to tell the murder story, while also trying to tell the story of the plight of Chinese immigrants. The costumes and production are very well done. A lot of time and money was spent to make it look really good, I felt the story was trying to do too much. They have multiple crimes, lots of tragic back stories, the anti-Qing movement, “the real villain is racism”, etc. The movie tries to say a lot, probably too much to be really effective as a murder mystery or social commentary.

The best part is the time change has allowed the main actors to play different characters in a similar story. It is a nice shack up which will hopefully keep the series from becoming stale.

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"Interestingly uninteresting"

While the film boasts strong performances, direction, and cinematography, its plot feels thin and overly stretched. Adapted from a short story, it might have been more effective as a short film. Though it's intended as a "slow burn," the 2.5-hour runtime feels excessive, with the first 1.5 hours dedicated solely to setting up the premise—something that could have been accomplished in just 30 minutes.

That said, the movie gains depth in hindsight, as certain dialogues take on new meaning upon reflection. However, don’t expect a complex mystery; this is primarily a drama (about 75%), with subtle mystery and thriller elements sprinkled in.

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Dream or reality?

What if the scale no longer showed reality? What if it showed 0? What do I weigh then, when I step on the scale and it shows that my weight is 0? Is it a dream or reality?

Tae Suk breaks into strangers' homes to stay there for a day or a night. He never steals, occasionally he moves a painting or changes something of minor importance, but he always repays the hospitality by fixing small things, doing the laundry or cleaning. One day, no more remarkable than any other day, he breaks into what he thinks is an empty house. In the darkest corner of the house, Sun Hwa sits huddled, despairing and afraid that her husband will come home. Her face is bruised. When she sees Tae Suk, she watches and follows her intruder carefully. Later that night, she steps forward and shows herself. Tae Suk is surprised and moves eagerly towards the door to leave when the phone rings. That's Sun Hwa's man.

In some situations - In some encounters - Only glances are needed to communicate and understand. When two people who share a very strong feeling meet, the moment and the energy can tell everything. Such is the case for Tae Suk and Sun Hwa. They share the feeling of an incredible loneliness and in this scene take part in each other - Are sucked into each other - And escape together. Without speaking at all.

3-Iron tells the story in images more than in dialogue. A stationary camera allows the viewer to see details: The scenography, the sound and above all the faces can be interpreted and observed to a completely different extent. Here it is unbeatable. It is a kind of poetry that our Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki also expresses himself so well in, a kind of figurative and very freely interpreted poetry. You don't lose interest in a single frame, not for a single second. And without knowing anything about their background, the symbol-laden images (the film literally speaks in them) shape two characters with a lot of depth and emotion. You understand their loneliness and you understand their longing: How they need each other for their survival. That energy creates one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever seen on film.

In the end, they get caught and Tae Suk is reported for a whole series of crimes. They are separated and Sun Hwa is forced to return to her husband who is patiently waiting for his revenge. But with more courage and strength in her body – She knows that Tae Suk will be released – She manages to resist. Now it is about finding a way for Tae Suk and Sun Hwa to reunite. What drives them now is love.

To a large extent, Kim Ki Duk's film is about precisely this: What drives and motivates people. Why does Tae Suk wander around apartments, what satisfaction and what holes does it fill? Does he fill the hole of loneliness? And Sun Hwa's husband, what motivates his vengeful spirit, could it also be loneliness? And when Kim Ki Duk does it with high-strung energy and strong characters, and instead of taking the turns uses empathy and meticulous image processing – Well then it can't be anything but masterful.

FYI: The director wrote the script for the film in a month, it was shot in just 16 days and edited in 10.

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