Reviews

As fast and lethal as the banker robbers it depicts

One of Kinji Fukasaku's lighter and more comedic works, Violent Panic: The Big Crash is an unrelenting and fast-paced slice of vehicular mayhem, one that feels right at home in his crime-ridden filmography. It's classic Fukasaku from start to finish, just dropping the Yakuza subgenre that often defined his works. Despite the departure from the said genre and the film being a bit of a mess tonally in the first half, Fukasaku still creates a gripping world of slick, charismatic characters. It's a film filled with brutal, quick-to-the-trigger, cigarette-breathing bank robbers, and Tsunehiko Watase is a star among them. He walks the line between enthralling and too ruthless well as he robs his way through Japan. The characters in the second act are often one-note or clash with the gritty crime world Fukasaku paints, but few diminish from the atmosphere of danger throughout the narrative thanks to Fukasaku's trademark urgent and frantic camerawork being out in full force, from its thrilling bank robberies to its outstanding car chases, he puts the audience square within the chaos. From the mix of funky grooves to slow spaghetti western ballads on the soundtrack, Violent Panic: The Big Crash furthers Fukasau's stylish legacy with one hell of an entertaining ride, as fast and lethal as the banker robbers it depicts.

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A tale of acceptance and finding joy in life

Such a great film, it's such a simple concept but contains so many emotions which is executed in a amazing way by the actors. A lighthearted film which showcases one of the most crucial uprising issues in the corpoative world, feeling unsatisfied with your job.

In just my experience, i never find satisfaction or pleasure in my work and i always find myself thinking of just quitting everything for an slow pace life, but i can never leave the hamster wheel and continue running in circles.

This film portrayed the challenges in life in a simplistic way with light hearted humor in times. I just loved the score and all actors in this film, highly recommend to anybody who feels their life is too complicated

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A watch for absolute free time

I watched this movie with 2 aspects: For KNG and without reading the synopsis.
The movie starts and after half hour, I am still confused as to what exactly is the plot-"Ah, 1/3rd of the movie is done and I still dunno what is going on."
Then, as the movie moves ahead, I realized, "So, this is it, I guess. Maybe what I guess is the whole point, there's nothing much".
The movie is good, with good action scenes, good star cast. The plot was too simple for me to understand that yes, this was the whole point. Maybe, I was expecting something more to happen. Suggestion: the story is as in synopsis, no suspense involved and this is no spoiler.
It has similar vibes as "time to hunt" starring Lee Je Hoon (except that one is still better now that I watched this one).
I guess such movies are not my taste.
Since I watched it for KNG, I enjoyed his character which though didn't seem a deadly killer, it still gave craziness which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I guess my ratings are mostly for him. I am pretty sure I am not watching it again.

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"Life is long and the revolution is short"

The Old Garden was an ill fated tale of love set right after the Gwangju Massacre and 17 years afterwards. A dedicated revolutionary and a teacher seeking a quiet life meet and fall in love during the tumultuous time.

Oh Hyun Woo has to go into hiding when he and his group are being hunted by the government for their activities in defying the current regime. Somehow art teacher Han Yoo Hee recognizes him and takes him to her rural home. Before you can say Bob’s your uncle the two have fallen in love. And just as quickly, Yoo Hee discovers that love can’t stop Hyun Woo from his sense of guilt and returning to Seoul where he is immediately arrested, tortured, and sent to jail indefinitely.

The Old Garden bounced back and forth in time which made it hard for me to connect with the characters, especially when they were given precious little backstory and time together. Even as the story progressed, big gaps were left out of the narrative. Yoo Hee’s father was brought up several times without explaining why Hyun Woo reminded her of him. While Hyun Woo was in jail, her activities were never explained fully nor his life in jail. We’re introduced to older Hyun Woo as he reminisces about their short time together while alternating between his life and hers.

Hyun Woo’s reason for returning to Seoul in order to be jailed was rather thin, even for someone dedicated to the cause. Not all of his compatriots were jailed and in their older age (mid-thirties?) they argued over who had stayed true to socialism and who had sold out. In flashbacks, one of the groups callously decided who would be sacrificed. But the overarching shadow fell from the government and their blatant crimes against humanity. Other films and dramas have done a better job of demonstrating the cruelty inflicted upon dissidents so this film needed to sell the romance. With much of the time dedicated to when the lovers were apart, that was a tall task and only partially accomplished. Both characters suffered off screen when they were separated by eschewing the rule of show don’t tell. The characters were never fleshed out completely, coming across rather flat. Not to nitpick, but of course I'm going to, where was the titular garden?

The Old Garden was beautifully shot and had a nice OST. The actors both did their best with the material given. Somewhere in all the hopping through time and skipping over plot elements, I became emotionally detached from Hyun Woo and Yoo Hee, through no fault of the actors. If you go into the film with low expectations there were meaningful moments to be had but they were few and far between.

6 December 2024
Trigger warning: A rather graphic self immolation scene

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Overacting made it cringe, besides being boring

This is one of the few japanese productions I could not enjoy at the least.

Takahashi constant overacting ruined this movie for me completely. I bet it was not his fault and they director wanted it this way, but it resulted in a cringe fest for me. The story is boring as fuck as well. There is no real progress and there is no real story told. They should have confessed to each other in the beginning because they should already knew from the first movie how they feel. And then maybe we would have a chance to see them grow together and overcome all the obstacles life throws at them. And after they confessed near the end, they do not change, they do not kiss, it's just the same.

So all in all the skip button was my biggest support for this movie. I could not stand to watch some scenes several times. That's the disappointent from Japan in 2024. Why some people like a non-story movie I have no clue, because while the actors look pleasing, the acting was only cringe and there are only about 10minutes of cute in this movie. I guess female viewers will like it more but for me it was just crap and the pretty cinematography can't save it.

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Thrilling story with great acting

The storyline and execution was really interesting and unique and the synergy between the actors was amazing, they all bounced off each other extremely well. Best part was the cinematography, loved all the shots and the colouring.

I do wish we got to know a little bit more about the motivations of the Han character, without that, it was hard to understand his motives as a 'villain' or deeply care about the second half of the plot. Additionally, I would have also liked a bit more backstory about all the other main characters. I think this would've worked better as a 4 part series. The ending was also a bit weak, didn't leave me yearning for more, just unsatisfied.

Overall though it was a good watch and I enjoyed watching the movie. Props to all the actors!

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A movie so good, feels like you are in LOVE

woah.!!! don’t know where I should begin……an amazing movie…I have nothing but praises.

• if you are looking for something light hearted, this movie is for you, it has no villains, no obstructions and the leads enjoy a good amount of screen time…

• the chemistry between the leads is sizzling and trust me by the end you would end up asking for more…how I wish this could be longer….

• The best part about the movie is, that it is realistic yet dreamy, it gives you butterflies, trust me you’ll feel it, it low key has those old movie vibes, that make you keep on wanting to watch more…

• both the actors did a wonderful job and plot, although just another love story, is pretty unconventional and something fun to watch. This movie, in all senses is a great Rom-Com……!!!

• I am soooo glad I randomly came across this and ended up watching it, every single minute I was laughing, blushing, rolling and had butterflies after such a long time.

I watched such a great movie in AGES, will a 1000% re watch it.!!!!

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Beautiful message, plot, and characters

The story is very good!! I love how it criticizes Japan's dangerous overwork culture and the characters are both very likeable, especially Yamamoto! He's my new favorite character ( Fukushi Sota did a fantastic job at portraying him). Idk why some people claim this movie's a BL though?? Would be great if a romance was actually shown between the two characters (for those of us into romance) but I believe it is only hinted/up to interpretation. Also the plot twist is very good as well! Overall, this film has beautiful cinematography to go along with the beautiful story and characters. I recommend!

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Felt like a second chance

It has been a few days since I watched Wonderland, and I can’t help but write a review. Hopefully, this will help me process my feelings about it. I don’t have any strong negative emotions toward it, but there’s something unresolved about it that leaves you feeling like you're in a daze. I often find myself reflecting on the different storylines.

I wasn’t expecting to watch this movie, but the preview featuring Suzy and Bo Gum was so captivating that I had to give it a try.
The movie starts by giving us a glimpse into the lives of several characters: a mother following her dreams but is willing to do anything for her daughter, a couple in a long-distance relationship, and two program creators, one of whom seems to have feelings for the other. We eventually learn that some of these characters are only able to communicate through a phone. It is later explained that, for this to be possible, the individual is either in a coma or has passed away, leading to the conclusion that the person they communicate with on the phone is generated by AI.

I initially watched the film because of Bo Gum, but I stayed for Bai Li’s story. Reflecting on it, the film feels like a second chance at life for those who have lost loved ones. Everyone grieves differently, and for some, Wonderland offers comfort.

However, some viewers may find the lack of backstory frustrating. If you prefer clear explanations, this might not be the movie for you. Personally, I didn’t mind this aspect, as I filled in the gaps with my own theories based on the scenes shown. For example, I believe Hae Ri’s parents have passed away, and she was likely an early user of the system, as suggested by a comment from Hyeon Su.

One aspect I really appreciated was the portrayal of Bai Li’s mother’s grieving process. Despite knowing the full truth, her struggle felt real. Bai Li's character felt so genuine that she even caused a glitch in the system, which added an emotional layer to the story. I think Wonderland would have worked well as a miniseries—there's so much more that could have been explored, though I am still happy with the movie.

The only downside for me was the aftermath of Suzy and Bo Gum’s storyline after he wakes up. I struggled to understand Suzy’s character and what she was trying to portray. Her acting felt disconnected, and it left me confused about her emotions. For this reason, I’m knocking off a few stars from my rating.

I’d recommend Wonderland if you’re looking for something new and are interested in AI. As I mentioned earlier, it reminds me of the idea of giving life a second chance. For those who are alive, we keep the memories of our loved ones alive by thinking about them and wondering what they would be doing. For some, Wonderland might offer that kind of comfort. In this world, individuals are living their dreams and are in a happier place. We all have our own stories, and sometimes, through loss, we learn to rely on others. We come to appreciate the small things our loved ones do for us or even the things they might hide from us.

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Souls trapped in the human realm, unable to move on

As much as I hate to admit it, it was the movie adaption of John Green's The Fault in our Stars that taught me, "Funerals... are not for the dead. They are for the living."

From watching the trailer, I thought this film would be presented in clashes of dichotomies: death vs life, tradition vs modernity, religion vs industry. And while all these themes do surface in the film, they don't do so as mutually exclusive dichotomies. Instead, the richness of The Last Dance comes from the intersections and overlap of these themes.

The story structure itself is neat. There are three parts and the narrative comes fulls circle, starting and ending with the Taoist funeral ritual of Breaking Hell's Gate. The cinematography of the ritual scenes alone could carry the film if needed. But the bulk of the film is what provides the emotional impact of these scenes.

The strength of this film is its messiness. And the messiness is found at the intersections. Tradition and modernity don't so much clash with one another as grasp out to one another, trying to find purchase, albeit sometimes in awkward or painful ways. This doesn't only play out in the funeral home between the male leads. The friction and fondness also happens within the family home as the characters try to figure out how religion features in their own identities and how it impacts their relationships with one another. There is also just enough wry humour – mostly from Dayo Wong's character – to provide breathing space (pun intended).

Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of death in this film. Despite the music being a tad heavy-handed at times, these are emotionally deep touch points. Each death progresses the narrative and also reveals some new aspect to the intersecting themes of the film.

To bring this review back to full circle, The Last Dance itself is for the living. Perhaps this is why we don't ever get to see any of the deceased characters on screen alive. The film is *about* the living because it is *for* the living. After all, no one gets to see their own funeral.

NB: "Souls trapped in the human realm / Unable to move on" are the translated lyrics of Terence Lam's song 普渡眾生 which plays during the credits.

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Watch this for my Alphabet challenge. But hufh.... What a ride...

Story about crime organizations that involves in gambling, bet, and overall just cheat people in all possible ways by using women and interesting advertising.

This movie choose the uprising problems in the world these days, where many people really being trap in these evil web.

They bring out the sensitivity of the problem & the victim. They emphasize that the victims not only the one that being swindle over they money, but also the face in the screen, like the women whose job as the dealer.

It’s really a hard world & people so easy being trap inside it, with all the promises they given at the beginning.

The minus this movie had for me is simply they make the person who's in charge, the true perpetrator not so crazy and the way they get captured is a little too easy. I hope we can get to see more from the police side, the investigation & the action they need to do to disassemble all of it

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"Don't worry, nothing is going to happen"

Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, and Anita Mui returned for this sequel to The Heroic Trio from the same year. While The Heroic Trio was campy and fun, Executioners was dark with an erratic script and zero fun.

Wonder Woman aka Tung (Anita Mui) is now married with a daughter. Her husband, Commissioner Lau, is rarely home as he is dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear strike that has left the people without clean water for several years. An entrepreneur named Mr. Kim (Anthony Wong) has figured out how to clean the radiation out of the water and sells small shipments at premium prices. Invisible Girl* aka Sandy Ching (Michelle Yeoh) turned over a new leaf after the first movie and is helping transport medical supplies. Thief Catcher Chat (Maggie Cheung) is still doing whatever she can to make a buck. Religious leader Chung Hon and a military colonel are both in cahoots with Mr. Kim. The president is vulnerable as well as the government in general with Kim and the Colonel both gunning to take over the country. Somehow the Heroic Trio must find a way to save themselves and the people from the evil men’s machinations.

The budget must have been miniscule for this film. In order to make the cheap sets appear post-apocalyptic they turned down the lights and turned up the fog machine. The strength of the first film was the relationship between the three women. Here, they were rarely together. The main exception being a gratuitous bubble bath scene at the beginning of the film as they played a game of grab and tickle. If there was a Sapphic subplot it might have made more sense but here it seemed to be designed to titillate 15-year-old boys. There weren’t many action scenes and most weren’t memorable. The plot seemed to be focused on the women fighting in skirts or short shorts and having as many people killed as possible. If they had ever planned a third film those characters eliminated should have counted themselves lucky.

It is no secret that I love the beautiful and talented Michelle Yeoh and will watch anything she is in. I also adore Maggie Cheung. The three women combined could not save this movie, actually if they’d had scenes together it might have helped. Anthony Wong as the villain was hampered by having to wear heavily scarred facial prosthetics and a mask on top of that. Kaneshiro Takeshi’s religious leader seemed to be a prominent role until he lost his head early on. Lau Ching Wan’s character had possibilities but ended up all wet. One of the characters that dragged this movie down considerably for me was the daughter. She was always getting lost or making a scene or diving into danger. It didn’t help that the dubbed voice was equally annoying as the character.

Executioners had a wealth of talent and wasted all of it on a dreary, convoluted story. When the three women were together fighting it was exciting. The trouble was the director forgot that key piece and squandered his cast and my time.

5 December 2024
Trigger warning: Rats and drinking of rat’s blood
* In the first film, Michelle Yeoh’s character wore an invisible cloak, but not in this film.

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A beautiful inner experience.

For me, it's not a movie called Balloon Landing, but it will always be Bay of the Vanishing Whales, and when I watched it for the first time, only the second half of the film made everything clear, and then when I watch the project for the second time, I perceive everything from a different angle. The Japanese film Dangerous Drugs of Sex, where there are explicit sex scenes, is completely different, like this fantasy film with only one random kiss, where everything is on the level of the inner character and the viewer, but still both films have something in common ... first they save each other, so that in the end the second one saves the first one. For some viewers, and they write about it on world servers, it's not BL just because they don't fuck and there are no bed scenes, for me and many others it's a deep and inner film about two wounded beings and hidden homosexuality (I don't see it only as a bromance), because love has many forms and it's practically on the same wavelength as the Taiwanese project The On1y One, where there's also no physical contact. Excellent acting, beautiful scenery of southern Taiwan and modern Hong Kong, a handkerchief at the end and I will return to the film... and an amazing fresh spark in the form of actor Fandy Fan and a great performance by Hong Konger Terrance Lau. A beautiful inner experience.

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Loved this and is one i have seen more then once!

I truly enjoyed this and felt it was a total stand out for the time as most bl's can be focused more on the spicy time then any kind of story. Feels more adult and plot heavy then most bl's with an interesting mystery leaving you wondering at the end of each episode and had me hooked from start to finish.
Summery:
Dr. Tihn works in the emergency room and has seemed to have lost that spark for helping people but when he loses a patient he finds himself thrown back in time reliving it over and over as he tries to find out why he meets the patient named Tol. He thinks is all he has to do is save the boy but no matter what he does it does not seem to work and with each try he unravels more of the overall mystery. He then realizes he needs to go back further as he finds he has fallen in love with Tol and eventually wins the guy over but dies in order to save him and this time it is Tol who is forced to go back in time and win over the dr. but the version who had never been through any of it but eventually wins him over after finding his journal from his previous time travels and the mystery finally unravels. I love the ending so i hope you watch it yourself!!

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