Reviews

Lust in the Rain 2024
★★★★★ Watched 30 Oct 2024 at TIFF 2024

I was very fortunate to attend the world premiere of this film in Tokyo at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2024, held in the luxurious Toho Cinema. After the screening, I had the opportunity to meet actors Ryo Narita, Eriko Nakamura, and Li Xing. I’ve been following Ryo Narita’s films and series for a long time, and my wife, a huge fan, was thrilled to see him in person.

I previously watched Shizo Katayama's film "Missing" at the same festival in 2022, and thanks to Tokyo International Film Festival, I was able to meet the director during a Q&A session that time.

I won’t go into detail about this film since it hasn’t officially been released yet, and also I definitely plan to rewatch it.

The film opens with a somewhat absurd and surreal narrative, which might be a bit confusing at first, but it eventually leads us to the core story.

Despite its darker themes, I found it to be quite entertaining, especially due to Ryo Narita’s natural performance. There are also comedic moments sprinkled throughout that will surely make you laugh.

Ryo Narita mentioned during the Q&A that we need to watch the film multiple times to fully understand and appreciate the deeper story it conveys.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching this film and can’t wait to rewatch it again.

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It’s definitely one of the best film I’ve seen this year!

I attended the screening of 'Ravens' at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2024. The film tells the story of Masahisa Fukase, a famous Japanese photographer whose work is recognized worldwide.

It’s about how Fukase lived his life and the process behind creating his masterpieces. The story really amazed me.

After the screening, there was a Q&A with the director/producer Mark Gill and the director of photography Fernando Ruiz. They shared how happy they were to make a film about Fukase, with Tadanobu Asano, one of Japan's top actors, playing the lead. Mark Gill mentioned that he wouldn’t have made the film if Asano hadn’t been involved.

Overall, I loved the film. Even though it was an early screening at 10 AM, I didn’t miss a single moment. It’s definitely one of the best film I’ve seen this year!

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Relatable Yet Insipid

The movie was rather relatable in how lonely the character's life was lived however, I will say it did not feel like the movie picked up until the last 15 minutes, when she makes the call with Jina it really felt like it was going to go somewhere in which the character finally allows herself a moment to breathe and the angst and tension with her dad will be released however the ending is rather lackluster, I understand the character and her mindset, in fact, I am quite literally her, however, the film was making this large buildup with her father and the girl she was training only for it to fall flat. Although, she resolves the conflict with Jina, the one with her father feels unresolved due to the fact she doesn't meet up with him nor is she able to have an actual conversation with him about how she feels about her mother's death (a major catalyst for her break through on the phone with her dad). The ending just feels unfinished and yet way too long at the same time.

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I cried.. I Laughed...Im Anxious

I'm watching this movie because of kim go eun (koo jae hui)... And Also i had waited for Noh Sang Hyun (jang heung su) other project after watching him at pachinko.... i didnt read the synopsis before watching it.. at first I thought that he felt for her... but he's A gay... then I thought I might stop watching .. but i kept on watching .. Noh sang hyun so attractive in this movie... their friendship made me envy so that I wish I had A Gay Friend like him... A complicated relationship of JH because of her personality so other took advantage of it... HS afraid to coming out because of society's view and his mother...
they help and support each other.... they fight but always be there for each other problem.... I cried just watching their friendship value... I Cried JH dance with HS at the end... although this is not some sad movie.. I hoped that Noh Sang Hyun got other project after this....

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A series to pass the time

I watched School Tales mostly because I had nothing else to watch, but it ended up surprising me. While the visual effects leave something to be desired, the storytelling truly delivers. If you pay attention to the narratives, the fear creeps in, and I couldn’t help but put myself in the characters’ shoes, questioning what I’d do in their place. Each episode tells a different story, and there’s a strong sense of karma that reminds me of Girl From Nowhere's Nanno. It seems deeply tied to regional beliefs or cultural ideas, adding an intriguing layer to the horror.

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The rest is silence

You know to brace yourself for the pain when Feng Xiao Gang took on Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy in The Banquet. Vengeance, desire, madness, and treachery were never far away in this opulent film inspired by Hamlet.

In a tale as old as time, a king is murdered by his brother who then steals his throne and empress. The Crown Prince lives in a bamboo forest with a theater group pining for his lost love who married his father. When the news arrives that his father is dead, killed by a “scorpion sting,” CP Wu Luan heads for the capital. Empress Wan loves Wu but also enjoys the perks and power of being an empress and is disappointed that Wu seems to have little interest in ruling the country. When Emperor Li declares a banquet, everyone in attendance is looking to murder someone else. Family gatherings can be a bear.

The role of Empress Wan was originally to go to Gong Li but due to scheduling conflicts was taken over by Zhang Zi Yi. In the book, the queen was Hamlet’s mother, but here, the young empress had been his lover. I would love to have seen what Gong Li would have brought to the role but ZZY availed herself well as the conflicted, scheming empress. Ge You brought out the fratricidal emperor’s lethal and sexy sides. Daniel Wu’s crown prince varied from brooding to whiny. That’s not a slam, Hamlet was one of the first emo “heroes.” Zhao Xun made the most of this version of Ophelia though Qing never went completely mad. Despite a strong cast, the writing let them down. By the end of the film, I wasn’t heavily invested in any of the characters. Ironically, Ge You’s acting pulled me in more than any of the other performances. It also didn’t help that I knew what the final course of the meal would be.

The story only thinly related to Hamlet and was told at a glacial pace. In order to spice things up there were some of the most erotic scenes I’ve observed in Chinese films. ZZY had a body double for the full backside scenes, something else you rarely see. The final scene strayed from the book in a puzzling manner which left a bad taste in my mouth. The dependable Yuen clan choreographed the few fight scenes which were elegant and bloody. One clandestine fight was more dance fu and foreplay than fists and kicks.

The Banquet excelled in its stunning cinematography, luxurious costumes, and beautiful score. This film was truly a treat for the eyes and ears. By utilizing blank masks and theater, the film gave us a story within a story. Everyone wore a mask in one form or another. The Banquet was a sumptuous feast for the eyes, but some of the dishes were a little bland.

12/12/24

AKA LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION

Trigger warnings: A "romantic" rape. :(
Also, backside nudity and a few gratuitous breast shots that didn't show everything.

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Like a rolling stone

Full disclosure, after watching this two-minute film I had to scurry across the internet and look up what sailing stones were. After doing my due diligence, I went back and rewatched Sailing Stones. I came to the conclusion that this was more a video piece of art than traditional film.

Sailing Stones was filmed in black and white with zero dialogue. Several expressionless people are on the beach with long narrow tracks behind them. Their ages and sex vary. All stare ahead even as the sound of stone against stone grinds and moves them forward. At long last the sun begins to wake behind the mountain.

For anyone like me who is confused by the title, sailing stones (also sliding, walking, or rolling stones) have been found in Death Valley, California, USA. For a long time, stones were found to have moved with a dragging trail behind them. Turns out when the stones are on a melting sheet of ice, the strong winds can cause them to “sail.”

The disparate people in this short film were propelled in curving trails, victims of external forces instead of their own will and volition. Filmed for 10 CM’s single, “Sleepless in Seoul,” each of the individuals had their own reason for sleeplessness. A pregnant woman, a student, a salaryman, all were pushed about by the ever-present wind. Was the ground frozen beneath their feet or were their hearts and lives frozen as they were dispassionately transported?

I suspect like viewing a painting or a Rorschach test, everyone will have their own interpretation of this short film. I found the concept intriguing.

11 December 2024

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ME ENCANTO DE INICIO A FIN!

Vi varios clips en tik tok y tenia tantas ganas de ver la película para saber porque tanto hype 👀

Me pareció atrevido el modo en que hicieron una historia de este tema siendo que sabemos que la sociedad Kr. no tiene avanzando del todo el ser gay abiertamente, los actores que salen al ser reconocidos hace que el peso del mensaje sea mucho mas alcanzable que si no lo fueran me encantó que ahora se atrevan a tomar estos papeles y que es parte de la sociedad igualmente 😊

AMO LA DINAMICA DE AMISTAD de ellos es tan REAL y bella que me quedo con ese mensaje muchas veces se habla del AMOR de pareja pero el AMOR de amigos es igualmente AMOR ☝️☝️☝️... en todas sus facetas y el mas incondicional que puedas tener si tienes una amistad como la de ellos.

Los amigos son la familia que uno elige y los lazos son tan fuertes cómo los mismo de sangre...

SUPER RECOMENDADA💯💯💯💯💯 al final ver cómo una amistad madura junto con ellos en todas las etapas de la vida de un adulto joven me parece tan adecuado que la volveria a ver sin dudarlo, los que tenemos la dicha que tener este tipo de amistades creo que van a amar esta pelicula tanto como lo hice yo.

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Satisfying love triangle

Josh Kim filmed The Police Box after dropping out of film school. He’s gone on to make other films and shorts. The first short of his I watched was The Postcard. One of his guiding thoughts is “what if?” That question served him well in this seven-minute film, one of the more interesting romances I’ve seen recently.

A young man and a young women sit at the window in a bar each evening. The young woman is fixated on a policeman who walks the beat. Outside the bar is a police box where he writes down notes. After she writes the policeman a note in the book, the young man at the bar takes matters into his own hands.

I have to say, when the film first ended, I was thinking, “What?” Then it dawned on me and I laughed. What a great ending to this short film. The acting was quite basic, but the twist Josh Kim threw in at the last made it all worthwhile. This is one romantic triangle that I can easily recommend.

11 December 2024

PS-After the film ends, he runs it again with the costs he incurred during filming.

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Adorable

Adorkable Shimei x Shijie is one of the more accurate titles I’ve seen. This couple was adorkable. It had the typical clumsy, cute female lead who stumbles and giggles about. And the more mature partner who can wield a sword and protect her.

I tried to find information on this cast. I was more intrigued by the mature swordswoman than the giggle box. I’d also like to know who directed this. This was a very sweet, effervescent 2-minute girl love that could have easily been a commercial for sesame cakes or buns. Wind machines, featherlight dresses and hair blowing in the breeze, and a gauzy lens all gave this a romantic, dreamlike quality. Nothing earth shattering, just a miniscule bubbly slice of life to put a smile on your face.

11 December 2024

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Solid little historical gore filled zombie romp

I love a good zombie film and this ticked two of my personal niche favorites; zombies in World War II. Set during the Japanese invasion of the then Kingdom of Thailand in 1941, the resistance was shortlived lasting only a few hours before the ceasefire was called. This movie adds in the 'zombie' element. While not a new story, as the WW II human experimentation angle ending in a zombie outbreak, is a somewhat well-worn trope (Dead Snow, Outpost, Overlord), Operation Undead does have a unique take on how the undead operate, eating the flesh of the living while trying to keep their humanity but ultimately failing and the world burns around them.

As a fan of paratical zombie effects I was delighted by the ultra gore. Some solid limb ripping, and eviscerations, the plot had be guessing where they were headed right until the end.

As a history and horror nerd I was very much the target audience for this one, and if you like me enjoy a good zombie watch, I recommend.

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