Reviews

By this point, I had to admit it - I really loved Xie Miao and his works. Because as soon as he's back as Sun Wukong, Dream Journey immediately becomes really funny as hell. Like it can't just be the writing or how the movie's direction, but Xie Miao really can pull some very comedic scenes even just wearing a poker face.

So this time, the gang meets the 7 spider sisters. But before that, we get to see Wukong and Tang Seng have yet another argument which end up with them switching each other's powers as well as making a bet for who would be to most successful in transcending the demons they'd encounter afterwards in seven days. Whoever thought up this idea for this is a genius. Tang Seng with Wukong's powers and simple mind ended up being very unruly and overconfident. Wukong with Tang Seng's intellect ended up being very talkative and thoughtful, and while he lost his invincible powers for a while... he still had his fighting skill but have weak body. You have no idea how funny these scenarios are.

I ended up seeing quite a number of familiar faces, who gonna end up acting together with Xie Miao again in Great God Monkey drama. So that explains why their chemistry with each other was so very good. So yeah, if you're looking for some very good laugh... this movie is for you. I seriously recommend this movie a lot. I somehow end up laughing my backpain away after watching this.

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Exploring or escaping? The point here is you're trying to search for yourself.

You're an adult, you're in your 20s, and you're trying to find out where you belong.

The cinematography and rawness of the scenery was a major charm in this film. Throughout the story, we see the female lead, Suzuko, immersed in different scenarios in the city, seaside, mountain, and in a small town. These changes captured the great contrast of her past to her changing present. It was really enjoyable also to see her in the peaceful vibe outside the city, and a culture where there are ordinary interactions between the old and the young.

What I really enjoyed the most in this film is how Suzuko chose herself without really being selfish to her brother Takuya and others. Every time she left town after saving a million yen, she was still considerate of the people around her. When the film ended, I was really proud of her. I was readying myself to get disappointed, but her decision stayed true to her character. That was the point of the film. Regardless of saving a million yen or not, or having an unresolved misunderstanding, Suzuko has set her mind to pursue herself. Afterall, she's still in the process of "becoming".

I'm also happy for her brother. Initially, I thought there will be a tragedy by the end, but this film showed me otherwise. Both Suzuko and Takuya had their own struggles. Despite being apart, we get to see them grow through the hardships after sticking around and seeing the result of their own decisions. The storytelling in One Million Yen Girl delivered that message well, and surely showed a story of hope and growth.

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A serious subject

This drama is a serious one looking at some real failings of modern society. Not specific to South Korea either, this experience is present everywhere I've ever been. This movie tells a very important story.

Overall I felt it was well executed. There are times when some of the side characters feel a bit flat, like they are written just to exist to show us that people suck. But many of them still manage to portray some complexity; there is a lot of indifference that just stems from people just trying to get by too.

I would have liked to have seen the relationship with the friend and her brother in more focus. I think the things that happened between them were also important stories that showed a very realistic view of complex relationships. But especially in the ending arc I would have liked to get better closure or a bit more clarity on their friendship.

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This time, Monk Tang party would be heading to the Kingdom of Women and encounter yet another obstacle. Yet unlike some other adaptation I've seen, there's a slight difference in how the Kingdom of Women was depicted. There was no well that allowed the women to be artificially pregnant without interaction with men and most of the women became evil spirits in this movie.

So far, this Dream Journey was my least favourite. Not just because Xie Miao wasn't in this... but also because the writing and overall show wasn't as funny or enjoyable as the first two DJs. The actor playing Tang Seng got changed again but at least he's younger than in DJ2. And it felt like this time the burden of being the comical presence seem to only fall on the monk, though the joke were so unfunny. The romance plot was also a bit awkward and the final villain was also too cringy. I'd tolerate the previous Fox King more compared to this guy.

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If you'd like to see a non-serious take on the Journey to the West tale, this Dream Journey series is just for you. Here's the second instalment of the Dream Journey series and this time, Tang Seng party was about to cross the Flaming Mountain but they hit a problem. It was too hot for them to pass through the place so they needed Princess Iron Fan's magical item to extinguish the fire. Problem arises when the fan's power was diminished due to the state of the princess's emotions so to solve this, Wukong was sent into the past to acquire Princess Iron Fan's tear to restore the fan's power. But then later, Sun Wukong ended up losing his memory. So what'll happen next?

I could've sworn that things couldn't get any funnier after the first movie, but I was wrong. I really started to like the writing and direction in this movie, like all the comedic timing was very on point. For some reason, unlike the first movie... Tang Seng this time was played by an older actor, which was a stark contrast Zhang He's portrayal of Tang Seng in the first movie. But I suppose that's what makes the whole interaction between Tang Seng and the amnesiac Sun Wukong even funnier.

Like the first movie, there would be the occasional fourth wall breaking. And we get to see a how the relationship between Princess Iron Fan and Sun Wukong could've progressed in a different setting.

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Quite a hidden gem

The story surprised me a little with how it went. Poor Yasu being gaslit and tortured by the old lady and Yuki was really heartbreaking to watch, especially when his siblings keep saying he's gone crazy and that he'd be better off in an institution just because of his disability. He feels helpless and even with pretty obvious wounds no one does anything to stop it. This really stuck with me.
However with the turn the story takes from there it turns into a more classic japanese horror film. Without spoiling anything, I thought the ending was a little meh, they could've been done without the last 10 mins or so, but I get where they were going. Overall it was plenty gory and suspenseful, I can definitely recommend it.

Another thought:
This film made me realise how little disability representation there is in jhorror. While yes, there are some characters at the centre of the plot that have a disability, I wish there was some more representation. Like in this example, Yasu is excluded from a normal life, only going on walks at night, staying inside his room all day, his family not prioritising his needs, and even talking about institutionalising him behind his back. It's heartbreaking, but I assume quite close to reality for some people. While blind people, siamese twins and disfigured babies that die during childbirth are a common occurrence in asian horror in general, similar to LGBTQIA+, I'd love to see more diverse characters in new jhorror films to come. Seeing how a wheelchair-bound person deals with everyday life while also having unique weaknesses (like not being able to just escape the house on foot) bring many new opportunities for horror. Anyways, just a thought that came up while I watched this film, since Yasu is the main character and I was really intrigued to see the usual jhorror agenda being explored through the lense of a disabled person.
If you read this and have watched some jhorror with disability representation, feel free to drop the title in the comments, I'd love to add it to my watchlist

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LOL I didn't expect this level of funny in this movie haha.

But first, the description of this movie was a bit off. Because the synopsis was actually from the Dream Journey 3, in which it was mislabeled as the first movie on the iQiyi site. And Xie Miao wasn't part of the DJ3.

Anyway, this movie started with a battle between Sun Wukong and White Bone Demon, before which they were suddenly sucked into a magical portal and transported into the present time. Wukong landed in the home of Tang Xiaojian, who resembled his master while White Bone Demon ended up in a nightclub. After another clash with each other, both of them decided on a truce while trying to figure out a way to head back to where they belong.

I didn't realize that Xie Miao had a few other movies where he played as Sun Wukong before Great God Monkey, so I might as well rectify that. This is a pretty interesting take on the JTTW lore, to integrate a modern retelling of the story while also including isekai. And there's also romance included in the movie, aside from comedy... and I have to say that this is the first Sun Wukong romcom I've ever seen!

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My July Recommendation movie

Watch this because recommendation challenge from 𝑵𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. Let’s discuss movie…

As usual Japan brings us unusual romance dramas… Haha…

The story follows Eriko Ichimura, a plain and completely ordinary high school student who fades into the background at her school. To escape her boring reality, she spends her time fantasizing about the school's most popular boy, Akira Ohmi. Her ultimate hobby is taking to Twitter under the anonymous handle "Lovesick Ellie," where she posts wild, thirsty, and deeply dramatic romantic fantasies about a boyfriend who looks exactly like Ohmi.

Her quiet life is turned upside down when she accidentally overhears a private conversation between Ohmi and teacher, Sumi Shiota. Through this, she realizes that Ohmi is not the sweet Prince Charming everyone thinks he is; he is actually a rude, bratty, and grumpy "two-faced" boy. To make matters worse, she panics and drops her phone, and Ohmi picks it up, discovering her embarrassing, secret Twitter account.

Rather than exposing each other, the two strike an uneasy compromise to keep each other's secrets safe. As they spend more time together, Ohmi becomes increasingly intrigued by Eriko's bizarre fantasies and quirky personality, while Eriko finds herself falling for the flawed, real version of the boy she only used to admire from afar.

That's pretty much the story without giving anymore spoilers.

What I like:
+ What bizarre personality Eriko has. Truly only Japan can come out with this kind of personality / behaviour.
+ How in the end Eriko is like a magnet that pulls some quirky friends too…
+ How Ohmi never belittles nor mock Eriko's bizarre fantasies and quirky personality.
+ I really love how Eriko never hides her quirky personality / behaviour in front of Ohmi, the boy she has a crush on…

Overall I’m happy I can watch this. For you who search for something quirky to watch yet not too bizarre nor cringy, this can be your choice…

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Um filme feito para sentir

Só o Japão poderia criar um filme tão sensível quanto esse, tão carregado de significado em (literalmente) tão poucas palavras. É um filme que se sente e, mesmo que de modo geral não aconteça muita ação, não cheguei a ficar entediada. A narrativa é tão suave, e até o final segue a mesma linha!

Eu amei, com certeza verei de novo, para analisar com calma os detalhes das cenas e dos diálogos, porque esse filme é sobre isso: sutis mensagens que não são percebidas no dia a dia sobre a vida em si. É um bom filme pra refletir (só não sei se conseguirei ter o mesmo sentimento que eu tive ao ver a última cena)

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One of the most beautiful queer friendship movie,

Everything about this movie was amazing. From the cinematography to the acting and story. Every scene is extremely strong. As a gay man myself I feel like Heung Su is extremely relatable and well portrayed, unlike many Korean 'bl's'. It's realistic, with actual representation and homophobia. I didn't know what to expect at first, but you know a show is good when Primary is the composer. This is my first time watching a movie that Lee Eon Hee has directed but I'm for sure tempted to watch more of her work.

The opening scene was extremely strong, just like many other scene's. Their friendships had up and downs, just like every realistic friendship. I really like how Koo Jae Hui was protective over Jang Heung and how she did not let any homophobia slide. They clearly cared about each other without romantic feelings attached. When they fight, they make up and come together again. I really need a friendship like this.

One main problem I have with Korean queer movies/series is how unrealistic it is compared to the reality in Korea. Korea is not the most LGBTQ friendly country and I liked how this movie showed the reality instead. I don't like how the homophobia topic is often ignored, and this show just showed it amazing. I also like how they made Koo Jae have realistic experiences as a female. How she is being called a sl/t for sleeping with men for example.

I'm extremely shocked by the acting. Everything feels real, relatable and I really lived along with Jang Heung. I feel like he acted amazing. Whether Steve Noh is straight or not doesn't matter. Either way he portrayed being gay extremely well. As for Kim Go Eun, she acted extremely well aswell. I love how she played the crazy friend. I'm gonna be honest but I wasn't super interested in her love life since she always ended up with red flags and honestly, I'm surprised Jang Heung was able to keep up with her, because I wouldn't. The homophobic mother being extremely absent was also a nice detail.

The whole French made my rating drop a bit because, as someone who is half French, this was extremely weird. Like sure Jae Hui has lived in Paris but the stereotypes were kinda crazy. I would've loved if they had chosen another city and less stereotypes. Also the French is a bit weird to listen to but that's okay. Calling her French because she lived in France made it confusing for me in the beginning.

I like how the movie had an open ending. You can make whatever you want to with it. I'm defiantly interested in seeing the actors and directors in/with other projects involved and I'm just extremely impressed. Just really happy about the actual representation and not just what the media shows you about Korea.

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I ended up watching this movie just because of a brief cameo of Xie Miao, who made an appearance in this movie while reprising his character Li Hongqi from the Fight Against Evil series. And I guess this was only possible due to the director also having directed the Fight Against Evil series.

So instead this time, rather than seeing the misadventures of Li Hongqi, we get served with a different police story featuring a female officer who may be as fiery and volatile as Li Hongqi.

The plot was pretty interesting, as we had a villain who was a bit too superstitious and ending up committing multiple crimes because of it. Qiu Yizhou was also an interesting character as well, who may be a bit tomboyish but still a very capable police officer who wouldn't lose against her fellow male counterparts. Though to be fair, I kinda wished that Hongqi's cameo lasted a bit longer since it would've been interesting to see Hongqi and Yizhou fight alongside each other as partners. But I guess it's not possible in this movie since Hongqi wasn't on vacation this time.

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A pair of husband-and-wife performers committed double suicide one day, leaving the man dead and the wife almost brain-dead. A month later, during one of his blind dates suggested by a colleague... Li Hongqi accidentally encountered a suspicious case after witnessing a woman he was on a blind date with being mistreated in public. And in doing so, he ended up meeting someone who may have a connection to the double suicide a month earlier, as well as an illegal business involving drugs and pornography. As usual, Officer Li Hongqi was hot on the case!

Although this movie was the second in the series, it actually served as a prequel to the previous one. So technically, this was the story of Li Hongqi before he met his girlfriend, Taozi. The movie starts with a scene from one of the blind dates Hongqi was set up with, which ended in an incident where he was almost cheated by his date and the shop owner. Since he was fresh from undercover work, he didn't have his badge on him, and he ended up in a brawl with the shop owner and some thugs. After such an experience, anyone would have wanted to swear off going on blind dates, but when you had colleagues who wouldn't stop pestering you to find a girlfriend... how can you refuse? But because of that Hongqi ended up meeting Ma Qiang, a very wealthy man, even though the man was not involved in any legal business.

This movie was a great addition to the series, as we got to find out more about who Li Hongqi was. And it did explain the reason why in the first movie, Hongqi was a bit sensitive about being filmed in plain clothes, since he often works undercover. We also got to see a glimpse of his 'family' from his orphanage and find out why, despite calling them his family, Hongqi seek to find a deeper connection through Taozi's family. But back to this movie, Li Hongqi once again gets involved in a case while he is still on leave from work. And to make it worse, the case also involved one of his brothers from his orphanage! So just like in the first movie, Hongqi had to yet bust another criminal activity while also having someone he knew be part of it.

There were quite a lot of action scenes in this movie, which was expected in this kind of genre, and viewers won't be disappointed in seeing how Xie Miao brings the role of Li Hongqi to life. If you're looking for a good police action movie with a lot of action and drama, check out this movie as well as the previous one.

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When More Story Doesn’t Mean Better Story

I honestly do not understand why they needed to make this sequel. The first movie already ended in such a good and complete way, so this one feels like something that did not really need to exist. I get that they tried to expand Joe and Anong’s love story with time travel, past lives, destiny, and all those supernatural elements, but instead of making the story deeper, it just made everything feel more complicated than necessary.

What disappointed me the most is that the charm from the first movie is not really here anymore. The first one was fun, cute, and emotional in a simple but effective way. This sequel, however, feels too forced, too melodramatic, and honestly kind of boring at some points. The pacing is also quite slow, and the story jumps between different eras so much that it starts to feel messy instead of meaningful. I was waiting for the movie to give me a strong reason why this sequel had to happen, but I never really got that answer.

However, I do not think the movie is completely terrible. There are still some cute moments, and the actors still have good chemistry. Some scenes are also visually nice, and the performances help save the movie from being worse. But overall, My Boo 2 feels like an unnecessary sequel that tries too hard to add more to a story that was already complete. Instead of making me love the first movie even more, it kind of made me wish they had just left it alone.

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