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Is should be not gonna lie here the plot is good and it's not too bad once you understand it. But I find the acting here quite refreshing and honestly will rewatch again given the chance with my niece and nephews on a family movie night or something or watch it while I'm traveling just to casually pass the time. That's my in put but i don't know what others will think so here is my honest thoughts on this.Was this review helpful to you?
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Unmatched, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartbreaking.
Per Aspera Ad Astra is unlike anything else out there right now. If you think you know what to expect, you don't.Dylan Wang proves once again why he is a phenomenal actor. He holds the entire narrative together with so much charm and humor, making you laugh before absolutely breaking your heart. The emotional turn caught me completely off guard. It’s different, it’s unique, and it refuses to be compared to typical sci-fi or fantasy releases. A masterpiece that deserves every single bit of its perfect score.
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Beautiful acting, beautiful cinematography, super thought-provoking.
Knew this would be a difficult piece going in but wanted to watch it at the film festival for Kitagawa Keiko (my acting goddess).Clearly from the synopsis you'd realize the characters have made extremely different life choices than the average person -- but the way the story is set up and the characters play out, you'd believe 100% why they do it and want to root for them. Crazy plotline (in a good way), and the directing was so intentional with the foreshadowing... The camera handled the curveballs and scene transitions with so much grace! High rewatch value is for the foreshadow-digging I like to do with suspenseful movies sometimes - when I recover from the emotional trauma from this one, that is.
The way this movie ended? Spot on. Definitely drew a round of applause when the credits rolled. My husband and I had slightly different interpretations but we both agreed that the fact that these were our conclusions means it was super well done.
PS: bring tissues., I def cried.
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Great film festival movie!
Watched as part of the Toronto Japanese Film Festival 2026 line up - opening film.The storyline is predictable. But what makes this great storytelling is even if you know exactly how this will end, you will still laugh and cry when the characters laugh and cry. The cast list is super star-studded and everyone delivered.
If you're watching this in cinema, bring tissues.
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The Visuals: Maximalist Aesthetics and Genre-Hopping. Director Han Yan uses this premise to create a literal visual playground. Since the protagonists jump through different realities built by the human mind, the film drastically shifts styles with each action block: we go from a dystopian futuristic shootout to choreographed cutlery battles in Western restaurants, featuring ninjas, warriors, and gangsters. The visual effects (VFX), which actually delayed the film's release for further refinement, deliver a vibrant, highly textured maximalist aesthetic.
The Script: Between Action and Philosophy. While the pacing is brisk and the action sequences are the highlight, the narrative sometimes stumbles while trying to balance so many setting changes. The dynamic between Dylan Wang and Victoria Song carries the film, but the deeper commentary on the dangers of technological escapism—the fact that humanity prefers to live a perfect lie rather than face reality—ends up taking a backseat, buried under explosions and stylish fights.
It is a sci-fi visual spectacle that entertains through its visual creativity and energetic rhythm. If you liked Inception but are looking for something with the aesthetic energy of modern Asian pop cinema, it is an excellent choice.
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Delivered successfully...
Special Delivery was a pretty enjoyable watch from start to finish. The premise is interesting enough to keep things moving, and the action scenes are slick, entertaining, and easy to get invested in. I also loved having a strong female lead at the center of the story. She carries the film well and brings the right amount of toughness and charisma to make the ride worthwhile.That said, this isn't the kind of movie that completely blows your mind or leaves a lasting emotional impact. The story does its job, the action delivers, and the pacing keeps things engaging, but it doesn't necessarily offer anything groundbreaking. It's one of those films where you'll have a good time while watching, but you might struggle to recall the finer details a few months later.
Overall, I'd still say it's worth the watch. If you're looking for a straightforward action thriller with cool fight scenes, chase sequences, and a capable female lead kicking butt, Special Delivery delivers exactly what it promises. Sometimes that's all a movie needs to do.
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short, disappointing but realistic
I was expecting a reconciliation, but no...Not really recommended. Questions remain unanswered, no happy ending, normal Story.
They could have made something better out of it. But there are worse ones ig?...
edit: But viewed from another perspective, it's realistic, and it's not always easy for gay men either. Plus points
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"Cringe Pro Max Thriller"
The film relies on predictable buddy-cop clichés that offer very few narrative surprises.It suffers from jarring tonal shifts, awkwardly bouncing between goofy slapstick and a serious kidnapping.The pacing slows to a crawl during the second act, killing the film's comedic momentum.
A thin script leaves the talented supporting cast and villains feeling flat and underutilized.
Fortunately, the electric chemistry and chaotic bickering between Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung salvage the watch.
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Idiot Girls and School Ghost: School Anniversary
1 people found this review helpful
Power of Faith
The movie looks good. The production is quite good, and the actors are believable in their nonsensical roles as students playing hide-and-seek with the ghost. The first few appearances of the ghost made me shiver, but later they just made me laugh. I’m not sure what the real intention was, but the movie definitely leans more toward comedy, with the horror elements subordinate to the humor.The characters behave “stupidly,” as is typical in other horror movies. If you were really playing hide-and-seek, you would look for a good hiding spot and stay quiet, but the characters here do exactly the opposite. Maybe that’s the charm of the movie — it inverts expectations and offers random (or better yet, original) solutions to the presented danger.
The plot also revolves around studying and exams, which can be interpreted as a symbolic representation of the horror and stress of preparing for important tests. The second subtheme is faith, and I liked how they incorporated religion. In Korean cinema, we often have good examples of interreligious dialogue and cooperation whenever religion is mentioned. Here, it was done somewhat as a parody but still with respect for what we believe. In the end, I really enjoyed this movie.
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Two husbands, one mission, tons of chaos
Husbands in Action is the most random idea that came to you one random afternoon, and you decided to take it and run with it, because why not?! The setup is stupid and brilliant at the same time, and it should work.(It most definitely does)
The premise is very new, Hwang Chun Shik and Lee Min Seok (played to perfection by Jin Sun Kyu and Gong Myung, by the way) don't like each other very much, considering they are the ex and current husband of Si Nae, and fathers to Yeon Ju. But they are suddenly pulled into action together when the two women are kidnapped by Hye Ran, the wife of Ma Do Jun, a gangster who was recently arrested by Chun Shik.
The plot goes exactly how you would expect it to - it's so hilariously predictable that it's actually charming. There's no out of character actions, no huge plot twists. It's supposed to be a funny buddy comedy, the writers knew that and the crew executed it exactly that way.
To that end, Jin Sun Kyu and Gong Myung carried this for me. Their chemistry and comedic timing was always perfect, and they played off each other incredibly well.
The rest of the characters were occasionally hilarious, sometimes not but because of how quickly the plot moved, it was very easy to just move along with it and ignore the punchlines and jokes that didn't land. That is a perfect summary - it's funny, but it's easy to ignore even when it's not.
Overall, it's a good movie to spend a lazy afternoon with, the kind of movie doesn't take itself way too seriously and doesn't really leave a huge impact, but worth a watch.
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Rehret comes too late...
The Atmosphere: A Golden-Hued BeijingThe film excels at capturing the sensory details of growing up in 1980s and 90s Beijing. From the oversized blue-and-white school tracksuits to the shared pop-culture milestones (like listening to Faye Wong or watching the World Cup), the first half of the movie relies heavily on a warm, golden-hued aesthetic. It establishes a vibrant world where the bonds between the main group of five friends feel utterly unbreakable.
The Core Conflict: Love vs. Maturation
At the center of the story is the romance between Chen Xun (played by Eddie Peng) and Fang Fen (played by Ni Ni). Your summary captures the exact emotional arc of the film: it isn't a traditional happily-ever-after romance, but rather an exploration of how a monumental first love shapes a person's entire identity.
The Breakdown:
As they transition from high school to university, the idealistic promises they made as teenagers begin to fracture under the pressures of adulthood and changing environments. Chen Xun's ultimate betrayal and Fang Fen's devastating response form the tragic emotional anchor of the movie. The "For Better or Worse" Reality: The film doesn't shy away from making its characters flawed. Chen Xun isn't a perfect hero; his mistakes are deeply frustrating, which makes his older self's intense regret feel earned. Fang Fen's heartbreak changes her trajectory completely, leaving a permanent scar on the group dynamic.
The Framing Device: The Confessional
By using the wedding photographer as a sounding board, the movie shifts from a simple romance into a confessional. Looking back allows Chen Xun to strip away his youthful ego and view his past actions with painful clarity. The realization that his current identity—for better or worse—was forged entirely by the way he handled that heartbreak is the film's most mature theme.
The Verdict:
Fleet of Time can occasionally lean a bit too hard into melodramatic tropes in its final act, but its strong performances (particularly Ni Ni's fragile intensity) and stunning cinematography make it a powerful look at how we reconcile with our past mistakes to move forward.
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Felt Like a Rough Draft
I liked the ending. The problem is that story was too often choppy. The story premise is a good one but the script often left potential humor on the table unexploited. The execution lacks the polish we start to routinely see some 10+ years later.An example is an early scene after they just got married and the young unconsummated couple in formal clothes are sharing an evening celebration dinner with both sets of parents. It comes time to retire to a back bedroom - one bedroom. The groom, a bit tipsy, seizes and carries the teen bride to the bedroom, and falls onto the bed, a small bed. This is just one obvious situation that this story with this set up has to confront and we the audience can see it coming and are anticipating an answer, likely comedic, as to how the couple will get through the night. But like someone starting a good joke and then denying us the punch line, the scene just ends with them very briefly tussling on the bed. The next scene the husband is dropping his teen wife off at her high school. What happened? Just how did they manage to get through the night?
Early on it's made clear that she's 16, the age of consent, before the two are forced to marry to satisfy the last wishes of their grandfathers.
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spoiler!
Si, la película es muy entretenida y divertida. pero eso no le quita el pésimo final y trama q tiene, se q es según el manga, pero el otro man si la queria y tenia el valor. en cambio el "protagonista" que de hecho me gusta el actor y por eso no lo podía odiar, pero es que era un pirobito. Se quedaba con la loca esa que se hacia la víctima y hasta llegó a tratar mal a su "mejor amiga" por una chica la cual apenas conocia. Simplemente no. podrían haber hecho que se viera mas natural su romance, ya que parece que solo se dio cuenta de sus sentimientos cuando vio que ya no le prestaba atención, no lo perseguía ni nada. Solo eso hizo que se fijará en ella.Was this review helpful to you?
"Everything is fine, right?"
Ordinary People aka The Villagers had Ma Dong Seok playing the new gym teacher at a rural school in a town full of corruption and deadly secrets. The late Kim Sae Ron, in a role reminiscent of the one in Nowhere Man, was a high school student desperately searching for her missing best friend.Yuk Ki Chul takes a teaching job in a rural area after losing his boxing coach position. It’s not long before he realizes the people are on edge. The school staff and police are more concerned about protecting the governor who also chairs the school and is up for re-election than a missing high school girl. Senior Kang Yu Jin refuses to give up on her friend despite every adult she asks for help not only rejecting her but shaming her as well. When Ki Chul rescues her from a dangerous situation a glimmer of hope builds within her that she has found an adult to trust.
Let’s just get my bias out of the way. I will watch almost anything the best ahjussi hitter is in. MDS may not be the greatest actor but I find his screen presence comforting and it usually hits my groove. This film was a by the numbers story of powerful men abusing women and young girls and thinking they could get away with murder. Dang. It really hits hard with what is going on in the world right now. Kim Sae Ron’s Yu Jin made for a dogged sidekick to Yuk’s man with a conscience. The bad guys’ team was weakly drawn, but managed to give Yuk reasons to punch them in the face and kidneys or break through their doors with his fists. Given that nearly everyone in the film was on the take or prejudiced against girls, I was ready to bust some heads.
Ordinary People played to Ma Dong Seok’s strengths and went no further yet still kept me entertained. It was sad seeing the talented Kim Sae Ron who we lost too soon. If you aren’t super picky about your corrupt small-town mysteries, it might be one to give a try. Small ratings bump for MDS.
19 June 2026
Trigger warnings: Girls in jeopardy, but no sexual assaults. The few fights weren’t graphic compared to the Roundup series.
School note: For a rural area they had a huge high school.
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Great Starts, Fading Sparks
Based on the highly popular manga by Inouesatoh, the live-action movie adaptation of 10Dance, directed by Keishi Ōtomo, centers on an intense rivalry in the world of competitive ballroom dancing. The story follows Shinya Suzuki (Ryoma Takeuchi), a passionate Latin dance champion, and Shinya Sugiki (Keita Machida), an elegant standard ballroom master. To prepare for a prestigious competition, they agree to teach each other their respective styles. While the film manages to snatch an 8/10 score due to its incredible production value, it leaves a lingering feeling that it could have been much tighter, especially regarding its romantic tensionThe first half of 10Dance is an absolute masterclass in building tension. The contrast between Suzuki's fiery, unpolished energy and Sugiki's cold, rigid perfection creates instant magic on screen. When they first step onto the dance floor together, the chemistry between Takeuchi and Machida is electric. The lingering touches, the intense eye contact during rehearsals, and the sheer competitive friction make their bond feel deeply captivating. In these early segments, the romance feels like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, keeping you completely glued to the screenHowever, as the movie progresses, the initial excitement begins to flatline. Once the characters settle into their routine, the fiery tension that made the first half so amazing completely dissipates. Instead of developing their relationship into something deeper and more passionate, the script bogs itself down with repetitive training montages and heavy technical details about competitive dance rules. Because the intense romantic chemistry suddenly takes a backseat, the narrative slows down to a crawl. The lack of emotional progression makes the latter part of the film feel surprisingly dull and boring, making you question if an 8/10 rating is almost too generous.Ultimately, 10Dance is a solid 8/10 experience that stands out for its breathtaking cinematography, stunning choreography, and magnificent acting. It is a visually beautiful movie that captures the elegance of the sport perfectly. However, it is held back by unbalanced pacing. If the director had sustained the electric, sizzling chemistry from the beginning throughout the entire runtime rather than letting it fade into a slow, dry sports drama, this Japanese BL film would have been a definitive masterpiece.Was this review helpful to you?
