Obsessed
Obsession is quite literally the theme of this movie but i too am obsessed with this. It is perfectly tailor made for me. I loved all the gothic elements.....Every scene, every frame was out of this world. The music too...its just altogether supreme film making. It is historically and culturally important. Japan should be proud of itself for producing this movie.I dont wanna give spoilers but this movie potrays very wicked kind of love...something pure and bloody which can turn something inanimate into something beautiful and lively. The men in this movie are genuinely disgusting, entitled and driven by lust except one and thats what this movie about.
From a man's lense the woman drove men insane but from a woman's lense....she was honest and just wanted love. In the end she got what she wanted and when she achieved what she wanted in her life....fate rightfully put her to rest. Its not a tragedy....its a beautiful love story. The director managed to capture the essence of obsessive 'love' completely.
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This review may contain spoilers
full of humanity in all it's forms
some films that give a gloss over feelings, but White Night brings you along into a whirlwind of chaos revolving one person's struggles, humanity, and an internal battles. it's the good with a lot of the bad, and the feeling of watching self-destruction take the wheel.the story focuses on one person, wongyu, his pain and journey through processing the trauma he has gone through. though there is no sugarcoating to any of this, his one night stand brings him the grace he had not been given by anyone else. you can see the recognition of kindness, how it's foreign to him after going completely numb to the world, and how he holds back from any kind of expectations. yet, this person, a virtual stranger, keeps coming back to him and keeps being the one to support him in exacting some pain onto the people that have destroyed a part of him that he won't ever get back.
he had hoped things would be the same, at least that is my guess, so when he returns and taejoon has moved on, wongyu's tears are what i interpret as regret. regret that he didn't call taejoon when he left or afterwards as years went by. even as he's grown, the trauma and pain still haunts wongyu and i think that also reflects the untold and unacknowledged discrimination and hate that the lgbtq+ community in south korea goes through even up to this day as not much has changed to help protect victims of discrimination, attacks, and homophobia. (and yes, this continues to be a worlwide issue)
this film is a journey from beginning to end. we get the fear, pain, and helplessness from wongyu but we also get the desperation from taejoon and his anger as well. anger at the world for it's cruelness, frustration with himself for not being able to just walk away, that he is not what the other needs and he's already too emotionally invested, and the feeling helplessness while watching someone struggle to open up again once he learns what wongyu is really doing with the constant back and forth they have going on that night.
the cast is phenomenal and truly gave life to the feelings of these characters to a degree that it makes you go through the rawness of their struggles just within that single night.
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Navigating Excellence: Unraveling the Reputation of MostBet Casino!
MostBet Casino isn't just a name; it's synonymous with a diverse gaming portfolio that caters to every player's fancy. From classic slots to live dealer extravaganzas, the quality of gaming at MostBet mirrors its dedication to providing an immersive and enjoyable experience.In the world of online gaming, trust is earned through transparent and secure transactions. MostBet Casino takes pride in safeguarding player information, ensuring that financial transactions are conducted with the utmost security. This commitment to transparency fosters an environment where players can engage with confidence.
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Navigating Excellence: Unraveling the Reputation of MostBet Casino!
MostBet Casino isn't just a name; it's synonymous with a diverse gaming portfolio that caters to every player's fancy. From classic slots to live dealer extravaganzas, the quality of gaming at MostBet mirrors its dedication to providing an immersive and enjoyable experience.In the world of online gaming, trust is earned through transparent and secure transactions. MostBet Casino takes pride in safeguarding player information, ensuring that financial transactions are conducted with the utmost security. This commitment to transparency fosters an environment where players can engage with confidence.
A casino's reputation extends beyond its virtual walls and into the hearts of its community. MostBet has garnered a chorus of positive testimonials, a testament to the satisfaction of its players. Community consensus echoes the sentiment that MostBet is not just a casino but a trusted companion in the gaming journey.
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Creation of the Gods Ⅰ: Kingdom of Storms
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First movie in a planned trilogy
The news that this series was a hut in China came on my feed a week before my Netflix notification of this movie's availability for viewing. Being that, I completed this first movie investment out of 3 planned to be released.I like that China is sticking to it's own mythological background than merging or using western entities for their international releases. I noticed during opening credit that screenwriting guru James Schamus was the consultant for this film. That tells me the goal of Chinese producers to give it a way to be also adaptable to westerner viewers.
The CGI is comparable to any popular and blockbuster western films. The story was told in a good phase tho there was a point early in the movie that I was puzzled as to how that demon fox came about. Did I miss it during the beginning narration?
The variety of characters keeps viewers away from being bored. There's ghastly warlock, tyranical ruler, slapstick comedy, humor, action, fantasmic/sexy demon fox, witty and comedic gods, ugly but adorable demon, and so much more. Viewers will be slammed by the grandeur of production here.
The god squad that includes boy tyrant, Ne Zha (Yafan Wu) is enjoyable to watch and reminds me so much of the Monkey King character.
This has savagery, violence, slapstick humor, and fantasy.
Being partly exposed to Asian culture, I enjoyed this first movie investment. For anyone else with no concept of Asian mythology and culture, this may leave you scratching your head though there's a good chance you may be entertained.
The end credit allows a good peek at what is coming for the second investment of this trilogy. Giants are coming and surprisingly, the tyranical emperor brought back to life by the seductive demon fox.
I am looking forward to the second film.
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In defense of bromance
The two protagonists of the Chinese short 'A Little Romance', from 2022, by filmmaker Mao De Shu, do not establish a bond like that of Chandler and Joey in 'Friend', Batman and Robin in the 'Batman' saga, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in films like 'Air'; Riggs and Murtaugh in the four 'Lethal Weapon' films, or Jack and Danny in the British comedy 'Big Boys'.Chinese filmmakers, great specialists in telling stories in which their protagonists move in that social space for emotional openness, beyond other traditional male relationships, achieve films characterized by the absence of barriers and judgments, providing the characters with high stability. emotional, social fulfillment and better conflict resolution than a traditional romance. Chinese creators strip the bromance of all the prejudices inherited from toxic masculinity, especially that which suggests that you are no less of a man for having great trust and intimacy with your best friend.
There are those who say that a bromance is better than a couple. Well, this is a question for everyone. Let's leave it at that they are different relationships, very different from each other. The truth is that Chinese filmmakers know the public's tastes perfectly. That is why they have plenty of stories in which the protagonist takes great care of his friend, and in this way the friendship becomes longer and unconditional.
It is not that they turn their backs on the classic romantic relationships, homosexual or heterosexual, but that they leave it to others to bring to the screen everything related to the "game of conquest and seduction", knowing that there are other encounters and disagreements. This has influenced the mentality of many viewers who go so far as to affirm that a bromance is more beneficial than a relationship, and add that it is nothing out of this world either: friendship over love is something that is quite internalized in the human being.
The Asian giant's filmmakers have made it their own, like few others, to reflect stories whose main characteristic is that of two people, usually of the same sex, who can share personal problems or secrets that you would not share with others. Mutual respect and trust built over years allow them to express their emotions and feelings more openly, while reaching out to physical displays of affection, such as hugs and kisses, even in countries where these are not the common norm.
A good friend will point out without mincing words all those habits that seem normal to you but are quite toxic. He will listen to you when it comes to coping with your failures whether in study, work or love failures. Nor will you have to ask him for comfort or advice. Just by looking at you, he will know what you need and he will lend his shoulder to cry, and he will cry with you. The good friend will fail you in your least inspired moments with your partner. Should I give you more reasons? If you already have a bromance, surely not.
Mao De Shu is known for filming bromances since he became known with his first short films in 2015, through the dramas 'Long For You' and 'I Cannot Hug You', in 2017 and 'I Cannot Hug You 2' , 2018, among others.
But, as I said before, the two protagonists of 'A Little Romance' do not stop at the level of outlining male friendship in the era of new masculinities. They are not only the best confidant friend with whom you can talk about what worries you most, your family and romantic relationships, the mental illness of a family member, the chaos of the world we live in, the last soccer game, the precariousness work, lifestyle expectations, our role in gender equality or in the fight against sexist violence, homophobia and for the rights of LGBT+ people.
Liu Wen and Song Xian's relationship involves, above all, sexual attraction. Therefore, it's not bromance. Although in recent years the magic of a good television couple has been lost, possibly due to the compulsive consumption format, it has been absolutely perfect to see these young people how, little by little, and shown in a suggestive way, they are giving themselves realize that they like each other. This is the great beauty of bromance.
The greatest success of the film is the casting. It features two actors who couldn't fit better in their respective roles. From the first moment, Liu Yao Wen and Song Ya Xuan show that they are Liu Wen and Song Xuan. While the former exudes charisma from all sides and stands out in the most comical aspect of the character, which is quite present in the film, Song Xuan is a dramatic revelation, adding emotional weight to the story.
Both actors are perfect for their roles. At their most strategic and professional, they have the ability to trust each other and support each other, to reflect a symbiotic relationship between them.
The director of the short is aware that anything that did not contribute to understanding what the two young people are experiencing and their journey together of self-discovery and acceptance, did not make sense to be in the final cut. The important thing is them, and nothing else. His screen time is the entire movie. It's the movie itself.
In general terms, the plot leads its characters to reasoning such as "You may look better when you smile", or even its own plot, which revolves around the need to look for company and someone who gives warmth and joy to our lives, especially if they are people who for different reasons live alone.
The film adheres to a theme that love story fans really like, 'enemies to lovers', to narrate the relationship between two young people who have a lot in common, but have not gotten off to the right start, until a One day one comes to the other's defense when some bullies try to harass him. The friendship that suddenly arises between the two will become more and more real, evolving into a romantic relationship without becoming sexual.
The chemistry between the protagonists is shown naturally, palpable, tangible, in their looks, in their body language, the small winks, the flirtatious smiles, in the moments of tenderness that bring them closer and reproduce that sensation so recognizable by queer people of the secret love.
The spark is lit from their first scene together in the store when Liu Wen understands that the customer is from out of town and speaks to him in his dialect to communicate, and they frolic playfully in the next encounter when Liu Wen runs into the classroom right after be introduced Song Xuan as the new transfer student. The close bond between the two artists in real life jumps onto the screens and takes shape to allow us to appreciate it.
The film moderately addresses the sexuality of its protagonists, but manages to convey their playful passion and does not omit the main characteristics of the two boys as they build their relationship, first friendly and then loving, reflected in an insinuating way.
The little more than 15 minutes of footage will be enough to see how the relationship between Song Xuan and Liu Wen develops very quickly, barely giving the story room to breathe... for us to breathe.
Beyond how hopeful it is and the sighs that its protagonists will provoke, the most valuable contribution of 'A Little Romance' is its inspiring message about coming out of the closet in a process of self-discovery and falling in love without hardly showing the internal conflict of the characters. .
There is no doubt that Song Xuan and Liu Wen will continue to make thousands of people around the world fall in love, especially lovers of yaoi and romantic drama.
In a new type of fairy tale, Song Xuan, who plays the good, studious and neat boy who always respects the rules, especially the one that prescribes not skipping classes, thus earning the jealousy and envy of some , and Liu Wen, an out-of-control human whirlwind, willing to pick a fight with anyone in his "gangster mode," and suddenly he appears and turns everything upside down, changing both of their worlds forever.
In the film, its director gives complete freedom to the actors in front of the camera. It doesn't make cuts in between. Overlay one image with the other. He points the camera at them and lets them play. And in that game, magic happens. Thus, the public is able to understand, without words or physical manifestations, such as the theft of a kiss or holding a hand, what is happening with these two young people on a physical level and, at the same time, communicate what is going through their hearts. heads and what they experience emotionally.
The quick images tell, along with Liu Wen's voice, how the relationship deepens as he takes Song Xuan, on foot or by bicycle, to the places where he went to play as a child. This is how he shows him the tallest tree, the longest road, the restaurant with the most delicious stew, the fireworks, the sun, the moon and the stars on the seashore.
Liu Wen will give Song Xuan courage to face the bullies she once feared, as well as reasons to laugh. He won't mind losing the Student of Merit award. His intuition tells him that he should be there, for Liu Wen, even if he has to miss the exam.
Although the story only covers the phase of consolidation of friendship and the beginning of the construction of romance, the final words and images testify to the romantic interest of the two boys.
Both will be able to see the sun at night. And in the future they will leave Chongqing and go to Beijing, Shanghai or anywhere to look at the bigger world, but the deal only imposes one condition: they will take the trip together… holding hands, always together.
Will Song Xuan's wish to stay longer in one place come true? The only thing I can be sure of is that I close my eyes and see how every morning, before sunrise, under that endless tree at the foot of the long, winding staircase, Song Xuan standing there, in the favorite place of the people. two, with a smile on their lips, waiting for their lover.
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She's a summary of our desires
Helter Skelter is more of a dark and edgier story of human desire for beauty. Be it for self-satisfaction, be it for satisfying others. Or both.Lilico is the epitome of that desire. She cut and stitched herself together and filed the rough edges that didn't fit to put piece by piece together. She is the image of that desire incarnate, a perfect picture. If you pay attention to details you will see how deliberate her image throughout the whole movie is. She is so vain that even at her lowest she wears a dress and high heels. God knows, she definitely doesn't even have "casual" clothes that do not come from a fashion magazine and I'm sure she doesn't own a pair of more confortable shoes, like her assistant. You can see her throughout the movie staring at herself in the mirror (hence the reference "mirror, mirror on the wall") and mostly she does it barely dressed and you know why, because she is satisfied with her beauty, it is supposed to be a fake beauty created by a surgeon, but she wears it as if it was real, she loves to see herself almost naked, because this way most of it shows. Yes, it all describes superficial image.
Which still leaves me a bit in awe that this movie could see so much into future. Yes, plastic surgery was there for a long time, but it never was such a common place. maybe it was for the western world, but only these years I've seen girls copying IG "models", trying to be alike, dress alike and also have a face alike. Never have I met so many people just shopping and I see a woman with lip fillers for example. It was such a rare occurance for a place like ours, but it's not anymore.
But beauty isn't everything here, Lilico always wants more. She has this almost morbid desire to be loved and admired, although she acts like a bit*h in real life, she wants to be loved and be the center of attention.
I see several paths evolving:
- For her goal she can sacrifice.. anything.. even herself. So you can say that there's too much *ex in the movie, I can say that argument is quite fair, because there is indeed enough of it. You can say it serve several purposes. For example she sleeps with producer not for love, but for more roles. "Unspoken rules" of the industry. Her boyfriend is like fake love of two plastic dolls, although they're perfect. Then is her assistant who is no less crazier than her to me, even if she looks meek and acts like a soft persimmon. But again, morbid desire for love and also she acts like her assistant should stay and be the puppet in her small world, because by this time she started losing her shi. This also gives her a bit of a cheap feeling, because this is her most prized body she stares at so much, yet she shares it left and right without cherishing herself. But it also has the feeling of her past that she knows no other ways to tie people to herself.
- She wants to last forever, although it is impossible. There is a theme of being on the peek, as if you're a legend that will always stay in hearts, but also being dispensable and nothing more than a party popper that is thrown out after use. So Lilico and Kozue are the opposites of each other. Kozue came later, was younger and in demand, so Lilico slowly became a background character and was on the verge to be forgotten. I loved the simple demonstration of it all through showing Kozue being photographed in same studio with the same background, also attending same TV show, doing the same commercial. But Kozue unlike Lilico understands the truth of this industry, but Lilico can't come to terms that she's no longer there. Everything came to nothing and she was replaced.
We're talking mainly Lilico here because the idea and the message of the movie are portrayed through her.
To me Lilico is like that brainwashed girl that beauty is everything, for it you should be ready to sacrifice, even if it means to lay under the knife, even if it means you shoud sleap around when you're not sure if it's a right thing to proceed. Like look at her relationship with her boss, she calls her Mama, but you can tell that she trusted too much, they used shady clinic that requires you for often visits, even her earnings who knows where they're going. Her own condition, physical and mental, lead her to abuse substances. Her life became a mess before her last call. And at the last moment she did it her own way, like she told her boyfriend, she held her life in her own hands and did it to become what she always aspired to be - a legend.
The movie is shot nicely, it looks like a colorful kaleidoscope of Lilico's life, moving so fast that there is no moment for stopping. The dangerous ticking of the clock that time is running and it's something Lilico is most afraid of. It's also like flipping through a fashion magazine. Colorful and distant life. But who knows that it's just a fake dream.
I call dialogues very.. Japanese, because they don't talk like common people, it always feels theatrical almost (mainly thanks to investigator). The only ones who were underpaid were probably extras, the girls who were shot for "girl talk", those were so fake and plastic, but if you want to give it meaning it can have it.
I don't think there are many movies like this? They may be, but I haven't seen them yet. I say it because it's a darker version fo where beauty may come.
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"Eat, drink, man, woman, food and sex-basic human desires"
Eat Drink Man Woman is a film by Ang Lee that I’ve watched before and wanted to revisit. I liked it even better this time than I did the first, maybe it is an acquired taste. Food, family, love, loss, and secrets made for a tasty feast to sit down to.Mr. Chu is a widowed chef who has lost his sense of taste. He has three daughters who live with him. Each lives their lives separately except for when they sit down to the elaborate Sunday meals he prepares. One by one they face challenges, and find new love or new paths to take.
The food preparation was sumptuous. Chicken, pork, fish, a variety of seafood, hot pot, all made not only to taste with the mouth but with the eyes as well. No one would have to cook for a week with the Sunday dinners the father served. The daughters didn’t eat that much and there were enormous quantities of food leftover. Much of the food was also shared with the eldest daughter’s divorced friend and child. Mr. Chu would also pack culinary delights for the child to take to school for her lunches making her very popular with her classmates. The middle daughter loved to cook like her father, but had been banished from the restaurant kitchen so that she would find a proper job. While she excelled at her position with an airline, her passion was making the dishes she’d seen her father so thoughtfully prepare.
Everyone cared about the other yet had lost the capacity to communicate freely. Only when things began to be shaken up and the status quo was flipped over and scattered did father and daughters begin to reach out again. Sometimes a pot can be simmering quietly on the stove and is only noticed when it boils over. The dish isn’t ruined if someone attends to it lovingly. Everyone in the Chu family had to discover what made them happy, what helped them be who they wanted to be. Sometimes that exploration led to loss before it led to gain. If you enjoy watching elaborate meals being prepared as well as father-daughter, and sisterly relationships being explored, this quirky family drama is seasoned to near perfection.
21 February 2024
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Laughed, Cried, Loved: A Feel-Good Ride Through Love and Loss
The start was solid, with the male lead grappling with the loss of his wife and the female lead, a doctor, facing a trial due to a misdiagnosis.She needs the male lead to sue the patient's husband for her advantage.
However, he won't cooperate, having experienced the pain of losing a loved one. This already set up a funny situation that got me curious about what would happen next.😁
She tries seduction, then intimidation, and it always ends in a humorous way. Despite knowing he's married and mourning, she persists, going all out, never giving up on seducing him. She keeps pestering him until she obviously falls for him too.
Their personalities and constant bickering were adorable. I couldn't get enough of their dynamic. The story made me smile, laugh, and even shed a tear.
It was genuinely good, and the ending was wonderfully sweet. Loved the overall vibe.
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couldn't have finished if it weren't for the actors.
honestly, it's really not a boring concept. a cursed camera sounds cool, and it would've been good if the directors did not put some corny ass story behind it.the cgi was quite literally awful to the point that it turned this horror movie into a comedy. editing was strange, the monsters looked funny, that weird rat came out of nowhere- only appearing for a minute and was never to be seen again. the only good thing about this movie is its casts' performances.
if you're a fan of the main leads' work, its a great watch to see their range of acting. otherwise, it's a waste of time.
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Although the genre (high school romance) isn't really my favorite (on the one hand, I'm probably too old for it, LOL; and on the other hand, my favorite genres are rather comedy, iyashikei, horror, mystery, etc.), nevertheless I actually liked this lil' movie that definitely managed to exceed my expectations: the story is clean, straight-forward and nice, the leads are both very good and so is the "packaging" (directing, editing, photography, music,...).
Totally solid 8/10!
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Both works, in fact, share the same fascination with time loops and the technical prowess required to portray them through sequence shots. And of course they are from the same director and share a relevant part of the cast.
I personally think that the story here is just a lil' bit weaker, and the setting a lot less fascinating (let's be honest: beautiful ryokan in the hills around Kyoto beats small family restaurant/café in an anonymous city side street any day of the week!!! ^_^;;;....), hence my grade.
It's still another wonderful movie I can wholeheartedly recommend, though! 9/10
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I liked this so much, I'd want to give it more than "just" 10/10!!!
Seriously, there are times when you watch something so tremendously satisfying, that you kinda feel bad for not being able to rate it more than "just" the top grade, and it is precisely the case with this fabulous "River, Nagarenaide yo"!Hard to explain why it hit me so much without giving anything away (and that'd be a pity 'cause it would deprive you of the pleasure of finding out by yourselves!), I'll just say this: the premise is as interesting as they come; the way they actually made it work was nothing short of a serious stroke of genius; the technical difficulties I can only imagine but must have been something indeed, chapeau for the way they brilliantly overcame them; the cast did *marvelously*, with a special mention for the amazing, lovely, gorgeous (I could go on and on!) Fujitani Riko; the setting is simply F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S; the "packaging" absolutely top-notch (I normally am not really a fan of hand-held cameras, but there was no other way to make this work!).
What are you waiting for? Go watch this *now*! You'll thank me later! ^____-
10/10 and instant top10 of all times, as far as I'm concerned!
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An interesting take on society
There is something about this movie that reminds me of My mister, not that it gets near to the mindblowing dialog and content that you get in 16 episodes but more of a preview, My Mister with the same feel and a bunch of pretty good lines. A movie that offers a mist of My mister that covers a movie about found family, prostitution and above all adoption.Through the characters of this movie could be deemed in somewhat extream situations the moive offers is a an odd familiarity, day to day... beige feel to it.... Not at all out of the ordinary yet still really out of the ordinary all at once wich is pretty cool.
There is a great show of character development and change of discourse throughout the movie that highlight a whole lot of important issues and the importance of safety nets and or support systems and how it is all connected.
First we let social wokers have their go, and when they fail it is the cops turn to swoop in...
The actors did a great job, the cinematography was dark and depressing (which fit the movie really well) and the story is one that needed to be told.
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Japanese gothic tale
I am a huge fan of gothic horror and dark fantasy and this one was a mixture of both. Beautifully shot and i guess its based on a really popular folk tale.I am a fan of the simplicity of the movie...it really is very theatrical and natural. Only because its vintage it was also very dream like.
I really like Love stories like these where people just so deeply fall in love that they transcend the boundaries to be with each other....the story itself is so beautiful....a timeless romantic tale which is also very haunting but not terrifying.
I want such folk tales to be interpreted by women and see what they do with it. Maybe because this was interpreted by a man...this felt a bit dry on the part of characters. But otherwise good.
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