Reviews

Watch the drama

Coming-of-age Asian movies will always fill me with a warm, fuzzy feeling, but I really do prefer the drama version of this story purely because of the runtime.

The chemistry between the leads is decent in certain scenes, but I didn't really feel the longing or the slow build that the story requires, and the characters don't have as much depth as I wish. The plot also feels somewhat nonsensical, like we're skipping through scenes.

This movie does what most Asian coming-of-age dramas do — which is introduce a final act conflict and separation — and while it's necessary for the male lead's arc, the resolution still feels pretty rushed.

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"Meeting someone is never a coincidence"

Dead End Run was a bizarre art house film. Disturbing, with dizzying shaky camera work, and yet also intriguing. Three different protagonists in three different stories, running for their lives, find themselves in curious dead ends.

Last Song
This was the strangest and my least favorite as it lapsed into a “zombie” song and dance. Surreal. 6.5

Shadows
Two hit men find themselves at a dead end and what appeared to be an existential crisis for both. Unhinged bordering on comical. 7.0

Fly
A criminal is cornered on a rooftop holding a silent girl hostage. Both are at different kinds of dead ends. 8.0

I was not a fan of the nausea inducing shaky cam, especially when it was sped up and combined with other special effects. I could appreciate it, but did not enjoy it. The music also sounded like it came straight out of the 1970s. Much like the camera work, you’ll either love it or hate it.

The moon and mist played a strong role in the first two fantastical stories while the sun made an appearance in the third one. Pay attention to the jewelry shown in the initial hallucinogenic run with psychedelic effects and colors flowing like a kaleidoscope on a bad mushroom trip. They show up later. Honestly, much of the film had the look of someone who had partaken of something that led to a distortion of time and space. The runners were in amazing shape. One ran through the night, day, and night again. I’m sure it had some higher meaning my literal brain could not discern. All three couples ended up in similar positions for different reasons.

Dead End Run is one those films where the beauty/meaning is in the eye of the beholder. It’s not a film I could say I truly liked, but I did find it interesting and worth a watch just to once again experience director Ishii Gakuryu’s creativity and imagination.

6 May 2026

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Absolute garbage

After watching this gigantic piece of shit, here’s my opinion:

Where to even start? Let’s talk about the story:
The film throws us into a war, then a “Godzilla” appears and kills almost everyone except our protagonist. Then comes a sequence where Godzilla wrecks everything, and he kills it. Honestly, the story is absolute garbage. Having watched every Godzilla from the 1998 one to the latest, I’ve never seen a story with zero soul or even any sense. In all those films, I’ve never seen Godzilla attack humans like this just because he’s bored (that’s the impression I get). In the other movies, there’s always a reason — the fish or the Titans (monsters like him). Here, it just makes no sense at all!

Now let’s talk about Godzilla’s design:
What the hell is this shit?!
First, his size. All Godzillas are gigantic. This one barely clears a 5-story building. Did he not get enough soup growing up or what’s the problem?
Let’s talk about the way he moves. Does he have a ballet stuck up his ass? He moves like an NPC???
What’s with that head!? He’s smiling like a mongoloid??
At the end, the sea monster dies because he didn’t do his decompression stages. What the fuck is this nonsense????? The guy is the boss of the seas but if he goes too deep and comes back up, he dies??????????

Now let’s talk about the absurd scenes:

“Godzilla” fires a beam that creates a nuclear explosion and generates a shockwave that sends thousands of pieces of wall flying. The woman gets caught in it, BUT thanks to the power of the magic of friendship, she survives with just a broken arm.
The scene where he kills Godzilla is absolutely sad and grotesque. He kills a sea monster by drowning it.

Why make a film in black and white and then one in color?

Honestly, I love Godzilla. This shitty thing is not Godzilla. It’s a pale copy!

If you’ve got time to waste, then go ahead and watch it!

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"You can see the world anyway you like"

Daughter does in eight minutes what longer films fail to do in two hours. Ostensibly an advertisement for the iPhone 11Pro, it was far more than that. Phones played no part except for the fact that it was supposedly shot with an iPhone. Theodore Melfi directed the film and Lawrence Sher was the cinematographer, both Academy Award Nominees.

Zhou Xun plays a mother estranged from her own mother. She drives a taxi and takes her daughter to work with her for which she is often criticized. The little girl, Dou Dou, entertains herself with a homemade telescope, viewing the world with a few accessories from the window of the cab. Not everyone complains about sharing the backseat with Dou Dou offering themselves up as temporary surrogate “parents.” New Year’s Eve and a desire for dumplings and to share dumplings offers a chance for healing.

Zhou Xun gave a wonderfully complex performance in this short film/commercial as the daughter who refused to fit into the mold her mother made for her and also as the mother of her own daughter. The little girl was adorable which helped seal the deal. “Daughter” had a compelling ending that made this old Butterfly tear up. Definitely worth 8 minutes, especially for daughters who both need their mothers and their own identities separate from them.

5 May 2026

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The basic idea isn't bad: two sisters living in a cursed family environment. The story follows their attempt to change their destiny: the younger sister gets trapped in a destructive path (drugs), while the older sister remains burdened by the weight of paying off the family's accumulated debts.

The Problem: Execution
The issue lies entirely in the execution, and several factors contributed to this:

1. Narrative Style:
I didn't like the storytelling method. The frequent use of flashbacks was inconsistent and confusing. The sequence of events didn't flow well, especially when the film shifted to the past using the "small screen," which completely ruined the rhythm of the story.

2. Logical Gaps:
There were many crucial details that should have been included but were ignored, such as:
Tian Tian’s struggles in raising the child.
How did she get pregnant in the first place?
Where was the child when the three men were looking for her?

3. Misplaced Focus on Unnecessary Details:
The film focused on things that didn't serve the core plot, like:
Over-elaborating on Fang Di’s suffering as a stuntwoman.
Repeating scenes that added nothing to the narrative.
Meanwhile, they neglected the actual events—like the downfall of the family and the father's addiction—which would have strengthened the story and made it more impactful.

4. The Ending:
The ending was absolute nonsense and completely incomprehensible. Did Tian Tian die or not? Was the final scene meant to show that she finally achieved freedom, or that she became an actress like she wanted? It was totally unclear.

5. Wasted Talent:
The acting was actually brilliant, but it was completely wasted due to poor directing and the inability to tell the story effectively.

Conclusion:
The story was good and had the potential to be much better if not for the poor direction. They simply didn't know how to tell it.

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Yet another "psychological thriller"

I'm afraid I expected too much for better or for worse. The synopsis was interesting enough to reel me in, and so I went in with higher expectations than I probably should have.

I wasn’t utterly disappointed, to my relief, though, I must say the movie was nothing groundbreaking.

I have a personal beef with someone who labels a show psychological when it doesn’t have the content to back it up. That’s exactly what I felt while watching this. It’s not a psychological drama; it’s just a drama. But a decent one.

When it comes to the acting, it was fine overall, but inconsistent at times. I can’t say I hated the FL’s performance, but I definitely wasn’t impressed. I could, unfortunately, tell when she was acting. In the scene where the ml reveals the mystery behind her daughter’s change in behaviour, she didn’t seem fully in her zone. The reaction felt underwhelming, to be euphemistic. To be blunt, the scene felt poorly acted. Another instance is in the final scene, where she has a long back and forth with the detective; it felt unnatural and a little awkward to watch. As for the ml, his performance was consistent throughout. His role wasn’t particularly demanding, but he handled microexpressions well and did a solid job overall.

As for the story, the concept is intriguing, but this is my issue with screenplays with intriguing storylines: they often fail to execute it. A serial killer wanting a one on one interview with a journalist? What a compelling start! But did the movie sustain the intrigue throughout? Arguably, no. It ends up following the same thriller tropes of a benevolent psychopath. I'm afraid writers aren’t audacious enough to fully commit to portraying a true psychopath as a protagonist. Then again, you can argue that this isn’t that kind of story. Fair enough. Not everything needs to reinvent the wheel.

I have criticised the movie enough that my review is starting to feel biased. Can’t have that, can we? On the bright side, the cinematography was one of the film’s strongest aspects. There was enough interesting camera work to keep me engaged, and the use of multiple TVs to create tension was handled smoothly. It did a lot of the heavy lifting in otherwise dull scenes.
The consistent pacing was another good aspect of the movie, but that’s also its downside. For a psychological thriller that you claim to be, I didn’t feel that rush of adrenaline in the climax. Or can it be called a climax? The experience ended up feeling somewhat anticlimactic.

By the end, though, I didn’t feel like I had wasted my time. It’s a solid project, and I would still recommend watching it, especially if you don’t have any other psychological thrillers lined up. Just lower your expectations a bit, and you should be good to go.

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great movie

My brother was a really touching movie. As someone who has started watching Korean films not long ago, I was surprised to see a very young Kim Hae Sook. I’m used to seeing her as the grandmother in the shows I’ve watched, so it was quite remarkable to discover older films and see the actors in their younger days.

The story beautifully represents brotherly love, illustrating how, despite fighting, you will always love your siblings even if you aren’t speaking to them.
I anticipated the sad moments, thinking they wouldn’t affect me, but the actors delivered their performances so well that I found myself crying nonstop. Also, I want to mention Shin Ha Kyun, who plays such compelling characters. Each time he appeared on screen, I was brought to tears, he is so good with delivering emotions though screen.

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Cried a river and the ending left my jaw on the floor

When I first started this drama, I had no idea what the story was about. I was intrigued by the title and was completely taken by surprise by what unfolded. The story is both heartbreaking and empowering. Be prepared to have plenty of tissues on hand because this movie will make you cry every few minutes.

What struck me the most was that, despite receiving a terrible diagnosis and having only a few months to live, Futaba's main concern is her family and their future. She faces numerous challenges and goes beyond words to ensure they are prepared to live without her. I have always found it hard to understand how someone can be so selfless and love another person so deeply, putting them above oneself. Perhaps that’s what makes mothers incredible.

**Spoilers***

Another fascinating aspect is that all the characters represent different stages of Futaba's own life, and that's why she understands what they are going through. As a way to console her younger self, she attempts to give them what she never received herself.

Futaba was abandoned as a child, and her mother never came back for her, so she knows firsthand the pain of being left behind. When she married Sachino, whose wife left him with their daughter (Azumi), Futaba took Azumi in as her own and cared for her deeply, as if she were her own daughter. She never treated Azumi differently or let her or us suspect that she wasn’t her biological child; instead, she considered her as her own blood.

When the truth was revealed that Azumi was not her biological child, I was genuinely surprised by the depth of Futaba's love for her. Seeing how much she pushed Azumi to be strong and loved her, it was impossible to even imagine they are not blood-tied. At the same time, she empathized with Azumi's mother's situation, which is why she made sure Azumi learned sign language so they could communicate if Azumi ever wanted to reach out to her biological mother. This act of love deeply touched me and made me realize how much Futaba must have loved Azumi to endure the pain of letting her learn sign language for that possible future encounter.

Not only did Futaba give unwavering love to Azumi, but she also encouraged Azumi to be strong and stand tall against those who were abusing her. She helped her understand that when problems come, she should not hide but stand tall to face a difficult situation with confidence and dignity.

When Azumi's biological father left her and Azumi, she could have walked away since Azumi was not her biological child, but she chose to stay and endure immense pain. When she encountered her husband again and learned he had another child, she welcomed that child, who was also abandoned by her biological mother, into her home, offering her the same love and care she had given Azumi because she understood what it meant to be neglected.

Another story that struck me is when she met backpacker Takumi, who also experienced neglect and was a lost child. She recognized in him a hurt kid, and when she embraced him like a mother, she gave him something he likely never received. She offered him purpose and encouraged him to return to see her, giving him that sense of being wanted.

So each one of them goes through things Futaba herself experienced, and rather than let them be alone in pain, she tries to help them overcome those difficult feelings and guide them to overcome it all.

It is incredibly touching to witness Futaba’s unwavering effort to help everyone around her, even as she prepares them to live independently after her passing. It breaks my heart to know that she is helping them heal their traumas and become self-sufficient so that the transition is less painful when she is gone. This, too, is an expression of love that I could not comprehend.

Something remarkable about the story is how family can go beyond blood ties. Despite being the least connected person by blood to those around her, Futaba loves them more than many biological parents love their children. She is an example of how, truly, a mother’s love is beyond words.

This movie was profoundly moving and painful; I cried a river while watching it. Even now, reflecting on it brings tears to my eyes. It's probably one of the best pieces of screenwriting I’ve seen in a while, and it’s no wonder it received so much recognition.

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super cute! but not a great adaptation. [very long]

i'm currently re-reading the manga for the first time in about 10 years. i was thinking "the only thing missing about this is a 2000s jdrama adaptation that takes itself way too seriously" and i stumbled upon this. so allow me to make a couple comments:

1. as a lolita myself, the amount of btssb all over this movie had me close to fainting. i saw a girl holding an usakumya plush and then i look up at her face and see that it's MISAKO MF AOKI HERSELF. i couldn't find the name of the dress akira wears to sneak into the girls' school (i'm not as familiar with btssb/aatp catalog as i am with angelic pretty) but i DID see that baby collabed with pullip to produce a doll of him??? insane collector's piece i fear it's on my lolita grail list right next to milky-chan the fawn jsk. i adored seeing so much of this fashion that's so near and dear to my heart. however, i do still kind of wish that more masculine looking women had been cast to play blaue rosen.........the manga makes quite a point that mizuki is often mistaken for and treated as if she's a man, and while the actress cast to play her was very cute and expressive, i really don't find that she fit the bill appearance wise. however, i do find that akira's actor was quite well cast, he's decently androgynous-looking for the role and i think he pulled it off well. he also looks great in a jsk and otk socks lmao.

2. if you're looking for a faithful adaptation to the manga, this is not it. i kept waiting and waiting on the topic of kaoru moving overseas and the band breaking up to become a topic, since this is quite literally what propels the plot in the manga. kaoru moving away is the driving force that brings akira to mizuki in the first place, which then leads to the plot of him joining the band as their new vocalist. like i'm actually shocked that out of all the parts of this movie that were faithful to the manga, the primary plot of the entire story was completely omitted. i'd understand taking out some parts for time constraints, but i feel like SO much of the story was changed that it doesn't exactly feel recognizable. if you're okay with viewing it as it's own separate media independent of the manga, then go ahead. but if you want a good adaptation, maybe skip it.

3. i find that compared to the manga, many parts of the story were quite sanitized for a lower age rating. for example, in the scene where ran discovers mizuki is a girl, the manga has him jumping on her and tearing her clothes open quite violently. whereas in the film, i believe it's a bit of an ouran situation of him accidentally feeling her chest. seeing as the film is much more comedic in tone than the manga which takes itself quite seriously, i can see why this was done, and i do appreciate it a bit for being more tasteful than the manga. there's actually quite a bit of sexual theming and serious topics such as assault/harassment in the manga (seeing as the target demographic is adult women rather than teens or young girls), so the choice to omit these for a light-hearted romcom feels more appropriate and respectful than if it hadn't been.

in conclusion, i really did love this movie, it was really cute and fun and sweet and the music blaue rosen played in universe is exactly what i pictured while reading the manga! that being said, the manga is MUCH different in tone, and while i'd advise to use discretion regarding the topics of sexual harassment and such, it really is a great read. i'd strongly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of josei romance like nana or paradise kiss. i feel like it's one from its era that tends to get overlooked quite a bit.

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how can a short show be this meaningful

I start this show because I love my journey to you so I started to watch other this director work and honestly this doesn’t disappoint me . It’s short but there is a whole story in it . I love this director work . He always add some amazing phrase in it here ^ no one is innocent in this world ^ . I can’t wait to watch his other work. This Wuxia show is well written for it 37 minutes long . it’s hard for me to explain it as my understanding because of my poor English. This show is mainly about the person who was treated as tool forever finally feel important and get treated as a person for the first time in so long .

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My May Recommendation movie

Watched this because the recommendation challenge by 𝑫𝒂 𝑩𝒂𝒐…

For once the synopsis from MDL is true to its point. So I'm not gonna write another one....

What I like / appreciate:
+ The beautiful & very aesthetics and cinematography. For you who love this kind of cinematography will gonna love this.
+ The character is really interesting. Despite their spouse infidelity, they still find the strength to avoid the same mistake nor they seek revenge.

What I don't like:
- I found this quite boring & very uninterested
- kinda wait for a little confrontation between chou & su & their couple... But it's not happening, for me making it more boring ..

Overall this a good movie for those who fond with this kind of story telling or cinematography. But once more this is not for me...

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