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Saimori Miyo était l'enfant malheureux d'un mariage arrangé et sans amour. Après la mort de sa mère, son père a amené son amant et sa propre fille, Kaya. Dès lors, la vie de Miyo se réduit à celle d'une simple servante. Pire encore, alors que Kaya avait hérité des capacités psychiques de la famille, Miyo n'en avait aucune : elle était véritablement la fille sans mérite. Après des années passées à être traitée comme de la saleté, Miyo a appris à garder la tête baissée, à cacher sa douleur et à obéir à tous les ordres. Il n'est donc pas surprenant qu'elle soit mariée à Kudo Kiyoka, un capitaine militaire dont on dit qu'il est si cruel qu'il a jusqu'à présent chassé chacune de ses épouses potentielles. D'une éducation douloureuse à un mariage douloureux, c'est l'avenir qui attend Miyo – du moins c'est ce qu'elle pensait. Contrairement à ses attentes, son nouveau mari est en réalité bienveillant. Ce qui attend vraiment Miyo, c'est un mariage heureux, éternel, plein de bonheur ! (Source : MyAnimeList) ~~ Adapté de la série de light novel « Watashi no Shiawasena Kekkon » (わたしの幸せな結婚) d'Akumi Agitogi (顎木あく

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So, who is the monster?

I actually watched this about 2 weeks ago, but I guess I just wanted to recollect my thoughts about this film before I could write the review because... woah, this was so interesting. Mesmerising. It made me think a LOT.

How this film unfolded the mystery through each character's perspective was so smart, and so well done. I just couldn't tell what was going on or what the main plot was at all, until it switched to Minato's perspective. At the beginning, we saw a single mother be just as confused as us viewers were-- what was her son doing? Why was he acting like that? What was going on with him? We felt her confusion, pain, struggle and then just as she was convinced that the teacher was the perpetrator, we were fully convinced too. If I were to speak further than her perspective, I'd be spoiling heavily because after that, everything blew my mind away. Nothing she thought were true. Frankly, I've never seen anything else quite like how this film is told.

The acting from all actors alike was brilliant. Passionate. I will never get how child actors can be such good actors at such a young age. They literally did just as well as the adult actors on the film, and to be this much talented already gives me the chills because wth am I doing with my life 😂

Amazing film. It's the kind of movie you can't help but hold your breath in for the entire 2-hour runtime-- even if you feel like your head might explode at some point.

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Even three years after its release, this is still one of the better Korean BLs.
In a lot of other Korean BL dramas, something is always off -- either the story doesn't make any sense (or only had old-fashioned and even harmful clichés), or the acting is stiff or the production (sets, audio etc.) lacks details or the directing is lackluster etc.

This drama has none of those problems.
The plot is is solid, if a little predictable. What's making it special are the little hints at more backstory -- especially for the two main leads, who are wonderfully vulnerable and both have scars from earlier events in their lives, which we only get hints of -- and they both accept these vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of each other.
The acting enhances this further. There are many small moments when you have to look closely at the actors, they often express their emotions through small changes in posture or even just with their eyes (I loved these moments when Son Woo Hyun shows how his character is hurt by Han Ji Woo's harsh words, and equally, how Kim Kang Min can say whole paragraphs by just averting his eyes.) Both main actors and the supporting cast are obviously invested in making this drama into something good.
The sets feel real, and with much attention to detail. In the beginning of the story, Ji Woo's home seems a bit bare -- except for the kitchen, which is clearly well loved and often used. This is the only place in the whole house where Ji Woo has left traces of his own personality -- until Seo Joon, that is. Then suddenly, decorating items start to show up (and it's clear that Ji Woo put them there for Seo Joon).
The directing puts all these things into a cohesive whole. For me, it feels as if the director had a clear vision of the story, the characters, and their backstories.

Yes, the budget could have been higher, the run time could have been longer. But I think they did what they could, and it doesn't even show too much that it was shot during the first autumn/winter of the covid-pandemic (I suppose that South Korea had quite a few restrictions back then, as did other countries).

I recommend that you re-watch this after season 2 -- there are several scenes that hit differently after you know more about the characters.

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"I never realized how heavy this kimono was"

Love triangles can be problematic, especially when communication isn’t encouraged and everyone is guided by rigid social principles. Two loving sisters ended up in a trap of their own making when society denied them the freedom to make their own choices in Miss Oyu.

Shinnosuke has resisted every marital prospect until Shizu’s entourage approaches his house and he falls in love at first sight. The only problem---the woman he fell in love with was Shizu’s older widowed sister, Oyu. Known for her beauty and elegance, Oyu was tied to her late husband’s family and couldn’t leave because she had given birth to the heir. Oyu pushes for Shizu to marry Shinnosuke because she wants to stay near her sister. Before long the three are inseparable. Unknown to Oyu, Shizu announced on her wedding night to her husband that she intended to be married in name only because she knew he loved her sister and her sister loved him. This sisterly sacrifice led to more heartache for all involved, primarily for the sisters.

Director Mizoguchi and cinematographer Miyagawa created a treat for the eyes in black and white. The scenery, sets, and costumes were luxurious. Similar to Kurosawa, he framed his scenes with action in the foreground and background, giving the scenes visual depth and interest. The traditional music haunted the film with melancholy as the characters dealt with their repressed emotions.

Tanaka Kinuyo and Otowa Nobuko were the heart of the film, conveying sisters deeply committed to each. Hori Yuji looked like he just came along for the ride. His immature and passive Shinnosuke barely registered on the screen when the two women were around. Was Oyu truly, passionately, in love with Shinnosuke? As far as the story went, it was difficult to determine what Oyu’s feelings truly were. She kept them neatly tucked. Was she in love? Flattered? Or oblivious to Shinnosuke’s love? When scandal threatened, she set the married couple straight in what their obligations to each other were. What drove Shizu’s need to sacrifice her own happiness and future? What debt could she possibly owe her sister? The writers weren’t telling and the actors weren’t giving many clues either as to why the trio was willing to dance on the edge of a knife where any mistake would lead to devastating scandals and familial reprisals.

Miss Oyu was visually interesting, the three people tragically caught up in a silent triangle of repressed feelings not so much. Tanaka and Otowa did their best to infuse intensity into the story but were confined by the writers and the film's societal norms.

30 January 2024

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So we have GARO KAMI NO KIBA. It's an overall fun movie. As always, the fight choreography is very well done (typical GARO standard). However, the effects seem inferior to those of Goldstorm, which is 2 years older! I'm not sure what happened, maybe some issue with the film's budget, production problems... they're not as polished in some scenes. Of course, it's always good to remember that we're talking about tokusatsu, it's not supposed to be Hollywood-level CGI, but it's good to be at least decent. The direction of the film was okay; Amemiya Keita didn't quite put as much effort into his creation this time. Overall, it's a movie made for fans and lovers of the villain Jinga (lol). It's a cool film.

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Kairo, a Misunderstood Masterpiece

I love this movie so much, and I hate how shit on it is for the weak and vague story. I think what makes it scariest is the fact we have an idea of what's going on and yet not the full story, so we just have to watch as the loneliness destroys the characters.

This kind of horror is my favourite, no jumpscares, but gives me nightmares from how eerie it all is. After a while, I figured out that I'd never get a jumpscare but the music and sound design frightened me more than the ghosts did at times. The random silences followed by loud music and choir singing made me jump ngl.

The visuals of the early 2000s was just perfect for horror movies. It's got that slight grain that makes it feel dated but also very recent and that vintage horror aspect is just perfect.

I do have to criticise the acting, though not amazing or polytonous, it was okay. I feel there were points the characters could have had more emotion, like when Michi walked into Taguchi's house and saw his body, cus it kinda felt like they'd had to retake that one shot so many times the actress got tired.

BUT all that being said, this movie is great. People saying the American "remake" was better but I know y'all are lying, there's a reason why they remade it, because Americans can't appreciate good cinema. xx

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I liked this short film a lot, enough to watch it a second time. It's a story about a teenager who has to decide if he will go along with his "friends" and continue bullying another student or stand up to them and risk becoming an outsider and a victim of bullying himself.
I didn't see the queer subtext, not even on my rewatch. But I can see how it relates to the queer experience of trying to fit in and trying to go unnoticed but never truly fitting in and always feeling scared that your true ("weak") self will be discovered. It's a good film with a good, relatable protagonist.

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Lacked the Emotions

After the whole lot of yourube shorts recommendation of this Film I finally watched it. Its a fun plot with good acting but I feel it might have done better as a Drama wherein the writers could have shown more deeply into the emotions of the main and side characters....i just couldnt feel the presence of side characters and their importance. Also some characters were so annoying like i just fast forwarded at so many points..... I just couldnt feel any emotions building up in me.... neither to laugh or to cry or pure rage....at certain points i did find it Gross though.
Maybe a deeper insight into as to why the main leads changed so much after marriage would have been interesting

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Full Action Packed Gangsta Film

Why is the villain scary? Because he stays calm. There are very few instances where Jang Chen lost his cool, but the truth is that he collected that anger and exerted that anger while killing his foes.
The film feels even better when we get to know it's a real life story about the gangs back in 2002–03 and how police somehow arrested these vicious MFs. The world building was good and Villain came with nothing but a desire to expand as quickly as possible.
The film's climax was good, action keeps getting better and the final battle just keep you on the edge of the seats.

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the fox...

It was a long movie but I didn't loose any minute of it. For sure it was easier for me to understand than for my companion who does not watch any eastern productions. It was beautiful. So much attention to detail, so much action yet great photos, and awesome moments of the Fox demoness, się was my favourite character, the ending was suprisely like a cut of actikn for me, really unexpected though the scenes were completed and it was a closure, and you better sit still till the end of the lines on your seat as you might miss of more to come. I did not know before that this will be a trilogy. I enjoyed it a lot. It was refreshing.

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30/01/2024

Don't expect this to be full on action or anything other than a story being told with a specific point.

Why is it so easy for some to condemn others for not being so fortunate in life or to treat someone like a lepar because of being the child of a convicted murderer.

It is not okay for teachers to ignore classroom bullying or teens/adults to be so vindictive towards someone for being the daughter or son of a felon.

Furthermore, it is unacceptable not to protect someone being mentally, physically or sexually abused - hell no! Sometimes you need to approach adults that can be trusted or the police because there are some things in life that are way over one's head.

Of course, if no one can be objective or non-judgemental it makes it harder still.

SPOILER ALERT

The female teenage victim in this had no real support with very limited protection so was quite isolated and all alone despite the brief association with the male adolescent (newcomer) and family member at home.

The newcomer did try to be friends, did have a few fights on her behalf, but he let her down when she needed him the most. If he was capable of taking on the high school bullies - what was one adult male? And then to sit on that incident and not report anything plus the church scene. I get he was young and wasn't to blame, but him not turning up that day and then ignoring her alienated that poor girl even more and likely drove it home in her mind just how alone she really was in the world.

I have read a few other comments to do with her last scene where some believe she died whereas others went with her running away somewhere.

What do I think happened?

I reckon she went somewhere to die because of the despair she felt, no one having her back, the trauma and everything being so overwhelming. The only thing she could trust or hold onto that brought a bit of happiness into her dismal life was the black goat and it most definitely wouldn't have been enough to save her nor was it hers to keep.

This movie is worth a watch!

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