Reviews

Heteronormativity at its finest

Change the character of Rawee into a woman, and you'll get an old-fashioned, tropey romance movie with a supernatural side.

Why?
Rawee is the typical young orphan, who is brought into the house of a new family, first of unclear status, then gets engaged to/married off to the family`s son.
Rawee stays at home and makes desserts for the family, while Phloeng is outside, doing business things. Rawee is easily hurt, and the manly Phloeng carries her, sorry, him, because Rawee obviously can't walk on his own after scraping a knee. Phloeng is the one who gets jealous and overall is the one who pushes their relationship to the next levels.
Apart from one remark at the beginning, Rawee's gender has no relevance at all.

There's really no point in Rawee being a man. (Because the character isn't, it's just a male body in a female role.)
(Edit to add: And it's a stereotypically "weak" female role, at that. I like women to have more agency, and Rawee basically has none.)

The side couple really had no relevance to the story (at first I thought maybe the ghost would use it, but no.) and could have been left out. Instead the time could have been used to tell the ghost's story in more detail.

The acting was all right, good by the seasoned actors. Cinematography was fine, music non-remarkable.
Sets were appropriate for the early 1960s, as far as I can tell. I'm not too sure about the clothing -- in Europe no man would have just casually worn a T-Shirt, and short trousers for a young men of 21 years would have been a no-go. but I'm not familiar with Thailand's fashion in the 1950s and 1960s, so they might be okay.

Well, at least now I can point to another movie whenever I want to show what I mean when I talk about heteronormativity in BL dramas and movies.

Read More

A good watch

Honestly, I came for ZeeNunew. Had to set the vpn to watch it on Netflix.
Thire story was interesting and the acting was superb 👏 as expected of ZNN. The music was Okay. Would have been much better to have more time and develop the backstory ans second couple's story too.
The plot was nothing very new compared to other supernatural movies but it was interesting because of the LGBTQIA+ theme. Was expecting to see the discrimination and barriers faced by gender minorities especially in that era and probably because of the storyline, it wasn't well portrayed like in Khun Chai.
Not a big fan of villianizing the women (the crazy ex) in BL stories though.

Read More

A beautiful piece that holds 3 different perspectives

Lovingly detailed and accented by an aching score from Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died in March, Monster is one of the finest films of the year, and its structure — like its circle of characters — carries secrets that can only be unraveled through patience and empathy. By cutting things up and showing us the perils of fractured perspectives, the director, demonstrates that compassion is more than just a natural state of being. This absorbing, ambiguously titled movie builds to a moving finish, one that reaffirms Kore-eda’s peerless skill at directing young actors in particular.

My Rating : 8.5/10

Read More

Oddly Charming, Albeit Late Blooming

Watching this out of curiosity, the first 1/3 into it was such a drab that I struggle to continue and had to take a break.
Fortunately afterwards it started to show its oddball charm. With a start of a mystery, along with more odd with a dash-of-crazy characters, the story unveils itself nicely and wraps all its threads neatly with no loose ends. As far as romance goes, don't expect much , because although feelings were involved, there's really no explicitly romantic acts in the movie. So If you can manage to get over the first 1/3 of it, the rest will be quite an interesting watch.

Read More

A very comfortable movie

Started this movie because of an FMV on YouTube set to a Taylor Swift song. So happy that it was worth the time. It's soft, it's heart-fluttering, it's 100% rewatchable. Sometimes one does not need a complicated, dramatic and entirely unique plot to make a good love story; sometimes the simpler, the better, as long as it's sincere. The actors did so well to portray the awkwardness, angst, but also joy of youth, especially Sakurada Hiyori (she's so cute omg). And as always, fascinating to watch Takahashi Fumiya disappear into his roles, proving how dynamic of an actor he is.

Read More

and so the monster was me

This film I believe is intended to be watched without spoiling or going into what it is about in depth. Take in all the promotional on the surface and you will get the full viewing experience. I say this because of the promotional materials that lead you in one direction, take it in that direction at first and then go in depth.. which is what I did. So spoilers.

I definitely did not get what I bargained for when I decided to watch this movie. I watched the trailer, read the synopsis, saw the poster, and thought I would get a good scare out of this one. The ratings and reviews are well enough that I thought it would be perplexing, a psychological horror.

The first two-thirds of the movies had me, but in the back of my mind, the answer to the allure and mysterious tones was pretty simple and clear. To put it simply, this movie isn't a slasher or a horror. It is a coming of age queer film beneath two layers.

There are three acts to this movie after the initial setup. With the synopsis, firstly you have a story of a single mother who cares deeply for her child, a devoted and misunderstood teacher, and two kids that have the answers to the overall premise of the film. Minato is the child of the single-mother and is being abused as school, by either a teacher, or something else is at play.... so that is what I thought. I thought there could be anything, even a fifth element that added supernatural. This film was anything but, it was so real and thought-provoking, and in the end I found so many details that clearly show what was really going on the whole entire time.

The third act shows the perspective of Minato, and slowly it shows that instead of an abused boy, you find a boy that is scared of his blossoming but very real feelings for a student of his that was shown to be connected to this mystery within the school. There was no abusive teacher or secret being held by the higher ups, there was a boy who was scared of his feelings, and enough to think of himself as a monster. So in the end he made a lie. This film weaves together several elements to knit it into one final conclusion. Instead of going on about that I'll point out a few details that show how brilliant this film really is.

I must say, I was hesitant to conclude that this film involves two boys that like eachtother, but by the end and looking into the screenplay and its intent, I realize that was the point. Minato was just as scared as his feelings and it brings the question as to why it is seems as sexual when it is innocent love between two people that are the same gender. There is an innocence with Minato and him coming to terms with his feelings for Yori, and it's heartbreaking to witness how scared he really is of them.

You can see this through dialogue, and specifically with scenes where Minato says he is shifting into a monster, and where he is in the MRI scanner, truly scared that it will read his mind and his mom will be aware of his developing feelings. Why is he so scared thought? Yori is why he is scared, he is constantly tormented for his behaviors that don't suggest he likes a girl, he is abused by his father and told he has a pigs brain. Yori's father would rather he act out and be bad, than be an obedient child who is good at school. There is this whole spectrum of what a boy acts like and what they shouldn't.

What got to me was the part where the two boys find a safe space together, and I started thinking about their feelings for eachtoerh when Yori got too close to Minato. Although in the end Minato never wanted Yori to go anywhere, and what was cool are the little details. Minato goes back to the empty safe haven and texts Yori, where Yori says he won't go back because he wants to touch Minato, in the ways where he patted his hair or hugged him, but Minato says he wouldn't mind. I love how the ending doesn't have them fear, and instead they get past the gates of the railroad and are happy and free... there's just a lot to talk about with this one.

it seems that this topic is a taboo and that's why I didn't see it at first, but that is the point behind this film. To have you question why it is seen that way, and why you view an innocent feeling and curiosity as sexual or not normal. There is no romanization between them, the director and screenplay had the intent to share a story of two boys that grew to love eachother and coming to accept in regardless of the heteronormative society they were placed in. Any opposition to that shows the point of the film again and societies failure to accept it.


Below I'l several links that goes over all the details of this film I couldn't go over.


https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueFilm/comments/1761z26/little_details_in_koreedas_monsterkaibutsu_2023/?rdt=39846

https://x.com/wyvernhood/status/1745418419368055276?s=46&t=hWWeyWA1Y9kwJqIT_KVSaw

https://x.com/korokketto/status/1745376701188825596?s=46&t=hWWeyWA1Y9kwJqIT_KVSaw

https://x.com/haeinfleur/status/1744727092586246244?s=46&t=hWWeyWA1Y9kwJqIT_KVSaw

Read More

A decent crime drama where a once suicidal policewoman tries to solve a serial killer case.

The Abandoned is a crime drama movie starting with Janine Chang as a police detective. Her character went through a life crisis where she wanted to kill herself after her fiance had killed himself.

Her attempted suicide was interrupted when she found a dead body and got herself involved in solving a serial killer who ended up killing immigrant people from Southeast Asia countries who came to Taiwan for work.

The movie is engaged with suspenseful elements as she tries to solve the case with her apprentice and the boss, who mainly hired immigrant people.

I give it a 7.5 rating, and the acting is good.

Read More

Good, but way overdramatized

To be fair, I have watched a documentary about Sichuan Flight 8633 before I have watched this movie.
This is why I'm not overly enthusiastic about this movie. It was overall okay, but too draggy and I can't oversee the scenes that look as if they were put into the movie in order to let the entire crew and staff shine. Maybe there is such "drill" on Chinese airports but still it leaves me with doubt as I'm also aware of Chinese propaganda and they wouldn't allow their people to appear less than perfect in a movie of this sort.

What truly irks me is the fact that they overdramatized things. Really unnecessary in my opinion, because let's be honest, a broken window in an airplane is dramatic enough.
The facts: The co-pilot really got sucked out of the window which first cracked, before it broke completely. The co-pilot was halfway outside the window, his legs got stuck under the control stick, pushing it forward which sent the airplane downwards. The captain couldn't draw him back in, he also had to stop the airplane from its "fall" and get out of the mountains quickly in order to get to a height that allows breathing without oxygen masks.
The co-pilot was too badly hurt to help with anything, it was the third pilot who took over for him.

In real life there was no storm though, turbulences yes, but nothing major and no storm they had to fly through in order to leave the mountain area. Also how on earth did people on ground knew in the movie, that Sichuan Flight 8633 was in trouble, like one minute after the incident happened? That's nonsense.

The movie overdid it with the drama which makes the captain and others look like some sort of superhuman. He's a hero (I will not deny that), but that was too much for me. I prefer the documentary over this or the movie "Sully" that is also based on the real life event of an airplane landing on the Hudson River but not overdramatic.

Read More

His whimpy attitude stole my heart ~ predictable plot, nonetheless punchy execution

The watching experience was an emotional rollercoaster.

The plot sometimes funny sometimes gore with Quarantino quality to it... but always was naively honest about the male lead's emotions... worn on a sleeve. He was absolutely the shiny star of this project.

What woman does not like a simp that is handsome, hardworking, patient and a tad bit crazy? Well let's say the obvious simping and random fascination with the female lead did not outshine the male lead's performance. All the plotholes can leave my memory, ok-hay? Wait they already gone!

If you do not like getting emotional over movies give it a skip. But otherwise it is a nice little movie to put in your pocket. (Not in an everyday typa shirt though). And nothing more.

As always,
Thanks for reading.

Read More

aesthetic cinematography

Sebenernya rating film ini 8.9/10, tapi karena di mdl gabisa bikin 8.9 dan KEJAUHAN kalo ditaro 8.5, jadinya tak bikin 9/10. Asli rek ini di menit awal - pertengahan full NYENGIRRR, ntar di pertengahan - ending baru cekat cekit dikit hati lu pada 😁😁😁😁💔 aku suka sinematografinya!!!!! Cantik bgt asli. Tonenya kuning tp ga kuning banget gitu(?) Jadi masih bisa enjoy & ga nyilauin mata. Quite aesthetic tho! Aku ga nonton trailernya, but i do hope something more dramatic for the ending 😅😅😅😅 kata org2 ini bikin nangis, kalo di aku jujur engga TAPI nyeseknya luar biasa 😅😅😅💔💔💔💔👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻 jadi awal nonton itu aku ga expect apapun, except for the dramatic ending! Di awal tuh i udah ready buat nangis kejer but the ending says no to it so :]]]]] but its ok! I think its bc the girl is already an adult jadi ga dibikin terlalu dramatis.. dan sebenernya aku kurang puas gitu sama endingnya, kaya ada yg kurengggg gitu. Pas di 6 menit menuju ending, aku udh berharap smth that makes it more interesting taunya gaada jadi ya... udah end gitu aja. Ok enough for the plot, untuk acting sih KERENNN bjir ini film kim yoojung & byeon wooseok pertamaku!!!! Legit fr 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 tapi jujur liat wooseok kaya liat catheez ancrit ((mirip bgt)) thats why i CANT take him seriously 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Read More

One of my most favorite series

This series has been such a joy to watch. From the cinematography, casting, and the story itself, so much effort has been put into making this. One of the best BLs ever, that unlike most of the genre, focuses on a healthy relationship. Furthermore, I appreciate how the characters were never pressured into physical intimacy. There is not a lot of kissing scenes but it just further portrays how deep their love is. Kurosawa and Adachi will forever remain in my heart with their fluffy romance. Thank you to the actors Keita Machida and Eiji Akaso for making this series come to life!

Read More

The last adventure of Iruma Michio and Sakama Chizuru.

Ah, this series is just amazing and it makes one want more despite all that they've already given: the series, a special and a whole freaking movie. Not many series has done that for me, other than Tokyo MER. So this is definitely an exception. Since this is the final chapter of this story, I will talk about the series and special as well.

To start, I wasn't really sure if I was gonna enjoy this series. I'm not into law or anything related. The only reason to watch this at all was Mackenyu (who isn't in the movie or special btw) and Yamasaki Ikusaburo. But as usual with most Jdramas, this one also made me fall in love with it and enjoy it thoroughly beyond expectations. The messages resonated with me as well, all the while introducing me to the highly talented cast members, especially Takenouchi Yutaka whose acting I've come to really like. There's actually no reason to watch this in particular is what I realized. If you want something to laugh at and maybe a few good messages that will hopefully stick with you, this will most likely be entertaining to you. There's fun banter between the leads and their relationship becomes one of the most enjoyable things in this. Now, without delay, let's get into the movie.

Plot:
Ok, I'll be honest. My Japanese isn't perfect, and even after a year since the movie's release and MONTHS after its release in home media, I couldn't find the subs for this thing. So I apologize if there's misinformation in my review. I didn't get everything perfectly, but I'll try to sum up what I did get and hope it's accurate.
After coming to the town of Hiyomi in the countryside, Chizuru mostly gets small cases to deal with as a lawyer and thinks it's a wastage of her capabilities. After the events of the special, the viewers see that Michio is transfered to a town that's next to (or at least close to) Hiyomi. As expected, his new colleagues are annoyed because of his weird way of doing things. All the while, a big ship accident occurs and the Minister of Defense tells the media that Shimatani Hideyaki who was a worker on that ship was responsible for the accident. Hideyaki's wife Kanako can't believe it and unsuccessfully attempts to kill the Minister by confronting him. Michio is put in charge of Kanako's case and the plot starts to unfold from there. The ending was surprising to anyone who has watched the special and the trailer for this movie. So pretty good. 9/10.

Cast and Characters:
In the movie, Chizuru has to partner with the handsome and capable lawyer Tsukimoto Shingo who she bonds with and is her partner for the first half, which I'm not completely happy about. I wanted to watch more of Michio and Chizuru's teamwork, not see some random dude from of the countryside get partnered up with Chizuru. Not that the former wasn't present in the movie and I didn't enjoy the latter at all, but I'm not happy about this, especially because Chizuru was hinted at being attracted towards Shingo. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't ship her with anyone. But that is exactly why I wasn't happy seeing her being attracted to this new dude. The new characters were mostly meh to alright. As with the plot, the Minister surprised me. So props to that. Ide Iori was fun whenever he was on screen. Loved Michio and Chizuru as always. And I just loved that in the movie, we could see that no matter how much Chizuru complains about Michio, she trusts him more than anyone and their friendship is what makes this series and movie worthwhile. Not to forget, I missed Mackenyu. How can anyone not? 9/10.

Music:
This series did a good job with the BGM. It just makes one feel excited and hopeful whenever needed. It's not regular for me to be affected by a series' music so much. Same goes for the movie. 8/10.

Rewatch value:
I don't rewatch stuff often. So likeliness for this one is uncertain. But I do think this was more memorable for me and I would certainly enjoy revisiting Chizuru and Micho one more time. 7/10.

Overall:
This is a great sequel and final chapter to the great story that is Ichikei no Karasu. It has the laughs that makes my day and important messages that hopefully make a difference in your life. Ideals and perfection are not always practical, but if we don't strive for them, are we really humans?
If you're looking for a good drama to watch, I would definitely recommend watching the series and CONSEQUENTIALLY, the movie as well. Cuz you most likely won't enjoy this movie as much without the series. 9/10.

Read More

Beautiful, yet heartbreaking.

Although i expected to cry when watching this movie after i read the synopsis, i didn't expect to cry this much. The story was so beautiful, nicely explaining about this one girl who got her memories 'reset' everyday and her relationship with fake-boyfriend toru kamiya. MAJOR spoilers ahead.

When i heard about toru's death, my tears started flowing even though i kinda expected him to be not around after what happened in the beginning, i wasn't ready for him to tell izumi that he wanted her to delete him from maori's diary so she wont be depressed after he left her. this part was so sad and beautiful at the same time.

Although i glad she gradually recovers from her illness, deep in my heart, i wanted her to be happy with toru but the author said: sike, there won't be a happy ending. T_T

P.S: I rated the rewatch value so low because i, personally won't be watching this anymore. it's too painful to rewatch for me.

Read More

Justice and retribution

In the compelling narrative of 'Wolf Hiding,' a nation confronts a powerful business conglomerate engaged in heinous activities such as human, sex, and organ trafficking, along with corruption. The storyline delves into the chilling reality of this formidable group, manipulating law enforcement and endangering those who seek to expose them, resulting in a staggering toll of innocent lives lost in the shadows of these criminal enterprises.

The film takes a bold stance, portraying law enforcement entangled in darkness, hindering justice rather than upholding it. This betrayal creates a vacuum, leaving those who have lost loved ones with no recourse within the legal system. Faced with a corrupt establishment, a few individuals embark on a perilous journey of retribution.

The plot mirrors harsh realities seen in some countries where corruption within law enforcement allows criminal organizations to operate with impunity. This theme adds authenticity, drawing parallels to struggles against influential criminal entities.

What sets 'Wolf Hiding' apart is its unpredictability. The storyline keeps the audience on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists. The revelation of the hidden wolf seeking revenge on the corrupt network adds a sense of surprise and unpredictability to the film.

Characters in 'Wolf Hiding' are driven by justice and a desire to expose hidden malevolence, exploring personal sacrifice and moral complexities. The quest for retribution becomes a visceral journey that resonates with viewers, drawing them into the emotional core.

Cinematography and direction contribute to the film's gripping atmosphere. Dark criminal activities and intense action sequences propel the narrative, with adept pacing maintaining the film's momentum.

While 'Wolf Hiding' serves as a gripping thriller, it also offers thought-provoking commentary on the societal impact of corruption among the rich and powerful, and the erosion of trust in institutions. Parallels with real-world issues elevate the film beyond action, inviting viewers to reflect on the consequences of unchecked power.

In conclusion, 'Wolf Hiding' stands out as a riveting cinematic experience, seamlessly combining suspense, action, and social commentary. Its portrayal of a nation grappling with corruption, where the wicked prosper and the poor suffer, stirs our human desire for the pursuit of justice, making it a compelling and thought-provoking film.

Read More