Wong Fei Hung and his disciple Fei Fei are in Thailand to visit his friend Mr. Chu and also Fei Fei’s sister Yu Ying who owns a restaurant. On the way to Chu’s house, they meet Leo who has run afoul of the local martial arts school. Leo joins WFH on his travels. Mr. Chu has his own problems with Ku, a local Chinese businessman who is striving to take over the docks with his drug smuggling and human trafficking. Along for the ride is an evil kung fu master and his disciples who allied themselves with Ku.
What this film had going for it was the cast. Kwan was nearly 70 but still did many of his own fight moves. Sammo was at the beginning of his career and the guy who was the punchee as much as the puncher. He showed his stuntman skills by flipping and twirling when the receiver of fists and kicks. As the martial arts director, the choreography reflected his style-smash mouth, basher, hard hitting fists, and bodies hitting the ground even harder. The action kept the movie moving forward in a way the story wasn’t able to. Nora Miao had a high billing but very little to do except stand around occasionally and wring her hands.
The story wasn’t very original and had one of my least favorite tropes-the noble kung fu master who refuses to fight. WFH kept telling Sammo and Carter to be patient and tongue lashed them when they fought. Even when they were defending Fei Fei’s sister from being raped. Pretty sure WFH would have defended himself if the bad guys tried to sexually assault him. The popular master only allowed the good guys to fight after the bodies of friends and family started dropping.
Overall, The Skyhawk had its entertaining moments and several quality fights. It was fun to watch Kwan Tak Hing near the end of his career and Carter Wong and Sammo Hung at the beginning of theirs. Only for fans of old kung fu films and as usual rated on a curve.
18 December 2024
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MY OPINION!!
I like this movie, the connection with her brother was really sweet and I loved how she stood up for her self. To me I feel that it was complete and honestly I’m happy with the way it ended. Some people may get caught up over what she said at the end but the way I interpreted it was that the relationship she had with the guy was real, him taking money and maybe even cheating on her as well. The part where it was a “misunderstanding”because he only kept taking money from her so that she wouldn’t make the million yen and leave after that, plus where he went after her so things wouldn’t end like that was not real. I thought that was pretty obvious and so I’m a little confused as to how people are confused by that but I guess that is just my opinion. All in all it was a nice movie and I will rewatch it in the future!Was this review helpful to you?
A heartfelt journey of love, acceptance and farewell
Hello, Love, Goodbye" is a poignant and emotionally charged, cinematic masterpiece that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster through the complexities of love, dreams, and life's difficult choices. The story revolves around two Filipinos working in Hong Kong, capturing the struggles of overseas workers while highlighting their dreams and aspirations.The chemistry between the lead characters is palpable, making their journey relatable and heartfelt. Our charismatic leads, who portray their characters with such authenticity and depth that I felt I was right there beside them, experiencing their joys and heartbreaks. Unexpected situations got them closer to part again. They made me question, "if putting myself first called selfish then compromising myself for someone else's wish, wouldn't it be selfish too?" There's a scene where one of the main characters makes a difficult choice, and I felt a lump in my throat.
The cinematography is stunning, showcasing both the vibrant city and the intimate moments shared. In the heart of Hong Kong, where steel towers rise like grave markers, a haunting emptiness lurks beneath vibrant lights. The pulse of the city thrums with ambition, yet whispers of loneliness echo in crowded streets. Each step feels heavy, as dreams collide with concrete walls—an ironic testament to a city that never sleeps, yet seldom feels alive. Viewers appreciate the film's balance of romance and realism, leaving them with a sense of hope and reflection.
Again, I'm in awe of Kathryn Bernardo's acting. Her intricate expressions and realistic portrayal of a struggling domestic worker working in a cold heartless city like Hong Kong, touched my heart. I laughed & cried with her, for a moment I forgot I was watching a movie not a documentary.
Overall, it's a touching narrative that resonates deeply with audiences. It's refreshing, relatable, and beautifully crafted. If you're in the mood for a heartfelt movie night, grab some tissues and prepare for a memorable story that celebrates love and the reality of goodbyes. Highly recommended!
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Triggering!!! Depressing but Important Message
Please don't watch this movie if you are easily triggered because it will drive you crazy with it's trauma. It's violent, raw and heart-wrenching. It will make you cry, make you angry and wish for death on certain characters. It's just a sad movie.The message and reality of SA is important, I also get that it's important to depict SA in a realistic way. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt to look at and experience. I was even shocked to learn that they didn't use an intimacy coordinator for their sex scenes especially the violent ones.
It's hard to accept that the way they depicted her relationship with her student. Hurt people hurt other people I guess, but that was so messed up.
I was even angry at the way it ended.
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"I'm surrounded by enemies"
I recently watched The Throne, a film about King Young Jo and Crown Prince Sado’s unhealthy relationship. The Fatal Encounter told the story of Sado’s son, Jung Jo, who inherited the throne when Young Jo died. “I’m surrounded by enemies.” That was a gross understatement. Jung Jo suffered numerous assassination attempts, including the one this film covered.King Jung Jo has only one person in the world that he trusts, his clerk Gap Soo. The Queen Dowager is seeking to kill him along with the Noron party and their many tentacles. His enemies have hired an assassin, #220/Eul Soo as well as enlisting the powerful military leader, General Goo Sun Bok. Over the period of a day, alliances are tested as Jung Jo is set up to be murdered. So much for the heavenly mandate and divine right to rule.
The film started at the end and then traveled back almost 21 hours in time. The power alliances were revealed as well as the shady group that imprisoned and trained children to be assassins. Several of the children had been imbedded within the palace as sleepers and informants.
Hyun Bin gave a strong performance as the entangled king seeking to find a way to stay alive and to protect his people. Jung Jae Young played eunuch and clerk Gap Soo in an understated manner befitting a king’s servant. Jo Jung Suk took a nuanced approach to his assassin #220. Eul Soo wanted to quit and run off with the woman he loved but the king of the assassins wasn’t ready to let him go. The other performances were all a pleasure to watch as well.
The sets and cinematography all helped to pull me into King Jung Jo’s world. The fight choreography was among the best I’ve seen in Korean cinema. Though the king needed to have better trained guards. Eul Soo cut through them like warm butter. Something I learned, it’s best to bring archers during a rainstorm, old style guns were all but useless. #2-Hyun Bin had some marvelous abs showcased in an early scene. Thank you director-nim.
The Fatal Encounter had flashbacks within flashbacks but was still easy to follow. The pacing kept the story moving, never slowing down or dragging. Starring some of the most famous Korean actors and actresses, the performances were a treat to watch. I enjoyed the deadly triangle, square, pentagon…let’s just say deadly polygon that played out over 135 minutes.
“Do your utmost in trivial things. From that you can attain sincerity…It is only those with complete sincerity who can transform everything.”
17 December 2024
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Stunning cinematography
This movie is absolutely gorgeous from the opening scene in Bolivia to the close-ups of fujishiro's face, every single shot is perfect.However, the story is absolutely confusing, boring and depressing. I couldn't understand why Fujishiro and Yayoi were together, it just didn't make sense at all. And then the flashbacks with Haru, Did she always know she was sick? Or was it something she discovered while traveling? Maybe that's why the father was so creepy, I have many questions and a lot of confusion but, I am not curious enough to keep watching I completely lost interest in the story once Haru's and Yayoi's friendship was revealed and to be honest I only got that far because I got desperate and skipped a few scenes.
It's a shame because Satoh Takeru is good, but the two leading actresses were not at all convincing in their roles, maybe if they were better I would've stuck to the end.
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Really Entertaining!!
I really love it! It's entertaining right from the start till the end. It's lighthearted and fun with great comedy, yet it brings a story of redemption towards the end. very well done.How the ML got fired might sound a bit exaggerating, because I was shocked myself, but I'm thinking there might be some subtitle or subtext lost in translation. More importantly, it's the message they try to bring across about message on how women should not be objectified. It also has other social issues being touched on really nicely.
Very well rounded show with great entertainment value and meaningful message!
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Home is where the heart is?
Home is a short Thai film about a daughter who visits her family. The guideline says it’s about finding your true happiness, but I think the director may have overestimated my ability to discern that message out of this inscrutable short.A university student draws money out of an ATM and makes her way home. Her father is working in the forest where he grows much of their food. She asks if he needs help but he declines. Her mother is elated to see her and makes her favorite dishes which the daughter leaves untouched. Her parents become worried at her withdrawal but the daughter refuses to talk with them.
There are some films that are enigmatic and leave the viewer to draw their own conclusion. Others are simply a slice of life that leave more questions than answers. This short film did both. I could try and make up a profound meaning to the happenings in this film, but I don’t think it was that deep. It felt like a film about that time in life when a young person is seeking the answers to questions they aren’t sure how to ask just yet. And too wound up in their own feelings to understand how their silence can cause pain for caring parents. Or not. Whether Home is where the young woman's heart was, remained to be seen.
16 December 2024
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"If your mind is strong, no ghost can harm you"
Ta aka Grandfather is a Thai short film based on a supposedly true story. The film tells the story of a mother and her experiences with her daughter who can see ghosts and her father who could also see them when he was alive.Prae struggles to sleep by herself telling her mom that she sees a ghost under her bed. The mom checks but doesn’t see anything. Prae is insistent and her mother lets her sleep with her. When the situation repeats, Nim tells her daughter that there is nothing to fear from ghosts and relates a story from her own childhood. Nim’s father was a shaman of sorts who people called upon when they needed him to expel ghosts. One night he took Nim with him when he was asked to exorcise a ghost who had possessed a young girl. The experience changed Nim’s view on spirits forever.
Ta was an entertaining short ghost story with a twist at the end. Some Thai ghost stories are quite scary, this one had a moment or two but ended up being more about Nim, her father, and her daughter and their role in the village. I enjoyed this short spooky familial film, mainly because it focused on the family and wasn't horrifying.
16 December 2024
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The Journey of the Flower Movie
First i want to spare anyone from watchung this so i will say after watching this growling waste of time hours to see it there were many things not right who ever the screen writer was they need to be fired for this atrocious mess. First Sha qian Mo never wore a mask never he was beautiful all the way thru he also did not get killed by Ni Man TianBai Zi Hua Never kissed Hua Qian Gu and Hua Qian Gu never found out till the end that her mentor Bai Zi Hua took those last ice shot to his body Ni Man Tian did not splash the holly water on Hua Qian Gu Ni Man Tian was not the one who killed tang Bo so again read the rest of my review but dont waste you time watchung this.
All thought i watched The Journey of Flower Season 2 (Chinese sequel) The Journey of Flower 2015 (Chinese spinoff)
The Journey of Flower (Chinese remake) i wanted to mention first that I watched all three of these when they came out and back then it was really popular. Second this is what i will be reviewing the movie off of because1 they did the remake cause it was a popular drama back then. Before i write my review, i like to mention that i heard some rumors about the original cast did not want to do the remake due to there heavy scheduled. The only one that was available actor Jiang Yi Ming who played Mo Yen who played Bai Zi Hua sec brother and head one in charge.
So lets all say we know how remakes go most the time the remakes are always not so good. Lets start with the story line, of course the story line will be good if they had followed completely by the original series. One major wrong doing of this whole movie was the fact that it was way to rushed. If i was watching just this story for the first time i would not get the story at all. So i will tell you the reason behind why i think its was rushed in the movie. Yes the 58 odd ep all having around 45 mins compared to compressing all those episodes into a 2 hours movie it was not enough to know each character properly and what they had to do with the story line. they cut out MoYen story line which confused me at first and got me wondering why was he so bossy and in charge.
The movie tried to include way to many important plotlines and scenes from the drama. Even a couple scene that i watched seemed so rush that i could not understand what they were trying to do with the story line and the plot ,even after watching the dramas. In my belief if they would have maybe done a longer movie or made it into a shorter drama series instead of the 58 maybe 30 it might have made a little bit more since. To me it seems as though they were rushing the whole thing like they did not want to do the movie in the first place and it was just a place holder for actor to just get paid. I also think that if i did not watch the original i would not have known what the story lie was in the first place. Another thing to it the CGI was okay but not as good as it was the drama.
The actors seem to be saying there lines and all was good but i did not feel to much emotions like i did for the first one your suppose to feel bad for the heroine and she was slightly funny yet silly in character where as the new actress took the character as not so timmed and it did not feel like she was in love or liking Bai Zi Hua. Little pet/child Tang bo was rushed to like i don't remember that guy giving her Tang BO as a gift and i Don't remember Tang Bo drilling and going boy crazy over the mentor disciple. All in all ii would not recommend the movie to someone i would recommend the drama. One last word the actors did the best they could with what script lines they had.
Chen Du Ling aka Hua Qian Gu was in the Until The End of the Moon and i really liked her in that and also Love in Flames of War that was a really good role for her this movie role for her it really let me down and i just think it was the fact that the movie was rushed.
as far and Toby Lee aka Bai Zi Hua i watched him in Arsenal Military Academy he did a very awesome job along side BaiLu that how i got to know his acting and though will let see if hes done any movies when i found out he was staring in the Journey of the flower movie i was skeptical but when i finally watched it it did not live up to my expectations again maybe cause it was rushed but his acting allong with the whole cast was a little above par but that is it.
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An ending and new beginning: the final piece to the trilogy of a touching romance between flawed men
‘My Beautiful Man’, or ‘Utsukushii Kare’, is a heavy series that requires deep analysis and empathy to understand the characters’ motives and emotional complexities. Its delicacy in poetic lines brings depth to the leads’ narrations and the beautiful cinematography touches scenes of intimacy with a serene taste of true love. This fragility, combined with the leads’ fiery romance, creates a very intricate yet powerful watch. The plot worked in unison with the characters to bring out their flaws, and doesn’t portray them as bad traits that serve no other purpose other than weakening. Instead, their vulnerability became their source of strength, fueling their chase for each other’s heart and intensifying the push and pull of their attraction.Two teenagers—whose childhood traumas have distorted their perception of love, and whose lives thrive to satisfy their selfish desires—fall in love. Kyoyi, a famous idol and model, wants to be hidden from someone’s eyes for the first time. Because of his loneliness, he has always wanted to be the center of attention, and wishes to find a space for himself in someone’s world. Through the lens of his camera, Hira, an aspiring photographer, wishes to capture his newfound beauty in life. Kyoyi is the first person he lets into his world, but he keeps putting up walls between them, only wanting to admire him from a distance. Even so, the passion in Hira’s gaze ignites something within Kyoyi: the desire for their bond to transcend the camera that separates them; the desire to truly be discovered instead of just admired.
Their compassionate love for each other goes beyond the surface, and their realistically imperfect relationship defies the norms of typical healthy on-screen representations of couples. Their relationship is shaped by their insecurities that yearn to thrive off of someone strong and understanding enough to hold them close. One of the main messages the series conveys to its audience is that one doesn’t need to be perfect in order to be deserving of love. It also teaches us that flaws aren’t necessarily bad, but are representative of an opportunity for self-improvement. The unwavering care and support Kioyi and Hira provide each other with as they navigate through their struggles in identity leaves room for growth to sprout alongside their romance. This enables their scars from the past and fear for the future to flourish into beautiful and heartfelt moments where both slowly get closer and learn to break the barrier of secrecy between themselves.
When the characters collided with the storyline, everything, from their incessant pure love to their dangerous and obsessive desire to hold each other close, started making sense. It jumped into their unique relationship with a smart approach, using narration from both Kioyi and Hira to slowly unravel their backstories amidst their blossoming growth. The leads were put through many hardships to prove their love for one another, and all throughout the story, their flaws are what pushes their relationship forward instead of restraining them into an ordinary type of love that touches only the surfaces of their struggles and true personalities. Along self-discovery comes doubt, and their uncertainties in their relationship bring out their most vulnerable sides. Despite the fire of chaos they ignite in each other’s lives, their fear of losing each other only grew stronger day by day and laid bare their hidden but overbearing insecurities. Through the time they spent journeying the depths of their love for each other and weighing the possibilities of the future they can make out of their messy romance, one learns what it’s like to be loved rather than just admired, while the other learns how to love instead of just admiring.
There's this scene in the movie that perfectly captures the essence of this beautiful and thought-provoking series. When Anna dances in the rain, it represents something powerful that shines bright in the midst of a downpour. A beautiful outfit that should flow in the wind seems misplaced in the wet, with its color muted by the water's drench. Yet, it was so happy and messy all at once that it was enthralling, and just one look at the unusual scene wasn't enough for those witnessing the photo shoot, mesmerized by the contrast between the lady’s bright smile and the way her beauty bathed in darkness. This is reminiscent of the professional photographer who used the camera to get closer to the world and capture both its beauty, and its darkness. Similarly, Hiro's camera was no longer a shield or place to hide; it was an entryway to the discovery of the individual whose heart was fated to belong to him.
In this series that explores themes of insecurity, the fan/idol industry, and first love, nothing is evident at first glance, and the characters’ aren’t meant for the viewers to like. Instead, their purpose is to bring a greater sense of understanding to the audience regarding stereotypes and insecurities. The series delves deep into the human aspect of vulnerability, using its well-crafted characters to convey the message that sometimes it’s the most vulnerable individuals who seem weak that are the most strong minded and confident in what they want, while those who do seem strong can be the most insecure, wearing only a facade of the strength they appear to have.
This lesson is embodied in the characters, particularly in Hira, who is portrayed as the most timid of all in his class but is secretly the most determined and assertive one. He’s always sure of himself and what it is that he wants, expressing this through his determination to physically protect Kyoyi, whom he deems his only true love. Hira always lessens Kyoyi of emotional burden, bringing him constant reassurance whenever he holds back, and never hesitating to abide by his pleas whenever he makes him promise to forever stay by his side. Something that also supports this ideology is Hira’s ‘top’ role in the intimate aspect of their relationship (which is more explored in the manga/light novel), in which he furthermore asserts his dominance and controlling nature. Additionally, another character whose main purpose is to foster this message through his actions would be the one portrayed as Anna’s utmost fan. He’s initially portrayed as timid and weak, but reveals himself to be brave and determined when driven by his feelings of love and admiration for his idol.
Both leads felt like they didn’t have their place in the world. His whole life, Kyoyi had been surrounded by people who wouldn’t hesitate to leave him in an instant, causing him trust issues. No one truly cared about what he felt or had to say, and weren’t interested in discovering his real self. Hira, on the other hand, felt like no one cared enough to wait and hear what he had to say because of his speech disorder. To summarize this brief overlook at the series’ main leads: both felt unvalued in their world. Hira felt worthless of finding his place in the world whereas Kyoyi felt worthless of being loved. Together, they turned each other's flaws into something beautiful. They came together like missing puzzle pieces, turning their flaws into a reason to love each other. Their flaws caused them to collide and laid the foundation for their strong and passionate romance, where both give and take and feel fully satisfied with what they share.
Their emotions both explain the way they act. One stalks because he feels he can never get close enough, while the other doesn’t have control over his emotions, so he exerts the power of dominance he does have physically. Kyoyi acts bossy and and rather mean, using this harshness to get closer to Hira without being vulnerable, though it is clear from the look in his eyes that he deliberately pushes this personality onto himself. While it may be controversial, without the physical aspect—which was ultimately a fundamental base to their relationship—they wouldn’t have a story. It was needed to show their relationship develop and reveal who truly had the hidden weakness.
Bossing Hira around was Kyoyi's way of getting closer to him without being vulnerable and making his fear of abandonment and need for love evident. This insecurity of Kyoyi's is furthermore explored later on when he is always asking for reassurance and for Hira to stay, begging in a way that doesn’t seem vulnerable or direct. Instead, he tries pulling Hira closer using this method to understand him more and see if his feelings were real before deciding to let him into his heart. Although Kyoyi was wrong for dealing with his frustration and personal insecurity through physical means, Hira was just as much in the wrong regarding habits in their relationship.
He did not give Kyoyi privacy or respect his boundaries, nor did consider his feelings. Instead, Hira only cared about satisfying his own desires without thinking of the consequences his actions and choices would have on Kyoyi. This reasoning stemmed from how highly Hira views him, giving light to the bad among his blind support towards Kyoyi. He never considered he’d influence Kyoyi’s thoughts or actions and would misunderstand whenever Kyoyi would try to inquire about what they were. He'd always just answer that Kyoyi was his favorite, etc., without seeming to have a desire for more. Kyoyi was being emotionally burdened with his ever-growing uncertainty and unreciprocated romantic feelings in contrast to Hira, who seemed content with merely being bossed around by him and satisfied with sharing an unhealthy relationship where only he was benefitting. So even though it seemed like Kyoyi was the one always getting served what he wanted whenever he’d ask for it, Hira was the one taking advantage of the latter.
The barrier Hira places between Kyoyi and himself is representative of problems individuals can experience in the entertainment industry. Although idols receive so much love, they have no one in particular to direct their love towards, out of uncertainty and fear. “Do they really love me for who I am, or just my image?” With these thoughts that separated him from the world around him, which he felt was full of fake people, Kioyi was truly just as lonely as Hira. “Can I truly trust them, or will they leave me in the dirt once my reputation hits rock bottom?” Kioyi asked himself endless questions as he fought to understand whether or not Hira’s feelings for him were genuine. Even once Kyoyi realised he could indeed trust him, Hira's mindset of Kyoyi being so superior compared to himself still separates them.
Despite all of the flaws in their connection—with his loving eyes and overwhelming and seemingly endless amount of support—Hira effortlessly and quickly slipped into Kyoyi’s heart before he even had the chance to notice. Even Kyoyi didn’t understand his own emotions, so not only was he not used to being loved since a young age, but he couldn't believe how spontaneous and sure of himself Hira was in his many confessions. In terms of what allowed someone so sure of his feelings to connect with someone who was hesitant in accepting his own and believing the other's, Hira’s personality was, in a way, a perfect match for Kyoyi, who took a lot of time to realize he truly liked someone. Hira, whose personality stayed constant and steady over the years, made the jump between their high school days and college years only deepen their connection. His certainty in his feelings allowed Kyoyito to fully grasp his own feelings before slowly gaining the courage to make little efforts to deepen their bond. In other words, Hira’s personality made it seem as if he was waiting for Kyoyi to gain the courage and get used to his new feelings so that Kyoyi could eventually be more certain in his confession and love for him.
Hira told his admirer he liked him, but even with his speech deficiency, the words were even harder for Kyoyi—who seemed confident on the outside than Hira—to say aloud. In reality, Kyoyi is weak, vulnerable, scared, and insecure—everything he doesn't seem like he'd be at first glance. These qualities show in his actions to push Hira away, his constant asking if he will stay by his side, and his hesitation in putting his true feelings out in the open. Hiro is selfless, while Kyoyi pays close attention to the way he acts, both in the professional and personal aspects of his life. His lack of confidence is shown when he tells Hira that the reason he doesn't want to understand him is because of his fear in bringing him down, which is more a question of self-esteem than anything else.
However, Hira isn’t any braver, even with his spontaneous words and assertiveness in his actions. He's scared to get closer to Kyoyi because it would elevate him, while on the contrary, he wishes to stay at the bottom of the social class and continue living in his own bubble. As the cameraman in the movie says, Hira sees himself as higher and better than everything else. He expressed how he feels Hira’s selfishness and disgust for the world through his photos; where he erases all people. “You haven’t succeeded at all, but you think you’re so amazing. But instead of showing it outright, you make a shell by belittling yourself. You look down on this world with youth, stupidity, and ambiguity.” On the other hand, Kyoyi is insecure and scared of being so high (in the celebrity world) because he is so lonely up there. Kyoyi's struggle is essentially shared with Hira, who is equally as lonely, but for different reasons—Hira’s loneliness stems from putting himself above everything else and thinking nothing else matters. The poetic lines in their narrations highlight the similarities they share despite their huge difference in popularity and rank in society.
As for the casting of the characters, the lead actors amazingly embodied Hira and Kyoyi, who share such an electrifying chemistry. Yagi Yusei truly stood out to me in terms of acting. Through his role as Kyoyi, he acted so ruthless and mean, yet held a look of intense fondness and love in his gaze that never ceased to linger on Hira. The stunning cinematography and pleasing music only add to the enigmatic and beautiful storytelling, deepening my love for the amazing trilogy that is ‘My Beautiful Man’.
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A Touching heart wrenching beautiful story
I will give a spoiler free review.If you are thinking of watching this i would recommend 100%. You are probably thinking its just like any other sad movie about a terminal ill patient but the story is so much more than that. Both actors are so good with their portrayals of the characters that it really sucks you in.
Its a fast pace story and you see the characters grow so much in the two hours.
Do get your tissues ready as expect some tears but its such a truly beautiful movie
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Persona...who are we with or without a mask...?
The movie "Persona" has some dark themes and interesting setup for facing one's problems. Wearing a mask to give you freedom. The main character is strong, independent yet has moments of softness, which fits great in this movie. I really enjoyed Maya Kurosu's portrayal as the main character. This is major for me, as I don't normally put much thought in female actors, but her acting really stood out (a real shame she retired, but I respect her wishes).I won't get into spoilers here, as I think this is a good movie for all to watch. It allows you to take a moment and think,"How many masks am I wearing in my life?" There is a mystery, and if I'm being honest (and biased) Fujiwara Tatsuya even at his second role (here. I'm sure there are more things he's done on stage that hasn't been listed) really pulled off the "Am I bad? Am I good? What am I...?" beautifully. He does have his "ham" moments but coming from a fan of his, that is what I am expecting. It's charming but compare to his newer work, it does not come off as strong.
Even so, this movie was a fun glance at his older work, and again the setup was interesting. I will say the music choice was hit or miss in some parts, but I did enjoy some of the background music in some bits, and I'm pretty sure I heard the sound effect from The Original Star Trek series, which amused me.
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How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies
1 people found this review helpful
A profound and heartfelt movie, an intangible win for its viewers soul : impactful !
This movie centered around a Thai family and more particularly the relationship between a grandmother and her grandson was a huge critical and box office success, setting up record for a Thai movie release and rightly so ! The story is very deep but relatable and anchored in a reality that is both sad, full of pain but also full of love and moments of joy. The family bounds around which the movie articulates itself is complex and can resonate I think with most human beings as we are all confronted to life's thematic faced by the characters, as parents and grand parents gets older.Acting was excellent, especially on the male lead part with Billkin playing the grandson. He is really good in it: he maneuvers a greyish character with blurry motivations at first as he grows into his own individual and learns. It is extremely interesting. The grandma is amazing in this: the writer and director choose to make her a very nuanced character, flawed both with good and bad which I found particularly judicious. You love her for her quality and all the good she brings, but you also need to bear a lot of things while trying to help her, her personality being not so easy to handle.
The production was very good, pretty real and gritty with the house in which the grandma live being almost a separate character. You learn also a lot of cultural elements that are not often depicted (or at least not in so much details) regarding the culture of Thai family of Chinese descent, care of elders and so on. I love a lot the soundtrack, the ending song (sung by Billkin) is beautiful.
I strongly recommend this movie if you are looking for a movie that is both heart wrenching and healing. It is really worth a watch and it relates a lot to our common human life experience on earth. The viewer certainly get out of the watch having won something intangible, not measurable but that leaves a mark.
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