Reviews

A Dream That Finds a Home

I rewatched As Long as We Both Shall Live today because I needed something soft. Not something intense or emotionally draining, just something calm that lets you settle into it without resistance.

And this really is that kind of film.

It doesn’t feel like a story that unfolds in big moments. It feels more like a quiet shift. Like stepping out of a long stretch of cold into a space that isn’t warm yet, but no longer hurts to exist in.

Miyo lives in that kind of emotional winter at the beginning. Not loud, not dramatic, just constant. The kind that slowly shapes how you see yourself. So when she’s sent into this arranged marriage, it doesn’t feel like anything is about to change. Just another place to endure.

What I liked is that the movie doesn’t rush to prove otherwise.

Kiyoka isn’t written as a sudden contrast. He’s not warmth all at once. He’s just steady; controlled, distant, but consistent in a way that slowly starts to matter. Their relationship doesn’t build through dramatic turning points, but through small, almost quiet shifts. A sense of safety that grows without needing to be announced.

The fantasy aspect stays mostly in the background, but it adds an interesting layer, especially with Miyo’s ability, the Dreamweaver power. At first, she’s treated as if she has none, which is why she’s dismissed so easily. But her ability is actually one of the rarest. It works through dreams, memory, and the subconscious, something you don’t see on the surface, but that quietly shapes everything underneath. And that fits her character in a way that feels intentional. Miyo has always been someone whose world exists internally, suppressed, unheard, unseen. So when that ability begins to surface, it doesn’t feel like a dramatic reveal. It feels like something that was always there finally being allowed to exist. Not loud, not overwhelming, just present.

Visually, the movie leans into that same softness. Muted tones, gentle lighting, and a kind of stillness that carries through almost every scene. It captures its atmosphere really well without trying too hard to impress. It just lets the mood settle.

The performances follow that same approach. Nothing feels exaggerated. Miyo’s fragility stays grounded, and Kiyoka’s restraint never feels empty. Both actors keep everything contained in a way that actually works for the story, making their dynamic feel natural.

If there’s a weakness, it’s in how much the film holds back. You can feel there’s more beneath the surface, more to the world, the politics, even the Dreamweaver concept, but two hours isn’t enough to fully explore it. What should feel layered instead comes across as lightly sketched, with key elements introduced but never given the space to truly develop.

This is where the film loses some of its potential. The emotional core is strong, but the surrounding world feels underbuilt in comparison. It’s the kind of story that hints at complexity without fully committing to it, which makes parts of it feel smaller than they could have been. It’s easy to imagine this working far better as a 10-episode series, where both the characters and the world have room to breathe. As it stands, the film captures the feeling of the story, but not its full depth.

Despite its limitations, I’d still rate it a strong 8.5, rounded up to a generous 9, not for a groundbreaking plot or narrative complexity, but because of how much I enjoyed it. And maybe it doesn’t hurt that I have a soft spot for silver-haired generals; though this time, even that blends seamlessly into the film’s calm, restrained tone.

A gentle, atmospheric movie carried by strong performances and beautiful cinematography. While the story feels larger than its runtime allows, it delivers a calm, quietly comforting experience. Even if fantasy isn’t your genre, its atmosphere alone is enough to draw you in.

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Goosebumps Every Time Kabuki is Played

The story is quite straightforward, with a constantly evolving plot. It depicts the main characters' sacrifices and efforts to achieve their dreams, while selfishness takes over.

Yoshizawa Ryo and Ryusei Yokohama portray their characters masterfully. Each of their kabuki roles evokes a sense of pain and heaviness, befitting the kabuki theme they portray. The audience is drawn into and immersed in their roles.

The music in this film is sumptuous and dramatic, but it's a bit of a shame that many plot points could have been explained further, particularly regarding Akiko's fate, the fate of Shunsuke child, and so on. It's certainly not entirely plot sensitive, considering the film's length.

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Not Your Usual Tragic Lesbian Period Piece

The Handmaiden is based on Fingersmith (2002) by British lesbian author Sarah Waters.

The Handmaiden (2016) moves the story to 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea and then just starts pulling the rug out from under you every twenty minutes.

A pickpocket named Sook-hee (working under the alias Tamako) is recruited by a swindler known as Count Fujiwara. His plan is for Sook-hee to become the handmaiden to Lady Hideko, a wealthy and secluded Japanese heiress living with her domineering uncle, Kouzuki (in a beautifully gothic mansion, I must say). Sook-hee is tasked with convincing Hideko to marry the Count, after which they intend to commit her to an asylum and steal her inheritance.

What I love is how it takes the whole doomed, repressed lesbian period drama expectation and just refuses to sit in that box. The longing is there, the tension is there, but it doesn’t wallow in suffering. It’s messy, funny, horny, and, crucially, it lets its women be active participants in their own story instead of just tragic figures trapped in it.

And yeah, the sex scenes. People always circle those, and yes, they should've had a sapphic intimacy coordinator. But at the same time, the characters’ only frame of reference is those pornographic books, so it kind of makes sense? Regardless, even when parts of the love scenes feel inauthentic, the connection between the leads is incredibly intimate and powerful. The sex scenes do NEED to be there, they’re kind of the point. Not in a cheap way, but in a “this is what reclaiming your own body actually looks like” way. It’s deeply moving because it’s the only time these women are allowed to be fully real and liberated.

The acting overall is pretty much pitch perfect, especially the two leads. They start with this ice princess / nurturing maid dynamic that slowly evolves into something much more intimate as the layers they’re hiding are revealed, both emotionally and physically. And honestly, that dynamic has clearly had a huge impact. You can see versions of it everywhere now, across sapphic series, manga and manhwa.

Also, the movie is just outrageously good-looking. Chung Chung-hoon shoots this like every frame is trying to seduce you personally. The house alone deserves its own credit, all sharp edges and hidden spaces, like it’s constantly watching the characters right back. Besides being a thriller, erotic, and a bit of a heist movie, I mainly see it as a gothic romance. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it might be the greatest gothic romance film ever made.

There are some things here and there I wish were done differently (less time spent on the men in the last part, for one), and a few moments I could’ve done without, but it doesn’t really take away from the overall experience. The final reveal is one of the best feelings I’ve ever had watching a movie. And that library scene is just incredibly moving.

It’s vicious, beautiful, horny, scary, romantic, playful, a little bit feral (in the best way). And underneath all the twists and schemes, there’s something incredibly satisfying about a story where women who desire each other don’t get reduced to a cautionary tale.

It has resonated deeply with many Korean women for its sharp, satirical dismantling of colonial and patriarchal structures. It’s a film that understands that the most dangerous thing in a man’s world is two women who love each other.

Genuinely one of those films that makes you want to immediately rewatch it just to see how it pulled everything off. It’s now regarded as one of the best films ever made, and that honestly makes me very happy.

4.5/5

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Not watching this a second time ! Trauma !!

This movie is just another JTrauma, and recently, Korea dropped its remake, However, if you're looking for a viewing experience that will profoundly traumatize you, I highly recommend the original Japanese version. I won’t give away any plot details, but I must emphasize just how powerful and moving this adaptation is. It’s a cinematic experience that left me deeply affected, so much so that I don’t think I could ever bring myself to watch it again. Although it’s an incredible and emotionally charged, it’s one that lingers long after the credits roll. You should definitely watch it, though, because it’s truly a beautiful piece of art that deserves to be seen.

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Does blood relation make you actually a family?

Shoplifters is one of those movies that deserve a spot on every must-watch movie list; it's a great example of how Japan is the pioneer of cinematic storytelling. This movie took me through so many emotions and really defined the meaning of family.

The film addresses many societal issues, but it presents them in such a way that they exist in a grey area. It’s difficult to label the characters’ actions as entirely wrong, yet they can’t be deemed right either. For instance, when they decide to keep the little girl It’s saying it’s not a kidnapping if you don’t ask for a ransom. It’s similar logic to how Osamu justifies stealing to Shota, telling him it’s OK if it’s not someone else’s property and that items in a store don’t belong to anyone yet.

Though the characters in the movie are not blood-related and each one has their own backstory of hiding, lying, damaged and frightened, they create a warm, cozy family, making the best of things from day to day. The dynamic between them is so warm and beautiful that it makes you wonder if you could choose your family, could you actually be happy? Does blood relation make you actually a family? This is exactly the theme in this movie. As a viewers, we witness their crimes but also see the genuine love they share as a family, which makes it challenging to condemn them. Perhaps, this is what the movie wants us to notice: that sometimes certain things are very much a grey area and it is difficult to differentiate the right from wrong!

Also, the movie dives deep into a part of society we don’t see often: the marginalized community, the poor who don’t have enough money to even eat, yet they have still have so much warmth and love for each other.

"Shoplifter" is a delicate work painted with so many details, moments, smiles, and is deeply intelligent.In term of acting, the actors did a phenomenal job in portraying these characters, giving them so much depth in their humanistic storytelling, and I have strong admiration towards Sakura Ando; she delivered such a strong performance in this role, with so much depth and layers. This is one of those movies that you will never see and nobody would be able to recreate. The last few minutes of the movie still haunt me; it left me with a profound sense of loss as if I myself lost a family I found.

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Another JTrauma

There is a specific category of Japanese anime and movies that are called Jtrauma, because of how traumatic they are. They often have really touching relationships and romantic love stories that make you giggle and blush, and then when you least expect it, they are going to hit you with one of the characters dying. It's gonna come in such an unexpected way that it’s gonna hurt like a punch in the stomach. And this movie belongs right to that category.

So this is my warning in case you don't want to cry, but if you are crazy just like many of us, this was a great movie. The story is so sad but a great experience. Dayum, I thought I got used to these Jtrauma after watching so many movies like this, but it seems like I still have not built enough tolerance 'cause I was sobbing the whole time.

Another aspect I enjoyed was the cinematography and the use of light. The contrast between the couple and the world outside was fascinating. The room seemed much darker, almost foreshadowing the tragic ending, while the light coming from outside was soft, bright, and full of hope. This contrast intensified the emotional impact of the story. I did find it a bit annoying how high the brightness was compared to the darkness, as I had to constantly adjust the brightness on my screen. Still, it was a clever choice to emphasize the difference between life and death.

Definetly a great movie and worth watching.

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A very realistic tale of why it’s an almost love

I loved everything about the storytelling.

It was engaging, honest, raw, and they kept everything real especially Xu Ruohan’s delivery of a bright, young girl having experiencing her first love. Dare I say, she really excels in her ability to keep things natural.


The title pretty much sums it all, but I was grateful that the movie allowed us to throughly see how things went wrong. The misgivings, resentments, unsatisfied dreams, tired heart who’s always hoping, reaching… everything about this is just so human. Very relatable, sometimes hits close to home.



I have a personal beef with the ML. I just hope we do not meet someone like him who had no backbone, makes you wonder if he truly loved the FL. Li Wenhan, on the other hand, is so amazing in his delivery. Both him and Ruohan managed to convince the audience that they truly like each other.

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Persons who are sick and tired of everything in this world, each of them seeks solace through the other, except the antagonist who is you should not have it because I don't have it, money is also the recurring theme, how it changes them and affects them, along with self respect and dignity. Characters find their own selves in other person's presence and it is about confronting themselves and the choices they make.

Fl is anhedonic due to trauma, Ml has sacrificial love as he sees himself and her as the same person, He wants her happiness and nothing else in the world.

Poignant film about limerance, editing in the first half is perfect, fl is not unnecessarily sexualised, slice of life but not feel good in the general sense as in you see characters be sad and then they get a happy ending and the audience also becomes sad and then happy with the characters, this does not happen.

This film does not try and force to elicit emotions from its viewers

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who is the real you?

I don’t think I can truly find the right words to explain what this movie is about, but what I can say is that it was absolutely amazing! I have a deep admiration for Sakura Ando and appreciate the projects she chooses; she is such an interesting actress with a remarkable range in her performances.

This movie explores themes we don’t often discuss: identities. One's identity is the most important part of who we are, yet for most of us, it can become something we want to reject in order to be someone else. When we do that, who is the real you? This film not only addresses identities but also examines how society can persecute individuals based on who they are.

The movie also highlights a phenomenon known as "evaporation," which refers to how tens of thousands of people in Japan voluntarily disappear from their established lives each year without a trace. Driven by overwhelming social pressure, shame, debt, or failed relationships, these individuals abandon their families, jobs, and identities to live anonymously, often aided by a specialized industry of "night movers" and this pretty much what Mr X used ( fake Daisuke).

How much can societal labels affect you? I think we all understand that feeling when the world sees you as someone you are not and stamp on you label or an identity. This is illustrated through the character Daisuke Taniguchi, who, as the son of a convicted murderer, changes his identity to start anew after being defined by his father’s actions. We also see Akira, who was born and raised in Japan and speaks only Japanese, he is constantly belittled due to his Korean heritage and feels like an outsider. Similarly, Yuto struggles with his identity after his mother changes her surname following her divorce and remarriage, resulting in confusion about who he really is.

The film delves into the complexities of identity, often showing that people do not truly know one another. For example, Rie, who was married to a false Daisuke, wanted to uncover the identity of the man she thought she knew. Ultimately, she realized that she didn’t need to know the “truth”; Daisuke’s name became irrelevant because he was the person she knew at that time. This emphasizes that we can only truly know each other through interpersonal connections. A person can embody many identities at once or change quickly, and none of those identities are any less “real” than another.

This is just a beautifully crafted movie, and I can’t fully convey all its elements in this review. It is filled with depth, thought-provoking questions, and insightful answers. The story is powerful and made me reflect on my own identity. I highly recommend this film as a masterpiece of Japanese cinematography, and I hope it reaches the right audience to appreciate the gem it truly is.
One’s identity is a vital aspect of who we are; however, for some, it can define them in a way that makes them yearn to reject it and become someone else. If or when this transformation occurs, who is the real you?

My only complaint is that I wish Sakura Ando had more screen time. She is an extraordinary actress, and her expressiveness makes her performances uniquely talented.

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Good concept, weak script

Masks have long been associated with mystery and fear across different cultures worldwide. The idea of hiding one's true identity behind a mask taps into fundamental psychological fears, making them the perfect tool for horror movies to evoke a sense of unease and terror in the audience. In this film, the concept of Phi Ta Khon, a traditional masked festival in Thailand, is used as a backdrop for the supernatural horror elements of the film. The spooky masks donned by the dancers bring an air of mystery and dread to the narrative, setting up a potentially frightening experience. However, despite the promising concept and the potential for a frightening tale, the film falls short in its script and execution.

The story manages to build suspense and delivers a few jumpscares, but the plot, though promising, fails to fully capitalize on the great concept at its core. It feels flat and lacks the necessary depth to truly engage viewers in the film's world. I think the biggest drawbacks are the lack of solid character development, plot holes, and some weird plot points. Despite the plot twist, the movie struggles to maintain its tension as the story unfolds. As a horror film enthusiast, I found the twist to be rather predictable and unsurprising. The changes in tone and focus during the second half throw off the film's atmosphere, making it lose the momentum it built with the creepy Phi Ta Khon in the first half. I sighed and yawned quite a few times.

Mos Panuwat delivers a good performance, showcasing a different side of his acting abilities from his previous BL roles. However, his portrayal lacks the intense emotions needed to really draw you in. In contrast, Diana Flipo delivers an average performance, which doesn't really highlight her best work to this point.

Overall, "Ta Khon: The Cursed Mask" is a decent horror film that falls short of utilizing its great concept to its full potential. While the idea of blending tradition, ancestral beliefs, and horror elements is intriguing, the uneven story flow and lack of proper character development hinder its overall impact. If you're looking for a genuinely scary and emotionally gripping experience, you might end up feeling let down.

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