Reviews

Most unexpected plot twist ever !

Last winter, we parted is a thriller that had the most unexpected plot twist ever! Usually, in movies, you can pick up on certain signs or details that hint at upcoming events, but this movie completely took my breath away;I didn’t see that twist coming at all!
I love Japanese thriller because they are dark and often explore the craziest situations ever. The characters in these movies tend to be incredibly complex, twisted, and deep, and this particular film was just perfect example.
One aspect I really appreciated was how the cinematography matched the story seamlessly. The use of cold tones perfectly complemented the macabre feeling conveyed by the plot, and the cinematography significantly elevated the entire movie.

I highly recommend that you watch this movie without reading any plot summaries or watching trailers. It’s truly an amazing experience, and I believe that approaching it blindly will enhance your enjoyment even more.

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Utopia of Love

Can love last forever, or is that just an illusion or a utopia? This beautiful movie is an ode to love, presented in an artistic and rich way, offering plenty of details that each enrich the topic of love. In our time, it has become almost a rule that marriages don’t last or don’t work as intended, and each failed relationship seems to influence others to fail as well. In that environment, is it still realistic to believe in love?

I really liked the topic of the movie and how it was explored — with no definitive message, but instead open to personal reflection and conclusion. I also appreciate the style of the movie, which is a little unusual yet very artistic, while still remaining mainstream and entertaining. The filmmakers made the movie special without making it too weird. But most of all, I liked the characters. They had a special aura about them, especially the female lead, Mi-jeong. She is so naturally beautiful, without any need for makeup — something that has sadly become the standard for women today.

This movie is slow and graceful, just like a pavane (a piece of music and a dance), and it feels like a ray of light, inspiring viewers to take a leap of love — honestly and naturally. There is eternal Love above us all.

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Nice movie on taoism horror

Very good horror, I could only watch family/comedy/taoism horror type, and this has become the top in my taoism horror ranking.

The plot is interwoven nicely, and the beginning is truly impactful. The taoism plot points also held up to scrutiny. Although the plot points surrounding hsu chuan is kinda forced, like how could he take so long to notice something is wrong with his wife? Also I feel like seeing ah yi spitting blood at the beginning should have made people wary, and then his call about taoist should made him alert but he is alone and just froze.

The actress who played muhua is incredible, all her expression were on point. Sadly I think the one who played hsu chuan isn’t as good. If we compare them when they’re possessed, hsu chuan expression sometimes are awkward and couldn’t convey the terror. Other cast didn’t have many important scenes so I can’t judge but they seem to be fine.

Also the credit seems to hint on another season so I’m waiting for it

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Nice movie with stellar acting

Just watched this today, it was good movie. It successfully made me empathize with the characters.

My criticism is in the few plot point:
- jumping between trains, while the situation not being smooth makes it not as unrealistic, I still think the choice of adding this scene is puzzling
- the stabbing by ahui, I know this is to make sure aren can’t escape death, but it’s such flimsy excuse and later ahui death message makes it more laughable
- the perpetual cycle of bomber, this person family died in bom so police must die scenario was repeated thrice, it’s too boring and unreasonable. Being psychopath would’ve been better reason than grieving for their lost family

That said this movie truly has stellar acting (except the mom), austin lin and vivian sung acting really moved my heart. Their eyes, the way they’re trembling… 10/10

But overall 8.5/10 from me

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This two hour movie took me four hours to watch because I had to talk to a wall about it

Definitely shouldn't watch it just because you've seen some interesting edits and like Jeff Satur because I did. Not because it's bad, but it was really heavy.

Scenes and places they filmed in was so aesthetically pleasing. Cast was so good, story overall is so good. Especially the symbolizm they used, I don't think I catched all of them but one with the fleas investing Thongkham's house as a metaphor for mo and the mother taking over his house he got from working from NEGATIVES. This man really worked his ass off just for ending up like that. Also how Thongkham was going to lose everyting he had with Sek was told by how Mo took off Sek's ring to give it to mother.

*major spoilers*
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I really loved the main character Thongkham almost to the end, until the r*pe attempt scene. I do understand the motive behind it but it was still so uneccesary, it made me really disgusted. He shouldn't have even think about it as a solution. Still I am greatful they didn't sugarcoat it. Jingna was an amazing character too his death was really sad. I was really pissed at Mo from start but after a while we see she had her reasons. Especially with how women are treated in general. She had a hard life too.

I love angst stories but sometimes I wish for queer people to have a normal life so I will stick to BL series for a while now until I feel brave enough to watch another Naruebet Kuno movie.

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Why the wait

This left me with more questions than answers.

The acting and story was good. The use of blind spots and silence were effective. We get the stark reality of what it is to be deaf. Albeit, we know sound and he doesn't.

The questions that remain:
Why did he wait until the other was getting married?
Why was it so important then?
What made them lose contact?
What purpose would it serve now than earlier?
Was it to show that he operated on a different frequency to everyone else?
The symbolism of him at the end being a face in the crowd, then looking back, would suggest regret. When he got the answer at the wedding, his face conveyed everything. Why the ending?

He keeps saying, he is trapped among the crowd.
He traps himself and speaks too late. The word friend has no warmth. It does show how important he was to his friend as the friend continues to practice and use sign language even though they have been separated for five years.

For me, these are the types of films that are rewarding to watch as it creates further thought. It could have been longer.

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A dive into Japan history with Oda Nobunaga

Honestly, this movie is a gem, and I understand that not many people may fully grasp historical and culture impact in this movie.
I think to fully appreciate this movie, you need a bit of context and background knowledge, and that excites my geeky side to dive into it all and let you all know.

If you've watched anime, J-drama, or movies, or read manga, you might have come across the name Oda Nobunaga. If you haven't, let me introduce you to one of the most significant figures in Japanese history.

Back in the early 1500s, Japan was fragmented into dozens of independent territories, each ruled by a daimyo (feudal lord). These families created clans and were often at war with one another, with each lord acting like an independent king. The Oda family was one of these clans, and Oda Nobunaga was the son of its daimyo. When his father passed away, Nobunaga became the new daimyo, facing considerable resistance from family members and rival clans. However, he eventually rose to power, earning the title "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven." His rule was noted for innovative military tactics, the promotion of free trade, civil government reforms, and the start of the Momoyama historical art period, but he was also known for the brutal suppression of those who resisted his demands.
Nobunaga had a dream: to unify Japan under one rule. He worked alongside two other daimyos towards this goal. His name holds great significance in Japan's history and its current state as a unified country. Culturally, he is often portrayed as an eccentric figure; in his youth, he was regarded as a delinquent, frequently wearing commoner clothes and mingling with peasants. Because of this, many manga and anime portray him as foolish or silly.

The movie follows Nobunaga’s journey from becoming a daimyo to the end of his life. Overall, it was a fascinating watch; historically, it was incredibly interesting. The film explores Nobunaga's relationship with his wife, which is not well-documented, making their portrayal in the movie even more engaging.

One aspect I appreciated was the alternative ending presented in the end. Historically, Nobunaga's fate remains uncertain as his body was never found, so the movie offers a hypothetical happy conclusion which i enjoyed.

Also, the movie features a stunning array of historically accurate costumes, with jaw dropping embroidery and decoration, especially in his palace, are breathtaking. It's a deep dive into Japanese culture, and if you enjoy that, I would certainly recommend this movie.

In terms of acting, the performances were excellent, and as a huge fan of Takuya Kimura, seeing him take on such an important role was thrilling. He remains incredibly handsome even after all these years and i am always happy to see his work and found him to potray my favorite verison of Oda Nobunag.

I highly suggest looking up more information about Oda Nobunaga. The movie does an excellent job of illustrating the different periods of Japanese history and how Western influences began to shape the country but for more lcarity you may want to dug deeper. While the movie is quite long, it's definitely worth the watch.

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