This review may contain spoilers
Story: A slut meets a stalker. It looks like somebody really wanted to tell this story enough to make a short film out of it, but since there’s nothing much to go by, just throw in some weird sex. Whelp, apparently that was good enough of a plot (but we know it ain’t). Acting/Cast: Looks like they picked randos on the street, or maybe these actors volunteered for their 14 minutes of fame, or rather obscurity.
Music: Didn’t even notice, but maybe they should the background noise to “creepy”
Rewatch Value: Sure, if you wanted to see pasty white skin or the improper use of cuffs.
Overall: Probably the moral lesson it wants to impart is not to dismiss stalkers, as they may actually save you from rapists. It’s like yay! But really, no.
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Acting/Cast: Nothing remarkable to note.
Music: Nothing remarkable to note.
Rewatch Value: Maybe if only to clarify some of the scenes that suffered from poor editing or script writing.
Overall: The short film attempts to deconstruct gender stereotypes, by imagining a world where we can choose our gender as a part of a standard program, where identifying with another gender that you are born with, will be the norm, but the execution falls short of its aim.
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Acting/Cast: Surprisingly good acting coming from the titular character, naturally-talented kid.
Music: Somber and soulful and yet not overpowering.
Rewatch Value: Highly recommended.
Overall: Nothing remarkable if you only go by the premise of the story, especially for a short film, but the combination of all above elements makes it worthwhile.
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Fantastic peformance from Namo
What a great movie! While in Thailand for holiday, I got the opportunity to see this and I am pleasantly surprised. All of the stars I am unfamiliar with but they have great chemistry and it was tale of love, comedy and drama. I loved the cinematography and I cried which is something I don't usually do. This movie will make you laugh, cry and reminiscence. The daughter in particular gave a solid performance. I wish I could watch this again! Loved Namo, I will go back home trying to find out when this will be released on streaming platformsWas this review helpful to you?
A movie that went further
Truthfully one of my favorite movies of the year. Had I watched it in 2022 as it was released it would have been my favorite movie of last year. It is honestly stunning.Showing off the typical, simple yet beautiful Japanese cinematorgraphy it grabs you with it's silence. Instead of using music to underline a lot of the moments the director chose to go for somber quietness that has you focus and ponder on the scenes. Both actors gave it their all, making for an authentic and stunning portrayal of two gay men simply engaging in everything they are feeling. For a while they make you feel safe, content even until the movie takes a turn. What goes from a queer romance transformed into a movie about love, loss and family, being so much more profound than what is usually released in this genre.
Don't get me wrong I do love your usual, sweet, slightly awkward BL so this is not a jab at any other media but this is simply so much deeper than that. It had me wondering about my own life, about the people I love and how I should treasure them more since time is limited.
Honestly a stunning movie.
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What the actual fuck is this
The story is so bad. Like actually. Who thought this was a good idea. Giving everything zero starts, but the acting was good.Okay so this was really fucked up. I don't know how some people enjoy this kind of movies. The main lead ended up with the one who was torturing him and shit. This shouldn't be normalized. I am disgusted by the whole story. It is like you are watching gay hardcore porn but in a really problematic way. Most of the things didn't make sense. Why would he go back to the guy who raped him.
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This review may contain spoilers
A mysterious, charming short film
This mysterious, charming Thai short film is another proof that Youtube's suggestions aren't completely useless sometimes. I had never heard of this movie when it popped up on my screen, and as it's quite short I thought that watching it wouldn't waste too much of my time, and alas, not only didn't I waste any time, but I really enjoyed watching the movie.It tells the story of Than (Jittipat Suwannaluck) who can talk to ghosts, and Phop (Manutsawin Mokthong), a wandering spirit who is trying to find his ex-girlfriend Kongkwan to find his peace. Than is reluctant at first, but then helps Phop, and during the search the two boys get closer and at two different stages even confess their love to each other. Finally, Than finds out that Kongkwan died 40 years ago, obviously about at the same time as Phop died, and when Phop and Than find Kongkwan's grave, Phop finally disappears.
The abstract of the plot sounds quite sad, and the ending is not exactly a happy one, but the movie isn't all that sad because there are some comedic moments when Than has to explain what a mobile phone is, or when Phop is surprised that ”a TV can paint”.
Although the movie has a few minor technical flaws, e.g. a few sound issues and one or two editorial bumps, the overall quality is good, with a reasonable cinematography and a beautiful soundtrack that relies very much on classical music which creates a calm atmosphere.
What I liked in particular is the acting of the two leads. Although they are apparently rookies, and very young, their acting is really nice, and both guys are very handsome, too.
The movie is not promoted as a ”BL movie”, and if you define ”BL” as a series of typical tropes, then this is not BL. On the other hand, what can you call it when two handsome, young, male protagonists say ”I love you” to each other? They don't kiss, but is a kiss really necessary to prove that two boys love each other? I guess not, and that's why I would say that this is a BL movie indeed.
The Thai title is a pun which is not reflected by the English translation – depending on the spelling it can mean ”happiness” or ”rest in peace”. Like in many Thai productions, the English subtitles are not always correct, but at least they are there.
To sum up – if you have a quarter of an hour to spare and would like to watch a short film that's not all happiness, but charming and a little mysterious, this is one for you. I actually like it a lot.
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"Sis, daringly keep going ahead"
Red Sorghum was the film that launched Zhang Yi Mou's and Gong Li's careers. For his directorial debut, Zhang's movie won many awards including the Berlin IFF's Golden Bear Award for Best Picture. Saturated in deep colors and textures and accompanied by music that fit every scene perfectly, this 1987 film showed what the world was in for with his mesmerizing style of moviemaking.A radiant 22-year-old Gong Li played Jui/Grandma, a bride being carried along in a palanquin to be married to a 50-year-old man with leprosy. Jiang Wen as Yu/Grandpa was the expert carrier. The men sang a bawdy song of her fate as a young "ugly" bride marrying an old leper. As she bounced up and down in the small litter you could feel her nausea growing. When they reached the wild red sorghum fields a bandit attacks the group, but the men are not so meek as to let him take the bride into the fields. After the wedding she is allowed to return home with a donkey as a wedding gift/payment to her father. Along the way she is once again set upon, this time alone, and Jui runs frantically through the wind driven sorghum chased by her assailant. The masked man turns out to be Yu. He stomps the sorghum down into a verdant bed with all the gentleness of a wild beast. It was difficult to tell whether Jui initially gave her consent, I hope so, because afterwards, she fell in love with Yu. On her return to her legal husband, she's told he was murdered by an unknown killer. The workers prepare to leave but she convinces them to stay in a profit-sharing business. A drunken Yu shows up and she kicks him out. She's kidnapped for ransom by other bandits. After her return, Yu pees into the wine crocks as if marking his territory and carries her off like a sack of potatoes. Instead of ruining the drink, it is now transformed into an exquisite elixir and business booms.
Yu was often portrayed as a primitive male, dirty and brash, and Jui rarely called him on it. Thank goodness, Zhang displayed a more favorable view of women in future films. It was also a credit to Jiang's performance that Yu was considered even somewhat likeable. With the exception of her relationship with Yu, Jui came across as a competent and independent woman.
Jui gives birth to Yu's son and all seems well. It's a magical winery where anything can happen. Life is often lusty and humor filled. Then the movie switches from How I Met Your Mother to The Deer Hunter. The Japanese invade the peaceful village and one of the villagers is flayed. The film ends in a blood bath, as if everyone had gone swimming in a vat of the red sorghum drink under an eclipse. ***
I am a big fan of Zhang Yi Mou's style. His movies are luscious to drink in, the lighting, sets, costumes, and props are all feasts for the eyes and this one was no exception. I would really like to have a set of the drinking pottery, they were beautiful. Few people can capitalize on scenery as he does, color-soaked fields and skies were suitable for framing. A young Gong Li already exuded the power and sensuousness of a grown woman. Her character took over the winery, mothered a child, and called men to battle quite believably. With a running time under 90 minutes, the characters were not well developed, we know little about them except what we see on the screen. Gong Li's and Jiang Wen's exceptional performances helped me to overlook some narrative issues. The change in mood was abrupt and jarring when the shocking violence erupted, I suppose much like in real life when horror and tragedy hit out of the blue.
Red Sorghum showed the fierce tenacity of the rural people in northern China as they faced a variety of adversities and most times were able to create victory and song out of difficult situations. The film was imperfect, but very much worth the effort to experience the premiere stunning collaboration of Zhang Yi Mou and Gong Li, one of the best partnerships in filmdom.
6/30/23
*** A word of warning, there were disturbing scenes. Animals being butchered and skinned were shown up close as well as the human flaying which I could not watch. There were two urination scenes as well. And depending on how you interpret it, a possible rape.
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but then Keigo comes on screen & the dude is such a mood the life of the party (quite literally) he's funny & shameless. hard not to love him, so totally got how Tadashi instantly warmed up to him. when, while reading the description, thought the ones he would warm-up to & confide in, let alone seek advice from would be Hiroki & Sinji.
this was 3 different stories intertwined in each other & it was good that each was wrapped up with a positive conclusion.
but i feel like the plot didn't flow in bits (maybe cause of this, still don't feel elated after watching). Yes the ending was a hoot & loved that Keigo got his dream wedding. that was fun & funny - a Very positive ending that leaves a smile in ur heart, not just ur face.
BUT this far from perfect & it's a shame, feels rushed or lacks polishing ... so more a miss then a hit - but fine for a 1 off
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Only Through Lies Can the Audience Get a Glimpse of the Truth
Lost in the Stars is a superbly made suspense/thriller film by relative newcomer director duo Cui Rui and Liu Xiang, but bears the fingerprints of its producer/screenwriter, Chen Sicheng, as well. Where Chen Sicheng's Detective Chinatown series is more humorous, however, Lost in the Stars takes a decidedly darker turn, and makes the viewer question and re-question what they actually know as the narrative unfolds.Set in the fictional Southeast Asian country Belandia (or Bankal, if the film's signs are to be believed), He Fei (Zhu Yilong) is a bedraggled man begging an apathetic police force to look for his wife, Li Muzi (Huang Ziqi), who has been missing for over half a month. With his visa expiring in a few days, he has precious little time to find her. This missing person case then takes a turn for the unexpected when a woman shows up claiming to be her (Janice Man), with all signs pointing to the fact that she is, in fact, He Fei's wife. Finding himself entangled in an increasingly complicated web of conspiracy and deceit, his only saving grace is big shot lawyer Chen Mai (Ni Ni). Nothing is as it seems, however, as one by one the mysteries get peeled back, revealing a truth that was, perhaps, best left hidden.
Cinematographically, Lost in the Stars is a visual feast, with a distinctive flair that is engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Fast cuts, unconventional camera movements, and bright colors underscore the lively setting and enhance the fast pacing, while also juxtaposing the actual tone of the film. There is barely room to breathe, with one thing happening after the other; while it can get exhausting, it adds to the experience. The audience is dragged along for the ride as much as He Fei is. The few moments of reprieve come in the form of flashbacks, at once more muted in color and slower in pacing. The score is beautifully crafted to reflect these scenes as well as the characters' emotional states.
Plot-wise, it is a well-written film with a complex mystery that keeps you guessing. There're hints throughout the movie, foreshadowing that is easy (or, easier) to catch on a rewatch, but with twists and turns that sometimes make it feel like the ground gets dropped out from under you. Unlike the hallmark of a good detective, which is that you can figure it out alongside the character(s), Lost in the Stars' intrigue that keeps you guessing is what makes it shine. There are parts that are "predictable", but only insofar that any suspense film will have tropes they rely on. Don't try to figure out what will happen, the experience is rewarding whether you overthink it or not. Even the things that initially don't seem to make sense, do tend to get explained; the few plot holes (if you can even call them that, they're more like... plot dents) are easy to overlook and shouldn't take away from the audience's enjoyment of the film. In fact, what happened to suspension of disbelief? Sometimes a thing not making sense is because it's a movie and not real life. The only real gripe I have is that they at times lean (too) heavily on ableist and racist stereotypes for the sake of plot.
Beyond the writing and cinematography, however, is the acting. Leading man Zhu Yilong has surpassed himself again in this film, showing a layered, multifaceted performance as He Fei. An attentive husband, a scheming bastard, a desperate gambler, a man on the edge (a man who has jumped over it a long time ago)... His nuanced portrayal sets the bar for the rest of the cast, who at times seem like they can barely catch up. While the ensemble all did great jobs, it is not an exaggeration to say that they paled in comparison to Zhu Yilong's force majeure (Ni Ni, his main co-star, I felt gave as good as she got, though).
When reviews first came out after the film was screened at the Hainan International Film Festival late last year, someone wrote that if you thought he was good in Lighting Up the Stars (a film which netted him not only his first Golden Rooster nom, but also the win), you hadn't seen him yet in Lost in the Stars. Having now seen and loved both, I am forced to agree. The many faces of He Fei leave the viewer pondering; not just the character and the film itself, but also human nature at large. There's a depth to Zhu Yilong's portrayal that seems almost wasted compared to what some of the minor characters were doing.
It's also a shame that there was more chemistry between the side characters than the leads. This is not to say that there was none between the leads, but when you get to the Manman and Li Muzi scenes, it feels more "real"... Or maybe that's by design, considering that the film builds up these characters as lying liars who lie and with every lie that gets uncovered there are more taking their place.
TL;DR: Lost in the Stars is a very compelling suspense movie. It is not just about the mystery behind the disappearance of He Fei's wife (and her(?) subsequent reappearance), it is about the lies we tell ourselves and others, and whether we keep believing them or not. It's a thought-provoking film that is absolutely worth a watch (and perhaps a rewatch).
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The Hound of the Baskervilles: Sherlock the Movie
1 people found this review helpful
I was bored!!!
I think I might be getting fed up with all these "classical" Sherlock Holmes versions. All of this has been seen so many times and the only originality here is that it takes place in Japan today. The rest is just The Hound of the Baskervilles. I am blessed in a way, since I usually do not remember the plot of these movies (and books - the same is with every Agatha Christie book: as soon as I finish the book, my brain refuses to retain the name of the culprit so it is always new! For me, at least!). So even though I have seen every other version of this story, I cannot remember the plot. All I remember is that it takes place in the countryside.So that is the case here. There are a couple of murders and kidnappings, rich families and their secrets and an earthquake punishing everyone, one way or another.
Shishio and Wakamiya are back, more annoying than before. Shishio looks like he just came back from Afghanistan, wearing ample robes and looking scruffy and unkempt. Wakamiya is imagining himself a detective like SH but he is too pretty to be convincing so he just struts around, following Shishio and failing at being helpful. There is no more chemistry between them that made the series such a fun watch in the beginning. Shishio just seems bored and Wakamiya is just a lovely wallflower!
What I loved was the cinematography: beautiful shots of mountainous and misty island, scary mine shafts and subdues colours verging towards grey, cold tones! And the music! Something special. The background score evolved as the story progressed, from the cello grating noise to the sweeping orchestral pieces to the final credits beautiful song, "lullaby" by YU-KA.
Last but not least, thank you eveychooey for the subs! I do not regret watching this: having these excellent subs just added to the pleasure of discovering a new exciting movie!
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Love transcends all boundaries in this heartfelt South Korean drama.
Tagline: Love transcends all boundaries in this heartfelt South Korean drama.........................................| Pros |........................................
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Brilliant Acting: The performances by the lead actors, Son Ye-jin as Su-jin and Jung Woo-sung as Chul-soo, are outstanding. They effortlessly portray the complex emotions of their characters, making their love story truly believable and engaging.
Emotional Depth: "A Moment to Remember" delves deep into the emotional aspects of the characters' lives, particularly in dealing with Alzheimer's disease. It portrays the gradual deterioration of Su-jin's memory and its impact on their relationship poignantly and realistically.
Cinematography: The film is visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography capturing the essence of various settings, from the idyllic countryside to bustling cityscapes. The use of colours and lighting effectively enhances the mood and emotions of the scenes.
Engaging Storytelling: The screenplay skillfully blends romance, drama, and a touch of mystery, keeping the audience engaged throughout. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing the story to unfold naturally, and the narrative twists keep you guessing until the end.
Thought-Provoking Themes: "A Moment to Remember" raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of love, memory, and the resilience of the human spirit. It prompts viewers to reflect on the importance of cherishing every moment and appreciating the people we hold dear.
........................................| Cons |........................................
✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘
Slow Pace: Some viewers may find the film's deliberate pace slow, especially during the initial setup. However, this leisurely approach contributes to the film's emotional depth and character development.
Familiar Themes: The movie explores themes touched upon in other romance dramas, such as the power of love against all odds. While it executes these themes effectively, it may not offer a wholly unique experience for those well-versed in the genre.
........................................| Character and Story Discussion |........................................
The central characters, Su-jin and Chul-soo, are well-developed and relatable. Su-jin's journey as she grapples with Alzheimer's disease is heart-wrenching, and the film sensitively portrays the impact on her and those around her. Chul-soo's unwavering love and dedication are equally moving, showcasing the depth of their connection.
The story expertly weaves together elements of romance, tragedy, and personal growth. It explores the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices one is willing to make for love. As the film progresses, it skillfully reveals surprising twists and turns that keep the audience invested in the outcome.
........................................ | Conclusion |........................................
"A Moment to Remember" is a profoundly emotional and visually stunning film that explores the power of love and the challenges posed by a couple in the face of hurdles. With brilliant performances, thought-provoking themes, and engaging storytelling, it stands as a testament to the enduring nature of love, even in the face of adversity. Although it may follow familiar romantic tropes, the film's execution and powerful performances make it a memorable and worthwhile viewing experience.
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Watch this if you Like Chase!
The Story was kind of basic. But the action was good. This is the type of movie where you don't need to constantly glare at the screen; you just have to pay attention, and you can watch it while having your meal. I think they should've cast young actors for the lead roles of Hwang and Lee. But both of them are the key to attracting audiences, so I cannot blame them. The ending was good, and I felt satisfied by all means. Watch this if you like "No Country for Old Men," but the Korean version was shot in Thailand.Was this review helpful to you?
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Story: It was confusing at first until it became even more confusing. I wasn’t sure whether I was seeing flashbacks of a person’s past or watching two separate lives of people on parallel universes, until I realize later that I was watching a combination of both. Old man Xue Ping reminisces about his past love Ding, who happens to be student A Hong’s doppelganger. So old man follows young man around town, not aware he is coming across as a creepy stalker. Acting/Cast: I’ve seen Chin Shih Chieh and Ray Chang around in other works, and they are decent, working with what they could of a sub-par script.
Music: Nothing to right home about.
Rewatch Value: No thanks.
Overall: The story of the old man’s past is more interesting than that of the student, which really doesn’t serve any purpose except for reminding Xue Ping that his lover is not coming back from the dead.
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Story: Seems simple enough. Ex-lovers reunite in this short film. One has a family and the other getting married. Both men who I presume were torn apart due familial or societal expectations or maybe some other reason we will never know. Acting/Cast: Surprisingly not bad, but not great either.
Music: White noise.
Rewatch Value: You get the moral lesson of the story, is that you cannot regret or reverse the decisions that you made in the past and you have to live with that said decision.
Overall: This short film is trying its best to be poignant but falls a lot short from the goal. My only question is why would you invite your ex-lover to eat with your family, when you are so clearly afraid that your wife may find out what you were to each other before?
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