Reviews

It is all about balance and whole a lot of pain...

In not so many fancy words, I think this movie is phenomenal! Why?

• Two hours flew by in a second

• Intimate scenes are so raw and believable, and just the way I want them. If someone can do a nasty yet sensual NC scene that makes your stomach turn is Japanese. This time, the scenes are going so well along the story. Lets be honest, many Japanese movies do have explicit content that can overpower the story, or, especially dramas can lack any kind of sexual or intimate content. This does not make them bad, I am just talking about how well Egoist is balanced compared to Japanese movies, and in general.

• I enjoyed the balance between letting it go and being polite and restrained. Overall movie has that. And all of that is very nicely packed and topped with a hint of luxury and poverty.

• The whole story about financial and emotional compensation left me deeply wounded, so at the end of my short review, I would say this is not a love movie, nor a romance. This is movie filled with love by the people who were severely damaged by life and their families and they did love and they did care, the way they knew how.

• I feel I cannot pick the pieces of my heart after watching this movie and that is not that bad. It made me feel something, it made me feel a lot actually.

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Anything but a sports movie.

So, I'm writing this movie after seeing 7.9 ratings, which I feel is very biased for this movie.
I will come to the point that this is an average movie that claims to be sport-comedy, but there's nothing sporty about this movie.
Half the time, it felt like they were playing Rugby, not Football. The Homeless Soccer Tournament was a big joke as there were no rules on fouls and penalties.
Coming to the acting, Park Seo Joon and IU both were good and were ably supported by the rest of the cast. But that's it. They were just good and not even once went beyond that.
But the main criticism is there's no character development. It seems like they have put a bunch of sob stories expecting to gain sympathy from the audience. It doesn't work in this era, maybe in the 80s and 90s but not now.
Giving sob stories is fine but you have to show their character development and this was hardly true for any of the characters. And as for the comedy, there were a few hits and misses, mostly misses. It only made me smile, not made me laugh, which I think is a must for a movie marketed as "sports-comedy".

Overall, a better effort was required from all, the director, the writer and the actors.

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What price honor and glory?

The Sword asks the question, "what price honor and glory?" It's something I always wonder when I watch these films where swordsmen try to move up the pecking order by defeating someone ranked higher than themselves and toss the word honor around while doing it. "Excuse me, I know we don't have any disagreements, but would you mind terribly battling me to the death to see which of us is the superior swordsman?" This procedure never seemed very polite, much less honorable. In this film, Adam Cheng was forced to weigh the costs of spending years hunting for a legendary swordsman simply to test his skills.

Adam Cheng as Li Mak Yin befriends Ying Chih, a young swordswoman being hunted by a kidnapper, on the road to finding Hua/Wah, the legendary swordsman who has gone into hiding. Along the way he runs into his old flame who grew tired of waiting while he was on his quest and married Lin Wan (Norman Chu). Lin Wan turns out to be a vicious brute who wants Hua's sword Hon Sing. When Ying Chih is finally kidnapped Li goes to help her and is gifted the cursed sword Chi Mud to aid him by a woman who saved his life after a fierce battle with Lin's henchman. Turns out Ying Chih is Hua's daughter. In a very awkward moment after returning the man's daughter, Li asks if they could duel. After that interlude, the bodies start stacking up.

For a 1980 martial arts film, The Sword was slow, melancholic, and artfully done. Director Patrick Tam used beautiful framing and compositions combined with dramatic lighting. 1980's synth music was utilized for the soundtrack which actually worked quite well for setting the mood. The film asked how it felt to get what you wanted. Were the costs in innocent lives worth a lifetime of trying to beat and be the best? For the lone swordsman was the emptiness and loneliness of the lifestyle a satisfying tradeoff to feed one's pride and ambition?

The stunt work and fight choreography were acrobatic and quick. Despite being a more thoughtful movie, it did have gruesome ends to some of the fights. There were not only the traditional impalements, but one person decapitated himself and another was split in half. Chi Mud, much like The Ring of Power, was infused with hate and malice, and considered an evil sword. And just like the ring, it orchestrated the deadly destiny of several lives.

Adam Cheng played the conflicted and ambitious swordsman well. As Li weighed some of his exploitive actions, his life goals began to change. Norman Chu can be counted on to give depth to a villainous character and he did. Tien Feng, often cast as a baddie, was sympathetic as the aging considerate swordsman who cared for those around him. Jade Hsu found just the right balance as the firebrand daughter. She was forced to act idiotic for a scene but the writers finally put Ying Chih back on the right path. Eddy Ko, in a mostly silent role, made for a frightening henchman. Overall, the acting was quite good, especially for the genre.

The Sword was an excellent martial arts film for 1980 in comparison to so many others made during this time. The scenery, settings, and costumes were of a higher quality than most. For those looking for non-stop action, this might be a disappointment because it takes its time developing Li's character arc and the stakes being played for. The movie ends on a mournful note as Li moves beyond what he has been taught about honor and begins to understand that the real world has real consequences for his prideful actions. I would definitely recommend this film for fans of the genre. As always, I rate pre-1990 niche dramas on a curve.

6/27/23

*Many sites use a copy and pasted synopsis that says a swordsman and a samurai team up to find a blade. There is no samurai in this film, my guess is that it's either for a different movie or someone wrote a synopsis who had never seen this film.

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A movie that broke my heart into million pieces

I'm writing this as my tears are still not yet dried from all the bawling I did because of this movie.

STORY
Road trip with a dying cancer patient isn't exactly the most original plot but the director has executed this story in the most original way possible. I love the way Aood's (girlfriend) stories gradually travel backward eventually leading up to how Boss and Aood's friendship was formed. They're all touching in different ways and all had me bawling my eyes out. However, the most tearjerking element was Aood's dad's death and the use of his dad's narration through out the film. I was bawling my eyes out by the time we got to the end. The ending was so bittersweet. 10/10 for writing. Not a single redundant dialogue. Everything was perfect from start to finish.

ACTING/CAST
Ice is absolutely incredible as Aood and you really feel our protagonist's pain as he goes on a journey to ask for forgiveness from people whom he's hurt. Tor really proved he got chops in the second half of the movie when the story of Boss and Prim unfolds. Violette and Tor has been in past projects together so there was no doubt they would have perfect chemistry and they absolutely delivered.

MUSIC
I fucking cried every time Aood opens a cassette tape from his father's radio show and as his father introduces the song, montages of Aood 's stories start unfolding. The music selection for this movie was top tier and immaculate. The director, the music score and composer were truly out for blood with the soundtrack for this movie and they did it. They shattered my heart into a million pieces with every song played in this movie. This film is a good example of how important soundtrack and film scores are to elevate the narrative being told.

REWATCH VALUE
I think it'll be hard for me to come back to watching this movie. It's quite a slow movie that's absolutely gonna break your heart so I would save this for sad rainy day because it's meant to be enjoyed fully from start to finish.

PRODUCTION
As expected of a GDH production, beautiful cinematography, ingenious transitions, brilliant writing. There are so many things to praise about the production of this film but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the excellent mise-en-scene of this film. Every shot is dazzling, intentional and fill with metaphors. It was truly beautiful.

OVERALL
It's an underrated gem that I think everyone should give it a try on a rainy day or when you're feeling down and you want to cry your heart out to a film, One For The Road is the perfect film for such a day.

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a beautifully poignant modern romcom

one of my favorite romcoms of 2022. it's a very classic boy meets girl, unrequited crushes, bad-timings, friends to lovers trope indie-esque romcom (ironic because gdh is one of thailand's biggest film production companies).

i like that there's a lot of subversion to romcom clichés. regarding characterization, ml was a morally grey character and simping throughout the whole movie but i'm a sucker for him. there's references to the problematic nice guy tropes through out this film and i love it. i like ml's self awareness to a certain degree that he's not that nice guy.

many stellar comedic moments where i laughed out loud. like the humor is poignant and there's great comedic timing from both leads. really incredible performance from sky and june (ml & fl), especially with the plot line on missed timings. i liked how they did the open-ish happy ending which didn't feel rushed.

sky has been my absolute favorite actor since his tv series my ambulance and i knew june from bad genius series so i was really looking forward to their chemistry and they did not disappoint at all. 🫶

the story was told through ml's perspective so i'm kinda bummed we didn't get a full fleshed carved out character of what fl was like other than she was clueless and not knowing what to do with her life (which now that i think about, may be an intentional point from the director)

there are a lot of heartfelt moments in the film. my favorite supporting characters are probably ml's sisters. they really lighten the film's mood and make you root for ml despite ml makes a lot of dumb decisions. the most warm hearted moment is when ml just broke up with his ex and the sisters comfort him, like the whole cinema went 🥺.

the film has gorgeous cinematography. the director utilized a lot of filming techniques to get the message across and i particularly am impressed with the zoom-in-from-afar shots for comedic effect. very wes anderson-y.


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i love that ml & fl made some "terrible" decisions but the story handled it so well that all decisions make sense & the call between ml/fl to wrap up/resolve the conflict is really beautiful (i almost cried T.T).

OMG! is from the same studio that made the super popular romcom Friendzone (2019) (which starred Baifern and Nine) and both romcoms share great similarities premise-wise (unrequited crush, simping ml, friends to lovers, missed timings) but i think love OMG! more. although OMG! has less couple moments between fl and ml, i felt OMG! has more heart and better cinematography for me than Friendzone so I left the cinema feeling more satisfied for OMG!

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Best

If you love thrillers and zombie flicks, then you are in for a ride with this one. This film has it all: the hero arc, character development, insane action, relentless tension, drama, tear jerk, comedy, special effects, great cinematography and most of all excellent pace! Well done to the Korean cinema. Excellent film. Me and Korean cinema have always had a good relationship, I tend to enjoy their works and this right here is their coup de grace.Full of fantastic characters, great writing and several scenes that need to be seen to be believed Train To Busan shows how fresh the zombie sub genre can be in the right hands.

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Watch it until after the credits

Satoh Takeru - yup, that's why I watched it. He's intense and, as usual, I enjoyed his performance. The scene where he sent her away was heartbreaking. His hair was too long and you couldn't see his eyes, and it seriously needed to be washed. But, I digress...

This movie is hard for me to rate. It left me feeling dissatisfied, for lack of a better word. Maybe there wasn't enough time to develop the characters more fully (but I don't care enough to watch the Korean version for more story). Part of my problem is that I don't like liars. That part of the story didn't go on for too terribly long. That she was a high school student was a little problematic, but it didn't seem too noticeable.

Everyone just seemed not too terribly likeable. I was bothered by the fact that the ML had money, fame, etc. and walked around like he'd just been given a death sentence. That's the point, I know, but it just irritated me.

Maybe it was my frame of mind when I watched it. If you want to try it, at least you won't be out too much time.

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Noteworthy watch

Felt a bit lacking in the storyline though. There are parts in the movie that weren't explained well might be because of time constraints and I have yet to read the novel/book so I was kinda lost especially on the ending.
But genre-wise, it gives off horror/thriller/suspense vibes. Worth a watch! Worthy of a rewatch too~

Joshua Garcia proves that he can't only act in a love team but as an individual entity in a movie. The acting on all the casts is not cringed at all. Also noting the Director is Chito Roño, you can't say anything wasteful in the entire movie.

Also must read the book too after watching the movie as it gives me a lot of questions of How's and Why's T_T

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"Deep Ocean" is the kind of film that demands attention to grasp all its nuances. Not only because it's a short film, but also because the scenes don't unfold in chronological order.

It subtly touches upon recurring themes related to romantic interests. We ponder why some people cling to relationships that are destined to fail, why some continue to love those who don't reciprocate their feelings, why it's so challenging to move on, and why others feel the need to be hurtful in their rejection.

Towards the end, I found myself wondering if the protagonist had managed to set aside his emotions. Did he bury them deep within himself to move forward? I like to believe that he will be able to move on, not forgetting this teenage love, but rather gaining a deeper understanding of who he is, a talented swimmer among other things.

To conclude, the short film has potential, it's not bad, it just didn't take me away emotionally.

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REALLY GOOD MOVIE!!! I was so surprised tbh

Welcome to 2023, people. Mainland China has been dumping out a bunch of shitty dramas (well, as they always have), so I was skeptical of this movie at first because, well, the leads are known for their dramas. But this really blew me away. Of course, there is room for improvement, but any casual movie watcher that is a romantic at heart will surely enjoy this. Steven Zhang's acting is just phenomenal, he keeps getting better. The story flows well and doesn't overdramatize anything or put too many slow-motion scenes or anything like that. I was so invested throughout the whole movie. We've got character development, we've got vulnerability, we've got realistic depictions of "toxic" characters, we've got storylines related to not-romantic stuff like dysfunctional families and the patriarchy and how Asian parents don't know how to express their love for their children, WE'VE GOT IT ALL. THIS IS THE ONE. I haven't really been following mainland entertainment, but I believe this movie has been out for quite a bit. I don't think it's receiving the popularity it deserves SO LETS SUPPORTTTT!! Honestly, this needs to BLOW. UP. THIS IS A GOOD, SENSIBLE FREAKING MOVIE AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S JUST OUT AND GONE LIKE THIS.

The only complaints I have are that Sun Qian, the lead actress' voice sounds a liiiittle too high-pitched for her character, and the timing of the music was odd in some places. Like, some areas of the movie could use music, but they didn't put music there. But these are just nitpicky details that do not tarnish this film's value AT ALL. If you're skeptical, WATCH IT. Maybe you won't end up loving it, but you surely won't end up hating it.

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"It's not that I've fallen in love again. I've never stopped loving you."

All These Years is a beautiful film about two young people finding the very best version of love and helping each other grow through life's hardships, family's expectations, distance and time.

The script is tight, coherent. Beautifully sad and hopeful at the same time. The characters well rounded with very real problems based on actual contemporary issues, such as social classes and expectations based on gender, which makes it even more heartbreaking. You understand the decisions they are making are the best option for each other, even if it means being apart. Still, their love always makes them cheer for the other to become the best version of themselves.

Sun Qian and Zhang Xin Cheng's chemistry in INSANE. Like, DAMN! Not once I didn't believe in their performances or the story they were telling me. They carried the entire film flawlessly. Bravo.

I enjoyed every single minute of this film right up to the end, which left me with a chuckle and the biggest smile.

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Not everyone is as they seem...

The Swift Knight was an engaging wuxia starring Lo Lieh, Chin Han, and Margaret Hsing Hui. Most of the main characters were shrouded in secrecy and none were who they appeared to be. Two lost royal heirs drew everyone to them like a magnet, those who wanted to save them and those who wanted kill them. They only had to gamble with their lives to figure out who was on their side.

Lo Lieh played the titular character, the Swift Knight. He robbed from the rich and sometimes the suave vagabond gave to the poor. While at a brothel one night the virginal Xian Qin caught his eye, inducing him to offer a down payment, promising to come back with the rest of the money that night. Chin Han, dressed as a beggar, also sought to take Xian Qin away from the brothel, though without paying. Perennial bad guy Wang Hsieh, who had more costume changes than a beauty pageant contestant was after the young woman, too. He wanted to take her away from the brothel—to execute her. The rest of the story involved a number of sword fights and horse chases all in lieu of seeing who would end up with the lass and her younger brother.

The story of political intrigue and secret identities was a familiar formula but entertaining nonetheless. Lo Lieh had the perfect charisma to play the shady Robin Hood. If I have one complaint about the movie it's that Lo wasn't used enough and he's such a dynamic actor that he makes even small scenes seem bigger. Chin Han gave a rather one note performance as the beggar hiding an honorable identity. Fan Mei Sheng as the constable who knew too much and was on the run with the little group provided levity without sliding into slapstick territory. Margaret Hsing Hui didn't give the greatest performance but was able to convey her character's reticence about living a royal life, especially after she had fallen in love with the Swift Knight. Wang Hsieh never met scenery he didn't want to chew and made for the perfect villainous foil for the good guys.

This was one of those rare Shaw Brothers movies which showed the care and forethought that was put into the script and settings. For a low budget martial arts movie, it had a scenic depth to it and didn't look like it was shot on a small sound lot. Flashbacks were bathed in vibrant blue or red. Well-developed characters made for a compelling story. In a martial arts film, complex characters you can care about give the fights higher stakes. Lau Kar Wing and Chan Chuen choreographed several fluid fights with plenty of dismembered arms and blood, though not the artery spewing type that would become popular in a few years. Most of the action was sword fighting although the baddies as always used some sinister weapons in addition to swords. Because it was a wuxia there was classic light body leaping. Instead of the old school filming in reverse, the wire work used was smooth and graceful, no flailing of arms, and happily I couldn't see the wires.

Director Cheng Chang Ho pushed the envelope for a SB film and gave it a hint of artistic flare, something often missing from this low budget genre. He even gifted the audience with a proper ending instead of the oft used freeze frame in mid-scene during the final fight! The Swift Knight had interesting characters, an intriguing story, and entertaining fights. For a fan of 1970's martial arts movies, what else could you ask for?

6/26/23

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"I don't understand"

The Three Swordsmen had an excellent cast-Andy Lau, Brigitte Lin, and Elvis Tsui as the titular swordsmen. And that's pretty much it. I have watched a number of old kung fu movies with convoluted plots, but this one took the cake. When a character made the comment, "I don't understand," I wanted to say, you and me both dude.

Andy Lau played "Smiling Sam"/Siu Sam Siu one of the three best swordsmen in the country. He was tied with "Blade" Wham Dao (Elvis Tsui) whose skills had earned him a place commanding the military. Most perplexing was Brigitte Lin as Ming Kim/Ming Jian who was not cross-dressing but actually playing a married man with a child and dubbed with a man's voice. Siu was framed for theft, rape, and murder. And that's about as much as I can tell you. He steals a man's wife. Falls in love with someone else. Ming helps him out or so he says. Wham discerns that something else is afoot, but palace and other politics preclude him from investigating the case as he would wish.

The fights were ridiculously dreadful. The director enjoyed filming too close or at odd angles obscuring much of the action. Yuen Bun and Tony Leung Siu Hung could usually be counted on for entertaining fight choreography, not in this film. The wire work and light body super leaping were comically bad. There was an awkward duel in the trees and over water predating CTHD and Hero, but were a prime example of how valuable good direction and cinematography are. Siu had his Invisible Whirlwind technique which belonged on a Saturday morning kids' show. He could also decapitate and disarm opponents with his clothes. One woman like a white-haired witch could defeat opponents with her hair. She even paused during a fight to breast feed her child.

The film was not pleasing to look at, the framing and cinematography were subpar. The pacing was erratic. And seriously, why would they dub Brigitte Lin of all people with a man's voice? It didn't appear to be done satirically. You know a story is confusing when characters have to stop and repeatedly dump pages of complicated and baffling exposition on the audience. It also felt like half the cast was playing the movie for laughs, especially Lau. Lin and Tsui were deadly serious along with a few other characters. I wondered if two writers wrote different parts of the story separately and then tried to do a mash-up of them.

The Three Swordsmen could have been so bad it was good. I found it so bad as to be annoying. The only good thing about the movie is that it was only 86 minutes long.

6/26/23

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