Wise portraying of serious issues
I loved this movie, and I'm glad I watched the mini drama before. If not, I probably wouldn't have gotten the complete experience of this story. It's better to know of their past and the way it all started.The story is great, the japanese tend to give the white-glove treatment to certain matters as in this case. Personally, I always feel like in many dramas or movies they push people to serious consideration and introspection, I really appreciate their ability of portraying serious matters like social problems or complicated emotions. Slow-paced as I could easily expect (and I don't mind it at all), I found it deep and very emotional. Sora-chan is precious and this whole story is. They spotlighted the right points and gave a direct message when it was needed.
I loved the actors too and they were perfect for the role. Coming from the drama I tried not to compare their two versions (younger and older) and I think they fit perfectly. I also found it amazing how much they were able to express with a gaze.
Stories like these always leave me thinking, and it makes me sad to think how much effort is still needed to change something in our societies (and I can only imagine how japanese society is, but I guess it truly is hard). It was also good that they showed both sides, meaning they hinted at Rena's situation. Very sad. Everyone in society bears with different expectations from others and have different ways of dealing with them.
I really really love this movie and would totally rewatch it.
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sweet but forgettable
It's a good sweet movie. There are no sudden twists or love triangles and major issues get resolved quickly. The movie is pretty PG so if you want something even remotely sexy or sensual, this isn't the show for you but the main lead are very sweet together and they have great chemistry. The actors are very attractive and I love the interaction between the leads and the supporting characters. I also liked the fact that the problems that the characters faced had nothing to do with their sexuality but rather their own problems. I also appreciated that this BL had characters out of high school and college. I also appreciated that while the female character was the antagonist in the movie she wasn't evil and her arc had nothing to do with trying to date one of the leads, unlike most BLs.I don't think it's worth a re-watch though if you've seen it once you aren't gaining anything by going back.
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Love the leads
Love Zhao Lusi in everything she does ❤️❤️❤️ Love the lead actors ❤️❤️❤️ Does anyone know what happened to Jiao Rui? He's so handsome and manly. He portrayal his role so well, like he's holding an ocean of emotions. I'd really love to see more of his works and I really hope he is well. Get your tissues ready, this movie is so sad 😢😢 Being switched at birth and living in a world of love. En Xi is sweet and kind and being loved by people around her and 2 handsome men, just wish Xu Kai put on more weight! That little house perched by the water has so much character.Was this review helpful to you?
i really enjoyed the first part but not too much, thought it was going to get boring soon but it didn't. i think it is worth watching!!
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Polished movie- good watch!
I really liked this movie. It has a strong moral, interesting characters, a good plot and a good representation of manipulation, school bullying, the highschool environment and social hierarchy, and exclusion. It represents the hypocritical and toxic natures of the school environment through a clean plot and good acting, with good filming and relevant music. So, if you’re looking for my green light to watch it- do! It’s a very clean and consistent movie- a rarity nowadays tbh. It’s a good watch and i’d probably watch it again. Plot twist also twists your brain a bit. A good watch! So, i give you the green light to watch this if your sitting on the fence about it.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Sweet but nonsensical/annoying plot devices
Overall: this is a 33 minute short movie that has some sweet moments but I was really irritated by several plot holes/nonsense plot things.Content Warnings: non con kiss (eyes were closed and was not expecting it)
What I Liked
- the sweet moments
- the color grading
- the shipper friends were cute but why start now*
- a few nice flirts and a nice comeback
- the second kiss scene was fairly well done
Room For Improvement (spoilers)
- *the main issue is why on earth would you wait three years to reveal your identity to someone that you like and take secret pictures of them? The writer/s should have made this a shorter time frame like 3 months or given an explanation (such as the other guy had to leave the country for school or something)
- there is no context in the beginning of where they are, what they are doing there and what the 2 main protagonists' relationship is with each other (school acquaintances?)
- odd that he says he almost drowned there, then says just kidding, then immediately explained how he almost drowned there
- who leaves someone who almost died before medical professionals arrive?
- how does someone who is barely conscious take a ring off of someone's finger?
- I hate when people/characters "test" a relationship especially in that way
- he read his diary and that's supposed to be romantic instead of a violation of privacy
- he secretly took pictures of him for 3 years and that's supposed to be romantic instead of stalker behavior
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of course I watched this movie because of Kiki Xu Jiaqi
I've watch this movie last year on iqiyi international after several months wondering where should I watch this movie because I've found it on iqiyi Chinese app beforethe story was, well it's a fantasy, but I can't really understand it
the twist was there but not really whoa
and the CGI was meh
only watch it for Kiki, because she really looks good with blue hair, and well she played double role and it's funny when it's back to the "reality" her hair still stay blue when actually it should be black
and Jiang Shan is cute
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This review may contain spoilers
Not *that* bad, but not *that* good either...
I admit I was a little scared to watch this movie, as many of the comments I saw talking about this criticized it saying it wasn't good and that people dropped it like a hot pocket... BUT, being a reader of the original manga and knowing of Raul from Snow Man, I decided to give it a try. TL;DR: it wasn't good, but definitely not as bad some others made it out to be, as I've seen farrrr worse before in the shoujo genre. Let me explain:STORY: If you're a fan of the genre, this will be nothing new, nor groundbreaking. If you're not a fan of the clichés and heart-pounding moments, I'd suggest you skip this one. The pacing of the story is very fast at the beginning, and then somehow towards the middle to 3/4 in, it gets a little slow and draggy. It follows the formula of a typical high school shoujo romance - ML protects the "weak" FL, both start dating, they break up for some random forced reason, and insert slow-mo chase scene with inspiring music and the FL/ML having an epiphany to tell the other person that WAIT they actually DO love them! But instead of one running scene, there's a whopping total of two. The director seemed to compile scenes from the manga that seemed a bit disjointed and forced, like one second there's a serious thing going on, and it hard cuts to the characters at the beach. There wasn't much of a solid flow or transition of the storyline, which is probably what turned a lot of viewers off.
ACTING: Raul definitely didn't suit the image of Kai for me, and same with Yoshikawa Ai for Uka. However, by the end of the film, they seemed more well-adjusted to the roles. Yoshikawa definitely outshined Raul with her acting as she was more natural in her role. The character of Kai isn't supposed to be greasy or cheesy, but it definitely felt like Raul was overdoing the "cool" factor, making his line delivery pretty greasy (which also wasn't his usual tone of voice, so it seemed forced).
MUSIC: I laughed a lot at the soundtrack (and that's not a good thing). I actually expected more Snow Man or Johnny's songs in general, but there was just the one at the very end, and instead we got a bunch of poorly made English songs that sounded like random royalty-free songs you'd find on Google. Especially the intro song.... iykyk. I thought they got some random, already-made song and just stuck it in, but then the singer proceeds to croon "Honey Lemon Soda" in the lyrics and I died inside. I was super confused and slightly awed that they actually made this song for the movie. And why English? Is this a trend now??
REWATCH VALUE: Hmm.. I probably won't rewatch this as there are plenty of shoujo movies that are better. But I won't judge if you do watch this because honestly it wasn't as bad as many others. Just be a little patient, let it take some time, and watch the credits til the end because that stuff was cute, man.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'd say Go ahead and watch it!!
[[CONTAINS NO SPOILER OF THE PLOT - first 10 minutes, and type of ending are shared, to give a feel of the movie -all section headings are clearly marked^^]]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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RECOMMENDED IF you are up for a scary movie with decent amount of jumpscares, not really gore/violent, has a story plus backstory. Acting is good, effects are decent, the movie is not pure horror, it has interspersed elements of comedy and teeny budding romances.
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STORY:::
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FIRST 10 MINUTES:
The movie starts with a group of students at a cram school, at night, asking a girl about her friend who has been missing for a while. And once she explains there is a sudden blackout.
The urban legend of girl haunting Siam Square is narrated (I was hooked by this point), after which the movie continues to explain what has happened leading up to this point.
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PACE:
Was decent. There was a stuff happening, so you'd be engaged but not too soon as to be confusing. Just optimum for a lazy watch (for a horror movie of course).
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PLOT:
> Overall, nothing controversial. There are few plot-holes but nothing I want to hang on to.
> Almost had a mini rollercoaster of emotions but I am glad I sat through it.
> SCARE FACTOR: was just okay, for a horror movie though there were few plot points where tbh I had to mute/ pause and catch my breath to continue. More than the jumpscares, the makeup and the CGI (well it got to me, I can be a scaredy-cat), I liked the story telling - (narration / the plot itself) - which could scare. No gore/ extreme violence or bloodshed. As mentioned movie often makes the mood lighter with comic and emotional elements.
> ROMANCE FACTOR (Since the synopsis mentions "romantic conflicts"): I do appreciate romance even in horrors haha, and there are few romantic interests going around, at least one of which that I found cute.
> DEPTH: Movie offers more than just scares.
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TYPE OF ENDING:
Closure : I'd say 98% if I were to nitpick
Happy/sad : better than I'd hoped for - it is more than just happy or sad, I'd call it satisfying.
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ACTING: Was good. Almost all the main characters were high schoolers who were trying to get to the bottom of what ws happening. And they played their parts well. There are definitely deeper emotions, I personally found nothing lacking. Each actors have done their part pretty well, they fit their characters
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MY OPINION: Overall, I enjoyed watching it, definitely do not regret or think it was waste of time. I would recommend as horror that can be watched on a lazy day. I am not big on rewatching (ever) but wouldn't mind re-watching this with company either.
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This review may contain spoilers
Human x Demon story but they get a happy ending
How many times do I have to watch about a snake demon and human go through turmoil just to get a sad/inconclusive ending?? (@ Legend of the White Snake smh) Anyway, Hanson and the Beast is a contemporary fantasy romance between a demon and a human with - YES - a happy ending and minimal angst. I knew I was off to a good start when the very first minutes of the movie was a narration from a child talking about their father and mother meeting. Bless!! It's cute, sweet, funny, and has all the classic feel-good Cdrama tropes mixed in. Definitely recommended for a light-hearted fantasy romance!PROS
❀ Fun main cast | The ML is a debt-ridden zoo-keeper who's going on dates to marry for money, but his plans keep getting foiled due to our innocent (and very pretty!) FL getting in his way. She tries seducing him in the naive way that a fox demon who doesn't interact with humans much would do, and hijinks ensue. Both actors were quirky and energetic with their roles, lending a comical tone. It was also refreshing to see the FL use her powers to defend/protect the ML, lol.
❀ Fun storyline that follows the main couple's romance | While the main couple is falling in love, the antagonist is dead-set on drawing the line between humans and demons. This includes capturing the rare fox demon (our FL) and spreading false news that humans tortured her. It gives the opportunity of a role reversal, where the ML has to save the FL this time.
❀ Hilarious supporting cast and scenes | This movie was like an exciting roller coaster ride. I loved the cat demon childhood best friend (why was he so funny??) who supported the FL through and through, the antagonist vulture demon whose evilness was sometimes mocked at throughout the movie, and all the minor demons featured as well. For hilarious scenes, we got an amazing bed scene (or, the prelude to one) that was wayyy more comedic than I expected, the debt collectors accidentally getting involved with the demons, and this movie set scene where the actual demons are hiding within an army of actor demons. A++ entertainment.
CONS
✕ Rushed romance | FL has loved the ML since he saved her when she was a small fox, and ML falls in love with FL after she supports him as a "fan." I mean do I buy it? Yesss because it's a fantasy romance movie but am I giving it a lot of leeway? Yes as well.
✕ No resolution on the dad plot | Man, I expected more on the dad plot! I guess they were running our of time to fit a resolution for him in, lol.
✕ Misunderstanding level: 0/10 | FL reveals her demon self pretty early on upon meeting and the main couple work together to beat the baddies.
OVERALL
Y'all know how hard it is for me to find a romantic Chinese movie with a HE? Maybe I been looking at the wrong sites, but... most of the time it's either a youth movie or a sad/'realistic'/open ending. I'm happy to have found Handson and the Beast. It may be silly at times, but overall it's a heartwarming and fun watch about a man who's struggling to fit into human society and a fox demon who refuses the limitations of her society.
Note: I just found out that this screenwriter also has a drama with the same concept of an organization that deals with monsters/demons in the human world, called Bureau of Transformer. Going on my to-watch list!
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It's quite a good movie to watch
The story was quite good, I was about to give it 10 stars in the beginning... But, when the ending came, it doesn't make sense, and it wasn't a good way to end the movie at all. Overall, the acting and cast was very good, I gave it a 10/10 for that part. The music wasn't the best, but it was quite okay. While, the story was okay, everything was good except for the ending. The ending could've been better in my opinion.Feel free to give it a try! It's a little different compared to other BL movies, but it's worth a try!
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A whole historical in 7 minutes with a cat!
This is actually pretty impressive how they managed to squeeze in a whole historical C-drama and even added, Meow the secret girl to it... Swardfight, blood cough (though they were stingy with the cranberry juice), poisoning, intrigues, flashbacks, slomo, romance, lust, and all in under 7 minutes!I honestly felt that I got all the information I needed on this short emotional cute journey... It may also be a commercial for some kind of pancakes, I am not 100% sure.... And I did feel like eating one...
I am not going to say that this was great, but cute, fluffy and took less time to watch than to write this review... So just go for it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Bound to be a masterpiece as time passes...
This movie started out as a great comedy, and I enjoyed it immensely; the comedic parts are so good; you shouldn't watch this after quiet hours in your house, dorm, or apt; you will probbaly be laughing out loud some of the time!However, a "shift' came about as Gu Xiao Jiao (Tong Li Ya) finally meets the man she initially met in her "shared" apartment twenty years later (though, just 'days' away in her timeline), and found that the path he had taken did not make him the "man" she enjoyed being with in her apartment shared in teh time distortion.
We also find that futures are "changed" with the actions brought about by Lu Zhi Yi (Lei Jia Yin) in the 1999 timeline; actions that affect both Lu Ming (again, Lei Jia Yin) and Gu Xiao Jiao's father as well.
The cinematogrphy was great: I loved the way both timelines weres shown together and seemed to be sewn together perfectly! The earlier timelines from 1999 involved many icons that also appeared in 1999 America, and they must have spent much time on details since the street scenes seemd so perfect.
I see that both main cast members worked together in past movies, which their chemistry together shows briliiantly as their onscreen chemistry is unmistakenly and almost flawless - like two people who have actually lived together for years...I also enjoyed the unexpected short dialogues intertwined within the credits at the end!
The support cast gave their talent and years of expereince in making the two main characters seem so much more alive and genuine, giving more personality to the main cast members throughout the movie.
This should become a masterpiece or have a cult following in the future!
RE-WATCH: A big Yes!
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I do not know what to think about this
So I watched this because it looked interesting, but I'm a bit sad. It didn't end as I was expecting, but it was a bit worth it. A bit of romance, a bit of drama; a bit of thrilling, funny or confusing scenes...The movie is mostly a memory of the grandmother, a story about how she and her family found a boy who -turned out to- was a werewolf. (I still saw him as a puppy tho, he looked so cute) It's about the way she taught him as he was her own son, the way she cared for him and the way he cared for her :)
She was living somewhere else with someone else, she maybe didn't even think of him that much as he thought about her. Even when she was an old lady, she still remembered the happy moments they shared together tho.
Now to the things I did not like: the fighting scenes were too long for me, not that I was scared tho; also there were lots of scenes in the night, and I was watching in at day time so it was sometimes hard to see what is even happening; I expected bigger plot twist, I expected something more romantic and thrilling, not a small mix of every genre... and to the ending - I do not wanna spoil you, but I think you will see why I was disappointed.
I think the idea was good, but they should focus more on one genre, not adding more and more so I can't even tell what I watched.
Anyway, that's it and sorry if I made any mistakes in grammar.
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