Reviews

Tugs on your heartstrings

"The story was great. It allows you to experience the two characters' dilemmas, goals, and feelings as they consider why they take certain actions. Was it all destined to happen? The film progresses in a melancholic way with beautiful cinematography and excellent symbolism.

Bible's acting skills are top-tier. He has proven himself in roles such as Vegas in 'Kinn Porsche and Kan in this short film. Jes, as Tul, was also fabulous. Their chemistry was sizzling, and the acting felt natural and right. The music combined gave a heartbreaking feel to the film.

I don't think it had a bad ending as many are portraying; instead, I would term it as a "tragic" one. Right from the beginning, I could foresee the impending ending, and as a viewer, there was nothing I could do to stop it. TulKan I'll forever love you. I loved every second of it.

I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a captivating and emotionally resonant story, with top-notch acting and beautiful cinematography. It's worth a watch!

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A good starting yet a laughable ending.

A woman who struggles everywhere she goes from the workplace to her own house. She is always the target of I'll rumors and gossip-lusting eyes always surround her.

Like they said sometimes you get the best out of the worst and just like that she got something that's horrifying yet somehow works in her support.

Talking about the movie production, music, cinematography, and everything was below average. The erotic scenes were kind of okay type and the acting of every cast is average, you can't blame them when the character depth and dialogues are shallow themselves.

In short, the story had potential but the execution was done poorly. Even if it's a B or C grade Horror, Erotic movie, the efforts were still low. They could have used more screen time to explore more things but I guess they don't have that much budget to begin with.

There's nothing to the ending and honestly, it's laughable that the small build-up they had throughout the entire movie was thrown into the trashcan in the end.

So watch it if you have much free time and don't mind a low-class movie.

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Still Human. Still Dreaming.

Still Human is the kind of heartwarming, healing film that is like catnip to me. I’ve seen this paradigm before of the Filipina maid changing hearts and breaking down barriers, but Anthony Wong and Crisel Consunji put their own stamp on it.

Cheong Wing has been confined to a wheelchair ever since a construction accident. His wife divorced him and is now remarried. His son is in the States studying to be a doctor leaving Cheong Wing alone in his miniscule public assisted housing. With his closed off persona believing himself to be “rubbish” and having special needs he hasn’t been able to keep a maid. In walks Evelyn Santos from the Philippines. She speaks no Cantonese and he only speaks a little English, at first glance it does not seem like a match made in heaven as he confiscates her passport. Other Filipinas in Hong Kong tell her to play dumb and never let him know if she learns Cantonese or else her workload will be greater. As Evelyn and Cheong Wing come to know each other and see the other as human, healing and growth occur.

This film highlighted the marginalized people in the community. Evelyn and the other maids were on duty 24/6, with only Sundays off. She suffered derogatory comments and treatment almost everywhere. Cheong Wing struggled to keep his head up as he felt like a burden on his family and friends. Director/writer Oliver Chan hammered home the message that despite a person’s circumstances, as long as they were breathing, a person could have dreams. Everyone needs a purpose, a dream, something for them to reach for in life to give their experience meaning. It didn't matter if the person was old, handicapped, poor, or an other. The two characters broke down those barriers to otherness with respect and compassion.

Oliver Chan made this charming film for around 3.25 HKD/415,000USD. Anthony Wong was said to have forgone a salary. With or without pay he gave a complex performance of a man, father, friend without a reason to live only to be given another chance at meaning in his life. For the most part, Crisel Consunji held her own with Wong as the goodhearted Evelyn with a delightfully wicked sense of humor. “Sir, you even learn Japanese” as Cheong Wing attempted to hide his Japanese porn.

Still Human. Still Dreaming. If you are in need of an uplifting film to remind you that we are all neighbors, all family on this beautiful blue marble, that no one is less than, Still Human is just the ticket.

31 July 2024

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Invitation or Cancellation?

While researching films directed by women, I found this appealing short film by Jang Yi Je. I tried to discover more about the people involved with the making of this film, but this obscure short was lost in the vast space of Pluto titled films and shows. I suppose the numerous Pluto named entertainments could offer solace to the poor bullied planet that was kicked off the starting team of planets in our solar system. #justiceforpluto! But I digress…

Yeon Woo is getting married soon, but has one person she needs to see first. She visits the best friend of her childhood, the person she can’t forget. Se Jeong has a pottery studio and is less than thrilled when the familiar face drops by after too many years apart.

Pluto teased a more complex story of familial and societal expectations and judgements. As happens so often in these stories, one person gracefully accepted who she was and the other bowed to the pressure to fit in and be “normal.” How far was Yeon Woo willing to go to please others? Small hints piqued my curiosity. Based on one comment I wondered how controlling was Yeon’s boyfriend. Se Jeong had hated the pottery studio as a child and now creates works of art. I would like to have known her backstory as well. My biggest complaint other than the blown-out photography was because it was a pottery studio, the film succumbed to the overly used Ghost trope.

These short films can be maddening when they seem to have enough material for a full-length film. In a mere twenty minutes, I began to feel invested in these two women and their stories. Was their love deep enough to forgive the past and courageous enough to walk hand-in-hand into the future?

1 August 2024

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A beautiful concept

Wonderland,I found the concept intriguing, but the execution left much to be desired. The film would have benefitted from more backstory on the main characters. For instance, with Jung In, it was hard to empathize with her when Tae Ju wakes up and acts differently because we have no context for what he was like before. It felt like we skipped the entire first half of the story and jumped straight into the second. Additionally, the film hinted at Tae Ju being insane and potentially dangerous, but it never clarified who started the fire, leaving important plot points unexplained. Overall, the movie had potential, but it needed more development and clarity to fully engage the audience.

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Kanta Sato's acting was spot on!

Although the narrative was very simple and not much happens between Yu and Fumika when it comes to the romance side, I still appreciated the authenticity shown by the Kanta Sato when he portrayed a blind masseuse. The way he navigated the subway and streets with his white cane and even moving his face and hands similarly to a blind man was so accurate. There were moments of prejudice towards Yu's blindness, and an uncomfortable but confusing moment where Jerry, Yu's friend seemed to be jealously annoyed that Yu was on a date and came home late. Overall, I still give it a rewatch value of 10 because the blindness was perfectly and authentically represented here.

Blindness is not a burden or a jarring situation in a relationship. There's always somebody for everyone.
(I'm also married to a blind man.)

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Little bit suck

EP1 - Actually as everyone saying EP 1 was good but the ending was kinda not giving. ( Maybe you can say it is an opening ending..that's how i changed my mind ). there acting were so good but there are some wrong points..Such as if I am a her then i would quit the Job right away but she just started to prove that she is right to her manager...( That's not right...Your doughter is with a stranger and you are trying to prove you are wright and not trying to get fired) Maybe that's just a mistake of the writers.

Ep2 - Everyone saying it's boring but for me it was kinda good...Because I am not into too much blood , disgusting things..and to me this episode kinda funny though...:) If you are not that much like those thriller. genre but want to watch something bizzare then this episode is for you.

Ep3- This Episode is the reason why I am writing this review..because I am so uncomfortable. Start up was so good also the middle parts..but ending part was too much for me actually..Also I was wondering why he didn''t received any help...because his coworker knew that he is going to visit that girl because he is the one who suggested to make him go there again but look how measurable he is at the end...Maybe she took 3 or 5 days to make him that Misérables. Let's say 2 days but don't you think that his coworker should help him by that time?

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Watch the tv show first, then you can enjoy(?) this.

Okay so my personal take (prior to reading the other review, which I also think is relevant), was that I thought it was very much a fun movie. I enjoyed the whole thing, albeit a bit too predictable in places. Plot and writing wise I can’t say it was strong, but it’s a movie based upon a real-time reality tv show. I wasn’t exactly here for plot and writing, but the fun of the premise of the tv show - that being - running away from hunters to win money.

Writing wise, to sum up why it seems to have harsh reviews everywhere, is that it feels like it was written for the 6-12 year olds. I’m also 90% sure that wasn’t the audience of the original or the demographic of the fans (of the tv show or the idol groups). So it was an odd choice.

If you’re not into Fantastics, JO1, or the original show (premise), I wouldn’t recommend.

Not really sure what to say beyond that. It’s a fun, easy watch that doesn’t demand thinking and the cast are who they are. For me the highlights were the music and the cast.

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such great potential to become a series

Highly recommended movie abt school bullying and revenge! Despite being quite dark, it doesnt miss on the fun factor at all. The bully is excellent in his own part, and so is the candid-looking teacher. I enjoyed this a lot.
The plot is simple and flows one direction, hardly any character development, but it's quite satisfactory to see the justice being served. No unnecessary side characters. Good fighting scenes.
The ML is obviously past the school age, but his looks and acting compensate this. He is very versatile, it takes you by surprise, and he's got a sort of standard features that help him morph into any character. The FL is pretty and funny and so is the cat mask.
Excellent!

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Disappointment

Just spent 1 hour and 55 minutes to watch Wonderland and received a disappointment😥
The story of the film is about people reuniting with their lost relatives through Wonderland - a video calling service that uses AI technology to revive the deceased.
Listening to the content and cast, I thought the movie would be quite worth watching, but in reality, nearly 2 hours of watching the movie was boring and drifted out of my mind, not retaining anything.
The film's ideas about AI and humans are very close, which is also a topic of interest today, but the film's flow and plot development are slow and predictable.
The movie has 5 main characters, each with their own story and their story lines are not connected or intertwined, leading to emotional disconnection when watching the movie and making it difficult to immerse yourself in the story.
Another bad point is that the film's message is not conveyed clearly.
Summary: Disappointing.

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Artsy and unfathomable Chinese thriller - will leave you pondering

This Chinese thriller is centered around Detective Ma Zhe as he investigates a series of murders that happened in a rural area nearby a river in 1995. It is not a typical "Who's done it?" mystery as it focus much more on psychological aspects (with some quite crazy / feverish scenes) and an unreliable narrator... The spectator is left to ponder about the resolution of the mystery. I'm unsure if I enjoyed the film or if I am more perplexed by how to interpret it. I also think pacing could have been better.

Acting was good. Especially the performance of Zhu Yi Long who brought a lot of gravitas to his role. I personally enjoyed as well the actor playing the sidekick of our main detective. His role was a much needed relief to the overall pressure felt by the main character in his resolve to find out the truth.

Filmmaking is properly impressive as it clearly makes the viewer feel that the movie is shoot in the 1990s. The dark colors, the gloomy atmosphere of the story under a lot of rain contribute tremendously to the heaviness and almost thickness of the unfathomable plot. The background music with a lot of classical tunes has a melancholic vibe properly fitting the story.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a thriller supported by good filmmaking and acting. It features rural China in the 1990s and is quite dark with the scenario deeply rooted in exploring the darkest aspects of people in small town. If you enjoyed series like "Mare of Easttown", you will likely enjoy it. However, there is a part of frustration bounded to the resolution of the mystery as it left a lot to the viewer's interpretation.

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Do NOT read the synopsis.

I've no idea who wrote the extremely hyped up synopsis which, after viewing, is actually quite the opposite of what is shown in the movie. I've never run across a synopsis worded in such a way as to 'cover' for the lack of substance, plot, story, etc, but here it is. I was HIGHLY disappointed in this movie. The acting was great. But that was it.

Their tranquil life was not disrupted. There is no sense of tension between Seong Hye's husband and Chae Yun so she doesn't sense it, and her there is no unease when In Gu (doesn't) threaten to expose her past to Jeong Bong. There are no emotions to escalate and no secrets were unsurfaced, the four were not entangled in a web of jealousy and mistrust. There was no storm of emotion. Maybe if there had been any of this it would've been a good movie. The acting was well done despite the uncommonly slow story? plot?

Seriously, I don't give participation awards to every drama or movie because in doing so it doesn't challenge writers to give their best. Maybe the consequences of giving ratings too high in comparation to the drama or movie's worth is being felt in the poor selection of drama and movies coming out of S Korea in the past 2 yrs or so. Yes, a few have been extremely well written though.

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'Find You in the Crowd 2' is an LGBTQ+-themed psychological drama and thriller, filmed in Shanghai, China, in 2019.
In his third short film, the director and screenwriter Zhang Yun He presents us as the main axis of the plot He Luo (Lei Hao Xiang), a young man who after suffering an accident finds himself trapped in oblivion, which we perceive from the first shots, by showing us his presence in the office of a psychiatrist who subjects him to hypnosis and prescribes the use of drugs.
With his face lost in confusion, we see him in agony in his new lifestyle and hopes to find a way to confront his condition and escape the darkness in an experimental medical treatment.
In this way, he suffers from recurring dreams, in which the face of Chen Jing Nian (Tian Jun Zhang) is always present, but he does not remember why.
Mired in amnesia, he agrees to be Su Jiayi's (Wang Youfang) boyfriend to deceive Shen Lusheng (Chen Qingqi), who had rejected the girl's confession of love.
Su Jiayi accidentally discovers the secret that He Luo had always wanted to protect and is killed by He Luo.
For his part, Shen Lusheng, who hoped to use Doctor Jiang Han (played by Su Jinyuan) to help He Luo recover his memory, could not imagine that the doctor would use the drugs on Chen Jing Nian to complete his experiment on psychiatric patients.
However, through contact with Shen Lu Sheng, He Luo finally discovers that he was Chen Jing Nian, who had lost his memory and original appearance after the accident, and manages to remember all the previous events, which occurred three years earlier, narrated in the short film 'Find You in the Crowd', from 2017.
The viewer will be able to enjoy the film's soundtrack, with music composed by Yang Heng and lyrics by Zhang Yun He, released on NetEase Cloud Music, including the singles "Lost Old Dreams", "The Lonely Whale" and "Farewell", The latter song performed by singer Chen Qingqi, among other songs.
The short film has been well received by specialized critics and the public, obtaining different recognitions both in China and in the international Festival circuit, including the Best Student Short Film Award at the 2019 Los Angeles Film Awards, the Award for Best Audiovisual Work at the Top Short Film Festival, and the Award for Best Foreign Short Film at the Hollywood International Moving Image Film Festival, 2019.
For his part, Chen Qingqi, the actor who plays Shen Lusheng, wins the award for best new actor, known as the "Yunya Award", at the first Duyun Film and Television Festival in Qiannan Autonomous Prefecture in the province from Guizhou, People's Republic of China, on September 17, 2019.

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