This review may contain spoilers
This darn tear-jerker.If you're looking for a real horror, this isn't it.
If you hate crying, this definitely isn't it.
I'd say for this movie, it's tragedy before horror. Sure, there are some horror elements, however- it's really more sad than scary.
The story is subtle. It's not deep. I have to remind you that this show's literal title is TRAIN TO BUSAN. It's a whole show about characters doing their utmost best to reach the safe zone- Busan. On a train. It lived up to its title, i'll give it that.
The acting and characters were great. Gong Yoo's acting is excellent, as expected. His character's development was amazing. He went from a selfish to selfless man that learned to truly care for others more.
Ma Dong Seok's character is as likeable here as his character in Bad Guys. You'll get fixated with his character for sure. This actor deserves more recognition.
And the most unexpected- Kim Soo An. She's an adorable and talented little actress. Then again, most Korean child actors and actresses raise the international standard for acting capabilities amongst children.
Kim Eui Seong's character is extremely unlikeable, proving that he played his role well.
The music is good. It's suitable when it's suitable.
Rewatch value: 10
Heck yeah i'd watch it again.
I can tell you that I am definitely not a fan of zombie movies but as I said earlier, it's more of a tragedy than horror. So if you're a major zombie-apocalypse-kind-of-movie fan that finds value in the horror aspect and expects this movie to fulfil it to its best, don't expect too much. The makeup is realistic and well-done.
Even if I cry my eyes out again, it's worth the watch.
If you enjoy a little bit of horror, action, thrill, a little wincey bit of comedy and quite a bit of tragedy, give this movie a go. It's one hell of a ride.
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This movie is very quiet but it works quite well for it. Throughout the entire movie, probably only about 4 songs are played. Three of which are instrumentals and the fourth an extremely calming, beautiful song called Gafsa sung by Natacha Atlas. Music would only be played if a scene needed to be over emphasized. This only happened a select few times in the movie but when music would play it would do exactly that. It would evoke a whole new kind of feeling from a scene.
As for the dialogue, it was also very quiet. In the entire movie, the extras had more dialogue than the two main characters. The main male character, Taesuk did not have a single line while the main female character, Sunhwa, had two.
The plot and dialogue alone may not have been anything amazing, but the idea of the movie appeared not to be focused on a gripped story. Instead, it felt more focused on extracting emotions from the audience and allowed the audience silence to think and interpret the movie without distractions of constant dialogue, music, and plot changes. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.
For people that are into solid plots, surprising twists, complex dialogues, and romance, I would not recommend this movie. But for the people that can appreciate a calming, simplistic movie with realistic themes this would be for them.
This is my all time favorite movie and is the only thing on this site that I'm okay with giving a 10 on rewatch value because no matter how many times I watch it I never get sick of it
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I kissed a girl just to try it.
This crisp, cleverly written coming-of-age movie with a bit of a twist, explores the usual themes of first love, rejection, self-discovery, and accepting your family for who they really are. It is carried by persuasive and heartfelt performances by both Wu Lei and Zhang Zifeng whose restrained, nuanced portrayals convey the confusion of awakening youth and the utter depth of despair of first love and rejection. In this genre, young actors tend to lose my empathy by over-dramatizing and overacting in such angsty moments but these two truly moved me by not doing so. I also appreciate the well-timed light humor that diffuses tense moments and captures the ultimate resilience and optimism of youth.Zheng Yuxing and Chen Chen couldn't be more different - he is a bit of a rebel, the cool kid with a bit of internet following while she is a good student with bright prospects who unexpectedly flunks out. Thrown together by an outrageous lie, a mutual understanding that becomes a touching, unexpected relationship blossom between them. They embark on a most excellent adventure together as Chen Chen convinces Yuxing he must confront Ming, who is breaking his heart. Instead, they end up facing their feelings for each other and what it means for each of them culminates in an "I kissed a girl just to try it" kiss that says all that needs to be said. The chemistry between both leads is incredible and is exactly as it should be. I can't praise enough how these two young actors effortlessly show us rather than tell us the complex multitude of emotions they are experiencing.
Unfortunately for Yuxing and Chen Chen, there are too heavy consequences for their actions. Once again we see that young people are so much better people and I am left hoping these two stay that way on their long journey ahead. The ending is realistic with the right touch of wistfulness and hope.
So now is the time to confess that I only watched this because I wanted to see my favorite Wu Lei of unforgettable Fei Liu fame's first screen kiss. Needless to say, I got much more than I bargained for. While this movie has received backlash for not being upfront about what it is about, I think that criticism reflects a lack of understanding that that is the whole point. Who is Ming? That is the most irrelevant detail because it changes nothing. Yuxing's emotions, Chen Chen's emotions, our emotions, and our experiences are the same regardless of certain aspects of our identity.
The premise of this movie isn't the most original but the way it communicates its simple message is. And the acting deserves a standing ovation. This is an 8.5 for me with a strong recommendation to watch.
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1. Inteeeeeense, If you want a lovey dovey story or a simple robbery movie it's not the case ! Violent, Brutality and Cruelty are word to describe this movie. SO if you are too young, or live in a cute world, or still are innocent, this movie isn't for you.
2. It's not the common movies with beautiful scene and happy end. I love the work of the director: from the very first second of the movie you can feel the dystopia of the world. I really don't want to spoil just to know, you can feel the reality of the hard life they have (or had) and the parallel world of dramaland without any censorship with Tattoo, Smoking, and Insult in every single scene.
3. The cast: I don't need to speak about Choi Woo Shik I think he totally suit to movie more than drama, he's a skilled actor. I was glad surprise with Lee Je Hoon (I didn't even recognize with his evolution since Fashion King) and with Ahh Jae Hong, we can plainly see a new face of him totally different from Be Melodramatic or Fight for my Way. Last but not least Park Hae Soo is so so so impressive, this expressionless face and psychopath idea are just stunning
4. The family meaning in this movie make us reflect a lot about it. Is family only blood member ? Is it more important than our own life ? Is friend able to remplace a mother place ?
So I hardly recommend this movie if you want to live intense moment and stressful scene. If you have a fragile and delicate heart it's not for you ehehe
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As typical as this set up may sound, it's so well done and enjoyable to watch it doesn't matter. I've actually never seen a movie premise like this. Well that's not true. A few years back there was an American movie about a ghost writer helping an author to pen a book but it was done poorly and there is no comparison.
Remember that they are writing an adult comic. There are a lot of sexual references but it's done very tongue in cheek as the female writer is faking 99% of her sexual experience. Most of the graphic sexual images are in fact, in graphic (comic book) form.
Watching Jung Bae get wise to her act...I loved it! Dae Rim is such a character and Jung Bae finds her tough to take at first. But when he begins to draw...it's her face that appears on paper. As the two leads gravitate toward each other and their feelings grow...it's so cute!
Lee Sun Gyun and Choi Gang Hee make a great pair. Able to be comedic and have you believe when they are sincere.
I recommend this movie highly.
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Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!: The Movie
39 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
The happy ending we wanted!
First, I saw this is Japan when it first came out and Japanese is not my native language, so there was some dialogue I didn’t understand. However, using context clues it was easy to infer what was being said based on the scene. The biggest things for me was that it was still a love story between Kurosawa and Adachi. Kurosawa was still just as in love with Adachi as he was in the series, however you got to see Adachi demonstrating his love for Kurosawa more confidently and openly.If you were looking for a BL filled with nonstop cutesy moments, over the top romantic expressions, or mature content scenes, then you will not like the movie. However, if you’re looking for a movie that focuses more on how Adachi and Kurosawa navigate issues that many long-term, open, same sex couples face, you will like it. Personally, I especially like that it addressed the families, instead of just glossing over the fact that many Asian families have very strong feelings against having openly gay children, especially sons. SPOILER: I especially loved that just as marriage is the end result of many long-term heterosexual relationships, Kurosawa and Adachi’s marriage was the ultimate end result of their relationship as well.
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STORY: This story isn't about BL, really. It's about broken families of two boys who became friends but moved away and met again later in life and rediscover their feelings towards each other. This story is so great but you probably will not like the ending. It made me sad for quite a while. While it is not a tragic in the sense of someone dying, but a realistic choice that one of the guys had to make, to put his family before himself. That's life.
ACTING/CAST: The boys were young and the older versions still young, but I felt they did a good job. They are cute together.
MUSIC: Since one is a musician, this show had some real good songs. The love song Mew sings was translated (yay!) and the lyrics melt the heart.
REWATCH VALUE: I could not watch this a second time without having a friend with me.
OVERALL: This movie has many warm and fuzzy spots as well as some soul-crushing sad spots, but I believe it was worth the ride. Don't pass this one up because of the ending. You would be missing out on a good story.
TL;DR: A great story about love, loss, family, love rediscovered, and love sacrificed. Worth the trip. Bring tissue for the tears.
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I was attracted by the synopsis so I decided to give it a try.
2) Storyline/Plot:
The general story isn't complicated nor original; I saw this type of story in "Sweet 18" before yet this film's storyline was really appealing.
Positive points:
*The story was romantic but not too romantic since it focused on family too.
*It had a great combination since it was funny, cute while being a little serious
*The story's developement was amazing to follow.
*The whole adult-child love story was somehow innocent even when they lived toghether: I liked that concept.
Negative points:
There isn't, I just wished that they made this into a drama instead; it would have been perfect that way.
Story: 8.5/10
3)Acting/Cast:
It couldn't been any better even though I am not too familiar with the leads.
*The chemistry between them was somehow captivating even though it wasn't that present.
*Moon Geun Young did a great job in portraying the innocent 15 years old girl with all its sides; whether it was with her husband, her family, her school and everything else.
*I loved how Park Sang Min reacted with his little bride by trying to be the responsible adult but that didn't cut out the funny side of his character.
Cast: 7.75/10
Acting: 8/10
4)The ending:
The type of ending that anyone would like to see even though it was typical but that doesn't deny that it was fluffy.
The ending: 8/10
5) My Impression (How did it affect me):
*I was intrested in the whole concept ever since the film began, I had fun while watching it and it wasn't boring, not even the slightest bit.
*This is is a great memorable film.
My Impression: 9/10
6) Overall :
*If you like rom-coms then you must watch this.
*If you like old-young relationships then this is for you.
*If you like innocent love stories then you may like this.
Overall: 8.5/10.
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Local country gays breaking free from Brokeback Mountain story trope
This rare gem reminded me of a queer British film "God's Own Country" directed by Francis Lee in 2017. However Restart is so much milder than G.O.C, as this film mainly explores on Mitsuomi's character development and his interaction with local people in his hometown.The resemblances of both films: The chilly picturesque countryside scenic. The use of warm lighting in some titular scenes and soft instrumental music. The gradual transition from cold to warm atmosphere as the story goes. The relationship of main country gay with his parents. The main country gay struggling with life and unwillingly getting involved with another country gay. The gentle coaxing and nurture of one country gay towards the main country gay into submission. The cosy nesting of one country gay's head onto the other country gay's shoulder in a bus/train ride home.
Yuuki Furukawa and Ryo Ryusei's acting as Mitsuomi and Yamato felt rather natural and viewers could easily relate or empathise with their characters. Yuuki's version of Mitsuomi is a resemblance of the manga version (in both mannerism and the voice). Ryo's version of Yamato is more of a goofy sunshine-boy country bumpkin that enlightens every scene possible. The acting from other actors are great as well and their interaction with both mains blend in easily.
All in all, the soundtracks suit accordingly to most scenes and the story plot is well-timed. Although with some minor plot changes and introduction of new characters, the film allows Yamato's backstory with more depth and Mitsuomi's conversation with his father more heart-warming - it is a faithful adaptation of the manga and a realistic representation of how younger generations nowadays feel towards themselves, their family responsibility and the societal expectation.
This film deserves a sequel as it should be.
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The acting and chemistry between So Ji Sub and Han Hye Joo are what make this movie great. It's no secret I am a huge fan of So Ji Sub and I am very glad to see him do such a great job as Cheol Min ~ a man with a violent past who is struggling to rise above, better himself and repent the mistakes of his past. But I couldn't give this movie a higher score than 8.
Only You actually has a really great story set up: The rough, bad boy boxer unexpectedly meets a spunky, upbeat, innocent and mostly blind girl and they fall madly in love. Angst ensues when he tries to raise the money for an operation for her sight. I was thrilled watching the development of their romance. The way this movie played out would have gotten a higher score from me if they wouldn't have added the recycled element of connecting fates. The totally over used plot device of fate tying two lovers together is what drops the overall score for me. Time and again I see this scenario used in Korean movies and dramas and it gets old.
But the scenes between the lovers are filled with sweetness, sizzling chemistry, humor and heart. So Ji Sub is an extremely emotive actor who portrays every emotion in his eyes, expression and body language. He's just plain good. Call me a fan girl if you will but the man is talented. Han Hye Joo is also a favorite. I really liked her in Postman to Heaven and even more in Only You. She's one to watch for I think. I'd really like to see her in a drama again.
All the technical elements are there. Gritty, harsh lighting and gloomy settings and set design are used for his world and warmer light and more lovely settings are used for her world. When they are together everything is brighter. A nice touch by the cinematographer.
The music was very nice. Memorable in the opening sequence, in the love theme and the closing credits. I gave it a 9.
The re-watch value I give a 7 because in my case, the strength of my liking for the lead actor will have me watching this again. Others may feel differently.
Only you is a typical love story: touching, filled with angst but also includes a lot of light moments as well. I recommend it highly for all of us romantics out there.
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In the first half, the KMovie is actually a one-man show. And that, I think, is the strongest part
"#Alive" is a variety on hip zombie stories. First things first: it doesn't have much new to offer in this respect - zombies as a plague that spreads fear and terror, a horde that you want to shake off or destroy, like disgusting, annoying vermin. Well, that's not why I would recommend this KMovie.I also don't think that you have to overstrain the reference to the Covid pandemic and the sometimes grueling current lockdown experiences that come with it.
Even fans of the horror genre won't be really happy with "#Alive", because "horrifying" can surely be done even better.
So why am I mentioning the KMovie here? The script revolves around surviving in an almost hopeless situation. However, the focus is not mainly on the action, but rather on the quiet moments in which the protagonist is ruthlessly thrown back on himself. There he is alone with himself and his inability, facing his insufficient survival skills, his loneliness and hopelessness ... and finally the desire to leave this world.
Oh Joon-woo isn't a born hero - perhaps he was trying to be in the day-long, night-long computer games, with his joystick in hand. But then the Internet connection is gone, no water supply, no food, no one can be reached. The self-chosen isolation in his room with his virtual game world, which has shaped him to this day, is one thing. Real isolation with real threats and no virtual team is something completely different. It's about that juxtaposition and the painful process of waking up to a NOW that's so different from the gaming world. Ultimately, the impulse comes from outside, which helps him to venture out of his safe cocoon into the real and thus truely threatening world.
However, the movie isn´t anti-technology. On the contrary, in playful creativity technical gimmicks, old and new, give the story new impetus again and again.
In the first half, the KMovie is actually a one-man show. And that, I think, is the strongest part. It's never boring. Actor Yoo Ah-in once again uses the chance to show what he's made of. In this way, the viewers accompany him through his very personal Hall of Pain, and there he hardly omits any physical form of expression. For this he has meanwhile been awarded the Cine 21 Award for best actor. After almost half the distance he gets support from Park Shin-hye, who embodies a character who pursues a completely different survival strategy - namely, she has one, even if she also reaches her limits with it. As is well known, more than one person form a group and a group develops its own dynamics, which can do more than each individual on their own. Here too. Both of them grow together. Heroes are rarely born as such...
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I've been hesitating to watch this movie since I rarely enjoy romantic plots, because they're either shallow or overwhelmingly cliche /and/ unnecessarily dramatic; but I threw all my expectations aside (motorcycles!) and gave it a shot. I just had a good feeling about it and my instincts never betray me (totally not the motorcycles). Alright, I'm just joking.
You know when the movie has a good start you'll either be all optimistic and anticipate every minute of it or you'll be a pessimist and think how it'll go downhill midway through. Funny thing! nothing of such happened. Despite the beautiful filming (and let me point out how neat it was), the plot didn't gave much at first. I couldn't grasp its direction and I couldn't guess if I was happy about what I saw and if I was going to enjoy what was going to happen, but before I found my answers, it grew on me real quick and hit me like a splash of emotions. I do enjoy the movies you can easily relate to.
But this movie stands out not only for the romance, don't be fooled; it manages to mix (beautifully) loneliness, suffering, fear and eventually love, all together in a heavy pack of a simple, yet well-structured plot. The drama effect is strong and it balaces well through the characters, nothing silly in here. The main characters aren't something new, but relatable and true. Their encounter and their relationship is well acted and very realistic. The actors managed to show a mature performance, which is really important for this kind of plot and for the overall atmosphere. But give me a second here, alright — who's this Tosaka Hiroomi and why isn't he in the industry already? He shows real potential and I wish to see him more in the future.
To sum it up, gangs? Check. Motorcycles? Check. (now that's shoujo-ish). But realistic romance? Check. (not so shoujo-ish anymore). Sounds good, right? If it sounds good for you, you should totally watch it.
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Fifty Shades of Pink
Fifty Shades of Grey, this isn’t. There are parallels to be drawn involving primarily the contractual relationship trope and the BDSM theme, if it isn’t already apparent. That is where the similarities end, however. Despite the R-18 rating, I would consider Love and Leashes to be much less intense and provocative but rather more fun and heartwarming. After all, this film is meant to coincide with this year’s V-Day which takes place in just a couple of days. Hence the more upbeat and romantic vibe, this is definitely a case of love being slowly unleashed.Jung Ji Hoo is your average salaryman working in a 9 to 5 job. Unbeknownst to his co-workers, however, he has another side to him - one that involves a fetish for BDSM. One day, due to a mix-up by the delivery service, a female colleague finds out his secret. What transpires subsequently involves a whole lot of awkwardness and embarrassment as well as the resulting suggestive intimate moments, before eventually leading to something more profound.
Directed by Park Hyun Jin, who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation with Lee Da Hye, the source material is the Naver webtoon entitled The Moral Sense conceived by Gyeoul aka Winter, which was serialised from 2015 to 2018. The original score was composed by Kim Hong Jip and Lee Jin Hee, with Lee Sun Kyu playing the guitar. Principal photography took place from April to July 2021.
What I Generally Liked
Running at just under 2 hours, I thought the film was rather entertaining and eventful. The concept is refreshing, by Korean or even Asian standards, for a mainstream production distributed globally by Netflix. You don’t often come across BDSM-themed romance as the main feature of the story and in this case, the subject matter was handled in a very tasteful and mature manner.
For me, the main takeaway from the film has more to do with the relationship dynamics in terms of the emotional connection between two individuals rather than purely the explicit nature of the BDSM acts themselves to be manifested as a comedic effect or cheap thrills. I particularly appreciated the nuances drawn from the eventual growth of both leads and the organic evolution of their relationship. Additionally, the film explores elements of office politics and gender discrimination that are very much borne of a deep-rooted patriarchal culture.
Given the involvement from Netflix, the film unsurprisingly delivers reasonably high production values. I’ve enjoyed the overall quality of the visuals presented and the set designs, while the accompanying music score nicely complements the ambience of the scenes.
My first time seeing both Seo Hyun and Lee Jun Young in lead roles and they gave a pretty decent account of themselves in their portrayals of Jung Ji Woo and Jung Ji Hoo respectively. I haven’t read the webtoon but I do think they managed to personify their characterizations the way they were intended to be convincing and relatable to viewers, to a certain extent.
The ML is just adorable, almost like a puppy who loves playing with whips, handcuffs and candle wax. The FL, on the other hand, is like a deer caught in headlights. At first, anyway, as she gradually gets a hang of the whole situation. In fact, her transformation from the down-to-earth girl next door to a dominatrix behind closed doors is quite remarkable.
For the most part, the film comes across as quite lighthearted but things do get a tad serious in the final third, where we get to observe a bit more substance in the portrayals of both leads as they finally deal with the repercussions of their actions. I honestly feel that Seo Hyun generally did more of the heavy lifting in this film.
Final Thoughts
As a feature length film that is meant to be mostly a romance comedy, I think the scope of the storytelling is quite extensive. Perhaps certain aspects could have been fleshed out more, such as the respective backstories of the leads and interactions with the people around them but I honestly think those aren’t particularly major issues. For all intents and purposes, and without giving too much away, I was rather pleased with the final outcome and closure to their story. Suffice to say, all’s well that ends well.
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