Reviews

Horizontal or Vertical?

I watched The Grandmaster years ago and while I thought it was visually stunning, the story left me wanting. After watching several Wong Kar Wai films recently, I decided to revisit it and see if my perspective changed.

In 1936 Foshan, China, Grandmaster Gong Yu Tian is coming to town to pass the torch to a new Grandmaster. The consensus is that Ip Man would be a good choice but he will have to face Yu Tian. Yu Tian’s daughter, Gong Er and Ip Man eventually spar and a connection is made despite the fact that Ip Man is married and has children. Who is Grandmaster and who is horny for whom becomes irrelevant as the Japanese invade the country. Ip Man loses his home and his fortune as he and his family face poverty and starvation with much of the rest of the people. Because he belonged to the wrong political party after the war, he moves to Hong Kong around 1950. He will once again run into Gong Er, but her life has taken a drastic change.

As with the first time I saw this film, the cinematography was gorgeous and lush. Beautiful people in beautiful costumes filled the screen. Smoke from cigarettes or trains wafted and circled about as if alive. Snow and steam formed the perfect backdrop for a cataclysmic fight. As did rain and puddles when Ip Man fought a dozen men at the beginning of the film. Music as much as the standard Wong Kar Wai dark palette of green, yellow, and shocks of red set the mood.

The fights were entertaining, but more stylistic than realistic. Forced close-ups and slow motion made the fights more dance than danger, even when people were thrown through windows. Many times I wished they could move the camera back to show more of the full body motions, but with actors who are not martial artists that likely wasn’t possible. I was happy to see old school kung fu actors like Lo Meng and Lau Kar Yung make brief appearances. And I could have used much more of The Razor played by Chang Chen.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai was an elegant Ip Man, but it was hard to connect to the character with the uneven storytelling. He was also a man with a wife and children longing for another woman. Song Hye Kyo as Ip Man’s wife was mostly an afterthought. She had scarcely any lines. The romance was focused on Gong Er as was much of the film. Zhang Zi Yi gave a good performance as the daughter who vowed to return the family’s honor even if it meant her death. Another issue I had were the relentless voiceovers and intertitles, they completely broke the rhythm and mood for me, distancing me from the characters.

The Grandmaster was a striking film to look at but not as much fun to watch as the story often stumbled. And aside from the fight at the train station, much of it will fade from memory as it did the first time because there was little substance to cling to.

6 March 2024

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Cute, funny but not world altering

Disclaimer: I’ve only seen a few kdramas, so i tend to compare to cdramas.

Positives: FL was a great, charismatic and scene stealing actress. She delivered a great performance and conveyed so much without overdoing it. I’m definitely a fan.

So many of the cast were fantastic, truly. The 2FL, the finance minister’s wife, grand merchant, FL’s husband, even the garrison commander’s daughter - these roles and others were all played so well! Personal favorite for me was the royal secretary/older brother of ML. Actually, no, dead husband was hilarious so he wins. The random English non sequiturs had me rolling.

The 2ML/2FL romance really worked for me and I wish we’d seen more of that. The characters were nice and the connection seemed organic, two people surprised at what they had in common and curious to learn more.

Negatives: ML was clearly too young for FL and for me it made their romantic connection a little less believable. Not sure I totally bought their chemistry - tbh I rather preferred her with her dead husband once he showed up. He matched her playfulness and disregard for rules.

Production value was a bit limited considering the FL seemed to be a star from what I learned. Sets were very limited and costumes kind of eh. Yes, I know she wore white almost the whole time but other people could have looked better.

The worst thing for me though was the music. Oh my goodness the music for this show was off the charts terrible. Awful. Lead actress should put veto rights in her contracts. Such bad music. All of it. Obviously this is just my taste.

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A MAGICAL DREAM COME TRUE FOR A POLCASAN LIKE ME♥

Everything is Magic Indeed !
I don't know where to start to be honest but let me just say that this is a dream come true drama for every POLCA or POLCASAN in the world, and as of me, I cried just seeing Tay Tawan and New, playing the role of having a romantic feeling for each other, coz I have been watching them on some shows as a friend and I dreamed seeing them as a couple ! and even I know it was just a fiction, it was just a drama, this people didn't know how happy I was watching this, It's like I am having a moment on the world of TayNew or Karan Achi and this was the first time as far as I remembered of me crying out of happiness on my watching of a drama ! like after watching this drama, I didn't know what to do with my life anymore, I just wanted to stay in the world of Karan and Achi , and it's like after seeing this drama I didn't want to watch any drama anymore coz it feels like no one could ever beat this drama out there for me, and of all the drama's I have watched this seems like the finisher, like what more out there is to watch ? Cherry Magic chanted a spell in the drama world and finished it all ! This drama is created indeed for every Polca , forget the story, forget the characters Tay and New kissing , loving each other ! it was heaven for a Polcasan like me and I believe it is the same with every Polcasan out there in the world ! I am crying, so this is what it feels like to watch a drama that you ever dreamed watching and a drama that you have waited for so long, coz I know every Polcasan out there knew how long we all have waited for this to come ! this is just so special and magical and memorable to us, I can even hear the OST in my head RN!
About the Story,
In my opinion and experience watching this, this version completed what the Japanese version lacked, specially in romance, and in every remarkable parts or scenes of the story itself, they gave it a different outcome, we cannot really compare the Japanese and this one because they are totally different for me but they both gave a beautiful outcome, story and vibe, in Japanese I had this feeling like I am expecting more romantic things that Adachi and Kurosawa will do but ended up like , oh that's it? okay! but Karan and Achi filled the story with romance and I literally had butterflies in my stomach, love overflowed from their hearts to the screen that made me cry so much. Only what the Japanese excelled more here for me is the weight of the scene, I don't know how to explain it but Thailand is more light and fluffy than of Japanese but over all different in every way and both beautiful adaptations
This series as I have mentioned is so light and fluffy and very easy to understand, it was quite predictable in some parts but since it was elaborated differently it was really good also ! I was actually waiting for the scene where Adachi got sick and Kurosawa carried him and brought him home here coz that is one of my most unforgettable scenes of the Japan version but they changed it, it still okay since I was really impressed how they elaborated every small things that Karan was doing for Achi that his love for Achi over flowed in my heart, in this adaptation it's like all we ever have to do is to enjoy the lovey Dovey TayNew, believe me because I was too focused and too entertained to Tay and New playing this, I never realized I watched almost all the episodes !
They added some characters here, it was okay for me coz if some of the watchers over there who gets tired easily of the faces of the leads , those added characters and side couples were a great balancer, not really a fan of Pai and Rock but they were so cute ! Pai as the main shipper, Rock as the innocent cute newbie , and P'Duj ! love her , I also love Jinta and MIn here, Jinta did really a great job, super nice acting, he is the best actor here, he was full of emotions and a fluffy person ! indeed Min is his good match. New Thitipom gave a new image of Adachi for me, Adachi of Japan is like he looks dumb but is a very helpful and passionate person, but here Achi was like a very delicate, passionate also, and someone who is a smart and capable person that needs only a little push--thing that Karan did to him !
My favorite parts are when Achi was sent to a certain place to be a representative or manager of the newly opened branch of the company, when he was on video call with Karan, asking him for advice how to manage people, and then asked Karan to sing for him, and then he fell asleep, for me this scene was everything, I was touched, I cried and had to stop for a while from watching to cope up with that, I believe that was on ep 11, and so many more ! love the cheek kisses, the shoulder kisses ! and the double proposal ! the wedding ! such a total package of a romantic love story
This drama is not the usual, it set up a high standard for me, now I don't even know what to watch, like, is there still drama out there that can make me feel happier than this drama ? from the OST that is my playlist since it was released, the production, the cinematography, I can clearly say that people behind this drama prepared well and enough, loved the screen writing, I was really impressed also that they also used the sound effects of the Japanese version here when Karan and Achi had an argument, very nice ! and now I officially declare and announce that this drama will be my Favorite BL in the world no one will ever and nothing will ever over take it, unless There will be another BL of Tay and New will be released that is more romantic and beautiful as this, but as of now, this is my favorite of all in the world !
All in all it indeed magical ! As I have mentioned, I can really think this is literally made for every Polca, so I want to thank the people behind this drama specially Taynew, they never fail to make me happy, I was honestly in a lay low of my fanning for them but I still held them in my heart, I did not regret doing it because what I hoped as wished during the Divorce era happened now and now I don't know where can I even get into fanning over them but I'll just enjoy every moment of it. So yeah the Drama was a Magical adaptation, the story fit well to the numbers of episodes it was complete from dating to marrying , not rushed , understandable, not too trying hard, beautiful in its own way, I would probably re watch it many times in my life , and I will be joining with what Phi New Thitipom wished, it is that I hope also that every people in the world will watch Cherry Magic !♥♥♥

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Amazing!!

This was an Amazing show! I am on a Seo YeaJi binge and she did amazing here! I also found some new characters, im watching this 2023/2024 so this show is currently 6/7 years old. This is an older work for her and I loved it! This storyline is just great! There is so much mystery and suspense! I couldn't get enough! 4 friends come-together and build such an extraordinary bond. They go through so much together, grow and overcome so much and they find themselves and love along the way. They also work to uncover the truth and protect their own. This show is so slept on. I highly recommend. I also loved how it ended! I didn't want to be done with these characters!

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Deserves better than 7.6

I enjoyed this drama and I liked all the characters and how they were portrayed. Not the greatest drama for sure but pretty much all the criticism that was voiced in other reviews applies to all recent Chinese historical dramas.

I'd say if you were attracted by the tags attached to this drama (Strong Female Lead, Disguised As A Man, Orphan Female Lead, Revenge, ... ) you may very well find, as I did, that this drama delivers some welcome little twists to what you've come to expect from similarly tagged dramas.

I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the FL and SML and would love to see the two actors paired up again in another drama. After finishing this drama I also feel inspired enough to check out some of Zhang Tian Ai's and Wang Rui Chang's other dramas in the near future.

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Must watch if you are into bls with plot not revolving around ships

I love this series, especially after ep 5 , the first 4 eps can be underwhelming especially for the genre (horror / thriller) but after ep 5 the story starts to pick up in very in ways that is very investing , i personally loved it , warning tho No character is full white or black all of them are grey the series make it very clear , if you are not into it better not watch it . Also some scenes of great importance to the plot can be rather underwhelming but it's realistic ig .
The level of production, cinematography is really good as expected from Be on cloud .
The acting of Barcode, Bump & Mio is really good and this is mio & bump 's first series too

IN CONCLUSION WATCH IF YOU ARE MORE INTO PLOTS THAN SHIPS AND NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM TYPICAL BLS

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This show is soooo adorable

Getting into this show I thought I wouldn’t like it. But from the first scene I was hook to the story line as well as the characters. Every actor played their part amazingly and made the show very special. The story between Pi and Mork is one of the cutest love stories I have ever seen. This show never failed to make me laugh. But there was also some serious moments that made me cry. Also the story between Duean and Meen is the most wholesome story and they both played their parts to their full potential. I really love every thing about this show and I am looking forward to watching it again.

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Pit Babe (2023) Review! My thoughts on this drama

Overall I really enjoyed this series. Yes, the plot was a bit messy at times, however the cast overcame that and helped bring the series back on track.
The cast was the thing that brought the series to life, the acting was, at least in my opinion, really good. The actor that played Babe (Pavel) had a few emotional scenes and nailed them. He did a great job showing the emotions.
The chemistry was really good between the main cast both platonic relationship wise and romantic relationship wise.
This drama was a bit slow at times so I did skip some parts, but it balanced the slow scenes with faster scenes and I had to go back and rewatch some scenes to understand what was going on.

This is my first review, so if I missed any good points or could improve my reviews somehow or someway kindly let me know. Hope you learned a little from this review and hope you have a great day!

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Fluffy and Cute

The series is funny and cute. It does have a good cast with some good chemistry and a nice story to tell. The cast is good at playing around as their counterpart a dog and cat. There are some sweet tender moments and a few funny moments that you find yourself laughing or thinking it sweet. The down part of the series is the short time of 15 min each episode which does not allow to help develop a storyline to answer a lot of the unanswered questions. The ending was very confusing and left you trying to figure out the real back story as to how they keep coming back and why did the cat and dog got to be human for that time period. I needed more explanation. I did enjoy the cute two pairings.

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I Can't Believe I Ever Doubted TayNew

I'll admit it, I was one of those people who was saying that Cherry Magic shouldn't have gone to TayNew (I personally suggested EarthMix), but then I watched The Warp Effect and I was like, no, the only person who could play Adachi is New. And I'm glad I saw the vision. And after finishing this show, TayNew put a lot of heart into this remake and I thank them for it. What I liked about this version of Cherry Magic is the nods to the Japanese origins while putting Thai culture into it. I also liked the changes they made to the side couple's story. And again, TayNew's chemistry is top-tier for this. I've watched (and finished) 5 BLs in 2024 so far and this is the top one.

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