Movies completed in 2023

A black & white, silent film, with only orchestral music playing during its screentime.
Does it sound boring and monotonous? 'cause it's definitely not!
This is a real gem, that is really worth watching.
A captivating story of motherly love, sacrifice and dignity, a timely social commentary on many issues valid till today, and a riveting performance -only with gestures and micro-expressions and without uttering a single word- from a talented, beautiful and tragic actress who left us too early.
A must watch!
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It broke my heart into a million little pieces...
Shockingly raw, minimal and authentic, but so heartfelt and delicate.
Poignantly filmed and acted, this masterpiece is a piercing social commentary but, most of all, a devastatingly beautiful and absorbing story of love, caring and devotion.

This based on a true story film is a gripping, utterly sad and psychologically challenging watching experience.
Superbly filmed and acted, with an eerie, hauntingly dark atmosphere and some piercing social commentaries and satire on the police prejudice, arrogance and incompetence, it describes the unsuccessful and lacking procedurals of catching a serial killer in an inventive fascinating way, without exploiting the crimes and the victims.
 Worth every minute of it.
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A suspenseful thriller, based on the revenge plan of a 80 year-old man with Alzheimer's disease, masterfully planned and believably executed.
Frankly, this movie was a one-man-show, with a fantastic performance from veteran Lee Sung Min, while Nam Joo Hyuk's acting in a more serious role was a pleasant surprise.

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An visually and auditory stunning road-trip through the beauties of rural China.
A subtle glance into urban and traditional Chinese life.
An affectionate family reconciliation and character development story.
 A hidden gem!

A heartbreaking, eye-opening, thought-provoking and very underrated movie about an elderly prostitute with a heart of gold.
Sombre and slow-paced, with many strong, devastating moments realistically presented and lots of marginalized characters, this multilayered story is a piercing social commentary on elderly's welfare system, sexual desires, dignity, solitude and euthanasia.
And what can I say about Youn Yuh Jung, her poignant, painfully realistic performance, her razor-sharp tongue and her fascinating persona? An unforgettable experience.
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A unique artistic watching experience!
One of the most well-known traditional pansori folk songs, Chunhyang, tells the story of two star-crossed lovers of from different social backgrounds.
With a brilliant use of Pansori lyrics for the story narration, gorgeous cinematography, settings, costumes and two very young talented leads (in fact this was Cho Seung Woo's acting debut), this was a cultural lesson/introduction to Korean tradition.

Superbly acted, written and filmed, this is a poignant and intimate study of a special mother-daughter relationship, as well as a thoughtful but piercing social commentary on the triggering impact of COVID pandemic on mental health and socioeconomic issues...
Rich in emotions, symbolisms and metaphors, with a refreshingly unpredictable plot, this slow-burn family drama is an underrated little gem.
Highly recommended.
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A riveting, brutally honest family melodrama revealing the multiple layers of a family's tribulations, as well as its hierarchy dynamics shifts, when faced with tragic events, moral dilemmas and a circle of bad decisions.
With a simple but gritty script that provokes our life perceptions, integrity and ethics, witty dialogues and some wisely embedded humor, subtle but powerful acting, aesthetically masterful cinematography and superb character building, this is a heartbreaking but unexpectedly healing story of a struggling dysfunctional family.
'Nothing is as fair as the sun, because throughout the year it gives each location on earth the exact same amount of sunlight' says one of the protagonists. But actually, the sun burns itself to give its warmth and, as long as there is sunshine, there must be a shadow. This duality of sunlight & shade, right & wrong, and the different perspective this symbolism induces is the core of this underrated hidden gem, which turned out to be a difficult but rewarding cinematic experience.
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A delicate approach of some very sensitive, provocative and triggering subjects.
With amazing performances, nuanced storytelling, elegantly poetic cinematography and music, this
hauntingly beautiful, disturbingly compelling and piercingly thought-provoking film is definitely not for everyone or easy to recommend, but a fascinating watching experience nonetheless.
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One of the most engagingly jagged, utterly sad and frustratingly uncomfortable titles I've watched this year.
Tackling some serious social themes such as poverty, social inequality, mental health, parents grief, morality and empathy, it centers around the meaning of family and bonding.
Though there were some issues with the tone and pacing throughout the story progression and the ending could have been much better, the riveting performances from Ra Mi Ran, Kim Seul Gi and, especially, Jung Il Woo with his very challenging character, resulted in an interesting, thought-provoking debut film from a promising screenwriter & director, Lee Sang Moon.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I--__osRPII
A rare gem depicting a bygone reality of everyday life somewhere in Tokyo more than a hundred years ago.

An impressive, absorbing début performance from Park Ji Min in a story (loosely based on real events) about the journey and transformation of 25yo Freddie, adopted by French parents as a baby, who visits her birthplace on a whim and decides to find her real parents, her real self and somewhere to really belong.
A headstrong, outspoken, edgy and quite unlikable and rather selfish character who seems to like making people around her uncomfortable.
A straightforward, intensely personal approach of the explosive emotional impact of a lost in translation reconnection, full of awkwardness, guilt, anger, resentment, regrets and longing, depicting all the barriers of language, race, culture and nationality present.
A gripping storytelling, a masterful camerawork and a heady music score in a piercing yet restrained bittersweet story that wouldn’t be so gripping without its fantastic protagonist, Park Ji Min: magnetically wild, electrifying edgy, intoxicatingly seductive and extremely expressive in every persona she transforms to while trying to reinvent herself over the eight years of the film, she really is the core of the film and the heart of the story.
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A compelling neo-noir story of friendship, loyalty, love, ambition and betrayal, through the rise and fall of a low-level gangster.
Dark, violent, full of cruelty, scheming and corruption, with gripping cinematography, fast-paced editing, well-fitting music and a top cast that made the rather predictable plot a great watching experience.
Undoubtedly, the best asset of this movie is its anti-hero protagonist, Byung Du, fantastically performed by talented Zo In Sung.
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A simple but very heartwarming story, with a funny and cute friendship and some adorable canines.
With a warm and vivid cinematography, a script without the typical forced emotional manipulations  and two MLs with a great chemistry between them and their four-legged friends, this was a charming, feel-good watch.
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A high octane action neo-noir film, with impressive choreographed chasing and fighting scenes, in a simple but cleverly unfolded story.
Tense and violent, but equally funny and entertaining in a beautifully balanced blend of thriller, action, splatter, melo, irony and comedy moments.
Though the protagonist, talented rookie Kang Tae Joo did a great job as Marco, the real star and driving force of this film is undoubtedly Kim Seon Ho as the quirky, stylish, poised -and sociopathic- antihero Nobleman/Childe, lethally dangerous and hilariously ironic in the most unexpected way.
I'd watch a spin-off with his own story anytime!
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A nuanced, melancholic and bittersweet story of two childhood friends that meet again as adults, and all the 'what ifs' that could have changed their lives and their relationship.
Full of yearning, lingering silences, looks, feelings and words left unspoken, this was a deeply moving, intimate and affectionate study on destiny and choices, time and distance, eloquently told, beautifully filmed and acted, with a mesmerizing Yoo Teo, that never fails to deliver.
Time well-spent.
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Brilliant storytelling, ingenious script and filming, on point black comedy and piercing satire, and a fantastic performance from Jung Jae Young with a masterful balance between deadpan seriousness, stoic perseverance and laugh out loud quirkiness.
A hilariously refreshing hidden gem, perfect for a weekend watch. Don't miss it!
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An interesting debut from one of Hirokazu Koreeda’s assistant directors and protégés, “My Small Land” is a compassionate and delicate coming-of-age story of 17-year-old Sarya, a young girl from a family of Kurdish refugees who seek asylum in Japan.
The story tackles many social issues, such as discrimination and everyday life difficulties the immigrant communities have to cope with -concerning education, employment and relationships-, as well as the communication/language barriers, the struggles of being aware of their heritage (being caught between two cultures), their need of belonging, being accepted and being able to express themselves.

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“Thank you for being born.”

With a stellar cast and Koreeda Hirokazu as the screenwriter & director, this was a must-watch for me.
Not a masterpiece, but definitely a nice, rewarding watch.
A slow-paced and very emotional, affectionate road trip of three broken, abandoned and lonely people (plus a kid and an infant) forming a found-family bond and learning again to belong, trust, love, heal and forgive.

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A dark, intense, heartbreaking story of loss, grief, anger, guilt and regret, centered around the strong bonding of two childhood friends.
Quiet, slow and contemplative, yet very absorbing, mainly due to the powerful performances of Nagano Mei and Nao.

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Much better than its prequel, which is something rare, with well-balanced action and comedic scenes, great bromance, amazingly choreographed fight scenes and a great cast (btw Yoona was my alter ego around Daniel Henney and Hyun Bin?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fg4VJ-Xo5w
Touching and inspiring!

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A wholesome, heartfelt story of found family, parenthood and growth, with a surprising tearjerker twist.
Though there are some directing and editing mishaps here and there, the stellar cast (Ishihara Satomi, Tanaka Kei, Nagano Mei, Okada Kenshi) definitely makes up for them.

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"A life isn't valued by what one receives, but by what one gives."

A whimsical tragi-comedy -spiced with musical elements- told in flashbacks/glimpses into the troubled, frivolous and vibrant life of Matsuko.
With an outstanding cinematography, full of vivid colours and an outlandish as well as unforgettable style, this jarring sarcastic fairytale isn't for everyone, but definitely deserves a try.

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Slow-paced, mellow and introspective, filled with moments and gestures of kindness, healing and hope towards lonely, reclusive and hurt people.
Arimura Kasumi really shone like a ray of sunshine in a cold winter day in this.

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‘Time stopped for us a long time ago. Now we’re just waiting to get old.’
An epic, utterly sad and compassionate melodrama covering the lives of two ordinary couples from the 80s to the present day, their friendship, estrangement and reconciliation, after a family tragedy, as well as their grief and guilt involved.
A piercing social commentary of China's one-child policy, cultural revolution, economic reform and modernisation.
Though its long duration and the confusing flashbacks can test one's patience, the delicate direction and the moving acting make it worth it.

Brilliantly written, filmed and acted, this little gem is a compelling, thought-provoking sci-fi comedy with elements of thriller, time-travelling and romance, and large doses of heart, inspiration and teamwork.
High-level entertainment on a low-budget project!
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Healing through art (ink wash painting in particular) AND Yokohama Ryusei and Kiyohara Kaya in the cast!
A lighthearted coming of age story with absorbing visuals of wonderful  works of art and astonishing ink painting performances.
Perfect for a weekend watch.
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"Killing people is easier than raising a kid."
Not so much of a story, but lots of action, heart, mother-daughter confrontations and bonding, in a very entertaining fast-paced movie with a bad*ass multidimensional heroine, performed beautifully by Jeon Do Yeon.
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An utterly sad and intriguingly thought-provoking time loop story about revenge, remorse, desperation and forgiveness.
Re-telling the story from the different POVs of the protagonists, revealing new information about their motives, as well as their morally and ethically grey-ish perceptions with each time-loop, it delivers a unique and engaging mystery thriller.
With a stellar cast, a fast-paced editing, an absorbing storytelling and some intense confrontations, this is an interesting new perspective on the Groundhog Day concept.
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Deeply moving and affectionate, full of nostalgia and mellow colours, this is a wonderful coming of age story of friendship, love and longing.
Told in flashbacks, it depicts the relationship and deep bonding between two mismatched girls, as well as their personal journeys and challenges from childhood to adulthood.
Impressive performances and chemistry between Kim Da Mi and Jeon So Nee in a delicate but emotionally intense outcome.
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A touching, tender story of love and deep bonding between two childhood friends, as well as their coming of age journey to maturity through hardships and misunderstandings.
Beautifully filmed and edited, with complimentary bgm and soft colouring, its most beautiful part was definitely Zhou Dong Yu and Ma Si Chun's performances and chemistry.
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An emotional, deeply affectionate slice-of-life story, full of warmth and compassion.
Minimal with words and dense with feelings, this is a poignant observation, serving also as a social commentary, on the life of young people through the reflective journey of the protagonist while meeting her old band-mates.
Elegant, subtle but powerful acting from Esom, masterful cinematography and lighting in a tribute to bigger life dreams and smaller life pleasures.
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A heartbreaking and deeply touching story of two broken, wounded and lonely souls, from totally different backgrounds, that find love and solace in each other.
Dealing with dark, heavy and traumatising issues such as death of a loved one, murder, rape, suicide, execution, it still manages to make us viewers connect with the protagonists and share their pain and their journey to forgiveness, redemption, acceptance and love, thanks to the resourceful directing the well-fitted background music and, most of all, the exceptional performances of Lee Na Young and Kang Dong Won.
Watch with caution.
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An intimate, affectionate and bittersweet love story, based on an autobiographical novel.
Beautifully filmed and acted, with a unique and thoughtful approach of grief, loss and family bonding, and a wonderfully layered performance from Suzuki Ryohei, this is a powerful, emotional and hauntingly absorbing journey of a heartbreaking love.
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Just like René Magritte's painting 'La reproduction interdite' showing different angles of a man's figure without identity, this based on a novel film tells the story of people changing their identities in order to escape their demons, social discrimination and family traumas.
With a solid and compact narration, multilayered storytelling, exemplary acting and impressive setting, this is an intriguing mystery, a piercing social commentary and a profound psychological study on love, trust, deception and acceptance.  
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In a world with a rapidly aging population, this beautiful little gem tells the story of an ageing couple who find love and solace towards their twilight years.
A compelling, thought-provoking and painfully realistic depiction of the elderly and their place among family and society, their endless efforts to find love and meaning in their lives.
Fantastic performances from all four leads, especially from Ni Da Hong and his outstanding character, smooth directing and editing and impressive filming in a heart-warming as well as heart-breaking love story.
Highly recommended.
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With a stellar cast, lavish costumes and settings and an intriguing, full of surprises action-packed story, this patriotic historical adventure set during the Japanese Colonial Rule era is a very entertaining movie that, despite its long duration and its rather confusing start, kept a good pacing throughout.
Jun Ji Hyun was the heart and soul and a bad*ss goddess in this!
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The 3rd part Park Chan Wook's vengeance trilogy is a dark and twisted woman-centred story of revenge, redemption and catharsis through meticulously planned and executed gruesome, sadistic violence.
Lee Young Ae, who carried the whole story, was fantastic as the devilish angel with sexy aura and deep scars.
Visually and technically impressive, with a grotesque poetic brutality and some cleverly embedded black humor and metaphors, this was a challenging as well as a gripping watch, definitely not for everyone.
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Heartfelt, heartwarming, heartbreaking.
Funny and serious, gay-friendly and homophobic, supernatural and realistic.
A nicely mixed blend in a weird but enjoyable outcome!
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I had high hopes about this movie, with its arranged marriage trope and Meguro Ren as the main lead, and it didn't disappoint.
Though some parts of the story felt a bit underdeveloped/rushed, and I would definitely like to see more scenes with the couple living happily ever after, it was an enjoyable love story with lots of supernatural, mystery and healing elements beautifully blended.
Meguro Ren has definitely become a force to be reckoned with, while Imada Mio's performance as the submissive, frightened servant with a significant character development was a pleasant surprise.
I'd gladly watch a longer drama with those two and their undeniable chemistry.
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Unsettling, confusing as well as gripping thanks to its masterfully crafted plot-twists, with an exemplary blend of multiple dark genres, superb production and storytelling that creates a disturbingly ominous, eerie, gore-drenched atmosphere and a fantastic performance from child actress Kim Hwan Hee, this is a difficult, demanding watch that lingers in one's mind long after the film ends.
A unique horror movie definitely not for the faint-hearted.
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Dark, strange, gripping, extremely triggering and graphic.
A slow-paced, almost plot-less and quiet film, depicting the brutal, empty, nihilistic lives of five outcast teenagers.
Watch at your own risk.

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A dark social commentary with great visuals.
Tilda Swinton definitely owned this movie!

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A healing story of an aqua-phobic philosophy professor through swimming lessons from an agoraphobic, strict but caring instructor and some sharp-tongued elderly ladies.
With a great balance between comedic and emotionally charged moments, some very powerful scenes and lines, and nice chemistry between the cast, this was a funny as well as heartwarming watch.

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A gentle, beautiful family story centred around three half-sisters, their grieving, their confronting, communicating and reconciliating with their families, their bonding and finally coming to terms with their father.

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Perhaps I was expecting too much from this movie adaptation, having Abe Hiroshi playing Yasuo, or maybe the whole beauty of this wonderful family story, with its wonderful depiction of father-son love and bonding, couldn't fit in this condensed version.
Not that it was bad, far from it, but it felt more cheesy and overdramatic than the drama.

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Based on a true story, this peculiar yet engaging movie was a pleasure to watch, mainly due to the great sismance of the dancers, as well as Aoi Yu: how can someone not become a fan of this talented creature after watching her dance?

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A (more)bitter-(than)sweet road trip story of two estranged friends on their way to redeeming, reconciliation and new beginnings.
Though a bit uneven, sometimes overly sentimental and too slow-paced, this sad story of friendship and love was an interesting watch, mainly due to the nostalgic, art-house, exquisite cinematography and colouring -as expected from a Wong Kar Wai production-, the wonderful performances and the beautifully-fitted music.

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A weird but intense and thought-provoking story. Fast-paced, complex and visually rich.
Perfect for a weekend watch.

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A slow-paced heartwarming story, with an unusual friendship and collaboration that was very inspirational and a pleasure to watch.
Beautiful forestry, charming interactions between the crew and the villagers, and the great chemistry between Yakusho Koji and Oguri Shun made this film-within-a-film an interesting watch.

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A dark and gritty story of love, loneliness and revenge.
Predictable in most parts and slow-paced, but the mystery and complexity surrounding the main leads,the melancholic vibes, cinematography and setting, as well as the nuanced performances of Jeon Do Yeon and Kim Nam Gil and their compelling chemistry, were enough reasons to make this an absorbing watch.

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An absorbing depiction of an intoxicating love story, full of lust, yearning and regrets.
Though it definitely had some plot and pacing flaws, the exquisite cinematography and colouring, the lavish costumes and settings, the wonderful representation of a nostalgic era, as well as the electrifying chemistry between elegant breathtaking Nakayama Miho and suave Nishijima Hidetoshi made this film a great watching experience.

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A sad first love story, beautifully filmed and acted, with a mellow, bittersweet tone.
Though too many tear-jerking cliches and tropes were used and the story was mostly predictable, for Michieda Shunsuke and Fukumoto Riko's youthful charms and chemistry it was totally worth it.

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"You can cry if you wish. When we are born, the first thing we do is crying. Nothing to be ashamed of."
A wonderful and very emotional tribute to the wild beauty of Jeju island and its haenyeos (women divers).
Quiet but very powerful, delicate as well as raw, full of emotions and feelings shown rather than said.
With a phenomenal performance from Go Doo Shim, this is definitely an underrated gem!

Enjoyable but not as funny as its prequel, probably because it felt repetitive and without any element of surprise in it.
Nevertheless, Ra Mi Ran with her shenanigans was still a real pleasure to watch!
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A classy, artistic spy action film full of mind games, suspicions, interrogations and confrontations.
Intense whodunit premise, great cast and performances.
With superb artistic cinematography, atmospheric music and gorgeous 30s wardrobes and settings, even if there was something missing in the story it was very engaging mainly thanks to the badass girl power: Lee Ha Nee, Park So Dam and Esom were fantastic in their roles!
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A social commentary and a truthful insight on japanese high-school life (and society in general through clever symbolisms), as well as a character study of the various student types, in a film with a minimal, subtle plot brilliantly presented from 5 different perspectives.
Watching all those talented young actors in their early acting steps was a bonus.
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An indie film about the complex dynamics of the friendship among three high school girls, depicting in a realistic way their transition from adolescence to adulthood, as well as their emotional struggle, confusion, rebellion and overbearing turmoils to gain their independence.
The solid, layered performances, especially from Bang Min Ah and Shim Dal Gi, the bleak atmosphere, the crisp cinematography and editing delivered eloquently the mundane everyday life, the isolation and suffocation of those girls, their bleak future, their domestic burdens and, most importantly, the cracks in their friendship and how their choices get worse and worse, even though the justification of their actions is lacking in some parts.
Difficult and cruel, just like life sometimes is. Watch with caution.
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Brutally honest and painfully realistic depiction of the struggles and overwhelming feelings while caregiving loved ones with dementia.
A difficult but eye-opening watch.
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An absorbing documentary about the restoration of ancient artworks in the museum of Forbidden City, the techniques used, the restorers' personal backgrounds, secrets of their craftsmanship, their master-apprentice relationship and, of course, some wonderful cultural relics.
The picturesque scenery, the utmost perseverance and care of the those skillful technicians during the long, careful restoration process, as well as how they enjoy this quiet lifestyle were engaging and soothing to watch.
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It could be easily be mistaken as one of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations!
Ji Sung as a sexy, empathetic vampire in a bizarre story with a heavy, tragic background...
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A painfully sad and dark storytelling of the events that led to the suicide a troubled man that lost all hope and humanity in him.
Using reverse chronology in 7 segments, it shed some light on the key events of this life that changed him and led to this point, as well as it depicted a span of 20 years of Korean sociopolitical history.
Technically exceptional, visually stunning and masterfully written, this devastatingly depressing and heartbreaking story owes most of its credits to Sol Kyung Gu's performance of a lifetime.
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An intense, violent and emotional story about revenge, rage and utter desperation of a father that lost everything.
Though the story was predictable and the pacing not very smooth, the cast, the cinematography and some great filming locations made this mentally exhausting story a memorable watching experience.
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A fast-paced, plot-driven political crime thriller with corrupted officials, organized crime, city redevelopment plans, and every possible political machination one could think of.
Top level acting from Jo Jin Woong and Lee Sung Min, tight writing and direction, well-built revenge and betrayal plot-twists in an intense and very engaging story.
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Raw pain, palpable misery, horrifying madness and a deep dive into the abyss of desperation in this highly insightful study of a mother's devastation, grief, anger, loneliness and solace when struck by an unbearable tragedy.
Slow-paced and long but very captivating, with a superb performance from Jeon Do Yeon depicting in the most painfully realistic way the immeasurable depths of her character's pain, this is one more great movie by auteur Lee Chang Dong.
Watch at your own risk.
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Intense, intriguing, very dark -and in some scenes extremely disturbing- psychological thriller about a sadistic & manipulative serial killer and a law student who tries to solve the mystery of one of his murders.
Clever use of camerawork, editing and flashbacks in a well-knitted narration, as well as elegant and measured performances from Abe Sadawo and Mizukami Koshi made this admittedly difficult watch a memorable experience.
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With a brilliant use of a non-linear backward narration, this quirky, inventive multi-genre film tells a story from  5 different perspectives, showing the intertwining substories of 5 different people during the same Friday evening, while slowly revealing their characters, motivations and intricacies.
A fun, underrated little gem!
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“How wonderful it would be if my whole life so far turns out to have been a dream. And suddenly I awaken and I'm someone else entirely.”
Equally frustrating and captivating, this sad family drama is a bitter social commentary on japanese patriarch family stereotypes, the lack of communication and trust, the secrecy, the monotony, the role-playing of each family member when put on the edge of a financial crisis.
But, among all the lies, the desperation, helplessness and isolation caused (or actually enhanced) by this bleak reality, there's still hope and a chance to make things right.
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A great informative and touching life story cycle of a lovable, dedicated and hard-working guide dog.
No sappily forced emotional, nothing overdramatic, just realistically cute and heartwarming.
No matter if you are a dog person or not, you'll love this wonderful four-legged gentleman!
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An entertaining fast-paced action flick full of punches, slapstick violence and a few laugh-out-loud moments.
Though predictable and rather superficial in therms of plot and character depth, watching Ma Dong Seok throwing his signature punches here and there and body-slamming all villains is the reason is enough for this movie to be engaging and an easy weekend watch.
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An indie, slow-paced film, with a very distinguished Japanese-style, about an elderly man and his ascetic, lonely life in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, which mainly revolves around reading and writing, passing of the micro-seasons and making seasonal food.
With a serene and exquisite cinematography of the process of gardening, farming, harvesting, washing and preparing the ingredients and cooking some simple but rewarding meals, a meticulous filming and editing and a contemplative script, this was a soothing, almost healing watching experience.
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Hachiko tells an emotional, wonderful story of loyalty and bonding between a man and his dog.
In this chinese adaptation Batong (instead of Hachiko) is still a fluffy, cute and most lovable puppy/dog and his relationship with his owner very endearing, but some of the original elements of the plot are missing, the pacing is a bit repetitive and the duration feels too long.
It may not be on par with the original japanese movie, but it still is a very emotional watch, based on  a heart-warming and heart-breaking real life story.
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Beautifully filmed an acted, this is a sad, painful love story of two tormented souls.
Many long length films could learn a lesson or two from this short but wholesome gem.
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Extremely dark, provocatively twisted, extremely violent.
The scenes with the loud silences were the most impressive, fierce and haunting ones.
This is a shocking and disturbing revenge story, where everything that could go wrong went very wrong, with outstanding performances in a visually and technically impressive package.
Definitely a challenging as well as gripping watch.
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A peculiar, oddly funny and thought-provoking movie, with many typical themes tropes, and the distinguished provocative style of Bong Joon Ho.
Not as gripping and memorable as some of his later works, but still a well-crafted, beautifully filmed story with some timely social criticism through sneering allegories and brilliant black comedy
elements.
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This movie was a satisfying continuation and conclusion of the dysfunctional and miscommunicating -but also cute and addicting- relationship of two flawed boys, Hira and Kiyou.
While there were a lot of fanservice scenes and some distracting side-stories, the significant character growth and relationship development for both leads, the clever embedding of flashbacks to Season 1 and 2, their inner voices/thoughts and, most of all, their ability to talk about their feelings and thoughts were the best part of this heartwarming story.
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Based on the true story of South Korea's ex-president Roh Moo Hyun, this is a heavy and shocking story of seeking justice, democracy and humanity during dark oppression times.
With a riveting performance from veteran Song Kang Ho and some powerful court scenes, this was a demanding as well as impactful and thought-provoking watch.
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A surrealistic poem, an unorthodox road-trip walking on top of walls, a hypnotic journey full of triggerings, allegories and symbolisms.
Heavy, dark and disturbing, graphic some times, laconic some others and utterly sad throughout its duration, with visually and emotionally stunning cinematography and storytelling, complimented elegantly by the melancholic and endearing music score, and one of the most unexpected, moving and devastatingly beautiful ending scenes I've ever watched.
Watch with caution.
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Interesting concept, great cast and production, a bit confusing story-telling.
Definitely not a masterpiece, but nevertheless a fun, wacky ride!

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Great cast, lacking script.

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Extremely dark, violent and triggering, with a refreshingly gritty and demanding performance from Park Jin Young.
Definitely not for everyone.

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A full action film noir, focused on an undercover yakuza hitman and his dynamics/bromance with a wild cult-raised partner. Bloody, ruthless, with many hardcore action and torture scenes, definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Excellent performances from Okada Junichi and Sakaguchi Kentaro.

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Utterly sad and deeply melancholic story of two wounded, broken and socially & emotionally detached people trying to connect with each other, heal from their traumas and move on.

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Enjoyable action film with a great cast and a not-so-well written script.
Submarine subplot was the best and most impactful part.

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A bold, realistic and honest depiction of the sad love story between two modern girls and how their relationship gets tested from their circle and over time.
A quiet, reserved indie film with a great performance from Lee Sang Hee.

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Not as good as its prequel, but still entertaining.
This story was darker, more focused on the warfare than the characters, and many likable side-characters were missing.

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An epic historical production, beautifully shot and acted, but too long and too heavy on the dialogues that is was sometimes hard to follow. Not for everyone, not an easy watch, but rewarding.

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A bittersweet coming-of-age story, almost documentaristic, depicting the emotional turmoil of a young girl and her family just before she leaves their isolated island to attend high school in a big city.
Full of beautiful rural island scenes and cute little kids playing and singing wonderful traditional songs with their sanshins, this was an interesting and touching film.

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A crime story in a small secluded island with a great cast, a well-built antithesis between the colourful idyllic scenery and the dark, twisted chain of lies, deceptions and motives.
A bit slow-paced and not as strong as I thought it would be, but a decent watch.

https://youtu.be/crHde6oZWW4
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When I see Koo Kyo Hwan and Lee Ok Seop among the cast and crew, I know I'm in for a wacky, unpredictable ride!

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A mixture of slice of life, coming of age and first love story in a picturesque rural village.
Though the story was weak and slow-paced, the friendship among the pupils, the nostalgic, soothing feeling and the wonderful scenery made this film enjoyable.

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A sports story that was more focused on friendship, coming of age and character development than boxing itself. Predictable but entertaining.

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Based on an incredible but true story, Onoda isn't just an anti-war movie, but a contemplative character study of a Japanese soldier and his denial to believe that World War II had ended, thus continued to fight a guerilla war on a remote Philippine island until 1974.
Although a little bit too long, it is a captivating story of survival, loyalty and extreme dedication (or blind obedience and brainwashing, if you prefer).

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A charming, lighthearted and whimsical multi-genre story with a fuzzy romance, subtle humor, wonderful pop/neon coloured cinematography of nocturnal Taipei (very similar to Wong Kar-Wai's impeccable style), whimsical dialogues and adorable leads. A pleasant surprise!

Wicked, gory and paranoid survival game, years before the "Squid Game" became a trend!
With the usual Miike Takashi visuals and aesthetics: fast-paced, suspenseful, full of violence and twists, wacky but minimal plot and (perhaps intentionally, but who really knows what Miike's intentions are) cartoonish special effects.
Definitely not for everyone, but a must-watch for Miike's and violent manga fans.
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A unique, whimsical story of a quirky uni student, his encounters and how their lives were changed having known him.
Full of reminiscence, nostalgia and youthful innocence, it may be slow-paced and long but  feel-good and rewarding.
Kora Kengo, with his charming goofiness and awkward romance, carried the whole movie and was a delight to watch.
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A clichéd over-melodramatic romance story about a selfish, ambitious girl with serious commitment and alcoholism problems and a rational, sacrificing police officer would have been a total failure if not for gorgeous Shu Qi and charismatic Liu Ye and their fantastic chemistry.
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An underrated but entertaining revenge thriller, with lots of adrenaline rising and violent scenes -that will satisfy the fans of this genre- and great performances from Shim Eun Kyung and Kim Sung Oh that make up for some weak and/or exaggerated points.
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