Reviews

gentle and sweet slice of life (need a third movie)

Overall: the sequel is very similar to its predecessor with the theme of friendship and infusion of cooking/food into the story. I was happy we saw progression but a third movie would really be the cherry on the top. First aired in Japan June 2024. Aired December 4th 2024 on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4988/lets-eat-together-aki-and-haru-more-please-2024 (not available in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong or Macau)

What I Liked
- sweet and caring moments
- the cooking/food
- realistic to practice interviewing
- non cliched female characters
- avoided a common plot element at the end (i.e. technology exists)

Room For Improvement
- the voice over recap of the first movie
- thought there had already been some realizations in the last movie, wish we had seen more progress earlier rather than the very end

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Coloured Lens

This was an old movie, released in 2014, I only picked this up now after so long was because ML used to be one of my favourite K drama lead and I found a source to watch it online.
Personally I used to cringe at such storyline with the emphasis on the over-glorifying of extra marital affairs (EMA). The fact to this story is that both leads did betray their spouses. And ML’s behaviour is no different from the older commander who was trying to take advantage of FL during the dance. The only different is ML is charmingly handsome and FL also has feelings for him.
However after watching this I realised that it really depends on what ‘lens’ you watch with. It’s actually a simple, beautiful, sad love story.
If one watch this with an emphasis on the ML’s story of a celebrated war veteran suffering from PTSD and how he was trying to navigate his life again after the trauma of war. He can’t celebrate his wins and he is tormented, and he discovered a dysfunctional way of coping is being obsessing over a desire at first sight that spark him to live again. And as the show progresses, one will understand why his obsession and desire was the only thing that kept him alive after war, similar to why a lot of war veterans developed alcoholism.
Hence it’s not surprising that he attempted suicide after FL tries to break up with him. Yet even he didn’t die, he was again not given another chance to be understood and recover, instead was punished by being sent back to war and die there. He has literally no second chance and no life post war except that glimpse of love desire.

So I am surprise that I do like this and how the story was told was quite nicely done. The acting were spot on and ML is still charming, although too good looking to be a war veteran. LOL!
So choose the lens that you are going to watch this with and you may just enjoy this differently.

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The Grefg tailandés trata de deshauciar a una anciana de su casa

Ya lo predijo The Greft el plot de esta película : deshauciando a una anciana.

Tremendos papeloncios se hacen Usha (no la conocía pero me ha encantado su actuación) y Billkin (este man lo mismo te hace de gay que te hace de nieto youtuber que en principio quiere estafar a su abuela).
Me ha gustado mucho la película aunque se supiera que iba a pasar desde un principio.Las actuaciones han influenciado mucho porque la historia no es que sea el nova más. Me hubiera gustado que profundizasen más en el rollo de trabajar como cuidadores/estafadores para conseguir la herencia, me parecía una idea que se podía haber explotado mejor.
Se me hace poco realista como el nieto se puede manejar tan fácilmente entre los hijos. Vamos es que la madre le deja carta blanca y los dos hermanos entre que uno tiene deudas y el otro está centrado en su familia...
Me parece tierno como la abuela de acuerda y hace todo lo que le pide su nieto, desde el granado hasta lo de la cuenta del banco.

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a spectacular drag that is less scary and more political than i signed up for

i feel like i just wasted 134 minutes of my life.

seriously. what the fuck was that? the pacing was slow as heck. the recent slew of korean shows i've watched have led me to entertain the notion that korean shows conflate drag with artistry. no, a dragged-out, slow motion shot of a woman raising her head is not particularly thought-provoking. look, i know sometimes it's about flair, it's about atmosphere, but there's a chasm between style and extreme boredom. just don't. overdo. it.

and honestly, the visuals were fine (but too dark -- we're approaching GOT season 8 ep 3 levels of dark here), but atmospheric? sure, it was a little eerie, but it was never really scary. i don't know about other regions, but it sure was marketed as chilling/scary/thrilling over here, and frankly, it just wasn't.

i'll give props where it's due: the acting was great. i haven't seen kim go eun disappoint once, and this movie is no exception. lee dohyun feels a little out of his depth as bong-gil here to be honest, but maybe that's more on his character. which brings me to another glaring complaint: where is the characterization? i'm 134 minutes in and out, and none the wiser about who any of these people are. we're limited by runtime, of course, so if there's have a good plot here, i'll forgive a plot-centric movie for less-than-satisfactory characterization. but do we?

the plot is... bad. first we have a standalone case that is fairly uninspired, but serves as an introduction to the system, so that's fine. then we go back to the opening scene's baby sickness and dive into our main arc. i'm sorry, but it took forever to get to the brunt of it. it felt like i spent a full hour of nothing to just get to the exhuming, which was, to its credit, the best part of the entire movie. there was some actual anticipation and apprehension as to what might happen. waiting for the consequences to hit consisted of 100% of the entire show's tension. then the show just... derailed from there. look, i'm not going to touch on the ramifications of the atrocities inflicted by imperial japan, but as a member of the international audience, i question the decision to bring all that into this. while we're being political, i'll venture to point out the implications of transplanting the japanese shogun into a vessel that justifies a faceless evil with a complete lack of nuance. i'm not korean, and i don't have to enjoy this. all things considered, it's also a pretty forced patriotic twist and i'm just tired of the nationalist call-to-arms in my shows, boss. outside of the shoehorned historical politics, the film also loses its suspense and drive once the shogun's involvement is revealed. it's just one traditionally korean-themed oni fight.

bottom line: i want my 134 minutes back.

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Surprisingly Enjoyable

I should preface this by saying that I have not watched the prequel, so I didn't go in with any expectations about this movie or how it should compare to the original and I will say I was pleasantly surprised. I don't expect a lot for action movies, especially in the way of plot - because you go in for the action, but I found myself enjoying this more than I thought. (BTW the spoilers are in the section on Jung Hae In's acting).

The plot still isn't the best - it is the weakest part of the movie, but its straightforward and clear. The writing isn't bad, it's just not revolutionary, which I think is fine for something like this. The movie shines a lot in practically every other facet. First - on the technical side, I thought the music was noticeable as a plus. There's this dark tone OST they use for a lot of the scenes and it really sets the tone. The cinematography was also great - there are a lot of unsettling moments and really creepy/cool shots that feel artistic at time. It makes the movie feel like more than just an action movie, which is nice.

The fight choreography is also brilliant. I rewound several scenes just to watch them again because of how cool they were. You can tell that different characters have different fighting styles and skill levels, which is a nice touch - because it says a lot about them as characters. The fight choreography for Jung Hae In's character is particularly relevant to his character, and you can analyze what he does in the fight and connect it to him as a person, which I think is brilliant.

Speaking of Jung Hae In, he is fantastic in this. I haven't seen a psychopath/serial killer played this well in a while. Normally they're too charismatic, or too smart, or too suave, but Jung Hae In toes the line really well. The acting he does with his eyes gave me the creeps. You can tell that his character loves violence a bit too much - Jung Hae In does a great job at portraying this particularly through fights. Major props to the script writers too because its his love for violence that is his undoing which is really reflective of actual serial killers - they aren't caught because of some tiny clue, they are caught because of their own flaws. Likewise, we don't ever really get a motive, because a lot of times there isn't a why. It feels realistic but not enough to take away from the vibe of the movie. The other actors are also great (Ahn Bo Hyun was really good in his cameo) especially in handling the fight scenes, but I felt that Jung Hae In was particularly stand out.

Overall this wasn't the movie of the year, but it is really fun for an action movie. Its got good fights, fun choreography, and there are moments that are super chilling that make you remember that what you are watching is in fact, something really dark. The comedy isn't over done, but it isn't unnoticeable. I will definitely be re-watching, and I certainly recommend this to action enjoyers. I think the mystery tag is misleading, but it definitely hits the thriller and action genres on the nose.

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Resenha Crítica de Little Q

Little Q é um daqueles filmes que tocam diretamente o coração, mas o fazem de maneira que divide opiniões. Ao mesmo tempo que apresenta uma história comovente sobre a relação entre um cão-guia e um chef cego, ele também é criticado por sua abordagem melodramática e previsível.

Um ponto forte do filme é a performance de Simon Yam, que interpreta Lee Po-ting. Ele entrega uma atuação convincente como um homem que luta contra a perda de visão e a consequente mudança em sua vida. Sua relutância inicial em aceitar Little Q é compreensível e bem construída, mas o arco do personagem, apesar de emocionalmente impactante, pode parecer apressado em alguns momentos.

Little Q, o verdadeiro protagonista, rouba a cena com sua presença adorável e o retrato preciso do papel vital dos cães-guia. A forma como o filme explora o treinamento e o vínculo entre o cão e seu dono é autêntica e educativa, oferecendo ao público um vislumbre do mundo dos cães de assistência.

No entanto, Little Q pode ser criticado por apelar ao sentimentalismo de maneira excessiva. Algumas cenas parecem feitas para arrancar lágrimas a qualquer custo, o que pode ser um problema para quem prefere histórias mais sutis e menos manipuladoras. A trilha sonora, embora bonita, muitas vezes reforça o tom melodramático, tornando o filme previsível.

Um aspecto notável é o contraste entre a frieza inicial do protagonista e a calorosa aceitação do cão com o passar do tempo. Isso reflete bem as mudanças emocionais que os animais podem trazer para a vida humana. Contudo, o roteiro peca ao simplificar conflitos complexos, como a aceitação da deficiência, e algumas transições na trama parecem forçadas.

Pontos Positivos:

Atuações cativantes, especialmente de Simon Yam.

Representação realista do papel dos cães-guia.

Uma mensagem bonita e acessível para todas as idades.


Pontos Negativos:

Apela excessivamente ao sentimentalismo.

Ritmo inconsistente e conflitos simplificados.

Pode ser previsível para espectadores mais experientes.

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Promises, promises...

I was drawn to The Promise because Nicholas Tse and Sanada Hiroyuki were in the cast. It sounded like a fairytale which also had possibilities. If the characters hadn’t been so shallowly drawn, the promise of an entertaining film might have been fulfilled.

Qian Cheng is a starving child with a sick mother. After scavenging food from a battlefield, she is approached by a goddess who offers her a deal she can’t turn down. Qian Cheng can be wealthy and adored by men. The catch, there’s always a catch, she can never fall in love or she will lose her love. Years later during a battle, a slave named Kun Lun displays a propensity for running---fast. General Guang Ming knows talent when he sees it and makes Kun Lun his personal slave. Duke Wu Huan is determined to take over the kingdom and have a grown Qian Cheng for his own. The table is now set for a love square.

The whole premise of the story is that Kun Lun, Guang Ming, and Wu Huan were all obsessed with Qian Cheng. It had to be the spell, for while she was beautiful, she wasn’t charismatic. Qian Cheng fell deeply in love with the masked man who saved her and had no qualms about giving herself to her supposed savior despite never having seen his face. Instead of coming across as a seductress, she appeared vapid to me. I found it difficult to care about any of the characters or root for any of the possible love combinations. They all seemed fairly vacuous. Aside from Kun Lun being able to enter the Speed Force, they just weren’t that interesting. Sanada and Tse camped it up a little in their portrayals of foes and besotted men, though Wu had other reasons for his obsession.

The CGI and special effects were rudimentary at best. There were luxurious costumes, especially for the opposing armies. You would not miss Guang Ming’s men in their bright red armor. The wigs left a lot to be desired though.

I enjoyed the premise of The Promise, or rather, I wanted to enjoy the premise of the film. The one-dimensional characters were difficult to become invested in. I appreciated most of the performances, it would be hard to ignore Sanada Hiroyuki and Nicholas Tse. The sets, scenery, and costumes were beautiful even with the low grade CGI and occasional editing glitches. It just felt like the movie promised so much more.

2 December 2024

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I love her too!

This film hits me in a way that feels very personal. The first TV drama I watched, about ten or twelve years ago, was Byakuyako, starring Haruka Ayase and Takayuki Yamada, which also starred Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World. Although she played the 'villain' in the first one, I really, really fell in love with her. I loved everything about her and fantasized about going to Japan years later and meeting her by fate. It's embarrassing, but I’ve identified with the feeling of Kenji watching Princess Miyuki through the screen. Damn, he even had the chance to be with her, fall in love, and have his love returned as well.

The plot might be a bit cliché, but they just don’t make films like this anymore. Although it’s Japanese, the film draws many references and inspirations from Western cinema (Audrey Hepburn herself), even in the way it portrays and understands love. But all in all, I loved it.

I love you, Haruka Ayase. I hope that one day you’ll see through the camera screen the admiration I feel for you. You, or one of your alter egos.

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How can I start this review?

It was brutal and did not sugar coat child abuse. This story gives you a child's point of view regarding how horrible this type of abuse can be. I have never watched a movie in which I have been angry the whole time, what an awful situation.

This movie must be a reminder that a child may have been going through some type of abuse and we as an adult must be vigilant of them in our community at all times. In resume, the point of this movie is to bring awareness of this case.

The “step-mother”, I don't know If we can call her that way, I was not satisfied with her ending, yes she was punished, but for me, It was not enough, it will never be enough. Cinematography and acting were great!

I do not know If I will ever be able to watch it again.

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Worth watching

December 2024
A unique setting of the S.Korean Probationary Service, which was interesting, if very likely far from reality (but, I have no real idea).

I found the feel of this film to be a little odd, in that at times it came across quite tongue-in-cheek, whilst at others it was far more serious. It was like some kind of Super Hero movie, but then at other monents more like real life. I think dry humour rather than some of the more unsubtle stuff, would have worked better, imo.

But.... I so enjoyed it! KWB was great. His gentle character (Lee Jeong-do) matured no end and for someone who tried to feign disinterest and detachment... well, he failed. Watching the character learn, find a purpose and grow from it, was very feel-good.

The pairing of character LJD with that of Kim Sun-min was excellent. They complimented each other so well and there was nothing in KSM not to like.

I also liked LJD's relationship with his father; a character who was quite layered.

LJD's 3 friends were amusing and all quite different. Nerds united, but so likeable.

Some of the felons were, as expected, awful, and I admired Sun-min's ability to stay impartial. Doubt very much I could!

This film has plenty of action and it's all very nicely packaged.

As a footnote, I rather liked a slightly rough, bleach blonde, black roots Woo-bin, too ;~)

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A realistic movie of an indigenous family

So it's going to be quite difficult to share my impressions, I feel like it might be not a really good review because it's a special one and I don't particularly find the right words to describe it, but I'll try my best.

Ok, first of all, I've read somewhere the director or production team didn't hire professional actors (or maybe a part of them), they are people like you and me so it's not about who acted the best or not. I would say, it feels more a bit of a documentary and we've followed their daily life.

Now; "Gaga" is a movie that can relate to us and at the same time, it can't. It's because, there's indeed some family conflicts that I'm sure everyone can relate to it and on the other hand, we don't really know about their culture (that's why I said, we can't relate to them). For example: triggered warnings and if they censored it, it's also a part of their culture, it was still a bit hard to hear pigs crying (because they are kxlled for their ritual, it's a tradition).

I just wish, they could show us more and explain more about their tradition because I didn't know the Atayal tribe. I know that in Taiwan, there's a lot of diversity in terms of tribes and indigenous families.

Also one of the high lights for me are the landcapes, some shots are really chill and beautiful.

It was a nice discovery but it lacks something to be more invested and to be more interested in it.

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