Reviews

Delicately crafted and emotionally engaging

If you've had a bad day or are feeling down, I can't recommend this short film enough. Come walk with a 90-year-old woman as she puts on her best dress and shoes to go out and buy tangerines in A Day.

Grandmother finishes the last tangerine for her breakfast as the good spirited, but invalid Grandfather lies on his mat. On her way to the fruit stand to purchase more tangerines she meets women in various stages of life---a child singing on her tricycle, a harried woman in her car, a middle-aged woman hustling for every cent, and a young girl creating paper airplanes out of memories. Grandmother observes and interacts with them with humor and generosity.

The acting is beautifully natural and compelling with few words spoken. Gentle, classical music flows in the background. History reminisced becomes reality rewarded with a tangerine. An undercurrent showing the hardships of elderly poverty never drives away the hopeful mood. Oozing with kindness and bittersweet reflections, A Day is a day trip worth visiting.

“All the time it is the same, ‘Tick tock, tick tock.’”

20 November 2024

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a religious production with rich anti-colonial flavour

This film caught me unawares. I was not expecting a Christian production from *checks notes* Jesuit Communications to be of this high quality. But that's because Gomburza "isn't just about church politics", to lift a line from one of the characters.

The premise of the movie is relatively straightforward: Filipino-born priests fight to be seen as equals to Spanish-born friars. Eventually, the priests are caught up in broader anti-colonial struggles at great peril.

However, less straightforward is the underlying question of the whole film: what is the Filipino identity? Of course, the film does not – and cannot – answer this. And to be fair, it doesn't try. It is the posing of this question that lends the film an extra layer of sophistication and makes up for some of the poorer writing in the first half.

The narrative premise and the underlying identity question do result in a split focus. The storyline revolves around José Borgos as one of the key individuals fighting to be recognised on equal footing to the Spaniards. But the storyline also diverts, often awkwardly, to follow poorly developed side characters who are meant to form an important part of the broader anti-colonial movement and theme.

Despite the meandering, Gomburza is an intellectually engaging film – at least for me as someone completely unacquainted with the history. It is also a highly emotive film, something I didn't realise until it crept up on me in the last twenty minutes and I found myself bawling my eyes out even though I thought I hadn't developed an attachment to the characters.

All in all, as someone who grew up in Anglican and Uniting Church spaces here in Aus, seeing a religious production with a powerful anti-colonial flavour is incredibly refreshing. Colour me impressed.

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Love in the time of Covid

I Want Us to Be Together was a sweet age gap romance starring Qin Lan and Fan Cheng Cheng. Cupid, in this instance, turned out to be Covid. When many people were figuring out they couldn’t live together anymore after quarantining in the early days of the novel virus, others found love.

Yu Ge is going home for the New Year celebration to be with her parents and extended family. She says her parents are cool with her being single, but other relatives are more bothersome about it. Yu Ge auditions several men to play her boyfriend and ends up with Lin Bu Mian, a younger man who works at the same restaurant. Lin is nine years younger than her but beggars can’t be choosers. Her parents are overjoyed with the handsome young man and cannot contain their excitement. As the family prepares to travel to the gathering, they are told no one can leave. Everyone is going to learn a lot more about each other in the small apartment.

Qin Lan is a delightful actress who the very next year would have another age gap romance in the drama The Rational Life with Dylan Wang that was quite entertaining. In this short film the age gap was supposed to be nine years while in real life it was closer to twenty.

IWUtBT brought back memories of the early days of the pandemic. No one really knew how to deal with Covid or the best way to treat it or prevent it. Scary times with masks and quarantining. With all the fear and deaths the invisible enemy caused it was nice that something good came out of those dark times, even if it was a fictional romance.

19 November 2024

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This story was on thin ice

Donnie Yen took a dramatic turn without the benefit of his martial arts skills in Comeback Home aka Polar Rescue. This family thriller about a lost child set in a beautiful snowy wilderness was marred by poor storytelling.

A De and his family are on their last day of vacation having a blast playing in the snow at a resort. He has promised his son a trip to Lake Tian to see the monster living there. Finding the road closed due to inclement weather they take an alternate route where their car ends up stuck in a snowy pothole. A De and his wife manage to dislodge the car but their son Lele throws a fit and nearly gets everyone injured when another car comes up the road. When the eight-year-old’s temper tantrum escalates, A De leaves him there to teach him a lesson while he drives his wife and daughter to a nearby store. When A De returns, his son is nowhere to be seen.

I was looking forward to watching Yen in a non-martial arts film and he did fine here as the worried and hotheaded father. The winter scenery was gorgeous. The music while melodramatic fit the film. Where Polar Rescue slipped and fell was in the writing. A De’s initial response seemed utterly unbelievable for a caring father. At times the search and rescue teams were portrayed with all the propaganda they could fit in. At other times they were incompetent, unprofessional, and petty. If only perfect people were worthy of rescue, no one would ever be rescued. I found most of the characters’ actions baffling and at times infuriating.

Comeback Home had interesting moments and many that strained credulity. If you are a fan of Donnie Yen or family dramas where a member is in danger you might want to give this a try. Or if you are simply in need of a film with snow continuously falling. If you’ve ever known someone who has worked search and rescue or you need your thrillers to make a modicum of sense, you’ll want to avoid this one.

19 November 2024

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very lovely love story

I recently watched several Japanese movies, this one is in the top 5

the story built with a strong base premise, we can not see it in our everyday life but anyone can relate
the storyline move with deep wave, prepare yourself with a box of tissues

the characters are quite strong with unique personalities and I hardly find the flaw from the casts performance as if I didn't see they're acting, seems like real life conversations, gestures etc.

at the last 40 minutes a few plot twists came to my mind, and I tried to numb my feeling before I see it, but none of it came true

bravo for the teams behind this movie
I will watch this movie again in the future

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I did not exactly like it "per se" but I found it interesting

This movie is foremost a dark comedy about marriage as the main male lead Doo Hyun cannot stand living with his wife anymore but do not know how to face the situation other than being conflict avoidant. I found this premise very interesting but at the same time some of the over-the-top comedic moments mixed with some really dramatic moments did not work well with me. I did not enjoy the way the humor was set, it was a bit too absurd while trying to make it as what felt like a life lesson on marriage and relationship overall.

Except the "Casanova" character that I found properly repugnant all along, the main characters (Doo Hyun, the husband and Jung In, the wife) who were really not likeable at first to me, grow on me as their story unfolded.
Despite me liking the cast (- with Lee Sun Kyun, Ryu Seung Ryong and Lee Kwang Soo being actors that I enjoy), I found the acting was bad in the most absurd and comedic scenes (especially on the side of Ryu Seung Ryong but maybe it is because I disliked strongly his "Casanova" character). Lim Soo Jung was probably the best in terms of acting and with the evolution of her character.

I found the production value pretty good, there are a couple of scenes with mouth-watering food which is always a nice bonus in my book. However, I'm not a huge fan of the soundtrack tough it clearly fulfilled its purpose at creating a certain ambiance fitting the plot of the story.

I would recommend this to people looking for a dark comedy. It is for sure not a fluffy romance and there are a lot of absurd moments that are a bit strange because of the shift in tones given the intention of the story. Despite its flaws, it has an interesting premise, so I think it is worth a watch.

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Il n'est jamais têtard pour former une famille

Un film indépendant, plein de plans fixes et de long silence, mais qui ne dure que 1 h 28 ! ça peut surprendre, je vous l'accorde. C'est 3 h 30 minimum, quand on est un réalisateur de génie. D'autant plus, qu'il s'en passe des choses dans ce qui aurait pu être le premier épisode, d'une série retraçant la vie misérable de deux adolescents dans la campagne glacé d'Hokkaido. Mais le rythme infernal qu'impose, dans ce petit laps de temps et par des chocs émotionnels en cascade, le réalisateur-acteur Kishi Kentaro est comme un coup de poing dans notre petit cœur non préparé. Coups que reçoivent également au sens propre et figuré les personnages tout au long d'une histoire, à la trop réaliste par son ancrage dans un Japon misérable et moderne, mais aussi très onirique.

Dès les premières minutes, le couple formé par Nagasawa Itsuki et Kubozuka Airu vous touchera en plein cœur. Harcèlement scolaire, crise d'identité, mutisme ou parentalité en défaut. La relation entre ces deux adolescents interroge autant qu'elle dérange. Personnages joués à la perfection, ils ne font pas leur âge réel et d'ailleurs la temporalité est complètement ignoré par la réalisation, jouant complètement avec celle-ci. De rêve à la réalité, les dessins peints ou crayonnés omniprésents durant le film rajoutent à un onirisme déjà très marqué par les paysages. Cette neige étouffante du nord du Japon comme l'étouffement d'une société-village qui pourtant porte les défauts des mégalopoles japonaises. Le mépris des personnes différentes, à l'école, comme dans la rue. Une galerie de personnages, portant bien fort leur appartenance à une minorité, rajoutera de l'émotion déjà bien présente par les histoires parallèles de nos deux héros.

Heureusement que l'onirisme est omniprésent, d'ailleurs, pour adoucir des thèmes forts, mais violents et qui n'iront pas en s'arrangeant dans la deuxième partie. Celles des situations dépeintes dans un Tokyo d'une dureté trop rarement montrée en occident. Fuir la réalité dans le rêve jusqu'à ne plus savoir ce qui l'est vraiment. Grâce à cette réalisation sans faille, on est porté dans un rêve-réalité jusqu'au point d'orgue des scènes finales, qui nous font dire "déjà !", nous qui en voulions encore. Un film fort sur la famille, l'adolescence, la mort ou la vie d'ailleurs. Attachant par ses personnages et qui met tellement bien en lumière le double sens de Kaeru. Groah !

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The Boys from Fengkuei was a coming-of-age film from Hou Hsiao Hsien. Three aimless teenage boys waiting to be called up for mandatory military service move to a larger city and find themselves to be small fish in a big pond.

Ah Ching, Ah Jung, and Kao Tzu spend most days drinking, playing pool, playing pranks and getting in fights. Ah Ching’s mother is constantly criticizing him hoping to set him straight. When the boys have a brush with the law they travel to Kaohsiung for work. They are looking for independence and new experiences before they are called into military service. Hsiao Hsing is their cute neighbor with a sleazeball boyfriend who is stealing from work. Ah Ching begins work at the factory where Hsiao is employed while the other two friends seek alternative income sources that puts a strain on the friendships.

I enjoyed this film more than some of Hou Hsiao Hsien’s other films. The characters weren’t as remote and unknowable as in his later films. Ah Ching was relatable and despite his poor behavior in his hometown, he was more sympathetic than the other two boys. The teens went from being cocky fish in a small pond to insignificant fish in a big pond. They weren’t well educated and lacked marketable skills. All three faced uncertain futures and were still learning who they were as young men. Complicating things, it was the time of life when relationships were made and broken with friendships in flux.

The Boys from Fengkuei was an entertaining slice of life film more about the experience of watching it than any sort of compelling plot. It evoked emotions of a last summer vacation before adulthood kicks in and wanting a little romance and adventure, but not knowing how to manifest either.

18 November 2024

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"Men like us don't deserve a woman"

Soul on a String was an unusual combination of cyclical revenge and spiritual journey, fantasy and reality. Somehow, it worked…for the most part. Beyond the story and acting the breathtaking scenery of Tibet starred as the main feature.

“Treasure your new life and be kind to all.”
After he kills a deer, Tabei finds a sacred stone in the animal’s mouth. Lightning promptly strikes him. He is revived by Buddhist monks and the Incarnate Lama Zatroe. Because the holy Tibetan treasure chose Tabei he is tasked with delivering it to the Palm Print Land. Tabei will also be given the chance to redeem his sins and awaken his soul. Along the way, Tabei reluctantly ends up traveling with a female sheepherder and a small, mute boy. Hot on his trail are an enigmatic cowboy, two vengeful brothers, and numerous shady men who desire the priceless stone.

“The distance is under your feet and the road is on your back.”
Soul on a String felt like a cross between fairytale and reality. It could be hard to tell where the lines between the supernatural and natural crossed. More than one mystical being guided the characters to where they needed to be. While there were plenty of people who wanted to rob or murder Tabei, this was not an action film. The cyclical nature of revenge did take center stage though. Two brothers spent their lives hunting Tabei because his father killed their father in a fight. One brother killed several men named Tabei during his relentless search creating new enemies for his family. Though Tabei understood the brothers’ need for vengeance, he’d never even met his deceased father yet still was held responsible for his actions. As Tabei crossed the endless landscape in front of him with two people who cared for him, he began to gain some introspection and appreciation for life. All life.

“With a snap of my finger, I can take all of you out of this universe.”
Most of the actors gave natural performances, nothing too complex or nuanced. Without a better working knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism there were a few elements in the story that were somewhat confusing to me, but most of the story was easy to follow. The timelines were fluid and didn’t always move in a linear fashion. Because much of the action took place in the vast, scarcely populated areas of grasslands, desert, and mountains, where a person could die of thirst or hunger, something as simple as a Walkman seemed anachronistic. The cinematography showcased extraordinary landscapes that often competed with the actors for attention.

Soul on a String explored the useless blood feuds that destroyed the next generation’s lives and created more feuds for the continuing generations. Without being heavy-handed Tabei gained his redemption arc, step by agonizing step. Accompanied by a woman who cared for him whether he liked it or not and a pint-sized supernatural helper whether he liked it or not. I freely admit I may have rated this film too high, redemption stories are like catnip to me. 7.75 rounded up to an 8, on another day it might be a 7.5

“To turn spiteful curses into forgiving smiles
Let me understand others
Without asking to be understood
Let me love others
Without asking to be loved.”

18 November 2024

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*Sob sob* I'm not crying . . . you are!

When I was first reading the comments to decide whether or not to watch this, all of them were somewhere along the lines of, "oh my freaking god, I haven't cried so much since I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me with that one hot bartender that I used to have a crush on like a year ago." Okay, not really, but that was kiiinda what I was seeing.

So I was like, it cant be that sad right? So I went out and found the movie on youtube and watched it. I first discovered Bible around a year ago when I binge watched kinnporsche on my couch with my cat. And, just like then, I was amazed with his acting. The way he showed all of his emotions was BEAUTIFUL. His performance was so moving, and if you came up to me and said what happened in the film was real, I would believe you.

The film is short but filled with so many emotions that even full-length dramas can't compare. I was surprised by how perfectly it was delivered. Their relationship was realistic in a melodramatic way and even though the story is simple, their acting gave it so much depth.

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A little too formulaic

Just my personal opinion, but I REALLY don't like watching needy people. The FL was so desperate it really irritated me. I also wasn't feeling their relationship on a romantic level. I appreciated that they became friends, but it felt like the ending was forced to make is a HEA ending. When I watch shows, I'm all about the ML and FL ending up together, being the ultra-romantic that I am, but maybe because it was movie, there wasn't enough time to show why they fell in love. It also would have been good to have more of a secondary story about someone's choice to remain single. This movie definitely touted -- single is bad.

That being said, I did enjoy it for what it was.

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This by no means was a comedy and shouldn't have been labeled as such

This was a hard movie to watch due to the subject matter. The evil in the world is never easy to watch. That said, I really enjoyed the acting and the action. Kim Woo Bin does such a fine job with micro-expressions, and I really liked the development of his character. There was a possibility of him going down a certain path, and I'm glad they didn't take that direction. Also, thank you for not trying to add in romance. (though I'd love to see him in a romance!)

I thought that the action sequences were very well-done.

Personally, I was glad this was a movie and not a series. It got straight to the point without wasting time.

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