Reviews

Soulmates is a myth about love that has remained alive for centuries, perhaps because we are all looking for it, because we know a story that reinforces it or, possibly, we have seen many romantic movies.
Cinema has delved into the search for perfect, magical and lasting love, and has shown more than once that soul mates exist and are in the places you least imagine.
If destiny wants a couple to stay together, so it will be. This is the premise of the LGBT+ themed romantic drama short film 'The Postcard', (Korean title 엽서/ 'Yeopseo'), written and directed in 2007 by Josh Kim, the Korean-American filmmaker based in Thailand, director of the film ' How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)', the yaoi drama whose premiere at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival served as this Southeast Asian country's official entry to the Academy Awards and Golden Globes for Best Picture in Foreign Language.
In his second film after 'The Police Box' (2006), Josh Kim introduces us to Suh Inwoo and Simo as protagonists in the roles of Boy and Postman, respectively.
The film revolves around Chico, a shy young man who is in love with a handsome and sexy postman, but feels too intimidated to even dare to look him in the eyes, much less have individual conversations with him.
Are you someone who often spends restless nights thinking about your crush and wondering if you're on their mind too? The most difficult and frustrating part of falling in love is not knowing if the other person feels the same way. This may make you wonder what you will do to get their attention.
In this effort, Chico goes every day to the post office where Postman works to send himself open love letters on postcards, only with his own address, so that they can be taken by the person who makes his heart skip a beat and who will wait daily at 4:00 p.m.
On a postcard he wrote: "Your eyes, your hair, your smile and your uniform are beautiful," and this causes the intrigued Post Girl 1 (So Yun Park) and Post Girl 2 (Sun Zoo Park) to start guessing. who is destined Who will all these shipments be for? Will it be for any of them?
Postman, who also has feelings for Chico, decides to knock on the door of his house after reading the text written on a postcard, but one of the girls at the Post Office, who mistakenly assumes that she is the one the letters are addressed to, he overtakes him.
Boy, who does not believe in destiny because he has always believed in himself, and in hard work to get ahead, will discover that he has been wrong. Fate will make Chico and Postman meet, that same day, in the least expected place.
Through the use of slow shots, dividers in dead time and a certain form of naturalistic narration, the viewer is kept in a state of suspense throughout the 15 minutes of duration, the same one that the characters suffer and that the viewer literally receives through the screen.
The first scene marks the ambiguity of the film. The presentation shows us that we are looking at a contemplative film. Nothing about simple identification. But a contemplation of a present, of a dead time even, in which Boy devises within himself a plan to attract Postman's attention. His job as a card dealer will inspire him to carry out his plan of conquest.
The film does not have a fixed tone, it is sober, melancholic, nostalgic, laconic. A tone brand of South Korean LGBT+ themed cinema that we could locate in the cinema of Kim-Jho Gwang-Soo and Leesong Hee-il, with their 'Boy Meets Boy' (2008), 'Just Friend?' (2009), 'Love 100° C' ( 사랑은 100℃ / Sarangeun 100℃), or 'One Night, Two Days', 'One Night', 'Baekya' ('지난여름, 갑자기'/'White Night' ), 'Suddenly Last Summer' (지난 여름, 갑자기/'Jinanyeoreum, gapjagi') and 'Namjjokeuro Ganda' ('Going South' /남쪽으로 간다), all from 2012, respectively, addressing themes such as sexuality, identity gender and being queer in a heteronormative and homophobic society.

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The simplicity of the plot makes it for me

I was delighted to watch this movie. Aside from seeing familiar faces, I just really loved the simplicity of the plot itself. Most of the North Korean-themed movies I've watched are too complicated or too heavy to understand adding the fact that it's just a movie so usually I just end up confused but this one is so simple, you know what's going to happen, what's happening, and stuff. I kinda wanted to know more about the nomads in the story rather than them just being a device plot. Some might say it is predictable, but it definitely is but I guess this is my cup of tea.

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Stunning movie with an alternative angle on the Yakuza world.

[Light synopsis spoilers in the final paragraph]

The first in what would be come a long running series of theatrical and later video releases. It's easy to see why this film was a big hit.

The film is utterly stunning and carefully filmed. I'm don't usually think about camera angles and settings when watching movies but this film used such interesting and picturesque framing again and again I couldn't not notice. One scene in particular with two leads talking alone on a boat all filmed in one shot with no cuts as the scenery passes behind them through the window was utterly breathtaking and the angle really created this sense of intimacy and tension. I could go on and on about the use of interesting framing from the hair salon mirror framing the reflections of actors speaking to the scene in front of a giant aquarium tank backdrop.

The acting was incredible and the lead actress Iwashita Shima absolutely dominated the movie. She had this captivating aura and fantastic wardrobe and I found myself hanging off every word. and in every scene she was in. Rino Katase who plays her sister also did really well, especially as I've read she was rather nervous filming this role next to Iwashita. Everyone was convincing in their roles.

The story for the most part was very good. It managed to capture an alluring side to the criminal world but also deeply rooted in a sense of realism that it is gritty, violenct and death happens. I thought it was an interesting take to see the side from the wives point of view, many with husbands in jail or just trying their best to support them. I also liked the choice to not show alot of the happenings between the men and keep it as exposition and keep the focus around the women and what they are doing while the story is happening.



[Light spoilers already in the synopsis]
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I'd rate the film higher but without saying too much, I just could not get on board with the relationship between the younger sister and her love interest which is outlined in the synopsis which I won't go over here. I just could not swallow the plausibility or buy her devotion to him after what he did to her. Suspending my disbelief for the rest of the movie and just going along with it and the film is brilliant but even as the credits rolled I just couldn't forget the problematic way their relationship started. Shame really because this could have easily been dealt with in a more convincing and different way and still had the same storyline. I would have much preferred a sort of star crossed lovers scenario which would have still given the same results.

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Carries depth!

As you might have guessed, this is no light watch at all. It can gets quite heavy but it is extremely thought provoking and touching towards the end

I throughly enjoyed the show- especially the ending- the bromance definitely gave it an added touch- love the plot twist after plot twist

What I love the most is the part where Lee Je Hoon said "At least I can fail all I want"- something along that line. It's really DEEP. When we live in a society with freewill, one of our greatest fear is fear of failure and yet he was coming from a perspective where his whole life was dictacted as such that failure wasn't even an option coz he simply has no freeodom, not even to fail, let alone to dream.

That really makes us think about the little things we might take for granted, and to an extent, to give us the courage to live our life fully. Also the quote that Piano Bro gave him is amazing and I'm glad he got reminded of his quote himself.

I mean the show isn't anything new, it is a portrayal of escape- literally thats what the entire show is about and Lee Je Hoon delivered a stunning performance. The emotions portrayed throughout is really felt by audience- it wouldn't have been the same without him.

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Acting range of Lee je hoon

Lee Je-hoon delivers an exceptional performance, showcasing his remarkable range as an actor. From the moment he appears on screen, he pulls you into the emotional and psychological depths of his character. His portrayal is intense, yet nuanced, allowing the audience to fully connect with the desperation and determination that drive his actions.

What stands out most is Lee Je-hoon’s ability to balance the high-octane tension of the film with moments of quiet vulnerability. His facial expressions and body language convey so much more than words ever could, making each scene he’s in deeply impactful. Whether he’s navigating the chaos of the escape or reflecting on the personal costs of his journey, Lee Je-hoon brings a level of authenticity that is both compelling and heartbreaking.

This performance is a testament to Lee Je-hoon’s talent and his ability to elevate any role he takes on. Escape is a gripping film, and Lee Je-hoon’s performance is undoubtedly one of the key reasons it succeeds so powerfully.

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Imaculate Cast

Lee Je Hoon being one of my favourite actors, I simply could not resist watching this movie. I loved Koo Kyo Hwan in DP and this is similar role except on the North Korean side of the tale. There were also a few actors that have worked with LJH in Taxi Driver so that was a fun discovery! I was also surprised to see Song Kang. So the cast in this movie are another plus point.

The plot is quite simple. It is about a man's planning involved in defecting to South Korea. The main thrill lies in how difficult that plan actually is to execute. There are some predictable moments and a few that feel unbelievable. But the movie is engrossing despite that. It does have some incredible moments and a few comical ones.

I also liked the message behind the movie about having the freedom to choose. That is something everyone can connect with.

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Not bad. Too rushed though to be a well developed romance.

7/10 is my rating.This is a 2017 Chinese comedy romance movie with a run time of 96 minutes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Xiao Bo (Joseph Chang) works long hours as a deliveryman to save up money to fund his deaf nephew’s surgery. Nothing is more important to him than his nephew having the life changing surgery which will restore his hearing. Ye Jin (Sammi Cheng) has it all, she is a successful CEO of an insurance company with a fiancé who will fulfill her desire to start a family. Everything changes for Ye Jin when she discovers her fiancé has been unfaitful. She decides to give up on men but not on her desire to have a child. She asks her secretary to find a man who meets all her criteria as a sperm donor. They are not honest about the true nature of the job up font and let the men think they are interviewing for Ye Jin’s assistant. Just when Ye Jun is about to give up, not finding any suitable men among those that applied, she has a chance encounter with Xiao Bo when he saves her from being injured by a disgruntled employee. The lucrative salary causes Xiao Bo to wholeheartedly agree to the rigorous interview process as he is so eager to apply the generous salary he would make to the savings for his nephew’s surgery. He is selected and after he works with Ye Jin for awhile, they pitch the sperm donor with a huge financial incentive idea to him. It seems Xiao Bo is already developing feelings for Ye Jin and wants to help her fulfill her wish. As time goes on, the two fall deeply in love which makes Xiao Bo desire a real relationship with Ye Jin. But Ye Jin had a traumatic childhood, where she would have been better without a father. And then Ye Jin was betrayed by her fiancé causing her trust issues to deepen. Can Xiao Bo convince Ye Gin to see him as more than a donor?

Review

It was simple, straight forward, and ended happy. I would not seek it out to watch it again but I would not turn it if someone else had it playing. It ends well.

Spoilers

The humor in this was very slap stick in parts. A bit too silly for my liking. When the disgruntled employee went after Ye Jin, the whole swirly scene was unbelievable. If we had seen him being a talented fighter before his sudden fight, his ability would have been more believable.

It felt rushed. It went from you are my assistant, to you are my donor, to you are my boyfriend really quick. If they had decided to make a baby the traditional way and he slowly fell in love with her it would have increased the chemistry factor. But it was like warp speed from one stage to another. Too rushed.

#LoveContactually #JosephChang #SammiCheng

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