Movies completed in 2024

Watch it unprepared and it will hunt you forever...

Wonderful storytelling from auteur Sakamoto Yuji: simple, just how life is, but presented in a complex and multilayered way, just how we all live this life of ours.
Exemplary visualization and staging from auteur Koreeda Hirokazu: clever use of building the tension and emotional impact by re-telling the same story through different perspectives of the characters involved, masterful use of light, darkness and colours, profound use of the actors' talent and strength.
Painfully beautiful music score from late auteur's Sakamoto Ryuichi last work, which complimented and enhanced the depth and significance of every powerful moment.
Superb acting from veteran actors and, most importantly, from child-actors Kurokawa Souya and Hiiragi Hinata, who owned the screen, the story and our emotions.

Subtle but deeply affectionate, full of compassion, humanity and understanding of the monster some people hide behind their appearance and perceptions, this is a must-watch and one of the best works of its cast and crew.

"If only some people can have it, that's not happiness. That's just nonsense. Happiness is something anyone can have."
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A wonderful short film full of heart, pride, determination, perseverance and inspiration.
Don't miss it!
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A wonderful character study through a 'road-trip' around Tokyo's public toilets.
As contradicting as it may sound, this serene slice-of-life story of an ascetic, lonely man living an analog, laconic and humble life surrounded by books, cassettes, photos and plants, dreaming in black and white, repeating the same routine every day, enjoying his quiet simple life to the fullest even though the shadows of a well-hidden pain of his past life resurfaces from time to time, was indeed a unique watching experience.
Slow-paced, minimalistic in dialogues and narration but lavish in scenery, colours, sounds and emotions, with wonderful nostalgic songs and vibes, and a fantastic Yakusho Koji, who delivers a nuanced performance as Hirayama, this little gem was the epitome of less is more.
P.S. The last scene with Hirayama driving while listening to Nina Simone: heart-breakingly beautiful and a pure acting and filming perfection!
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A bittersweet, poignant slice of life story and an exquisite character study of women in Japan of the 60s, through the life of a bar hostess, her struggles to find happiness and financial stability among her demanding family, her unreliable colleagues and the men/clients that try to take advantage of her in every occasion.
Takamine Hideko, with her elegance and charisma filling the entire screen, gave a superb as well devastating performance as young widow Keiko, who lives her hard life with dignity and patience.
A classic and a masterpiece.
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A bittersweet story of a found family, full of heart, warmth and strong emotions.
A heartfelt journey of grieving, healing, making amends, character development and second chances in life.
Fantastic acting from child actress Yang En You and Zhu Yi Long, with an incredible bonding and chemistry.
Highly recommended!
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An utterly sad, extremely captivating story told in a subtle way, using flashbacks and cleverly put twists and revelations, about lonely, abused and betrayed people, their traumas, struggles and attempts to heal and move on.
Toning down the melodrama and handling better some plot arcs would have been much beneficial, especial for the second half of the story, but Sugisaki Hana's talent and charisma was more than enough to overlook any of these issues.
This young lady is definitely a force to be reckoned with!
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An absorbing story of an unusual friendship between two lonely but very different females: a feisty and independent elderly woman, and an introvert, secret BL manga fan high school girl.
Full of warmth, heart and inspiration, with excellent performances from  Miyamoto Nobuko and Ashida Mana, this film was a pleasant surprise and a very comforting watch.
Highly recommended!
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Between PMS and Panic Disorder what ranks higher in suffering?
A healing slice of life story full of warmth, consideration, compassion and empathy.
An affectionate yet realistic and not overdramatic representation of people suffering from some challenging situations, that find a place to belong, connect, heal and form relationships -not necessarily romantic- that can change their lives.
A soothing, rewarding watch.
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A heart-warming and heart-breaking story of two abandoned siblings and their loyal dog.
Simple but poignant, with fantastic performances from all three leads: Kim Hyang Gi in her debut role when she was only 6 years old, Yoo Seung Ho in one of his first movies and Ma Eum (aka Hearty), a wonderful, talented dog.
Watch with care.
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An adorable time-travelling story with large doses of comedy and romance seasoning.
Fast-paced, inventive and never boring, even though its endless 2 minutes repetitions, this refreshingly unique concept is one more little gem from Yamaguchi Junta and Ueda Makoto duo.
Wholeheartedly recommended high-level entertainment on a low-budget project!
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A masterfully organized chaos in an almost surreal story of a movie within a movie, full of passion, devotion and love for filmmaking.
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Bittersweet, touching and impressively wholesome short movie.
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Refreshingly old-school romcom, with a wonderful pairing and a unique funny approach to some well-known and over-used clichés. A great weekend watch.
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When the story is based in true events and the cast includes Ra Mi Ran and Yeom Hye Ran, who never fail to deliver with any role they're given, the expectations are definitely high.
With many funny, touching, violent and tense moments, this was an entertaining watch, mainly thanks to Ra Mi Ran's down-to-earth and on-point depiction of an ordinary ahjumma that lost everything from a voice phishing scam and takes matters on her own hands, with the help of her friends, trying to find justice and her money back.
Time well-spent.
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A bleak, slow-burn story inspired by a real-life case of a young student's struggling, exploitation and tragic demise, told in two parts.
A piercing social commentary on the crushed hopes and dreams of young people caused by the indifference and derogation they face at their exploitative working environment, as well as the social stigma for those who are unable to 'endure' the suffocating family and societal expectations.
Top-notch performances from Bae Doo Na and Kim Shi Eun, in a difficult but thought-provoking watch.
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Based on true events, this is an inspirational, feel-good and very entertaining sports story about an underdog high school basketball team, full of youth, dreams, talent and hard work that manages to achieve an impossible success.
A perfect weekend watch.
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A heartwarming and inspiring story showing the unbreakable bond between a mother and her mentally challenged child.
Go Doo Shim and Kim Sung Kyun were excellent in their demanding roles, giving justice to their characters without being overly dramatic or exaggerated.
And even if the ending is predictable, I couldn't help but get teary eyes more than once during some heartbreaking and powerful moments.
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A touching story about grieving, loss, making amends and the most difficult and complex relationship: the one between a mother and a daughter, with all the complexities, misunderstandings, complaints, love/hate phases of their relationship and their unbreakable bonding.
With Kim Hae Sook and Shin Min Ah playing the leading roles and a mellow, soothing cinematography, even though the plot was simple, it was full of heart and motherly love - and some great cooking scenes.
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This documentary is a heavily emotional, intimate, difficult to watch story of a loving old couple (the wonderful husband in particular) that effortlessly gives lessons of devotion, sacrifice, perseverance and pure, unconditional love.
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Far more engaging, entertaining and emotional than I expected it to be, this is a worthy continuation of the original Gojira myth and the best way to celebrate his 70th anniversary.
With fantastic special effects, music score and use of Gojira's original majestic roars, as well as a great similarity to the 1954 film's destructive and fearsome atmosphere, this film has also a compelling story to tell, enriched with some piercing social commentaries and large doses of nostalgia.
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A very enjoyable family movie with witty dialogues, predictable but heartwarming plot, nice balance between comic and dramatic moments and, most of all, great chemistry among the three protagonists: Cha Tae Hyun who was a pleasure to watch with his effortless performance, Wang Seok Hyun who was the cutest scene stealer and Park Bo Young who rightfully became a star with her demanding role.
Highly recommended for a weekend watch.
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Adorable flirting between two introverts - super cute and heartwarming.
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A down-to-earth, honest depiction of the complications, frustrations and disappointments of forcing romance and sexual relationships to an aroace person.
Plus, the expectations of marriage for young women of a certain age from their family and friends, addressing them as a failed or incomplete life.
Miura Toko was a brilliant choice for the FL, giving life to her complicated, reserved, solitary character.
Even though it may be slow-paced at times, this film is a refreshing addition to the titles about aroace community, which still remains largely unknown and misunderstood.
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Based on true events of one of S. Korea's darkest moments, this is an intense, engaging political/ military thriller, fast-paced but easy to follow even though its long duration and its numerous characters.
With a tight, dense and coherent plot, masterful direction, storytelling and production, and a superb cast (especially unrecognizable Hwang Jung Min in a blood-boiling role), this movie is a captivating experience for those who want to delve into S. Korea's history.
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The story is predictable, with some obvious cliches, but the adorable dogs and the happiness and fulfillment they bring in everyone's lives were enough reason for this to be an entertaining, heartwarming and feel-good weekend family watch - for dog lovers or not.
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A fast-paced, action-packed story with a unique premise and a great cast.
Though the beginning was funny and light, the second half turned to be darker and more serious than expected.
Overall, it was a very entertaining watch, with no big surprises but not a dull moment either.
Kim Woo Bin was splendid in this tailored-made role, and his camaraderie with Kim Sung Kyun was a pleasure to watch.
Time well-spent.
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Quirky storytelling, snappy filming and a cute couple -played by Sekimizu Nagisa and Takasugi Mahiro- in a peculiar story of second chances, acceptance and compassion, family bonding and healing.
Though it may seem peculiar and zany, I ended up liking this oddball of a family a lot.
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Though a bit slow in the beginning, it soon became an engaging and entertaining action story about haenyeos, smuggling, scheming, betrayal, revenge and a great, badass sismance.
With some great 70s vibes, aesthetics and settings, as well as some wonderful underwater and fighting scenes, the film's biggest advantage was the cast and their teamwork.
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A heartwarming and inspiring short movie with a simple story and a great cast.
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A sweet teen romance with a story with no real surprises but done very well.
Though the FL was frustratingly indecisive, her friendship with her besties and her chemistry, tension and slow-burn romance with cutie pie ML made this an easy and fluffy watch.
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A quirky fusion of historical, alien, sci-fi, fantasy and action genres, spiced with comedy and camaraderie, in a very entertaining outcome.
Great production and special effects, better pacing in a more coherent storytelling, with lots of satisfying action-packed scenes and a a star-studded cast.
A fun, wacky ride!
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Unique, absurd, wild, genre-bending film that was way ahead of its time.
Fast-paced and totally unexpected plot, filled with bloody, darkly funny, tense, disturbing, insane moments.
And, of course, without the impressive performance from Shin Ha Kyun, this would never have been as entertaining and intriguing roller-coaster watching experience as it was.
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This bittersweet, humane story is a piercing social commentary on children poverty and abandonment, bureaucratic prejudice and dysfunctional families, using metaphorically a midsummer drought, water and the lack of it.
With Ikuta Toma in a refreshingly reserved character and two very promising child actresses, this slow-burn film was an interesting watch.
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An impressive neo-noir film, with a tight plot, lots of action and raw violence, and some intriguing plot-twists.
But, its biggest asset was casting Sol Kyung Gu and Yim Si Wan as the main leads: impeccable acting,   fantastic chemistry.
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Bittersweet, melancholic and nostalgic - with a touch of magic - study on afterlife, regrets and making amends.
With a Koreeda-like vibe, wonderful cinematography and a great cast, especially Lily Franky who gave a heartfelt performance as Michael, and a well-balanced emotional impact, this was an interesting watch, even though some characters backstories weren't developed properly.
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One of the few cases when a remake is on par with the original.
An emotional, affectionate story presented in a (not always successful) comedic way, with an unexpected plot-twist and an extremely moving and heartbreaking ending.
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A biographical story about one of the most beloved Japanese authors, Kenji Miyazawa, presented mostly from his father's perspective.
Beautifully directed and shot, though with more melodrama than necessary, it was an interesting and very touching watch, mainly due to its protagonist, Koji Yakusho and Suda Masaki, their exemplary versatility, chemistry and bonding.
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With a piercing, absolute scene-stelling performance from child actress Osawa Kana, this is a sad, difficult to watch slice-of-life story about a ‘rebellious’, lonely, neglected preteen girl in a dysfunctional family, and her unsuccessful attempts to get noticed, understood and loved.
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An enigmatic and complex story which is stylistically beautiful -with idyllic landscapes and forestry around an 'untouched' isolated village- dressed with impressively well-fitted music, but with an incoherent and confusing storytelling, and a very cryptic ending.
A demanding but rewarding watch.
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I thought this was a gangster story with some comic elements, but instead I found out that this is a gangster story with some philosophical elements and, of course, lots of action, violence and an unexpected twist.
Ethan Juan did a great job portraying a dying violent and arrogant gangster who could also show despair, remorse, compassion and make you sympathize with him and (some of) his actions.
With some beautifully choreographed and filmed fighting scenes and a fast paced editing, this is an intense action story, as well as a very interesting character study of a tough criminal and his frantic journey of posthumous fame and redemption.
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Bleak, overwhelming and extremely infuriating, this is a thought-provoking and piercing social commentary on many serious matters young people encounter, such as spreading rumours, emotional abuse, bullying, social isolation, sexual harassment, rape, suicide and their aftermath.
With deliberately dry filming, sharp editing and natural acting, this isn't an easy watch, but it sure leaves a strong, long-lasting impression.
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Better than the 2nd movie and probably as good as the 1st one, this 3rd movie was equally focused on the warfare and the epic battles, as well as the characters and their backstories.
Ohki, with his truly impressive demeanor, and Eisei, with his remarkable character depth, were the most interesting characters in this fast-paced, action-packed story.
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A quiet, considerate and very realistic character study of a reserved middle-aged man in crisis  before his retirement, who is forced to reflect on his life, his attitude and decisions.
Veteran actor Ken Mitsuishi delivered beautifully the multilayered introspective character of the protagonist, making this dialogue-heavy story an absorbing watch.
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With vivid colors and a mellow tone, this is a predictable tearjerking story of a bittersweet romance told in a unique, very engaging and healing way.
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Though there was nothing out of the box or unpredictable, this was an entertaining, fun and easy watch thanks to the great cast, the fast pacing and the nice combination of comedy and action.
Great for a family movie night.
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Beautifully filmed, with a stunning Dilraba Dilmurat in it!
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Lighthearted romcom with some laugh-out-loud moments and some touching ones.
A simple and predictable story in a rather unbalanced outcome, but overall enjoyable thanks to its great, talented cast and cameos.
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With unconventional filming, using vibrant colouring and stylish setting, and different timelines that eventually intertwine, this is a women-centered story about love, desire, traumas, dreams and meaningful connections.
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A post-apocalyptic action movie, with beautifully choreographed fight scenes, lots of blood, gore and brutality, in a familiar setting and a predictable outcome.
But even if the story isn't much, watching Ma Dong Seok do his stuff, smashing villains here and there, is always a pure enjoyment!
P.S. It seems that Ahn Ji Hye is a powerful and very promising addition to the action genre, with some wonderful fight stunts.
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A cruel and honest depiction of the depths of desperation defectors and refugees have to face while seeking a place to belong.
Not bad, but could have been much better if the pacing and the storytelling of the first part wasn't swept away by the forced romance that wasn't romancing during the second half.
Nonetheless, it was nice to see Song Joong Ki in this challenging role.
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Even though the blend of comedy with extreme school bullying didn't sit well with me, and most of the story was exaggerated, I really enjoyed Shin Hye Sun's kickass character and performance in this.
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Ambitious premise, with a blend of paranormal, folklore and historical elements, spiced with lots of mystery, suspense and gore.
Though the cast and the production team did a great job, the storytelling could have been more engaging and less confusing, and the characters better fleshed out.
Entertaining but not standing out.
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An interesting neo-noir crime film with a vintage atmosphere, captivating performances and a wonderful grainy cinematography, that covers any flaws of the confusing and underdeveloped whodunnit element of the storytelling.
Recommended for arthouse cinema lovers.
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A slow-paced melodrama, with coming of age and found family elements, about a mourning girl and her swindler estranged uncle.
The s tory wasn't anything extraordinary, but Lee Jae In and Uhm Tae Goo made a nice pairing.
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Set at the of the 18th century in a rural tiny village of farmers that suffer from long famine, this is the story of an outcast young girl and her desperate cry for survival, hope and dignity.
Using a minimal plot mixed with folklore elements, it explores some of the darkest sides of humanity during dire, life threatening times.
The solid, powerful performance from Yamada Anna, as well as the poetically beautiful forest scenery, were the best advantages of this slow-paced and emotionally charged movie.
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A funny, heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship, with lots of melodies and cacophonies, comic and dramatic moments.
The storytelling could have been much better and the characters more properly fleshed out, but overall the movie was enjoyable thanks to the great chemistry between rookie Saito Jun and veteran Ayano Go, whose performance was totally on point even though his voice was hilariously off beat.
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With wonderful cinematography of rural Taiwan and mostly a non-professional cast, this quiet, respectful slice-of-life film tells the story of an indigenous dysfunctional family, and serves as a social commentary about the disappearance of the traditional way of life.
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The directing debut of actor Cho Hyun Chul is an affectionate and emotionally heavy coming-of-age story of two young girls that examines their friendship, hidden emotions and frustrations.
With a hazy cinematography, a slow-paced but tense storytelling and many symbolisms that sometimes make the story hard to follow, this film is a sad experience, especially for those who know the real tragedy involved.
Watch with caution.
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Told in flashbacks and from different perspectives, this is the triggering and emotionally charged story of a young school girl and the suffocating relationship with her mother.
With an indie vibe, a nicely blended element of investigation and a subplot that worked as a means of catharsis, this was a difficult but thought-provoking watch.
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A sweet tribute to grandparents, their harsh lives and unconditional love.
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An awkward and heavy watch about loss and grief caused by an unbearable tragedy, and the alienation, lack of communication, selfishness, prejudices, lying and dysfunctional relationships revealed during its aftermath.
Intentionally quiet, reserved, mundane and slow-paced, this is not an easy watch and definitely not for everyone.
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The rainbow of love in a touching story less than 3 minutes long.

Fast-paced and intense story of escape/survival, with Nakajima Yuto giving a commendable one-man show, which balanced some plot-holes here and there, as well as the questionable plot-twist in the end.
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An easygoing school romance story, with some proper coming-of-age and healing elements.
Predictable, simple and cute.
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A women-centered story that tackles some heavy subjects, such as domestic abuse, economic migration and gender inequality, in a bleak, intense and subtractive way.
Despite the neo-noir vibes and the stylish filming, the sexual tension and an electrifying green-haired Lee Joo Young, this film isn't something memorable, thanks to its weak storytelling and predictable narration.
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A subtle, slow-paced drama set  in Hong Kong during the early days of the pandemic.
With a wonderful cinematography and a quiet, mellow tone, it portrays the financial struggles, anxiety and frustrations of its two protagonists, trying to survive in the new cruel reality of covid-era.
Though the melodrama towards the end could have been avoided, the tangible atmosphere of a period no one wants to ever experience again made this a nice watch.
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A decent courtroom/crime thriller with some interesting twists, that unfortunately suffered from a flat, dry storytelling and mundane cinematography. Not bad, but not memorable either.
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A whimsical story of love and search for happiness told in a peculiar and unconventional way.
With interesting performances from Nakatani Miki and Abe Hiroshi, and a clearly unbalanced tone between the three distinctive act plots, this was a flawed but entertaining watch.
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With a wonderful cinematography and a mellow music score, this slow-paced story with minimal dialogues and a subtle, melancholic tone, is about two lonely grieving people that find solace and a lending ear in each other's company.
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A bittersweet story with melancholic vibes about a sad adult love through which two lonely, burdened people find comfort and fleeting moments of happiness.
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A peculiar film, with a controversial story about Buddhism, monks, sins, merits, moral conscience, ghosts and horror elements.
Though it was initially banned, it was released in theaters, after several scenes were edited out, but was still prohibited for those under 18.
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A decent but very predictable crime/action story that follows every classic film noir trope found in korean cinema during the last decades.
Park Sung Woong was convincing in his role and, even if the plot wasn't tightly woven and some arcs felt forced (especially the romance), it may be an entertaining watch for gangster genre lovers.
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The story isn't something new: a middle-level gangster in a midlife crisis decides to run his own business venture and discovers who are his friends and foes on the way.
More character-driven than action-packed, it's a decent watch for gangster genre lovers.
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Being poor and homeless is a harsh reality no one wants to experience and, if there's an sick infant in the equation, this can be a real nightmare.
"Homeless" is a social drama with an intriguing premise and two leads that manage to embody the struggles and desperation of their characters remarkably well. Though the ending could have been more impactful, this is an interesting watch.
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Though it had some nice and sweet moments,  warm cinematography with cosy vibes and beautiful scenery, overall it felt bland and unbalanced and wasn't as good as I expected, given the cast and the pairing. Not bad, but not memorable either.
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Jung Woo Sung's directorial debut is a decent gangster story with some nice fighting and car chasing scenes.
The competent cast and the impressive camerawork make up for what is lacking in terms of plot and originality, but I have to admit that the best advantage of this movie and what made it entertaining is Kim Nam Gil and his psycho character!
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A bit confusing in the beginning, but emotional and thought-provoking in the end.
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Slow-paced and quiet, this is an allegoric story about the passage of time, the disconnection between past and present, and the loss of memory as a result of the rapid economic development of our times.
Though a bit confusing and difficult to follow sometimes, the outstanding cinematography and the considerate, almost fragile tone made this an interesting watch.
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Based on an old Dangun legend, this was a bit outdated, kind of 90s style comedy that didn't rely much on its simple, silly story or the caricature characters, but mainly on the veteran cast and especially Park Sung Woong and his dual role.
It had some entertaining moments, but nothing memorable.
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Fast-paced, with a nice mixture of comic, dramatic and action scenes, exemplary CGI effects and an experienced cast, in a predictable, superficial story that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Still enjoyable for what it is, but not nothing memorable.  
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A high expectations movie which resulted in a lot of wasted potential: a talented cast performing one-dimensional characters, a thought-provoking premise in a convoluted storytelling, a flawed plot with more questions than answers given.
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I watched this unprepared, meaning I didn't know it was Miike Takashi's work.
It definitely wasn't as violent, wicked, gory, fast-paced as his previous works, but it definitely had many of his signature elements.
Engaging though a bit chaotic story, with some interesting twists and a few holes in the plot, intriguing performances and exemplary production.
But, I have to admit that, overall, this film didn't add anything significant or very memorable to the genre, though it's good enough for Miike fans.
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Haven't watched the original, but I have the feeling that this movie was a lost opportunity.
With an intriguing concept, a great cast and engaging visuals, but a convoluted execution that created more questions than answers, and some plot-twists that served no clear purpose.
It could have been so much better...
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Zooming in on life can feel so soothing and cathartic.
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With a story focusing on S. Korea's rigid and extremely competitive school system, with all the typical tropes involved, such as bullying, privileged kids and outcast kids, teachers and parents manipulation etc., this was a dark, triggering and demanding watch.
The non-linear and rather confusing narration, the one-dimensional characters without proper background stories and motivations that made it difficult to empathize with, as well as the use of too many predictable cliches and far-fetched plot tools made this film fall short despite its intriguing premise and the talented young actors in the cast.
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Intense, fast-paced and impressive (though a bit confusing) short that had a documentaristic approach, but felt more like a teaser than a complete story.
It could have worked better if it was longer.
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A teacher/students inspirational story, with some cute child actors that make up for the simple, underdeveloped story. Nothing memorable but an okay one-time watch.
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Despite the promising premise and the cast, this longer than needed film and its main characters felt a bit off, less quirky and more lagging than expected. Not bad, but nothing memorable.
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Fluffy, sugary school romance, with a cliche fake-dating story and cute cast.
Nothing demanding or frustrating, just an easy light watch.
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Bleak, heavy and unnecessarily confusing stories of loss and grieving.
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Intriguing concept with comforting and healing vibes, that tackles some serious matters, but the outcome is definitely lacking and the characters not properly fleshed-out.
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A slow-paced story balancing unsuccessfully between sports and family genres.
In fact, it turned out to be more of a melodrama, with many forced over-dramatic scenes which, unfortunately, weren't the ones on the ring, as they were expected to be.
Asahina Aya and her admirable bravery to pick this role for her movie leading debut was the only saving grace.
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Weak story, one-dimensional characters and some non-sensical plot-twists in a below average movie that was saved only by veteran, kick-ass, gorgeous Uhm Jung Hwa, who carried the whole project on her shoulders.
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Slow-paced, a bit unfocused and disjointed in some of its subplots, with characters not very adequately fleshed out, and a plot that feels underdeveloped and unbalanced between its heavy and satirical moments. But overall a well-intended and mostly optimistic story about a group of movie lovers trying to overcome their hurdles and get their lives together.
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A peculiar, dreamlike film with a mellow tone, elegant cinematography of beautiful Nagano's landscapes and eloquent performances form the cast, especially Sakaguchi Kentaro and Ichikawa Mikako.
However, the extremely slow and mundane pace, the long duration, the fragmented narration -full of mystery and symbolisms that are never fully explained thus difficult to fully understand or make sense- and its vague intentions make this a challenging watching experience.
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Though its quirky and promising premise, it was too short for the story to be properly developed.
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