Reviews

"Family is what you make of it"

Twinsters is one example of the internet and social media being used for good. After taking part in a YouTube video, American actress Samantha Futerman was contacted by a French woman living in London named Anais Bordier. The woman’s profile pic looked eerily familiar. Both women were adopted. Both women were born on November 19, 1987 in Busan. And both women looked exactly alike!

This documentary followed Sam making contact with her sister and their journey toward learning more about themselves and their past. Sam grew up with two brothers and feeling accepted at home and school. Anais was an only child and often felt lonely and had anger issues when she was young. She was taunted at school for being adopted and different and did not feel accepted. Both women were excited and nervous about meeting the other. Sam and her family visited Anais and her family in London. Anais later visited Sam in Los Angeles. The sisters traveled to Korea to do more research into their past. Sam had been to Korea before to gain information and had met her foster mom. This time Anais would be able to do the same and discover maybe she’d been loved and cared for more than she’d ever known.

The Twins Study Center did the DNA testing for Sam and Anais as well as testing them for similarities and differences. When in Korea the two women attended the International Korean Adoptees Association gathering where their birth country welcomed them. It was heartwarming to watch two sisters go from not hugging to holding hands and embracing each other. They faced the ups and downs of their adoption stories together and in the process found that they were surrounded by more love than they thought possible.

“Family is what you make of it. There is no definition.”

12 October 2024

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Confusing stuff

The movie "Pilot" reminded me of Korean movies from the 2000s that, through comedy, dealt with various sociological topics, i.e., they used different cultural themes to promote social values (Scandal Makers, Punch, A Man Who Was Superman, Quick, 200 Pounds Beauty, Penny Pinchers, The Quiz Show Scandal, Save the Green Planet, Highway Star, Mr. Housewife … well, I could count the movies for days). The point is that this movie stylistically fits into the Korean cinema how I remember it.

Unfortunately, this movie disappointed me in many segments. I expected more piloting from a movie with such a title. Also, it doesn't work as a comedy. Personally, I only laughed twice, and both times because of the mother's phone, when she calls and when she answers the phone, but never because of the main theme of a man pretending to be a woman. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned here, but those scenes mostly felt distasteful and unconvincing to me. I was especially disappointed that a child was brought into that theme. However, the movie's resolution does show a good message and gives some thought about the sociological reasons why someone pretends to be something they are not. The movie tries to stay in the middle, but in doing so, it satisfies neither the traditional audience (me) nor, I assume, the modern (progressive woke) audience. Still, I commend the movie for opening up this topic and offering us something for discussion.

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Gay teenager in 1990s Japan

This is not the usual school drama or movie we see these days. Usual school issues actually play little part in it (apart from one. instance touching on bullying). It starts as a realistic film of confused adolescent emotions in mainly school setting into which we are gradually introduced to a dark side of gender identity, sexual violence (Aihara, a female student transferred after being raped) and repression but especially the struggle for identity of a gay teenager, Ito, worked around his feelings for a classmate(Yoshida) in a still non-accepting society in the 1990s (though unhappily not so much changed 30 years later) an object of scorn by other students and his father( who still thinks he can be medically "cured" ), the movie climaxes (no pun intended) in a surreal meeting of the three on a beach in which the conventional boundaries are crossed this is a nuanced movie where the dark erotic instincts, feelings, motivations swirling in the protagonists are brought to the surface slowly but finally only in the dark isolation of a nocturnal seashore (the grains of sand) and yet still remain unresolved as they return to their habitual lives very good exploration of these difficult issues and must have been ground-breaking in 1990s Japan 〜

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A Movie that captivates the soul

This left such an incredibly deep impression on me that even now, as I reminisce and try to write a review, I have tears in my eyes. I've watched the film several times and will probably never get enough. It’s a beautifully heartfelt film with outstanding performances from everyone. When I first watched it, I was left with an intense and beautiful feeling about life, friendship, love, and the moment. I thought to myself that each of us has our own "Isle of Capri song" moment, one in which we’d like to stay forever, where we feel alive, strong, and happy. And even though it's not possible—or maybe precisely because it’s not possible—we should deeply cherish every such moment that comes our way. We should live it, not hesitate, maybe even take risks. That same moment will never return.

The creators play with time here—from the perspective of time travel, aging, waiting for love—allowing the viewer to think and feel. Love is beautiful, crazy, patient, painful, and cruel, but above all, eternal. It can endure through time, transcend illness, and heal the soul. It can be the only thing that keeps a person going. All the relationships in this film are so real and well-developed. How difficult it must have been to love someone of the same gender in 1991, or how hard it must have been to wait for your love for 31 years. Just as a son who can't understand his aging father, who is slipping away from reality, but with knowledge of the past, suddenly truly understand and love him. (The scene of the son bathing his father in 2022 is probably my absolute favorite, as is the ending itself).

I was completely absorbed by it in every way—whether by the beautiful scenes, the theme of time travel, the cast, the costumes, or the music. I don’t categorize this film as BL, or a gay film, or even an Asian film; it belongs in the general category of all films and has become one of my absolute favorites. It is my wish for this film to reach as many viewers as possible. It’s true that not everyone may understand it, or not on the first viewing, but the creators made it in such a way that we cannot say who understands it and who doesn’t. Everyone can perceive it in their own way; everyone can see something different in it, or a different detail may matter to them. It can evoke different questions and answers in each person—or perhaps leave them unanswered—but emotionally, I believe most people will agree that it touches the soul. It is unique and exceptional. And I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to recommend it to absolutely everyone.

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for you romantic Junkie

need to fill the C letter in my 2024 Alphabet Movie Challenge. So I choose this. Haha.... Turn out to be one of the best romantic movie that I've watch this year...

Story about Gabriela Benedictos Dela Cuesta (Gab). If MDL describe her as "close to perfect girl", my word is a woman who try to be the perfect one, perfect daughter for her mom, perfect girl for her boyfriend. That's make her have some hidden desire. One day Gab met Jose Ibarra Garcia Gonzales Jr. (Dos) in a friend wedding. They end up going to the after party & because of drunk, they get married.

That's when everything kinda not make sense. I don't know about Philippine law regarding married, but this marriage is even more chaotic than every Hollywood drunk married, cause Gab or Dos not even go to church or court house to make their marriage official. So I completely don't understand how they're legally married in the first place.

But anyhow...

Skip to 1 year later, since their married accident. Gab get proposed by her 6-year boyfriend & she accepted it. (But from the look at Gab face, we actually already know how that will end up.... Haha...) The next day Gab get a letter from the courthouse that stated that she's married to Dos. Gab try to dig her mind to remember the event. & thankfully Gab still have Dos number, so Gab contacted Dos to annul their married.

Now about Dos...

Dos falling in love at the first sight with Gab. But when Gab contacted him about their marriage he also shock. But regardless Dos agreed to meet Gab to talk about their married. Upon their meeting, Dos get to remember how pretty Gab is & he fall in love again with her. But anyhow, Gab still insisted that their marriage should be annul cause Gab want to married her boyfriend.

But of course this still a romantic movie right. So, with Gab & Dos start to be connected. That's evoke the hidden feeling in their heart. Gab also be awaken about the problem with her own relationship. But how this will end up in the end...? Will Gab receive Dos hand in marriage or will she free herself from all the relationship...?

That's pretty much about the movie. Now let's talk about what I like and don't.

What I like:
+ As usual, Kathryn Bernardo & Daniel Padilla chemistry never can go wrong
+ How to be honest with urself

What I don't like:
- To make everything romantic regardless any logic. Like the marriage of Gab & Dos

Overall this one of the perfect romance movie for you who are romance junkie

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Literally screamed at the end!!!

WOW, thos show went from extremely mid and quite slow paced to heart racing anxiety. Hard watch as the topic of the main case is a excruciatingly hard for anyone who cares about kids, I’m not gonna say anymore, but you know this goes on in the world and sadly its a big business that makes a lot of nasty evil people very rich.

I did think at first they spend all the budget on Woobin, which you know will get you views. But the energy definitely steps up and you will be on the edge of your seat.

For those of us who are MASSIVE fans of Designated Survivor there is the very best of surprises at the end and I literally screamed my hubby was extremely confused as he hasn’t seen it. I am a fan however and loved loved loved it!!!

Best President of South Korea, the only one in my eyes lol.

Not sure I’d rewatch. I don’t honestly want to be reminded of what evil sick men do for money, but Woobin and the rest of the cast did great.

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The Kid from Kwang Tung starred Wong Yu, not exactly a household name even in kung fu circles. The story was a bit of a mess. What it lacked in star power and coherency it tried to make up with fists and kicks. With very little wire-fu the fights came early and often.

He Jia Yu is always getting into fights with brothers Wu De Bao and Wu De Zhi from a rival school. Also in town is Chen Xiaowei and her mother who are fleeing from Luo Yihu and his gang who are taking down schools and fighters. When Yihu comes to town the bodies start dropping. Jia Yu and friends will have to up their skills if they want to stay alive.

The first half of this film was slapstick comedy and pranks that began to wear thin. If not for the promise of hopping vampires I would have dropped it. There was a creative fight competition between a chicken and a centipede. Which eventually led to hopping vampire action on a bet later on. Hwang Jang Lee as Luo Yihu had a black cat and could power up when his eyes glowed green. I love watching Thunderleg in action. He didn’t need wires for his high-flying kicks. Wong Yu was quick and acrobatic, a good foil for the hard kicking baddie. Yen Shi Kwan as Yihu’s mentor was always dependable and had a strong fight with Hwang. Sharon Yeung’s fight choreography made use of her limberness, but she wasn’t believable as a lethal fighter. The final fight between Wong Yu and Hwang Jang Lee was quite creative. I’ve never seen incense used in that manner.

Kid from Kwang Tung was moderately entertaining, perhaps more so if you enjoy slapstick comedy. The comedy didn’t work for me, especially when the good guys kept getting brutally killed. What did work? Hwang Jang Lee was worth the price of admission. That and a half dozen hopping vampires. As always, rated on a curve for old kung fu flicks.

11 October 2024

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A HEARTBREAKING YET BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED FILM

*Uprising* is a heartbreaking yet beautifully crafted film that takes us on an emotional journey through the friendship of Jong-Ryeo and Cheon-Yeong, set in a time of brutal class divisions in historical Korea. The plot centers on how the rigid social hierarchy affects their lives, particularly Cheon-Yeong, a slave who is forced to endure countless hardships in place of Jong-Ryeo.
What starts as a cruel situation—Cheon-Yeong being beaten in Jong-Ryeo’s stead—evolves into a deep bond. Despite the fact that Cheon-Yeong isn’t born a slave, his family’s downfall forces him into this role, and it's his strength and refusal to accept the established hierarchy that makes him stand out. When he begins secretly teaching Jong-Ryeo how to fight, the dynamics between the two change, leading to a friendship that feels genuine despite the social disparity.
However, the film doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of their world. Even after helping Jong-Ryeo win a prestigious sword-fighting competition, Cheon-Yeong is denied his freedom by Jong-Ryeo’s father, who breaks the promise of releasing him from slavery. This betrayal deeply scars Cheon-Yeong, though Jong-Ryeo still tries to protect him by sending him off to fight the Japanese invaders, hoping this will finally earn him his freedom. The film is filled with these moments of hope and crushing disappointment.
After years of fighting, Cheon-Yeong returns home only to find the world he left behind in ruins. Jong-Ryeo’s family home has been burned down by the people who suffered under the oppressive rule of his father. In one of the film’s most gut-wrenching moments, Cheon-Yeong tries to save Jong-Ryeo’s wife and son from the flames, but she refuses his help out of pride, seeing him as a slave rather than a person who might save her life. Her death serves as a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained social prejudice was, even to the point of self-destruction.
The climax of *Uprising* sees a tragic reunion between Jong-Ryeo and Cheon-Yeong after seven years of separation. Jong-Ryeo, unaware of the full story, initially believes Cheon-Yeong is responsible for his wife and son's deaths. Their final confrontation is tense, but as the truth is revealed, the film shifts focus from their conflict to a bittersweet reconciliation. Just when they finally resolve their long-standing misunderstanding, Jong-Ryeo is mortally wounded in battle against the Japanese. Cheon-Yeong kills the Japanese leader, Genshin, in a satisfying act of revenge, but it’s too late to save Jong-Ryeo.
In Jong-Ryeo’s final moments, he asks Cheon-Yeong if they’re still friends, referencing an earlier lighthearted exchange from their youth. It’s a poignant moment that captures both the tragedy and beauty of their relationship. Despite everything that has happened, the film shows that love and loyalty can persist, even in death. This scene is devastating, but it offers closure, showing that their bond was real despite the cruel world they lived in.
On a larger scale, *Uprising* also critiques the corruption of the ruling class, embodied by King Seonjo, whose greed and cowardice lead to the suffering of the common people. His alliance with the Japanese and subsequent desertion of his own throne during the invasion sparks the uprising that defines the film. The subplot involving Seonjo and the infamous Japanese leader Genshin, known as the “nose-snatcher,” adds layers of historical context and brutality to the narrative. In a symbolic twist, Seonjo’s greed is punished when the treasure he’s promised turns out to be boxes of human body parts—noses, to be precise—reflecting the horrors of war and the consequences of his betrayal.
In the end, Cheon-Yeong and a few of his fellow survivors form a new community, symbolically named “Beom Dong,” meaning “A world together.” It’s a hopeful note to close the film on, but *Uprising* doesn’t let the audience forget the price paid for such unity. The film leaves you with a lingering sense that although there’s hope for change, the struggle against social inequality is far from over.
*Uprising* masterfully balances personal and political themes, offering a powerful meditation on friendship, loyalty, and the fight for justice. It’s a tearjerker that hits hard, especially as it reveals the lasting impact of societal divisions, even as it tries to inspire hope for a better future.

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Great acting working in a really short movie.

It's good, I really enjoyed it and I cried like a baby bc of Tang Wei's arc. Meanwhile, it lacks time to construct each storyline they showed to us through the movie.
What exactly happened with the woman who created it and her parents? What did Gong Yoo mean to Tang Wei in the movie? What happened with Suzy's and Bogum's arc? Did they start to work out their problems? It left us hanging onto something we won't know and it's kinda frustrating. I don't really care about the sci-fi aspects, yeah it's very fantasious, but like nothing serious, it's still a very touching movie.

And what really happened with the guy and his grandma like???? I get it, she died, but how did the system turned out to be that person when it, at least, should have a personality base? It's confusing.

I really liked the movie, but I wish they worked better with a longer time, it would be better to show about all the storylines they introduced.

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The cream of the crop in cinematic swordsmanship

First screened as the opening film at Busan International Film Festival 2024, this has proven to be a worthy eye-opener, and what's even better than Netflix making it available to watch right away globally. For a movie about swordsmanship, it does have a rather fancy plot that has multiple layers of depth in its character design and geopolitical setting. It was fueled with thick story development in class ideology and royal politics to generate that really serious buildup for the tension before the final fight, that core motivation of the characters may seem a little imprudent at first but it works well and gives a brilliant resolution towards the end. The final fight featuring trio swordsman is seriously the cream of the crop in cinematic martial arts sequence, everything is meticulously measured with the highest precision from tactical details to camera works, the scale is just unbelievably stupendous as it will definitely make you grab on the edge of the seat unknowingly while screaming out of shock when watching.

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"Art should have no borders"

Hanagatami was a labor of love for Director Obayashi Nobuhiko. He’d conceived the film 40 years before filming it. Right before production he received the news he had stage 4 cancer and he went ahead and began it. This film was surrealistically beautiful, cryptic, and a scathing criticism of the 20th century Japanese war machine.

It’s 1941 and seventeen-year-old Toshihiko has returned to Japan from Amsterdam where his mother lives. At his new school he befriends three boys—athletic Ukai, nihilist Kira, and class clown Aso. Toshihiko lives with his aunt and her sister-in-law, the beautiful and dying Mina. The boys are introduced to Mina’s friends, Chitose (Kira’s cousin) and Akine. The youth swim in the ocean, have parties and picnics, attend festivals, and fall in love as befits their age. They also have the sword of war hanging over their heads.

“All you boys will be taken and killed!”
This film set an exhausting pace in the first act. With his extensive use of green screens and special effects some of his choices almost made me dizzy. Toshi was ever exuberant, often to the extreme, which was hard to keep up with. The film eventually settled into a more moderate pace. There were events I wasn’t sure happened or were symbolic. The full moon loomed over the nightly proceedings, bathing everyone in its magical glow. And ghostly military scarecrows came to life and marched while children followed along singing.

“War is hell, but I can’t avoid my own personal hell”
It’s hard for me to call the youth “boys” because in fact the actors were between the ages of 27-42. The girls were closer to their screen ages, most being in their low 20’s. Regardless of their real ages, I had to mentally accept them as teens. They were supposed to be coming of age all the while knowing that they might never make it to manhood. There were homoerotic scenes such as two teens riding a horse naked in the moonlight. And sapphic implied scenes between friends and in-laws. There were plenty of male bare bottoms and women in full nude body suits.

“Seen through the wrong end of a telescope an ordinary scene becomes an ancient history. No, it’s not nostalgia. It’s heartache for all that’s lost.”

Toshi was looking back at his youth in the house his mother and aunt prepared for him. The years had flown by and memory colored in dark nights and filled gaps from old wounds. Friendships were bound by the present and impossible future. Their country had deemed their youth expendable in the name of honor and expansion. There were those who decided if they were being sent to die in a distant land, they could choose a familiar place to end their life. Obayashi drove home every chance he could that Japanese men were born to die in war, a truly useless and tragic thing. At no point was he subtle about his loathing for the 20th century government’s actions and his mourning for the wasted lives and potential. Hanagatami wasn’t an easy film to watch. It was long and maddeningly dream-like. It was also highly creative in showing how teens and their relationships are complex especially when they know they will be forced to grow up and face horrors they can’t escape.

“For Toshihiko, his youth was like a game of hide and seek. It was dark before he knew it and everybody had gone home.”

11 October 2024

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Shin hye sun is my favorite actress

really good film...and this actress is an exceptional actress...she plays wonderfully well...all the roles she plays makes the series or film splendid...I loved this film.... .. I loved the film, it's really very good, as the plot unfolds, we become more and more involved, and the film has very good quality, everything seems very real, it ends up that even we ourselves become sad and with angry, but then he becomes very excited and happy, I really liked it, I highly recommend it, I thought it was a series but then I realized it was a film and honestly I didn't give anything for this film, but it delivered everything, it surprised me, it's very good and cool, the fight scenes are really well done, man this movie is wonderful.

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Suis-je toujours ton ami ?

Les films de Netflix ne sont pas mes préférés (les dramas non plus, d'ailleurs), mais le casting m'a vendu du rêve. De même quant à l'idée de base qui pouvait être originale mêlant amitié, confrontation et invasion japonaise.

Ce n'est pas un film que j'ai envie de revoir une seconde fois, c'est certain. Cependant, il m'a entraîné sur ses deux heures sans aucun problème. Les scènes de combat sont efficaces, menées par Gang Dong Woo, Park Jeong Mon et Jung Sung Il. J'attendais de voir ce trio s'affronter, épées en main, et c'est ce qui est arrivé dans des scènes dynamiques et sanglantes. Après tout, Gang Dong Woo et Jung Sung Il font partie de mes acteurs préférés, j'en attendais tout au spectacle. L'ensemble du casting est excellent - personnages principaux, secondaires et figurants.

En revanche, il est dommage de voir le film délaisser des idées plutôt intéressantes, notamment celles autour du roi Seonjo, qui m'a souvent donné l'impression d'être une autruche aux portes d'une folie subtile, presque inexistante. De plus, j'ai trouvé un manque de profondeurs quant aux dialogues qui sont là, mais ne vibrent pas.

En bref, si l'histoire n'atteint jamais son plus haut niveau, le film sait rester entraînant, sur fond d'invasion japonaise et de révolte du peuple. Le tout avec des scènes de combats pleine d'action, dont une scène finale superbe, malgré une fin en demi-teinte.

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