Reviews

this is such a good japanese drama!

This is the first time I have watched a Japanese film and I certainly don't think it will be the last. Because I really enjoy watching Korean drama most of the time, so why don't I try watching Japanese movies. And I can say that I really love it! I will definitely watch more Japanese films/series. This film is not only about love, but they also show the love between friends and family.

First of all, I'm so touched that the female lead has a misunderstanding between her friends, but in the end they try to resolve it because they say sorry to each other and it shows that they value their friendship. Secondly, the male protagonist struggles between choosing his sport or caring for his grandmother and younger sister. He wants to give up football just to take care of his grandmother. And it shows that the male lead really has love and care for his family. And lastly, the love between the female lead and the male lead was so cutee. Because of their love, they really can't stop themselves from continuing to write in the notebook. Even when they both knew something was wrong, they continued to write in it. I'm more in favor of kpop songs than rock music, but in the Japanese drama I didn't mind the rock music that much.

Their chemistry is so fantastic. I really like it. The female lead is so cute and beautiful and the male lead is so handsome, especially when he smiles. Which spoils their plot. I didn't know you can like someone without knowing them. he fell in love because she wrote a motivation on that desk. But at the end of the story, I understand why the male protagonist loves her, because she gives him the motivation to follow what he wants to do. That was it. I give this Japanese drama a 7 out of 10! :)

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beautiful but underwhelming

incredible acting, gorgeous sound design, and visually stunning, but the story leaves something to be desired.

this film really picks up after about an hour and twenty minutes. after that it's compelling, but that first hour plus dragged. it felt far too long, but the last forty minutes or so are good.

visually this movie is breathtaking. the cinematography, set dressing, and costume design all deserve a shout out. it is a highly textured and detailed aesthetic. it's a shame it wasn't available in my country when it first came out, as I feel it would be beyond beautiful on the big screen.

my big problem with this film is the story. I didn't find it hard to follow as others seem to have, but it takes far too long to get to it's major plot points, and it frankly isn't that interesting. the twists were largely predictable, the characters a little flat, and the ending somewhat disappointing. spoiler, if you're hoping the main bad guy gets his due comeuppance, you will leave disappointed.

overall a movie that is worth watching, and one that reaffirm my belief that be on cloud are a production company to keep an eye on as they find their grove, but frankly, I'd rather rewatch kinnporsche.

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Its a beautiful story

If you’re looking for a romance movie with a happy ending, this is a great pick. I wonder why it took me so long to discover it!

A Quick Look at the Story (Minor Spoilers Ahead):
The movie follows a small-town girl from a middle-class family with little support as she fights to build a better life. No matter how many challenges come her way, she stands strong. But, as we know, life can be tough, and she finds an unlikely ally in a rich, spoiled boy. If you haven’t guessed already, they end up together—but how? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out.

Why This Movie Stands Out:
What made this movie special to me was the pacing and, most notably, the ending. It was epic. The story spans from school years to adulthood, weaving the pieces together seamlessly. The female lead (FL) is highly likable; her strength, determination, and character development are inspiring. By the end of the movie, you feel like you’ve witnessed Jianxia’s personal growth, which is the most rewarding part.

The male lead (ML) is kind at heart, and their school days' friendship blossoming into love is beautifully portrayed. The transition from friendship to romance feels genuine and heartfelt. As the ML once said, he was like a scarf to her: “She could use it when it was cold and put it away when days were warm and sunny.”

The ending is especially satisfying—not the typical tale of a poor girl marrying a wealthy man, but rather a strong, independent woman marrying a man in debt. It’s empowering, showcasing her journey and resilience. And there’s a touch of humor when the ML jokes, “You’ll have to sponsor our honeymoon!”

Final Thoughts:
This movie is impactful, leaving you with a feeling of hope and strength. For me, it’s a solid 9 out of 10.

Happy watching

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Uninspired and Uneventful: '#Alive' Strains to Stay Interesting

"#Alive" presents a modern twist on the zombie genre, weaving in themes of isolation and survival with a subtle nod to current societal challenges. However, while the film has an introspective approach and traces protagonist Oh Joon-woo's evolution from a disconnected gamer to a resilient fighter, it often succumbs to a tedious and monotonous pace, making it difficult to stay engaged.

The addition of lead characters injects a brief spark of energy, emphasizing the importance of human connection during adversity. Their evolving partnership enriches the narrative, but even this can't completely salvage the film from its dull stretches.

The film's innovative use of technology in survival tactics is a commendable attempt at refreshing familiar tropes, but it isn't enough to overcome the overall sense of predictability and lack of excitement. Despite occasional moments of thought-provoking exploration of personal growth amidst chaos, "#Alive" struggles to maintain a compelling narrative, resulting in a rather lackluster experience.

Overall, while "#Alive" offers some interesting ideas, its slow pacing and predictable plot points make it a boring watch for those seeking a thrilling or innovative addition to the zombie genre.

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SIMPLE YET HEART-TOUCHING

I watched this in the cinemas, and one thing I regret is that I didn't bring TISSUES!!!! In each corner of the cinema anyone you see is crying...

STORY:
The plot was simple but beautiful, I can't quite tell what I truly feel, but it's a masterpiece.

ACTING:
Everyone acted natural and great, as if it's true— it makes the film more real and heart touching.

REWATCH VALUE:
I WILL TOTALLY REWATCH THIS SOMEDAY. It's just something...

It just makes you realize things, and the more you understand the more you feel it and just exert emotions. LIKE LITERALLY I couldn't stop crying whenever I think about it deeper!!

P.S. When I got out of the cinema I covered my nose with my hands (I looked like Rudolf)

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Very Avant-Garde and Misunderstood

To be sure it is a stream of consciousness movie of a troubled young gay boy. An allegory. If you observe it as a parable of his journey to discovery, albeit, dark and problematic, it will make a little more sense. If it does not, then simply drink in its utterly fascinating and captivating tale of the imagination and madness of a teenage boy. Admittedly, this movie is confusing and will require your complete attention or perhaps a second go-around. It is that complex. It is that deep and full of hidden meanings. To understand this movie, you need to understand its title. The blue hour is the time between sunrise or after sunset when the sun is low on the horizon and the sky takes on a soft blue color. It deserves to be reviewed more positively than it has.
See my full review at BLBliss.com.

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I absolutely LOVED IT! it's a 24 episode Chinese Drama which is converted in 2.4 hours Movie. It is so entertaining the romance is on point and if you keep watching you won't be disappointed. Very interesting script. From the beginning to the ending ,it was mind blowing. The chemistry between the main characters where very nice and strong. I watched it because of the kid at first. But then it lead me to wanna watch more because of the male lead. He is very handsome, gentle and not the typical style of CEO. The storyline is so different from normal love drama. More talking about how to cure the kid's trauma and the female lead involving next. They both looks very cute and sweet after they got fall in love.

The only part I'm not satisfy is the show kinda rushed it ending, where they only have 24 episodes I felt they rushed the ending. Especially episode 23. I definitely would have expected more exposure of the main lead trauma, since it has been the center of our focus since the inception of the Drama. I felt we needed more closure. it was wrapped up too fast. Humor, romance, storyline, production everything was perfect in this show but I felt like they will expand the story just a little more it would be be better but that's not the case.

Overall I would definitely recommend you this show. It does not 100% show couple love but more towards a happy family love. I really love it.???

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A must watch movie.

I heard many people talking about this movie and saying that it was amazing so I was worried it would fulfil my expectations but, to my surprise, it did, and it even OUTDID my expectations. A great movie.

I would like to give my review by categories:

Story: Even though this might seem like some other movie about bullying, the story goes deeper than that. The message of the full story is crucial, since this topic, bullying, still happens to this day. But this movie also talks about money problems, abandoned kids, school pressure... And the way the story flows is top-tier. I am a big fan of movies starting with a scene from the present, then going to the past where everything happens and then at the end, the first scene from the present. Even though is the same scene, it feels as if it was a completely different scene, it now holds a meaning, a history, a past, and everything changes. The story is also bittersweet, I wouldn't be able to tell if it's sad or happy, I felt both, even at the same time. That's the taste of this movie, and that's the taste of our world. Life is bittersweet, so it is this movie. They portrayed the meaning of life, and most importantly, the life of teenagers, perfectly.

Acting: The cast couldn't have been better. The female lead and the male lead were impressive. The had chemistry even though the barely had scenes having long conversations, and that's because the communicated through their eyes. Both actors were outstanding at being able to say so many things with their eyes. They showed their hearts and it made it all feel warmer and closer, deeper. I would also like to highlight the acting of Zhou Ye, who interpreted Wei Lai, and it's the way she was expressionless most of the time. Her eyes showed nothing but a hole, a nothing, and that's exactly the inside of that character, a girl who has just the same thoughts as her mother and is nothing but a girl without personality, without a persona. Every actor and actress on this was breathtaking, simply amazing.

Music: Overall, the music was good along with each scene, but I do indeed remember one scene were there was a choking change of music that didn't fit for me. I think that music was not one of the most important things in this movie, since it feels more like this kind of movie where you don't really need music, but to hear the background noise, to submerge yourself more into it.

Rewatch value: High, very high. I will probably be rewatching this in a few months when I would have forgotten some scenes and be able to have a little bit of a feeling of watching it for the first time. I also heard that this is based on a novel, so I would also love to read the novel, which I also have big expectations for.

Overall: I belive everything is said. This movie was amazing, it is going to my top favourites right now. I literally don't have enough words to describe how good this movie was. And the ending was also incredible.
So to anyone who hasn't watch it, I would recommend to do it soon, the only thing you are going to reggeret is not being able to watch it for the first time again.

So please watch it and enjoy. Prepare some tissues as well hehe, but you will see, what a masterpiece this is.

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Questo film non è una semplice perla nascosta : è una intera collana di perle !

SHADOW del maestro cinese Zhang Yimou è una storia di intrighi di corte cosparsa di duelli ornati e vertiginosi, dalla forma così esorbitante da far apparire la pur ottima serie "Shogun" quasi un prodotto amatoriale (sto esagerando... ma fino a un certo punto).
Sono passati quasi quarant'anni da quando i registi cinesi della Quinta Generazione, come Zhang e Chen Kaige hanno dato vita a un movimento di modernizzazione attraverso tecniche sperimentali ed espressione personale. Ma in tutto questo tempo, non c'è mai stato nulla di simile, una variazione della stilizzazione wuxia (film di arti marziali) con un radicato simbolismo Yin-Yang che si insinua nei personaggi, nei temi, nelle ambientazioni e nell'estetica del film.
La dinamica di buio e luce, femminile e maschile, passivo e attivo, nobiltà e contadini e, in questo caso, di reale e ombra, si ritrova nel design e nella storia di SHADOW. Ne imbeve ogni sequenza. Ogni personaggio è contrassegnato da un colore predominante che condivide somiglianze visive con il suo opposto, riconoscendo il rapporto duale Yin-Yang.
Come suggerisce il titolo è un intero film in scala di grigi. Un film affascinante che non smette mai di stupire con la sua trama di lealtà, tradimento e potere. E poi nel finale una coreografia di arti marziali che è poesia del corpo, estasi del movimento, perfezione del gesto.
In un'epoca in cui le aspettative per lo spettacolo sul grande schermo sono diminuite e i "contenuti" hanno sostituito il cinema, ci vuole un maestro per ricordarci ciò che è andato perduto.
Vedere per credere. Su PRIME

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Fleurs séchées

Quand on se plonge dans un film romantique avec en tête d'affiche Suda Masaki et Arimura Kasumi, on sait où on met les pieds. On recherche un happy end après des" fuis-moi, je te suis" sur une durée de deux heures. Mais les deux amoureux, représentant le couple parfait de la génération Z font tout à l'envers et ils vont vous apprendre ce qu'est une histoire d'amour d'aujourd'hui…, au cas où vous n'auriez pas compris la chanson.

Ce mec (et cette fille) est too much
Comme la majorité des spectateurs, c'est pour ce couple d'acteurs à qui on voudrait tous ressembler qu'on s'intéresse à la milliardième histoire d'amour filmée. Et si comme moi, les films TV américains diffusées l'après-midi, vous glacent le sang par leur médiocrité et leur mièvrerie, vous serez dans un premier temps déçu par les premières minutes de cette rencontre bien trop téléfilm de Noël. Car, mon Dieu, que c'est Too Much. Dans les points communs de ces deux étudiants, dans leur côté "seules à se comprendre" et leur petit air supérieur face à ceux qui ne comprennent rien à l'art. Les mêmes films, les mêmes livres, la même musique…, les mêmes chaussures. Tout dans ce couple transpire le faux, tellement ils ont de points de commun. À tel point, justement, que je me suis demandé si l'un deux n'était pas psychopathe et n'avait pas fait de recherche sur l'autre avant de se rencontrer. Encore, ... dans le genre chilhood lovestory, on observe discrètement un peu l'autre un petit moment, ce qui aurait pu donner un côté plus réaliste. Mais on comprend assez vite que c'est le parti pris de la production, d'exagérer la symbiose entre les deux, afin de toucher le plus profondément possible à l'âme humaine.

Les histoires d'amour finissent mal, en général
Ce sont en effet des questionnements sur l'amour parfait, passionnel, construit sur la durée, le bonheur en général et l'usure du temps qui sont au cœur de l'intrigue. Car intrigue il y a ! Puisque dès les cinq premières minutes, on a compris que le couple est maintenant séparé et que le film va en retracer l'historique. L'image du bouquet, que l'on retrouve souvent dans la littérature, le cinéma ou la chanson, est évidemment hautement symbolique. Pour ne citer que Dryflower de Yuri et sa minisérie dérivée, ces belles fleurs représentant la jeunesse, s'accordant parfaitement, mais vouées à flétrir une fois déraciné et associé dans ce vase qu'est l'appartement commun. C'est horrible, évidement, de résumer l'amour ainsi, mais le film retrace parfaitement les étapes de la vie de couple. De la découverte de l'autre, dans un contexte étudiant, plein de rêve sur l'avenir et puis le retour à la réalité d'une vie de couple, pour ne pas dire de famille, ordinaire. Un début de vie professionnel plan plan, mais nécessaire pour simplement manger et qui change cette perspective et les comportements de chacun.

La passion ou la raison
Rien de nouveau donc dans ses histoires, mais l'interprétation est assurément magistrale, avec des changements de personnalité glaçants après les avoir trouvés tous tellement mignons. Des questionnements sur des faits de société qui touchent tout l'occident sont habillement distillés. La condition féminine, la famille, l'indépendance,... j'en passe et des meilleurs.
Une dernière partie vraiment touchante débouchant sur une fin qui vous fera tellement vous liquéfiez que soit vous abandonnerez l'amour pour toujours, soit vous n'arrêtera pas de le chercher. Chacun pourra voir une partie de sa vie défiler, à 20 ans, 30 ans ou 70 ans. C'est la force de ce film qui commence par une exagération des sentiments, comme peut l'être son premier béguin, pour terminer avec une subtilité et une sensibilité que peut partager un très très vieux couple. Et comme le chante si bien Suda Masaki dans sa chanson Niji sorti à la même époque, époque aussi où il s'est marié (ohlala, c'est trop mignon) : "Je serai à tes côtés pour toujours, je serai à tes côtés pour toujours. Je ferai de mon mieux pour ne jamais te quitter,... pour toujours."

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