Reviews

very chilling, good story

I enjoyed this!
It’s very spiritual which I enjoy. The overall vibe and tone was so chilling. It set the environment well. The last few chapters were a bit confusing as things were getting revealed but that is bc I am a westerner, so I had to do some pausing to look up things for context. Which I found enriching. I actually learned a bit of history bc of this. But I liked the story. Knowing the context behind some of the stuff puts the puzzle pieces together.

Regardless of that still a solid horror/thriller. Not overtly scary per se but had decent jump scares. The vibes were so creepy, that was scary enough. I found myself invested in the mystery and the characters despite there not being a ton of backstory on them. But i found that was okay. Some of the interactions, flashbacks, etc told me everything I needed to know.

Would recommend!

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Un peu plus près des étoiles

Jeune fan occidental de mangas, tu as toujours voulu briller en société en racontant la vie de Miyazawa Kenji ? Voilà une biographie en live action pour le moins éloigné d'un shōnen manga (mais pas tant que ça, finalement). Il pourrait te permettre de passer pour un esthète, mais attention, longues scènes de paysages contemplatifs et patriarcat de l'ère Meiji, tu devras affronter. Et cela durant deux heures d'un film destiné aux (vieux) fans d'un Japon fantasmé.

Papa, où t'es ?
Après cette introduction digne d'un conte pour enfant, il est temps de redevenir adulte. Avec ses doutes, ses tiraillements et ses responsabilités familiales. C'est un peu l'histoire de ce film qui prend acte à une période charnière de l'histoire du Japon et du changement de mentalité qui en découle. Miyazawa Kenji est un pur produit de l'ère Meiji. Période du début du siècle dernier, caractérisé par son ouverture sur l'occident, après des siècles d'ostracisme. L'écrivain pour enfant le plus célèbre du Japon est dépeint, durant son adolescence, comme un jeune rebelle qui se cherche. Changeant d'études comme de chemises, mais cherchant toujours l'approbation de son père. Car c'est lui le personnage principal de l'histoire. Plus qu'une biographie, on assiste, dans cette adaptation de cette touchante Nouvelle, au déversement d'amour romancé qu'à un père pour son fils.

Toucher les étoiles
Ginga Tetsudo no Chichi est un film brillant sur les liens père-fils, mais aussi sur la paternité artistique. Suda Masaki incarne un Miyazawa Kenji bluffant, alors que Yakusho Koji endosse le rôle du père idéal, mais pas idéalisé. La filiation est forte entre le prix d'interprétation masculine de Cannes 2023 et celui qui le décrochera bien un jour, à force de choisir ses rôles avec autant de bon goût. Mais espérons-le, avant d'atteindre l'âge de son mentor. Rempli de poésie, comme les nouvelles de Miyazawa Kenj, cette adaptation arrive à transmettre les valeurs simples et la beauté de l'époque. Mais elle arrive aussi à nous faire comprendre les aspirations de la jeunesse d'il y a déjà plus d'un siècle. Le père ne pense qu'à la réussite de ses enfants, profitant de son statut de notable, alors que la pauvreté, les catastrophes naturelles et les maladies gangrènent la région. Le fils, épaulé par sa petite sœur qu'il adore, n'aspire, qu'à changer cet état de fait. Agronome pour nourrir le peuple, écrivain ou religieux pour nourrir les esprits, il va longtemps hésiter et on se passionne à découvrir les raisons de ses choix à travers le regard et les sentiments de son père.

L'insoutenable fragilité de l'être
Le film touchera à beaucoup de moments en plein cœur. Très intense au vu de la période et des évènements qui frappent cette famille idéale de l'époque. Avec des averses de larmes qui brouilleront vos yeux, tout juste émerveillés par des séquences ayant la beauté et le calme de jardin japonais. Le format cinémascope n'est jamais aussi proche de l'art pictural qu'avec un jardin filmé à travers l'intérieur d'une maison traditionnel. Le film est donc parsemé de tableaux aux proportions proches du nombre d'or, calmes et contemplatifs. Les moments de tension ou de détresse n'en sont alors que plus forts. Mention spéciale, donc, à cette mise en scène qui fait honneur au raffinement japonais.

Un air de famille avec un certain pays
Pour ceux qui connaissent Goshu le violoniste ou le Train de nuit dans la Voie lactée, vous serez une fois de plus ravis des clins d'œil présent dans le film. Les œuvres japonaises en regorgent et bien sûr que l'on guette chaque minute pour les apercevoir dans ce film hommage. Mais, même sans connaître les œuvres, vous apprécierez l'histoire. Pour ce Japon que certains voudraient préserver dans le formole et qui semble déjà tourner une page de son histoire. Avec son ouverture sur l'occident, l'émancipation des jeunes, la condition féminine, dont le traitement bénéficie d'un silence assourdissant par la mise en retrait des personnages féminins. Sans parler de la petitesse de l'homme face à la nature déréglée et ce besoin irrépressible de vouloir la contrôler, plutôt que la respecter. Vous l'avez compris, ce film est résolument moderne et résonne avec notre époque. Il dépasse les frontières et le temps et vous laisse à réfléchir sur le sens de la vie. Comme les œuvres de Miyazawa Kenji.

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A decent dramedy.

The story revolves around four best friends as they set out on the dream trip they planned as teenagers. The long-overdue trip finally happened after their friend’s death, as they rekindled old bonds to pay their last respects to their late friend.

The premise of a group of friends going on a road trip does seem entertaining, especially when it involves the big names of leading ladies. When it comes to a movie with many leads, it’s essential to establish the characters, personalities and backstories. Throughout the movie, viewers will discover their individual personalities and backstories, but somehow the character development is pretty weak. I personally think that the only thing that saves this movie is the four leads and their natural dialogue delivery. However, there are sequences that tend to be stressful because there’s a lot of arguments and fights along the way.

The movie starts out okay, but as the story progresses, there are quite a few noticeable faults here and there, to the point where it gets lost somewhere. The flow could've been a lot better if some crucial parts of the story were tackled and handled well. Even so, it isn't all that bad.

Overall, this road trip movie is something to enjoy for its performance. It seems like there’s no acting in this movie, as all of them just had to be themselves and show how friends should really treat each other.

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Review of Unlocked: 8/10 Stars

"Unlocked" is a gripping thriller that delves into the perils of digital privacy breaches. The film follows a woman whose life is upended when her lost smartphone falls into the hands of a hacker.

The lead actress delivers a standout performance, capturing both fear and resilience. The plot is engaging and keeps viewers on edge, offering timely commentary on technology and privacy.

Overall, "Unlocked" is a compelling and relevant thriller that earns its 8 stars with strong acting and a suspenseful storyline. It's a must-watch for fans of tech-driven suspense.

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Review of Ballerina: 7.5/10 Stars

"Ballerina" is a visually stunning and emotionally charged film that follows a young dancer's journey to achieve her dreams. The lead actress shines, capturing vulnerability and determination with grace. The choreography and dance sequences are beautifully executed, showcasing the artistry of ballet.

While the plot can be predictable and some character arcs lack depth, the strong performances and emotional depth make up for it. Overall, "Ballerina" is a captivating and heartfelt film that earns its 7.5 stars. It's a must-watch for dance enthusiasts and those who appreciate stories of perseverance and passion.

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Review of 20th Century Girl: 8.5/10 Stars

"20th Century Girl" is a nostalgic and heartfelt film that beautifully captures the essence of teenage love and friendship in the late 1990s. The lead actress delivers a sincere performance, and the chemistry among the cast feels authentic and engaging.

The film's vibrant cinematography and nostalgic soundtrack perfectly complement its setting. Though the plot treads familiar ground at times, its genuine heart and compelling characters shine through.

Overall, "20th Century Girl" is an emotionally resonant and charming film that earns its 8.5 stars. It's a delightful watch that will leave you reflecting on your own youthful experiences. Highly recommended!

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outdated and weird

I read other ppl described this movie as a sad one... Thats not the word for it, its just tragic and weird.
The movie is abt two men fated together: one who doesnt accept his sexuality while being gay, the other one being too pretty to not awake the beast in the men around him (yeah, it is as weird as it sounds - and if you ask me, the actor is not up to the challenge). After secretly undergoing sex change, the "pretty" guy comes back to his love, but he cannot be happy with him either as a woman or a as a man. The ML doesnt even recognize the love of his life - and he is a cop too! So much abt spiritual connection and all...
The movie is outdated on many levels - video quality, editing techniques and even ideas on life! It's more like an 80's movie. A few side plots complicate the main one, like the femme fatale surrounded by a series of murders. Oh wait - this should be the main plot. The director seems to favour some sensational elements too, as in many mass-targeted productions: hidden identity, ambiguous sexuality, a lot of blood, promiscuous partners etc.
I would recommend it only to ppl with a lot of time on their hands and out of choices.

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Way too predictable mystery, same flaws as the series but beautiful context + location

The story is centred around a singular mystery and I appreciate the fact that there was enough content in terms of plot for a full length movie. I also really enjoyed the context and location in which the characters are evolving.

However, I anticipated all the revelations of the scenario, nothing came as a surprise and the resolution of the mystery was super expected from the get go, which tempered heavily my enjoyment of the story. I found the teaching moments provided by the main character interesting in their content but it was too heavily given without any subtlety, for me to really resonate with it.

Acting was okay for the main roles but with some really weak points for some of the support parts. I also regret to have seen almost no Garo, as it is the interactions of this character with the hero Totono that were the best part of the drama to me: it was totally lacking here. I am super happy to have found back Hagiwara Riku in a support role and I am curious to see more of Hara Nanoka as well.

Soundtrack was okay, with the generic song that I like from the drama, very slice of life in a way and less overpowering than in the main series. Production was very good with some beautiful landscapes.

I would recommend this to people that loved the drama Don't call it Mystery. The qualities and flaws are consistent between both series and film. Therefore, if you enjoyed the drama, you will likely enjoy the movie as well. On the contrary, if like myself you had already lukewarm feelings for the drama, the film will definitely not change your mind.

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How to rebuild Society from scratch / the turmoil of human nature...

The premise of the movie is a great one. The concept itself is not very innovative but the execution and acting is what makes it a time-worthy piece of entertainment.

I wish I would have seen even more of the relationships between the characters to be even more touched by the events unfolding. There is so much material and meat to the story that it could be a great drama as well. Fortunately, despite having only a movie length time to convey the story, the writing did a good job in showcasing the relationship between the characters and their evolution throughout the film.

The story is carried by a strong casting. I love Park Seo Joon and Park Bo Young and they have a solid chemistry together. Lee Byung Hun delivers a chilling performance perfectly fitting the trajectory of his character. The secondary roles are good as well.

The production value is great. The visual effects were very believable and the filmmaking was good overall especially on the crowd scenes where the tension was really high. The OST did not made a really deep impression on me but the ending songs were pretty in a very sorrowful way.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a thrilling survival movie. It is pretty griping with a lot of intensity and quite frightening moments as the more obscure side of human nature unveil itself. If you enjoyed drama such as Happiness, this one is for you.

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Romantic and tragic

I watched this version of the Butterfly Lovers per AccentedCinema's recommendation. It's such a beautifully tragic story and I think this movie was a concise rendition that neither dragged the story out nor diluted it by over-simplification. There were attempts to add humor and depth to the relationships and I consider both done successfully.
The actors did a good job and while I'm not used to listening to Cantonese since I rarely watch Hong Kong films, I really loved the way they spoke. It just sounded so melodic and nice to the ears.
The production quality is alright....until they try to do special effects! hehe...it was very basic and when you remember this was 1994, it gets a bit awkward but honestly, it didn't redact from the emotional impact of the story.
The actress looks so beautiful in the costumes. The scenery is so gorgeous. The music is melancholic and touching. The whole story has such a romantic air to it. In fact, in many ways, they don't make movies like these anymore where the most important element of the film is the elevation of the human interactions that are being commented on. I wish they made more romance movies like this. It felt cozy and ethereal at once and I honestly enjoyed watching this more than films with much higher production value but vapid stories.
If you can find it, it's definitely worth a watch.

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An amazing story about love.

This one was a deep thinking movie, you have you pay attention. I'm a sucker for stories about love. I felt happy, sad, angry and definitely laughed a lot.

The ML made me upset a lot (it was realistic). His chemistry with the 2nd FL was a 10. He should've been honest with everyone including himself. His effort didn't match his commitment. The acting was great.

The 1st FL made me feel like I was getting a warm hug but at times reminded me of a cat, wants attention/affectionate but on her terms. You could tell she genuinely cared but the ending made me see her in a different light.

The 2nd FL was perfect. The highlight of the show. I went in 100% BIASED because it's Krystal Jung and my review might seem biased...She was everything the 1st FL wasn't to the ML. She was sexy, competition, caring, accessible...she made it so the ML could breathe.

Overall I loved it. I can understand why someone wouldn't like it. The cringe/anger was real for me. I screamed at my TV because the writing and acting was that good. I was invested. Highly recommend this if you enjoy deep thinking movies or stories about love.

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Social Issue Movie w/ amazing cast and action scenes.

Shin HyeSun is an amazing actor, and she truly was perfect in this role, with the back-and-forth between the meek teacher and the Catman.

There is always an inner debate about whether one should keep quiet so as not to cause issues or raise hell to allow justice. The bullying scenes depicted were cruel and honestly scary. The brazen harassment of a teacher and other students was allowed via power through parents and the school administration.

Though perhaps unrealistic, I did enjoy the notion that the school and even the bully's gang had good in them at the end and were coerced into the sadistic bullying they did since they eventually turned at the end.

The action scenes though were truly the star of this film from the hallway confrontation to the sequence at the end. I love the realistic overpowering of the female lead at times and the way she is able to fight back through technique and will.

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