Reviews

What the heck did I just watch....

OMG another bad egg on the pile. Haha...

Where should I start...

Story about Lu Qi Ming (QM) & Ye Xiao Ou (XO). 2 University friends that still decide to become roommates after graduation. The story start where QM died & vangelv visit him, offer him a chance to make up what he's missing before he died. Then the next scene happen like nothing happen, I mean just like QM never died in the first place...

Unfortunately I can't really tell u what the heck is this about. In the end, I just jump watch it to the end, cause I just can't take the nonsense anymore.

All the bad things that happen:
Unclear plot, bad acting, bad editing, bad sound.... Ugh....

Overall just skip this one and watch the other...

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Watch this for 2024 MDL Watch Challenge. Let's discuss movie then...

Story about Kawana Tsugumi (KT) who meet with the senior, Ayukawa Itsuki (AI), she had crush on in high school. KT and AI happen to meet again at a work-related drinking session. And when they meet, KT shock to find out that AI now is paralyzed and have to using wheel chair. But after some time pass they communicate with each other, KT find out her feeling for AI haven't waver down & she still has her feeling for AI. At the same time, AI also charmed by KT optimistic character.

Built up the courage, KT finally confess her feeling for AI. At first AI had doubt for their relationship, cause he didn't want to be a burden for KT. But in the end AI accept KT feeling & they start their relationship. KT & AI is very happy in their little bubble. But trouble start when KT tell about their relationship to her parent. KT's parent who love her, though AI not a suitable match for their daughter & they try to break KT & AI relationship.

So, what will become of KT & AI relationship...? Will KT & AI give up on their relationship or will it continue to the happy end...?

That's pretty much the story without giving too much spoiler. Now let's talk about what I like & don't.

What I like:
+ The realistic life about disabled people
+ Good actor/ess. I can feel their feeling; their happiness, their desperation...

What I don't like:
- Feel lack of something. Maybe cause of the duration. Should watch for the drama version then. Haha...

Overall this a good movie to watch

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Soft Porn

This was a very simple Soft P*rn* movie with a straightforward storyline. Very explicit NC scenes.

Watched on Gagaoololo

NSFW Content - Rated X. Very explicit mature sex scenes. Might not be for everyone. Use caution.

Story - The story was very simple and straightforward. Very fast-paced. It's a story about two people falling in love.

Cast- The two male leads did a really good job. They had great chemistry. They made their relationship very believable. The supporting cast was also good. The second couple was very authentic and spicy.

Production - Good editing. The cinematography, lighting, and scenery was very well done.

OST- Nothing special but nice.

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Important message

I fell in love with Jeon Jongseo after Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon. She is one of the best actresses and she plays such cool characters. Initially, I thought the person she was avenging could have done more to help the main character but putting that to the side this film just screamed female rage and I'm here for it. When you put into perspective the SA laws in Korea and how they are carried out it makes you feel hopeless. It's a country where cases like, "the burning sun" happen and the people involved aren't brought to justice which makes citizens and victims lose hope in authorities. This character brings out that justice. I liked how the perpetrator in the movie said something along the lines of "What I did wasn't even that bad and I don't deserve to die" because who are you to decide what is and isn't bad after what you have done to all of those girls? The downplaying of what they did is also common in real-life cases. This movie was amazing and I think it should be shown to everyone. Really disappointed to see such a low rating and the point of the movie flying over people's heads.

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I wanted to hop away from this one

Aside from also starring Lam Ching Ying and featuring hopping vampires, Mr. Vampire 2 had little to do with the original Mr. Vampire. Mr. Vampire 2 seemed to think if 2 Idiot assistants were good in the first film, 3 or more would be even better. The relentless slapstick comedy dragged this movie down for me.

Grave robbers come across 3 Jiangshi in a cave and take them back to their lab. They believe the hopping vampires will fetch a good price. In the process of transporting the little boy vampire, his talisman comes loose and he escapes. A little girl finds him and makes friends with him. The mother and father vampires are set loose first by Idiot #1 and then again with Idiot #3. “Hilarity” ensues.

The humor in this film didn’t work for me. Wanting to molest a frozen female vampire wasn’t humorous to me. A snake going up Idiot #1’s pants or Idiot #2 keeping a frog in his mouth didn’t tickle my funny bone. And once again a snake was killed, this time its heart was eaten by Idiot #2 as a tonic. Idiot #3 tried to convince Lam Ching Ying to let him marry his daughter by telling him he was already banging her. Who does that? How many times could people stupidly free the vampires while hamming it up for the camera? Each “hilarious” fight took around 10 minutes. Another thing that took away from my enjoyment was the terrible dubbing for the children. The little boy vampire was cute and because he couldn’t talk, didn’t have the bad dubbing by an adult. Despite the cute little vampire and the children taking him with them on outings, this shouldn’t be mistaken for a children’s show though it felt like they were trying to lean in that direction.

The best part of this film was Lam Ching Ying and his unibrow who appeared to be the only adult in the room. Moon Lee who was featured in the first film had a couple of small scenes in this sequel. Wu Ma made a brief appearance as a neighbor. James Tien who played in many kung fu movies showed up as an inept police captain. The three trouble-makers had me rooting for the hoppers who were far less annoying. The only other bright spot was when Lam Ching Ying’s character rattled off his credentials, such as---his master Sammo had Spooky Encounters and Lam had caught a Mr. Vampire last year. Speaking of Sammo, I missed the kung fu that took place in Mr. Vampire (1985).

Mr. Vampire 2 had possibilities by being set in the then present 1986. If you enjoy Hong Kong slapstick comedy you will likely enjoy this film far more than I did. I won’t be crypt-ic, there was nothing I could sink my teeth into and enjoy.

6 October 2024

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A good one-time watch

The plot is innovative, the characters not that much.
What was that ending ??? How can a film end on such a cliffhanger ?? It’s not an open ending at this top !

The plot twist of Jun-yeong not being actually who we thought he was was such a good idea and made me increase the rate by a little a though it was dropping since the moment the cops started to plan something to catch the culprit.

Then talking about the cops, I can’t explain how much I HATE and DESPISE jun yeon’s father ! His character is so useless, dull, dumb and does nothing but cry.

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Watch Blue Period for Inspiration, but Don’t Expect Perfection

Blue Period tells the story of Yatora, a high school student excelling academically but feeling unfulfilled in life. When he unexpectedly discovers a passion for painting, he embarks on a journey to pursue art despite the challenges ahead.

First off: as someone unfamiliar with the original Blue Period manga or anime, the story was entirely new to me, so I may view it differently than fans of the source material.

The Good: The soundtrack is fantastic and fits perfectly with the film's emotional tone. There were some creative choices I found intriguing, especially the use of CGI to visualize the main character's imagination—it added an extra layer of immersion. The storyline includes some inspiring, motivational moments that stick with you and the artwork featured throughout the film is absolutely beautiful.

The Not So Good: At times, the story felt a bit predictable, following a familiar path. It’s also clear that this is an adaptation, and unfortunately, some characters don’t get enough screentime for their motivations to come through clearly. As a result, their actions can feel underdeveloped, which makes it harder for the audience to connect with them. In my opinion, the directing and editing were occasionally uneven, leading to some awkward transitions. Lastly, while some actors stood out with strong performances, others didn’t quite hit the mark.

Overall, Blue Period delivers an inspiring coming-of-age story with stunning visuals and a solid message, though some narrative and pacing issues hold it back from fully reaching its potential.

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Everything is possible

The synopsis says that this is an Omnibus movie with 5 short stories, but there is also a sixth one (Pieces – 토막) that is not mentioned, which connects all the other stories.

Each story has a different sub-theme of the supernatural, terrifying, and disgusting. The best element of the movie is the individual scenes where the viewer has to close their eyes because they are too repulsive/disgusting and hard to watch. There aren’t many of them, but each short story has at least one such shocking scene. The horror elements aren’t executed very well because they appear superficial. They try to scare the viewers with various clichés but lack clarity and authenticity. I found it interesting to watch the different themes that make each short segment and each story unique, and everything is quite well connected into one unity. This movie truly breaks the boundaries of what’s possible and just does whatever it wishes. The acting at times seems unconvincing, and as is the case with other horror movies, the characters' actions are often illogical. When I think about it, maybe the directors do this intentionally so that we, the viewers, get more involved in the movie, even if it’s by complaining about why the characters weren’t smarter or more cautious. Horror fans will probably appreciate this movie, despite its flaws, but I wouldn’t recommend it to the general public.

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Time Still Turns the Pages...

This was a very heavy movie, but soo worth watching!

As it unfolded I felt inability to breathe, longing for some sort of relief, an end to all of the pressure going on. It was truly suffocating.

It pained me what that kid had to go through and I could really relate. No kid should feel this way ever. It just made me emotional and I wanted to protect him and take him away. It showed the brutality, the wounds and him still holding on to the promise "You'll grow up one day and become the person you want/need..."

And then the breath of fresh air came through.... There were so many heartfelt moments, broken people willing to open up to each other and offer their understanding and consolation. I cried and then cried some more.

I wouldn't recommend unless you can handle sensitive topics well ( suicide, abuse ) because this movie spirrals deep into desperation, hopelessness and void before offering a human touch and tiny light, a hope. I felt my heart being cleansed by it and broken at the same time.

Often the way scenes were put together felt too disjointed or incomplete, therefore this rating. But it's perfect and I'd wish everyone could receive the message before it's too late. This movie said a lot of things loud and clear and I just appreciate it for it. It was a great watch!

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A heartwarming (and breaking) drama about healing from abuse and trauma

Trigger warning for abuse scenes!

This movie broke my heart (and kind of bandaged it towards the end)! It tells the healing journey of a girl from years of psychological and physical abuse. Of course, the path isn't smooth, and ghosts of past experiences continued to haunt Kiko when she thought her life was going well. The story isn't told in a linear manner and keeps flitting between Kiko's past and present, but that didn't bother me as much. It actually kept me curious.

Sugisaki Hana and Shison Jun portrayed the main roles well, and I cried buckets with what happened to Anko. He deserved so much better! I thought Anko's mother's reaction to his secret was realistic enough, and the events afterward were preventable. But who knows how long Anko has been burdened by his problems? Kiko and Ai's mothers were unbelievable. I wish I could give every character a hug - specifically those who listened to the whale cries.

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Brief and intense, sadly poetic and in memory of Yook Woo Dang

This short film (only 12 minutes !) manages to do so much in so little time. The cinematography was on point with many metaphors and vivid pictures. The way the water and the lipstick are central to the storytelling, as well as the sad tale of the turtle... I find it quite beautiful and poetic.

I did not know who was Yook Woo Dang (Yun Hyon-seok :1984-2003) (to which this movie is dedicated) and I did some research afterwards to understand who he was. That brought an additional layer to my understanding of the movie, and that's definitely a plus as a viewer.

I would recommend this to people looking for an impactful and beautifully gut-wrenching short film. It is very worth 12 minutes of your time. If you have any trigger, be mindful of the tags as it is a pretty sad and brutal story approaching very sensible topics in a mindful and purposeful way.

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8 minutes short film to bring awareness on discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ people

This short movie of 8 minutes packs such a punch. It brought to light many issues still faced today by LGBTQIA+ people, especially here through the angle of trans as well as non-binary people. It is pretty impactful and allows to further the reflection on the topic through the lens of the main character as it showcases vignettes / short stories that happened to them.

It is clearly too short to make a lot of sense in terms of scenario / continuity but it is efficiently showcasing the discrimination faced by the main character as well as the internal turmoil they live through despite their family support. The filmmaking was good with some very symbolic and purposeful images all throughout the short movie. I felt that acting could have been better for some of the scenes but not enough to undermine the story.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a short movie with a point of view. It is a project run by the Thai Transgender Human Rights Foundation aiming to foster awareness on various issues still faced today by people belonging to LGBTQIA+ community. I feel they managed to reach their objective in only 8 minutes which is an achievement in itself.

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Bersaglio decisamente mancato

Film molto atteso....e carico di aspettative disattese. Brava la protagonista, ma la storia non ci sta: tutto si basa su lei che esce dal penitenziario e cerca vendetta nei confronti di chi l'ha ingannata. L'idea è chiara, lo sviluppo molto meno. Non c'è azione, non c'è suspence, non ci sono colpi di scena, neppure del finale. Il ritmo non incalza, i personaggi non vengono sfruttati bene... nemmeno il cattivo riesce a risultare un cattivo di rispetto. "Revolver" spara diversi proiettili, ma tutti risultano fiacchi e nessuno va a segno. Attendevo questo film soprattutto per la presenza di Ji Chang Wook, reduce da una serie di drama/film non propriamente riusciti, e spiace dover constatare che "Revolver" si accoda a questo elenco di produzioni insoddisfacenti. Sembra proprio che i tempi di "Healer" e "Suspicious Partner" siano sempre più lontani...

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