Reviews

Not my idea of a healthy love

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2014 Japanese romance movie that runs 120 minutes.

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Saya Suzuki (Emi Taeki) is a hard working hotel employee who works on event planning. Her immediate supervisor, Susumu Tsuge (Tadayoshi Okura), is hyper critical and is always scolding Saya for her many small errors. which is why Saya is beyond surprised when Tsuge asks her out. Having a bit too much to drink, and feeling insecure about the real reason for Tsuge’s sudden interest, Saya shares that her first love was Haruki Hino (Kento Nagayama), a famous singer and actor. Saya tells Tsuge that she and Haruki were in love and tried to elope but since they were still in school, the police brought them back to their parents. A belief the young first loves had was if they found a four leaf clover it would reveal their true love and were searching in a field when the police found them. She tells Tsuge that Haruki was sent to the United States and she has been waiting for him. Upon hearing this, Tsuge offers to be her love rehab until her heart heals. So it is little wonder that when Haruki returns and befriends Saya, Tsuge is jealous. Jealous enough to get himself roped into an engagement with the hotel owner’s daughter, Shiori Tsutsui (Natsuna). Will the two unlikely lovers find the courage to stay together or allow themselves to take the safe route with people who are so clearly in love with them.

Review

It is a simple, straight forward romance. I would not watch it again. I recommend it if someone wants a happy ending romance.

Spoilers

I thought Tsuge was unduly harsh to Saya. A lot of her errors were made from always being criticized so that she was often nervous. He was like the boy that pulls the girl’s hair because he likes her. So I could not understand his sudden interest. I really liked Haruki for her. Haruki was always there when Saya needed someone to talk to because Tsuge made her sad. I was also very disappointed because Tsuge allowed himself to be put in a position to be tricked into an engagement. He did not act like someone in love. But Saya also spent a lot of alone time with Haruki and seemed like she was exploring her feelings for him. Since it felt like we saw them both more with other people than with each other it made their relationship less genuine. I was not rooting for them. He was a little sorry in the end. But I had the sense he would do something like that again.

I also wish he found out Shiori drugged him to fake that they were together. That was a horrible thing she did and it never came out as such. But he seemed to be considering sleeping with her as she requested as long as she would let him go. Tsuge was willing to sleep with Shiori more to save his career than to be with Saya. It cheapened his love for Saya.

#Clover #EmiTakei. # TadayoshiOkura. #KentoNagayama. #Natsuna

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Dog?!

First of all there is no dog as protagonist in the movie but there is an artist who dreams in black and white and without sound so his dreams could be his shadows. He is also preparing the exhibition but isn’t doing anything to prepare it?! He is just exploring the small town where he came after a long time. One of his wall painting is actually called: “The Dog Who Eats Shadows”.

Still, I didn't get the movie. What dog? What shadows? Maybe I should check Chinese Mythology? Maybe dog (개) can be intended as a scumbag, a person who is less than human. And shadow (그림자) could be compared with the artist because a painting is 그림. So in my mind 그림자 could be a person who paints. Then we should see, who is the scumbag who eats our painter, haha. Sorry, this is just an interpretation since this movie is open to many interpretations. At least the guessing made me interested in the story.

I missed the story arc of an actress, a woman with a certain charisma that seems to be friendly with men around so she can be considered the one eating, dispersing shadows: the doubts, the sadness, the pains of others. I would like to know what happened to her.

And I want to add a warning that this is a mature film with 3 very brief scenes of nudity.

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?

First and foremost prepare your tissues. ?

This is by far my most favorite Chinese Movie so far, aside from yesterday once more. This movie made me smile, laugh, cry, and made me appreciate life itself. The film
reminded me of how short our lives are, and how we tend to take it for granted.

The movie for some may seem too fast paced, but it was beautifully done. The cinematography was impeccable.

This film only cemented my love for Zhou Ye, aside from her pretty face. She can definitely act, she conveyed every emotion perfectly. I can’t praise her enough ♥️

Actually the whole cast did amazing. The ML was great and very charismatic. This movie deserves so much love, and I’m
not surprised that it did well during the premier.

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perfect as it is

I don't write reviews, but I have to here. I don't really understand the bad reviews, the film is dark, serious, but absolutely fabulous. It held me the whole time and didn't let go... I sat glued to my seat and didn't move until the credits rolled and I think if it wasn't already halfway through the night I would have kept sitting and enjoying the emotion the film left in me.
I put the movie on expecting my partner to get up and go to sleep like he always does, but the movie had him as attached as it did me.
Absolutely perfect visually, slow paced and yet there is always something happening that moves the plot towards the inevitable. The cast is magnificent both Hong Xa Bin who totally got me and BIBI both unknown to me but their acting was awesome and finally the darling Song Joong Ki who I hope can't play anything wrong, the desperation in his eyes was so real....
I was completely absorbed by this movie...

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"Devotion to art is like a religious belief"

Hu Mei’s passion project about the nascent Beijing Opera took six years to come to fruition. Not even the studio burning down could thwart her. Enter the Forbidden City was a beautifully shot film that took time to find its footing but once the two singers began to share the spotlight, the “fascination” began.

Singer Yue Jiu is betrayed by jealous rivals and banned from the capital for life. In the same city where he is in exile, Run Sheng is facing discrimination because he is an entertainer. Back in the capital, the emperor wants to invite 100 theatrical troupes to The Forbidden City for his 80th birthday but the cost is too prohibitive (17,800 taels of silver per troupe!). If they can pay their own way, the entertainers are welcome to come. Princess Feng attends Run Sheng’s shows and has taken an interest in him as a patron and as a woman. The troupe’s travel plans run into a financial snag until they are offered what they need to appear before the emperor, but for a dangerous tradeoff.

Hu Mei’s movie was lush and color saturated. The costumes were elegant and she often filmed on location which added a realism to the setting. Emotional music swelled in the background, a nice break from the actors’ singing performances. All of these things contributed to a well-made film which was pleasing to soak in. Where the film lapsed for me was the first third of the film. Jiu was the initial character shown so he imprinted on me. After he was quickly kicked out of the capital, the film focused on Run Sheng and the abuse the troupe members took from the locals. This left me wondering what happened to Jiu and where the film was going. Run Sheng’s elopement gobbled up much of the running time and had very little to do with the overall story development except to give him more depth and appear unstable. I also have a complaint that was completely out of Hu Mei’s hands---the official subtitles were white and miniscule. They were difficult, sometimes impossible, to read and a real eyestrain.

The strength of this film lay in showing how the actors worked and practiced. Ma Yi Li as Princess Feng added a feminine element even when she was dressed as a man. She wasn’t strictly fangirling, she had precious tips for the overconfident Run Sheng. Jiu’s complete commitment to his craft bordered on obsession and inspired Run Sheng. Fu Da Long was exceptional as Yue Jiu, whose every movement was graceful and specifically designed. Ma Yi Li is fast becoming a favorite with her striking screen presence, she balanced the princess’ strength and vulnerability with ease.

Enter the Forbidden City was inspired by real stories and events and a treat for the eyes. Though not my culture or history, I enjoyed learning about some of the history of early Beijing Opera. It was also one of the rare times an emperor wasn’t portrayed as a monster or a complete idiot which was refreshing. Please don’t tell me if he was a monster and/or idiot in real life. ^^

27 August 2024
7.25

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you will need many tissues

I just finished watching it, and it was really a cruel movie, haha. First of all, the FL was very beautiful, and her acting was more realistic compared to the usual girls in Japanese films. The ML was also very sweet, but the reason I gave a lower score for the acting was because of the ML's poor performance in the crying scenes. I really liked that they included small details in the film without skipping over them, like the sea scene, the number and meanings of the flowers, the final state of Akito's drawing, and its display in the exhibition. I loved the colors and aesthetics of the film; despite being a very sad movie, it was always colorful and lively, which I really enjoyed. The music was also nice. But I don't think it's a movie to watch over and over again; it's one to watch once and stay affected by for a long time. Overall, I really liked it.

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a master stealing home between two out-of-the-park home runs.

What Boiling Point may lack in contemplativeness, playing the material not for action or thrills but with comedy so dark and deadpan that its intent can be easily lost on many. Tranquillity explodes into violence, which recedes to its original serenity. A tale unfolding sedately against a backdrop of calm sunny stillness punctuated by shocking moments of unpalatable violence that points to the behind-the-scenes mundanity of the perceived glamour of organised crime in Japan as presented in yakuza films. As his first scripted effort, that narrative almost dissolves into abstractions and digressions, but Kitano largely stays the course with a compellingly warped look at the uniquely Japanese culture of violence. Kitano himself turns up very late in the film's runtime, his presence as welcomed as ever, leading both protagonists and viewers alike on a guided tour of the bleaker recesses of the human psyche with the lack of a musical score heightening the tone and storytelling power behind his magnificent direction. Boiling Point may not be as refined as Kitano's later works, but it more than establishes Kitano as an artist with a clear vision and distinctive style.

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Sometimes it has to be realistic

I know a few people dont really like when a movie becomes to realistic but me personally im fine with it. The sexual stuffs did made me question this movie but other than that this movie was good. It had a lot of silent moments which i really really like. The acting was nothing phenomenal but it make sense because the characters were meant to be realistic. Bae Suzy will probably be the only reason if I wanna rewatch this in the future because she was just so charming and beautiful in all of her scenes. The way she looks at his him, the ways she talk is too adorable. I kinda would die for her.....

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Funny and touching

I've finally watched this movie and I really liked it.
It was a really nice movie about the relationship between two siblings, it's ordinary but at the same time it could be so relatable and touching.

Personally, I also have an older brother but I can't really relate as he's not like Chut in this and we're getting along well so yes I'm lucky lol
I can't explain how I felt towards Chut's character, it's a bit complex, he's really funny but at the same time really annoying and I don't quite understand his behavior although I've watched the whole movie lol
Poor Jane but there's one scene I disliked her for something she did because it's like she neglected her brothers's feelings. I know, I understand her, I know how annoying and horrible he might be but Ilked these characters, they are relatable.

But seriously, I felt genuine feelings from both of them and I was kind of moved by their story. I thought it would be too long with 2hours but no, the pacing was right although I do still think some scenes were a bit dragging. At the same time, I feel it was a bit rushed, maybe it's the choice of the editing or the transition of some scenes. I was sometimes taken aback from it.

One of my few complains is that I was not fully invested in the romance between Jane and Mochi. I don't mind that it's not the focus on their relationship because it's mainly about the sibilings however it lacks some scenes or some sparks?? Because I'm sure, it could have been better if there was something more believable? I'm not quite sure how to explain this. But it's later on that I've found them cute and that I had believed they are really together lol

So I think I would rewatch this movie but not entirely, just a few funny scenes and some that are heartwarming.

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Uma critica que nao salva e nem condena

Uma critica que nao salva e nem condena, porém não deixe de assistir.

O filme sul-coreano *Project Silence*, dirigido por Kim Tae-gon em colaboração com Kim Yong-hwa e Park Joo-Suk, inicia com um cenário tenso: o secretário do governo Cha Jung-won (Lee Sun-kyun) enfrenta uma decisão crítica durante uma mesa de negociação sobre a não negociação com terroristas que têm reféns. Em meio a esse caos, o enredo se desvia para um engavetamento massivo, provocado pela combinação de neblina e imprudência, resultando em uma via totalmente bloqueada.

Coincidentemente, um acidente também envolve um veículo do governo carregado com “Echoes” – cachorros soldados altamente treinados. Quando um dos Echoes, o Echo-9, consegue escapar com um chip importante, 116 pessoas ficam encurraladas em uma ponte estaiada com a ameaça iminente desses animais letais.

Desde o início, o filme tenta estabelecer uma conexão emocional com seus personagens através de um elenco de figuras arquetípicas, como o frentista enrolador e a cadete ambiciosa. No entanto, o roteiro acaba seguindo uma fórmula previsível, revelando quem provavelmente sobreviverá. *Project Silence* parece lutar contra sua identidade como um filme B, tentando incorporar traumas e metáforas profundas que não se encaixam bem com a premissa central de cachorros soldados atacando pessoas.

O filme mostra certa vergonha em abraçar seu caráter de filme B, e isso resulta em uma narrativa que não consegue equilibrar o terror direto com um desenvolvimento mais introspectivo. A tentativa de criar um impacto emocional com a relação entre pai e filha é ofuscada pela falta de gore e terror visceral que poderia ter sido mais eficaz. O alívio cômico, representado pelo frentista que usa uma técnica de "sopro de fogo" à la Charmander, só adiciona uma camada de estranheza à trama já instável.

A fotografia noturna de Hong Kyung-pyo também não ajuda, escondendo o potencial terrorífico dos cachorros atrás de neblina e escombros. A direção falha em criar um ambiente de suspense palpável, e a ausência de um impacto visual eficaz limita o potencial aterrorizante dos ataques dos animais. A trilha sonora de John Williams, por exemplo, que contribuiu significativamente para o clima de tensão em *Tubarão*, poderia ter sido uma adição bem-vinda aqui.

Além disso, o roteiro apresenta várias inconsistências, como o uso de um carro que deveria estar inutilizado para uma fuga e a falta de atenção ao cientista que criou os cachorros. Esses elementos, apesar de frustrantes, poderiam ser perdoados se o filme aceitasse plenamente sua natureza como uma produção divertida e descompromissada.

Em resumo, *Project Silence* tenta ser mais do que um simples filme B, mas acaba não conseguindo se destacar em nenhum dos dois mundos. A tentativa de adicionar profundidade e relevância ao enredo de cachorros soldados falha em proporcionar um terror verdadeiro, tornando o filme uma experiência que, apesar de ambiciosa, acaba sendo uma mistura desajeitada de intenções sérias e elementos de entretenimento descartáveis.

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