Reviews

Strangely paced "Pirates of the Caribbean meets Robin Hood" story - underwhelming

Unfortunately, I found this movie a bit underwhelming. I'm surprised because what's not to like about a 'Pirates of the Caribbean meets Robin Hood" film? Sadly enough, it takes almost half of the story to really have the pace picking up. The interactions between the two main characters were the best part of the scenario, but it fell too little too late. I truly enjoyed the last part for the action but at the same time, I felt the moral of the story and the resolution were very weak.

The acting was satisfying, with good chemistry and a strong ensemble cast. The action scenes were convincing and pretty varied. The music was not outstanding but suitable for an action movie, hyping the thrilling moments at the proper time.

I would recommend this movie despite its flaws because I think it might be a case of "it's not you; it's me". If you enjoy adventure movie, you might want to give it a shot for yourself. I did not find it that entertaining because of the pacing issue but I'm not regretting watching it. I will also be curious to have a look at the sequel. I was disappointed by the resolution and ending but I truly appreciated the acting as well as the action scenes.

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Jackie Chan in Thai.

For many, Thailand equals a dream vacation. For others notorious for drugs etc. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. There are many sides to Thailand: The beautiful exotic country in the far east with its amazing nature, its good food and nice, friendly and hospitable people. In any case, Ong Bak is a nice reel that offers a lot of action mixed with excitement and laughter.

The opening promises well: In the annual competition in the village, all the men who participate must try to get hold of a ribbon that is at the top of a tree. First man wins. It starts off well and pretty much keeps the same fast pace throughout the film. Already there you get to know Boonting, the winner with the extra features and the athletic qualities that get through most things, even the narrowest openings, over the really high obstacles and past the less friendly competitors. Despite his speed and strength, Boonting is also humble. He has trained in martial arts for many years but has to promise his master never to use his fighting skills. Every 24 years the village holds a special festival and sacrifices to the Gods for continued joy, happiness and good harvests. The village's own saint is a Buddha-like statue called Ong-Bak. It is of course sacred and it is the duty of all the villagers to protect it at all costs. Therefore, it is a big setback when, just before the festivities, they discover that the statue's head has been cut off and disappeared. Boonting then voluntarily steps forward as the one to recapture the head and bring it home to the village.

The hunt leads to Bangkok and an old clumsy acquaintance who will do anything for money. They have barely reacquainted themselves before Boonting, in search of his suitcase, follows his host to the local fighting and betting club. To get the money back, he has to box against a number of bigger and stronger shady types. He had promised not to use his skills but now he has no choice and stands up, and of course wins...

The hunt for the missing statue head leads to more shady acquaintances and more fights. Every time Boonting is forced to fight to move forward, he thinks about his previous promise, but to get the village's property back, he makes almost any sacrifice. There are so many who are waiting to see the statue head again and he cannot let them down!

The hunt goes higher and finally he meets the top boss who runs the betting and a lot of other shady and illegal business. Ong-Bak is a fun and watchable film. In Thailand it is a great success and it has also celebrated success in several other countries where it has been shown. The pace is high and there is a good mix of tension, comedy and drama. One of the most exciting and fun scenes is when he makes his way through several blocks, away from the gang who want their lost money. An armed gang of at least 20 people do everything to stop him but fail!

There is quite a lot of action and most of it is done for real without any stuntmen or other tricks! The main actor Tony Jaa is responsible for most of the scenes himself. Ong-Bak is also very reminiscent of Jackie Chan's films. Tony Jaa has admitted in interviews that one of his idols was the Hong Kong hero Jackie Chan. He could also be compared to Chinese born Jet Li.

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It hurts so good but also my eyes may never recover

there sould be a trigger warning for this movie, towards the end, there is a SA scene, it doesn't eventuate into full SA, but, I found it a bit confronting, so anyone particularly sensitive to this, should take that in to account. this is a human centric movie that shows that human beings are complicated, relationships are complicated and Jeff has no bad angles. I feel the only thing that could be improved, is that the ending felt rushed and either it needed another 15m run time, or that last major plot point from the orchard should have changed, personally, I would have been quite happy without it.

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Could use more kisses, tbh

Watching this I realised I barely remembered the show, actually. Now, I'm not sure if this had extra scenes and that's why I didn't remember those or if I just forgot big chunks of the plot...we might never know!
So my enjoyment of this show/movie is a 10 but if I'm 100% honest the quality is at 8.5 stars. Some plot points don't make total sense to me and sometimes the never-ending onslaught of tension feels a bit suffocating but I like the overall drive of the narrative and the upward development of the story. The plot doesn't feel stuck and the writers always find a way to push the characters forward even when the plot reaches a standstill. I also just find the romantic plotline so cute. This is how you do enemies to lovers! Don't let those tiktok fantasy fanatics trick you! Enemies to Lovers was always about petty crap like the initial tension in this story and this show/movie is a great example of how you develop such a plot in a cute and satisfying way. It's such a wholesome story with the right mix of tension, fluff, and humor that you will feel comfortable revisiting it over and over again.
The acting here is also better-that-average. They are obviously new to all this and still learning but I think they both did a good job. Lots more to learn for sure but they still did such a good job here. Better than most K-BL actors. This one really stands out. The supporting cast were great too. They endear you to their characters and though we see them for a limited time, they all feel fleshed out and real.
Production did such a good job. There's a podcast out there somewhere which explains the use of color theory in semantic error. If you can find it, it's worth a listen. The editing is also good. At 2 hours and 57 minutes, this is officially way too long and it took me a whole day to finish it(...I don't know why the math is mathing like that) and yet, I would say, it's worth it. I swear the show didn't have all this detail, somehow the flow of the story makes better sense here? Hmmm...odd!
I would also say this is a rewatch-worthy movie. It's romantic. It's cute. It's fluffy. It's a feel-good film to revisit when you're down. It's like a bite-sized feel-good pill.
Overall: I highly recommend it. You can also watch the show but I feel like this one is more convenient. Especialy for bingable reasons. No need to go to "next episode" like a procastinator's version of walk-of-shame.

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A Fluid Exploration of Youth and Society

Go (2001) is a cinematic gem that deftly navigates the complexities of youth and society. The film's ability to convey thought-provoking social commentary without descending into preachiness or ignorance is a testament to its artistry.
My initial interest in the film stemmed from a desire to watch a well-made romance but I was pleasantly surprised by its multifaceted narrative. The opening scenes might mislead viewers into believing it's a typical teenage drama. However, Go quickly subverts expectations, offering a more nuanced exploration of its characters and their experiences.
The film's protagonist, Sugihara, is a refreshing departure from the stereotypical angsty teenager. His fluidity, akin to Bruce Lee's philosophy of water, allows him to adapt and overcome challenges with grace and resilience. Sugihara's journey is a testament to the power of adaptability and the importance of remaining open-minded.
This is a film that rewards thoughtful engagement. Its exploration of societal themes, coupled with its compelling characters and engaging narrative, make it a must-watch for fans of both independent cinema and thought-provoking storytelling.

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5/10 But I Recommend Watching the Drama

If it wasn't for the fact that I watched the drama for the first time right before this, I would have almost no idea what was going on, to be honest. Or maybe because I just watched the drama, it made me feel like there was so much missing. I liked some things better in the movie and some things better in the drama.

Overall, I'll pick a drama over movie any day. One thing K-Dramas or any Asian Dramas have over any other type of media, is how fleshed out dramas are. You're able to truly connect and know the characters in 16+ hour long episodes. This movie, without knowing the story from either webtoons or the drama, feels so bare bones and lacks the feeling of a drama.

I thought it would be interesting to compare actors because there were some I liked better than others, drama vs movie.

Hong Seol - I liked both but I think the movie actress Oh Yeon Seo was a better choice. I think Kim Go Eun did well enough, but it missing something.

Yoo Jung - Obviously this was easy as Park Hae Jin played him both in the drama and movie. He was the perfect choice for this role and I'm glad they didn't recast for it. My only problem is in the drama he had much more emotion, and that may only be because he had more time to develop the character in the drama than in the movie. Either way, excellent choice.

Baek In Ho - Seo Kang Joon was made for this role. He was perfect in it and I love him in this role so much. He was my favorite character in the drama and after watching the movie, about 70% of the reason was his portrayal of In Ho. No offense to the movie actor who played In Ho, but no one could do a better job than Kang Joon.

Baek In Ha - I think Lee Sung Kyung and Yoo In Young were a close call for who I liked better, but I think Sung Kyung just made it to #1 for her crazy. The way she portrayed In Ha and her breakdowns and tantrums was diabolical and the acting was phenomenal. I think In Young was great but she acts a better mental warfare over physical warfare.

Moon Ji Yoon of course was back as the sunbae who used Seol to the end and he is such a good actor. I felt for him, even when I hated his character and what he did. Excellent acting on his part and glad to have seen him reprise his role.

Other supporting cast... Nam Joo Hyuk is incredible in everything he is in. I will watch him in anything. But both actors played his character great, though I love how much more of a role he and Seol's best friend had in the drama. They couldn't fit everything and everyone into the 2 hours the movie had but I do feel sad we didn't get to know Seol's family, nor did we have some of the supporting cast and plot lines the drama had.

Overall 5/10 but I don't hate the movie.

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Sound of Freedom

This movie deserves every recommendation, and I want to join the praises with a brief review. The producers know how to capture the audience's attention and evoke emotions. This is pure action with a moderate dose of humor but also a lot of seriousness, especially in the second half when we follow criminals committing very serious crimes. No one can remain indifferent when watching children in danger. This movie reminded me of the excellent *Sound of Freedom*.

In short, this movie works excellently both as entertaining action and as a social commentary on criminals on probation after being released from prison. The main actor, Kim Woo-bin, who plays Lee Jeong-do, managed to stand out with his charisma among much more experienced actors, and it’s nice to see his maturation through the experiences he gains in the movie.

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Worth the wait

"I absolutely adored this series! The childhood sweethearts dynamic between Hotae and Donghee was beautifully portrayed. Hotae's vulnerability and Donghee's loving nature made their romance captivating. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable, and their kissing scenes were perfectly executed.

I wished for more depth in exploring Donghee's struggles with his father's passing, but overall, the emotional storyline kept me invested. The goodbye was heart-wrenching, though I felt slightly underwhelmed by the reunion.

Despite this, the series exceeded my expectations, and I couldn't get enough of Hotae and Donghee's love story. The wait was worth it!"

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Passion is what we need.

It is definitely 8.5 .It starts with a very fun premise with a lot of trigger warnings that I can digest.For a person who seeks for crime solving dramas and a lot of action,I think you will definitely suck up this one.It has lot of emotions and a lot of dark theme despite being a light hearted base to the characters.I loved it,in such kind of movies-i prefer to ignore plotholes even though there is a lot because I got the main idea iterated by the movie.-1.5 is because of a weak wrap.Like,sure it is good but it would have been better if the plot extended or added an element that would have completed the story.I know every single life is important but to save a single little girl child there was only one policeman fighting for life.While two other lives was hanging by thread because thugs created a diversion.I know it might happen in real life and it does but then no normal citizens throw their life to save lives and in this movie there are four.So yes ,it wants to take a realistic approach but failed because of the famous “ragtag group takes down the criminals” troupe.So,setting aside all these plotholes ,this was definetely a must watch for me.

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Forbidden romance

This was exceptional! The cast was perfect. The angst of young love was strong. I'll have to watch UIL story again. I didn't remember Dong Hee and Ho Tae from that story.

There was a sense of dissatisfaction about the ending. But, 6 episodes really was too short! We need a season 2 with the ML's as adults.

Frankly I get perturbed with the reviews criticizing Dong Hee for leaving for college instead of staying for "the love of his life". Contrary to what one wishes gay relationships are still controversial and unaccepted in conservative Korea. An unease about persuing a relationship is understandable ín light of family expectations and socialital acceptance.

Hopefully, a season 2 will allow them as adults to make choices that as minors would have been too difficult to develop.

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Trigger Warning!!!!

TRIGGER WARNING FOR RAPE AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
NO COMEDY.

I need to remember to check the tags on here before watching anything on Netflix. Still, here it's also tagged as comedy and simply no. While there are comedic moments towards the beginning and a couple towards the end (and they were actually funny), the main tone of the film is NOT comedy. The comedy was very good and I wished they kept it for all the film, I guess also because that's the main reason I decided to watch it in the first place. ML's snarky remarks and comments were of the best in the film.

Please BE AWARE this gets quite dark in terms of themes and I was really not feeling like watching something like this right now and it did make me feel uncomfortable at times.
While most of the scenes are not explicitly shown they're very heavily implied or they're partly shown, so please be aware of this!!!

Leaving that to the side, acting is very good, Kim Woo Bin did a great job. Plot is generally ok and follows a good pace although I wished in a way it had been longer and we had more bonding between characters or in-depth into the main one since at points it felt like we were jumping from one thing to another without much introspection or personal development, but as a plain action film it works. It has its flaws plot wise and characterization wise with some stereotypes in the mix, so it's not outstanding but it's not bad either.


But seriously, no comedy and it's quite anxiety inducing.

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absolutely peak everything

wow wow wow, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

when I heard that they'd be getting their own spinoff after unintentional love story, I knew that they would do their story justice, AND NOW THAT IT'S HERE, NOW THAT I'VE WATCHED IT, it was all so beautifully done and I want to go back and rewatch the original series just for them . . .

peak cinematography, peak romance, (peak cameo!!), peak love, peak setting, PEAK EVERYTHING, SERIOUSLY, I'm so incredibly happy right now . . . and also sad because the yearning and pining was so well done . . .

I LOVE THEM

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Beautiful, fairytale - But strange.

This quirky Thai film has already won acclaim and won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. The question is whether the shelves possibly focused on the film's stylistic appearance and perhaps did not really understand its rather hard-to-digest message. Because although the film is atmospheric, beautiful and contains a lot of interesting philosophy, it also becomes long-winded, pretentious and after a while boring.

Uncle Boonmee is dying of a serious kidney disease and is spending his last time with loved ones. At a quiet dinner with i.a. his disabled sister-in-law, both his deceased wife, in the form of a ghost, and his long-lost son, now a hairy monkey monster who lives in the forest, appear. They begin a trek through the jungle and Boonmee gets time to think about his current - And past - Life.

Of course, it sounds a little more than crazy, but the fact is that you swallow most of these unexpectedly dizzying whims and supernatural elements with hairs and holes as the film lurches along at such a pleasant, fine-tuned pace that you are drawn into the story and its fairy-tale atmosphere - At least for a while. Because after director Apichatpong Weerasethakul builds an imagination-tickling opening whose feel can be compared to a softer David Lynch reel with a more warm than unpleasant mood, the film loses energy the longer it goes on.

We get a taste of small, exciting stories and life destinies which, however, have abrupt ends or lack resolutions altogether. One longs in frustration for some kind of score or final clip that can provide an explanation for the film's surreal and, above all, strange scenes. Because it's a weird movie. It becomes clear that it is a foreign culture we are dealing with and even if a lot of philosophy and slightly humorous lines go home, there is a lot that goes completely over our heads. You want to understand but grope in the dark.

Oral sex with catfish, showering monks, mysterious caves and those Bigfoot-like monkeys with red, glowing eyes... These are awesome and beautiful scenes, but when they go on for ages without leading anywhere, you start sneaking a look at the clock. While I still appreciate films that take their time, I also appreciate that extended scenes have some kind of feeling to convey. Of course, it is certainly possible to analyze until the cultural skull cracks, but then you should probably be a little familiar with Thai culture. For the rest of us, it will be a beautiful, odd but rather boring film.

However, the craftsmanship is very impressive. Weerasethakul has a fantastic fingertip feel when it comes to the fairy-tale scenery and situations - One can sense a jealousy of Tim Burton who named the film one of the best of the year.

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