Reviews

I don't want to say much about the plot, or the film's main theme -- because, in the end, this is one of those films where every viewer can and must(!) find their own meaning behind what they've seen. This film expects you to find your own take -- especially the "last scene" is packed with layers upon layers of -- sometimes contradictory -- meaning.

If you saw a light teenage summer film, fine! If you saw an allegory about modern tiktok-shorts, easily consumed and easily forgotten, versus feature-length old-style slow-paced films, good! Or if you saw an essay about how similar rival relationships in classic samurai films (and also wild west movies and thriller dramas, btw) are to love relationships, also nice!
And if you saw a completely different meaning in the film, especially in the last scene -- impressive! The author is dead. It's your film as soon as you watch it.

Maybe one word about the cast -- they were all great! I love the subtle pining of Bito-Ban's, I love the banter between the technical crew of the samurai movie. And Ito Marika, who played Hadashi was overwhelmingly good -- I loved how she managed to change her body language depending on the mood and setting her character is in: Awkward and angular at school, relaxed and engaged when with her friends and when directing, focussed and precise when imitating Samurai fighting. Her facial expressions range from subtle to exaggerated. I cannot imagine another actress taking this role.

Thank you, Elisheva, for giving me the push to finally watch this film. I'm glad I did.

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Rollercoaster

I want to start by saying it was an enjoyable watch with great actors and supporting cast, the atmosphere worked and the location was perfect.

My main gripe is the very beginning of the series. After the happy conclusion of the first series, scene 1 of series 2 completely put a damper on the first series final. I was not expecting their relationship to be perfect, can’t have a show about that, but what we got I felt was a bit extreme and unrealistic after what we sure previously.

I also understand this review is more opinion based than I usually do but I felt a little ripped of for the first half of series 2 and initially regretted starting the second series.

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Still lingering...

Where Your Eyes Linger was my very first BL.

Before watching it, I did not know what BL meant (thank you, google! lol!). This was the drama which led me down the BL rabbit hole I don't seem to be able to free myself of (just like CLOY led me down the k drama rabbit hole, I fortunately managed to get out of but that is another story!).

I remember loving the initial bodyguard premise, the chemistry, the dark cinematography, the beautiful ending scene. But I also remember there were things that kept bugging me while I was watching the drama. The first time I just decided not to pay attention to them. Unfortunately, I rewatched it a few times since then and even though I still enjoy it as much as the first time, I keep finding more and more flaws with it and consequently, my ratings keep dropping.

The drama was too short which left some things out: most importantly Kang Guk's backstory. We know NOTHING about him only that he has been Taeju's bodyguard for 15 years. Since Taeju seems to be in high school probably 18 years old, how old is his bodyguard? Probably much older than Taeju, logically speaking! Even though he goes to school with him, he must be older than 18. I am surprised nobody's screaming scandal, grooming!!!! Maybe the father? Taeju's father is a big company chairman but looks and acts like a mafia don. He sends his son away but lets him come back three years later?!? He must have had a change of heart? Yeah, right, like that is going to happen....

I haven't seen either the drama or the film in a long time so I cannot tell you what differences there are: apparently the voiceover, present in the drama is back in the film and it truly helps with explaining the plot and the title. It looks like they recorded additional voiceover for some of the final scenes.

I love this director's films and dramas: they are practically the only ones I rewatch regularly (To My Star is by far my favourite BL!). But that does not mean that I am blind to their flaws which, in spite of excellent stories, sometimes sound false and cringy...

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Would be better if it were longer

After the rather heated production woes of the previous film, John Woo split from Tsui Hark and went off to self-finance his original draft for A Better Tomorrow III and in the process create his masterpiece, Bullet in the Head. With Woo and Hark's working relationship having deteriorated, Hark decided to helm his vision of a prequel himself. Unfortunately what we get ultimately feels like Hark being lazy, cashing in on the name with Hark's take on the heroic bloodshed genre, one of which he grounds into a harsh reality. The biggest problem with this film for me is its writing, it doesn't really feel like a prequel to A Better Tomorrow because the character depth and dynamics we loved so much about the previous two just aren't here.

However, there's still some good stuff to be found in A Better Tomorrow III, Hark's direction is fabulous with so many of his trademark imaginative camera shots and the action is brilliant, especially the finale involving machine guns, a tank and a motorbike; the music by Lowell Lo is lovely and makes good use of Joseph Koo's cues and, despite him really not giving a shit about this film or how his character was written, Chow Yun-fat turns in a marvellous performance as Mark once again. All in all, if you go in with much lower expectations, A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon will deliver an enjoyable if immensely flawed ride.

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An enjoyable mess

The fact that A Better Tomorrow II somehow manages to form a somewhat cohesive narrative and deliver some more uproarious Woo action is nothing short of a miracle. While the moment-to-moment editing is extremely questionable, seriously, the number of hard cuts in this movie that feel like we're jumping over some very necessary details; all get thrown out the door for an absolutely brilliant finale that is more than a highlight in Woo's already-stacked repertoire.

The absolute mess of its production is infamous, with John Woo and Tsui Hark constantly disagreeing with each other over how the film should go eventually resulting in two different versions of the film being shot, separately edited and then edited together again by another team. Honestly, if someone were to find the original film elements of this movie, you could most likely cobble together, at minimum, 5 different cuts putting Blade Runner to shame.

Chow Yun-fat is completely unhinged in this one, be it crying over some rice or nearly being blown up due to an explosion gone wrong, I love it. Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung retain their great performances of certified bromance which made the original so endearing. Joseph Koo's soundtrack is great, at least when he isn't egregiously overusing the main theme at every possible moment. For what it's worth, however, while this film may be an unfocused mess, it's still ridiculously entertaining with all of Woo's loveable trademarks still very much in place.

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Simply Marvellous

Considering A Better Tomorrow was produced on a relatively small budget and sent into cinemas with virtually no advertising, it's simply incredible to witness what is the birth of Hong Kong gangster cinema as we know it today. Pretty much any of the film's wonkier moments are bolstered by its captivating musical score by Joseph Koo, the gripping story, epic shootouts and incredible leading performances of Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and, the epitome of coolness himself, Chow Yun-fat. In 95 minutes, John Woo redefines his entire filmmaking career into one that is very often imitated but never matched, his ballads of heroic bloodshed and emotional male leads leave me enchanted every time. A Better Tomorrow is simply marvellous.

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Ultraman Dyna and the cameoing Tiga

Greatly benefitting from a larger budget and its theatrical status, Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light ultimately plays like two TV series episodes cut together as a movie and less like the team-up promised by its title. Sluggishly paced but exceptionally well-directed the film does at least look pretty fabulous, Kazuya Konaka did a great job here while Tatsumi Yano's music is as great as it has always been. The model and practical effects work is marvellous and looks tremendous in the widescreen format, although the CG character work is abundant and extremely rough. The acting from its cast is solid, but like the show, I still haven't gelled with Asuka's character as a protagonist, even if this film largely focuses on his inner turmoil and occasional suicidal thoughts. The Tiga aspect of this film is more set dressing than anything else, with the titular Ultra only showing up during the climax but conspicuously missing his host, Daigo. While it is lovely to see most of the cast of the GUTS squad again, the conspicuous absence of Hiroshi Nagano doesn't make the reunion feel authentic. Ultimately, I wish the story for this one was better, there's a lot of good stuff in here but it just fails to stick the landing.

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A wonderful show!

The King and the Clown is an enjoyable movie about a clown, who is so beautiful, that even the king coveted after his beauty.

It shows the tyranny of the king and the helplessness of common folks like the clowns. Even though the beautiful clown wanted to leave the king's service, he couldn't because he was helpless. He was forced to serve the king's tyranny even though he didn't want to. His friend lost his eyes simply because he tried to protect the beautiful clown.

It showed friendship. I like how the partner of the beautiful clown protected him and tried his best to keep him safe. Also, one of the clowns sacrificed his life to protect the beautiful clown.

Also, it depicts a subject much frowned upon by society-- male prostitution. The theme that even in the past, beautiful males are subjected to sexual abuse is shown in this movie without reserve. The beautiful clown was often subjected to sexual abuse because of his beauty... first by official, then by the king.

Furthermore, it explored the corruption in the palace-- how officials accepted brides and how a queen could be wrongly killed. It explored the repercussions of such a corruption-- how the king turned up the way he did partly because his mother was wrongfully killed.

Overall, I enjoyed this show.

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"Who can throw a stone?"

Love Letter was actress Tanaka Kinuyo’s first film to direct. WWII was over and the censors had left so she could address sensitive issues about American G.I.’s having Japanese lovers. The subject for her first film was a tough one and the 1950’s attitude of the male lead was difficult to sympathize with.

Five years after WWII, Reikichi lives with his younger brother, Hiroshi, who pays most of the bills. An old friend brings him into his business translating and writing love letters in English for women who have been involved with American soldiers. Most of the women are asking for money and Yamaji makes the letters flowery and eloquent. Reluctantly, Reikichi begins work there to bring in more money. He’s despondent because he has never forgotten his first love who married someone else. When he discovers that she’s a widow he goes to the train station every day to search for her. As luck would have it, she comes into the shop to have a letter written to an American soldier who had fathered her baby.

First the positive. I enjoyed Tanaka’s fluid directorial style. Despite the year and cultural values, she showed Michiko in a mostly sympathetic light. Mori Masayuki gave a wonderfully complex performance, even when I wanted his character to erupt in flames. Yuga Yoshiko brought a damaged, yet sweet spirit to Michiko. Michiko was a woman who had lived through her own hell and was still able to be kind to others. The supporting characters were also strong. Tanaka made a guest appearance as a woman needing a letter written by Reikichi but instead received an earful about her lifestyle from the sullen man.

Much was made of Reikichi’s loyalty in waiting for Michiko for five years. They made a point of him standing next to the Hachiko statue, the dog who had waited faithfully for his deceased owner every day at the station for nearly 10 years. For Michiko to have sullied herself with a foreigner from the country that had defeated them was too much and the diatribe Reikichi buried her in was vile. That she’d also given birth to a “blue-eyed baby” who had died made her acts even worse. He knew nothing about her and the struggles and pain she had faced. He was unable to comprehend that the man she’d been involved with had been what she needed at the time. This kind of overly precious attitude about women’s virtue struck me as false given the horrors the Japanese military committed against women during the war.

What saved this film for me was that both Hiroshi and Yamaji called Reikichi on his stupidity and stubbornness. “Who do you think you are? A saint? You can’t be proud of the way you lived.” They knew that the war years and post war years were brutal for women, especially single women without a family to support them. For Hiroshi, Michiko’s actions could be forgiven as she had only been with one guy, unlike the prostitutes who made a living off the white bread foreigners. Michiko was a kind and elegant women who condemned herself for being “depraved” which was awful to hear. Reikichi wasn’t exactly a great catch. Though well educated he’d been sponging off his brother since he came home.

Japan had much to process after the war. Soldiers had experienced traumas and civilians had lived through their own. Most people had either visible or invisible battle scars. Reikichi was learning the hard way that forgiveness was hard to come by and sometimes harder to give when clinging to rigid ideals.

30 August 2024

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Revolver with misfired bullets

An extremely classy looking loot revenge crime thriller that was made up of 100% pure melodrama without any action sequence. Despite its stylish appearance and full of dark conspiracy threats, the storyline never really takes off into anything worthy, it didn't had enough pressure or stakes to make it intimidating, and the side characters are mostly useless for the story. At the end the mission seems easily fulfilled without shock ending or huge fights, after all the extended buildups it turns out to just be an underdeveloped arthouse film that only feels like a revolver with misfired bullets.

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The best out of all of them!

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

The series/original movie: This had an interesting storyline. The script was simple but good. However, I’m the first to admit it had some weak parts to it. Although it had one story element I’m not a fan of, it does make sense in this series. The cast was incredible with their characters. There was only one exception which is often seen in Korean BL series/movies. As for the 2020 movie version, they did a great job editing the episodes into a cohesive movie. There were a few scenes that were deleted or cut short. There were also a few major scene placement changes towards the end of the movie. My only complaint was they removed the internal monologues from the two main characters. Both had beautiful cinematography, but the coloring in the movie version was more vibrant.

The director’s cut movie: The biggest plus for me was bringing back the internal monologues that was missing in the 2020 movie. Just like the 2020 version, they did a great job with the editing. There were some scenes that were deleted and some major scene placement changes towards the end of the movie. There are a few added scenes in this version. In my opinion, all of the changes greatly improved the quality of the movie. I also enjoyed the added behind the scenes footage at the end of this version of the movie.

Random Notes:

After watching all 3 versions, I strongly recommend watching the director’s cut because it incorporated the best qualities from the series and 2020 movie.



******Spoiler Alert******

The usual exception of course was the kiss scene. if they are not going to show an actual proper kissing scene, I would have settled with a kiss on the check or them hugging. Not every BL series needs a make-out/kiss session at the end.

Although it had a three-year time jump, it does make sense with this storyline.

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Too short but still worth it for the interesting context and the cast

Disclaimer, this review only relates to the 29 minutes short film, not to the additional bonus making of / behind-the-scene which lacked subtitles.

In a nutshell, I found the premise very interesting and quite subversive (especially given the fact it was released in 2009) as it features the romantic relationship between two guys separated while one is doing his mandatory military service. In a very short time, I found the movie made some very compelling points, with scenes showcasing how somewhat taboo their relationship is seen by Korean society. Unfortunately, the film is too short to really get to the bottom of the conflict and remain relatively superficial on the turmoil faced by the characters.

The acting was good and it is quite pleasant to watch some familiar actors that I had seen in other works, here at the very beginning of their career, in an indie movie. The production value is quite limited, you feel the budget constraint. Even though it felt very strange because of the shift of tone, I enjoyed the opening and ending generic. It was quite fun to watch with some joyful folk music that I appreciated.

I would recommend this movie to people looking for an indie BL short movie. It approaches love between men within the mandatory military context in Korea, which is not a very common topic. It felt unfortunately a bit short in terms of storyline and what it is trying to say, mainly because of its short length format. Still, given its short duration, it is worth giving it a shot, especially if you want to see performances of Yeon Woo Jin and Lee Je Hoon at the beginning of their career.

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