Movies completed in 2022

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/EnoVJi3
Though nothing very memorable, an entertaining, light-hearted and uplifting story in an amusement park, focused on teamwork and character growth.
The best part was Nishijima Hidetoshi's bright smile :)

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/0XJXPFN
A slow-paced but heartwarming coming-of-age story, with a unique blending of traditional and modern japanese culture, a charming protagonist and wonderful shamisen sounds!

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/p1XKXuP
Touching story, adapted from a novel based on true events, with adorable puppies and kittens :)

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/v17R6tx

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/1JDy1FR

A quirky, humorous portrayal of the middle-life crisis and mis-communication many couples face
 after being married for too long.
Always a pleasure to see Abe Hiroshi playing timid, reserved characters :)

The story wasn't as good as the prequel's, the romance felt forced and unnecessary, but overall it was a funny, easy watch.
The great visuals and scenery, Kang Ha Neul and Lee Kwang Soo's funky hair and antics, Chae Soo Bin's charms and naughtiness were the best parts of this movie.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/v12erix

"You don't have to know everything about something to understand it."

An intimate, slow-paced indie film -full of subtle silences and things remaining unsaid- that studies
family bonding in a case where blood is not what actually constitutes a family, the narrow-minded mentality of most secluded communities, the prejudice and discrimination for same sex couples.
The poignant, serene cinematography of the beautiful rural scenery and the eloquent performances of most cast members did compensate for the somewhat thin storytelling.

Interesting concept, cute execution.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/dnYkvTB
Though a bit confusing and too complex sometimes, overall it was an intense thriller with a unique, captivating story, great action/fight scenes, convincing transition between the changes in the plot and a solid performance from Yoon Kye Sang and his supporting cast members.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/xznK5Il
A colorful, stylish, artsy journey in an eccentric, witty (as well as a bit loose and confusing) story of a cat and mouse courtship.
Worth watching if only for Chris Doyle's magnificent cinematography (those close shots of green tea leaves in hot water were pure art!) and Jian Weng and Zhao Wei's intoxicating performances.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4JqrBIA

"Should we let things stand?"
"I thought it might be nice... to have some time to not think."

A female centered, contemplative road trip movie which may be slow-paced, with a grey, mundane and melancholic tone, but in fact its serene, pensive and elegant composition was what made it beautiful.

A delicate coming-of-age/family story about loss, grief and letting go.

Heavy on politics and the backstabbing and manipulation it involves, a bit slow-paced, but the great cast and its acting made it a very interesting watch.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/jJBnXFj
This coming of age, family themed story approaches cult religious groups, their relationships, their conflicts and how people see and treat them in a unique, more humane way and, though many parts are confusing and some characters aren't properly explored, watching Ashida Mana's natural, almost effortless acting is always a pleasure!

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4J24bCA
Moving and inspiring, though on the cheesy side ^^
Nakajo Ayami's beauty and Sugino Yosuke' charms were undoubtedly a big plus!

An interesting and touching story, with three cute main leads and a unique plot, though a bit confusing in some parts, probably because there were many different genres blended in it.

For Choi Min Shik and/or math lovers!

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/j6lDDTj
A slow-paced, bleak and character-driven portrayal of two men tortured by guilt and seeking for connection, somewhere to belong and be needed.

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An enjoyable action/comedy manga adaptation, despite its flaws.
Its main advantages are the great cast and their memorable personas, as well as the impressively choreographed action scenes.
Though the movie's multi-genre mixture (slapstick humor, parody, action, thriller, drama, romance) makes the story rather inconsistent and imbalanced sometimes, the fact that it definitely doesn't take itself seriously is what makes it unique and entertaining.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/Z63ZgCx
A heartwarming coming of age movie, full of nostalgia and childhood summer vibes.
A bittersweet story delivered  by some talented child actors' delightful performances.

A subtle and delicate romance story, with a slow pace and many flashbacks that may be a bit confusing sometimes.
A pleasure to see all four talented actors so young, at the beginning of their careers :)

I think none of the movie adaptations can beat the drama with Kuroki Haru's superb performance, but, like "Mio's Cookbook", it was an enjoyable culinary and historical ride.

I think none of the movie adaptations can beat the drama with Kuroki Haru's superb performance, but, like "Mio's Cookbook", it was an enjoyable culinary and historical ride.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/BWjrdSE
A peculiar film full of raw violence and splatter, with a story that is quite familiar and predictable, presented in a rather complicated philosophical-ish and unbalanced way.
Thankfully, suave Dean Fujioka with a katana killing folks left and right, the old-style Kitano-like cinematography and the cleverly utilized music score saved the day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue4UoMHKzyM
https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/rj27vC5
Hilarious and sad at the same time.

https://mega.nz/file/efpSzZaJ#xM-3hBJ4MiRcz26iIswoX9aOl8_V26MBGHrP6uvZoJQ
An interesting story depicting the frustrations, burning anger and inner conflict of a young girl's failed mission to confront her dad's mistress.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/LAGQpMSz
Dark, perplexing and compelling, with a plot-twist that I didn't see coming...
Brilliant use of colouring and music, superb performances from Suda Masaki and Nakajima Yuto with such demanding, challenging roles.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/pX1RZTP
Predictable and clichéd but heartwarming and enjoyable, thanks to the cute bromance between Yoon Shi Yoon and Yeo Jin Goo's characters.

Surprisingly entertaining, though it's a non-brainer quasi-musical comedy, spiced with melodrama hints. The best part were the visuals, the colour palette and Li Qin's charms.

Knowing this is based on true events and a still ongoing case, this feels multiple times more devastating and infuriating...

Bittersweet, simple, yet touching slice-of-life story of a boy and his hearing impaired mother, full of loud silences and mellow piano music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhBLsUWZN6s

This is actually an ad from HK INNO "Condition" drink in a short from drama as a tribute to "Youth of May" with our youth of may couple.

Having watched the original k-movie years ago, the story was already familiar, so the melo, bitter-sweetness and tragedy were expected.
Though the actors did a great job (especially Jasper Liu), some timeline confusion induced by editing and pacing issues couldn't be ignored.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/QR13PT8
A violent, tense neo-noir crime story, with some subtle social commentaries and large doses of bonding/friendship.
The atmospheric cinematography, some brilliantly choreographed fighting scenes, the crisp editing and colouring sufficiently counterbalanced the underwhelming character study, making this film an interesting watch.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/qXqPpTp
Making a dramedy based on real political events and the life of activist Kim Dae Jung was definitely a bold and risky move, but wasn't bad at all.
Though the story was predictable or too convenient at times, the pacing and tone uneven throughout the movie, and some plot-holes were too big to ignore, the solid performances from the cast, the convincing settings and aesthetics, as well as some nice comedic moments made "Best Friend" an interesting watch.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/jPlmDcj
Not as good and gripping as its prequel: too many flashbacks, unnecessarily more violent and less focused on friendship, which was the strongest element of the first movie.
Still, the acting and relationship formed between the two leads, as well as the proper closure of the whole story made this an interesting watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DrA9xrPP18
Cute, funny and heartwarming.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/ZbQ7Vix
Less engaging and more confusing than its prequel.
Too many characters, poorly written and developed, too little suspense and twists in a story that, frankly, doesn't make much sense until the last part.
Let's hope the third film will deliver a satisfying conclusion to the main story.

vimeo.com/309141929
https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/X7z4rC8
"What if I feel empty without you in my life?"
Bittersweet and melancholic.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/102JQJfb

An intriguing & informative look into the cultural and societal non-belonging feelings and isolation of different mixed-race “half-Japanese” (hafu) people.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/EbWw6c3

Abe Hiroshi never disappoints!

Yoon Kye Sang, without a single line, delivered a memorable performance for a challenging role.

The fact that it was based on a true story makes it touching and inspiring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRWES1xSKco

Cute faces in a predictable, a bit flat story.

An unconventional story about a poet's bleak journey to self awareness.

Nomura Mansai's performance was the strongest element of the movie, while the slapstick moments were the weakest.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/Ennd4h3
Not as enjoyable as I thought it would be...
Good for a one-time-only watch, mainly for the cast. 

A light-hearted, eccentric comedy with a simple, predictable story focused on sports and college life. Nothing spectacular, but feel-good and entertaining :)

Beautiful visuals, lukewarm storytelling.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4JkOeCA
Disturbing, confusing and thought-provoking, this dark and twisted film was a raw experience, definitely not for faint-heart people.

A promising cast and some great action scenes couldn't make up for its lack of story...

Delicate, yet full of restrained sensuality, approach of a subject which is a taboo for most cultures.

Though the tone changed drastically after the first part, the pacing and the storytelling felt flat, while the love story wasn't properly exploited so as to justify the overly melodramatic second part.

An easy, lighthearted romcom, suitable for a weekend afternoon watch.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/X6e7kh8
Mostly for dog lovers! There are some witty dialogues and a rather awkward romance, but eventually enjoyable due to cute, fluffy Shiba Inu dogs :)

An interesting tear-jerker story about friendship and character development for one of the most annoying protagonists in j-movies world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqcW8V2z44c
A short film made from fleeting moments of a long gone era, spiced with Haruki Murakami’s impeccable story-telling style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_JcT6zmhuc
https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/vBe6wcx
A bizarre 'what-the-heck-did-I-just-watch' short film.

Enjoyable, though a bit predictable, romance school story.
Why Itagaki Mizuki is still the SML in this kind of movies is beyond me...

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/xdzPRFl
A simple, warm and touching movie with a special kid and a wonderful father-son relationship.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4a0zj7FB
A road-trip/action story filled with gangsters, loan sharks, car-chase and father issues elements, heavily based on comedy and fast-paced storytelling.
It was a funny, easy watch but, unfortunately, the multiple story threads and the unequal mixture of too many different genres resulted in a lukewarm outcome, which the well-known and talented cast couldn't overcome.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/3bwaEotm
Cute, funny (and noisy) music/youth story, combining classical and traditional chinese music, with an extra dose of romance and friendship.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/3bwvwgtm
Typical and predictable teacher-pupils relationship, as well as character development story, with cute little kids and a-pleasure-to-watch Cha Seung Won.
Nothing very memorable, but an enjoyable dramedy nonetheless.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4YR8Xrul
I admit, I watched this for Yokohama Ryusei - and finished it for him.
It is clearly evident that this film is a movie adaptation, but not a good one: too fast-paced, too rushed, too hard to follow all the events and characters.
Perhaps those who've read the manga and the fans of gambling genre will enjoy it more...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tAklUXugc
Horror short, satisfyingly tense and nicely filmed.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/0nmEdCN
Artistic and delicate slice of life story, depicting the everyday life and romance quest of a middle-aged man in modern Shanghai, spiced with some subtle social commentaries and beautiful cityscape shots.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/v7oVxfx
Predictable and a bit too unrealistic, with some over-the-top 'funny' moments, shallow fleshing-out of most characters, and unbalanced mixture of genres -such as comedy, adventure and romance-, that didn't do justice to the great cast.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/xbjPKIl
Dark, violent and devastatingly cruel, with lots triggering elements.
Predictable story, uneven pacing and editing, lots of cliches, insufficiently addressed social issues and a lukewarm ending.
But, the mere presence of Lee Si Young, as the kickass lady in red and high heels, putting her skills to good use was enough for me to keep on watching.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/kZ0AACJ
Started this for the cast, finished it for the cast and the wonderful, fairy-like cinematography.
The story was confusing and felt really rushed, the pacing uneven, the music distracting, but the visuals, the colouring, the kimonos... chef's kiss!

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/12ly1CR
A very interesting premise that could have been so much better if not for the very superficial approach.
The best things were the well-fitted slow and quiet pacing, but most of all the beautiful rural landscapes and scenery.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/1zmnbaHr
Bleak, depressing, confusing and minimal, this is the story of a young schoolgirl, Sachiko, and everything and everyone in her life that went disappointedly wrong...

Slow and confusing (at least for shogi non-experts), with characters not properly fleshed out.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/4LzpbIA

Great cast, missed opportunity in storytelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCVg49Ff9m4

Typical uni romance of a clumsy couple with communication problems, spiced with all the typical cliches, some unnecessary drama and an absurd ending.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/1zVdAbTr
Started it (and finished it) for Jang Hyuk...
The story was a predictable mixture of tropes used in a couple of famous and successful action movies and the plot messy and unoriginal. Though the action scenes were satisfying - after all, Jang Hyuk never fails to deliver! - the outcome was nothing noteworthy or memorable.
Only for avid Jang Hyuk's fans.

https://mydramalist.com/profile/penel/feeds/pl3kdcP
In fact, it was more of a Comedy action than 'Violence Action'.
Too convoluted, incoherent and absurd, clearly showing that it's based on a manga.
Worth for the visuals and bright colours...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXSYURl6Dcg

Unfortunately, nothing good to write about this...

https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/1910/the-villain-who-i-love-2017
https://www1.dramacool.fo/the-villain-who-i-love-2017-episode-1.html