Silver_Sylphy
Trinidad & Tobago
This review may contain spoilers
At first I was not expecting to enjoy this from the couples perspective, but more from the university/ hazing angle. I mean another BL (when I did realise it was BL). Nothing wrong with a good BL story, but it's getting kinda long in the tooth.That being said, I did not read any spoilers before (hence not knowing it was BL). The upbeat music score (Soh Sut Soh Say performed by Keng Thachaya) was just so powerful it had to be attached to something, at lease, exciting. Boy was I in for a surprise!
The actual hazing was a bit far fetched for reality, but added to the premise and story quite well. The SOTUS acronym was really fully thought out. (Could someone Thai say if it is real?) Not starting as the typical love story was, again, another plus. Trying to cipher out where it was going was like being a detective. Would it be more about the hazing and the relationships formed because of a fear of the seniors? Would it force the juniors into relationships? The development of the characters was not predictable at all.
The magnificent performance of N' Krist (Sangpotirat Perawat) and the facial expressions of N' Sinto (Ruangroj Prachaya) really added to tension and emotion. Not in any way putting down the pool of amazing Thai actors, and having watched quite a few Thai Dramas, I don't think anyone else was more worthy to play those parts. These two played well of each other and even the rest of the cast, bringing a feeling of realness to the episodes.
The ending. Wow. It is just the perfect circles of circles. Karma, faith and such. Everything just falling together for a reason!
The only one critique I could find was the secondary characters could get a little more development. They do take a backseat to the main. By backseat I mean all the way in the back of an articulated bus! A little more time about them would have been just perfect! This, in no way, takes away from the realness or storytelling. It's just a very, very tiny gripe.
All in all a worthy story, impeccable acting and amazing music score. Well worth the watch! Has to be the best for it's year and possibly one of the best Thai Dramas of all times! Hormones set a bar, but SOTUS has raised it!
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From the opening scene you are drawn into the main protagonist's life and where he comes from. N' Ngern draws you in with the back story and total likability of his portrayal of Mong. The gritty realness of his moving from home and trying to make a new life is just simply portrayed perfectly.
As the story progresses you can't help but love the cast. As relationships develop the realness is felt. The daily struggles, the forged friendships, the problems balancing school and outside life, especially sleep! This is truly University life!
What's interesting is although Mong is the genesis he is not the only focus as the world expands. All the characters are given their fair share of development so you don't really feel boxed-in or linear. Kinda rare in dramas, especially with such a large cast.
The music score is more an upbeat, dreamy, and story-book-telling like. Adds quite an atmosphere to the series!
The directing is simply perfection! Camera angles, capturing faces, always on-point!
You don't feel like a spectator. You don't feel like you're intruding. You don't feel like you're spying. You don't feel like an outsider! You get to know the characters, their ambitions, their wants, their needs, their emotions! It just feels like you are there going through life with them!
All in all a wonderful drama that comes really close to mimicking true life as it could get! Thai television coming of age and really maturing in this genre!
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Boy was I wrong.
The teasers all showed sport and excitement. Could the final product live up to that hype?
The good:
The actors are amazing! The sportsmanship, the comradery, the brothership all felt through their performances!
The stunts were totally believable! Sports can be dangerous, but these actors were actually in the action!
The action! Wow! From the opening scene there never was a slow moment!
The epic:
That soundtrack! Those emotional songs! Perfection!
The characters! Well rounded as 8 episodes can make them! They did not feel flat! Just the amount of background to set up their issues! Even the background characters become part of the team, they don't feel like fillers.
The story! Wow! Clearly set-up, well executed. Never left the audience wanting!
The creative use of the camera to create tension, slow motion, zooms! Superb! The director (can't remember his name) has produced amazing work in the past and it shows here!
All in all an amazing story, if short. Takes Thai Drama to another level and in another direction! Great start to the rest of Project S!
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The acting is superb! Great acting by everyone, including the extras!
The music score is just epic! Another well done OST!
The epic:
Credit must be given to Tor who portrays an autistic person in an amazing way! Not condescending or patronising in any way you actually feel lie you are observing someone with the affliction!
The story is just epic! Sport and autism! Wow! There is no good and bad, just situations and repercussions. This has to be the Thai drama that is the most realistic to
The chemistry between the leads, the 2nd leads and the interaction with the other characters in the Side by Side world is remarkable!
Conclusion
SxS is an amazing story, well paced, well acted, well crafted! Well worth the watch!
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What this series was was a non-traditional (for dramas of this class) look at life as affected by social media. SM played a crucial role in each and every life in this series, as it does today. How many of us are not affected by Twitter, InstaGram, Facebook, Line, YouTube and Tinder? How many of us do not live on these media and don't even know our next door neighbour?
A little dramatic at times, the characters are totally relatable in our modern context. The fact that they are University students and a little more mature than the other dramas being based in High School was quite a plus.
Again, I must hand it to the Thai's: they have product placement down. This time the adverts, ahm I mean product placements, were not quite as annoyingly placed as other drams which shall go unmentioned, but they are still quite noticeable. Good job though!
All in all a good drama to keep you busy in the downtime between Tweets, IMs, Lines and such. Well worth the watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
This is how you do a teaser!
We were introduced to two of the main characters in Gameboys S1. We all know how that one turned out: as close to perfection as a drama could ever get. We got to dislike one of the characters, then saw a redemption arc second to none for him.Riding on the wave of popularity of the original comes Alt. As a teaser, it really expands the Gameboys universe. It re-introduces us to the malaligned character and gives us insight into his situation. As an introduction to S2, it seems to be the perfect segway to the expanded universe.
IdeaFirst is now a household name in the BL and Asian Drama community and if Alt is any indication S2 will be as spectacular as S1!
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The story reaches a human side from the beginning. The characters are very believable and acted superbly. Although categorised as "horror" it features quite a bit of drama and family dynamics / conflict over the base of horror. Viewed from the site of each character there is quite a bit of development of each personality throughout the movie.
There is a build-up from happy, new to the darker, murky side of this horror. The development is very palatable. The situations leading to the climax is quite believable and frightening. By believable I mean the stories you always see on TV and read in the newspaper about situations that can be happening right next door to your house. This is where the story shines: this development of the main story, descending from family drama and suspense to outright horror.
One of the better stories in this genre I've seen in a while. Not really the concentrated bump-in-the-night, outright horror, but extremely worth the watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
It's good, it's bad. Highs are high, lows are low.
Has there ever been a drama with this amount of bad, yet the good parts were epic? Surely not. Has there been a trainwreck that was actually beautiful and redeemed itself? Surely not.The good:
Eventually, the chemistry was there.
The scenes which were intimate were done memorably well.
The orchestral score of the main OST was epically spliced where needed.
It was so not fully focused it wasn't predictable.
The in-between:
The acting was hit or miss.
The plot holes were enough to swallow much of South East Asia.
There were some directing directions there may have worked if they were, actually, directed. I'm looking at you improvised episode.
The bad:
What the hell is up with those fantasy scenes? Ms. Becky spent a good 10 minutes in some fairy tale dusting?
Certain scenes were just cringy and seemed to lack proper direction, eg. in the pool where Ace was trying to avoid Sky. It just looked like bad acting.
It was so not fully focused it wasn't predictable.
The show started with such a wonderful premise: a university student needing an internship gets one of the least picked and hardest ones then is forced into a competition taking on the name of the company and national pride. This theme was explored somewhat well in the beginning. The boss being a harsh taskmaster was explored, but not enough. Ace just became too nice too quickly. The one good thing is the direction of the story never had the viewer foreseeing what will happen next. It was so all over the place that it wasn't really predictable, just as with Ace just becoming nice.
Ace's relationships and interactions with the other characters were well done at times. We get such a good development of this "rich kid" who seems to have it all but actually has deep-set issues. The comparison to his life with Ms. Becky and Sky's family was done well. Could have been better, but was alright. His coming out scene with his "best friend," Kim, was one of those well-done scenes.
There were so many plot holes! The kidnapping of Chux Chux did not feel like the few days which the story suggests. There was also no real motivation for Celyn going against Moira in this issue. Let's not talk about the trope mad, ex-girlfriend getting "revenge!" What are her motivations? What was her background? We get none of this! We had some of Sky's classmates being bullies, then, suddenly, in another scene we see them begging forgiveness. What?
Melodrama was definitely defined in this series! Over the top crying, shouting, fainting! Indian and Korean stories would be taking notes!
All in all the series is definitely a guilty pleasure as defined by an MLD member. It was bad and cringy, but still had you looking at what was next, even if it was just to hate it! The series is not for everyone, but will still keep your attention if you like having a suspension of disbelief. Not really a trainwreck, not really all on the tracks, but hit some stations, stoped way past some, and just ran through some. I can only hope Oxin, the producer, will grow from here seeing that it was their first real outing into drama.
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The acting was superb. From the baddies to the police, it really hit a mark. The turmoil faced by the characters felt real, with just the right amount of flash-backs to set up the main story line.
All in all not a bad movie to watch on a rainy night. It has its scary gruesome moments, but is in no way a heart stopping tale.
Well worth the watch if you like ghost stories and due justice.
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The story was not just the run-of-the-mill predictable teen romance thing. It had plot and substance, just the right amount of humor which toned down in just the right time as the story arched. Kudos to such perfect timing! Even at the serious points the movie just hinted at perfectly timed comic relief which still developed the story. There was no needless filler, no wasted scenes, yet the main characters got their development almost fully.
The acting was superb! Casting was on the ball! All the actors filled their roles perfectly!
The music score was, again, on point.
If you are looking for a nice movie you could get into this is highly recommended! Just the right amount of comic relief, banter and life with some unexpected twists you won't see coming, but only add to the story!
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What sets this one apart is the superb acting of the leads. Gong Yoo is at his best! Ma Dong Seok is quite at a peak of his talent! The other actors are really amazing in lending an air of believeability in the cliche world that is Zombie Films. Yet, with all the zombies aside, this movie does portray the heroic (cliche) and horrible (cliche) parts of humanity at its best. You will be supporting the hero and wishing bad karma on the lead baddies. It will have you on the edge of your seats.
The story is well paced. The important characters all get a slice of development. The cause of the apocalypse was also explained. Not something usually gained from the normal zombie movie.
The effects! O my! Like wow! The zombies looked exactly like what you would expect them to be! It was also different to see this type of movie in the day, and not the scene setting of the night and darkness. The trains were utterly magnificent! The train yard effects and other vehicles were as real as real could get on screen. CGI or props they really hit the mark on that!
If you are a fan of zombie flicks this is a must see, it won't let you down. It has everything to like with the genre in an action packed capsule!
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While not really totally fit to be horror, maybe more suspense, drama, afterlife, it does have its jump scary moments.
Well written and acted, the story progresses rather amazingly from start to finish. The writing was well done: showing the emotions of the lead character as his life changes. This is well done by Nak (Charlie Trairat) who portrayed Ton.
Michael (Sirachuch Chienthaworn) and Prani (Chintara Sukapatana) both add wonderful support to the storyline with their superb performances.
The dark toned style of filmography and the exotic location of the school further adds to the overall authentic feel of a ghost movie which may be the correct description. No gore, blood, chopping of heads, no "horror" themes.
There is just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep you interested. There are no boring or low parts to this movie. Somewhat cliche ending, but at least it was good. Not drawn-out, over done or in no way rushed.
Well worth the watch!
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Likable:
The cast was superb, played as well as could be, considering the material. You actually got a feel that these people know one another and interact like this every day. The protagonists were well rounded and developed with just the right amount of flashbacks. You are not confused as to when a scene is in the past or present.
Medical terms were explained on screen in a non-obtrusive and non-condescending manner. The medical speak was just that: medical. There was no pandering to the audience. Jargon was spoken at that level, which felt more real, not broken down for the viewers.
The set-up for the story was great, the background was well developed.
The main set, Hyunsung Medical, was perfectly believable. You will actually be in the world of HSMC and not a sound stage. Again, the actors and extras made you believe they inhabited this space, not just thrown in for your gratification.
There were really no boring or throw-away scenes. The drama did keep my attention well in tune to what was happening. Makes me curious what else would have been in the 2 cut episodes.
The atmosphere music was perfect. That heart beating type of non-diegetic music was just perfect for the story.
Dislikable:
The stories just seem to barely intersect each-other. Yes, they did play a part in the overall arc but that was not the feeling. Things were revealed too quickly, or not really at the correct time, for any suspense or impact at times. The chaebol drama, for instance, of the owners could have played a bigger part from the beginning, or maybe none at all.
There was no real clear entry point. Yes, Dr Lee Yeong Oh returning to Korea was the starting point, or was it? Was the research the starting point? Was Gye Jin Sung the genesis? We need a starting point! (Perfect story with a starting point: Part Time: The Series.)
Some Thoughts:
There was confusion as to whose viewpoint the story hinged. If there was a clear lead as to a POV it may have gained more ratings, making it more relatable.
The comedy parts were quite good, the few there were. There should have been more light-heated scenes, if only to bring a sense of realness. The characters were there. The set-up was there. It was just a matter of a little comedic development.
With a little work this could have been one of Korea's best medical dramas. The idea behind it, a celebrated neurosurgeon with antisocial personality disorder, was just perfection. It offered all the right elements, but execution was just a tad sloppy.
Conclusion:
All in all well worth the watch. The story was interesting. It somewhat dived into the workings of Korea's chaebol system. It also quite well illustrated Korean culture for elders and rank. From a medical drama perspective the science worked. Just a little tightening-up by the writers and this may have spawned a few seasons.
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OK. That being said, the movie was really great.
Absolutely loved Tan's behavior and mannerisms as a teenager. N' James was spot on with his acting. The writers hit a mark with his character!
P' Pok's acting was totally a wow factor. O my! She is totally amazing! Among some of the greatest in any country!
As always with this genre of movie it can be quite an emotional trip. Timeline is no different. All in all well worth watching!
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This review may contain spoilers
This is how it's done! Perfection!
I sit here trying to personify what has to be the BL that achieves almost perfect perfection.Firstly we have well-rounded characters in a very relatable setting. No wishy-washy half-baked personas were thrown in for drama's sake. Even the minor characters, as Cai's first GF, have a depth to them. Their motivations, feelings, and personas are well written and in keeping with the experiences of the pandemic. Gav had so many layers! Confidence giving way to jealousy, insecurity, pining for what was lost, and hope not to lose again. Cai is evolving with each episode with an interesting and real background story that becomes fully realised in the Pandemic context. You get the feeling these people actually exist in your world, and not just some fancy dramadom setting!
Secondly the directing. Wow. Ginoo Payawal, Ibinibigay ko sa iyo ang aking sumbrero: I tip my hat to you! You and your editing team were amazing and always on point! Not a single wasted scene, moment nor transition! Everything flowed so perfectly to fill the short episodes! There never was a laxed moment! The episodes felt packed, but not overwhelmingly so, and quite satisfying in the content. Those cliffhangers! Some of the best ever! Left the viewer longing for the next episode!
Thirdly, and not least important, the acting. Again, wow, wow, wow. Kokoy, Elijah, Adrianna, and the cast were amazing! The chemistry among them all! Gav and Cai had so much palpable chemistry through the screen! The development of the relationship was so organic! It did not feel forced, fake nor contrived in any way! having half of your face covered can't be good for any actor. Both, again, handled it with such grace! Their expressions on the meeting added so much tot he emotion of that scene! Again, pure perfection! Adrianna as Pearl brought so much energy to every scene she was in! Her role as enabler and supporter cannot be underscored enough! Sidenote: can't wait for Peral Next door!
While Kokoy and Elijah were the show-stealers the others were all showstoppers in their own rights. Jerom and Sue were pure perfections. Brother and mom becoming Cai's support and forgiving him for what he thought was his fault were epic and strong character building events for Cai. This could never be accomplished full-heartedly without the supporting actors!
Why I say this approaches a perfect perfection has so many dimensions. Primarily the story. We don't get the stereotypical, thropy I like you for you but I'm not attracted to guys. Here we get one character that is struggling with identity, who was outed by someone he trusted with his secret. We also see that being in a relationship is new territory for him and get to experiences the pitfalls and heartache of, not only a new relationship but the entire situation of the new normal playing making it an LDR one.
We get a protagonist who may or may not be a playboy, may or may not be sincere. The audience will have to figure that one out!
We also get an inside look at Philipino culture. I always love it when a drama takes us on these personalised journeys. We see the family bonds, culture, and the effect of these bonds on the individual and relationships. We also see the gaming culture that so many of us are part of.
All through the series, each character remained just that: each. Gav and Cai have very distinct personalities and we saw each as an individual. This is epic writing. In so many series and even books, we see a de-evolving of characters until their dialogue and personalities become almost meshed. Up to the end, Cai remained Cai, and Gav was Gav.
All in all, Gameboys is the ultimately bestest best series to air! Not only keeping with the context of the global pandemic but for a perfectly crafted story and relatable, real characters! Thank you, Ideafirst, for this piece of inspirational positivism in these trying times!
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