Reviews

"Can we talk?"

Apart from You was one of Naruse Mikio’s early silent films. The subject matter was a familiar one for the times, a woman was lodged between a rock and a hard place trying to provide for her ungrateful son. There were moments of slapstick comedy sprinkled through the melodrama that also included an unrequited romance.

Kikue is an aging geisha trying to hang on and make enough money for her son to finish school. Terugiko is a teenager who works with Kikue. Embarrassed by his mother’s profession, Yoshio has been skipping school and joined a gang of troublemakers. When Kikue finds out she is distressed and asks Terugiko for help as Yoshio cares for her. When talking to him doesn’t work Terugiko takes him home to her parents’ house by the sea. There Yoshio discovers what a truly dysfunctional family is.

Naruse began the film with two geishas walking down the street and a gang of ruffians running about searching for someone. There were overtly comedic moments as the camera bounced around. It took a bit of time to figure out who was the focus of the story. Initially, the story began as a mother-son film and then made a turn into doomed romance. It was also unclear initially whether this was going to be a comedy or a full-blown melodrama. There was a running gag about Yoshio’s hole filled socks with a cute moment involving Terugiko’s little brother right before he found out how lucky he was. When words failed to break through Yoshio’s feelings about his mother, Terugiko tried to show Yoshio how pigheaded and thoughtless he was being through her own example. Her drunken father relied on her money to provide for the family instead of working himself and he was prepared to sell her younger sister as well. Terugiko was faced with a terrible future in order to save her sister. After being dressed down by Yoshio, Kikue made a drastic sake soaked decision. Suddenly, the funny moments didn't seem so funny.

Yoshikawa Mitsuko was 32 at the time of this film and was treated as an “old hag.” Isono Akio who played her son Yoshio was a mere 9 years younger! The beautiful Mizukubo Sumiko was only 17 years old which only emphasized Terugiko's dire circumstances. Yoshikawa and Mizukubuo were the heart of this film while Isono as the petulant man-child played it with a straight face. Aoki Tomio, a frequent child actor at the time, played Terugiko’s mischievous little brother. The acting was all pretty solid, especially for this time period. The story had a tendency to change focus as much as Naruse’s camera did. He overused the dramatic closeups and choppy editing to convey emotions in several scenes. He did make use of Japan’s natural scenery when Terugiko and Yoshio traveled by train to her parents’ house and also when they talked by the sea.

Apart from You had its flaws but Naruse managed to fill 60 minutes with emotional impact without jumping headlong into sentimentality. Women had few financial opportunities and yet were ostracized when they walked the only path they could find to survive and help their families survive. As much as I was hoping mother and son would reconcile, it was diminutive Terugiko’s fate that haunted me. This statement by Terugiko could have been an anthem of resiliency for both of the women, “I won’t be defeated by hardships.”

22 July 2024

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This Movie Is A Masterpiece

I wasn't originally going to write a review, but after I finished the movie I found that I couldn't stop thinking about it.
It has actually consumed my thoughts and feelings so I thought I might share my opinions in order to convince you to watch it.

The movie starts out simple and slow, it does such a perfect job of world building, and most importantly, relationship building. I found myself confused halfway through, constantly wondering why Makoto had such an obession with Lisa and when I found the answer, my heart shattered.

This movie is so beautifully heartbreaking. Everything about it is so poetic, like when Makoto lights fireworks in winter because she loved them. I replay moments from this film in my head over and over and always find new sorrowful details I hadn't considered before.

I more than just recommended this movie. I hope everyone gets a chance to watch this, or something like this once in their life. Sure, there may have been predictable parts and maybe even boring parts, but nonetheless I consider this film a work of art.

Mackenyu especially did such a fantastic job, I have never seen him convey such joy and such sorrow before, it was incredible.

Please give this movie a chance, you won't regret it.

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It’s not FreenBecky’s fault…

…it’s the writers’ and post production teams’.

[TL;DR, Spoiler free]
I commend FreenBecky’s improvement since GAP. I can see that their execution is good. They’ve internalized all of their characters so well and I love them for that!!! The action scenes AND THEIR CHEMISTRY are just *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏽🤌🏽

HOWEVER… the almost 3-hour movie just didn’t deliver for me. The time jumps were confusing and I felt that the conclusion was really rushed. I swear, the story flow were incomprehensible at times. It also didn’t balance the sci-fi and rom-drama genres.

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[MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!]

There are a lot of things that needs improvement:
- The sequencing shots of the parallel world travel confused me A LOT, especially when THERE’S LITERALLY THE SAME COLOR GRADING EXCEPT FOR KATH’S LAST TRAVEL (since it took place on the world war era)! If it wasn’t for my friend who also watched the movie with me (and for Kath and Lin’s wigs lol), I’d be lost at times. The contrast between the “worlds”/“eras” only has subtle differences and happens out of the blue, so you need to be more observant to connect the storyline.

Also, just when I was about to engage and symphatize with the leads in that parallel world, the scene just cuts! Just like that conclusion!

- The subtitles doesn’t match what they’re saying in English most of the time. It’s kinda frustrating. The lines that they’re saying (especially in English) sometimes doesn’t feel natural too.

- This isn’t a “sci-fi” movie (which the movie was advertised as). Y’all I was fooled by the movie poster. The movie had more shots around Kath’s diving career than Lin’s astronaut career.

- The CGI in that Tsunami part 😭

But I still liked the space scenes. It feels quite realistic and well produced! Some of the shots and visuals are stunning, too, especially Lin and Kath’s motorcycle scene. I swear, Freen and Beckbeck so far has the most oozing chemistry in all of the GL pairs I’ve watched. They’re also did fan service in this film. Like a lot.

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FINAL THOUGHTS:
I still give the studio and the people behind this movie a big thumbs up for their efforts for breaking the stereotypic “romantic plot” movies. They still have a lot to improve, but the movie is a great start. I just hope that they hire better post prod team lol. But still watch it for Freen and Becky.

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A masterpiece in love philosophy.

As an avid fan of Chinese movies and a long-time fan of the Ex-File series (Hey, 体面 is one of me go-to songs when I'm at a karaoke). I really, thoroughly loved this movie.

The plot is a direct sequel to ex-files 3 in which our titular meng yun is now single, with baggage from his previous break-up with lin jia. Our ever humorous Yu Fei and Ding Dian are still up to their ever so entertaining couple shenanigans, including the thoroughly enjoyable couple fights - favourite of which are where a tray of shot glasses are lined up and whoever does something wrong in the relationship has to take a shot. Those scenes are amplified and even better in the sequel.

As a romance comedy, I can tell you the comedy and writing is extremely entertaining, enjoyable and funny. But more so the romance aspect, it tackles many aspects of love, marriage and relationships on an extremely deep level that you wouldn't expect from a typical romcom movie. Things like talking about how someone single is likely to find their soul mate because they won't settle for something less just not to be alone. Things like how when you realize eating, drinking, movies and shopping can be done alone and be used to it, you don't really need a companion to do so. Things like how the "freedom" someone single enjoys can actually be the same shackles that bind him into a prison of not being able to step out of his comfort zone.

This is a movie that can be outrageously hilarious, wildly fun, deeply entertaining at the same time pulling your heart strings and making you think deeply about life, relationships and what really does love mean.

A movie that has literally something for everyone, every demographic. A masterpiece for sure.

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Beauty Photoshoot

It is clear from the beginning that this is a B-movie. Actually, it is hard for me to believe that this was first a drama series turned into a theatrical release. Artistically there is nothing of worth here but there is some entertainment in watching beautiful girls doing photoshoots. For me that was the best part of the movie – just enjoying looking at some beautiful Korean women. I guess the appeal of this movie is to show these actors to the public and it doesn’t try to hard to be a good movie.

Storywise, it was all too silly and unbelievable. The theme of vampires is used just as background for the romance and drama but is not realized very well. This movie doesn’t work as Sci-Fi or fantasy, but it has some worth as a comedy. I must admit, I had a laugh or two watching this.

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Why do you think it will be very enjoyable?

I highly recommend 'Our Secret Diary,' it's an amazing Japanese drama that expertly combines romance, mystery, and personal growth to create a truly engaging story. The characters are well-developed, each dealing with their own struggles and challenges. The main character, in particular, goes through a profound journey, dealing with love, friendship, and self-discovery. The romantic storyline is handled with great sensitivity and the chemistry between the characters adds depth to the story. The mystery in the plot keeps you hooked, and the production values are top-notch, with stunning cinematography and a soundtrack that perfectly complements the series. Overall, it's an outstanding Jdrama that seamlessly blends romance, mystery, and personal growth, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre.

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hard-headed kid and a former useless man who just got out of prison turn into a great dad

I randomly picked this movie because I couldn't sleep and didn't know what to watch, but it turned out to be one of the few good decisions I've made in my life. At first, I thought, "Hmm, that kid is so annoying," and "That man is too harsh and doesn't care about anyone else," but I came to love them both deeply.

What I love about this movie is the bond between the characters. The child is overly protective of the people she deeply cares about. Whenever she tried to protect San Mei, I got teary-eyed. Oh, to be loved and protected just like she protected him, despite not being related by blood. You can really see San Mei's development from not liking the kid because she's so annoying, which is valid, to giving the kid everything she wanted. Also, I was so amazed by the kid's acting skills. She's so good at her job, lmao. She's cute when she smiles, you would also feel emotional if she cries, and you would feel mad if she's mad.

I'm not the type of viewer who gets deeply attached to shows, but I was disappointed when it ended. I need more. I want to see them hang out, play, and tease each other.

I might be biased in rating this since I can relate to it, but it's really good if you like seeing a hard-headed kid and a former useless man who just got out of prison turn into a great dad. It's heartwarming to watch someone who didn't care about their life before suddenly find something they want to protect and care about.

Additionally, the movie touches on themes of death, as the main character's job involves working with dead bodies. While we often see this as dirty or disgusting, I think it's an honorable job that deserves appreciation.

So, if you're looking for a good movie that will make you cry and has a great story, you should check this out. You won't regret it. This is a good movie about life and death.

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THRILLING, SAD and DEEP

First of All I really appreciate that one of the characters here is gay, I liked it that they have portrayed that gays can be everywhere and that they can be cool even if they are gay Just like Chief Hyeon Sang.
The Movie was so thrilling and unpredictable, as a person like me who have watched tons of movies and dramas, I sometimes kinda predict what the story is all about and how will the story goes, the story here is common but what I mean lately as unpredictable was the scenes, I thought what will happen next will be like this but I was wrong , is it called the plot twist ? and that made the movie so exciting.
In some ways for all of the fan of Korean things we are quite informed about their country , the North and South Korean Division, shows at south like this shows that North Korea is like more of the cruel one and the South is more of a the free country something like that, but who knows . I did not care about that , their issue is their own , regardless of it, I was really entertained by the movie.
I liked the cinematography, if we would see this movie as a whole it was quite simply, someone who wants to escape , that's it ! and someone who wants to do something but was not able to do because of his country and his father the plot has a deep meaning and sense if we would really understand it
The acting was 10/10 , as we have all known Koreans always use their full emotions in each situation so acting was always convincing and nicely done
In some ways I think the movie was too short , I thought it would reach up to 2 hour movie just like the movies nowadays , I hope it would be longer. All in all super love it the story was on point and a very nice ending, I was really afraid in the middle because I thought Kyu Nam was not gonna make it or in some scenes I thought he would be caught, I liked his bravery it was like two people , one was brave enough to do what he wants and one was not able to do what he wants because of commitment and loyalty.
Above all as you all know I am a die hard fan of Lee Je Hoon so for me everything he does is lovely so I am really sorry of being biased here, but I believe even not a fan like me or just looking for some movie to watch would like this . Lee Je Hoon was so handsome and has a very nice body figure and he was literally my dream man ! I will definitely watch this movie million times !

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RIDICULOUS

This is ridicolous at the extreme level.
1. The accusation, because yes, it's true that Korea stole everything from China ( even the robe Kings wear, they were never granted). So why is the fuss about?
They stole the Sundial and the astronomy observations from China, the lunisolar calendar and so on...
2. Korea was a vassal tributary state, even sending women to their master, China. And they still are a tributary state, now licking USA's ass. A tributary state can't change its nature. So what's the pretense about?
3. The inventions. Why Korea couldn't have inventions before, on their own, without stealing from others? Is it their innate arrogance, insecurity and inferiority complex because they changed master, from China to Japan to USA?

They should stop doing those arrogant products without any historical coherence nor accuracy, because their own proclaimed nationalism is a mask for arrogance. They don't deserve independence.

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3 Gerberas, 2 Funerals and A Match Made In Heaven

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone. This review contains spoilers so I suggest watching the film first before reading.***

「 ❝An untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all❞ 」

I just finished watching this, and I must stress that it is not for the faint of heart. If you are super sensitive still want to watch, I recommend bringing a box of tissues because you will probably cry. If you liked 20th Century Girl, you will definitely appreciate this.

General Overview:

Drawing Closer is an astoundingly beautiful film that had a great influence on me, with both its narrative and visual brilliance. From the first scene to the end credits, the film immerses the audience in a universe where every frame is precisely produced, with each shot a monument to the director's vision and the cinematographer's talent. The emotionally charged tale delves into the complex complexities of human relationships, capturing moments of joy, sadness, love, and loss with a raw honesty rarely seen in film. The characters are well developed, their journeys realistic and moving so much so that the story elicits a wide spectrum of emotions that remain with you long after the film has concluded. The performances are outstanding, with each actor adding a distinct and compelling presence to their role, heightening the film's emotional impact. The eerie and evocative musical composition perfectly compliments the storyline, increasing the emotional experience while adding levels of meaning to the plot. "Drawing Closer" is more than a film; it's an experience, a work of art that speaks to the heart and soul, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who sees it.

In More Detail:

The plot revolves around two terminally ill teenagers who come into each other’s life.

What to expect:

- Characters dealing with grief/death and how to overcome the inevitable.
- Two artists and how their passion of drawing / painting and seeing the world in different colors binds them together.
- Friendship and familial ties.
- Longing / yearning and first love.
- Secrets and misunderstandings (with good reason)
- A heartfelt, coming-of-age plot

The performance was convincing and well-done. Haruna has a fate she cannot escape, yet I really admire her positive view on life. Akito was a really endearing character. He was so charmingly sweet and soft boy coded. His hopeless romantic side really shined through. I adored how he wanted to make the most of his limited time by assisting Haruna in having a happy and fulfilling life while she still had hers. It's also great that they seemed to have saved each other. She was Snow White and he was her Prince Florian (iykyk)

I would rate this an 8/10 rounded up to an 8.5/10. It was so good it made me cry multiple times (after the 5th time, I stopped counting lol) The emotional side is undeniable, but I wish our leads had more moments together, including the kiss Haruna requested. I think I am being greedy but that would have definitely ended me. I have to say, this is a very pure and sweet story. It's simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I loved it and I now have a much deeper appreciation for Gerberas and their symbolism.

I believe anyone of any age can watch this; I highly recommend it, especially if you want a good cry.

I don't think I'd rewatch it "right now," but maybe after some time has passed. I believe Drawing Closer is one of those films you save for when you want to feel something. It's a movie you can watch on a rainy day to let you reflect on the beauty of life.

One of the take away messages of this drama that really struck me was to live your life to the fullest. It serves as a reminder that regardless of how limited your time on this earth may be, you should embrace life fully and love deeply. Treasure those who are close to you because even if you believe you won't influence their lives, there is a huge possibility that you will, and those individuals will honor and respect your memory eternally.

With all that being said, this is a tragic story, and it may not be for everyone, so proceed with caution.


As always,
Thanks for reading & happy watching!

(P.S. If you are in withdrawal please go watch edits of the Drawing Closer couple, you won't regret it)

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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Mommy penguin came back from cloudland? ☁️?✨

This movie left me emotionally overwhelmed! I watched it with my mom, and as the credits rolled, we hugged each other tightly, both in tears. It's a truly beautiful story. The cast was phenomenal! They delivered outstanding performances.

The friendship between Woo-jin and his friend (I apologize, I forgot his name) was incredibly touching. In my opinion, he played a significant role. He's such a adorable character!

The child actor had me bawling my eyes out! His acting was absolutely superb. I loved the plot twist; it completely surprised me and was mind-blowing. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

This is a must-watch movie! I highly recommend it. My mom also loved it and feels incredibly grateful to have experienced such a beautiful and amazing film. I couldn't agree more. Some art is so powerful; it can make life feel so much more meaningful.

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Monster aka you & me ?

"Monster" is a challenging film that tackles complex human emotions with a raw and realistic portrayal. It's not a straightforward narrative; instead, it unfolds in a way that makes you think and question things. While there might be aspects that some viewers find off-putting, I believe that's part of the film's strength – it pushes boundaries and avoids easy answers.

If you're looking for a film that delves into human psychology and isn't afraid to get uncomfortable, "Monster" is definitely worth checking out. Especially recommended for those who enjoy character studies or films that spark discussions long after the viewing.

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Beautiful and heartwarming story!

I expected light romance with ghosts doing some mischief, and I ended up crying my heart out. I can't get out of my room yet, or I'll have to explain my puffy face.

Other than the fact it's not recommended to watch it on the 38 degrees hot Sunday afternoon, the movie was sweet and touching. The twist was very unexpected, in a good way.

I used to have very dark thoughts. I have learnt these were probably caused by my Hashimoto's that's currently under control. Still, I am none brighter person than I was. Still, I have learnt to live with my mood swings and try to think - Unhappiness today may bring something good tomorrow. Just keep fighting, praying and hoping for better.

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