Reviews

"Those who survive, keep thinking about the dead"

Drive My Car was a slow, agonizing, peeling away of emotions and denial, much of the revelations taking place in a red 2-door Saab. “Uncle Vanya” by Anton Chekhov served as therapist, burrowing into the actors and revealing buried questions and regrets.

“What should I do about my life and love?”
Yusuke and Oto have been married for 20 years. After the death of their daughter a decade before the light went out of their lives. Oto is a screenwriter who uses sex as a muse and to fill the emptiness inside her. Yusuke left television acting and now works in the theater. All is not as blissful as it seems between the two when tragedy hits. Two years after Oto’s death, Yusuke travels to Hiroshima to direct his version of “Uncle Vanya” that is a multi-lingual production. He is famous for his interpretation of Uncle Vanya but after Oto’s death he’s been unable to process the emotional anguish of the challenging part. The Festival director insists that he have a driver and assigns a young woman to transport him while working on the play. His driver, twenty-three-year-old Misaki, quietly carries her own burden of guilt.

“However, the world had changed to something sinister.”
Drive My Car took a rather in-depth look at play auditions, readings, and the revelations to actors and audience. This play was unique in that each character spoke a different language-Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Korean sign language, and Tagalog. A screen displayed all four languages for audience members, but it got me to thinking. How well do we truly understand people, even people we love, when speaking the same language? The film asked if it’s possible to truly understand another’s secret heart. How often do we shy away from asking the important questions for fear of the answers? And how much pain does it cause to not be asked those pertinent questions?

“If you really want to look at someone then your only option is to look at yourself squarely and deeply.”
Nishijima Hidetoshi brilliantly showed how Yusuke wore his serene demeanor like impenetrable armor. Subtle cracks revealed his pain, guilt, anger, and sorrow. The cassettes Oto had recorded for Yusuke to practice his lines felt like accusations and pronouncements of their marital relationship. If Yusuke wore a suit of protective armor, Miura Toko’s Misaki had built a fortress of stone around her heart. The two strangers went from traveling in silence to coming to understand that they had more in common. Okada Masaki played an actor who had ties to Oto and deeply disturbed Yusuke’s calm bubble, but in shaking Yusuke up, he also revealed a stunning secret.

“I let something genuine slip by.”
Drive My Car’s story unfolded deliberately, with tiny revelations chipping away at Yusuke and Misaki’s walls. The catharsis of Uncle Vanya unrelentingly bored into their hearts uncovering deep wounds, bringing them into the light for healing. Guilt and regret are the sharpest of blades that can only be dulled with understanding and forgiveness. And a little time of self-discovery in a 1987 red 900 Turbo Saab.

13 November 2024

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I actually ended up watching When the Weather is Fine during the summer, but it was such a perfect cozy show that I’m going to have to do a rewatch in the winter. I was shocked at how much I loved this one from the beginning because it’s very slow but it was so atmospheric and beautiful that it really drew in. The cinematography of this show is gorgeous, the winter scenes especially.

This show was an introvert’s dream. It takes place in a small bookstore during winter, the town moves at a slower pace and the characters are more reserved. The scenes in the bookstore felt so cozy and comforting. The main characters are both quieter and more introverted but they really open up throughout the show. The romance was extremely sweet and their evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers was beautifully done. Eun-seop could come off as cold or indifferent but it became clear that he just struggled with expressing his emotions. He did so many little things to show Hae-won how much he cared for her. The bookstore blog posts that they put at the ends of the episodes added so much to the story and you got to see everything from Eun-seop’s perspective. Those little bits made me fall in love with him. Even though Eun-seop fell first, Hae-won was the one moving the relationship forward. Her character was willing to put it all out there when it came to love and Eun-seop really needed that. I was so invested in their relationship.

The storyline with the mother felt kind of boring at first but it ended up going in an interesting direction. There were a lot of great side characters, especially Eun-seop’s family. The one character that I truly hated was Hae-won’s ex best friend. I’m glad the show did not entertain a true love triangle but she was such a terrible and deeply self-centered character.

I loved this show and can’t wait to watch it again while it’s snowing outside. This is absolutely a show to be enjoyed during the winter. Even if you usually like slower shows, this one is still worth a shot.

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GMMTV and TayNew has don it again!

I just started this series on a whim, and honestly, I am glad that I did. It had me coming back every week because I wanted to know what will happen. Might I say, that I actually enjoyed this series more than their last project (and that's saying a lot for me as I totally loved and adored 'Cherry Magic.' I believe that seeing this was an original work and I did not know what was going to happen made this series have a special place in my heart.

All of the actors did a stellar job—from the main actors to supporting actors and even actors who guest starred in a few of the episodes—all of them were excellent. They were able to get from me emotions from laughing, (a wee bit) scared, and even sad. I must also add that I honestly thought that about halfway through this series, it would have lost some steam because I thought at the time that they had discovered the big plot point for this series. but, no! This was not the case, as it still powered on, carrying me on a journey that I totally did not expect to occur.

I don't want to give away any of the plot, because that's just how good it was that I want people who have not watched this series to go now and watch it. I really recommend this series to you guys out there and (hopefully ) you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

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Homage to Jimmy Wang Yu's One-Armed Swordsman

Wu Xia aka Dragon was a nice homage to The One-Armed Swordsman, even casting Jimmy Wang Yu as the Big Bad. My review is based on the shorter international version which was thankfully subbed and not dubbed but was still almost 20 minutes shorter than the original version.

Liu Ji Xi makes a living making paper and lives with his wife, stepson, and young son. Their lives are quiet and idyllic until one day two notorious criminals who have escaped custody break into a shop and brutalize the older couple who own it. Ji Xi clumsily stumbles in and intervenes. Afterward when the village is celebrating Ji Xi’s heroic acts, Detective Xu Bai Ju arrives. He believes that there may have been more than luck involved when the simple papermaker defeated too skilled killers. His suspicions are confirmed when the 72 Demons Gang attacks the town in search of Ji Xi.

Donnie Yen played the papermaker with a mysterious past giving the kind of performance you’d expect from him. He also choreographed the fights which meant they were entertaining to watch. Tang Wei played his wife, Ah Yu. Sadly, she didn’t have much to do in this film. Ji Xi’s bespectacled antagonist was the investigator played by Kaneshiro Takeshi who had his own murky past. I suspect some of the edits came at the cost of Kaneshiro’s character as there was more to him hinted at than what I saw. I would like to think Tang Wei’s time was also cut because in the 97-minute version she was criminally underused. Jimmy Wang Yu played the nefarious Master of the 72 Demons gang who was a formidable martial artist. I was never a fan of Jimmy’s old kung fu flicks, even blasphemously the original One-Armed Swordsman. To my relief, he gave a more nuanced, if menacing, performance here. Kara Hui (My Young Auntie!!) bounded in as one of the Demons and at 51 years of age held her own with Donnie in their choreographed fights.

Dragon had superb fights, two male leads with painful pasts trying to make the best of their lives, and a thriller element when the 72 Demons came to town with swords drawn. The film called into question whether there was room for empathy in enforcing the law. Dragon might not have broken any new ground, but it was stylishly filmed and well-acted. Not a bad way to spend an hour and a half.

7 November 2024
Trigger warnings: Body parts went flying in three different scenes as well as a tooth

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Not the typical Idol Drama

This is not the typical idol drama because it showcases complex emotions of people and depicts the reality of life for people with different situations. As a viewer of Shen Yue’s dramas, I can vouch that her acting improved so much. Her lines and emotions are well delivered. There are just a few times that I did not get her punchlines, but maybe it got lost in translation. But overall the comedy scenes will really make you laugh and the sad scenes will sometimes make you cry. The cinematography, shots and color grading are movie like, the OSTs are all great and above all she has amazing chemistry with her real life bestie Lin Yi on this drama.

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JOINING HAE JO IN THE FINAL DRIFT OF HIS LIFE

The day we are born, our date of departure is also decided. Death is something we all know is inevitable, yet we're never truly prepared to face it. Without giving away too many spoilers, this is the first time I've seen a story where, instead of seeking a cure, the protagonist opts to do some last-minute homework. Out of the blue, he decides to find his father (a sperm donor), convinced that his disease was inherited from him—despite never considering that his mother could have been the carrier.

Anyway, moving on, he ends up kidnapping his ex to accompany him on his adventure. Why? Because she's dealing with premature menopause, and somehow he decides to take her along. Logic? Don’t ask me. Maybe he just wanted to try his last shots at fertilizing her fallopian tubes before his time runs out—who knows?

Yet, despite all this absurdity, the story is surprisingly captivating. It made me laugh like crazy and cry like hell.

What I liked best:

1. Actors: The cast is incredible—seasoned artists, many of whom have been in the industry for decades.


2. Character depth: The leads, in particular (and everyone else, in general), have their own backstories that genuinely make you feel connected to and sympathetic towards them. For instance, the second lead, who has always been timid around his mother, undergoes significant character development. By the end, he transforms into a confident person unafraid to speak his mind.


3. Plot: The storyline is focused and concise, with no unnecessary detours. In fact, such narratives don't have room for conspiracy theories or melodramatic suspense.


4. Realistic ending: The male lead doesn’t survive. It’s tragic but also very realistic. Writers can pen countless miracles, but we know that in real life, such situations rarely end in a fairy tale.


In terms of the music, it was decent—perhaps not entirely to my taste, but it wasn't bad either.

I'm genuinely glad that Korean writers are experimenting with their typical storytelling tropes. We're moving away from the heavy makeup and designer outfits to something more raw, with imperfect backgrounds. Even the actors are expanding their range, taking on roles that go beyond merely being eye candy.

However, the re-watch value is zero. No matter how good it was, I wouldn’t recommend sticking to this gloomy story a second time.

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Noona/Office romance with perfect cast and production

This could have been just like any other noona romance but it was not.It solery focused of business
and then the romance came in after.
If you are not a patient person,I wouldnt recommend this drama but unffortunetly you would miss out
on a very good project that was excuted with care and high intelligence from both actors and writers.
Its a slow burn,they spend most of the time really conducting business and somehow you find yourself
sacked in the boardroom with them,watching the bad guys skimming and loosing which gives you a silent
satisfaction.
The FL is the main character,she is carrer driven,goal setter,with an ability not to crack under intense pressure
in an industry that is designed to give one high blood pressure.But she navigates the corridors of power with
ease,a fake sime and a problem solving attitude.
She gets paired up with a young ML who by "accident" finds himself thrown into the battle ground and early
on he understands that he has to protect the FL from the wolves who have nothing in mind but to kick her out.
When she gets demoted,he follows her and stick with her till the end of his term.Did I mention he also falls in
love with her and they have to fight another battle outside the office beacause of their age difference..and win
her mother who from my opinion stood between a thin line of weird and psychopath.I have seen share amount of
mothers in asian dramas but this one took the trophy,the only difference is that she would get a quicker redemption.

This is one of thosse drams you watch slowly,with your own pace. but I commend the directors and writers for giving us
a solid show.ther ewas no dragged story line.And it was an educational piece on the world of business and environment.

Also Hallo Dylan Wnag..I trust him with any role,He will deliver and give you more than you bargained for,I call him the male
version of Zhao Lusi.I lowkey wish his potential chemistry was reciprocated but acting with someone 20 years older
than you in real life,creates some sot of invisible boundaries.But he is acting was kiss chef that this lack of chemistry
was not visible.

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Freaking Ice queen and her Plastic tears

honestly, this show left me wondering why it has so much hype in the first place.it delivered nothing of the sort. The entire plot was surrounded by a failed attempt to capture the boring family dynamics and romance which is entangled in melodrama and cliches. The fancy lead couple felt more awkward than emotionally connected. till episode 12 i actually felt no couple(married) vibes through them.. after that it was all wrapped around the tragic memory loss plot that gave that barely there true love feel to it.

Rn i am so bored to even write this review so you can fathom the dept of my disappointment in this show .. anyways..
the narrative is so overwhelmed by unnecessary melodrama, meanwhile the scenes where rather strong emotions were needed, the reactions felt flat and dull. the pace of the plot was snail sped too much content and time was wasted on things which were adding no concrete substance to the story ..for example ML's father's scenes about his election campaign were extremely stupid and forced funny.

Not only this but There were literally way too many characters and side stories, making the whole thing feel messy and hard to follow. Hong Hae In (played by Kim Ji Won) finds herself caught in a whirlwind of health problems and family betrayals, which should be touching, but instead, it’s a mess of unneeded drama. first she wanted surgery to escape death then she started overreacting as soon as she heard of the potential memory loss after treatment which was so unrealistic .. i mean come on .. anyone will prioritize life over memory cause if you live you can rebuilt those memories ..but if you die memories die with you .. her character remains so damn irritating till the last min ..like she literally gives no straight answer to any question/statement no matter how serious the matter or feelings are involved she always answers in an 'as if i care' roundabout manner ... i felt even more bad for kim soo hyun , his character was so weak and unlikeable in the first half of the show and the second half was so packed with melodrama that there wasnt much for him to do other than using tear drops. his character kind of lost its spirit in all the chaos and mess. Well ..to be honest this screenwriting did no justice to his talent as an outstanding actor.

Background music was possibly the best thing ... Secondly the wordrobe ..may be not the best but still good ( IMO judge from hell has best wordrobe and styling so far)

in the end i am still not convinced by the level of marketing they did to promote this show .. or may be they knew the show is lacking at good writing so atleast lets promote it good.

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