Reviews

"Better to be broken jade than cheap tile intact"

This forty-one minute film fragment managed to fit in lots of Greedy Neighbors. This was one of director Ren Peng Nian’s early films which also starred his wife, Wu Li Zhu. Originally, the film was around 100 hundred minutes, but enough frames survived to get the gist of the story.

Hua Ren inherited his considerable wealth which includes prosperous farmlands. His wife, Guo Fen, is the daughter of a famous fighter, which will come into play later in the movie. She and his sister Si Wen try to keep things running smoothly as Hua tends to spend money frivolously. The local warlord, Wild Dog, decides it’s time to bully his neighbor into giving him his farmlands. Another scoundrel, Smiling Tiger, also has his sights set on fleecing the wealthy fool. Smiling Tiger convinces Hua Ren to take his sister, Zhi Hua, as his second wife. Zhi Hua quickly mesmerizes Hua Ren and drives a wedge between him and his sensible first wife and sister. Having fallen into the clutches of Wild Dog and Smiling Tiger, the clueless Hua Ren is in for some challenging times.

Hua Ren was not a sympathetic character. I was far more invested in Guo Fen and Si Wen, who coincidentally, were excellent martial artists and protected their own. Perhaps in the longer version of this film they had more time allotted, they certainly deserved it. I’m not sure if Zhi Hua and Smiling Tiger were actually related or if she was a plant because they had a very, uh, tactile relationship.

Once Hua Ren was about to lose everything, his sister and male servant helped to turn things around and galvanize him into action. “Today’s world is run by might…Better to be a broken jade than cheap tile intact.” The events that followed in the last part of the film were confusing as Wild Dog had to be confronted twice with no explanation. Given the mood of the film, it did seem to have a proper ending which is always a concern with film fragments.

If you have an interest in silent films from this era, Greedy Neighbors did give a little insight into the political happenings of the time and the vulnerability of the people. Ren Peng Nian and Wu Li Zhu would go on to make numerous martial arts and wuxia films together, with Wu often cast as a heroine. I’d be interested in seeing some of those. This film was a struggle watching the pampered and easily manipulated Hua Ren letting the important people in his life suffer while he partied. He was lucky enough to have two strong women who had his back or at least tried to. More than he probably deserved.

14 June 2024

Leia Mais

Bonds beyond blood relation.

Nobody tells a kid how to deal with death. While they are still wrapping their heads around the situation, they hardly grasp the emotions and impact of losing someone close to them.

It wacks your soul, where you see a meaningful and heart warming bond between people who aren't related by blood. The movie evolves around deaths, so can be disturbing and an uneasy watch at times.

It's a rare sight to see ML's job being of funeral service so it adds a unique touch to the story and also how it was inculcate in the movie.

I loved the dynamic between San Mei & Xiao Wen, which was the main highlight?✋?So many moments between them which had me sobbing, I've to say!

The story was heartwarming, and made me sob a bit as well. And the end was wrapped, very well too ♡

Leia Mais

Endless suffering like a river;)

Cry me a sad river, flowing through the heart of a teenager, endless in its pain, sorrow, suffering, and agony. The river runs deep within, its currents heavy with the burdens of youth.

Ren Min's portrayal of Yi Yao was absolutely phenomenal! Her facial expressions had such a depth and emotion that I was truly impressed.

Qi Ming is the most uncalled character, bro was pretty much a jerk, in the name of her childhood bestie.

Gu Sen Xi was my favourite character, he was an wholesome support to Yi Yao; I liked his character, their bonding and story line altogether.

❌ The backstory related to the main message of the movie was brushed off in flashbacks which made it extremely disappointing and confusing as I couldn't emotionally connect to the suffering of the character.

❌ Inconsistency and no proper closure to certain story lines.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie, but I wished everything wasn't so fast forwarded and was more detailed. Still worth a shot!

7.7/10

Leia Mais

Very cute and easy to watch

I randomly came across this movie and decided to just go ahead and watch it. I was pleasantly surprised, this movie was actually pretty good!! The acting could have been a little better, but I wasn't expecting much anyway for a high school movie. The movie keeps you thinking the whole time, it almost felt like a puzzle because they give you little clues about how the movie ends throughout the whole thing! Keep your eyes peeled so you don't miss them!!
ALSO there is a clip at the end of the credits so wait till the very end to see it!!!
Overall it's a good movie to watch on the weekend when you're chilling at home and want something light and airy to watch like I did!!

Leia Mais

Very funny script, excellent comedic acting with impeccable timing and a serious message.

School meals are not just school meals.
Eating is more than consuming nutrients.
Giving children food that will be good for them tomorrow, might not be the right thing for them today.

I love how teacher Amarida is so over-enthusiastic about his life passion -- and how nobody in the school bats an eye at his antics.
Ichihara Hayato's teacher is almost childlike in his joy about school meals. He dances in his seat in anticipation; his face, no, his *body* shows every emotion he feels while he's eating. Some call Ichihara's acting style pejoratively "over-acting" -- and if you do too, then you probably won't like this film much.

Like all of the great Japanese comedies, the film has an underlying message or two.
For the message Ichihara Hayato sees: "He loves what he loves and celebrates life no matter how much he's laughed at." (https://youtu.be/aOJa8KjDSA4?)

Maybe this film speaks to me more than to other people because I have been working in education in some way or other for the last 20 years, and I hear things that other people wouldn't. I hear a lot about what education should be.
If we take the "school meal" as the metaphor for the education we give to our children -- it's easy to see the parallels, right? -- they say "food for thought" in English and in German they say "das muss ich erst verdauen", if I get a hard/heavy piece of information, I'll have to digest it first.
We give the children "meals" that we think will be beneficial for them later -- which ingredients we choose, how we prepare them and how we present the meal, we should not only think of tomorrow's benefits but also if the children will even eat the meals joyfully. Why are the children who enter schools eager to learn at six years old -- why are most of those children apathetic to learning some years later? It's because we give children school "meals" that might be nutritious but don't give children joy when they consume them.

There was also a very poignant scene where a student tries to voice his opinion on the school meals in front of a whole room of powerful adults -- and not only do they not listen to him, they also laugh at him. The adult who are responsible for the children's well-being are not interested if the children are really happy. So, there's also this layer of meaning I can find in this comedy.

In conclusion, "School Meals Time Graduation" is what Japanese comedy can be when it's at its best -- very funny script, excellent comedic acting (if you like this style) with impeccable timing and a serious message.

Leia Mais

Funny, Action-Packed, and Fun-Filled

I want more, more, MORE! Honestly, this could’ve been so so million times amazing if this were a series but nevertheless, the movie is standalone good. The direction and execution is good. Acting is topnotch. I love the relationships and interactions of the characters. The world-building is definable. The story knows what it is and what it WANTS. If the direction is supposed to be comedic and fun, then it is served right. If the direction is supposed to be serious and dramatic, then it also served with proper justice. This is the perfect movie to watch to let your brain loose and enjoy a heart-warming antic-filled portrayal of youth, action, and life.

Leia Mais

Regrets?

And here goes another sad, sad, gay, unrequited/restrained love story. And they are tugging on each and every heart string. And it is annoying! But it is also probably very real!

This short film stars two BL actors but it is not a BL: it is a gay story. It is not fantasy, it is the real life.

Two young actors meet at a film workshop. They hit it off immediately and one falls for the other immediately. But the other has different plans for his life: he wants to get married and have kids. So the first one carries on with the crush for years, making it seem real only while filming different BL films. Until he dies of heart failure.

Spaceless is, thankfully, a very short film but even so they managed to cram a maximum of useless flashbacks (they do so love those flashbacks in thai bl productions!). I would have preferred to see that time used differently: to show their relationship in depth, to explain their life choices, to see how his wife takes the eternal presence of her husband's love of his life through their daughter's name. Actually, I found it creepy and not fair to her: it seems like she is the second chioce, someone he decided to be with in order to comply with the society's requirements of what is acceptable!

It was never really clear, to me at least, if he loved him as a friend or as a man but refused to act upon those feelings. Whichever it was, it was tragic and useless. But on the other hand, they managed to remain friends! So go figure: I guess he accepted any crumb that came his way. A life (8yrs!) spent pining after someone who refuses to accept his feelings, though he recognized their existence, is such a waste.

The actors were good, they had correct chemistry for the story. The cinematography is very pretty and the music unfortunately unremarkable considering the film was based on a song!

Leia Mais