Reviews

Funny, Original, and Excellently Performed

I'm no fan of Sion Sono, and find most of his stuff to be overly stylized, overly long, bombastic explosions of an Auteur Director who takes himself far too seriously. Which is why I was so surprised by how this movie not only pokes fun of such directors, but does such a spanking good job of it.

It is a brilliantly funny, original, and excellently performed movie about a guerilla group of filmmakers called "The Fuck Bombers" who are making, yep, a movie. Meaning, we get a movie within a movie. And since they are filming a real life Yakuza war, this means they get down with gangsters in the actual act of killing each other; hence, portraying how The Fuck Bombers will die for their art.

It is Sion Sono's meta movie with in-jokes on the nature of making movies, and the obsessives who make them.

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Not So Much Of A Thriller... More Of A Mystery

I really enjoyed the acting in this movie, and it was nice to see those signed to be on cloud getting to grow more in their skills with these roles. I learned a lot more about the culture from Thailand and where it comes from and it was super interesting and cool to learn! I found the plot a little bit hard to follow at times, but I am sure some of it is due to a language and cultural barrier. I wish the nora dancing had a bigger role but I also understand why it wasn't. Over all I enjoyed it and would watch again. I am excited for the show to come out so we can continue to follow the characters and see where they end up :)

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For the Fans

Rated= 6 ~ 27/50 ~ 5.4
RPG Scene // Fairies playing tricks in a Crumbling Castle. Battle Axe lodged in a stone.

I went in knowing this was going to be more for fans of the show but I was about 45 minutes in when I realised that this whole film, 1hr 20 mins, is going to take place in a tomb LOL Damn, I was so excited hearing the Untamed theme song play as they marched off on their horses LOL.

Consider this film being more like 2 cut episodes of the Untamed rather than a stand alone movie. It pretty much just gives a little bit more insight into why Huasung does what he does in the Untamed series. I imagine most people get the point anyway but this just gives a little extra information, with a ton of computer game cgi. The brothers were close and the elder brother wasn't such a tough guy, he genuinely cared about people, which is why he kept sparing Yao. And we all know that Hua trusted Yao, so the hurt runs deep.

Alas, again, I was robbed of the Ghosts. The film opened with some promises of giving me what I didn't get in the Untamed and then just resorted to this cgi fight.

Since it's depicted as an extra episode, I would have loved to have had it end with some sort of throw back to the original series like Hua meeting Mo or lingering outside the Mo Manor while the sacrifice ritual begins, or even how he came up with his revenge plot to start with, but it just sort of ends with Hua realising he was tricked by Yao. Revisiting the sets might have been difficult but I would have liked something like that.
Overall, it's really just something for the fans to enjoy esp with they loved the Nie brothers.

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Stellar!

Honestly I heard about this movie from different variety shows so I decided to watch it...I was NOT disappointed!

First of all, the cinematography was pretty cool...I loved the camera angle choices that were made in some shots, and the close ups weren't overly done.

Now the acting in this movie solidified D.O. as one of the best idols-turned-actors out there. I got to see a range of emotions in his scenes, particularly in the tragedy that happened in the end. It was so beautiful to watch!

The other casts involved also did very well in the movie but I think they were slightly overshadowed by D.O.

I will say though that it seemed like a lot was going on with the plot of the movie...I think it would have been a lot more brilliant the the synopsis was a lot more cohesive.

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No es lo que esperaba, pero no está mal

No sé si es cosa mía, pero creo recordar que vendieron esta película como un romance entre un tamborilero y un bailarín y de esto no he visto nada, desgraciadamente y si, pienso que deberían aprovechar el MileApo mucho más porque, aparte de ser una pareja con una química brutal, están en su mejor momento.

La historia que nos presentan no está mal, aunque hay momentos en los que la trama flojea por las decisiones sinsentido que hace cualquier personaje, como por ejemplo, que estés en una misión de infiltración arriesgada y vayas contándole el plan a todo el mundo… pero se deja ver y entretiene bastante.

¡Las actuaciones son increíbles! Todos me sorprendieron mucho para bien. Ya sabía que eran buenos actores, pero Apo me sorprendió especialmente, ojala tenga más papeles de acción y arriesgadas, en general porque el chico tiene mucho potencial.

Pero lo mejor de todo es la iluminación, estética, vestuario… toda la cinematografía es increíble. Muy a la altura de Be on cloud, las tramas deben mejorarlas mucho, pero en estos aspectos, son brillantes.

Yo la recomendaría porque, aunque sea una película de 2 horas, no se te hace larga en absoluto.

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01/04/2023 (April)

I wasn't too sure about what I was getting myself into when I started watching this movie because I'm not keen on the idea of children fighting or being exploited.

It is that to some extent, but not really.

More or less this ex convict ends up taking over a group of boys that have no homes or anywhere to go. At first he teaches them how to fake fight only when that is exposed he starts teaching them how to fight for real - like boxing and kick boxing.

Years down the track a video released of two of those boys fighting in a cage not only destroys his career, but makes him out to be an abuser not fit to have kids under his care

Here is the thing - he took those kids and gave them hope and taught them the only thing he knew - fighting. No one else wanted them or cared about them until that video was publically made known - and even then!

Anyways, the story is about all that plus what happens after the public is outraged - like all the boys being shipped off to different places including two of the older boys being "sold off" to a different manager only to end up in the worse case scenario.

What will become of their futures in the hands of a manager that really does truly assault those he manages and has no problems using illicit drugs to gain whatever means with his fighters?!

Who is willing enough to save them or not next?

Well worth watching!!!

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Sad yet realistic

I am a newbie to KDramas, having seen only a few of them, and I haven't reviewed none yet, but I felt compelled to review this one right after watching it.

I do not like this kind of movies, because they sadden me and real life is tough enough. However I agree with the message the movie sent and the importance of listening and caring for your loved ones. Work should not ever come first. The movie portrayed realistically the ups and lows of a relationship strained by long commute, long working hours and temptations of having attractive colleagues at work. Not a single moment I thought any person was bad - there are no villains here, just flawed young people making flawed decisions. I just felt sad for them and wanted to hug dearly my loved ones afterwards. If you like to watch genuine dramas about life, you might like this movie. Be warned, the ending is not cheerful and perfect. It is just like life tends to be sometimes, sourly realistic.

Do not read further if you wish to avoid spoilers.

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The main lead Hyeok deserved what he got at the end. Even then he didn't realise what he did wrong, given how self-absorbed he was. For me, the breaking point was when he wanted her to terminate the pregnancy. A big nope, and the biggest sign their relationship was doomed. Luckily for her, she decided against it as we saw in the reel in the end. While I do not agree with her decision to seek refuge in the arms of the man she just feels sorry for, I can understand that she just wants the best for the baby that otherwise won't have a father. Still, who knows? Maybe they will reconnect in Jeju, after all, he's coming there too, although maybe not at the same time. The movie left that card open. I am not sure would I, if I were Da-Eun, accept him back. He still seemed immature at the end, only sorry for himself.

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An interesting modified adaptation of one of SK’s longest-lasting pansori performance folk tales

Crafted much in the same style as Shakespearean tragic comedies, this film (which was adapted from a popular folk story that is performed to this day in pansori, theatre musicals, and more) entertained me for its hundred or so minutes and ultimately made me want to watch Ran (samurai story in the style of King Lear), Throne of Blood (retelling of Macbeth in feudal Japan), or even The Bad Sleep Well (crime noir film built on Hamlet).

While the writing was not as dazzling or sharp in wit as I would have liked, it makes up for it in execution by the cast led by Jung Woo (playing the title character), beloved, much-missed Kim Joo Hyuk ?? whose character Jo Hyuk gives up his comfortable life of wealth to care for orphans whose parents were killed, and classic sageuk veteran Jung Jin Young who plays Jo Hyuk’s greedy brother Jo Hang Ri, the key antagonist. Jung Hae In, while not playing a particularly interesting king, is nice eye candy, and Jung Sang Hoon and Kim Won Hae are a solid backbone for the tonal shifts. Chun Woo Hee is an endearing young assistant who is like a daughter to Heung Bu, and we also get small appearances by Jin Goo playing Nol Bu, the guardian of the people (and long lost brother of Heung Bu), a nearly-unrecognizable Kwak Dong Yeon, and a little epilogue cameo of Kang Ha Neul.

The story itself is small and lacking in some of the rich story depth of others employing theatre troupes like The King and Clown, but not all stories need to be visually stunning to make their point or highlight an important folk story though this veers very far from the original in terms of storyline while keeping important details, adapting them into a story with a bigger scale of impact, a greater gap in wealth and status between brothers.

While this does not (sadly, to me) follow the original story to its end, it does showcase how a good person standing in opposition to a terrible one can, even with odds stacked against them, have their good will rewarded in time, even if not in traditional ways. Apart from this using politics as a component instead of telling the more simple story of drastically different brothers with life lessons, this uses different characters to represent Heung Bu and his brother while having this Heung Bu be a storyteller who uses his own name and his brother’s name to instead tell of Jo Hyuk and Jo Hang Ri.

Jo Hyuk in the film represents the original story’s Heung Bu, Jo Hang Ri representing Nol Bu… it is best to go in ignoring this for the 105 minutes since otherwise the names can seem odd as the story published uses the names of the greedy and selfless brother while the characters with those names are, for the film, loving brothers separated during a time of conflict that left many families dead, Heung Bu publishing racy erotic novels as a means of making his name known so he can locate his brother. This does, though, keep important elements of the original like the poor disowned brother being slapped in the face with a rice spoon at his brother’s luxurious home, commenting that it is delicious, and asking to be struck again. The original tale has Heung Bu go to his brother’s home to ask for rice as the brother-who took the entire inheritance-has a surplus of it; Heung Bu in the original gathers the grains of rice on his face carefully to feed his hungry children whereas this has Jo Hyuk go there about a last bit of property, land he and the ones he saved had successfully farmed to feed themselves and the kids in their care they were also teaching, the rice slap happening on his way out because there was excess rice spoiling and a servant “dared to” prepare the rice and feed her child with it rather than leave it to rot.

What is left out: the original tale (apparently a common bedtime story, known by me because it is one of few classic pansori tales still performed in many forms, no doubt with nearly infinite variations) dives into a story of the poor brother saving a swallow [the sign of spring coming in the film] with a broken leg on his way home with the handful of rice and his hungry children being happy to nurse and feed it until it is well enough to fly back to its home. In the original, the swallow returns to them with a pumpkin seed that produces three enormous pumpkins. The pumpkins, when cut into, are full of treasures. The greedy, already well-off brother learns of this sudden wealth, inquires about how Heung Bu came by it, then tries to replicate it with a key distinction that he breaks the bird’s leg then tends to it… in that story, the bird also returns with a seed, but that seed’s harvest is full of destruction: a dokkaebi (goblin) that beats and chides him for his greed, debt collectors swarming in demanding repayment, and his home being flooded with muddy water. In that version, Nol Bu, who has lost all his property and money, asks for forgiveness from Heung Bu who is more kind… or more of a sucker… than I could ever be. Then again, it does exist to teach lessons, and Korean folklore doesn’t have that biting “you got what you deserved and I’d just as soon use you for stew meat as call you brother again” tone of what I grew up learning (maybe you can partly blame that-or watching Alfred Hitchcock and works similar to Stephen King films growing up-for the deep love of sarcasm and dark, often scathing, humor).

I rate this an 8. As a one-time watch, a-ok! I could quickly grasp what it was aiming for both in substance and style, and I rarely rewatch titles as it is, but I can see some watching this again if they were fairly casual “just ingest and process minimally” viewers the first time. It did take me half a dozen years to watch it because I needed enough distance from Kim Joo Hyuk knowing how much it hurt to watch Argon not nearly long enough after his passing to not be thinking about it between episodes and sometimes during them (I also kept delaying watching Believer for that reason). This felt way too short, probably because I am so accustomed to dramas and lowkey want an elaborate 20-hour version of this with the energy of Rebel: Thief who Stole the People (which is the more historically “accurate”-ie based on the real Hong Gil Dong, not the pure folklore variant). I want the erotica plot line! ;) I want more of his assistant and beloved Park Sang Hoon searching for his bro! More would benefit this… cause it is a bit surface-level-feeling in storyline. Okay, I’ll just say it: the story is kinda shallow, underdeveloped feeling. I still liked it, but I can’t ignore that fact. Simple can work, but this left me wanting more depth.

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A well-written, well-acted and well-executed movie.

Tackling the social issue of homelessness and drifters, this movie carries out the concept efficiently and brilliantly without pointing fingers at the welfare system or society for the issue that arises. It also deals with a broader theme of humanity, inequality, and morality, subtly touching on issues such as child safety, pregnancy care, health, and mental issues. This is one of the movies where social issues are shown and handled without bias.

The movie doesn’t solely focus on homelessness; it shows the process of two families with different wounds meeting and becoming one, somehow finding happiness in their intertwined fates. The storylines and conflict are well developed, although there are some indistinct plots. But it doesn’t affect the story as a whole. The well-paced story development gives the movie a good balance. I love how this movie does not simply use a homeless family as a dramatic setup but instead tells a story of growth and improvement around it.

In terms of acting, each actor carried their respective characters successfully. Jung Il-woo nailed the character. Ra Miran gives another awesome performance. But foremost, hats off to Kim Seulgi for her wonderfully unconventional performance. Although the character doesn't seem so heavy physically, Jisook is a character with a lot of inner struggle and emotional responsibility.

All in all, Highway Family is not only a well-executed movie; it’s also a movie weighted with reality struggles and driven by outstanding performances from all the cast.

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It's Only 7 Minutes Long! Just Watch It if you Love Perth and Talay. Don't read my review first!!

Although a must watch for Perth and Talay fans, it's honestly nothing too special.

The actors did well for what they got, but the plot wasn't anything worth talking about.

•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Rokko and Ratanapol were once a couple, but had to break up due to Ratanapol wanting to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Now, six years later, Ratanapol has achieved his dream and his a best selling actor. Rokko becomes a Thai-Japanese interpreter. He ends up interpreting for Ratanapol during his Japanese press conference. Their reunion is bitter at first, but Ratanapol goes off script and surprises Rokko with a sudden confession.

Honestly, seeing Perth and Talay on screen together brought tears to my eyes, but the plot instantly dried them. It feels like a poorly written one-shot fanfiction due to how boring the script was.

While Perth and Talay are great actors and have amazing chemistry, the plot really gave them nothing to work with. There was really no reason to cheer on Rokko and Ratanapol's love because there was no backstory showing how amazing their love was beforehand. We start off the film with a breakup scene, then go straight to the time skip. We also don't get any scene with them actually showing any sort of love for each other, so... yeah... Are they really a couple?

I understand that they only had 7 minutes to work with, but I've seen shorter music videos that give me more compelling stories, and that's with the artist's random singing cut-scenes. I really don't want to bash on this too much since it's so short, but I kinda wish we got some cute scenes of them together instead of the half-hearted angst they attempted to pull off. Maybe a cute drama would have been better? I don't know.

•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

Please don't get me wrong, this is a really nice comeback for Perth and Talay fans, who have been waiting for years after My Engineer to see them finally get together. However, we've seen Perth and Talay in better dramas that this short 7 minute drama isn't really doesn't do much for us. It also doesn't help that we don't get any scenes with them visually expressing their love for each other.

Lastly, I know I bashed on it a lot in this review, but watch it first. It's honestly not that bad unless you decide to knit-pick at it like I did for the sake of this review.

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