Reviews

a fun watch

it’s my second time watching this movie, I really like it. Saw that on Netflix while searching for something to watch and I remembered seeing this and I liked it, so I watched again.

It has good actors and characters. I watched it maybe 2 years ago, i haven’t watched that many Kdramas back then and didn’t know many actors but now it was interesting to recognize the actors. I think the fighting scenes and cinematography are good. I like the plot and the music too.

I think it’s a pretty entertaining and a fun watch, I laugh a lot and I love the crew. The side romance is cute too + a good ending.

The scene that kills me the most is definitely when that guy finds the gold, the penguin slaps him, he slaps him back and the penguin slaps him again. I don’t know if I was just tired and laughing at anything tonight, but I laugh so hard at this scene and I watched it 3 times.

I’m a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and feel like there isn’t a lot of pirates movies, so I definitely enjoyed this. Just saw that there is a prequel and it’s on Viki so I can watch too. It’s not related, but doesn’t matter. It has Kim Nam Gil, so I definitely have to watch it.

I recommend this movie

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this pedo rapist even made a drama about father having sex with his step daughter ( 12 year girl
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"What are you packing? A toy gun?"

Outrage Beyond is the second in the Outrage trilogy featuring director Beat Takeshi as the ominous yakuza Otomo. In this installment Detective Kataoka is called in to use his connections with the different families to diffuse the Sanno family’s power after they assassinate a police officer.

When the Sanno family kills a cop and begins pulling the strings of different politicians, Detective Kataoka goes to work whispering into the ears of disgruntled executives in the Sanno family. The new Sanno head has been ignoring the seniority system and pinching pennies while filling his own coffers. The rival Hanabishi family is reluctant to start a war even with the rumor that Kato killed his previous boss in order to be promoted. Kataoka pulls out his hidden ace when he has former yakuza boss, Otomo, paroled early from prison. So far everyone had been fairly civil in their expensive suits, but made the mistake of going on the offensive with Otomo. It’s all fun and games until someone pulls out the power tools for a good old fashioned gang interrogation.

This film was more about chess moves than gang violence. Like politics, yakuza alliances make strange bed fellows. Both friends and enemies alike betrayed each other. That’s not to say in the final third of the movie that the bodies didn’t start piling up, because they did. As the families went to war, the police sat back and watched. The acting was fairly average for a crime film. Kohinata Fumiyo made for a smarmy and conniving cop who was a little too close to the families. Matsushige Yutaka, Midnight Diner’s hot dog loving yakuza, played the straight laced cop appalled by Kataoka’s deadly methods. Beat Takeshi gave Otomo a world weariness for the yakuza with principles and who was also handy with a power drill. The plot while predictable was interesting though it did tend to drag when the negotiations and puffed chest scenes went on too long.

Outrage Beyond brought plenty of double-crosses, satisfying comeuppances, and even finger mutilation. The big moral of the story is if you want to keep your job as the head of the family, don’t cheap out and not provide a meal for your officers, a well fed exec is a less deadly exec. If you enjoy gangster movies and don’t mind more talking than usual in your crime families, Outrage Beyond is one to give a try.

16 February 2024

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A take on how meddling with the past is never smart

A compelling take on grief; if we had the chance to bring a dead loved one back to life, we all would without even thinking of the consequences it would bring. Though the movie uses a very direct approach when it comes to what the costs would be (it’s a movie, it has to be entertaining so…), I believe that what it is trying to convey is very much out there on the open; dealing with the loss of a loved one is something you have no other choice but to learn how to do and that the sorrow that comes with it should drive you to hold on to the relationships you have with the living.
You can always trust Korean thrillers to have as many plot twists as they can and this movie sure does not disappoint in that accord. It honestly depends a lot on your own personal taste, but at no point did I find myself bored or wondering how much of the movie was still left. The pace in the beginning is a little off but it’s understandable because it’s only supposed to be the premise and the rest of the movie needs the time to feel as high-tension as it did. I do think that it would not be as interesting on a second watch, but I can’t say that without actually watching it a second time.
The cinematography is not bad but it’s ordinary; some play with the color hues, nothing unforgettable. I also don’t have much to say about the acting; none of the performances will remain in my memory as striking but the two main actresses did a good job either way. The script is one of the things done really well in my opinion, there were no lines that felt out of place or that seemed wrong. As for the most memorable scene in the movie, for me it will be the one of Seo-yeon and her dad in the car.
Many people have already pointed this out, but the last seconds of this movie pretty much ruined it. The ending where everything cycles back to the beginning and it’s just Seo-yeon and her mother but no longer estranged, was the perfect ending. Should’ve turned off my laptop then.

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Και τελικά τι;

Η ταινία ξεκινάει αργά αλλά μέχρι τη μέση καταφέρνει να σε κεντρίσει, αφού θέτει ένα ζήτημα περιβαλλοντικό -και όχι μόνο- με ανθρώπινο και ρεαλιστικό τρόπο μέσα από μια σκηνή απολαυστικών διαλόγων. Στο δεύτερο μισό αρχίζει να χάνεται η κεντρική ιδέα και πλέον αμφιβάλλεις για το πού θα καταλήξει όλο αυτό, αν τελικά ξεκίνησε από εκεί που νομίζαμε. Το τέλος, αν και καταφέρνει να σε φορτίσει συναισθηματικά, παραμένει ασαφές, ενώ πολύ επιφανειακή παραμένει καθόλη τη διάρκεια η παρουσίαση των χαρακτήρων.

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So many issues, grotesque but somewhat entertaining in a confusing way.

This horror movie is such a mixed bag for me. It has some gripping and really WTF moments...But it failed on many elements. Indeed, in terms of horror, unfortunately, I was never really frightened. I often cringed and was quite appalled by some scenes...But the visual effects are quite bad and the acting is also very limited, which is problematic for the horror to properly work.

The main issue is that some characters are part of a theatre club doing grotesque and gruesome pieces, so they do "fake horrific scenes" BUT the real horror situations seems to be put at the same level...You cannot be really scared therefore because everything feel unreal due to the context in which the characters evolve. If they had a bigger budget to make the horror part frightening enough and different enough from the theatric club part, that would have worked so much better...

Regarding the acting, it got a bit better in the second half but most of the actors were average at best. Some were saying their lines in such an unconvincing way that it was comical. Some were clearly under-acting (instead of over-acting) which is an error because it did not match the craziness of the plot.

Regarding the story, it is a bit of shame that they did not lean more into characterization for the main protagonists. It makes it super difficult to care for whatever was happening to them. I think they were too many to be properly developped given the length of the movie. The adults roles were pretty limited and boring but there was a lot of interesting aspects relating to the students. It could have made a fascinating series expanding on each of the characters with all their kinks and unhealthy relationships.

I would not recommend this movie because I am very ambivalent about my feelings about it. It is objectively bad on so many aspects but still it is so WTF that it might be worth a watch (?). It is super gruesome and graphic, so if you are squimmish, it is definitely not for you. The scare level is not really there because of the acting and context in which the characters evolve make everything pretty unconvicing.

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Honest Review from Indonesian Audience (me)

Sebelumnya, gw mrasa opening nya kebanyakan. Gw hampir ngira kena scam?

Btw, ini tuh film romantis semi sci-fi yg bikin pusing dikit tapi memuaskan. Gabisa bgt ditinggal ngedip dikit, soalnya ntar kelewat bagian pentingnya.

Pokoknya mulai dari sinematografi, plot sampai karakternya yang loveable itu benar-benar juara. Zhang Wansen tuh definisi cowok tipe hutan hujan tropis yg ugal-ugalan bgt, effort nya gede kalo berurusan sama Lin Beixin.

Di pertengahan film gw merasa bingung sedikit, tp penjelasannya yg cukup sederhana membuat gw paham (pd akhirnya). Gw suka bgt sih adegan pembahasan ttg timeline-nya Zhang Wansen yg gak lebih dari 10 menit (kayanya).

Dan astronot sebenernya agak berlebihan sih buat film romantis kayak gini (sorry ??)

Jujur, sebenarnya gw lebih suka dramanya karena bapernya lebih brasa (efek eps nya yg byk jg). Dan sedikit kecewa karena filmnya ini membahas tentang dunia paralel mereka yg lain. Jadi mau gw sambung-sambungin ke dramanya jg gak banyak yg bisa tersambung. Beneran ngambil timeline dan event yang berbeda dari dramanya. Ini menguntungkan karena casual viewers (yg ga nonton dramanya) bakal lebih bisa mengikuti alur, tp penonton dramanya kaya gw mrasa ada yg kurang (kesalahan gw sndiri sih yg membanding-bandingkan drama sm filmnya, ini manusiawi bro).

Dan sebenernya pas di ending gw sempet misuh-misuh sebentar karena adegan payung yg kirain gak bakal ada (iykyk). Adegan yg satu itu beneran penyelamat sih. Kalo gaada adegan itu gw udh bad mood bgt kali yaa...

Jangan lewatin credit title pokoknya!

Love from Apollo

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Overhyped?

This movie is about the character development of the main character, Le Yin, portrayed by Jia Ling. It brings a good message about determination and perseverance, but overall, lacks plot as it's main selling point is Jia Ling's weight loss transformation of 50kg, which is amazing, but should not be the center of a movie, in my personal opinion.

As a fan of Jia Ling, I expected some laughs and comedy, but if that's what you were anticipating, it's severely lacking, aside from a couple of jokes.

Overall, I cannot understand the hype around it: there's not much of a storyline and that's what a movie needs. It's quite disappointing; they are all capable actors and actresses, especially Yang Zi.

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Story

The Villainess is a 2017 South Korean action thriller that throws you headfirst into the whirlwind life of Sook-hee, a woman molded into a deadly assassin since childhood. The film is a relentless barrage of stylish action sequences, punctuated by moments of emotional vulnerability and a narrative shrouded in mystery.

Here's a breakdown of the film's key aspects:

Action: Buckle up for balletic violence. The fight scenes are meticulously choreographed, showcasing Sook-hee's lethal efficiency and raw power. Think John Wick with a dash of Kill Bill's balletic flair.

Story: The narrative unfolds through fragmented flashbacks, slowly piecing together Sook-hee's past and motivations. This non-linear approach keeps you guessing, but it can be challenging to follow at times.

Characters: Sook-hee is an intriguing protagonist, both captivating and disturbing. Her emotional core is hidden beneath layers of trauma and training, making her a complex and unpredictable character. The supporting cast, while not as fleshed out, serves the story well.

Visuals: The film boasts stunning cinematography, with striking imagery and dynamic camerawork that amplifies the action and reflects Sook-hee's internal turmoil.

Overall: The Villainess is a visceral and stylish action film that will leave you breathless. However, its fragmented narrative and lack of emotional depth might not resonate with everyone.

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"Happiness comes only through effort"

Late Spring was the first film by director Ozu Yasujiro I ever watched. I had no idea who he was or anything about films from this era. For the most part, I was unimpressed. After watching Late Autumn which was a loose remake of Late Spring, I decided it was time to revisit one of Ozu’s classics.

The plot is deceptively simple. Noriko is 27 years old and on the cusp of being too old for marriage. She and her widowed father have a comfortable relationship neither wants to change. It is an aunt who shakes things up by insisting on finding her a husband.

Ozu often focused on this transitional part of family life-a child on the verge of leaving and an aging parent facing loneliness. Noriko's familiar routine started to ebb away as her father came to terms with what was necessary for her future which begat sadness and grief. Noriko had become too much of a surrogate wife and needed to become a real wife with a real husband which would require her to leave the nest as children do. Her father recognized he would not always be around and the only way to protect her and secure her happiness was to marry her off.

Though the mother had died some time ago, her presence felt tangible. Noriko showed great jealousy when her father mentioned he might remarry. She felt men remarrying was “filthy” and “indecent”. Apparently, older people no longer required companionship and intimacy. Noriko seemed overly involved and attached to her father. “I’m the only one who knows what he needs.” Was she upset for her mother’s sake or her own? During a Noh performance, her feelings shown through when she saw the perspective woman was also attending. Ozu’s astounding ability created a deeply emotional scene simply by cutting back and forth between the characters’ reactions to each other and the performers. During another evolutionary moment as daughter and father were lying side by side, Ozu focused on a vase for long seconds as Noriko processed her emotions and gave the audience the same meditative chance.

Ozu’s skill and his ability to compose exquisite frames was, as always, impeccable. Where I struggled with Late Spring is what caused me to stumble last time---Hara Setsuko’s performance. Her overly bright smile for the first half of the movie could be disconcerting. Sometimes a smile hides a person’s pain and sometimes it hides a vacancy sign. Smiling while riding a bike and enjoying the moment seemed natural, smiling when taunting the professor for being “filthy” seemed strange. She is a much admired actress and while I have enjoyed some of her darker performances, too often she over-relied on her smile. The second half had her character behaving petulantly and pouting which seemed out of place for a grown woman who had survived forced labor during the war.

As a modern viewer these plots were uncomfortable and I had to continually remind myself this was 1949. A woman was basically sent from her father’s house to another man’s house with little say as there weren’t many other options available to her. Noriko’s father complained that daughters were pointless. “You raise them and they leave. If they don’t marry you worry and if they do you’re disappointed.” Noriko worried her father would be helpless without her. Modern me thinks her father would learn to pick up the clothes he casually dropped on the floor himself and pour his own glass of water while brushing his teeth.

Despite my reservations, Ozu knew how to incorporate the most basic concepts of life and make them interesting. Noriko’s father, expertly played by Ryu Chishu, grasped that loneliness and death were a part of life and he wanted his daughter’s future taken care of. The plot might have been simple but Ozu was a master of teasing out the buried emotional details of changing family relationships. I rated this higher than my first watch and perhaps in the future, I’ll appreciate it even more. The father’s speech to Noriko was memorable then and now, one of the strongest from any Ozu film I’ve seen and still holds true today.

“Happiness isn’t something you wait around for. It’s something you create for yourself.”

14 February 2024

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The World is The True Monster

If there was one movie that I could choose to erase from my memory so that I could experience watching it for the first time again, it would be Monster. The way this movie told the story from different perspectives that would change our views and opinions was so smart and made the movie move so quickly. I was surprised by the acting, especially by Kurokawa Souya (Mugino Minato) considering his age, he perfectly portrayed the confusing feelings his character was going through. There was a specific point in the movie where I just started sobbing when I had this moment where I went "these characters are so young but already have to worry about what the world thinks of them," and didn't stop crying until the end. I am a pretty emotional person but nothing has had this much of an effect on me. Just a perfect movie.

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