Reviews

Could two kings co-exist?

I am confused! I cannot say MLs are attractive (my opinion)it does not seem this story could happen in real life, I even must admit that I would not be sad if leads separated and their paths went different directions. At the same time I was watching the story and never was bored. Whereas in other bl dramas we usually have two handsome boys and it is easy to "forgive" mistakes - because they are cute... here, with one lead shown as a king and another - a slave like nerd (I checked - actor is a cutie one, it must have taken a lot of effort to make him look creepy), it take some energy and thinking to understand the real reason they are together. MLs are strengthening each other, the drama shows that heart has its own ways and real love is much deeper than appearance and conventional behavior. Chemistry is on other level, and I can believe that, as after butterflies in the stomach period, relationships must have deeper meaning, such as partner's development, discovery of new personality layers, surprises.
Maybe this is not the best drama, maybe I won't rewatch it and it is not sweet, but was it worth my time? Definitely!

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High energy, Fun, good time.

Huang Bo is exceptional. What a dancer! The movie has all the elements for a great dance movie. Dancing, miscommunication, team work, outstanding performances, a familiar storyline all make this a fun exciting ride. It is not long enough to truly detail the practice and hits and misses a dancer has to be willing to dedicate to performing, but one can get that sense. Casper is excellent. But Wang Yibo is vibrant, compelling, and a must watch if you love dancing. His skills are on display in shows, on stage, and on Street Dance China. He is an impeccable talent in acting and dancing. I will watch it again when I need an energy boost. Or just need a Yibo fix.

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Children without a Surname - a very underrated movie

An action movie about a young man that can't look away when people ask him to help find their missing children.
The topic is quite gut wrenching, as the Human Trafficking of abducted children is no joke but for once I don't mind watching a "Propaganda" movie since it's well done and focuses mostly on the ML & the search/rescue of a child.

The acting is good, especially Mu Tong is such a promising young actor and the story is pretty fast paced.
It's a bit predictable but good enough to throw in a few plot twists and multiple hands-on bloody fights.
If you see it from a fictional stand point it's a satisfying story and a good watch, only when you start to think about how real the human trafficking of Children is, does it get sad.

The theme song ' 无姓之人 ' (The Man with No Surname) by Cheng Huzi , who plays Zhao Jia, will stay with me for a long time. It's lyrics are easily understood even if you have only watched a handful of c-dramas. A son who was abducted as a child, dreaming about telling his mother about all the mile stones he achieved in his life, from growing up to getting married and remembering his family. Here's the song in case you just want to listen to it: https://youtu.be/9kAcaToIn9g?si=jM1BssRwUajC42xN

PS: stay for the post credit scene to see an extended happy ending for the ML and his girlfriend :)

Leia Mais

Brilliance, Depth and Thought Provoking

!!A Thought Provoking Film!!
What a movie, a masterpiece I watched after a long time, I was just bored on Sunday and randomly picked this movie to watch, I have three points to share with you all who are reading this.
1. It's has a beautiful cinematography, very intense like creating a whole level of suspense and depth.
2. The pov's are such an eye openers focusing on the actual matter or the story and we soon realise that we were too quick to judge anything, anyone from beginning.
3. It's an awakening and story of one's learning about themselves is so emotional indeed it was very nicely portrayed by those young actors?overall, it's a film which left me feeling many things deeply. Monster "could be ppl and idea of how society is too quick to see things not for the truth", or "us as PPL can't really accept the 'differents' or can never be our true selfs hiding behind mask just to escape from facing reality"
Indeed, such a great film, a must watch!!!
and lastly "it's always deeper than it looks on the outside".

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The Shaw Brothers are dead, long may they live

A faithful, if a somewhat unusual tribute to the Shaw Brothers' golden age, The Bare-Footed Kid offers up a simple yet bittersweet narrative of redemption, a coming-of-age drama through a world of capitalism's corrupting influence, injected with a mixture of fresh faces and veteran Hong Kong performers. Johnnie To mixes in his patterned use of energetic camera movement and skilful with a slice of the 90s new-wave kung fu movement. There's a beautiful chemistry between Ti Lung and Maggie Cheung which adds an extra amount of sentimentality and depth to the film and a gorgeous use of colour sprinkled throughout. The action set pieces choreographed by the legendary Lau Kar-Leung more than deliver, it's ultimately the weak script and miscast lead where the film fails to connect with its punches, yet The Bare-Footed Kid sits within the realm of superb entertainment keeping the door open for more innovative Hong Kong action cinema and Johnnie To's eventual move to what he knows best...

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Nostalgic Re-watch

I re-watched this recently and I have to say it was nostalgic to watch it again. I watched this for the first time in 2010 and it was my first time watching a Thai movie. My first impression was that it is a good movie.,

After re-watching it I have to say it is a very cute and funny movie, but there are somethings that did bother me now, that I did not notice in 2010 because I was 13 years old then. I think one of my issues with not giving the movie a higher rating is because of their view on beauty.

Nam is such a beautiful girl already, but people disliked because she was to "dark." In Asian culture, girls generally are viewed to be more beautiful if they have "whiter skin." Girls who are tanner, are seen as less beautiful. I do not know why her friend had to bath her in Tumeric? She was already beautiful as is, she just needed braces to keep her teeth straight and glasses to see. She eventually got her braces and contacts, probably. Her tan skin made her different, but beautiful. Some people are born with darker skin colors. There is nothing wrong with that. The perception of having "whiter skin" is what makes you more beautiful in Asian culture make me sick. All people are beautiful no matter the tone of the skin.

With that being said I enjoyed how Shone loved Nam through everything. He liked her since the beginning and always was there for her when needed. He was there from day 1 and admired her since day 1, even before her "self-transformation" to impress him. I liked that he looked beyond looks and liked her for her personality. Personally, I think the cast did amazing job playing their roles.

The only other think I would pick at is the ending. I think that having them meet again on a TV Show with the host having the notebook he made about her was too cheesy. Don't get me wrong, I loved that, and it is assumed, they probably ended up together because he has been waiting for her. In general, the ending felt rushed and cliche, like that would not happen in real life.

I think a better ending would have been, both of them developing successful careers and bumping into each other again randomly when she came back from the US. He is a photographer and she is a fashion designer. He could have met her while he was taking pictures at a fashion show? (This is just an example) To me felt like that would have been a better ending. Is it cliche? Yes, but I feel like it would have been a more natural way for them to be able to see each other again and discuss what happened and how they were feeling after the events by the pool that day.

Outside of those 2 critiques I had about the movie, I have to say I would not sleep on watching this again. I thoroughly enjoyed it then and thoroughly enjoy it now. Again I like how Nam and Shone's love for each other is very pure, innocent and sweet. They always want what is best for each other and the people they care about.

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I loved the 2021 drama of the same name that this is the sequel to, and am so glad to see more of Liu Jing, Fang Xin and Xia Meng. Thankfully, this movie does not waste time with flashbacks and just moves full steam ahead, and you could probably enjoy it even if you haven't watched the drama. The trio continues to navigate their careers and love lives, but above all else this movie is an ode to their friendship. I did feel like Xia Meng has a more substantial storyline than Liu Jing and Fang Xin, and there were some things left resolved at the end, but overall it was a delight to see the cast together again. There were a couple of new characters I really liked as well. If they made another movie, I'd absolutely watch it.

By the way, don't miss the three scenes within the credits.

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"You are responsible for what you do"

The Last Emperor was epic in scope with filming for the first time in the Forbidden City, stunning costumes, and an enormous cast. It covered sixty years of Chinese history largely through the eyes of one man…the last emperor of China.

The film bounced back and forth in Emperor Pu Yi’s life in chronological order from his coronation at the age of 3 with his future life as a prisoner of the PRC. From the time he ascended the throne he was told he could do anything, anything that was except leave the Forbidden City. All of his needs were taken care of with the exception of having no friends, his company primarily old eunuchs. As he aged, he was given a Scottish tutor named Reginald Johnston with whom he became close. While safely ensconced behind the city’s walls, different factions gained and lost power outside. Instead of escaping those walls, he escaped into marriage with his Empress and concubine.

After the Beijing Coup in 1924 he bid a final farewell to The Forbidden City and was sent to Tientsin where he lived a hedonistic lifestyle. The Japanese army convinced him and/or coerced him into becoming the emperor of Manchukuo, previously Manchuria and Pu Yi’s ancestral home. Instead of finally becoming the ruler he had dreamed of being, he found himself a puppet of the Japanese. Things went from bad to worse there when the Japanese lost WWII and were looking for the exit door. Pu Yi was captured by the Russians and later turned over to the PRC where he was imprisoned for ten years in order to be “re-educated”.

As glorious as the sets, scenery, and costumes were, Pu Yi wasn’t always the most fascinating character. He went from being a figurehead to a puppet to a prisoner. He had no say in the government and often led an insular life. Dramatic events in China and globally impacted him on the periphery but politically speaking he was as impotent as his eunuchs had been. Prison gave him new insights into himself, others, and the war. A person who had his share of damaging tantrums, he had to learn to grow up. He’d never put toothpaste on his toothbrush or learned how to tie his shoes, soon he had to also learn to pee correctly and to garden. While imprisoned Pu Yi was shown a WWII film demonstrating how the people had suffered and the terrible atrocities committed. After the reality check his reformation and realization began to take hold.

I wish Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci had briefly explained some of the political upheavals better instead of just showing another set of beige uniforms in charge. The cinematography was good and maybe it was because they were trying to show a more realistic view of the places Pu Yi lived in or perhaps it was mood lighting, but many scenes seemed abysmally dark. The version I watched had most of the dialogue in English with some Japanese in a few scenes which was disappointing. I would have much preferred for the dialogue that was supposed to be Chinese dubbed in Mandarin. The Last Emperor’s greatest achievement was not the long glossed over historical events covering six decades, for many in 1987 it was the first look into the magnificent 9,999 room palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Joan Chen’s performance as Wan Rong plumbed emotional depths as the Empress became more isolated and dependent on opium. John Lone did his best with Pu Yi, but the character was one I felt little sympathy toward. The wars and tragedies never really touched him except for preventing him from being sole ruler over China. The late Peter O’Toole showed up in the role of Pu Yi’s tutor adding some gravitas to the cast.

The film didn’t touch on the cost to Pu Yi’s people during all of the political upheavals. Even during the various battles and revolutions he ate and dressed well, always had whatever he wanted while many of his people struggled for safety and daily needs. The film ended with Mao’s rule and cult of personality. Despite eliminating the imperial court, they traded one Emperor for another of sorts.

13 February 2024

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Lee Long is perfect, thank you for listening

30 minutes of pure bliss > We are going to ignore the ending because if I think about it, it will send me into a spiral

Lee Long can do no wrong

I love mini-movies that take place in one setting where 2 people are talking to each other, I don't know what it is, I think its because it's just raw and intimate. That's one of my favorite things to do is just sit down with someone and just have a conversation so I think that's why I like these kinds of short films.

August's confession was one of my favorite confessions ever, the emotion on both boy's faces when they were confessing to each other was unmatched.

I don't know if Sobita is still acting but he needs to do more series with Lee because they had more chemistry sitting there than I've seen in a whole 12-ep series.

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Not for me...I found it boring and difficult to connect with the story

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by this movie. It is for sure pretty slow and does not commit to one obvious genre. It is not really a BL, not really a queer coming of age story, neither a thrilling horror film...It is not really a default to be ambivalent in terms of genre but here really it is super strange and I'm still not sure what I have seen or if I really understood the intentions of the screenwriter.

It does not help also that the film has a really contemplative feel with the camera really taking its time...It feel super slow and I think it takes 40 minutes for something midly interesting to happen. It has a strong indie feel but not necessarily in a good way: the characters are litteraly living through miserable sets: the decors for sure have a purpose in the context of the story but their poverty really does not entice more the viewer...

The casting was okay overall. I watched this movie for Gun and he is good in it. Not as great as in some of the later series I saw him in but it is already very clear how skilled he is. His presence elevates for sure the movie. I would have loved to see even more from him (especially in the more frightening scenes) but he does a good job. I was not particularly impressed nor dissatisfied by the acting of his counterpart.

I would not recommend this to people. Maybe if you are in the right mood or if you are a fan of Gun, it can be interesting to watch it...I also think that a second watch might really help to understand some of the layers of the scenario and better grasp the intentions of the screenwriter. However, even if that is the case, I will likely never watch it a second time because clearly the entertaining factor was totally missing for me...

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Worth the watch

Firstly, I watched this after a few fluff bl so was pleasantly surprised.

The spark that Youchi feels stems from Sakurai on meeting him immediately understood his art. Those around him took care to keep him safe but did not understand his expression on canvas. Youchi feels drawn to him. Sakurai, himself, burnt out by his uneventful life, welcomes the attention though struggles to understand why he is attracted to Youchi as this is his first male awakening.

Their conversations are always introspective. At times the age gap is glaring and sometimes not. Yoichi, blunt and direct, forces Sakurai to acknowledge who is creating the distance between them. I should mention that Youchi's immediate family and cohabitants all welcomed and encouraged the relationship as this was the first person that he had opened himself up to.

Then enters Fujimoto. School mate and age appropriate sees Sakurai as a threat. He doesn't waste any moment to remind Sakurai how obscene a man of his age looks when pursuing a boy half his age. His sole purpose to win Youchi fails as he cannot compare to the clarity and bond they share. He cannot see the unfinished painting as flowers which Sakurai readily saw on their first meeting.

Youchi, after a break period between them, understands that Sakurai was waiting for him to come out of his cocoon, come to terms with his past and truly form a stronger bond if they are to be together. Sakurai realised that conforming to other perceptions of their relationship (gay, older man, lover) would not bring the happiness he craved.

Pros:
Pacing was slow which allowed the story to evolve.
The family members, rather than having unnecessary interactions, was used as a vehicle for clarity as Youchi barely spoke.
Main actors embodied their roles.
Scenery suited the mood.
Non visual sex scene was alluded to by the lowering of Sakurai's hand. Perfect for this movie.

Cons:
Fujimoto rushed brashness felt out of place. Probably used to make the viewer like Sakurai more.
Sakurai appeared older than 37 in body movements. Who would get angry at 37 with being caught in a water fight?
At no time was it shown that his family had a chat with Youchi about his living outside of the bubble and the expectations that may be imposed by the public upon viewing their relationship. Their stance was Youchi seems to want this, let's make sure it happens. Except, for Takeo who questioned Sakurai's motives but still pushed for it to happen by supplying Youchi's number.
The subdued mood of Youchi throughtout did nothing to help the lack of chemistry between them. Not even with Fujimoto.

Beautiful moment:
Y: Flowers must be watered everyday
S: I'll call you everyday

Y: This flower will bloom right?
S: Yeah, this time it will bloom. It will definitely bloom.

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