Reviews

Will we ever see an Imjin War movie that respects history?

Noryang: Deadly Sea depicted its namesake, the Battle of Noryang, which was the last major battle of the Imjin War, one where Ming/Joseon forces pursued a fleeing enemy, the Japanese invaders under Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Realizing the war was shifting rapidly against Japanese interests and with domestic unrest brewing, Toyotomi had made arrangements for an orderly retreat even while he was still alive. The sudden death of the Taiko however, meant whatever plans he had in motion went haywire. An opportunity where Ming/Joseon forces were all too happy to exploit.

For the most part, the production values were excellent. Although it was obvious the actors were standing in front of a green screen on numerous occasions, the special effects team strived to render battle scenes and large fleet maneuvers as realistic as possible, something even Hollywood would be hard-pressed to replicate. In terms of costumes, I was particularly impressed with the costumes of all parties involved, which provided distinctiveness and displayed careful research. I was especially impressed by the movie's depiction of Ming armor, which was the most accurate yet in a Korean production, and even Chinese media companies could learn a thing or two from.

The uneven acting and abuse of artistic license unfortunately, was where this movie faltered. Japanese characters were either tyrannical villains or sniveling cowards, lacking any humanizing quality. Chinese characters were no better, as they were portrayed as arrogant buffoons with one sole exception. Then, once these 'foreign' characters started to speak, whatever seriousness this movie managed to muster at that point instantly fell apart. Chinese and Japanese characters (played by Korean actors) spoke in what should be their native tongue, but uttered their lines with great irregularity accompanied by the occasional over-the-top performance. This was obvious as most of them probably had no idea what they were saying. Japanese characters conversed with notable disconnected syllables, thick accents, pause in the wrong areas and overall seemed as if they were just reciting their scripts verbatim. The Chinese characters were even worse as their 'Chinese' was difficult to comprehend and became complete gibberish when delivered at a faster pace. The lack of understanding in how Chinese terminology should be applied also contributed to numerous instances of unintentional hilarity. For example, Chen Lin addressed Yi Sun-Sin as 'Lao Ye', roughly meaning old-master or lord-master depending on context. Except this would never happen since Chen Lin was actually older than Yi Sun-Sin, and also the latter's superior officer. Yi for his part, would never consider breaking protocol and suggest parting ways as that would have amounted to treason. Moreover, the relationship of the two men were known to be amicable, thus it was unfortunate that this movie chose to fabricate their mutual intense-friction for the sake of drama. To further signify Yi's skills in naval strategy, Chen also had to be made a moron, which led to the death of another key character, that of Deng Zilong. In reality, the latter met his demise by friendly fire while fighting onboard Admiral Yi's own flagship in midst of enemy formation. It was actually Yi's ship that was surrounded, and Deng was killed in action alongside Yi. But we cannot have Admiral Yi's reputation tarnished now, can we?

Furthermore, the plot was inconsistent. The movie informed us early on that Japanese forces were seeking to retreat and sought safe-passage in their negotiations with the Chinese since all parties involved at that point realized the Japanese could no longer maintain a presence on the Korean peninsula. Though near the end, somehow the battle became one of desperation for Ming/Joseon, and the Japanese fleet seemed as if it was more than capable of committing another serious naval campaign. Whatever the original objectives of the Japanese forces (one of retreat) were lost at that point.

With all the modern media revolving around the topic of the Imjin War produced by South Korea, there seems to be an implication that South Koreans believe Joseon Korea could actually win the entire war by themselves. This implication can be both blatant and subtle, depending on the production, but difficult to miss. In order to reinforce this notion, very often Joseon's Chinese allies were made feeble while their Japanese foes degraded to near cartoonish levels of villainy all for the purpose of portraying Joseon's efforts during the Imjin War to be more significant than it actually was. Especially when Admiral Yi is involved, and this movie is no different. While the production values were marvelous, excessive artistic license to prop up Joseon efforts marred by obvious language barriers in this movie reached a point where certain segments ranged anywhere from cringe to downright laughable. No one is disputing Admiral Yi's prowess as a naval strategist and leader of men, and stories focused on him should not require the degradation of everyone else around him. It is entirely possible to highlight his qualities while staying true to historical sources. It is not difficult.

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Japanese romance and fantasy - what's not to love!

Aesthetics of Japanese architecture, kimono fashion, culture, beautiful men and women combined with an excellent fantasy genre - don't blink or you'll miss it. Time just flew past watching this film. I expected more of a Mills & Boon 'he hates her - she tries her best to win his affection' but whoah, how quickly he was enamoured by Miyo but she was so deserving of his affection. It was a fast paced film which could easily be made into a 20 part series, showing us the relationships, past the present, of Kudo, then with Miyo, then introducing us to the Special Skills soldiers - which alone warranted a much lengthier exploration of each character and their particular 'magical' attributes. Actually, if they made a series about this alone, it would still be a winner - Japanese X-men... yes please!

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How does the gaze of others affect an a priori perfect homosexual relationship?

In this 2018 short film of only 15 minutes, Taiwanese director Ching Chi Hu captures a youthful homosexual experience with a good deal of sensitivity, but also with the same taste for taking the dramatic conflict to a practically extreme situation that crushes the audience's heart. more sensitive.
The first part of this deeply personal portrait of a newly discovered love, draws the love relationship between the two protagonist boys, Kai Chang (Xuan Qi Chen) and Hao Tsai (Bo Yao Wang), the latter co-writer with Chi Hu, in a of those intense and unique connections that occur over six magical months, while both frequently skip classes at a Taiwanese high school to discover the universe within their reach.
Between jokes, laughter and complicity, what emerges as a friendship quickly transforms into a more intense bond. However, with the same speed and simplicity as this pure relationship is created, it is affected when moving to another socialization environment, school. As Hao rides the bus with his fellow students, they express an obvious aversion toward homosexual people. In fact, the girl next to him, presumably a girlfriend to hide his homosexuality, asks Hao about the boy with whom he spends many hours together every day and they are very close.
As the connection between the two strengthens, Hao grows increasingly certain that they will not have the possibility of a future together. Therefore, against her will, she decides to break up with her lover. The scenes, which show the mutual discovery of secret desires until one's lips want to eat the other's, are filmed with a tender and tactile lens.
Through ellipses and in a naturalistic tone, in its second half, 'Grounded' becomes a drama around the loss that Kai suffers, first due to the death of his mother, and then due to the tragic breakup with Hao .
Instead of jokes, laughter and complicity, now there are half smiles on the faces of the two protagonists and involuntary grimaces of pain, with the boys' lips closed and those dark, very dark eyes, shining with shed tears and others without shedding.
Hao wants to “marry the sea and embrace freedom, but he is afraid of the wind and the waves and the limits of painting.” The homophobic society in which he lives and where marriage between people of the same sex is not recognized until the year after the filming of the short, does not allow him to conquer his dreams. Hao does not reveal himself to the circumstances and ends up being a victim of them. This foresees serious consequences for the loved one.
The short film thus becomes a sharp portrait of how the gaze of others ends up affecting an a priori perfect relationship. The audiovisual offers us, on the one hand, a window to other realities, and on the other hand, it places a mirror in front of ours.
With a little more development of the characters and events, I have no doubt this film will be able to remodel the belief system of many viewers, make them think and reconsider our immovable truths.

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Unflinchingly tense

A gripping, often uncompromising look at the Hong Kong drug trade, Protégé takes a tried and tested storytelling formula and marries it to compelling cinematic finesse caught up in a cobweb of drugs, loyalties and deceit. Mercifully unpretentious, the film is directed with remarkable proficiency by Derek Yee, offering a look at both sides of the drug coin: those who profit from it and those who ultimately suffer from it. By keeping it more personal, Yee's film feels more intimate and urgent, more satisfyingly intriguing, helped in no small regard by its star power. A greyed-up Andy Lau is as great as ever, offering up a sympathetic spin on an otherwise purely business-focused drug lord, while Daniel Wu plays off of Lau with a subtle and controlled rage. With its smart script, solid acting and tight directing Protégé varies from intense drama to dreamlike to subtle shades of black comedy yet never feels like an afterschool special or an obvious morality tale.

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Barely a lawsuit away from that of Steven Seagal's Under Siege

Aegis is much more in the mould of Hollywood productions than of your typical Japanese action thriller. Gently paced, carefully plotted and thematically complex, the film raises plenty of points for discussion amidst the myriad of generally uneven political undercurrents about Japan's role in the current world but manages to overcome its rather simplistic outline with a degree of class filmmaking. Director Junji Sakamoto (whom I didn't have the best of introductions with) takes his time building suspense and laying out the state of play before kicking everything into gear. In conjunction with wonderful photography and the red hues of the ship's interior comes always reliable Hiroyuki Sanada turning in a fine performance as the reluctant everyman forced to save the day. While a little too long for what it is, Aegis makes for some enjoyable entertainment harking back to the US' golden years of action.

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Um filme simples que deixa nossos corações quentinhos

a meu ver, a prota, ao longo de sua jornada, devido alguns eventos, desenvolveu transtorno de ansiedade e sua máscara era a barreira que ela encontrou de esconder seus traumas, evitando gatilhos e camuflando sua dor. Passou a aguentar todos os fardos sozinhas, trazendo a solidão como principal consequencia. O protagonista em tantos momentos quebra essa barreira construída, sendo um pouco duro, contudo, necessário, pra faze-la sair dessa zona de conforto. Apesar de ser uma zona cômoda, a feria mais que a protegia, e ele via isso. Seiji um dos poucos protagonistas com tanta coragem e dedicação, antes do amor, ajudar verdadeiramente a Akane.

O meu único sincero desejo é que existe uma continuação ): e claro, não diminuindo em nada a beleza desse filme!

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Three coincidences equals Fate or lazy writing

Tough as Iron with Yoo Ah In was a film with an identity crisis. At its heart it was a movie that seemed inspired by Gilbert Grape right down to the opening scene. To make it more exciting they threw in gangsters and the Yakuza. Then for good measure they wedged in a love story. Sometimes too much is too much.

According to the synopsis Gang Cheol was a legendary street fighter. Maybe it was Sesame Street? The fight scenes weren't very well choreographed and his most powerful skill was a killer stare. Cheol's life entailed a job working on the docks and caring for his mother. His mom often accompanied him so that she wouldn’t wander off, which she still managed to do quite often. Not only did she have dementia, she was a diabetic with kidney failure. Cheol went to great lengths trying to find a way for her to receive a transplant. Cheol’s buddy, Jong Soo, wanted to be somebody and get rich so he joined a gang with a sashimi loving boss with a hotheaded brother. Of course, the trouble magnet entangled Cheol with his criminal co-workers. In moments when he wasn’t dealing with his mother, his troublesome friend, working, trying to find 100,000 won for his mom's surgery, or dealing with the gangsters, Cheol ran into a pretty photographer visiting Busan which meant it had to be fate.

The gangster angle was weak and took away from the relevant story of Cheol and his mother. Maybe the writers felt that Gilbert Grape would have been more interesting if he’d gotten mixed up with gangsters instead of planning a birthday party. The romance in this film wasn’t a lifeline or an insight into a better life, it seemed more like vacant window dressing. Yoo Ah In and Kim Hae Sook had wonderful chemistry together. There was more than enough story to tell as they navigated the stage in life when the child becomes the parent with little time for himself. This story could have used a romantic involvement to show him what he was missing. But Tough As Iron’s incoherent gangster escapades pulled too much focus from the heart of the film leaving no room for a well-developed love story.

Tough as Iron had the potential to be a powerful and meaningful film, especially with the caliber of actors involved. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the interplay between Cheol and his mother, the good days, the bad days, the exhaustion, heartache, and love. I found their relationship much more fascinating than a maniacal killer who stuttered.

5 February 2024

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this film will stay with you

"Monster" is a masterful film that defies genre classification. On the surface, it appears to be a horror movie, with eerie music and unsettling visuals. But as the story unfolds, it reveals itself to be a deeply human and emotionally resonant exploration of the complexities of human nature.

this film tells the story of a young boy who is ostracized by his classmates and struggles to find connection and understanding. As the story progresses, we see how this boy's experiences shape him and lead him down a dangerous path. But the film also explores the perspectives of the other characters, revealing the depth of their own struggles and pain.

The performances in the film are outstanding, particularly from the child actors who bring a raw and honest vulnerability to their roles. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the isolation and loneliness of the characters with haunting beauty. they are possibly the best child actors I've seen.

The direction by director Naoki Kato is skillful and assured, weaving together multiple storylines and themes with ease. The score by composer Takashi Kako is equally impressive, adding depth and atmosphere to the film without overpowering it.

this film will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's a powerful exploration of the human condition, a reminder that we are all complex and flawed individuals struggling to find our way in the world. It's a film that challenges us to confront our own biases and assumptions, and to seek understanding and empathy in the face of adversity. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant cinematic experience.

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Beaches : Bette Midler+Barbara Hershey.

06/02/2024 (Feb).

This is a decent watch, but not what I would consider "soulmates" - just a very strong friendship and sister like bond.

How can I put this - the connection between JiWoo and Miso, to me, was more of a soul connection - seriously, each time they met, their interactions and from the first time they crossed paths. The necklace she wore was a massive give away and Ha-run knew it when she spotted it, also, Ji Woo. Miso was actually a threat even though it wasn't the intention. It was her friendship and loyalty to Ha-eun that she put first above anything or anyone else.

SPOILER ALERT!

I also don't think Ji Woo really made any mistakes - even the cave scene wasn't a "betrayal* really because of Miso. No lines were crossed as she saved the situation although she took the necklace for protection.

I know this is meant to be all about Miso and Ha-eun and them being soul mates, but I found it wasn't done to perfection like it was in Beaches with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey - that truly was one friendship that outshone any other relationship including boyfriends and husbands.

Lastly, it is one thing to keep a pregnancy and death from an ex boyfriend or ex fiance, but it is something else when you keep those kind of things from family and especially when that family is good even if not perfect. Actually, I think Ji Woo had every right to know about the pregnancy as he was the father and didn't do anything wrong except tell Ha-eun that her drawings should be treated as a hobby. He did everything to set it right between him and Ha-eun.

With Soulmates, it is similar to Beaches with the back and forth between the past and present and the triangle relationship ONLY I think Beaches is far superior and the flashbacks were more interesting and also quite humorous at times.

This is good to watch to pass the time - it is a bit slow and boring in parts.

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This isn’t a movie for everyone. If you are into themes exploring the darker parts of society, then this might be for you. Days later, I’m still recovering from how much this movie emotionally wrecked me. I’ve watched some happy stuff since, but this one is still with me.

The story follows two characters, Ter and Som. Their characters only ever briefly pass by each other on the streets, but their lives end up intertwining in a heartbreakingly tragic way. Within the first part of the movie, you already get the feeling of where all the characters will end up, but you can’t help but stay for them and hope things would turn out differently. The image of the fish tank and the last scene are gonna haunt me for some time.

Bank, Sydney and Jomjam did amazing in their roles. They made me feel so much for their characters. Bank lost weight for his role. I thought he just lost weight, but he actually did it for this role. This is my first time seeing Sydney and Jomjam, and it takes skills to portrays their characters. They both nailed it. I hope to see them all collab on a project again, hopefully a more happier one, so I can move on from this one lol.

I actually don’t have any criticisms for this movie. It was well executed given the characters, storyline and themes. The only thing I may want is for it to be a series instead, so we could have gotten more into the characters of Mild, Som’s mom and Peach. But again, stories like this won’t appeal to everyone, so maybe it was a safer bet to go the movie route.

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Streetdancing is Fun to Watch If You Like Something Upbeat!

Finally, I got to see this movie after waiting almost a year for the English sub! It's rare to see Wang Yi Bo in non-patriotic dramas/movies nowadays, so One and Only is a nice breeze. I don't watch Street Dance of China he frequently hosted, so I didn't know how good he was in street dancing! This is definitely one entertaining movie to watch!

The version I watched is dubbed in Thai. Although I don't mind hearing the Thai language since I also watch Thai dramas, but knowing they are Chinese people speaking Thai it's kinda odd. So, I ran both versions, the Chinese language version with sound on and the Thai dub version with sound off to read the subtitle, and it worked perfectly. Info for future watchers just in case you can not find the original version subbed in English.

Wang Yi Bo played Chen Shuo, a young man who is passionate about street dancing and wanted to make a name (and living) professionally, but to be able to fulfill his dream he works several jobs. So the story is not new, we see tons of motivational shows like this. What makes it unique is the street dancing theme. It's probably not interesting if you don't like street dancing (unless you are Wang Yi Bo's fan) because there are a lot of dancing performances and practices. But if you're into something upbeat and lively, this movie may be right up your alley.

The acting is great, especially since a lot of them are professional dancers. Wang Yi Bo shine as Chen Shuo, he did a lot of dances by himself (although I wondered if the exclamation point movement was supported by wires, lol). I was pleasantly surprised with the acting of veteran actor Huang Bo who played E-Mark's (their dance team) coach, lol. The supporting characters who played Chen Shuo's family members are nice too. Although I think romance is not necessary in this movie, the appearance of Song Zu Er as Li Ming Zhu, Chen Shuo's love interest, gave me melancholic hope if I will ever see her project in the future or not. FYI, the romance is very light, as the main focus is Chen Shuo's journey to achieve his dream.

If I have to make a critique, is the casting of non-Chinese or foreigners in a national dancing competition in this movie. I see this very often in Chinese dramas or movies, in which they cast foreigners during competitions that result in the Chinese team's winnings. It's ok if the competitions are international, but for a national competition is laughable. It's like China wants to show off its supremacy among other races/nations thru their shows.

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Dark and Disturbing... When Parasite met Poetry....

" As I watched the sunset in the dessert, I felt that I too would like to disappear as if I never exist"

This movie on the other hand is one of those that will most certainly not disappear silently, and makes sure you know it existed. As it is a highly acclaimed movie and it did have me thinking what am I. missing here, what is actually happening and will I understand this better if I watch this a second time? As there are quite a few moments of confusion planted there to make you question pretty much everything in this movie, including the meaning behind it. making my mind make loopholes so much my head hurt.

There is quite a bit of absurd extremely dark humour here and there .Some pretty deep lines and extreme tension in silence.

I also feel like i must warn you that this movie gives new meaning to the word greenhouse and you may have trouble looking at the Nam-sham tower (or any tower) the same way again.

And while some parts are kind of extreme, there seems to be quite a bit of social criticism, if I was to compare this to Parasite I would say that they share some of the same issues but this one is more psychological, young and most certainly more raw than Parasite. Catering to the critics rather than to the popular audience, something that adds brilliance and depth but removes some of the main stream entertainment value that i must say a peasant like me can adore.

However compared to Lee Chang Dongs (the director of this movie previous movie Poetry, this one has more action and entertainment value making me understand that a lot can happen to a director in 8 years... So on a scale of Mainstream/entertainment to Artistic depth this move is right between Parasite and Poetry

Defiantly a movie worth a watch and worthy of all its praise

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A Birth of a Priest

For a long time I was searching for this movie, and finally I saw it and I must give it a 10/10 because I am so happy that it was made. This is not a typically entertainment movie but a historical biographical drama about the "adventures" of Andrew Kim Dae Geon, first Korean Priest.

The film is very long, but I watched it over four days with great excitement and interest, and that's why I wasn't bored at any point. I enjoyed every scene. The cinematography of the film is excellent. Every scene is detailed and beautiful as a photography. The actors are also very good. The flow of the plot is a bit fragmented as it covers a lot of topics and events, but that is understandable for this type of film. I think that those who are already familiar with the life of Andrew Kim will enjoy the film more because they will be able to recognize future saints in some of the characters along with the main character who is the trademark name of Korean saints.

Many elements from the film I already knew before, I have been to many places in Korea that are shown here, even on the small boat Rafael on Jeju Island. As a priest, I had a very emotional experience watching the challenges faced by the first Christians, accused of collaborating with foreign enemies and disrespecting the king, and especially the situation with priests who had to be ready for martyrdom and death.

That is the message of this movie. This is not about the birth of one man, but about the birth of a priest, the birth of a new Korea that will be open to the gospel, and a spiritual birth through baptism and martyr's blood, because what is death if not a new birth? Listen to the last words of the main character of this movie, priest Andrew Kim Dae geon: "I have held communication with foreigners only for my religion and my God. It is for Him that I die. My immortal life is now on the point of birth."

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Ordinary People/Present Day Allegory

This movie reminds me of Parasite and the constant battle of the haves and have nots. It is easy to view this movie in its apocalyptic setting of a massive and devasting earthquake in a city as congested as Seoul, yet the true story here is the way people treat each other when any resource is at stake. It doesn't take a catastrophic disaster for that to happen--just everyday human greed and inhumanity. We see that now and we have seen it in the past and will see it in the future in every war and in every conflict, great and small.

The greatest disaster to ever befall mankind will always be ourselves. This movie will leave you thinking about it long after the credits roll and maybe change who you are. At least, I hope it will. We are all ordinary people though, so it probably won't.

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