Reviews

From the photo cover alone, it's clear that this film is promoted as an exploration of polyamory between two guys and a girl. And while that dynamic does eventually come to fruition, I feel like the plot is simultaneously more and less than that.

There's not much dialogue here. This film does most of its storytelling with showing, and not telling, which sounds better in theory than execution. Especially in the third act, where nothing that any of the characters do seems to make much sense.

At a few minutes short of being a respectable hour and a half long, this movie doesn't overstay its welcome. But it spends just about the entire first hour establishing the unconventional lives and relationship of two free-spirited roommates and occasional lovers residing in beachside China. So, by the time the girl enters the picture, we're already well into 2/3 of the movie.

That's where this otherwise slowly paced spectacle starts to engage itself a little more. Most of the film's dialogue takes place here but by that time, it's too little, too late. Just about all three character's actions and motivations feel shockingly sudden, given that the earlier portion of the film didn't explore them much outside of lingering and pensive vanity shots. The last 10 to 15 minutes were especially jarring with an ending that feels thrown together for shock value.

In closing, I feel it's necessary to mention that if you were watching in hopes of balanced bisexual representation, you won't get that here. Although the movie, to a detriment, introduces the female lead much later than it should have, the film aesthetically (and arguably, narratively) leans towards the hetero intimacy of it all. However, it's made in China so the queer destitution tracks. I'm sure that fault had more to do with censoring itself for cultural sensibilities and less to do with careless writing.

Leia Mais

Disappointing but the music is nice and the actors are beautiful

The good.

Loved the lyrics and the singing. The actors are a pleasure to look at, especially Byun Sung Tae. I could gaze at that dreamy face all day long!

The confusing.

There are at least three characters introduced with some depth and we (the audience) start caring about them. But then there isn't any more. The viewer is just left wondering. As an example, Lim Ho Yeon (surfing instructor) cares about the main character (Lee Seung Jun). He appears in quite a few scenes, and we see what he is feeling. He seems like more than a side character, yet we never get anything satisfying. Same goes for certain behaviors we see. As a viewer I want to know the "why" behind these behaviors. But we never get the why. So it ends with the audience unsatisfied.

The bad.

There are portions in the last half that are just meandering.

Leia Mais

Cute and rather credible (for a BL!)

I generally prefer movies over series, and as usual I liked this movie better than the series. The breaks in series feel too contrived.

BLs usually have misunderstandings that are often the source of dramatic tension, and humor. But frequently the misunderstandings are beyond unrealistic. While there is some of that in "Our Dating Sim", there is also credible dialog between the characters as they rediscover each other. The viewer can feel the characters struggling to try to communicate., to overcome the distance between them. That feels somehow more realistic and I found it easy to relate to the situations. Some of the playful physicality between the characters felt just like what my partner and I experience. It was nice to see ourselves in the story. I usually don't re-watch anything, preferring to find new movies, but since I had seen the series, this was sort of re-watch and I did pick up some nuance I missed on the first viewing, and I'm considering a third watch.

Flash backs are used as part of the story telling, but the transitions are rocky and sometimes unclear. Same can be said for the scene breaks. Just a little too choppy. I'd say this is an 8, but I loved the story enough and it was so relatable, I had to give it a 9.

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"People like us don't have tomorrows"

Wong Kar Wai had written numerous scripts before his directorial debut in 1988 with As Tears Go By. While I would enjoy many of his later works, this earliest endeavor was not one of my favorites. Andy Lau’s gangster boss Wah was torn between his “little brother” Fly and the gorgeous Maggie Cheung’s Ngor. Would not have been a difficult choice for me but gangster brotherhood was a powerful force even when one of the gangsters was inept and a trouble magnet.

Wah’s Auntie sends his cousin Ngor to stay with him while she is seeing doctors in town. After a late night incident where the two seem to be attracted to each other, Ngor goes back home with a clean bill of health. Later, Wah visits Ngor but is pulled back when Fly lands in trouble-again. This is the second time he’s had to face death for the completely inept gangster whose mouth is bigger than his brain or brawn. Even though rival gangster Tony has a proper gang, Wah's gang appears to consist of him and Fly after another member leaves to get married. After handling Fly’s problems he goes back to Maggie but is once again called back to deal with Fly’s issues.

While there is a brotherhood among gangsters, when one guy’s reckless actions repeatedly put your life at danger, it’s time to jettison him one way or another. I’m guilty of becoming sympathetic with characters in gangster movies, but not this one. The sheer stupidity of Wah’s and Fly’s actions drained me of any sympathy for them. Maggie’s character Ngor was thinly drawn and also didn’t evoke any sympathy. Wah could be aggressive and worked in a field with a short life expectancy and he didn’t have any money to show for it. Why would a nice girl want to get involved with him?

WKW had some interesting shots throughout the film, especially Maggie in a moment of indecision when she slowly walks up the stairs to join Wah. The fights were brutal but not choreographed very well with many scenes rather rudimentary. The use of Top Gun’s “Take My Breath Away” took me right out of the moment and to another film from the 1980’s with a romance and a band of brothers. Andy Lau’s character seemed to fit into the underworld. Maggie did the best she could with Ngor. My biggest problem was with Jacky Cheung’s Fly and his manic performance. I cannot remember the last time I wanted a character to die a painful death who was not a “villain” this much. But in the end, his actions would have classified him as a villain regardless of how the underworld would have viewed them.

There were elements of this film that I found engaging, but Fly’s ridiculous behavior and Wah’s ride or die commitment to him were beyond my understanding. I may have struggled with much of this film but at least I found the ending satisfying.

2 February 2024

Leia Mais

Honest Review

This movie made 3.8 billion RMB box office so I was curious and after watching it, I totally get why. It is off the bat captivating and a very realistic subject we can all relate to. Who doesn't want to make some fast cash? Cyber fraud is very real nowadays playing into the minds of those struggling wishing to make a quick fortune. It is base on a true story which is totally my thing but I would not trust all the details with any China movie/drama. However it is directed beautifully, well cast, fast pace, engaging, relatable and a great subject to warn society about a very real problem. I would say every actor did their job but female lead and the villains shined the most and their characters are more challenging.

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"Life is like that"

Tokyo Story is a quintessentially Ozu film. The story about the dissolution of a family was emotional without being dramatic. Every frame was composed with the utmost care as if evoking a painting. Shot from the mat, the camera never moved, only the people, drawing the viewer in for an intimate window into this troubled family’s life.

“Be a good son while your parents are alive. None can serve his parents beyond the grave.”
Retired couple, Shukichi and Tomi, make the long, arduous trip from their southern fishing village to Tokyo to visit their children. Due to the distance it has been years since they’ve seen each other. Instead of greeting their parents/grandparents with open arms, everyone seems put out that their lives and households are being disrupted. Shige, the eldest daughter, pawns them off on the couple’s widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko. Unlike their flesh and blood children, Noriko takes the day off and shows them the town, treating them with great care and respect. Afterwards, Shige and her brother Koichi, pool their money and send their parents to a seaside spa. The spa ends up being a loud hangout for young people causing the elderly couple to return to Shige’s the next day. She’s upset that they returned early because she has a party planned leaving the couple literally out on a curb. Noriko takes in her mother-in-law while Shukichi has a reunion with old friends and goes out drinking and reminiscing. Realizing they are a burden on their children, the couple boards the train the next day to go home. They are able to see their middle son who works at the Osaka railroad when Tomi becomes ill on the train and has to disembark there. Satisfied they have seen all of their children for possibly the last time, the parents state that their children may not have lived up to their expectations, but they are better than most leaving them satisfied.

“To lose one’s children is hard, but living with them isn’t easy either.”
Ozu never truly goes into why the children are not only distant but disrespectful as well. The father drank heavily when they were younger, whether that caused a lingering anger he wasn’t telling. Despite Noriko being a dutiful daughter-in-law and widow, her short marriage to Shoji eight years ago was a difficult one for he also drank heavily. Shige grated from beginning to end, always finding fault, never giving an inch. When her husband brings home expensive cakes for her parents, she scolds him that the delicacies are too good for them and then eats the cakes herself! Yet Ozu and the characters simply accept her as she is, never calling her out for her rude behavior. It is what it is.

“Isn’t life disappointing?”
The grown children’s lives are busy as they hustle to make a living in a town with too many people after the war striving for the same thing. Their children reflect the same attitude as their parents, they are rude and disinterested as well. Every generation of the family is disintegrating, held together by memories and tenuous traditions. The father states, “Life is like that.” Death happens. People forget. People move on. Relationships are always in a state of constant flux as people change, suffer, succeed, fail, grow older. Families, like marriages, require emotional upkeep to stay together and relevant, something this family has neglected. Life was also taken for granted, the thought that their parents would always be around. When death visits, the children still can only think of themselves and their lives with only Noriko going out of her way to help. Stay busy, stay moving, and you don’t have to think about the difficult things in life.


“Isn’t life too short?”
Tokyo Story is one of Ozu’s more beautifully shot films, and one that took the viewer beyond a small world. From the parents’ fishing village to Tokyo, we’re taken along with the parents to discover new sights. The music is subtle, just like Ozu, perfectly setting the tone when used. School children sang just as the story needed a bolus of hope. Often only the rhythmic sounds of nature were used or mechanical as with a ticking clock when a character realized all he had was time left. Despite the larger world the characters inhabited his meditative rooms and pauses still reigned supreme. Ozu’s beloved train began the film as the parents journeyed on their last trip to see their children and a train ended the film as a character was freed from her guilt and allowed to embrace a new future.

Everyone ages. Relationships change. Children become parents and then grandparents themselves. Life involves death, irrespective of age. Loneliness is a harsh mistress. I hope Ozu’s assessment that life is disappointing and everyone will eventually not only suffer from alienation but also cause it isn’t inevitable.

2 February 2024

Leia Mais

a good storyline and plot

to be honest. i would like to praise script writer who come out with that kind of storyline. aside of nudity and sex scenes. all the plot was clearly told us about the difference perspective from each of characters.

i could relate for both wife and mistress feeling very well. it's just that, after a few times of rewatching it. i still has lingeries feeling with questioning about how depth the husband feeling or love towards his mistress. i do believe, husband does love his wife so much from all perspective that shows in movie although he does cheat with someone's else. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love his wife or less care. he still has a lot of affection towards his wife.

it just, i feel pity towards mistress. from my perspective, even though he love her. but it's still could not surface the love he has towards his wife. i feel a bit disappointed when he doesn't has a firm stance about his child with his mistress. though they make the ML die frozen was a good way to end the stories. so, the main issue about which one he love the most or which one he will choose will stopped when he die.

i like the way, how they make the FL and mistress get to be a good friend and end up with a good way. getting along and handle their emotions maturely. although the mistress seem to be more emotional in the end cos of ML wanna severed their relationship. for me, it was logical for mistress to behaving like that, in her age and life experience.

both wife and mistress didn't act rashly also a good sign of mature and healthy way to educate viewers, to choose wisely if they were facing this kind of situation.

Leia Mais

Pandora's Box

Mariko and Shiino are two peas on a pod, as both had though upbringing and was in a toxic environment. Due to this, they were able to empathize, support each other, and form a strong bond. Her whole journey to uphold their "promise" of seeing the sea, reminded me of Pandora's Box (also due to Mariko's ashes being on a box). Her whole journey were full of despair, and bad luck just like what Pandora unleashed upon opening the box. As Pandora's Box had "Hope" amidst the foul, pain and darkness, her journey's conclusion also gave her Hope that served as will to carry on living for her beloved. It made me realize that through out her journey, there was Hope beside her.

This story, despite being common, was able to make me feel heavy and it made me remember that the world is indeed cruel, unfair, yet fair. Through out the movie, it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. It ran just right even if it only was 90 mins, it wasn't too fast nor too slow. The speed made sense, specially taking into consideration that this only happened for maybe 3 or 4 days.

Nagano Mei really pulled me on the story, she was able to really show the longing, loneliness, and confusion she felt from Mariko's passing. Most of Mei's project that I watched had her as someone that is innocent, and soft spoken and to see her shouting and talking with a sharp mouth was new for me. The delivery of her dialogues and monologues were one of the things that kept me engaged on the story. She is able to evoke despair and longing for her dear friend. Nao also doesn't fall short on her acting, I was feeling concerned like Shiino the whole time. Her delivery on the "It's all my fault" lines was so great that it felt like I needed to tell her thay she wasn't at fault and also say what Shiino said that the world was at fault for her demise.

The inserts had a hopeful feeling on it an example would be when Shiino had the answer for her question, "Where should we go?". Hope was scattered through out the film, even thought it isn't really that noticable. The ending song had the calm vibe on it, just like how droplets of water drip sound after a heavy rain.

It is a heavy film that can also make people's heart ache, a great film that is good to rewatch also but if you don't want to feel that again you can skip rewatching this. For me, I will pass on rewatching this because this movie is something that you can only see and feel once. Like having a feeling of "wanting to watch it for the first time again".

Overall, this is a heavy drama that easily captures the feeling of losing a person that is important to you. The story was pretty straightforward. The acting was what made this film a great watch. A big props to the director, original author, actors, staff that was able to make a film like this.

To watch this, you should be mentally ready as topics in this movie may be a trigger.

Leia Mais

Meh film

I love my monster horror movies, they are just fun to watch whenever you wanna feel like a kid again, seeing monsters destroy shit and then seeing humans try to escape or fight back at these monsters, see what plans they can come up with to win, but this movie... this film is just boringly mid, pretty predictable what is going to happen throughout the movie, they didn't even fight the ginormous octopus that is shown in the poster, It was just teased in the beginning of the film that some mysterious monster destroyed this underwater lab to set up the opening of the movie and then again at the end bit of the film too I guess set up for a sequel??? but I doubt it would get one because it's bad.

The movie was too focused on the human drama that's going on between the characters that the monster was pretty much ignored in the film, well... not totally because they explained it a little, how they discovered this new species of octopuses in the Antarctic, how it can be used to develop something beneficial to the humans, they also fought with it, but just the small ones throughout the film, though at the end a semi giant octopus showed up and it wasn't that much fun to watch. Another thing, and this is where what made me throw my suspension of disbelief out of the window, is when this one scene where an octopus was able to escape, then made itself invisible and went to use the computer, hack it, and send a distress signal to the big boss I guess?? like how??? I would've understood it if they stated that it was some kind of alien octopus species that existed years ago and was frozen for so long that global warming thawed them, like I just couldn't wrap my head around it, how this octopus is so smart without any explanations.

The CGI is somewhat passable. If you could ignore its jankiness at times, then it's not gonna ruin your viewing experience.

The characters, none of them stuck with me, they are all boring and tropey, except for Wang Xing Chen's character of course, I'm biased since I mainly watched this because of her, she's hot as always and some of the scenes that she got are very expected from her.

So yeah, meh monster film. I wouldn't recommend it and certainly, I wouldn't wanna watch it again.

Leia Mais

ENTERTAINED ME...

The utilization of the same location as "CONCRETE UTOPIA" for the building scenes appears to be a curious choice, adding a layer of familiarity for viewers. While unconventional, this sequence provided an enjoyable diversion. The visual effects maintained a consistent level of quality, with CGI that, while not groundbreaking, was competent. However, the reliance on clichés such as the mad scientist, zombies, and transformed humans felt uninspired and failed to captivate. As a result, the film may ultimately be relegated to the realm of forgettable entertainment, lacking the originality needed to leave a lasting impression. Despite this, there's still some enjoyment to be found in its execution, making it a passable option for casual viewing.

Leia Mais

SEoD3 - Mixed bag.

I was pretty excited for this entry in the series after having really enjoyed the second movie. There are some really good things about this one as well, but a lot of not so great things as well.

Forgive me, it's been a couple weeks since I sat down to watch this and I must admit that it's a bit forgettable. I didn't like the new characters in this one and I felt that it hurt the overall story. As well, I think our main guy went through a bit of character digression, as he's more rakish (kinda like he was in the first movie). The way he treats women is pretty unforgivable, and here I thought he'd moved past that since the end of the first instalment.

I think that's the main issue we're running into here. Each movie is quite different, featuring new crew members behind the scenes, and none of them can seem to agree who this protagonist is supposed to be. It's jolting, and coupled with some convoluted plot twists, it can make for a pretty unsatisfactory output overall. On the plus side, this still feels like a full production, unlike the first entry.

Hoping the next one ups the ante again a bit.

Leia Mais

what the hell was that....

Honestly want to give it a lower rating but i feel bad for the actors and actresses who had to act in this shitshow.

I'm typically an open minded person and try to not rate things too lowly but within the first 5 minutes of the film, i was genuinely shocked at how terrible it was already. i tried pushing through and watched the full thing.

I don't even know where to start..

first of all.. WHY ARE THEY MAKING MINECRAFT ZOMBIE NOISES ?? this is supposed to be a serious drama yet it doesn't seem to take itself seriously at all. i thought it was supposed to be a comedy/parody one but its not. it's tagged in suspense and horror. Going along with what i've previously said, i am TERRIFIED of zombies yet this didn't even scare me one bit. Some of the zombies are smiling ?? and the sfx doesn't look good at all, i understand that could be because of a lower budget but cmon now.. the main zombie literally had vampire teeth AND WHY IS IT FIGHTING ???

Secondly, the acting in this is honestly kind of poor and i'm not sure if it's because of script or the way everything was shot. and when it comes to script overall,, yikes. So this started because of a cat ??? which started because of... covid ?? LOL. not to mention the way the movie starts off in general ?? typically there should be a more suspenseful opening than that but you showcase one of the main characters "dying" within the first minute just to switch it at the end, i suppose it makes sense bc why show all that but it makes no sense how he had all those zombies on him and NOT ONE bit him.

Going back to the plot overall, yikes. so it started because of a cat bite/scratch in which he attacked his partner, he then makes his way into the city to.. break into a shop and eat raw meat..? and when people get close to him he growls at them and hugs the raw meat closer before running away... interesting "zombie" then he runs into the main guy looks at him then walks away ?? i suppose it could be becuase he didnt fully transition yet but still.. also for a girl whos drink got "spiked" she sure knows how to move quick LOL.. and i lost it when they asked "why is he so fast" and its a zombie barely moving at all LOL .. also the phone that got thrown on the floor is completely broken ?? and you cant use the other phone because its locked.. yet there's an emergency sos feature on all phones.. it'd be better if it was just dead or there was no signal or something. also why did no one notice THE AXE ON THE WALL.

Leia Mais

Cinematography is great. But where's the story?

I watched it for its great popularity. It was enjoyable, fine. But where's the story? There was some characters and some emotions that's it. No complexity and depth for the story of a great movie. There should have been more to it, more details to the world they are in and the aftermath that requires a part two. But I heard part two has nothing to do with this movie. That's disappointing. Otherwise, I love GongYo, he's so handsome 🫰I can also say casting was good, all the actors acted quite well which gave the effect of a Hollywood movie or better than that, with great visuals and cinematography but that's it.

Leia Mais

"What's the earliest memory you can remember?"

This movie focuses on the life of Yo and her relationships with the people around her. The pacing was just right, the movie didn't feel too short nor too long but just right. And that is one thing that I liked in this movie. There were parts where it felt fast, considering the things that surrounded that relationship but its conclusion gave way to the path her story went.

The cast did great, from supporting cast to the main lead. Shida Sara had great facial expression and body language. There were times I felt confused by her expressions but sometimes even in real life, expressions or words alone cannot convey the entirety of message that you want to. I also liked Suzuka Ouji and Kikuchi Akiko's acting. I liked that Meiko was kind.

The OST or inserts weren't easily noticable but I liked the outro song.

I might rewatch this because I find the story interesting especially on the thought on the difference of each relationship we have with each other. Also Suzuka Ouji.

Overall, this was a wholesome slice of life that wasn't too deep nor too shallow. The feeling of "just right" was what made me like this movie.

Leia Mais

Waste of good actors

I don't understand why a great actor like Chen Kun participated in this film. This is for kids. Maybe that's his goal, he feels like a father, leading by example, fighting "evil". The premise that monsters are equated to evil and then he is supposedly unbiased, only on the grounds that he is half-monster is childish. I don't care about the production, because visual effects are again, appealing to video game addicts, which I'm not. I watched reluctantly less than half of the movie, waiting for a turn of events. But it is so predictable, following all the cliches, so I dropped it.

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