Reviews

A whole bunch of nothing...

The movie was basically like these "haunted lactation explorations" tv shows, where nothing happens for 40 minutes, but then they exaggerate the reaction for the smallest whisper or a creak. It starts well introducing the case and building the atmosphere, but then it plateaus till the end and gets more and more boring with every minute.

Have to say though, the directing truly made it seem like a realistic reportage. Appreciate how each footage they showed made sense, and I never questioned "who filmed it?" - these small things that completely ruin the immersive experience.

The acting was also good. Because of the intentional often low quality shots and shaky camera, we could not really grasp the full performance with all its detail, but it was good enough for what it wanted to present.

They way they presented the story itself was painfully basic.

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Fun Comedy Showing How the Yakuza Are Truly Just Thuggish Fools!

This was a very famous movie in Japan in 1992 because the Yakuza were so pissed about being portrayed as bullies and fools that a couple of them stabbed the director 3 days after the movie's release. He survived and wore his scars as a badge of honor. The idiot Yakuza thugs did not get that stabbing a director would inadvertently create media attention to make the movie 10x's more popular. In short, it became a hit! The stabbing also caused a public uproar that resulted in the law enforcement coming down harder on the Yakuza at the time.

As for the movie itself, it's a comedy, so the portrayal of the Yukuza's menace is handled lightly. But beneath that it's also an interesting expose on how the Yakuza truly were blackmailing and extorting regular citizens in the 90's because the law had cracked down on gambling, drugs and prostitution, leaving the Yakuza with few ways to earn other than by extorting regular people and their businesses.

The movie portrays this by showing how the Yakuza are extorting and blackmailing one particular hotel, and how one delightfully brave woman lawyer beats them. The actress playing the lawyer puts in a terrific performance as a smart, funny, sarcastic person who is, at the beginning, the only one brave enough to face down the Yakuza. The Yakuza are appalled that a "little lady" can dare be so fearless! Their sexism is hilarious.

She plays her role with a lot of charm, humor and wit and really makes the movie. The actors portraying the hotel staff also do a great job as bumbling men who are, at first, afraid of the Yakuza, but soon grow brave under the lawyer's tutelage. In all, it's a fun little comedy that also gives insight on how the Yakuza truly were behaving at the time.

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Sons of a tyrant.

Wuershan's Creation of Gods trilogy is the culmination of an eight year labor of love that is the most ambitious and grand scale adaptation of Chinese classic Investiture of Gods ever. This Homeric, often chaotic tale of gods, demons and men that blends speculative history with myth and legend is probably the most widely adapted ancient Chinese vernacular novel. This grandiouse, exhilarating, action packed, and painstakingly crafted production is a visual triumph and an immersive adventure that is best experienced on an IMAX screen.

Kingdom of Storms is the first instalment that focuses on the origin story of the King Zhou of Shang and how he incurred the wrath of the heavens to the extent the gods intervened. In a departure from canon, this adaptation does not lay the moral decay of King Zhou solely at the door of the hedonistic, fox jezebel Su Daji. This version holds King Zhou accountable, clearly asserting that his ambition and moral flexibility already put him on the dark path from the get go. This is a more layered and manipulative King Zhou, who adopts all of his noble hostages including Ji Fa as foster "sons". He ruthlessly indoctrinates his own son Yin Jiao as well as his hostage sons into choosing to be sons of a tyrant over their own fathers. All of the sons are pushed to decide whose son they really are and what kind of man they wish to become. This recurring theme of conflict between father and son and right and wrong adroitly weaves most of the sub-plots together.

Kris Phillips with his magnificent build and his imposing, quietly menacing , almost mesmeric screen aura is impeccably cast as King Zhou. He so much looks and breathes the part that it is easy to ignore his at times bizarre Mandarin and the occasionally stiff acting. Although the stunningly gorgeous Naran is bewitching as Daji, the role lacks complexity. She doesn't get to do much more than alternate between a sensuous seductress and a cunning and feral animal spirit when cornered. This debouched couple lights up the screen with their dark chemistry but I could have done with a bit less of their wanton cavorting that comes off as too unsubtle Hollywood. Beyond their honed physiques and stunning atheleticism, both Yu Shi's Ji Fa and Chen Muchi's Yin Jiao won my heart with their brotherhood and their portrayal of initially bewildered and disillusioned sons who grow up to become fearless and resolved men. They stand out among the dazzling number of up and coming young actors who managed to make an impression in this whirlwind production as does Ci Sha's not so hot headed Yang Jian. The deities don't feature as prominently in this first chapter but I much enjoyed this first glimpse of the diabolically mischevious Nezha.

For those unfamiliar with the chaotic original works, the storytelling may seem cluttered with vignettes at the cost of plot advancement as this largely sets the stage for what culminates in the battle of all battles between good and evil. Beyond an almost gratuitous amount of wildly, intense action scenes, the narrative pays homage to key features of the original works from Ji Chang's meat pies to Bi Gan's seven chamber heart. It culminates in Ji Fa's hair rising escape from the Shang capital Zhaoge. Keep watching after the credits roll as the following epilogue sets up the next instalment where hopefully we see a lot more plot movement. This is a very difficult and messy novel to adapt but so far, I am very impressed with how cogently and fittingly everything ties together. This promises to be the best adaptation by a long mile of this well loved novel, the first part of which warrants a highly enthusiastic 8.5/10.0 from me.

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MY HEART

I don't know whether to start sobbing or not. This movie was so heartbreaking and bittersweet. ?

It being based on a true story/true events hit me even harder. My heart truly breaks for everyone in the closet and for everyone who never got to experience acceptance and change in their lifetime.

Times may have changed, but for some places and cultures this is still very much a reality. My heart simply hurts so much for every member of the LGBT+ community and the struggles faced.

Thankfully this movie's ending was so sweet and optimistic. This is a must see, but grab your tissues!

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"Life itself, shines down on its own"

Ghost Walk told the story of an unremarkable woman who became entangled in rather remarkable supernatural and natural events. The film was more of an exploration of Hye Jung’s existential dilemma than horror. Though there were high stakes for several characters involved, the movie played out like a gentle slice of life.

The story began on October 8th, Korean Thanksgiving. Hye Jung works at a textile factory and has cut all ties with her family hoping to make it on her own and be free of them. After work, a co-worker walks her home, gives her a birthday gift and declares himself. She tells him she's incapable of having a relationship and turns him down. In fact, she has no close relationships with anyone, including her roommates. Three days later she wakes up to find to find those roommates being questioned by the police and a large blood stain soaked into her bedroom carpet. From there her un-life will become entwined with a little girl, a loan shark, and her roommates. Each day she wakes up one day earlier than the previous day as she discovers how they are all linked.

Ghost Walk may have had a murder mystery to solve, but it seemed to focus more on the isolating nature of financial and familial social pressures. Hye Jung preferred being alone and suddenly she was well and truly alone. To her credit, the reserved young woman handled the supernatural events in her life with aplomb and without breaking down. The effects of gentrification also played a small role. Hye Jung’s connection to the world was Soo Yang, the daughter of the loan shark, with their destinies depending on one another. The music, like Han Hae In’s acting, was never overwhelming, never loud, only softly and mildly accenting the action in select places.

There were times the film attempted to be too clever and enigmatic, especially the film’s ending quotes. It's unhurried pace will not be for everyone. Ghost Walk didn’t break any new ground, this type of story has been told before but it was a quiet ghost story that helped an unremarkable woman gradually break out of her shell. Whether her actions would aid her or anyone else remained to be seen.

10/9/23

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O:G3 - Outlaw Gangster zero?

I've read a few reviews that back up how I feel about this third entry in the Outlaw series, which is that it is actually a prequel rather than a sequel. There is no mention of anything related to the other 2 films, and the girlfriend Goro talks about is not the one we knew from them either.

Speaking of which, something very weird here: Matsubara Chieko plays basically the same girl as in the other 2 movies but is somehow a different character named Keiko this time. It's jolting and distracting and unnecessary, so it boggles my mind why they chose to do this, but whatever.

While is somewhat sticks to the formula we've been given so far, it isn't as overdone as in the second film. That said, I did find this one dragging a bit from time to time. Even though the fight scenes improved a little, I can't help but feel this one is a step or two backwards in quality. I'm left with a feeling of indifference, overall. It's a must watch if you're going through all six films in the series, but it's best to look to it as a sort of prequel focused on a younger Goro.

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Scent of a Ghost was one of those strange combinations of romance, fantasy, violence, slapstick sex comedy, and tragedy all rolled into one. This review will be short because I don’t want to spoil any of the plot twists and turns although most people will see them coming.

In this fantasy drama, the most unbelievable thing for me was not the sex crazed and pervy ghosts lurking about, it was that the lovely Lee El and Kang Kyung Joon, 37 and 36 years-old respectively (in 2019) were supposed to be playing university students. I might have bought it if they were working on their second PhD or if they’d been professors, but as youthful as they appeared they didn’t look like college kids.

Despite the distracting age issue, the actual love story was sweet, funny, and bittersweet. Unfortunately, it didn’t take up enough time so more time was given to middle-aged people banging all day or the cops trying and failing to play ghostbusters. Son Byung Ho who usually plays wealthy CEOs, played a shaman with a good heart in a nice change of pace. The comedy was hit or miss and the sex romps began to wear thin. I really wish they’d devoted more time to the budding romance, it would have strengthened the story greatly. If you’re looking for a ghost story with humor (some funny, some not) and pathos, with a short running time, this might be a film to check out if you keep your expectations low, real low.

10/9/23

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It is best to watch Detection of Di Renjie first then this. This is the sequel to Detection of Di Renjie and continues the story after Di Renjie's girlfriend succumbed to the hit she received at the ending of that film.

This one i think is better than the prequel although the actress who played Ms Luo I think is mediocre and disnt seem to fit with the characters in this film.
Production is neat and good. Wardrobes, locatoon and props perfectly meshes with the scenes.

I am wondering who played the doctor because I couldnt find him on the list of actors/artist provided here. (After searching, it is Wen Zhuo who played thr part of ShoBai, the doctor)

This is highly recommended if you are a Di Renjie fan.

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When I saw a female lead with strong fighting skills I had to watch. There's not that many in Korea so when a female who can fight pops up I'm there.

I also noticed the two main leads were in Money Heist. So again, had to watch.

I gotta say this movie was a let down. Weak character plots all around had me irritated in the end. There's no back story of the main FL. Her best friend's back story was weak as all get up and the main ML who plays the villain was even worse.

The movie lightly touched up on females being videotaped and blackmailed. They make it seem like the police chief is in on this as well but again, every scenario that was deposited into this movie was lackluster and that's putting it nicely.

All we get is the main FL can fight. The pace was very slow. The bad bad guys got taken out in less than 10 minutes. The ending even less than that.

This is why I tend to stay away from Korean movies. They have no life to them. Stick to the Korean dramas. You'll be more satisfied than this movie.

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BADASS???

AHHHHHH! I LOVE HER so much! Her acting skills are just phenomenal. The way she expresses her emotions and her actions scenes. I’ve been a fan of her and seeing her as the main lead here is just perfect. I love the sequence of the MONEY HEIST members. Two of my favourite members in the show; Money Heist.
Anyway, this movie is just immaculate.
Perfect revenge for her best friend. The dedication and perseverance she put through to avenge her best friend is so inspiring.
It truly shows how much she cares about her. Her bestfriens also indeed changed her life which is why she is willing to do anything to avenge her.
I just love it.
It's gruesome yet perfect.
Kinda shocked about the bed scene. Damn. Did not expect to see that.
Cuz ykow Korea... Conservative.
Definitely worth watching!
3:54pm 10/9/23

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poor story & dialogues

what to say …. this movie was such a disappointment! I wanted to live this movie as knights of the zodiac was a big part of my childhood. Mark Dacascos & Mackenyu were well casted but can’t say the same for the rest of the cast. Costumes don’t make justice to the anime at all and the special effects are low quality and we don’t realize the power nor the increase of power of Pegasus.

Now, the plot … they massacred the story. It doesnt make sense, they tried to summarize so many things and missed the whole point of the knights of the zodiac purpose. I don’t know if they tried to copy marvel sense of humour, but this whole “I’m a goddess” jokes weren’t funny and rather made the character of Athena look like a pretentious little girl.

This was a miss. I hope that if they continue the serie, the director & script writer will change. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time & money and will also stain actors credibility.

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Woke up still thinking about this movie

I'm not the best with reviews so keep that in mind. This movie really surprised me I thought it was going to be a regular slice-of-life movie with a student going through hardships but I found it to be way deeper than that. The main protagonist goes through life trying to find some sort of love or comfort that she can't get at home. A home I relate to very much where no one expresses love to each other. She looks for relationships to fill that void but even those let her down. She meets this teacher, and they become close. The teacher looks like she's going through her own hardships in life but still can relate to this lost elementary student. She becomes sort of a mother figure or guidance for the girl. What I felt during this movie is life can be hard it's so easy to be numb from what we go through but people and life are worth getting to know.

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