Reviews

Cool...!

This is a very good film and definitely underrated here on MDL.
If for one thing it doesn't suffer from the usual Chinese cliches. I mean to be over melodramatic, or with a trillion irrelevant subplots for the minor characters, or plagued with political or social messages etc.
I really enjoyed the very good acting, the plot that had plenty of twists, the fast pace, the settings and I was positively surprised by the international cast, ( that should have been credited in the description as well).
Do watch this film and ignore the trailer that is irrelevant and almost made me skip it.

9,5/10

Leia Mais

Pacing issues, but a nice message

LIKE:
The friendships developed due to the love of music.
The message: never give up, believe in yourself and you can achieve anything.
Music score was nice and the repetition was limited for their competition song.
Location shots, lighting, cinematography.

DISLIKE:
Directing: Many overly long pauses or lack of anything happening/being said. Whether delayed reaction or change of scene or someone thinking, all of it was very delayed causing pacing issues. At the end the face of the ML, his expression looked like he was about to take a big poop or die of a heart attack. It didn’t match the moment.

Writing: The coming together at the end, was ridiculous in a few ways, especially the dancing and celebrating being so comedic. That just didn’t fit the atmosphere that was created. Almost like they were ridiculing the efforts of those involved. (Trying not to give a spoiler). The writer tried to create romance with a few characters, but it was just thrown in, especially with those at the end. Had there been more backstory then that could’ve been done, but wasn’t really needed. Very cliche/usual trope with predictable ending.

Production: Shaking camera, which tried to show POV, but it didn’t work or fit.


OVERALL: It was nearly as good as expected, like a bad version of Aogeba Toutoshi. This movie’s teacher had very little impact, even though they tried to make him more human towards the end. Time management became an issue, as noted in my dislikes and that took away from what could’ve developed the story and characters. It was cute, average and not something I will watch again. If this is your first viewing of music/school/youth genre, then I recommend it. If not, I wouldn’t bother watching.

Leia Mais

So Damn Good

Keeping this short and sweet. I randomly started watching this movie and it was devastatingly good! Mind bending, intense, dramatic, heart pumping - all the things! The acting is superb. The story is superb. The direction and production is superb. Layers upon layers of meaning within the story. Each scene unexpected so it keeps you at the edge of your seat. It was a rollercoaster of a movie and I had a blast watching it. I highly recommend. I'm about to go check out the pages of the two leads and see what else they're in because they were both such powerful actors. I want to see what they offer in their other works.

Leia Mais

boh

Ho visto questo film perché era tra i raccomandati per me su prime, non sapendo cosa veder mi sono buttata nonostante non vi era la possibilità di veder in lingua originale, cosa per me fondamentale se si tratta di un film/drama asiatico.
Avete presente quei film in cui è tutto assurdo, dove nulla ha un senso logico e che ti lasciano un meh continuo? è uno di questi.
Vi starete chiedendo perché dunque la sufficienza perché si lascia veder e non mi ha annoiato. Cosa fondamentale, inoltre non avendolo visto in lingua originale sento che non mi sia arrivata come doveva il lato comico.
La parte della love story se così si può definire, troppo caotico anche sotto quel punto divista non riesce a tener il filo , l'unica scena meritevole hanno fatto taglia e cuci....
il finale è nel limbo tra un finale aperto e un va a quel paese perchè non mi dai la soddisfazione finale.
Se non sapete che vedere è guardabile ma sento anche il dover di dir che ci sono un infinità di film migliori.

Leia Mais

The world of sleeping

The chilling effect of this movie is very prominent right from the start, setting the threat at the closest person you could ever trust in the most unbelievable way. The acting performances are of course top notch in order to achieve that, even the snoring act was designed precisely to elevate the creepiness of the situation. The storyline buildup was good, the ending though could be better, as the tension control at the end was a little off balance. The way it handles its logical sense was technically ignored as the characters sleep in, and audiences should do the same.

Leia Mais

An unexpected but enjoyable experience.

A unique and distinct story is told by this film. When I started it, I was not aware it would be horror, but these aspects were handled well. If you’re looking for an unguessable but well told story with horror, mystery, and supernatural elements, this may be a good watch for you.

The visual effects were impressively well done, and the sound design very atmospheric and immersive (pun not intended) to complement the well constructed visuals. Overall I’d say the film was very well thought out and as an experience I’d rate it highly. The shots and transitions were also crafted well to fit the pacing and changes that needed to be matched.

Personally, I wouldn’t say I was highly invested in the film character wise, if you’re looking for a character driven experience, probably not the film for you.

What I enjoyed:
- The unique premise involving a VR world modelled to be identical to the real world
- The immersive visual and sound design
- The incorporation of some cultural elements that intertwine with the supernatural elements
- The overall unreadable mystery

What I didn’t enjoy:
- No real feeling of connection or investment with any of the characters
- It wasn’t really a film I would have picked out; I was a captive audience and it was what was available to me

If you’re looking to watch it, good luck to you! I don’t know when it will be widely available and only watched as I had a very long flight with nothing else to be doing.

Leia Mais

Once upon a (badly executed) crime

It's a good movie if you want to pass some time and have nothing better to do.

It starts out very slow and it picks up the pace around 30 min mark.

It's a classic Cinderella story with a twist, instead of a love story, we get a murder story and Red Hood is a detective.

When they were discussing who is the murderer at the ball, it was so funny. He is the murderer because of that. She is the murderer because of that. One solid evidence and you are done even if you didn't do it. And at the end, the King just let them all go home even though they didn't catch the murderer.

What's the point of the story? Well, the story relies on this one plot twist at the end to carry the whole story. It's a good plot twist but something was lacking. The ending felt incomplete. Cinderella was bullied her whole life and then when she trusted one person, it turned out to be a creepy dude. I'm not saying what she did is not wrong but it should have been wrapped up differently. There was no message at the end, just a plot twist.

Beauty is not everything? If they wanted that to be a message, they did a really bad job.

Bum, plot twist, be surprised. They did decent with that.

Overall, it has some fun and interesting moments and the costumes are pretty.

Leia Mais

Well made, but ending is not satisfactory

The overall plot is simple - as shown in trailer. Red Riding Hood plays the role of a detective traveling though a forest, when she comes across Cinderella. Finding something odd about her, Red Riding Hood decides to become part of her adventure for the ball night, en route to which the magic pumpkin carriage runs over a dead man, who turns out to be the royal hairdresser. Once King's security discovers the dead man, a search is initiated to find the murderer. The majority of movie is spent on turning the ballroom night into a closed room murder mystery.

Everything was good. Plot, costumes, cinematography, VFX - everything fit well with the fantasy genre. I just didn't like the ending. I really think Cinderella could have been pardoned by the Prince, or given relatively reduce punishment, for essentially defending herself from a creepy psycho trying to assault her. I didn't get the moral or ethical worldview the movie was trying to pursue.

Apart from the murder mystery, there is little extra content in the plot, except recycled characters from well known stories. Maybe they were trying to go for "true love does not care for external beauty" but it didn't come across well.

It is a decent movie that blends fantasy + mystery. Still unhappy about the ending though.

Leia Mais

Your mind is sick now. You have more choices than you can choose from.

Himizu imo is mostly about nihilism, trauma, and persecutory delusion.
Sumida's distorted outlook on the world perceives an overflow of disastrous consequences if everyone's dreams were to be realized in this small world, that it's okay to not be special, that he shouldn't change the status quo himself and live as if he had never been born; a 'temporary' life.
His familiar trauma through his mother's abandonment and mental illness gives birth to a relentless, stalking monster that grasps at his own mortality, eventually leading him into patricide, vigilantism, self-destruction.

Within this small, monotonous, and confining world, those around him adopt a different mentality. They possess aspirations and the determination to pursue them. Among them is Keiko, a girl in his class, who ardently attempts to shake Sumida from his perilous mindset. Gradually, a transformation ensues as he begins to find purpose in his life - the aspiration to do what is right, for once. Yet, the definition of "right" becomes a complex question. Who holds the moral high ground? Who gets to dictate such judgments?
Sumida's belief in purging the "bad guys" around him stems from his conviction that it will liberate him from his sins and trauma. Obsessed with achieving freedom and reclaiming the image of a virtuous individual, he embarks on extreme measures, driven by a lifetime of self-perceived insignificance.

What I love most about this film is that it ends on a hopeful note rather than its manga counterpart.
However, I will say that despite Sono's captivating directing & the immersive ost, the manga by Minoru Furuya captures this story's themes way better.

Leia Mais

Superb duo and superb action

Extremely brilliant storytelling and highly intense action sequences, the director who got his fame with Kingdom series surely never disappoints with this diplomat ransom storyline. The chemistry between Ha Jung Woo and Ju Ji Hoon is impeccable as their characters went through an oddball collab to rescue the kidnapping of a Korean diplomat in a war torn country. The humor within it is subtle but cleverly implemented, and the action is packed with strong impact as they've made one of the best car fight scenes ever in the Korean cinematic history. The ending is especially tear jerking, mixing with complicated diplomatic relations while stressing the importance of media freedom and democratic society, what a meaningful action movie this is.

Leia Mais

Better than a sleeping pill if you have insomnia

The first ten minutes of 36 Crazy Fists showcased Jackie Chan working with the actors in the movie. To be clear, despite many posters and VHS/DVD covers, he was not in the movie. He was the martial arts director and due to contractual issues was not allowed to act in it. He dodged a bullet.

Wong Tai Kwong is befriended by two Shaolin monks when they rescue him during a fight. Turns out his father had been murdered by the gang for not paying protection money. The two monks talk their sifu into training him so that he can have his revenge. Most of the time Wong does chores and only when a passing drunk fights with him does he learn any kung fu. Eventually, he has to fight two thugs from the gang in duels and finally the Big Bad at the end. That's it. There was a lot of "comedic" subterfuge thrown in but the story was thin even by kung fu standards.

Aside from Ku Feng and maybe Chiang Cheng, everyone else was about as interesting as wallpaper paste. Tony Leung Siu Hung would go on to act in Ip Man. He also became a respected martial arts director, including working on Ip Man. But this was not Ip Man. This was not even a bad Jackie Chan movie. The acting was abysmal and the story was as slow and uninteresting as the fights.

But @Butterfly this was a movie with Jackie Chan as the martial arts director so the fights must have been great-right? Wrong. The fights were s-l-o-w. It was either kung fu posing or a bad kung fu dance off. The fights used many of the same poses over and over occasionally throwing in a back flip or two. The funniest bit in the whole movie was when they sped up Ku Feng having a meltdown and it made me wish I could do the same thing. Or that they would speed the whole movie up and let it be a Chipmunk Martial Arts Movie Special. At least if they'd sped the action up, the fights would have been normal speed. People missed their marks and one stuntman literally rolled under a fighter for him to jump over. The fights were painfully bad.

If the fights, story, and acting weren't bad enough, at one point they sent a prostitute into the monk's bedroom to blackmail him into training Wong. For way too long her bare breasts filled the entire screen as she shook them, and shook them, and shook them. I truly cannot think of one thing to recommend this movie. Unless you are on a mission to see anything Jackie was involved in or fancy watching the bouncing boobies, I'd avoid this disaster.

9/15/23

Leia Mais

**Mentions of SA & ED**
Our FL is a brilliant and passionate cook, but she is still cooking for her mother's students instead of following her dream of being a chef and doesn't seem to have that push to follow that dream.
The film begins with our endearing yet apathetic FL who instantly gets judged for buying lots of pudding, but it turns out they are for the children she's cooking for and we get to watch her create delicious meals for them with ease, before talking to her mother who spends her daughter's birthday putting her down, doesn't turn up to her self-cooked birthday meal and simply texts her "eat less." "You're getting fatter."
Some neighbourhood kids decide to mess with our FL, because simply existing as a plus size woman is just unacceptable and they throw eggs at her, this is followed by some comic relief with her opening the door to a smiling delivery driver with a meat cleaver aimed for him.
It turns out her mother has bought something for her daughter's birthday after all, she's signed her up for a weight loss programme. When she gets there, the instructor asks her why she wants to lose weight and her response of "My mom wants me to." With such a deadpan face made me almost spit my drink out.
On a hot summer's day, she meets her neighbour on the stairs and the two walk up to their respective doors, only for the elderly man to attack and grope her from behind before she throws him down the stairs. The wife of course says the husband would never as he's hauled off in an ambulance, our FL is too ugly to molest obviously so why would he /s? Until our ML comes out to defend her. He comforts our FL and reveals he used to be fat himself before he invites her to come for a ride in his van while he finishes his deliveries.
The two begin to bond and become fast friends, with the secrets of our ML's weight loss revealed after the FL notices marks on his knuckles and after she follows him with his left-behind work lanyard, she discovers him throwing up the food she'd just cooked for him.
The people around her treat her as though she's something to be ashamed of, the ML treats her as just a delivery client when his friend enquires who she is (but that may be his own shame at her finding out about his ED) and her mother doesn't put her chef photo into the menu. The weight loss centre seems to switch between constantly chastising her and pushing supplements/weight loss surgery. From every angle you can practically feel the world suffocating her step by step and the actress plays that sense of battered deflation so well.
Her breakdown and quiet sobbing in her bedroom after her fight with her mother had me crying right along with her.
She leaves the job at her mother's academy and decides to get the weight loss surgery, every step of it alone and her depression is clear to see in the way she acts and looks, no need for her to say a word.
This movie and this actress are great at showing her mindset in every scene. It's evident when she loses her sense of taste and her food starts to be affected, her joy and final straw seemingly broken.
The way she confessed to her mother how she'd tried everything and still wasn't good enough had me crying for a second time, it was a quiet moment between mother and daughter that shouldn't have had to happen for her mother to see her as a person. A broken, tired person. But it was needed, it was a cathartic scene and I enjoyed the people watching and seeing her smile.
I liked the side plot of the little boy and how he brought a sense of hope in the story, that maybe his life would be different when he grows up and it really showed how no matter how many people judge our FL, she had never done it to someone else.

There are a lot of quiet, contemplative moments in this movie, with soft music and the orange/red hue giving it a hazy feeling that pull you into the almost mundane, repetitive and sedimentary life the FL lives and I couldn't stop watching. All the praise to the main female lead as her acting and chemistry with the other actors gave it such a slice of life feeling that I got lost in the film. The cinematography and direction was beautiful and at some points you almost felt like you were walking with the female lead and her discomfort in a world that doesn't just not accommodate her but demonises her for just being her. I will definitely watch this again in the future, such a brilliant film!

Leia Mais

this had the same vibe, of the 2nd season. reading the description was sure this was a retelling of the plot, with a happily ever after ending (as don't think, there will be a season 3 or another movie).
but it wasn't a retelling (+ summarization) of the BL series. one could just watch this movie & get a general background to how everything started (went on in the series), & considering the 1st season, it would save them a lot of headache lol (well i was the only one having a bad trip??) if u know u know. ?

(pretty sure) was the odd one out, cause the 1st thing i did was search if Kazuki was in the character list. he's a side-character that has almost no screen time & yet he has always been my favorite (think mainly cause of how everyone kept bad-mouthing a pretty sane/normal/healthy in the head character) ??
also noticed Shitara & Anna; the sec saw them, was sure (what i thought would happen in season 2) would occur here. kinda hard not to come to that conclusions, as Shitara came off as even crazier then Hira (& that's saying something, dude obsessively addicted to Kiyoi).

having watched this, wont say this was perfect or loved every sec. it was good (for sure enjoyed it more then the 1st season) & thankful that now that we get Kiyoi's POV, it doesn't feel one-sided. where Hira is the subservient, pushover that's being taken advantage off & gaslit. like in season 2, u see that Kiyoi's as addicted & his attitude, actions in the 1st season stemmed from his insecurities. that he as addicted to Hira as Hira is to him. so putting the "drama" of the kidnapping aside the plot was cute & they both finally (in their own way) committed to each other.... "and they lived happily ever after".??

Leia Mais