Reviews

Big Win For The Country Gays

This is an understated, exceedingly tender slice-of-life story about finding where you belong and figuring out what brings you the most joy in life. So naturally I came running at top speed as soon as I heard about it and I was not disappointed.
The movie is visually stunning, which makes sense given the gorgeous scenery it has as a backdrop.
The writing and acting are both very solid, but what really surprised me was the quiet charm this movie brings to the table. This could easily have been nothing more than Japan's answer to God's Own Country (don't get me wrong, I love that movie but it does strike a very somber tone) but what we got instead is an absolutely heartwarming story with a very down-to-earth yet uplifting feel to it.

If you like looking at beautiful rural landscapes and/or watching sweet and sincere romances grounded in solid friendship, then this one is for you!

Leia Mais

This was HILARIOUS!

From the thriller category this movie stepped into hilarious trash under the heavy steps of the Alpha boy :'D

And if you support the calim of "never seen anything like this before" then you better watch and read more. The storyline is generic human experiment project (oh puhlease as if we've never seen those) that goes out of hand onboard of a ship and starts a melee.

I've been watching Doom at your service and the feeling of - I know this guy from somewhere - hasn't left me, before it downed on me where I might have seen him and I was right, just with more tattoos and golden teeth. And then realized that I haven't left a review under this movie yet, so I rushed like a bird to share why I was basically rolling laughing while watching.
But funnily, initially I watched this movie thanks to someone's edit on YT short, which had him and Jung So Min, very misleading edit I must say, because if you've seen the movie you know there's nothing between the two.

First part of the movie I'd say I spent in disgust thanks to the idea of creators to make it look disgusting. One is the nightmare of all clean freaks, transporting some knocked out monster in the deepest parts of the ship where everything leaks, seeps and looks yuck including the dude in question. The second one is brutality and the amount of spilled fake blood after the prisoners escape.

But. To me everything started to turn hilarious and I couldn't care less about the idea to make it sappy, include some heartfelt stories etc. The reason for it is:
1) Special effect make-up. The Alpha boy aka walking killing machine looked hilarious to me. To make him look buff the team just crossed the boundry and overplayed themselves. I don't find it looking terrifying, at best it looks comical;
2) Sound effects. The most hilarious moment for me was one - when the door falls on top of a person and the Alpha boy walks on top of the door, his steps were heavy, but they added the sound as if he's wearing iron boots, it was hysterical! :'D Just imagine that boom-boom-boom;
3) Some fight scenes, you'll have to see for yourself.

Oh yeah, I don't mention that all die and some die in a very forced way, as if the screenwriters didn't know what to do and lowered IQ of people to achieve the result.

In general it was nothing more, but an action movie with a lot of fight scenes and blood. The monster is nothing more, but an experimental project to enhance human body to, of course, prolong life and make it stronger, which can also be used as a killing machine. But to make it even more thrilling we have a whole bunch of criminals added to the ship, so you can guess that it's a simple guise for transporting the Alpha boy in the depths of this ship. Criminals find their way out and break out, taking the hold of the ship, the big noise and a bit of blood wake up our bloodthirsty monster, who starts to hunt, kill left and right. I don't think both sides had too much time to think before a bunch of people were simply wiped out, so Seo In Guk's role wasn't that long tbh. The one who surprised me the most was Jung So Min, they managed to let her survive the entire movie, but then she rushes out with a single gun, in the narrow corridor against armed crowd and of course she got shot. I think this surprised me the most. But I must say.. I haven't seen her in a main role, almost always used for something episodic, so I can't say anything about her acting in general, but here she felt bland. I also asked myself why they let her character survive for so long, but tbh her character did little to the story. But in action/thriller movies like this with fights and blood there is no need for some profound acting, you need to be just a little engaging, that's all.
And because I didn't expect much I had my fun, after all I can laugh at trashiness instead of being frustrated or disappointed. And I respect Korean film industry, the growth through years is obvious, there are many remarkable works, if not story-wise, but cinematography-wise. There is still room to grow and I wish them all the best.

Leia Mais

"If this is already a past life, who do you think we are to each other in the next?"

"Past Live" gave us one of the best films cinematography, powerful dialogue, and grounded acting, capturing a familiar and authentic essence of life. Set against a backdrop of wistful nostalgia, the movie delves into the intricate interplay of "what if" and "unfinished past love," weaving a tale of heartfelt emotions and missed opportunities. Amid the captivating "what if" scenarios, the central theme of unfinished past love remains a poignant undercurrent, underscoring the ache of unresolved feelings and unspoken words.

The chemistry between the characters is palpable, lending authenticity to their emotions and dilemmas as they grapple with the temptation to alter their shared history. Throughout the movie, the audience is invited to contemplate the delicate balance between fate and free will, as the characters navigate the blurred boundaries of the past, present, and potential futures. While the exploration of the "what if" scenarios offers a sense of catharsis, the film ultimately embraces the bittersweet beauty of embracing one's past and moving forward, even if some chapters remain unfinished. Through its evocative storytelling, the movie resonates as a heartfelt ode to the complexities of love, regrets, and the profound impact of the choices we make.

The pain of watching Nora and Hae-sung repeatedly part ways resonates deeply, showing that certain connections are irreplaceable. Ultimately, "Past Lives" managed to depict real-life scenarios without always needing a happy ending.

Leia Mais

Wizard Husbands - The Movie

This was another one of those rare cases where I liked the sequel better than the original. Cherry Magic! The Movie is still lighthearted and fun, just like its predecessor, but it is much more grounded in reality and has an important core message.
Rather than focusing on the conflicts and misunderstandings that arise from long distance relationships, as the summary made me believe, this movie instead showcases the struggles a queer couple face in everyday life and in their relationship and, what's more, does it with such heartfelt and tender care that I genuinely teared up a few times.

What I loved the most was Kurosawa and Adachi coming out to their parents and deliberately choosing not to keep their relationship separate from the rest of their lives. I found both scenes very deftly handled and quite touching, and their inclusion was incredibly meaningful, both for the characters and for queer viewers such as myself.
And last but not least: the marriage. In the immortal words of The Impressive Clergyman: "Mawwiage is what bwings us togetha" and bring them together it does. Rarely have I seen a more perfect happy ending for a perfect happy story.

If you liked the show or are looking for an easy-to-watch queer romance with a lot of depth and love, I highly recommend you this movie.

Leia Mais

Fun and entertaining

Unofficial Operation (2023)

This movie is based on a true story about a Korean diplomat who goes to Lebanon to rescue another Korean diplomat from kidnapping.

Ha Jung Woo is best at playing this kind of character, while Ju Ji Hoon was great as the taxi driver who helps with the rescue. Their bromance worked well as they are close in real life so the acting felt natural.

There's some action, like the car chase scene similar to MI, the feels of the movie like Mogadishu. And there was a bit of comedy too. Though the last 10 mins became a bit dramatic compared to the overall tone of the movie.

It doesnt offer anything new to the genre, but as HJW and JJH said in their interviews, this was supposed to be great movie to watch and enjoy with the whole family (and i agree!). Try to watch on the big screen!

Rating: 8.5/10

Leia Mais

Mansuang Comes Out With a Bang!

One of the movie I looked forward to in 2023 and they delivered every part of the movie well. From amazing production to beautiful cinematography, everything in this movie was beautiful. When it comes to reviewing Mansuang, one of the most important thing to highlight is that every single actor, from main actors to side actors played their role incredibly well. The acting is a 10/10 without any hesitation. One thing that could be improved is that they should release the uncut version as it was reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours. Although the storyline was not impacted by this, it would be great if we can dive deeper into every scene. Overall, an amazing film to watch!

Leia Mais

This was just too much! I am heartbroken after watching. I knew It would be devastating but I didn't realize I would be so angry after watching b/c of the injustices these children faced at the hands of adults who were supposed to be protetcing them. Parent and/or guardians should not have the right to take thier childs voice away. The events in this movie just have me so emotional right now. I was yelling at the screen and asking where the media was to shame all these damn people.

The cast is great but the young actors are the standouts here. Kim Hyun Soo as Yun Doo and Baek Seung Hwan as Min Soo.

8/28/23

Leia Mais

Wong Fei Hung once again fights opium dealers, this time in Heroes of Heroes, with a little help from Beggar So. An evil opium smoking and opium dealing prince found himself overextended when he managed to make enemies of both men even with the vicious Red Lotus gang backing him up.

Special Commissioner Lin asks for Wong Fei Hung's help in cleaning up the city when the Emperor declares an opium ban. So Chai from the wealthy So family is bamboozled by Prince Barac into siding with him on the opium issue. The Prince is not only addicted to opium but stands to lose a fortune if its banned. When the prince hooks the young So on opium, Wong Fei Hung steps in to rescue the promising fighter. The two kung fu legends will have to work together to bring down the prince and free the city from the grip of opium addiction and dealers.

The first fifty minutes of this film were narratively scattered and filled with slapstick comedy. I found it tedious and underwhelming. When the secondary characters stopped hogging the limelight and So and WFH stepped up with their fists and kicks in the second half the movie turned for the better.

Wang Jue made for a very bland Wong Fei Hung. Donnie Yen was much more interesting as the young Beggar So discovering his destiny. Hung Yan Yan/Xiong XinXin succeeded in making the sinister Prince someone who was difficult to defeat. Fennie Yuen started out as the intrepid princess reporter with her camera, but quickly became a damsel in distress. Ng Man Tat and Sheila Chan were mainly used as comic relief, really bad comic relief.

The fights, especially in the second half were entertaining. There was a lot of wire-work and sped up camera action, but also some nice hand and foot work. Donnie was young, fast, and limber. I always enjoy watching him fight. The Yuen clan choreographed interesting fights using weapons, scenery, tiger, crane, and drunken fist styles of kung fu.

If you love 1990's slapstick comedy complete with goofy prosthetic teeth, you're in for a treat. If you're like me and just don't get it, but do enjoy old kung fu movies, be patient and wait until around the 50-minute mark and the fun will begin.

8/27/23

Leia Mais

Discovered this film/series since early 2010s and have watched it thrice a year!

I've been in love with this film/series for years and have always seen it at least thrice a year. I can't name one bad thing about it. The action is excellent and fire. The cast is fantastic, including all the extras! Usually, extras don't try since they figure they won't appear on screen but that didn't happen in Crow Zero. Every extra looked like he/she belonged! I can't praise this film/series enough. Even after all this time, I never found it cringy or that I needed to skip parts. I always sit through the whole film like it's my first time. Crow Zero to this day, 10+ years later, is still one of my all-time favorite films.

Leia Mais

Well produced BL with a VERY good concept but still not enough, I want more

Finally sat down and watched it, second Taiwanese film I've watched where the main BL "couple" (or not so in this case it's kind of one sided) does not end up getting together at the end which gave me insane whiplash because the regular motherload of BL focuses on how quickly the main couple becomes canon

Anyways this one has an actual plot and I thought it was pretty intriguing, the idea of a homophobic cop being forced to marry a dead gay guy because he has been cursed with bad luck after picking up a red letter and now he has to solve the mystery of his murder is actually cool, it's not a meet cute plot it's not a contrived highschool scenario it doesn't feel like fanfiction this actually feels like a movie

It's scooby doo level mystery but I thought the weakest part about it is Mao Mao, it's nearly impossible to sympathize with him throughout the duration of the movie, another issue is the comedy, Taiwanese humor is so lost on me it just barely ever cracks a good enough punchline but there are definitely some that got a smile or two out of me

The production value though, oh my god did they spend a good dime on this movie especially the CGI which looks really stupid but they still went out of their way

It also ends unceremoniously I was honestly surprised, it was a very weird decision to have the ghost reincarnate at the middle of the movie and then have it come back as a gag to the plot and then re-reincarnate for even less of the emotional value at the end with a half baked confession from the dad

For BL standards, this is good, we almost never have a decent plot and this one at least bothers having an overarching one, carried by Greg Han who is actually so insanely hot my god

Leia Mais

Genre de dépression à laquelle je peux m'identifier

Ce film est très personnel pour moi car j'ai lutté toute ma vie contre une immense dépression et d'autres maladies mentales, mais il suffit aussi à faire pleurer une personne normale.

C'est un classique mais je ne vois pas beaucoup de citations de ce film dans les médias modernes. Je pense que c'est toujours très pertinent pour les personnes vivant dans des pays du tiers monde et aux prises avec l'argent et le SSPT de différentes sortes, car celui-ci a une description très précise.

Il y a des personnages très variés, très profonds et bien écrits. celui-ci est la nourriture de l’âme d’un vrai cynique. je le recommande à tout le monde... c'est du vrai cinéma.

Leia Mais

Acceptance

On the surface, it is just a silly romcom about people meeting and breaking up. Something seen so many times. But just on the surface. Because the moment you throw in the mix gay main characters the story gets to be so much more than a simple romcom.

The plot follows two best friends, HaNeul and Bong Shik and their relationships. HaNeul has been in a long-term relationship with a closeted man who does not dare tell his family that the person he loves deeply is a man. HaNeul finds that so frustrating and they keep fighting and breaking up repeatedly. Until one day HaNeul is kicked out and goes to squat with his friend Bong Shik. He is a youtuber who pretends he plays badminton. One day he catches the eye of a real badminton player who persist in hitting on him. Bur BongShik is does not want a relationship because he is HIV+.

The main characters are worried about acceptance, how the others see them and will they like them for what they are be it gay or ill or both. The actors are all extraordinary and the award goes to the actor who plays HaNeul, Lee Hong Nae: he is handsome, cute and so talented. He manages to bring to life the emotions and conflicts and fiery temperament. The other actors are just as good! And of course there is the staple of korean cinema and tv: the ajumma herself, Lee Jung Eun, brilliant as always.

Production values are rather low: this looks and feels like a short web movie. The kind you find loads of on youtube. But a bit longer. I guess they did not have much of a budget and the cameras they used must not have been very sophisticated because everything is so cold and clinically sharp. Because of it, I had a bit of trouble getting into the movie, I could not feel anything special about it. And then I realized I did. There is one song and it was hilarious: the guys at one point sing a silly song during their podcast and it is to be seen to be believed. Magic!

The director managed to make the film seem light and fluffy while correctly treating serious issues. Kudos! Well done!

This is a lovely movie and definitely a very good, uplifting rewatch! Go for it!

Leia Mais

Pleasantly surprised!

I am an avid watcher of military movies/dramas and also quite an aviation enthusiast, so when Yibo was rumoured to be starring in this movie, i was very looking forward to it. However, life has been quite busy and I forgot about it but suddenly this movie (and full version at that too!) pop up on my YT homepage!

I was pleasantly surprised by it to be quite honest. While watching the trailer quite some time ago, most of the comments on youtube was how it was a chinese remake of topgun (having seen the trailer around TG Maverick release date). However, it was nice to see that they have gone quite a different route with this. I like how they pressed on no matter how brilliant a fighter pilot is on the frontline, there are actually much sacrifice and blood goes behind the scene to deliver the aircraft at its best.

What i like:
-Commander Zhang was such a leader. He nurtures and build all these heroes bit by bit.
-Yibo was in his element. His acting is mature and almost natural in his fighter pilot role
-there are many themes that are carried out brilliantly throughout the movie. Some of them are (of course!) patriotism, maturity comes after you are humbled by failure, wingmanship, and of course, sacrifice! Theres also a little bit of a love plotline, and i like that they are very softly integrated into the storyline. The FL and Yibo’s love story was professional at its best, between 2 busy officers who are on the path towards a greater goal, but found the understanding in the middle nevertheless.
- mygod, even though it was only about 1 and 1/2 hours in, the movie can already built up quite a story behind Commander Zhang, that when he sacrificed himself for the mission, i was bawling my eyes out in solidarity with the soldiers/engineers working under his command and with him.
-the final flight test was such a drama. I was gripping my duvet intermittently in anxiety trying to will them back home. Lol
-the recording at the end of the movie was so heartbreaking but the pilot’s voice sounded so calm honestly *criesabucket
-the scene where yibo and the team make a fly by/over show above Commander Zhang’s son’s game was chef kiss. Showed such a camaraderie between the team and their appreciation for their mentor’s sacrifice.

What i have problem with:
-the opening and closing fight scenes are so fast forwardy, making them seem quite unnatural and video game-like. My expectation honestly was at 30% that this will be a good movie seeing the first fight scene. Im glad that the subsequent story after that redeemed back my attention and expectation.


All in all, for such a short movie, it was quite gripping and intense. Highly recommended watch.

Leia Mais