Reviews

Realistic love story

I usually hate unhappy endings, but honestly this was really worth the watch.
The warmth, the fuzzy feeling of falling in love for the first time.
Not all love stories end up happily, and that’s just reality.
Especially since this story is based in the 90s, where it is quite difficult to contact another person, let alone someone who lives in a whole other country. It’s really a whole different experience compared to nowadays, where we can contact our loved ones pretty much instantaneously.
Honestly, this is a much better ending than dramas nowadays where the couple end up together miraculously and happily because they’re main leads.

Leia Mais

Honestly, reading the synopsis I did think I would cry. Since I have a big brother myself, stories about siblings really get to my heart. And though I don't watch movies often, this one is probably the best I've seen. Sure, production wise it didn't really stand out much, but the story, and how they act their part really get to me. Hoya really did well as the little brother and maybe it's cause I'm the youngest sibling too, though our stories are different, I can easily relate to him and how he feels to his brother. As a viewer, I can objectively see everything and see both sides of the brothers' stories, and knowing that Jinho doesn't know everything and was kept in the dark, it really makes me feel so much worse for him. My head hurts I cried too much, seriously.

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Powerful performance with explosive chemistry

This was my 3rd time watching this movie. i love it very much and felt I need to write this review to give the movie and especially the actors and production the credit they deserved.
The movie relys on the powerful performances of the actors especially the leads. The story were packed into a length of a movie so some story lacks elaboration, but the chemistry between the leads and their ablilities to bring to life their assigned characters were what makes the movie so endearing and fulfilling.
YangMi was at her best, her character doesn’t seemed complex but in the simplicity she was able to make us feel her sincerity and her consistency for her love. HXM was just perfect for the role of YiChen. He played the anger, the frustration and grief so well. I just loved it when he said that line “.. I am not drunk, I am crazy …”

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To Anyone Who Gave Their Lives So That Others Might Live

Unfortunately, so much of American education during WWII centers mostly on the European theater and not very much on what was going on in Asia and the Pacific. Of course, Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan are about all that is really covered.

We know that—as many atrocities committed in Europe, especially by the Nazis—it was just as horrific, if not more so, regarding what Japan did to the Chinese, the Koreans, and many others. “Battleship Island” is just one incident of hundreds, if not thousands, and yet it also speaks to the bravery and courage of anyone who fights against oppression.

The movie centers around the Japanese Hashima coal mine and the Koreans who were used for slave labor to mine the coal. Conditions were about as horrific as you can imagine, with the men working in unbearable temperatures deep in the earth while the women were used as sex slaves. Escape, at this point, seems futile for anyone.

A Korean operative (Park Moo Young), connected with the American OSS, is given the mission of helping a high Korean official—Yoon Hak Chul—to escape. However, after entering the island, he finds records of Yoon Hak Chul stealing money from the Korean laborers and providing the Japanese with key intelligence. Perhaps there is nothing so evil as treachery, especially when you betray your own people for money. Of course, Yoon Hak Chul attempts to cover his deception with murder and lies.

Meanwhile, Lee Kang Ok and his wonderful eleven-year-old daughter, So Hee are trying to survive, and initially hope that Park Moo Young will help them escape. But Park Moo Young’s official orders are to only help Yoon Hak Chul. Once Park Moo Young finds out that the Japanese plan to kill all Koreans in an attempt to cover up what they’ve been doing, Park Moo Young vows to help every Korean try to escape.

The escape portion of the movie is a tough watch as 400 Koreans try to save the women, children, and injured while staving off a least 100 Japanese guards, who have orders to kill them on sight. Koreans scramble along a small conveyor belt to the coal mine transport. The sequence is like something out of Saving Private Ryan where you have no idea who is going to survive and who isn’t going to make it.

Hwang Jun Min (Lee Kang Ok), Song Joong Ki (Park Moo Young), Kim Soo An (So Hee) are stand-outs in this film, especially Hwang Jun Min who has terrific chemistry with Kim Soo An which also gives us a tough, heart-wrenching ending.

Lee Kyung Young (Yoon Hak Chul) was also fantastic. However, I have only ever seen him play villains in the K-Dramas I have watched, so when I saw him on screen, I wondered, “Wait, is he really a good guy here?” Nonetheless, his performance is exemplary.

It’s sad that the Japanese government still hasn’t acknowledged the atrocities committed at the Hashima mine, but unfortunately, there are still so many horrible things that have happened throughout history that we’ll likely never know about.

This is a powerful film that is as honest and brutal in its depiction as any war film I have ever seen, obviously made with the hope that something like this never happens again. “Battleship Island” is a testament to anyone who has ever fought or given their lives so that others might live. It speaks to the bravery that resides in everyone, with the hope that if ever such a call is needed, we might be willing to lay down our lives to save others.

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Catch as catch can!

Somewhere between a manga and reality, that's where the story can be found! Looking at the poster, I kind of expected a comedy. Not the case!

A couple of mangakas, who have been married for quite some time are quietly going through a crisis. Toshio is suffering from writer's block and currently is only half heartedly helping his wife Sawako ink her mangas and frolicking with the editor in his spare time, he apparently has a lot of. The marriage is on the rocks and they are barely speaking to each other. When Sawako receives a call about her mother being injured, they both go to the country to help her out. Sawako needs to start a new manga. When her editor refuses her fantasy themed idea and demands a reality based one, Sawako decides to take inspiration from her own life and write a manga about adultery. At the same time she starts taking driving lessons and apparently falls for her instructor. She draws everything and when her husband discovers the drawings he is lost, feeling hurt but knowing he has no right to say anything.

The movie is on the slow, dreamy side, going from reality to manga to reality, so much so we, the audience, just as much as Toshio reading the new manga drawings daily, are lost not knowing what is real. When confronted, Toshio refuses to admit to adultery and therefor Sawako insists upon her own adulterous relationship through the manga. And while he is loosing his wits, trying to figure everything out and most of all how not to lose his wife, she disappears.

The revenge for adultery through a manga is an original plot device and it is keeping us in suspense to the very last minute and the surprising ending. Unfortunately the film is very slow, and I found my attention wondering., The characters are well played and we can see their development. Sawako is surprisingly strong behind her calm and quiet demeanor, while Toshio is a talented artist but ruined by weak character, immaturity and a low esteem. The question asked is whether she will forgive him or not when he eventually comes clean! That's for me to know and for you to find out!

There are three other characters: the editor Toshio is having an affair with who is outspoken and perspicacious. Sawako's mother, quietly observing the goings on without making judgements and supporting her daughter. And the driving instructor. He is a good looking younger man and we are made to doubt if they are really having an affair or not until the end.

I was surprised to find no deeper criticism of adultery: it is just a fact of life, there and it is what the people make of it. There is no general rule. What is important, though, is honesty. Do not lie and bury yourself deeper! is the lesson that comes out of the movie. They did not insist on respecting the society rules, staying together for the sake of marriage vows or what the "people" would think. The most important is your own happiness. And Sawako found it in the end!

Leia Mais

Pure art

My favorite part of the movie was definitely the top-notch cinematography. Each and every clip of this film could pass as a photograph. All the shots were absolutely stunning and well thought through.
The direction was great and so was the acting.
Loved the scenery and layout of every scene.
The music is great, and matched the vibe of the movie.
I liked the plot, but it could have been better. There’s quite a bit of stuff happening in the movie, so certain things are not that clear. For example, the relationship between Xiangdong and the aggressive guy at his wedding. I also had trouble seeing the red string that was supposed to tie the whole movie together. I couldn't really see the guilt that Liang Fei was carrying from abandoning his lover. This only showed at the end of the movie.
Despite the sort-of-lacking plot, I still consider this movie a brilliant work of art.

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..YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE..

..at first, I prefer to watch the live action than the anime simply because the ML is more matured than the anime (he just like a highschooler for me)
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..I am expected a lot looking for the answer on the whole film but I failed - how this apocalypse happen and does it end. . .but it's a nay..
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..yet, I do enjoy the beginning and the end of the movie, it seems like making a wishlist that you want you to do before you end your life..
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..the dream, hope, and promise are here - the bonds between your friend why you need to move forward despite the problem and people hinder you..
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..the main antagonist here, his face is just so fit on the role, just amazed..
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..only the part I didn't like, seems weird for me and so impossible (well in movie everything is possible) when the ML battel with a very big shark plus the zombie inside - that shark is so weak despite its size and the ML doesn't have superpower, just only his procective suit over his slim body - it's a meh for me, sorry..
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..all in all, I just happy to want another live action movie, love the casts, the stories, even the ost..

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Masterpiece

The story is tragic, heavy, disturbing yet pure and raw in so many levels.. It showed how motherhood can effect an innocent kids life.. Felt painful watching throughout the movie but it held my attention all the time

Nagasawa Masami and Okudaira Daiken totally outstanding portrayed the roles as mother and son..Toxic, miserably relationship between mother and son yet heartbreaking and traumatic..

Another ugly side of society they try to brings out with excellent cast, acting and plot.. Hats off to the whole team...It was fine of art.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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No seduction just a rapist with power

from the description and trailer i thought this was going to be a movie with great lines, smooth talkers or seduction skills of high levels from both men and women. You get none of those. I lasted about 40 mins before turning off cause all i get was one man who called himself a seducer, but really was just a guy with power he used to rape woman. You can’t call yourself a seducer of woman if they literally have no choice, but to sleep with you.
Main characters idea of seducing:

1. Corner women on street and get rid of her protection, making her uncomfortable.
2. Blackmail ladies servant so you can force yourself alone with lady and just straight out ask her to have sex with you.
3. Give to charity anonymously, but have someone talk about loudly so the lady can overhear how generous you are…

I’m just giving these movie a 5/10 of the lead incredible Jeon De-yeon.

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Good feel movie

The beginning was a little slow and boring, I had a hard time continuing it and took a long pause in the middle of it but once you let it flow, things get a lot more interesting especially once they start showing the players’ background stories!

The final match scenes were so fun and interesting to watch, my eyes were glued to the screen and I really like how realistic everything was done. Obviously they had no chance at winning but the one goal shot celebration was such a nice add, i really liked the ending!

The trope new found family are hard to do well but they really did capture the chemistry and relationships between the characters.

I recommend watching this even if it is a bit slow and boring at start!

Leia Mais

Like Signal but so much better!

I must watch anything involving time: time travel, time slip, parallel universe, reincarnation (though I must admit I am not a fan of time skip the K dramas adore!). The title of the movie made me expect something with a lot of action and a rag tag kind of a hero. Nothing of the sort. Still really good but this is not an action flick! Points OFF for the title!!!

The film tells a story of two men connected by a same accident at the same place at the same time but 32 years apart. After that incident they start dreaming about each other. The man in the past is a teacher and the one in the present, a police detective. When the teacher's girlfriend gets murdered, the policeman helps him find the murdered and save other victims.

The story is very reminiscent of Kairos and Signal and being a movie, it is tightly woven and more exciting than a long drawn drama. And it is all the better for it! Time slip stories are very difficult to make believable because the logic always interferes and plot holes are usually many. They managed to avoid those traps. There is a logical answer to everything.

The characters were also well written and especially the girlfriend who, for once, is not a damsel in distress but a brave and smart woman with brains. That was refreshing. The actor playing the detective is probably one of the worst actors I have ever seen: his voice is monotonal, his acting bland and his face pretty and empty of all feeling. Points OFF for bad acting!

The ending is perfect as well: the murderer having been caught in the past, the life was put on a parallel course with the original timeline and therefore everything changed in the life of the detective. Smart and logical!

Time Renegades is an excellent film, quick, suspenseful and entertaining watch. Bad title though! lol

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Comédie horrifique absurde (avec un requin-zombie et ça, c'est un grand oui !)

À la fois drôle, absurde et horrifique, Zom 100 se présente comme un film tourné vers la comédie avant tout avec sa pointe de gore. Cela dit, il renferme aussi quelques faits de société (l'usure et la pression au travail, par exemple).

Akira est usé par son nouveau travail et son employeur qui semble prendre un plaisir malsain à le torturer de la sorte. On le voit lentement prendre l'apparence d'un zombie, l'envie de sanquette en moins. Jusqu'au matin où une épidémie de putréfiés ravage la ville... Sans trop chercher à faire dans la finesse, Ishida Yusuke nous montre l'explosion de joie d'Akira lorsqu'il réalise ne pas avoir besoin d'aller au boulot (ce qui explique les affiches colorés). Et ces couleurs, on va les retrouver sur une bonne première partie du film où l'accent sera comédie et absurde amusant.

Akaso Eiji est un bon acteur qui est capable de transmettre l'humour d'une situation ou d'une réflexion sans paraître lourd ou forcé. Ce qui donne toute sa saveur au personnage d'Akira. D'un homme usé, on nous dévoile une toute nouvelle facette, celle d'un homme heureux et optimiste.

Bien qu'agréable, je reproche un manque de fond. Une fois la situation bien placée, les scènes se suivent sans trop d'intérêt. Le seul but étant d'arriver jusqu'à l'aquarium et l'entrée du fameux requin-zombie. Si vous aimez la comédie horrifique absurde et loufoque, alors vous passerez un bon moment. En revanche, si vous souhaitez un scénario cohérent et rien qui ne sorte de l'ordinaire dans un film ce genre, vous pourriez ne pas apprécier.

Mention spéciale à l'esthétique des zombies. Cela dit, sur le plan du poutrage de zombies, je ne suis pas totalement satisfaite. J'aime les effusions de sang, les crânes explosés et tout ce qui implique des putréfiés traînant la patte avec des râles parfois effrayants. Mais c'est une passion comme une autre et je pense, pour cette raison, me tourner vers l'anime qui de toute façon me faisait de l'œil depuis un moment.

Bref, tout dépendra de vos attentes. Zom 100 se révèle dynamique dans son montage avec des personnages simples, mais qui tiennent la route et renforcé par un casting solide. A la fois drôle et absurde, je suis venue pour les zombies, je suis restée pour le requin-zombie et l'ambiance.

Leia Mais