Reviews

Poignant, Understated, and Absolutely Heartbreaking

This documentary did a gorgeous job of combining essay, interview, and storytelling to convey to audiences the experiences of the residents of Rikuzentakata, 7 years after the devastating earthquake and tsunamis that changed life forever in March 2011. It was quiet, with a gradual build-up of emotions as we went from focusing on small details to the bigger tales that are hard to put into words.

The scene is set with silence, punctuated by our narrators telling us about their interviews and own experiences with the natural disaster/town. The setting is littered with construction zones and equipment, creating a 40 foot/12 meter elevation and widened rivers.

"Underneath the town where I live is the town where my mom and dad grew up."

The testimonies start off with children and teens. They're relatively numb. They speak of wanting to leave and come back after the restoration is complete and things are settled. They speak of the minor inconveniences that they focused on at the time - unable to really grasp the larger disaster around them, wanting everything to return to normal.

"And the livelier it gets, the more I think about my son who died. He's somewhere underneath this town, below this ground. We had to just leave him there."

And the small details and thin sentiments set the stage for the harder hitting stories of the older generations. Those that are filled with loss that is hard to put into words. Family. Friends. Chances. The memory of what your bathroom looked like. The kind of stories that tend to be absent of details. The kind of stories that make your throat close up and your eyes swim.

---

"I heard stories about him. With each person's images of him and fragments of the landscape of this town, I became ready to imagine that person. The person I imagine looks like myself or my friends."

There was a year in college where I took the train back home. I know I did my usual routine of listening to music and playing games on my phone. But I wasn't present, so I don't remember it. You see, just a couple months before, a hurricane wreaked havoc on my town, and put my own home completely underwater. The water had since subsided, but nothing was the same. Buildings were in pieces. Waiting for new roofs and floors. Waiting to be torn down. Yards were being packed with dirt, creating an intimidating slant. Houses were being raised, according to new town codes. What once was 2-3 steps up to your front door, was now more like 10. The fresh dirt just recently finished settling as of this review, so those steps need to be fixed so we don't trip anymore. The train ride back to school was similarly blurred.

It's the small details where the story really hits home. The small details that seem to say nothing at all, but are said with a tone that conveys a lingering sense of sadness, loss, and longing.

"Terrible things happened. I didn't lose my family, but I lost something in my heart."
"I used to love stories and books. But after the disaster, I wasn't able to read fiction books for a while."

---

"The plain white seawall, boxed-in gray sea, and carved away hills. This strange square-cornered sorcery. I wonder if I will ever get to love it... to [my grandchildren], this scenery is part of their irreplaceable hometown."

My flood didn't come from the sea; it came from the skies. So it was interesting to see the different ways our respective communities approached restoration and prevention measures. And the way that those very same measures and steps created different dysphoric experiences and types of loss.

The one thing I didn't like about this film though, was the way it was concluded. The very last scene. The whole film was touching and poignant. I never once minded that the narrators/interviewers weren't from the area, because they seemed genuinely touched and empathetic toward the subject matter and experiences being discussed. But in the very last scene, they just felt detached and awkward. The tone felt like a bland classroom discussion filled with empty platitudes and sympathy. I think it should've ended a better way - perhaps even addressing the audience ourselves - since that last scene was supposed to convey this message to remembering and passing on these stories and more. That's the purpose of the documentary. So bring that in. It would've felt more fitting and genuine.

Leia Mais

One of Ozu's best films; escape to a lazy seaside town

Floating Weeds (1959) showcases Ozu at his peak. This is a top notch film. While it might make sense to watch several other Ozu films beforehand, or even 'A Story of Floating Weeds' (from which Floating Weeds was remade), this film is also great as a first entry into Ozu's film world. Despite its PG rating, it's not an ideal film for young children.

The film plot is more versatile than usual Ozu fare, with more sub-plots, and greater role character involvement. This is still a family drama, but the film's setting in a seaside town (somewhere near Seto Inland Sea) is a departure from the urban environs of many Ozu films, which take place in cities like Tokyo. And, rather than a family under a roof, we have a 'traveling family' here in the form of an acting troupe. The troupe members, like ronin - the wandering samurai of the Shogun-era, are never more than half-anchored to a place. At times, they seem desperate to put down roots but are so easily blown away by their own troubles, insecurities, or economic woes.

For those that enjoy romance, that part of this film is sufficient and enjoyable.

The sets were terrific. Ah, how much I desire to travel to a classic town where this film was made! The dark wood buildings containing eateries, post stores, and barber shops, blend seamlessly with residential space; a customer may be eating noodles at the home entrance room, and the room behind that is the cook's personal living room. This is not a town of commerce, but a place of quiet living, capturing what commerce enters their lazy cove. Business matters are lax. Having visited seaside towns before, there is something quaint, remote, and even nostalgic about these places. They are hiding from society.

The presentation of social life in this seaside town is antithetical to many Ozu settings where the industrial rush is in full display. The economic reality of such a place is not sugar coated either, but the film's place and people feel authentic, carefree, and even romantic. It's the place of quietude we've visited before that we yearn for in our busy lives, or simply never visited but instinctively know we would enjoy such a relaxing pace. In fact, the film's lack of emphasis on city, commerce, and post-war themes, as well as societal changes of the times, made this film feel like a timeless exploration of being human. It was, compared to other Ozu films with a clearer link to societal themes, refreshing to watch "Floating Weeds" without a societal themes commentary/agenda. It had a bit of an escapist feel to it, even for the veteran Ozu viewer.

Part of the humor in this film is that the troupe is not very good. But they're compelled to act together, drink together, and travel together. There's something about this group of semi-outcasts that is endearing. They are imperfect people, willing to backstab one another and then make up a week later, despite not being blood related. They don't feel like co-workers at all.

Machiko Kyo, as Sumiko, was captivating, complex, and convincing. She was, without a doubt, the star of the show despite having the 2nd most prominent role. Her earnestness and desperation is so restrained you can barely tell it is there as she masks it with jealousy, scheming, and cruel words. But we feel the slightest brush of her deepest emotion against our skin; despite a lifestyle of traveling with the wind, Sumiko craves a rooted relationship and won't give that up easily. There is a scene of reconciliation in this film that is simply masterful.

Ozu's style seems to have matured, even peaked in 'Floating Weeds'. I found the storytelling approach to be straightforward with fewer ellipses/gaps. Here, Ozu 'shows' us more of what we are thinking rather than implying action. Personally, I prefer a visual accompaniment as it is something to savor and sensually experience, rather than intellectualize alone in implied action scenes. I'm glad Ozu leaned on this more conventional approach in Floating Weeds.

A terrific film.

Leia Mais

Wow a waste of 1 hour and 47 minutes

PLOT

The story had so much potential to be good but it lost it on the way . You would think the story is about a couple that breaks up but it a whole other story . And it's just every where. Like the female lead gets pregnant but she ends up losing the baby and they don't even touch on that subject . You hear about it when the main couple fights towards the end .

CHARATERS
. THE FEMAL LEAD HAS NO GROUND . SHE IS SO WEAK THAT ITS IS SO BAD.SHE MAKES YOU WANT TO SLAP HER ACROSS THE FACE SO THAT SHE CAN WAKE UP . AND SHE FALLS IN LOVS SO EASILY (just be sick and treat her good and she falls in love with you )
MALE LEAD WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN . THAT MAN IS A WALKING RED FLAG . THE FACT THST HE COULD NOT TELL HIS GIRLFRIEND THAT HE IS HAVING A HARD TIME AT WORK AND JUST BE HONEST THAT HE WAS NOT HAPPY ABBOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WHERE ABOUT TI HAVE CHILD WAS SO CHILDISH. AND HE COLULD NOT TELL HIS FEMALE CO WORKER TJAT SHE HAD A LADY IN HIS LIFE WAS ALSO WRONG . THINK HE DOES NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING ALONE THAT IS WHY HE JUMPS FROM ONE GIRL TO THE OTHER .


CONCLUSION.
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS MOIVE IT WILL ONLY MAKE YOU MAD . BAD BAD BAD

Leia Mais

Unmemorable thriller(with no thrill)

The movie wasn't good but it also not bad. It was something maybe I could watch in the background while doing some laundry. It was a textbook "serial killer" movie. The stalking, thinking the victim initiated it and the memorabilia, but what it lacked was any information about who the killer. The build up is that the true identity of the killer is the detective's son, but it turns out that he was his victim.
The character arch of the female lead made no sense, she was the quiet, every-woman and (I am using this term quiet often because that is the exact opinion I felt) but suddenly she becomes this badass strong avenger.
And the cherry on the top. No character dies. Yes there are deaths of his previous victims but no character we are introduced to dies. The father who she thinks dies, doesn't so...... it becomes a happy ending(this is a personal choice, I need me some misery).
I have been going on about what is bad, but there are two good things:-
1. Im Shi Won - though his acting skills could be challenged in much more way( again, though he was great, his acting was average.
2. The POV of the phone - the movie has multiple instances where the POV that the audience gets is that of the phone which is a cool cinematographic quirk,

Leia Mais

A slow breakdown of all the resistances.

Generally, these kinds of psychological-sexual (Here it's more like philosophical) shows always feel shallow and simple at first but the more you think about it or re-watch the show the more it gets complex and you can relate yourself more. This movie is exactly like that, feeling simple at first glance but it was deeper than you imagined.

The movie was focused on the main character Seung Ki who has been very much religious since his childhood. For me, it felt like it wasn't his self-decision but he was just following his family's footsteps and thinking that it was his own choice.

Throughout the movie, Seung ki faces many kinds of situations which lead to a surge of sexual desire in him but he always tries his best to distract himself. In the end, he can't hold himself down and does something that he shouldn't have done.

In the last part of the movie, the breakdown of Seung Ki gave me goosebumps. To see a calm, shy, and religious character scream, cry and harm others and himself was heart-aching. Kudos to Ye Hak Young for his dynamic acting throughout those scenes. Even all other actors/actress have played well their characters.

Apart from Seung ki's character, there was not much story to other characters except Eun ji with her past trauma.

Talking about sexual scenes there is one at the beginning of the movie for a few seconds and one full intercourse scene nearly the middle of the movie which is pretty satisfying for someone's first time.

I am not that much of a music analyst but I will say there was not much music throughout the show and the ones which played through important scenes are average.

The synopsis says that his father is strict, but in the movie, his father got very little screen time. Even so, you can tell that he is strict in his way of behaving and talking. Having passionate love with a mysterious woman in his dream was the result of his suppressing sexual desires which was shown once in the movie. (And another time, when he was remembering that dream.) And about being provoked by Eun Ji was kind of true but not by Soo Jung though.

A little about the poster - When I first watched the poster I thought the movie focuses more on the female lead (Eun Ji) and a little less on the male lead but it was the opposite when I watched the movie. In my opinion, the poster is either for fan service or it portrays how most of the time the male lead thinks about intimate things and very less about himself.

I don't want to write more, for avoiding any spoilers. So my conclusion is that the movie was average. Though it may feel more than average to some viewers. Anyone (18+ though) can watch it if they want to, after reading this review or synopsis. The average 6.4 rating by 9 people (While I am writing the review) is the perfect rating for this movie. Though I kind of wanted the movie to be a little longer while showing more about the female leads. I guess they didn't focus on those aspects as they wanted to deliver another message through Seung Ki to the viewers.

(Note - It's my first reviewing a show and English is not my first language. Also, there were no subtitles available for this movie so I had to use an auto subtitle generator to watch this show and the subtitles weren't much accurate.)

Leia Mais

We are the stories we tell

Taipei Exchanges is a gently introspective slice of life about two sisters who ponder what stories hold value when they set up a barter system in their coffee shop. This film is not for everyone. The changes in the sisters and their customers are small and quiet and will go unnoticed if you don't pay attention from your table in the corner of their café. If coffee and discovering the meaning behind the stories people tell about their lives and belongings interest you, pull up a chair, order a coffee and cookie and see where the film and memory takes you.

If someone gave you the money to do one, which would it be? Use the money to study or travel?

Doris is practical and has always wanted to open an elegant coffee café. When she finally has the opportunity fate turns her dream into the quirkiest shop in Taipei. Without giving too much away, on her opening day she ends up with a plethora of calla lilies and invites people to bring something to exchange for them. Afterwards with their shop full of junk, her sister has the idea that customers can bring something to exchange for whatever is in the shop thinking it will create more foot traffic and people will stay longer and drink and eat more. Doris reluctantly agrees hoping it will lead to financial freedom for her. Josie wants a car for herself and a set of bone china for her mother.

Along the way, the sisters find that what things are worth is a deeply personal belief. What is the story behind it? Love letters, songs, a mirror ball, stuffed alligator, and even cleaning out the backyard drain are up for exchange. As Doris hears the stories of the places people have traveled, a shift begins to take place in her.

What do you treasure the most?

Doris makes a decision that seems radical and perhaps it's radical self-love to realize that what we value may change over time. The sisters believe that whatever you are looking for someone has and it's only a matter of time before the need to have and the need to release meet each other. Often our lives can be changed by one small incident and decision, in Doris' case a fender bender with a small truck full of calla lilies led to small change after small change leading to a larger change in her life and the lives of those around her.

Taipei Exchanges is beautifully and thoughtfully shot, within the store and around Taipei. The OST is soothing and won't jar you out of the existential questions that arise over what we value, why, and what is our inner value to ourselves and others. For the most part the acting is natural and the sisters have good chemistry in the way that sisters love each other still bicker. Some of the basic business issues are touched upon when starting up a business, but don't weigh the story down. People off the street answer two of the questions above and though some may sound more scripted, others are quite relatable.

Everyday we tell ourselves stories about our failures, hopes, dreams, and even the lies about ourselves that help us sleep at night. We cherish the stories behind an object or even despise an object because of the emotional baggage that it carries. Is a song worth a book? A Barbie dollhouse worth a mirror ball? What happens when people exchange goals and dreams? This film will not turn your world upside down, but it may cause you to take a moment to look around and even within yourself and wonder what has value and why?

If you had the choice between money and calla lilies, which would you take?

2/24/23

Leia Mais

Cheap Fast Food!

Detective Song Ci is loosely based on the first forensic entomologist and the author of Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified. I suspect reading his 1000 year-old forensic science book would be more entertaining than this short, cheap, confusing movie.

The story bounces around more than a ball at an octopus ping pong tournament. Detective Song is called in when a man is murdered at home. He solves the crime in seconds which freed up his schedule to deal with a mysterious mass murder of the Li family in the Tonggu County. Creepy straw men are hung where the people disappear, their bodies buried elsewhere. By his side is his trusty deputy Han dressed like a typical historical bodyguard. A young woman also drops in from a roof and joins him in the investigation. She has a jade pendant much like the Li family carries and she's looking for her parents. At the same time Grand Censor Ding, and Song's boss, has his hands full with the Emperor who wants to travel to Tonggu Co. to visit his old teacher who is ill. Ding forbids anyone to talk about the straw man murders under penalty of arrest, including Song. Even though not one constable had been aware of much less able to stop any of the murders of the prominent family they are quick as bunnies to arrest people whispering about the case. Song deduces that the killers are using blood thirsty insects to kill their victims. Before long he realizes events and people are not as they seem.

The movie is needlessly confusing at the beginning when much of the action is going back and forth without people being properly introduced. Eventually, names and titles are given to most of the characters which helps to sort the story out. At the end when the nefarious plot is revealed, a dying character has to use his last couple of hundred breaths to tell the convoluted tale. Some of the characters are still an enigma as the credits roll, there simply wasn't the time to develop them.

The production values were quite low. I did enjoy seeing old kung fu movie actor Norman Chu in his role. Norman's General Censor costume was much nicer than the clueless Emperor's. The fighting was of the most rudimentary style and they couldn't even get the buckets of spurting blood to look better than a 1970's kung fu flick. Norman must have felt right at home. Most of the acting was perfunctory with some of the worst dubbing I've ever heard. Along with the atrocious dubbing were the sound effects that were so amplified as to be literally laughable. When several women were walking on a dirt path further from the action, they sounded like a herd of horses walking by. Music overrode the dialogue at times. They couldn't even muster the money for a proper entourage and palanquin for the Emperor.

If you have an hour you need to kill and want to see a low budget movie with a big body count and a low rent Detective Dee or Sherlock Holmes, you might want to give this one a try. Otherwise, better to watch Detective Dee or even The Great Mouse Detective than this one. Song Ci deserved much better.

2/24/23

Leia Mais

It's not too often I wish something to be LONGER!

At just over 28 minutes, this web drama is very cute and sweet. I liked all of the actors. I love the SML and that's what brought me here, but the leads were so cute together, which kind of creeped me out initially, but then once everything was explained, I was like, "Oh, yeah, that makes sense!"

SPOILER!SPOILER!SPOILER!
Bottom line, he's not her son from the future, he's her husband. He is dying and he wants to save her the pain of going through losing him, so he tries to fix her up with someone else. But fate or destiny is not to be trifled with, you will meet the person you are supposed to be with.

They never explained how he could come from the future, but I guess that doesn't really matter. I would like to think that they were able to change something so that he doesn't die, but who knows?
END OF SPOILER.

Cute, quick movie.

Leia Mais

If you're watching this for Im Siwan...

... then you're set.

This movie started out promising, but then it just sort of... fell flat? My friend and I ended up guessing the entire series of events that were to proceed, and we kept waiting for the shocking plot twist that would change our minds and elevate our collective opinion of the film, but it never came... except for the ending, which certainly left us intrigued. Did it hint at the possibility that the son wasn't actually dead and that he'd been in cahoots with fake Juyeong the entire time? Or was it the real Juyeong all along, except he got plastic surgery?

This felt less like a thriller and more like a warning regarding our reliance on technology and how smartphones have compromised our security and privacy in a technological world.

If you're an Im Siwan stan, you'll probably make it to the end. Please watch with a friend, because that way you can congratulate each other whenever your guess for what's about to happen next proves right.

Good enough for a one-time watch.

Leia Mais

Great performance of the two main actors ! Be prepared to be teary-eyed!

The story is centred around 2 brothers reacquainting themselves with each other after being apart for a while and in the midst of unfortunate circumstances. Even if the main conflict is not that original, it is superbly treated. I found it really well done even though the pacing was a bit too fast for some of the developments. The plot was still quite realistic and sensible in terms of characters growth.

The movie is mainly shining thanks to the great performance of the 2 main actors playing the brothers. Jo Jung Suk and Doh Kyung Soo are usually amazing and this is once again a home-run acting-wise. Side characters tend therefore to disappear and are paling in comparison with the actors portraying the siblings.

I did not necessarily find the production and the music memorable but they were good enough to bring the story to live.

I would recommend this movie to people looking for a cathartic bromance story that will bring you all the feels and tears!

Leia Mais

Quite a disappointing conclusion to what could be the next generation of Prison on Fire movies

An immediate continuation from Breakout Brother's 2 plot point with the incarceration of the warden for his corruption in helping ron ng escape prison.

If you thought Ron Ng was a 1 dimensional villian in Breakout Brother 2, Kenny Wong is like a 0.5 dimensional villian. I get the feeling he grew quite sick of the franchise as his character scenes consist of expressionlessly smoking a cigarettes in different poses, at different parts of the prison.

The story makes no sense at all since Kenny Wong was able to execute one of the most stupid strategy ever (of killing Scar, played by Justin Cheung from OCTB fame) just to create a distraction to get out of prison.

There's a lot of inconsistency as Scar became the unreasonable ruthless villian in the first movie, to suddenly having zero power in the second movie and then becoming a background teddy bear character in season 3. Just when the movie throws you a redemption arc about a past lover, he dies to warden's plot of murdering him in the shower after drugging him in the cafeteria.

It also makes zero sense that Big Roller and his entire gang was held hopelessly as victims in the kitchen, and only by having Kin-Tin showhim with ZERO additional equipment and only throwing marbles at big roller that they were suddenly able to reverse the situation against the gun men.

All in all, movie 1 was quite a run for its money and had the potential to spin-off the next generation of prison on fire movies, but it was wasted by bringing in super one dimensional-antagonist in the subsequent sequels. But at least story 2's storyline made sense, story 3 felt very rushed.

Oh and Moses Chan as the new warden literally brought nothing to the table.

Leia Mais

Classic Hong Kong Prison Drama carried by veteran actors

Watched this movie after completing the breakout brothers trilogy. If you like classic HK Films, especially the prison ones (e.g. chow yun fatt's prison on fire) this would be a modern take on it.

The premise and story, while nothing mind-blowing, sets the tone for veteran actors ricky chan and ray liu to bring out their "da lou" big brother roles.

Stuck inbetween them is Justin Cheung, rising to fame from "OCTB" as a joker-esque villian who subsequently showed his range of acting in the breakout brothers film as a uncouth big boss antagonist in prison.

It's a nice just juxtapose for Justin Cheung as this time round he's the protagonist, and in a much meeker role with a cunning and strategist mindset versus his role in Breakout Brothers, which again shows his range of acting too.

All in all a very fun ride as you are constantly on a look out on the dynamics between the two gangs and the unpredictability and ruthlessness of ricky chan as the film's primary antagonist.

Leia Mais