Reviews

I feel they could have done so much more with a clearer focus. Despite the hype, not impressed.

I wish Minato and Yori appeared more, and would prefer a better ending.

--- Vague Spoilers --

Story: Director tries to put in a few themes, bullying, being different, societal conformity, japanese apologising/taking responsibility culture (even if not at fault), gay treatment therapy, felt a bit too many... Kind of drew the focus away from what (imo) should be the main theme, aka loving the same gender.

There is additional screen time given to the teacher and his lover to characterize him as a good teacher and set his character, but we don't see much of him in the Minato and Yori plot. Why do they have to combine the parent-teacher power dynamic and the Minato-Yori-classroom bullying plots into a single story? It feels like both deal with very significant issues that take a lot of emotions and shouldn't be so easily combined. I can see "What happens if they try to make their relationship official in their class, how do they cope and how do they overcome bulyling?" as one story, and "How does the teacher overcome this scapegoating done unto him, and how to deal with what is alleged vs what is actually true?" as another story with the teacher at the focus.

Ending: Giving an ambiguous ending is fine and all, but it left me feeling unfinished, would prefer an epilogue of Minato moving on or the aftermath, aka any change in classmates behaviour? teacher behaviour? Feels like they shown a spotlight on all the dark issues in the Japanese classroom and society and said "Ok, go think about it" and then left us with it.

Actors: Hinata acted so well as Yori the bumbling silly kid, a lighthearted facade with some dark thoughts, but I wished the characters could have been written with more emotional support -- like they're struggling but how do they come to terms with it. Minato's avoidance is only one part of the "gay panic", what about denial/ trying to like girls, what about acceptance, what about coming out?

--- Spoilers end --

I just feel they could have done so much more with it, and despite all the hype, not impressed. I think they could have done better with a clearer focus rather than so many themes, that only get brought up briefly but are never addressed (characters don't tackle or try to solve).

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Always treasure family over money

I watched in Malaysian cinema on 9 June 2024. This movie reminds me of my own grandma. When I was on summer break from uni in Australia, my dad asked me to return home. I visited my grandma 1 week before I returned to Australia then few days after, my grandma passed. I was grateful that I made the trip to visit her.

What I like:
1) How to make millions before grandma dies is beautifully written & directed film. Cinematography was well done. Well done, Pat Boonnitipat and his team!
2) It is set in Thailand but the core themes relatable to Malaysian audiences. Some cultural practices are same here.
3) Wonderful acting by Putthipong Assaratanakul & Usha Seamkhum - their dynamics translated well on screen. Supporting cast did well too.

What I dislike
1) I think the title is misleading because I thought M worked multiple or sketch jobs to gain that much of money

Favourite scene
When M bathed his grandma. I understand perspectives from both sides.

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Caricatural action movie very predictable despite intriguing start

I found super interesting at first the premise of the story, with the legend being the starting point of the film . Unfortunately, the scenario quickly lost me because of the uneasy mix of genres, as well as its overall predictability.

I am not sure if it is related to cast or scenario but I had some real trouble getting attached to the characters... Despite solid acting, actually most of the roles were pretty caricatural.

Production and music were ok but nothing memorable. There were some bad visual effects for some of the animals...Those were not the main focus of the film but were distracting enough.

I would not recommend this to people unless you are ready to leave your brain on off for the duration of the film as well as to use of lot of suspension of disbelief, then you might enjoy yourself. However, I feel there are better no brain required action movie out there...Even if the premise of the story was interesting, it missed the mark for me in terms of what it was trying to convey as well as in mixing tones. Indeed, it oscillated between comedy and noir movie, which really did not mash up well together.

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A nostalgic story about youth and rememberance.

One thing for sure, this movie does makes me want to travel solo around Japan and Tainan as the music and cinematography are top tier level. But the story is kind of cliche because it's about a ML who lost his purpose in life and he went to a trip to find back that passion while also attempting to rectify a regret, which is to find his romantic love in his youth. The ending is also kind of predictable as I already foresee that the FL has passed on, which is a typical kind of Japanese movie. But the chemistry between ML and FL is really good. I would have love Mr. Children's theme song to be incorporated into the movie especially the part where they listen through the same earpiece together, which gives more vibes to the movie. And also, the movie tend to be on the draggy side which is common in Japanese movie, but its not that draggy that it makes the movie bad. The emotional parts definitely made me cry especially when I am movies that deals with grieve. But all in all, its a good watch.

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A "no-brain-required" movie that succeed where the drama "Island" failed

Watching this film, I couldn't help myself to think of the drama "Island" which approaches the same topic: exorcists fighting evil forces. It is so much better in this relatively short movie versus "Island" that it bumped up my enjoyment and I couldn't help to wish for it to be a series. To be fair, the movie does not revolutionize the genre but it makes for sure an overall entertaining watch.

In terms of scenario and storytelling, nothing really new there: we are for sure in charted territory regarding supernatural plot. But given the short duration of the movie, I thought they did a good job introducing the characters, the powers and the stakes. I particularly enjoyed the past story and would have loved to have more of it to explore further the background of the hero.

I really liked the ensemble cast. Given the script any acting flaws would have made the film quite cringy. It was fortunately not the case here as there were no weak link. Our hero played by Kang Dong Won is really the highlight of the film. I really want to dig more into his filmography.

I found the visual effects as well as the fight scenes rather good. Nothing really innovative in the techniques used but easy to comprehend for the viewer. You immediately understand how evil vs good works. The OST was enjoyable, making the badass moments even more badass in an almost second degree way (or at least that's how I perceived it).

I would recommend this to people looking for an entertaining fantasy movie. The horror level is quite limited, there are some scare frights but overall nothing too gruesome. If you enjoyed series like the western show "Supernatural" or even "Island" South Korean drama (which was a real disappointment to me), you might really enjoy this. In my opinion, it is what should have been "Island": entertaining, not taking itself too seriously despite featuring quite dark spirits and power in the story... It is more a "B" movie, you will not left it with a super deep impression (especially if you have already seen / read a few pieces in that genre) but it is an overall good watch.

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So much more than a romance: poetic and beautifully filmed <3

This movie showcases an amazing story, pretty deep and far from a conventional sweet romance. As I never read synopsis, I had no idea from looking at just the title and the poster how raw and pure the story was going to be. It exceeded my expectations on a lot of aspects as it is a powerful tale featuring captivating characters developing a strong and beautiful relationship, bounded through their inner and external wounds. It is gut-wrenching and I was on the edge of my seat towards the end.

The pace of the story was pretty good in setting up the characters, the relationships as well as what's at stake in their lives. The last arc is truly compelling and I just wish they would have given even more time to the ending...But that's likely me being greedy.

I was totally impressed by the acting. I picked up this movie because of Yamada Ryosuke which I did not see since a while on my screen. I found his acting very convincing. He really worked on his micro-expressions and was able to emote really well. I am honestly so astonished on how good he has become. His chemistry with Hamabe Minami was also very credible.

The sounds are super important in this film: it is the music, the voices, the light noises that are the driving strength of the story...from the beginning into the conclusion. The filmmaking is truly beautiful, there are some pretty brutal sequences and you feel in your gut the pain of the characters. There are also some really pretty and poetic moments.

I would strongly recommend this to people looking for a deeply romantic and lyrical tale. Do not expect sweet and fluffy romance here, that is not the point of the story. It is for sure highly rewatchable for the acting and cinematography itself that bring out the best of this poetic and gut-wrenching story full of sensibility.

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It’s a good film, whether you’ve seen the prequels or not.

So, having singled this out amongst the trailers in cinemas a few months ago, I’d been planning to watch to this one for a while. However, I did fail to watch the rest of the films in the series to prepare myself properly. This did not prevent the film from being enjoyable at all! It was very solid.

Perhaps my rating should come with a pinch of salt, as fans of the previous films would almost certainly rate this higher.

The action is very very solid. It’s also particularly well done for not feeling like “flying men” at all, as some of these surreal historical pieces can do. Action on and off horseback largely a joy to watch. The film has plenty, and I mean plenty, of action. Cinematography? It’d give it a yay? Acting was incredibly strong, along with the music. These really brought things together nicely.

Plot comments shouldn’t come from me as I’m no veteran of the series, but it was well thought out and I did enjoy the story.

There were some small immersion breakers - such as how I couldn’t help but notice every time I could see a certain character’s underarm, that it was always perfectly clean shaven - was this a continuity choice? Possibly, although I can’t be sure. The only other one (which I totally understand, for safety) was a couple times where the animatronic horses felt too obvious - that’s coming from someone who has been riding from a young age though, again, so probably not going to affect everyone’s experience. That was for the main actors. However, there were a number of moments that left me impressed with the horses and their riders in the film (the vast majority of which, real).

The only major drawback is - to those with commitment issues, like me - 146 minutes is a LONG runtime. So this was a bit long for my taste, and there was no interval in cinemas, it was simply buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Overall I would most definitely recommend to anyone interested. I will be indulging in the previous instalments of the series when I have some time to do so. It may also go without saying, but should there be a fifth film, I will likely be trekking out to see that one in cinemas if I have the chance.

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Una storia d'amore realistica

Una storia romantica che si sviluppa con i soliti cliché. L'incontro fortuito, la conoscenza e gli interessi comuni che li avvicinano, i gesti romantici (come lui che le asciuga i capelli....)
tutto sembra nella norma e a tratti un po' noioso, con ritmi lenti.
poi inizia la routine, l'abitudine e il cambiamento inevitabile nella vita di ognuno di noi.
nella vita di coppia il problema é proprio questo: se si cambia da soli, se la routine diventa abitudine e non si cerca piú di condividere interessi con il proprio partner.
Questa in realtá si dimostra essere una storia sulla fine.
sulla fine dei sentimenti, cosa normalissima, ma che non si è abituati a vedere sullo schermo di un cinema dove si preferisce risaltare l'esaltante bellezza dell'amore e del lieto fine.
una fine che puó essere dolce e la giusta scelta per noi stessi, per la nostra felicitá, se solo troviamo il coraggio di fare un passo indetro ,di ammettere ció che proviamo e di lasciar andare se l'amore é finito.

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Nada espetacular.

Depois de assistir ao clássico Tell me That You Love Me, fui caçando os trabalhos de Jung Woo Sung, e foi por conta disto que iniciei esse filme.

Não havia lido a sinopse, só me joguei e fiquei surpresa pela existência de um lado negro no decorrer da história. E também admirada ao ver uma produção coreana sem qualquer tipo de pudor. Acho que foi uma das primeiras que vi nesse estilo.

Não achei nada demais o desenvolver da história, na verdade é um velho clichê. Uma história no qual o objetivo era se vingar do homem que lhe fez promessas e distruiu sua vida. Se bem que houve partes até pesadas. Não foi um filme espetacular!

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Hijack 1971 is a movie about a plane hijacking incident, a plot that's been done many times. However, for me, "Hijack 1971" creates a different impression after watching it. Why? Because the main characters, both the protagonist and antagonist, have clear backgrounds, and the performances of Ha Jungwoo and Yeo Jingoo make this a very good movie. So this movie is not just about " surviving" the hijacked plane situation.

I also really enjoyed the supporting characters played by Chae Soobin, Lim Semi, Kim Dongwook, and Moon Woojin. Even though they don't have as much screen time as Jingoo or Jungwoo, their roles add to the movie's atmosphere.

I can't comment much on the technical aspects, but I am quite impressed with the cinematography. The camera movements dramatize the scenes (both outside and inside the plane). The unique costume design, which accurately represents the past, adds a plus point to the movie as well.

This movie is perfect for your weekend, with a mix of suspense and emotion. Enjoy watching!

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You either love it or hate it

If you plan to watch this movie with the mindset that it's gonna be the typical Korean romcom
this movie is probably not for you!
I went in with no expectations but I enjoyed every second of it.

This movie is one of the most realistic depictions of modern relationships I have ever watched.
Don't expect any grand gestures or a romance that will make your heart flutter.
But despite that and what some other reviews say, it was never boring.
The plot kept me intrigued, while it injected a lot of comedy that made me laugh uncontrollably.

The plot twist was AMAZING, but its not a very vital part of the story I would have enjoyed it, with or without it.
It just introduced an extra layer to the story which I found fun but not ground breaking.

Krystal was so natural in this I loved her character !!!

*spoilers from here*
This movie is more about the emotional needs and expectations within a relationship and what happens if they are not met.
Nobody was a bad person and they both tried to make it work. The ML was not insightful to realise the hurt he caused by the daily stressors that put a huge dent in their relationship. The mundane state of most relationships was not the fault of either of them cause if both people don't actively try to improve it, it could only lead to sourness. The romcom ending would have been for the ML to meet FL at the airport and for them to have happily ever after but it was already too late, the FL realised that the trust was already broken and she already found comfort in someone who meets her needs.

To people who said that this movie was about cheating ... I never though either of them cheated, they just naturally developed a connection with two different people, but if you watch back neither of them had a slight interest in taking things further and developing a romantic relationship with the 2nd leads. Only after they broke up they tried to move on.

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it has a kind of unbeatable innocence

As many viewers pointed already, this teen movie is quite tropey... Well, maybe we should use some other word instead, like - conformist, standard, predictable or whatever. But this is not at all bothersome, it is just what we expect to see from a teenage romantic movie, so it meets our expectations somehow.
The saving grace of this movie is the fresh approach - genuine young actors, ordinary life events, relatable series of events... All in all, a nice journey towards growing up.
It's hard to point the magical charm of this movie.
One thing i personally dont like in dramas is going down the memory lane... I mean, the past is there, just find another way to relate to it - if necessary - than opening this bracket.
Not sure abt rewatching, but glad to have spent a relaxing afternoon over it.

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