Reviews

"A tiger's daughter is no kitten indeed"

Lady Detective Shadow was a low budget Dragon Gate Inn adjacent movie. The fights, story, and sets were the equivalent of a mediocre Cdrama. What it did have going for it was a competent female lead, a former royal constable, ousted by an evil, powerful eunuch during the chaotic times of the Ming Dynasty.

Sima Fei Yan and her sidekick Yezi head to Shacheng in search of the bandit Lu Jiang. Lu Jiang and numerous sects and bandits are headed there in search of the mysterious treasure that reveals itself every 49 years in the desert. Everyone converges on a rundown inn where death is a familiar guest. Official Song and his servants wind up in pieces out in the woods giving Fei Yan another case to solve. Helping her is the local official, Wu Ping, a friend of her late father.

This film had an adequate story and acting though the logic during the final quarter of the film fell apart. The fights were shot for people with no kung fu skills with lots of obvious cuts, sped up and slowed down action, and wire work. The bare minimum was put into the sets and CGI. Shang Rong did her best with the Sherlockian, unemotional role of the brilliant detective.

If you have nothing else to watch except for this film, it’s not an awful way to spend 90 minutes if you keep your expectations as low as a buried city in the desert.

15 July 2024

Leia Mais

Don't watch without watching drama

I just finished watching the movie and I want to point out that it's important to watch the drama first, otherwise the movie won't make much sense. What I enjoyed the least about the movie is that they left out the most important and interesting parts of the drama, which made the movie more boring and confusing. It's okay if they want to focus on the love story, but they shouldn't just include boring scenes, especially for those who have seen the drama. For instance, in the drama, there was a significant shared moment between the characters when the male lead carried the female lead after she was drunk and they walked to their base talking. Also, there was a skipped part before the movie where they had a shared little date, which would have been interesting to see. Additionally, there was a part where he asked if they could give it a try, but they skipped the part when she responded to him and they started dating. There were many other interesting parts that were skipped, such as after they started dating when they went on a date to the movies and he got a little angry. The movie only showed a little bit of what happened. Lastly, the movie also missed the part when one of the characters found out they were dating in the rain when they kissed. Instead, it jumped to a scene where they were in their rooms talking on the phone.

Leia Mais

GOOD FILM IN ITS ENTIRETY BUT….

Okay so..
This film was pretty chill to watch eventhough it actually challenged my feelings.
First, too much timelapses and things showed partially making us confused at some point.
For example (only one in a lot btw) :
Idk, I don’t understand why Jonathan stopped when they were about to have sex with Carrie, like I can’t he couldn’t but why ? He was sort of motivated smh so…
Then the characters :
- Carrie ! I know everyone is coming at her and I’m also in this case. I mean I loved her reaction when she understood Jonathan had feeling for his best friend like she didn’t go harsh on him and respected him. BUT girlie I can’t tolerate that you went for Shane after that (I know it was completely not planned, that she couldn’t help but still…) because you knew how Jonathan felt about him. Also because of those confusing timelapses I was talking about, we had her on screen ´grieving ´about the end of her relationship with jonathan and then after few times going to the basketball game of shane and her breaking down in front of him out of sorrow and then they got together. Like out of the blue. We didn’t get the background of them getting together except them kissing. And this scene also bothers me because Shane (yes shame on in him as well) initiated the kissing move while she was confiding to him and she answered back….

A little thing that had me confused as much as the timelapses was the transgender book’s apparition. Although I’m still pretty confused now about it I’m thinking maybe he was questioning wanting to be a girl to be able to date his best friend, I mean you know when people see others and are like ´ do I wanna be her or do I wanna be with…’ maybe he was questioning himself about wanting to be one of those girls around Shane or else.
But even this explanation (far-fetched I know lol ) still doesn’t explain fully the apparition of the transgender book instead of another queer book but maybe it was also the only knowledge they had back then in Taiwan about queer people idk tbh ?

Also what the heck was the old dude who slept with a broken hearted Jonathan doing ?? He disgusts me like why would you go in the streets, sit down next to someone for no reason, seeing they are crying and still invite them over an hotel to litteraly f*ck them ?? This scene was as uncomfy as confusing to watch…

- SHANE ! Because why most are shaming only Carrie when Shane was also the problem in this ? I mean he didn’t know abt his bsf’s feelings BUT what he knew for sure is that Carie was his girlfriend…. I also ´forgive ´ him smh as I did for carrie because you can’t ´help ´ with feelings but still…
Then I think it’s pretth clear that he is in love with his best friend by the way he looks at him (anybody becomes transparent to him smh when jonathan is in his sight), he wants to be with him everytime (even when jonathan clearly wants some space ?). I know I’ve also described typical best friends’ actions but he went further and don’t wanna realize his feelings for jonathan (I understand smh knowing how hard the times were back then especially in taiwan). I mean who would get down to their best friend like nothing ?? Also many things I didn’t like about this sex scene was :
* Jonathan didn’t seem to be consentent. He said multiple times ´no ´. I know he stopped talking at some point but still idk. It felt wrong like I felt uneasy…
* Shane it is cheating on carrie! Even if you did tell her right after (which is a good thing to do to begin with) it still is gross !
* The fact he played the blind at what happened even when he was the one initiating sex between him and jonathan… Like why didn’t you try to give him explanations ???

And the fact he decided to still stay stucked to his ´best friends ´ card after that is actually quite disappointing. I mean you had sex with him, he confessed but instead of giving explanations before rejecting him if you don’t have the strength to commit into queer relationships, you stucked with anecdotes of your childhood and took out once again the bsf card ?.



To end, it was a good and pretty chill film to watch but a few things were actually confusing and/or annoying. No memorable OSTs but the cast and acting were fire !
The end had me confused a little bit but I understood it. A shoutout to the people who explained things especially the end further in the comments ! I love y’all sm ??

Leia Mais

Gangsta's Paradise

I bounced off walls with joy and excitement when I came across this movie. It has been too long since we have seen a hard core Hong Kong style triad martial arts movie like this. Not to mention the cast - Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Raymond Lam; literally a Who's Who of veteran Hong Kong action super stars. Adapted from Andy Seto's manhua "City of Darkness," this movie is set in the 1980s in the Kowloon Walled City, or Hak Nam/黑暗 as it was known to locals. Dismantled in 1993, this was once the most crowded place on earth, packing 35,000 people within 6.4 acres. This infamous den of iniquity was a gangsta's paradise; a dystopian, lawless enclave of mostly refugees where crime proliferated and triads kept the peace with their own brand of street justice. The replica of the Walled City is viscerally authentic down to the chaotic claustrophobia of structure piled precariously upon structure and the stench of overflowing humanity permeating the dank, narrow corridors.

This fast-paced action-packed movie that pays tribute to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema exploits tried and true themes of loyalty, brotherhood and vigilante justice. Chan Lok-Kwun (Raymond Lam) is a mainland refugee that sneaks into HK in the 1980s. He runs afoul of triad boss Mr Big (Sammo Hung) and in a thrilling chase, jumps from the frying pan into the fire of the Walled City. Through blood, sweat and bone-crunching fights, he earns the grudging respect of Typhoon and his underlings, who keep the peace within the Walled City. The narrative rushes through not that well fleshed out subplots involving past grudges and shady business deals but who cares? They are simply excuses to stage one innovative, physics defying action scene after another featuring fighters dressed to kill at 1980s comic-con. While Typhoon and his rival Mr Big anchor the narrative, the younger crew really hold their own up against the intimidating cast. I laughed out loud at their moments of dark humor and brash camaraderie.

One of this movie's top highlights is the the gritty, awe-inspiring recreation of the dystopian underworld within the Walled City; a place that spawned countless video games and works of fiction. The action scenes pay tribute to the manhua with outlandish cartoon-like combatants and the death proof brawls featuring wildly exaggerated superpowers. The fight scenes got more fantastical as the movie progresses and climaxes in a crazy, all-out extended take down of an almost invincible villain. I was on the edge of my seat with excitement and anxiety the entire time; thinking more than once that the bad guy was gonna win. Nonetheless I felt the best fights were early on, where despite the astounding athleticism, they were still grounded in some semblance of reality. I had my heart in my mouth watching Chan Lok-Kwun's opening shattered glass skirmish, the way he fights his way out of tight spaces on the bus and his parkour like first foray into the Walled City. This is how real martial arts action scenes should be choreographed and filmed. Later on, while still inventive and gripping, the action strays a bit too far into the realm of the fantastical.

This movie is a must watch and not just for old times' sake; preferably in Cantonese and on the big screen. It shows that Hong Kong cinema is still alive and well and stands the test of time. I am only rating this an 8.0/10.0 because the plot could have been better but the overall entertainment value vastly exceeds this rating.

Leia Mais

uma aventura de se acompanhar

Uma das coisas que mais me impressionaram nesse filme é como as relações nele são construídas, você consegue perceber o amor, a tristeza, a amizade etc de forma tão intensa que é quase como se eu fosse a pessoa por trás da câmera captando os momentos. Honestamente o filme foi uma experiência muito mais dolorosa do que qualquer outra, me peguei refletindo como cruel a vida pode ser com algumas pessoas em aspectos diferentes; com o ryuta é possível acompanhar um personagem que precisa se submeter a uma rotina exploratória para ter um mínimo de dignidade e conseguir ajudar sua mãe. Enquanto no kosuke se acompanha uma pessoa que teve uma certa negligência ao amor por boa parte da vida finalmente encontrando uma reciprocidade e tendo isso tirado de uma maneira horrível. Estou de verdade surpreso com o filme, se encaminhou para um lado que eu não esperava mas foi uma experiência incrível até o final.

Leia Mais

Forgettable cutness and fluff

Well, this was ....watchable? A cute school romance, nothing more, nothing less. Unfortunately!

Maya is considered ugly in her school and when she confesses to her crush she is violently rejected. When the school heartthrob sees her unhappy, he offers to help her get over her crush by pretending to be in love with him. And it works better than they could have imagined!

First: Maya is not ugly. The actress is very pretty and I checked the manga as well, she is not ugly there either. So I guess my western eye cannot understand the japanese notions of beauty. Maya is rejected because she is considered ugly by a boy who is actually ugly: both inside and outside.
Second: it took me some time to understand the point of playing the unrequited love game with the school top popular boy. It was his a bit sneaky way to get her to know him better because he had already noticed her before and wanted to get closer to her. I found this very weird but then again teens are not known to have smart ideas when hormones are raging!
Third: it is a shame that japanese mangas do not do cross overs. Sometimes in the last third there was another possibility of romance was hinted but unfortunately it rested on the bromance level. That would have been a surprising twist giving this film an edge. But, well, maybe next time? In my dreams...

The film has no depth either of characters or the plot. As usual when based on a manga, these teens have no parents present. The school is not too harsh an environment and Maya seems to be coping well with repeated humiliations (as in she does not really care or she cares for about 5 seconds!). Some people complained about the lack of expressiveness in ML but I did not mind his unmoving, stony face: he was supposed to be high above others, a king on his throne, unreachable and difficult to get close to and understand.

This film is a cute and forgettable piece of fluff, a perfect Sunday watch!

Leia Mais

Me gustó mucho

Historia
La trama me parece genial. Hay una serie y un libro donde se basaron está historia. Creo que la película es más apegada al libro.
Es muy interesante, la duración es 2 horas, pero se pasan volando.

Actuación/elenco
Para mí estuvieron bien. Hay muchos cameos al estar el prota transformándose. Y yo la vi más porque aparece mí actor favorito por bastante tiempo.

Musica
No recuerdo ningún tema especial.

Valor de repetición
Mírala cuántas veces tu corazón requiera. Yo miré la película después de ver la serie. Me gustó más la película porque no se me hizo pesada, pero la serie tiene elementos interesantes como la condición del protagonista.
Me faltó leer el libro, pero gusto mucho la trama.

Leia Mais

Peak indie toku

A genuinely staggering piece of independent tokusatsu filmmaking, Ork is a truly touching look into loss and self-destruction combining the aesthetics of Kamen Rider and the stylings of Shinji Higuchi. If I hadn't known that this was shot entirely on an iPhone I would have genuinely mistaken it for something we often see produced by professionals. It's absolutely beautiful in its imagery, gorgeously crafted, deeply emotional, evocative stunningly choreographed and elaborately staged, not letting any of its limitations hold it back. Wonderfully acted and backed by an incredible score, Ork really has opened my eyes to the wider scope of indie tokusatsu filmmaking. I can see these guys going far, I hope they make another one.

Leia Mais

It Delivers Light-Hearted, Unpretentious Storytelling and Palpable Chemistry Between BarDa

Why You Should Watch It Now

1. It showcases the undeniable & sizzling ✨ chemistry between Barbie and David that joyously ? transcends from TV to the big screen. Even the seniors in the cinema where I watched it can't help but giggle whenever they have confrontation scenes. ?

2. It's a romantic ? comedy that serves on point yet very tense?and butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing conversations between the main leads - you would wish you were there in the scene with them. ?? The yacht scene is my favorite. I wish Adam and Mila would stay in that yacht until they produce 12 kids together. ? ?

But, seriously, that yacht-long conversation scene can make your heart tremble and your knees weak. ? David has really mastered the subtle acting art. Every nuance, expression, gesture, and vocal delivery of someone who's falling in love - HE BLOODY NAILED IT.

3. Barbie Forteza wears so many beautiful dresses ? in this movie. She officially ended ? her teen-girl persona era while she struts around wearing all those chic and fashionable outfits.

4. Some scenes are filmed in South Korea. ? They added a more romantic ambiance ✨ to the whole story.

5. No villains, no side stories, the whole movie is all about how love finds Adam and Mila. ?

6. No poverty porn! Yes! It depicts the Philippines positively, showing affluent places and decent working and dwelling spaces for the female lead. I hate it when Filipino movies keep on showcasing poverty porn.

My only complaint is that it's TOO short despite being a 2-HOUR-PLUS LONG movie. I wanted more. It's BITIN! It's not enough for me ? ?

Leia Mais

The story writing has to be better than this

A standard disaster survival formulaic that bears a lot of similarities to their own Korean counterpart, everything feels too familiar and predictable, done with just a different set of creatures and characters. The setting is surely not a problem, to execute this brilliantly it requires top quality writing, but the emotions just don't hit so well in here, not to mention about the plot holes that are hard not to notice, action sequence is acceptable though it looks too much of a setup on purpose. As one of the two final films of the late actor Lee Sunkyun, his performance is respectable and it will be remembered in the legacy of his works.

Leia Mais

I started this because of lee junyoung, and went with no expectation (since a lot of people criticized it).

Contrary to my expectations, it’s not that bad. First the actions, I appreciate it. They use continous shot a lot. This is really hard to take. And for non continous shot, the action and reaction is well filmed, so the actions really flow, so to speak.
The weapon they use also varies, and the way they use gun is also quite exhilarating to watch. Ma dong seok is truly made for action. If you see the movie, his character can be said to be very efficient. Compared to jiwan who use lot of bullets, namsan makes sure he shot the head.

The plot, as people says it’s not revolutionary, but it’s not bad. There are too many end-of-world movie these days that it’s hard to create something unique. But it’s true that I wasn’t able to be emotionally invested in the plot. No supposedly sad scene was able to make me cry. Well it’s normal, I don’t think the character even cried. I would’ve love if they put more effort in crafting emotional scenes.

The comedy is okay too. It didn’t make me laugh uncontrollably, but it did make me chuckle. I especially like the stepmother joke lol

I’ll add something about the gore. I don’t like gore and this movie didn’t bother me in that aspect. Even if the scene is considered gore, it moved fast. Since it doesn’t focus on the gore itself, it’s not sickening.

Another disadvantage this movie had, there’s almost no tension, where you’re scared the main cast gonna die or something bad gonna happen to them, since ma dong seok character nam san is too invincible. He doesn’t really face meaningful obstacle that can threaten him. This is common problem a lot of action movies face.

When physical obstacles can’t be added since the character is set to be invincible, they should’ve added emotional obstacles.
They should just kill someone in the main cast. That emotional explosion would be good. I would have cried if ji wan died.

It doesn’t feel that rewatchable so I want to put 7.5 rating… but I don’t wanna lower rating of lee junyoung work so I’ll put 8 ?

Leia Mais