Reviews

Treeless Mountain was a poignant story about two little girls who were abandoned with relatives and seen through their innocent eyes. This was a spare, melancholy slice of life with little music or dialogue as the sisters learned to navigate their everchanging world.

Grade schooler Jin and her little sister Bin are dropped off at their paternal aunt’s house when their mother goes in search of their missing deadbeat father. As the mother leaves, she hands Jin a red piggy bank and tells her when it is full of coins they earn for doing chores for their aunt, she’ll return. Their aunt who doesn’t work and drinks too much soju does the bare minimum for them and sometimes not even that. The girls often find themselves alone and fending for themselves or asking a neighbor for food. Jin, who was a good student, is no longer enrolled in school. Despite their circumstances the girls stick together and look for ways to earn money to fill their piggybank.

This film eschewed dramatic music for natural sounds or the girls singing. The young actresses gave beautifully genuine, unpretentious performances. They carried the weight of the movie on their tiny shoulders as the story was seen through their eyes. It was agonizing watching Jin slowly piece together the reality of her life after the harsh realization of their situation hit her. Each emotional blow would rock her and she would slowly absorb the new information and try again. Kim Hee Yeon’s eyes told the depth of Jin’s pain. Though the girls were shuttled about, they stayed together and never gave into despair, always making the best of their lives.

Treeless Mountain demonstrated how vulnerable children are and how resilient they can be when they shouldn’t have to be. There were moments that were genuinely heartbreaking as Jin came to realize that adults lie and had let her down repeatedly and others that were filled with hope when she offered all she had to someone in need. This film will cause you to want to show great kindness to any children in your life-to cuddle them and fill their bellies with warm food and shelter them from all danger. Not every child has that security, some sisters live on a treeless mountain with only each other to truly depend on. While this slow meditation on the perils of childhood may not be for everyone, I found it to be deeply moving.

21 May 2024

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Where is Poirot?

The story of the film is not bad. From a simple beginning that did not promise much, the story became more and more complex with constant new plots and twists. Some actions of the protagonists were illogical to me, but I watched everything with interest until the end.

The center of the film takes place in one courtroom with 8 characters, except for a few short scenes from the outside that serve as context. So the scene is limited and the actors had to do a lot of work there, and I can't say that I'm completely satisfied. A film like this requires really top-notch acting because the viewer has the task of reading between the lines, that is, following the gestures of the actors more than the words they say. So the actors did not have an easy job because they are constantly in the scene, but occasionally their emotions are clearly acted out.

This movie reminded me of three things:
1. Movies about detective Poirot who tries to solve the mystery of an unknown murderer by analysing a group of suspicious people, but here such a charismatic character was missing.
2. Social party games like Mafia where you have to bluff to win. The dialogues that the actors had are similar to the assurances of the players that they are or are not the mafia in the aforementioned game.
3. Theatrical performances. Since everything takes place in the same space and the action does not require many effects, I had the impression of watching a theater play through the screen.

Another minus for the film is the camera, which is either static, or has sudden cuts so we don't see the action, or shakes too much at times and looks unprofessional.
Anyway, the film has enough tension that I would recommend it to fans of the crime genre.

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Discovered this 17 years later. beautiful tragic love story.

Things you need to know about me: I am a total and complete prude, I don't watch sexually explicit shows, I hate tragedies, and I hate gore. This is all of those. And it was exquisite. (I did close my eyes during the gore -- and there's a lot.) I've watched in four times since then.

This is an intense, emotionally intense sexually explicit/sensual love story. It is highly erotic, and those scenes are beautiful. (and smoking hot too.) But even their glances at each other are sensual and you see their love bloom. It's not just the sex.

It does not have a happy ending, and yet I was satisfied with the ending. More on that later.

For the homosexual relationship, the king considers the ML as his lover. But as a pedophile and sexual predator, he cannot love him. He uses him and owns him. He believes he loves him. But it is a relationship with complete imbalance of power. You can see that the ML had no choice from the beginning, has lived with the king for years since he was a little child, is under his complete control, and is effectively the sex slave of the king. Subtle glimpses of this throughout -- his humiliation that he has to wear the delicate feminine clothes that the king gifts him in front of the soldiers he leads, and the mocking he endures by the other soldiers, who all know he is the "chosen one" of the king.

He is forced by the king to have sex with the FL, but you know that he is intrigued with and interested in her beforehand -- his glimpses of her before this event, and his gentleness in their first forced encounters reveals that. By the middle he is torn between knowing he is owned by the king, and his own love for the FL. He has guilt and despair knowing he is hurting the king. You see ML's experience of Stockholm syndrome throughout the film. In contrast, the two heterosexual main FL and ML experience a sexual explosion that leads them to experience a deep love for the first time in their lives. They are clearly smitten, not just sexually. You see his utter bliss of finally feeling loved and sexually fulfilled after being with the FL in different situations, not just sex. By the middle of the film, you see the ML pursuing his own desires and wishes, and not just being used. He pursued the FL (not just sexually) as opposed to his relationship with the king, where he is the pursued, and, now knowing what love truly is, he has to bear it. For the FL, who is also being used, she also discovers that the ML loves her, and is blissful and fulfilled for the first time.

The three main actors are unbelievable in their parts. The ML actor is INCREDIBLE. His every subtle expression -- you have to see the film more than once to see how brilliant he is.

Why I was satisfied with the ending: despite knowing that their life-changing love will end in tragedy -- the ending is beautiful -- because both the ML and FL realize that the other loves them (no one ever has before) they both stand up to the king and speak their truth, despite knowing the consequences. The ML breaks free from his abuser and tells him, "I never loved you! I love the queen!!" Their love for each other has given him courage and power to break off his shackles and stand up to the king, no matter the cost. There's some misunderstanding about whether ML loves the king. It's very clear to me he doesn't and never did. There would be no need for him to lie at the end when his life as about to be over. When he turns to the king at the end, he is NOT showing he loves him. He's making sure the king is dead so he doesn't go after the queen.

It's utterly beautiful. I highly recommend it.
Sincerely, the utter prude with delicate sensibilities.

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Predictable + Entertaining = Good Enough

I will admit-- I thought this movie was more about healing and overcoming past tragedies to welcome new beginnings, based on the synopsis and posters. However, I wouldn't say it's much about healing-- but rather, this is an action thriller film with hints of revenge drama that keeps you on your toes, but doesn't want you to use your brain too much.

If I have to discuss about the story, there isn't much to say. There's not much to hate, but there's not much to praise either. Most of it was predictable, the plot twists didn't have much effect on the overall film's shock value and the characters aren't the type you haven't seen before. If I have to nitpick, some scenes were a bit too illogical for me to look past, the antagonists were cliche, and some of the choices made by the main characters were stupid (but I get it, since those choices conveniently made way for shit to keep happening throughout the 2-hour runtime). If you watch stuff for the plot and the plot only, I wouldn't recommend this film.

However, there's a pattern with Korean noir/action films that I've noticed as of late, upon watching another noir action drama the other day-- Ji Chang Wook's 'The Worst of Evil' (which I dropped, because it was just not worth 12 hours for me). The plot is a background character, the writing is not important. What IS important, is pretty much everything else-- the directing, the production, cinematography, acting, action scene choreography etc. They want you to focus on everything BUT the writing. It is a bit lazy and un-creative, but if you're looking to entertain yourself (and nothing more) with a movie, then these are it. This is it. I, on the other hand, care a lot about the writing of a film or tv series, so perhaps that's why I was pretty bothered with the screenplay throughout this movie. It didn't hinder my enjoyment way too much though, because 'Night in Paradise' is visually striking.

Now, to sum all the good points of this film up, the cinematography and acting from the main leads take the cake and eat it. Set conveniently in Jeju Island, the cinematographer didn't have to think too hard in order to make this film pleasant for the eyes. That, but the actions scene were nicely shot too and didn't make my eyes hurt from trying to find a point to focus on. Next, the acting performances were nothing short of amazing. This was my first time watching Uhm Tae Goo, and I might've become a fan. And Jeon Yeo Bin gave exactly what I'd expected from her-- excellence.

The music wasn't anything special, sadly. If the music slapped, I might've rated this higher.

In conclusion, this is an entertaining action film that's easy on the eyes-- and might've been a little too easy on the brain.

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Wow what a mind boggle

To what I initially thought would be a boring crime story, ended up being quite a thrilling and well tied together story.

This would not be considered a comedy, as it focuses more on the dramatical aspect of the crime scene. It does have its few little comedic moments which relieves tension from the mystery unravelling at hand.

As you watch, more elements are added, and perspectives shown. The reveal in the end was quite the shocker. The actor Lao Li does a brilliant job acting, especially considering his character who's will to live is motivated by his son.

It's hard to not say much, definitely at the beginning it was kind of slow and you wonder what was the point of it all, but at the end all characters are explored and made sense as to why their fate's met in this one room.

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An exciting and sexy story that portrays sexual awakening in adolescence

Yang Yong Ning enjoys the last days of summer alone before returning to classes for the upcoming new school year. Suddenly, he best friend Ji Yijie, who has not seen him for a long time, calls him and invites him to have fun and walk through the streets of Taipei at midnight, the only witness of the love and sexual awakening of the two teenagers.
From the dramatic and youth genre with LGBTIQ+ themes, 'Beats Per Minute' (午夜節拍 / Wu Ye Jie Pai, Wu Yeh Chieh Pai) asks us a question: can romantic love arise from friendship?
In his second short film, screenwriter, director and editor Lin Guan Chen portrays the queer perspective, the main trait that identifies today's youth.
As he did in 'Shift Gear' (2022), the Taiwanese filmmaker focuses on the LGBTQ+ community and how Generation Z can face their confusion in this chaotic world, in the effort to contribute to overcoming the heteronormative paradigm, leaving a priori behind binary according to which one is by default a boy or a girl, homosexual or heterosexual; in short, to understand sexuality as a broad spectrum.
'Beats Per Minute' tries to capture these new ways of conceiving identities and transmitting the processes that the protagonists experience when assuming, expressing and experiencing them.
In its almost 20 minutes, the short film exposes the obvious physical attraction between the two young men, while they talk about girls and making love with them, perhaps in an attempt to deny their true feelings.
Yang Yong Ning makes it very clear right away: he is in love with Ma Ji Yijie. That's why he secretly steals photos of him while he pretends to take snapshots of the stars, dances for him, plays constant pranks on him and suffers in silence when he discovers that they could separate when his friend has to leave to live in Canada, as is his mother's wish.
On the other hand, for the young man who, from his words, appears to be heterosexual, this feeling towards his friend is a new and unexpected experience. However, he does not hesitate to be the first to kiss him.
And yes, the attraction between the two protagonists will end up crystallizing when Yang Yong Ming also kisses his friend.
Tung Wang's cinematography helps to successfully portray the charming sparks between the two young actors and the beauty of the Taiwanese capital.
Although at the beginning of the century, queer fiction was defined by transgression and reaffirmation, as a form of resistance in a very hostile environment, this short film reclaims adolescence as the period of doubts and fears. Instead of associating it with transgression, the queer attitude is associated with vulnerability, tenderness and the willingness to get closer to the other.
Without ignoring fears, insecurities and vulnerabilities, the short film builds from fiction a warm, optimistic and luminous universe to embrace the queer experience of the two protagonists.
Produced by Yi Juyng Lin, 'Beats Per Minute' is a film that manages to portray what it is like to live in the closet during adolescence and that reminds us that LGBT+ people also deserve to live a love story. It is, in short, an exciting and sexy story that portrays the sexual awakening in that period of a person's life that lies between childhood and adulthood.

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The scenery is pretty to look at, but the story and emotions are lacking

First of all, let me praise the movie a little. This movie has a beautiful opening shot, in Bolivia, and all of the travel shots are absolutely breathtaking to look at. The travelogue part of the story was quite enjoyable. Bolivia, Czechia, and Iceland were unique and special locations to visit. If you paired this beautiful scenery with a good story it would be a hit for sure.

Unfortunately, the story was not good. The story is supposed to be romantic... but what kind of romance is this? The story is about the FL running away from the ML so they are apart from each other for almost the whole movie. Most of the flashbacks make their relationship look mediocre. So what kind of romance is this? They don't seem like they share real love together. There are very few romantic scenes. The movie is mostly just the ML moping in bars and complaining he can't find her.

The acting was also surprisingly bad. I thought the ML Satoh Takeru did an okay job but both FLs were quite bad. Mori Nana was trying too hard to act cute and Nagasawa Masami (the main FL) seemed very fake in all of her emotional scenes. For example, when she was pretending to cry I thought it was very unbelievable and bad acting.

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Deeply sad and tear-jerking movie! everything is awesome!!

LAHN MAH : How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was deeply sad and tear-jerking movie. with its powerful storytelling and emotional depth, this movie left me in a puddle of tears. i started cryin in the first 30 minutes, the pray paper part. then it became layers upon layers of unending sadness that kept making me cry.

mixed feelings, mainly because of the 40% relatable plot + Amah as a grandma figure who feels so real + the touching moment of finally seeing Billkin and Tu Tontawan loml, on the big screen of my country + proud because many witnessed the debut movie of my idols. Amah's acting, considering this is her debut film, is truly incredible. Billkin and his consistently powerful crying scenes. Tu with her first movie debut. not biased more, but this is really worth to watch and i feel i'm a proud fan because my idol's debut movie as MAIN LEAD was so awesome!🥹

if u feel u can't relate bcs your relationship with your grandma, hear me out, it doesn't have to be related because of the closeness of grandchild and grandma, it can also be related to thinking about "whether one day i will be like Amah's child?". then i love small conversations such as Amah asking "have you eaten yet?" "the lights are turned off?" those are really close with real life. small details like M's sandals which came off in a hurry, waering same clothes etc. we all know GDH never disappoints. and now Lahn Mah is getting 300,000+ viewers in 5 days of screening in Indonesia! it's more than amazing!!! i cried a lotttt😭🥹💓💖💌💞🫶🏻

this movie will leave you sobbing uncontrollably!! ((my experience))

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Horror movie in Erotica Clothing

Anyone walking in might be surprised to find that that this is more than just a gay erotic movie. This is so much more than that. This is a genuinely good horror movie disguised as an Erotic film and I think that fact will turn many people away. Which I think is a massive shame.

It's a psychosexual thriller with solid acting, and an interesting storyline that I think is explored well. Even during the short runtime I was constantly glued to the screen, figuring out what's happening. Yes there are sex scenes but they're visceral and violent, obviously not meant to be gratifying but to add to the horrors the main characters are going through.

I recommend this for anyone willing to look past it's label of Pinku Film and see it for what it really is. A competent horror movie.

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