Reviews

Story: The premise is simple. A young gay couple comes at a cross-roads upon graduation. They have opposing ambitions: one wants to be a pastor, and the other wants to be a soccer player, but neither wants to give up their dreams for their relationship to work.

Actors: Not too shabby portrayal of two boys who are supposedly in love, but conflicted.

Music: The religious hymns brought back memories when I studied at a Christian school. I was surprised that I even remembered some of the lyrics. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

Rewatch value: Only to figure out what really happened at the end.

Overall impression: After watching this short, I found that the more important part of the boy's relationship is that neither of them communicated to each other what they were planning to do with their future. They had to find out from their mutual friend about it. And then after they confronted each other about the possibility of one going into a seminary and the other going abroad to play soccer, they had to rethink what is more important to them.

At one point, when they tried to dissuade their partner from going through their plans, it seemed like they were bitter that their partner wouldn't compromise and support their own respective dreams. Kai's excuse was that his father wouldn't have approved his lifestyle choice since he came from a very traditional, religious background. Jay, on the other hand, thought that the opportunity to study abroad is hard to come by, and therefore, he had more potential to go further.

Actually, what surprises me about this film are the secondary characters, in the form of that mutual friend who served as a catalyst between Kai and Jay. She's the mediator in their relationship, like a voice of reason. Kai's father also wasn't as restrictive as he was presumed to be. Although he might not know the exact nature of Kai's relationship with Jay, the dad instinctively knew that there's something troubling his son, and Kai's decision to apply for the seminary might be misguided.

With this new revelation, you would have thought that the boys would have made different choices, but it goes to show that the thing you thought you might want, might not be the thing that you need. Would you give up on your dreams to have a chance at love, or would you abandon your partner to pursue your chosen career? This is dilemma that this short film is trying to address, and some people may choose differently than others.

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Respect the Dead

The atmosphere of the film is haunting. The only film I could compare this to is "The Wailing". Exuma has elements of belief in Feng shui, Shamanism and even Christianity. And if the viewer believes, they are guaranteed to be terrified watching this. Personally, I was completely engaged with the film, and although I was aware that it was about paranormal stuff, I was convinced that it was real, which made the viewing experience very intense for me.

I was confused by how our main characters, in the first part of the film, routinely and even disrespectfully carry out their work, but when they are faced with the special task of digging up a problematic mysterious dead body in a coffin, they become completely dedicated to their work. As a priest, I also perform funerals every day and sometimes I am not completely concentrated, so this film encourages me to try, as much as possible, to give sincere respect and a dignified tribute to each deceased person.

All in all, the actors did a great job. The sequence of the story changed its course throughout the film, but at the end we still see a meaningful unity that leads us to appreciate the cooperation and connection between the four main protagonists.

After the news of the film's success in Korean cinemas, I had high expectations for this and indeed, Exuma didn't disappoint.

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Average

Honestly, this one was average at best. It's like a typical romance that I often see in some novels or dramas. The storyline is nothing special to me. I just like the youthful feeling it gives and I guess the cast? They're cute.

The storyline, on the other hand, contains no complicated plot. There may be a second male lead, but after getting rejected, he was like "Okay. Bye bye, Good luck." Also! I know the male lead is characterized as straightforward, but he really should learn how to say it nicely. Though he apologized for it, what he said hurt (really). Anyway, overall, it's a good movie I think (though it does not belong to one of my favorites), especially when you are in the mood for a not-so-complex plot, like you just want to see something romantic for a moment. Also! One good thing about it is that it's pretty much a story that flows naturally, so it does not feel rushed that much.

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"You look familiar"

White Butterfly Killer falls deeply into the woman wronged revenge kung fu flick genre. Hsu Feng played the woman who had survived the death of her grandfather and sexual assault by a gang of bandits. After six long years she finally comes face to face with them and prepares to take them out one by one.

The White Butterfly owns an inn on the Leopard Mountain where all sorts of ruffians hang out. She and her girls who are trained in kung fu serve the customers and take down any men who cause trouble in her place. One evening a familiar face walks in. She recognizes him as one of the gang members who assaulted her and killed her grandfather. The White Butterfly enlists her trusted sidekicks to help her destroy the gang that set her life on a new course. In that gang, is one man who had helped her escape. Would he help her again or bring about her death?

White Butterfly Killer was a low budget Taiwanese movie. Much of the filming took place on a rundown location and a dusty road which lent an old west feel to it. The setting would alternate between day and night depending on who was on screen. The film opened with a fight between two factions that ended up at her inn as she took in a wounded inspector. This was never really brought up again. An inspector might have been pertinent with a band of vile outlaws staying under the same roof, but there you go. Somewhere through the years the sides have been cropped off the film which always makes the action concentrated in the center.

Hsu Feng may not have been a martial artist but kept up with the men she fought quite well. Her fighting was no worse than many of the extras with the choreography provided and her acting was stronger than some of the women in kung fu movies at the time. The “good” guy in the gang played by Kou Feng was a strange character. He hated some of the things the gang did but owed his life to the leader, his adoptive father. He encouraged Hsu’s character to just leave everything in the past. “Those who kill, will be killed.” Somehow that line is almost never used on men seeking justice/revenge for wrongs. And the ending drove that point home in case women didn’t catch it. Had it not been for the downer of an ending I might have rated this slightly higher.

The White Butterfly’s philosophy reminded me of the lyrics to The (Dixie) Chick’s song---
“I’m not ready to make nice. I’m not ready to back down.
I'm still mad as hell, and I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round
It's too late to make it right, I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell, can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should”

24 April 2024

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I'm not sure why it made into a movie, not sure what the director's vision of it. So boring.

Ten Years of Loving You is a Romantic comedy starring Ren Mi and Ding Yu Xi. I wonder why it was made and released.

Nothing original or exceptional about the plot, and the acting could be better, especially Ren Mi.

Synopsis: At 17, Wen Heng, an adopted child, was finally found by her biological parents and brought back to the family home in Beijing. This heartwarming story explores the challenges of adjusting to a new family dynamic, a situation many of us can relate to. However, tensions arise when her adopted sister feels threatened by her presence and starts throwing tantrums. To maintain family harmony, Wen Heng is asked to move into a family friend's house next door.

There, Wen Heng meets Yan Xi, and the two embark on a journey of self-discovery and friendship as they live together and go to school together. But this idyllic life is soon disrupted, as Yan Xi has to return to America to be with his sick mother, leaving Wen Heng to face new challenges and grow as a person.

My Reviews:
- The story is dull and has little excitement.
- The acting could be better, especially in the case of Ren Mi.
- I watched it on YouTube, where the audio was silent for almost 1/2 of the movie; it was so bad that I didn't bother to finish it.

I gave it a 4.0 rating for the bad story and the acting ability of the entire cast.

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I literally cried my eyes out on this movie!

Honestly this movie was on my watchlist for alot of time and I finally decided to watch it. And I again of course cried. Haeun and miso's friendship was really good. Honestly, I tried to understand both of their point of views. Haeun was a calm minded person who keeps things to herself and bottle up her emotions. Where as miso was the hasty one who says things on face. I cried alot at the ending. Haeun deserved so much better. So did miso, she wasn't wrong but she wasn't right either. When she was wearing jinwoo's necklace the whole time it didn't made sense to me but when in the ending they showed that haeun saw them kissing - and when miso asked to borrow the necklace I understood miso's point of view. Jinwoo said that necklace saved him from dying when he was a child, and miso wanted to be saved from the world, i may be wrong but that's what my mind goes like. It wasn't wrong in miso's pov. But someone who can understand haeun better, I understand haeun's dejection and disappointment. I liked it that miso completed the drawing of herself x that haeun couldn't. I liked it that she wants others to think haeun is still alive though she is not. Their bond wasn't fragile. I cried after the movie got completed for 2 hours straight. So just go for it.

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It felt like : Parallel reality of Cutie Pie the series

I haven’t see the trailer beforehand, I jumped directly to the movie.

And for what I got to see, it gave me IFYLITA vibes watered with softer horror tones.

P’Zee and NuNew’s performance didn’t surprise me, because they delivered as usual (I’m referring to CP the series).
The plot was good,sweet and simple and somehow directive but it wasn’t made for them, I think that they need more challenging characters and roles, taking into account what they have already done and in their potential.
This plot was more oriented for newcomers actors.
Watchable but not rewatchable.. it’s the kind of movies you’ll forget once you finished it.
At the end I had the sensation that I watched Cutie Pie the series( because of the elements portrayed in both characters), but in parallel reality. Spoke out my thoughts….

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Worth watching if you like conspiracy,well built characters…

I was so anxious to see the film and when it was finally available for my country I didn’t hesitate one second when I got the time.
Mile, Apo and Tong never disappoints when it comes to perform and deliver .
Even though it was a film it was really intense and I confess that I was a bit lost and confused but I paused sometimes to get my ideas on place and understand the story. For me it’s a good ‘cause it made it interesting.
We can’t deduce the end without watching it entirely and even at the end I was surprised.
I loved how they build intelligent and complex characters my only regret was that it was sooooooooo short.
When you’re in you forget time notions and just dive in the story.

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Thrilling and suspenseful enough!

The movie starts with Zheng wei,played by Greg Hsu,meeting Joanna,played by Janine Chang on the charges of investigating a murder case involving her and her ex lover.
Though it is shot in a locked room with serious discussions between Greg Hsu and Janine Chang,the twists are mind blowing.
The plot is very intriguing and the screenplay also makes us stick to our seats till the end.
The ost was perfect for each and every scene.
The finale revelation of the villain really leaves us astonished.The pace is also good.
Greg Hsu is one amazing actor I found through this movie.
Janine Chang is one actress with both beauty and talent.Both of them were perfect in their roles.
Everything else was also equally good.
Watch this movie if you want to watch a perfect crime thriller.Highly recommended.?

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High School Romance (reminder there is an extra scene of them after so don't end the movie)

Our Secret Diary was probably one of the best Japanese romance movies I've ever watched before, the story was so good on how he thought it was Matsumoto when it was Kuroda, it was so cute when Setoyama realized it was Kuroda after the karaoke bar while they were walking she said something to motivate him which was what he saw in the desk but he didn't want to end it because he loved talking to her though a notebook he gave to he and it absolutely so cute when they were studying in the classroom and Kuroda said she wished the best for him and Matsumoto and he kissed which was SUPER DUPER CUTE!!!!!!!!!! and when she confessed that she wasn't Matsumoto he ran to her and confessed he liked her. But then he realized he was on air and everyone could hear him and they ended up being together and DON'T FORGET TO WATCH ALL THE WAY TO THE END BECAUSE THERE'S A SCENE WITH BOTH OF THEM WHEN THEY'RE OLDER. I super duper recommend this movie for you people to watch.

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One sided love

Honestly this movie was one of the best japanese movies I've ever watched and the way he wanted do the one sided love game with her was so cute. It was so cute how he was her stalker and he played the game to get closer with her,I honestly believe this is such an amazing movie because both actors really fit into the charaters personality and how they both experienced one sided love. I was honestly so cute how he cofessed how he was her stalker at the end and a few scenes showed up with him admiring her. I honestly believe this is an amazing hogh school romance movie.

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A well-structured, controversial dark romance.

This is one of the dark-concept GL movies I found interesting. It reminds me of Black Swan and Thelma. The epilogue is rather bizarre, but it managed to pull the audience's attention right away. The moment it started, you knew that it was going to be full of angst, so brace yourself.

The main characters, Phoenix and Jade, are two women from different backgrounds. Phoenix is an openly gay artist who lives a free-spirited life, while Jade is a prosecutor and a Catholic fundamentalist. While Phoenix is keen to pursue a relationship with Jade, it’s not exactly possible. Then there’s Meng Ye, an androgynous man. Though this movie centers on the love triangle between them, there is no romance whatsoever in this movie. Only desire and pain.

This movie has an extensive theme that ranges from jealousy, possessiveness, sexual acceptance, one’s insecurity, and unhealthy conceptions of power and sex. It also explores the analogy between sex and gender. While the theme and the storylines are quite controversial and provocative, the director handles them brilliantly and conveys them through skillful cinematography.

In my opinion, ‘Wrath of Desire’ is not a perfect movie, and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea due to the taboo and dark elements it touches on, like BDSM, self-harm, cheating, grooming, and sex abuse, but it's a well-structured movie. It's a nice blending of reality, fantasy, emotions, and desire into a tragedy-packed story. If you like dark romance or something melodramatic, and if you can handle the triggers mentioned, it’s something to watch.

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i tried so hard to not be biased but

Having delved into both the manga and anime, I feel justified in expressing my viewpoints. Despite my earnest efforts to appreciate this drama, regrettably, my hopes were dashed due to excessively lofty expectations. Primarily, the substandard quality of production came as a surprising letdown. It's truly baffling that the anime/manga production entity would endorse such a meagerly funded project. Whether this stems from financial limitations or sheer negligence on the part of the scriptwriters and producers remains uncertain. Given the existing manga and anime as a blueprint, the alterations in the narrative and the evident lack of meticulousness seem outright disrespectful to the original creations.

The ensemble cast could have been more judiciously selected. I don't intend to be overly critical, but although the cast's performances are passable, not all of them seem apt for their respective roles. The character of Izumi, meant to embody a blend of beauty, clumsiness, innocence, and grace, falls short in the portrayal by the actor. His demeanor leans too heavily towards masculinity, with lackluster facial expressions that occasionally veer into inappropriateness. And the depiction of Ryoma is a whole other debacle. The actor's appearance is less than appealing, and his interpretation is cringeworthy, completely distorting Ryoma's essence. There's much more I could articulate, but the frustration almost renders it inexpressible. The sole character that evoked reminiscences of the anime/manga was Shogo, solely due to the actor's adept capture of his speech patterns and demeanor. I relinquished viewing midway through, compelled to persevere till the end. Such is the profound disappointment this production embodies.

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Ninguna adaptación me recuerda al anime

Vi el anime hace mucho tiempo y, cuando salió la adaptación tailandesa decidí verla, porque guardaba buenos recuerdos. Ese drama se convirtió directamente en el BL peor valorado de mi lista hasta el día de hoy, con esta película. No sé quién tuvo la idea de convertir una obra larga en una película de 80 minutos, pero sus esfuerzos de resumen no dieron con la tecla adecuada. Todo se siente apresurado y falto de verdaderos sentimientos. Otra oportunidad perdida de ofrecer un producto mínimamente aceptable. Y con ello no quiero decir que el material original fuese sublime… pero había más donde rascar.

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