This Ang Lee film was very than deserving. The story of a group of students in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in the 1940s who decide to join the resistance movement against the occupation of Japan.
One of the young woman in the group volunteers to seduce a dangerously callous high-ranking official in the government, who has been denounced as a national traitor. This action proves to be a rude and hard awakening to the inexperienced and naive group of friends. This movie could be said to be a "suspenseful, edge-of-your-chair story complete with a highly stylized appearance" even when a lot of other review batch it I still felt that the staff did a great job with the costumes and backdrops making them into colorful and magnetic field that attract the senses.

The actors/actresses expressions and careful words just show how skilled they were even in acting in a more sinister tone genre.


This film easily captivate the attention, If you are afraid of the explicit sex scenes well you may just pass a good movie for naught. I personally didn't object to them in the least, but I was not expecting much from them to begin with. Well before to watch this you must be sure that you are not offended by explicit sex scene or crude subtitles, I would at least recommend this for the dynamic and feel of the movie.

Leia Mais

Let's do better

Hello,
I'm not even sure if this is a review or rant, but I felt that I needed a place to express my love and hate relationship with this piece of work. I have read the novel and now completed the drama, and I must say that my feelings are quite a mess. While reading the drama I had this nagging voice in the back of my head that kept telling me that I was not vibbing with the power dynamic on team ZDGX and the way female v.s male characters were presented. I mean I guess I demanded a lot from the novel or the drama I wanted to be presented with a female protagonist that yes showed us the dark side of fighting and excelling in a male dominated area, without nonetheless losing her backbone or turning into another dude. But was served up with a feisty female character to everyone else but the man lead. Tong Yoa was a girl breaking barriers, who would lose all her fire in important places the moment Lu Sicheng appeared, I mean she was firm with him on matters that didn't really count. I feel that a lot of C-dramas like to perpetuate this trope that women cannot be strong and independent unless there is a man smoothing thing for them. I mean Lu Sicheng was again another typical controlling and arrogant CEO type male lead that is like the archetype of C-entertainment. Although it was somewhat toned down in the drama. To my point there is this one scene that truly made me uncomfortable while watching the drama, it's the scene where Lu Sicheng makes Tong Yao stand outside for having bitten DQ Jungler that was threatening her, that scene his uncomfortable because he doesn't actually ask her truly what happened and goes on to treat her like a kid and none of his teammates says anything simply going with it. And then later when she managed to explain, he doesn't even get spooked at the fact that she almost got assaulted but make it harder on her by being a despotic tyrant extorting the promise that she must call him if ever in the same situation. I have to asked how it is actually possible to be able to grab a phone and call him if she is ever in a situation where she is getting assaulted. Granted Tong Yao truly didnt't used her brain at the moment, since she was coming out already on the phone she should not have hang up and maybe if JingYang was listening on she would have called for help. But it doesn't erase the fact that the power dynamic is truly left to be desired in their relationship. The drama did tone down a lot of Lu Sicheng truly domeering behaviors once they got in a relationship. But still I was quite sad that even in 2021 there seems to be no desire for scriptwriters to present us with a healthy relationship on the small or big screen.

Well, that was my general rant.

But of course, the all drama was not bad, it had its good point, I mean the graphic was truly good, I really like what they did when they did that little in fight transition into the game. Also, it was refreshing to have a true sismance where both girls truly went to bat for each other, Jinyang is truly a bestfriend that anyone would love to have in their corner. As for the acting I have no big qualms maybe the actress playing Tong Yoa should have been somewhat that emote a little more, because she seemed truly bland at time serving up, at most 3 distinct emotions during the all drama.
But anyway, I was not really planning on reviewing this, it was just that I really wanted to vent my little frustration. If you are looking for a great story of overcoming the difficulties of being the exception that makes the rules this drama ain't it. But if you just want to laugh some and otherwise be on your way this may the one for ya.

Leia Mais

I re-stumbled upon this after reading a article by an MDL member then, remembered that it was in my too watch list and decided to give it a go. Well not before doing some tracking and learning that the story was based on the true story of Yamaguchi Hayato, a young man who learns that he has a rare illness known as Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. A disease which affects his nervous system making him begin to lose the functioning of his limbs, but he is determined to fight the illness with the support of his wife and his 2-year-old daughter, Myu-chan. After learning this I banish husband and kids, grabbed a box of tissues (just in case) and settle with my computer in a remote place in the house.

After 2 hours all I can say is that I just lo loved all the sweetness that was pact into this movie,even if I kind of feel that we were let down in the department of learning a little more about this disease( not to worry that just probably the med student in me talking...*putting my glasses on and going to hunt for a my medical books TT*)
Oh yeah I was supposed to be writing a review so let gets back to it *_* hihhi!!

Well I was reminded a lot of 1 Litre of Tears as Matsumoto Jun plays 25 year old Yamaguchi Hayato. Although I was quite annoyed still at the really clicheness of the debilitating disease aspect. But I was quite stunned by Jun acting because it was almost the the first time for me to see him deliver such a performance to the point that I asked myself if I had even ever seen him walked normally. It was a serious shock from is active role as Domyouji Tsukasa in Hana Yori Dango, seeing him bedridden and yet so sweet.

Well it can be a little hard at first to buy that him (Jun)looking so young could be a father and but the excellent chemistry between him and his 'daughter' ( sent me in a total KYA FANGIRL MOMENT!!!that I may have fried a few of my neurons :p) in the first five seconds of the movie and throughout. Well in my book the chemistry that father and daughter had totally save me from dying of boredom when confronted to the total lack of chemistry between Jun and Karina with who he teamed up as his wife(don't go pulling you hair yet and thinking that you are going to bleed, they acting actually save them, Yes they both are talented actors, your hair is safe.) Well I would still have to say that Karina was a little more better in Koizora.

With that said !!! I would say that if you are looking for an overly dramatic movie then this is not the one to be picked ( well seeing has I did not reached for my tissue box that much.) This is more suitable for a slow rainy afternoon when you are looking for a sweet movie, with a little hedge seen as it deals with a painful subject.

Well one thing for sure is that it is a movie that as that hopeful tone to it and of course a great layer of the Japanese firm 'never give up' attitude. The ending was really lovely, but it quite still left me with a burning sensation of unresolveness. Well I'd still recommend this for a rainy or sunny Friday or Saturday afternoon when you really want to escape the daily routine of your life, or when you come to a point where you are starting to forget that you should be grateful even for the little things that you have in life.

Leia Mais

This was a predictable but extremely heartfelt movie that really stress the importance of family. Nothing will surprise you in this gem of a family film but it cleverly tugs on just the right heartstrings to keep you watching to the very end. It was so refreshing to see a well-written, well acted movie that tells an amazing story without ever relying on gratuitous violence or sexuality. Also, the stories that unfold around a culture's most prized dish are wonderful and it really makes you realize that to many people, food is the language of love. It's one of those rare films that the whole family can enjoy and despite it's two hour running length the time will fly by.

Leia Mais

Wow I can hear my sister screaming at me already for giving these a 9. Well it was a really good drama one of the few in truth that have really grab my attention this year and made it marathon it in one night without even skipping episode, but still it did not get to 10 material for me. Yes the acting his good, the hateful people do all did a great job at being hateful and disgusting, the pitiful people at being pitiful, and the funny part were indeed funny. So if this drama is such a must watch why did it get a 9 only. Well simply because I was outrage at the sentencing the bad guys got that the only thing I could say was really!!!!, I also thought that some part just really dragged on for too long and finally the ending was a little confusing for me. But other than that I just came to add my too cents and say that if you are on the mood for a good directional drama, with a strong acting, eye candy, perfect ost well you have found your drama.

Leia Mais

This a totally biased review so lol there is no need to think to much about it.

What to say well I have to say that if you want to start this drama one may need to be ready to throw tantrums, to cry, laugh, outraged, enraged, happy being means and one must be also able to handle disappointment , because their are many time you will be ready to throw in the towel and go in quest of the writers for a plan murder of your own. Other than that this was a really good story with a really consistent acting, if you take out Yoon Je Moon who I really think was trying to hard to portray the psychotic evil character of Kim Bong Gu, and if you also take out the poor foreign actors that were supposed to play the different English speaking people on the drama, then you are left with truly amazing performance... My hat goes to Jo Jung Suk as
Eun Si Kyung, he played his role to the perfection to the point that when comes the end you will discovered a really powerful reason to go and hunt down the writers like I say !!.. Lee Seung Ki as Prince Lee Jae Ha truly shows the maturity that Seung Ki had gone through for being always portray as a little boy who doesn't want to grow up, he show us that he can also act in the skin of a grown man who is not afraid of respectability, but still know how to nurse the child inside him who his ready to make you see the beauty of life when all else seems dark. Ha Ji Won as Kim Hang Ah of reaffirm her title has an action queen, but she also shows us that we cannot count her out for the girly roles either.Lee Yoon Ji Princess Lee Jae Sin shows us that with a pure heart and determination nothing is impossible. Well I could go on and on about each actors.

MY only disappointing with this but I still gave it a 10 anyway is that I feel that they rush the end because they realize that they did not have any additional episode so it was rush.

But don't let this little disappointment make you skip on this drama, because well I don't know it's just awesome.

Leia Mais

The story of a couple who reunited after their love was denied 400 years ago. When a mummy's is discovered in Choi Hyun Min's home, Kang Hee Sun a medical professor is called in so that she can help identify the mummy. As the story unfolded and unexpected event keep recurring it's discover that the pair were formers lovers in a past life. Soo Hee and Moo Hyun were married but were separated due to unfortunate circumstances when Soo Hee was taken prisoner during a war , she indeed escape, but her husband family did not see things in that light and from a small misunderstanding a bigger tragedy unfolds. I personally thought that the actors in this drama did a really good job portraying each of their roles. It may seemed like a recycled story to some but, I think that the people watching this should actually objectively sit and watch it with fresh eyes. The story was given the right amount of plot holes, so that people are given the opportunity to feels in the missing pieces on their own.

Leia Mais

I admit that I gave this a 9 when I finished watching it , because well it one a few drama that I watched without fast-forwarding this year. I would not called it a masterpiece either, but I would still say that it was a nicely constructed drama.

Story: Well it's was not the most original story out there, it still kind of revolved around the "time travel" mania that 2012 dramas seems to share, but I personally believe that these writers got it right, because they brought us back in time without the nonsense of physical travel that could cause serious repercussions on the future. It was superposed nicely too that you actually understood what the characters were going through while traveling and reliving your own experiences of the 90's without loosing track of where the character where in the present. And I found that they really nicely kept the who did the lead actress got married up until, the moment we met her husband you can only ask yourself "who did she choose?'

Well the acting was good considering who each and everyone of them had to play, and I found they choice in casting really hilarious considering that one of the lead was actually part of one the boys band that they mentioned.

Music: well the music was really wisely suited to the scenes they accompanied ,and it made the viewers really were aware of what kind of obsession they may have had for themselves if they are also part of the 90's generation.


I would definitely recommend this drama , if you just want to take a nice, simple and funny walk down memory lane.

Leia Mais

I Would not be all it's a must watch and all but I would not go and say don't go and watch it.

Story : So Before being like some people I know and casting stone at me , for my rating of this drama, I would like to say that my rating are solemnly base on ep 1-3 and 16-20 because I find the beginning really interesting until ep 3 , then I found the story a little redundant, and then I felt that it picked up again at ep 16. The premise for the story is good it's has already been done but the director here and the writers were a little better than what I have already seen of this particular premise.

Acting: I would really like to say that I really liked the way every actor portrayed his or her characters, because all along they made me feel the right reaction toward their characters, I hated the one that were supposed to be hateful and liked the one that were supposes to be like. So if anything need to be applaud in this drama it's the acting.

Music: The music for me got a 10 not because it's was so good ,but because I find that however made the dramas cut , got the music right, they played the right songs at the right places , and the music really suited the story that the drama was telling.

Rewatch: Well I may say that know that I know how it end , I may now go back and really watch it with more attention.

Leia Mais

I' m not going to waste my time in summaries, or go in a play by play of the drama. I just felt that I should make this little notes for the show in cases someone was wondering if this drama was worth it or not.

Well it a really good drama if you don't constantly compare it to Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms or King's Woman. It's a really good drama if you go in turning the useless Zhan Bin Bin fangirl mode. Because personally I think that this drama mostly gets a bad rep simply all of Zhan Bin Bin fans. This drama is about more than the romance. As someone here puts it, it's a story of growth. So if you truly want to enjoy this drama go in thinking for yourself. Don't let anyone sway you into one ship or another. And mostly don't compare and insult the all cast hard work.

Leia Mais

The story was a little far-fetched, but really beautiful, with the right dose of romance, comedy and tragedy.

The acting was good, because I have to say that they don't kiss once or even say I love you once. But while watching this movie , I laughed, scream and cried with them at the right place. You feel the love they have for one another, to the point that if they had put a kiss or the eternal I love you in there , it would not feel the same at all.

I totally recommend this movie , if you are looking for a good dose of realistic acting , and a story that make you think that their are more to life than the daily hassles that plague us.

Leia Mais

This movie was amazing! You grow to become attached to all of the characters, and the ending is sad but empowering. It's an excellent mix of comedy,realism and an after taste of the darker side of society, tearful moments. A little girl looking for a father she has never known, a petty criminal who never knew he had a daughter, and an orphanage worker dealing with her own pain by helping children. Each finds something they never dreamed of, and fill an emptiness in each other. Filled with odd twists, some heart warming moments and tragedy at a moment of triumph, yet again things are destined to come together do comes together at the end. If you take aside the bittersweet ending, this film can show to anyone who wants to see the goodness in people come out despite having been forgotten it's a really good choice to watch it .The little girl is adorable, with her acting his so real that it makes you tear up even more when come the moment to part. It a good movie for a coming of age, it's well thought, cute, funny and suspenseful, but definitely a tear jerker.

Leia Mais