Yes, it's not good

I have never written a review of anything I'm still watching, but I see a few people asking is it good and I wanted to say, "No. No, it's not." I will edit this once I'm done, but I'm not going to lie, the struggle is real. It has a great concept with poor execution and barely passable acting. It's not thrilling. It's not intriguing. And it's not fun to watch. I figured out all the main points between episodes 3-7. So far, I'm correct. It's so bad that I keep picking up my tablet to play a game forgetting that I don't speak Chinese. When I go back to see what I've missed, it's usually nothing. All that talking and they've said nothing! How is that even possible?! It's either that or I've somehow learned Chinese. Take it with a grain of salt. It may not be the worse crime drama I've watched but it's a contender.

Edit: Ok I'm done. My opinion has not changed. Admittedly, there was a bit of redemption in episodes 11 & 12, easily the best episodes of the series, but it was too little too late.

Leia Mais

Enjoyable. Hoping for S2

To be clear I watch variety shows to de-stress. I truly don't care who the guests are or even if there are guests as long as they're fun (or challenging in the case of the mystery/puzzle types) to watch. I found Whenever Possible to be a really fun watch. It reminded me of segments of Running Man before the current production team took over.

I won't say Yoo Jae Suk can't miss because he can, but usually for me when he swings he hits. YJS and Yoo Yeon Suk have good chemistry. They worked together on Busted! so they were familiar with each, therefore, there wasn't any awkward getting to know you moments. I know many have complaints about YYS, but I thought he was fine. He was quite likable. He was the straight man to comedians and the comedic actors who were guests. I think he was finding his footing as a main MC right when the extremely short 8 episode season ended. Almost all the guests for each episode were funny. The standouts for me were Lee Kwang Soo (ep. 1), Cho Jung Suk (ep. 2 - this brought the creation of the Suk Brothers or Suk Suk Suk), and Cha Tae Hyun (ep. 6).

Would I watch it again? The episodes that I found especially funny, yes, I would. To be honest there were 2 episodes that I didn't find funny at all. I may have smiled, but I never laughed. Of the 2. only 1 was a throwaway. The others are solid. The music was good. I was surprised to hear a song by LeeSSang. It gave me false hope that Gary or Gil would be a guest.

Usually I am not a fan of shows or episodes that deal with the public. I tend to find them very boring, but the concept of Whenever Possible made the concept interesting and fun watch. It was a great way to de-stress from work. My only gripe is that the season was too short.

Leia Mais

A Satisfying Ending

Not a phenomenal ending, but satisfying one. This isn't going to be long. If you've gotten to season 3, you already know the story (you may need to check out the last episode of S2 as a refresher), the production value, and acting. The writing probably could have been a little crisper.

SH 3 brings a close to the all of the storylines that started in seasons 1 and 2. Technically, I think there were less monsters than there were in 2, because most of them...ok that's a spoiler.. let's just say the cut back on the effects budget. Season 3 strove to bring humanity back into the picture. In some ways it succeeded and in some it failed only because there was no reason to do so. Except for our main villain it tried to make everyone have some strand of likability and that was unnecessary. The season lacked tension and shock value.

For the most part it was entertaining, but it could have and should have been better. It was better than 2, but for me it just was nowhere near the brilliance of season 1.

Leia Mais

Literally Sat On the Edge of My Chair

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed Joker Game. I was glued to my seat. I tried to get up and wound up sitting on the edge of my seat, riveted. D Company, an organization under the purview of the Japanese Military but acts separately for the most part, is assigned a mission to recover secret documents, the Black Note, from what appears to be Hong Kong (the name is never mentioned). The movie follows a spy called Kato (played by Kazuya Kamenashi) as he attempts to acquire the Black Note and send it to Japan. It's one of several attempts by Japanese writers to put another spin on WWII. Unlike in most of the other stories, they are not against the German or Germanesque villains, this time they are up against the Brits, who are quite villainous. If a fanciful retelling or a different view point of history bothers you, then don't watch it. They're spies from the 1930s/40s attempting to avoid WWII would be idiotic.

I've always been of the mind that the Japanese were master storytellers, but aside from a few outstanding exceptions (like Kurosawa and Miike), poor movie makers. If they ever got it into their minds to actually allot the amount of money into production costs that's needed, their movies would be more popular. Their movies almost always look sepia toned or dull, which is ridiculous when you think of the technology in Japan. That being said it looks like they put more money toward JG. Although the coloring was a bit drab and dull it fit the surrounding and story. The director's use of shadow in many scenes really stood out and made some scenes beautiful. One in particular tricks you into thinking you're watching black & white. When I think back on it, I keep seeing Kamenashi in b & w which he wasn't. I have never read the novel nor watched the anime (just added it to my list) on which the movie is based, but I'm ok with that. I liked it regardless.

The cast led by Kazuya Kamenashi were entertaining. It was odd seeing Yusuke Iseya in such a small role. Colonel Yuki is a pivotal character and Iseya was very good. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Yuki and Kaminaga (his secretary??) played by Yukiyoshi Ozawa. They seemed to have a budding bromance. Kamenashi, Keisuke Koide, Hiroshi Yamamoto, and 1 other, did fine jobs as the spies on the mission. I wish we had seen more of them as a team. Kamenashi was well suited for the soft hearted Kato. Unfortunately, we barely get to know the other spies. Mores the pity. They were fun to watch in the few scenes they were in.

The music was really good (not counting the ED which was out of place). It was a big component in making scenes exciting. They missed their mark with the ED by using a KAT-TUN song instead of jazz or something that promoted feelings of the time.

I love mysteries. I love thrillers. This was both. However, I doubt I would re-watch it unless they did a part 2 (it needs a part 2). Don't get me wrong. It's a good movie, but it's not spectacular. It's not flawless. I think if I rewatched it, I'd only pick it apart and not enjoy it the way I just did. I rarely rewatch anything so I never consider this value in my factoring my overall score.

Again, Joker Game was enjoyable. It was almost 2 hours, but you wouldn't know it. The time flies by. Rarely do movies fully tell the source material the way a reader wants. I've learned to separate the 2 and judge a movie adaptation on it's own merits. What matters to me is if it's a good movie, and in my opinion Joker Game is a good movie. If you're looking for an in depth character study and/or character development that you can sink your teeth into, then click on by, this is not your movie. However, if you're looking for a bit of "actiony" fun with spies and big boys with guns, then click play.

Leia Mais

Compelling

Character is the type of film you want to see in the theatre or at least with 1 other so you can grab a bite to eat and talk about it. You want to inject yourself into the film to come up with motives, figure out what a character was thinking and why they did (or didn't do) something.

Yamashiro Keigo is a talented artist and assistant to a popular mangaka. He has dreams of publishing and becoming a successful mangaka himself. The only problem is Yama wants to draw horror and thrillers, but lacks the experience in which to make his characters believable. He's too nice to get into the mindset of a villain. While on assignment by his boss, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and witnesses the murderer leaving the site. This flips a switch for Yama and he uses it to jumpstart his career. The only problem is the killer recognizes himself and uses the Yama's manga, 34, as a blueprint to commit murders. Inspector Seida Shunseke recognizes the similarities between Yama's manga and the murders and begins using 34 as the basis of his investigation.

The production is splendid. The directing and camera work are very well done. I noticed no continuity issues, but to be honest I was too involved in the story to notice any little issues. Script writer, Nagai Akira, did a good job mixing genres and keeping us engaged. You would think since the police were trying to catch a serial killer it would have been a bit more action oriented or at faster pace. But, honestly, you don't even realize it's character driven and psychological. My only complaint is that we don't learn enough about the killer. We're left only supposition. I, for one, would have liked to have some hint as to his resources. He was able to find things and/or people that he really shouldn't have been able to.

Suda Masaki plays Yama and heads a talented cast. Fukase Satoshi was brillant as the serial killer, "Morozumi." He was just plain creepy. The encounters between our 2 leads were uncomfortable for Yama and the watcher. The supporting cast including Oguri Shun as our intrepid Inspector Seida were excellent.

The music really supported the movie and wasn't overpowering. While I'm not big on re-watching dramas, I do re-watch movies. I can see myself watching this again

Overall, this is a great watch. No perfect but it accomplishes it's goal. It's dark, psychological, creepy, and engaging. A very good murder thriller.

Leia Mais

Er Ye Knew Nothing About Chen Pi

It wasn't his love and admiration for Ya Tou and Er Ye that drove Chen Pi to the extremes found in Mystic Nine. He was always like that.

This story deals with Chen Pi prior to his meeting Er Ye and joining his clan so it has nothing to do with Mystic Nine. The only connection besides Chen Pi himself is the dilapidated temple where he lives. That temple is the same as in MN: Side Story 3 about Huo Ji Xin. In this movie Chen Pi becomes the avenger of a family after being paid by one family member. They should have named this MN: Grim Reaper because that is what Chen Pi was. It's most evident in the after credit scene.

The story is not new. It's been seen before. It's been done better and worse. There is a whole thing about human experiments that has no explanation. That may actually have tied in with the Mystic Nine series, but I don't know. There's absolutely no character development whatsoever. I mean like NONE! The crazy people are just crazy. Why? They just are. The cast and the acting were good.

The music was supportive. As always the re-watch is n/a.

Unlike the other movies I'm not sure this prequel was worth watching. You learn nothing new. Chen Pi is a killer! Big deal. We already knew that. Honestly, if you just go by the look and flow of it, this is the better of the 4 specials. For me it's the 2nd most entertaining. It's an example of a good story that's poorly executed.

Leia Mais

No Clue What the Ganges has to do with it

I expected the movie to take place in Hindustani or something, but nope. It's right there on the outskirts of Changsha, China like the other movies. * shrug *

Anywho...

Like Tiger Bone Plum Blossom, this is not a side story. It is a prequel. It's the story of how Huo Jin Xi became clan head just like TBPB is the story of the Xie's head. This movie was kind of good. The story was fairly solid and interesting. Members of all the Mystic 9 families were trapped and are being murdered and they don't know why or by whom. It's up to the remaining members to solve the riddle to survive. That's a pretty good premise for a web movie.

The production was good. There weren't a lot of sets nor characters. It was better than I would expect for something that was aired online. Don't expect the quality of a theatrical release. It was as good as a tv movie. The acting was so-so. Some people could act and some couldn't and it showed. Wang Mei Ren was impressive as Huo Jin Xi. Too bad they didn't let the character show what she could do in the Mystic 9 series. She was pretty pathetic and conniving in MN, but here she was kind and a bit of a badass. I guess they wanted to show her real personality and why she perhaps changed.

The music supported the movie. It was nothing special. My rewatch, as always, is 0. I guess I should say n/a. I'd say it's worth watching if you watched MN.

Leia Mais

Enjoyable from start to finish

I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching this live action version of Yuru Camp. It brought great memories of the anime. It was a fun watch and the episodes flew by. If you're usually disappointed with live actions because they never seem to correctly bring to life your favorite character(s) from a manga or anime, I think you'll enjoy this one. It's well cast. You can easily guess who is who by a photo. The actresses embodied their characters well. The actress who plays Nadeshiko even has her laugh.

They didn't really change the story much. It's about HS aged girls who camp (and eat). Pretty up front. The scenery, though. GORGEOUS! I thought the artwork was beautiful, but it's nothing compared to the real thing. The production is well done. The cast is great. Like I said they embody their characters and they each do it well. Will they win awards? Doubtful. Will they make you smile and/or laugh? I don't know, but they did me. Then there's always the food. THE FOOD! Don't watch this hungry. Just don't. I tend not to re-watch, but I can see myself re-watching this. The music was good.

The episodes come in at less than 24 minutes if you skip the ending and beginning titles sequences. They don't drag and are fun to watch. If you enjoyed the anime, I wouldn't skip the live action. I can't see any reason to dislike it.

Leia Mais

Chou no Rikigaku is the 4th (perhaps last) installment of the Murder Analysis Squad series. It's been 4 years and detective Kisaragi Toko is no longer the wide eyed naive rookie she was in series one. She's still a bull dog though.

The MAS series began with Ishi no Mayu. I did a full review of it so I won't go into detail Needless to say, it was very good and worth a watch. Next came Suishou no Kodou, which takes place 1 year after the end of ishi no Mayu. Metro Police Dept Division 11 is on the scene with all but 1 familiar face. Kisaragi is trying to overcome the psychological trauma she experienced in Ishi by jumping head first into cases. She also makes several trips to the prison to visit the serial killer from Ishi, who refuses to see her. I found SnK to be more of a character analysis than murder analysis. Yes, there were gruesome murders, but the suspense and tension that was is in Ishi was lacking. As in Ishi the cast was very good as was the production. The music did it's job. I don't remember there being any particular song. The rewatch value is fairly high as it's only 5 episodes long. 8.5

The third installment is actually a hen (part of the story usually not involving a main character) and takes place prior to series 1. Aku no Hado revolves around Yuginuma Masato, an important character in Ishi and shows the events that led him to cross paths with Kisaragi. If Kodou is a possible character study, Aku no Hado most definitely is one It revolves around the Hanging Oneself murderer. However, at it's core Aku shows the awakening of a psychopath if one can go from sociopath to psychopath that is. There is very little in the form of investigation. The suspense comes mostly at the end of the last episode. There's also the added tension of waiting for the psychological break that you know will happen. It was a little lacklustre, but sufficient. Hado is not thrilling at all, but it is good. It starts slow and builds to a crescendo which is the beginning of Ishi. The cast is good. This was my first time seeing Ikeda Tetsuhiro (Det. Iguchi) in such a meaty role. I'm used to him as the bungling sidekick to Yabe Kenzou. I have respect for his acting skills now. I'm glad I watched this one, but I wouldn't want to watch it again. 8.0

As I stated Chou no Rikigaku takes place 4 years after the beginning of Ishi no Mayu. Kisaragi has come into her own as a police detective. I still was not fond of her. I had a lot of questions on Rikigaku's pecking order. It made no sense to me why a detective with only 4 years experience essentially becomes the team leader over more seasoned detectives. I kept thinking 'who is she to give them orders' and 'why are they listening to her without push back.' It was just too unrealistic, especially given that female detectives still aren't taken very seriously in Japan. A fact which they make all too clear in the 2nd series. Otherwise, I enjoyed CnR. The murder toll and murders were amped up. It also marks the end of the team as we know it since there is a transfer looming. I enjoyed Rikigaku. I liked the intertwining story/stories and how they come together. Rikigaku has the the same core cast as Kodou and they are equally as good. The production is solid as is the background music. Re-watch is fairly high as the drama (and Murder Squad series) is short and I feel like there may be clues I missed this first go 'round. 8.5

The Murder Squad series is led by Kimura Fumino. Personally, she's not my cup of tea. I don't know what it is about her, but she annoys me. Perhaps it's just the type of characters she plays (they usually have some kind of personality flaw), or it could just be the actress herself. I'm not sure. I do acknowledge that she does play her characters well. In the first 2 series I wanted to shake her several times. In Rikigaku I just wanted to punch her... just. The veteran cast does a very good job as her supports. However, the stars of the series and the fun ones to watch are the psychopaths in series 1 and 3. Both actors were great.

The writing and production for the series is solid. Hado is a little below the other 3. Some quality was cut as if the budget was lower. Overall, the music was good as it conveyed the emotions necessary. If I could score the series in it's entirety, I'd give it a 9. Yeah it takes some leaps, but they're entertaining leaps.

Leia Mais

The one thing I love about the Japanese is their ability to tell a story and develop characters. I also enjoy that they don't feel the need to put a romance in everything they do. If you've never watched a J-drama (shame on you) and enjoy crime dramas, murder, suspense, etc, then Ishi no Mayu is a great drama to start with. At only 5 episodes it doesn't require much of a commitment. If you do watch J-dramas, this is on par with dramas like Strawberry Night.

You might be thinking there's no way they can sufficiently tell a story in 5 episodes. To that I say, "Oh but they can!" Kisaragi Toko if a rookie Metropolitan Police detective. Assigned to division 1, she finds herself involved in a strange murder where the victim was encased in cement. Not only that, but the murderer will only speak to her when he calls the police. Kisaragi is haunted not only by the case, but by memories of her deceased father who was a retired detective. Squad 1 finds they have to solve a past case in order to solve the current.

The story is really written well. There may be plot holes but they were small. There were also no red herrings. When they narrowed down to their suspect, no new suspects popped up to confuse the watcher. Instead of who is the killer it's more where is the killer. The production is good. Most of the scenes were done on location it seems. The music conveyed all the emotion necessary so in that respect it was good as well.

The cast is peppered with veteran actors and it shows. They were very good at conveying emotions and thought just by their facial expression and eyes alone. I hope the cast is the same for the next series (what we might call season). Re-watch is fairly high for me as I may re-watch with friends or family.

Overall this was a fine crime drama right in line with other excellent crime/mystery dramas even at 5 episodes.

Leia Mais

Right off the bat I was in love with Fullmetal Alchemist the movie.  From the start you can see the sets were amazing and the CGI was top notch.  It was going to have to be just to pull off Al, but sometimes the Japanese skimp on live actions so you never know.  I've watched the FMA animes series and movies both Japanese and English and I was not disappointed. Of course I wish they had of dragged the story out a bit.  What I mean is they hit the major plot points but it moves fast, at some places too fast.  Together FMA and FMA: Brotherhood total over 100 episodes.  There are aspects in the beginning that I would have liked to have seen in the live action.  HOWEVER, skipping them or speeding up events did not deter from the story.  To be honest I got a little confused between events for FMA and FMA:B plust the OVAs.  It's obvious there's another movie in the works. I hope they slow it down just a tad.

To roll it back a bit for anyone clueless about FMA.  It's the story of 2 brothers, Edward and Alphonse Eldric, and their adventures as alchemists.  Ed is a "dog of the state," a state employed alchemist who travels to  places of upheaval. They're kind of like national police. As children Ed and Al performed a alchemic transmutation that is against the law of nature and dangerous. In doing so Ed lost an arm and leg but gained the ability to transmute without using a circle (kind of like a spell without an incantation). Al lost his entire body and his soul was tethered to a suit of armor by Ed. Together they seek a way to get back what they've lost.

The script was good.  The writer pulled in aspects from the manga and animes.  There was no doubt this was the world of FMA. The case was excellent. At first I had my doubts about Ryosuke Yamada, but he became Ed. No doubt.  It's a shame that they had actors on the caliber of Jun Kunimura and Fumiyo Kohinata for such small roles, but maybe they'll reappear somehow.  The music was good and I will probably re-watch this during the weekend.

I'm a huge fan of FMA and this was just another entrance into their universe.  Was it perfect?  Heck no, but I doubt it could have been done any better. It was a fun watch.  I enjoyed myself.  What more can you ask for really?

Leia Mais

I'm going to be honest. This move is really close to my heart so my review after seeing it umpteen times in over 30 years is probably a little skewed. Firstly, if you don't like dry and dark comedy, don't bother with The Funeral. You will not like it. If you are, shall I say, not prone to bawdiness or a little prissy, don't bother with The Funeral. HOWEVER. if you don't mind funeral jokes, seeing people insanely running through woods, and pretty much losing it over the death of the patriarch in their family, do bother with The Funeral.

Thirty years ago there weren't many movies like this. Because of this move I became a big fan of what I call the Funeral Comedy. I won't go to a funeral, but I'll watch a comedy about one anytime. Sad, but true. I had never seen anything quite like the Funeral, not in the US and certainly not coming out of Japan. The writer/director, Juzou Itami, was a genius that died before his time, but you can see his influence in other directors like Miike Takeshi. For Japanese film of the time there was nothing comparable in it's production (from writing to editing).

The story seems basic enough. An old man dies. His family gathers for a few days to make funeral preparations. Seems simple. Not really. That's when everything goes sideways. Bad for them. Good for the viewer. Some families just shouldn't get together no matter what the circumstance. The acting is great. Itami had a stable of actors, much like Woody Allen, who popped up in most if not all of his movies. Two of those actors, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Nobuko Miyamoto (Juzou's widow), give splendid performances. The entire cast is very good.

Admittedly, when I watch this now, I immediately think it's too slow. Eventually this gives way to what is a damn good movie.

Leia Mais

Yeah..so..um..It's crap!

Let me break it down for you like this:

concept: 9
writing: 5.5
directing & editing: 4
lead actors: 1.5
rest of cast:7

So, basically had they hired leads with more talent, a better director, and more competent editor this convoluded, melodramatic, barely passable murder mystery would have been much better. As it stands it's not the worse drama I've ever seen (that dubious honor goes to The Rose, another Joe Cheng drama..hmmm), but it's down there vying for the title. Speaking of Cheng, I don't know what people see in him, but he needs acting lessons. The man has not a clue how to emote. He's no better than he was when he first started. Kuo's voice is annoying. I couldn't stand to hear her speak.

Don't let the pretty good first 2 episodes fool you. Watch it at your own risk. You've been warned. There are a LOT of better dramas in this genre. Taiwan needs to step it's game up, big time!

Leia Mais

Warning: Anime Onlies Stay Back!

Right off the bat let me just advise those that are watching the anime and have not read the manga to skip this movie. Aside from the fact that more than half of the movie is a spoiler, there are many differentiations. I have not read the manga. Kept saying I was going to and never did. I don't know which adaptation is closer to the manga if either are. However, there were scenes I was looking forward to that were skipped and character changes that are unclear to me. l will probably make some slight comparisons to the anime without giving details. If that's ok with you, read on.

For those who have no clue about Zom 100 here's a better synopsis: Akira Tendou graduated college and lands a job in his dream company. Unbeknownst to Tendou-kun, this dream company is a exploitive and treat their employees horribly. A year later the once effervescent, happy go lucky Tendou is but a shell of his former self. Without the courage to quit he lives each day dreading his job until one morning a zombie apocalypse hits and while people are running in fear Tendou is running with joy in his heart because he never has to report to that job again. The now happy Tendou has a new lease on a life and begins his bucket list of things to do before he becomes a zombie. That's it in a nutshell.

Although the anime is only on episode 3, I admit I think it's better than this movie. The movie tries to pack in too much information and moves too fast. Because of this I think little things are lost, especially some of the laughs. For instance Tendou and Kencho's escape from the roof is cut. It's completely different and no where near as amusing as it is in the anime. A few of the characters have been tweaked and or changed for reasons unknown. Honestly, I thought the Zom100 live action was a series not a movie. I would never have watched it. Even as a movie it shouldn't have outpaced the anime the way it does. They should've either held it's release or made a 2 part movie. The production quality was ok for Japan. One day I have hope that they will stop their traditionally bad habit of filming through yellow lenses. To me it cheapens their movies. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of Japanese directors that can command the budgets to film how they want and the director of Zom100 is not one of them. The makeup and special efx were pretty good. The ending was little too condensed for lack of a better word. (To be true there are a plethora of better words but at 2:30am my brain is refusing to tell them to me.) It's as if the director is saying 'we're hoping for a part 2, but if not at least it's an ending.' The thing is Zom 100 is still being published. No one knows the ending except the mangaka, maybe.

The cast was good enough...I guess. To be honest I don't feel like we got to know them well enough. Don't get me wrong Akaso Eiji was very good as Tendou, but I just didn't care about his friends. They didn't give us the backstory or the development needed to care about them. Had they not changed the end of how Tendou and Kencho escape the zombie's we would have had more background on Kencho and learned much more of his personality. At the end when Kencho reveals his dream, it comes out of no where because they skipped everything that would have let the viewer know this fact about him. Make sense? (Sometimes not using spoilers is a difficult thing.) Here's one thing that was just asinine: they changed the college sport Tendou and Kencho played in college from rugby to American football. No offense to Akaso, but he's way too scrawny to be a lineman. My grandma could blow him away and she died 30 years ago. It made me chuckle when he said it and it really made me giggle when they showed a flashback. Little leaguers are more buff than Akaso. Mind you there's a tackle scene that looks pretty damn good, but it's obviously a stuntman. Granted, rugby probably wouldn't have worked either due to this actor's build. They probably should've changed the sport to hockey, soccer, or flag football maybe.

The music is eh. It wasn't used as artfully as it could and should have been. I have no intentions of watching this again. I may re-watch a scene or 2, but there was nothing in this that excited me and made me want to see it again.

If this was a theatre, I'd tell you save your money. Since it's on Netflix, all I can say is watch the anime. Three episodes of the anime are more entertaining than 2 hours of this movie. At least wait so you don't spoil things for yourself. As an adaptation of a story I'm enjoying, this movie gets a 4.5-5. As a stand alone movie. I'd say 6 to 6.5 and that's generous.

Leia Mais