Seeing the first part of the Final Movement of Nodame Cantabile brought nostalgia. It was like hearing, breathing, feeling and seeing classical music all together again. Though the first movie was full of flashbacks, which disappointingly filled up most of the whole film, nonetheless it was still enjoyable. To be able to see Chiaki sama (Tamaki Hiroshi) and Nodame (Juri Ueno) together for the first time after 2 years in the waiting... it was pure bliss.

Listening to the sound of orchestra and classical music was refreshing to the ear. As if I cleaned my ears after a long time of listening to the same type of music again and again. Ok, that was a side track comment... now back to the story.

Part one of the movie left me this feeling of wanting to watch the second part instantly but I had to squirm at home and wait for it to be subbed.

There was this hanging feeling when the movie ended, which by the way is what everyone is supposed to feel since the producers intend the viewers to watch the sequel. As much as I enjoyed this first part, it is still a cliff hanger. We all know what cliff hangers do to our brain. Adding more, the movie was also redundant. Unlike Nodame’s arc, Chiaki’s story always... always starts with a problematic orchestra, fails on the first try then ends up with a fantastic cantabile on the later part thus making the story line so predictable when it comes to Chiaki's arc. Whereas Nodame’s arc is the distorted one since her main goal in life is only about Chiaki but not herself thus leaving the character UNSURE of herself with no exact future laid out for her. Yet this type of character leaves a great impression and a big blank for the writers to fill in for the next movie sequel.

Nodame’s character is simple yet complex at the same time. Not to forget the wacky part on how she clings on Chiaki as much as she could and yet kills herself with insecurity every time Chiaki does something marvelous and out of her league but that’s the part that makes Nodame Cantabile fun... the Nodame/Chiaki saga that could never be understood in terms of simplicity.

Watching this film was an introduction for the next one or a teaser as most would say because it didn’t contain what most of the watchers were probably waiting for and that is Nodame’s success.

For the story plot, it was really tiring to watch the flashbacks but at the same time enjoyable because I could once again enjoy Mozzart and Bach through Chiaki’s point of view. As I have previously mentioned, it gave me a sense of nostalgia and for that I am thankful.

Character wise, there weren’t any major characters involved unlike in the special maybe they are going to add someone in the sequel. I still enjoyed the main cast’s acting and it gave me so much joy that Ueno Juri still haven’t changed after all those years when she first started as Nodame!

Cinematography, the setting is in Paris! What more can I ask for? No matter what angle they use for the video, they just capture that feeling of being in the city where art and music lived for centuries. I have nothing more to comment on it because it is simply loved.

Soundtrack, need I say more about this? IT IS CLASSICAL! And the background music for certain scenes brought more hilarity into it than intended to. So yes... the soundtrack added more for the enjoyment of the viewer.

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Iris is like a taste of Alias, only in male form and a downer story line. I loved the fact that Lee Byung Hun was casted here along with Kim Tae-hee. The story is deemed to be heavy starting from the beginning but just lost me as it was about to end. It got all messy for the wrong reasons and the twists weren’t enough to put fire on my ass and say, “Gaaaaad… that was awesome.”

So I’m leaving the story line behind with all my rants at the backroom.

Why recommend IRIS after saying that?

The cast (I have fallen in love with the antagonist! Why is T.O.P. one heck of a slick villain???), back drop setting (they actually went to different countries just to shoot) and music was all a just a plus points for the series, what made it really recommendable was THE ACTION. As I have mentioned earlier it was like ALIAS. Kick ass and butt full of action. The fight scenes were really eye popping it makes it hard to think that it wasn’t a movie but just a drama. They outdid themselves in the choreography with the fight scenes, battle up gear and stunts. So yes. I am recommending it for scenes with: Judo moves and gun shots. Run-for-your-life-while-bleeding-on-the-left-side-of-your-gut-crazed-looks while guns are aimed dead-on skulls. Even dying beautifully while tears streaming down the face would be pretty much catchy for me.

Have I gone to the other side by having a man’s taste? Probably. Yet, with Iris. I simply don’t care as long as I get one full hour of action.

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The thing I like most about this drama was the realism of what exactly occurs inside the classroom, beyond the test papers, assignments, extra-curricular activities, etc. School life may be different from a working environment, but status and socialization is the same everywhere. No matter the country or the culture. This drama brought life to that. We've all watched all types of bullying in dramas - but they seldom pinpoint the reason to why these bullies do the things that they do. It's usually the one sided drama in which there is the bad guy and the good guy, then the good guy triumphs over the bad guy, then the bad guy is eventually forgotten.

The story line may be a bit far-fetched, but the cast portrayed their roles pretty well, making the issues at hand seem more realistic. It was also heart-warming and sad all at the same time. The romantic plot was a bit of a downer for me though because I was sort of rooting for the second lead guy. My second-lead-syndrome attacked once again halfway through of this drama. I really didn't have a choice because the guy was too cute and too persistent. *sigh*

Setting that aside, I really liked School 2015 and might probably check out School 2013 because of this. Adding up to this was the music, it was something that really made the whole drama more memorable. Up until this moment, I could still hear the music inside my head, playing in the background.

I may re-watch this again in the future if I feel like relieving my high school days all over again, but for the moment, I am recommending it to those who likes watching dramas in a high school setting with more substance about a student's school life and hardships.

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The film started off as annoying and sort of ended in a blur. There's that nagging feeling that the movie wasn't able to satiate my Kmovie-comedy-genre-craving because I was expecting a really enjoyable film full with action and quirkiness. This was a total let down.

Dong Wook Lee's performance as the detective Jae Hyuk catching crooks was a plus point for the whole thing but I find Yeong Hyeon as Soo Jin, the journalist a pretty much annoying person with an equally irritating voice. I don't get why they wanted her to act so stupidly at all times and get into so much trouble to the extent that it wasn't funny anymore. There were several scenes which you would find funny, especially at the last part but aside that, there were so many broken moments and plots where things could have been cleared up easily if the main female protagonist wasn't too much of a ditz.

The flow of the story wasn't my thing, even the characters lacked their own substance or much more like it was TOO Exaggerated that it became irritating to watch. The sound track was quirky but it wasn't something I would get a hang over with.

I wouldn't recommend this movie, hence it shall end up too disappointing.

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Here’s another case of melodrama but this one, I really liked.

The final installment of Endless Love series, Spring Waltz has it’s funny aspects but the whole mood of the drama is mainly romance and inner angst. I would have to warn you that the first 8 episodes of the drama was dedicated for the past of the two main characters. So you will see a couple of children playing around getting to know each other despite their poverty stricken condition and then... it sort of drags on.

Lee Su Ho, whose father was debt stricken and was left in the care of Su Eun Young’s mother thus making them live in the same house. Su Ho is a good kid and really cared for Eun Young while she, on the other hand adored Su Ho as well. Eun Young is a very talented but sickly girl. Her mother was actually working hard so she could get Eun Young an operation, but due to Su Ho’s father stealing that hard earned money, this drove the two kids apart.

Years past and they cross paths once again but now in different names.

As for why that happened? Watch the drama. *grins*
This is also the part where the story picks up it's pace.

What are the things I loved about Spring Waltz?

The story line is already given, so what else? It’s the back drop setting, the mood and the OST. The main characters are raw actors and they aren’t really that good in acting yet but… given the setting where SPRING color is all around, everything becomes an eye candy. The colorful hues of everything within the drama says SPRING SPRING SPRING! The luscious color of green, purple, blue, pink and everything else in between is accentuated. I couldn’t help but smile while watching it all. It was really great to look at. Then comes in the OST, it was more on the musical scoring but hearing Loveholic sing One Love was a plus point. Whenever I hear that song, I am reminded of how much I loved this drama.

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Another rom-com kdrama that hooked me up. This was my second time seeing Lee Da Hae in a drama, but as a lead. I’ve first seen her in Sweet 18 as an antagonist and told myself, “She’s really pretty and I think comedy would suit her.” Then a few years later, My Girl aired in Korea and there she was, the main character.

The story is not really original but how the characters played it was awesome. Seeing Lee Da Hae run around in her boots as Lee Dong Wook chase around for her was very amusing, then not to forget the cutie/hottie Lee Jun Ki who’s also bent up on following her as well. Why so many hot guys on your tail Da Hae???

The story revolves around Joo Yoo Rin (Da Hae) who’s on the run because of her father’s debt to loan sharks, then there is Seol Gong Chan (Dong Wook) who is a rich man with no parents but has a doting grand father who is looking for his long lost grand daughter. Their paths cross each other and that’s how chaos began to both on their lives.

Music wise, it was tuned up to every scene and does coincide with the acting on screen but nothing really memorable. Overall, this is a really nice series, even the ending was funny specially if you are a Kdrama buff who's into a rom-com-feel-good-watch-genre.

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Since half of the story line of this drama is about baking, I would like to compare this drama to a sponge cake whipped with lots of cliche white icing all over it. Then add great acting by the cast as a strawberry topping and sprinkle with light cinnamon flavored OST. Tada! You get a taste of Strawberry Short cake drama in return.

The Legendary Witch is a drama appropriate for middle aged woman, mothers and single parents but it doesn't mean it cannot be watched by people who fit outside this description. It's just that these set of viewers will very much relate with the drama's story line. Admittedly there was a lot of cliches and short comings in this drama which I wouldn't mind skipping. Adding to that is also the part in which the story could have ended at episode 30 but they made a really unbelievable twist which pissed me off big time! However, it was eventually redeemed at around episode 37 but still not quite forgivable. What really made up for my nit picking about this drama is the fact that they gathered good main actors together (minus Ha Suk Jin who played as Han Ji Hye's love interest, yes he's really really good looking but he doesn't give me enough feels in this drama and acting wise - he still has more room for improvement... but this doesn't mean he's not an eye candy! Because he totally is!) I like how all the four ladies complemented each other and supported one another with the kind of acting which the other lacked.

Ji Hye's character as Moon Soo In was such a pain for being the kind of woman who attracts trouble due to her naivety, she's simply too nice for her own good. Half of the time I want to strangle her for her stupidity and the other half I want to hug her and ask why was she born under unlucky stars. Thank goodness there's the old lady Shim Bok Nyeo to pick her up even though her own life is broken into bits and pieces by being convicted with Arson and Familicide. She lost her husband and son through fire but she still has room to act as a mother to girls like Soo In, Seo Mi Oh and Son Pung Geum. Which by the way one got impregnated by a mama's boy and the other lived as a con-seductress to mooch off money from rich men. Ah... the complicated life of these women. It's hard to fathom how they got together as a family but they did it anyway and more successfully than the blood related ones.

Aside from the main characters, there are two side characters whom I have taken note of and is dear to my heart. First is Ma Joo Ran acted by Byun Jung Soo. This woman is seriously nuts (almost like her dad). Her character is really really over the top of a spoiled middle aged woman who has a mind set of a teenager. Jung Soo played this character with flying colors and she's very much effective in it. She made me want to tear her hair out and feel bad for her at the same time. Secondly there's Kim Yeong Ok aka Ono Yoko played by Kim Soo Mi. This old woman almost killed me from all the air I released from laughing. She's annoyingly loud and really childish for a woman who's supposed to be 80 years old, but oh man... she definitely gave me the laughs with all of her antics. This supporting actress is one of the high lights of this show. I might also re-watch some parts of this drama solely because of her.

Having said all that, I'm giving it 7.5 because the drama affected me in a way I shouldn't and it got me to laugh, cry and get pissed off all at the same time. Hence, I'm recommending it to people who would have the patience to watch all 40 episodes and willing to feel what I felt about the drama.

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As a manga adaptation, the movie wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was simple and cute but not really something to be excited about. In my opinion, it was pretty average... if only they could have replaced Matsuzaka Tori with someone better, I would have appreciated the movie much more. I'm deeply sorry to his fans, but I'm only trying to be honest with my own opinion. I feel like cringing every time I see him interact with Takei Emi, her acting is quite wasted alongside the guy. He would probably have done better if he removed the idol image in his role... then maybe I would have liked him more. I hope he has improved though, since this film was set last 2013.

Setting those comments aside, what I enjoyed about this film was the movie theme; that is in which the characters where trying to come into terms with change, finding their own path and deciding for their future. Sometimes I wish this was as simple as it is in real life... but then again, this is a shoujo manga adaptation, so maybe the mangaka artist was inspired by someone from reality.

Over all the story was really shoujou-ish, cute, fluffy and mixed with adolescent love-life problems. I did enjoy the music as well, it gave a good vibe throughout the movie, adding more cute to the already cute. I probably would not be re-watching this film, but I would recommend this to viewers who are looking for manga adaptations and hope they could pass their own judgement on the film, whether they compare it to the original or not.

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I'm having ambivalent feelings about this movie for two reason: I loved the gore and quite a few details in the movie but I hated the way they changed a lot of things from the original Manga.

As a fan of the manga/anime, I was definitely disappointed on how things turned out for the story line in this live action movie. I would have understood if there were minor changes since there is so much a movie can take from a long manga series, however it wasn't just that - there was a major character deviation as well which was a huge blow for me. I was really looking forward to see the live adaptation of Mikasa, Armis and Eren as how they were supposed to be and was pretty excited on how the actors are going to portray each character accordingly, but unfortunately this isn't the case. The only perfectly retained character was Zoe Hange; her character as the crazy soldier scientist was definitely the same as the original.

The overall CG effect was something not even worth talking about, the only highlight about it was the way they made the live titans. They were freakishly big, dumb and gruesome… which I LIKED! I also gave a small clap on how the titan Eren turned out. It was almost-almost the same as the Anime/Manga version.

Music wise, I’d have to say so-so for the entire duration of the film, up until the ending. Since the song for the credits was a bit more memorable than the rest. It was noisy and rock which was the perfect ending song for a supposedly gruesome movie.

Overall the movie was okay but not okay. If you’re a fan of the manga/anime, you would probably love-hate the movie just like me. There were a lot of key points to like and a lot more to hate. How I wish they just made a drama series out of this, it might have given more justice to the whole live action thing.

Setting all of this thoughts aside, I would still watch the sequel so just to say I have finished the movie and didn’t give up on it.

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This movie wasn't really in my "To Watch List" due to the over rated reactions of those who've already seen it. After watching it I could understand the fuss since it was a good watch but it was not exactly the best in my book, it gave me mixed feelings as I went through with it. On another note before watching the show, I didn't really go through the actor list. The only familiar face I knew was Song Joong Ki. To my surprise I found So Ji Sub and Kim Soo An, the little kid who played as the daughter of the main lead in that zombie movie entitled "Train to Busan". Seeing them with diverse character backgrounds made my watching experience more enjoyable. I also discovered a new actor named Hwang Jung Min who caught my attention, his role was the father of Soo An which he acted so well and turned me into a believer of his talents. I'm sure I'll be checking out some of his other movies soon.

Story wise the plot was cut in different segments to show several protagonists and their situations before arriving in the same place at the same time, however it was a bit off in some places. As if scenes were inserted here in and there without considering the back story and handing it off to the viewer's imagination instead. I guess that's one of the quirks that I had to deal with while watching films. I need to have a concrete backstory on everything before making a logical conclusion. Setting that aside, I still enjoyed it as it was despite having my heart clenched every time I see the hardships of Koreans who were forced to work under the Japanese regime. There was this particular scene that got to me, it was the part where they made a facade for human trafficking by indicating that they were employed. Someone was announcing in the speakers that the Koreans were employed by a certain company all the while they separated the male and female then handed them record books for their payment as they walked off the boat and were guided to their sleeping quarters, rifles were held behind their backs as they walked on. Men had their hair shaved off and brought to the mines while the women’s bodies were checked for any signs of diseases as they were going to be put in the comfort house where they were made into whores. The fact that these people were practically kidnapped, put into slavery and yet the Japanese still say that they were employed… it was a dark irony. That being said I believe that the movie has a serious tone, but despite that it still has its own happy scenes scattered about at unexpected moments.

The OST was fitting all throughout its run time. It had all the elements needed to represent how a person’s war torn heart could be put in a melody. I would suggest to wait until the credits part as the song used for it may hit a few cords of a melancholic heart and make a lasting memory about the movie. I’m rating it 8/10 for the way it affected me after I’m done watching. I could still hear the agony during the battle and the cry for freedom of the people who were forced to slavery masked by employment. I may not be rewatching this soon but I am recommending this to people who want to watch a dramatic-action-packed movie and know a piece of history of Koreans during World War 2.

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I’ve read so much bad reviews about this drama, but I thought I’ll check it out and see for myself.

What I would have to say about this is that viewers should watch past episode 5 and decide from then on. Personally, I think the story became clearer after that episode and it could be the deciding factor to continue on or not. For some reason, it is the turn point of the whole drama because it reveals a lot of the hidden past from the main character. Another thing is that this drama could have ended at episode 14. They still had to prolong it and go through all new plot problems to fill in those last 2 episodes which is a bit of a clincher for me. I hate fillers in my drama because it’s frustrating. Nonetheless aside that, it was still an enjoyable watch.

The drama has an annoying lead female character called Chae Ro Woon acted by Park Hye Soo. I actually loved this girl ever since I’ve seen her in the drama “Age of Youth” and she sort of resembles Moon Geun Young so I have a soft spot for her, but not her character in this drama. I am irritated as to how the writers and producers let her portray her character. For the first few episodes of the drama she was TOO aggressive for my liking to the point that I’m exasperated and simply want to give up on her. However, in the later episodes her character became redeemable and more acceptable which was sort of a relief. Then there’s the shy boss Eun Hwan Ki acted by Yeon Woo Jin. I really liked the guy, even though this is the first drama I’ve seen him as a lead. He did justice to his character and definitely made people misunderstand him. Yet, he looked so cute even as he seemed so helpless in every misunderstood situation. Then there’s also the actress Han Chae Ah who’s character’s name is Chae Ji Hye and acted as Chae Ro Woon’s older sister. I know her role is quite minor in all of this but she’s the catalyst of the whole storyline so I wouldn’t want to leave her out. I like how mellow and deep her character is. She also has this sense of softness around her, not too beautiful but charming enough to be liked as she is. I like how her own story unfolded in the drama and how her part explained a lot of things despite her minimal appearance.

There are dramas which I could solely focus on the main leads and there are dramas in which I love the sub characters more than the main ones. This is one of those dramas, whereas the supporting roles are so much more enjoyable that I want to know more about their background stories. Another thing about the supporting characters, two of them came from the drama “Another Miss Oh” while there are others from the same drama who made a cameo. That tidbit threw me off in a laughing fit because for one, I love AMO and all the characters that’s why seeing them here in this drama was double the fun.

The cinematography was alright since most of the scenes were caught indoors and in small spaces but when they do some roof top shot and outdoor scenes, they could really be lovely. I truly appreciate those special angles in which the framing of the main subject in the scene becomes picture perfect. Music wise, only one song got stuck in my head and that’s the opening song for the series and nothing else. The OST wasn’t really anything special to remember by. Overall the drama was fun, I couldn’t say it was light because it did made me cry at times and it had its own heavy-heart-clenching scenes. I might re-watch this someday most likely because I missed the sub characters and I would recommend this for those who wants to watch something in between humor and drama.

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Reminds me of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist + the photography session. I LOVED THAT part where they included the snapshots in some of the scenes. It was an added charm to the film. The soundtrack they have chosen for the movie was also very much lively and matched the movie so well. Also, as grudgingly as I am to say this… Horikita Maki is indeed one of the best young actresses in Japan. She may not be one of my favorite actresses, but she definitely hits the jack pot whether its in the films or drama series. Maybe it's also the choice of films and dramas that made her a sought out actress? She also doesn't seem to be afraid of having different hairstyles or images and that's pretty good for someone like her.

Now on to the film.

The movie is about Susuke Naomi who incurred an amnesia through an unfortunate incident. She fell down the stairs to save a camera but in the process hit her head on the ground and lost memory of four years in her life. When she woke up, she didn't know that she was in high school, has a jerk for a boy friend named Ace and that she was in a year book with her best friend Mirai. Most of all, she was helped during her accident by a guy named Yui whom she never really talked to. He's like that dark ominous figure in the school who was one year older than her.

A lot of things happened to her, like finding out the real her, doing things she had never done before and maturing all through it in the process.

The film was really beautiful especially when you see it in the eyes of Naomi. The cinematography was gorgeous and the production was well done. The story line was not that perfect, but the scenes executed by the actors were really good that you wouldn't mind the other boring parts of it and have I mentioned the cinematography? Again… it made up for everything even if the actors didn't.

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Another movie excerpted from a manga.

Paradise Kiss is the creation of Ai Ayazawa, one of my favorite mangaka who happens to be the same author of Nana. (I just HAD to include that here.)

This movie made me nod my head and say, "Okay, that was good... now next please." It wasn't something special compared to reading the manga. It was so different I ended up getting disappointed and almost pissed off, but I ended up with a complacent feeling thanks to Mukai Osamu who acted as George just because he was so darn hot and also for Keiko Kitagawa as Yukari just because she was such a pretty model.

As for character comparisons, Miwako was supposed to be small! But they used a taller actress for her which was sad because she was a key character too. There is also Arashi who is Miwako's boyfriend. He didn't make much impact here compared in the manga where he was such a laid back guy not the stiff one he portrayed in the movie, then Hiroyuki also ruined it for me. He was supposed to be the-clean-cut-looking-guy, with brunette hair and a killer smile, but they made him sport a blondish hair which made him look like gangster no matter how they made him sport decent looking clothes.

After all this character rant, Isabella finally comes in to the rescue! They have chosen Shunji Igarashi to act as Isabelle. I can't believe they could make him into such a beautiful transvestite. This was mostly the high light of my movie watching along with Yukari/Caroline's cat walk and George's created dress.

Over all it was a fine movie, but not one I would be recommending dearly.

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Sole reason for watching…

One name: Lee Min Ho.

Yep. A lot of netizens has been crazed over this drama because of the leading actor. I’m not saying I’m indifferent about this, because in truth, he’s also the reason why I started watching this drama. I’ve been making gifs out of this because I like Min Ho’s character whenever he fights. He uses whatever he finds as a weapon, i.e. a spoon, a file case folder and even a water bottle. So let me define cool.

Lee Yoon Sung. IS. COOL.

The chemistry of the two main characters is very amusing, it even leaves me breathless at times, because of the fact that both may not end up together in blissful happily ever after. I also have this tag line in my head in which I could never forget: Liking someone may not always mean happiness.

That was nicely said by Lee Yun Seong, Min Ho’s character – the city hunter.

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I find the whole story pretty amusing and yet… empty. The plots were loose and there are a couple of loopholes in it. My complain is that there could be so much more added to the story line.

Jun Matsumoto was a good actor that's for sure, but I should have guessed that this would just end up on my bummer listing film. The killing effects were too obvious, even the gushing out of blood was exaggerated (not that japanese films do not exaggerate it as always, kill bill had that but still had a fantastic effect out of it) but here... in an era where blood bath should look more realistic, it didn't fit at all.

As for the soundtrack... for the love me, I could not recall it at all. It's not something that would stick in your head, it's all a hum and dumdimdumdums.

Acting wise the main characters were good. Only the setting wasn't and that you would know it was all a ruse. Other than that it was an OKAY film to watch, but not worth your time. I love Abe Hiroshi and Jun Matsumoto but they couldn't save this film with their good looks and acting.

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