Reviews

Context and interpretation

I am a fan of Leslie Cheung. Leslie Cheung is one of the key points in this A Balloon's Landing drama.

I haven’t read an official statement from the director clarifying whether this film is or isn’t a gay or BL (Boys' Love) story. All I've come across are headlines from people who were upset that the movie confirmed it’s not a BL, feeling that the promotion relied on queerbaiting. I did watch some promotional videos on YouTube, but I don’t really have a strong opinion on them.

Leslie Cheung, who tragically committed suicide in Hong Kong, never publicly confirmed his sexual orientation (though some people feel the need to know). I read his suicide note, which was published by the media, but it didn’t offer any clues. I used to think he was gay, but it’s no longer important since he chose not to share that part of his life with the public. I like to think the reason the director of A Balloon's Landing doesn’t confirm whether this movie is a BL could be because they wanted to go beyond labels and make something more universally relatable.

A Balloon's Landing is beautiful, but it’s not an "A" movie—it’s a "B" movie. The story feels complete by the end, with everything presented, including a key detail about one character's fear of the dark, which is explained in the final part of the movie.

I enjoy road movies because they often showcase landscapes and settings as integral parts of the story. A Balloon's Landing captures these landscapes well, but it doesn't quite do justice to small details—like how the two boys carry small bags, yet their clothes seem to change every day (is it like a magical pocket, a la Doraemon?).

Lastly, I was reminded of The Lake House (with Sandra Bullock), as the mailbox setup in A Balloon's Landing was similar. It helped me connect with the film's story in a more familiar way.

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Sprinting through life

I watched Vida La Viva mainly because of Peng Yu Chang, who has a magnetic screen presence that brings life to any role. However, what truly caught me off guard was the female lead’s performance. Her portrayal was so moving. They both give an emotional depth that felt genuine and heartbreakingly real.

The storyline itself is well-paced and dynamic, carrying viewers along as if we’re living alongside these characters. There’s an urgency to each scene that makes you feel you’re sprinting through life with them, immersing you in their little joy, struggles, and aspirations to fight for their lives. It captures the intensity of their experiences in a way that’s both exhausting and exhilarating.

Will I rewatch it? Though the story telling is impactful and Peng Yu Chang’s films are mostly inspiring, I won’t. A little tears is enough for. (Sigh)

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Sweet and fluffy romance

Well, it is school romance. So expect the good romance! The chemistry between the two leads are so good. And I wish they would have second collaboration as couple in the future.

Now, back to the movie. The storyline and the plot are really simple, and it's nothing you haven't seen before. But a good directing, storytelling, acting, chemistry can make it beautiful on their own. And this one is it. 2 hours, and the storyline are well-packed and nicely done. And I love the friendships between the three girls <3

Ps: sorry for rambling. I rly did not know how to write reviews. This is all my feelings after watching them <3

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Trying too hard

It felt like the movie was trying too hard to be deep . When there arent any explicit scenes on the screen that take up a majority of the attention, all we get is monotonous and dull dialogue that points to some overarching metaphor that they try to pull in. Its okay to put out a purely trashy naughty film, but nope gotta also sprinkle in some artsy meaning in to the film...I guess? Starting from that odd dialogue when Myeong Seon meets Gi Jun for the first time and the discussion oddly goes to hands. What did you notice about me? My hands? You studied my hands? Then Myeong Seon compares Gi Jun's hands to that painting from da Vinci. And then all the hyperfixation of hands begins. Camera angles at Gi Jun's hands getting undressed and dressed. Hands clenching and unclenching in nervousness. He uses his hands nervously to cover his nakedness but Myeong Seon constantly tells him to put his hands away repetitively during the photoshoot. When Myeong Seon is on top of him to get a head shot of Gi Jun's face, he flicks his hand away from the shot. Myeong Seon had mentioned previously that he doesnt heavily edit his photos. It's supposed to be natural. But all we are seeing is dictated postures. Towards the end of the movie they hit you over the head with a close up of Mona Lisa's hands, the infamous painting he mentioned at the start. You can know a lot about a person from the hands. Gi Jun's hands is soft like the painting he says. But Myeong Seon chooses to ignore it and flicks it away and that's how he treats their affair. He does not care if Gi Jun is already in a relationship with someone else. He is aloof and mean and he knows it and purposefully so. He chooses to keep a distance and tries not to get too involved. At the end of the movie when he tries to look for a photo of Gi Jun and finds it tucked away in a book, you can tell it is heavily edited. Blemishes are erased. It isnt natural but posed. When Myeong meets Gi Jun's look-alike, Jung Hyun, you can tell he has regrets now that the roles are reversed. This man looks like Gi Jun but he is strong in personality and demeanor. He is not soft. The professional camera isnt used on this look-alike. You see Myeong Seon using a 35mm film camera when he unexpectedly runs into a sleeping Jung Hyun in the woods taking candor shots of the "fake" Gi Jun. Myeong Seon is also shown using a poloraid to get raw and imperfect instant photos of Jung Hyun passed out on their bed. When he gets intimate with Jung Hyun, it ocassionally shifts the camera to first person pov which hadnt happen before with Gi Jun when he was trying so hard to keep space and distance as photographer and subject. Perspective has changed as Myeong Seon is trying to reclaim those feelings. Then the mystery continues: Is Gi Jun and Jung Hyung the same person? Overall, it didnt matter to me cause I didnt care to know. All this got clouded by boring dialogue with not much effort with character development and a weak plot.

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Algo bello sin historia

Lo bueno:
En el aspecto visual fue disfrutadle, bello incluso, la secuencia de escenas borrosas con voz en off me agrado.
La música destacó más que los diálogos.

Lo malo:
Llevaba menos de 6 minutos y me había aburrido. Sentí que no tenía historia, solo entendí que se llevaba mal con su padre y le gustaba el espacio.
Con la escasa información que nos dieron, puedo formarme una idea de que tal vez él se sentía encerrado, sofocado por su ambiente y el trabajo de un astronauta en el amplio espacio era un seno para él. Trama que no me parece mala, pero parece inexistente. De hecho, hasta se me hace irrelevante la historia entre los dos protagonistas.

Constitución:
Lo resumo como una secuencia de imágenes, con apariciones de voz en off, una presentación, sin clímax o cierre.

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The story line was very poorly executed with very bad pacing.

The good thing about this movie was first of all the concept, the storyline sounded really intriguing to me in the beginning which is why I chose to watch it. The female lead’s acting was also but really good, and that’s probably all the good things I have to say about this movie.

On the other hand, all the bullying scenes were just given as a montage which I think was one of the biggest pitfalls as it made the bullying seem also irrelevant so it was really unusual when she decided to commit suicide at the end. It also just really confused me and made the timeline really skewed. Also, they skipped a lot of important scenes between the male lead and female lead, so, i feel like they failed to portray how deep their relationship and connection was to each other. Same for the female lead’s relationship to her childhood friend, they didn’t even seem like friends, their relationship was so distant. When she was ranting to him about how crappy her life is, he seemed to not care, which seemed unrealistic in my opinion. I still cannot fathom how the movie was so long when they barely even showed anything.
This could’ve been a great movie if it was better executed, overall, i just feel disappointed.

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Possibly my favorite BL

I wouldn't have expected this to hit so hard. I loved everything about it.

The actors were able to deliver an amazing performance, perfectly portraying the emotions of this bittersweet and beautiful story. Their chemistry was on point too and surely had me hooked.
Although many could deem this drama as boring because the plot isn't the most exceptional or new, it didn't bother me at all. It rather made it easy to watch, without any annoying obstacles ruining the flow of the story. I was constantly emerged in the story, in each character and the pain they had to go through.
Also, I loved that it was filmed in a rural region and during fall because that created a dreamy, unique vibe. In general, I really liked the cinematography, the colors used throughout the series.
In addition, the OST fit the atmosphere of the story well and sounds really touching.

Out of all the BLs I have watched yet, this is one of my favorites...

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Love the suspense!

Shin Hye Sun is always gonna do it for me! She did incredible in this movie; she never fails to amaze me.

The movie was pretty good! I loved the suspenseful and thriller scenes. I thought the cinematography in the movie was cool, especially when the camera would focus on Hye Sun being in shock or scared. The plot was well-written and played out nicely. I like that it brings awareness to the dangers that might come with purchasing second-hand items or just being online in general.

The only downside to this movie is that the first half felt a bit slow; I think it could have been shorter and still been just as effective.

Overall a good watch.

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A cautionary parable for man's true acquiescence to the natural world

Toshiharu Ikeda's elemental and mythical adaptation of Takashi Ishii's Angel Guts manga, Mermaid Legend, evokes a lyrical sadness for the fading way of life of seafaring fishermen and ama divers. One that starts as a relatively tender study of grief but shifts dramatically in the latter half to become an absolutely brutal exploitation blood-drenched angel of vengeance and yet, despite those exploitation tendencies, it also channels the intense anti-nuclear sentiment of the decade. An eco-thriller that finds the incursive grasp of industrialisation and corporate greed encroaching on natural realms. Ikeda directs a film that begins a presentation lingering somewhere between the realistic and the idyllic, almost artful in several scenes but it's not long before the film shows its true colours, which are essentially bathed in the red of blood. Mari Shirato gives an astonishing performance as Migiwa, managing to capture everything from sorrowful and vulnerable as much as vengeful and unstoppable, a real shame she wasn't in more. Combined with a truly haunting piano score by Toshiyuki Honda, Mermaid Legend remains a brooding requiem for loss, a cautionary parable for man's true acquiescence to the natural world.

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unhealthily rewatching it since 2019 - for Sugino & cute fluff moments

This film is simply my guilty pleasure - to watch Sugino & Ryusei over & over & internally scream at the heart-fluttering moments shown. Honestly if you compare with the other shows/movies I have rated 8 - this is definitely not in the same space, but given the unhealthy times I have rewatched this & it remains a comfort film, the rating technicalities can be overlooked.

The story is delightfully simple and cute, with the perfect amount of fanservice to keep you hooked. It has its ups and downs, but nothing too intense or shocking – just a smooth, enjoyable ride. The three main leads deliver stellar performances, beautifully supported by the rest of the cast. The film concludes on a high note, leaving you grinning and blushing like crazy – I've been doing just that from my first watch to the present!

Best Part: Sugino Yosuke - just cannot get enough of this man. I have been following his works since long, and while this is one of his early ones and not enough to showcase his talent, I highly recommend watching him in Barakamon, Love's In Sight. Am not sure, but I feel he is still not the most popular J-actors, but he truly deserves to be. In contrast, Yokohama Ryusei is a more popular face and while I have seen him here and there - Cursed in Love is one of his best works I feel.

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Simply magnificent

I genuinely can't believe I put this film off for so long! A darker-than-dark neo-noir thriller, On the Run, is exactly the kind of film I adore one that's raised to another level by an incredibly dark sense of humour and a knack for doing the unexpected. It takes you for a ride, managing to assault, frustrate and delight regularly never ceasing to be entertaining or compelling. It's far from uplifting, a constant overhanging anxiety plagues its characters from the then-upcoming Chinese takeover of Hong Kong, even in 1988 they were worried about the future, it gives the film a suitably grim atmosphere even in the face of its stunning visuals. It's so weird to think that Alfred Cheung was more well-known for his comedies because watching this you honestly wouldn't know it. He perfectly complements the gloomy theme with dark cinematography of the black, Hong Kong horizon dimly lit with the traditional glow of neon lights. It is almost impossible to not be utterly captivated by its mood. As much as this is one of Yuen Biao's finest performances, the film is absolutely stolen by Pat Ha; displaying an intense physical presence throughout as a cold-blooded hitwoman with a heart of gold that commands incredible respect and sympathy. Aside from an incredible pole-slide stunt performed midway through by Yuen Biao, all the action is played with a brutal realism that's nothing short of spectacular, especially that final fight. Featuring a brilliantly crafted script that moves at lightning speed and a truly unforgettable musical score by Violet Lam, I cannot find myself praising On the Run enough, it's simply terrific.

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