Review: Only Yesterday

Plot (From RT): It's a 1991 movie presenting the story of Taeko, 27 year old, single woman who has lived her whole life in Tokyo. She decides to visit her relatives in the countryside, and as the train travels through the night, memories flood back to when she was in the fifth grade: the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. At the station, she is met by young farmer Toshio and the encounters with him begin to reconnect her to forgotten longings. From Academy Award nominated director Isao Takahata (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya) and general producer Hayao Miyazaki, Only Yesterday is a masterpiece of time and tone, rich with humor and stirring emotion, and beautifully animated by one of the world's most revered animation studios.

Comments:

I just found out about this film yesterday, thanks to rotten tomatoes’ recommendation. Like the positive feedbacks from the site, I share the same praise and applause for this film. It’s a very nourishing story that we could relate to as it shows how our previous experiences would influence the person that we are today. As a viewer, you just have to agree to how the character has developed from the day to day course of our unique upbringing in life. It also goes to show how childhood is a big factor to become the adult that we used to imagine when we were young kids. Furthermore, it’s a film of affirmation that we are the sum of the experiences we’ve had in the past. But that’s not everything there is in the film, because the execution of the message was wonderfully done like when you let life unfolds itself in front of you. Hence, it is also done in a comforting manner that in some ways, our choices would make a difference to our life. However, we only have to wait and be the person who’s ready in taking a risk. Overall, this is a beautiful film that you’d love to indulge with when life gets confusing and when you just feel bored. Thus, I feel that in general without being too focused on the story, you would enjoy the totality of the film because of the beautiful background that we always witness in animated films from Japan. Having said this, the cinematography was superb like in Hayao Miyazaki films. But I also have to take note of the amazing sequencing in this film as it goes along well with the present and old story of Taeko.  

Review: Descendants of the Sun Episode 5

 As expected, this drama gets better in every episode which is the reason for reigning on the top spot of the ratings battle that leaves its competitors behind by a huge margin. This is expected to continue next week however, with Goodbye Mr. Black's premier which is a comeback drama by Moon Chae Won (from Innocent Man) which is an exciting event because she will be facing off Innocent Man's co-star, Song Joong Ki. So I wonder how Lee Jin Wook and Moon Chae Won's pairing would fair among the K-netz. But I have seen snippets already and I must say that they have prepared a good competition for DOTS. But first, let me talk about how detail oriented this drama is and how it is put together once again. 

 Since everything happens for a reason, I have this gut feeling that Ye Hwa and her husband, Daniel are more than just passing characters to fill the gaps. Ye Hwa carries a gun in her sleep which is a sign that she must protect herself from imminent danger and her husband, Daniel who is a doctor definitely has a job that is more than complicated than what he is able to fix. Though, captain Shi Jin seems to trust them both, I am assuming that they are comrades of his. But I want to know the backstory of these characters and what they can further offer to the story. I hope that their story would be compelling as well.

 Furthermore, these two just kissed which left a lingering feeling for both. With how it looks like, these two didn't have a good night sleep because of each other. Though it's hard to put a wall between these two cause of their inevitable attraction, Kang Mo Yeon is taken aback by Yoo Shi Jin's breezy moves towards her. He is a very charming yet also, dangerous which makes everything hard for Dr. Kang Mo Yeon because of his line of work. I hope that these two would meet a common ground so that they wouldn't waste their feelings and the genuineness of their characters. Besides, these two are well loved for their amazing chemistry onscreen which is apparent on their kissing scene.

Review: Our Times 我的少女時代 (2015)

Plot: Lin Truly reminisced the fun times in her high school with friends. Set in 1994, the story takes you in the innocence of youth, beauty of first love, sting of a heartache and friendships made. Part of her memory was being a hardcore fangirl of Andy Lau and admiring Ou Yang as the school’s most popular guy. Moreover, he tamed the bad guy Hzu Tai You and became friends with him that changed the course of her life.

Commentaries:

The liberty of youth is one that cannot be exchanged by the complicated reality of the adult world. ‘Our Times’ is a story that is familiar scene among teenagers and at the same time, nostalgic to the young adult viewers. The movie is something that is irresistible to all ages as soon as you are appreciative of its witty, feisty and heartfelt offering. But why is this Taiwanese film a huge hit among East Asian movie-goers? Is it because of the gangster and the charismatic Hzu Tai You that girls are aiming to repeatedly admire on the big screen, or because of the warm-hearted and cute Truly Lin that has captured Hzu Tai You's attention? One thing is for sure and that is, this drama has made a storm because teenagers can associate themselves to the characters while millennials can’t help but enjoy the movie as much. On the other note, the story has a cliché plot where I was reminded of plenty of the dramas I’ve seen and loved such as “Crazy little thing called love” which is a teen romance movie from Thailand, “Reply Me 1997” which is a Kdrama hit in 2012 that established tVN’s popularity, “In A Good Way” which is a feel good drama about friendship set in the 90s and lastly, I couldn’t help but notice the similarity between Hzu Tai You and Dao Ming Shi from Meteor Garden wherein both are hot tempered characters.  So I made the research and according to the articles online, I shouldn’t be surprised because F4 used to be talents of the same agency as Darren Wang (Hzu Tai You) and Vivian Sung (Truly Lin) managed by Angie Chai. To be honest, Darren Wang has the aura of Dao Ming Shi not only as Hzu Tai You but as a person himself.

Review: Descendants of the Sun Episode 4

 This drama knows how to make a proper resolution to the problem and that is what episode 4 is all about. Shi Jin was summoned by his superior for defying a military order. After episode 3, we have measured the depth of Shi Jin's character for choosing to save a man's life and a doctor who might have been charged of a case that she did not voluntary do. The man is an influential leader of the Arab world and he needed an immediate medical attention so they landed in Urk for a treatment. However, the man's medical record was fabricated with diagnosis that he doesn’t have. Hence, the medical team led by Dr. Kang Mo Yeon assessed the patient and she suggested an emergency operation. However, his security insisted for them to wait for his Arab doctor despite of being in dire situation. It was an emergency case that needed to have someone to judge whether to listen from his security and a military order which tells the same thing or to save two lives that are in the line. Thus, Shi Jin commanded his men to point a gun to anyone who'll try to neglect the operation and took full responsibility for the outcome. Meanwhile, Kang Mo Yeon is a reputable doctor and she lived up to the expectations of Shi Jin. Through these debacles that they managed to surpass together, the connection between the two has gotten deeper.

Review: Descendants of the Sun Episode 3

Every second of this episode is worth the screen time and I love how everything makes sense from the input of events to the development of the characters. They also show the backstory in which the characters are introduced to who they really are which is a good thing guided by the story. I hope that they keep up with this kind of pace so they'd be able to justify each and everyone of them. Every detail that they incorporate in the scenes were made for a reason and that is a big plus points to them because not every popular K-drama these days have it. Moreover, it was easy to watch and felt like everything was done fast-forwardly in a good way. I dare say that the effort and the plot didn't go in vain. Definitely, because I know that this is a well thought production series and now, we just can't help but love it. 

It's been a while since I feel so into a K-drama in which everyone is watching, as I am aware of its popularity in Korea and to the international viewers. I think that one of the reasons why it is doing well is again, the story is commanding the viewers to watch because there're more to it than meets the eye - the gorgeous cast. 

So here are the screen caps I did for pleasure because the experience of watching this episode is just as intense as the first two where I can't stop grinning at the sight of Song Joong Ki. I miss him so much and I'm glad that he's very well acquainted with his character Captain Shi Jin. Every scene that he has is heart fluttering indeed.