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Reviews
Wu ming (2023)
Hidden Blade is a movie with stunning cinematography and impressive acting from all the cast.
Hidden Blade is a movie that thrives mainly on its stunning cinematography and impressive acting. With an exquisite set design and detailed costumes, the movie is a true visual feast made for enjoying on the big screen. There's no surprise about two legends, Tony Leung and Zhou Xun delivering perfect performances. Although they don't share much screentime together, their chemistry is exceptional. Hiroyuki Mori as an officer Watanabe isn't some one-dimensional caricature but a surprisingly compelling villain. It's his acting that contributes a lot to a tense atmosphere in many scenes. Wang Yibo also gives a remarkable performance, captivating in his portrayal of Mr Ye, a fascinating character whose real allegiance keeps the viewers guessing until the end. The rest of the cast provided accurate performances as well. As for the plot, a non-linear narrative doesn't make the story disrupted or too difficult to follow. Although it requires the viewers to pay attention and focus on the details, if anything the narrative technique used by Cheng Er makes the plot more interesting to follow, and more impactful when all the pieces finally fall into place, completing an overall gratifying experience.
Zone blanche (2017)
A dark, chilling story with folklore elements
Zone Blanche is a TV series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did, and it was definitely a positive surprise. Admittedly I'm not a person who watches a lot of horrors, so my impression may be a bit different from people who like this genre. However for me it was a quite chilling experience. The gloomy atmosphere, the setting of an isolated town full of dark secrets, the surrounding danger that can get much closer than you actually imagine, everything mixed with local folklore that adds another layer to this thrilling mystery. I love what I watched so far, but the story is far from being properly finished and explained. I hope we can get another season to close the story.
Sanatorium pod Klepsydra (1973)
A bit underwhelming for a Bruno Schulz's reader, but a good movie on its own
If I were to choose the best thing about this movie, as well as its saving grace, it would be locations and props - they perfectly fit the surreal atmosphere of the story and make the viewer feel as if they're being immersed in that bizarre world just like the main character. Nevertheless, for me personally as an avid reader of Bruno Schulz's masterpieces since my teenage days, it was a bit of an underwhelming experience. My expectations weren't meet, but to be fair, making an adaptation of Schulz's work is an extremely difficult task to begin with. That's why I still decided to give 8/10 rating to appreciate those things I enjoyed.
Wang-ui namja (2005)
Emotional story that made me cry multiple times
This movie may not be 'perfect' but the emotional punch it packs is definitely something else. Even years after watching it I still remember how heart-wrenching the story was and how deeply I felt for the characters and their fate. The acting is top-notch, especially Lee Joon-gi impressed me very much, but Kam Woo-sung also gave a great performance and Jeong Jin-yeong was a perfect casting choice as well. For me personally the plot lacked a bit, but the characters and their relationships make it easy to forget about any other imperfections. I'm sure that if I watched it again, I'd bawl my eyes out just like during the first and second watch.