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elijaz_94
Reviews
Doctor Sleep (2019)
A Pleasant Surprise
My mother and I were searching for a good scary movie to watch and this movie caught my eye, firstly bc one of the thumbnails had the infamous "murder" and then the movie poster had Ewan McGregor and I just went huh??? The Shining???? Seeing that it was listed as supernatural, horror, thriller, and reading the short synopsis we gave it a shot, especially since my mom was an 80s teen and The Shining is one of her most favorite movies. This honestly turned out to be such a great surprise of a movie. It answered a lot of questions that sprung up from The Shining, and gave more. I love the homage it gives to the original movie from the background music to the characters and setting, all while being original in its own way with its plot, and new characters. The actors did really well in re-enacting old roles. It's just such a good movie!!! I'm so surprised we didn't see this advertised better back in 2019, otherwise we would have definitely watched it in theatre back then!! The movie ties up loose ends from the original, and also sets itself up for a promising sequel, if it ever happens. I'm definitely recommending this to friends.
Pîchi gâru (2017)
Really good for a J-drama first timer
Although I've watched anime and read manga since I was a kid, it's only very recently that I've developed an interest in live action adaptations. I could never really get into it, because I thought the actors were trying too hard to act like anime characters. Granted some of the acting in this did have an anime feel, at least it wasn't overboard in my opinion. Anyway, I decided to give this movie a try, despite the fact that I never read the Peach Girl manga, nor watched the anime, nor watched the first live action adaptation (I know, I know, what an abominable act), so mind you, I came into this with no expectations. In the end, I ended up really liking it - heck I'd say this is has already made it to the top of my list for live action adaptations. I have no idea how dis/similar the actors were to their manga counterparts, so I can't judge whether they did their source material justice, but I can say that for a romance movie this definitely brings in the goods. For a two hour movie, the pacing was good (never felt bored), the transitions into pivotal events was pretty smooth, and by the end of the movie you really gain a sense of attachment to the main characters. I ended up squealing, tearing up, smiling, and giggling a lot throughout the movie. Honestly, I gained a soft spot for all four main characters (and actors, though I was already familiar with and fond of Mackenyu and Mei, as well as Kei Inoo but only as an idol). Now I actually have some desire to read the manga. I guess it's better this way since there's no way for me to feel like I've been snubbed. If the manga really is far better, then my experience with this series will only get better. Anyway, I really do recommend this movie especially to those who are newcomers to the J-drama world or have never seen or read any previous works of Peach Girl, like me. For those who are familiar with Peach Girl, based on seeing other people's comments, I guess stay cautious if you don't want to possibly be disappointed!
Suddenly It's Magic (2012)
This movie is UNDERRATED and UNDERESTIMATED. It deserves more!!!
I REALLY don't know why this movie is rated so low in this site!!! It's an absolutely wonderful movie, and unfortunately it's greatly underrated both in box office and in people's expectations prior to even watching the movie. This is one of those "don't judge a book by its cover" circumstances. Yeah, the promotional poster may look a bit cheesy with cupcakes floating and surrounding the two main actors, and the promotional video for the movie makes it seem like it has a really generic plot of "boy meets girl" with a few cliché elements like "famous guy meets hometown girl" and "follow your heart", but it REALLY isn't like that. Yeah, the basis may seem generic, but the overall plot of the story is definitely high up there as in, if ever they made a sequel, I'd be afraid that sequel wouldn't be good enough to match the original. It's THAT good. The chemistry between Erich and Mario in this movie is AMAZING. The touch of innocence romance (you'll seriously wish you could smack Erich and Mario's faces together so that they can have really good kiss), drama, and comedy blend into this movie seamlessly. The setting of Thailand and Philippines are shot breathtakingly, the music is beautiful, and the cross-cultural aspect is incorporated perfectly!! I really wish I could spoil the whole thing to you just so that you'll know that it's a phenomenal light romantic film, but I won't, because now, I want YOU to watch this movie for yourself. See it while it's still in theaters!! Seeing it on the big screen is an even more memorable experience~~ it's must-watch, and truly a must-watch-AGAIN.