pastryseungs

[pastryseungs]

Ocean Waves (1993)

Dir. Tomomi Mochizuki

Trigger Warning // violence , dad/father , food , bullying

Spoilers !!

“As he journeys back from Tokyo to his high school for a reunion, Taku Morisaki recounts his memories of his school days, focussing in particular on a love triangle that developed between him and two of his friends.”

“Better days will come.”

this movie was also nostalgic for me lmao. i kinda related to this a lot since.. high school.. one of the most magical✨ times of your life, and the life after high school where we just went on in our lives, storing a different version of a memory we all created during high school.

this movie made my heart ache a little, high school isn’t the most magical thing for me, really.. so i don’t really think i’ll get to show up to any reunions anytime soon lmao.

anyways, back to the topic! i felt bad for Rikako, that big move isn’t really for us sometimes and instead of feeling welcomed, everyone was so judgemental and rude. of course, its not like Rikako wasn’t wrong, since she was kind of dismissive at times and got into a lot of misunderstandings because of- from what i’ve observed, the small language barrier? its nice that Yumi befriended her, i think that she’s a really good friend for sticking by Rikako.

moving on, i love how it took Taku so long to realize his feelings for Rikako. that last scene where he saw Rikako at the train station got my heart aching lmao, its like seeing someone you’ve longed for for a long time and that feeling of happiness and relief when you see them again.

i also can’t help but point out how nice Rikako and Taku’s outfits in this movie were lmao, i see how much these outfits from their time have been used as inspiration for the outfits now.

i guess this ends my post!

thanks for reading !

#must watch #film review #netflix #film #asian series #movie #studio ghibli #studio ghibli film #ghibli #ocean waves #i can hear the sea #taku #rikako #1993 #ocean waves (1993)

[pastryseungs]

Ponyo (2008)

Dir. Hayao Miyazaki

Trigger Warning // food

Spoilers !!

“During a forbidden excursion to see the surface world, a goldfish princess encounters a human boy named Sosuke, who gives her the name Ponyo. Ponyo longs to become human, and as her friendship with Sosuke grows, she becomes more humanlike. Ponyo's father brings her back to their ocean kingdom, but so strong is Ponyo's wish to live on the surface that she breaks free, and in the process, spills a collection of magical elixirs that endanger Sosuke's village.”

“But if his love isn’t pure, she’ll turn into sea foam.”

“That’s where we all originate, my darling.”

i finally got myself to watch another Studio Ghibli film !! its been so long since i watched a new one since i kept rewatching Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) because i’m a big fan of Howl lmao. this movie honestly made me so happy, because i thought that Sosuke and Ponyo were so wholesome and because the art style this movie had was really nostalgic for me.

this movie reminded me of my love for Studio Ghibli movies, because of the colors, the nostalgic feel, the stories, the anime food✨, and the art style !! throughout the movie, i was so curious about what the Happt Drink from the movie might taste like- sadly, i currently don’t have any cinammon to remake the drink :< i’ll get there though lmao.

i also thought that Sosuke’s older sister (not sure about this lmao), Lisa was so brave lmao, she literally drove through a really narrow road as the waves get higher and higher due to the rain. i also love how she took care of Ponyo and Sosuke and how she surprised them both with a hot plate of ramen to cheer them up.

in conclusion, i love this movie !! Studio Ghibli movies have a special place in my heart <3

thanks for reading !!

#film review #must watch #film #netflix #asian series #ponyo (2008) #gake no ue no ponyo #ponyo #miyazaki films #hayao miyazaki #studio ghibli film #studio ghibli

[pastryseungs]

Inception (2010)

Dir. Christopher Nolan

Trigger Warning // suicide , glass , cars , violence , cars , death

Spoilers !!

Inception : the establishment or starting point of an institution or activity.

Deception : the action of deceiving someone.

Subconscious : of or concerning the part of the mind of which one is not fully aware but which influences one's actions and feelings.

“Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) steals information from his targets by entering their dreams. Saito (Ken Watanabe) offers to wipe clean Cobb's criminal history as payment for performing an inception on his sick competitor's son.”

“Dreams feel real while were in them, it’s only when we wake up that we realize that something was actually strange.”

this movie was really trippy for me as well, there were scenes that would make me internally scream and panic.. especially that one scene where everyone was staring at Cobb and Ariadne (Ellen Page). if i was in Ariadne’s position, i’d probably freak out like that too.

at the same time, i can’t help but feel bad for Cobb and his dreams about his children and his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard). finding out that he’s already in too deep in his dream was also very sad for me, he’s literally making up his own world now to cope or maybe he isn’t even aware that its all still a dream and that he’s in too deep by now. which brings me to the question, did Mal even wake up?

i have this theory that she did, and that she’s probably old by now, still waking for Cobb to miraculously wake up.. while their kids go on with their lives, probably used to the arrangement.

this movie really made me realize that as much as i hate dreaming because i frequently get nightmares.. especially when i’m stressed, its still important- but there’s a limit to it. since something that’s good for us can be lethal in higher doses.

this movie kinda reminds me of Divergent (2014) too! i think it did remind me of the Sci-fi movie because of the machine that Cobb and Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) used, which was almost similar to the one in Divergent :)

anyways, this movie was really interesting for me and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, i can’t help but feel sad for Cobb’s situation though, since he’s in too deep already.

thanks for reading !! :)

#film review #film #movie #must watch #inception #2010 #marion cotillard #ellen page #joseph gordon levitt #netflix

[pastryseungs]

Where Your Eyes Linger (2020)

Dir. Hwang Da-Seul

Trigger Warning // violence

Spoilers !!

“Friendship evolves into something more between two high school students: a playful chaebol heir and the diligent bodyguard who's always by his side.”

i have a confession to make ;-; i watched this in one sitting.. technically its alright since each episode is 10 minutes long.. i literally watched for an hour and twenty minutes. the show came out a few months ago and i waited for it to be completed before i decided on actually watching it. now i fully understand why i procrastinated on watching it :< i get so attached to fictional characters easily lmao.

watching the show, i honestly thought that Kang Gook (Jang Eui-Soo) would be the first one to confess his feelings. as expected, he’s a tsundere :< that scene where he got jealous when Han Tae-Joo (Han Gi-Chan) was touching somebody elses ear lmao, i was trying not to scream during that part lol.

i also can’t help but point out how bold Tae-Joo was towards Gook, seems like since they’ve been living together for fifteen years now, he can see through Gook.

the last scene of this drama made me really emotional lmao, i was bracing myself for a sad ending but then they finally meet again ;-;

also, i can’t help but point out how supportive Hyemi (Choi Kyu-Ri) and her mom were. she was honest about what she felt towards Gook but never tried to force herself to him, which was great !! since in other BLs, they usually antagonize the lead female. though at first, i thought that Hyemi would try to break Gook and Tae-Joo up and i was literally bracing myself, but she turned out to be a positive character. love that for me ✨

alsooo, i love how Pil Hyun (Jeon Jae Yeong) never questioned Gook and Tae-Joo’s relationship. he never bullied them and made them feel ashamed of their relationship, but i do hate the fact that he had to go out of his way and snitch on them like WHAT WAS THE REASON ??? in the end though, its nice that he never saw Gook differently and that they’ve gotten closer over the years and is now dating Hyemi, which was slightly unexpected for me.

in conclusion, i’m loving this show and i’m having a really bad hang-over :< after watching MODC a few months back, i’m happy to finally watch a BL with a happy ending !!

thanks for reading !!

ps. Jang Eui-Soo has really nice eyes <3

pps. this gif though 👁👄👁

#film review #asian series #film #must watch #korean #kdrama #BL #where your eyes linger #jang eui soo #han gi chan

[pastryseungs]

The Number 23 (2007)

Dir. Joel Schumacher

Trigger Warning // death , mental illness , violence , suicide

Spoilers !!

“Walter becomes obsessed with the details of a book titled 'The Number 23'. He soon starts connecting events in his life to the chapters in the book.”

“There’s no such thing as destiny, there are only different choices. Some choices are easy, some aren’t. Those are the really important ones, the ones that define us as people.”

gosh this one’s one of my favorite movies now! since i’m such a sucker for psychological thrillers and mystery.

at first, i was going to blame Walter’s (Jim Carrey) wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), since i initially thought that she convinced Walter that what he was connecting together was nothing but a his imagination. turns out, she also doesn’t know about Walter’s past.

it was honestly so weird and scary how such a number could control you. after watching this movie, i’ve never seen the number 23 the same again too lmao. i don’t try to add and connect everything though, as it would just make me crazy, like Walter was lol.

in conclusion, i really like this movie! this one’s the second Jim Carrey movie i’ve ever watched, and tbh, his acting’s really convincing lmao. the movie itself was a roller-coaster ride for me.

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #film review #film #must watch #movie #the number 23 #american film #jim carrey #logan lerman #psychological thriller #mystery

[pastryseungs]

Single White Female (1992)

Dir. Barbet Schroeder

Trigger Warning // death, violence, blood, animal abuse, animal death, mental illness

Spoilers !!

“After her breakup, Allison places an ad for a roommate. All the applicants seem weird except for Hedra. However, Hedra has a secret past which haunts her and messes up Allison's life.”

this movie was honestly so frustrating and triggering for me. i still can’t believe that since Allie (Bridget Fonda) was so desperate to get a roommate that she didn’t think that Hedy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was acting a bit suspicious. i can’t entirely blame Allie though, Hedy did act pretty friendly and normal at the start and Allie treated her like family, which made Hedy attached. Hedy got so attached to Allie that she wanted to control and manipulate the people Allie was close to.

at the same time, i can’t help but feel bad for Hedy, carrying that burden her whole life will surely take a toll on your mental health and the way you percieve life in general. for Hedy’s case, her parents shouldn’t have made her feel that way for the death of her twin sister. but at the same time, Hedy needs help. i don’t know much about these kinds of things, but all i know is that Hedy needs to get some help.

ngl though, i was so frustrated and angry with Hedy when she purposely left the window open, which led to their dog’s death. when that happened, Allie should’ve dropped Hedy and left, but she was just so compassionate that she gave the girl another chance.

in conclusion, this movie was a frustrating one for me. i was really curious as to what this movie was about since i kept stumbling upon it on Netflix, which was why i decided to watch it and see what its about.

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #must watch #film review #film #movie #single white female #thriller #psychological thriller #bridget fonda #jennifer jason leigh #1992

[pastryseungs]

A Cure for Wellness (2016)

Dir. Gore Verbinski

Trigger Warning // violence , gaslighting , abuse , incest , abortion , miscarriages , blood , fires , periods / menstruation , food

Spoilers !!

Gaslighting: a term, often used by mental health professionals, to describe manipulative behavior used to confuse people into thinking their reactions are so far off base that they're crazy. (source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

“Lockhart, an executive, is sent to a wellness spa in the Swiss Alps to retrieve his company's CEO. At the centre, he encounters strange activities that make him investigate the illness of the people.” - (source: https://www.google.com/search?q=a+cure+for+wellness&rlz=1CDGOYI_enPH902PH902&oq=a+cure+for&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l2.8205j0j4&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8)

“A man cannot unsee the truth. He cannot willingly go to darkness or go blind once he has the gift of sight, anymore than he can be unborn. We are the only species capable of self-reflection.”

this movie was really trippy for me. not because of it having too much patterns like the type they show on movies when someone’s having an acid trip, but because of how much they’re playing with Lockhart’s (Dane DeHaan) mind. they literally convinced him that he was sick and plucked some of his teeth out- that part was honestly so disgusting for me and it kinda awakaned my fear of dentists, especially because i had to go for an appointment the next day ;-;

the institution and Volmer (Jason Isaacs) literally tricked these fragile people into being guinea pigs, so they could find a cure for infertility, which was literally from incest. it was honestly so f-ed up how he went after Hannah (Mia Goth) after the girl had her period in a pool of eels, that itself was honestly so traumatizing to watch. it also reminded me of the time when Lockhart was placed inside this huge tank for treatment and almost drowned after losing his oxygen mask, the huge tank was full of eels and the nurses outside were too busy satisfying themselves that they neglected their duties to look after a patient.

i was honestly quite relieved when Lockhart and Hannah escaped for the first time, i literally thought it would end at that.. but since it would seem anti-climatic, they were forcefully brought back to the institution after Lockhart started a barfight.. which was such a dumb move for me. that guy was literally putting himself out there and testing the laws and there he was, being brought back to that god forsaken place.

during the time when Hannah escaped from Volmer’s plans, i think her or Lockhart burned the guy’s face off? it kinda reminded me of Eric from The Phantom of the Opera (2004) the face- Volmer’s face was just absolutely disgusting. it was all green and slimy, like he’s already decomposing but trying to reverse it all just to find a ‘cure’ for Hannah and her mother’s infertility. which led me to the thought about how some people are just so desperate to keep the bloodline pure, that they’re willing to defy the laws of life and risk birth defects.

the institution they were in sort if reminded me of Briarcliff from American Horror Story (2011-) but in better condition? i wouldn’t say better since the water’s really dirty and is slowly killing the patients/guinea pigs. but i can’t deny the fact that it seemed cleaner than Briarcliff, and that its people were free.. probably so it won’t leave them the impression that they were being robbed of all the years they could’ve lived if they didn’t enter the program. also, i’ve now realized that i shouldn’t be comparing the two since Briarcliff houses clinically insane and troubled people and the Wellness Spa is for people who want to be their healthier selves again. but yeah, i think it has the same vibe, but still different.

ooo! i also noticed the scene where Lockhart entered some bathroom or sauna room and it converted into four tiled walls with no exit! it reminded me a lot of the back rooms, which is insanely creepy for me. i try not to think about it much, since it creeps me out and gets me paranoid.

in conclusion !! this movie was good! the cinematography was just great! and i love how they filmed the movie through the use of neutral and dull tones, it gave off the ~creepy~ vibes for me.

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #film review #must watch #film #a cure for wellness #movie #lockhart #horror #mystery #cinema

[pastryseungs]

JU-ON: Origins (2020)

Dir. Sho Miyake

Trigger Warning // death , blood , violence , murder , domestic-abuse , mental illness , abortion , vomit , gore , pregnancy , rape

Spoilers !!

Paranormal Investigator: A person who uses specialized equipment to investigate and research various types of paranormal occurences. (source: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=paranormal%20investigator)

Ju-On: Origins (2020) is a movie about a Paranormal Investigator’s mission to find the house where a crime happened to a movther and a child a long time ago.

first of all, i want to point out how much i like Haruka Honjo’s (Yuina Kuroshima) outfits! she’s one of my favorite characters of the show.. although she can be caught up in her own emotions at times which makes her freeze up instead of help the person in need. it was also really sad that her fiancé, Tamotsu Kusaka (Ryushin Tei) died so early in the show.

Kiyomi Kawai (Ririka) really deserves a better life, but she also needs help, i think she has problems with her hypersexuality and it being their only means for survival in the fast-growing city. i also wish that instead of her mother subtly wishing to disown her for what she did, she should’ve helped her and understood her instead, what she may have heard from Kiyomi’s father may not be the truth. also !! screw her and her husband for murdering Kiyomi’s mother, it definitely wasn’t the solution to their problem.. big jerk energy really. but i can’t really blame her, the girl and the rest of the characters seem really damaged and traumatised from the events in the story.

also, the thing with the telephones and the ghost targeting pregnant women was a bit triggering for me.. although i’m actually impressed with how they made it look so convincing and real.. since some say that this was based from a true story.

throughout watching the show, i’ve been wondering what draws these newlywed couples where the wife is pregnant to this house? there must be some force that draws them here. i’ve kinda come to the conclusion that it was probably the woman’s (Mai Takahashi) work and that she does it to seek revenge, as we can also see that in the show.

there were parts where i was kind of bored and there were also parts where i was so intrigued that it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. ngl, it was a bit disgusting for me but at the same time, there were parts where it peaked my curiosity.

in conclusion, this one’s a good show! if you’re not easily sick to your stomach and triggered with such images and gore, you can watch it!

also, i can’t help but point out the design of the poster? idk but it kinda looks satisfying to look at, although the show’s absolutely terrifying for me. its kinda pleasing to the eyes.

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #film review #asian series #must watch #film #trigger warning #netflix series #japanese series #japan #ju-on: origins #ju-on

[pastryseungs]

Buried (2010)

Dir. Rodrigo Cortés

Trigger Warning // death , blood , violence , animals ( rats , snakes ) , claustrophobia , war , coffins

Spoilers !!

Claustrophobia: the extreme or irrational fear of tight spaces.

Buried (2010) is a movie about a US Truck Driver named Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) waking up inside a coffin and buried six-feet underground after being attacked by Iraqis. inside the coffin is a phone and a lighter and after making a deal with his captors, he is given a few hours to negotiate and try to get himself out of the claustrophobic situation.

this movie was honestly a bit triggering for me.. i seriously hate tight spaces so much because it gets hard for me to breathe and concentrate on the situation and try to find a way to find a solution for it. i literally want to jump inside the TV and dig and pry the coffin out of there myself, only because i got so anxious every time he’s promised to be dug out only for him to spend even more time in that box.

judge me if you want but i think Ryan Reynolds’ acting here was great! i’ve never seen him play such a serious character because the only movies i’ve seen of his are the Deadpool (2016-) movies.

it was honestly so sad and frustrating for me, the way he had to go on desperate measures just for the people to try and find him, only for it to end up finding another dead body. i was so devastated with how he posted a video online that was meant for his son, it was like he’s lost all hope and it’ll be impossible for him to go out of that box.

as i am making this review, my heart feels heavy because of the contents of this movie.. i really wish that this doesn’t happen to anyone. it just breaks my heart how it people could just be in these kinds of situations.

in conclusion, this movie was good! kinda triggering for me.. which is why i probably won’t watch it again and would rather forget about it ans its story. it also had an open ending so i’m not sure if he really got out or not, the possibilities are endless and that fact just frustrates and makes my heart heavy.

thanks for reading!

#film review #must watch #film #american #ryan reynolds #buried #buried (2010) #trigger warning #claustrophobia

[pastryseungs]

In the Tall Grass (2019)

Dir. Vincenzo Natali

Based on Stephen King and Joe Hill’s 2012 novella.

TW // murder , death , violence , abuse , horror

SPOILERS !!

Time loop: a plot device whereby characters re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once, with some hope of breaking out of the cycle of repetition. the time loop can also be known as a ‘temporal loop’.

Fight or Flight Response: a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival. It was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon. it can also be called as ‘hyperarousal’ or ‘acute stress response’.

on their way to another city to start anew, a brother and a sister stop over and hear a boy call out for help. they enter the tall grass, unaware that it would be impossible to come out, unless they negotiate or make a deal with the rock.. if they happen to come across it.

unaware that they have been missing for two months since the tall grass is stuck in a time loop, Becky’s (Laysla De Oliveira) ex-boyfriend and the father of her child, Travis (Harrison Gilbertson) looks over for her, also stumbling upon the tall grass and falling for its trap.

the movie ends with Travis sacrificing himself with Tobin (Will Buie Jr.) being able to come out of the tall grass and preventing Becky and Cal (Avery Whitted) from ever entering the the tall grass again.

okayy, onto the review:

i was honestly so sad for Travis at the end, he was so ready to start a new life with Becky after suddenly realizing that he actually wants to start a family with her. honestly though, at first i thought he was that kind of character that ruins everything for everyone after joining the people in the grass, but he was actually much more helpful and logical than the other grown men in there. though i’m not a big fan of men that are too much of a coward to face reality, he’s actually a helpful one, with decent character development.

as for Cal, i honestly thought that he was Becky’s husband for a second there. it wasn’t long ‘til almost halfway through the movie that i learned that Cal was Becky’s brother. damn, i was so disturbed and weirded out when Travis revealed that Cal had feelings for his sister. i actually didn’t really expect him to be one of the antagonists of the movie, really.. but when i actually try and recall the movie, there were traces where he can potentially be the antagonist of the movie. also !! if it wasn’t for this guy’s arrogance, he and Becky wouldn’t be stuck inside the grass, but then again, someone’s instinct- in this kind of situation, would be to help someone out. totally ruined it for me when he tried to kill Travis.

moving on, i actually thought Tobin would be this annoying child that would ruin it for everyone after being an annoying child, i actually was more fond of him when he successfully left the grass and tried to prevent Becky and Cal to enter and try saving the child.. which was also him

also, ngl i was also so frustrated and annoyed with Tobin’s dad, Ross (Patrick Wilson), the character was just so arrogant and he looks like those kind of people that live in the suburbs. his desparation was causing him to make such deals with the rock, even going as far as killing a pregnant woman, his wife, and a child.. disgusting.

this movie honestly triggered my fight or flight response, i was so frustrated with the fact that it was completely impossible to leave the place. i wonder what happened to those that never really got to leave? during the last scene where Travis looks so defeated and devastated yet assured because Becky was safe, i was like, “can’t they do anything else to try and save him? like, give an alternate ending where Travis was with Becky instead of Cal?” but then i remembered how he treated Becky when he found out she was pregnant with their child.. but i also can’t help but feel bad for him.

in conclusion !! this is one of the movies that really stressed me out lmao. there were parts where it was a bit boring but i kinda liked it, since it compensated for having frustrating characters LMAOO

thanks for reading!

#netflix #film review #film #movie adaptation #stephen king #joe hill #in the tall grass #becky #movie #book to movie #2019 film #vincenzo natali

[pastryseungs]

Sunod (2019)

Dir. Carlo Ledesma

TW // death, violence

SPOILERS !!

Sunod: Sunod is a word meaning “Next” in english, it can also mean “To obey” and “Following, to follow” if you stress a different syllable.

Ritual: a ceremony or action formed in a customary way.

the Filipino movie centers around Olivia (Carmina Villaroel) struggling to make ends meet after her daughter, Annelle (Krystal Brimner) is admitted to a hospital after falling seriously ill. in need of money to pay for Annelle’s procedure, Olivia applies for a job at a Call Center Agency. after almost leaving a bad first impression on her boss, Karen (Mylene Dizon), Olivia comes across a child wandering on the halls of her work building named Nerisa (Rhed Bustamante), unaware that the child she was with was a wandering soul. she unknowingly brings Nerisa’s soul to her daughter and her daughter was surprisingly cured of her illness after Nerisa’s sould inhabits Annelle’s body.

after learning that Nerisa soul was resting inside Annelle’s body, Olivia promises to take Nerisa to her mother and retrieve her remains, only for them to realize that they were tricked into joining a ritual that Nerisa and her mother, Perla (Susan Africa) had planned and took so long to complete. during this encounter, Olivia’s friend, Mimi (Kate Alejandrino) was stabbed by Perla and Olivia was used by Nerisa and Perla as their “sacrifice”. fortunately, Karen arrived in time to prevent the situation from pushing through.

the movie ended with Annelle and Olivia at the hospital with Karen, which turns out that Nerisa has entered Karen’s body.

okayy, onto my review:

this movie was absolutely creepy for me and kept me on the edge of my seat! although it didn’t really gave me this shock factor that made me afraid of going to different rooms in my house all by myself, it was really creepy and got me all frustrated with some of the characters, especially Karen’s character during her first encounter with Olivia. Karen probably had good intentions and wanted the employees to do their best to keep the company afloat, but i would definitely be all flustered if someone asked if i could do something on the first day of my job. but then again, Olivia should’ve learned everything before her first day to keep a professional atmosphere.

i was also quite sad when Lance (JC Santos), who played as Olivia and Mimi’s co-worker was found dead, they literally should’ve made that one floor in the building off-limits, especially when things like that would most likely happen since its an old building.

i honestly thought that the actor who played Annelle played her part really well and i’m now curious if she actually sings and plays guitar in real lmao. she seems like a good musician.

the movie also sort of triggered my claustrophobia a bit because of the scene where Olivia was wrapped up and hanging on red yard or string? i literally wanna go through the screen and cut the strings for her and set her free. it was hard to breathe while watching that scene too because of my claustrophobia hahaha.

in conclusion, this may be a short post because i still have a few movie reviews coming up but i really enjoyed this! i haven’t watched a Tagalog/Filipino movie in a while since i frequently watched a lot during my childhood and on the days where i am bored out of my mind but yeah, i really recommend this one. also, disclaimer !! i might be basic if i do recommend this but this one’s good, although not one of my personal favorites :)

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #film review #asian series #film #must watch #filipino movies #filipino #tagalog #sunod #horror #philippines #sunod (2019)

[pastryseungs]

Happy Old Year (2019)

Dir. Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit

SPOILERS !!

Minimalism: an art movement that began in post–World War II Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s

KonMari Method: encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. (source: https://shop.konmari.com/pages/about)

“we have to choose what’s really best for ourselves.”

Happy Old Year is a movie about Jean (Aokbab Chutimon) and her plans to declutter her home and make the house minimalistic after returning home from Sweden. after her friend, Pink (Patcha Kitchaicharoen) stumbled upon an old CD that she gave Jean back then as a gift, Jean returns all the stuff that her friends from college gave her as gifts or simply lended her. Jean then stumbles upon an ex-boyfriend’s belongings, and starts reminiscing about the past again. the movie ends with a new home for Jean, her brother Jay (Thirawat Ngosawang), and her mother (Apasiri Chantrasmi).

this movie gives me nostalgia and i don’t know why? like, it reminds me of all the memories of the people and the fun times we had back then and how i took all of that for granted. should’ve enjoyed and made the most of it, maybe i’ll feel a little better when i think about it. but eh, these memories make us learn and help us try and improve ourselves

i honestly thought that Jean and Aim (Sunny Suwanmethanont) were going to get back together again after they meet. sadly, it isn’t really that easy for adults to do so, given the circumstances. Jean was just.. emotionally off? i don’t know how its specifically called but she puts up this strong, not-easy-to-break-down front in front of her old friends. it was honestly so sad when she “explained” to Pink why she had to throw the gift away.

of course, its normal that we have to declutter at some point and throw away our things when they’re not functional anymore. but come on, did she have to do that to her friend? if someone were to throw away a gift i gave them, i’d be so offended and sad too. but then again, we’re not really entirely responsible for someone’s feelings. BUT ALSO, its somehow an unwritten rule that we keep that gift and use it.. until its not usable/functional anymore. i don’t know where i’m going with this but let’s show the people who gave us gifts that we’re thankful and content with what they’ve given us.

moving on, its so sad how Jean’s mother hasn’t moved on from their father. it was so sad how the piano was the last memory she had of him- he’s not dead, just divorced, and Jean just sold it off to an antique collector. honestly, she could’ve continued using it and still make it look minimalistic. but also, it could be her way to make her brother and her mother move on, since it looks like there were a lot of problems caused by him, which caused a lot of emotional distress on Jean.

personally, its fitting that we get rid of the things that hurt us and that we stray away and cut ties from the people that cause us distress. what Jean did to Aim was just so sad though. like she was literally using the KonMari method on her life also, which was frustrating !! during the movie, i was semi-frustrated because i was wondering why she just let it all go so easily. i’d like to do the same, but i’m such a memory hoarder that it’ll be hard for me. clearly, Aim still loved Jean, and decided that maybe getting rid of all his memories of Jean would also help him move on, sadly, it feels like Jean still has feelings for him too, but decides not to act on it since.. KonMari method?

anyways, other than the nostalgic feel this film has. its actually so sad how much we change as we get older. from what i’ve watched, it seems like as we get older, we lose this sense of seeking for fun and enjoyment, to try and experience new things and instead just accept he fact that we’re indeed getting older and its something that we can’t really control. personally, it would be best if we kept enjoying life and romanticize it a little, kind of like a coming of age film.

i used to want to be like Jean, to get rid of the things i don’t need, to cut ties with the people that have hurt me in the past, but doing so is just so hard. because we still have good memories of this person or this object, which leads us to thinking, “it looks okay, this still might be useful in the future.” or “things might get better, i’ll keep this for now.” and end up keeping it, only to stumble upon it a few months later and realize that it doesn’t really have any use anymore.

in conclusion, i really liked this one! we may make bad decisions sometimes and it’ll take a long time before we even realize it, but it teaches us a lesson to do better next time. i think this movie also teaches us to let go of the things that hurt us but also keep the things that we love and cherish.

also, look! a list! its the one in the film heheh

How to Dump:

Step 1: Set your goals and find inspiration.

Step 2: Don’t reminisce the past.

Step 3: Don’t feel too much.

Step 4: Don’t waver. Be heartless.

Step 5: Don’t add more things.

Step 6: Don’t look back.

thanks for reading !! :)

#netflix #must watch #asian series #thai #thailand #thai show #thai series #thai movie #aokbab chutimon #happy old year #konmari method #minimalism #nostalgia #film review #movie #film

[pastryseungs]

Strangers From Hell (2019)

Dir. Lee Chang-hee

Writer: Jung Lee-Do based on the webtoon written by Kim Yong-Ki

very long post ahead ~

⚠️ TW // death, murder, blood, violence

SPOILERS !!

Goshiwon: a very small room that students live in while studying for an important test. (source: https://www.reddit.com/r/DoesNotTranslate/comments/5zghif/korean_%EA%B3%A0%EC%8B%9C%EC%9B%90_goshiwon_a_very_small_room_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)

Psychopath: a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior.

“be careful with people. people are the most frightening above all else.”

indeed people are frightening. just from this drama, i’m starting to think of going vegetarian. i know its part of the ~cinematic effect~ but the way Ms. Eom (Lee Jeong-eun) handled the meat almost made me gag ;-;. the drama was pretty disturbing too! Seo Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook) lived a double life as a dentist and someone who kills people for “art”. it absolutely reminded me of Hannibal (2013) because of Moon-jo and Jong-woo’s (Im Siwan) relationship, which reminded me of Hannibal and Will Graham’s relationship.

Strangers From Hell is about a man named Yoon Jong-woo who moves from Busan to Seoul and starts renting a place in a goshiwon. since he started living in Eden Residence, lots of weird things started to happen until his curiosity has peeked when a close acquaintance had gone missing in the residence which claimed to plan on moving out the next week. he then starts finding a few things of the old tenant in his room, which led to him investigating why the Residence was so sketchy.

during his stay in Eden, the usually polite, calm, and composed Jong-Woo has evolved into an irritable and violent person. he usually doesn’t act on his impulses whenever someone from work or from the residence ticks him off until one of his co-workers keep talking down on him for his work performance, which caused him to beat up this said co-worker. personally, the co-worker was actually so annoying.. it would’ve been better if he was warmer and actually taught Jong-Woo the ropes, so he could maybe do better at his job. the co-worker was also ticking me off while i was watching the drama omg.

eventually, this break-down led to him losing a job and meeting up with his boss and his girlfriend to try and patch things up and talk about the misunderstanding. Moon-jo joins the trio, provoking both the boss and Jong-Woo. Jong-Woo’s boss met his demise that night, making Jong-Woo avoid returning to Eden. unfortunately, this plan was cut short after Moon-jo kidnaps Jong-Woo’s girlfriend, Ji-Eun. (Kim Ji-Eun, i was surprised when i found out she had the same name as the character she portrayed)

this then led to a series of killings, until we’re left with the ending that Jong-Woo was part of all of it all along, that he wasn’t really the innocent guy he claims to be. he was apart of Moon-jo’s plan, his art to be exact- dude this gives me Hannibal and Will Graham vibes ✨

it was so sad how late Jung-hwa figured it all out and placed the puzzle pieces together. curiosity did kill the cat but it also has good consequences.

okayyy, on to my thoughts throughout the show:

i was honestly so confused if it was platonic or romantic since Moon-jo likes calling Jong-woo as “babe” / “jagi” / “jagiya”. eh, its probably used to provoke Jong-Woo, since he physically looks so uncomfortable when called with the affectionate nickname.

i can’t help but mention that i felt so bad for Seok-hyun (No Jong-hyun) when watching the show because i thought that he was like the others due to his first encounter with Jong-Woo. i was really praying for Jong-Woo to stay or try to sneak out with Seok-hyun, but during the last few episodes, he wasn’t really in his right mind to do so. also, if Seok-hyun wasn’t so curious about everything, he wouldn’t end up being killed by Ms. Eom and Deuk-Jong/Deuk Soo (Park Jong-Hwan, i honestly don’t know which is which ;-;). but eh, curiosity killed the cat.

i love how Jung-hwa (Ahn Eun-jin) slowly got into the realization that Jong-Woo isn’t entirely innocent as he claims and seems to be. the guy was literally still wearing the bracelet that Moon-jo gave him! the bracelet consisted of the teeth that Moon-jo mercilessly extracted without anesthesia/pain-killers. i kinda compared this to Hannibal (2013) because like Hannibal, Moon-jo likes keeping trophies of his murders while also under the illusion that he’s doing so for the sake of art and finishing his artwork.

that part where Jong-Woo and his old friend from the military was so sad for me. the part where Deuk-jong/Deuk-Soo where breaking the door down with an axe reminded me of The Shining (1980) where Jack Torrace was breaking the door down to torment his wife, Wendy. it was really stupid for the friend to drink the drink that was clearly planted in Jong-Woo’s room to drink. it was the same drink that Ms. Eom laced with some sort of drug to make you sleep and have almost zero control over your body.

dude! Kim Ji-Eun looks so much to Ryujin from Itzy! while watching her scenes, i kept thinking, “Ryujin, Ryujin, Ryujin~”. anyways, Ji-Eun is a really good actress and she plays her part very well. i just think that she has this “girlfriend” vibe now to me lmao. she also looks very innocent too and has this constant concerned expression.. like Ryujin does lol.

alsoooo, LEE DONG WOOK’S DUALITY !! i heard that he filmed Strangers From Hell and Touch Your Heart (2019) in the same year! this dude portrayed Moon-jo really well and i was wondering how he can pull off a tsundere boyfriend and a psychopath so well 😭.

anyways, i love how this show made each character look so disgusting that it was actually so convincing. their acting was so convincing and it actually made me think that they’re a bunch of psychopaths. like i was honestly so disgusted by Hong Nam-bok’s (Lee Joong-ok) character lmao, i was actually thinking what the guy would probably smell like since he doesn’t look like the type to look after himself and only cares about Moon-jo’s art.

in conclusion, i was really entertained by this drama. its been a while since i watched a K-Drama in particular and i’ve been really curious with what this drama is about so i decided to watch it. i’ll probably take a few days to try and move on from this one though lmao.

thanks for reading !!

#netflix #must watch #asian series #film #netflix series #film review #korea #korean #kdrama #k drama #strangers from hell #lee dong wook #im siwan #kim ji eun #drama #i cant sleep

[pastryseungs]

i was a big fan of one direction from 11-14 years old (still am, but not as much) i discovered the rumors around larry stylinson so i started reading fanfics about them through wattpad and tried writing some myself, which made my old phone lag a lot because of all the unfinished works i had on my account.

quick unofficial survey, reblog this and put the first fandom you read/wrote fanfic for, and how old you were, in the tags

[pastryseungs]

On June the 14th the constitutional court in Belgium stated that prohibition of wearing religious signs in an establishment of higher education does not constitute a violation of freedom of religion nor a violation of the right to human dignity which includes the right to education. This declaration meant that Hijab-wearing women don’t have the right to get higher education. Some will, unfortunately, give up on their dreams and some will be forced to remove the hijab to get an education. “I was in a school establishment where wearing a hijab was forbidden. Therefore, every morning, when I go to school, I had to take it off and put it in my bag. I had the feeling that I was enduring microaggressions from a system that was supposed to protect me”. #HijabisFightBack was a way to protest this discrimination. ✊🏽 The right to education should not be negotiable. (source)

A gentle reminder to all that the first university the world ever saw was founded by a Muslim woman. Today, we have to beg to be able to wear a hijab and get an education at the same time — both of which are fundamental rights that our women are being stripped of. 

[pastryseungs]

Sleepless Society: Insomnia (2019)

Dir. Cheewatan Pusitsuksa & Pantham Thongsang

Insomnia: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to get enough sleep.

⚠️ Spoilers !!

TW // death, blood, killings

“do you believe in the power of the younger generation?”

is it even possible to feel so giddy and proud over this line? i relate to this so much because as a part of the current younger generation, i’ve seen others the same age as me fight for justice and rights !! using their platforms to speak out against the government’s injustices. lmao, kids my age from another country even made their president throw a temper-tantrum which led to him planning to ban TikTok, makes me chuckle everytime.

anyways, i truly believe in the power of the younger generation and i believe that all of us are willing to fight for what is right because its our future that’s at stake here. the decisions that the adults do in our community and government will either provide a good or a bad future, that will probably take so long to fix.

okayy, on to the review! :)

i honestly was hooked on this show after the first episode because the story kept making you want to see more and get to the bottom of what caused the island of Kra Ya Ngan to hate on Aiya (Aokbab Chutimon) so much. it had so many plot twists that i thought that the whole show would end up as one of Aiya’s dreams. fortunately, i wasn’t disappointed.

during the whole show, i kept thinking about the meme, “the villain.. the actual villain.” because everyone kept changing sides! i kinda understand though, since its honestly so hard to believe and accept that someone you love and known ever since you were brought up to this world is actually the most evil person on the planet.. yeah, i’m kinda exaggerating on this one but you get the gist haha.

i honestly thought that Suea (Best Nathasit Kotimanuswanich), Win (Gee Sutthirak Subvijitra, Mo (JingJing Varitsara Yu), and Yok (Ampere Suttatip Wutchaipradit) would end up siding with their parents and become one of the villains/antagonists in the show. i’m probably going to keep talking about the plot twists and i honestly thought that i was about to get mad at his character, he proved me wrong! he got his own dad in jail! lmao. i also thought i was going to be mad at Mo, but she was actually helpful towards Aiya and Faye.. i thought Faye and Mo wouldn’t get along but, girl code!

i felt bad for Suea and Yok because they were stuck in the middle because they wanted to side with their parents because “blood is thicker than water,” but they also want to side with their friends because they’re being unfairly treated by the society and the people that should be guiding them into proper and productive members of society.

the antagonists, Witsanu, Ram, Akkanee, and Sakka- i honestly felt so bad for them when i read their origin story. when Sakka ended up killing the Professor when he started provoking him by telling him about the time he molested him, i was liked, “that serves this bitch right!” but at the same time, i honestly thought that it was sad that instead of facing charges and actually cooperating with the police, they got away with it like nothing happened, even getting the Professor exposed for molesting the children, like them, in the orphanage that they grew up in.

also, what Ram did to Faye was appaling. just because someone did it to you doesn’t give you the go to pass the trauma on to someone else. i literally want to smack the guy in the face, it proves that someone shouldn’t be a parent if there’s something in their past is still openly haunting them to this day or if they’re not entirely in the right state of mind. fortunately, Faye ended up moving to Sydney after the whole thing to start fresh.

it was nice that Mo, Suea, and Aiya got the happy ending they wanted, and that Yok is finally moving to Bangkok to study. it was just so frustrating that Bud and Rassamee (Yok and Win’s mothers) are contunuing what Witsanu, Ram, and Sakka started. i honestly thought that it would end there. gosh, i hope they get what they deserve hNGGGG.

oh, and that scene where Tippy was replaced by an imposter who went to a good plastic surgery clinic because the original Tippy stole fake Tippy’s sketches and designs was so weird to me. if it were to happen in real life, it would be like OL replacing the real Jimin. LMAOOO

Win’s character was like Peter from Divergent (2014), guy looks and acts like a villain, but ends up being in the protagonist’s side by doing a power move and providing some major plot twists.

well, that ends my post! i decided to make this immediately after watching the show because i actually had a lot of thoughts while watching, like how frustrated and angry i am with rich people and politicians getting away with the shit they do lmao.

also, the actors who play Aiya and Suea are also in famous shows and movies like Girl From Nowhere (2018) and Bad Genius (2017) !!

thanks for reading ! :>

#netflix #must watch #asian series #film review #film #sleepless society: insomnia #sleepless society #insomnia #thai #thailand #mystery #series #revenge #plot twists

[pastryseungs]

i’m scared. there’s no denying it.

if you find my posts about the terror bill annoying or inconvenient for your thirsting over 2D animated boys, you can go ahead and unfollow me. but remember, FILIPINO LIVES, OUR VOICES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS ARE BEING THREATENED. and in 15 days it can fully be taken away from us. 

i’ve attached pubmats where you can read about the Anti-Terrorism Law and this article that summarizes the process/people involved.

#JunkTerrorLaw

#OUSTDU30

ACTIVISM IS NOT TERRORISM

FOURTH OF JULY UPDATE

IF YOU GUYS CAN JOIN OUR EMAIL PROTESTS DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, PLEASE DO SO. IT’S WHAT A LOT OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS ARE ENCOURAGING AND YOUR PARTICIPATION CAN HELP US A LOT.

https://bit.ly/DOJEmailProtest 

https://bit.ly/JTBEmailProtest

under the cut i will be linking carrds and petitions that you can use to help our country. god knows we fucking need it.

IF YOU HAVE A TWITTER ACCOUNT, HELP US OUT BY TWEETING THESE HASHTAGS;

1. #JunkTerrorBill 

2. #DefendPressFreedom 

3. #MassTestingNowPH 

4. #StopTheKillings 

5. #ProtectedBikeLanesNOW 

 6. #NoToJeepneyPhaseout 

 7. #SaveLumadSchools 

 8. #MassTransportNow 

 9. #NoStudentLeftBehind 

 10. #BalikPasada

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