kvraaah Reviews

The Sound of Magic (2022)

Surprisingly Incredible

[8/10 · 8 May 2022]

There was an unexpected charm to this show that I can't quite put my finger on. Honestly, when I watched the trailer, I wasn't even one bit interested. I can't believe I didn't know it was a musical until I saw it on my Netflix homepage this morning. I think that's what drew me to watching it: I'd never seen a musical K-Drama before, and especially with Ji Chang-wook and Hwang In-yeop, I practically leaped at the play button.

Annara Sumanara is a joyful drama: it's beautiful and magical; nostalgic and astounding. I honestly don't have anything to say about that because I finished it only a few minutes ago. I've barely even processed the ending. The songs are quite good and the episodes are each very interesting and immersive. If I was a bit younger and didn't rush to finish the show in one day, it probably would've been 10/10 for me. I think it's a must-watch, for sure!

Heartstopper (2022– )

INSANELY GOOD

[10/10 · 22 April 2022]

I hardly ever give shows 10/10, so let me just tell y'all right now: this show was a masterpiece. It's realistic in its portrayal of youth, coming-of-age and school relationships; it's perfectly paced so none of the episodes feel rushed or too slow; the soundtrack is impeccable; and it was just downright beautiful. I am quite in love with Nick. Go watch Heartstopper right now!!

Twenty Five Twenty One (2022)

The sweet and refreshing representation of young love

[10/10 · 3 April 2022]

This show was a bloody masterpiece - the characterisations, the aesthetics, the writing, the storytelling techniques... all of it was incredible. It's nostalgic and heartwarming yet portrays the mundane nature of reality and how youth simply drifts away, which I find to be the saddest portrayal of all. I cried throughout the entirety of the last episode. Genuienly beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable: I highly recommend everyone to watch Twenty-Five Twenty-One!

Little Ashes (2008)

a lovely little film

[8/10 · 9 March 2022]

I think that this is a beautiful depction of the potential romance that ignited between Salvador Dalí and Federico García. The misè-en-scene is stunning and the romantic tension between the two was portrayed astoundingly. Props to Robert Pattinson and Javier Beltrán for their impressive performances!

The Batman (2022)

He is indeed THE Batman

[8/10 · 5 March 2022]

I'm not going to lie - I have never been interested in Batman films, but when I saw the trailer for this rendition, my jaw dropped. It looked very action-packed, I loved the dark tone, and I was extremely intrigued to see what Robert Pattison would bring to the role.

During the film, I ended up realising that I found Batman incredibly attractive. And I think that was mostly why I enjoyed the film. Don't get me wrong, it was great - there were plenty of nice shots and the story wasn't too fast-paced nor too slow, and it sets up nicely for a sequel; that being said, the budding romance between Catwoman and Batman felt rushed or stiff, and I just really don't find car chases exciting.

I liked it a lot and will probably watch it again multiple times when it is released for digital streaming, and I think that is mostly due to the casting. Would reccommend though.

Snowdrop (2021–2022)

Beautiful and Heart-wrenching

[8/10 · 30 January 2022]

Honestly, I can't even think straight... after the ending of Snowdrop, I've been crying for 20 minutes haha

I love the entire vibe of this show - the settings, the shots, the sound... everything merges together perfectly to create this lovely melancholy aesthetic. The story starts off sweet and heartwarming but gradually takes a tragic turn, immersing viewers more and more. Even the soundtrack is incredible, with songs that I will be adding to my daily playlist.

The main leads, Suho played by Jung Hae-In and Yeongro played by Jisoo, have incredible chemistry and their coupling currently my favourite out of all the Korean Drama couples I have seen throughout my lifetime. Such tenderness is portrayed through gentle touches and stolen glances, rather than the often seen intense skinship and sometimes unnecessary kissing.

I think the reason why Snowdrop loses two stars in my book is because of the multiple plot-threads intertwined with the main story. I am mostly a fan of these sorts of shows, with parallel cuts to show different events at different places during the same time-frame, but there were a few that felt unnecesarry in Snowdrop - for example, the scenes of the wives of the rich male characters often arguing seemed irrelevant to the whole story and I skipped through a lot of the episodes because of that. They were just boring to me.

I believe that this show is a 10 in my heart because of the reaction it gave me - I am so attached to the story and its beauty. That being said, the uninteresting side-stories did get on my nerves. I therefore will stick with my 8/10 rating overall, with a 10/10 for the romance and all the technicalities, such as filming techniques and editing speeds. I would therefore definitely recommend Snowdrop :)

Enola Holmes (2020)

Unexpectedly Pleasing

[8/10 · 23 September 2020]

I'll be honest: when I first heard about this film, I didn't think I would enjoy it. There was something about the trailer that just felt boring to me. However, excited to see Millie Bobby Brown in another role, I began watching with a fresh mind, and I was definitely pleasantly surprised: I enjoyed how it was feminist yet didn't overdo it and portrayed feminism in the most realising and heartfelt way. I also liked how it left opinions on various things open to the viewer. I especially admired how the male characters also had depth and development, which I often find lacking in films like this. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this and will probably be revisiting multiple times!

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (2016–2018)

Saiki K gets me psyched up!

[8/10 · 22 September 2020]

Before I watched this anime, a lot of people were telling me that it was boring and a waste of time. I'm glad that I didn't listen to them, because this has become one of my favourite shows. Although the structure was odd at first, the episodes comprising of short skits were all really entertaining. I really like the humour, including the breaking of the 4th wall, and I definitely recommend this anime to everyone who enjoys comedy!

The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)

An Enjoyable Experience

[7/10 · 22 September 2020]

When I first went to see this film in the cinema, I don't really know what I was expecting: I watched the trailer and I thought "oh, this looks like something I would be interested in", especially because of the choice of actors. It started off quite slow and honestly quite boring in my opinion: the humour felt a bit pushy and unnatural and I was a bit skeptical. However, as the film progressed and the protagonist developed, I ended up getting more invested in the story. It still felt quite empty, though. When I watched it for the second time, my mindset was completely different: every little thing excited me and I enjoyed the experience a lot more as I was already familiar with the characters. I would definitely say this was a good film, but I don't think it was anything particularly special. I think the concept is extremely unique but the movie itself didn't portray that in a very powerful way for me.

Blue Spring Ride (2014)

I really enjoyed it!

[8/10 · 30 July 2020]

This anime is very short (12 episodes + 2 extras) and I binge-watched it in a day! It was very sweet and made my heart flutter nearly every episode. It was confusing at first but you soon get really into the story and I like how it feels very innocent. The main friendship group have an ideal friendship and it just made me happy to see. I might read the manga soon to continue the story as there's no second season. If you're interested in romance, I defenitely recommend trying out this show!

Banana Fish (2018)

A must-watch

[10/10 · 20 July 2020]

Banana Fish is an anime that I believe everyone should watch. The show tackles so many topics that it's practically a genre of it's own and, although the story is quite dark, it also made me very happy. I will never be the same after the emotional rollercoaster that this anime put me through, but I'm so glad I watched it. The soundtrack is also incredible.

Sayonara </3