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galanth
Reviews
Taeyangeui huye (2016)
Disappointing
I love my Korean dramas and watched this as I've recently seen Song Joong-Ki in Vincenzo which was a million times better but this was such a disappointment. It started off ok but the female lead character was just badly written and badly acted. Considering the lead actors got married in real life there was no chemistry evident between them either acting wise or for real. I found the lead actress's character to be extremely irritating. She showed no affection to a guy who she was clearly attracted to from the start. Just constantly childish behaviour and no character development throughout the story. There were some good supporting roles and Song Joong-Ki tried his best but for me I lost interest by episode 10 and just rushed through the rest.
Koi wa tsuzuku yo doko made mo (2020)
No chemistry between the lead characters
I haven't got to the the end of this yet but I've already lost interest as I find that however well acted it's just an unlikely story. The two main characters would just never get together. They are so unsuited to each other. Why would such a skilled and complex man involve himself with a giggly immature schoolgirl as the lead actress seems to portray the character in the same way as an adult as she does in the first scene where we meet her when she's a school kid. She's too subservient and has nothing to show why anyone would want to date her. Yes the male lead has a reason to be the way he is but this woman isn't mature enough to handle him. Taking him bowling and to an amusement park where he looks like he really doesn't want to be there. Really? Disappointing and irritating. A lot of the K dramas I've seen have been so much better.
Emily (2022)
A travesty
This really has nothing to do with the real Bronte sisters. It's so far removed from what is known about them to be laughable. I didn't expect much so wasn't that disappointed, I just became increasingly irritated and disinterested as the film went on. If the producers wanted to make a film about 19th century women then fair enough but don't cash in on the reputation of the Brontes. As another reviewer has said people seeing this who have no knowledge of the real Brontes will no doubt think this is a true account. As far as I could see neither Emily, Charlotte or Anne were believable. The only reasonable things were the performances, settings and costumes. I would recommend a bit of research into the actual Bronte sisters or read one of the novels.
Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)
Every cliche going
Disappointing. Takes the characters on new journeys but I found it drawn out and cliched. The central plot of a visiting film crew making a talkie leans heavily on Singin in the Rain. It made me think of classic comedy series that were taken out of their usual mode and that never works. If they were going to take the plot to France they didn't make the most of it. I think you would have to have seen the previous series to understand any of it. But if you care about all the characters you may well find something in it to enjoy. There were sufficient loose ends tied up to convince me that they should leave it here.
Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki featuring Toma Ikuta (2022)
A fascinating behind the scenes view of Kabuki
I watched this after seeing the remarkable Kabuki debut of Toma Ikuta in Akadou Suzunosuke. This behind the scenes documentary of his performance in a new Kabuki play was a revelation. I learned so much about Kabuki and the traditions of Classical Japanese theatre. It was so heartwarming to see the cast helping Ikuta to embrace a completely new way of acting for him. His long-standing friendship with Matsuya Onoe was explored so nicely by seeing how Onoe mentored him in classic Kabuki moves like his incredible roppo. This should whet your appetite to watch the whole Kabuki play the rehearsals here prepare for. Absolutely fantastic and one of the best things I've seen in a long time.
Saborîman Kantarô (2017)
A gem of a show
I watched this after seeing Matsuya Onoe in a Kabuki play (Akadou Suzunosuke). This couldn't be more different but what a charming, sweet and funny series. Everyone is excellent but Onoe is terrific as the mysterious sweet lover. A really versatile and exciting actor. There are some great characters in the office where the main character works including the boss and the girl who is trying to find out who a blog writer of sweets is. The desserts themselves are swooned over and presented like works of art, which they are! The photography is top notch and it's like a travelogue of Tokyo. I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend it.