Dominik528 Reviews

Dou Kyu Sei: Classmates (2016)

A wonderful, sweet, beautiful coming-of-age romantic dramedy

[8/10 · 25 November 2020]

I discovered this little film just this year through Tumblr. Though I wasn't very eager to check it out at first, the highly-positive reviews by both GoatJesus and KrisPNatz of YouTube convinced me otherwise

What a warm, funny, loving, engaging story it turned out to be! It may be simple (both story- and art style-wise), but it was worth the $3.99 rental on Amazon Prime -- I might even buy it at some point!

The two leads, Hikaru Kusakabe and Licht Sajo, may be polar opposites, but their chemistry is so enthralling, that I ended up rooting for them! Yes, Kusakabe is very forward with his advances towards Sajo, kissing him even if he says "no." But about halfway through, he seems to grow to respect both Sajo's boundaries and protests more. Not only that, but it's Sajo who begins to initiate his affections as well. Although the ending is slightly open-ended in regards to the boys' futures after graduating, it's still definitely happy, with the two together, willing to work through their own flaws.

As for issues I'd have with the film: As a music fan, I kind of wish that we saw more of Kusakabe's musicianship (that might be something that the manga/anime, Given, will make up for!). I was also confused as to why the incident involving the teacher, Mr. Hara, trying to seduce Sajo was left unreported. In fact, Kusakabe later goes to said teacher for advice on how to have sex as if they're good friends!

All in all, this film touched my heart and lifted my spirits, which is definitely what I feel like I needed during quarantine.

The Hours and Times (1991)

Did they or didn't they?

[6/10 · 21 November 2019]

A very low-budget indie film - and, boy, does it show! - that is barely an hour long. A theoretical look into one of the most debatable topics in music history.

Ian Hart and David Angus really appeared to nail their roles (in some angles, Hart even resembles the real Lennon!). The conversations Lennon and Epstein had, the way they were worded, I could easily imagine in real-life. There's also scenes showing how different they are from each other -- for example, John speaks to his wife, Cynthia, on the phone in a bit of an aloof manner, contrasting to Brian's more loving conversation with his mother.

Lennon was known for the way he'd taunt Epstein for his sexuality and heritage (but, ultimately, did love him); while the film doesn't shy away from this behavior, it's also weirdly framed between the line of simple teasing and being sexually charged.

I was surprised to detect seemingly mutual sexual tension between the men -- obviously, scriptwriter-director Christopher Münch's intention.

This could also just be me, but there were some shots that reminded me of other LGBT-themed films: the two main characters looking at each other through the mirror like in Carol (2015); and the two conversing outside at a table, similarly with Elio and Oliver in Call Me by Your Name (2018).

A decent effort, although I do wish this was a little longer, if not just to answer the question, "Did they or didn't they?" I will give The Hours & Times a re-watch coming next year.

Slayers (1995)

I'm so grateful that I checked this out

[9/10 · 17 October 2018]

I remember as a child, my mom got me Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie on a library rental; in the bonus features was a trailer for Slayers: The Motion Picture. I watched that trailer over and over, being in love with the song.

Years later (actually, this was 10 years ago! I would've been 13 at the time) I recalled that trailer and song, and found the whole film available on YouTube to watch. It was amazing - met my expectations! Beautiful main characters, good humor, exciting action, well-added drama...

The English dub was excellent, as well. Cynthia Martinez really brings out Lina Inverse's fiestiness; while I expected Naga to sound more seductive, I appreciated the haughtiness to her voice, brought by Kelly Manison. Upon my first viewing, I was wondering if these characters, given by their names, were really meant to be European, and also if Naga's laugh sounds like the original Japanese. It turned out I might as well be right!

I also learned afterwards that this is based on an anime series. Thankfully, you don't even need to watch it first in order to understand this. It's short, sweet, and stands as its own. And if it wasn't for The Motion Picture, I wouldn't have checked out and fallen in love with the Slayers show.

I went through a period of time when I was obsessed with the theme, "Midnight Blue" by Megumi Hayashibara (Lina's original voice actress). I'd listen to it endlessly, much to the annoyance of my family!

I love this movie so much, I added it to my Christmas list in 2015, and got it on DVD in the mail.

Get Out (I) (2017)

A really good suspenseful mystery that deserves a re-watch (or two)

[8/10 · 23 April 2018]

When the promotional TV spots for this were shown in commercials, I don't think I thought too much of it; probably believed that the movie wouldn't be so successful, given how many horror movies (with few exceptions) have been failures the past couple years. So I was quite surprised to see how big of a hit it became -- "100% on Rotten Tomatoes," said one of the commercials for a brief period.

Still, I didn't see it until towards the end of the year on DVD (after a long wait on the hold list from the library). I went into it as vague as possible - I only knew the basic premise, that there's something weird about the family, and that's pretty much it. I paid as close attention to the dialogue, and was along for the ride as Chris, the main character, kept picking up all these off-putting things about Rose's family, servants and party guests. I also kept wondering if Rose knew of her family's intentions, or if she was really clueless. As we got to the twist/reveal, as messed up as it was, I saw the social commentary in it.

The ending, I felt was a tad weak; I soon learned that it was originally going to be very different, if not depressing. While I totally understand and appreciate why Jordan Peele decided to change it to a more hopeful one, his original ending would've definitely been more impactful (this is quite apparent by his comments in the audio commentary).

After I finished watching it by myself, I was eager for my parents to join me for a second time on the weekend. This is one of the few times I bothered checking out the special features - in fact, I watched all the deleted and extended scenes and interviews! I also love the theme with the eerie chanting that plays over the opening and ending credits, and have re-listened to it on YouTube.

My family doesn't understand why love this movie so much. I watched for a third time on HBO yesterday, and am thinking of buying it on DVD. My mom thinks it's just because Daniel Kaluuya is handsome, but I've explained it's because you pick up on things by seeing it again, and that's obviously one of the reasons audiences kept going back to see it in theaters.

It's definatley a much creepier movie than I initially thought whenever I think back on it. Another interesting thing is that I saw this just a month after reading/seeing My Friend Dahmer and learned about Jeffrey Dahmer; it shouldn't be a coincidence that Dahmer was briefly brought up in this (by the hilarious Rod), he was undoubtedly one of the influences to this story. I'm pretty impressed that this is Peele's directorial debut, after having only worked on comedy; I haven't been familiar with him before, but now, I'm excited to see what he'll do next (he's going to work on a Twilight Zone reboot)!

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

One of the most sensual movies I've ever seen

[8/10 · 4 April 2018]

The last really sensual film I saw prior to this was Ghost, which was on the Starz channel. Now, going into this, I was feeling a bit skeptical, considering the age gap between both the lead actors and characters; I was afraid I was going to get more of a father-son vibe from them. Boy, was I proven wrong! After they had their first kiss, any issues I had with the age difference just evaporated, and I found myself being blown away by how amazing their chemistry was! I ended up rooting for them, and ate up every tender scene they had for the rest of the film. While the love scenes with Elio's girlfriend were a bit more explicit (despite Elio eyeing his watch during the second time), it was his liaison with Oliver later that night that bled with sexual tension, desire and sensuality. I kept myself from grinning during this, afraid that my mom might turn to me and see a smile on my face. I simply declared in my head, 'They're in love!!' Every time they locked lips, you saw and felt the intensity and hunger in them. We have to owe the director, Luca Guadagnino, for that. And even though I'd already figured out how it would end, it was still sad to see the heartbreak the characters endured. Not just Elio, but also his girlfriend, Marzia. I know Guadagnino is planning on a sequel, and I don't quite have high hopes for it. I think the movie ended just fine, the way it needed to; a sequel would be, not only unnecessary, but break away from the novel it was adapted from.

Miss Stevens (2016)

A simple, yet hard-hitting, story

[7/10 · 4 April 2018]

Based on how I loved Timothée Chalamet's performance in Call Me by Your Name, I decided to watch this as soon as I found it on Netflix. And here, he stars alongside actresses from American Horror Story (Lily Rabe) and Riverdale (Lili Reinhart). While Call Me by Your Name was touching, I don't know, something about Miss Stevens hit me even harder. Maybe it's because I've never necessarily experienced love and heartbreak like Elio Perlman did; I found myself feeling sorrier for Billy, because he's a young teen suffering from depression, and there's this scene - without giving much away - where he tells Stevens, who he's formed a bit of a connection with, how his medication just makes him feel numb, but has been feeling great for the whole weekend. I also happen to adore stories in which teachers bond with their students. This has pretty much cemented my love for indie films.

Also, I actually thought that Billy and Rachel were going to become romantically involved, and was ready to join in on the meme by saying: "Gee, Timothée! How come your mom lets you have two older partners?"

The Neon Demon (2016)

One of the strangest movies I've ever seen - and I'm okay with that!

[7/10 · 28 March 2018]

Going into this film, I didn't truly know what to expect. All I knew was that the promotional images really captured my attention, due to the pretty colors, with up-and-coming actress, Elle Fanning in the center. A "nymphet" Tumblr blog I follow also re-blogged images from this. It's some kind of horror (I read the sex/nudity descriptions in the parental guidance section here prior to viewing) that has very mixed reviews.

Much of the the first two acts is relatively slow and realistic. It's got great visuals, despite two scenes with annoying flashing lights. The trip-hop soundtrack by Cliff Martinez is also ear-catching. But, boy, was I not expecting such a final act! Thinking back on it, there's a decent amount of foreshadowing leading up to it. As the track titled, "Are We Having a Party" played over, my eyes were widened as I realized what had happened to Jesse (Fanning). In spite of its disturbing aspects (notably, a scene involving necrophilia), I ended up really liking The Neon Demon. I appreciate how it chose to make audiences uncomfortable rather than the usual "lesbianism is hot~" excuse (ie Birdman). There are critics who hate and/or have called this misogynistic, and I can completely understand why; but that doesn't wane my enjoyment of it.

On the official movie discussion on Reddit, users have called this "David Lynch meets Black Swan," which I also happen to agree with.

It was great to see Abbey Kershaw on-screen again after her debut in Mad Max: Fury Road - also kind of funny her playing an aspiring model, considering she already works as one in real-life; can't wait to see what else she and Fanning have to offer in future projects!

Learning that the director, Nicholas Refn, was born colorblind is very surprising, since his movies are so awashed with vivid colors. I'm planning on watching Only God Forgives and Drive next (the latter generally being considered his best work).

A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Beautiful

[8/10 · 20 May 2017]

I remember watching this on DVD rental when I was child back around 2005, and I absolutely loved it. The cinematography, acting, music, it was all so beautifully-made. I wasn't too sure on reading the books, but eventually did so - and I love them as well.

Looking back on this adaptation, yes, it's not quite as perfect, seeing as how they tried to do the first three books into an hour-and-forty-minute film. And I would also realize that the scene in which - spoiler! - Count Olaf puts the children in peril on a set of train tracks never happened in the books, but I personally don't mind, because that addition was pretty awesome!

But I still hold this in a special place in my heart, especially since it got me into the book series to begin with. Sunny playing with the Incredibly Deadly Viper is one of the cutest things I've ever seen! And the end credits, such wonderful animation and amazing score! This got me familiar with names like Meryl Streep, Emily Browning and Jude Law.

Despite being a failed franchise, I'm glad that there's no Sequel Hook at the end, and it's left more open-ended, if not, hopeful. Works as a stand-alone. I'm now thinking of buying both the soundtrack and DVD.

Big Eyes (I) (2014)

More Intriguing Than I Anticipated

[8/10 · 6 March 2017]

I remember learning about this upcoming film from The Nostalgia Critic's scathing review of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. One day, I noticed it was airing on TV and had it recorded to the DVR. Before viewing, I thought it was going to be simply okay - but my expectations were exceeded!

It is such a well-made Tim Burton film, especially considering how it's a departure from his usual fantasy stories (albiet some of his own elements are sprinkled here and there, like the hallucination scene). It has a great example on how much it sucked to be a woman in the 1960s (Heck, the very first line in the film say something along these lines) and you really feel for the main character, Margaret Keane - Amy Adams was great as her! I'd never heard of Walter and/or Margaret Keane before this - at least, certainly never seen any of the 'big eyes' paintings - so I found the story to be intriguing and thought-provoking.

And I think Lana Del Rey was a good choice for the soundtrack, not just because of the singer's obvious fascination with the era, but displaying the fear and sadness Margaret felt during her life and marriage with Walter.

The Cat Returns (2002)

A great coming-of-age adventure

[10/10 · 22 December 2015]

Last year around August, I rented this on DVD. Since my sister and I are "cat people," I wanted her to watch this with me. But when she said that her friend had seen this and told her it wasn't very good, my expectations weren't so high then. After all, I mostly have mixed feelings for Ghibli movies: My Neighbor Totoro and Castle in the Sky were okay to me, while I adored Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service!

Thankfully, I ended up really liking this movie! It's a cute, fun, wondrous coming-of-age story. Some people have accused this for having bestiality, but I definitely didn't read it like that: for one, the main character only started having a crush on Baron after (Spoiler)she started becoming a cat herself(/spoiler).

But with that aside, I highly recommend this!

ABBA: The Movie (1977)

Good, But Somewhat Disappointing

[5/10 · 12 June 2015]

As a huge ABBA fan, I was expecting to see this reporter reach the band early on and actually spend time with them as he does the interview. Instead, the whole film has him trying to get close to them as they tour around Australia. We get some really good performances by ABBA, but the only song we hear completely is "Dancing Queen."

The man is told at the beginning that the station wants him to delve deep into the band members' mind and life, but I feel like we ourselves never got to know them. We only have a few clips of them being themselves where they get to talk and rehearse, and, aside from their live performances, they just feel like side characters. Most of the rest of the movie is devoted to having the reporter interview random people and children about their thoughts on the band.

It definitely has some funny moments, like the running gag about Agnetha's behind, but other than that, it's no A Hard Day's Night (1964).

I give it 5 stars mostly for ABBA's amazing performances.

Miyuki-chan in Wonderland (1995)

Too rushed and not funny

[2/10 · 31 March 2010]

After I watched Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland", and it made me remember the Disney version, I came to actually like the story, and did research on it, including "Through the Looking Glass".

When I read about this, I was pretty interested, even if I'm a girl. My plan was to finish watching "Elfen Lied", and then on to this. I tried to lower my expectations, trying not to think that this would be 'pure gold,' because I wondered if this would be a disappointment. And I was (very) right.

When I viewed the first episode on YouTube, the beginning felt a bit like "Sailor Moon", but I guess that was because this centers around a girl. When Miyuki and the bunny girl fell down the hole, I giggled, because of the "Yeah, yeah!" Since this is an erotic fantasy, I wasn't surprised with Miyuki's encounter of the door girl, with how she had to get through. When she entered Wonderland and met the Tweedle twins (I can't remember their names -- something like Cho-Li), I guess that was pretty interesting.

But pretty soon, I realized this was a rushed anime. There was this corny song that was being played throughout. I tried to ignore it, but it really fit the speedy pace. As Miyuki was being seduced by woman after woman, my interest was lowering more and more, I guess because this simply just wasn't entertaining nor funny.

It's always something like: Miyuki: "Um, excuse me..." Parody of AiW character: "Oh, hello there, pretty girl." Miyuki: "Do you know a way out of here? I'm lost." Parody of AiW character: "Here, let me..." *tries to seduce Miyuki* Miyuki: "Hey, stop it!" *on to the next scene*

Half-way through, I just paused the video and decided not to see the rest of this 2-episode series.

By the way, Miyuki looked ugly, and those women looked lazily drawn. I bet the manga was even worse -- it only lasts for 11 pages!

If you're not the kind of person who likes to watch fast-paced films with bland comedy (and annoying music), then this is not for you, either.

Darcy's Wild Life: Mystery Date (2006) Season 2, Episode 17

Wonderful Episode!

[10/10 · 11 July 2007]

Lindsay's got a secret admirer! But who can it be? Lindsay's so focused on her secret admirer, she neglects to help Eli with their school project. Eli's mad that he's doing all the work. Will Lindsay's secret admirer ruin her friendship with Eli?

When finally revealed that Britney is actually Lindsay's secret admirer for a cruel hoax, Eli suddenly announces to everyone that he has been Lindsay's secret admirer all along, just to try not to make her look like a fool. To "prove" it, Eli actually kisses Lindsay in front of everyone!

Meanwhile, Chloe teaches Jack and Colt how to play soccer so they can join a team, just to get free food.

This episode is very good! "Darcy's Wild Life" is a great show!