Category Archives: Review

Review and Appreciation: Grave of the Fireflies – A Heartbreaking and Unforgettable Masterpiece

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW Very minor spoilers. Grave of the Fireflies is an unforgettable masterpiece. It’s as simple as that. It is a haunting, difficult and frank look at the toll war takes on a people presented … Continue reading

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Review: 2011′s Winnie the Pooh a Wonderfully Whimsical New Classic

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW Very minor spoilers, but nothing to take away from the experience of watching the film. Winnie the Pooh and the gang from the Hundred Acre Wood will always hold a special place in … Continue reading

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Review: Whisper of the Heart‘s Nostalgic Warmth and Charm

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW As a film review, no spoilers. Watching From Up on Poppy Hill last week had me falling in love; a sincerely nostalgic and beautifully presented film from Studio Ghibli. Reading up on what … Continue reading

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Check-in Review: tvN’s Mind-Blowing, Thought Provoking Nine: Nine Time Travels – And We’re Only Halfway!

TYPE OF REVIEW : CHECK-IN REVIEW HUGE HUGE SPOILERS! For the non-spoilery First Impression Review, click here. I rarely do Check-in Reviews unless I’m really passionate about the development of a show, good or bad, midway through. But tvN’s Nine: … Continue reading

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Hindsight Review: Willing to Engage in Emotionally Satisfying “Psychological Warfare” for That Winter the Wind Blows

TYPE OF REVIEW : HINDSIGHT REVIEW SPOILERS EVERYWHERE! For the non-spoilery First Impression Review, click here. I want to preface this Hindsight Review by saying it will probably be just as convoluted as the show’s ending. But hopefully, this Review … Continue reading

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Review: The Beautifully and Sincerely Nostalgic From Up on Poppy Hill

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW As a film review, no spoilers. From Up on Poppy Hill is not the kind of film anyone familiar with the names Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki might come to expect from the Oscar-winning … Continue reading

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First Impression Review: tvN’s Intriguing Nine – Nine Time Travels Off to a Great Start

TYPE OF REVIEW : FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW Very minor spoilers up to episode 2. Awkward title is awkward. But it’s easy to get over it after watching the first two episodes of tvN’s Nine – Nine Time Travels. It takes … Continue reading

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First Impression Review: KBS’ Iris II Offers Thrills… Then Lulls

TYPE OF REVIEW : FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW Very minor spoilers up to episode 4. KBS’ Iris in 2009 was a television blockbuster in both ratings and scope. The ₩20 billion series was critically acclaimed and commercially successful enough to spawn … Continue reading

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First Impression Review: SBS’ Poetic and Engaging That Winter, the Wind Blows

TYPE OF REVIEW : FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW Moderate spoilers up to episode 6. For the spoiler-filled Hindsight Review, click here. SBS’ That Winter, the Wind Blows is a perfect example of how to do melodrama without overdoing the histrionics, exaggerations, … Continue reading

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Hindsight Review: tvN’s Charming Flower Boy Next Door a Satisfying Journey with Plenty of Heart

TYPE OF REVIEW : HINDSIGHT REVIEW Lots of spoilers! For my First Impression Review, click over here. tvN’s Flower Boy Next Door did not disappoint. It started out as a sweet and charming romantic comedy and it ended a sweet … Continue reading

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Hindsight Review: How Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Had Everything I Look For

TYPE OF REVIEW : HINDSIGHT REVIEW Lots of spoilers. It was my fourth Super Sentai series and I can confidently say Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters may be my favorite one so far. It was an experimental season that toyed with formula. … Continue reading

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Review: KBS’ Dark, Compelling Drama Special, Sirius

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW Some big spoilers, but I give a warning before they start. The KBS Drama Special has presented some of the most provocative, original and even irreverent stories on Korean television. Different from the … Continue reading

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Review: tvN’s Enjoyable and Charming Flower Boy Next Door

TYPE OF REVIEW : FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW Minor/basic spoilers up to episode 4. For the Hindsight Review, click on over here. tvN’s Flower Boy Next Door is charming and fun. A romantic comedy with plenty of laughs, but also a … Continue reading

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Hindsight Review: KBS’ Authentic and Resonant School 2013

TYPE OF REVIEW : HINDSIGHT REVIEW Fair amount of spoilers. Less spoilery First Impression Review here. There have been many high school-set Korean dramas in recent years, all with varying degrees of commercial and creative success. But none have been … Continue reading

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Review: Kamen Rider OOO, a Quirky and Unexpected Ride

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW Very minor spoilers When I first decided to jump into the other tokusatsu franchise known as Kamen Rider after having officially getting hooked on Super Sentai, I planned on OOO, the 2010-2011 season … Continue reading

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