Media roundup #2

Movies, anime, drama, and games I tried recently

I'm so glad I didn’t make this series a monthly one like I originally intended. It's already stressful enough trying to keep up with my kpop highlights (even though they’re fun to write)! Since starting my job in June, I haven’t had much time for media consumption, but that’s gradually starting to change. It is a very slow change though, so I've decided to post these roundups whenever I feel like it or when enough material piles up.

You’ll notice this one’s heavy on movies, which is actually a nice development. For five years, during my deepest depression, I couldn’t even watch films. I was so numb that stories either didn’t affect me or I was triggered by every little thing, and it was the same with books. Slowly though, I’ve been starting to regain the ability to enjoy stories about other people. Last year, I finally started watching movies again, and that trend luckily continued into this year which this post is a testament to with its eight movie entries.

Let’s dive in and if you enjoy reading this or something in here catches your eye, let me know in the comments!

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Movies

Past Lives (2023, US and Korea)

This movie was plastered all over my social media and at first I thought I wouldn’t watch it because it sounded like a romance which is NOT my preferred genre. However, it turned out to be romantic in a totally different way than I expected and I ended up loving it a lot. It does have a sentimental vibe and it’s more a meditation on the nature of love and human connection than something cheesy.

The actors gave stellar performances and the film itself was very beautiful visually but that probably goes without saying for any Korean production.

An unexpected positive about Past Lives was that it has the easiest to understand Korean! I was shocked that I understood about 70% of it just based on listening. I highly recommend it to Korean learners!

It’s available to stream on Max.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003, Taiwan)

I used to watch a lot of arthouse cinema back in the day, mostly in high school and during college. It was one of my special interests but over the years I drifted away from this style. Probably because I forced myself to suffer through a lot of movies in the name of art that I didn’t even enjoy. It took some maturity (and learning about my ADHD) to realize that I only had to consume media that I actually liked and kept up my attention.

I was a bit wary of this movie because I saw the words ‘slow cinema’ in the description and that raised some familiar personal red flags. I ended up giving it a try anyway because I loved the movie poster (the colors are just magical).

It was actually surprisingly easy to watch. It flowed quite naturally and I found it fascinating even though it has less than 10 lines of dialog during the 80-minute running time.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn follows the last screenings of a movie theater in Taipei before it closes down for good. We see scenes involving the employees and various patrons of the theatre. It even had some well-timed humor thrown in.

I just allowed myself to go with the flow of the film and not think too much about it and somehow it was already over. This one is a must for anyone who enjoys movies more on the meditative, slower side, movies about cinema itself, and rainy night imagery.

I’m not a 100% correct but I think it’s available to stream in some countries on Apple TV and Prime Video.

No Fucks Given (2022, France)

This was a rather random pick when I wanted to make more use of a MUBI subscription I forgot to cancel. I don’t watch many non-Asian films but this one appealed to me because it’s about flight attendants. I always enjoy books and movies that give me an insight into jobs that seem closed-off and somewhat mysterious to me.

I suspected that being a flight attendant was a dehumanizing job but watching this just made me certain in my assumption. It was harrowing! The whole movie is a commentary on grief and how the vacuous existence of flight attendants interplays with that state of mind.

While I understood the reasons the main character was spiraling, self-destructive behavior and drug use are very low on the list of things I’m interested in watching so I can’t say that I fully enjoyed this. It’s an okay movie, something I’d watch once but didn’t really get much from it. I didn’t find it particularly original or impactful.

This was available to stream on MUBI but not anymore and I haven’t found any other place to watch it at the time of writing this.

Joint Security Area (2000, Korea)

Park Chanwook is a living legend of a director. I’ve loved everything I’ve watched by him but this particular movie went under my radar thus far because I’m not too keen on military topics.

This is so much more than a military movie though! It is seemingly about the DMZ, the demilitarized area separating North and South Korea, and how when a shooting incident happens between the border guards of the two sides, independent investigators from Sweden and Switzerland are brought in to figure out the inconsistencies that have the local authorities scratching their heads. In reality, it is about the tragic partition of a nation, how Korea being divided into two countries affects the everyday person, and how deep the unbearableness of it runs in the whole society. If you know just a little bit about Korea’s history and how people today perceive the partition, it is even more heart-wrenching.

As a general rule, not much can make me cry but this movie did, even though I saw it at a theatre screening. It is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen and would probably be my number one recommendation to anyone who wants to understand Korea deeper than the surface level. I want to watch it more than once to savor its genius but it’s just too sad so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to revisit.

You can rent or buy it on Apple TV or Prime Video.

Ad Astra (2019, US)

Another random pick! At one point, I added a bunch of sci-fi movies to my Netflix watchlist and I noticed this one would be leaving the catalog soon so I gave it a chance. I usually don’t go totally wrong with any sci-fi so it was a pretty safe choice.

It ended up being a pretty good movie, and I definitely recommend it for space enthusiasts. But space is a scary place and Ad Astra just reinforces that notion. I like the future envisioned here and by ‘like’ I don’t mean it’s pleasant but it just hits the spot for me perfectly.

It is visually very beautiful and so thought-provoking. Made me take away the conclusion that some people who aim for superhuman achievements simply shouldn’t get involved with other people, not romantically, and they definitely shouldn’t have kids. I didn’t particularly like where the movie arrived though, it’s kind of the opposite of what I thought. I mean, it’s very human to come to that conclusion but I was more interested in the movie’s exploration of the minds of those who sacrifice everything to know what’s out there, who travel into the void and never look back.

I think you can rent or buy it on Apple TV or Prime Video but I’m not absolutely sure.

Occupied City (2023, Netherlands)

Occupied City is a 4.5-hour documentary about Amsterdam where scenes from the present day are shown while the narrator reads out the stories of the victims of the Holocaust and the atrocities the Jews of the city experienced during World War II. The cozy scenes highly contrast the horrors of the Nazi occupation.

I did watch this at home; I never would have been able to sit through a film this long at the theater. I admit that I was on my phone for quite a while, especially toward the end but the stories were very repetitive and I think the point was to witness them and get an idea of the atmosphere during the Nazi occupation, which I did.

My first thought was how I wish there was a similar film about Budapest because I’d be able to watch even 10 hours of that. It was interesting but it would have been more intimate and personal if I was familiar with the city in question.

Stories of the past were intertwined with those of the present like Covid protests (I had no idea these happened in the Netherlands - and isn’t it a bit stupid to be protesting against a virus? 🤔), anti-fascist protests, slavery memorials, pro-Palestine protests, climate change rallies, etc. I wish there was more commentary here because I still don’t know what the intentions of the creators were. I feel like some people could come to the wrong conclusions when for example, they’re showing a protest for Palestine but at the same time talking about how many Jews died during the Holocaust.

As an Eastern European, I was also kind of shocked by the quality of life of the Dutch people and the (to my eyes) opulent interiors of ordinary middle-class houses and how tasteful all spaces were. This is obviously not that important in terms of this movie’s message and purpose but it left an impression on me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it!

It’s available to stream on MUBI but only for a limited time.

Following (2024, Korea)

Following is a pretty standard Korean thriller but I love that genre so I didn’t mind seeing another iteration of it. I’m also very interested in books or films that examine social media and how it can be a hotbed for all kinds of creepy situations.

The movie’s strength lies in the fact that there are numerous villains in the story and nobody’s truly good. It would take away from the enjoyment significantly if I said anything more about the plot since it’s chock-full of twists. Basically, the two main characters are a creepy realtor whose hobby is to sneak into his clients’ homes and an influencer with a suspiciously perfect image.

All the actors' performances were superb. I especially liked Shin Haesun, who played the role of Han Sora, the above-mentioned influencer. Her crazy energy is truly unmatched.

A fair warning to everyone who’s sensitive, there is animal cruelty in this movie, though not graphic but it is talked about and fake deceased animals are briefly shown. There are, of course, all kinds of other triggering content in there but I like to mention animal cruelty because it’s my one major trigger and most warnings don’t bother to talk about it.

It’s still in cinemas, I don’t think it’s streaming anywhere yet.

Troll Factory (2024, Korea)

I looove movies about internet culture and this was probably my favorite one I’ve seen so far. It’s about the dark side of the internet and the omnipresence of social media but in a light that I haven’t seen presented yet in any other media. It’s also about how freaking scary a place the internet is. The things you see in the movie work similarly everywhere but there is a uniquely Korean aspect to what’s told here with the random online forums that have millions of users and govern public opinion, all-powerful defamation laws, and people driven to suicide by cyberbullying being everyday occurrences.

It’s incredibly fast-paced and while at first the story seems straightforward, soon there were so many twists that I started questioning everything I thought I knew. I definitely have to watch it several more times to get every detail. I was a bit saddened when I saw that a lot of people didn’t enjoy this movie or thought it was mediocre but I had a tremendously good time watching it and I was literally on the edge of my seat. I would say you have to be pretty up-to-date on various internet phenomena to be able to enjoy it truly though.

It’s still in cinemas, but apparently you can already watch it on Viki or rent it on Prime Video.

Anime

The Boy and the Heron (2023, Japan)

I know this is shocking, but The Boy and the Heron was my first Miyazaki or Ghibli movie ever! Everyone around me, in all the subcultures that I’m part of, is obsessed with them but somehow I never got around to watching any. Since their imagery and references to them surround me so much, I knew exactly what to expect and there were no huge surprises.

I don’t know if this was a good one to begin with but I heard it’s a pretty typical Miyazaki offering, so I figured it would be as good a starting point as any. It was visually beautiful and whimsical, just as I expected. There was a lot of war imagery, grief, tragedy, and a magical depiction of childhood with child characters who have a lot of agency.

I’m sure this isn’t his best film but it made me want to finally check out the rest of his filmography so in that way, it was definitely a success. I even came up with an idea for a post here where I would binge watch all the Miyazaki or Ghibli movies and write down my impressions of each. It would be a pretty big project but I think I’ll do it at one point!

It’s available to stream on Netflix.

Lookism (2022, Korea)

This was my first Korean anime and while it was an okay watch, I wasn't blown away. There were a lot of pretty cityscapes but the art style felt a bit outdated compared to most of the Japanese anime I’ve watched. I enjoyed looking at it though, it’s pretty polished and realistic.

The focus of this anime is how in Korean society everything is based on one’s appearance: if you’re attractive, you’re also popular, people are kind to you, and all doors open for you. However, if you happen to be fat, poor, or don’t conform to the punishing beauty standards, your life becomes a living hell.

The protagonist Park Hyeongseok is a victim of severe bullying and he even has to change schools to escape his tormentors but nothing improves at his new school either. Then one day he unexpectedly acquires the ability to switch between two bodies, one tall and handsome, the other his old self.

The idea was interesting but I found the bullying scenes extremely hard to watch, it was quite triggering as someone who’s been a victim of school bullies. I also didn’t like that the characters make extremely nonsensical decisions at times and they don’t speak up which leads to all kinds of misunderstandings (my most hated trope). Plus, I feel like the creators had a good amount of prejudice themselves and I strongly disliked the portrayal of those who are bullied and on the fringe of society.

What I did enjoy was the soundtrack, especially the opening made by ATEEZ! There’s also a song that’s performed at a school festival in the final episode, that one was awesome too. One more positive would be the complex picture painted about the effects of bullying on the victim’s mind, for example, when Hyeongseok is mean to his mom just because he’s under extreme stress from his ordeals.

It’s not a bad anime so I generally recommend it and a second season is rumored to be coming soon!

It’s available to stream on Netflix.

Drama

Juvenile Justice (2022, Korea)

During my ongoing search for Korean dramas without romance, I came across Juvenile Justice, a show that blends elements of detective and courtroom drama. It’s basically just a show about juvenile crime in Korea, how it’s usually prosecuted (or how it would be, ideally) and the cases in it represent issues that are very prevalent in today’s Korean society.

The first episode made me angry at first because it started out as a cliche ‘schizophrenic commits a murder’ plotline but luckily it didn’t end up being that and was actually a quite complicated case. The show has a bit of an anthology structure where there are several cases during the season and usually two episodes are devoted to each. While it’s a show about juvenile court judges, they’re not your regular judges and go around investigating quite a bit too, which is probably not realistic but it made the show more enjoyable for me. The cases are all very complex from a moral standpoint. I liked how the creators frequently employed the ‘unreliable narrator’ plot device by showing different versions of the events as if they really happened, based on the statements of opposing sides.

I also hated the mc for a second but she grew on me by the minute. I like dramas with a protagonist who sticks to their morals no matter what, is relentless in the face of opposition, and doesn’t show human weakness in their pursuit of what’s true and right. I am drawn to people like this irl too! She actually reminded me of another TV show character, the detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order SVU. They give off extremely similar vibes and the two shows have some parallels too due to the subject matter.

Additionally, I want to mention the cinematography (beautiful shots) and the music (atmospheric) which were both great.

I know juvenile crime has a terrible perception in Korea and I appreciate that this drama tries to present its nuances and how a wealth of circumstances can play into why these crimes happen. Often everyone’s a victim and no one wins at the end. I know I said this already for one other thing on this list but it really is a rare occurrence that I get deeply moved while watching dramas or movies. However, some of the cases here weighed heavily on my mind and caused me a lot of sleepless hours. Juvenile Justice also made me wish that I’d taken a career path where I could fight against injustice.

It’s available for streaming on Netflix.

Game

2064: Read Only Memories (2017)

2064: Read Only Memories is a cyberpunk point-and-click adventure game with pixel graphics and delightful chiptune music which is, by the way, my favorite kind of game of all. I love this game so much that I’m planning on buying its artbook and soundtrack too!

It is set in Neo-San Francisco, where you take on the role of a journalist investigating the disappearance of a friend, accompanied by Turing, the world’s first robot who operates with a fully sapient AI. The game goes deep into themes like technology's ethical boundaries, AI consciousness, and human identity. It also explores the societal impact of robotics, cybernetic augmentation, and corporate control (just to name a few), raising questions about how far technology should go and the moral dilemmas it presents in shaping our collective future.

I haven’t finished playing the game yet as it’s surprisingly long and has a lot of different endings. However, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it so far so I really wanted to write about it here. The topics it deals with are my favorite things to ponder and as I learned, playing games are the best format for me to tackle philosophical questions.

Absolutely mandatory for anyone who likes cyberpunk, point-and-click, thinking about the future, and well-written narrative games that give you almost the same experience as a book would.

It is available on Steam and GOG for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Android too (it could be tricky to get it though because it’s not on the Play Store).

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I hope you enjoyed my recommendations! Let me know in the comments if you already know any of these or if something piqued your interest. I’m also open to suggestions as to what I should check out so don’t hold back if you have something in mind you think I‘d enjoy 😄