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I can't believe we finally discovered the root of the Jimin/Jeongyeon beef in 2025.
I kid, but Jeongyeon provides a singing voice for Huntrix and I have it on good authority "Baby" Saja is based on Park Jimin... I can't discount it as completely unintentional considering how many references there are to real-world groups throughout the film. Quite tastefully done, I'd like to add. [...]
Several K-Pop songs such as VIXX's Turn Around and Look At Me and EXO's Love Me Right are used (they fully just used my playlist it seems), and there are posters of groups such as TWICE present throughout. At one point, Huntrix trends over TWICE in the charts which is hilarious because TWICE literally voices their song. Another ficional group on the charts, as if to emphasise how ridiculous KPop group names are, is called "SPF 100." A song called Delight, ostensibly by Baekhyun is also present. Even the original music borrows from recent KPop acts, with much of Huntrix' music sounding like BLACKPINK's, especially through lyrics such as "fit check for my napalm era." Rumi is also styled pretty similarly to Jennie in the Kill This Love era, though her braid looks a lot more scorpion-eque, which is a fun bit of foreshadowing. Golden too sounds like a blend of Sunmi and IVE. Mira hearing the discordant clanging of a demon against metal and concrete and deciding that is the beat for their new song is entirely reminiscent of NCT, and even Cha Eunwoo doesn't escape unscathed through Jinu, who is extremely good-looking but ultimately kind of bland.
It's not just the music, KPop culture is at the heart of the film. The fight scenes are lit by lightsticks and shot like music videos, and there is an incredible accurate portrayaof Kpop fanculture without leaning into "cringe" or being meanspirited. "He's so hot!" exclaims a fan upon seeing the very hot Jinu. "And respectful!" drools her friend, though he has done the bare minimum. In fact, KPop Demon Hunters is a love letter to Korean entertainment culture as a whole. Jinu and Rumi's meeting is chock full of Kdrama cliches, with them bumping into each other in slow-motion as the Business Proposal OST plays.
Despite all the dark demonic shit taking place, the film presents a pretty idealised version of the industry. Early on, the girls stuff themselves with junk food prior to performing, which is hilariously ironic if you know anything about Kpop, but I really appreciate that detail considering the young audience who is sure to be watching. The amount of creative control given to the girls is hilarious, as is their work ethic, where they willingly sacrifice an incredibly short hiatus for the sake of their fans. No rest for overworked idols here, a smiling fandom is more than enough. Speaking of fandom, their quickness to ship Huntrix and Saja Boys members together is entertaining, but we all know how that would really play out. Boycott trucks and handwritten apologies galore. Dispatch doesn't even report on Rumi and Jinu's early morning meeting, which is far more than I can suspend my disbelief for. Your boyband is actually full of demons? Yeah why not, many such cases. But no sasaengs??? Now you're pushing it.
The animation is beautiful and you can tell a lot of care has been given to every little detail. I was particularly struck by the scene where the girls are vulnerable and honest with each other for the first time post-revelation, and makeup-free. The style itself also reminds me of KDA and early naevis, which ties in the culture even more. The messaging of the film overall is a little cheesy and the foundations are a bit shaky, without as much characterisation as I would have liked. I did not walk away caring about a single character, with even Rumi not being fleshed out as much as she could have been. Which is a shame, because everyone is so distinct and had so much potential. But it was a enough watch, so I'm not too mad. Its biggest crime is not referencing the donut hoodie in my opinion.
Was expecting to be incredibly bored or hate this, but ended up pleasantly surprised. Loved the use of the camera in filling in the things Travis left unsaid, though I do wish they'd left all his victims as Black. (I agree with Quentin Tarantino on this point, and that pains me more than words can describe.) [...] Everyone talks about Travis' loneliness, but the portrayal of racism is far more interesting to me, and considering it's such a driving force for him I'm surprised it's not a bigger topic of discussion. I am incredibly weary of people (men) who like this film without understanding that facet of Travis' identity, because it invites a level of sympathy that can be dangerous. Oddly, didn't blow me away over all, but still achieves what Joker attempts to with so much more sophistication. Soundtrack was also great, especially the jazz towards the end.
Average internet grooming experience. Fun cinematography and honestly a little terrifying. Wish it was a bit more nuanced in its portrayal of parasocial relationships. If you're already including a relationship with a preteen, you might as well go all out. The comparisons to Kamikaze Girls , the reason I picked it up in the first place (alongside being a blogger myself) are completely misleading though, they are nothing alike.
Been putting this one off for years because of Tom Felton. Honestly, not bad, if not a little boring. A refreshing take on mental illness with very little romanticisation and the central conceit is very interesting, both in terms of grief and the subsequent eating disorder, though it could have gone much deeper. Twincest galore. Troian Bellisario and Tom Felton are not at all convincing as high school students, but the slimy quality the latter brings to the film honestly sells it as a horror. They watch The Craft in the psych ward which is hilarious to me for some reason.
You're shooting yourself in the foot a little bit by titling a blaxploitation film Blacula and removing any humour from it. Makes maybe one or two surface level points about race before dropping the matter entirely, but William Marshall's performance was great in keeping Mamuwalde sympathetic despite all the murders and the soundtrack was so fun.
I need things that aren't Carmilla to stop pretending they're Carmilla.
Awful as an adaptation, and not much stronger as a stand-alone piece. There is absolutely no depth to the characters, and somehow one of the most fascinating stories in Gothic literature with sooooo much subtext to work with is reduced to this boring nothingness. [...]
And the lighting/colour-grading... at times it feels like they just forgot to edit the raw footage. I hate to say it but even the sexploitation "adaptations" of Carmilla work better for me than this. Also as a left-handed person, all of that was so unnecessary? It's a lot easier than you think to learn to use your non-dominant hand, especially for tasks other than writing.
I fear I'm a bit too much of a feminist for this film. The McLovin' B-plot and the momentary centring of Jules and Becca's agency at the party is the only thing that sort of salvaged it for me but it's still overall unfunny and gross and I cannot fathom anyone but a dumb 12 year old boy actually enjoying this. Lives up to the title. Bottoms did it better.
Ramon Miguel Vargas: A policeman's job is only easy in a police state.
A little difficult to get through because of how infuriating Hank Quinlan was, but so wonderfully shot. Unfortunately brought down a little by sometimes weak storytelling, but I was in awe of the camera angles and shadows the whole time. Peak noir thriller. A really interesting subversion of the good cop/bad cop dynamic too.
[...] The ending, where it's revealed the kid was guilty all along, really stands out to me. It recontextualises some of the story and adds another layer of tragedy to Quinlan's moral corruption, but ultimately does not redeem him. Gritty.I've seen maybe 400 films in my entire life and this maybe the best one to date. I'm in awe. Rarely have I been as moved by the power of cinema as I am after watching 12 Angry Men. A new favourite and I don't even care that it fails the Bechedel test. I will not soon forget the scene where they all stand in protest of Juror 10's racist diatribe.
[...]I also found it poignant that the Accused's innocence was not at the heart of the conflict, rather reasonable doubt and the flaws of the justice system, especially in regards to marginalised communities, while also being very hopeful about it. Unfortunately a film that will always be timeless so long as the culture of white supremacy remains. Boldly explicit in its claims compared to what else I've seen of mainstream Old Hollywood films, so it's really no wonder Lumet went on to direct a film about a radical anti-war socialist family in the 80s.
The acting and cinematography are incredible and really add to the atmosphere (funnily, I remember thinking some of the framing choices reminded me of Running on Empty and wrote it off as recency bias, only to discover they shared a director.) Some of the best dialogue I've seen in film too, and an incredibly real dissection of human decision-making. Kept my attention throughout and developed the views and relationships of the jurors very masterfully.
God, River Phoenix... Something about the way his roles align with the values he promoted in real life just gets to me, he could have done so much more if his life hadn't been so tragically cut short. Nobody embodies with such nuance the quiet, gentle nature of his characters, and I have to believe it's partially drawn from his own person.
[...]I wish I'd seen this in high school, but at the same time it would have probably broken me. By all means a really cheesy movie, but I'll be damned if it doesn't have heart to it. It would be a lie to say I didn't only pick it up because of my fondness for River Phoenix despite the plot sounding mediocre and boring for my personal tastes. While it could have very easily gone down the route of a dull lifetime movie, the cast really turned it into something special. I didn't really care much about the romance, but fuck the portrayal of family dynamics is so heart wrenchingly beautiful. A quieter teenage angst than the dramatic outbursts often shown on film, but very very relatable.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter: I'm having an old friend for dinner.
Great stuff all around visually. Love how the camerawork forces you to feel as small as Clarice in the male-dominated sphere, mirroring Jodie Foster's physical stature in comparison to the male agents. Anthony Hopkins embodies Hannibal's quietly intimidating (I mean... quiet until he eats your face) nature really well, and is somehow not as off-putting as Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal. The character I mean, not the portrayal. [...] The relationship between the two is built up perfectly thanks to a mix of cinematic techniques and script, just so much complexity and nuance, especially when juxtaposed with the patriarchal struggles Clarice faces outside the prison. The pacing is also great, with every shot having a purpose. I can't believe I found this boring as a kid.
One of the strongest examples I've seen of creating mood and atmosphere, I was gripped with suspense and dread throughout, despite catching the reveal quite early. I'm not sure why, but watching Perfect Blue got me thinking of Selena Quintanilla, to the point I had to pause to refresh my memory on her tragedy. I didn't realise how young she was. Funnily enough, I didn't associate Rumi with Yolanda at all, but Me-Mania (I had mixed up her case with Christina Grimmie's and thought Selena was shot at a fan meeting.)
[...]I was bound to enjoy Perfect Blue as someone who is very interested in themes of obsession, parasocial relationships, self-perception and the perceptions of others, and Kon really delivers. You can really see the influences on Black Swan here. I love the surrealism and refusal to give a clear answer, though the Double Bind scenes may seem like a red herring, they could just as easily be the truth. The ending feels incredibly ambiguous to me too, and there is no reason to accept it as objective.
The animation is also beautiful, and it feels like every scene has some form of symbolism or deeper meaning that I'm only realising upon reflection, and I'm sure I will catch much more on a rewatch. And I wouldn't know where to begin talking about everything, so I'll just say I loved the use of mirrors, glass and transitions, specifically the scene where the truck headlights transform into the blinding lights from a stage.
I was sooo worried this would be another Don't Worry Darling situation but I am very very pleasantly surprised. So fun???? Really reminds me of The Stepford Wives and nails on the head men's expectations and desires from women. Big fan of the decision to not sexualise the sex bot which many would have been temped to do, and Iris' (Is that supposed to be Siri backwards?) design. [...] Also love the cutesy retro 60s thing she's got going on and also how that ties into the sort of Madonna-whore complex a lot of men have. It's nothing too groundbreaking or even unique overall but it's so so soooo fun (I like slashers go figure) and rewatchable that I love it anyway. And of course the character played by Harvey Guillén "fall for a guy dressed as a vampire." Also love Jack Quaid typecast as villainous loser.
Also for a film about rape, it sure skirts around it. Yes, part of that can be attributed to the stigma around talking about it, but not even Cassie mentions it in any real depth. That paired with Nina being a faceless, identityless character really puts a bad taste in my mouth. Plus both the characters' experiences with sexual assault directly leading to death is an awful message for a film supposedly about empowerment. So much for survivors learning to heal.
A lot of the script is also awful, like "student film from person who's only learned about social movements and morality from Tumblr" awful. Tropey, cliche, stilted and hollow.
I will say though, I loved the casting and character of Ryan, not a stereotypical uncomfortable "nice guy," (like the Reddit fedora guy archetype who is for some reason an actual character in this film?????) but seemingly kind and charming, really representative of the fact anyone can be complicit and participant in rape culture. Carey Mulligan's performance was also great for the material she was given.
Honestly just the epitome of white liberal "activism," where violence is bad so the only way to get the "bad people" to change their misguided ways is to talk to them, and if that fails, leave everything in the capable hands of the justice system!!!