30+ Single on Sale (2011)

Country: Thai
Format: movie
Genre: romance
Cast: Chremarn Boonsayak, Arak Amornsupasiri, Sudarat Budtporm, Pijitra Siriwerapan, Dempan Yuwittaya
Synopsis: Ing is in her 30s and while waiting for her long-time boyfriend to pop the question, she gets a big surprise when she ends up not being the one walking down the aisle. A fortune-teller tells her that if she does not ind her true soulmate now, then she has to wait another 20 years. She decides to give dating a new try, but soon understands that dating in 30s is more difficult than in 20s and true soulmate is not easy thing to find. Or maybe her true soulmate is closer than she expects?
Rating: 3/5
With this movie I was in the "middle of not-expecting anything" and "having high expectation". That means that there were things that surprised me in a nice way and things that let me down a big time.

Boku, unmei no hito desu (2017)

Country: Japan
Format: drama, in 10 episodes
Genre: romance, comedy
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya, Yamashita Tomohisa, Kimura Fumino, Nanao, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Sawabe Yu, Okano Maya, Seiichi Tanabe, Watanabe Eriko, Ookura Koji, Sugimotto Tetta, Ishino Mako,
Synopsis: Masaki Makoto always seems to fall for wrong women. At the age of 29, he is once again single after his previous girlfriend is arrested by police. One night a mysterious guy appears in his apartment, he introduces himself as "God". "God" says that Masaki has a destined soulmate waiting for him and through out life they have had countless number of meetings. In fact, his destined person happens to be Kogetsu Haruko, who works next door to Masaki.
Rating: 5/5
One drama that made almost everybody waiting for Saturdays and stare on their TVs/computers. After 12 years a long waited reunion of Kamenashi Kazuya and Yamashita Tomohisa took place and that is enough to make everybody go crazy. The last time they played together in "Nobuta wo Produce" which has become one of the classic Japanese dramas. It was also my first drama which got me addicted to Japanese dramas, so it was a pleasure to see them together on the screen again.

EXTE ~Hair extensions~ (2007)

Country: Japan

Format: movie

Genre: horror
Cast: Kuriyama Chiaki, Osugi Ren, Sato Megumi, Tsugumi, Sato Miku, Machimoto Eri,
Synopsis: One day a woman's corpse is found from a port in a container full of human hair. Having defined that the victim has had her organs harvested for a black market, the corpse goes missing from the morgue as the morgue keeper takes the corpse home in order to make hair extensions as from the revenge for the world, its hair is still growing. Meanwhile, Yuko is practicing to become hairstylist in a local hair salon. Once the hair extensions are attached to a person, the corpse is ready to kill it.
Rating: 1/5
First of all, I would not say it is exactly horror movie, but it is disturbing and sick. Despite making pauses while watching it, I felt like puking most of the time. In addition, as you can see you can make a horror movie out of everything.

Eien no zero (2013)

Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: history, drama,
Cast: Miura Haruma, Okada Junichi, Inoue Mao, Hamada Gaku, Arai Hirofumi, Sometani Shota, Ueda Tatsuya, Miura Takahiro, Tanaka Min, Yamamoto Gaku, Hira Mikijiro, Hashizume Isao, Fukiishi Kazue, Funuki Jun, Natsuyagi Isao, Aoki Ken, Enda Yuya, Furukawa Yuki, Nakanishi Tetsuya,
Synopsis: After grandmother's death, .. learns that his grandfather is not his biological grandfather, but grandmother's second husband. The first husband lost his life as an kamikaze pilot in the Second World War. As nobody from the family has any information about him.. with his sister start to investigate their real grandfather's mysterious life.
 Rating: 5/5
It is a World War II movie, so you can be sure that it will hit you in the heart and leave you cry. The ones who have been following my blog before know that I have seen more war movies and actually tend to like them as they are very educational and mostly filmed with care.

Hanayome no yakudoshi (2006)

Country: Japan
Format: drama in 12 episodes
Genre: family, comedy
Cast: Shinohara Ryoko, Yabe Hiroyuki, Iwashita Shima, Koyama Keiichiro, Sato Hitomi, Kudo Risa, Matsushima Nahomi, Ukaji Takashi, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Sasano Takashi, Sawamura Ikki, Matsumoto Runa,
Synopsis: Taketomi Akiko has turned to 32-years old. This is a year that is known to be "yakudoshi" - the "unlucky year" for women. She has just lost her prestigious job as announcer and is forced to become "fake bride for 3-month bridal training" in country-side for the sake of variety show. By chance, her ex-boyfriend Ichiro with who she dated 10 years ago, fits with the fiancee requirements and before Akiko understands it, she is already working in peach farm in Fukushima. What Akiko does not know is that Ichiro has not talked to his mother for years and his mother is not exactly the kindest mother.
Rating: 3/5
I took some time before finishing this drama. Being already 11 years old, you can find many things similar to other dramas from that time.

Poison berry in my brain (2015)

Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: surreal, psychological
Cast: Maki Yoko, Furukawa Yuki, Songha, Kamiki Ryunosuke, Nishijima Hideyoshi, Yoshida Yo, Sakurada Hiyori, Asano Kazuyuki,
Synopsis: Sakura Ichiko is a freelance writer who is moving towards her breakthrough with her first book. While being single 30-old year woman, she is looking for a man with who to spend her life together. She meets Saotome who makes her heart beat for the first time in while. At the same time in side her head is going on a debate between 5 about what is the best for Sakura to have happy and stable life.
Rating: 1/5
This must be the weirdest movie I have seen lately and to confess, I still have not understood the point of the movie or what it wanted to say. That we have to love ourselves before loving others? That sometimes doing the things we love and being with people we love does not actually guarantee our happiness? That no matter what in the end life is just a circle and most of the time we just end up doing the same mistakes over and over again? Not sure, but these were the thoughts I caught after finishing it.

Suddenly Seventeen (2016)

Country: China
Format: movie
Genre: romance, comedy, supernatural
Cast: Ni Ni, Wallace Huo, Darren Wang, Ma Su, Bing Liu, Mike Kai Sui, Pilong Pan, Wentong Ning, Vicky Yu, Xi Lai,
Synopsis: Liang is 28-year old woman waiting for her prince charming Mao to propose her. For 10 years she has been standing behind him, supporting him in his every decision, while giving up on her dream of becoming an artist. But instead of a marriage proposal she receives a proposal to break up. In a moment of despair, she orders a box of magic chocolates that bring back carefree 17-year old Liang who happens to have totally different views on life than 28-year old Liang.
Rating: 5/5
A movie on what half of the people "accidentally click on". To be honest, the first time I also clicked on it without knowing exactly what it is, as the title on Youtube is "Seventeen again" and makes you think of a remake of Zac Efron's "17 again". Well, I can guarantee you that this Chinese movie is something much better than the Hollywood sweetheart's movie.

Naze Shoujo wa Kioku wo ushinawanakereba naranakatta no ka? (2014)

Country: Japan
Format: Special movie
Genre: psychological, drama
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Kimura Funimo, Asari Yosuke, Watanabe Konomi, Namioka Kazuki, Tsukaji Moga, Nakamura Yasushi, Hoshino Mari, Funakoshi Eiichiro, Kimoto Takehiro, Nakano Haruto,
Synopsis: Within process of arson incidents, police finds a young girl locked into white room in the house of the suspect. The girl does not say a word and the suspect is deaf. Psychologist Narumi Saku is included to the investigation in order to find out the truth of the silent girl.
Rating: 3/5
This is more or less the last weak role from Yamashita Tomohisa before getting back into serious acting. Also, this is one of the least known roles from him in recent years as this kind of tv specials are not exactly his thing. It is far from anything mindblowing and the plot can get rather predictable early in the start, but of course it has some of its own charms that make it rather decent movie.

5-ji kara 9-ji made (2015)

Country: Japan
Format: drama in 10 episodes
Genre: romance, comedy
Cast: Ishihara Satomi, Yamashita Tomohisa, Tanaka Kei, Furukawa Yuki, Kaga Mariko, Takanashi Rin, Saeko, Yoshimoto Miyu, Nagatsuma Reo, Takada Hyoga, Tsunematsu Yuri, Terada Kokoro, Nakamura Anne, Hayami Mokomichi, Toda Keiko, Ueshima Ryuhei, Shison Jun
Synopsis:  After accidentally throwing the ashes on the priest on funeral service, Sakuraba Junko is embarrassed to death, but relieved not to see him ever again. She has a dream of working in New York and everyday she is getting closer to this dream in ELA - English Language Academy - where she is one of the best language teachers. For her misfortune, she is set up for arranged marriage with Hoshikawa Takane, who happens to be the same priest from the service. To add to it, Takane ends up falling hopelessly in love with Junko and has set to make her his wife no matter what.
Rating: 5/5
Another drama that I waited a bit too much to see, not sure what were the reasons. "5-ji kara 9-ji made" is a very comical drama, that is easy to watch and does not make you feel depressed from too much drama.

If cats disappeared from this world (2016)

Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: drama,
Cast: Sato Takeru, Miyazaki Aoi, Hamada Gaku, Okuna Eita, Ishii Anna, Okuda Eiji, Harada Meiko,
Synopsis: There is a young man who has never thought much about his future and though it is only natural that next morning he wakes up, takes care of his cat and goes to work. One day he learns that he has a late-stage brain tumor and he might have less then a week to live. Arriving home, he finds a strange man, who looks just like him, sitting behind the dinner table. The man introduces himself as devil who can prolong his death by one day in exchange of erasing one thing from this world.  
Rating: 5/5
I have no idea how to start this review. I do not have many movies that have made completely speechless, but this definitely has done it. In every possible way, this movie is absolutely incredible.
I think what made the biggest impact to me is the way you get to know the characters and in the end you understand that in reality you do not know a single thing about them. It at least made me think about my relationships with other people and rethink how much I really know my friends.

The Three Musketeers (2014)

Country: South-Korea
Format: drama in 12 episodes
Genre: history, adventure,
Cast: Lee Jin Wook, Jung Yong Hwa, Yang Dong Geun, Jung Hae In, Yoo In Young, Seo Hyun Jin, Kim Myung Soo, Park Young Gyu, Jeon No Min, Lee Kyun, Kim Sung Min, Park Sung Min,
Synopsis: It is Joseon era that is full of confusion and betrayal. Young Park Dal Hyang goes to Hanyang in hope of becoming soldier to protect Joseon and marry the girl he loves. While arriving to Hanyang, he meets 3 mysterious guys who introduce themselves as Three Musketeers. On his entrance day, Park Dal Hyang finds out that these men are no-one else than the Crown Prince and his two guards and within the last 5 years, the woman of his dreams has become the Crown Princess.
Rating: 2/5
I must say that this was one of the most difficult dramas to watch and it actually took me 2,5 years to complete these 12 episodes - and for some reason I always think it has 13 episodes. I also say already that this will be one long review, so I wish you good luck.

Seven First Kisses (2016)

Also known as: First Seven Kisses, First kiss for the seventh time
Country: South-Korea
Format: mini-drama in 8 episodes
Genre: romance
Cast: Lee Cho Hee, Choi Ji Woo, Lee Joon Ki, Park Hae Jin, Ji Chang Wook, Kai, Taecyeon, Lee Jong Suk, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Jung, Lee Chung Mi
Synopsis: It is Min Soo Jin's 25th birthday and as usually she is spending it alone without boyfriend. In fact, she has never had a boyfriend and never shared a kiss. This year her birthday wish becomes reality when she is granted to pick a perfect partner for her first kiss from the goddess of  fate.
Rating: 2/5
The first reason why I wanted to watch it was, because as I mentioned in one of my comments before - I want to watch all Lee Min Ho's dramas and movies. It just aired and it is a mini-drama, so it is fast to watch it. Another reason was that just this weekend I had a BIRTHDAY (and Yanne also as we still after all these years are twins..), so I thought that there might be something proper to watch as Min Soo Jin is having her birthday in the drama too and I am just one year younger than she.

May Who? (2015)

Also known as: May Nai Fai Raeng Froe
Country: Thai
Format: movie
Genre: school, supernatural, comedy
Cast: Sutatta Uudomsilp (Punpun), Thiti Mahayotaruk (Bank), Thanapob Leeratanakojorn (Tor), Narikun Ketprapakorn (Frung), Thanaerng Kanyawee Songmuang,
Synopsis: Pong loves to draw stories of his crush Ming... and as a high school boy some of the drawings can be a bit more revealing than necessary. His school life gets changed when one day instead of his homework he by accident hands in the diary and the drawings reach Ming. While trying to get a revenge on May Nai - the girl who gave his drawings to Ming - he learns that May Nai might be the most special girl in his high school, if not in the whole universe, as she discharges electricity when her heart rate crosses 120 beats per minute.
Rating: 5/5
What can be a better first movie of the year than a great Thai teenage comedy?