Community Reviews

I watched KPop Demon Hunters for the music, stayed for the spectacle. Netflix’s animated movie that blends K-pop and demon-slaying is more fun than it might sound.

It’s the latest film from the studio that’s brought us some stunning animation, like the recent Spider-Verse movies (Sony Pictures Animation).

This time, we follow demon hunters who are also singers in a K-pop girl group called Huntrix. By performing, they create a massive shield that makes it harder for demons to enter the human world, while they try to eliminate them for good.

If you’re into K-pop, this is a no-brainer—you’ll definitely watch it and most likely enjoy it. It’s packed with references to the K-pop industry, costumes that resemble real idol fashion, flashy live shows, a brand-new song from members of TWICE (<3), and other tracks in a well-crafted original soundtrack full of catchy, genre-faithful songs.

But it also has more than that: Well-designed monsters, intriguing and quirky lore, fun musical-style songs (with lyrics and scenes that tie into the story and its developments—music really is central to the experience). There’s also genuinely good humor (especially for those familiar with K-pop or K-dramas—but not only for them), memorably designed characters, and a core plot that’s better than I expected: while still quite formulaic, each part has been well-executed, and the overall result won me over.

And then there’s the animation… which is fantastic. The fight scenes are choreographed with style, colors explode everywhere, dozens of demons attack and are taken down by the protagonists with their weapons, and the songs are accompanied by perfectly staged sequences. There’s also excellent character animation (both in and out of battle), resulting in expressive bodies and faces during action-packed moments as well as dialogue scenes. You’ll also notice an interesting visual technique that combines stylized animation with anime-like eyes and facial expressions—exaggerated features, streams of tears, and other imaginative and playful effects—all blended seamlessly to create a unified style that works beautifully.

Overall, it’s a yes from me. A fun, light-hearted action movie with a likable cast of characters and solid voice and singing performances, that stands out thanks to its animation. I can easily imagine it turning into a franchise, and I wouldn’t say no to a sequel. This is a case where well-crafted individual elements come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts—better than it has any right to be. Even a cliché plot, when told effectively with smart techniques and the right performances, can end up feeling like something of much higher quality. A pleasant surprise.

One of Our Planets Is Missing (S01E03)

Airdate: September 22nd 1973

Written by: Marc Daniels Directed by: Hal Sutherland

Running Time: 22 minutes

Franchises, even those celebrated for their innovation, do not need to reinvent the wheel with every entry to maintain their appeal. Star Trek, in particular, has long thrived on borrowing from its own well of ideas while adapting them to new contexts, and The Animated Series exemplifies this principle. Among its episodes, One of Our Planets Is Missing—the third instalment—serves as a prime illustration of how a show can synthesise existing concepts into a coherent, compelling narrative without sacrificing the essence of its ethos. While the episode’s plot may lack originality, its execution stays true to Star Trek: The Original Series’ (TOS) spirit, balancing ethical dilemmas, technical jargon, and character-driven drama. For fans who value continuity and the franchise’s core themes over novelty, it is a satisfying entry that proves adaptability can be just as vital as innovation.

The episode’s script, written by Marc Daniels—a director closely associated with TOS’ most celebrated episodes—reveals his clear debt to prior Trek storytelling. Daniels, who helmed classics like The Doomsday Machine (a story featuring a similarly planet-consuming antagonist), draws heavily on that episode’s premise while also nodding to The Immunity Syndrome, where the crew confronts a mysterious, life-threatening entity. The resulting narrative feels like a hybrid of these two stories, but Daniels’ skill lies in refining these elements into a cohesive plot that avoids redundancy. His ability to infuse the script with TOS’ signature blend of urgency and philosophical inquiry ensures that the episode transcends its borrowed bones.

The Enterprise, exploring the outer reaches of Federation space, encounters a colossal, planet-devouring entity that consumes celestial bodies in its path. The next target is the Mantilles colony, a thriving settlement of 85 million residents led by Bob Wesley (voiced by James Doohan), a former Starfleet officer and old comrade of Captain Kirk. With evacuation deemed impractical, the crew must find a way to destroy the entity before it reaches Mantilles. The solution hinges on Scotty’s ingenuity, as he repurposes the entity’s antimatter protrusions to power the Enterprise’s warp drive. Meanwhile, Spock discovers the entity is sentient, forcing Kirk to grapple with the moral weight of destroying a living being. Ultimately, Spock employs a mind meld to negotiate with the entity, persuading it to abandon its destructive path—a resolution that aligns with Star Trek’s optimistic, life-affirming worldview.

The plot’s structure mirrors classic Trek episodes, particularly in its emphasis on ethical quandaries. Kirk’s debate over whether annihilating a “living space cloud” is justifiable mirrors similar moral conflicts in TOS. However, Daniels’ script deepens this tension by framing it as a choice between utilitarian sacrifice and compassionate coexistence. The inclusion of Wesley—a character from The Ultimate Computer—adds a personal stake, as Kirk’s loyalty to his friend amplifies the urgency of saving the colony. This interplay between duty, empathy, and technical problem-solving is the episode’s backbone, ensuring it remains anchored in the show’s core values even when its premise feels familiar.

For many fans, One of Our Planets Is Missing epitomises “classic Trek”—a term often reserved for episodes that adhere rigorously to Gene Roddenberry’s utopian vision. The narrative never shies from its family-friendly tone, prioritising peaceful resolution over violence, a hallmark of Roddenberry’s optimism.

This approach is bolstered by the animation medium, which allows for visual spectacle that live-action TOS could not easily achieve. The entity’s colossal form, the Enterprise’s precarious navigation within its structure, and the climactic mind meld all benefit from the flexibility of animation, creating a more dynamic portrayal of the plot’s stakes. Yet despite these visual enhancements, the episode remains fundamentally rooted in TOS’ DNA—a reminder that The Animated Series was not merely a stopgap but an extension of the franchise’s creative possibilities.

Daniels’ script strikes a deft balance between accessibility and the technobabble that defines Trek’s identity. While the dialogue occasionally simplifies concepts to cater to younger audiences—such as straightforward explanations of the entity’s mechanics—the episode retains the show’s trademark jargon. The result is a script that appeals to both casual viewers and dedicated fans, maintaining Trek’s reputation as a show that intertwines adventure with intellectual curiosity.

The episode’s strengths extend to its continuity with earlier TOS episodes. The reappearance of Bob Wesley, a character introduced in The Ultimate Computer (where he played by Barry Russo), is a subtle but meaningful touch. Voiced by James Doohan—a seasoned Trek voice actor—Wesley’s presence reinforces the show’s interconnected universe while offering a nostalgic callback. The choice to recast him, however, raises minor inconsistencies; Doohan’s portrayal, while competent, lacks Russo’s gravitas, slightly diluting the character’s impact. Still, the inclusion of familiar faces underscores The Animated Series’ commitment to expanding the TOS universe rather than existing in isolation.

One of Our Planets Is Missing succeeds not by breaking new ground but by honing existing Trek tropes into a polished, emotionally resonant story. Its plot may borrow from earlier episodes, but its adherence to the franchise’s ethical ideals, its seamless blend of action and philosophy, and its use of animation to enhance spectacle make it a worthy addition to the canon.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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I really enjoy sci-fi but I realize that it is likely one of the most difficult genres to do properly because of the visuals required in creating something that is both scientific and also not real - yet.

The description of What Happened to Monday was enough to draw me in because it deals with a topic matter that I believe is actually pretty real to life with overpopulation of the planet being the main focus here.

Alright, so it goes like this: It is an undisclosed period of time in the future and strange things have happened to the human race where it becomes very common for mothers to have twins, triplets, quadruplets, and whatever the things are called that go beyond that. Basically having one child at a time has become rare because of genetic reasons or something. It doesn't really matter it just needs to be accepted in order to move forward.

It is dictated globally that parents are allowed only 1 child and if they have any more than that the other children have to be taken to be put into cryo-stasis or frozen until such a time arrives in the future where the global food-shortage problem has been solved.

A father turned grandfather who lost his daughter decides to raise his daughter's daughters in isolation and in secret so that the government doesn't come and take 6 of them away.

He somehow gets them home to his house and this is where one of the most unrealistic portions of the film, sci-fi or not, kicks in. He lives in an urban area with tons of windows and also shared walls with neighbors in an apartment complex yet somehow he is able to keep the fact that there are 6 damn kids in that apartment a complete secret from everyone for a very long time.

The girls know nothing of the outside world other than what they are told by their grandfather until they are of school-attending age, then grandfather (played wonderfully, as expected, by Willem Dafoe) enrolls them in school and all 7 of the girls have to live the same life but only allowed one day of the week outside of the house. When the girls return home they have to spend a lot of time getting the other girls up to speed on what their shared life is like since they are meant to all be one person.

It's not the best plot because all of this would be considerably easier if they were just to move out to the countryside somewhere but I guess that isn't possible because of the overcrowding aspect of the globe at the time. Whatever! Accept it and move on.

Things are kept really interesting as we jump back and forth in time but the show isn't without its continuity flaws as well as some pretty egregious plot-holes that they do not bother to explain.

[src](https://cinemaoceania.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/monday-to-sunday-1.jpg?w=600)

They are named after the days of the week because that's easier to remember or something and they all have slightly different characteristics. This makes a lot less sense once they are adults because if they are still sharing days of the week that they are allowed to leave the house, they no longer look the same. In fact, for the sake (I'm guessing) for the audience to try to wrap their heads around who it is that we are looking at during any particular scene, they are very noticeably different looking.

Despite this obvious plot-hole, I was still able to roll with the story but one aspect of this reasonably good plot really gets under my skin and that was the decision to cast Noomi Rapace as the role of all 7 of the kids-turned-adult.

Noomi is a good actress, there is no denying that and whether you realize it or not you probably recognize her from the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" films - the Swedish ones, not the completely unnecessary Daniel Craig movies that were made in English.

The problem with Noomi is that she speaks English with a pretty thick accent which is fine because she is Swedish. All 7 of her characters have accents to some degree and this makes absolutely no sense considering that the only person that the girls have had any consistent contact with at any point in their lives has been one another and their grandfather Terrance, who sounds like the quintessential neutral-voiced American that he is. So how the hell did they all end up sounding like a Swedish person speaking English?

No matter how you want to look at the world now or in a science-fiction sense, we all end up sounding like the environment that we grow up in... but not the sisters Sunday through Saturday apparently.

I can deal with the fact that they live in an apartment with tons of windows where the shades apparently are never drawn and I can even get on board with neighbors not being affected by the sounds of footsteps above that probably sounded like a house party a great deal of the time yet nobody reported anything whn the present they live in is very much a nanny state of "big brother is watching you." I can accept the fact that they never had access to medical care because they can't go outside of the house for the most part yet none of them ever got sick. I can accept the fact that the girls sneak out of the window safely and wander around when the plot calls for it. I can accept the fact that we spend a large amount of time focusing on their special hiding place in grand detail but the one and only time its used it is discovered almost immediately.

I cannot, however, accept the fact that 7 children raised from birth to adulthood by a man with an American accent all end up sounding like Scandinavians. It wouldn't even be possible to make this happen on purpose as a very long-term joke. It's too much of a stretch, even for a science-fiction film.

I just wonder why did they do this? Noomi was already well past her famous prime by 2017 and she never was really a household name. Maybe she was willing to do it for very little money? She does do an awful lot of acting in this film and it must have taken a very long time and a ton of patience to do the roles of 7 different people who often appear in scenes all at once.

I think the producers were aware of the fact that this film was going to face a tremendous amount of criticism and thus the decision was made to not release it in North American theaters. It didn't have a theatrical run in any native-English speaking country and as far as I can tell it was only released in Europe via France where anything other than a French overdub would probably result in riots.

The rest of the cinema audience was the Asian market which I think we all know is the major target of filmmakers these days anyway. For the rest of the world it was released only on Netflix which is the modern-day equivalent of "straight to DVD ."

Should I watch it?

Honestly, no, I don't think you should watch it. They try to throw twists in there but if you are even paying halfway attention to the movie you can see them coming from a long ways away and when are revealed your response will be "well, of course."

I knew two major plot "twists" as soon as just one side of it was presented and these were meant to be a misdirection - just not very skillfully presented. I am not very smart either.

Willem Dafoe and Glenn Close are both in this movie, but only just. I feel as though both of them were cast just to pad the cast and Close's performance in particular feels dialed in. I'm not fully convinced that she was actually in the same room as her co-stars during the scenes that she is in because almost all of them are close-ups or shot from behind her. Dafoe's scenes could have been filmed in a single afternoon session as he too appears to not actually be in the same room as the other people he is interacting with in many scenes.

This is very skippable and I would advise that you do so. I can't really even recommend this to die-hard sci-fi fans because there is limited time in a day, and so much other, better stuff to watch. Variety Magazine called the movie "a ludicrous, violent, amusingly dumb sci-fi actioner" and I think that is actually quite the perfect way of describing it.

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So here we are again with was use to be one of my favorite Star Wars TV series, one that I was already watching before my break but still wanted to write about, after Mandalorian I got into Andor Season 1 and was nuts although diving back into Season 2 was not the same, honestly I'm feeling pretty conflicted about these opening episodes. I don't wanna be that guy who shits all over everything Disney does but there's something about this show that just doesn't sit right with me for the most part, specially this three episode release format, this episodes really highlighted some of those issues. The whole thing kicks off one year after the events of season one, which is a solid choice timing wise but man, the execution feels like it's trying too hard to be prestige television instead of, you know, actual Star Wars. The production values are insane it is still there similar to The Acolyte but even a great looking show can still be very average, the acting from the main actors like Diego Luna and Denise Gough is still there and there's clearly a lot of love and effort put into every frame that looks so beautiful, but it still doesnt feel like its happening in a galaxy far far away, there is missing that strange Star Wars world touch, they do travel from planet to planet but its very center like its just another planet Earth with regular people. The show has this weird habit of making everything feel so grounded and realistic that it loses that magical Star Wars feeling, which is ironic considering this is supposed to be building up to Rogue One, a movie that actually felt like it belonged in this universe. Maybe I'm being too harsh, maybe I'm just nostalgic for the days when Star Wars felt more fantastical and this is coming from a person who is not a hard core fan, most of the recent Star Wars tv series have been heavily criticize for this matter, but these episodes left me with a void wondering if season two is at the same level of how the show started.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9253284/
• Platform: Disney+

The opening sequence with Cassian infiltrating that Imperial facility to steal the prototype TIE fighter should've been exciting as hell and in some ways it was, but it also perfectly encapsulates what bothers me about this show, it still felt too simple or is it that the first season set the bar too high? for example when they stole all the money on season one. Watching him fumble around with the controls and basically crash his way out of there was pretty funny and the whole sequence looked gorgeous but where were the aliens, where was that lived in universe feeling that made the original trilogy so special. Instead we get this very human facility that could've been any generic sci fi show and that's a problem that runs throughout these episodes, its all human interaction and politics everywhere. The tech helping him escape, Niya was a ok ish character that I felt short and could had more screen time but again just another human in a universe that is supposed to be very heavy with diverse alien life and her whole deal felt more like a war movie than Star Wars. Then we jump to his friends from Ferrix who are now hiding out on this farming planet and while the storyline with Bix dealing with trauma from her torture was handled well, the whole setup felt like it could've been ripped from any number of Earth based dramas about migrant workers. The Imperial lieutenant being a creepy asshole was effective but predictable and when Braso gets killed at the end, it should've hit harder than it did, but the whole thing felt so divorced from the Star Wars universe that I couldn't fully invest in it emotionally.

Meanwhile, Mon Mothma's wedding storyline on Chandrila was probably the strongest part of these episodes but even that had issues that bugged the shit out of me, it truly felt boring and make me dizzy at tiems. Genevieve O'Reilly continues to be fantastic in her role and specially from the political and personal pressures of funding the rebellion while dealing with family drama. The wedding ceremony itself was beautifully shot and the cultural details they added felt realistic including Luthen weading gift, even if they were maybe a bit too Earth like for my taste but at least it felt like they were building something unique you cant go mad on a weading scenes. Her daughter Lita being excited about the arranged marriage was a nice twist and the tension with her childhood friend Tay threatening to expose her rebel activities added real stakes to those moments. The whole sequence where she is dancing drunk at the reception while Cinta is presumably about to murder Tay was brilliantly created and showed the show at its best a true peak moment, balancing personal drama with larger political conspiracy implicatins. But again, felt like any other weeding in a political thriller drama, where was that sense of otherness that makes Star Wars special and why did everything feel so much like a period drama set on Earth rather than another far away planet??.

The Empire stuff with Dedra and Krennic discussing the Gorman situation was solid political intrigue but it highlighted another issue I have with this show, which is how it treats the Empire like a modern corporation rather than a space fascist regime. Ben Mendelsohn is always great as Krennic and the whole presentation about Gorman with the cheesy tourism video was darkly funny but it felt more like a satire of modern corporate than something that belonged in the Star Wars universe. Dedra's relationship with Syril continues to be deeply weird and uncomfortable although as the show progress she starts to feel deeply interested on him and we start to watch Syril evolve as a key asset and grows up with the expectations of him setting up the trap for the local revels, which I think is intentional but their dinner scene with his mother was more cringe comedy than anything else and while it was well acted, it felt very bizzare. The whole subplot about the Empire wanting to destabilize Gorman to mine it for resources was interesting from a political aspect but didnt feel like the classic empire that takes things by hand and fist without asking for permission, it felt like something out of a modern thriller rather than Star Wars and the lack of any fantastical elements made it feel disconnected from the larger universe. Even the Death Star references which should have been exciting to at some point potentially watch it at least in paper but we never did so it felt more like the show was checking boxes rather than building excitement. The bureaucratic nature of the Empire's evil was well developed but it lacked the mythic quality that made Darth Vader and the Emperor so compelling in the original movies.

I don't wanna completely trash these episodes because there is clearly a lot of talent involved and the show is trying to do something different with the Star Wars formula but I have to express that it's lost touch with what makes the first season so special traveling from one planet to another and Cassian been on constant danger. The production design is incredible, the performances are solid across the board and you can tell it is true star was base on customs and backdrops like its not fake but it all feels so grounded and realistic that it loses that sense of wonder and adventure that drew me to Star Wars TV series the first place, I still remember that scene where Din Djarin puls the darksaber and fights the blacksmith risking to fall from the ship and for some mystic reason he couldn't held it straight, that magic is whats missing from Andor this time around. Maybe that's the point, maybe the show is trying to show the unglamorous reality behind the rebellion we see in the original trilogy but there's gotta be a way to do that without making everything feel so damn earthly. The lack of aliens is particularly something that you will notice during the three episodes because it makes the universe feel smaller and less diverse than it should be and the constant references to Earth like traditions and concepts and institutions make it hard to belief you are not around humans, I'm hoping things pick up in the pace during the next batch of episodes, I'm not a fan of three or what ever amount of episodes they want to release at once, Im old school with the one episode a week even better if they keep increasing its lenght thats my favorite type of release but I'll definitely keep watching because even flawed Star Wars is usually better than most other sci fi on television, not gonna lie I did like certain episodes of The Acolyte even though everyone kept saying it was trash but the hole lightsaber fights were very dope, but these opening episodes left me feeling more disappointed than excited about where the season is heading, this is a show with great potential and I know its over but its one I didnt want to miss out, now that is been some time since its release its easier to stay away from mayor spoilers on the interet so after all I had a good time, three hours of Star Wars is very cool although again not my favorite way to release a series.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #andor, #season2, #episodes, #recap, #starwars, #cassian, #rebellion, #empire, #ferrix, #yavin, #monmothma, #luthen, #dedra, #syril, #bix, #braso, #wilman, #chandrila, #wedding, #gorman, #krennic, #tie, #fighter, #imperial, #sacrifice

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Pude ver, por esas opciones de streaming, el filme Aún estoy aquí (“Ainda estou aqui”) del cineasta brasileño Walter Salles, autor de un filme inolvidable: “Estación central”, de 1998, entre otros. Este filme de Walter Salles me conmovió, y sobre él quisiera dar mi modesta apreciación.

Quizás muchos usuarios de #Hive desconocerán los dramas y tragedias que hemos vivido (sufrido) los latinoamericanos. Difícilmente puedan compartirse, en el sentido más grato del verbo, situaciones y actos de violación de los DDHH, como han ocurrido, particularmente, en los últimos meses en mi país (Venezuela). Lamentablemente, la historia parece repetirse; dijo Marx que primero como tragedia y luego como farsa. Pero, como plantea Slavoj Zizek, la farsa puede ser, incluso, más terrorífica que la tragedia original.

¿Cuántas veces en nuestros países, nuestra gente, en particular, intelectuales y políticos han sido víctimas de las más atroces injusticias, siendo perseguidos, encarcelados e, incluso, asesinados, con la mayor impunidad y descaro?

De esa realidad trata Aún estoy aquí.

El filme de Salles, basado en una historia real, durante la dictadura militar brasileña de los años 70 (y más), nos presenta la dura realidad vivida por una familia, en especial, por la esposa del intelectual y diputado apresado arbitrariamente, de quien no conoce su paradero ni estado de salud. De él solo sabrá, más tarde, que está muerto, por supuesto, asesinado por los gendarmes de la dictadura (¡cualquiera coincidencia con la realidad venezolana es pura ficción!).

Gracias a la avezada experiencia de Walter Salles como cineasta, y un magnífico guion, basado en el libro de Marcelo Rubens Paiva, hijo de la víctima, experimentamos como espectadores el drama-tragedia de una familia atormentada ante la desaparición forzada de su padre.

Con inteligencia, la historia del filme (no conozco el libro que le da pie) se centra en la esposa (más tarde, viuda) y madre de cuatro hijos, que se ve, no sólo ante la crisis emocional de no conocer del destino de su marido (aunque algo supone), además de haber sido sometida a un trato carcelario, aunque pasajero, duro, sino también enfrentar las necesidades y demandas de su familia.

La actuación de Fernanda Torres es quizás el factor que más merece ser resaltado entre sus logros; la actriz alcanza una heterogénea expresividad, entre el máximo dolor y la desesperación, y la sobriedad y el afecto hacia sus hijos. Cabe destacar una sensible fotografía, eficiente edición —con suso del flashback— y una apreciada música.

Filmes como este, que den cuenta las terribles historias de nuestros países, muchas veces desconocidas por el resto del mundo, son cada vez más necesarios.

Referencias: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Salles https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film121387.html

Vote la-colmena for witness by @ylich

Perhaps many #Hive users are unaware of the dramas and tragedies we Latin Americans have experienced (suffered), especially in recent decades. It is difficult to share, in the most pleasant sense of the word, situations and acts of human rights violations, as has happened, particularly in recent months in my country (Venezuela). Sadly, history seems to repeat itself; as Marx said, first as tragedy, then as farce. But, as Slavoj Zizek argues, the farce can be even more terrifying than the original tragedy.

How many times have our countries, our people, and particularly intellectuals and politicians been victims of the most atrocious injustices, being persecuted, imprisoned, and even murdered, with the utmost impunity and shamelessness?

This is the reality that I'm Still Here deals with.

Salles' film, based on a true story during the Brazilian military dictatorship of the 1970s (and beyond), presents the harsh reality experienced by a family, especially by the wife of the intellectual and congressman who was arbitrarily imprisoned, whose whereabouts and state of health are unknown. She only learns later, through informal channels, that he is dead, of course, murdered by the dictatorship's gendarmes (any coincidence with Venezuelan reality is pure fiction!).

Thanks to Walter Salles's seasoned experience as a filmmaker and a magnificent script, based on the book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the victim's son, we as viewers experience the drama-tragedy of a family tormented by the forced disappearance of their father.

The film's story (I don't know the book that inspired it) intelligently focuses on the wife (later widowed) and mother of four children, who finds herself not only facing the emotional crisis of not knowing her husband's fate (although she assumes something), but also having been subjected to harsh, albeit temporary, prison treatment and facing the demands of her family.

Fernanda Torres' performance is perhaps the factor that most deserves to be highlighted among its achievements. Also noteworthy is the sensitive cinematography and the esteemed music.

Films like this, which tell the terrible stories of our countries, often unknown to the rest of the world, are increasingly necessary.

Squid Game is a South Korean movie watched by millions of people , written, and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. The word "Squid" is derived from some children's games. This the player played for their survival. But reviewing the movie isn't my major focus. After watching the just released season 3 of this movie series, I had a striking discovery of the message the movie is passing across. To some, the movie teaches a game of survival, to some greed, and to some, just an entertainment. But the movie is worth more than that.

In the movie we came across several individuals, each with their traits, but they all had one problem "Debt". To the business tycoons who were wealthy men, believed "death" was a way of relieving one from the suffering of "poverty" and the only way to live was to "Fight to survive".

Player number 456 who had returned felt he could stop the game and that's where the movie story lies. He eventually died sacrificing himself to give a baby a chance to live. His message fell on deaf ears because men never solved the root problem which was "Debt". As long as people keep entering debt, the game is not near end.

You may wonder why the bosses chose the squid game rather than any other games. Was it entertaining? Yes. But there was more to it than just the entertainment, it was to answer a law where only the fit survive, and the children's games were perfect games that had set genius apart right from childhood days. To them weaklings do not deserve a chance to wealth, all the bosses understood was ruthlessness.

Now here is the message. Daily our streets are filled with poor people, these are men who are either tied down by debts, had given up on life, or regrets had swallowed their courage. Such men are vulnerable to whatever promises them wealth even if it means putting their lives on the line. Poverty is a disease that spreads so wide and can hardly be cured. Once one is plagued by it, he becomes a slave to it, and if unfortunately it is a country, then its citizens are at risk of becoming slaves to certain masters who see their lives with less worth.

The only way to secure a house or country from certain crimes and evil is to first deal with the root problem, and in the case of the movie, the root problem was "Debt and poverty". As long as the problem is not dealt with, the game goes on. The blue and red card will still linger in the street.

All the images are screenshots from the movie

🫂 Agradecimientos especiales / Special thanks

It seems to me that The Girl with the Needle is a brutal film of those that leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth and you are left thinking about it, it is a Danish production directed by Magnus Von Horn that takes us to the Copenhagen of 1919 where it shows the story of Karoline, a young woman who finds herself in a pretty desperate situation because her husband disappears in the war. The strongest thing about this is that the film is based on real events about the serial killer Dagmar Overby but it doesn't focus on her but on Karoline and this seemed to me a wise decision because it allows to see the story from the victims' perspective. The visual part which is in black and white I thought it looks great because each shot looks like a painting and manages to convey that sense of hopelessness and misery that the protagonist lives, Vic Carmen Sonne does an incredible job as Karoline, you can feel the desperation and vulnerability of that woman without the need for great dialogue, I think her acting that is based more on facial expressions and body language.

Me parece que The Girl with the Needle es una película brutal de esas que te dejan con un sabor amargo en la boca y quedas pensando en ella, es una producción danesa dirigida por Magnus Von Horn que nos lleva a la Copenhague de 1919 donde se muestra la historia de Karoline, una mujer joven que se encuentra en una situación bastante desesperante porque su esposo desaparece en la guerra. Lo más fuerte de esto es que la película está basada en hechos reales sobre la asesina serial Dagmar Overby pero no se centra en ella sino en Karoline y esto me pareció una decisión sabia porque permite ver la historia desde la perspectiva de las víctimas. La parte visual que es en blanco y negro me pareicó que queda muy bien porque cada toma parece como una pintura y logra transmitir esa sensación de desesperanza y miseria que vive la protagonista, Vic Carmen Sonne hace un trabajo increíble como Karoline, se siente la desesperación y vulnerabilidad de esa mujer sin necesidad de grandes diálogos, creo que su actuación que se basa más en las expresiones faciales y en el lenguaje corporal.

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Karoline becomes jobless and homeless and her boss Jurgen seduces her and she gets pregnant thinking that he is going to rescue her from that situation where she is, but his mother who is a classist woman and not a very good person opposes the relationship and Karoline ends up on the street again. This part of the film reminded me a lot of Anora in the sense that we see how class differences can destroy the hopes of a working woman because neither Karoline nor Anora are bad people, they are only illusioned women but definitely do not fit in the social class they demand, the truth is that her husband Peter returns from the war with a disfigured face and Karoline rejects him because she can not stand more suffering in her life, it is here where the film shows us how cruel survival can be if you think about it crudely. This woman goes through everything, she tries to have an abortion using a needle in a public restroom but is rescued by Dagmar, a woman who apparently helps women in similar situations by finding homes for unwanted babies, Trine Dyrholm I thought she is terrifying in this role of Dagmar because she manages to create a character that at first seems maternal and kind, a sweet little dove but little by little she reveals her evil nature and her performance is so convincing that you really dislike her every time she appears on screen.

Karoline se queda sin trabajo y sin hogar y su jefe Jurgen la seduce y ella queda embarazada pensando que él la va a rescatar de esa situación donde se encuentra, pero la mamá de él que es una mujer clasista y no muy buena persona se opone a la relación y Karoline termina en la calle otra vez. Esta parte de la película me recordó mucho a Anora en el sentido de que vemos como las diferencias de clase pueden destruir las esperanzas de una mujer trabajadora porque Karoline ni Anora son malas personas solo son mujeres ilusionadas pero definitivamente no entran en la clase social que exigen, lo cierto es que su esposo Peter regresa de la guerra con el rostro desfigurado y Karoline lo rechaza porque ya no puede soportar más sufrimiento en su vida, es aquí donde la película nos muestra lo cruel que puede ser la supervivencia si te pones a pensarlo crudamente. Esta mujer pasa de todo, intenta abortar usando una aguja en un baño público pero es rescatada por Dagmar, una mujer que aparentemente ayuda a mujeres en situaciones similares encontrando hogares para bebés no deseados, Trine Dyrholm me pareció que es terrorífica en este papel de Dagmar porque logra crear un personaje que al principio parece maternal y bondadoso, una dulce palomita pero poco a poco va revelando su naturaleza malvada y su actuación es tan convincente que la verdad te cae mal cada vez que aparece en pantalla.

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Throughout the whole movie you feel the oppression but there is not a single moment of relief or hope, I felt too much claustrophobia and also the desperation that Karoline lives, really poor woman, for me the director broke it in this sense because each scene increases the psychological tension, the use of sound also helps because there are moments where the music gets on your nerves. When Karoline discovers the truth about what Dagmar really does with the babies, the film reaches levels of horror that are hard to bear and it is not a gore horror or cheap scares, it is a psychological horror that stirs you inside because you know it is based on real events and this is what gives you the most chills, the scene where Karoline sees Dagmar killing a baby is filmed in a way that leaves you completely disturbed.

Durante toda la película se siente la opresión pero es que no hay ni un solo momento de alivio o esperanza, sentí demasiada claustrofobia y también la desesperación que vive Karoline, de verdad que pobre mujer, para mí la directora la partió en este sentido porque cada escena aumenta la tensión psicológica, el uso del sonido también ayuda porque hay momentos donde la música te pone los nervios de punta. Cuando Karoline descubre la verdad sobre lo que realmente hace Dagmar con los bebés, la película alcanza niveles de horror que son difíciles de soportar y no es un horror gore o de sustos baratos, es un horror psicológico que te remueve por dentro porque sabes que está basado en hechos reales y esto es lo que da más escalofríos, la escena donde Karoline ve a Dagmar matando a un bebé está filmada de una manera que te deja completamente perturbado.

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The central theme of the film is abortion and reproductive rights but it also talks about poverty, war and how society abandons the most vulnerable women. In my opinion this movie talks about a topic that is quite current despite being set more than a hundred years ago, because unfortunately these problems still exist, the relationship between Karoline and Dagmar is incredible because it shows how victims can become accomplices when they have no other options. Karoline is not a perfect heroine, she makes her mistakes and gets to make decisions that you are probably going to question but then you understand why she does it and it is that she is trapped in a system that gives her no other choice, the film also shows the theme of motherhood in a very complex way, not all women have maternal instincts and that's fine, but society judges and punishes them for it, Dagmar justifies her crimes by saying she is saving children from a cruel world, which is a sign of her sick mind and she reasons that way, but it also reflects how the society of that time treated unwanted children.

El tema central de la película es el aborto y los derechos reproductivos pero también habla sobre la pobreza, la guerra y como la sociedad abandona a las mujeres más vulnerables. A mí parecer esta peli habla de un tema que es bastante actual a pesar de estar ambientada hace más de cien años, porque desafortunadamente estos problemas siguen existiendo, la relación entre Karoline y Dagmar es increíble porque muestra como las víctimas pueden convertirse en cómplices cuando no tienen más opciones. Karoline no es una heroína perfecta, comete sus errores y llega a tomar decisiones que probablemente vas a cuestionar pero luego entiendes por qué lo hace y es que está atrapada en un sistema que no le da más opción, la película también muestra el tema de la maternidad de una manera muy compleja, no todas las mujeres tienen instintos maternales y eso está bien, pero la sociedad las juzga y las castiga por ello, Dagmar justifica sus crímenes diciendo que está salvando a los niños de un mundo cruel, lo cual es una muestra de su mente enferma y ella razona de esa forma, pero también refleja como la sociedad de esa época trataba a los niños no deseados.

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My score for The Girl with the Needle is 8/10 because this movie left me thinking for days and it is not easy to watch and definitely not for everyone, but in my opinion it is important cinema that needs to be seen, Vic Carmen Sonne's performance is extraordinary and deserves all the accolades possible, Trine Dyrholm also does amazing showing one of the most disturbing characters I have seen in years and Magnus Von Horn's direction is not far behind I would say it is beautiful despite the darkness of the subject matter. This film made me reflect on important issues and although the ending brings you down there is a small glimmer of hope when Karoline adopts Dagmar's daughter, thus breaking the cycle of violence. I think The Girl with the Needle is one of the best international films of the year and deserves to be seen if you can stomach the strong content.

Mi puntuación para The Girl with the Needle es de 8/10 porque esta película me dejó pensando durante días y no es fácil de ver y definitivamente no es para todos, pero a mí parecer es cine importante que necesita ser visto, la actuación de Vic Carmen Sonne es extraordinaria y merece todos los reconocimientos posibles, Trine Dyrholm también lo hace increíble mostrando uno de los personajes más perturbadores que he visto en años y la dirección de Magnus Von Horn no se queda atrás yo diría que es hermosa a pesar de la oscuridad del tema. Esta película me hizo reflexionar sobre temas importantes y aunque el final te derrumba hay una pequeña luz de esperanza cuando Karoline adopta a la hija de Dagmar, rompiendo así el ciclo de violencia. Yo creo que The Girl with the Needle es una de las mejores películas internacionales del año y merece ser vista si pueden soportar el contenido tan fuerte.

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Saigon Rose (S06E06)

Airdate: 21 November 1997

Written by: Eric Overmyer Directed by: Nick Gomez

Running Time: 45 minutes

In the latter seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street, the show began to diverge significantly from its roots as an adaptation of David Simon's groundbreaking 1988 non-fiction book, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. Instead, it started to resemble more of a standard broadcast network police procedural, particularly in its frequent use of "redball" cases. These are sensationalist plots that often mirrored real-life sensational crimes that had occurred recently and were still fresh in the audience's memory. This "Ripped from the Headlines" ethos is evident in several episodes, but one standout example is the Season 6 episode Saigon Rose.

The script for Saigon Rose was written by television veteran Eric Overmyer and serves as a fictionalised retelling of the real multiple murder that took place in 1995 at the Kim Anh Vietnamese restaurant in New Orleans. The plot, however, is set in Baltimore, at a fictional Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon Rose. The story revolves around two siblings, Tom (John Tran) and Lucy Nguyen (Vanessa Brown), who work at the restaurant. By sheer luck, they survive an attack that claims the lives of their parents, two other siblings, and Larry Jones (Russ Jones), an off-duty policeman. The siblings, who were hiding in the refrigerator during the attack, call the police, and the case is subsequently taken over by Detective Pembleton.

Upon arrival, detectives find Officer Toinette Perry (Camille McMurty-Ali), Jones' colleague, who also moonlighted as a security guard at Saigon Rose. Perry's demeanour at the scene is strangely detached, either unphased by the gruesome crime or eerily helpful. Pembleton quickly rules out the siblings as suspects, and Perry points to the most obvious culprit: herself. Her record as an Affirmative Action hire, coupled with her apparent incompetence and psychopathic tendencies, makes her a prime suspect. The final breakthrough comes when detectives arrest Perry's cousin, Curtis Lambright (Dion Graham), a young man with a criminal record. Lambright quickly implicates Perry as the mastermind behind the mass murder, revealing that the plan was supposed to be a "clean" robbery but descended into chaos when Perry started eliminating witnesses.

Like many episodes of Homicide, Saigon Rose also features side plots that is supposed to add depth to the main narrative. One such subplot is the continuation of the Luther Mahoney saga, with Mahoney's sister, Georgina Rae, being released from prison. The case against her collapses, leaving Kellerman in a precarious position. Apart from worrying about being killed by her or exposed for his extrajudicial killing of Luther Mahoney, Kellerman now has to deal with persistent harassment from Falsone. The tension escalates to the point where two detectives nearly come to blows and point guns at each other.

Another side plot involves Ballard, a new member of the Homicide Unit, who nearly succumbs to a severe allergic reaction to shellfish after dining with her partner, Gharty.

The episode is generally well-directed and well-acted, with Camille McMurty-Ali delivering a standout performance as the arrogant and ruthless sociopath, Officer Toinette Perry. McMurty-Ali's portrayal of Perry is convincing and chilling, making her one of the most memorable villains in the series.

However, Saigon Rose is a little too neatly tied to the real-life events it is based on. The main villain, Toinette Perry, has a name that is eerily similar to Antoinette Renee Frank, the perpetrator of the 1995 Kim Anh restaurant killings. This parallel is somewhat jarring and detracts from the episode's originality.

Additionally, the script misses an opportunity to draw parallels between Kellerman's struggles and his status as a policeman who crossed the line while taking out Luther Mahoney, and Toinette Perry, who crossed the line even worse for selfish reasons. This missed connection weakens the episode's thematic depth and character development.

On the other hand, Overmyer's script is interesting because it takes a stance that could be described as right-wing in its criticism of Affirmative Action, or what today would be called "DEI hiring." The episode suggests that giving positions of authority to individuals who are not qualified for them can have dangerous consequences. This critique adds a layer of social commentary to the episode, making it more thought-provoking than your average police procedural.

Near the end of the episode, the audience is introduced to the character of Billie Lou Hatfield, played by Ellen McElduff. Hatfield is a new waitress at the Waterfront Bar who describes herself as a "topless performance artist." Her character will become a recurring presence in future episodes, adding a touch of eccentricity to the series.

Despite these missed opportunities, Saigon Rose is a well-made episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. It is one of the better parts of the latter stage of the series, showcasing the show's ability to blend compelling storytelling with social commentary. The episode's strengths lie in its strong performances, particularly McMurty-Ali's chilling portrayal of Toinette Perry, and its willingness to tackle controversial topics. While it may not be perfect, Saigon Rose is a testament to the enduring quality of "Homicide: Life on the Street" and its ability to keep audiences engaged even in its later seasons.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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Hello CineTV. Giving reviews to movies brings me joy and after watching the most anticipated Squid Game3, I decided to give it a review so you all can give it a watch. Squid Game, a Korean television show which was first released in September 2021, has released its third season.

The television series didn’t end the way I thought it would and that makes it a great masterpiece because no one ever knows that the series will end in such manner and for it to end that way, I must give kudos to the directors, actors and everyone who’s a part of the series.

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Plot of the movie

After all players participating in the game tried to hijack the whole vicinity from the organizers, they failed and had no choice than to become calm and complete the games hoping that they win the money and make it out alive.

The last player, No456, Seong Gi tried his best to save the people and warned them from continuing the games but he had a lesser audience. Looking at how the money multiplies when people get killed was enough to make them want to continue the game.

In the Hide and Seek game, Madam Jang kills her son, Park while he tries to kill Jun Hee who just gave birthto a baby with the help of Madam Jang. That led to a twist of fate to Madam Jang and she eventually hung herself to death. Jun Hee gives up herself to death when she realizes that she can’t play the rope game and her child was taken care of by Seong Gi. Sadly, the day’s old baby was asked to join the game by the organizers and Seong Gi tried his best in protecting the baby.

At last, the last game happened between Seong Gi, the baby’s father who was also a participant and the baby herself. Seong Gi had a fight with the baby daddy but forgot to press the botton which indicates the start of the game. Seong Gi gave up his life for the baby to live. The baby was given the winning prize while Seong Gi’s family was given another winning prize as well.

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How has this series influenced me?

This series has influenced me in a lot of ways. Things like this are very much likely to happen in the real world. Squid Game3 shows what people do and can do for money. Even after seeing so many people die in front of them, they never wanted to opt out. Those who wished to stop the game were a few and I think that can be compared to something. It can be compared to how much greedy people we have in this world and the less greedy ones are just a few.

Another influence it has on me is about the rich and wealthy ones in the society who we look up to. So many times, we do not even know their source of wealth. We just know that they have bigger companies and things of such. They may be a part of evil acts like this and that’s why I never get surprised whenever I hear that the secret of a politician or well known person in the society was leaked.

What are my favorite scenes?

I have two favorite scenes. The scene where the game organizer went to check on Seong Gi to know if he was really dead. That showed me a sense of humanity. It makes me believe that no matter how wicked or heartless some people are, they still always have this sense of humanity in them.

Secondly, look at Seong Gi’s daughter who yelled at first about not wanting to see her father anymore. Immediately she heard about her father’s demise, she became cold. Your family will always be one. No matter how less you think you care, there is still a part of you who cares.

Squid Game3 is a series with rollercoaster of emotions that pictures the things going on in our society. If allowed, I can rate if 9.5/10. It is worth the watch.