A list of Marvel Cinematic Universe productions in sequential order as it happened in-universe.
Based on the official timeline by Disney+, unless otherwise specified. (As of 2023-01-10.)
MCU Wiki: The Incredible Hulk ↩︎
MCU Wiki: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ↩︎
Fan speculation based on various in-universe hints and/or different interviews. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Korean screenwriters have a fascination with time travel for the past five years or so. Korean time travel stories are commonly taken seriously by fans as hard science where time travel mechanics should be explained. Alienoid (외계+인) is a time travel adventure that is easy to follow and is a mix of science fiction and fantasy.
Guard (가드) (played by Kim Hyun Joong (김우빈)) is a highly advanced cyborg from a distant civilization. Together with his sidekick robot Thunder (천둥), they ensure the Paros (what the aliens call their criminals) they imprisoned on planet Earth across all times can never escape. However, time started to fracture when they brought back a baby from the past to the present.
Mu Reuk (무륵) (played by Ryu Joon Yeol (류준열)) is a Dosa (도사) who use his abilities as a bounty hunter, a profession despised by many Dosa. He learned about a bounty to find an object called divine knife with a very generous reward that can solve his financial problems.
Lee An (이안) (played by Kim Tae Ri (김태리)) was born in late Goryeo Dynasty (1374–1392). She has been searching for the divine knife for ten years and has learned how to use a gun. Her path eventually crossed with Mu Reuk (무륵) and together they fight the Paros who also want the divine knife.
The story is straightforward, Guard (가드), Thunder (천둥), and Lee An (이안) must capture or eliminate the criminal aliens who have successfully taken over their human prison. If these aliens acquire the divine knife they will be able to awaken their comrades and end humanity.
Time travel was also easy to follow, though they hinted there is more to time, it is pretty much linear in this movie. Time travel was only used as a literary device to trap the protagonists and the antagonists in late Goryeo Dynasty where magic and spiritual abilities were still practiced.
Anyone looking for a fun science fantasy adventure film, Alienoid (외계+인) is the answer.
The main actors for our primary characters are all well experienced in acting. They casted actors who can deliver the kind of acting that fits who the characters are supposed to be.
We have Kim Hyun Joong (김우빈) who played Guard (가드) and the many alter ego of Thunder (천둥). Many would recognize him from his recent acting comeback in Our Blues (우리들의 블루스).
There is also Ryu Joon Yeol (류준열) who played Mu Reuk (무륵). Fans of Reply 1988 (응답하라 1988) would definitely know him.
Of course, Kim Tae Ri (김태리) as the gun-wielding martial artist, time traveler, and Goryeo-born Lee An (이안). Her recent TV drama Twenty-Five Twenty-One (스물다섯 스물하나) landed her Best Actress (여우주연상) at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards (제58회 백상예술대상).
I would not be surprised if their characters were written with these actors in mind before they were offered to star in this film.
There are two eras in this movie: early 21st century (2012 and 2022 Korea); and late 14th century (1380 and 1391 Goryeo Dynasty). In both eras, they paid attention on how they use special effects and the graphics design.
In the 21st century Korea they brought in the looks of a highly advanced technology. I love the transforming spaceship, it is similar to the Western show Team Knight Rider or the 32nd era of Star Trek: Discovery. (When are we going to have this technology in real life?) Another thing was the armor of Guard (가드), it reminded me of the Japanese franchise Guyver (ガイバー).
In 14th century Goryeo Dynasty they showed the architecture and designs of late Goryeo. The special effects for magic were kept simple and appropriate for the period. But what can be easily missed and misunderstood is the design and graphics for the aliens. With two vastly different eras, they opted to keep the aliens bare. I think the aliens are wearing some sort of an armor and they have not shown what they actually look like. This was a good decision as it made sure the aliens fit in both eras.
They should have showed more fight scenes in the Goryeo era since it is the main focus of Alienoid (외계+인) part one. The fight scenes and special effects in the modern era were great but those were things commonly scene in an alien invasion story set in modern times. What makes science fantasy very exciting is seeing the interaction of … well … science and fantasy. It was a good start to bring in guns in Goryeo but they should not have stopped there.
They should also be careful with dates. Lee An (이안) was still a baby when they met her in 1380. Yet in 2022 Thunder (천둥) said she came from 646 years in the past which would be the year 1376.
For Alienoid (외계+인) part one I give it 9 out of 10 stars. It would have been an 8 if not for the performance of the three main actors and for keeping the special effects appropriate for the Goryeo Dynasty depicted in the film.
Autism spectrum films that truly connect and show our thought process and world are rare. The movie X+Y or A Brilliant Young Mind was one of it, a British film which first premiered in the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. It was inspired by the story of Daniel, a boy in the autism spectrum and a math genius.
Nathan Ellis (played by Asa Butterfield), a boy diagnosed with autism, is a mathematics genius. He grew up and lived with his mother after his father died in a car accident when he was still a very young kid. In many Western societies, being in the autism spectrum is something looked down on, usually viewed as “sick” people, and are bullied. It is common to be treated as less than human.
He was later accepted to join a math camp in Taiwan as a member of the U.K. team. There he was paired with Zhang Mei (played by Jo Yang), from team China. They spent time together and explored Taiwan during the 14-day camp other than studying mathematics. Unknown to himself, Nathan developed feelings for her, the ever patient Mei.
Later, they went back to the United Kingdom for the competition. It was then he started to realize that he feels differently when Mei is around. He found it hard to process. Emotions were virtually foreign to him. In the end, as they say, they lived happily ever after.
That is basically the summary. Let’s get on the review.
The film was superb and executed perfectly. As an aspie or autistic, it simply connects. I found myself in many instances of Nathan’s encounters and struggles. Moments when everything has to make sense or we will not do something you expect us to. Or, those times when we have to ask what people actually meant.
I like how the Chinese culture, and Asia-Pacific in general, was presented. In some Asia-Pacific nations, there are some families who do not hide their autistic children because they believe it brings bad luck otherwise. There simply is no shame in being autistic or have a family relative who is. In my country, sad it may be, we acquired the Western culture when it comes to mental and social differences (or “disability” if you prefer that term), although that has been changing for the past years.
There were also the struggles Nathan faces with his emotions, which is also true for most in the autism spectrum. We do have emotions, some of us learned how to process our feelings, some find it hard. It is just that we think logically, we prioritize it when understanding things. Like Nathan, we learn what it is.
Another thing often not depicted in other similar movies is how an autistic usually react with what’s the point
. I do not know how many times those words came out of my mouth which also made me weird in the eyes of neurotypicals. I am glad they included this in the film.
Overall, the acting of the actors were perfect, not exaggerated, not lacking, this is especially true for the newcomer Jo Yang which I think will become a famous actress soon. I am not sure if I have seen her in another film or TV series but for Asa Butterfield he was Ender Wiggin in Ender’s Game and Hugo Cabret in Hugo.
A must watch if you want to understand how we in the autism spectrum react to the environment around us. The lights, the crowd, the noise, why we keep to ourselves, why we appear to be shy when we probably are not; these are all important factors that shape our reaction at any given moment. Sensory overload, yes that is a thing for us autistics.
I give X+Y or A Brilliant Mind a ten out of ten stars.
A little trivia: did you know the street scenes were not scripted?
normaland supposedly know better.]]>
It is rare to see a movie or a TV series with a proper portrayal of autism. More often than not an autistic character exist in a story because an autistic trait or quirk is used as a plot device, the autistic character was simply a tool to advance a story. Innocent Witness (증인) is different. It introduces the audience to the world of autistics and exposes the discrimination and prejudices of society, most especially from adults who considers themselves normal
and supposedly know better.
Im Ji Woo (임지우) (played by Kim Hyang Gi (김향기)) is an autistic middle school (Grades 7-9) girl. One night after her school, she witnessed a crime across the street from her room.
Yang Soon Ho (양순호) (played by Jung Woo Sung (정우성)) was assigned to defend a murder suspect. All evidence points against his client and he believes her story that she is innocent. The only way to win the case was to discredit the sole witness.
Can defense attorney Yang Soon Ho (양순호) prove the innocence of his client by discrediting an autistic teenage girl? Or, is Im Ji Woo (임지우) telling the truth and knows far more than what the prosecution camp was able to gather?
Approaching this movie as a story about crime and mystery would be a disappointment as it has a straightforward plot. That said, it is clear this movie is not about solving the mystery behind the crime rather about the relationship between a defense attorney and an autistic teenage girl who witnessed a crime.
It is a look into autism and how autistic credibility in courts are often challenged because of the many discrimination and prejudice about autism and autistic people. Having a correct mindset will unlock the profound message Innocent Witness (증인) has to offer.
Kim Hyang Gi (김향기) started as a Korean child actress. She has appeared in numerous films (s. 2006) and TV series (s. 2007), this experience no doubt helped her portray an autistic teenage girl. While the particular autistic traits and quirks she had to act were fewer than in real life, she was able to bring it to the big screen without any awkwardness or mistakes. The emotional struggles, the challenge in communication, sensory overload, and autistic meltdown, she portrayed it all perfectly.
Veteran actor Jung Woo Sung (정우성) did well as an attorney who had no knowledge of autism, who later saw the beauty and talents of an autistic person. He was able to portray a neurotypical person, and a lawyer at that, who will use a person’s condition to discredit their testinomy and win a case, to a neurotypical person who found the error of their ways and chose to take the path to the light. He was able to show that we are all humans, we make mistakes, we have prejudices, and all it takes is opening our eyes and making the effort to reach out and communicate.
The production was good. They showed the room of our autistic teenage girl witness, nothing stereotypical, pretty much ordinary but at the same time have the support she needed. I love how the support she need, a little house/tent was shown, something I can relate well. But what I love the most were the scenes of the world through the eyes of our autistic girl character. Well done on this one even though it was just for a minute or so.
This is a sad reality for us autistics. We are forced to mask, to pretend to be normal, so neurotypicals will not discriminate against us, will not judge us, will not whisper behind our backs. We have to pretend to be normal so we are treated equally and fairly; so we are treated as human beings, and not as second class citizens or less than human.
As a neurotypical (non-autistic), can you imagine yourself living this way your entire life?
This is true. We do pay attention and we remember. However, it does not mean we all have photographic memories
or that we will be able to respond … at all. If an autistic is focused intently on something, there is a higher chance external inputs will never get processed. For example, in my case, I would hear it but I won’t be able to process it if I am hyper focused on whatever I am doing at that moment; the chance of me responding gets slimmer as time ticks by.
This is a misunderstanding based on old studies. Autistics can lie, it is just that we hate lies and avoid it at all costs. Masking ourselves is a form of a lie neurotypicals call a white lie
. We do not have a choice in it because if we do not mask, we are discriminated, looked down upon, and we hear whispers and judgements from neurotypicals. We will also lie if it means protecting the people we love. We hate it. We will struggle with it. It will drain us. It can also lead to a meltdown for some autistics.
Innocent Witness (증인) is a story of a young autistic teenage girl who wants to live like everybody else and have dreams like anybody else. An autistic girl who fights for what is right and the truth despite the ridicules and judgement she may receive from people who call themselves normal
.
The good production, excellent performances from the actors, a well-written script, and good portrayal of an autistic person, makes this a good introduction to what autism is and who autistic people are. While it does not mean all autistics are like Im Ji Woo (임지우) it still gives an insight to what autistics face on a daily basis and how challenging–and degrading it is when neurotypicals (non-autistics) dismiss and judge us.
All things considered, it deserves a perfect ten (10) from me, YourOnly.One.
There are multiple parallel worlds shown in 《Alpha Gateway》 or 《The Gateway》 and it is often confusing if one is not familiar with how to differentiate parallel worlds from each other. In this post, I will present what I believe to be the most accurate analysis of the parallel worlds visited by Jane.
In total, there were six (6) worlds shown in the movie.
In this film, there are two things that governs parallel world travel. The power and the frequency. We only know for certain that Jane’s Alpha World is at 350 petawatts power and 36.9MHz frequency; and the Beta World and Charlie World are at 350 PW as well.
The “Level” in the list above refers to the Max Tegmark’s multiverse classification system. Level 1 is the infinite multiverse, Level 2 is the chaotic eternal inflation, and Level 3 is the Everettian Many-worlds theory or quantum branches. There is a Level 4 where everything is different. As what Regg “Alpha” said, we only want a Level 1 and Level 3 parallel world.
When Jane “Alpha” got stuck in the Beta World and met Regg “Beta”, they had their settings wrong when they used Regg’s machine. They landed in the Charlie World where Jane saw herself and her family complete and happy. She ran back out and told Regg “Beta” they were in the wrong world.
Then when Regg “Beta” sent Jane “Alpha” to another world again, in their rush, Regg “Beta” probably had a minor but deadly error when he set the frequency or the power. Thus, Jane “Alpha” landed n Delta World, a world where events transpired almost exactly as it did in her own world (the Alpha World).
Later, Jane “Alpha” was successful in stopping Matt and sent him to the F World (which she didn’t know of course, she only assumed it’s a world far from her world). Two months later, Regg “Beta” showed up at her home and told Jane “Alpha” that she is in the wrong world.
In other words, the Myles she sent to the F World was Matt from the Echo World. We knew this Matt was from Echo World because Jane “Alpha” was holding his weapon, similar to the weapon she found with Matt “Beta”. In addition to that, this revelation also meant that Matt “Beta” is still in her own world–the Alpha World.
Two months she was living in a world that she thought was her world while Matt “Beta” did whatever he wants with her own actual children and relatives.
The location of Jane “Delta” is anybody’s guess. She could still be stuck in the Echo World or lived for two months in another world similar to the Alpha World and Delta World, she thought was her own world. She probably received the same bad news from Regg “Echo”.
We can only hope there was another Jane that ended up in the Alpha World to send Matt “Beta” to the F World.
Update 2022-02-06: Corrected an image caption for the character “Kendra Boardman”, in Mudblood Part 3 the character was played by actress Maggie Keating. Thank you very much to director Conrad Faraj for reaching out.
The canon and original Harry Potter novel series centered on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Fans have always wondered since the original run of the books how other magical communities fit in the timeline. In Mudblood we get to see an adventure distant yet so near to the events after the Order of the Phoenix and how it could have had changed the course of history.
]]>The canon and original Harry Potter novel series centered on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Fans have always wondered since the original run of the books how other magical communities fit in the timeline. In Mudblood we get to see an adventure distant yet so near to the events after the Order of the Phoenix and how it could have had changed the course of history.
Mudblood is a Harry Potter fanfilm which takes place in the United States of America between the events of the Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince. It follows the story of Muriel Warrington, a Hufflepuff student from Hogwarts, who acquired a very important item which belongs to the Dark Lord. With a very important artifact in her possession, Muriel can not trust anyone, especially not when The Sisters is hunting her down across America.
This three-part fan film was produced by Conrad Studios with Honduran-American filmmaker Conrad Faraj as its director and writer. The series stars Makenna Weyburne as Muriel Warrington, Angela Cole as Emmeline Purkiss, Jazz Securo as Merlin Evergreen, Sabré Randall as Fleur Jones, Evan Kilmartin as Alvin Finch, and Maggie Callahan as Kendra Boardman in the first two films and with Maggie Keating for the same role in third film.
Overall the story was good and there were no contradictions with what we know as canon in the novels. It was also brilliant that they tied an adventure in the Americas, something fans were wondering about since the middle of the book series. The MACUSA or the Magical Congress of the United States of America was also involved with the usual “it’s a problem from across the pond, why should we deal with it” attitude.
What I loved the most was the main character, Muriel Warrington, a “British girl” who was a Hufflepuff student from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Muriel is a very powerful witch who can wield two wands and use both simultaenously. It is established canon that spells are weakened when two wands are used at the same time but for Muriel it was just another ordinary spellcasting.
Muriel can even withstand two simultaneous attacks from well-trained Death Eater Sisters!
Even Hermione witnessed Muriel’s abilities when she faced the Slytherin bullies.
We all know Hermione would jump to the defense of the bullied especially if they’re a mudblood like herself and the bullies are Slytherin. Yet in this instance, she just stood, in awe of Muriel Warrington. Although I think she was more worried of Muriel when she lost herself in her rage and used dark arts. Or maybe, Hermione thought she can recruit her in the Order of the Phoenix. Regardless of what Hermione was thinking, it just proves how powerful Muriel is at her age.
Okay, last one! I think Muriel would also fit Ravenclaw. I would not be surprised if the Sorting Hat chose between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Muriel is not only wise but is also highly intelligent like Hermione.
In all three short films, I was impressed with most is the acting. Special mention to Angela Cole who played Emmeline Purkiss. She was great both as an Auror-in-training and as a Death Eater Sister, she can easily pass as the Bellatrix of America.
One where it could have been better was the scene where the British representative was convincing MACUSA to find Muriel. It felt like they were practicing their dialogues, the urgency of the matter was not there, and MACUSA’s desire to downplay the request was more of words than action. The two characters acted like they were long-time friends from their school days but what little hints about them we can glean points to the opposite direction … strangers outside of their roles.
I also commend the other two Sisters, Fleur Jones played by Sabré Randall and Kendra Boardman played by Maggie Callahan. Since The Sisters was a group of Death Eaters under the command of Bellatrix, it was only apparent that there are members who are as crazy as her, Sabré Randall and Maggie Callahan, and later Maggie Keating, did great in portraying their own brand of avada kedavra hungry Death Eaters.
On the production side, it looks like they used official Harry Potter merchandise where there is available—the Hogwarts uniform, the Hogwarts Houses neck scarfs, and the time turner necklace, to mention a few. The wands were also well-made especially designed for filming, if they can secure a license to sell their own wand designs, they should, especially the wands of Alvin and Emmeline.
However, there was a forest scene where the camera was shaking randomly. It was as if the cameraman was running and unexpectedly stepped on stones. It was a little unnerving, at least for me who is sensitive to sudden unexpected motions. Other than this, I have nothing but praises for the team.
For example, the special effects for spells were high quality. Special effects is the most time consuming and takes a lot from the budget, thus the level of effects we see in a film reflects the budget and time they spent on it. In Mudblood they made sure it is up to par with the official films, even better in some scenes.
Whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, whether you have watched fanfilms before or have never done so in your life, Mudblood is a highly recommended film to watch. If Potterverse was an open shared world, Mudblood can easily become canon with its good and very interesting story, great production, and amazing actors.
There are a lot more to tell about the characters too. I want to see more of Emmeline Purkiss, she was a very promising and powerful Auror-in-training witch. Who was she? Who was her parents? Why was she easily turned?
Is Hermione Granger friends with Muriel? It looked like she did not come by chance when Muriel was dueling with the Slytherin girls. Are mudbloods always that powerful? Lily Potter was a very powerful mudblood as well. So, who is Muriel? Did she have powerful wizards and witches as her ancient ancestors? Why was she willing to use the dark arts when the situation calls for it? Did she reach her full potential as a student of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?
These and more are the stories yet to tell from this fanfiction/fanfilm world Conrad Studios introduced us into. I hope they can make more and I also hope they can get considered as canon too, or soft canon in Trek lingo.
Here are my scores:
With a total score of 9 out of 10 stars.
I hope you agree because …
And the MACUSA will not be happy either …
In fact, everyone will be your enemy …
Not even Muriel will side with you …
What do you think? You can share your review in the comments below anonymously so they can not track you.
A fortnight from now we will all bid farewell to 2021. A lof of things happened this year, good and bad and everything in-between. One good thing which happened this year were movie premiers, and here are YourOnly.One Top 10 Movies of 2021.
Black Widow is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, Olga Kurylenko, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz. Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), the film sees Romanoff on the run and forced to confront her past.1
Due to COVID-19, the premier of countless of films were delayed and one of it was Black Widow. Originally scheduled for release in 2020, the premier was moved to July 9, 2021. It received a rating of 79% from 437 votes in Rotten Tomatoes and a gross box office of U$183.6 million.
Even though the time period of Black Widow in Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline is in the past, it still is a very important story … and the last time we will see Natasha Romanoff. Definitely a must-watch.
Infinite is a 2021 American science fiction action film directed by Antoine Fuqua. Ian Shorr wrote the screenplay based on a story by Todd Stein, who in turn adapted D. Eric Maikranz’s 2009 novel The Reincarnationist Papers. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Cookson, Jason Mantzoukas, Rupert Friend, Toby Jones and Dylan O’Brien.2
Originally planned for a theatrical release in 2020, Infinite was officially released on June 10, 2021 through the Paramount+ streaming service. An underrated movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor, which tells the story about two groups of warriors who knows the secret of life and reincarnation. It was based from the novel of D. Eric Maikranze entitled The Reincarnationist Papers published in 2009.
The action scenes and effects were great but unfortunately it lacks depth. It would be better if they planned a trilogy instead. Even so, the pure entertainment value and the ideas presented landed it #9 in our list. Think of The Matrix + John Wick + Assassins Creed + Kill Bill + Inception and you get Infinite.
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is a 2021 American action thriller film based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It is directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples, and stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren London, Brett Gelman, Jacob Scipio, Jack Kesy, Colman Domingo and Guy Pearce. The plot follows John Kelly, a U.S. Navy SEAL who sets out on a path of revenge after his pregnant wife and unit members are killed by Russian hitmen.3
This is another underrated movie of 2021. It only received 44% rating from 188 votes in Rotten Tomtatoes and 5.8 out of 10 rating from 51,309 votes in IMDb. This film was based on Without Remorse by Tom Clancy. Reviews ranged from “too generic” to “an attempt to copy Jason Bourne”, the latter for me is unfair considering how the original novel was published in 1993 and a movie adaptation have been in development since.
I say, ignore the ratings and watch this film. Do not forget the last scene.
A Writer’s Odyssey (Chinese: 刺杀小说家) is a 2021 Chinese action-adventure fantasy film directed and written by Lu Yang and produced by Ning Hao. The film was released February 12, 2021, on the Lunar New Year. The film is based on Shuang Xuetao’s novel of the same name, and its sequel Godslayer.4 Desperate to find his daughter, a father agreed to assassinate a fantasy author whose novel is affecting the real-world, in particular the life of a tech tycoon hangs in the balance. In exchange, the tech tycoon promised to tell him the location of his daughter. Later, he fount out that there is more about the novel than he was initially told.
The film reached U$159.9 million in the box office. It also received 6.2 out of 10 rating from 2,001 votes in IMDb; 7.7 out of 10 stars from 207 users in MyDramaList; and 92% from 12 votes in Rotten Tomatoes; and 9.3 out of 10 from iQiYi streaming platform where the movie is officially available digitally.
If you are looking for a good Chinese drama, I recommend A Writer’s Odyssey. Its amazing graphics, special effects, and unique story, it is guaranteed you’ll be glued on your screen and touched by a father’s quest to find his lovable daughter.
A Writer’s Odyssey or 刺殺小說家 is available on iQiYi with good English subtitles: watch it now.
The Tomorrow War is a 2021 American military science fiction action film directed by Chris McKay. The picture is produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, David S. Goyer, Jules Daly, and Adam Kolbrenner, and written by Zach Dean. The ensemble cast features Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J. K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Keith Powers. It follows a mix of present-day soldiers and civilians sent into the future to fight an alien army.5
This film deserves an IMAX release with all the sound technologies available like DTS and Dolby Digital. The Tomorrow War also deserves a 4D cinema release because it just is not a movie which should be watched on small screens. Not even the best home theater setup can truly capture the amazing production and story, and all the work they dedicated to it.
A rating of 6.6 out of 10 from 180,330 votes is in from IMDb. It also gathered 2,283 votes from Google Search totalling to 4.3 out of 5 stars. A sequel was confirmed to be in the works in July 8, 2021.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, from a screenplay he wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham, and stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi alongside Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, and Tony Leung. In the film, Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past when his father Wenwu (Leung), the leader of the Ten Rings organization, draws Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing (Zhang) into a search for a mythical village.6
Asian power! This is the best way to describe Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It is rare to see an ensemble of Asians from Western productions, even rarer from a cinematic universe based on Western comic books. In today’s era where racial equality is big, and rightly so, this film is a very much welcome movie for everyone, everywhere, most especially from Asians (like me). Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also boasts its stunning visuals and a great storyline about a once blissful family.
It received got 4.6 out of 5 stars from 13,725 votes in Google Search; and 7.5 out of 10 rating from 244,579 votes in IMDb. With a reported budget of U$150–200 million, its box office of U$432.2 million is proof enough it was a huge success. If you have not watched this, make sure you sit with your family this Christmas or New Year’s Eve.
No, it was not a mistake, this film’s title is Mission: Possible.
Mission: Possible (Korean: 미션 파서블) is a 2021 South Korean action-comedy film written and directed by Kim Hyung-joo. Based on the Mission: Impossible series by Bruce Geller, the film stars Lee Sun-bin and Kim Young-kwang, following the antics of secret agent Da-hee and an ex-special agent, present-private detective Soo-han. The film was released in South Korea on February 17, 2021.7
It is a story of a rookie female Chinese secret agent sent on a mission to track illegal firearms smuggling into South Korea. She met a South Korean private detective who happens to be a dismissed Korean secret agent. All was going well until their contacts and witnesses were assassinated and they became the prime suspects.
1,548 users rated it highly in MyDramaList gathering a total of 8.1 out of 10 stars. It got 6.5 out of 10 rating from 875 votes in IMDb; and 4.7 out of 5 stars from 93 votes in Google Search. If you are looking for a good action-comedy, Mission: Possible or 미션 파서블 should be in your list.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (Japanese: るろうに剣心 最終章:The Final) is a 2021 Japanese live-action film based on the manga series of the same name serving as the fourth installment of the Rurouni Kenshin film series following 2014’s Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends. The film adapts the manga series’ final arc, though some story elements differ. The film was produced simultaneously alongside the film series’ fifth and final installment Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning, which serves as a direct prequel to The Final, with flashback scenes being taken from The Beginning.8
If you are a fan of anime and manga Rurouni Kenshin, or Samurai X as it is known in the West, you should’ve watched the live-action adaptation already. Rurouni Kenshin: The Final tells the story of Yukishiro Enishi’s revenge against Himura Kenshin. Chronologically speaking, they come full circle in this film, a true end for the live-action saga. If you are planning to re-watch all five (5) movies, make sure The Final comes last.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (Japanese: るろうに剣心 最終章:The Beginning) is a 2021 Japanese live-action film based upon the manga series of the same name. It is the fifth and final installment of the Rurouni Kenshin film series and serves as a prequel, depicting Himura Kenshin’s origins as the assassin “Hitokiri Battōsai”, while exploring his relationship with the woman named Yukishiro Tomoe. As the film was produced simultaneously alongside Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, events in the former are directly referenced in the latter, with Tomoe’s brother Enishi appearing due to events that transpired in The Beginning.9
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning, while the 5th and last live-action movie, is actually the beginning of the adaptation series. It tells the story of Himura Kenshin as Hitokiri Battousai, and how he met Yukishiro Tomoe, the older sister of Yukishiro Enishi. If you are planning on re-watching all five (5) films, I recommend watching it chronologically by starting with the aptly named The Beginning.
Space Sweepers (Korean: 승리호; Hanja: 勝利號) is a 2021 South Korean space Western film directed by Jo Sung-hee, starring Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Seon-kyu and Yoo Hae-jin. Regarded as the first Korean space blockbuster, it was released on Netflix on February 5, 2021.10 It is South Korea’s first-ever space science fiction show. For their first venture into space, they did not disappoint and made sure audiences were awed by the show’s deep story and unforgettable space adventure.
The story started out as a typical Western space scifi. Humanity encountered a life threatening situation and the only way out was up, out there in outer space. Slowly and perfectly the Korean signature in storytelling and plots surfaced up and it started to get very interesting. Space Sweepers is a story about you and me, being a human, and the relationships we build in each of our adventures. Our humanity. Our frailties. The challenges we face every single day and how to ultimately triumph (or not).
Can you guess how many languages were spoken and nationalities represented in “Space Sweepers”?
Space Sweepers is available exclusively on Netflix: watch it now.
Our review of Space Sweepers is available separately: Space Sweepers review.
Dune (titled onscreen as Dune: Part One) is a 2021 American epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth. It is the first of a planned two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, primarily covering the first half of the book. Set in the far future, it follows Paul Atreides as his family, the noble House Atreides, is thrust into a war for the deadly and inhospitable desert planet Arrakis. The ensemble cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.11
Dune is one of those franchises I want to see a reboot or a retelling, it deserves to have a 2020s adaptation. Dune: Part One was an awesome film but as the title suggests, it was only Part One, and it defintiely is. If you are not familiar with this franchise, it started from the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. It had a 1984 film, a mini television series in 2000, five sequels, and plenty of games. Not to mention the prequel novels by his son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson and two sequels. In other words, this is a franchise no one should ever ignore.
F9 (also known as F9: The Fast Saga and internationally as Fast & Furious 9) is a 2021 American action film directed by Justin Lin from a screenplay by Daniel Casey and Lin. It is the sequel to The Fate of the Furious (2017), the ninth main installment, and the tenth full-length film in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Michael Rooker, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron. In F9, Dominic Toretto and the team come together to stop a world-shattering plot headed by Toretto’s brother, Jakob.12
You know what they say, family, and that’s basically everything about F9 and the Fast & Furious franchise. F for Family!
Thank you for reading! While YourOnly.One Top 10 Movies of 2021 is probably not what you expected, these are the films which I believe deserves to be ranked as YourOnly.One. There were a lot of films released this year and it was not easy not to include everything. However, we have to pick the Top 10 and this was the result.
How about you? What is YourOnly.One Top 10 Movies of 2021?
Wikipedia: Black Widow (2021 film) ↩︎
Wikipedia: Infinite (film) ↩︎
Wikipedia: Without Remorse (film) ↩︎
Wikipedia: A Writer’s Odyssey ↩︎
Wikipedia: The Tomorrow War ↩︎
Wikipedia: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ↩︎
Wikipedia: Mission: Possible ↩︎
Wikipedia: Rurouni Kenshin: The Final ↩︎
Wikipedia: Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning ↩︎
Wikipedia: Space Sweepers ↩︎
Wikipedia: Dune (2021 film) ↩︎
Sometime in the 1930s when Japan occupied Korea, Nam Sook Hee was hired as a handmaiden for the Japanese heiress Lady Hideko, who lived secluded from the world. However, Nam Sook Hee and Lady Hideko developed feelings for each other which changed their fates.
An art masterpiece.
This film blew me away. It is very rare to find movies, and even novels for that matter, where the sex scenes were accurate, realistic, and is part of the story. Most of the time when sex is incorporated into movies, it was dead and porn and won’t make a difference if removed—in other words, just there as a filler. In “The Handmaiden” it’s the total opposite. It was an art. It was about building relationships and how it should be valued and respected by the couple.
The two lead females—Kim Tae Ri and Kim Min Hee—showed how they mastered their craft in acting in this film. From their facial expressions to their emotions and to their actions. I would not be surprised at all if the spark they showed in this movie was actually real. While there were a few scenes Kim Tae Ri felt uncomfortable … which was showing on her face and movements … she quickly relaxed. It was evident that Kim Min Hee helped Tae Ri overcome her uneasiness, they did prepare for this.
From what I understand, this was an adaptation of an English/British novel. That said, I am praising the director and writer, Park Chan Wook, in picking the perfect era in Korea for the adaptation. It could have been set in the modern era or in an even distant past but the impact would have been far less because of the distraction the other eras would bring into the scenes. It also flawlessly opened up a lot of their settings which made the plot deeper and resonate with the audience.
I also liked how they naturally switched between Korean and Japanese. In most movies where there are other nationalities involved, shortcuts are always made by making everyone speak the same language after establishing a character’s “foreign”-ness. I frown on such shortcuts and I am glad I did not see it in “The Handmaiden”. I was also amazed how the characters mixed the two languages to form one sentence, the way bilinguals actually speak in real life. Great addition to this little detail but equally important in building up the film.
I hope everyone who will watch (and watched) this film will see the deeper message of this film instead of focusing only on the obvious ones. Look beyond the surface and you’ll see the important reminder and lesson behind “The Handmaiden”. What is it? Better watch it. If you’ve seen the movie, watch it again and look for it.
10 over 10 in all categories for me. Congratulations!
A perfect 10 out of 10!
《승리호》 or “Space Sweepers” is South Korea’s first-ever space science fiction show. For their first venture into space, they did not disappoint and made sure audiences were awed by the show’s deep story and unforgettable space adventure.
Space Sweepers is lightyears better from recent Western space scifi shows.
The story started out as a typical Western space scifi. Humanity encountered a life threatening situation and the only way out was up, out there in outer space. Slowly and perfectly the Korean signature in storytelling and plots surfaced up and it started to get very interesting.
There was a grand or overarching story guiding Space Sweepers but they instead zoomed-in and told the story from a human perspective. This approach allowed them to tackle the questions from the vantage point of ordinary humans, attaching the audiences to the characters in ways not possible from a “bigger picture” method. A story about a crew of “Space Sweepers” but at the same time it was not about them.
It is rare to see this type of story and storytelling in live-action movies considering the limited time available and yet they were able to flesh out the characters, presented a family relationship plots, questioned human moralities and ethics, and explored the notion about “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”.
The casting was excellent. Song Joong Ki, playing as “Tae Ho”, and Kim Tae Ri, playing as “Captain Jang”, are two popular and veteran Korean actors. They were joined in by Jin Seon Kyu as “Tiger Park”, Yoo Hae Jin as the Robot, and the child actress Park Ye Rin as “Dorothy”. Five actors who complimented each others’ acting style enabled them to bring the story closer to the audience.
Kim Tae Ri is best known from her 2016 movie “The Handmaiden” and the Netflix TV series “Mr. Sunshine” in 2018. Despite the huge jump from historical romance genre to a space scifi action and adventure, Kim Tae Ri has proven once again her talent in acting. She showed her character’s strength and fierceness and yet behind it all she was caring and loving.
Song Joong Ki is well known from his major role in the hugely popular 2016 TV series “Descendants of the Sun”. He masterfully played his character, a man who lost his daughter in a tragedy and ended up as a sweeper of space debris to make his living. Throughout the movie, he showed perfectly the thoughts and goals of his character despite of what was in front of him. His emotions and expressions were in check, thus completing the aura of his character while at the same time letting the audience feel his sadness and difficult choices.
Special mention is the child actress Park Ye Rin. She is technically a newbie in the industry, having only appeared as a guest in a 2020 TV series. Having thrown in a blockbuster film this early would have a huge challenge for her and yet she amazingly showed that she was born an actress. She played as “Dorothy”, one of the key characters in this film. This being a space scifi, which means they had a lot of filming in front of green screens, Park Ye Rin was not distracted and was able to deliver her dialogues and interacted with her co-stars naturally. Oh, did I not say that she’s only 7 years old?
They did not shy away from giving this a budget. The superb visual effects, cgi, and editing, definitely placed this movie equal in rank with Western shows like “Star Trek” and “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy” to name two.
It was also a brilliant idea to bring in actors from different nationalities and to use their native languages. This is rarely done and is simply explained as some magic or technology like a “universal translator”. But that’s not where it ends … even though they have a “universal translator”, they did not resorted to “English” or “Korean” as a “universal language”. They showed all directors in the world how to properly portray different languages even if there is a “universal translator” available.
That deserves a huge mention especially for a show which concerns multiple nationalities, languages, and cultures—the planet Earth. The flow of the story was not broken even though the characters were speaking different languages. Everything was flowing smoothly, this is how it actually will be like if “universal translators” become a reality. Well done!
While this is a space science fiction film, the story was about you and me, being a human, and the relationships we build in each of our adventures. This is what “Space Sweepers” was about. It is about you and me. Our humanity. Our frailties. The challenges we face every single day and how to ultimately triumph (or not).
Can you guess how many languages were spoken and nationalities represented in “Space Sweepers”?
Watch Space Sweepers on Netflix.
Score: 9 out of 10!
《건축학개론》 / 《Architecture 101》 is a Korean movie about first loves and making decisions. This 2012 film stars 《Uhm Tae Woong》 and 《Han Ga Inn》 as the adult 《Seung Min Lee》 and 《Seo Yun Yang》, and 《Lee Je Hoon》 and 《Suzy》 as the younger 《Seung Min》 and 《Seo Yun》 who first met in college in Architecture 101.
Relive your first love
Seoul, the present day. Out of the blue, architect Lee Seung-min is approached by Yang Seo-yeon, whom he knew at college some 17 years previously, to design a new house for her on the site of her 30-year-old family home on Jeju island. Seung-min reluctantly agrees but can’t come up with a design that pleases her. In the end, they decide to renovate and expand the existing house, and he and Seo-yeon spend a considerable amount of time together down in Jeju, to the growing annoyance of his fiancée Eun-chae, with whom he is soon to be married and move to the US. As Seo-yeon cares for her dying father and Seung-min learns more about what became of Seo-yeon in the intervening years, he recalls their initial meeting at college in the early 1990s.1
In the past, when they were young, Seung-min and Seo-yeon had lived in the same neighborhood (Jeongneung-dong, Seoul) and attended the same architecture class. He remembers her liking rich student Jae-wook, his inability to declare his attraction to her, and the times being coached by his best friend, Nab-ddeuk in how to get girls. Hoping to confess his feelings to her at the perfect timing, Seung-min asks Seo-yeon to meet him at the abandoned house they frequent, on the first day that it snows that coming winter. But one night he catches Jae-wook and a drunk Seo-yeon entering her house together. Fearing the worst, he ends his friendship with Seo-yeon due to his pain of believing she had chosen Jae-wook. The first day of snow arrives, and Seo-yeon is left waiting in the abandoned house alone. Heartbroken, she leaves behind her portable CD player with a CD of her favorite artist.1
Seo-yeon in the present day receives that very same CD player and CD from Seung-min, meaning that he actually went to the house later and remembered their promise. But despite the bitter-sweetness of their first love, in the end, Seung-min still chooses his fiancée Eun-chae and flies with her to America, while Seo-yeon sits in the house he built for her, listening to the CD.1
While this received high ratings in Korea, it was underrated abroad where Asian drama fans are always expecting deep romance and giggles. This drama is beyond that, it tackles our “first loves” when we were young, the hopes, the dreams, that feeling of having first fallen in love with someone we totally did not expect but in the end it did not work. Later in life, when we have moved on and our paths crossed again with our first love, it’s all about how we handle those feelings and making adult decisions, very hard adult decisions which can make or break relationships and our future.
Architecture 101 is for adults who have faced and went through life and the challenges it threw toward us. I do not recommend this to young adults and teenagers as most of them will never appreciate the beauty of the story. Yet highly recommended for anyone who wants to capture the long lost hope, beautiful smiles, and sweet memories that only a first love can ever give.
For the story, I give 10 out of 10 stars. Acting performance and music get 9.5, and overall, it’s a full 10 from me.
Wikipedia: 《Architecture 101》 synopsis; CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported License ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Interstellar travel, time travel, and parallel worlds, are the three final frontiers of humanity. Our current level of knowledge in these three areas are almost non-existent yet our imagination continually leaps us forward, or brings the future to our present. This is where Alpha Gateway or The Gateway is about. The beauty and consequences of a technology that allows us to travel between parallel worlds.
As with any review, SPOILER alert!
Alpha Gateway or The Gateway is an Australian indie Sci-Fi drama film about a particle physicist who accidentally discovered parallel world travel. Jane (Jacqueline McKenzie) is grieving over the loss of her husband which prompted her to take their experiment to the final level, human transfer.
Jane Chandler found her husband’s doppelganger and brought him back to her world and lived happily ever after. But “lived happily ever after” is fantasy. Her troubles began the moment she stepped through the machine into the other world. From the scientific concerns to the ethical issues of a well-documented person who died in an accident, to that person showing up alive and healthy.
Also starring in the film is Myles Pollard as Matt Chandler (Jane’s husband), and Ben Mortley as Regg (Jane’s partner). The story was written by Michael White and director John V. Soto.
The acting was good especially coming from veteran actors Jacqueline McKenzie and Myles Pollard. From playing a very happy, perfect couple, with two perfect kids, to having their world shattered because of reality. It was clear that they brought in their experiences from their respective earlier films in this one.
On the design side, the transition from one world to another was kept simple. No over intricate and multi-layer contrast between worlds which are usually seen in this genre. One world is all scientificy (if that is even word) of white and blue, while the other was black and red. Easily, one would identify the white and blue motif for the original world as our world but it could also mean a corporate-controlled world. While the black and red combination could be easily associated with Authoritarian Communism, Fascism, or even Nazism, but could only be another violent world.
The same can be said for the effects. They did not go for huge machines with a lab composing of a hundred scientists and specialists, or some electrifying effects whenever the machine was doing its magic. By choosing to keep it simple, they prevented any distraction from the message of the movie. Simple is better. Science-fiction is not all about grand effects with huge differences to differentiate one world from another.
It is rare today to see a film with a strong message, Alpha Gateway or The Gateway is one of those rare few. Does having access to a parallel world the answer to our loss? Do we have the right to bring someone across worlds even if circumstances seems to have aligned? Is our personal biases or need more important than the safety of our family and the world? What does it mean to wake up in a world where parallel world travel is a reality? These are the questions tackled by the film and leaves audiences to answer for themselves. How far would you go in the name of love, family, and science?
But all stories must end. As with most movies of this genre it ends where the audience can feel good about the movie and the rest are up for their imagination. In this movie, it went beyond and introduced even bigger questions. It ended in a way where another film can be made or a TV series can continue from. As a Sci-Fi story, this is important, engage the audience. Keep the story open. Overall, I give Alpha Gateway or The Gateway 9.3 out of 10 stars. A must watch if you are a fan of Sci-Fi parallel world drama which engages the audience to put themselves in the shoes of the characters.
You can find the answer to that in «Alpha Gateway» parallel worlds explained.
I watched The Choice twice tonight. It was that kind of movie and story that inspires us in many ways we can watch it over and over again.
The Choice was based from Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name. The same author behind the popular film adaptations like Message in a Bottle (1999), A Walk to Remember (2002), The Notebook (2004), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Dear John (2010), The Last Song (2010), Safe Haven (2013), The Best of Me (2014), and The Longest Ride (2015) — which, if I may say, I watched all.
Begin spoiler alert!
It was an ordinary day for Travis Shaw (played by Benjamin Walker), a vet, when he first met Gabby Holland, a student of medicine, (played by Teresa Palmer of Love and Honor (2013), Warm Bodies (2013), I Am Number Four (2011), The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)). They fell in love. However, Gabby already have a boyfriend and this complicated things between them.
As no secret can remain hidden, Gabby had to make a choice to be honest about their relationship. However, she was deeply confused. Because of this, Travis walked away, one sightedness and pride clouded his judgement. Eventually, Gabby broke her engagement with her boyfriend and hoped Travis will come looking for her, disappointed as she was that he did not fight for their love.
Later, the two were married and had two beautiful children when disaster stroke. One night, while Gabby was on her way home after Travis stood her up (because of work) for the second time in their dinner date, her car was hit hard by a pick-up truck. She was comatosed.
Ninety days in her situation, Travis had to make a decision to pull her life support. He made a decision that since he was not ready to move on, he chose to keep her under life support. This was not a wasted decision, as after a strong storm hit their town, Gabby woke up.
End spoiler alert.
In our daily lives, we all encounter moments when we have to make an important decision. Decisions where we have to choose only one path to take. A crossroad. In The Choice, Travis and Gabby made a choice that gave them a life that they truly want, a life of happiness and hope despite all the trials and tribulations that came their way.
If Gabby did not let Travis flirt with her, they would never have a romantic relationship. If Gabby did not break her engagement with her boyfriend, they will never have the life that they truly dreamed of.
If Travis made the choice to let his pride control him, he would never looked for her and ask her parents for their blessing to take her as his wife. If Travis gave up easily and pulled her life support, Gabby would never have a chance to wake up, and their two kids would grow up without their mother.
These crossroads, these choices we have to make, this may be small and insignificant at that very moment but it can define our lives forever. A simple flirting game changed their lives for the better. Yes, Gabby already had a boyfriend and Travis knew it too. That was the thing, flirting was only that, a flirting game. They could have chosen to just let it be a flirting game, but they chose to take it to the next level.
Love is life and life is love. It could be a romantic relationship or family relationships. But The Choice we always make and will make, no matter how insignificant and small it may be, will change our future forever.
Be like Gabby. Be like Travis. They made The Choice. If you are looking for a partner and you know that you do want to have a romantic partner, then make a move. Make that choice. Love will never come for you, you should be looking for it.
As I always say, The Choice.
I give this film adaptation 9 out of 10 stars. Highly recommended.