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Mint Volcano
United States
Приєднався 7 чер 2020
New Film Reviews every Thursday! Analysis, and video essays on Taiwanese and Asian Cinema for a global audience. This channel hopes to spread a love for Asian and Taiwanese Cinema around the world. Hosted by director and film editor Nick Vaky (and cinematographer Luke Liu). With occasional guests working in the film industry of Taiwan and else where. In addition to film reviews this channel also features short films, music videos, and documentaries. If you want to support the channel consider subscribing: patreon.com/mintvolcano
Born for the Spotlight 影后 | Taiwanese Netflix Show | Review
Born for the Spotlight 影后 | Taiwanese Netflix Show | Review
"Born for the Spotlight" is a 2024 Taiwanese drama series directed and co-written by Yen Yi-wen. Starring Hsieh Ying-Xuan, Cheryl Yang, and Hsueh Shih-ling. This show centers around different Taiwanese actresses at different stages of their careers in the Taiwanese film industry. "Born for the Spotlight" is a very well-done show with good acting and a well, put-together storyline. In this review, I go over why I recommend this Netflix series from Taiwan.
🌍 Discover the World of Taiwanese Cinema and Beyond
At Mint Volcano, we're passionate about exploring the rich tapestry of Taiwanese cinema. Join us as we bring you reviews of films from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and more. Expand your cinematic horizons with us!
🎞️ More Reviews and Content on Mint Volcano
Make sure to subscribe to our channel for future reviews, Taiwanese cinema recommendations, Netflix shows, and captivating content that celebrates the art of filmmaking.
🌐 Connect with Us:
Nick:
🔗 Website: nickvaky.com
🔗 Vimeo: vimeo.com/user13406252
📷 Instagram: @Nickvaky
Luke:
🔗 Website: lukeliu.tw/
🔗 Facebook: @LukeLiuPhoto
📷 Instagram: @Lonfom
"Born for the Spotlight" is a 2024 Taiwanese drama series directed and co-written by Yen Yi-wen. Starring Hsieh Ying-Xuan, Cheryl Yang, and Hsueh Shih-ling. This show centers around different Taiwanese actresses at different stages of their careers in the Taiwanese film industry. "Born for the Spotlight" is a very well-done show with good acting and a well, put-together storyline. In this review, I go over why I recommend this Netflix series from Taiwan.
🌍 Discover the World of Taiwanese Cinema and Beyond
At Mint Volcano, we're passionate about exploring the rich tapestry of Taiwanese cinema. Join us as we bring you reviews of films from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and more. Expand your cinematic horizons with us!
🎞️ More Reviews and Content on Mint Volcano
Make sure to subscribe to our channel for future reviews, Taiwanese cinema recommendations, Netflix shows, and captivating content that celebrates the art of filmmaking.
🌐 Connect with Us:
Nick:
🔗 Website: nickvaky.com
🔗 Vimeo: vimeo.com/user13406252
📷 Instagram: @Nickvaky
Luke:
🔗 Website: lukeliu.tw/
🔗 Facebook: @LukeLiuPhoto
📷 Instagram: @Lonfom
Переглядів: 184
Відео
Why "Grave of the Fireflies" is so disturbing
Переглядів 275Місяць тому
Should I show Grave of the Fireflies (1988) to my kids? Well.... My Halloween movie recommendation for the season is the most disturbing movie I've ever seen: Grave of the Fireflies. The honest answer is definitely don't show this movie to your kids, but then who is this animated movie (made by the studio that made My Neighbor Totoro for?) It's hard to say, it's a great film that is very emotio...
Didi by Sean Wang | Long live the family drama | Movie Review
Переглядів 6392 місяці тому
Didi directed by Sean Wang (2024), is a quiet family drama disguised as a coming-of-age comedy. While there are all the classic hallmarks of the coming-of-age film within Didi, the part of the film that feels the most significant is the relationship that Sean Wang develops between Didi and his female family members, how he relates to his grandmother (Nai Nai), mother, and sister. This is the as...
Expats | Amazon Prime Series Set in Hong Kong | Review
Переглядів 2 тис.3 місяці тому
"Expats" directed by Lulu Wang, starring Nicole Kidman, and created for Amazon Prime is a limited series set in Hong Kong. It is based on the book "The Expatriates" by Janice Y. K. Leecovers and covers a central theme of what occurs when someone is responsible for a tragedy. The drama centers around three American expat women living in Hong Kong and shows a mostly authentic portrayal of a certa...
"The Bear" Season 3 was disappointing (and they knew it) | Review
Переглядів 3,6 тис.4 місяці тому
Is "The Bear" Season 3 bad? "The Bear" Season 3 was disappointing and I think the creators knew it. So much of the plot is centered around how hard it is to achieve greatness and worries about how to keep the magic of creation. The show The Bear does this in the context of their new restaurant but I believe the creators and creatives on this show were trying to communicate to us the audience ab...
Abang Adik | Malaysian Crime Drama on Netflix | Review
Переглядів 3354 місяці тому
Abang Adik (2023) 富都青年 starring Wu Kang Ren 吳慷仁 and directed by Jin Ong is a Neo-Noir Crime Drama set in Malaysia. It centers around themes of brotherly love, immigration, and societal reform and has some of the strongest acting I've ever seen from Taiwanese actor Wu Kang Ren. Wu Kang Ren won the Golden Horse Film Award for Best Actor and the award was well deserved. Abang Adik which means "Big...
A Confucian Confusion | Edward Yang deconstructs romantic comedies
Переглядів 3745 місяців тому
A Confucian Confusion 獨立時代 (1994) | directed by Edward Yang deconstructs romantic comedies in this film. I review this Taiwanese film with has recently received a beautiful 4k restoration. Edward Yang is one of the most well-known and significant Taiwanese directors and a director I love dearly, however every one of Edward Yang's films begins in such a way that I find the themes hard to follow,...
"The 8 Show" the next big Korean show | Review
Переглядів 2,2 тис.5 місяців тому
The new Netflix series "The 8 Show" has obvious parallels to another popular Korean dark comedy, suspense, drama on Netflix - Squid Game. Is "The 8 Show" better? In some ways I think yes. I think "The 8 Show" has a better critique of class and economic inequality than Squid Game did. The metaphors and themes explored are more interesting and accurate. There are some flaws with the new Korean dr...
"Ripley" on Netflix Reminds Us What Prestige TV Is | Review
Переглядів 3955 місяців тому
Ripley, streaming now on Netflix, reminds us what prestige TV is. In the early 2000s there was this idea that TV was going to be the salvation of narrative visual work. That promise never really materialized but every once and a while a show comes along that is so good it reminds us how great TV can truly be, something cinematic and artistic on every level. The editing, directing, writing and a...
Netflix "Three Body Problem" Show Ruined the Books | Review
Переглядів 4006 місяців тому
The Netflix "Three Body Problem" show ruined the books. As an avid lover of the Remembrance of Earth's Past Series by Liu Cixin, I was nervous for how Netflix and the Game of Thrones creators would adapt this book into a show. I don't believe anyone could have done justice to how wonderful this book series is. Netflix changed many of the characters in the show and westernized this story to a la...
Beware Job Offer Scams | Watch out for this "employment opportunity" text and email scam
Переглядів 2166 місяців тому
Beware Job Search Scams | Job Offer Text and Email Scam When you are hunting for jobs beware cold emails and cold texts offering you jobs that you have never applied for. In this video I break down some of the red flags that will tip you off to how a cold email might be a scam. Job scammers are some of the worst people in the world because they prey on desperate people. If you are currently loo...
Best Boba in LA? CHICHA San Chen 吃茶三千 | Tea Review
Переглядів 2636 місяців тому
Where is the best boba tea in Los Angeles? We went looking and found lot's of people talking about this Taiwanese tea shop - CHICHA San Chen 吃茶三千. We went to a location in San Gabriel and waited over an hour to try this popular tea shop. Check out our review of the tea, which we did end of rating as very good but this popular tea store lost points for it's high price. Also if you are a milk tea...
Why Nymphia Wind Winning RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 16) Matters to Taiwan
Переглядів 26 тис.7 місяців тому
Nymphia Wind, the first Taiwanese drag queen to compete on Ru Paul's Drag Race just won season 16! She did it by turning out one of the most jaw dropping, gag worthy lip syncs in Drag Race herstory! Nymphia Wind beat Sapphira Cristal that many drag race fans thought was a sure thing to win the crown. But Nymphia's bubble tea inspired reveal and amazing lip sync skills sealed the deal and mama R...
Where is the best Boba in LA? WUSHILAND Tea Review
Переглядів 2887 місяців тому
Where is the best Boba in LA? WUSHILAND Tea Review
Untold Herstory 流麻溝十五號 Film on Taiwan's White Terror | Review
Переглядів 5557 місяців тому
Untold Herstory 流麻溝十五號 Film on Taiwan's White Terror | Review
The Naked Island (1960) | Japanese Film | Review
Переглядів 6637 місяців тому
The Naked Island (1960) | Japanese Film | Review
The Pig the Snake and the Pigeon 周處除三害 | Taiwan Dark, Comedy, Thriller | Review
Переглядів 4,4 тис.8 місяців тому
The Pig the Snake and the Pigeon 周處除三害 | Taiwan Dark, Comedy, Thriller | Review
Why Was "The Brothers Sun" Season 2 Cancelled?
Переглядів 2,4 тис.8 місяців тому
Why Was "The Brothers Sun" Season 2 Cancelled?
How to Critique a Film | feat. Wash Machine
Переглядів 2838 місяців тому
How to Critique a Film | feat. Wash Machine
Marry My Husband | Time Travel Romance K Drama | Review | 跟我老公結婚吧
Переглядів 1 тис.8 місяців тому
Marry My Husband | Time Travel Romance K Drama | Review | 跟我老公結婚吧
The Hole (1998) 洞| Review | Tsai Ming Liang 蔡明亮的文藝片
Переглядів 4829 місяців тому
The Hole (1998) 洞| Review | Tsai Ming Liang 蔡明亮的文藝片
A Touch of Sin | Film Banned in China | Review | 天注定
Переглядів 7369 місяців тому
A Touch of Sin | Film Banned in China | Review | 天注定
I really HATE This Taiwanese Film | Bad Education 黑的教育 (2022)
Переглядів 9349 місяців тому
I really HATE This Taiwanese Film | Bad Education 黑的教育 (2022)
Hou Hsiao Hsien's "Dust in the Wind" (1986) | Taiwanese New Wave Film for Dreamers
Переглядів 99610 місяців тому
Hou Hsiao Hsien's "Dust in the Wind" (1986) | Taiwanese New Wave Film for Dreamers
Taiwan's Best 2023 Film? | Eye of the Storm 疫起 | Review
Переглядів 55810 місяців тому
Taiwan's Best 2023 Film? | Eye of the Storm 疫起 | Review
Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives | A Must Watch Art Film From Thailand | Review
Переглядів 56511 місяців тому
Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives | A Must Watch Art Film From Thailand | Review
A.I. content is stupid and inaccurate!
Переглядів 89611 місяців тому
A.I. content is stupid and inaccurate!
"The Killer" is a bad movie... And that's the point? | Review
Переглядів 1,7 тис.11 місяців тому
"The Killer" is a bad movie... And that's the point? | Review
How good is the new Miyazaki film “The Boy and the Heron” ? | Review
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How good is the new Miyazaki film “The Boy and the Heron” ? | Review
Classic Indonesian Horror movie Sundelbolong (1981) Review
Переглядів 447Рік тому
Classic Indonesian Horror movie Sundelbolong (1981) Review
Maybe we need some "cultural filter" to understand the torture issue and other ideas. On the one hand, the characters behave like a cartoon (anime?) heroes. After being hit so many times, they seem to be almost healthy - yes, they look bad, but only for 2-3 days. This violence is somehow NOT REAL. Until showrunners change their mind. Or people in the show seem to be so used to experiencing violence... Next, the idea of privacy and sex is understood a bit different than in Western cultures. I'm sure that buying common toilet and putting it in the "open space" would be one of the first decisions of Europeans (instead of keeping sh*t in own rooms). And I guess most of them would prefer to touch someone's breast to avoid being hit in the head. Btw, it's sooooo strange to name each other by numbers for such a long time and not to say real names.
As an older brother to a younger sister, I was quite moved, making me reflect on the pain of losing someone who trusts you unconditionally. I’d watch it again and would recommend it to others. However I've read the film carries a political narrative intended to shed light on the harm caused by the US toward Japanese livelihoods during the war which feels somewhat one-sided, especially in light of Japan’s own history of causing similar suffering in other parts of the world... Loved your Slam dunk movie review.
Also loved the movie. Even more than the series
There is not much in the way of hard sci-fi on screen that is any good, it's usually either action adventure or drama in sci-fi clothing.
Akagi- Patrick Ewing Sakuragi- Dennis Rodman Rukawa- Michael Jordan Mitsui- Reggie Miller Ryuota- Isaiah Thomas
The sickening thing is they're trying to make people believe the children are being victimized by books just being available. This tactic comes out of Florida which doesn't surprise me--Anita Bryant did this "save our children" garbage in the '70's.
I refuse to recognize the word "woke." Conservatism is the root of all anal. This is a very honest and brutal video. I'll never look at "The Wedding Banquet" the same way again.
Pretty sure the “root of all anal” is a typo but it’s very funny given that a lot of this hate is breed from people being scared to express their own urges.
What details did you notice while watching “Born for the Spotlight”
i dont know if this film is ban currently. you cant find the whole film on those apps or website. but you can find clips and people making vedio to explain this film on most chinese app. very popular and often gets millions views. jiangwen the dirctor was ban for a few years and later making more popular movies. i will recomand <<Keep Cool>>有话好好说。
this one has to be one of the best movies filmed in this 21st century first quarter, an absolute masterpiece in all sense and the magnum opus of a universal genius of filmmaking.
in a way, i felt Hou Hsiao Hsien attempted to capture this movie's overall vibe in Millenium Mamba but only reached the tip of the iceberg. Also really appreciated Tsai Ming-Liang's approach to the sexuality subject both in this one and Vive l'Amour, it is way more explicit but also brings to the table certain taboo's kinda invisible in other taiwanese filmasters' body of work.
so heartbreaking, truly liked the back and forth trips from rural to urban and at which degree all urban experiences heavily reshape all character's fates. Big ups to the postman!
the floating flip-flop still in the flooded apartment pretty much captures perfectly the adrift vibe of all the characters, very complete movie, the plot is beautifuly reinforced by lots of subtle visual details
Don’t worry, everyone cries at kogure’s flashback
As a kid born in the 80s, this is one of the most popular sport manga/anime show at time. The animation, soundtrack, story, drama were all top notch. A lot of kids pickup the sports of basketball just because of this series.
Great video, thank you for this review. I was really blown away by this film when my professor showed it to me, and I’ve been trying to find anyone else discussing it
Amazing! Glad you liked this film it’s really fantastic and not many have seen it
Representation MATTERS
Completely agree. I, however, only thought the job search episode was fully fleshed out and complete. As to Jamie Lee Curtis' cameo: it struck me as, "We've only got her for a part of one episode so let's let her rip" As she did the last time. Overacting to the point of embarrassment. As I thought about all 10 episodes with the one exception, I wondered if the writers' strike might have had some effect. There must have been some reason for the large amount of filler that led nowhere: protracted screaming to no effect on the outcome; Carmy drawing, arranging, discarding, etc. We got it. It's a stressful business. That's one of the main themes of the show. We got it....first season. The third season was very disappointing, to say the least.
This and your movie review convinced me to watch the show!
I love that while Ripley is a remorseless killer, he doesn't kill for fun or to scratch an itch. You can watch him calmly contemplating killing Marge when she find Dickie's rings, but he's just as happy not to when the conclusion she draws doesn't incriminate him. It's a fine line to walk both in writing and in performing. And emphasizing that he moves through a world of small scale liars, confidence men and people on the make at lots of levels (including the detective who is happy to say his wife is from whatever town will help him bond with someone he's questioning, and Marge herself, who distrusts Tom from the beginning but is happy to turn her manuscript over to him when she hears he may have publishing connections) changes and enriches the overall meaning and texture of the entire project.
Anyone know a website where I can watch this movie?
I could never watch this again. I watched in a few days ago and im still working on getting over it 😢
Grave of the fireflies is a great move it’s also heartbreaking which is a testament to how an animated film can make you feel like that the beginning tells you how it’s gonna end and it still hits hard
Yeah, I was not ready for the end even though I knew how it would end.
Have you seen this movie and would you ever watch it again?
Thank you so much!❤
Okay.. Songlian is educated. Shes DEFO not poor and rural.😅
Watched this and another apichatpong weerasethakul movie just after it was released. It's been a few year's and wanted to reflect on these movies I watched. Letting you know I liked it
Art without effort is not the same. A man has to sit at a painting for hours, carefully drawing every single line, every single shape, and coloring with precise detail so that everything looks how he wants it to. That in Itself, is a marvel.
first release of slamdunk manga was in 1990 and the first broadcast of the anime series was in 1993. Dennis Rodman famous Chicago Bulls run however where he colored his hair red only started in 1995, so probably just a coincidence, or Dennis Rodman was actually inspired by Sakuragi instead ;-)
Kung fu hustle is S it’s his best work
HAHAHAha I would definitely not say that the guy upstairs was kind or romantic-quite the opposite. The place was so wet and dark. The feeling of anxiety. I think she got the worst part, being lifted by his hand at the end, which was kind of ironic. Also, the dance scenes were fantastic. Surreal, were they having contact during those moments? So many questions. Taiwanese interesting movie, cool, and a bit Kafkaesque too.
If we consider NTH room, Burning Sun and other East Asian scandals regarding violence and belittling and disrespecting basic human values and lives. And those are actual real life things that happened for the sake of "entertainment" The 8 Show isn't reaching that far with how violence and brutality and humiliation is "entertaining" for a certain audience. Overstimulation and getting bored once the brain is conditioned to certain stimulations combined with decreasing attention span there's a demand by the consumers of certain content to become more and more absurd. A very good and easy example is how p*rn addiction works. That type of addiction is also about dopamine. And anyone who gets addicted to something like that spirals lower and lower in what their brain requires for satisfaction. But we can go back to the NTH rooms and anything surrounding that topic. It's a very much real life event of how hundreds of thousands of men got addicted and wanted more and more horrifying things commited by underage girls for the sake of their own entertainment. (Look up the Rotten Mango podcasts if you haven't seen them yet about the topic, highly recommend). Or the case about the big amount policemen in UK involved in trading d**d women's content from crime scenes and accidents. There are so many real life examples of how humans can be absolutely disgusting and demanding more and more vile content for their own entertainment as soon as they get the power and a sense of "safety and anonymity" to get away with their demands. So my conclusion: the show wasn't really being out of pocket with how absurd violence is "entertaining". Altough realistically speaking probably normal s*xual content would've been also entertaining but we also gotta consider cultural differences between American and East Asian perspective. Being s*xual is way more frowned upon in South Korea than being violent. That's why most characters in the show were way more easily bending themselves towards violence than se*xual intimacy. So that was also a realistic take. As absurd as the show was it wasn't that unrealistic as it seems at first glance. (But again, look up any human experiments from decades ago when being publicly moral wasn't as important as it is now. Or just the NTH room case.
Great review. I discovered this film by chance and it hit me hard. I found myself so enraged by Asako's actions. When I watched it for the fourth time I finally realized how heavy the old dude's comments to her were. I often think he represents her opinion of herself when she finally has a rational understanding of her choices and their consequences. Fascinating film.
Spoiler alert?
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Dark comedy? Seriously?
Oh she dies? Interesting, he stays by himself then with his own purpose Interesting, he finds something purposeful for himself, not something he is forced to do. Applied learning/growth Does he find the bug he's looking for? Man I missed a lot lol Society taking advantage of the weak. City over village. Man over woman
This is the best thriller I've seen
Great movie
Shohoku team is based in the Chicago Bulls. Sakuragi is Rodman, Rukawa is M. Jordan, Mitsui is Kukoc, Akagi is Weningtong and Miyagi is Steve Kerr
Wushiland is the best!
the best movie i've watched this year. i loved it! it is insane that not many people are talking about this movie!
the fact that Inoue himself directed this I'm just glad to see he's not doing nothing while he's off of Vagabond
I made the mistake of first watching the show. I absolutely hated it. Would you recommend still reading the books?
I hope you can still enjoy the books after seeing the show, it’s one of my all time favorite book series. It might be different enough to still entertain you but you do know some major plot points that even carry into the third book
@@MintVolcano yes, the way you talked about the books made me realise they're much deeper, and more philosophical (qualities one expects from the science fiction genre) but I was worried if the Netflix series has spoiled the plot too much for me. Anyway, thanks for your recommendation. I'll definitely give the book series a shot.
It was weird how no one was shocked, like Nature and city mix, real world and spirits mix too. But it was not in a way to shook You, just like life and death are intermix
I watched this movie "dragon inn 1867" back in 2013 when i was 14, its strange, but after that i fell in love with king hu movies...thanks for your information
Thanks for watching! We also did a review of the King Hu film: ua-cam.com/video/mksPcVMK-EU/v-deo.htmlsi=u5NmE6VAWgXo_3U-
This wa an awesome show. One of the best on netflix. Pure entertainment! Netflix sucks!
smart video!
Sakuragi!
Love the show. Gave me peaky bkinder vibes. I thinknthe brother was off but the rest of the cast was spot on. Not saying the brother can't develop, but that's my only issuem rest of the story and characters was great. Really wish we could get season 2 and beyond. Great show!