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Love and Fortune Review

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Have you ever eaten anything that tasted sweet and then the more you bit into it, it became bitter and tangy? I just described my emotions for Love and Fortune. Love and marriage are happy endings for most women. But some are just unlucky–meeting the wrong guy at the right time, and meeting the right guy at the wrong time. The maternal clock is always ticking. Women have one shot at finding “happiness” and sadly some may never achieve it at all. Oh, the pain of having a period in life! Sometimes, it hurts so much that we need to take painkillers.

If this show sounds all doom and gloom, far from it. It’s a sweet little show that made me laugh more than cry. All thanks to the great cinematography shots, my eyes were glued to the screen. It’s a show about a woman in her 30s who is conflicted with societal expectations (i.e., getting married, having children, being successful) and who happens to fall in love with a 15-year-old boy. Yes, I said it, a 15-year-old boy. Now, I know what you are thinking–she is a pedophile. She is gross, but let’s look at her situation with a magnifying glass–the detail.

Wako Taira, the protagonist, is aware of her age. Like any normal woman, she wants to get married, but her relationship with her boyfriend of three years is in limbo. The romance is not there. He looks down on her, constantly nagging her to quit her part-time job at the cinema and find a real job. She does all the housework. He comes home late drunk wanting to have sex–but never returning the favor when she wants it. So, what happens to a neglected woman? She finds love and hope elsewhere, and that’s where Yumeaki Iko (the high-school boy) comes into the picture.  She strikes gold when she learns that he shares the same love for cinema as her. Finally, she found someone who understood her and her passion! But unfortunately, he is half her age! This series do question patriarchal society and gender inequality with seriousness and humor. If men can fall in love with younger women, why can’t women fall in love with younger men?

Don’t be fooled though by my light approach to this review, even though it may seem as if I’m endorsing the female protagonist’s behavior as female empowering, I don’t think the relationship between a high school boy and a woman twice his age would work out (the same can be said vice versa). For one, there’s no equality in that sort of relationship. The woman becomes someone like a mom to her young lover, and that’s not fair and romantic at all! I’m speaking from a feminist standpoint here. Despite my beliefs, I appreciate how this series prompted me to ask those big societal questions: Why is it more acceptable for a high school girl to fall in love with a man twice her age and not the other way around? Why do women have to sacrifice their creative pursuits because their maternity clock is ticking? Why is a woman’s worth measured by her childbearing capability and not her talents? And the most important question, which coincides with age, is why is a woman’s worth determined by her beauty. If she doesn’t reach all of her dreams within her prime, she becomes less valuable in society. Think about why the terms old hags, old maids, and old witches are so offensive. Well, that’s because most likely they can’t conceive, and therefore, they are “bad apples”.

Love and Fortune is an interesting show if you are looking for something intelligent, well-crafted, and horrifyingly comical but very real to the problems that some women have to go through. The show makes me wonder, why is life so bittersweet. If you ask me, I kind of like biting into bad apples. They sure make a good story.

Note: Originally posted July 31, 2020; Revised and edited June 13, 2022.

Atelier Series Review: It’s More than about Underwear

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My mother once said you can tell a lot about a person’s personality based on the shoes he or she wears.  That’s not far from the truth. I am a sneakers type of gal (I like oxford shoes as well but only when I am indoors). Rain or shine, I love to walk. I walked everywhere, including getting groceries. It’s a great form of exercise and obtaining mental clarity. Unfortunately, as much as I like my beaten-up sneakers, not everyone finds my shoes adorable, especially my mother who often scolded me for my unkempt appearance because we all know that beauty is a woman’s pride! Mine speaks to a lack of self-respect (ouch!). You only get one chance to make an impression. People might even associate me with a lack of funds in the bank account after seeing me wear the same shoes every day, but why should that matter? We all know who are real friends are in times of need.

Screenshot from Shenmue

After watching a chic Netflix show called Atelier, the concept can’t be truer. Women often choose clothes to express their inner beauty.   In this case, the show uses lingerie and not shoes to illustrate this point.  A lingerie is a metaphor for beauty.  After all, lingerie is not meant to be displayed out in the open because real beauty, according to the show, is hidden and each woman defines it differently.

You are probably thinking it’s just a show about women and their obsession with inner beauty. Not entirely true.  It’s about creators who wish to express themselves a bit more freely apart from doing business.  Making money and creating art are two different things.  The show points that out.  If you are an artist or a creative person, I think you can empathize with the characters very well. We often struggle with creating things we don’t always want to make, but we do it anyway because there is a market for them. For instance, there is a scene that shows the protagonist doing heavy research to find inspiration for her lingerie collection but later is reminded that her approach to finding inspiration is incorrect: Creativity comes within the creator and not the other way around.

Another thing I liked about the show was watching the main character (Mayuko Tokita) and the side character (Mayumi Nanjo) interact like mother and daughter. They don’t always agree with each other. The mother-like character was always scolding the unruly daughter.  It was nice to see the characters’ development in the show. They all grew and as a result, I learned something very valuable along with them.  It’s time to upgrade my sneakers to high heels because I’m done running away like a little girl. It’s time I stood my ground like a real woman.

I am surprised how much I enjoyed the show. I didn’t expect much from it.  I recommend this show, especially to the female audience or if you are one of those people who are in tune with your creative side.

Note: Originally posted on Mar. 29, 2019, revised May. 12, 2022

Death Note (2006) Review: Light, the Dark Angel

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I often hear people say if you want a good introduction to anime, watch Death Note. But I have mixed feelings about this statement. It was a solid insightful review that convinced me to give it a try, but I can’t find the same review now that I finished watching it to go back for reference and give it credit. I like the ambitious story concept in Death Note but I didn’t like the art direction all that much. I find myself dragging my feet towards the next episode when one ends. It wasn’t binge-worthy because I sort of knew what was going to happen. The schoolboy is going to be reduced to a pawn for thinking he is above everyone.

You see, Light Yagami, the protagonist has it all. He comes from a good family. He is an honorable student. He is so attractive that schoolgirls turn heads at the sight of him walking past. He has a bright future ahead of him. So, what’s his problem? What’s there not to be content? The answer is in the first episode. He is bored and lonely out of his mind until he discovers Death Note. He thought he could create a perfect world where he is God and where everyone is kind. But during his process of killing criminals to build his utopia under the name Kira, L, a mysterious detective who works for the I.C.P.O (International Criminal Police Organization), starts to investigate who is the person behind Kira in hope of putting that mass murderer behind the bar. Thus, the game begins between two very intelligent people who have a strong sense of justice. The story is more than a cat and mouse chase, but more like a tennis match as the anime suggested in episode 10. The light finally meets his match, L. Now I have a question for the readers who have seen this anime. Whom did you side with?

The pretty boy or the creepy boy?

So, let’s talk about what I like about this anime since this is a blog about metaphors. Right of the bat, I knew the anime was about morality and knowledge is being compared to an apple, and the Shinigami has that knowledge.

Knowledge is the fruit. Is apple evil?
I took a bite from Blood Apple and it was good. Glad I can finally use this picture to illustrate my point for a blog post.

You see, in Genesis, the serpent said to Eve if she eats the fruit her eyes would be wide open to know between right and wrong. She’d have the conscience of God. On a side note, did you know that the fruit in Genesis is unknown? I would assume John Milton’s Paradise Lost popularized the notion that Eve ate an apple and not just some fruit, but please tell me otherwise. In a way, you can compare Light to Eve whom both have a hunger for knowledge and a hunger for perfection. Eve has good intentions even though she is warned by God not to eat the fruit. Can you blame her for wanting to be like God? He’s perfectly all-knowing. Likewise, Light has good intentions. He wants a perfect world where there is no crime. In the end, the show left me thinking about humans desiring to be God. For someone like Light, should we admire a serial killer who kills in the name of justice? Then is God himself, a murderer? That’s a mystery. The only conclusion I got from this anime is that God must be bored and humans are nothing but sport for Him to ease His boredom. If that is the case, then God is…

Like the saying goes… life is nothing more than a game of chess and that was exactly what I was watching. The undertone to the story is pretty dark to my liking or perhaps, the art direction failed to convey the manga artist’s true intent. Personally, I don’t think God (or a higher intelligence or whatever you believe in) to be that simple. There were other titles much better in my opinion such as Lain, Noir, and Now and Then, Here and There just to name a few that I enjoyed in the past which introduced me to anime. Maybe the manga is different, who knows?

3 Poetic Movies I Watched

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I’m becoming a bit lazy with my introduction or maybe I don’t have much esteem for the fast pace society we have become. Not all of us like reading drawn out long rambling paragraphs. So, I will spare you the trouble and give you my list. Perhaps, you might find something worthwhile to watch.

Roman Holiday (on Amazon Prime)

  • Release date: September 2, 1953
  • Director: William Wyler

What is a real holiday? A one without a schedule? Being able to breathe and enjoy the simple things in the present moments that are. This film sure captures it –black and white breathtakingly beautiful shots, especially Audrey Hepburn who looks like a flower with her tiny waist. The male actor, Gregory Peck also looks a quite handsome pairing up with the actress. It’s quite wholesome, sweet, and just like a dream to watch two people flirting. It’s one of those feel-good films where you just want to take a short break from doing whatever you are doing and relax with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of wine, depending on your preference. Just let the stress melt away. Like a photograph, each scene was mesmerizing and I just realized movies are just moving photographs. Ah…I am dreaming of a holiday in the comfort of my living room.

Rear Window (on Amazon Prime)

  • Release date: August 4, 1954
  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock

I don’t think I have seen an artistic suspense film that occurs in one view, sitting by the window. I love the concept and I believe Silent Hill 4, a survival horror game for the Playstation 2, may have been influenced by this idea of being trapped in an apartment. The plot reminds me of the board game Clue, which involves solving a murder mystery. It’s far from scary but suspenseful enough to be entertained. A news photographer plays the detective and watches his interesting, colorful neighbors going about doing their business until he suspects a murder has been committed just from watching them from his window. The whole feel of the film reminds me of staring inside a doll house. It’s very staged and I sort of like that. Try the film, you might enjoy watching a glamor ad. The film did end with a fashion magazine Bazaar. Fashionably bizarre film indeed. Now, I want to live in one of those apartments, but I don’t want to be spied on by a peeping tom news photographer.

Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (on Netflix)

  • Initial release: July 22, 2021 (Japan)
  • Director: Kyohei Ishiguro

This cute animation made me realize teenagers these days must have it hard growing up with social media and smartphones. It only amplifies low-esteem and depression. At that age, I remember I was trying to find my identity through music. There wasn’t a lot of distraction from the outside world called Cable T.V., especially not in my household. We get our entertainment from video cassettes and public channels. So, I can only imagine feeling overwhelmed if I were a teenager from this time being exposed to so many influencers from all over the world. The result would be to hide in poetry. Like the male protagonist, I was a shy kid too. Some of us don’t like to draw attention to ourselves because we want to avoid involuntary blushing. Overall, the animation is vibrant and stylish. It feels old but new. Same teenager issues, but just set in a different time.

That’s it for my list of three. Hope you found something worthwhile to watch as well.

My Husband Won’t Fit Review (2019)

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I’m a few days late like usual. Valentine’s Day has passed. I could learn how to prioritize my blog posts to sync with the holiday, but I guess I missed the opportunity. In my mind, I thought reviewing Cuties was more important. But at least I got my punctuality right. Punctuality is a great trait to show people we care. On second thought, I don’t know. Throwing panties at any sexually starved man will make any man punctual. Okay, maybe I am stretching a bit there. You can blame the media for my biased views. Enough exposure in the media will make anyone believe that all men are hungry wolves who jump at any piece of meat they come across.

So let’s talk about the birds and the bees because that’s what love birds do during Valentine’s Day, right?! I heard in Japan, many couples are in a sexless marriage. If you are asexual, this is probably the perfect type of relationship you want to be in. After all, for some folks, there is more to the relationship than just sex. But for the majority of people–sex is important in a relationship. This quirky Japanese TV show explores the concept of love, relationship, and sex. What does it all mean? I found this show amusingly fun to watch and I think you should give it a try too.

There are 10 episodes total, which is the perfect length for nowadays shows–not too short, but not too long. The amount of content in this TV show is decently covered. I found myself binged watching the show because it was entertaining enough even though I did not agree with its content. As a westerner, I find the relationship between the couple quite unique. They successfully separate sex from lovemaking. So cheating is not really considered cheating if feelings are not involved. Do you agree with that? Now that is a hot discussion for couples! We all know that most women don’t like their men having secret affairs behind their backs. But the protagonist in this TV Show has no problem because her husband simply doesn’t fit! She just wants him happy. She is the perfect wife for those men who have a big appetite for a variety of women. Who can say no to a sweet timid, considerate wife who does not object to her husband’s external affairs? She’s always thinking about her husband’s happiness. How honorable…not! I hope you could tell I was being sarcastic! For most women, it’s a deal breaker that sex is out of the equation and there’s is a lack of respect for the marriage when one seeks others to fulfill sexual needs. Not being able to satisfy our significant other sexually could cause a severe blow to one’s self-esteem. In fact, this is what led the female protagonist to seek comfort from other men. In this show, both husband and wife are guilty.

So this brought up many questions about relationships: What is love? Isn’t love about the other person? Think about it, does that sound rather heartless and harsh if people get into a relationship to fulfill their sexual gratification only? This show explains how unique one marriage can be between a couple. It’s the biggest argument in this show is that sex is not everything for a lifelong partner. Clearly, both main characters are always thinking of each other’s happiness.

Well, I hope I’m not the opposite of cupid. Hope I did not spark a heated debate between lovers. I just thought this show is worth watching. I like its lighthearted approach to asking tough questions about what marriage and love are. I found myself experiencing different emotions–shock, anger, happiness, and sadness for the couple. Isn’t love supposed to make us feel like we can be our true selves and our partner is always having our interests in mind and vice versa? It’s a sweet little show.

As my final thought, the only love we need is self-love if you ask me. Once we love ourselves, we can love others in a healthy way. So, pop those self-loving pills and Happy belated Valentine’s Day. And if no one loves you, Halsdoll loves you. So come back again for some more insightful reviews!


Painted Faces (1988) Review: Never Look Down on Yourself Even if People Do

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One thing I love about Hong Kong films back in the 80s to mid-90s is that it has the tendency to praise hard work and perseverance. Netflix did a great job at recommending Painted Faces to me as I really enjoyed watching martial arts films but not all of them are made with passion and care. This film really depicted the rigorous training behind the scenes as performing artists which paid its tribute to the Chinese Opera School, which later brought out the best in Hong Kong martial arts films. I can testify because I was about three years old when I got my first exposure to Hong Kong action films and I remember begging my mom to watch more of them. The choreography and the fighting scenes were highly addictive to watch on top of the intriguing plots that always kept me on my toes. But I think what made me really like those films is how it teaches virtuous ideas and Painted Faces is no exception.

In this film, we follow a young boy called Big Nose. His mother had to join his father in Australia for work. Most parents would rather have their kids go to a university and become a scholar. It’s more prestigious than a performing artist. The young boy, Big Nose was handed over to Master Yu Jim-yuen, a strict Chinese Opera instructor who takes in young boys who are abandoned by their relatives for financial reasons or children who happen to be orphans. In return for lodging and food, the boys have to go through rigorous training to perform the Peking Chinese Opera and make money for the school. It’s a fair situation, putting the boys to use while providing shelter to them. Pretty much they are the property of the school. It sounds kind of bad, but not so bad at the same time.

What I really enjoyed about this film is watching how well-behaved and dedicated the children are to their teacher. Likewise, the teacher cares greatly for his students. But most importantly, the film taught me to never look down on myself regardless of what others think. Master Yu earned my respect. Overall, it’s a heartwarming film that reminds us to respect those who come before us. If you are looking for a feel-good film to watch, I highly recommend this one.

Netflix Social Dilemma Review

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I spy on people and tech companies spy on me on social media. “We are all connected to each other in a circle in a hoop that never ends,” I quote from Pocahontas’s song Colors of the Wind. I think we are becoming very intimate. It is kind of making me blush in fact.

I was working when I watched (more like listening to) this documentary. It was insightful and frightfully scary. The sound effects made the future feel like it’s going to be all doom and gloom run by out-of-control AIs. To save our sanity, we must unplug and delete our social media accounts for our mental health’s sake. Let’s be frank, we are accustomed to comparing each other success. It’s a real thing–even I feel shitty from time to time. I am dull. I like boring stuff. I am like an old lady because I like flowers and prefer to stay indoor despite what my zodiac sign says about me. Traveling is fun but traveling in my mind is more fun. The question “what is wrong with me” pops up occasionally. But it’s just part of human nature. It’s hard to look into ourselves and accept who we are when we can’t see ourselves, we need people to validate us and that’s why social media can be so addictive and detrimental to one’s health. We are a product of our time. I know that I am addicted to my phone. Google Map app is my boyfriend. He gives me directions so I don’t get lost when I go out. When it goes missing, I feel as if one of my internal organs got ripped out from my body and I am about to bleed and die. Yeah, it sounds dramatic because I can be quite dramatic. Overall, the documentary is quite educational and I am glad I watched it; however, I feel that limiting oneself from using any technology related is impossible. It is so ingrained in our society. Technology is good and bad. We become narrow-minded and further away from the “truth” when what we see on a daily basis becomes our reality. This can make us feel quite isolated and lonely. Just understanding this concept makes me feel better and I hope you feel the same. Well, I think I am getting used to this blogging thing. In a way, I am kind of glad I don’t have a lot of followers. My content might shift towards the audience and my own voice will die. I will leave you folks with one of my favorite songs by Depeche Mode because sometimes silence is best

For other tech films related topics, check out my review for EX-Machina.

Romance Doll Review: Love Is Remembrance

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Sometimes I think the term feminism is just a Western product. Over the years, it has carried such a bad connotation. I think vocal feminists are confused these days. Just because I am on the quiet side, it doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in gender equality nor do I condone femininity. Do I have to throw away my femininity to demand equality? Objectification is cringy, no lie, but Romance Doll proves it otherwise.

My first initial impression when I found this show on Netflix, I thought uh oh, it’s sex dolls for lonely men because I heard that single men prefer 2d girls/dolls over real women these days. Real women can’t compete with timeless beauties. So I was expecting the film to be political. On the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised that the film is nothing about the politics of dolls and how they may affect society in a negative way. Instead, the film explores the meaning of love by objectifying women in the most respectful manner. It’s an oxymoron, I know.

Like most art graduates, it’s difficult to find a job that utilizes one’s skills. The male protagonist Tetsuo happened to graduate from an art school specializing in sculpture. A friend recommended him a job without letting him know what it is. He later found himself employed in the industry of making sex dolls. It’s not the most prestigious job, but it’s not entirely bad as it seems. In fact, he hit the jackpot! The job not only allowed him the opportunity to meet his future wife Sonoko, but it also allowed him to hone his artistic skills in creating a breathing, realistic love doll. It is his passion that ironically made Sonoko fall in love with him. He pressed his hands on her breasts to feel the texture, claiming he was creating breasts prosthetic for medical use. You might be thinking, what a sly, unethical pervert. I thought the same. But this section of the film was well executed. There is a great amount of respect for the woman’s body. It’s almost sacred-like, which explains why Tetsuo couldn’t tell Sonoko that he creates love dolls for a living.

As they say, a man falls in love with an image, and a woman falls in love through how she feels. Out of impulse, Testsuo and Sonoko agreed to marry. Sounds like a fairy-tale doesn’t it? But it’s far from a happy story. As time progresses, secrecy between the married couple unfolds and both learn about what it means to love and to trust. There is no such thing as a perfect marriage.

What I find so pleasing about this film is that I was not offended by the notion of love dolls and what they are used for because the film did such a great job at illustrating how they can help lonely men. Think about it, why do we hold certain objects more important than others? Why are diamonds valuable to women? In this case, Testuo creates his SONOKO love doll out of remembrance of his love for his wife who then helps fill the void of lonely men. The doll is far from trash. She is made with love and quality.

As for my final thoughts for this film, the irony of SONOKO love doll is that she was molded after a perfect wife (caring, patient, and obliging) but she is also “nice and horny.” Sounds like a wish come true to lonely men. I am pretty sure Sonoko’s soul feels content knowing that she is helping lonely men even after she is long gone from this world. After all, human companionship is part of human survival needs.

I’m not surprised that this film was directed by a woman: Yuki Tanada. The undertone of Romance Doll is far from trashy. It is typical of a woman to hold her female kind with high regard, especially if it involves sex and her body.