The Tenants Downstairs (2016) - Mystery Drama Film with Movie Review

The Tenants Downstairs is a 2016 Taiwanese Black Comedy Mystery Drama film written by Giddens Ko who is also the writer and director of You Are the Apple of My Eye. The film is starred by Simon Yam, Lee Kang Sheng, Kaiser Chuang, Ivy Shao, and Sophia Li.

The story begins with a man named Mr. Chang who is interrogated by police officers. The man claimed he inherited a building with studio apartments and he rents them out to tenants. His room has screens connected to hidden cameras which he can monitor inside of each apartment. He detailed that he has eight tenants which includes Mr. Wang Ming Kai and his daughter, Ms. Chen Miu Hi, a sex worker, Mr. Chang Kuo Sheng, a gymnast teacher who is obsessed with Ms. Chen, Boyan, a geeky guy who believes he can teleport, gay couple Kuo Li and Ling Hu, and the mysterious woman named Ying Ru. But according to police officers, there is no record nor picture of that mysterious woman.

Mr. Chang told the police officers that his daily routine is to spy on his tenants closely. However, he finds Ying Ru weird because she has no interesting routines. He decided to investigate her room while she is out but she returned unexpectedly with a man. Mr. Chang hid under the bed and witnessed how Ying Ru drugged and tortured the man inside a bathtub. The landlord was so afraid at first but he decided not to call police authorities. After a few days, Ying Ru brought a woman and tortured her too. Mr. Chang talked to Ying Ru who says she wanted to break free and not be stucked. After that talk, he decided to break his mundane life and shatter his tenants' routine lives.

He started with Boyan who tricked him that he can teleport. He used him to destroy the relationship of a gay couple and manipulated them to believe that one of them was cheating. He also deceived the tenants that his own duplicate keys were missing. But the truth was he wanted the gymnast teacher to find them so he could break into Ms. Chen's apartment. He also used a mosquito coil with a love drug to increase Mr. Wang's libido toward his daughter. The results of his tricks end the lives of Mr. Wang, his daughter, and Ling Hu.

However, the police officers said that his crazy stories do not match the facts. Ms. Chen is actually married to Mr. Wang and living together with their daughter. While Mr. Chang Kuo Sheng is a homosexual and a university professor which is why he is not obsessed with Ms. Chen. Mr. Kuo Li is actually a cancer sufferer and he is taken care of by his nephew, Ling Hu. And last, Boyan is a hardworking medical student and he believes that teleportation is nonsense.

The interrogation was interrupted when they found out the true identity of the landlord. Mr. Chang was a former police officer. He undercover to enter an asylum to arrest Huang Si Lang who kidnapped and tortured school girls. Huang Si Lang was able to avoid punishment by claiming insanity. However, Mr. Chang's superior officer died unexpectedly which is why no one knew that he was still undercover in asylum. Mr. Chang experienced torture by the staffs that broke his mind. Huang Si Lang gave keys of the building where he tortured girl students including Mr. Chang's daughter Ying Ru. The wife of his former superior found the files of Mr. Chang, and she helped him to release him from the asylum. After he was released, he left the police office and went to the building. He began accepting tenants there. He also used the building to take revenge to staffs who tortured him in the asylum.

My review of this movie is 8.5/10. I like the twist of the story. Honestly, I am not a fan of horror movies. I hate them. I actually cannot stand to watch it at first but the way the story was executed kept me to stay watching it. However, until now I still remember some scenes. Damn. I regret why I watched it.

The actor is effective in portraying Mr. Chang. He really looks like a lunatic, not a trying-hard actor, that he could do crazy things to his tenants. At the end of the story, I understood where his feelings are coming from. And I hate those staffs. The way he was tortured in the asylum can break anyone's mind. I feel pity for him. I still wonder if there are people like that in reality. 

In addition, I am wondering why movies of Giddens Ko are liberating.

Imdb: 5.2/10
Google Users: 74% liked this movie

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Secret Seven (2017) - Romantic Comedy Thai Series

Secret Seven is a 2017 Thai television series starring Sutatta Udomsilp and seven actors Tawan Vihokratana, Vorakorn Sirisorn, Oabnithi Wiwattanawarang, Thanat Loekhunnasombat, Jirakit Thawornwong, Atthaphan Poonsawas and Chonlathorn Kongyingyong. The series started on August 19, 2017.

The story is about Padlom, a woman who is afraid to love. As a student, they are required to join a club to graduate. However, she gets bored or annoyed being with many people. So she and her best friend Spoil decided to form their own group which is a 90's music club. To form a new club it requires to have five people. So she recruited his relative Liftoil, their classmate Grace who is afraid to be surrounded by men, and they paid Ghost 1500 baht to join them.

After their club was approved, they were assigned to the office in Room 305. However, they were sharing the room with another club, No Human Photo Club, composed of five men: P'Alan "the model student", P'Gent "the rich guy, Pok "the sports guy", Id "her childhood jerk friend", and Play "the flirty guy". She felt intimidated at first but she learned to manage it. Another freshman student Neo came in and joined them.

P'Gent bought a locker and labeled each locker with their names. One day, she received a letter saying "I like you, Padlom". From then, she often receives gifts in her locker. She suspects that one of the seven boys is giving her gifts. The series will follow Padlom's journey to find the guy who is in love with her.

During Padlom's Birthday

My rating is 8/10. I thought the series is like the same old story I have watched many times. But it has many funny scenes and the seven guys are charming. I like how Padlom overcame her fear to fall in love and realized that she loves this lucky guy. That scene is unexpected.

I also have learned many things from this series like Love is about overcoming fear and you will know that a person is sincere to you if he decided to change or adjust for you. That phrase struck my heart. I feel like I also have to make a decision in my life to experience real happiness. Aww!!!

Google Users: 97% liked this show

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You Are the Apple of My Eye (2011) - Romantic Comedy Movie

Movie Poster

You Are the Apple of My Eye is a 2011 Taiwanese Romantic Comedy film starring Ko Chen Tung and Michelle Chen. The movie is based on a semi-true life story and novel of the Taiwanese author, Giddens Ko, who is also the director of the film.

The story is about Ko Ching Teng, the real name of Giddens Ko, who was mischievous and had no interest to study in high school. One day, he was caught masturbating during class (pervert man) and the principal decided to place him in front of Shen Chiayi who was an outstanding student.

One day, Chiayi forgot to bring her English book. Ko Ching Teng slipped his own textbook on Chiayi's table and told the teacher that he forgot his own book. He was punished during the lecture. Chiayi was touched by Ching Teng's generosity so she decided to help him by preparing a practice exam.  From then, their relationship grows and Ching Teng falls in love with her.

After their high school graduation, the two studied in separate schools yet Ching Teng still found time to call Chiayi every night. The two had their first date during the winter holiday. Chiayi told him that she is not a perfect girl and that she also has a bad side like she pissed off easily to her younger sibling for being childish. Ching Teng thought that maybe she was turning him down in a nice way. Ching Teng confessed that he loves her however, because he was afraid to be turned down, he told her not to answer his question. 

Later, Ching Teng organized a fight night in their dorm. He invited Chiayi to impress her. She watched his fight but she found it very childish. This upsets Ching Teng and decided to walk out. After that night, they had no contact for two years until the 921 earthquake. He called Chiayi if she is okay. During the conversation, they realized that they are not fated for each other.

In 2005, Ching Teng and his friends gathered together to attend Chiayi's wedding. Chiayi's husband is older than her which helped me realize that Chiayi is attracted to older men. Their friends make a joke if they could kiss the bride. Her husband said that they could kiss her if they would kiss him first. Ching Teng suddenly kisses the husband and remembers how he regrets apologizing on the night they fight.

My Rating is 8.5/10. Though I hate the ending because they did not end up together but I would say that I like this film a lot. Now, I understand why there are women who are attracted to older men. Chiayi is an example of a woman who does not like to get stressed because of her childish and irresponsible boyfriend. I like when Chiayi said that she is not a perfect girl and that maybe the girl who is admired by Ching Teng is only his imagination. I think Chiayi wanted to make sure Ching Teng really loves her. She is indeed a mature woman. I also like when she told Ching Teng that "Having been loved by you, it harder for me to feel other's love."

The movie has perfect casts and they are all perfect for their role. I also found out that the actor who portrayed Ching Tengs's father is the real father of the author and they filmed the high school scenes at their real alma mater. That's Awesome!!!

The movie will teach you that sometimes, the best way to stay in love is not to be together so that the magic of love will not vanish.

The real Ko Ching Teng and the author Giddens Ko and the real Chiayi

Imdb: 7.7/10
Google Users: 94% liked this film

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