Coming in for a Landing

Thought of watching this film on Netflix since it appeared on the homepage.

Boy, it was a great decision!

"A Balloon's landing," is a Taiwanese film that's set both in Taiwan and HKG, two places that are close to my heart.

And heartfelt this film was.

It's a beautifully crafted and melded story of love, heartbreak, heartache and a dash of magic. It was well written and well acted, and it's worth watching again. And again. And again.

Yup, this film definitely landed.

Wednesday on a Wednesday

As a fan of "The Addams Family," I'm intrigued by the trailer for the soon-to-be streamed "Wednesday, Season 2."

Having grown up on the comic and madcap iteration of the series, seeing this dark, ominous and sinister trailer is both intriguing and unsettling. Where's the wholesome cuteness? Where's the slapstick comedy? Where are the laughs?

Then again, this is just the trailer. Maybe I'll catch an episode or 2 and see if I'll give this series the time of day.

Kate has a point

I'm super hyped to see Kate Hudson back on Netflix.

And she's doing a comedy, which is so up her alley.

"Running Point" will be in my "to-binge-watch-list" now.

Squid-ding aside

Netflix is serious about marketing.

For the launch of Squid Games 2, they turned Robinsons Galleria into a Squid Game hallway.

Well played, Netflix. Well played.

Ray of Sunshine

Taking a break from K-dramas and J-dramas, opted to watch this Chinese drama or C-drama on Netflix.

"My Sunshine" is your typical romantic dramedy about finding lost loves and prevailing despite the challenges. While the main plot itself isn't new, the little twists and details in the story make it interesting and entertaining.

And engaging! Was planning to watch just 1 or 2 episodes, but ended up watching more than 5 in one sitting.

With 32 episodes, it looks like this will be my daily dose of sunshine.

In a Harris

It was a random watch on Netflix, and it turned out to be a gem!

"Mrs. Harris goes to Paris" is bereft of big stars or hype, so I came into the film not knowing or expecting anything. But the moment the film started, it got me hooked.

Maybe it's because of the fact that the story is centered on fashion, particularly a housekeeper who dreams of having a Dior dress. Despite the odds, she pursued her dream and ended up going to Paris to watch a Dior show, and eventually finding herself entrenched in the life of Christian Dior.

It's a light-hearted dramedy which was a joy to watch.

And it's something I'll definitely be watching again. And again.

There’s something about Marry

After looking at the 3 shows and films i’m currently watching, there was a moment of epiphany:

They’re all about “Marry.”

And they’re all so good!

Marry January

Finally!

"Marry Me" is coming to Netflix.

And it's showing today.

TODAY!

Evening schedule blocked off.

Barkin up the right tree

One of the Netflix films that I've placed on my watch list is the new caper-comedy "The Outlaws."

What drew me to it? 

Ellen Barkin!

I've been a fan of hers for the longest time. She always played strong, enigmatic characters. From "Sea of Love" to "Ocean's Thirteen," she's always a joy to watch.

And I'm sure I'll enjoy her in "The Outlaws," too.

Too many Cooks

Rachael Leigh Cook, that is.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of her. In fact, in 2018, I was wondering where she was now. 

Luckily, my wish to see her on-screen more often was granted. She's been very visible on Netflix, both for her old films and new releases. 

Her most recent one is a travel rom-com aptly titled: "A Tourist's Guide to Love."

Yup, just like in "She's All That," she can still carry that quirky-girl personality with a rom-com touch.

Can't wait what she'll be cooking up next.

Cha Time

Nope, this isn't about the Taiwanese tea brand. I'm never that obvious.

This is about the Netflix K-drama that I've been watching, and incidentally, their last episode is today.

"Doctor Cha" was a joy to watch from the first episode to the last. The characters and characterisations, the plot and plot twists, the conflicts and resolutions - they all came together beautifully and gloriously at the last episode.

This is going on my "must re-watch list."

Celebrity sighting

The nice thing about Kdramas on Netflix is how they feature themes and subjects that are attuned with the current times.

Saw this trailer for an upcoming series called "Celebrity." Based on the trailer, it seems to be about online influencers and celebrities, and the power they suddenly yield.

Aside from the characters being online celebrities, I'm not sure what the series will be about just yet. It looks like there's drama, mystery, intrigue, maybe even a murder.

Of course, the fact that Park Gyu-Young is one of the reasons why this will be on my watch list. She was such a joy to watch in "Dali & Cocky Prince," and I'm excited to see what she brings to these series.

It's going to be a month before this "Celebrity" sighting happens. Until then, I'll be excitedly waiting.

"Tell" it to me

Although not as popular and mainstream as K-dramas, J-dramas are equally entertaining and engaging. I've mentioned this several times, J-dramas came way ahead of K-dramas for me. Thanks to Hotaru no Hikari, of course.

That's why my watchlist on Netflix is a combination of both J-dramas and K-dramas. Fortunately, there are quite a number of good Japanese series on this streaming platform. I've written about "Atelier," and recently completed "Dearest."

Now, another J-drama is added to my binge-watch list. Finally finished the 10-episode romantic drama entitled "Why didn't I tell you a million times."

This series is good mix of different genres: romance, comedy, drama with a touch of mystery. If "Ghost" were a rom-com, this is how it would feel.

Aside from the story, the actors really make this series so engaging to watch. It's a powerhouse cast that includes Takeru Satoh from "Ruruoni Kenshin," Kenichi Matsuyama from "Death Note," and Mao Inoue from "The Snow White Murder Case."

Suddenly, I remembered the fact that I've seen Takeru Satoh in person when the cast of "Ruruoni Kenshin" went to Manila to promote their film in 2014. But I digress.

It just took me a few days to finish this series. That's how good it is.

And I can tell that I'll be re-watching this soon.

In the right place

Of course, I had to watch "Your Place or Mine" the day it started streaming on Netflix.

It's a nice, uncomplicated and easy-to-watch Valentine's film. The fact that the main characters are a bit older, with "old people concerns" make this film relatable. And yes, Reese Witherspoon hasn't lost her timing and charm in rom-coms.

Yup, the film has its heart in the right place.

Thank you, Next!

No, this isn’t about an Ariana Grande Song.

It’s about the fact that “Next in Fashion” is having  a 2nd season!

This is going to be next on my binge-watch list!

Reese’s Piece

Fact: Reese Witherspoon is great with romantic comedies.

She’s just a joy to watch! With her bubbly personality and great timing, she can carry a rom-com with ease. Problem is, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her in one.

Thankfully (said in her high pitch Elle Woods voice) that’ll change this February 10.

She’s coming out in a new Netflix rom-com!

Make it February 10 now, please! I so want to see this piece of film,

Period

As someone who has always been interested in history, period shows are always on top of my Netflix watch list.

Even before Netflix, in terms of books and other reading materials, stories of ancient civilizations have always been my staple. From Edith Hamilton’s “Mythology” to books on Egypt and Perisa - those were my go-tos.

That’s why this series is something appealed to me when it first played in the trailer suggestions on Netflix.

I’ve been interested in the Viking culture since Asterix. And this series shows the intricacies of the Viking culture in a vivid - and sometimes violently dramatic way.

Which makes it so interesting to watch.

Utterly Fabulous

This is the Kdrama series I've been watching that inspired last week's Friday Magic Madness song.

"The Fabulous" is a series set in the fashion world. The 4 main characters are all in the fashion industry.  Ji-eun works for a PR agency handling luxury brands, Woo-min is a photographer and a retoucher who works with fashion shoots, Seon-ho is a Supermodel, and Joseph is a fashion designer.

After watching the first episode, I was hooked! In fact, it took me just 2-3 days to finish the 8 episodes in this series.

What made this show even more watchable was Park Hee-Jung. Her role as Supermodel Seon-ho is so natural to her, mainly because she's a real-life Supermodel.

This is such a fun series to watch that I've re-watched it once. And I have no plans of stopping just yet.

So, like the FMM song, this series is: "Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fabulous!"

Oui like it!

Because of its locale and theme, the Netflix series "Emily in Paris" is one of the most fashionable and chic shows that's currently airing. Although I'm not an avid follower - yet - seeing the fashion on those few episodes made me smile.

It's no surprise that this show has inspired fast-fashion brands to bring out their best Parisian chic. One of those brands is the family's perennial fave - Plains & Prints. Recently, they held a special preview of this collection at Shangrila Plaza Mall.

Since I was given an invite, and it was just near the office, it was off to Shang to check it out. 

When they unveiled the racks, it was clear that Paris was the inspiration for the collection. From the classic stripes, to dotted tulle, to classic denim - a lot of the pieces would definitely fit in the streets of Paris in the summer.

Doing my usual shopping strategy, my eyes did a quick scan and looked for pieces that stood out and made an instant impact. And among the pieces on display, these really caught my eye. 

First item, this halter top dress with a loose, trapeze silhouette and a ruffled hem.

The striped fabric is so French. Plus, there were 2 details that made this dress a wow: a large bow at the back, and an asymmetric hem.

The second item is a shift dress with a ruffled neckline, a front slit, and pom-poms on the hem. The style reminded me of a dress from their Spring Harvest Collection. Despite that, it's the print that really caught my eye with this piece. It was a combination of florals, the Tour Eiffel, and sketches of women. 

There were other pieces that were worth buying, but because of the lack of time, these top 2 items were the ones that went from Paris, straight to Ate Bullet's closet. 

But once the full collection drops in stores, Oui will definitely be buying a few more pieces!

If Andy met Betty in Japan

Before following K-dramas, I've always been interested in Japanese drama series or J-dramas.

It began during my HKG stint, and one of the shows I'd watch daily was "Hotaru No Hikari." This series starting Ayase Haruka (one of my super faves) is one of those shows I've seen from start to finish.

Netflix currently has a roster of J-dramas, one of which was a recent binge-watch.

"Atelier" is a dramedy about the fashion industry. It's the story of a plain-jane textile geek named Mayuko who finds a job in an ultra-chic, luxury lingerie brand headed by a headstrong fashion designer named Mayumi.

Mayuko's nerdy and lack of knowledge in fashion causes her to often clash with Mayumi who's very stylish and fashion forward. But as the series progresses, we see Mayuko slowly transform from drab to fab, thanks to Mayumi's guidance.

The transformation angle is very "Ugly Betty," and the strict-fashionable boss is very "The Devil Wears Prada." The fashion influences of this series are so notable, with Mayuko wearing an Anna Wintour bob.

Watching this was a joy. Not just because of the fashion theme and the style references, but also because it's set in Tokyo. There were areas shown in the show that are familiar, including the Mikimoto building and the fashion streets of Omotesando and Harajuku.

This series was such an easy watch that I've actually seen it twice.

And it looks like I'll continue to watch even more.