20th Century Girls and First Love
A South Korean romantic drama film that brings a strong first love story.

The first part of a historical film dilogy based on the story “Emshan” by Maurice Simashko. XIII century. Equal to God, Sultan Beybars — the ruler of Egypt, who has the largest fleet in the Mediterranean, crushed the Crusader troops and countless hordes of Genghis Khan’s descendant – recalls the life path he passed before ascending to the throne of the ruler.
A South Korean romantic drama film that brings a strong first love story.
A direct fall into the white savior narrative
The plot could’ve really been interesting if the elements of lycanthropy was integrated with perhaps the struggle of identity of being LGBTQ+. It's an experience for so many that as they’re starting to realizing their true selves, they feel like a monster, especially if they come from unsupportive homes or communities. Instead, the horror and transformation elements seem thrown in without contemplation of how this could deepen the narrative.
From its visually stunning opening credits, which show women dancing through a forest to musical rhythms that sound almost primal, to its quiet, heartbreaking final frame, Mona Fastvold’s historical rendering of the Shaker religious movement is an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
Even without the messaging, Mercy does not hold up as a movie. It's sloppily done and the mystery doesn’t tie together at the end.