Based on a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, "The Descendants" is one of the
most affective and heartwarming movies in recent memory. This is a
realistic piece of storytelling that tells about keeping a family
together, while trying to keep everything else from falling apart. Every actor sinks their teeth into their roles and churns out highly
commendable performances.
Overall, "The Descendants" was an excellent movie that captures the raw
emotions of a family dealing with betrayal, pain, and loss and learning
to draw together for love and support.
There is absolutely
no scares here, only about two parts made me jump and that was
because of the ridiculously overblown score (a sink turned on loud and
a bird flew in the house). And the ending.... I was hoping there would
be a twist. But nothing. You never find out why the people in the town were so paranoid
of Daniel Radcliffe's character. You never find out how this woman was
given the magical powers to make all the children in the town commit
suicide. It just... ends. Terrible ending.
All in all this was a lost opportunity. "Woman in Black" remains one of
the simplest and most effective ghost stories, completely spoilt in
this version.
This movie is useful, it's not mindless cartoon or movie just for fun. It
sends a strong message of how family is important, how mothers are
important and I'm sure that kids will realize that message too. It is sweeping from beginning to end;
beautifully characterised, animated, musicality, and scripted.
Overall, it's a well-made and visually
spectacular, yet emotive adventure that I highly recommend for families
and fans of animation alike.
Not like the first, but also nice, for it brings a fresh wave with it's story, characters and
overall look. There are some wonderful visuals, some
hysterically funny dialogue from the two Kril, and some inspired moments which
choke you up with emotion at the same time as making you laugh.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie, for Happy Feet 2
will be interesting for both children and adults.
P.S. Thanks Sven for singing a Romanian song and you should correct yourself: NOT Spanish, but Romanian song! (O-zone - Tragostea din tei)
The story is full of blanks, the acting is below average and people are
getting killed without any cause and explanation. The main character is a
serial killer, but we never learn anything about his life or mental
illness. Oh, I could go on, but you get the drift. It's
utter rubbish.
What a waste of time! It is like watching paint dry or waiting for
grass to grow. A complete waste of 90 or so minutes. There is no fun in this
mortician's story of a sixty cent plot.
One that should truly remain beneath the darkness.
From the very first minute, this film is breathtakingly beautiful and
amazing. The art, cinematography, lighting, acting, story, direction,
are all amazing. Hugo is
Martin Scorsese's love letter to movies. Bringing back the classic style and
showing why movies are magnificently wonderful. It's an extraordinary
Scorsese film. The performances are charming and there are plenty of
sweetness in them. Everything else is spectacular. Hugo is a reminder
why we watch and love movies.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys movies, and an
absolute must-see for anyone who loves movies and what they mean to us.
"Underworld: Awakening" was for me a complete disaster. The first three
movies were amazing because they made you think deeply about history,
love, hatred, war, friendship, family, and other riveting themes; they
encouraged critical thinking and connection making skills with all the
powerful flashbacks and twists and turns that were within a strong
plot-structure. But "Underworld: Awakening" failed to do any of these
things. The plot absolutely sucked; there's nothing original, and I don't even
know what the point/theme was at all. If humans are now
the common enemy, then why on sam hill are vampires and werewolves
still fighting? It doesn't make sense. Near the end, just as the story
was getting good, the movie
was over. I thought, "Huh? It can't be over, it was just getting
good!?"
Overall, I guess if you
like watching a movie while parking your brain in your popcorn then you
might enjoy it, if you've seen and enjoyed the other movies I suspect
you may well find it incredibly disappointing.
Why?? Just why??? Why does Adam Sandler insist on releasing this utter
pile of tripe upon the world? oh yeah of course, it's obvious, money.
Adam should get the #1 goofiest movie award and get out of Hollywood.
Seriously, all his movies are just nerdy and this time he is playing a
double role of his "twin sister". I don't know either why Katie Holmes agreed to this movie beyond a
paycheck because she has nothing to do. And are things that dire for
Pacino? He's depressing and his final scene involving a commercial is
frankly an embarrassment.
In conclusion, "Jack and Jill" is not a comedy, but rather a tragedy. It
was not even funny and did not have enough robots. It was terrible.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) - BAD MOVIE
My skin sparkles in the sun. I have no pulse. I am a member of the
undead, a vampire, because this movie sucked the life out of me.
Breaking Dawn, like the title suggests, it is a fresh start - a new dawn. That's a lie. Obviously. I guess after making billions of dollars on the other movies they did not care to make this movie quality in anyway. This movie is a comedy of errors than a romantic love story. The special effects are okay, but the talking wolves looked pretty silly and the big fight between vampires and werewolves is shot in darkness and with tons of quick cutting so you can barely see what is happening...
Overall, I only recommend this movie if you're a die-hard fan of the series. Plus, I don't really think "Part 2" is really needed. Based on the ending provided, "Part 2" is absolutely useless. It's slow-paced, it's content is so little, it's useless. Probably "Part 2" was to just get more money.
To my eyes, this was nothing more than a cheap soap opera. The director mixed things up
trying to shock, but somehow, he lost it in the mix. None
of the characters is appealing. They are all depressed, mad or criminal
in some way. This film can best be described as a psychological thriller based on
the criminally insane. "The Skin I Live In" is disturbing on many levels
and one has to wonder about the moral ethics of our society.
All in all, trying too hard to create
mystery, suspense, while there is no story to add meaning to the
somewhat "weird" events.
This movie is hilarious. Everyone in it is funny. The story itself is great. It's so goofy that it inevitably
produces laughs, again and again. Everything about this movie is
geared to generate laughs. At first, the movie starts off as being
serious, but as the plot unfold the movie becomes funny, and then
hilarious. The dialog is
wonderful, with all the principle characters delivering funny lines.
Overall, a well organized
bucket of laughter, energy and excitement which will leave you with
satisfaction like after a warm bowl of soup, ie if you fancy soup.
"Puss-in-Boots" is one of the funniest and most entertaining animated
movies I have seen in recent times. It's a spin-off from the Shrek series so if you like the
Shrek movies you will probably like this. There are lots of cat-jokes
that are very funny for cat-owners, but they might go over the heads of
non-cat people. The characters are
very likable, apart from maybe Humpty Dumpty (what is there to like
about an egg - it's just weird!).
On the whole, 'Puss In Boots' is one joyride! Go, have fun!
The story evolves around the life of Edgar Hoover (Leonardo Dicaprio),
who was the founder of the FBI. It shows his rise to power, and his
American dream to make this world a better place. Clint Eastwood did a wonderful
job at bring this amazing story to life. I loved
how the film paced back and forth (one moment comes to mind when they
enter the elevator old, and leave it young in a flashback). His
simplistic composition really added to the sadness and dramatic
elements of the film.
"J. Edgar" is a well-made, thought-provoking film. It handles the
public image of Hoover while giving us insight into his soul. The film
takes us through many decades at the different junctures of Hoover's
life. He left quite a legacy, but it's hard to say exactly who he
really was. Right or wrong, Clint Eastwood's film does a fine job of
putting the pieces of the puzzle known as J. Edgar Hoover together to
try to make sense of the FBI icon. I'm sure there are a few pieces missing, but are we not all flawed in
some way? "J. Edgar" tells it like it is.
Overall, J. Edgar is a good movie with a good cast and great
performances. This is a very well done movie. There were a few flaws;
the makeup used to age some of the characters was a little odd and not
convincing taking away from the movie.
I'll admit I
enjoyed the opening and the ending as they were similar to the original
movie, but other than that - boo! It's hard to connect with the main
characters and feel for them. The film is predictable and it's new scenes
are just exposition that weren't needed. The mix of dance styles throughout, including
the classic boot scooting should work to bring the film into a more
modern context, however it just seems to make the film more disjointed.
Almost like it's trying to be another dance film.
Overall, watch something else, unless dancing is illegal
in your city!
“A different language is a different vision of life.” Federico Fellini
I had always had a soft spot for Korean dramas since I saw my first kdrama in 2009. Korean dramas are fast-paced, the dialogues are witty and very natural, and the characters can be really engaging. K-dramas are like the express passport into Korea itself - thanks for kdramas I've gained such an
appreciation for Korean culture.
I love watching Korean dramas for the stories they’re able to tell. I
love the romcoms, the melos, and the badass action sequences. Everytime I watch a k-drama, I get so
caught up in them. If a scene is frustrating, I need to control myself not to
yell. When it is a happy
scene, I grin uncontrolably and if it is a sad scene, I cry so hard despite trying
to hold it back.
K-dramas are fantastic. It isn't a bad thing to like them, more like
something great. ^^
Hwang Jin Yi (황진이)- GREAT DRAMA
Genre: Period-Traditional Drama
This period drama captured my attention from the first episode. The
drama has similar theme as the movie “Memoirs of a Geisha”, that is the theme about the struggle of a woman
living in a world dictated by men and rising above the adversities. In the drama, Hwang Jin Yi is portrayed as not only a highly intelligent
individual, but also a talented artist who if not for her sex and
social status could’ve held high and powerful rank. The drama was very
well done, from the sceneries to the elaborate costumes.
Ha Ji Won is absolutely perfect in the role of Hwang Jin Yi, playing as a
strong and vulnerable seductress. Every facial expressions that Ha Ji
Won showed in this drama is subtle yet precise. From her inviting glance
to her alluring smirk, all was done effortlessly and naturally. I love
seeing the transformation of Hwang Jin Yi from a naive and lively
kisaeng to an experienced and unemotional kisaeng. Not to mention, all
the dances in this drama took my breath away, especially the Baekmu’s
Crane Dance. This is a beautifully done drama that
shouldn’t be missed.
P.S. The OST is truely amazing.
The Great Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕) - GREAT DRAMA Genre: Historical Drama
"The path ahead of you is arduous, but you must endure it. Endure it". These lines are the backbone of the movie Queen Seon Deok. This is a Korean Drama released in 2009 that would compel us to study, listen, fight, cry, and give suggestions to the protagonist.
The script is outstanding, the acting is superb, the direction, the set designs are brilliantly coloured and conceived, the martial arts sequences are thrilling and the camera work is some of the best ever seen and the cast is very well chosen. The ending, though sad, is moving and truthful. On the road to power, one may lose the most precious thing in life, and love without trust only leads to disaster and sorrow.
A unique film for it's beauty and subtle recipes of life. A parable about present in skin of past facts. A play in which the public is just actor. A smoke column in a late autumn evening.
P.S. The OST is amazing.
Chuno (추노) - GREAT DRAMA Genre: Action, Drama, Period
This drama is of a never-ending chase scene, filled with thrilling action, amazing martial arts
choreography, and even more beautiful scenery. From the great abodes of
the wealthy to the impoverished towns of the unfortunate, the drama
captivates the viewers with its realistic portrayals of life in the era. The acting is beautiful and so are the actors. The soundtrack is perfectly selected to fit each scene and set of characters.
This drama makes you grow as a person. Although they go through such
hard times, they find time for friendship, bonding, love, loyalty, you
even get lots of laughs. You laugh with them and you cry with them. You wonder if this happens in
the real world. Dramas take you on some great voyages so... hop along.
It’s one of the best!
Yi San (이산) - GREAT DRAMA
Genre: Historical
At first glance, the drama might seem long and boring. Yes, 77 episodes
will not be watched in one day – and yes, you might not be interested in
politics - but let me tell you, your time will be worth every second
you’ll spend in front of your screen.
This is a stunning historical epic chronicling the life of Korea's greatest ruler, Yi San. Excellent acting and a beautifully written storyline created many
emotional moving scenes for the memorable characters. A heartbreaking love story to go with suspenseful political intrigue. Great from start
to finish and a good investment in time.
Dae Jang Geum(대장금)- GREAT DRAMA
Jang-geum's story is engrossing, for all sorts of people. Very inspiring for it's central moral drama, it is also full of great incidental historical and cultural information. It’s simply enthralling. It’s the story of a woman in Feudal Korea, her quest for revenge for the death of her family, her triumphs as a cook and a healer and the people that want to stop her. You won’t be able to put it down. A movie like a fall music. Picture
of a universe. An Aladdin's carpet. To a place of a lost
fragment of Asia.
Female Detective Damo (조선 여형사 다모) - GOOD DRAMA
Genre: Historical, Crime, Romance
Damo flows like strokes of an ink brush as it tenderly scratches the surface of a blindingly white piece of paper. Each stroke is itself a movement of beauty, but once you step back to view the finished product, what remains is a cohesive masterpiece.
Damo is about love in its purest form, as exhibited in various ways by many of the characters. The love story of the 3 leads hurts so much that with each episode you
yearn for at least one of them to find happiness, but alas the writers
of the story will not grant you that peace.
The storyline is very deep and the great thing
about it is that each subplots only add to the depth of the storyline. I love
the action and the martial arts in this series, it's very fast paced. All in all, a wonderful show!
Jumong (주몽) - GREAT DRAMA Genre: Historical
A
period piece chronicling the life and death of Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo,
one of the ancient three kingdoms of Korea. It’s a massive, eighty
episode program that’s truly epic in scope. Jumong is same
legend with same pieces like many other films. The difference is the
courage to define an era. And it's heart - a spectacular man. Love,
hate, survey, fights and wars, beauty and feelings are present, but it
is not a another play about old ages. In fact, it is a lesson. Yes, a history lesson, but a values
lesson and more that. A speech
about a roots time, but a seductive way to define a nation.
The Kingdom of the Winds (바람의 나라) - GOOD DRAMA Genre: Period, Fantasy
This is the story of Jumong’s grandson who was supposedly born with the
fate of killing his parents, brothers and even his own son and
eventually causing the downfall of Goguryo.
A story about how Muhyul overcame his ill fate and became the third
king of Goguryo, later to be known as King Daemushin (Great God of War).
This drama is featuring beautiful cinematography and score as well as lots of grand
battle scenes, conspiracies, political intrigue, and assassination
plots.
Dong Yi
(동이) - GREAT DRAMA Genre: Historical
This drama is just as much about the King and his trials/suffering as it
is about Dong Yi. The characters are well developed, storyline is
infused with drama and intrigue, and the acting is well done on all
levels. There was light hearted humor to round out the edges and mystery to keep
the content interesting. I was rooting for the good, hating the bad,
wanting to know what would happen next and it was never predictable
which gave it a true enjoyment factor. They worked very hard to stay
true to the facts and at the same time took responsibility for altering
appropriately when necessary.
I would say that this drama is all about sacrifices for the good of
everyone and how you must not belittle people who are of low birth for
they might become someone great! So overall, this drama it's a great story all around. Pungsan, fighting! ^^
The Princess' Man (공주의 남자) - GREAT DRAMA
Genre: Period, romance
The Princess’ Man it's a beautiful
fusion of history and fiction, very touching story, and of course the
effort made by the actors to present a very convincing acting.
Everything about the drama was alluring – the costume detail, the actors’ expressiveness, the perfect music score and a happy ending! ^_^
Emperor of the Sea (해신) - GOOD DRAMA
'Emperor of the Sea' is 50-episode drama based on the Choi In-ho's
novel of the same title. The drama depicts the life of Jang Bo-go, who
dominated the sea of the East Asia and international trade during the
Unified Shilla Dynasty. Jang Bo-go also eliminated pirates by installing Cheong-Hae-Jin on Wando, which is a geographically important sea route.
Drama 'Emperor of the Sea' will show historical figure Jang Bo-go's
growth, the emerging as Emperor of the Sea and love, and add artificial
figures madam Jami and Jeong-hwa to add more spices. There is lots of intigue, betrayal, and double-dealing.
Overall, a good drama, beautifully shot, with well develop characters and an engaging storyline.
King Geunchogo (근초고왕) - GOOD DRAMA
Genre: Historical
This drama tells of political intrigue, lust for power, strength and weakness of the men seeking the dragon seat. The story moves at a good pace, not too slow and that fast either, striking a good balance.
So, if you enjoy political in-fighting, back stabbing, men and women
being consumed by their lust for power and one man’s ultimate rise to
power to become the greatest warrior King of his era this drama is for you.
“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life.” Federico Fellini
Secret Garden (시크릿 가든) - GREAT DRAMA
Genre: Romance, comedy, fantasy, melodrama
Secret Garden is the best romantic comedy-fantasy drama. A total package drama! An awesome cast, witty, romantic, tons of high and lows script, very well directed. What more can you ask for? It will make you smile, laugh your ass off, and cry your eyeballs out! Each episode is filled with twists and excitement. Once you watch the first episode there will be no turning back! ^^
49 Days (49일 ) - GREAT DRAMA
Genre: Fantasy, romance
This drama is about death but ironically, it’s also about valuing life and not giving up. It teaches us a lot of things we usually take for granted or didn’t realise
it at all. It also constantly remind us to live our life without regret,
always show our love to our parents and open our eyes to see who is
true to us.
Overall, this is a great series inspirational, great cast, nice storyline, lots of twist and most of all tearjerker! From the beginning to the end, it kept me hooked.
P.S. I DARE YOU TO: Live your life as if you only have 49 days!
Bad Guy (나쁜남자) - GOOD DRAMA Genre: Thriller, melodrama, mystery
The first few episodes start off slow, and that’s probably where most people lose the patience to continue. This drama is a multi-layered revenge story with a lot of colorful characters and raging passion. The acting in this drama is wonderful, a lot due to Kim Nam Gil. He is an actor who can really embody his character and become it, which I enjoy immensely. His character approaches the family that owns Haeshin and proceeds to
mess with them and manipulate them to his advantage. All for revenge
baby!
My only disappointment is the ending. I really feel like they rushed
things and tried to tie up all the ends due to the cut off and I believe
with the extra three episodes that it was originally supposed to have,
it could have been a lot better. I do feel though that there could be a
sequel. But who knows?
Boys over Flowers (꽃보다 남자)- GOOD DRAMA Genre: Romance, comedy
This drama has it's great episodes and some others that are not so
great. But I think it's still a charming drama with some great actors. Funny, stylish, lot of up and down moments, rich people with houses as big as shopping malls! You gotta see it.
Loving You a Thousand Times (천만번 사랑해) - GOOD DRAMA Genre: Romance, melodrama
A story of love,
devotion, and sacrifice. It was a very touching story that told us how a
daughter would go to great lengths to save her father's life, never
thinking of her future. A very unselfish act of a daughter led her to
experience so much pain and heartache, and how it almost cost her life
with a very forgiving husband who loved her that much to even forsake
his family if need be.
A very sad story, but was glad that it did not end tragically. Heartwrenching, yet very moving.
Temptation of an Angel (천사의 유혹) - GOOD DRAMA Genre: Melodrama
This is an intense drama that also has moments that will lighten the mood. Full of twists and turns. It showed
how greed and revenge turns people into. Hiding secrets doesn't help,
like they said, there's no such thing as secrets, because sooner or
later, it will come out.
All in all, if you like dramas full of revenge and romance despite the
fact that it’s highly unrealistic, then this is a drama that you must
watch!
City Hunter (시티헌터) - BAD/GOOD DRAMA Genre: Action, suspense, romance
Started out great and has gone down hill.
"City Hunter" is a strange success story, overrated. It's almost
completely unfaithful to it's source material, had a string of baffling
and includes a number of
well-known Korean drama cliches, plus the exaggerated commercial of a certain brand. Yeah, the story is packed with action, maybe that's what entertained
people, but the fans gushing about the romance, what romance? I think the
main couple kissed ONE time and it was not even a real kiss and then
the lead guy didn't show a lot of interest in the girl, he was too
focused on his mission and then the ending was so ridiculous with no
real indication of what has happened to the main characters.
I would have like to see more about the mother’s life and others, than this
candystore romance between City Hunter and Nana (oh yeah, she
makes great coffee, loves children, does needle point and gives him her
aunt’s kimchi…. hello?)
Portrait of a Beauty (미인도) - GREAT MOVIE Genre: Romance
This is a love story interwoven in a complex context of traditions, family and society. It is beautifully written and presented. Joy, sorrow, happiness and love, sadness,shame and sacrifice all take place here. Casting is great and cinematography is of high quality. It is always a joy to watch such films where sacrifice and innocence play such an important role. Apparently, aspects of the film are based on history. True story or not, this film is real enough in creating a first-class movie experience.
P.S. This movie is NOT for kids, only adults to enjoy!
The Duelist (형사) - GOOD MOVIE Genre: Action | Mystery
Outrageously colorful
and stylized, it's a tale of a girl trained as a sword-fighter who
works as a cop, and a mysterious masked swordsman who may or may not be
in league with a gang who is flooding the country with counterfeit
money. The plot is confusing enough, but it really doesn't matter: it's
just an excuse for some amazing set-pieces involving crowds of
sword-fighters, fighters chasing through markets and dye factories,
barroom brawls and swordplay as foreplay.
The movie is basically an arty martial art/love story with a small
injection of slapstick and a generous sprinkling of comedy and satire,
but above all else it is an extravagant and grandiose feast for the
eyes. The movie doesn't take itself to seriously and neither should the
viewer. Enjoy this film for what it is. Expect nothing, drop all preconceived
notions, and I guarantee you'll have a great time.
Dance of the Dragon - GOOD MOVIE
Genre: Drama | Music | Romance
Country: Singapore | South Korea
Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy receives challenge, boy loses challenge, boy still gets girl.
The film, a furious
interplay of martial arts and ballroom dancing routines decorating the
relatively simple storyline of a love triangle. The cinematography is stunning, the performances
flawless and the music is moving with a
full orchestra. This film is not so much entertaining as enlightening. It’s art-house, pulled off with stunning aplomb.
The Promise (Wu Ji) - GOOD MOVIE Genre: Action | Drama | Fantasy
Country: China | USA | South Korea
It's a love story, if you can't tell by the poster.
A dazzling romantic fairy tale and a
tale of fate as well. It's a matter of taking into one's own
perspective of what this movie was. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love
it. I thought that it was simplistic in it's story, but by no means did I
think the story was horrendous - this film is a fantasy story, plain and simple!
War of the Arrows (최종병기 활) - GREAT MOVIE Genre: Action | History
If you like action movies with a historical flair, then this one is definitely for you. But War of the Arrows is not your typical set battle piece - it is a
superbly realised take on the classical idea of one man, a true hero in
skill and virtue, being chased by a band of elite archers. Once it
starts, it just keeps on going and keeps you on edge for the ride.
Overall a well-made, tense and gripping action movie, a movie which deserves it's
success.
So overall, this drama 
