Alone

One of my absolute favorite horror films is the Thai horror/thriller Shutter… so of course, when I heard the directors had a new film out, I immediately had to hunt it down and download it. And I wasn’t disappointed! Alone is a terrific addition to the horror genre…and another testament of Thailand (and Asia’s) ability to create successful, thrilling horror/ghost films. For me, American movies and remakes just don’t have the ability to scare me like Thai, Japanese, or Korean films do. Honestly, even Hostel seemed tame after trying to stomach Japan’s, Audition.

But again, here, Alone is no exception.

Everything was spot on: the directing, the lighting, the acting, the music, the sound effects—some of the shots themselves were overly creepy, even when there was absolutely nothing supernatural going on—and they couldn’t have chosen a scarier setting. Haunted houses may be overly common in ghost films, but somehow the house in this movie still managed to creep me out! They kept the colors dull and lifeless, and incorporated the use of mirrors/reflections (a horror devise I’m partial to) to create disturbing, haunting images throughout the entirely of the film.

I jumped more times than I could count, and even screamed several times! All the lights were out, and I was alone, so the heightened atmosphere definitely helped send extra chills down my spine. Even now, long after the movie is over, there’s one scene in particular that I’m having trouble erasing from my mind.

However, this movie wasn’t perfect. One thing I really disliked about it was the plot—or to be more precise—the ending.

Honestly, I was okay with the story being fairly typical (the idea of Siamese twins is kind of creepy on its own, after all) and it’s hard to find a completely original horror plot that hasn’t already been done to death. Frankly, I had faith that the directors would do something interesting and surprising with it—so I watched on dutifully, anticipating the ending. And then the “twist” came.

SPOILER

Let’s be realistic: when dealing with this kind of plot, there’s a very obvious “twist” that anyone can guess just from reading the synopsis. So of course I was annoyed when the writers/directors decided to take the movie in that direction. They had such a wonderful set-up and then ruined it with a predictable twist—which IMO is sometimes worse than having no twist at all! I actually wish they had kept the “twist-ending” out altogether and focused their attention on generating more chills for the audience instead. Right towards the end, the scares became few and far between—the actors took the spot-light when it should have remained on the ghost.

END SPOILER

But sadly, no, it wasn’t as good as Shutter.

And yet, despite its flaws, everything that led up to the ending was fantastic: it’s still a cut above the rest, and a wonderful addition to the horror genre. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the directors next project!

My Rating:

Love Phobia

Although this is a typical “romantically sad, depressing” Korean drama, what sets this one apart from the pack, is that it’s good. It takes a familiar, overused plot, and makes it interesting. It boasts a strong story, likable characters, and a romance that is refreshing, unique, and fun. You’ll be weeping tears by the end, and yet, it leaves you with a nice, everything’s-going-to-be-okay, feeling—which is often lacking in these genres.

I really adore love stories where the two main characters have known each other as children. There’s something sweet about the innocence and naivety of youth, and watching as friendship develops into something more. The fact that there was no one else for them, just reinforces the “purity” of their affections, and makes their love story all the more intense and heartbreaking—I really liked the use of that strawberry song, and how him and his dad were singing it the moment he first saw her. It was almost prophetic.

There were so many cute moments in this movie—the shoelace scene was one of the cutest, funniest, saddest things I’ve ever seen and it was so short! And it’s those scenes that eventually make the ending so much more bearable and touching. The actors did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life—you really believe they’ve known each other all their lives. And the directing, music; everything was great. If I could change one thing, it would be the title, lol. There were so many different themes in this film—strawberries, purity, aliens, crop circles—it felt like they could have come up with something that would fit the story a little better.

But other than that… if you’re looking for a depressing love story, then this one won’t disappoint. It manages to add something special to the genre that usually leaves them mediocre and lacking. Still, it’s not a perfect film… but then again, what is?

My Rating:

The Cut / Cadaver

One thing I liked about this movie was the plot and setting: they took a naturally creepy yet common experience for medical students, and made that the center of the haunting. Morgues and autopsies by themselves aren’t very common in horror movies, despite their inherent creepiness. The most we’re usually shown in these settings are corpses rising from the autopsy table when the doctor’s back is turned—rarely does the entire setting revolve around it.

And what better victims to set the story around then a group of innocent, nervous med-students, who are learning how to perform autopsies for the first time? More than anything, it was their lack of experience and uneasiness, that really helped set the tone of the film. After all, autopsies are scary enough, without having to deal with a vengeful ghost thrown into the mix…

And again, I didn’t find the story all that confusing. I guessed who the “killer” was early on, and felt the explanation made perfect sense… well, as far as any plot twist can, considering we’re dealing with horror movies! But I really liked the twist at the end, and found everything very convincing… and the acting was great. The main character was actually the same girl from Capital Scandal, so it was exciting seeing her in another, more modern role. And I felt sad and angry when several of the characters died since I’d quickly grown to like them… so that’s another thing it had going for it. When you want the victims to live, the creepy, hands-over-eyes factor is doubled, and the adrenaline rush is stronger than when you’re cheering and want the ghost to kill them.

Of course, there’s nothing really new in this movie: you won’t watch it and feel like it blew your mind, and changed your very perception of horror movies in general. And most people will be able to guess the twist pretty early on… however, it still succeeds in being entertaining, and it does tell a fairly decent story. I’ve long since learned not to expect much from this genre… if I jump once or twice, and can actually understand the motivations of the characters then I’m happy. But still, there are better horror movies out there… though, on the other hand, there are worse ones too. If you’re bored, and just want a movie with a few chills, and a creepy setting, then this one’s for you.

My Rating:

Capital Scandal (Episode 1-16)

(EPISODE 01-16)

I have a current new obsession and his name is Kang Ji Hwan. To be honest, he’s the main reason I loved this drama to bits: he just became the character he was portraying. I almost thought he really was from the 1920s, and that the director just kinda snatched him and forced him to be in his drama. I can’t even think of another actor who could fit that role as perfectly as KJH. He even won an award for his role in this drama, and trust me, it’s well deserved.

I’m actually a little surprised that I ended up liking this drama as much as I did. I decided to watch it because I had just started watching Kang Ji Hwan’s newest drama, Hong Gil Dong (Korea's take on Robin Hood) and needed something to pass the time while waiting for new episodes to air/be subbed. And of course, the fact that it's based off a Korean novel by the same author as Coffee Prince, didn't hurt either.

Honestly, I would have watched it sooner, but I wasn't sure how good it really was, since I hadn't heard very much about it. Plus, I knew that politics and history were an important aspect of the drama, and political series (especially) are not my cup of tea. However, with Capital Scandal, it's not so much the politics that are the focus, but the characters--it addresses how nationalism, love, and loss influences their individual lives within their Japanese occupied city. It's more about undercover espionage-work, than actual, boring politics, so have no fear! ^_^

And to my surprise and delight, I actually ended up enjoying this series even more than Coffee Prince. CP really was like a cup of coffee… it started out warm and inviting and delicious, but its taste got a little more flat after sitting out too long. Capital Scandal doesn’t have that problem. It doesn’t drag, or extend the story long after its crisis is past: it has a story to tell, and it tells it at its own pace, and ends when it should.

It may be a little slow paced for some, but every scene; every flashback is necessary for the plot, and sets everything up for later on in the series. Of course, for me, I watched the entire 16 episodes in 2 days, so I didn’t feel like it dragged at all. At the end of every episode, I was dying for more!

Again, the acting was phenomenal. The fact that Na Yu Kyung (alternately known as Joo Ma Ja throughout the drama) wears that same black-and-white-hanbok for the entirety of the series, wasn’t enough to take away from my enjoyment of the show. Though I'll admit, it did get old after awhile--so every time she appeared in modern clothing, I was thrilled. I was honestly surprised that she was so pretty... she looked like a completely different person.

But again, everything here was great: the directing, the storytelling, the political angles, the gun fights. I loved it all. And it had an OTP to die for. I LOVED watching super playboy Sun Woo Wan fall for someone so prim and proper like Joo Ma Ja. It was too funny seeing him go into denial mode… and then jealous, angry mode… to overprotective, I-love-you-don’t die mode.

They really are the perfect pair.

So many wonderful things to say about this drama and so few words to say them in… so I guess you’ll just have to trust me and check it out for yourself. But I stand by my claim: this was one of the most underrated series of 2007. It deserves much more love, praise, and attention from fans of Korean dramas. Or, just romances in general. I'd urge you to watch it, even if you don't think it's your normal cup of tea. You may walk away surprised. ;)

My Rating:

Muoi: The Legend of A Portrait

As far as horror movies go, this one was very impressive. The story was well developed, the acting top-notch, and the directing was great. The lighting and music really fit the tone for each scene, and I found myself jumping at quite a few parts. I wouldn’t really say it was that scary, but people who scare easily, or who don’t watch many horror movies will probably find it frightening. It does do a terrific job of reeling the viewers in. And in case you’re curious, the movie it reminds me of the most is The Ring.

On an unrelated note, I like how the story is sort of a count down to the “big event” which just happens to be on January 15^th. And since I watched this on January 14^th, there was an added “creep” factor that I hadn’t counted on when I first started watching it. I’m learning though, that I seem to really like horror movies that have a sort of count-down going on—where everything is leading up to one particular moment or day.

And I was really impressed that the story was so easy to understand. I wasn’t confused or frustrated with the ending—in fact, I was very satisfied. For once, I felt like the ghost had a legitimate reason to be pissed off, and more or less, thought (most) of the victims deserved what they got. It’s very rare for me to finish a movie and actually understand everything that went on—so that’s another thing the film has going for it.

I hope the writer and director team up for another horror project—there aren’t enough really good horror movies out there. What we need are more movies like this one.

My Rating:

Love So Divine

The plot for this movie never really stood out to me... it always reminded me too much of the Korean drama, Love Letter (arguably, one of my least favorite K-dramas). But because of the cast, I gave it a try anyway. After all, it starred Kwon Sang Woo and Ha Ji Won, two favorite actors of mine. (Ha Ji Won in particular, since I adored her in Damo and Duelist.) And because it got such high ratings in Korea during its theatrical release, I figured this version of the story must be better.

...I was wrong.

The main problem I had with this movie was the story and the characters. Frankly, Ha Ji Won’s character is annoying. She’s loud, rude, obnoxious, and portrayed as an outspoken, selfish, god-less foreigner. HJW, to give credit where credit is due, does an excellent job of bringing the character to life--but the character is so unlikeable--the romance so forced, that in the end, the unappealing nature of the female protagonist becomes the movie's ultimate downfall.

Instead of a touching love story about a young man questioning his love and devotion to god after falling in love with a woman—it came across as a story about a young man, destined for the church, who finds himself questioning his future as a Catholic priest when he starts harboring sexual feelings for a woman.

I think that's another major problem I had with this film: the two main characters have nothing in common, and almost all of their shared "moments" are underlined by sexual innuendos. Their "accidental" kiss; all the times he checks her out; taking her to a love motel after she's passed out drunk; staring at her passed out body that's in a compromising position; his obvious embarrassment when she lies out sunbathing. Rather than falling in love with her, it's almost as though he falls in "lust" with her, and rather than making him question his devotion to god, it makes him doubt his ability to remain celibate for the rest of his life. I won't deny that there are non-sexual moments between them... but the problem is, none of them ever really come to fruition. Even when he attempts to do something nice for her (like buy her new shoes) we're never shown him actually giving her the gift; or when he takes her to a baseball game, he doesn't even sit by her, and ends up leaving early.

That's exactly the type of thing this movie didn't need.

The man's a soon-to-be priest: they have all the conflict they need right in the plot. They should have been concentrating less on their surface-attraction for each other, and more on the genuine inner feelings they were experiencing. There was so much great untapped potential here, especially with these actors--but rather than a true love story, we're shown the common "oh no, she's getting back with her ex" plot line. We're shown only sexual cues and awkwardness, and lots of torn-apart-before-we-can-begin angst, but no innocent, romantic build-up.

And he's almost a priest! We need that build-up!!

Truthfully, it seemed like he would have fallen for any woman at that time, especially since it was right before he was about to be ordained. And since the focus was so heavily on the sexual as opposed to the romantic, what else were we supposed to think...?!

On another note, I wonder if I'm the only one
freaked out by the choir song at the wedding. It came out of nowhere, and seemed really out of place: a disturbing Sister-Act rip off, only not nearly as good. At first I thought it was a joke, considering how they'd ridiculed the original choir--but then, after their "performance" the audience actually cheered like crazy--as though they were actually impressed. Just watching it made me uncomfortable and embarrassed, especially after seeing the "I'm too cool" rebel high schoolers cheering right along with the audience. I did not need to see men in long priest robes dancing/prancing strangely out of nowhere, just to reinforce the idea that priests too, can have fun. After all, that’s what the main character’s funny, women-loving friend was for. It just came off as awkward and stupid to me, and didn't fit the rest of the movie at all.

Of course, I’m probably in the minority here. Most people, I’m sure, will adore this—if for no other reason, then the fact that it stars KSW and HJW. In the end though, this film seemed very mediocre and unimpressive to me: it felt like a lot of its potential was lost in the hands of its director and scriptwriter. It could have been amazing--instead, it's a standard romantic comedy, with nothing to set it apart from the rest. And that fact alone, almost made it painful to watch.

My Rating:

Secret

First off, I really want to say that I'm not a huge fan of classical music. I know nothing about Beethoven, Chopin, or any of those other classical composers, and will not go out of my way to listen to any of their musical scores. But wow--this film.

The musical score was intense, beautiful, and haunting. I didn't know classical music could sound like this! In fact, I'm learning that the only time I seem to be able to appreciate this type of music, is when it's portrayed in Asian dramas and movies! Honestly, I would buy this soundtrack. It's that good.

And frankly, I'm envious. I had no idea Jay Chou was that talented! Not only can he play the piano magnificently, sing, and act, but he can also direct: I had trouble believing this was his directorial debut. This film was so well planned out. I really can't say it often enough, just how beautiful this movie was.

The acting was phenomenal, the piano pieces that were chosen always fit the mood and tone of the story. And the directing, again, was amazing. I don't think I'm ever going to get the finale out of my head... it was almost poetic. And all the characters were likable, believable, real. The main couple had excellent chemistry, and seemed to embody the whole notion of love-at-first-sight wonderfully. Not even understanding the situation, I ached for them, and really wanted them to be reunited.

Also, I love how the relationship between the dad and the main character was portrayed. It was awkward, touching, strange, and sad. Even though they are both on film together very rarely, every time they were together, they left a strong impression on me. Hmm... I guess it's kind of hard to explain. You'll probably have to watch the movie to figure out what I'm talking about, lol!

I think one of the main reasons I was so blown away by this movie, was because I really wasn't expecting much going in. I actually thought it was going to be a tear-jerking drama, but it wasn't. And I love the 'secret' at the end. Throughout the entire movie, I thought I had it figured out, and then the AMAZING finale came! I was so happy--I couldn't have wished for a better, more intense ending. That final scene with Jay Chou will forever be stuck in my head. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a more intense, exciting, beautiful way to end a film. I was just blown away the entire time I was watching it.

So yes, I'd definitely recommend this movie. If you're a fan of classical romances, you won't be disappointed. If you're a fan of Jay Chou or his music you won't be disappointed. Or if you just love movies centered around music, classical in particular, you won't be disappointed. And finally, if you like movies where the ending actually manages to surprise and delight you... well, you get the idea. ^_^

Of course, if you hate all that, then steer clear. lol.

My Rating:


(this mv contains MAJOR spoilers!)