Topics such as this, are a great challenge to portrayed; more so when it explored two subjects as daring to come to terms with such a plot line. After seeing this movie I wondered and imagined how the director really struggled with these laborious themes in the way he handled them. This movie has a flawless and clear as day messages.
1) How raw events turned the protagonist so vengeful with a cold-hearted persona but, let's be honest, not all women that goes through this become their own "heroes" like that, if you can even think of them in that term, because the ones that end up committing heinous crimes as revenge, is not as novelists as the movie. Let alone the traumatic after effect in their lives.
2) More so in an environment that struggles to be fair and just in a world of hard conditioning. Where even the police work does come across to be that incompetent, one always wants to believe in just processes. It sure does have a clear statement that in the way most of the times the unfavorable accomplishments of law ends up being so detrimental.
The ending and what leads to it in moments before, was the greatest theatrical closing curtain to it all. Each character from the main lead, antagonist and supporting character were the clear cut and dry statements. Overall was a great experience to watch, and what experience; more so with performances that really were exceptional. Let alone with a movie that surely seemed to have a low budget and yet, manage to capture what was intended to say from start to finish with clearest intentions to the main theme. "어떤 살인" "What Kind of Murder".
This movie is a debute by Yoon Dan Bi, also known as an actress with small roles in dramas like: "Life", "Criminal Minds" and the hit Kdrama "The World of the Married". Which was a quite the drama if I add.
This movie opens up in midst of a move out with a delicate and sour music by Shin Joong Hyun but sang by Lim Ah Young titled 미련 / "lingering regret" / "regret" which encapsulates the movie and their characters captivating the first minutes of the movie. And so by the end of the movie credits, the same song is sang by Kim Choo Ja as it gives the movie a different tone and feeling. Everything in this movie flows very methodical and slow, as it's intended with this type of written scripts. Which doesn't take away the importance of the movie more so for viwers that appreciate a movie such as this, particularly when a movie like this represents the normal life of a family that moves out of a place that once was called home.
If you are one of these potential viewers that in your life you've experience moving out a place to another while figuring how your life will turn out while growing up. This movie will make you feel relatable but nostalgic to the core. Feeling familiarities while watching how these ordinary family goes with their life while moving on and moving in has been portrayed, will make you think when you wheren in similar situation. Will feel personal. This movie opened up many memories when I was a kid, experiences and moments in my life while I was always moving from place to place and never settling into anywhere way after I've grown up.
The movie sure is an experience, that will be cherished more for those who have gone trough this somewhat similar process, in some personal way while watching this movie. Knowing that being in the early stages of life, not having a permanent place, creates character trough this typical process of life. This movie perhaps will not be for everyone, but atleast if you care to see it, give yourself a change to appreciate this simplistic and humbled work from what Yoon Dan Bi did here. Because is worth the mention and recommendation.
Dearest is one of the movies, which are as gut wrenching and emotionally as realistically driven as it was about a true story. Even though the material is as sensitive of a topic as it can get. So it shows, the work put into this material ensues all over the screen with real raw care, performances and not only of those true events, but with actors and actresses that embodied the real life persona of the ones that did get involved. Equally how the direction and the script also exposed dilemmas of politics, economy and policies which were told greatly intertwine with the plot not taking from it, but rather, adding to a well exposure to the big dilemma China encounters himself and those around it.
As the director himself, Peter Ho Sun Chan intended and succeeded. Creating an atmosphere all throughout. When it comes to the script, It goes to show how prepared this material was. More so in the second half for how things might end. It sure was an experience, all due to how the movie's atmospheric tone shifted to go hand in hand with the first half and second half of the movie giving two perspectives of this awful and agonizing event. The ending was so raw, that the whole take away from watching the movie in conclusion made it have that firm posture of what life is for many people and these events and their final outcomes.
This movie was quite surprisingly a good 123 minutes of an action crime drama involving a detective in chase of a case regarding the biggest drug ring in South Korea. I could add it has his small bits of comedy, but the movie doesn't rely on it. The movie start in the middle of things that where in motion way before the knowledge of the viewer, meaning that as soon as the movie starts things are already in motion and happening while at the same time you get to catch up on what is really going regarding previous acurances. The plot move fast and to the point.
This movie has an big ensemble. But there is this one actress that call my attention, is an actress that has a somewhat of a semi minor role in this movie, the fact that if you do not know her from previous work/movies you wouldn't recognize her at all. Is Lee Joo Young. I saw her on the first Korean drama I watched called "Live" and a movie called "Miss Beak". Reminded me of these two actresses that I seen so far that have change not only the way they look but the way they carry themselves, actresses like Kim Hye Soo, in "Coin Locker Girl" and Son Ye Jin, in "The Truth Beneath".
There is a saying that even you might be oblivious to it or don't know that these things happen at a moment notice. Doesn't mean whether knowing still, one can fall into the scam.
This movie managed to mystified this horrible idea into a thrilling cat and mouse chase. Making us feel that what we watch is more scary and realistic. Even though it was showcased dramatically for shock value, knowing how very formulaic the structure of the plot went on.
But despite knowing the beat of this dramatic thrilling drum, that this plot beats onwards; the movie did not fall short of shocking value in this horrific presentation. By being in the shoes of this woman's desperation to report the scam, survive it while continuing to live by trying with her normal life. Again, a real dilemma that most people falling into scamming tries to do while surviving the loss of money.
Here is where the protagonists did a tremendous job on her delivered characteristic. Being chased through this awfully unfortunate events while watching the notion of this reality is in your thoughts constantly. We see the life changing reprecutions being played and portrait as real as possible can be interpreted in this movie.
Even though the movie feels over dramatized, in the very obvious ways of how movies develop plots, it does whole weight due to those realistic true events occurring facts alone. As such, this movie managed to interpret something with truth in it feeling like a sign of warnings to be mindful and careful in real life when it comes to this.
This movie has a crazy premise, utilizing several themes in one plot. From the comedic factor, complementing well with nice used of it in specific moments but in others feeling quite errie giving the situation and what the movie presents from the ilemma the main protagonist is in.
This great suspenseful thrilling crescendo enters into play from the perspective of the detectives and what comes from it, creating its intended atmospheric sense with the supernatural. Making it the comedy factor that was part of the takeaway in regards to how the main protagonists felt dealing with his mental state as to how long he has been doing these crimes.
The world building was there and I would have liked to see more of it in regards of what was presented, but the main focus was streamlined into just this main protagonist and his accomplice which created a great dynamic duo.
While going along with the movie, I saw that A Gu expresses her likness for this contract killer like he is the preferred person of hers, but never in the movie was shown any others. It gave a sense that there were more but never exposed.
The most outstanding aspect of the movie was the presentation of each set used for each scene. The lighting was super and very attractive and vibrant. This movie took me by surprise non the less.
Stellar movie the same King’s story in the same decade of 1442 trough the completion of this King’s desire for his country to be fully autonomous from Ming's dynasty which was a decade for this King battle and the worst war when even his own subjects plot against his ruling. The thing that fascinated me the most about this other movie, that it feels a well cohesive continues telling and have the same flow as the previous movie “The King’s Letters” which in that one only focuses on how the King fought internally to keep a secret the opportunity to create a dream that decades later became a reality.
And here is where this movie “Forbidden Dream” feels like a culmination which entangled the same history as a one cohesive thread with a distinct plot showcased with his desire to study the stars and learn trough astronomy. Which if you followed this movie already previously watching “The King’s Letters” one became the most important for his cultural history which was presented in “The King’s Letters”.
Even though this movie dint had the same actors, which the most important actor would be the same one who acted as the King in the previous movie “The King’s Letters” that dint make this movie feel oddly off or incoherent based on that simple different, knowing that it was made from different director and written, the outstanding essence of this King storyline feels unaltered from the other movie which like I say feels like a well continuation from it. Both are a must watch for people that are into history and the cultures.
This romantic contemporary tale, explore a quite few shocking topics that are the realities lived by some or most citizens that take advantage of a social system for good, bad or because there is no other choice but to deal with such situations to obtain the consequential outcome that has been pursued in that way. Here both topics are being explore trough the eyes and mind of a woman's perspective, which feels as her personality is. This movie explored how difficult this unfortunate environments cause a fake love romantic endorsement. While at the same time, expectations are made out of such circumstances and uncertainties of and by life choices. The movie also explore and incredible social and economy issue study with these characters, which affect in a personal and psychological way each of the couples and more the female protagonist when you feel her reaction to a phone call at the end. Where stoic-pragmatic personality affects a prolong life relationship which could be a great experience. With topics such as stagnation, lost in translations and misunderstandings. The backdrop of this movie I found it very interesting as important after watching the movie and understanding the whole picture of what the movie said and where it said it. Which was in Mong Kok, at Golden Plaza; a significant location for the story for its message. Being a great compensator with what the story previously and continuously kept alluding to with its main plot.
I am impressed with this film so much.
“Real gangsters like us hear people call us trash.” “And those who can’t act at all hear people call them real actors.” “Regular guys are the main characters of this world”.
I dint expect this movie to have this kind of philosophy like this, when you see the real meaning portrayed with these dialogs representing what the whole movie is meant to show and tell becoming more apparent at the end of its final scene. Felling that it has more to tell when you study each character. A gangster that sees his life become a joke, while trying to play an actor, but understanding at the end that his life is what it is. While an actor changes and matures understanding the truth, become a real man, not which is more important than being and looking like a real actor, taking responsibilities of his actions knowing what is real and what is worth in life and more so by the end. This film did give that to us, with a plot that felt more of a social criticism to that already well known inside world issue of actors and actress and regular people trying to be what they are not when hiding behind something is not even apparent for each respect person.
This film was fascinating for many reasons.
The movie has a fallow up history that surround itself into a true political struggle incorporate into the main plot has a secondary sub plot know in the dialog and some scenes of the character in 1979 (the past) from the female lead. Which did happen and a bit earlier since 1960s and the corruption of politic powers that want it to be maintain. If you do a research about the May 18 and the “Democracy Uprising” of the early decades since 1960s all up until where the movie sets itself in 1979. Then you’ll have a based understanding as to what they speak about and some scenes of what they referred about. (watch “The President’s Last Bang”-2005 for more reference of these particular decade).
In the meantime, the movie keeps the historical true political plot interwoven with the main one, but not overshadow it, since the movie goes through the main female lead motions and feelings of what is the future and the wonders of a world she doesn’t know while growing up and maturing in her world while finding out not only the history she lives in but her plot with this secondary male lead. Here is where the plot expands itself between these two and how the connections from the past changed the future for those who are known as “lost generation” and the sacrifices made for those in the future. Great outstanding movie, which felt like a love letter to the history of generations interpreted with these two characters stories.
Side note: Movies like... The President’s Last Bang, The Old Garden, The Attorney, A Taxi Driver, 1987 When the Day Comes. Are all movies that becomes a fallow up to these decades of subjugation and struggle with points of views from what many of the people that where there, saw and lived through.
When films have a moral story which often most films do convey lesson to be learn and so forth, this movie sets it very literal. More so to be said with a title like that with a plot that surrounds us viewers with two kids as the main driving exposure to this town dilemma the film showcase. A family together comes back home to Goseong with their son, local girl whose present is branded daily by something that happened which she has to carry the burden.
With this two premises is where the movie encapsules these two kids in a drama with a plot that is very unexplained, having the movie make you put two and two together which is respectable to all viewers and more so for those who are avid thinkers plot solvers when films are made in such ways, which are open for interpretation when it comes to it and more so at the end of the story.
When Innocence has been defaulted by associations and those who are lacking to help or do something about, often felt incompetent to act accordingly. When help is finally at hand but once again innocence is struck by unfortunate events, once more the dilemma presents itself to let itself known this two kids and their lives, are at stray.
Fascinating film retailing a piece of history that change inside the court room where Korea finally started adding jurors to court rooms starting January 7 2008. Here is when the movie opens up retelling a true story and events even though the movie diverge from aspect that could accoured inside the court room from perhaps obvious reasons to make the movie more inticing to watch which converts the film actually quite entertaining to fallow as this typical ordinary case turns into a story of its own. But the true core events and story is there.
One of the things that was really fascinating to see in this movie was the characters themselfs, such ordinary fellows but yet complex; because from juror one trough eight you can see each have a personality from the way everyone was dressed, the wardrobe was a key to showcase from a glance the difference of each. The way they acted and their hand gestures, no character felt the same. The one for me that stole the show was Moon So-Ri, (Judge) she is in charge with the case, the way this actress manage to act by maintain a proper diligent and poised personality above all the pressure of a Judge with a heavy burden to carry out the job without a flaw was truly a captivating perdormance. They all did a super job here. Truly a must see.
This movie is smart, smart in delivering thoughts with a vision embedded as this dilemma that even though it is simple to wrap yourself around, needless to say it's still does it with a well crafted script with performances that are beyond captivating. Which is not only the essential part of what this film is, sharing an unforgettable journey with its characters just because this movie last two hours, two hours of complexity of a material that is surrounded by a political theme which by itself is complex enough to induce the worrisome seance of what was shown in the film trough every one of its characters, presenting a message of a real issue which is surround itself in 1987.
"Who stands guard..." Small quote that struck a powerful meaning outlining the whole movie from the start and in a particular turning point from the half hour of its run from the two hours of it all. When the powerful, week and those in between falling into each side of conflicts. The movie never leaves you uninterested of what will happen next, since it has this small investigative thrill by then falling into what the movie does take you, the pourpuse of it all, it's personal matters.
The movie fallows the life of this couple played by Park Hae Joon and Lee Young Ae and their tiresome and heavy lingering relashionship with each other and the issue in which they live in as the wife who is the main protagonist of the movie lingers her sorrow in both worlds, present and past. All this feelings and tangled emotions are defined by their son abduction, which is the main plot driven fule for the mother to never loose hope as she keep not letting him go. And a rapid understanding from the first minutes of the movie. When other movies based on issues like this in a court of law, this movie takes a different approach.
The way this movie is structure is like just another movie of this types of issues that happens in the world, which is one of the things perhaps many people will not like to see reflected in this movie. The movie is hard to fallow, just because one aspect of it, performance. Everybody in this movie perform their roles so well, that you really feel distasteful towards such actors and actresses because how each one of them carry themselves embodying their characters persona, and so one of the main interesting plot recurrent organic developments, is how the movie goes along with this two major occurrences in which leads the mother to where the plots sets her in, being quite revealing and shocking.
They way she carried herself, is quite reflective on how this movie keeps its paste and ends as well. She embodies two dilemmas in which are one in the same when true justice is held by once own hands and the other dilemma which is when nothing seems right and your world collapse in your shoulders making you feel so bad that guilt and sorrow is just another part of you. The ending is reflective with hope and hopelessness of to the plot itself. Movie shines with a great casting, great interpreted performances but not a movie for everybody. Just because subject matter.
