Patrik, Age 1.5 (2008 Film)

Monday, April 30, 2012 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I’d never seen a Swedish film before, but with all their talent in music (they’ve got insanely talented producers), I was (reservedly) sure that their film wouldn’t disappoint much—and I was quite right. This was a fun watch!


“Think homophobia, man crushes, and testosterone on emotions...” (Okay, maybe it’s not as dramatic as that, but it comes close.) 


The Rundown
Behind the name: A very good summary of the plot
Country: Sweden, 2008
 Genre: Drama, Comedy infused
Director: Ella Lemhagen
Cast: Gustaf Skarsgård (as Göran Skoogh), Torkel Petersson (as Sven Skoogh), Tom Ljungman (as Patrik), Annika Hallin (as Eva), Amanda Davin (as Isabell)
Compare to: Brokeback Mountain (Only because of the common theme), Reinas, The Wedding Banquet
Hate it or Love it?  Love it  

Synopsis in a Sentence: Patrik, age 15, gets adopted by a gay couple (who really thought he’d be 1.5 years old — thanks to a typo on his adoption papers) and as you can guess; the teenager is a homophobic criminal.
           

On Writing: The Plot

It’s quite good. Actually it’s really good. Quite well written, and although it has its cliché moments, it’s not too cliché (Although, if you’re a seasoned film junkie, you can guess how some scenes would play out before the actors act them out). Then again, can you really blame moviemakers and scriptwriters for writing a story that warms the heart?
(4/5)


On Acting: The Cast






Torkel Petersson (as Sven Skoogh)


Good actors. Gosh they do the film justice. They’re natural together, and one hardly overpowers the other. Say hello to the 3-man main cast:

Tom Ljungman (Patrik)

 
Gustaf Skarsgård (as Göran Skoogh)


Probably the first film you’ve seen without a female lead…

(4/5)



On Production: The Creativity

Production is good, lending dramatic construction to the dramatic parts, and infusing comedic stances when necessary. The production didn’t overpower anything else.
 (3.5/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
Awwww shcuks!

(4/5)


The Verdict: I really, really liked this film. It was one good foreign film that didn’t (for once) reek of “foreign” production. An all round good one!  


Overall Score = 15.5/20 







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Secret (2007 Film)

Thursday, March 22, 2012 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

After hyped recommendations urging me to see Secret, I expected it to fall flat on its face. But it didn’t…


“A subtle thriller infused with romance and psychological drama.”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Full Chinese translation—The Secret That Cannot Be Told
Country: Taiwan, 2007
 Genre: Romance
Distributed by: EDKO Film
Director: Jay Chou
Cast: Jay Chou (as Ye Xianglun), Kwai Lun-mei (as Lu Xiaoyu ), Anthony Wong, (as Xianglun's father), Alice Tzeng (Qing Yi)
Compare to: Twilight?
Hate it or Love it? Love it

Synopsis in a Sentence: A musically talented high school student meets the girl of his dreams on the first day of school, but he cannot seem to get a hold of her, and neither can anyone else.
           

On Writing: The Plot
Simple, intriguing, and striking are three words that come to mind after seeing Secret, and the plot mirrors the feeling. It is indeed a simple story, laden with intrigue and the subtle elements of thriller. It heavily implies the employments of Shakespearian antics, coupled with the teenage angst of Twilight, yet Secret merges both plots in original fashion, but these are simply interesting comparisons that fail to underscore the plot of Secret.
The plot itself has more of a story than that portrayed in Twilight (the film) and less family feuds than that of Romeo and Juliet. It has a plot of its own—one worth seeing for yourself.
 (4/5)

On Acting: The Cast
It’s all subtle, implied, and clever, and so is its cast.
 Jay Chou (the Chinese from Green Hornet), played the lead role, and also directed and wrote the film. He should be praised for his superstar powers in producing it. 
His co-star,Kwai Lun-mei relays a performance to par. Supporting actors did well. All together good.
 (4/5)

On Production: The Creativity
As with the plot and the performance, it was clear that care was taken to relay the feeling we experience through out the film. Again, hats off to Jay Chou on this directorial debut. It is one that may be envied by experienced directors and actors alike.
 (4/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
Wow. It ends with a bang! ...Well, a blast more like. You may have to watch the end twice to grasp its substance.
 (4/5)

The Verdict: Subtle sparks and then a full blown fire — a light thriller infused with romance and drama. Well done.

Overall Score = 16/20 


 






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Maria Full of Grace (2004 Film)

Friday, February 24, 2012 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this one, but as I’d not seen a Columbian production, I picked it up. And I was surprised beyond my expectations.



“María Álvarez: How many times have you done this?
Lucy Díaz: Two.
María Álvarez: How did it go?
Lucy Díaz: Still here.

The Rundown
Behind the name: Original Title—María llena eres de gracia. Title is a triple entendre- Reference to Mary, mother of Jesus, “grace” refers to slang for heroin, and may also be the name of the character’s unborn child.
Country: Columbia, USA, 2004
 Genre: Drama
Distributed by: Fine Line Features
Director: Joshua Marston
                  Cast: Catalina Sandino Moreno (as María Álvarez), Virginia Ariza (as Juana), Yenny Paola Vega (as Blanca), Guilied Lopez (as Lucy Díaz), Patricia Rae (as Carla), Rodrigo Sánchez Borhorquez (as the supervisor), Charles Albert Patiño (as Felipe), Wilson Guerrero (as Juan), John Álex Toro (as Franklin).
                  Compare to: Traffic (2000), Sweet Sixteen (2002), Sangre de Mi Sangre (2007)
Hate it or Love it?  Love it.

Synopsis in a Sentence: A 17 year-old girl gets pregnant and is under pressure from her family and work: she meets a guy who links her up with the drug trade, and she tries her luck by attempting to traffic illegal drugs to the US by swallowing pellets of drugs—how far will her luck go?
           
Winner of numerous well-deserved awards, Maria Full of Grace tells the story of an underage girl who gets involved in the drug-trade to support her family and deal with her pregnancy. The story was so well told, and received, that it grossed over four times its budget in the box office!

On Writing: The Plot
A really, really good plot. Very vivid, very interesting and insightful. The story progresses and gets better with every minute. You feel the characters, progress with the plot, and appreciate the narrative. It’s a really good story very well told. *Can’t go on for risk of gushing out on the whole story. Don’t be lazy. Watch it*
(4.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast 
A great cast. Simple, authentic and genuine.
Moreno
Vega 
Lopez
 Catalina Sandino Moreno plays María Álvarez as close to perfect as possible, and earned herself — one of only 3 Hispanic actresses to achieve one — a well-deserved Oscar® nomination in the process. 
Supporting actresses Yenny Paola Vega (Blanca) and Guilied Lopez (Lucy) also present notable performances. A great cast of characters skillfully played out.

 (4/5)





On Production: The Creativity
A good production: simple and stark. Its shots that relay the state of the movie and its characters quite well.  
(3.5/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
The resolution. It is one to remember. It’s a good conclusion, wrapped with intelligence, realism, and meaning. A very good conclusion.
(4.5/5)


The Verdict: A gut-wrenching ride. A great movie. Do see!

Overall Score = 16.5/20 

 






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Review: Vivah (2006 Film)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a traditional Bollywood film, and Vivah was a breath of fresh air.  



“Vivah: A Journey from Engagement to Marriage tells the story the perfect arranged marriage.” 


The Rundown

Behind the name: Direct translation- Marriage
Country: India, 2006
 Genre: Drama, Romance
Film Industry: Bollywood, 2006
Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya
Cast: Shahid Kapoor (as Prem ), Amrita Rao (as Poonam), Alok Nath ( as Krishna) Seema Biswas (as Rama), Amrita Prakash (as Rajni "Choti").
Contrast with: What Happens in Vegas
Hate it or Love it?  Enjoy it.  

Synopsis in a Sentence: A man and a woman get paired up in an arranged marriage, they fall in love,oti")..

Vivah is based on a newspaper article published in 1988. And with a plot recreated for the 21st century, the film includes modern-traditional Hindi music and good actors. Put together, this may account for the 22.2 million rupees the movie grossed in just seven weeks!

On Writing: The Plot

 This is essentially a story of the perfect arranged marriage; on the events that lead to the tradition of arranged marriages in India, and on, well love… at first sight. It’s a good one to see, especially by those who haven’t been exposed to the custom of arranged marriages.
The story may seem to drag on at first, with little conflict or drama, and then BAM! The tragedy strikes and the film leaves you with one of the following reactions:
1) Wow, how sweet. Bravoooo!
2) How sad. Nice. But that will never happen in real life!  
Decide which reaction you think you will get, then watch Vivah and see which one of them you actually get.
(3/5)

On Acting: The Cast
It’s a good cast. It’s good chemistry between the lead actors, 

Shahid Kapoor (Prem), and 
Amrita Rao (Poonam). 

You feel the kindness of a fatherly figure, Krishnakant "Chacha" (Alok Nath), and the playful youthfulness of a younger sister in wedding season.
The music’s of worthy note also, highlighting important events in the plot, and embedding it with effects and action.
(3.5/5)


On Wardrobe: The Fashion
There are many memorable pieces in this one. It’s about a wedding so expect extravagant garb and expensive jewellery. You might want to get a sari after seeing all the nice ones modelled by Amrita Rao or steal some of the clothes worn by Shahid Kapoor (designed by Shabina Khan).
There was also a good blend of Western and Asian apparel based on the event. Overall, the wardrobe looked good.
(4/5)                                             


On Resolution: The Conclusion

Some may call Vivah a slow film, others may describe its plot as uninteresting, some may think it is unrealistic or overly sentimental, and some may even find it excellent, but it cannot be argued that it is entertaining.
Vivah seemed to save the best parts of its plot for last, and all the real drama comes near the end of the movie. Just as the couple is about to live “happily ever after,” the theme of “conflict in romance,” native to most Hindi films, is present again. Bollywood films are particularly criticised for their longevity, and the slow progression of its plots, and Vivah is no exception, but when all is said and done, it’s a good film.
(4/5)

The Verdict: Recommended especially to those who would like to explore the world of arranged marriages in South-East Asia.   

Overall Score = 14.5/20 

 

 



Watch Vivah [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9upjxi7_lk]

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Cyrano Agency (2010 Film)

Monday, November 14, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I wanted a break off all things else—a break off your regular, run off the mill “foreign film,” and despite the plethora of South Korean dramas I’ve seen, I picked up this one because of it’s story line…  



“A bit of an Asian take on “Hitch” — based on a 19th century French play — with a South Korean twist.”

The Rundown
Behind the name: A reference to Cyrano de Bergerac, a play by Edmond Rostand
Country: South Korea, 2010
 Genre: Romantic Comedy
Director: Hyeon-seok Kim
Cast: Uhm Tae-woong (as Byeong-hoon), Lee Min Jeong (as Hee-joong), Choi Daniel (as Sang-yong), (Park Shin-hye as Min-yeong)
Compare to: Hitch
Hate it or Love it?  Luv it  

Synopsis in a Sentence: A matchmaking agency tries to help guys get girls, but what happens when the joke’s on the matchmaker?
           
It starts quite interestingly enough, drawing your interest throughout the film, there are a few great LoL moments, but generally, it lacks the BANG that would make you love it.
On Writing: The Plot
It’s interesting, eventful, all for your entertainment. There are a few scenes that are slightly implausible, but if you’re entertained, why bother with the details?
(4/5)

On Acting: The Cast
A great cast. Many fans expressed a bit more interest in the actors than the actual movie (for better or worse) besides that, their performances were great. There’s:


 U+21FD.gif Uhm Tae-woong, younger brother of famous singer/actress Uhm Jung-hwa. He plays Byeong-hoon, the “Agency Director,” if you could call it that. A great performance—he personified his character well.






 Lee Min-Jeong plays as Hee-joong, the “hot girl” in the movie. (You might remember her as “Monkey” from Boys Over Flowers) She’s great here. Really good.  File:U+21FE.gif 


Choi Daniel plays Sang-yong, the guy who needs help in his love life. He plays the clueless guy quite well—borders annoying idiot. If he really isn’t one, he’s really good. File:U+21FE.gif 

 U+21FD.gif Park Shin-hye is Min-yeong in this movie. In You're Beautiful. she plays the boy who’s actually a girl. She’s great here also. Her performance in some of the best laugh-out-loud moments of the film is excellent. She’s one talented actress!
(4/5)

On Production:
Good. The tone of the comedy seemed to be intended as dry humour. I have a feeling South Korea hasn’t used a lot of dry humour in its productions. It didn’t suck.
 (3/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
As you’d not expect in your regular everyday movies, but as you’d expect for a South Korean production, the ending was resolved. I won’t give out too much, but the ending rests between Hitch and Edmund Rostand’s play.
(3/5)

The Verdict: Something out of the ordinary for a South Korean romantic comedy: a good production.

Overall Score = 14/20 










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Review: Summer Storm (2004 Film)

Monday, October 24, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I wanted a modern, authentic, German film, and I think I got it.  



“First Lines:
Tobi: She said, I don't mind!
Achim: Those very words. Now chill, I have to keep at 140..”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Original title — Summerstrum
Country: Germany, 2004
 Genre: Drama, Coming-of-age
Distributor: Regent Releasing, X Verleih AG
Directed By: Marco Kreuzpaintner
Cast: Robert Stadlober (as Tobi), Kostja Ullmann (as Achim), Jürgen Tonkel (as Hansi), Miriam Morgenstern (as Sandra), Alicja Bachleda (as Anke/as Alicja Bachleda-Curus), Angelika Brennfleck (as Thea).
Compare to: Get Real (1998), Edge of Seventeen (1998), Come Undone (2000)
Hate it or Love it?  Enjoy it  

Synopsis in a Sentence: Two teenage guys who belong to the local rowing club have been best friends forever, and they do everything together: they’ve got the standard teenage lives, with girlfriends to match, but as they get closer, one begins to develop feelings a bit more than friendship…
           

On Writing: The Plot
The storyline is interesting. It’s written and produced well, carrying a sensitive subject in a realistic, yet wistful manner. With just enough of everything to keep you interested until the end. The delicacy of youth is highlighted in the plot, and the feelings of joy, happiness, and nostalgia is written into the storyline. The characters are lively and interesting to watch, the emotions that come with the story are handled skilfully and without (excessive) clichés. It’s a slightly controversial topic, but handled properly through this plot. Beware of nudity and sexual content though.
 (4/5)

On Acting: The Cast
With captivating characters, the performance is not bad: Quite good actually. There are many interesting characters that will keep you hooked on the storyline. A good cast. Great teamwork altogether.

Robert Stadlober
Kostja Ullman

Actors, Robert Stadlober (who plays Tobi), and Kostja Ullmann  ( who plays Achim) more or less make the movie. Their performances draw you in, and if nothing else, allow you to linger on the mystery of their characters. 

(3/5)

On Production:
The production is good. Done properly. The shots are beautiful and symbolic. In fact, better than you’d think, if you actually think about it. There are some great shots, nice symbolism; everything is implied with the way this film is produced. Production is done with talent and creativity.
 (4/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
Quite good. Many things make this film good, and the resolution is one of them. Akin to the plot, the resolution remains real, not clichéd, but yet emotional and meaningful. A good one.
(4/5)

The Verdict: It’s a good watch. There’s more to this film that meets the eye, and it’s well done.

Overall Score = 15 /20 



 




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