Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts

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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Review: I Am Sam (2007 TV Series)

Thursday, September 29, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

This one’s fun, interesting and, quite honestly, you’ll never see the end coming!

“Remember those school days you hated and loved at the same time? I am Sam brings back those days through an interesting set of characters while inspiring you to dream and achieve. Shall we take a trip back to high school?”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Direct translation = I am your teacher (Also known as: “Not in the Textbook” and “Private Lesson”)    
Country: South Korea, 2007
 Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Broadcast by: Korean Broadcasting System 2 (KBS2), 2007
Director: Producer: Kim Jung Kyu
                  Cast: Yang Dong Geun (Jang Isan) Park Min Young (Yu Eunbyeol)
                   Choi Seung-Hung/ T.O.P (Chae Musin) Son Tae Young (Shin Soi) Lee Min-   Ho (Heo Moses)
Compare to: (I’ll have to think about this one…)
Hate it or Love it? Somewhere in between  

Synopsis in a Sentence: A gangster’s daughter needs additional attention to get through high school, so her father hires a private tutor and buys a house for them to live in; the tutor (who is also her high-school teacher) is now put in a weird position between managing the worst kids in school and keeping the gangster’s daughter out of trouble.

It starts well. You get a feel for the characters, learn about their situations, and even laugh at loud at the naiveté of the characters. You’ll empathize with their shortcomings as you anticipate the progression of the series, but then, how do I put this? It’s not a bad series at all, but the end just kills it.
On Writing: The Plot
            Not bad. Some parts make you laugh, you get the feel for “public school” life in South Korea, you feel the love and growth of the characters, you get inspired by the impact of a great teacher on his students, you laugh at the stupidity of the characters, you understand the power of good friendship, e.t.c, e.t.c.
At a certain point, you’ll feel as though you’re part of “Homeroom 8” (the name of the class), you’ll be reminded of the value of formal education, and you’ll be inspired to dream big. If anything, that’s not bad writing.
 (3.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast
 A good one.  
 <- Park Min Young (Yu Eun-Byul) established herself as an actress with I am Sam. Her portrayal of Yu Eun-Byul brought you a bit closer to the meaning of the series. 
Of noteworthy performance are Park Chae Kyung, who portrayed Min Sa-Gang &  Choi Seung-Hyun (T.O.P of Big Bang), who portrayed Chae Musin. Both characters brought to light the difficulties faced by the students of “Homeroom 8” (otherwise known as the deviant youth of society).
<- Yang Dong-Geun (Jang Yi San) played the role of the great teacher quite well. Though his character was timid and fundamentally annoying, he was able to highlight the passion of an inspiring mentor to his students. Lee Min-Ho also highlighted the playfulness of Moses’ jovial character quite well. I can imagine that his performance in I am Sam established the beginning of his (then) mini fan base.
(3.5/5)

On Wardrobe: The Fashion
Not much to talk about here. Nothing came across as strikingly off-the-wall or even remotely inspiring, probably because most of the wardrobes just school uniform. One thing to mention though, as we’re on wardrobe—you’ll get to see T.O.P cross-dress as a woman at the end of the series. Not particularly inspiring, but laughable.
 (2.5/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
The romance was starved throughout the series. Talk about inappropriate relationships! We understand the desire to create an off beat, we-can-try-to-make-it-work relationship in a “romantic comedy,” but a romantic relationship between a teacher and student is just plain creepy! (And honestly, improper, especially as she’s a minor). There was absolutely no chemistry between Yu Eun-Byul (Park Min Young) and Jang Yi San (Yang Dong-Geun), and the slightest likelihood for romance between them was killed by the pairing — Dong-Geun and Min-Young? Really?
If the genre was supposed to be a “romantic comedy,” we were made to forget the “romance” part of it. What type of romantic comedy has no romantic pairings? The most likely pairing for romance got killed 3/4ths into it. We would have loved to see Musin (T.O.P) and Eun-Byul pair up or better yet, a love triangle between Musin (T.O.P), Moses (Lee Min-Ho) and Eun-Byul (Park Min-Young), but that didn’t happen. I mean, what’s a high-school comedy/romance series without quirky romance and love triangles? Seriously!
(2.5/5)

The Verdict: Please, lay off the creepy, inappropriate relationships; otherwise, it’s good fun to remember just how "fun" learning can be with the right teacher, and at the same time, watch young stars like T.O.P and Lee Min-Ho perform in one of their earliest work.
Overall Score = 12/20 

Watch I Am Sam [http://www.mysoju.com/i-am-sam/] 











Park Chae Kyung                                                               Lee Min Ho


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Review: The First Shop of Coffee Prince (2007 TV Series)

Sunday, July 31, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I’d heard a lot about Coffee Prince before I finally saw it, and I understood what the fuss was all about after I saw it.  

      Coffee Prince is undoubtedly a staple for modern Korean culture. (Anyone who knows anything about K-entertainment: If you’re a fan of K-dramas and K-entertainment, you must have already seen Coffee Prince. This is not to state that this series defines Korean culture, because it doesn’t. Rather Coffee Prince has come to be known as a modern sensation, re-defining K-entertainment before series like Boys Before Flowers and IRIS even saw the light of day. 


“A pioneer to modern love stories hinting on progressive views on homosexuality in Asia.”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Also known as Coffee Prince. Based on a book.
Country: South Korea, 2007
 Genre: Romantic Comedy
Broadcast by: Munhwa Broadcasting Company (MBC)
Director: Lee Yoon Jung
                  Cast: Yoon Eun Hye (as Go Eun-Chan), Gong Yoo (as Choi Han-Kyul), Lee Sun-Gyun (as Choi Han-Sung), Chae Jung-Ahn (as Han Yoo-Joo), Kim Dong-Wook (as Jin Ha Rim), Kim Chang-Wan (Hong Gae Sik), Lee Eon (Hwang Min Yeop), Han Yeh In (as Go Eun Sae) Kim Jae-Wook (as No Sun-Ki).
Compare to: Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Personal Preference
Hate it or Love it?  Love it!

Synopsis in a Sentence: Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, problem is boy thinks girl is a boy, which makes him… *gasp* gay?!
           
Coffee Prince attracted about 30% of the South Korean viewing population, was aired in 11 countries including Singapore, Israel, Peru, and Zimbabwe, and is used by the Korean government to promote tourism in the country — Now you know a series has made it big when foreign fans flock into a country simply to experience the feeling the series left them with.

On Writing: The Plot
Think love: fun, unconditional, real love. But it’s not a love story you’ve seen or read before. The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince is unique and original and works its magic while slowly opening up the minds of its viewers to a topic seldom touched in Asian entertainment — homosexuality — well, sort of. Coffee Prince does its thing by touching on the delicate topic of homosexuality without anyone in the series actually being homosexual. Like in Personal Preference, the topic is addressed, but mildly evaded.
However Coffee Prince deserves acclaim for being ahead of its time within that cultural space. The first film to directly address homosexuality in South Korea was not released until late 2009. This one was three years ahead. Overall, the writing is very good. It’s a love story true to its core, and you’ll find yourself sharing the love.
And there’ a fair bit of coffee loving too.
(4/5)

On Acting: The Cast
There’s nothing like a good cast, and this one was good no…great! The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince boasted with the talent of:

Yoon Eun Hye, our lead actress who plays Go Eun-Chan. She’s the star of this series, skillfully highlighting the essence of a true tomboy. And she looked like one too! Judge for yourself.   ↵ See pic. 








Gong Yoo, our lead male portrays Choi Han-Kyul, the carefree thirty-year old pampered by wealth. He plays the doting boyfriend very well, and though I might find that portrayal quite annoying, you just may find it effortlessly charming.

* Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo won the MBC favorite on-screen couple award for 2007. Both actors also won numerous awards for their roles in Coffee Prince.




Lee Sun-Gyun, who plays Choi Han-Sung, is a talented music producer and

Chae Jung-Ahn plays Han Yoo-Joo, the independent woman who can’t be tamed.
And then there’s our semi-Japanese import and token eye-candy, actor/model Kim Jae-Wook, who plays the recklessly lovestruck emo, No Sun-Ki.
Altogether, a great cast. Must have been fun to work with.
 (4/5)

On Production: The Creativity
It’s all about the music. There’s great, great music infused into the production of this series, with excellent original scores and songs you love, but you forgot existed like the “You & me Song” by the Wannadies and “Back for Good” by Take That, and even much more.
The production was about making you feel the love, and indeed, every episode stayed true to that element. The camera work wasn’t particularly fancy, but the writing and music production took charge of the creativity with no harm done to the overall production. Kudos to good coffee and music!
(4/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
If it were Hollywood, there’d be a climactic conflict before the lovers live happy ever after.
If this were Bollywood, the lovers would suffer separation until the very end.
If it were Nollywood, there’d be some major scandal/betrayal before love conquers all.
But this is — what should we call it — Kollywood? LoL. No, its K-drama, and Coffee Prince is an extremely doting love story where there’s not much conflict, or climax, or scandal in this series… well, there’s a bit, but not much of what we’re not already used to. Regardless, the end is good. It’s all about love after all. ;)
 (4/5)

The Verdict: A classic collection of love stories that will make you want to dance in the rain… with a cup of coffee at hand. 

 
 



Overall Score = 16/20

Cuddle up, get a cuppa coffee, and watch The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince on Hulu, in HD [http://www.hulu.com/coffee-prince]. 


  


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Days and Clouds (2007 Film)

Monday, June 13, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

The best things in life are free… if only we can learn to live without.


“’Days and Clouds’ maintains the realistic dynamics between money, marriage and love with sophisticated candour.”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Also Known As “Giorni e' Nuvole”
Country: Italy & Switzerland, 2007
 Genre: Drama
Distributed by: Amka Films Producations & The Film Movement
Director: Silvio Soldini
Cast: Margherita Buy (as Elsa), Antonio Albanese (as Michele), Giuseppe Battiston (as Vito), Alba Rohrwacher (as Alice), Carla Signoris (as Nadia) and Fabio Troiano (as Riki)
Compare to: Time Out
Hate it or Love it?  Like it, for what its worth…  

Synopsis in a Sentence: An otherwise wealthy couple is forced to face real life after the man of the house loses his job, and they find that it’s a bit harder to be in love when money’s out of the equation.

On Writing: The Plot
It’s a story very few movies take on nowadays, and the plot deserves the careful countenance the film addresses. It’s interesting to see the dynamics of family relationships when under strain: The plot carries the nuances of the matter and highlights them through the characters. It’ not a film that preaches, neither is it one that simply narrates. It instead invites you into the time and space of the characters, harnessing both objectives in proper fashion.
 (3.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast
It’s a good sign when you’re watching a film and forget about the acting—it means the characters are so believable they con you into forgetting that they are acting. I do not recall remembering any “actors” throughout this film. On another note, perhaps it’s not a good thing, as good actors are remembered for their great skill. However, their performances were independently good, yet collectively complementing.
(3.5/5)

On Production:
Nice, warm hues, the camera complemented the story, taking angles and perspectives that went in line with the plot. Well done.
 (3.5/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
It doesn’t end in the manner we quite would expect, which is what I would label a good film, a really good film. It’s a faux pas for a film to be predictable, and too many films continuously commit this crime in modern cinema, but this one doesn’t.
(4/5)

The Verdict: A realistic perspective on marriage, not overly pessimistic, yet not idealistically over-optimistic. Days and Clouds maintains the dynamics between money, marriage and love with sophisticated candor.

Overall Score = 14.5/20 




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Persepolis (2007 Film)

Monday, January 31, 2011 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

I intended to see Persepolis a long time ago, but things kept getting in the way, but I’m glad I waited though, it was a breath of fresh air after all my experiences in Foreign films.  



“A graphic novelist’s  first-attempt at film puts experienced directors to shame.”


The Rundown

Behind the name: Reference to the old city of Persepolis, Persia, capital of The Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BC)
Country: France, 2007
 Genre: Animated Drama
Distributed by: 2.4.7 Films, France
Directors: Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud
                       Cast: Chiara Mastroianni (as teenage and adult Marjane), Catherine Deneuve (as Mother), Danielle Darrieux (as Grandmother), Simon Abkarian (as Father)
Compare to: Itself
Hate it or Love it?  Love it.   

Synopsis in a Sentence: Follow the life of a girl who grew up during the Iranian Revolution, experienced what life in Iran was before the that time, after that time, and all the difference a little history makes.  
           

Persepolis started with a budget slightly over $7 million dollars that grossed US$22,752,488 for its makers. It’s been a subject of censorship for middle-eastern, Asian, and even western authorities alike, and spawned the 2007 Cannes film Festival Jury Prize, amongst 15 other awards and nominations, including best feature at the 80th Grammy Awards.
            You know a film has made it big when it’s up for awards and censorship simultaneously. 


On Writing: The Plot

Animated war dramas. There aren’t many of them around. The method of storytelling is unique because relative to the use of human characters, it may present the ideas in a lightly detached mode. However, Persepolis did not make that mistake. The story is delivered in a way that brings human characters to life in an enveloped, comical manner that might have flopped if delivered by the use of human actors.
The plot is not one we hear of everyday. We often hear of the plight of the poor, or the affluence of the wealthy, seldom are we shown the struggles of the “comfortable” if we can put it that way. It’s not only about the depression of war, or the loss of freedom, or the tragedy of love, or the search for oneself in the face of catastrophe. It’s all of these, wrapped up in one impressive plot.
 (4.5/5)


On Acting: The Cast

Ha!
Should we assess animated actors? Of course!
The characters themselves were interesting. Most of the characters, being round characters exhumed more character than humans I know. They were unapologetic, straightforward, authentic and empathic. A great achievement for sketched people, don’t you think?
 (4/5)


On Production:

Don’t turn your brain off just because the film is animated. Its definitely not a Disney production, nor is it anime. It is, in every way, a film, only just animated.
Its animated method of production allowed it to pull off more than it clould have in “real life.” And for good reason too. Its artistically infused comedic pieces flowed seamlessly with the true-to life drama. Production-wize, Presepolis is indeed a breath of fresh air to worldwide cinema. 
 (4/5)                                              


On Resolution: The Conclusion

Originally an autobiography, Persepolis jumped into the world of film with little experience and managed… no, succeeded in succeeding. The fact that the self-authour is still alive allows the story go on, even after the film ends. That’s quite interesting to know. Now before I sign out, I must say, self author, Marjane Satrapi, must be proud of herself for turning her autobiographic novels into an oscar-nominated hit. I plan to do that one day.
That said, you already know how the story ends, further than the film takes us. The resolution is unique.
(4/5)

The Verdict: A great piece of work: Authentic, fresh and entertaining, despite its dramatic and tragic base. An excellent blend of genres.

Overall Score = 16.5/20


 



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