Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

Review - Memorist (2020 TV Series)

Sunday, March 21, 2021 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

 I went in blind and unsure about the plotline, but was pleasantly surprised! 


“Choi Kang-Sue: When you get mad, it’s anger, but when I get mad, it’s an inferiority complex?”


The Rundown

Behind the name: Memory scanner  

Country: South Korea, 2020

Genre: Thriller, Crime, Fantasy, Mystery 

Production: Studio Dragon

Network: tvN

Directors: Kim Whee, Oh Seung-Yeol, So Jae-Hyun

Cast: Yoo Seung-ho (as Dong Baek), Lee Se-young (as Han Sun-mi), Jo Sung-ha (as Lee Shin-woong), Ko Chang-seok (as Gu Kyung-tan), Jun Hyo-seong (as Kang Ji-eun), Yoon Ji-on (as Oh Se-hoon), Kim Yoon-hee (as Jung Mi-ja)

Compare to: Signal

Hate it or Love it?  Love it


Synopsis in a Sentence: Celebrity detective has the supernatural ability to read minds by power of touch, but soon gets thwarted by his match—a villain on the other side of the law! 


On Writing: The Plot

It’s an action-packed detective/psycho thriller with depth and excitement and some good old bad-guy hunting! It captures society-wide issues from institutional corruption, to individual evil, and really does it with heart and reason in good measure, despite the “supernatural” bits! Great plotlines, good character developments, and an all-round good story! 

Too many times good stories are riddled with an obligatory “romance,” but thank goodness, this series knows its identity and doesn't bother with any such ill-developed plot lines! 

A job well done; and a bold move! Hats off to the writers! 

(4.5/5)


On Acting: The Cast 

The cast is really well suited! 


Yoo Seung-ho is supernatural celebrity detective, Dong Baek, and like his character in I am not a Robot—in which he’s probably being type-cast—he delivers a credible, convincing and charming performance with psychological depth! 

Lee Se-young plays genius profiler Han Sun-mi, and it’s refreshing to see an excellent, intense, effective female lead not mired in a trite romance! And of course, Lee plays this role to the T! 

Ko Chang-seok is lovable supervisor, Gu Kyung-tan, and he’s a joy to watch! A legitimately charming performance! 

And former k-pop star (from the girl group, Secret), Jun Hyo-seong plays Kang Ji-eun and she’s a great addition to the cast! 

Overall, a very well played cast, and very well delivered acting and action! 

 (4.5/5) 


On Production: The Creativity

Production is intriguing, dark and mysterious! 

It takes the detective plot line into different layers that capture the darkest, warmest, and sickest parts of our society, and does well to balance the supernatural elements of the story. 

Transitions are electric, scenes are hair-raising, and camera work is creative genius. A fabulous job to the very competent production team!  

        (4.5/5)   

                                           

On Resolution: The Conclusion

It ends so well, we’re wondering if there’s a season 2, and we hope there is, but even if there isn’t, it’s a realistic resolution, and it’s very well done. 

(4/5)


The Verdict: An enlightening, thorough, nuanced, and gritty rendition of society!  


Overall Score = 17.5/20





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Review - Hotel del Luna (TV Series, 2019)

Saturday, April 11, 2020 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

It looked like a fantasy and was the 10th highest rated Korean TV series in cable TV history, and, importantly, I wanted to see some of the actors in action! 


“Narrator: Feeling sad and disappointed is only natural when witnessing disappearances. When a flower withers away, just like it dreams of a new blossom, you’ll live, meet, and love again.”
The Rundown
Behind the name: Previously, "Guest House of the Moon"
Country: South Korea, 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Drama 
Network: tvN
Director: Oh Choong-hwan
Cast:   IU (as Jang Man Wol), Yeo Jin Goo (as Goo Chang Sung), Shin Jung Geun (as scholar Kim Shi Ik), Bae Hae Sun (as Choi Seo Hee), P.O (as Ji Hyun Joong), Kang Mi Na (as Kim Yoo Na, the high school student), Lee Do Hyun (as Ko Chung Myung), Lee Tae Sun (as Yun Woo/Detective Park), Young Soo (Park Yoo Na as Princess Song Hwa), Kim Kyu Ri (as child Man Wol), Kim Kang Hoon (as child Chang Sung)
Compare to: Hotel Blue Moon
Hate it or Love it?  Enjoy it!

Synopsis in a Sentence: A young and promising hotel manager is forced to take his first job out of college working for a paranormal hotel — a hotel for ghosts and spirits in transition to the afterlife — where he meets characters that make him solve cases between the physical and spiritual worlds. 
On Writing: The Plot
It’s a story about death, and the afterlife, and overall, the purpose of life, love and the lessons we learn along the way.
It’s a series of short stories from different perspectives; young and old, rich and poor, and in between. Perhaps the best feature of the plot is that it is nuanced and quite deep, yet entertaining. It neatly and perhaps expertly wraps up drama, comedy, fantasy, issues like good versus evil, right versus wrong, life versus death in a way that is magically un-didactic and un-preachy. And this alone is a massive feat!
But the plot goes beyond these overall themes to tell stories of sacrifice, suicide and spirituality that are very well written and executed, enabling us to think of a greater purpose, of life and death and everything in between! All wrapped up, of course, in a couple of love stories. Overall, a plot well done!
(4.5/5)


On Acting: The Cast 
The characters the actors portray are round characters-- good and bad, layered and yet sometimes predictable--but the execution of these fairly complex characters tells of the great talent of the men and women and children that give these fictional people life. And the award, really, should go to the entire cast! But to mention a few…
IU proves she’s quite the talented actress through these series, as she portrays the (somewhat) threatening yet soft sureness of hotelier, Jang Man Wol in this series. She conjures up believable tears as well as laughter, transitioning seamlessly in the same scene, and really relays a believable character. Guess Korea’s little sister has quite grown into the actress!
Yeo Jin Goo plays Goo Chang Sung, the male lead, and is quite the lead everyone expects. Perhaps his character may be the most one-dimensional of all, but that’s alright, people also like predictability and his character gives the characters a sense of stability.
Really, the entire cast is a great collection of people to watch. And special shout out to the child actors that bring the past to life! A great cast! (4/5)



On Production: The Creativity
The production is a fantasy! It might be the star of the whole thing! Despite the layered plot and the talented cast… well perhaps. But really, the creativity of the production is evident throughout the story, for where the plot may seem to drag out, the gorgeous production comes in to save the day, with marvelous hues and dreamy scenes that transport you back into the fairytale.
Since the series tells different stories, you get to experience the greed, danger, hatred, yet hope, joy, and mystery of life, and that’s all thanks to the marvelous production!
(4.5/5)     
                                        
On Resolution: The Conclusion
With a plot so well written and a cast so convincingly skilled, and the production so riveting, can the conclusion measure up? Well, yes, really. It wraps the entire story up with no loose ends, and in quite a perfect way, that with all the mystery the world gives us, in life and death and everything in between, it offers us solace in sorrow, assurance in adversity, and gladness in the grief that life can offer us. A job well done!
And then we get a hint at a sequel! With a famous actor! Hoot!
(4/5)


The Verdict: A collection of fairy-tale-like stories that offers analysis and entertainment and hope that is deeper than we think. 
Overall Score = 17/20








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