Day 118 - Fight Back To School (Hong Kong)

'
Star Chow (Stephen Chow) is about to be kicked out of the Royal Hong Kong Police's elite Special Duties Unit (SDU). But a senior officer decides to give him one last chance: Star must go undercover as a student at the Edinburgh High School in Hong Kong to recover the senior officer's missing revolver.
The undercover operation is made complicated when Star is partnered with Tat - an aging, incompetent police detective (Ng Man-Tat). However, Star still manages to fall in love with Ms Ho (Cheung Man), the school's guidance counselor, as well as disrupting a gang involved in arms-dealing"


This seems to be the oldest Hong Kong film I've seen, it was very interesting to see a 90's film. Stephen Chow was fun to watch as Star Chow and Cheung Man was a visual delight to watch act. It was the first time I saw either one of them but it might not be the last time either. Ng Man-Tat was also funny especially in the scene where he beats up Star Chow in front of the teachers. That is my favorite scene in this film

2/5

Day 117 - Ghost: In Your Arms Again (Japanese)

"Nanami Hoshino, a wealthy entrepreneur, marries Korean potter Kim Jun-ho, and they both live a seemingly happy life. Then, one month after their marriage, Nanami is killed by a biker on her way home. This tragedy leaves Jun-ho completely devastated. At the hospital, Nanami's ghost arises from her body, and upon meeting a ghost child, she realizes that she is a ghost whose presence cannot be seen. She then realizes that her death was no coincidence and Jun-ho is in imminent danger. Unable to communicate with normal humans, Nanami seeks help from the elderly psychic Unten in hopes of saving Jun-ho's life."

I saw the original verison many years ago so it was fun to see this remake even though I knew I was going to watch a cute romance end tragically. It was an interesting twist to see the woman be the ghost this time and it was even nostalgic to see a few re-created scenes.
Nanako Matsushima proved to be a wonderful actress, it was my first time seeing her perform. Hopefully it will not be the last.
Meanwhile I've seen Song Seung-heon before, so it was interesting to see him in this film. I believe he played the husband role well and hope to see him play more romantic roles in the future like this one.

3/5

Day 116 - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (American)

 

"Several years after the events of the first film, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) are married and are both co-anchors for a prestigious news network in New York City. One day, Mack Tannen (Harrison Ford), the most famous nightly news anchor in New York, reveals that he is retiring. He intends to promote Veronica, making her the first female nightly news anchor in the history of television, and to fire Ron due to his continuously sloppy performance on air. Ron grows jealous of Veronica's success and storms out of the house, leaving Veronica and his six-year-old son Walter (Judah Nelson)."

 

Better than the original, which is kind of rare for a movie especially a comedic one. Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, and David Koechner are at their best in this film. I enjoyed seeing this characters again and all cameos present in the film. This film was truly outrageous and wished there would be a third one but there won't be. You should watch this film if you are a fan of Will Ferrell movies.

2.5/5

Day 115 - A Fantastic Fear of Everything (British)

 

"Jack is an unpublished children's author whose happy marriage has been destroyed by his obsession of one of his books, Harold the Hedgehog. Now, he is obsessed with serial killers and paranoid that people are always watching him. He is working on a series of scripts titled "Decades of Death" about Victorian-era serial killers. His agent Claire tells him that Harvey Humphries, the head of scripts at the BBC, is interested in "Decades of Death" and arranges a meeting between the two for the next day. Jack is now worried that he is the next target of the Hanoi Handshake Killer, who cuts off eight fingers of his victims. One day, a helicopter does a search to find the killer and flies past Jack's apartment. Frustrated, Jack permanently closes the window shut with a bottle of superglue. Jack is now worried that Humphries is a serial killer, due to his first name being the middle name of one of the subjects for "Decades of Death".

An interesting british comedy/horror film starring Simon Pegg who does a wonderful comedic job in this film. His "self talks" truly added to the character's bizarre life in a self made prison. This is a film that only Simon Pegg could have done. It's only missing Nick Frost and the film would have been even more funny. You don't have to understand British culture to understand the jokes, just enjoy the ride.

2/5

Day 114 - Patriot Games (American)

"Jack Ryan (Ford) is on vacation with his family in London. He has retired from the U.S. CIA, and is a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. They witness an attack on Lord William Holmes (Fox), British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Ryan intervenes and is injured, but he kills one of the assailants, Patrick Miller, while his older brother Sean (Bean) looks on. The remaining attackers flee and leave Miller to be apprehended by the police. While recovering, Ryan is called to testify in court against Miller, who is part of a lone breakaway group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Ryan is awarded knighthood and eventually returns to the United States."

Nice old time action suspense film with a touch of thrill. Harrison ford is excellent, I also enjoyed the performance of James Earl Jones and Samuel L. Jackson. I wish the film had more suspense and a better female lead to play Harrison Ford's wife. The music was there and so was the script but there is great need for improvement on structure.


2.5/5

Day 113 - Home Run (American)

"Pro baseball player Cory Brand is forced into a rehabilitation program in his Oklahoma hometown after several alcohol-related incidents. He is responsible for injuring his brother in an alcohol-related crash. Cory reluctantly enters a Celebrate Recovery. He eventually finds new hope when he gets honest about his checkered past, and takes on coaching duties for a Little League team. Cory reunites with his high school girlfriend, starts a relationship with his son and rebuilds his relationship with his family."

Cr*p, I hated the acting and filming style. I normally like sports drama but this film is so bad that I can't find anything I actually like in the film. There was an undertone of the religious reasons to stay sober, that failed. Truly this film addresses really nothing and rushes through everything
Avoid this film please

0/5

DAy 112 - La Jetee (French)

A man (Davos Hanich) is a prisoner in the aftermath of the Third World War, in a destroyed, post-apocalyptic Paris where survivors live underground in the Palais de Chaillot galleries. Scientists research time travel, hoping to send test subjects to different time periods "to call past and future to the rescue of the present". They have difficulty finding subjects who can mentally withstand the shock of time travel. The scientists eventually settle upon the prisoner; his key to the past is a vague but obsessive memory, from his pre-war childhood, of a woman (Hélène Chatelain) he had seen on the observation platform ('the jetty') at Orly Airport shortly before witnessing a startling incident there. He had not understood exactly what happened, but knew he had seen a man die. "

 

 

An interesting French film that is only 25 minutes long and is all still photography. It was interesting to watch by slightly off putting because I was not used to it. I like the film but I'm not  a big fan of it was made. Though the photography used was at times excellent and depicted wonderful emotions.

 

2/5 

"

Day 111 - GI Joe: Retaliation (American)

"Duke (Channing Tatum) becomes the leader of the G.I. Joe unit, which is framed for stealing nuclear warheads from Pakistan by Zartan (Arnold Vosloo), who is impersonating the President of the United States (Jonathan Pryce). The majority of the unit is subsequently eliminated in a military air strike with Duke among the casualties. The only survivors are Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Flint (D.J. Cotrona) and Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki)."

Better than the first one but still needs work. I wished I saw more of the cobra commander, but seemed like he had a smaller role this time. I didn't like how they killed off Duke, I kind of like the new cobra commander but the voiced needed to be cooler. I do like Dwayne Johnson, I think he is a wonderful action actor. I have been a fan since his days in the WWF and later WWE.
I suggest you watch this if you enjoy a decent action film and like gi joes.

2/5

Day 110 - Letters From Iwo Jima (American/Japanese)

"
In 2005, Japanese. archaeologists explore tunnels on Iwo Jima, where they find some letters buried in the soil.
The film flashes back to Iwo Jima in 1944. Private First Class Saigo, a conscripted baker with a wife and young daughter, is beaten by his commanding officer Captain Tanida, after complaining that they should just give the island to the Americans. Tanida is stopped by General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who has arrived to take command of the garrison. Kuribayashi tells Tanida not to waste his men.
"
I was conflicted about watching this film since I am American but I am an American that is in love with the Japanese culture. Which tends to clash because of the nations violent past in World War II. Ultimately I watched the film and loved it. The characters were real and had depth that is rare in a war picture. Hats off to Clint Eastwood for being fearless enough to make this film. Ken Watanabe is an actor I know since he appeared in Memoirs of a Geisha, Inception, Batman Begins, and The Last Samurai. He is such a wonderful actor, he grabs my attention and makes me believe in his characters. Overall the script was very good, the actors did well delivering the lines.

The set was amazing, it really felt like they were underground in Iwo JIma. The costumes, the drama, the music, the desperation, all appear in this film in a truly wonderful way.

My personal philosophy is that we should not forget history but use it in order to makes ourselves and the younger better. I find that my philosophy is almost the same as all the actors that appear in this film.

Open your mind no matter what nation you claim and whatever ethnicity you are. Watch this movie with an open heart and you will not regret it.


4/5

Day 109 - The Family (French)

"Mafia boss Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro), who has somehow offended Don Luchese (Stan Carp), a rival mafia boss, survives an attempted hit on him and his family at a barbecue. After he snitches on Luchese (sending him to prison, where his influence allows him to live well), Manzoni and his family enter an FBI witness protection program under the supervision of Agent Robert Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones). After the family's criminal activities alert the kingpin to their new location, they are relocated to a small town in Normandy, France."

I've never been a Robert De Niro fan but I actually enjoyed this film. It was as interesting as it was funny despite a few hiccups. I'm not a fan of the actor who played the son, he was annoying but his actions were pretty fun to see. This family is one you would like to never see in real life because they'll bring you trouble. But on the screen that provide you with entertainment and a side of a mob family that you have never seen before.
Tommy Lee Jones has a minor role but it's interesting to see how an actor that usually plays a cop and an actor who usually plays a gangster interact. Their chemistry at times was pretty funny to me. It is wonderful to see Michelle Pfeiffer again, she is a wonderful actress. In this film she is the tough stay at home mother that could break your fingers if you try to steal the silverware. It is a nice film to watch on a lazy day, hope you enjoy.


2.4/5

Day 108 - Bathory (Hungary, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Slovakia)

"The film is based on the story of Erzsebet Bathory, a 16th–17th century Hungarian countess. Her story takes place in a part of the Kingdom of Hungary that is now Slovakia. In this retelling, the Countess is a healer who conducts medical experiments and rudimentary autopsies in a "hospital" beneath her castle. She forms a relationship with a reputed witch, Darvulia, who saves her from poisoning. The witch promises Erzsebet a son and eternal beauty. In return, Erzsebet must sacrifice both love and her reputation. Darvulia becomes Erzsebet's companion. Meanwhile, maidens in the area have been dying of seemingly unrelated causes, and Erzsebet is seen bathing in a large tub of red liquid as the girls' now-mutilated corpses are buried nearby. Two monks later conclude that the water is not blood but is simply colored red by herbs."

DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME! This film is cr*p, I was bored despite it features such an interesting character in history. The acting and script were really bad seemed more like a low budget British sci-fi tv show rather than a full length movie. There are no gruesome parts so don't worry, mainly just really poorly designed scenes that didn't appeal to me. 


0/5

Day 107 - Myn Bala Warriors of Steppe (Kazakhstan)

" is a 2011 Kazakhstani historical dramatic film depicting the overthrow of Zungharian oppressors.^[1] The film was made to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence from the Soviet Union. Its production cost over $7 million (USD).<sup>[2]"- Wiki





A nice film, I actually never knew that this country actually existed. So it was interesting to learn about the culture and people featured in this film. I hope I'll be able to see another one of this countries films again. Not much to say but it is plain as day that this film needs improvement. But it happens to be a gripping drama that will make you watch until the end.



2.5/5</sup>

Day 106 - The Most Distant Course (Taiwanese)

"Tang (Muo) goes on a trip to Taitung to record the sounds of nature, hoping the tape may save his relationship with his girlfriend who is leaving him. What he does not know, is that she has already moved away and another girl, Yun (Kwai), has moved into that apartment. Yun is trapped in a hopeless love triangle, and troubled by all the issues she faces in life. After listening to the tape that Tang sent, she feels as if the kindness of nature is calling her, and travels to Taitung to find the mysterious man who sends her the tape.
On the other hand, Tsai (Chia), a psychiatrist struggling in a failed marriage, suddenly realizes that he needs to let things go after helping a patient with extramarital affairs. He leaves everything behind and goes to Taitung to search for his ex-lover. The three young souls, with different purposes, comes to the coast and search for the meaning of their life, a journey considerably longer than any of them has taken before."

Not that good, it was very simple and pure though. I happen to find Gwen Lun-Mei a wonderful actress, though you can see that this is one of her earlier films. She has greatly improved from this movie, this film could have been more dramatic or feature more depth. I only to see these actors and actresses improve if I ever see them in another movie.

2/5

Day 105 - Friend 2 (Korean)

Friend 2 begins 17 years after where the previous film left off. Lee Joon-seok, who claimed responsibility for ordering his friend Dong-soo's murder (despite having nothing to do with it), has spent a lot of time behind bars and now he is released to a world that is as unfamiliar to him as the criminal organization he used to lead. With his subordinate Eun-ki now practically parading as the boss, Joon-seok, a leader by nature, secretly embarks on a mission to subvert his current position. He invites Choi Sung-hoon, whom he'd met in prison, and Sung-hoon's gang to join in his plan. Sung-hoon is the twenty-something son of one of Joon-seok's female friends in high school who now works as a bar hostess, and he had been serving a one-year sentence for beating his mother's abusive boyfriend. Having developed a respect for the charismatic Joon-seok in prison, Sung-hoon willingly takes his side. But when he discovers the truth behind his background, this creates great tension between the two. Interspersed are scenes of Joon-seok's own father, Lee Chul-joo as a gangster who founded the criminal organization in 1963 Busan.

"
This is the final straw, Friend 2 proves to me that Kwak Kyung- Taek is a horrible director! I have to say that this film is way better than the original but still fails. I like how much Yu Oh-seong acting, he has greatly improved since the first film. I might watch more of his films but overall he is the best thing in this film. Friend 2 is a poor example of film, despite its potential.


.1/5

Day 104- Blood Rain (South Korean)

"
It is year 1808 on Donghwa Island, a small island with a technologically advanced (for its time) paper mill. The presence of the mill has spawned a bustling village, and given its townspeople a certain degree of wealth. With climate and trees perfectly suited for papermaking—and a location remote enough to ensure both privacy and secrecy—the island has established a profitable business in high quality paper, with trade routes stretching as far away as China.
This isolated and largely autonomous island begins to be plagued by a string of gruesome murders. However, it's not just the mounting death toll that's causing residents to worry, but the sadistic, methodical way in which the victims were killed. With the killer still on the loose, the government sends in special investigator Wonkyu to crack the case. While conducting his dogged investigation, he soon uncovers a myriad of hidden secrets, tracing the murders back to an incident that occurred some seven years earlier, in which the former owner of the mill was executed for practicing Catholicism. The townspeople, for their part, are convinced that the dead man's ghost has come back for revenge. As the young officer digs deeper into the island's dark past, Wonkyu discovers that there may be something even more frightening than the murders or the murderer—a truth that will make him question the depths of human nature."

This film storyline is all over the place, felt like the writers over complicated everything. I do like the general concept and the performance from the actors but I was disappointed in this film.



2/5

Day 103 - Beyond Outrage (Japanese)

"The film begins with two anti-corruption detectives observing the discovery of dead human bodies in a car being recovered from the bottom of a harbor. The detectives suspect that the drowned bodies are related to the recent gang war and power struggle at the huge Sanno-kai crime syndicate which covers a large portion of eastern Japan. The new Grand Yakuza leader of Sanno-kai, Kato, must now reform his standing with the powerful rival Hanabishi-kai crime syndicate of western Japan. Otomo (Beat Takeshi), a former Yakuza, is serving time in a maximum security prison after falling out of favor with Sekiuchi, the former Grand Yakuza before Kato took control."

The sequel to the awesome Outrage, this film continue to impress me and prove that it is a great movie. There is a little less gruesome kills in this sequel but there are moments were the killing is severe and so funny to see. Otomo is back as a man on a warpath when he didn't even want to do it until his former family sent assassins to kill him. Beat Kitano proves that he gives credit as a remarkable director and should have in the running for the academy award.


3.6/5

Day 102 - Outrage (Japanese)

"The film begins with a sumptuous banquet at the opulent estate of the Grand Yakuza leader Sekiuchi (Soichiro Kitamura), boss of the Sanno-kai, a huge organized crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, and he has invited the many Yakuza leaders under his control. After the formal conclusion of the banquet, Kato, the chief lieutenant of Sekiuchi, pulls one of the Yakuza leaders, Ikemoto, aside and makes plain that he is displeased with the news that Ikemoto has become friendly with a rival gang leader, Murase, while the two were unexpectedly imprisoned together. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew."

What a wonderful film, I enjoyed it a lot. Takeshi Kitano proves that he is a worth director, writer, editor, and actor. The best character is no hold downs Otomo played by Beat Takeshi aka Takeshi Kitano. His character is that of an old yakuza that is respectful of the past and the younger people tend to look up to him. Sadly though the yakuza betray Otomo and his gang. Which leads a bloody one sided war that takes the life of all the members of the Otomo gang. This is also the best gangster film I have seen in a long time, he didn't make the characters one sided like people tend to do. He gives the gangster a heart like a civilian. That is something to admire which makes his films even better. I'm glad there was a sequel to this film as I wanted to see more of Otomo.

3.6/5

Day 101 - Knock (South Korean Horror)

"A shaman family hands down a mask to their offspring. By the medium of the mask, Jung-Hwa (Seo Woo) becomes involved in passion and murder.
"

The lead actress was beautiful! and that's all that is worth watching. This film was poorly directed and didn't really have a good script. Wish some things were explained like the shaman's feelings for the main girl. The ending was predictable the moment you saw the set up to the final scene. There are some good horror moments but they don't save this movie. I suggest you don't watch it for various of reasons.


.9/5

Day 100 - Drug War (chinese/hong kong)

"film stars Sun Honglei as police captain Zhang who partners with a drug lord named Timmy Choi (Louis Koo) after he is arrested. To avoid the death penalty, Choi agrees to reveal information about his partners who operate a methamphetamine ring. Zhang grows suspicious of Choi's honesty as several police officers began a raid on the drug ring."

Failure, this film seems very good but I realized it was cr#p. Now, don't get me wrong this film has a few good scenes but they fail to really excite. There's not a lot of action, it is used more towards the end of the film. I felt the main character was pathetic and really uninteresting even though Louis Koo is playing him. This was a disappointment even though it's a Johnnie To movie. The script wasn't all there either. Honestly I though it was going to be a good film but as I watched the ending I realized I was dead wrong.

1/5

Day 99 - Midnight FM (South Korea)

"Popular TV anchorwoman & late night radio host Sun-Young (Soo-Ae) prepares to work her final radio program. After this program she will prepare to take her ill daughter to America the following morning. During the radio show Ko Sun-Young receives a startling text message.
At Ko Sun-Young's apartment, her ill daughter is being watched by Sun-Young's sister Ah-Young (Shin Da-Eun). Then, a man named Dong-Su (Yoo Ji-Tae) breaks into the apartment with a large wrench. He knocks Ah-Young unconscious, but is unable to locate Sun-Young's daughter - who is hiding in a closet. Dong-Su then sends the text message to Sun-Young instructing her to follow his directions and not to tell anyone. "_AW




Tried too hard and failed in the end. Midnight F.M. has a few very good scenes but the bad scenes outweigh the good. Wish the script could have been better, since Soo-Ae does a great job and so does Yoo Ji-Tae. It's just that as the script progressed the film become mediocre at best.


1.9/5

Day 98 - Tone Deaf Clinic (South Korea)

Dong-Joo (Park Ha-Sun), who is tone-deaf, has a crush on a man and attempts to improve as a singer to become closer to him. Shing-Heung (Yoon Sang-Hyun), an instructor at a tone deaf clinic, by chance helps Dong-Joo and begins to like her. Meanwhile, Bo-Ra (Lim Jung-Eun) is a friend of Dong-Joo who also tries to helps Dong-Joo.

Almost a waste of time, it had a few good moments but other than that its a bore. I usually like Yoon Sang-Hyun's performances but this was bad. There wasn't really any depth to the characters which didn't help at all. There's not much to say other than this is the directors worse film so far.



1/5

Day 97 - Top Star (South Korean)

"Tae-Sik (Uhm Tae-Woong) works as manger to top actor Won-Joon (Kim Min-Jun). Tae-Sik also dreams of becoming a top actor. When Won-Joon becomes involved in a hit-and-run accident, Tae-Sik's path to become an actor is laid out. Meanwhile, Tae-Sik holds feelings for drama producer Mi-Na So E-Hyun who is in a secret relationship with Won-Joon. "

A film from a well known actor Park Joong-Hoon who debuted as a director with this film. He made an excellent choice in cast, all the stars were amazing. It seemed how an realistic feel to it, since the director has been acting since the 80's. He knows the Korean entertainment world before it was popular internationally. You can see that this was a wonderful choice in movie making. I hope he will direct more movies, he really just has to work on the end since I didn't the end of Top Star but I'm glad the film had a point.

3/5

Day 96 - Dilinger (American 1973)

"It stars Warren Oates as Dillinger and Ben Johnson as his pursuer, FBI Agent Melvin Purvis. It contains the first film performance by the singer Michelle Phillips as Dillinger's moll as Billie Frechette. The film, narrated by Purvis, chronicles the last few years of Dillinger's life (depicted as a matter of months) as the FBI and law enforcement closed in. The setting is Depression era America, 1933-34."

Disappointed in this film, it was so full of holes. They created characters that didn't exist in real life and made me confuse. They couldn't decide on how to portray Dillinger, he was a man of principles one second and a thug the next. The writing wasn't all too well done but the acting wasn't that bad. I suggest this film if you like old bank robbers movies. This is not a classic

1/5

Day 95 - Pieta (South Korean)

"
Kang-do is a heartless man who has no living family members and whose job is to threaten debtors to repay his clients, the loan sharks who demand a 10x return on a one month loan. To recover the interest, the debtors would sign an insurance for handicap, and Kang-do would injure the debtors brutally to file the claim. One day he receives a visit from a strange, middle-aged woman claiming she is his long-lost mother.^[18]
Over the following weeks, the woman stubbornly follows him and he continues to do his job. But he is slowly moved and changed by the motherly love expressed from this woman."
An interesting film from an interesting director. There is not my first Kim Ki-duk film nor will it be my last. Kim really knows how to use the medium of human pain, better than any other director I know. His films are always breaking the code of normalcy, his films go beyond what we expect to see.  Lee Jung-jin and Jo Min-so did a wonderful job in this film. I hope to see more work from them!
 I suggest this film to all those that enjoy darker films

2.5/5

Day 94 - Republic of Korea 1% (South Korean)

 

Only 1% of the marines becomes part of the special forces. Staff Sergeant Lee Yu-mi becomes the first ever non-commissioned officer to become part of the 3 teams vying to become part of the special forces. She joins the the bottom ranked team as they attempt to become part of the special 1% marines ...

A film with a very nice concept that I enjoyed but it's execution wasn't all there. I felt like I was watching G.I. Jane, thankfully Lee Ah-Lee didn't shave her head like Demi Moore did. Anyway there are way too many comedic aspects of this film to take it real seriously. There are moments that work but they don't deliver the right impact which causes the film to fail. The characters are interesting but not everyone in this film could act well enough to get me to believe in this film.
This film should have taken a more dramatic approach to a touchy subject, women and the military. I'm sure there are some girls around the world that want to actively be in the special forces. This film doesn't really inspire in the way it should have. It is still a little enjoyable

1/5

Day 93 - The Thing (1982 American)

"The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a parasitic extraterrestrial lifeform that assimilates other organisms and in turn imitates them. The Thing infiltrates an Antarctic research station, taking the appearance of the researchers that it absorbs, and paranoia develops within the group."

Watched this movie in one of my film classes, I liked it despite the fact that when it was released people called it cr*p. That was due to all the bloodshed that is in the film, that could have gotten the film out of the theater. Sorry, for anyone who speaks Norwegian shouldn't watch the film since it is ruined for you in the very beginning. Any either language is fine!

It stars Kurt Russell and is directed by John Carpenter who created the film series Halloween. You can tell this has the feel of a thriller mixed with a horror/sci-fi film. Though, the film might seem corny nowadays but if we watched it back in 1982 we would think otherwise. I suggest this film to all Sci-film lovers


2.8/5

Day 92 - Commitment (South Korea)

"Nineteen-year-old Ri Myung-hoon (Choi Seung-hyun) never imagined he would become a killer. Born to a privileged life in North Korea, his dream was to become a pianist. But when his father, a North Korean spy, dies disgraced, Myung-hoon and his younger sister Hye-in (Kim Yoo-jung) are sent to a "guilt-by-association" forced labor camp. Their father's superior, high-ranking military official Colonel Moon (Jo Sung-ha) proposes a deal to Myung-hoon: if he goes down to the South as a "technician" (an assassin) and finishes what his father had failed to accomplish, he and his sister will be released from the prison camp. Myung-hoon accepts the deal and undergoes two years of intense training."

I have to say I'm not a T.O.P. fan, either of his rapping or acting. But in this movie his acting was way better than a previous movie did called Nineteen. There are only a few good scenes like when he beats up the bullies but other than that there's nothing here. Slight comedy, some action, little tiny bit of romance, and the same old acting from T.O.P.
The ending was predictable and didn't leave me feeling like it was a good movie.

1/5

Day 91 - Peace Hotel (1995-Hong Kong Film)

"A retired old west killer sets up a hotel for vagrants and wayward souls called Peace Hotel. When a woman with a gang on her tail attempts to hide there the owner of the hotel must revert to his old ways to protect his hotel."- Idmb

Quite an interesting movie from Chow Yun Fat, by the way this is the last Hong Kong film he did before he left for America to do the Replacement Killers.
In this film Chow Yun Fat is the boss, an notorious killer who no one dares to mess with until a con-woman walks onto his land. Chow Yun Fat was excellent, he somewhat tortures this woman he hates as first with slaps when he is frustrated with her. At some points it has comedy, especially when the con-woman tries to seduce The Killer (Chow Yun-fat) but the killer refuses her and bites her lower lip until she lets go.
Not only do we see action but we also see real acting thanks to Chow Yun-fat who made this movie what it is. The ending was not as I predicted which I enjoyed a lot in one way but hated it in another way.
The setting is bizarre as it appears to be the wild west in China but that doesn't ruin the movie at all.
Watch this is you are a fan of Chow Yun Fat or Hong Kong cinema in general.

There's not a whole lot of information about this movie online, so you might have to special order. (I was able to get it through my local library. )

2.5/5

Day 90 - Eye for an Eye (South Korean)

"Veteran police detective Baek Seong-chan is on the verge of retiring to set up his own business. But he is forced to put his plans on hold when ₩1.8 billion is stolen from a bank truck, and then 600 kg of gold from an airport, with the thief having impersonated Baek. The following day he receives a package of the stolen money from the thief, who identifies himself as Ahn Hyeon-min. Baek pursues Ahn, only to discover that he is being used as a pawn in a greater scheme of revenge."

A wonderful thriller of a movie that is quite interesting to see unfold. These two characters match each other it is fun to see the cop fall into the criminal mastermind's game. Cha Seung-won did a great job as a criminal mastermind, it is one of his better roles that I have seen. Han Suk-kyu's character was slightly annoying but he still helped the story.

2/5

Day 89 - 71 Into the Fire (South Korean)

"The film is based on a true story of a group of 71 undertrained and underarmed, outgunned student-soldiers of South Korea during the Korean War, who were mostly killed on August 11, 1950, during the Battle of P'ohang-dong. For 11 hours, they defended P'ohang-dong girls' middle school, a strategic point for safeguarding the Nakdong River, from an attack by overwhelming North Korean forces, the 766th Unit."

A brave tale that I never heard about until I watched this film. I have to say I love it, though there were problems with it. It managed to succeed somewhat about telling the story of some of the student soldiers that fought against the North Koreans. This movie is for those that like history but also for those that like action and war movies. This is not a movie for those that just want to see "pretty boys" no one looks pretty in this film. This is not a TV drama they tried to realistic with the make up and special effects. I don't know how many people know about this film but they should it is also apart of Korean history as well as American history.

2.5/5