Day 150 - The Taste of Tea (Japanese)

"The film is concerned with the lives of the Haruno family, who live in rural Tochigi Prefecture, the countryside north of Tokyo. Nobuo is a hypnotherapist. He teaches his son, Hajime, Go. Hajime becomes an excellent Go player, but he has a rough time with girls and puberty. Yoshiko refuses to be an average housewife, and works on animated film projects at home. She uses assistance from Grandfather Akira, an eccentric old man who is a former animator and occasional model. Eight year old Sachiko periodically sees a silent, giant-sized double of herself which mimics or benignly watches her. She contemplates ways to rid herself of it. Uncle Ayano is a sound engineer and record producer who comes to stay for a visit. He engages in inward reflection, seeks closure regarding an old relationship, and recounts a childhood experience- a tale which influences Sachiko and ties into later events."

A very interesting film that had very good character development. There are a few trippy scenes and the beginning is hard to get through, but the film is worth the hassle. I enjoyed seeing the life each character lived and how some of it was changed especially for Hajime. Who goes from a shy boy to a boy who plays go with his crush and gets her to say "we should play together everyday". I also like the mom's animation ambitions, it was quite enjoyable to see a cameo by the great animator Hideaki Anno. It caught me off guard to see him but this movie seemed like it would be his kind of movie. I wish Hajime's and the uncle's could have been longer so we could see more but I'm glad for what the director did with the film. I would suggest this film to anyone who likes Japanese films and would like to learn something about the current culture of Japan.

3.4/5

Day 149 - Amelie aka Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (French)

"Amélie Poulain was raised by eccentric parents who — erroneously believing that she had a heart defect — prevented her from meeting other children. She was home schooled by her mother. She developed an active imagination and fantasy life to cope with her loneliness. After her mother is killed due to a freak accident, her father's withdrawal from society worsens. Amélie eventually decides to leave home and becomes a waitress at Café des 2 Moulins in Montmartre, which is staffed and frequented by a collection of eccentrics. Spurning romantic relationships after a few disappointing efforts, she finds contentment in simple pleasures and letting her imagination roam free."

A very good film, I enjoyed every second of the film. The actress who played Amelie was very interesting to watch, she is a wonderful and beautiful actress. She is completely funny and makes the character of Amelie so compelling to watch. I admit at first I that this was going to a very crazy corny comedy but I was proved almost entirely wrong. The film is as crazy as the characters that appear in it but maybe that's why it appeals to me. The characters were realistic in nature, which make some of them relatable. The director really knew what he was doing with this film I applaud him. I had an incredibly easy time relating to Amelie as a person which made the film even better. I suggest this film to anyone that loves a good French movie and anyone that likes romantic comedies.


3.5/5

Day 148 - The Pot (SOuth Korean)

"After selling their inheritances, Young-Guk (Lim Hyung-Guk) and Young-Ae (Yang Eun-Yong) move into an apartment in the city. As they start their new life, strange things happen around the house. Their daughter Mi-Ae (Ryoo Hyun-Bin) begins to exhibit weird behaviors and their neighbors seem shady. "

Avoid this movie! It was plainly creepy from all aspects of the movie. It is very boring and the script is dull. The father is a total tool, he is a true example of a poor husband and father. The story just spirals out of control towards the end of the film to the point it leave you wondering WTF. I will never suggest this film to anyone.

0.3/5

Day 147 - Odd Thomas (American)

'Odd Thomas (Yelchin) lives in a small town in California called Pico Mundo. His morning of August 14 begins with him coming out of his apartment, and meeting the ghost of a teenage girl named Penny Kallisto, who silently leads him to a street, where Harlo Landerson rolls his SS Chevelle convertible beside Odd and says hello. Odd immediately pulls the keys out of the ignition and accuses Harlo of raping and murdering Penny, noting two pieces of white felt from the victim that Harlo apparently has in his pocket. Harlo flees and Odd gives chase, with the chase culminating inside a child's room in a stranger's house. Harlo and Odd have a fistfight and Odd knocks Harlo unconscious. Odd waits on the scene and meets with his friend, police chief Wyatt Porter (Dafoe), who knows somewhat of Odd's psychic gifts and promises to spin the story to keep public attention away from Odd, as Odd does not want that attention. In his narration, he says, "I see dead people, but then, by God, I do something about it"."

A very nice film, I enjoyed it a lot and I will try to read the book now. Anton Yelchin is at his best in this film and is quite enjoyable to see. It was cool to see William Dafoe, it was unexpected. I hope there will be a sequel to this film eventually. I haven't read the book yet, so I can't or won't suggest this to anyone who has read the book. But I will suggest this to people who haven't read the book yet.


2.5/5

Day 146 - Catch Me aka Steal My Heart(Korean)

"Ho-Tae (Joo Won) is a hot shot criminal profiler. He's currently working on a serial murder case. With his help, detectives are staked out to catch the murderer, but the suspect becomes involved in a hit-and-run accident. Ho-Tae assures everyone he will catch the driver of the hit-and-run accident. Ho-Tae works on the case and figures out the driver of the car is Yoon Jin-Sook (Kim A-Joong). Ho-Tae enters her unlocked apartment and comes face to face with the driver. He's stunned to see that the woman is Lee Sook-Ja .. his first love from his college days. Soon, Ho-Tae also learns that the woman is a cunning cat burglar. "

Such a funny romantic comedy, it was much better than I thought it would be. I happen to adore Kim A-Joong ever since I saw 200 Pound Beauty and the drama That Fool. She is a wonderful actress, it was very funny to see her play as a thief in a romantic comedy. The script was well done and happened to well delivered as well. Joo Won did a good job too, he was funny to watch and he was even better when he was interacting with Kim A-joong's character. This is the best romantic comedy film I have seen in quite a while. In was most enjoyable and a breath of fresh air from all of the tragedies I've been watching lately. I suggest this film to rom-com lovers and fans of great movies.


3/5



Day 145 - The Monuments Men (American/German)

"In 1943 during World War II, the Allies are making good progress driving back the Axis powers in Italy. However, Frank Stokes (George Clooney) persuades the US President that victory will have little meaning if the art treasures of Western civilization are lost in the fighting, either as collateral damage in combat or looted. To minimize that threat, Stokes is directed to assemble an Army unit nicknamed the "Monuments Men" comprising seven museum directors, curators, and art historians to both guide Allied units and search for stolen art to return it to the rightful owners."

Its cr*p, please don't watch this film. It is boring as watching paint dry! There is nothing salvageable from this film even with the cast of Bill Murray, Matt Damon, John Goodman, and George Clooney. George even directed the film and you can definitely tell that he directed it. The script was bad, the acting worse, a lot of time wasted for nothing, and truly could have been a good movie.
This is another film I wouldn't suggest to anybody

0/5

Day 144 - Silenced aka The Crucible (South Korean)

"Kang In-ho (Gong Yoo) is the newly appointed art teacher at Benevolence Academy, a school for hearing-impaired children in the fictional city of Mujin, North Jeolla Province. He has a dark past - his wife was a high school student who committed suicide and his daughter is under the care of his mother. He is excited to teach his new students, yet the children are aloof and distant, trying to avoid running into him as much as possible. In-ho does not give up, however, trying to show the kids that he cares. When the children finally open up, In-ho faces the shocking and ugly truth about the school and what the students have been enduring in secret: the children are being physically and sexually abused by their teachers"

A Thought-provoking film that is heart retching almost all of the time. This film is about many thing but mainly justice. From what I got out of this movie was that "Maybe we shouldn't try to fight to change the world but maybe fight to make sure the world doesn't change us". This words left an impression on me, I thought very deeply about the message in this film. This is what kind of film it is, you want to hate it because of what it is depicting but you want to like it because it so well done. If you chose to watch this film beware we do see the molestation scenes that can leave you feeling utter disgust. I suggest this to people who love thought-provoking films and are not afraid to actual feel something while watching a film that depicts a true story.
There is no justice in this world anymore....


3.5/5

Day 143 - New World (South Korean)

"Undercover police officer Ja-sung (Lee Jung-jae) infiltrates Goldmoon, the biggest crime syndicate in Korea, to investigate them under the command of his handler Chief Kang (Choi Min-sik). After eight years, Ja-sung becomes the right-hand man to the ring's second-in-command Jung Chung (Hwang Jung-min), who holds the real power. But when its leader is killed in a mysterious car accident, Goldmoon is thrown into a succession struggle that threatens to tear it apart. With a baby on the way, Ja-sung is desperate to retire, however Kang keeps him on as rival factions quickly develop around two prospective leaders, the gang's number 2, Jung Chung and number 3, Lee Joong-gu (Park Sung-woong). Top-level police officials initiate "Operation New World" to intervene in Goldmoon's selection process for the next leader, and to use the leader's death to their advantage in controlling the crime organization. Caught between Jung Chung who trusts him with his life, and Kang who thinks of him only as bait, Ja-sung is cornered by both bosses on opposite sides and must make a final decision that rests on loyalty and betrayal"

One of the most thoughtful gangster film I have ever seen. By that I mean that the film has a wonderful script and well developed characters. It has less action than you would expect from a gangster film. Lee Jung-jae did a remarkable job playing an undercover cop and gangster at the same time. I enjoyed seeing his performance, it felt like he made the performance the best of his career. One of my favorite Korean actors Choi Min-Sik who played a bastard of a handler. He did a god job playing an almost lifeless and uncaring superior. Last but not least Hwang Jung-min who did a remarkable job playing a gangster. His acting was dead on and kept the movie interesting. His character was often the one who started the violence, which made his appearances even more enjoyable. Now when you watch this movie don't expect The Godfather. This film is a good gangster film but doesn't belong in the "one of the best" category. I suggest this film to gangster film lovers that don't mind reading subtitles.


3.4/5

Day 142 - Steel Cold Winter (Korean)

"Yoon-soo was once a student at one of the best high schools in Seoul, but a trivial remark he made turns into a vicious rumor that leads his friend to commit suicide. Unable to bear the guilt, Yoon-soo attempts to kill himself. To help him recover, his family moves to Ijeon-li, a snow-covered village on a mountain. On the day of the move, Yoon-soo sees a mysterious young girl skating by herself on the frozen lake. Having started school in this small, rural town, Yoon-soo slowly finds peace within. Despite the villagers' kindness and his peers' ongoing fascination with him as a cool guy from the city, he keeps to himself. There is, however, one girl who gets Yoon-soo's attention: the class outcast Hae-won. The aloof Hae-won, who lives alone with her mentally disabled father, is viewed as pariah by the entire village and constantly at the center of the townsfolk's gossip. As if seeing himself in her, he offers her sympathy and warmth, and Hae-won slowly opens up to him, feeling that he's the only one who understands and accepts her. But soon, Yoon-soo also becomes consumed by the brutal rumors surrounding Hae-won."

A nice film that lives up to its title! I started to like the film more towards the middle of the film when things start to fall into place. The beginning may be a little slow, just get through it and prepare for a roller coaster ride that has its ups and downs. Kim Yoon-Hye did such a great job, she deserves almost all of the credit for this film.
I suggest this film to those that love Korean films and not just the ones that have happy endings.

2.5/5

Day 141 - De Sade (American/German)

"Dullea, in his first film role since the 1968 release of 2001: A Space Odyssey, plays the title character in a film characterized by its psychedelic imagery and go-go sensibilities. As the dying Marquis recalls his life out of sequence, he is terrorized by his uncle and haunted by his own past of debauchery."

Most likely the worst movie I have ever seen in my life! It is completely trash, I know Marquis De Sade is the namesake for the term Sadist and he loved sex but this film completely took away from it. The movie was filled with crudely directed sex scenes that were more boring than the acting. The script was full of holes and was so out of place it was easy to get lost.
DONT EVER WATCH THIS FILM!!!!!!!!!

Negative 1000

Day 140 - Foxy Festival (Korean)

"Loose cannon Kwak Jang-bae (Shin Ha-kyun), a neighborhood policeman, is obsessed with his sexual prowess and continually wants to have sex with his live-in girlfriend, Ji-su (Uhm Ji-won), an English teacher at a private school who is bored with his macho behavior. Forthright high-school student Ju Ja-hye (Baek Jin-hee) sells her sweat-stained panties on the internet and wants to lose her virginity to scruffy fish-sausage seller Choi-kang Sang-du (Ryoo Seung-bum); the older man is uninterested in her advances but Ja-hye cannot work out why. Ja-hye's mother (Shim Hye-jin), who sells hanbok (traditional Korean female dress), discovers the owner of a hardware shop opposite, Gi-bong (Sung Dong-il), is into S&M and starts having sessions with him in the back of his shop, assuming a dominatrix role. Kim Gwang-rok (Oh Dal-su), Ja-hye's teacher, is a married man who is secretly into wearing women's clothes when his wife is not around. When Jang-bae discovers Ji-su has ordered a vibrator, he has a major crisis over his manhood and stops sleeping with her.Meanwhile, as his neighborhood has been marked for a moral clean-up campaign by the police, it's only time before Jang-bae also bumps heads with its denizens' licentious goings-on"

An interesting film about love, relationships and sex. How do you we overcome sexual frustration, age difference, sexual perversions and society's view on what normal is? The most interesting relationships in the film were with the student and the fish sausage seller. But there situation felt short and rushed towards the end. The film would have been better if this relationship was explored more. I happen to also enjoy the cop's and the student's teacher relationship. He had to overcome his sexual frustrations and try to be less of a pig towards his girlfriend. I like S&M as much as the next modern person but usually not with the girl being the dominant figure. Yet it was the dominatrix that said the most intelligent words in the film "What have I done wrong?". I suggest this film to those that enjoy South Korean comedies that have moments of sadness, realism, sex and rebelling against modern society's sexual ideas.

2.5/5

Day 139 - Downfall (German)

"The film is written and produced by Bernd Eichinger, and based upon the books Inside Hitler's Bunker, by historian Joachim Fest; Until the Final Hour, the memoirs of Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries (co-written with Melissa Müller); Albert Speer's memoirs, Inside the Third Reich; Hitler's Last Days: An Eye–Witness Account, by Gerhardt Boldt; Das Notlazarett unter der Reichskanzlei: Ein Arzt erlebt Hitlers Ende in Berlin by Doctor Ernst-Günther Schenck; and, Siegfried Knappe's memoirs, Soldat: Reflections of a German Soldier, 1936–1949."



Well done but it is slightly dull towards the end of the film. I have to say though the actor that played Hitler did a remarkable job and I hope he earned an award for his performance. This film is kind of for the people that are interested in the history of war and want to see the other side of Adolf Hitler. The historical accuracy is there, they give more detail about the high command of the Third Reich that wasn't previously known. The acting from the supporting cast was great as well, I enjoyed the film. Also the scenery that they showed us was beautiful (escape for the Nazi flags of course).
I suggest this film to history lovers!

3/5

Day 138 - Pain and Gain (American)

"The film is loosely based on a story published in a 1999 series of Miami New Times articles written by Pete Collins and compiled in Collins' 2013 book Pain & Gain: This is a True Story, which details the kidnapping, extortion, torture, and murder of several victims by an organized group of criminals that included a number of bodybuilders affiliated with Sun Gym"

Michael bay's best film but this film truly disgusted me. I hate the fact they turned this true story and turned into a comedy while they were committing acts of violence, doing drugs, fu&king, etc. This film is so bad at the mixture of the two, I don't feel sorry for any of the victims but come on have some respect. This film seemed to make fun of a lot of things and didn't really seem right. Plus Michael Bay is one of the worst directors in America and the worst American producer ever. This film may be though provoking but its just poorly done. I don't suggest it to anyone!

0/5

Day 137 - Fine, Totally Fine (Japanese)

" It concerns two friends who are about to turn 30 who fall in love with the same girl."

A bizarre love story that doesn't play out so well. It is corny and jumps around a lot. There's no real point in the film and might seem boring to watch. I would only like to suggest this film to those that enjoy corny comedies.

1/5

Day 136 - Flame and Citron (Danish)

"Set in 1943 and 1944, the film is loosely based on actual events involving two of the most active fighters in the Holger Danske resistance group during World War II - Bent Faurschou-Hviid (known as Flammen, played by Thure Lindhardt) and Jørgen Haagen Schmith (known as Citron, played by Mads Mikkelsen), who both died toward the end of the war. As the two friends assassinate Danish Nazis and collaborators, they also find themselves in deadly duels with treacherous handlers, competing resistance groups, and a femme fatale (played by Stine Stengade) who might be a double (or even triple) agent. Ultimately, they find that they can only trust one another."

Not a bad topic but it wasn't the best film. It was boring at certain parts and jumped around too much. Everything was present but I felt that the film suffered due to poor direction. I know the film is based on real events so they can't go off book a lot. But they could have made the film more interesting.


2/5

Day 135 - The Ghost Writer (French/German/British)

"An unnamed British ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) is recruited to complete the memoirs of former Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). His predecessor on the project and Lang's long-term aide, Mike McAra, has recently died in an apparent accident. The writer travels to the fictional Massachusetts village of Old Haven on Martha's Vineyard, where Lang is staying with his wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams), and a staff of servants and security personnel. The writer is checked into a small hotel. Lang's personal assistant (and mistress), Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall), forbids him to take McAra's manuscript outside, emphasizing that it is a security risk."

I thought it was going to be at least interesting but it wasn't. This movie seemed like a failure to me, things were quite predictable and felt a little underwritten. Pierce Brosnan is an actor I like, and he did a decent job in the film but didn't connect with how they made his character. Worst of all Ewan McGregor whose performance is highly boring and uninteresting. I don't happen to like Ewan McGregor's acting, I have never seen a good movie with him in it. I'm also not a fan of the director Roman Polanski, his style of direction is not something that I agree with or feel inspired by.

1/5

Day 134- The Impossibles (Spanish)

Sorry, I lost track of time

"Henry Bennett (McGregor), his physician wife Maria (Watts), and their sons Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oakley Pendergrast) go for 2004 Christmas holiday in Khao Lak, Thailand. A tsunami inundates the area with overwhelming destructive power and as a result they are all swept away from each other."

This was based on a true story, they changed the main characters from being Spanish to being British. It has a good message but it fails to be a truly good movie. I felt like there were a lot of lackluster performances that dragged the film down. I would suggest this movie if you like sentimental films.

2/5

Day 133 - Hard Romantickers (Japanese)

"
Gu (Shota Matsuda) is a hard-nosed Korean-Japanese hoodlum living in Shimonoseki, Japan. When friends "accidentally" kill the grandmother of a ruthless North Korean-Japanese thug, a whirlwind of violence and revenge is set to explode. In the process, Gu, having no fear, pisses off a string of other criminal gang members and Korean-Japanese thugs who all want him dead. There's also Detective Fujita (Atsuro Watabe) lingering in the shadows looking for Gu, but where is Gu?
Meanwhile, Gu lucks his way into a managerial job for a hostess club, run by a suave man named Takagi (Shido Nakamura). Instincts tells Gu that Takagi is more than he seems. In fact, Takagi works for a rival gang and may be involved with drugs. When Gu returns to Shimonoseki all hell is about to break loose. "


Not a bad film but not a great one either. It felt all over the place and even felt uncompleted towards the end. This film had great potential but failed to live up to it. It looked very cheaply made and the acting wasn't that great either. There's a lot of comedy or life situations that make the film seem extremely corny. Gu didn't seem like a kickass but at times he looked cool but he failed as a character to be truly cool. There's not a whole of emotion except for the failed romance in the film which ends with teenage prostitution. Which is a major problem in Japan! Anyway there is a lot of realism in this film but it's truly not worth watching again. I suggest this to real Japanese film fans and people that like corny films.

1/5

Day 132 - Sword of the Assassin aka Blood Letter (Vietnam)

"Nguyen Vu is the sole survivor of his family who was executed by the empress of Vietnam. Upon discovering that his family may have been framed for crimes they did not commit, he sets out to bring justice and clear his family name."

My first Vietnamese film and I actually enjoyed it. Though I like the general story, the CGI was horrible. it lessened the value of this film and made the action scenes look ridiculous. Victor Vu did a nice job directing but he needs a lot of improvement. I suggest this to action film fans and fans that like movies that borderline on corny.

2.3/5

Day 131- Man on the Ledge (American)

"In New York City, Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) checks in to the Roosevelt Hotel under the false name of Walker, goes to his hotel room on the 21st floor, and climbs on the ledge, apparently ready to commit suicide. The crowd below calls the police, with Dante Marcus (Titus Welliver) controlling the crowd, while Jack Dougherty (Edward Burns) tries to talk with Nick. However, Nick will only speak to negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks), who is on a leave of absence, after failing to save a suicidal policeman. Lydia arrives at the hotel room and manages to acquire Nick's fingerprints from a cigarette they share. Dougherty has them analyzed and discovers that Nick is an ex-policeman, arrested for stealing the $40 million Monarch diamond from businessman David Englander (Ed Harris). Nick was given a 25-year sentence but escaped from the Sing Sing Correctional Facility one month earlier, after being allowed to attend his father's funeral. Nick, however, maintains his innocence and accuses Englander of framing him for the theft of the diamond, as Englander lost his fortune and was too proud to sell the diamond."

A very bad action thriller that proves to be more boring than interesting. The best thing about the movie was seeing Genesis Rodriquez getting dressed. Though I feel like Sam Worthington made be becoming a better actor. I suggest you don't watch this film.

1.4/5

Day 130 - Welcome to the Punch (UK and Ireland)

"welcome to the Punch relates the story of a former Icelandic criminal Jacob Sternwood (Strong), who comes out of hiding, in an effort to save his son when a heist goes wrong. Sternwood is the one man that London detective Max Lewinsky (McAvoy) has always been after. During their cat-and-mouse game, the two become unlikely allies, working together to expose a deeper conspiracy. Solve it, they live; fail, they die"

A simple action thriller that was carried by Mark Strong who did a better job than McAvoy. I was actually annoyed with James McAvoy's acting and wish the character had more depth. It was shorter than it should have been and I felt like the director wasted a lot of the time he had.

2/5

Day 129 - Django Unchained (American)

The story is set in early winter and then spring, during the antebellum era of the Deep South with preliminary scenes taking place in Old West Texas. The film follows an African-American slave (Foxx), and an English-speaking, German bounty hunter posing as a traveling dentist (Waltz), named Dr. Schultz. In exchange for helping Schultz collect a large bounty on three outlaws (hiding-in-plain-sight in the south, working in the slave trade) that he has never seen – but Django has, while being trafficked – Schultz buys and then promises to free Django after they catch the outlaws the following spring. Schultz also promises to teach Django bounty hunting, and split the bounties with him, if Django assists him in hunting down other outlaws throughout the winter. Django agrees – on the condition that they also locate and free his long-lost wife (Washington) from her cruel plantation owner (DiCaprio)."-wiki

 

A truly entertaining movie from Quentin Tarantino, which features Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx. I happen to like Christoph Waltz ever since I saw Inglorious Bastards. I like his acting and timing as well as his personality. His characters are always entertaining and I enjoy seeing them. Honestly this is Jamie Foxx's best acting moment as he was actually quite decent in this film. He seemed like natural partner with Christoph which made it fun to watch the two characters develop. Also Leonardo DiCaprio was truly wonderful in this film, he should have won best actor. Anyway this film features a lot of blood shed and subjects to think about while filmed in a way that only Tarantino can do. I suggest you watch this movie as it is the best one I've seen in a while.

 

3.5/5

Day 128 - The Goebbels Experiment (Germany & United Kingdom)

"The Nazi propaganda mastermind behind Hitler speaks in first person as actor Kenneth Branagh reads pages of the diary kept by the chief of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, revealing the man's most inner thoughts. Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) was a symbol of Germany's Nazi regime and a twentieth-century icon of maniacal cruelty. His name has been synonymous with cynical, unscrupulous, and at times successful, propaganda. The life of Joseph Goebbels is far more complicated and disturbing than labels like "genius of spin" or "Reich Liar-General" would suggest. The chronicle shows how Goebbels continually "restaged" and reinvented himself -- from his early days as a radical "popular socialist" to his tragic end. The film lets Goebbels speak for himself through the diaries he kept without interruption from 1924 to 1945, as never before seen historical footage from German archives traces the life of the second most powerful man of the Third Reich, detailing his initial attraction to the Nazi party and his adoration of Hitler. The result is a fascinating psycho-gram of a man who careened extravagantly between self-pity, wild extermination fantasies, and political excesses."

The documentary was well done, I got to get a better understanding of Goebbel. He was easily depressed man who wanted more out of life but chose to follow Hitler and get a "weak role" as a minister of propaganda. I myself have German ancestry and I'm proud of it. So learning about the turmoil of Germany is even more interesting to me. Despite all the Nazi appearances in the film, we get a rare chance to see how Germany looked during Hitler's era. Goebbel also reveals personal information like characteristics of infamous people like Hitler, his bodyguard, the top of the SS, and many others. At one point he doesn't have faith in Hitler and writes in his diary about it. It was also nice to have Kenneth Branagh narrate the film which made it even more interesting.
Watch this film if you are interested in Germany and if you have an open mind.

2.9/5

Day 127 - A Happy Event (France and Belgium)

"She drove me into a corner, then forced me to go beyond my limits. She made me confront the absolute: love, sacrifice, tenderness, abandonment. She dislocated me, transformed me. Why didn't anyone warn me? Why doesn't anyone ever talk about this?" Un heureux événement, or an intimate view of motherhood, sincere and with no taboos. "

Not bad, it shows the female perspective very well. I thought the guy in the movie could have done better as a father. I actually hated him the whole movie, he was quite annoying. Honestly this film succeed in helping me understand the female perspective on pregnancy, work, love, and childcare. There's not a whole lot of sex and I'm quite happy that it wasn't the main focus of the film. So if you are looking for a whole lot of sex then this is the wrong movie. If you have an open mind then watch this film


2/5

Day 126 - 33 Postcards (Chinese and New South Wales)

Mei Mei (Zhu Lin) a 16-year-old Chinese orphan who has been supported by donations from her Australian sponsor Dean Randall (Guy Pearce), who sends her postcards that describe his family life. When her orphanage choir travels to Australia to participate in an Australian Choir Festival, Mei Mei takes the opportunity to find Dean with the hope he will make her part of his family. However, Mei Mei discovers the shocking truth – Dean is actually a convict in prison for manslaughter. Seeing Dean as her last chance at finding a home, Mei Mei decides to stay in Sydney until Dean gets his parole, in the meantime becoming naively entangled in the criminal world herself. To save Mei Mei from his own fate, Dean must make an impossible sacrifice.
"

A nice film that could have been great! Guy Pearce saved this movie from being boring, though Zhu Lin did a great job as well. The direction was horrible, It had been more dramatic or at least more believable. The acting from everyone else but the two main characters was very bad. No one could deliver a line correctly so the film suffered due to a poor script and poor acting from the minor characters. This at times was a sweet adventure film mixed with the harsh realities of life but Mei Mei shows us the bright side can always defeat the harsh side.

2/5

Day 125 - The Artist and The Model (French language Spainsh Film)

 

 

"In the summer of 1943 in the occupied France, a famous sculptor, tired of life, finds a desire to return to work with the arrival of a young Spanish woman who has escaped from a refugee camp and becomes his muse."

 

An interesting film full of art and nudity with almost sad undertone. The model (Aida Folch) is very beautiful and it is interesting to see her evolve as a character. The old man aka the artist (Jean Rochefort)  is gifted as a sculptor, he knows true beauty. The film is very interesting if you happen to be artistic but if you are not. The film might seem bland which shows that the director failed to bring the film to all audiences.

 

2/5

Day 124 - Snowtown Murders (Australian)

"In the poor Adelaide suburb of Salisbury North, 16-year-old Jamie lives with his distressed mother, Elizabeth Harvey, and his brothers — including Troy, who rapes Jamie. One day, his mother's boyfriend takes indecent photographs of the boys. When the police are reluctant to intervene, Elizabeth is contacted by Barry, a gay man who introduces her to John. John, who despises paedophiles and homosexuals, deals with the boyfriend by continually harassing him until he leaves town. John begins to assume the role of Jamie's father figure."

Didn't like it; It was hard to follow and confusing at times. I couldn't understand what some of the characters were talking about. I really didn't like the male rape in the film, as many of you won't either. I wonder how accurate this film is but it seems all over the place. I couldn't tell if it was in the past or the present at one point. This film is really bad, I  dislike the director's filming style.


0.5/5

Day 123- American Pastime (American)

The first scene shows the life of the Nomura family, a typical American family of Japanese descent in 1941, composed of Japanese-born parents and American-born children (in this case, two sons, Lane and Lyle).
They are forced to leave their home in Los Angeles following the infamous Executive Order 9066, signed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Order 9066 permitted the "exclusion" of Japanese Americans from the West Coast of the United States, and actual historic footage shows the rounding up of these families, most of whom were (like the Nomura sons) born as American citizens.
The Nomuras find themselves in a dusty, windblown desert camp. The viewer sees some actual footage of Topaz War Relocation Center, shot by Dave Tatsuno, using a camera which had been smuggled into the camp.
The elder Nomura had been a professional baseball player, and he rapidly forms an in-camp league. One of the guards, Billy Burrell (Gary Cole) is a minor-league baseball player, bitter about having been passed over by a recruiter from the New York Yankees. Many of the major leagues' top players were off to war, perhaps giving Burrell another opportunity with the Yankees.
Lane Nomura, the oldest son enlists in the Army, as a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the famed "Purple Heart Battalion." One guard, originally condemning the very idea of letting Japanese Americans into "our Army," changes his mind as he sees a list of men from Topaz who had been killed while rescuing a Texas battalion.
Lyle, the younger son, originally angry and rebellious over the internment, eventually finds motivation to succeed when the Topaz team challenges Burrell and the local minor league team, several of whose members are openly bigoted and hateful against the internees."

A movie with a great message but somewhat decent delivery. They really tried hard but they feel short in making this movie a great one. I really tried hard to like this movie more but I can't. The story seems rushed despite the fact that a lot of things happen. I really like the performance of Gary Cole the most, with Aaron Yoo coming in at second. I enjoyed watching the two but really wished there was longer and more dramatic. This is the directors two movie, so I'm trying to cut him some slack. I only hope you all get the message that this film presents.
2/5

Day 122 - Mercury Man (Thai)

"After being stabbed with an ancient Tibetan amulet, a Bangkok firefighter named Chan is transformed into a superhero when his body becomes a massive heat source, which he learns to manipulate to give him super strength, increased agility and the ability to make great leaps.
Chan's fate is entwined with an Afghan terrorist, Osama bin Ali, who wants the power of the Tibetan amulet to use in a plot to destroy the United States. With his international terrorist organization, led by henchwoman Areena, Osama kidnaps Chan's mother and transsexual sister (Played by famed transsexual Thai kickboxer Nong Toom, credited as Parinya Kiatbusaba) and takes them to the Royal Thai Navy base, where he hopes to launch a rocket at a US Navy chemical weapon ship. Osama also has suicide bombers spread out throughout Thailand, stationed in American franchises in Thailand, ready to act on his word."

So bad! The CGI was so bad, that it made the movie almost unwatchable. The acting was bad and several of the actors annoyed me to no end. The script was lacking and really unenjoyable. There are a lot of holes in the plot that will you leave you confused at times. The bad guys speaking English was really annoying since most of them don't speak it right and it almost tortures you on how they use the language.

0.5/5

Day 121 - ABC's of Death (American)

"The film is divided into 26 individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death. The varieties of death range from accidents to murders.^{"- Wiki}

This film contains 26 shorts from directors all over the world. These directors were given a letter in the English alphabet and were given freedom on what they wanted to do. These films borderline on creepy, corny, silly, sexual, and crazy. If you have a strange taste for horror films (like I do) then you'll enjoy this film.


2/5

Day 120 - Tiramisu (Chinese)

I'm Sorry I've been late with my reviews, I promise I won't be late again

"It is the story of a man, Fung, in his early twenties living his life as a mail man during the day and a janitor at night. One day, through fate and destiny, he manages to meet a beautiful girl, Jane, on a subway train while delivering a package. From this moment on his life will change forever."

Tiramisu could have been so much better, I was expecting something really good but I was totally let down. The film does well as a romance film but with all the silly supernatural aspects of the film; actually take away from the movie. The CGI was completely funny and really not done well. I wouldn't suggest this film to anyone really, I will suggest you watch another movie.

0.9/5

Day 119 - 12 Monkeys (American-1995)

"James Cole is a convicted criminal living beneath a post-apocalyptic Philadelphia in the year 2035. In 1996–97, the Earth's surface had been contaminated by a virus so deadly that it forced the survivors to move underground. In the years that followed, scientists had engineered an imprecise form of time travel. To earn a pardon, Cole allows scientists to send him on dangerous missions to the past to collect information on the virus, thought to have been released by a terrorist organization known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. If possible, he is to obtain a pure sample of the original virus so that a cure can be developed. Cole is troubled by recurring dreams involving a chase and an airport shooting."_ wiki

This film was based on La Jetee, a movie that I reviewed earlier. So if you watch that film, this film will make even more sense. Brad Pitt really stood out this time even though he wasn't the star. He proved he is a good actor and can play crazy like the best of them. Bruce Willis also did a good job, don't worry everybody this is a better time travel movie than Looper and has many less plot holes. I enjoyed this film, it is a thrill ride of what is there and what isn't there.

3/5