Day 296 - Black Ransom (Hong Kong)

 

 

 

"Before his wife was murdered, Inspector Mann Cheung (Simon Yam) was a model to young detectives. However, with his wife's death, he was indulged in deep sorrow and became downhearted and dispirited. Not only was his detective image affected, his relationship with his daughter Yan (Wada Hiromi) also went downhill. The new superintendent Koo Kwok Keung (Fala Chen) assigned him to take charge of a series of kidnapping cases. Several triad leaders were kidnapped, held at ransom and was murdered. The modus operandi was violent, brutal, professional and efficient. Mann soon discovers that the gang of kidnappers were formers members of the Special Duties Unit, led by Samo Ho (Michael Miu) and his girlfriend Can (Qu Ying), a former member of the VIP Protection Unit, who were familiar with the police modus operandi and were able to escape from apprehension. Sam also discovers that Mann is after him. A duel to the death between the two elites of the police force is ensured."

 

I wanted to like this movie because I found it so interesting but I couldn't. All the characters were under developed with none of them walking away with any kind of depth. It felt like watching a movie from a newbie character who didn't know what he was doing. There are a few good moments but the bad outweigh them. Sadly I suggest you skip this movie

 

1/5

DAy 295 - APT (Korean)

 

"Se-jin, a lonely department store employee, moves into a high-rise apartment building. One day she notices that the lights in the windows of the building opposite all start to mysteriously flicker at exactly 9:56pm. She begins to suspect that these occurrences are somehow linked to a series of suspicious deaths in the neighborhood."

 

The film had an interesting concept that could have been great in other director's hands.  I honestly can say that I don't like Ko So-young's acting nor do I understand why people think she is very attractive. Anyway to me the best actress was Jang Hee-jin who had  a better written character than Ko So-young. But in no way should you see this film as it was a waste of time. I also enjoyed seeing the younger Park Ha-sun appearance as a supporting character it was unexpected.

 

1/5

 

Day 294 - Hitchcock (American)

"Hitchcock centers on the relationship between director Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) and his wife Alma Reville (Helen Mirren) during the making of Psycho, a controversial horror film that became one of the most acclaimed and influential works in the filmmaker's career."

 

A good film with an allstar cast that might make you fall in love with the. Anthony Hopkins was great as Hitchcock but I felt like there needed to be more Hitchcock in the film. Some of the cast was uncessary since some of them only have one scene like Ralph Macchino (Karate Kid). Also they original author of Psycho was not present in the film which could helped with the drama side of the film. The make up was nice as well the sets. I have to say I felt like Jessica Biel shouldn't have been in the film as I don't think she can't as well as she thinks. The film should have been more serious as he was a serious director. It was nice to see "behind the scenes" of psycho a film directed by one of my favorite directors Alfred Hitchcock.

 

 

2.9/5

Day 293 - Beginners (American)

 

"The film is structured as a series of interconnected flashbacks. Following the death of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer), Oliver (Ewan McGregors) reflects on their relationship following the death of Oliver's mother, Georgia. Shortly after her death, Hal came out to his son and began exploring life as an openly gay man. He becomes active in the gay community, finds love and becomes more honest with himself and with his son. As a result, Oliver and Hal become closer during this time. Shortly after Hal's death, Oliver meets Anna, a French actress, at a party. Inspired by his father's attitude towards the end of his life and their relationship, Oliver decides to pursue a romance with her."

 

A nice little romantic comedy that will test what you feel about love in its many forms. Christopher Plummer was the best thing in the movie as his character had a lot of depth and he is a good actor. Meanwhile Ewan McGregors role seemed a little flat and forced as if they focused all their time on Christopher Plummer's Character. This movie is also good for a slow night if there nothing better on.

 

 

1/5

Day 292 - About the Pink Sky (Japanese)

 

"High school student Izumi (Ai Ikeda) has an unique habit of scoring articles she reads in the daily newspaper. One day, Izumi finds a lost wallet. The wallet contains a student ID and ¥300,00. Because of this, Izumi develops a strange relationship with Sato (Tsubasa Takayama), the rich young man who is the owner of the wallet. "

 

Not bad for an indie film, it was successful in using black and white which is hard to make a movie in. The lead character Izumi was the best character as  it was clear as day that she was not like a regular teenage girl. I didn't like the ending as it added a romantic element that didn't need to be in the movie. The movie is slow so its best for a lazy day when there is nothing else to watch.

 

 

2/5

Day 291 - Colorful (Japanese)

 

 "Upon reaching the train station to death, a dejected soul is informed that he is 'lucky' and will have another chance at life though he does not want it. He is placed in the body of a 14-year-old boy named Makoto Kobayashi, who has just committed suicide by an overdose of pills. Watched over by a neutral spirit named Purapura in the form of a little boy, the soul must figure out what his greatest sin and mistake in his former life was before his six month time limit in Makoto's body runs out. He also has a number of other lesser duties he must complete, such as understanding what led Makoto to commit suicide in the first place and learning how to enjoy his second chance at life." - Wiki

The animation of Colorful starts off rocky but eventually gets better. A major problem is that there needs to be more In-betweens as well as more humanistic movement. I hate the fact that some of the film is rotoscoped. I love the story even though I'm not Japanese nor have I ever been to Japan but I feel like this film exposes what is wrong in Japanese society or the common problems that are present in Japan. From the father is a good man but is a pushover when it comes to working overtime for free and is hardly seen. The elder brother who only cares about himself and is distant. The mother who is hardworking and has cheated on her husband. The best part of the film is that it makes you feel and think about life. It makes you second guess about how you treat the people close to you while under the harsh and rarely spoken about event of Suicide. The moral of the story beings like when death occurs do you only realize what is truly important and how you live as well as how you interact with people. The message of the film is quite beautiful and might be a good watch for anyone in need of a good movie.

Overall    3/5

Animation 1/5

Day 290 - Cuban Fury (British)

"Former teen salsa champion Bruce Garrett (Frost) is now an engineer. But his passion for dancing is re-ignited by his crush on his gorgeous new boss Julia (Rashida Jones) and the only way he can win her over is by mastering the art of dance. Now all Bruce needs to do is rediscover his inner passion and lose 15 Stone."

A tame romantic comedy that is quite light heartened and more realistic in dialogue than most Hollywood produced romantic comedies.  With this movie I feel like Nick Frost proves that he can continue to stand without Simon Pegg as his co-star despite the fact that Pegg does make a very short cameo in the film. It's nice to see characters representing different nations as the movie is British but Rashida Jones is American. This is the type of film you might watch just for a few laughs or if you want to see a British romantic comedy.

2/5

Day 289 - A Battle of Wits (Hong Kong/China)

"The film is set in China in 370 BC during the Warring States period. A massive army from the Zhao state is on its way to attack the Yan state. Liang, a city-state on the Zhao–Yan border, is in peril of being conquered by the Zhao army. Ge Li, a Mohist, comes to Liang to help defend the city. Although the King of Liang has already planned for peace talks with the invaders, Ge Li manages to convince him and the people of Liang to put up resistance by warning them of the consequences of surrendering. He also promises the King that the invaders will give up on Liang if they fail to conquer it within a month, because their main target is actually the Yan state. The King has doubts about Ge Li's idea but still puts Ge in command of his army."

 

A decent war drama from the co-production of Hong Kong and China. It lacked in a while lot of areas including supporting characters as well being rushed which leaves you feeling no emotion for the characters. It seemed quite rushed even the battle scenes were lacking. The overall message of the film was great but it lacked in its delivery. I enjoyed that the film didn't really exploit the fact that they have Hong Kong legend Andy Lau and the beautiful Fan BingBing in a movie together. Speaking on the romance between the two's characters, it was bland a bit they could have done more with it given the length of the movie.

 

 

2/5

Day 288 - To Live and Hide in Mongkok (Hong Kong)

"Fai (Nick Cheung), a legendary triad figure, was convicted and sent to prison for life, for slaughtering rival gangsters in a gang fight. A local council member assisted him with paroling, leading to his subsequent early release from prison 30 years later. Mongkok has, however, completely changed and he has almost forgotten his way back home."

 

It was hard to take this movie seriously because of the poor direction. I enjoy Nick Cheung in this film but I wish his character was written better. It might have been better if the film was more serious which would have connected us to the character more. I did enjoy the scenes with Monica Mok but I wish there could have been more. The whole film seemed kind of rushed which caused the film to crash and burn instead of being truly entertaining.

 

 

1/5

 

 

Day 287 - Castle of Cagliostro (Japanese)

"The Castle of Cagliostro follows gentleman thief Arsène Lupin III, who successfully robs a casino - only to find the money to be counterfeit. He heads to the tiny country of Cagliostro, the rumored source of the bills, and attempts to save the runaway Clarisse from the Count Cagliostro's men. Lupin enlists his associates, Jigen and Goemon, and sends his calling card to the Count to get Inspector Zenigata, his longtime nemesis, to the castle. After becoming trapped in dungeon under the castle, Lupin and Zenigata form a pact to escape and foil the Count's counterfeit operation and save Clarisse from her forced marriage to the Count."

 

Such a wonderful animation film even if you are not a fan of Lupin the third. It was quite fun to see Hayao Miyazaki's first film as I am a big fan of his. The animation was good you can tell that he also added more humanistic struggle to the characters which one of the things he is best known for.  I watched the Lupin the 3rd TV show as a child and I kind enjoyed this film despite the changes made to the characters. This world was completely beautiful with a mixture of serene movements and action scenes. If you have seen any of Hayao Miyazaki movies it might interest you too see this movie, so you can see how he got started as a director.

 

4.5/5

Day 286 - All About Love (Hong Kong)

"Ko (Andy Lau) is a hard working doctor who has little time to spend with his wife (Charlene Choi). When she dies in a car accident her heart is given to another woman, Tse Yuen Sam (Charlie Yeung). Ko later changes careers and becomes a paramedic. One night while on call in an ambulance, Ko attends a traffic accident involving Sam. He discovers she is the recipient of his wife's heart and that her husband Derek (also played by Lau) has left her. Ko decides to use their resemblance as a means of making amends for both his and Derek's treatment of their wives."

The story and delivery are very bad. However Andy Lau once again proves that he is a remarkable actor with his dual role in this film. I enjoyed watching Lau in this film as I do in his other films since he is one of the best actors I've ever seen. Sadly this movie was brought down by the plot and the direction of the film. Charlene Choi played the sweet wife perfectly, I actually enjoy watching her perform as well. I don't think the film was long enough nor did the direction allow for us to actual feel for the characters. Also it is quite apparent that they used a green scene at some point at the end which could have been used better.  This is not the type of film to watch for a happy ending, if you just want to see Andy Lau then watch the film.


1/5

Day 285 - Sword of the Stranger (Japanese)

'The film follows Kotaro, a young boy who is hunted by a group of swordsmen from Ming Dynasty China for mysterious reasons. Among the group is a fearsome Western fighter named Luo-Lang, whose only desire is to find a worthy opponent. Due to circumstances, Kotaro and his dog meet Nanashi, a nameless ronin who is haunted by memories of his past which have led him to avoid drawing his sword ever again. When the Ming clash with a Sengoku-era feudal lord, a proud general, and monks torn between faith and survival, the reason behind the Ming group's pursuit tests the bond between Kotaro and Nanashi.'

 

A wonderful animation film with a great story but could use improvement in the animation department. Its bloody, has friendship, rivalry, all the other works of a dark anime. Its shows us the prejudices of the country of Japan in earlier years as well the pain of someone is different from the regular Japanese. It truly is an interesting animation film as it is the best one I've seen in quite a while. The only problem to me was the animation as it needed more in-betweens and more movement of weight in order to make it more realistic. I also like the fact that the ending is ambiguous which is kind of rare in an animation film.  

 

 

3/5

DAy 284 - L for love L for Lies (Hong Kong)

"
Everything was going well for Ah Bo (Stephy Tang) until recently. After graduating from college, Ah Bo decided to open a shop with her longtime boyfriend, Ah Jun (Stephen Wong Ka Lok), thinking that she would eventually marry Jun when everything has been set up and running smoothly.
One day, Bo met her old classmate Kei Kei (Alice Tzeng). Kei Kei, smitten by Ah Jun, decided to steal Ah Jun for her own, not caring about Ah Bo's feelings. It turned out that not only Bo has lost her love of a lifetime, she also loses her shop."

A nice romantic comedy film that is a bit over the top and feels quite short. If you are looking for a feel good romantic comedy then this is not the movie for you. The cast was good but I think the script was rushed which left the film with no emotion at all. Everything seemed forced to the point you have to force yourself to finish the movie. The ending was a let down but I appreciated what the director wanted to get across but it wasn't the best way to deliver that message. I enjoy the fact it is a romantic comedy but has a touch of realism which is unexpected. This movie could have been a thousand times better.

1/5

Day 283 - Spider Lilies (Taiwanese)

 

"Jade is a webcam girl, who broadcasts herself nightly on the internet to anonymous users. She seeks a tattoo, which leads her to the studio of tattoo artist Takeko, who also happens to be Jade's childhood crush. Jade becomes entranced by a large tattoo of golden flowers—spider lilies—on Takeko's arm. She wants the same design, but Takeko refuses, telling her that the flowers are cursed."

 

A nice and slow movie perfect for a long day. Don't expect sex scenes as this movie only has one, it's true value comes from the hearts of the characters. The special effects could have been better as they weren't that believable. I enjoyed the script but was there was more that happened in the story. Rainie Yang and Isabella Leong were perfect for this film.

 

2.6/5

Day 282 - Full Tilt Boogie (American)

 

"It features extensive interviews with the cast and crew covering a variety of topics related to the film. This includes the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees protesting the non-union status of the film. The production crew for the documentary are also non-union."

 

A kind of funny insight into the world of independent movies. It is quite interesting to see behind the scenes of Dusk till Dawn, you get to see most of the stars and a lot of the people that work on the film from behind the camera. If you are interested in Robert Rodriquez or enjoy learning how a film set works then this film is for you.

 

2.2/5

Day 281 - Over the Rainbow (Korean)

"Weather presenter Jin-su is involved in a car accident, and though physically unhurt, he is left with a case of selective amnesia. Haunted by the memory of a woman he can't quite recall, he sets out to find her identity by revisiting some of his old college friends. The person giving him the most help is Jeong-hee, but as she helps him piece together his broken memories they start to develop feelings for one another, and Jin-su realizes that perhaps his forgotten past isn't worth chasing after all."

 

A very interesting romance movie the features a wonderfully sweet story of two people that are in love with each other. This film is perfect for a slow sunday or if you are in a romantic. Overall everyone in the film was excellent, I'm sad to say that the lead actress Jang Jin-young is dead. It kind of gives the movie a surreal feeling to know that and you might appreciate it more.

 

 

3/5

Day 280 - My Dear Enemy (Korean)

"

Thirty-something Hee-Su (Jeon Do-Yeon) is single, jobless, & miserable. She holds a perpetual sneer, showcasing all of the bitterness she holds against life and her ex-boyfriend Cho Byung-Woon (Ha Jung-Woo). Meanwhile, Cho Byung-Woon is a fast talker and a known player with women. He's also a dreamer with little in tangible assets (Byung-Woon is jobless & currently homeless). Approximately one year ago, Byung-Woon borrowed $3,500 from Hee-Su. Since the loan, Hee-Su hasn’t seen or heard from Byung-Woon.
One day, when Byung-Woon cohorts at a racetrack with friends, he turns around to find Hee-Su standing over him and giving him a stare down that's reflective of all the disdain she holds for him … or does she? Hee-Su demands repayment for her loan and not later today or tomorrow, but right now. Byung-woon doesn’t have the money to pay her back, but he does have a lot of other girlfriends that would loan him the money. Thus, Byung-Woon and Hee-Su set out together to retrieve the money and possibly more…. "

A very basic story with no excitement nor any heavy drama. The main character has a good view of life and never lets himself get down even when he is homeless. The woman's motives are slightly unclear as most of the characters in the film have very vague backgrounds. There is a past between everyone in the film and the main character but we don't get to see it. This is the kind of film you might watch if you have nothing to watch even though it is a good movie.

2.9/5

Day 279 - Queen of the night (Korean)

"husband Young-Soo (Chun Jung-Myung), learns of something startling about his perfectionist wife Hee-Joo's (Kim Min-Jung) past. Young-Soo then begins to investigate her past"

 

A very simple but thought-provoking romantic comedy that may have you falling in love with it. I enjoyed the plot of the movie as well as the acting especially from the two leads. I also enjoyed the misconception of several things whenever they talked about America. I really loved Kim Mni-Jung in this film, she is a good actress and I hope to see more of her work. Chun Jung Myung also did a good job, as a man it was easy to see why the character investigates after finding some shocking photos. But you can also see why she hid it from him, anyway its a good hearted  romantic comedy.

 

2.8/5

 

Day 278- Art of Fighting (Korean)

 

"Sung Byeong-tae is bullied all the time in the small technical school he attends, until one day, he encounters a meeting upon an old gangster-like man whose fighting skills astound Byeong-tae, who asks the man to teach him to fight. He soon learns the true meaning and virtues of fighting as he finally goes against these bullies one by one and then after the toughest bully in the school, using the skills the man, whose name he doesn't even know, has taught him."

 

Its a nice movie that has a likeable plot but features many holes and useless characters at times. For instance the woman whom they rescue only appears twice and isn't necessary. I wish they would have made her role more important to the storyline but even if they didn't I understand they might not wanted to have a romantic factor to this movie. It has a few comical moments and fails at some dramatic scenes but all in all its a decent movie to watch on a Sunday night

 

2/5

Day 277 - The Last Blossom (Korean)

 

"Middle aged housewife Kim In-Hee's (Bae Jong-Ok) mother-in-law (Kim Ji-Young) has Alzheimer's disease, her physician husband (Kim Kap-Soo) is always tired and indifferent to her needs and her children has become wayward. For her family, Kim In-Hee has devoted her life as a daughter-in-law, wife and mother. Kim In-Hee then learns that she has terminal cancer and is dying. The mother accepts her fate and sets up the most beautiful goodbye to her family"

 

Such a heartfelt film that makes you think about how you treat the people closest to you. Bae Jong-Ok was remarkable in this film, you truly feel for her character. She is really a one of a kind, I tip my hat to the director for making BAe Jong-Ok's character have to go to hell in order for her to get some appreciation and for us to understand the character better. Every one was good in the film but I would have put the mother in law in a home since she was so raucously out of her mind though I understand why they didn't. I enjoyed this film, its one of the kind of movies that you may cry to if you have a similar situation or know someone close to you that you don't appreciate.

 

3/5

Day 276 - K-On! (japanese)

"In this continuation of the K-On anime, the girls from the band "After School Tea Time" go on a trip to London."

This one very cute animation that is light hearted and filled with fun. This is the kind of movie you want to watch to get into a good mood. All the characters are so loveable that you want to see them some more. Towards the end of the film is when a light sadness might overcome you due to four members of the group are graduating while the youngest one stays behind. Yet like all the characters say "its not the end". I enjoyed seeing this animation movie, it made me feel great and I had a lot of fun watching it.

3.8/5

Day 275 - Assembly (Chinese)

 

"The story begins in 1948 during the Huaihai Campaign of the Chinese Civil War. Gu Zidi, a PLA captain, commands his 9th Company in siege to a town defended by NRA forces. The company captures the town despite sustaining heavy casualties in an ambush. After witnessing his political commissar being brutally killed by an enemy field gun operator, Gu orders the surrendering NRA prisoners-of-war to be shot, but his command is met mainly with refusal. Gu is imprisoned as punishment"

 

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be but this film is still pretty awful to me.  This film has a neutral feelings wherein it doesn't really hurt anybody, it shows that war is war and every soldier should be accounted for and honored. For that I respect the movie as that is the best message this movie could have put out. There was no real brotherhood in the film, it seemed like the relationships were forced since we are kind of just thrown into the story. The film was almost distant as we don't get a sense of how things really are. If you want to watch a Chinese war film that doesn't look like it was made by the Chinese communist party then this is a movie for you.

 

2/5

Day 274 - The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug (American)

 

"The film follows the titular character Bilbo Baggins as he accompanies Thorin Oakenshield and his fellow Dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The film also features the vengeful pursuit of Azog the Defiler and Bolg while Gandalf the Grey investigates a growing evil at the ruins of Dol Guldur. "

 

Way better than the first hobbit but still needs improvements. The make up and props were a little better but you could tell everyone had fake ears as Bilbo's ears looked incredibly fake. The story also had a few problems since in this film there's no clear protagonist unlike the first one. It seemed like not a lot happens in the film despite it being over two hours long. The best element was Ian Mckellen as Gandalf the Grey but I wonder why they didn't use make up on him since he looks his age in this film despite the fact the hobbit series happens before the Lord of the Rings series. Peter JAckson seems like he is learning from his past experiences but I hope the third and final hobbit will be the best in the series.

 

 

2.8/5

Day 273 - The Big Swindle (Korean)

 

"

Choi Chang-hyeok (Park Shin-yang) is driving in his car, when he suddenly finds himself followed by the police. In a nice car chase he tries to get away, but as his car emerges from a tunnel it goes over the side, down a cliff and he is killed in the burning wreck.
The reason he tried to get away, is that he had just left the Bank of Korea, where he was part of a scam, that got him and his four accomplices the neat sum of 5 billion won. He died, one of his accomplices was caught, and the other three disappeared – and so did all the money.
Eol-mae (Lee Moon-sik) was the one caught by the police, and they try to get him to talk and reveal the scam and his accomplices. In flashbacks we see how the plan was hatched, and get to know the criminals.
The police tries to find out more about the killed Chang-hyeok, and find his brother, who is the owner of a used book store. He has been at odds with his deceased brother, but now gets a big life insurance.
This interests Seo In-keong (Yeom Jeong-ah) very much. She has been living with Mr. Kim (Baek Yoon-sik), who is a veteran con-artist and the money-man in the scam. In-keong Seo got to know Chang-hyeok – and now wants to get to know his brother."

An interesting take on a heist film but it could have been much better. I enjoyed all of the twists in the film which made it more interesting but at times the film can see slow. Eventually we learn the truth since it was kind of obvious. Good acting all around I enjoyed seeing Yoo Sun in a cameo role. Yeom Jeong-ah did a wonderful job as she was my favorite character in the film. The film really left me wanting more as It really seemed slow then rushed at some parts and a little comical. There wasn't a lot of comedy thankfully, when there was comedy it was natural. Which is something to respect this movie for but I would suggest you watch this movie if you are having a movie night.

2/5