Silenced - Korea

          Director:  Dong-hyuk Hwang
          Year:  2011
          Plot:  "Gang In-ho, who is working to earn money for his daughter's surgery, is appointed to a school for hearing-impaired children in Gwangju.  But what he discovers there is an ugly truth: the children are being physically and sexually abused by their teachers.  When he decides to fight for the children's rights and expose the crimes being committed at the school, In-ho teams up with human rights activist Seo Yu-jin.  But he and Yu-jin soon realize the school's principal and teachers, and even the police, prosecutors and churches in the community are actually trying to cover up the truth."


          I know I have been slacking as far as Asian movie reviews go.  I have watched a bunch, but haven't had the time to actually get a review done.  As far as Silenced goes, I had to find the time to review.  I know it is a subject that many might try to avoid watching, I know my sister is.  I ended up watching the movie alone in my room because she refused to watch a movie involving child abuse and molestation.  As I see it though, this movie isn't about the bad, but about the good that came out of this case.
          This movie was stunning to watch and i could see it from the beginning.  I was sold about this movie even after the first 20 minutes.  The fact that the abuse and molestation wasn't shied away from like many other movies might have made the movie all that more impactful.  One person suggested that people fast forward through the scenes on Netflix and I think that is horrible.  I am a person who laughs at blood and gore, but I had to look away quite a few times while watching the abuse scenes, still I never skipped over these scenes.  It just seems wrong to me to actually skip over these scenes when the point was for them to be disturbing.  If you simply skip over them, I don't know that the impact would be the same.
          I also found another response posted about this movie that said how horrible the people were for being a part of making this movie.  The person was upset because of how the movie ended, and that the teacher was a coward for not helping the children.  The problem is that this movie wasn't meant as a feel good movie.  This was meant as a statement about the atrocities that went on at a school for the deaf and limitations that were faced when trying to punish those at fault.  The fact is that you should be upset after watching this movie.  To think that the government had so many faults that the ending happened as it did is outrageous.
          I have to say the person was completely wrong about the teacher though.  He wasn't a coward, he was just conflicted for the most part.  It was really hard for him to go against what he needed to do for his own family to help out the children.  I can only imagine what kind of stress he must have felt knowing that he was doing the right thing, but in doing so was going against his duties to his family.

          This is definitely a movie to watch.  It is sad and disturbing, but it definitely strikes a nerve in a positive way.  The acting in this movie was great, some felt that Yoo Gong (played In-ho) was rather emotionless, but I have to disagree.  I simply felt that he was conflicted and wasn't sure what the best course was.

A Moment to Remember - Korea

          Director:  John H. Lee

          Year:  2004

          Plot:  "A romance blossoms between a clothing designer and a cautious young man, but because the two have both been hurt in the past, it develops slowly. One is recovering from an affair with a married man. The other has lived his life alienated and alone."

          When I came across this movie, I put it aside like many others.  It sounded good, but I wasn't up for a movie just yet.  I was only looking.  Today, I was browsing again, not really meaning to watch when I accidentally clicked on the movie on Netflix (online, you know so it plays automatically).  I wasn't really interested in watching a movie with subtitles as I am working on a baby blanket that demands full attention.  The thing is, I let the movie play because I figured it meant that I must have really wanted to watch it, I just didn't know it yet.
          I really do think there was something to that accidental click after watching the movie.  This isn't one to pass up, and I can't believe I did for some time.  I don't even think there is anything bad I can really say about this movie.  It was a nice build and cute in the beginning.  Su-jin meets Cheol-su due to one of her forgetful moments.  The moment is strange in any normal sense, but it will turn out to be the most important moment for Su-jin.  A real moment to remember.
          The thing is, there relationship starts out strange than moves to sweet.  Of course, as the movie progresses, you begin to notice Su-jin isn't exactly normal.  She is very forgetful and though it is cute and leads to her meeting Cheol-su, it turns her relationship from sweet to bittersweet.  She even goes to the doctor when she starts having trouble finding her way home.  Of course I won't tell what her diagnosis is, but it is something that hurts her and those around her.
          Many of the scenes in this movie are great involving the between the couple, but the best moment is by far the best.  It is a special moment brought on by dialogue of another character in the movie.  Some people complained about the scene being ambiguous, but I didn't feel this way.  The moment for me was something that made sense and was easy to understand.  As I seen it, a husband was making a special moment to let his wife know how he felt about her.  That understanding alone does not do that moment justice.

          As I have already said, this is not a movie to pass up, even for a few days.  Even if you aren't into romance movies, this one is worth a shot because it will pull at parts in your heart and not let go until the movie is over.  There is something about the situation in this movie that is hard for anyone not to feel for.

Seven Days - Korea

          Director:  Shin-yeon Won
          Year:  2007
          Plot:  "A successful lawyer who, in order to save her daughter, is pressured into defending the innocence of a man slated to receive the death penalty."

          This movie has been on my "To Watch" list since March.  That isn't as long as some of the movies I want to give a shot, but I decided to watch this before the others.  The thing is, I am not sure how I feel about this movie exactly.  There were parts I loved, and others that I didn't, and others I am just not sure what happened.
          First off, I really loved the ending.  I didn't see it coming, for many reasons, but what happened in the end was pretty great.  It wasn't as great as the ending of Midnight FM, but this movie did have a very effective ending.  This ending though might have been even better if other parts of the movie didn't have some issues.
          While I was watching this movie, I was knitting, but I have absolutely no problem knitting and reading subtitles.  I mention this because I am not one to be distracted by the things I do when watching a movie, so it isn't the reason for the issues I found with this movie.  I have to say this movie had me completely confused, and not in a good way.  There was simply too many suspects that were claimed to be the killers, or covered up the truth.
          I love to be unable to pin down the real murderer, or bad guy, as it makes for a great movie.  This one though made it really confusing.  I get who the killer was, and the kidnapper now that the movie is over, because it was clearly stated at the end.  The issue I have is that some of other suspects kind of blended together.  I am actually not sure what their stories were now that the movie is over and the focus has shifted to the murderer and kidnapper.

          I don't think I would necessarily suggest this movie.  It was decent enough for a watch, and the ending with the kidnapper was great.  For a night where a great movie is called for, this is not one I would watch.  Boring nights are the time for something like this, because it will use your time well enough with some decent scenes.  I just suggest not expecting much, otherwise you are likely to be disappointed.

Kaiji 2: Jinsei dakkai gemu - Japan

          Director:  Toya Sato
          Year:  2011
          Plot:  "Soon after having his debt cleared, Kaiji Ito is soon in debt again, and as is sent back underground. He earns the chance to return above ground for 2 weeks, he takes up the challenge of earning the 200,000,000 yen he needs to help his friends who are relying on him.  To make the money he finds a new game to play, one that is once again set against him."

          It's been over a year since I seen the first one, so I had to go back and look at my post for it.  While watching this movie I really did remember a lot of the first one, but nothing about what I wrote in my review. Time has sure flown by it seems, but I guess movies have a habit of leaving major impressions on me.
          In the second installment of Kaiji, the game has changed.  Instead of playing different strategy games and facing death defying challenges, Kaiji is up against a pachinko machine.  This may not seem like that big of a deal and on the simplest level, it probably wouldn't be much of a big deal.  Factor in that the machines payout would be a little over 1 billion and the fact that the game is likely rigged, and the story line starts to get a boost.
          I am not sure what it is about Kaiji, but these are the only movies involving gambling that I am genuinely nervous for the characters.  I don't know how many times my hands were clenched while watching this.  I think it might have a little something to do with the characters.  Kaiji himself is really sweet and tries to always help everyone, even when he himself is in trouble.  The pressure on him in this movie is even more intense because he not only has his own debt on his shoulders, but that of 20 or so men in the underground that are counting on him.  This isn't enough for Kaiji though and he soon takes on even more charity cases.
           I really don't think either Kaiji movie would have been so good to me if the character wasn't the way he is.  Sure, many consider Tatsuya to be an over-actor, but it has seemed to work really well with the character of Kaiji.  I just couldn't imagine him in any other way.  He is dramatic, but I like the character that way.  n.n

          As with the first movie, I highly recommend this.  Of course, the first one is probably necessary to get a feel for the characters as a few come from that one.  If you don't care for the characters and what is happening to them, neither movie will probably be all that enjoyable.  The thing is, that is the same with every movie, so you have to watch them for yourself to see if you will love the character and the movie.

          Check out my review of Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler!

Waiting in the Dark - Japan

          Director:  Daisuke Tengan
          Year:  2006
          Plot:  "Michiru has recently lost her eyesight.  To make matters worse, her father dies shortly afterwards.  She is now all alone and spends most of her day isolated in her home.  Akihiro is a Chinese-Japanese immigrant, that has had to deal with racism all throughout his life.  He is now tormented at work by one of his older co-workers named Toshio.  One day at a train station in front of Michiru's house, Toshio is thrown into the path of an oncoming train.  The only person seen at the train stop was Akihiro.  Akihiro frantically flees from the scene and manages to enter Michiru's house without her knowledge.  After a few days, Michiru starts to sense the presence of another person in her home."


          First off, I have to say that this movie is going in my "Want" list as I will be planning on getting it when I have the money to.  At first, this movie may have seemed a little slow as it goes through the life of Michiru before her visitor comes.  The thing is though it is still kind of interesting to see how she lives.  I really thought what her father did with the card was sweet, working on it at night and all.  The movie gets to the point when Michiru hears her doorbell and no one answers her, yet the person sneaks in.
          The story then switches to that of Akihiro.  I was quite upset with seeing the way he was treated.  It definitely wouldn't be hard to understand why he might have pushed Toshio.  It just isn't right to make the guy go through all of that.  
          His time though with Michiru is rather touching.  No words are said and she doesn't even know he is there.  Little things though clue her in.  When she almost hurts her self trying to reach something, Akihiro mistakenly announces himself without saying a word.  After this, there relationship is quite nice.  Michiru easily accepts his presence, much to the bewilderment of many reviewers.  I though could understand the reasoning.  He had been in her house for quite awhile and never did anything to her.
          I have to say that the outcome of the little mystery was something I hadn't really expected.  I loved how they kept it quite shrouded and alluded to a different outcome.  I usually love hints to the ending, but I was quite happy with the opposite in this one.  Yes, when you think back there are a few things that explain what was really going on, but with other information you really couldn't have guessed it.


          I am not sure why I decided to give this only 4 stars.  The main reason I guess would be that parts were kind of slow.  This doesn't mean I didn't love this movie.  I highly suggest this, but I probably wouldn't watch it when you want something fast paced and exciting.  n.n

I Give my First Love to You - Japan

          Director:  Takehiko Shinjo
          Year:  2009
          Plot:  "As a child Takuma is diagnosed with a heart condition that requires care from a cardiologist.  He soon becomes friends with his doctors young daughter Mayu while being treated at the hospital.  One day Mayu overhears her father saying that Takumas condition is serious enough that he most likely wont live beyond the age of 20.  Takuma at 8-years-old he makes a promise to marry Mayu when grow up.  Later in life, Takuma becomes aware that he wont be able to keep this promise and he begins distancing himself from Mayu in hopes of protecting her."


          I first have to say that I can't believe I put this movie off since I came across it in May.  After seeing it, it just seems so wrong that I waited so long to watch this.  So this movie is based off a manga of the same name by Kotomi Aoki which I have not read.  I have to say this so those who have read it know that I am simply talking about this movie and not how it stuck to the manga.
          I really enjoyed this one, though I am sure that is evident based on the rating I gave it.  n.n  But really, this is a very sweet touching story, not to mention quite sad in parts.  I just loved the fact that the main characters have been together since they were kids.  You can't beat a first love like these two had.  Usually a first love is just a simple crush, but this is so much more than that, it is a rather amazing little love story.
          I didn't really see anything in this movie that I could say was bad or disappointing.  Of the reviews from others I have seen, it seems all they think was wrong was that it was 'cliche' or boring.  The main point they said was 'cliche' was the fact that two guys fall for the same girl.  I don't feel this is very cliche because for one it is only a small part of the movie, and for another, it is resolved on a rather quiet note.
          As for the point of being boring, I didn't get this at all.  I was really into the characters and the story, so it seemed like the time was used very well.  Time doesn't seem like a big deal when you can feel for the characters.


          I really can't say anything more about this movie, or I might give away everything.  All I can say is that I highly recommend this movie.  It is a really great story and very touching.  I am sure there will be some like the few that I found that didn't like this movie, but you cannot know unless you give it a try.  You might just be surprised and fall completely in love with this movie.

Postman to Heaven - Korea

          Director:  Lee Hyeong-Min
          Year:  2009
          Plot:  "Jaejoon, isn't your ordinary postman, he delivers letters to Heaven from those missing there loved one.  Ha-Na is one such person, and together they try to ease the grief of the letter senders."

          Okay before I start, I do of course have to admit that I watched this simply because I am a Jaejoong fan (which add to the fact that I wasn't happy that IMDb didn't even have him listed as the star of this movie, Han Hyo-joo either).  Anyway, the thing is though I am not sure if that had anything to do with how I rated this movie.  You see, this was a really well done movie.
          The idea of this movie was really cute.  I think it is nice that the grieving people would have a place to send there thoughts, and that somebody actually comes and takes them.  The thing is though not all of them want to send warm messages.  Some of them messages show that there is something keeping them from moving on with their life.  The really sweet part is that this is where the movie really focuses on.
           I really thought it was great how the main characters would come up with ways to ease the people's heartache.  It really is very sweet, but also leads to a bit of trouble down the road.  It is hard to see who was in the right, the one lying to make someone feel better, or the one who felt it was wrong.  This rather philosophical is handled quiet well within the movie and I quite enjoyed it.
          There are endings that you just want to see happen and then there are those that are played out in a really cheesy manner.  Thankfully this movie's ending was of the former rather than the latter.  They handled it well when it could have easily turned out to be very cheesy.  This one was rather sweet.  n.n

          This is one I would definitely suggest, and not just to Jaejoong fans.  This is one I would sure like to have in my collection (I have a list going, man I need to get my financial aid refund soon >.<).

My Sassy Girl - Korea

          Director:  Jae-young Kwak
          Year:  2001
          Plot:  "Based on a series of true stories posted by Ho-sik Kim on the Internet describing his relationship with his girlfriend.  These were later transformed into a best-selling book and the movie follows the book closely.  It describes the meeting of Kyun-woo and an unnamed girl.  Kyun-woo is shamed into assisting the girl because the other passengers mistakenly think she is his girlfriend.  Once he helps her, Kyun-woo develops a deep sense of responsibility for her which enables him to tolerate (somehow) the girls abuse."

          So this was another movie that has been sitting in my 'to watch' list for awhile and I just finally decided to watch this movie.  I am kind of glad I did.  I found this to be a rather nice movie.  It wasn't as great as many had lead me to believe it would, but it was still a rather good movie.
          I loved the comedy of this movie.  My favorite parts had to be the high heels and the squash ball.  Those two parts had me laughing the hardest.  I did find how she bullied Kyun-woo to be rather funny.  The part on the subway with the soldiers was quite good.  I mean this guy has terrible luck it seems, but it is cute that things do work themselves out.
          This movie has kind of a little twist if you weren't paying attention.  If you were paying attention, you would have seen it coming, as there was quite a few hints.  Still though when it finally came about I was actually quite happy with it.  Instead of having the feeling that well I figured that out ages ago thanks for catching up, I found it sweet.  It is interesting to see the idea of fate in this movie.
          I can't really say that there was anything wrong with this movie.  It was a little lengthy, but I wasn't really bored during the movie.  I felt that is was quite well done.  It simply just didn't live entirely up to what people had been saying about this movie.  Still, I felt that this was quite good and entertaining to watch.

          I plan on suggesting this movie, but I wouldn't advise people to go into this movie with such high expectations.  It was a great movie, but because I had been expecting nearly perfection, this movie wasn't that.  I think this movie might have gotten a higher rating from me if I hadn't heard what people had been saying about it.

Yes or No - Thailand

          Director:  Sarasawadee Wongsompetch

          Year:  2010

          Plot:  "Pie is a sweet girl who moves into a new college dorm room where she finds out that her new roommate Kim, is a tomboy who looks and dress like a boy.  As their friendship develops, Pie and Kim begin to wonder if the feeling they feel for one another is just an ordinary friendship or true love."

          I am not sure why, but I felt in the mood for a romance movie.  I searched through a bunch of movies trying to find one to watch, and stumbled upon this one.  I decided I had to watch it from the plot summary alone.  I swear, I didn't even read any comments on this one before deciding it was a must see for me.

          It seems my instincts on this one were entirely correct.  A lot of times, I have a hard time watching some Lesbian themed movies.  It isn't because I have a problem with the subject, as I am bisexual, it is actually because of how they handle the matter.  This movie though did so well with the subject matter.  This movie was more about the emotion and feeling than an actual physical relationship (it doesn't lack PDA, but uses it sparingly when it is needed and not just to sell the movie).

          I absolutely loved how this movie progressed.  The two start of on kind of a sour not due to Pie, it is quite funny in the movie.  I absolutely love her painting herself into a corner so to speak, well not painting, more taping.  Anyway, this movie really progressed the relationship between them quite well.  It is easy to see the attraction between the two, but also the hard time they are having excepting it, at least on one side of the relationship.

          The two girls have to work hard to be close in this one, what with Jane, P'Van and Pie's mother.  The thing is though that there is also those who are on their side.  I love Kim's Aunt.  She is really a caring person in this movie and only wants to help out her niece.

           I really can't say anymore about this movie except that I loved it and it made me cry more than once.  This really is a touching love story with some rather funny moments.  Yes or No is definitely on I suggest everyone not opposed to a Lesbian relationship watch.

Sunflower - Korea

          Director:  Seok-beom Kang
          Year:  2006
          Plot:  "Released from prison, Taesik goes to live with an adopted mother. He takes a job and tries to live a quiet life with his new family. His efforts are threatened when a politician seeks to knock the family restaurant down to build a mall."


          This story is of course on that has been done before.  There are many stories of a recently released prisoner that returns home and redeems themselves by saving the town or what not.  (That's not exactly how this one happens, but pretty close to the same thing.)
          This movie was rather a surprise to me.  Sure, it isn't hard to see some things coming because this is a rather common story line.  The reason this one surprised me is because it was really well done.  It isn't too often that I stay interested in a movie that is kind of slow, especially when I had been expecting some action (there is some, but mainly just at the end).
          Despite the fact that the movie was a little slow, it easily kept my interest.  The best point of this movie was our main character Taesik.  I loved that at first he seemed all quiet and a bit innocent like.  When his past is revealed, you understand that this is because of his bad history and wanting to now be a good person.  He really is a good person it seems.  The notebook he carries around is really a nice addition to the story.  I love that instead of having things he needs to do to put things right, he has things that he needs to do to either be a good person or that he never got to do, like a picnic.
          Now about the fight scenes.  These were quite lacking in the movie.  They really only existed for like the last five minutes, if that.  There was more scenes of people beating on the hero, but it isn't really a fight scene if it isn't two sided.  There was one scene though of this that I absolutely loved.  In this specific scene, instead of worrying about himself, he only worried about another person.  This really showed how far he had come.
          The ending was kind of sad, but I guess it worked.  Though I didn't really care for how they ended the scene with Taesik, I absolutely loved how they ended it with the sister.  That part was really nice and it really ended this movie in a really nice way.

          I will be suggesting this one as well as owning it soon.  The only reason I wouldn't suggest this movie is if you are looking for high paced action.  This one definitely isn't that, but it wasn't too slow or even boring for me.  I felt that this was a really nice version of a rather common story line.

Clash - Vietnam

          Director:  Le Thanh Son
          Year:  2009
          Plot:  "Trinh, a mercenary, must complete a series of organized crime jobs for her boss in order to win the release of her kidnapped daughter.  She hires several mercenaries to help, including Quan, who she becomes attracted to.  Trinh and Quan's relationship becomes complicated as it becomes evident that their motivations are not the same."


          This was a really good movie.  The ideas in this movie are rather common within this type of movie.  I can't really talk specifics or it would ruin the movie.  Even though the ideas in this movie are quite common, I felt that this movie handled them in a very nice way.
          Even though the topic is sometimes over done, the characters really kept this movie going.  I really loved Trinh's character.  She is a really tough cookie.  The thing is though, she is a great character because she isn't all that strong.  She has her weaknesses, and that is a good thing for her character.  She cares for people.  I do love the fact though that she can take care of herself, sure she is saved quite a few times, but most of it seems like the one doing the saving just wants to save her, instead of her needing it.
          I was really happy with the fight scenes in this.  I was a little disappointed when they took a little time out for a gun fight, but they soon returned to some rather brutal fighting.  I loved seeing Trinh beat on the guys.  That was definitely a big highlight of this movie.
          I really don't know what else I can say about this movie.  It isn't that I don't have much more to say, it is that fact that I might give away a little too much of this movie.


          This was a really well done movie.  The characters were great.  The story line though having been done before, to a degree, was still quite good.  I also have to say that the fight scenes were rather great to watch.

I'm a Cyborg, but that's Okay - Korea

          Director:  Chan-wook Park
          Year:  2006
          Plot:  "A girl who thinks she is a combat cyborg checks into a mental hospital, where she encounters other psychotics.  Eventually, she falls for a man who thinks he can steal people's souls."


          Okay for starters, I have to admit that I watched this one just for Rain.  I can't help some slight fan-girl tendacies that I have.  n.n
          This was definitely a good movie.  It had some very funny moments, but that is in no way the highlight of the movie.  The best part in the whole movie really was the relationship between the two patients.  I simply loved Rain's character.  He was so weird, especially that hair, but I love the sneaky ways he finds to save her.  I also have to say that the last scene really is my favorite.
          It kind of sucks that I can't be spending my money for awhile, because I really want to own this movie. There really is a lot to love about this one.  It is interesting to see the different issues the various patients have, like the really polite one, and how they interact with someone like Rain's character.  Of course our Cyborg girl  seems the most elaborate of them all.  I absolutely love the batteries she uses through the movie.  She is definitely dedicated to her belief.
          Like I said, the movie is more about the relationship of the two main characters, and it is played out well in the movie.  First, he is just somebody with that ability that she thinks she needs and slowly he becomes somebody that she can trust.  Not to mention she can rely on in her delusions.


          This movie was well worth my time.  It kept me entertained from start to finish, and I even got a little attached to the characters.  If you watch this movie, which I hope you do, you have to pay close attention to the top of the thing they take outside at the end of the movie.  It makes the scene so much sweeter.  n.n

A Little thing Called Love - Thailand

           Director:  Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn and Wasin Pokpong
           Year:  2010
           Plot:  "Nam is talented and funny, but with plain looks.  She falls in love with the older Shone, one of the best-looking guys in school.  Will she get her first love?"


          I have to say first off that this is one of the cutest movies I have watched.  I think it even rivals The Love of Siam, from the same country.  This one didn't have to work to hard to get me laughing in one scene and almost in tears in the next.  It really is a great movie, but I think I need to talk some details.
          The main point of this movie is a cute story about a young girls first love.  I love that it centers around first love, because that allows for so many opportunities.  I feel that they did take this movie to a good place.  It had its funny parts, but (like many Asian movies) they didn't take it to far.  The comedy really balanced out well with the rest of the story.
          Not only is the love part of the story important, but this movie also shows the importance of friendship. It was really sweet to see the four girls together all the time.  I did love the fact that they even had a little bit of a falling out.  It really does just make for a great plot.
          The changes the main character goes through are quite amazing.  She starts out as this rather, shall we say ugly girl.  As things progress, she slowly starts letting out the beauty she holds.  The thing is though did she really need to change?  That is a question that I have figured out is a no.  This is not because of some anti-barbie movement or anything, but because of something specific in the movie.  It has to do with a notebook and one little phrase "She looks the same".  Okay, I won't say anymore about it or I will gush too much.
          Now quickly about the ending.  I think this was a very cute way to end the movie.  I love the fact that people set it up to happen knowing how much it would mean.  I also love the fact that their is a moment where you are not sure about what is going to happen, a well place pause ensures that.  That one little pause makes the ending very sweet.


          The entire movie was really well done and I absolutely loved the characters progressions and their relationships.  This is one I intend to own and on that I am going to highly suggest to may friends and those who read this post.  n.n

The Restless - Korea

          Director:  Dong-oh Cho and Dong-oh Jo
          Year:  2006
          Plot:  "It is AD 924, at the end of the United Shilla Dynasty.  Evil forces are rampant and malicious demons roam the land.  A royal demon hunting squad exist known as the Chuh-yong-dae.  YI Kwak, born with the power to see spirits, excels as the most talented warrior of these demon hunters and one day drifts into Joongcheon, the world of the dead through a strange shrine."


          I found this movie to be a rather interesting watch.  The story is rather sweet as it mainly encompasses love transcending even death itself.  It is quite a romantic notion.  The fact is though that it also contains some vary interesting fight scenes.
          The fight scenes in this movie were interesting in a non-realistic sense.  Yes, there was much flying in this movie.  The flying isn't a problem for me, especially when you take the story line into account.  Nearly the entire movie takes place in a spirit world and most of the characters are in fact spirits.  To me that seems to justify most of the characters fighting styles.
          The only major problem I seen with the fighting or anything thing had to do with the female lead.  In one scene, her hips seemed to be jerked awkwardly.  The fact that the scene was slowed down just enhanced the odd pose.
           I really enjoyed the love story behind the fighting.  During the movie, you were given bits and pieces of the characters living love story.  The fact that he never gives up on his love for her is really sweet.  Even though people he cared about in the past stood in the way, he still chose to try for love.  Can't beat that.  n.n


          The story line is very well done and the characters are just as good.  I was a bit confused with the ending, but I decided not to let that drag down my rating.  With the rest of the well told love story, the ambiguous ending didn't seem to matter enough to change my rating.  n.n

Invisible Target - China

          Director:  Benny Chan
          Year:  2007
          Plot:  "Three cops team up to bring down a criminal gang of seven, who have their own hidden agenda."


          The plot sure seems rather boring as it stands, but it gets better when I tell you that those cops are none other than Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, and Jaycee Chan (Jackie Chan's son) and that the main bad guy is Jacky Wu.  If that didn't make this movie sound better, let's just say all the movies I have watched with any of them in it turn out to be pretty good.
          As about the movie itself, it is a a rather big winner in my book.  The story line to it is very well done.  Each cop has there own reasons for wanting to catch the bad guys.  Not only does each cop have their own story, but the bad guys do as well.  This one doesn't have the irritating ultimate evil, you know the guys that are pure bad and nothing good about them, but that doesn't mean they aren't viable bad guys either.  It is the fact that they have some sliver of human in them that makes them very good characters.
          The stunts in this movie were great as well.  It was the director that requested that no stunt doubles be used in this movie.  That fact makes all the stunts even better.  I mean sure they tried to keep them as safe as possible, but it's really Jaycee landing in fire, and really Nicholas and Shawn getting fiery bits blown at them.  You can't get much better than knowing that the cast were in all the scenes they were supposed to be in and not some stunt guy pretending to be them.  For me it makes an action movie all the better.
          I really liked how this movie ended.  The final fights played out to the characters.  They really did work themselves out really well.  I also have to say I loved the final scene during the credits before the stunt parts came up.  I just felt that part was so nice and rather touching to see make it in there even if it was during the credits.  I am going on a bit much here, so I will end it.  n.n


          The action to this movie is really great, but the story line is just as superb.  This is just another one that needs to be added to my collection.

Last Quarter - Japan

          Director:  Ken Nikai
          Year:  2004
          Plot:  "On the eve of her 19th birthday, Mizuki doesn't have a lot to celebrate about.  After loosing her mother, gaining a step-family, and being hurt by her boyfriend and best friend, Mizuki runs from everything.  Deep within a dilapidated house Mizuki discovers the mysterious Adam, playing a hauntingly familiar melody on the guitar.  Melancholy and full of secrets, it seems that Adam, and the house, have a strange, irresistible link to Mizuki."


          The reason I watched this is a bit long.  It actually all started when I heard The Cape of Storms for the first time.  This is of course the song in this movie by Adam's group Evil Eye.  I was really captivated by the song and wanted to watch the movie then.  I didn't watch the movie completely until now for one reason.  The reason was I had dial up.  I only got to watch the first half hour or so then, and forgot about watching it until know.
          This movie was based off of the manga by Ai Yazawa who also made the manga NANA.  This movie did have its faults for me though.  The ghost scenes looked rather crappy.  This isn't a major problem though, it is just one of the faults that this has.  I say it isn't a major problem, because sfx aren't quite advanced in Asian countries.  I actually love this fact, because it means that they haven't used it as much.
          I also think that this movie was a little slow at points, but it didn't really hurt the movie too much.  The fact is that if you get interested in even part of the story, it is extremely hard to walk away from this movie.  So much of the story line is hidden until the end that you just want to know not only why everything was happening, but what was going to happen to Mizuki.
          The love story in this movie was really sweet as well.  Adam's fate was a little sad, but I guess it had to do with his own choice, but it is sad.  The ending of this movie was very strange though, with the ring on Tomoki and all.  If you get what it hints to, it is a little strange, but I guess it also explains some of the faults that he has when it comes to Mizuki.


          I would still suggest this movie to fan's of Hyde just for the fact that he is in it, but I would also suggest this to others because it is an interesting movie.  The sweet love story is also a plus for this movie.  This definitely isn't for those that want action or anything fast-paced as this movie is neither.  This movie is good for a watch though and does have it's good points.

Iris: The Movie - Korea

          Director:  Kim Kyu Tae, and Yang Yun-ho
          Year:  2010
          Plot:  "Hyun-jun and Sa-woo, close friends and rivals from the South Korean special forces, are recruited by the secret agency NSS. They both fall for Seung-hee, the beautiful but lethal profiling specialist at NSS. When they are faced against each other in a nuclear terrorist attack, they are forced to make their final decision and Seung-hee's formidable secret is revealed."


          If you have read the post for 71: Into the Fire, you probably know why I decided to watch this one.  Yes, it was all about Seung Hyun Choi (T.O.P) for me, which seems kind of sad now.  This is actually edited from the TV drama.  I have been wanting to see it, but wasn't sure if it was worth my time.  Because of this, I decided to watch the movie first (I wanted to watch the drama for T.O.P of course).
          I have to say that this was a really good movie.  It seems that the drama was edited very well to make a movie.  I do have one complaint though.  It is the reason I said my initial reasons for watching it seem sad now.  It is all because T.O.P has only like three scenes.  Apparently it isn't much different in the drama though as he appeared in five out of the first fourteen episodes.  Rather disappointing.  The scenes that he was in were good though, and he did look great like in the screenshot at the bottom.  n.n  I am not the biggest fan of T.O.P looks wise (usually), but I can't deny that he looked really great in that scene.
          Oops, a whole paragraph for someone in only three scenes.  I will reign in my fan-girl tendencies now.  Okay, so about the movie itself.  It really had me immersed in the action, even though I had to stop every once in awhile for it to load.  The action was just as good as the underlying romance.  I did dislike the ending, but that can't be helped much.  It wasn't a bad ending as it did work quite well, I just wish it hadn't ended that way.
          I don't really know what else to say.  If I talk anymore, I might give away something important.  That wouldn't be very good, so I will leave it here.


          This movie really kept my interest the entire time and didn't leave any bad taste afterwards.  This is definitely one to watch though.  Whether you watch the movie or the drama first, is up to you.  I do suggest though watching them both if you watch the movie first.  I intend to be adding both to my collection in the near future, that's for sure.  n.n