Saturday, July 27, 2013
Whatcha Wearin'? (2012) [Korean]
ah.
i've gotten lazy and allowed my books to rule my world. Oh well.
i am a glutton for sexy, witty, romance comedies. Although with the quality of the American rom/com movies that are coming out, i've been starving. so i had to look elsewhere to appease my gluttony. South Korea media is my guilty pleasure. For dramas, I turn to dramafever.com. For movies, I check out the CGV theater in koreatown. Or I just go youtube crazy.
People always give me a befuddled look when I answer korean, thai, bollywood, and american movies to the question "what do you like to watch?". Then the next one is do you understand thai (yes I do, I'm half thai) or indian? (i don't think indian is a language but no), or korean (sigh. no). Then why would i watch it? at this point, i fling whatever personnel i have at them and rush off in a gibberish mess.
i grew up watching thai dramas/movies. international movies are shared throughout other countries covered in subtitles. you can enjoy other movies in other languages. subtitles do not block the whole screen. sure look down your noses at other countries. i doubt any country has quality equal to "Grown Ups 2". ::shudder::
anyhoo. rants over. torch that soapbox sucker.
i adore asian rom/com. the best ones take it to the limit of moral boundaries. They actually give us a beliable rom/com story in the most outlandish situation. the characters are charming with flaws. there are certainly stereotypes they fall into but it's more than the american standard of "uptight girl meets charming rogue" or "clumsy girl meets strong, silent type".
this was a movie that was raunchy enough to convince my boyfriend to accompany me to CGV. It's pretty raunchy. The first few minutes of the movie is an intense sex scene that abruptly cuts off. Because it's a dream...
the two players in the movie:After receiving a hair clip instead of a ring in a box, Yoon-Jung, decides to boost up the five year relationship by calling him and giving him a steamy phone sex session.
And damn does she deliver! She completely missed her calling as a phone sex operator. Daaaaaaaaaamn.
As she ends the call with a smashing climax, she asks her boyfriend how it was. Only it's not her boyfriend. It's Hyun-Seung. A stranger she just phone-f*&ked because she mis-dialed by one measly digit.
Well of course she gets all embarassed and angry and hangs up. It's mutual loneliness and heartache that brings it back together.
As dirty and silly as it starts out with, it still has a sweet, resonating message. Even with all the chances to meet and techno tools, a connection can just be made with a voice and an ear to listen.
The two chat about their lives, lack of love, frustrations, dreams, sexy secrets, and more. And they talk, and talk. You can predict at this point what's bound to happen.
Why do people think that the majority of asian women are meek and subservient? Hell no! Most asian women I know are high powered tornadoes of ambition and emotion. I can easily believe an asian women conducting phone sex. I can't believe an American actress doing the same without using tools of comedy or some schtick to cover up the embarrassment. This movie treated it's parts as it's supposed to be treated. The sexy part are sexy, the funny parts are genuine comedy, and the twist shocks you with a smile.
It was such a great experience to watch and laugh at the theater as I snuggled with my boyfriend. It's not a deep provoking movie, just meant to be watch, laugh, blush, and just come away lightheartedness and hopeful. With so many corny or dark movies, it's always nice to sit back and enjoy the foibles between sexes.
i've gotten lazy and allowed my books to rule my world. Oh well.
i am a glutton for sexy, witty, romance comedies. Although with the quality of the American rom/com movies that are coming out, i've been starving. so i had to look elsewhere to appease my gluttony. South Korea media is my guilty pleasure. For dramas, I turn to dramafever.com. For movies, I check out the CGV theater in koreatown. Or I just go youtube crazy.
People always give me a befuddled look when I answer korean, thai, bollywood, and american movies to the question "what do you like to watch?". Then the next one is do you understand thai (yes I do, I'm half thai) or indian? (i don't think indian is a language but no), or korean (sigh. no). Then why would i watch it? at this point, i fling whatever personnel i have at them and rush off in a gibberish mess.
i grew up watching thai dramas/movies. international movies are shared throughout other countries covered in subtitles. you can enjoy other movies in other languages. subtitles do not block the whole screen. sure look down your noses at other countries. i doubt any country has quality equal to "Grown Ups 2". ::shudder::anyhoo. rants over. torch that soapbox sucker.
i adore asian rom/com. the best ones take it to the limit of moral boundaries. They actually give us a beliable rom/com story in the most outlandish situation. the characters are charming with flaws. there are certainly stereotypes they fall into but it's more than the american standard of "uptight girl meets charming rogue" or "clumsy girl meets strong, silent type".
this was a movie that was raunchy enough to convince my boyfriend to accompany me to CGV. It's pretty raunchy. The first few minutes of the movie is an intense sex scene that abruptly cuts off. Because it's a dream...
the two players in the movie:After receiving a hair clip instead of a ring in a box, Yoon-Jung, decides to boost up the five year relationship by calling him and giving him a steamy phone sex session.
And damn does she deliver! She completely missed her calling as a phone sex operator. Daaaaaaaaaamn.As she ends the call with a smashing climax, she asks her boyfriend how it was. Only it's not her boyfriend. It's Hyun-Seung. A stranger she just phone-f*&ked because she mis-dialed by one measly digit.
Well of course she gets all embarassed and angry and hangs up. It's mutual loneliness and heartache that brings it back together.
As dirty and silly as it starts out with, it still has a sweet, resonating message. Even with all the chances to meet and techno tools, a connection can just be made with a voice and an ear to listen.
The two chat about their lives, lack of love, frustrations, dreams, sexy secrets, and more. And they talk, and talk. You can predict at this point what's bound to happen.
Why do people think that the majority of asian women are meek and subservient? Hell no! Most asian women I know are high powered tornadoes of ambition and emotion. I can easily believe an asian women conducting phone sex. I can't believe an American actress doing the same without using tools of comedy or some schtick to cover up the embarrassment. This movie treated it's parts as it's supposed to be treated. The sexy part are sexy, the funny parts are genuine comedy, and the twist shocks you with a smile.
It was such a great experience to watch and laugh at the theater as I snuggled with my boyfriend. It's not a deep provoking movie, just meant to be watch, laugh, blush, and just come away lightheartedness and hopeful. With so many corny or dark movies, it's always nice to sit back and enjoy the foibles between sexes.
Monday, May 13, 2013
LAAPFF: Best Friends Forever (2013)
Two things: last week of school AND LA Asian Film Festival.I wasn't able to attend as many screenings as I would have liked. I did manage to see one screening that completely took me by surprise. Once again the festival has pulled through and has made me an obsessive fan of another film or group.
And to think I was going to miss this because it was a late showing. So glad I gulped down that soda.0
Don't let the title mislead you to thinking that this is some fruity, fluffy, girly movie. This was a movie about the end of the world between two friends.
We have Harriet and Reba on a road trip from Los Angeles to somewhere in Texas. Unbeknownst to them, nuclear bombs have been detonated in major cities, including Los Angeles. Instead, they're getting robbed by hipsters in the middle of a Texan highway.
Eventually they do find out. They do end up where they were heading but of course everything has changed between them. They question each others loyalties even as they defend one another. They discover their own weaknesses and strength. They're surrounded by racism and brutalitaty. It's funny, scary, sweet, dark, shocking, and awesome all rolled into one.
I was just discussing this with a friend that there are alot of apocalyptic films being featured. It is oversaturation of the media but I am all right with that. I am more than all right, I am ecstatic. The apocalypse lays the foundation for infinite amount of stories to be told. It all has the same start: take it all away and what do you have left? I love playing the "what if" game(Although I do know that I will definitely be one of the first casualties). So it's pretty awesome to see this movie stand out from the others because there is a great message underneath it all. Plus it's a great movie about female friendship. And the conflict between them has NOTHING TO DO WITH A BOY! THANK YOU!
I got a chance to briefly meet the stars and they have re-inspired me to tackle that screenplay. They not only starred in, but also wrote, directed, and produced it.They gained most of their finances from Kickstarter,so its independently financed. It's also shot in Super 16 mm, which I have no idea what means but they seemed excited to inform us about that. Phenomenal! They're talented and a sweet duo. I really look forward to any futire works from both of them.At the end of the credits, there are some comic art that seems to be a continuation of our heroines storues. The ladies informed me that there isn't a graphic novl (YET) but they will be selling art prints at San Diego Comic Con. There needs to be a graphic novel. Or something. I want to know more of what Harriet and Reba do!
If you get a chance to catch this movie, do so. Highly, highly recommend this movie.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Frightners (1996)
Huzzah, I am live and well.
It seems that March sucks out the souls of everyone I know. Is it the doom following a lovey dovey month like February? Is it because we're three months into the year and we haven't done a thing of consequence? Whatever it is, it certainly sucked out the creative juices out of me. I watched some great movies but I was no near good of a mind frame to write about them. Until now. After I rejuvanated my geek juices at Wondercon, I feel the power whirling.
Let us begin.
So this movie was a favorite of my boyfriends. I'm not sure how it rolled about but his enthusiasm had me shooting the movie to the top of my Netflix queue. I have to agree with him, it is a really great movie. Yes, there are some eye rolling jokes, and the special effects are *cute* but for that time, this really was a great movie.
Before I describe the movie, I just realized that a smattering of movies I loved from the nineties had a lot of jerk/dork/bad main characters. They usually carried a kind of "whatever" attitude to life and villains. But when shit when down, they would do a complete turn around and become the focused, problem solving character (or just driven to action) that everyone looks to. I love that. I'm not advocating a scrub here. It's the switcharound part, the part where you relay on someone to do something in a crisis or zombie apocalypse. Then when everything chills down, they're back to being a better version of themselves.Love it.
Frank Banner (played by Michael J Fox) is that character for me in "The Frightners". We are introduced to him as a paranormal scam artist. After a traumatic accident resulting in the death of his wife, Banner gains the ability to see ghosts. He (somehow) uses two ghosts to do the "spooking" of the place, then Banner comes in and then through a "six-month guarentee" is able to extinguish the ghosts. Then deaths start to occur when Banner is near. Suspension arises since Banner was at fault for his wifes' accident (he drove drunk.sigh) so he steadily loses credibility the more he's seen at the scene of the crime.Banner sees a grim reaper swooping in to take the souls of the victims. The victims have already been pre-annointed with numbers which Banner can see. The more he tries to warn people, the more
he's the villain. So its up to him, the friendly ghosts, and his (questionable) romantic interest to save the people.
OK.
so.
Here's my summary of how I feel about the movie: I really enjoyed it despite it's many, many flaws.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The grim reaper killer is not the grim reaper. It's a cloaked ghost of a mass murderer from years ago. Channeling through his aging psychotic girlfriend, he's been killing off people to outnumber the kills from a previous killer.
Omigosh, I have so many issues with this. This is what keeps me from loving the movie wholeheartedly. I mean I can love "Super Mario Brothers movie" flaws and all so this really says alot. There are plenty of bad movies but they need to be believable in the context of the movie for me to enjoy them. If I end up asking myself "What?" or "Why" or "But?" then I'm pulled completely away from the movie.
Here are just five questions that had me throwing my mental hands in the air:
1. Why now? Why start killing people again?"
2. Why does he bother painting a number on the victims head when NO ONE BUT BANNER AND GHOSTS can see????!
3. How can he just KILL ghosts???! HE'S a bloody ghost!!!
4. What is the criteria for the victims? If it's random, then it would be random and quick. If there was a pattern, I didn't see it.
5. Your telling me the mother of the psychotic daughter allowed her to keep the ashes of the murderous boyfriend? Why? WHY?
When I pushed those questions very roughly aside, I can almost lose myself in the movie until I have to deal with the "romance" of the movie between Lucy and Frank. I just don't buy it.Lucy's boyfriend just died. Other than him being a dipshit and taking her movie, they did seem to have some sort of history. Which apparently goes out the window when she learns that Frank can see ghosts and solve mysteries. Either she's too lazy to solve life's mystery or she's a vapid, horrible woman. So, the romance score gets a negative fifty.
The only thing I loved about the movie was Frank. Thank you Michael J Fox for being a great actor and carrying this whole movie on your shoulders. Any other actor would have screwed this up. Instead, I enjoyed the funny scenes and was riveted by the action sequences.
"The Frighteners" is a relic of the nineties that has been grossly overlooked by the public. If your into the macabre like "Beetlejuice" you would get a kick out of this movie.
It seems that March sucks out the souls of everyone I know. Is it the doom following a lovey dovey month like February? Is it because we're three months into the year and we haven't done a thing of consequence? Whatever it is, it certainly sucked out the creative juices out of me. I watched some great movies but I was no near good of a mind frame to write about them. Until now. After I rejuvanated my geek juices at Wondercon, I feel the power whirling.
Let us begin.
So this movie was a favorite of my boyfriends. I'm not sure how it rolled about but his enthusiasm had me shooting the movie to the top of my Netflix queue. I have to agree with him, it is a really great movie. Yes, there are some eye rolling jokes, and the special effects are *cute* but for that time, this really was a great movie.
Before I describe the movie, I just realized that a smattering of movies I loved from the nineties had a lot of jerk/dork/bad main characters. They usually carried a kind of "whatever" attitude to life and villains. But when shit when down, they would do a complete turn around and become the focused, problem solving character (or just driven to action) that everyone looks to. I love that. I'm not advocating a scrub here. It's the switcharound part, the part where you relay on someone to do something in a crisis or zombie apocalypse. Then when everything chills down, they're back to being a better version of themselves.Love it.
Frank Banner (played by Michael J Fox) is that character for me in "The Frightners". We are introduced to him as a paranormal scam artist. After a traumatic accident resulting in the death of his wife, Banner gains the ability to see ghosts. He (somehow) uses two ghosts to do the "spooking" of the place, then Banner comes in and then through a "six-month guarentee" is able to extinguish the ghosts. Then deaths start to occur when Banner is near. Suspension arises since Banner was at fault for his wifes' accident (he drove drunk.sigh) so he steadily loses credibility the more he's seen at the scene of the crime.Banner sees a grim reaper swooping in to take the souls of the victims. The victims have already been pre-annointed with numbers which Banner can see. The more he tries to warn people, the more
he's the villain. So its up to him, the friendly ghosts, and his (questionable) romantic interest to save the people. OK.
so.
Here's my summary of how I feel about the movie: I really enjoyed it despite it's many, many flaws.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The grim reaper killer is not the grim reaper. It's a cloaked ghost of a mass murderer from years ago. Channeling through his aging psychotic girlfriend, he's been killing off people to outnumber the kills from a previous killer.
Omigosh, I have so many issues with this. This is what keeps me from loving the movie wholeheartedly. I mean I can love "Super Mario Brothers movie" flaws and all so this really says alot. There are plenty of bad movies but they need to be believable in the context of the movie for me to enjoy them. If I end up asking myself "What?" or "Why" or "But?" then I'm pulled completely away from the movie.
Here are just five questions that had me throwing my mental hands in the air:1. Why now? Why start killing people again?"
2. Why does he bother painting a number on the victims head when NO ONE BUT BANNER AND GHOSTS can see????!
3. How can he just KILL ghosts???! HE'S a bloody ghost!!!
4. What is the criteria for the victims? If it's random, then it would be random and quick. If there was a pattern, I didn't see it.
5. Your telling me the mother of the psychotic daughter allowed her to keep the ashes of the murderous boyfriend? Why? WHY?
When I pushed those questions very roughly aside, I can almost lose myself in the movie until I have to deal with the "romance" of the movie between Lucy and Frank. I just don't buy it.Lucy's boyfriend just died. Other than him being a dipshit and taking her movie, they did seem to have some sort of history. Which apparently goes out the window when she learns that Frank can see ghosts and solve mysteries. Either she's too lazy to solve life's mystery or she's a vapid, horrible woman. So, the romance score gets a negative fifty.
The only thing I loved about the movie was Frank. Thank you Michael J Fox for being a great actor and carrying this whole movie on your shoulders. Any other actor would have screwed this up. Instead, I enjoyed the funny scenes and was riveted by the action sequences.
"The Frighteners" is a relic of the nineties that has been grossly overlooked by the public. If your into the macabre like "Beetlejuice" you would get a kick out of this movie.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
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