Thursday, July 21, 2011

Gantz Movie I - Oh Dear

I haven't had such an exhilarating movie experience in a while. Ok, Duelist doesn't count. I react that way every time. XD I will speak more about this in the future and might do a review (quite possible), but that was just a kick ass movie. Good, twisted, gruesome BIG action movie.

I have not read the manga or seen the anime for it and as an unbiased viewer, I friggin' loved it. My heart was racing for quite a few minutes after it was done and I did not even realize I was hungry and had to go to the ladies' because I was so caught up in it. Plus, my mother starved because I was supposed to cook. XD Sorry, mom. I made up for it by making the food lovely though. :P

I have drifted away from japanese entertainment a bit, since the last "serious" series I watched, as well as a couple of movies I thought would be good, sucked. That would be Sunao ni Narenakute and Kamui as the biggest losers, by the way.

But this made up for it bigtime! I don't know how fans of the manga and anime feel, but if they have issues with it, honestly, get over it. It's a movie. An entirely different medium. For a movie of its kind, it was absolutely spot on and more.

I got no beef with people not liking it as a movie (tastes differ), but don't cry and moan because it isn't like the original(s). And this is general talk about such works. Not just about Gantz, specifically. Like I said, don't know how fans feel about it.

So, thanks for an awesome ride which I will be repeating till my little nerd brain explodes. I will probably watch it again in a couple of hours. And again and again and again AND AGAIIIN!

I even liked Yoshitaka in this and I didn't think that would happen any time soon. Also, Yamada Takayuki will be in the second movie. I LIKE that guy a lot. He was probably the only reason worth watching MW for. Which I just realize also featured Yamamoto Yusuke a.k.a Tamaki-senpai from the upcoming live action series for Ouran Highschool Host Club. Trivia overload, damn it. Mah head!

Back at some point with more on this and here's a lovely poster for it.

Also, a link for the first movie's Asianmediawiki page: Gantz I


A Long Line To The Padded Palace

I will be talking more about this in a short while, but just as a little preview of the insanity I will be criticizing here. I will insult people and I will be called a forbidden_word for it, but unlike them, I don't look at the world through rose tinted glasses (at least 24/7) and agree with the flock just because it's "nice". Because if certain things were taken out of their "acceptable" context, they would show themselves for how serious they really are.

An article just popped up on Nate and then Hancinema. It is the reason I am writing this post, as well as being that "teaser" for what's to come soon.

Kang Dong-won's subway picture is also "God"

ID Pic

Kang Dong-won's ID picture is attracting netizens.

A picture of Kang Dong-won on an online community site looks feeble as the background lacks lighting and uncorrected, with a whitish glint but he still looks like the name "God" belongs to him.

His features are still obvious even without the lights. His messy and short hairstyle actually makes him look better although he didn't have make up.

Those who have seen this picture are liberal saying, "His significance is different".

Meanwhile, Kang Dong-won is an active public service soldier.

The article on Hancinema

The original one on Nate

So, what is the healthiest way of dealing with some celebrity you "admire" going into the army? Find his subway ID photo, which I am sure is as illegal there as it would be in most countries, and post it online. Then say he is a "God", like you say for everyone else you happen to have a celebrity crush on at the time, and act like seeing the man look fine without make-up is an epiphany... Oops. Tough word for people like you, I know. Google it.

If this were not that "acceptable" context we were talking about, these people would be given a private suite at the nearest 5-star funny farm. And I am tempted to give you my entire "mean western bitch" mind right now, but I will save it for later. I have plenty of things to say. Which I am sure will get me an appropriate amount of Hell, yes. But as I said, I actually feel it is right. I actually want to protect the rights of people I consider talented and/or admirable instead of just treating them like a glorified blow up doll and circus dog. What a curiosity I am...

Monday, July 18, 2011

Movie Review - Duelist

Duelist Poster

* Title: Duelist
* Revised Romanization: Hyeongsa

* Hangul: 형사

* Director: Lee Myung Se

* Runtime: 111 min.
* Language: Korean
* Country: South Korea
* Leads: Ha Ji Won, Kang Dong Won, Ahn Sung Ki

Japanese Trailer

In my other two reviews to this date, the Haunters and the Too Beautiful To Lie ones, I began talking about the intro of the movie. The basic "let's see the characters now" prologue you get with most of them. However, much like the rest of the movie, the prologue here is just weird. The movie opens by throwing us into the exaggerated story of a very secondary character who doesn't even feel like he needs to be in the movie until the very end of it. As he is narrating this incident he was supposedly involved in to a bunch of equally bored dudes at a local tavern, he is interrupted by an annoyed customer who has frankly had enough of this geezer's crap.

Your vein would be popping too, if you were there  

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Some Little Additions To Previous Posts

I added another movie to Korean Movies 2011 - Part 1 and also added some speculations on what will happen in Camellia. I don't like to add stuff to older posts, but making a new post for additions that belong to that subject seems silly.

Also, here's a picture to make the post prettier. XD

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Camellia - We'll Get There Eventually

So, a new trailer is out for Camellia, an omnibus movie comprised of 3 segments by 3 directors, which sould be released at some point, since the cast is quite popular. But first, let me say something about my general ideas over "artsy" films. If you don't want to read about this, skip to the end for the trailer and more info on the movie.

Artsy films... I HATE them. With passion. And I don't mean artsy like Kill Bill or Duelist or even The Fall. Those are artsy visually and in the way they present the story. But the story is there and it makes sense. I'm talking about Lars Von Trier-like European-style artsy crap filled with boring scenes and could-be-porn sex. I'm talking about a movie featuring 10 minutes of a one-angle shot of an orange and some guy sitting on the table and staring at it. And then we're supposed to understand it has some deep meaning about the essence of our materialistic society and loneliness, pain, love and loss...

"What does it all meeean?!!?!?"

Well, screw that. I call that weakness to include meaning and write a proper damn script. This isn't charades. It's a movie. If you chose a movie as a medium YOU are the one who has to show me a clear message, not "let the audience figure it out". If you're a director, direct! If you're a writer, write! It's not MY job to figure out what you have in your twisted head or look into my own soul during your movie. I do that just fine without your help every day.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Korean Movies 2011 - What Caught My Eye (Part 1)

Saw a trailer that just made my Mediterranean arm hair stand up so it got me thinking, there are some movies I'm really looking forward to seeing in 2011. Or at least I think they are within 2011...

And having seen some very unsuccessful trailers for korean movies, I appreciate the good ones. Honestly, some of them last over a minute and they even reveal key plot parts or even the damn ending. And the movies are awesome, which you would not believe by watching the trailers for them.

But, thankfully, there are good ones too. More and more of them. So, without further ado, here's some info, posters and trailers on the movies I'm looking forward to.

You can also find Part 2 and Part 3 here.

Let's start with the one I mentioned earlier. The one with the nice trailer.


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Koreans Are Simply Greeks...

Now, I don't base this only on the following, but I've been watching korean series and movies EVERY day since December 2009 and scarcely before that too. Since very young. And Koreans are Asia's Greeks. They simply are. We have so much in common, it's scary. I'm guessing it's leftover influence from Russia. It's the only explanation I can find for SUCH a strong similarity over such a large distance. Greeks, Russians and Koreans. I swear, we're one people.

So, I recently heard Hong Jin Young's "Love Battery" on DSS radio. And I was shocked at how damn greek it sounded. I thought "Well, we have so much in common, no wonder". I have often heard folk music or old korean pop songs that sound like they're greek. Thing is, this was too greek. So, me and my mother posted it on Facebook and asked if this is based on any greek song.

And well, it is. It's exactly the same tune of Glykeria's "I simply love you" (rough translation), only a bit faster and more modern. So, here are the two songs, after my words. In the greek one, the beat starts from 0:48.

Now, I don't know who originally sang it in Korea, as this is a cover version (maybe they mean it's a cover for the greek one?), but I'm fairly sure they were the ones who borrowed it from Glykeria. Glykeria sang this song at Eurovision in 1980.

However, the confusion just goes to show, we're very similar people in tastes, behavior and culture. I do have a word or two for the band who used a "borrowed" tune to make money out of (unless they did admit the beat is not theirs), but it's kpop. Pop, in general. Not exactly a fountain of originality and all. Plus, Eurovision songs get remade all the time. And it's still lovely to discover little fun facts like this one. ^^

Sunday, July 3, 2011

God's Quiz Season 1 Review

The review follows after the basic info.

God's Quiz

* Title: God's Quiz
* Revised Romanization: Shin-ui Quiz

* Hangul: 신의 퀴즈

* Genre: Medical, crime, mystery
* Cast: Ryu Deok Hwan , Yoon Joo Hee , Choi Jung Woo , Park Joon Myun
* Directors: Lee Joon Hyung (Season 1), Lee Jung Pyo (Season 2)

* Scriptwriter: Park Jae Bum
* Broadcast Network: OCN
* Number of episodes: 10 (Season 1), 12 (Season 2)
* Broadcast dates: 2010-Oct-08 to 2010-Dec-10 (S1), 2011-Jun-10 to 2011-Aug-?? (S2)
* Airtimes: Friday 22:00 (S1), Friday 24:00 (S2)
* Runtime per episode: ~45 min.
* Language: Korean
* Country: South Korea

* Synopsis from Dramawiki

He first clashes with but is later aided by Kang Kyung Hee, an attractive female detective who possesses excellent skill in martial arts and a strong sense of justice.


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