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Title: Beck (2010) Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi (SPEC: The Movie, 20th Century Boys 1-3, Ikebukuro West Gate Park (drama)) *FYAD Note: I LOVE THIS MAN Screenwriter: Harold Sakuishi (manga), Tetsuya Oishi (screenplay) Cast: Hiro Mizushima, Takeru Sato, Kenta Kiritani, Shiori Kutsuna, Osamu Mukai, Aoi Nakamura Synopsis: Maho Minami (Shiori Kutsuna) returns to Japan after studying in New York. Her half brother Ryusuke Minami (Hiro Mizushima) is an ultra talented guitarist. Maho & Ryosuke then meet Koyuki (Takeru Sato ), a fellow young teen whom Maho takes interest in. Soon enough, Ryosuke and Koyuki form a 5 piece rock band named “Beck,” while Maho and Koyuki become involved in a romantic relationship. The band starts to play live shows and grow an enthusiastic following. The release of their debut CD helps to further the band’s popularity. People start to notice Koyuki. The band then endures a producer’s planned conspiracy and other hardships. Beck then receives an offer to play at a rock festival, but with the unusual stipulation that the band may have to dissolve … Why This Film is Awesome: I’ve waited so long to post this one and I have no idea why. I guess it’s because I try to post films that are appropriate to what dramas we’re watching at the time. With the onslaught of musical dramas such as Shut Up: Flower Boy Band and Hungry! (which also stars Osamu Mukai), I think this is more than an appropriate time to feature this one on FYAD. Thank goodness too. I was tired of hating myself for not posting it every Friday. Or, in this case, Saturday. I’ll warn you now that this film has a tendency to be a little cheesy BUT that doesn’t mean it isn’t an overall entertaining film, especially the last scene. Amazing. The young, fresh cast truly gave their all in each of their roles and it shows. Did I find it annoying that the main character has the most beautiful voice ever heard yet we never heard him sing one note? A little, but I give the director props for pulling it off so well (some people felt cheated which I find hilarious.) Honestly, the effort that was put into each aspect of this film is what makes it so engaging. It’s very commercial which goes against the gritty, rebellious, and independent spirit that the manga originally had, but, ultimately, it’s exactly what the manga (and the film) set out to be: a love letter to rock music. 

Title: Beck (2010)

Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi (SPEC: The Movie, 20th Century Boys 1-3, Ikebukuro West Gate Park (drama)) *FYAD Note: I LOVE THIS MAN

Screenwriter: Harold Sakuishi (manga), Tetsuya Oishi (screenplay)

Cast: Hiro Mizushima, Takeru Sato, Kenta Kiritani, Shiori Kutsuna, Osamu Mukai, Aoi Nakamura

Synopsis: Maho Minami (Shiori Kutsuna) returns to Japan after studying in New York. Her half brother Ryusuke Minami (Hiro Mizushima) is an ultra talented guitarist. Maho & Ryosuke then meet Koyuki (Takeru Sato ), a fellow young teen whom Maho takes interest in. Soon enough, Ryosuke and Koyuki form a 5 piece rock band named “Beck,” while Maho and Koyuki become involved in a romantic relationship.
The band starts to play live shows and grow an enthusiastic following. The release of their debut CD helps to further the band’s popularity. People start to notice Koyuki. The band then endures a producer’s planned conspiracy and other hardships. Beck then receives an offer to play at a rock festival, but with the unusual stipulation that the band may have to dissolve …

Why This Film is Awesome: I’ve waited so long to post this one and I have no idea why. I guess it’s because I try to post films that are appropriate to what dramas we’re watching at the time. With the onslaught of musical dramas such as Shut Up: Flower Boy Band and Hungry! (which also stars Osamu Mukai), I think this is more than an appropriate time to feature this one on FYAD. Thank goodness too. I was tired of hating myself for not posting it every Friday. Or, in this case, Saturday.

I’ll warn you now that this film has a tendency to be a little cheesy BUT that doesn’t mean it isn’t an overall entertaining film, especially the last scene. Amazing. The young, fresh cast truly gave their all in each of their roles and it shows. Did I find it annoying that the main character has the most beautiful voice ever heard yet we never heard him sing one note? A little, but I give the director props for pulling it off so well (some people felt cheated which I find hilarious.)

Honestly, the effort that was put into each aspect of this film is what makes it so engaging. It’s very commercial which goes against the gritty, rebellious, and independent spirit that the manga originally had, but, ultimately, it’s exactly what the manga (and the film) set out to be: a love letter to rock music. 

Posted 2 months ago with 40 notes

#Asian Film #Beck
Title: …And I Hate You So (2000) Director: Chung Man Yee (Anna Magdalena) Screenwriter: Ivy Ho (Gorgeous, Anna Magdalena, and Comrades, Almost a Love Story) Cast: Aaron Kwok Fu-Sing, Kelly Chan Wai-Lam, Eric Tsang Chi-Wai, Teresa Mo Sun-Kwan, Jessica Suen Huen, Julian Cheung Chi-Lam, Mark Lui Chun-Tak, Cheung Tat-Ming, Chan Fai-Hung, Michael Tse Tin-Wah, Pauline Yam Bo-Lam Synopsis: A radio talk-show host who offers romantic advice to his listeners discovers that his harshest critic could also be his greatest love in a tender tale of high profile romance starring Aaron Kwok and Kelly Chen. Zhang is the man that the heartbroken turn to when they’re having problems in love; but when the generally helpful host opens a very public discussion concerning the private love life of local columnist Wu, the stage is set for a lively war of words. Now, as Wu begins penning a series of harshly-worded articles criticizing Zhang’s top-rated radio show, these two popular media figures are about to find out just how thin the fine line between love and hate truly is. Why This Film is Awesome: I’m so sad this film wasn’t a hit at the box office, but I also understand why. For a film that is filed under the romance genre, it only spent the last quarter of it’s running time to actually give us any romance at all. While this made for a rather abrupt ending that felt a bit too conventional, I appreciated that the majority of the film gave me what I’m usually looking for in a film: beautiful writing, an even more beautiful soundtrack, sublime cinematography, and two leads that were still in the process of learning how to play with each other but still found a way to make it work. I was never a huge fan of the Aaron Kwon/Kelly Chan pairing, but I get their appeal.  If you’re a fan of intelligent films about love such as You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, or When Harry Met Sally…, you may like this one. You may also like this one if you’re a fan of KBS’s aggressive couple in Wild Romance. 

Title: …And I Hate You So (2000)

Director: Chung Man Yee (Anna Magdalena)

Screenwriter: Ivy Ho (Gorgeous, Anna Magdalena, and Comrades, Almost a Love Story)

Cast: Aaron Kwok Fu-Sing, Kelly Chan Wai-Lam, Eric Tsang Chi-Wai, Teresa Mo Sun-Kwan, Jessica Suen Huen, Julian Cheung Chi-Lam, Mark Lui Chun-Tak, Cheung Tat-Ming, Chan Fai-Hung, Michael Tse Tin-Wah, Pauline Yam Bo-Lam

Synopsis: A radio talk-show host who offers romantic advice to his listeners discovers that his harshest critic could also be his greatest love in a tender tale of high profile romance starring Aaron Kwok and Kelly Chen. Zhang is the man that the heartbroken turn to when they’re having problems in love; but when the generally helpful host opens a very public discussion concerning the private love life of local columnist Wu, the stage is set for a lively war of words. Now, as Wu begins penning a series of harshly-worded articles criticizing Zhang’s top-rated radio show, these two popular media figures are about to find out just how thin the fine line between love and hate truly is.

Why This Film is Awesome: I’m so sad this film wasn’t a hit at the box office, but I also understand why. For a film that is filed under the romance genre, it only spent the last quarter of it’s running time to actually give us any romance at all. While this made for a rather abrupt ending that felt a bit too conventional, I appreciated that the majority of the film gave me what I’m usually looking for in a film: beautiful writing, an even more beautiful soundtrack, sublime cinematography, and two leads that were still in the process of learning how to play with each other but still found a way to make it work. I was never a huge fan of the Aaron Kwon/Kelly Chan pairing, but I get their appeal. 

If you’re a fan of intelligent films about love such as You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, or When Harry Met Sally…, you may like this one. You may also like this one if you’re a fan of KBS’s aggressive couple in Wild Romance. 

Posted 3 months ago with 18 notes

#Asian film #and i hate you so
Title: Otonari/Romantic Interlude (2009) Director: Naoto Kumazawa Scriptwriter: Naoto Kumazawa & Yukiko Manabe Cast: Okada Junichi, Asô Kumiko and Tanimura Mitsuki  Synopsis: Nojima Satoshi (Okada Junichi) is a photographer whose job depends on his friend Shingo, a model, who in turn is in a middle of a career crisis. Nojima wants to photograph scenery, but is held back because he feels obligated to stay back with his friend. His neighbor, Nanao (Aso Kumiko), works at a flower shop, has dedicated her life to her job and isn’t involved in any romance. They have never met, however, they’re aware of each other’s presence through the sound each makes in their daily lives through the thin wall. Each character is the story is going through some sort of struggle - either with their identity, their career, or their love life. In a fast-paced society, it feels like there is never enough time to stop and recognize things that are most important in one’s life. Through twists and turns, they gradually realize their true desires, and on the road to reach their goals, their paths somehow intersects, in this believable modern-day fairy-tale. Why This Film is Awesome: I have a relatively boring life and, for the most part, I prefer to stay at home, but, living in a big city, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle from time to time. Even when my body isn’t moving, my brain is operating at 500 miles per hour. This should explain some things to those of you that 1) know me in real life or 2) have been following FYAD for a while. You can imagine how nice it is to watch something that in is in fact calming and uplifting, reminding me to slow down and that there’s more to life than traffic and reality tv. Otonari has that independent spirit with a calm atmosphere and a refreshing take on the love story, all things that I love. It has a slow pace that may turn some people off, but mainly because we live in a world with fast paced blockbusters who’s only value system is how much it makes in the first weekend of release. This film, while it depicts the characters and their own “little earthquakes”, mainly concentrates on the core couple that share a connection through the paper thin walls of their apartments. They fall in love with the subtle sounds of their daily lives and soon find that they are more connected than they originally thought. Most importantly the story is rooted in the most romantic of concepts: fate.  

Title: Otonari/Romantic Interlude (2009)

Director: Naoto Kumazawa

Scriptwriter: Naoto Kumazawa & Yukiko Manabe

Cast: Okada Junichi, Asô Kumiko and Tanimura Mitsuki 

Synopsis: Nojima Satoshi (Okada Junichi) is a photographer whose job depends on his friend Shingo, a model, who in turn is in a middle of a career crisis. Nojima wants to photograph scenery, but is held back because he feels obligated to stay back with his friend. His neighbor, Nanao (Aso Kumiko), works at a flower shop, has dedicated her life to her job and isn’t involved in any romance. They have never met, however, they’re aware of each other’s presence through the sound each makes in their daily lives through the thin wall. Each character is the story is going through some sort of struggle - either with their identity, their career, or their love life. In a fast-paced society, it feels like there is never enough time to stop and recognize things that are most important in one’s life. Through twists and turns, they gradually realize their true desires, and on the road to reach their goals, their paths somehow intersects, in this believable modern-day fairy-tale.

Why This Film is Awesome: I have a relatively boring life and, for the most part, I prefer to stay at home, but, living in a big city, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle from time to time. Even when my body isn’t moving, my brain is operating at 500 miles per hour. This should explain some things to those of you that 1) know me in real life or 2) have been following FYAD for a while. You can imagine how nice it is to watch something that in is in fact calming and uplifting, reminding me to slow down and that there’s more to life than traffic and reality tv.

Otonari has that independent spirit with a calm atmosphere and a refreshing take on the love story, all things that I love. It has a slow pace that may turn some people off, but mainly because we live in a world with fast paced blockbusters who’s only value system is how much it makes in the first weekend of release. This film, while it depicts the characters and their own “little earthquakes”, mainly concentrates on the core couple that share a connection through the paper thin walls of their apartments. They fall in love with the subtle sounds of their daily lives and soon find that they are more connected than they originally thought. Most importantly the story is rooted in the most romantic of concepts: fate.  

Title: The Front Line (2011) Director: Jang Hoon (Secret Reunion, Rough Cut) Screenwriter: Park Sang-yeon (JSA: Joint Security Area) Cast: Shin Ha-kyun, Go Soo, Ryoo Seung-soo, Ko Chang-seok, Kim Ok-Bin, Lee Je-hoon, Jo Jin-woong Synopsis: A drama centered on the Korean War’s final battle that will determine the border between north and south. Why This Film is Awesome: I usually avoid war films. Not because I don’t recognize the sacrifices servicemen and women have made over the years, but more because it always reminds me why I hate war as much as I do. I can’t say this film proves anything else, but it does an amazing job of displaying the humanity that many of these characters have been forced to surrender after spending years fighting with fellow Koreans over land and, mainly, other people’s hubris. More importantly they were sacrificing everything for a war they had no idea why they fighting in. It’s sad, but it was balanced with moments in where their humanity would somehow find a way to shine through reminding us that they were just like us before they become whatever the war had made them. The film a little more than two hours (133 mins.), but you won’t notice. The cast is amazing and the story is so engaging that you may have to remind yourself to breathe. I’ll tell you that once the credits began rolling most of the people I was watching the film with had to remind themselves the film was over and they could finally move.Yeah, it was that good.   

Title: The Front Line (2011)

Director: Jang Hoon (Secret Reunion, Rough Cut)

Screenwriter: Park Sang-yeon (JSA: Joint Security Area)

Cast: Shin Ha-kyun, Go Soo, Ryoo Seung-soo, Ko Chang-seok, Kim Ok-Bin, Lee Je-hoon, Jo Jin-woong

Synopsis: A drama centered on the Korean War’s final battle that will determine the border between north and south.

Why This Film is Awesome: I usually avoid war films. Not because I don’t recognize the sacrifices servicemen and women have made over the years, but more because it always reminds me why I hate war as much as I do. I can’t say this film proves anything else, but it does an amazing job of displaying the humanity that many of these characters have been forced to surrender after spending years fighting with fellow Koreans over land and, mainly, other people’s hubris. More importantly they were sacrificing everything for a war they had no idea why they fighting in. It’s sad, but it was balanced with moments in where their humanity would somehow find a way to shine through reminding us that they were just like us before they become whatever the war had made them.

The film a little more than two hours (133 mins.), but you won’t notice. The cast is amazing and the story is so engaging that you may have to remind yourself to breathe. I’ll tell you that once the credits began rolling most of the people I was watching the film with had to remind themselves the film was over and they could finally move.Yeah, it was that good.   

Title: The Great Happiness Space: Tale of Osaka Love Thief (2006) Director: Jake Clennell Genre: Documentary Synopsis: Welcome to The Great Happiness Space: Rakkyo Café. The club’s owner, Issei (22), has a staff of twenty boys all under his training to become the top escorts of Osaka’s underground love scene. During their training, they learn how to dress, how to talk, how to walk, and most importantly, how to fake relationships with the girls who become their source of income. Join us as Osaka’s number one host boy takes us on a journey through the complex and heartrenching world of love for sale in the Japanese underground. Why This Film is Awesome: I don’t make a habit of watching documentaries. Not all of them are good and it’s hard for them not to reflect the director’s point of view which is annoying since I believe documentaries should only present the facts and allow the audience to form their own opinions. It should also have the ability to pique your interest in a subject you never had interest in before. Space was able to do both.  As most of you know, I’m a a big sap (as proven by my affinity for romances) so watching a documentary that basically discusses a real-life game in where love is manipulated and used to make money is more than a deviation from my usual picks. These hosts essentially exploit women’s want for love to make a profit and, for the most part, show no remorse. Although, there’s the other side of the story (because there always is another side) in where these women understand that they are simply paying for a fantasy when they visit these host clubs. You find yourself going through a full range of emotions in where you may hate all of the participants to a bizarre understanding of them and the emotional turmoil each one of them is going through. It’s a commentary on not only the lifestyles these people lead, but also on today’s value system when it comes to love.  

Title: The Great Happiness Space: Tale of Osaka Love Thief (2006)

Director: Jake Clennell

Genre: Documentary

Synopsis: Welcome to The Great Happiness Space: Rakkyo Café. The club’s owner, Issei (22), has a staff of twenty boys all under his training to become the top escorts of Osaka’s underground love scene. During their training, they learn how to dress, how to talk, how to walk, and most importantly, how to fake relationships with the girls who become their source of income. Join us as Osaka’s number one host boy takes us on a journey through the complex and heartrenching world of love for sale in the Japanese underground.

Why This Film is Awesome: I don’t make a habit of watching documentaries. Not all of them are good and it’s hard for them not to reflect the director’s point of view which is annoying since I believe documentaries should only present the facts and allow the audience to form their own opinions. It should also have the ability to pique your interest in a subject you never had interest in before. Space was able to do both. 

As most of you know, I’m a a big sap (as proven by my affinity for romances) so watching a documentary that basically discusses a real-life game in where love is manipulated and used to make money is more than a deviation from my usual picks. These hosts essentially exploit women’s want for love to make a profit and, for the most part, show no remorse. Although, there’s the other side of the story (because there always is another side) in where these women understand that they are simply paying for a fantasy when they visit these host clubs. You find yourself going through a full range of emotions in where you may hate all of the participants to a bizarre understanding of them and the emotional turmoil each one of them is going through. It’s a commentary on not only the lifestyles these people lead, but also on today’s value system when it comes to love.  

Title: A Moment to Remember (2004) Director: Lee Jae-han Scriptwriter: Lee Jae-han & Kim Yeong-ha Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Baek Jong-hak Synopsis: A career woman Soo-jin who has everything and was born with a silver spoon in her mouth gets dumped by her already-married boyfriend. She tries to get over him and forget. One day she bumps into a poor carpenter, Cheol-soo whose only goal in life is to become an architect, and she becomes attracted to him. They finally fall in love and get happily married. Now that she thinks she found the right one, she has to face the undeniable fact that she has a disease which is erasing her memories… Why This Film is Awesome: When people ask why I get excited whenever I hear that Jung Woo-sung or Son Ye-jin will be doing another project, I blame this movie. These two made this glossy, well-constructed film even more beautiful and Jung Woo-sung alone made me want to find a bad boy with a heart of gold ASAP (P.S. They don’t exist. Sorry.) Asian film has this annoying way of making terminal illnesses beautiful and this film was no exception. It explored early onset Alzheimer’s Disease and extracted all of the beauty (Little as it may be) that come with it while still depicting the painful reality in where it simultaneously steals a person’s memories and the essence of that person. The one thing I loved and hated about the film is that it took it’s time so we saw (and drooled over) every important part of the main couple’s love story, but that also meant that when the heroine’s disease began to get worse, we were in just as much pain as they were. I don’t suggest watching this one if you’re in a particularly sensitive mood, but if your in the mood for a swoon-worthy romance that eventually all goes down in glorious flames, this would be one you should check out.   

Title: A Moment to Remember (2004)

Director: Lee Jae-han

Scriptwriter: Lee Jae-han & Kim Yeong-ha

Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Baek Jong-hak

Synopsis: A career woman Soo-jin who has everything and was born with a silver spoon in her mouth gets dumped by her already-married boyfriend. She tries to get over him and forget. One day she bumps into a poor carpenter, Cheol-soo whose only goal in life is to become an architect, and she becomes attracted to him. They finally fall in love and get happily married. Now that she thinks she found the right one, she has to face the undeniable fact that she has a disease which is erasing her memories…

Why This Film is Awesome: When people ask why I get excited whenever I hear that Jung Woo-sung or Son Ye-jin will be doing another project, I blame this movie. These two made this glossy, well-constructed film even more beautiful and Jung Woo-sung alone made me want to find a bad boy with a heart of gold ASAP (P.S. They don’t exist. Sorry.)

Asian film has this annoying way of making terminal illnesses beautiful and this film was no exception. It explored early onset Alzheimer’s Disease and extracted all of the beauty (Little as it may be) that come with it while still depicting the painful reality in where it simultaneously steals a person’s memories and the essence of that person. The one thing I loved and hated about the film is that it took it’s time so we saw (and drooled over) every important part of the main couple’s love story, but that also meant that when the heroine’s disease began to get worse, we were in just as much pain as they were. I don’t suggest watching this one if you’re in a particularly sensitive mood, but if your in the mood for a swoon-worthy romance that eventually all goes down in glorious flames, this would be one you should check out.   

Title: Play (2011) Director: Nam Da Jung Scriptwriter: Nam Da Jung Synopsis: This movie follows the moments of love three youngsters meet in the process of making their own music after deciding to make a band. Joon-il coincidentally hears Heon-il’s music in a café and suggests making a band after showing him his music. Model and drummer Hyeon-jae comes on board after that and these guys form a modern rock band. They portray hesitant love, desperation towards a dream unsteady but unwavering dream in sentimental melody. While waiting to be chosen by a management, these three decide to be the bus king at the worldwide famous Indies band ” and this changes their destiny. Why This Film is Awesome: If you’re a fan of Mate like me, you’ll like this film. If you’re a fan of Mate (like me) AND a fan of Once (like me), you’ll LOVE this film. I was in absolute Mate heaven while watching this but I have to admit I was hesitant at first. Just because a band is talented in music doesn’t mean they’ll be good in everything else. While Play is a dramatized version of Mate’s journey becoming, well, Mate, it isn’t easy to act out your own story even if you lived it. What worked for this film was it’s naturalism and great music. The film has this independent spirit that speaks to the hipster hidden deep in my soul. There’s always been fascination with an artist’s process and what inspires their work. Play made us feel like the veil had been removed from some of Mate’s songs and the way they work together. The raw performances were filled with emotion and I am more than willing to admit to the acoustic version of Longing was a little piece of heaven for me. I won’t say this is better than Once, another favorite film of mine that Play was heavily influenced by, but it did a great job of giving us a music film that was realistic and will make you love Mate even more.  

Title: Play (2011)

Director: Nam Da Jung

Scriptwriter: Nam Da Jung

Synopsis: This movie follows the moments of love three youngsters meet in the process of making their own music after deciding to make a band. Joon-il coincidentally hears Heon-il’s music in a café and suggests making a band after showing him his music. Model and drummer Hyeon-jae comes on board after that and these guys form a modern rock band. They portray hesitant love, desperation towards a dream unsteady but unwavering dream in sentimental melody. While waiting to be chosen by a management, these three decide to be the bus king at the worldwide famous Indies band ” and this changes their destiny.

Why This Film is Awesome: If you’re a fan of Mate like me, you’ll like this film. If you’re a fan of Mate (like me) AND a fan of Once (like me), you’ll LOVE this film. I was in absolute Mate heaven while watching this but I have to admit I was hesitant at first. Just because a band is talented in music doesn’t mean they’ll be good in everything else. While Play is a dramatized version of Mate’s journey becoming, well, Mate, it isn’t easy to act out your own story even if you lived it. What worked for this film was it’s naturalism and great music.

The film has this independent spirit that speaks to the hipster hidden deep in my soul. There’s always been fascination with an artist’s process and what inspires their work. Play made us feel like the veil had been removed from some of Mate’s songs and the way they work together. The raw performances were filled with emotion and I am more than willing to admit to the acoustic version of Longing was a little piece of heaven for me. I won’t say this is better than Once, another favorite film of mine that Play was heavily influenced by, but it did a great job of giving us a music film that was realistic and will make you love Mate even more.  

Posted 8 months ago with 33 notes

#Asian film #Play #Mate
Title: 3 Idiots (2009) Director: Rajkumar Hirani Scriptwriter: Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Omi Vaidya, Mona Singh, Parikshit Sahni Synopsis: Two friends embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash, and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control. Why This Film Is Awesome: Let me first make it clear that I, for the most part, do not watch Bollywood films. I don’t have anything against them per se, but, while I love musicals, I’ve never been able to sit through it’s 3+ hour length and random song-and-dance numbers. It’s weird because I know one has been influenced by the other, but I could never get into it. Plus some Bollywood films can seem segmented which provides an awkward shift in the story so that it feels like a completely different film. I’m proud to say this was one of the few Bollywood films I can absolutely, positively say I enjoyed from beginning to end. It’s obvious why this is the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time.  This is a highly commercial film, but you film purists shouldn’t dismiss it just because of that. Not only is it entertaining, but it also manages to be enlightening. I also loved that it told one constant story that is made up of different stories. While it relied mainly on flashbacks, it remained easy to follow and I never felt lost as the story came together. There was never a moment of restlessness which is usually the case around the second hour for me. I wouldn’t say this is a perfect film, but if you need to see something that starts your journey or renews your faith in Hindi films, you may want to start with this one. 

Title: 3 Idiots (2009)

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Scriptwriter: Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Omi Vaidya, Mona Singh, Parikshit Sahni

Synopsis: Two friends embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash, and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control.

Why This Film Is Awesome: Let me first make it clear that I, for the most part, do not watch Bollywood films. I don’t have anything against them per se, but, while I love musicals, I’ve never been able to sit through it’s 3+ hour length and random song-and-dance numbers. It’s weird because I know one has been influenced by the other, but I could never get into it. Plus some Bollywood films can seem segmented which provides an awkward shift in the story so that it feels like a completely different film. I’m proud to say this was one of the few Bollywood films I can absolutely, positively say I enjoyed from beginning to end. It’s obvious why this is the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time. 

This is a highly commercial film, but you film purists shouldn’t dismiss it just because of that. Not only is it entertaining, but it also manages to be enlightening. I also loved that it told one constant story that is made up of different stories. While it relied mainly on flashbacks, it remained easy to follow and I never felt lost as the story came together. There was never a moment of restlessness which is usually the case around the second hour for me. I wouldn’t say this is a perfect film, but if you need to see something that starts your journey or renews your faith in Hindi films, you may want to start with this one. 

Title: Sunny (2011) Director: Kang Hyung-chul (Speedy Scandal) Scriptwriter: Kang Hyung-chul Cast: Yoo Ho-jung, Jin Hee-kyung, Ko Soo-hee, Hong Jin-hee, Lee Yun-kyung, Kim Sun-kyung, Shim Eun-kyung, Kang So-ra, Kim Min-young, Park Jin-joo, Nam Bo-ra, Kim Bo-mi, Min Hyo-rin Synopsis: The next work of Director Kang Hyeong-cheol of “Speedy Scandal”. About the fun incidents that happen when women search for their high school friends. Why This Film is Awesome: I know, I know. It’s been FOREVER since I’ve done one of these. What can I say? I haven’t been inspired for quite a while. Until now. I have a tendency to make fun of Asian films and their penchant for nostalgia. Mainly because there’s SO MANY films that rely so heavily on “the good ‘ol days”. That’s fine but it can very easily get old. While Sunny is based on a group of older women who reminsce on the adventures of their younger days, each character is so lovable in their own unique way that you invest in their stories and their wellbeing. So much so that you will cry with them just like I did. Multiple times.  The cast was awesome. I was especially impressed with Jin Hee-kyung and Kang So-ra who played the older and younger version of the group’s leader Ha Choon-hwa, respectively. I went with a friend of mine who’s an Asian film newbie and she walked out wishing she had done high school the way these women did.  I think that’s the great thing about this film; it’s fun that is recognized (and desired) universally so everyone can relate even if their school days were not nearly as exciting. So take as many people to see this as you can. I guarantee they will all love it. 

Title: Sunny (2011)

Director: Kang Hyung-chul (Speedy Scandal)

Scriptwriter: Kang Hyung-chul

Cast: Yoo Ho-jung, Jin Hee-kyung, Ko Soo-hee, Hong Jin-hee, Lee Yun-kyung, Kim Sun-kyung, Shim Eun-kyung, Kang So-ra, Kim Min-young, Park Jin-joo, Nam Bo-ra, Kim Bo-mi, Min Hyo-rin

Synopsis: The next work of Director Kang Hyeong-cheol of “Speedy Scandal”. About the fun incidents that happen when women search for their high school friends.

Why This Film is Awesome: I know, I know. It’s been FOREVER since I’ve done one of these. What can I say? I haven’t been inspired for quite a while. Until now.

I have a tendency to make fun of Asian films and their penchant for nostalgia. Mainly because there’s SO MANY films that rely so heavily on “the good ‘ol days”. That’s fine but it can very easily get old. While Sunny is based on a group of older women who reminsce on the adventures of their younger days, each character is so lovable in their own unique way that you invest in their stories and their wellbeing. So much so that you will cry with them just like I did. Multiple times. 

The cast was awesome. I was especially impressed with Jin Hee-kyung and Kang So-ra who played the older and younger version of the group’s leader Ha Choon-hwa, respectively. I went with a friend of mine who’s an Asian film newbie and she walked out wishing she had done high school the way these women did.  I think that’s the great thing about this film; it’s fun that is recognized (and desired) universally so everyone can relate even if their school days were not nearly as exciting. So take as many people to see this as you can. I guarantee they will all love it. 

Posted 10 months ago with 31 notes

#Asian film
Title: The Housemaid (2010) Director: Im Sang Soo Scriptwriter: Im Sang Soo Cast: Jeon Do Yeon, Lee Jeong Jae, Yoon Yeo Jeong, Seo Woo, Park Ji Yeong, Ahn Seo Hyeon Synopsis: A wealthy husband has an affair with his housemaid (Jeon Do Yeon). Because of this, everyone in the family will suffer …. Why This Film is Awesome: One of the most delicately beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Not only did it serve as a psychological thriller but it was also a satire of the ridiculously rich. The cast was awesome in that  they were able to convey the underlying insanity (and sadism) that was hidden by their blinding beauty. Jeon Do Yeon was fabulous (as usual) as the innocent housemaid who becomes the family’s latest victim. I saw this a while ago but I broke my rule of watching the original film before watching the remake so I wanted to watch the original before I featured this. Although, the great thing about this is that while this 2010 version is a remake of the 1960 film they are both very different. The original film was a domestic horror film while the remake was more of a rich psychological thriller. I can’t say that I liked one version over the other because both had their own purpose. 

Title: The Housemaid (2010)

Director: Im Sang Soo

Scriptwriter: Im Sang Soo

Cast: Jeon Do Yeon, Lee Jeong Jae, Yoon Yeo Jeong, Seo Woo, Park Ji Yeong, Ahn Seo Hyeon

Synopsis: A wealthy husband has an affair with his housemaid (Jeon Do Yeon). Because of this, everyone in the family will suffer ….

Why This Film is Awesome: One of the most delicately beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Not only did it serve as a psychological thriller but it was also a satire of the ridiculously rich. The cast was awesome in that  they were able to convey the underlying insanity (and sadism) that was hidden by their blinding beauty. Jeon Do Yeon was fabulous (as usual) as the innocent housemaid who becomes the family’s latest victim.

I saw this a while ago but I broke my rule of watching the original film before watching the remake so I wanted to watch the original before I featured this. Although, the great thing about this is that while this 2010 version is a remake of the 1960 film they are both very different. The original film was a domestic horror film while the remake was more of a rich psychological thriller. I can’t say that I liked one version over the other because both had their own purpose.