Rainbow Eyes

Wow
Just wow. This movie is a masterpiece.

(Spoilers) I have never seen a film that tackled sexuality like this one has. A perfect blend of love, forbiddance, sex, mystery, drama, and murder all in one with a dark twisted undertone. This movie at the beginning is a murder mystery, but builds to be one of the best movies of 2012 - and believe me I have seen a LOT of movies in 2012 - The King's Speech, Lincoln, Safety Not Guaranteed, Wreck-it Ralph, Dark Knight Rises. I actually could not control my emotions at the end because I, for one, finally understood all the ridicule and torment that homosexuals have to go through. (super spoiler alert) That a person would have to change his sexuality just to be with the person he loved, because society forbid it so much - could anything else be more of a testament to love? Could anyone out there say "I think I have found my soul mate" and simply let go? I found myself, a straight male, identifying with the pain and the anguish of the gay...

Amazing Thriller with great melodrama
Wonderful move that contains a sad love story and wraps it nicely in a murder mystery noir style. I really enjoyed the love and regret this story portrays and the topic of forbidden love is handled in such a beautiful manner.

One of the better films I've seen in a long time and will probably watch this one again.

Unexpected
wow....this movie took a turn that was completely unexpected. I'm still not 100% on what happens at the end! I think that is the beauty of films like this. It lets the viewer interpret the ending.

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Maybe

Sweet story
This is rather a slow to develop story. It's quiet and thoughtful, but it's worth it to get to the end to find out what happens. I liked it - it's sweet. If you feel like watching something that doesn't hit you over the head with violence or heart-pounding action, then you might like this. Take a chance on it and enjoy.

MAYBE
I loved this story. It was different and well done. I love anything Jang Hyuk does as he takes each role and embodies every thing about it. You forget it is him as he becomes the charactor portrayed. This is a different story...gritty but tender. I have seen it twice on Netflix and now will purchase it as I know I will watch it many times more.
Mary

This...was not good.
i love jang hyuk and and have watched tons of korean movies, but despite the other decent reviews, i'd have to say this is not good at all. the female character, may, is very underdeveloped and annoys you because she's constantly pissed over nothing. both characters are actually very underdeveloped, which makes all of the exaggerated emotions seriously irritating. also, i am a second generation korean and there's NO way that an adopted korean child living in the US with american parents would speak korean very well, let alone be intensely angry about being put up for adoption 20-some odd yrs ago. just very unrealistic and a bad premise for a story, in general. i would pass this one - super slow and the "surprise" ending is really nothing to hold your breath for.

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Five Senses of Eros

Lost in translation?
Perhaps it's just a different style/culture, but somehow this movie did not give me the 'i want to continue watching it' vibe

Five Senses of Eros
Unlike the summary, none of the five stories relate to any of their counterparts. First story sustains interest but then ends without reaching a thoughtful conclusion. The other four stories test your patience leaving you feeling cheated for wasting time to see if anything of substance comes from any of them. Watch the first story and quit immediately upon its conclusion.

Don't wast your time
This movie was not as advertised in my opinion. Poorly acted and boring. Just a very uninspired story line with half hearted acting.

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Let the Music Play

Kickin' back with the Doobie's
To be fair I just got into the Doobie's in the last year. Saw my first concert of theirs last month (it rocked). So my knowledge on this band is some what limited. So this release could not come at a better time. The two hour plus Blu ray gives a great overview of a band that has gone thru a lot of changes over the years. It interveiws just about everyone who is still alive that has been thru the band or worked with them in a significant role (such as Ted Templemen the producer of some of their best records). The thing that struck me was how at peace the band is with their history. In most Band's members of one era would be trying to take credit over members from another. But here Michael MacDonald seems very comfterble saying his period of the Doobie's is not the true Doobie's sound. Don't worry he gets his credit for saving the band when the thought they couldn't go on after Tom Johnston had to leave for health reasons (bleeding ulcer). It also does not treat the reunion years as an...

Forty years and still making music and working together. A DB-produced documentary I found insightful as a DB novice.
In the essay by San Francisco Chronicle music journalist Joel Selvin which accompanies some great Doobie Brother memorabilia in the 8-page booklet inserted the BD case, Selvin refers to this 99-minute film as both a "sprawling documentary" and a "scrapbook", both terms that I think accurately describe the centerpiece of this DVD and Bluray package. When original DB member Pat Simmons discovered a trove of old videos spanning 40 years in his house, he - and the remaining DBs provided them to filmmaker Barry Ehrmann to create the film.

I'll admit up front that I have always liked the DBs but I was never a rabid fan and knew little about them other than what I heard on the radio. But, after watching this thoroughly enjoyable film, I know a lot more. And the snippets of songs I heard - there are no full performances in the film (how could there be? - they produced way too many hits) but nine are included as bonus tracks - brought back a lot of memories. All the important folks...

Wonderful!
Yes I am a member of the Doobies fan club and have met them on many of occasions. This just tops off what I already know about the boys. It is fantastic with great films and scenes I haven't seen before. You can't just watch it once and put it down the first time. Believe it or not I had to watch it twice because there is always something you miss.
If you think you know everything about them your wrong. I'm sure after seeing this we all still don't know everything, but this is really a great way to feel closer to understanding the truth behind them and what all happened throughout the years.

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Secret Reunion

A GREAT movie unlike anything you've seen before.
It's a combination of international spy thriller, expose of human trafficking, buddy movie and shoot-em-up action movie. Totally unique in fact. The acting is superb, as is the direction and camera work. It has the look of a big budget film which I'm sure it was in Korea. I've become a big fan of the South Korean film industry, which along with films from Norway and Sweden are the best movies being made for the last few years. Thank goodness we don't have be only subject to the dreck that Hollywood produces.

It was a good film to see in a time like today
The title is kind of misleading. The actual title in Korean is bonded brother, or sore of like that.
How many times do you see people say they will be brothers and get betrayed or never hear from them again?
It is so common in today's society. However, in this film, a spy from North Korea became a brother with a South Korean Secret Agent. It was moving to see brotherly bond develop in the film.

I was expecting a little more of spy materials, but well it wasn't really necessary to develope the story.

Enjoyed it

Not a bad little movie.
A little slow at the end of the second act, beginning of the third, but really a neat relationship dynamic going on. I might have given it 3.5 or 3.75 stars if I could have, but it's better than 3, so... 4 for the effort. The Korean guards infiltrating to the North for adventure, I'd seen. The northern spies in the South, specifically Seoul, I had not. New material here, dealing with the seemingly untouched subject of espionage between the Koreas, except North to South. The hard edge of the northern characters versus the weaker, yet organized southerners (trying to catch them)... the codes, the fights, etc. Neat. If you're from the U.S. or Europe, you get to see Seoul, too, which is not every day. The South Korean lead has a good command of his part. Carries the action and the humor well. The Northern spy comes off a bit boyish at first, but leaps into action with an authority.

Maybe just me, but I thought they cg'd a part or two that wasn't necessary. Not to the point that...

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Phantom of 42nd Street / Inner Sanctum

Very good
Phandom of 42nd street has the wrong neme, but is a great old movie. Inner Sanctum is even better. Not going to give you the plot, but this is two old forgotten movies you don't want to miss. The prcture is fine and the sound is very good on both movies.





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Happy Naked Christmas

Subtle Comedy
Though I don't usually write reviews, and am not good at it, since this movie doesn't have a review I thought it was worth it to write one since it certainly deserves to be watched. :) I would say that this movie is a comedy that happens around Christmas time, from what I've heard Christmas in Korea is more of a couples day rather than a family day which you can tell from some of what you see in the movie. I think the title is a little misleading, it is more of a PG-13 (or lower) movie, which was what I was kind of expecting since most Korean movies I've seen are on the conservative side. This is kind of a subtle comedy, some may think its a little slow but there were times when I burst out laughing. Overall I really liked it :D





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Stories of Apparitions Seen in Photos

A Creepy, Slow-Burning Anthology... (3.5/5)
Stories of Apparitions is an anthology of ghost stories. A photo that possibly causes suicide is found in the woods; a young student is rumored to be haunted after a creepy photo is released; a group of friends take pictures with a Polaroid camera that can capture ghosts; a peeping tom that sneakily takes pictures of a girl he loves and finds out she may be haunted; and, a young woman receives a haunting photograph from an unknown sender. Stories of Apparitions is a creepy, slow-burning anthology.

The stories in this anthology are not directly related, except for the concept, and are about 15-20 minutes long, and the film does not have a frame story (like in Tales from the Hood or Tales from the Darkside.) The short runtime of the stories allows the film to move quickly through the stories and pack in plenty of creepiness. These aren't solely jump-scare stories, as they rely more on tension, creepy imagery, and a few effective jump scares- I like this. The stories are...

I liked it.
Stories of Apparitions Seen in Photos is a nice entry in the J-Horror category. Not high on gore, but it does has its suspenseful moments.

Oh no.... not another one!
This reminds me of a highschool film class project with bad acting and a ridiculous plot.
Amazon must have bought the entire library of these awful, low budget Japanese films.

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Traces of Love

Korean Romantic Tearjerker Travelogue!
Two strangers touched by a tragedy find themselves repeatedly meeting at various scenic spots in Korea. Why? It can't be just co-incidence can it? That's the background of the plot, and the answer is surprisingly satisfying.

There are a lot of reasons to like this movie... it has a happy ending to a sad story... good character development, and the movie highlights some of the most scenic spots in Korea...

Make sure you have a tissue or two on hand
I didn't expect this to be as sad as it was. Not all the way through, but in places it was. I don't want to give anything away that might spoil it for anyone, but if you get emotionally involved in movies, you should have some tissues handy for this one.

I'm finding, with these Korean movies, that I prefer the slower, more thoughtful ones, like this one. I've watched others that had characters who were just too jarring and annoying and loud...and for me, I can't stand that. But, none of that in this one.

It might be a little too slow for some, as the story does take awhile to develop, but I found it to be more reflective of real life in that way.

I also thought the subtitles were good, as sometimes I find them confusing or they're not on the screen long enough. I thought these were just right. Of course, the dialogue isn't flying around really fast, so perhaps that's why. :) Not that I can't read fast, it's just that with some of them the subtitles...

Touching fictional film based on a real tragedy
For those like me who prefer to have the DVD, this does come with the spoken Korean and the subtitles in English.

I first want it realized that a large part of my interest in this film is that I lived in Seoul when the true tragedy took place. In 1995, a large department store did cave in and a colleague of mine survived.

With that preface in mind, I would recommend the film to someone who is interested in Korean culture. Otherwise, it might be difficult for some viewers to get through the exposition of the first 20-30 minutes.

However, once the main character starts his journey to reconnect with the love he lost, I feel most viewers will be drawn in. I don't want to give away too many spoilers but the young man's journey starts out alone. He feels solitary in his grief.

It is through following his vacation itinerary that he meets a woman with whom he connects. Her life intertwines with his in a way neither would have expected...

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Shotgun Love

Nice Guy May Finish Last, Yet He Lands On Top!
This is your typical man is in love with woman, woman loves someone else, yet uses the nice guy in order to save face. Ultimately, the nice guy wins in the end being a hero and great love of the woman who has his heart. She knew she could count on him and she ultimately walked into love with him.

fun and lighthearted
story is predictable however i enjoyed the actor and the girl is a beauty. rooted for him and held my interest to learn how he wins her heart...or does he? a lot of fun to watch.



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The Unseeable

Underrated, Understated Film from Thailand
This is one of my favorite hidden gems. It's an underrated film with a slow, dream-like quality that brings you into the mystical world of Thailand, a land of deeply held superstitions that create a beautifully creepy setting. The story starts with a young woman whose lover left her pregnant and alone to find work in Bangkok to support them. Unfortunately, he disappears without a word and so Nualjan leaves home to try and find him. She arrives at an estate, needing rest, and is allowed to stay on by the caretaker, a stern older woman who runs things with an iron fist for her wealthy matron. Nualjan is told to never go near the main residence but soon she sees things that make her wonder what is going on in that home. Who is the man cutting wood at night? Why is an old woman living in a shed? Choy, another worker, seems to know, but what secrets does she keep?

An Atmospheric, Immensely Creepy, and Genuinely Scary Film...
Nualjan, a young pregnant woman, has spent a year searching for her missing husband- without a single clue. Runjuan, a widow, eventually allows Nualjan to stay in her rural mansion. At this rural mansion, Nualjan begins to question Runjuan's motives, and begins to see ghostly figures. The Unseeable is an atmospheric, immensely creepy, and genuinely scary film.

The story in this film is fantastic. It plays out like a classic ghost story- the ghost stories you're told as you grow up. In fact, Choy, a new friend of Nualjan, tells several spooky stories of the other residents and the terrifying figures she has seen on the mansion's grounds. It uses plenty of creepy imagery and spooky settings to create its horror atmosphere; it also uses amazing suspense to create some very effective jump scares to occasionally jolt the audience. The ending of the film is excellent, and wraps up perfectly - where many modern horror films fail, this film succeeds; it's similar to a certain film,...

Beautiful Creepy Tale
Thailand has some of the best ghost stories available, and "The Unseeable" is another wonderful Thai tale of terror. This one has a consistent story that -- while not strictly linear -- still is easy to follow. The acting is wonderful and the setting is suitably creepy. There are enough twists and jolts to keep you guessing right up to the end. "The Unseeable" manages to be scary without the usual Asian horror trappings -- the black tangle of hair, the contortionist walk, etc.

For a tale of shivers, see The Unseeable.

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Little Pim: Feelings - Chinese for Kids

Very helpful for our English-only speaking family!
This is so helpful for our English speaking family to see and hear the Chinese. This will be exceptionally helpful when our son starts taking Chinese language in the public schools.





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Missing Person

OKAY, not GREAT!
It was okay, not really all that great! Abusive and really didn't get it. Wouldn't recommend it useless you're really bored.

A Dark movie - entertaining but centers around a very twisted control freak
This is a dark story about domination to include some very twisted domination of another human being who becomes dog like. Definitely not for children. It is certainly not for everyone and is the first of its kind that I have ever viewed. The ending could have been better, but all in all it was interesting.

Very Sad and interesting
The story line is somewhat hard to follow, and the beatings of the poor guy make you continue to watch and feel sorry for him. All and all if you are looking for a different kind of movie to watch, watch this one. It can't really be classified as a thriller/drama because it doesn't exactly keep you on your toes but the ending is satisfying. I would definitely say I have never really seen a movie like it!

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Elevator

A Thrilling Elevator Ride
Elevator is a thrilling film with a simple plot; 9 people stuck on an elevator, one has a bomb. The majority of this 80 minute film takes place in an elevator, as the title implies. Through great, immersive dialogue, we see who these people truly are; whether it's a scamming CEO or a racist comedian, their true colors are revealed. The short runtime contributes to this film's fast pace, without any significant sacrifices. You may hate some of these characters or find them annoying, but remember, they are supposed to be that way. Most of the actors did a great job portraying their characters; some of the acting was hit-or-miss, though. The twist in this film was great, although a bit predictable. Elevator kept me thoroughly interested from the beginning to the shocking ending.

Overall, I really enjoyed Elevator, despite a few minor flaws. Also, this does have some significant twists, so I recommend avoiding the trailers (most trailers spoil movies nowadays). As of 8/25/12,...

Cut the cables. Now.
Elevator (Stig Svendsen, 2011)

I find myself at something of a disadvantage as I write this review. I have not seen John Erick Dowdle's Devil, the movie which I assume Elevator is a mockbuster. (Oddly, this is the second mockbuster I've seen today, viz. the Terror Trap review, not produced by The Asylum; Quite Nice Pictures, the company who bankrolled this, makes their debut here.) The basic premise is the same, though Elevator doesn't have the supernatural bent; you get a bunch of disparate people who don't really like each other all that much and trap them in an elevator.

In this case, we have nine different ones who are on their way up to the penthouse of a midtown office building, where the rarely-seen CEO of a major investment firm, Henry Barton (The Social Network's John Getz), is going to be making an announcement. Barton, along with his spoiled-brat granddaughter Madeline (played at various times by the Pace twins, Amanda and Rachel, who have a recurring...

Stupid and Hugely Technically Flawed...
I usually only review movies that I feel are five stars. Please, give any money you may consider devoting to this movie to the guy on the center median; it will be a far better investment. The technical flaws went beyond anything I've ever seen about elevators and their legally required operation. The characters were absolutely monochrome. The movie fails in its brief attempt to build intrigue and mystery. It then attempts to bring the audience into the wrongs about money and greed. A few more attempts at interpersonal relationship tension but finally decides upon comic gore...

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Punch Lady

Excellent film takes an unexpected turn to a satifying conclusion.
The film starts as a brutal story of domestic violence. It then takes a sharp comedic turn which is needed after the brutality of the first half. The beauty of this film is how these two disparate sections are seamlessly brought together to conclude this gem.

Domestic Violence Classic
This movie is one of my favorite domestic violence movies to date. The revenge that reaped on her ex-husband was too good. Though I lost hope in her towards the end she really turned it around and the movie is truly a gem. I would defintiely recommend buying it. It took Enough to a whole other level. Though I wish her husband's character was more developed and dimensional, this movie was just awesome. I loved the fight at the end and her belief in herself. A true jewel this movie is.

she's gonna be a star
there's only one reason to watch this ridiculous movie - Choi Seol Ri - or as she is now better known as - F(x) Sulli

why ridiculous - the film starts out with ugly scenes of a horribly abusive marriage - with their beleaguered teenage daughter - then becomes a comedy as the wife is forced to learn martial arts in 3 months - after she challenged her professional mixed martial artist husband to a duel

the actors are mostly too good for the story - but none are better the Seol Ri as the teenager - during every scene of hers - i kept saying to myself - "this kid's going to be a star" - she had incredible screen presence - the camera loved her - and she communicated the girl's angst clearly to the audience

i had seen her before in another Korean film called BA BO - which i happened to rent a few days after the girl group F(x) debuted in Korea - and i was stunned to learn that the pretty girl in that film was now the tall and cute Sulli singing and dancing...

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Miller's Crossing [HD]

A superbly crafted gangster film.
Yes, FARGO won lots of awards, and sure, RAISING ARIZONA isuproariously funny, but make no mistake: MILLER'S CROSSING is thequintessential Coen brothers film. In point of fact, it's flawless, a jewel you can turn over and around in your hands again and again, seeing a new facet every time, each one striking and smooth and perfect.

The script is awash with Prohibition-era jargon both historically grounded and whimsically invented, a symphony of phrases and exchanges that linger and echo long after being heard. (It isn't unusual after a viewing to walk around asking friends, "What's the rumpus?", or to complain about being given "the high hat" upon being snubbed.)

The performances, as well, are individually and collectively irresistable. I defy you, in fact, to find a single film in which _any_ of the major players has ever been better. There's not a false or miscast note in the whole of the dramatis personae. There's Gabriel Byrne as the inscrutable,...

THE THINKING MAN'S MOB MOVIE
Most people will let the titles "GOODFELLAS", "THE GODFATHER (I & II)", "ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA" and "THE UNTOUCHABLES" roll off their tongues when asked what their favorite movie is in the "mob" genre. Although seldom mentioned, "MILLER'S CROSSING" must take its rightful place alongside the above as one of the definitive treatments of gangster dynamics in American Cinema. I like to call it "The Thinking Man's Mob Movie" because it's a film that requires one to really focus on the action and dialog and not merely sit back in a lounger without attention span and wait for kill. These characters are multi-faceted, the plot is complex and the payoff for the viewer is delivered through outstanding cinematography (perhaps the Coen's best!) and skillful pacing. Coupling their usual stable of actors (Turturro, Buscemi, Polito) with veteran thespo Albert Finney, the exquisitely laconic Gabriel Byrne,...

What Hat?
As it's chilly performances and aloof style put the audience at a distance, it's hard to see the first time through what a brilliant film this picture is; but repeated veiwings have only cemented my opinion--Miller's Crossing is the finest American film since Raging Bull.

I think the key to my love for Miller's, though, is realizing what what I believe the dream-hat meant (I'm sure this will be obvious to some, especially those that have watched a number of times, but I just want to throw this out there for folks that have seen it, but don't know what all the hubbub is about--because certainly, that's how I felt when I first saw it).

Whether people wear hats or not in the film seems to represent whether they are acting out of passion-from the heart, that is, or out of mind--thinking logically, or unemotionally.

Tom's conflict in the film is entirely between his head and his heart(Verna). He loses his hat to Verna in a poker game, and he goes back to her apartment...

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Handphone

great movie
highly recommend! highly recommend! this is a great movie. like the story and the suspense associated with it highly recommend

Great acting
I am a frequent viewer of subtitled films but I found this one to be a little confusing. I am not sure if it was my fault or the film's fault, but I had to spend a little too much time trying to "figure out" what exactly was happening. Maybe I was not paying enough attention or maybe it was just naturally confusing. Not sure. The plot is about a cell phone that falls into the wrong hands and the efforts a man makes to get it back. Requires maybe a little too much suspension of disbelief but overall entertaining. It was very well acted, tense and quite violent at times. There are a some twists in the plot that definitely leave you guessing as to how things are going to come out. I recommend for fans of this Korean genre but it isn't for everyone.

"All of this for a phone?" An Intense Crime/Revenge Thriller...
Seung-min is the manager of a rising star, Jin-ah. Everything goes well until Seung-min receives a clip from a sex tape involving Jin-ah on his phone. He clears up the issue, but loses his phone with the career-ending material, anyway. Now, Lee-gyu has found the phone and terrorizes Seung-min; Lee-gyu reflects his own everyday pain onto Seung-min. Handphone is an intense crime/revenge thriller.

Handphone has a great story. It packs in intense dialogue, brutal revenge, and great twists. I like how the revenge takes place in this film, since it doesn't solely rely on violence. The characters in this film are well done; for example, Lee-gyu was an amazing character, someone you can hate but also feel bad for. This leads to the question: who is the real villain? The ending of the film was brutal, and effective. I also believe this film has an important message about cell phones, but maybe I'm looking too deep: in my opinion, the film shows that cell phones may be extremely...

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Rough Cut

A Tense, Thrilling, And Very Entertaining Action/Drama Film...
A film within a film threatens too become all-too-real when Soo-ta, the aggressive and cocky lead actor, hires Gang-pae, a real gangster, to play his opposite- and the pair agree to make all of the fights real. Rough Cut is a tense, thrilling, and very entertaining action/drama film.

I really enjoyed the story. The "film within a film" concept isn't used much and adds to the overall character of the film; it's genuinely interesting. It uses tension throughout the film, with many exciting fight scenes; it's also occasionally humorous thanks to funny characters like the director. It keeps you glued to your seat until its excellent, unexpected ending; South Korea rarely follows the generic "Hollywood" formula most of us are accustomed to, "Rough Cut" is no exception. The film moves at a very fast pace, as well, without sacrificing character development or hurting story progression. The acting is great, and the music is excellent, especially during the ending...

Do Not Buy the Asian Crush DVD!
Rough Cut is a wonderful movie, one of the best to come out of South Korea (which is saying something since Korea produces so many great films), and I strongly recommend seeing it. However, the Asian Crush DVD is terrible quality. The picture quality is low and sometimes a little pixelated and even worse the sound is nearly a full second out of sync. It wasn't just one defective copy, the one they sent as a replacement was just as bad.

Movie: 4.5 stars
DVD: 0 stars

Good Flick
When the bad boy actor finally confronts that no one will work with him due to his reputation and attitude, he is saddled with a gangsta as the movies nemesis. As you can predict, the gangsta doesn't play by the rules teaching the leading man a few lessons. All works out in the end--this film could easily star a couple of Hollywood main men and be Americanized and you wouldn't know the difference.

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To Catch a Virgin Ghost

Funny, nutty ghost story/mobster flick/black comedy from South Korea!
TO CATCH A VIRGIN GHOST (also known as SISILY 2KM) is a fun, enjoyable black comedy-thriller set in a small village in South Korea. It'd be difficult to explain even the story without giving much away, but suffice to say the film opens with a thug on the run from the mob (after stealing a cache of diamonds), who accidentally crashes his SUV near a remote village. Walking to the village, he finds about a half-dozen country bumpkins, men and women working the fields, who he cons into letting him stay the night because he's stranded. When a practical joke gone bad results in the not-too-bright gangster's death (he cracks his skull on the toilet in the john), the villagers find one of the diamonds on him (he swallowed the rest; long story), and instead of calling the police they decide to bury the dead crook and sell the diamond to make their lives prosperous again. When the dead guy's ex-buddies from the mob come looking for him, the guy's crashed vehicle leads them directly to the...

Very Funny
I read the other viewers results and thought that I would check this movie out for myself and they were spot on with their comments. It was a very funny and enjoyable movie with a sweet ending. It didn't take me to long to figure out who the bad guys were. The ghost was cute even with her scary eyes. I think people should check this movie out its worth the whole hour and a half of time. Trust me I have seen worse. SHARKNADO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say more.

Another excellent Korean movie
A lot of people do not realize how accomplished the Korean movie community has become. This movie is a prime example of this. A little wacky, some dark humor, some violence... all you can ask for in this type of movie.
While this and most other Korean movies have the same conventions as US movies the Korean movies approach them differently. That is one of the main reasons I like both Korean and Japanese movies.

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Company (Stephen Sondheim)

An Eclectic Cast Highlights Story Over Song In This Enjoyable Sondheim Revival
When you're a theater lover, you greet every revival of a Sondheim work with great enthusiasm. "Company," to my mind, has always been one of the master's more accessible pieces. Originally produced in 1970, the show may be a product of its time but with a powerhouse roster of songs including "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Being Alive," "Side by Side by Side," and "Another Hundred People," it makes for an era well worth revisiting. This star-studded production, shot at Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic, certainly had a curiosity factor working for it with its eclectic cast. Headlined by Neil Patrick Harris, the show also features the always welcome Patti Lupone. But in addition to these two, the cast boasts a number of less likely (but no less recognizable) faces. Craig Bierko, Anika Noni Rose, Katie Finneran, Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), and Stephen Colbert are some of the others on stage. This filmed version...

Stephen Sondheim Lives On....
In 2011, I was sitting at the local movie theatre when a preview for Stephen Sondheim's Company came on the screen- I immediately had a musical theatre nerd-gasm. I've listened to this show over and over again, but I never really grasped the full concept of the show. I bought the 2006 Broadway Revival DVD in hopes to gain some more insight into the show- I received, some. It wasn't until I saw this production (one of only a few in the theatre), that I completely understood Bobby's story.

The scale of this production, and the staging was simply magnificent. Many forget that this was Company: In Concert because it feels as though it's a full-scale Broadway production. The full orchestration was fantastic, and the talent on stage, sublime: Neil Patrick Harris embodied Bobby perfectly. Patti LuPone's Joanne had me on the edge of my seat- I've always been a fan of her. And the three young ladies playing Bobby's girlfriends (Chryssie Whitehead, Anika Noni Rose, & Cristina...

The best Bobby since Larry Kert!
I saw Company! at the Alvin Theater, of Broadway on December 8th, 1970 (Elaine Stritch forgot a line in "Ladies who lunch" and turned to the audience after a LONG pause saying "Do you think I forgot the line?") and have seen every reincarnation I could find since then. I have a copy of the script, the Alvin Theater Playbill and am a Company! junky. Loved Raul Esparsa in the 2006 revival, but it lacked the full orchestra Sondheim deserves (Angel Desai strained to sing "Another Hundred People"). This cast solves every problem I've seen in previous reincarnations and NPH pays great tribute the the Late Larry Kert, while Martha Plimpton and Stephen Colbert are awesome. No one else could be Elaine Stritch, but Patti Lupone holds her own. Bravo!

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ParaNorman

A witch, a curse, a boy with special talents and the walking dead highlight this film for all ages!
Norman Babcock has a lot of friends, unfortunately they are all dead. He has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts of people and animals and because of that he is considered weird at school and even to his own family. He is bullied at school because of his abilities and his only friend is Neil who is an overweight boy who is also bullied.

The small town of Blithe Hollow, where they live, has quite a history that includes the execution of a witch 300 years ago. Norman begins having visions of the event while he is rehearsing for the school play in which he has a role. He is also approached by a wild looking man who claims to also see the dead and tells Norman that he is the only one that can stop the return of the witch's curse including the attack of 7 zombies on the town.....

We took our grandson to see this movie and he loved it. Tonight he is going to a haunted house with his father and so it is a big scary day for him. This is a very good movie...

Shame on all the "nay" say-ers.
This movie is a BEAUTIFUL example of animation, especially stop motion animation, of the highest quality; a true work of art.

I am sad to see so many parents rating this film poorly for "inappropriate material". This movie has some of the BEST MATERIAL you should be teaching your kids! For one: There are no purely evil characters. There are characters who made bad choices, and feel regret. Too many films, especially film for children, paint humans as "purely good" or "purely evil" which only teaches them to judge their peers and elders harshly. This is a film which teaches children empathy towards their fellow humans. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Amusing animation for the horror fan in all of us
"Coraline" was amazing. Even though its box office success wasn't nearly as impressive as it should have been and you rarely hear anyone bring it up whenever conversations turn to animated films, "Coraline" catered to both children and adults. It had this extremely dark undertone; children were having their eyes replaced with buttons. That's so gloriously morbid for a children's flick. There was also mild cursing, a creepy alternate world where everyone had a mirror self (with button eyes, of course), and a woman with a massive chest that was only covered by sea shells in one particular scene. It was just so unusual and extraordinary. Laika Entertainment, the studio behind "Coraline," has brought us "ParaNorman," which is certainly in the same vein and travels a similar path to greatness.

"ParaNorman" is a stop-motion animated film that revolves around Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee); a young boy who can talk to dead people and is ridiculed because of it. Even his...

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Jingle Bell Rock Christmas Video With Bobby Helms (Original 1957 Release Artist)

THIS IS VINTAGE 50s - - THE GREAT BOBBY HELMS SINGING HIS CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TUNE
This was a trip down "Memory Lane".....

A homey and whimsical video of one of the great performers of my high school days. All baby boomers will remember and enjoy Bobby's video.

It was great to hear Bobby do his hits and a few other nostalgic Christmas tunes. And it was at a bargain price.

Great Songs and Great Video Learned Song Facts From Bobby I Never Knew!
His personal stories about the songs was very interesting. Music is great and easy to see why he was a Music Legend. Great for family sharing during the holidays.



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Brave (Spanish Version)

Wonderful story for girls
I've read some of the bad reviews, and they seem focused on a few things: 1) Scary scenes, 2) Nudity, 3) Lack of romance. Well, my three year old is super brave so I do agree that a lot of sensitive littles may have an issue with the movie, but it's not really an issue in our household. Nudity? Well, that's kind of laughable as it's an animated movie. I guess some people would rather hear fart humor and characters calling each other jackass ("Shrek"), and if that's you then skip this one, but it's really just two quick scenes and not in a scandalous way. And about that lack of romance... one of the reasons I love this movie for my daughter is the lack of romance for the main character. In fact, the whole plot is about teenager Merida trying to change her "fate" which is to get married before she's ready. She passionately pleads during one speech to the parents of her suitors to let their children decide when they are ready for marriage and to choose their own spouses. This is beyond...

Pixar's First Fairy-Tale Hits The Mark!
Pixar Animation Studios has always been known for their unique approach to filmmaking. They have always put the story first and foremost, something that so many other studios seem to take for granted. They also know the rest of the ingredients to add to make their films stand out from the rest: Great characters, lots of heart, and a goodly quantity of humor.

While not continuing the 21st century tradition of turning the fairy-tale on its head, as in the case of "Shrek", "Brave", feels like a rediscovered story by Grimm's with an unmistakably Pixarian flavor. Legends and myths abound in Scots folklore, and the writers at Pixar didn't have far to go in order to come up with their own story, one that is at once relevant, quite original, and yet entirely congruous with one's expectations of the perfect fairy-tale. As fresh and surprising as any of the studio's previous successes, I enjoyed it immensely, and could watch it many times over without growing tired of it. It's hard...

For every mother, daughter, and/or Warrior
I don't enjoy every box office hit animated movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed Brave. The ending theme may be about bravery, but the story is rich in family relationship and in choosing who you are, who you want to be and how you treat others. It's a great movie to take your kids to see with you.

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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 2 of 12. Justinian and the Golden Age.

A key historical figure and how to understand his contribution
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.





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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 9 of 12. Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire.

First class
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.





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The Town Christmas Forgot

The Town Christmas Forgot
Love this Movie.!!! A Must See Movie. Its a wonderful Christmas movie to see and to own. Great family holiday entertainment Wished Hallmark would have put it on a DVD since it came out.

THE TOWN CHRISTMAS FORGOT
I TOO WISH THEY WOULD RELEASE THIS ON DVD AS I AM "OLD SCHOOL" AND WOULD LOVE TO ADD THIS MOVIE TO MY COLLECTION. IT IS ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE ON HALLMARK AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN MISS OUT ON THE SALES OF IT AS I WOULD PAY FULL PRICE TO HAVE IT IF NECESSARY. PLEASE CONSIDER PUTTING IT ON DVD FOR ALL US OLD FOLKS WHO LOVED THIS ONE FROM THE BEGINNING AND AREN'T TECKY FOLKS. PEARL MAYS

Glad to have this on Amazon
I have always liked this movie from Hallmark. I don't know why it has never been released on DVD but I am happy to at least be able to stream it on Amazon!
UPDATE. Looks like it will be available on DVD soon. It's about time!

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Olympia: Festival of Nations

The photography lures you, action holds you.
Part I
The film opens up with a film tribute to the history of Greece and the games. We get to see the names of the nations at the time that the torch passes through as it reached Berlin. A much more realistic torch than today's is ran into the stadium with a few pauses to let everyone see just before the final dash to the Olympic torch at the stadium. It would be great to recapture this in the present day. Some of the tribute leads me to believe that our athletes are overly clothed for the sports.

Part II
By now watching Part I, "Festival of the nation" spoiled you. Again this film starts out with the ideal and surrounded by Leni's signature clouds. List is leading you to "field hockey, soccer bicycling, equestrian, aquatic and gymnastic events. Highlights are the Pentathlon and the Decathlon." Remember that some countries were still using horses in the military.

It may be unique reasons that brought you to this point such as Leni or photography, or...





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TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball

great tribute and history of pinball
Very informative and easy to watch documentary. Great job! It shows what happened to Williams pinball. Go rent it today or buy it.

Informational but amateur
Being a huge fan of pinball and its history, as well as documentaries, I was extremely excited to watch "Tilt: The Battle to Save Pinball". That excitement was very quickly doused upon actually viewing this film.

The entire running time of the movie barely cracks an hour, but it's about 55 minutes too long as, literally, the entire story from beginning to end is told in voice over exposition before the title sequence even appears. Since it is incomprehensible that a movie would actually give away the ending, it made sense to keep watching to see what kinds of twists and turns would generate the unforeseen surprises that make this a compelling story -- but no. There was nothing presented that actually contributed to the overall story in any way but to mercilessly draw it out to an hour.

The film as a whole seemed to be comprised of separate pieces that didn't fit together in any way. The music, though original, seemed to be tacked on and didn't support any...



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2 Days in New York [HD]

Delpy Turns French Stereotypes Upside Down in a Funny Farce with the Help of a Solid Rock
Julie Delpy really has a good ear for shrewdly observational, overlapping conversations. It started with her Richard Linklater-directed bookends, 1995's Before Sunrise and 2004's Before Sunset, in which she and Ethan Hawke contributed much of their own dialogue (and earned adapted screenplay Oscar nominations for the latter). She then translated her unique gift to her own sophomore directorial effort, 2007's 2 Days in Paris, a romantic dramedy that mined her character's repressed hesitancies about settling down with a neurotic, irritating interior decorator named Jack. Delpy comes back again as the star, director, and writer (this time partnering with co-star Alexia Landeau, who plays her sister Rose) of this 2012 sequel, a culture clash comedy paced like a free-for-all...

We need more movies like this
We need more movies where the female character is more complex and interesting like this movie. I love 2 Days in Paris and again 2 Days in New York. Chris Rock's character is also funny and not one sided. Chris Rock needs to find more of this type of character for his acting career. Kudos to Julie Delpy for writing, producing, directing and starring. Please Julie, give us more movies like this.

Hysterical
I wasn't going to watch this, cause the trailer wasn't all that, but I then I read Ed Uyeshima's review (the first one here, go Ed go!) and I was like "whoa! some professional reviewer guy on Amazon?.... a female Woody?"

And that got me going. Its been a while since I've seen SUCH a fun movie... So many things! Right off the bat, the funny things, coming fast and furious..."squeezing, squeezing, squeezing"... And Cris Rock! What a perfect addition (conversations with Obama). And the fight for her soul with Vincent Gallo, and Chris didn't believe it??? LOL!!!!!!!! The kids in costumes with blood! "Want some grass to take back to Italy?" HA HA HA...The elevator scenes... <gulp>...the scenes when she fights with her sister!....my 5, 1/2 French sisters, they'll love it, I'll have to have them see it.

The supporting cast was totally amazing too, all of them FUNNY AND GOOD...my favorite was her dad, particularly the scene when he was tickling Chris Rock...

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Naked Kitchen

Good Date Night Movie
it is a very good movie nice story line to it. This movie is perfet for a date night movie.

Sad ending
Good movie but I didn't really like the ending. I really wished it was longer. Also the title of the movie was like wha?!?!

키친
Absolutely adored the visuals of this film, wardrobe, interior, color correction, camera shots and all. I also loved the soundtrack, which matched the movie quite well. But the film disappointed in outlining its most important component which is the storyline. I enjoyed the mellowness and the style of this project; but the plot altogether didn't click for me, and probably didn't for many others. All in all, this is an enjoyable film to watch during a lazy summer afternoon.

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Jungle Book

Memorable Star, Brilliant Art Design--And Terrible DVD Transfers
Loosely based on the Rudyard Kipling "Mowgli" stories, the 1942 JUNGLE BOOK offered war-weary audiences brilliant Technicolor, elaborate sets, numerous action sequences, exotic animals, lost treasure, and a climatic firestorm--not to mention charismatic Indian-born star Sabu in a persistently and titillating half-naked state. It was easily one of the most popular films of the year, a two-hour respite from some of the darkest days of World War II, and its style was so admired it easily won two Academy Awards for best color cinematography and best art direction.

Seen today, however, JUNGLE BOOK is considerably less enchanting. Much of the film's original appeal arose from audience interest in seeing "jungle beasts" in full color--and while several of the animal sequences (particularly those relating to tiger Shere Khan) are classics of their kind, most modern audiences have seen many such scenes in many later films. Further undercutting the animal-interest is the film's...

Please, Somebody, Restore This!!!
I give this film five stars because it's a gem. I do NOT give the DVD release any stars whatsoever. This is one of those unfortunate films that fell through the cracks into Public Domain (like FLYING DEUCES and ROYAL WEDDING) and has been languishing in shoddy releases ever since. The source print(s)for this DVD leave us with a muddy picture whose Technicolor splendor is reduced at times to sepia or even black and white and whose soundtrack is consistently noisy.

The movie is delightful and in many ways superior to the far more recent remake with Jason Scott Lee (who deserves another good movie, but that's another matter entirely). Sabu, at 18 or so, was delightful and at his boyishly charming peak. So why can't someone take the trouble to locate a pristine print or negative (as they did with FLYING DEUCES) and digitally restore this classic to its original glory? Surely there are enough of us in the world to buy it that the project would be worthwhile!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film <The Thief of Bagdad> are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it.

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Modern Times [HD]

The Tramp In The Machine
MODERN TIMES opens with its credits being printed out over a close-up image of a clock ticking interminably forward. The film's first real shot is of mindless sheep being herded through gates, which fades into an image of factory employees exiting a subway stop on their way to work. Looking at this from a modern standpoint, one can only think that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

This is a film that I can watch over and over again. It's not just that it's an incredibly funny film. It's not just that its satire of modernization and industrialization still rings true today. It's that each aspect of the filmmaking pulls together to form something greater than each individual part. The story ranges from big topics concerning the Great Depression and dehumanization, while successfully balancing that with the small love story between the tramp and the gamin. In a theme that would be revisited even more powerfully in LIMELIGHT, the two characters need each...

Great presentation of an all-time classic
Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times is one of my favourite films and arguably one of the best films ever made. The movie remains incredibly funny while also managing to be a significant artistic achievement in cinema design and social commentary. For Chaplin fans, it marks the last appearance of his "little tramp" character and, not coincidentally, his last film without full synchronized sound. The film does include music, sound effects, and the occasional voice, including a segment at the end where we get to hear the tramp sing a short nonsense song. However, as a film released 10 years into the sound movie era, the film is also something of an enigma. It presents perhaps the most famous silent film character in a film that purports to be silent, yet it features futuristic factory machinery (reminiscent of Metropolis) and large close-circuit flat screen video displays that would have looked almost like science fiction back in the 1930's.

This new Blu-ray release from...

Charlie Chaplin at his sublime peak
The more I watch it, the more I feel that Charlie Chaplin's sublime silent MODERN TIMES (1936) is his finest film. THE GOLD RUSH (1925) is too desolate for my tastes, and CITY LIGHTS (1931) does not have the exquisite Paulette Goddard (then Chaplin's wife) as leading lady. MODERN TIMES is more episodic than other Chaplin features--six or seven one reel comedies strung together for 83 minutes. There are two incomparable segments set in a dehumanizing factory (in this silent film, the boss speaks over surveillance photography)--Chaplin gets caught inside the gears of a machine, while much later his boss, Chester Conklin from the Keystone Kops, has the same thing happen during lunch hour. It is hysterical to see Chaplin feed lunch to the upside down head of Conklin inside the machine. It is also pricelessly funny when Charlie is guinea pig for a new mechanized lunch demonstration that fails miserably.

Meanwhile, out along the waterfront (location work was done at San...

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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 8 of 12. The Ottoman Rise to Power.

Solid, informative
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.





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Marrying the Mafia 3

entertaining
entertaining movie. Although some parts predictable, like most Korean movies there were still some parts that are unpredictable, funny yet serious at times.





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The Yards

TRAIN OF THOUGHT
Director James Gray has elicited some marvelous performances from a really eclectic cast: Oscar winners Ellen Burstyn and Faye Dunaway play domestic characters with the professional verve they always bring; Oscar nominees Charlize Theron, James Caan and Joaquin Phoenix are superb in their roles as Wahlberg's cousin, best friend and uncle-in-law; and then we have Mark Wahlberg, Steve Lawrence and Tony Musante rounding out the cast. This is Wahlberg's shining moment; he has none of the macho bravado usually associated with him, and his performance is complex, multi-faceted and courageous. Caan is also brilliant, and someday he'll get the Oscar he deserves. Phoenix also shows great emotional depth in his role as a borderline sociopath. Theron proves that she is not just a pretty face, but a capable and engaging actress. The film's slow pace is in line with the psychological nuances of the film. I'd never heard of it until I saw a trailer on another video. An outstanding film...

FORGET "GLADIATOR" , TRY "THE YARDS"
After LITTLE ODESSA in 1994, THE YARDS is quite an impressive second movie of american writer/director James Gray who plays in the same league than Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola or Sidney Lumet. Furthermore, James Gray has given two important roles to James Caan and Ellen Burstyn and a choice like this can only be made by a clever and talented person. If you are not so fond of Ridley Scott's bodybuilt gladiators, try for a change a movie with more brains than muscles. In the long run, it gives more satisfaction.

THE YARDS is a movie about ambiguity, a mood created firstly by the images of the movie, cold and almost metallic for the exterior scenes but warm and always red, brown or yellow for the interior scenes. This antagonism is also underlined by the recurrent theme of the electric lights which suddenly plunge the characters in a black no-man's land several times during the course of the movie.

James - Frank Olchin - Caan is the most ambiguous character of the movie. He...

GRITTY DRAMA
After spending time in prison for auto theft, Leo (Mark Wahlberg), decides it's time to go the straight and narrow.

Returning home from prison, Leo, takes a job at his uncle Frank's (James Caan) company working on contracts with the New York City subway system.

Once on the job, Leo, meets his uncle's top guy (Joaquin Phoenix), and before long, he realizes his uncle is involved with corruption, and payoffs.

"The Yards" is a gritty drama that sports an excellent cast;Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan, Ellen Burstyn, and Faye Dunaway. Although, slowly paced, the film puts a smart, and interesting spin on big city corruption. Very much a character driven film, "The Yards" will disappoint those looking for fast action. But anyone looking for an intelligent, well acted movie will be pleased with this one.

Nick Gonnella

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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 4 of 12. The Seljuk Turks.

Filling in the knowledge gaps
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.





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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 11 of 12. The Sick Man of Europe.

Prolongation of Dynasty
This is part of a remarkable series by Dr. William Neidinger. It is a comprehensive lecture series that fills the gaps in our knowledge of this vital time in European history. Dr. Neidinger's contention that Ottoman history is a continuation of Byzantine history is controversial but it does not dominate his narrative of the events of the time.





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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 1 of 12. Foundation: From Byzantium to Constantinople.

Important viewing
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.

Learn about history beyond our not so classical education
This presentation took us through past historical events that are not commonly known or understood through our lack of subject matter in our schools. The details are new territory for us, and we had to go back to some of the segments to fully gain the knowledge of the material. For those who know little of the subject matter, this is a good entry, enticing additional study to learn more about these empires.

a lecture with slides
I'm certain it must be informative, since the series is quite long, but be warned that this is a taped lecture punctuated by slides, delivered by a professor, who, while having a firm grasp on his material, doesn't have the most mellifluous voice. I found I couldn't go the distance. Amazon is asking for a rating, so I'll give it four stars for making the material, much neglected in western studies, available to the public, though I would have preferred to read a text version.

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The Byzantine & Ottoman Empires: Lecture 3 of 12. The Macedonians.

Important chapter in history
Dr William Neidinger offers a lecture series beginning in Ancient Egypt, running through ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the European Renaissance. These are topics we all covered in our schooling but in a superficial, intermittent manner. I have been watching Dr. Neidinger's lectures on my Kindle to fill in the gaps in my education. For some reason you never see the lecturer's face in any of his many videos. Rather, he concentrates on views of maps, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and locales. It is to Amazon's credit that such a series can be offered to the viewing public.





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Welcome to Dongmakgol

A Genuinely Humorous, Meaningful, and Entertaining War Film...
During the Korean War, three North Korean soldiers, two South Korean Soldiers, and a U.S. pilot find themselves in an isolated village, Dongmakgol. Welcome to Dongmakgol is a genuinely humorous, meaningful, and entertaining war film.

The story in this film is fantastic. The comedy in this film is genuinely funny - it doesn't need gross gags or excessive vulgar language. I really haven't smiled so much during a film in a long time. It's also very meaningful: people are people, regardless of their birthplace, skin color, gender, etc. The story has these soldier from different regions, some with language barriers, coming together in a village where war doesn't exists - a village where people take care of people, and live carefree like the children. It ends with an explosive, bittersweet finale. The acting is superb from the entire cast; from Jung Jae-young playing a North Korean commander to Kang Hye-jung playing an eccentric girl. The film is beatifully shot, with a wonderful...

A well-done antiwar movie
This, along with King of Hearts (1966), is my favorite anti-war movie. It was made in 2005. In Korean, with English subtitles (even for the American dialogue), no sex, some blood and gore, and course language by American GIs who invade the village searching for North Korean soldiers. It ends with gore as warriors fight each other in a bit of futility.

Unbelievable, but I liked it!
What more can one say, an interesting story, an unlikely plot during the Korean war. I would watch again---but, that's sentimental me.

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Bestseller

Good, but could have been much better.
Be-seu-teu-sel-leo (Bestseller) (Jeong-ho Lee, 2010)

You've heard this story before: a bestselling author--and we're not talking some midlist honey-of-the-month here, but a real force of nature, an Oprah-book-club-standard billion-seller--is accused of plagiarism in her most recent novel. She strenuously denies the charges, but once you're tarred with that brush, etc. She loses everything--her marriage, her professorship, the works. She has nothing to tie her to her swanky cosmopolitan lifestyle anymore, so she packs up her young daughter and heads for a small town on the coast where she might be able to pick up the pieces of her life, feel normal, maybe even write again.

That's where we are when Bestseller begins. The author in question is Hee-soo Baek (Princess Aurora's Jeong-hwa Eom), and unfortunately, her plans start having monkeywrenches thrown into them from the outset; for one thing, rather than finding a town where she can blend into the background, when...

Good Crime Drama
Bestseller is a movie about a disgraced writer who moves to a small town to try and redeem herself. Along with her young daughter she moves into a creepy villa that is said to be haunted. After Hee-Soo moves into the villa she suddenly becomes inspired to write a crime drama about the murder and disappearance of a young woman. This book is soon found to be plagiarized as well and Hee-Soo loses all credibility. However after some research she starts to suspect that the basis of her book was not just a story, but of a real murder. Bestseller reminded me very much of Stir Of Echoes as Hee-Soo doggedly searches for the truth behind the story. Is it just a story? Or is Hee-Soo really telling the truth. The plot twists and turns as Hee-Soo delves deeper and deeper into the past.

With plenty of twists, good actors, and a solid plot Bestseller is an entertaining crime drama. Fans of this genre should definitely check it out.



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Skateistan

What an amazing concept
I am a huge skater/longboarder and come from a third world country! Never imagined that skating would somehow make it there and have such great results. This movie really touched my heart. Left my girlfriend in tears! Easy purchase!

Skateistan brings peace to Afghan youth!
Skateistan is a simple idea that can change the future hope of Afghanistan. All it took was some skateboards & these kids were stoked. But its so much more than that. The skateboards get the kids through the doors. Once they are in, the magic happens. They learn respect, conflict resolution, equality, get an education, get empowered, conquer racial and gender barriers & more. I just love it. I've rarely been this supportive and excited about an organization. It just seems to work, and the way they go about working with these kids is brilliant. It is so incredibly inspiring. The majority of the population of Afghans are youth. So if you want to make any changes and bring the country to peace, the children are who you need to tap into. But they aren't just helping the kids with basic care; they are giving the kids a new way of life, giving them enrichment, giving them some power. Personally, I have always wanted to skateboard, or at least longboard. I've been a chicken about it, and the...

absolutely phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to thank the film makers for showing the world the story of these children, their plight and the amazing impact that something as simple/pure/beautiful as skateboarding can make, even in a setting as seemingly hopeless as war-torn/gender-segregated Afghanistan.
If you are interested in political/war-related current events, then watch this movie.
If you are interested in skateboarding, then watch this movie.
If you have an interest in children, then watch this movie.
If you are interested in poverty around the world, then watch this movie.
IF YOU HAVE BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS AND A HEART THAT PUSHES IT AROUND, THEN WATCH THIS MOVIE!

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A Beer Tale

YOU OVER ESTIMATED MY MATURITY
The story takes place in 1992, Longmont, Colorado. The Frankenstein family owns the Left Hand brewery. We are introduced to this while listening to Irish music for some reason I could not fathom. Orphan twins Cory (Lee Roy Kunz) and Luke (Cru Ennis) mature at different rates. Luke suddenly wants to have a relationship with one woman while women just want to have sex with him, something he sees as an issue. Meanwhile Cory, who is overly immature and obnoxious works to sabotages Luke's attempt at decency.

While this is going on the twins are attempting to make a "family beer" that doesn't "taste like p**s." I found the concept of a "family beer" as confusing as the Irish music playing to introduce the Frankenstein family. While this is supposed to be a teen comedy, I failed to see the humor in this shallow tale. Cheap humor.

Parental guide: F-bomb, sex, stripper nudity(porn star Jayden Jaymes), Deals with homosexual issues.

Awful
Watching this completely amateur film, I felt like I was on an ADHD roller coaster as each scene jumped from one bizarre thing to the next. One of the worst movies I've ever watched. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

A Beer Tale
Not exactly what I had in mind, but the movie is funny for a younger group of people. Plot is often used; however, Zelda is a breadth of fresh air!

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2 Days in New York

Delpy Turns French Stereotypes Upside Down in a Funny Farce with the Help of a Solid Rock
Julie Delpy really has a good ear for shrewdly observational, overlapping conversations. It started with her Richard Linklater-directed bookends, 1995's Before Sunrise and 2004's Before Sunset, in which she and Ethan Hawke contributed much of their own dialogue (and earned adapted screenplay Oscar nominations for the latter). She then translated her unique gift to her own sophomore directorial effort, 2007's 2 Days in Paris, a romantic dramedy that mined her character's repressed hesitancies about settling down with a neurotic, irritating interior decorator named Jack. Delpy comes back again as the star, director, and writer (this time partnering with co-star Alexia Landeau, who plays her sister Rose) of this 2012 sequel, a culture clash comedy paced like a free-for-all...

We need more movies like this
We need more movies where the female character is more complex and interesting like this movie. I love 2 Days in Paris and again 2 Days in New York. Chris Rock's character is also funny and not one sided. Chris Rock needs to find more of this type of character for his acting career. Kudos to Julie Delpy for writing, producing, directing and starring. Please Julie, give us more movies like this.

Hysterical
I wasn't going to watch this, cause the trailer wasn't all that, but I then I read Ed Uyeshima's review (the first one here, go Ed go!) and I was like "whoa! some professional reviewer guy on Amazon?.... a female Woody?"

And that got me going. Its been a while since I've seen SUCH a fun movie... So many things! Right off the bat, the funny things, coming fast and furious..."squeezing, squeezing, squeezing"... And Cris Rock! What a perfect addition (conversations with Obama). And the fight for her soul with Vincent Gallo, and Chris didn't believe it??? LOL!!!!!!!! The kids in costumes with blood! "Want some grass to take back to Italy?" HA HA HA...The elevator scenes... <gulp>...the scenes when she fights with her sister!....my 5, 1/2 French sisters, they'll love it, I'll have to have them see it.

The supporting cast was totally amazing too, all of them FUNNY AND GOOD...my favorite was her dad, particularly the scene when he was tickling Chris Rock...

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Ocean of Pearls

What a strong insightful film
Ocean of Pearls has been a very insightful experience into the world of Sikh religion. Coming from Malaysia, a country where there are an estimated number of 130,000 Sikhs, I was aware that Sikhism was a separate religion from Hinduism, Buddhism and Islamism. Though equipped with that knowledge, I was surprised to find that I had learnt such a significant amount on the Sikh culture.
I found two conflicts within the movie especially thought provoking. One being the struggle to oppose the forces of racism in the modern world derived from the misunderstanding of Sikhism, and the other being his internal psychological battle between compromising the traditional Sikh practices in attempt to gain the image of being "normal" in society.

I watched this at a Cranbrook showing during my Senior year today. IT was a very very powerful film. It spoke to me even though I am not Sikh. This film needs to be sold SO I CAN BUY IT NOW.

Fantastic Movie
This movie highlights the struggle one Sikh man deals with balancing his spiritual identity with his work goals. It is informative, engaging, and manages to avoid potentially cheesy pitfalls in addressing the issues faced by the character. I highly recommend it.

I most definitely recommend this one
This movie features great actors, and it has enough layers of cultural nuance to stimulate a lot of meaningful conscious conversations.

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The Rainbow Serpent: Dawn of the New Age Beyond 2012

Great for mind body & soul - must watch!
I felt my blood pressure dropping when I watched this, which is a great thing. Presentations like this are good for the mind, body, and soul. This is a journey worth taking.

Shane
I felt my blood pressure dropping when I watched this, which is a great thing. Presentations like this are good for the mind, body, and soul. This is a journey worth taking.



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The Nutcrackers

Not worth your money or your time.
The animation is choppy (it's like they only animate every 3rd frame, or something, and gives somewhat of an old stop motion animation feel that's not endearing) and sloppy (they wave a bag of flour at a character, and then poof, there's magically flour on their face!). The voice acting is poor, and at times emotionless. In addition, one of the characters says "oh my God"(whereas most kid shows will substitute the euphemistic "oh my gosh", which they also say several times). Save your money and watch it free on a streaming service. But beware, despite all of these flaws your children may fall in love with it, requesting to watch it over and over like my 3 year old does, so you may just want to stay away in the first place.

Just awful
This movie is terrible. The animation is distractingly bad, and jarring to watch. The voice acting is consistently whiney, and the story depressing. Unfortunately our 2.5 year old likes it. I would avoid this movie altogether and get something else.

We'll watch again
Picked this up, not knowing what to expect wanting a family video both kids would enjoy. I have got to say, both kids laughed out loud- they never do. Most movies also do not keep their attention for more than 30 minutes- they watched the whole thing. The animation was cute and there was a great message.

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Happy Naked Christmas

Subtle Comedy
Though I don't usually write reviews, and am not good at it, since this movie doesn't have a review I thought it was worth it to write one since it certainly deserves to be watched. :) I would say that this movie is a comedy that happens around Christmas time, from what I've heard Christmas in Korea is more of a couples day rather than a family day which you can tell from some of what you see in the movie. I think the title is a little misleading, it is more of a PG-13 (or lower) movie, which was what I was kind of expecting since most Korean movies I've seen are on the conservative side. This is kind of a subtle comedy, some may think its a little slow but there were times when I burst out laughing. Overall I really liked it :D





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My Big Fat Greek Wedding (10th Anniversary Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Just About Perfect
I love it when a sleeper of a movie like this one soars to prominence based on word-of-mouth. This little gem deserves every kudo it gets, and then some.

Refreshingly normal-looking Nia Vardalos basically plays herself in a script she wrote from memories of her own Greek-American upbringing. Maybe that is why the movie comes across as so real and so heartwarming. At any rate, Vardalos plays Toula, a 30-year-old spinster (in her traditional father's eyes) who helps run the family's restaurant, the Dancing Zorba. Hidden behind thick glasses, baggy sweaters and too much hair, Toula is miserable. She loves her family, but she wants to find her own niche in the world--without giving Papa a heart attack.

After much high emotion, Toula improves her looks, goes back to school, snags a job in her aunt's travel agency (after all, reasons Papa, it's still family) and meets the man of her dreams (gorgeous John Corbett, "Aidan" from "Sex and the City"). Everything should be happy, no? NO! Ian...

Too believeable to be from Hollywood
It is a rare gem of a movie when people can poke fun at themselves and yet not mind that everybody else is laughing as well. this movie truley does have something for everybody. if you are Greek, you will love the familiarity of this movie and will find yourself comparing the people in the film to your own family. You will also find yourself laughing at a few areas in the movie and see nothing but bewildered stares from the non-greeks in the theater. If you are not Greek you will simultaneously wish you were and be glad you are not when you see the closeness, love, overbearing nature and complete lack of any privacy poor Tula goes through in this film.
The movie starts with Tula, a 30 year old Greek girl who is looked at as somewhat of a failure by the family because she has not done what she is supposed to do, Marry a Greek man, Have Greek Children, and cook for everybody until the day she dies. but at least (As said by her aunt) she will be there to take care of her...

Hilarious!!!
I had to be nagged severely before I had gone and seen it. I saw the title and thought well...."I'm not greek and know nothing about the culture so maybe I won't get it" Thanks to my sister I have neverbenn so happy to be nagged before......it was outright funny!! I've never laughed so much in public before......my eyes watered, my lungs heaved and wheezed between bursts of laughter the entire time. The DVD will definately be in my private collection. It should be in yours too.

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