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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