The Villainess (2017) South Korea

She did not choose this life, but it did.

Original title:

Aknyeo (Korean)

Genre:

Action, Thriller.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     It's a woman centric film. Not a tale from the normal society. A complete action-thriller, but there were sufficient drama, especially in the middle part, where the pace slows down to build a new perspective. It never reveals whether it is a revenge story or not, except the opening event. Because there were full of twist and turns when it enter the third act. Having patience is a must for this flick.

     At first, for me it looked like 'Kill Bill' meets 'Salt'. But I had this kind of feelings many times for the Korean films. They reminds me some other films from other continents. It's only at the beginning or overall the basic platform, but when you finish watching them, you won't feel the same. This was a well developed story and the characters. Particularly the opening and end were strong. What comes in between them is where some viewers might think it let them down. For that, one of the reasons was it being two hours long narrative.

     That's fine for me. Because, there were too many things to accomplish. They had to use the variation in the pace to reach the other end very convincingly or close to that. When the first half ends, it kind of restarts like a new story in a new setting. Maybe that did not work. Because we all knew there could come a twist, but on the brighter side, we did not what was it. Certainly not something new we had seen in a cinema. Especially the possibility. In such a dark tale, that path was often used.

 I wish you two had met under different circumstances. 

     A woman, single handedly takes down a notorious gang. Following that, nabbed by the cops, she gets an offer that she can't say no to it, in order to save herself and her yet to born child. So it's her new identity, a new beginning, but surrounded by full of dangers. She has to play along to get along and that's when a twist comes in. The entire scenario changes. The remaining story till the conclusion intensifies and end with a bloodbath.

     Very well designed stunt sequences. If you are an action film fan, you would enjoy them. That East Asian traditional axe, hammer, sword/machete or barehanded fightings were the highlights. As I've mentioned, the opening and the end fights take our breathe away. Yet very rarely there were silly stunt shots. Maybe, technically failed. Viewing them from the unusual camera angles, with slow and fast motions gives hard time to get used to it. Overall, the film survived because of obviously the stunts.

     It was not among the best Korean films. But one of the decent action films that passes by every year. This film could possibly get a sequel. It has all those qualities to qualify. You would know it when you see the final shot, that it's not over yet. Because the front character was so powerful. Maybe going international in the sequel could get a worldwide attention. But anyway, I'm rooting for that. I'm not a big Korean film fan, but Japanese. Though 90-95 per cent of the time, they always delivers a good entertainment, instead of Japanese films' artistic appeal. It isn't a must see, but still I feel you should not miss it.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Kill Bill, Salt, Colombiana, New World, The Man From Nowhere, The Yellow Sea.


External link(s):

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A Coffee in Berlin (2012) Germany

The tale for a cup of coffee.

Original title:

Oh Boy.

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     It was like, came five years ago. One of the most unexpected films from a debutant director to succeed commercially, as well as to grab as many as the German Academy Awards. A 'black and white' and a short film than an average runtime. A small budget flick that the entire story revolved within a day. These are the interesting basic things about it you must know. Then going into the film, it's really feels good kind. But not everything in the story was pleasant. I mean, there's nothing serious, but a man who faces difficulties.

     It was about a young, carefree man. Dropped out of law practice and having no job or a girlfriend, he spends his days as how it turns out itself. He has one good friend, nut not an ideal one. And of course annoying father who always advises him to be normal like everybody else. But this particular day is not ordinary. After saying goodbye to a girl he spent the night with, all he wanted was a cup of fresh coffee. Unfortunately, he did not get it.

     So the rest of the day follows, as many unexpected events begin to unfold. One of it was encountering an old schoolmate. She invites him to her play. Meanwhile, his date with dad and later in the day ending up in a pub where he meets an old man who narrates his life experience. Just after that, the story takes a simple twist as the day too is coming to an end, the end credit started to roll up.

 The only thing I can do, is doing nothing for you anymore. 

     I like modern 'black and white' films. Actually 99 per cent of those films I've seen were like masterpieces or almost. They simply don't make one, unless what they wanted to narrate on the screen is something special. It really captured the depth. The depth of the character. When it all began, we know zero about the lead character, but very soon everything changes, only heading forward. And when it reached the other end, you would feel you have known him long enough. One of the reasons could be your life, having similarity with the film. Most of the people have passed that stage in their 20s, like either being rebellious or unemployed/carefree.

     It was pretty much like one of those films you have seen that centres on one particular thing. Because of a small timing indifference or a mistake can lead a slight deviation in the path and then a new adventure begins. That's what in my language we say, 'in a cycle gap'. Bicycles might be big, but its path/track is so thin. In this, it was all about a cup of coffee. If he had got it when he first desired for it, the thing would have been different. Very neatly written screenplay. No doubt why it won the national award for that.

     Towards the end, I felt slowness, like it got tired of everything. But that's perfect, because since this tale is about a single day, that's how people as well feel in their long day. Overall, it worked out for me and so for most those who saw it. I might be late, but watched it, did not I! If you have seen it, that's great, but if not, then I suggest you to try it. Quite fun to watch. No serious laughs, but in a couple of scenes it delivered as it meant. Felt like I've watched a German film after a long time, but I've picked the right one.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Frances Ha, About the Pink Sky, Stranger Than Paradise, Being Charlie, The Art of Getting By.


External link(s):

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The Son of Joseph (2016) France, Belgium

In search of truth, a coming-of-age tale.

Original title:

Le Fils De Joseph (French)

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 3-minute read.


Review:
     I'm really bad at guessing things. When I first saw the film poster and read the title, I thought it could be about immigration. No, it isn't. This is a comedy, a black comedy, involving a teenager obsessed to find his biological father. So his adventure is where it all takes him was what comically portrayed.

     There's nothing special about the story. Not in the initiation. So once the second half commence, that's where the film becomes unpredictable. Because all the developments were done in the earlier and what followed was simply an unexpected consequence.

     Vincent, a teenager suddenly interested to know who is his birth father. He has not properly got answered by his mom for that question. So his quest begins, all in a right direction, but he did not expect it to turn out to be a disappointment. What follows after that was an interesting event ended with a simple twist.

     First of all it is not your normal comedy flick. The storyline might look familiar, but presented on the screen artistically. I laughed at the cast's expressions than the comedy scenes/events. Especially in those shots where they have to see straight into the camera. Somewhat fun to watch, but overall just above average film.

 Work is the enemy of pleasure. 

     As I've said, they knew how to begin, even the conclusion was well figured out, but how to reach there was where they have got lost a little bit. Moreover, it all was done quite unexpected adventurously. That's what I saw in the poster and misunderstood prior of watching it.

     As an animal lover, I hated that donkey part.  The film looked decent, until that. They should have avoided it. But anyway, I'm glad I saw it. The cast was good and shot in some lovely outdoor places. At least I came to know this stylish filmmaker. Now I should keep an eye on him.

     There are many good French comedies, so this is not one of them, a must see, yet I feel why not once. Because it is being so simple. Except the runtime was close to the two hours. They say it is a drama, but there's a more fun side of it than considering it a serious drama.

     Finally, who knows, it could work better for you than me. But choose it carefully. Because this is not a famous French film of the year. Not many people know its existence. Above that, it might not be a great film, but surely not the worst to ignore without researching basic info before deciding what to do.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
The Kid With a Bike, Two Days One Night, Irreplaceable, Le Havre, Macadam Stories.


External link(s):

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Sticky: A (Self) Love Story (2016) USA

Privacy please!

Genre:

Documentary.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.

Review:

     This film is strictly for adults. But older and matured teenagers can be spared. This is a very good subject for grown ups to open their eyes and youngsters to learn. It's about masturbation. I mean, what's wrong with that! First of all, the film is not fully researched or surveyed kind of perspective. It was more an opinion based theme from the common people and experts. Moreover, it's very fun to watch if your mind is not framed with hardcore religious craps.

     Naturally, humans and other species have done and still doing it since the beginning of the life. Just because the civilisation has flourished with rule and regulation means not this thing is a bad for us in any way. In fact, it helps us in millions of ways. Like if one neutralise (relieves) his sexual urges like this way, the rapes can be prevented. So, this is a wonder film that talks openly the most hesitated topic in the society. In some cases, even among friendships.

     I don't know this writer, director. Well, I don't have to, but I just enjoyed his little film. It was a short documentary like around 70 minutes. Interview style narration, but there were plenty of film clips, just to explain stuffs. There are like millions of films and you will get all the scene situations, don't have to recreate them. They have nicely given some examples. I had seen most of those films, so I managed to understand! But that does not how it works. Because of raw parts were censored. Yet we all know what's behind it, like it was understandable term.

 There is no such thing as sex addiction. It's sexual compulsions, not addiction. 

     There were lots of good things told in the film. I liked the idea of doctors writing a prescription. The films using this concept just to make fun out of it. Maybe that's where what's going wrong. Because most of the trend begins from that platform as many people blindly follows what they see on the screen. So I think it's time to tell the truth. It was very sad how this film opened. It revealed a real life incident of a teenager. The sex education must include this concept as saying there's nothing wrong in doing that. Believe me, most of first experience comes without understanding what they were doing in their early 10s.

     But it has some dark sides too, I mean a person can lose everything he had earned in his life like in a second. It's none other than Paul Reubens of Pee-Wee fame. I mean, come on, people think their children are safe with thieves, junkies, smokers and alcoholics than what people do in their private. It does not mean he had raped somebody or going to. Seems they just have scared of the unpredictability of the future. Not in here, in any circumstances, the future is unpredictable. Other than that, there's nothing wrong with it.

     It has to be private. There's nothing proud to be openly acknowledged as the society is filled with under-aged people as well. But when you come across someone doing it, just ignore it and respect the privacy. I have seen many documentaries on many themes, like most of them are unique, this one as well. They might have already made one or more, but I haven't seen them. I'm really happy I came across it, and I surely recommend it to everybody.

     The only drawback of this film was, there's nothing told from the negative side. Of course, everything has good and bad sides. They have convinced from the good stuffs, but what about the disadvantages. Somebody could make a separate film on that, but people recognise the only negatives and label relieving is a bad thing. It should have been in this film, like 5 to 10 minutes of cover would have worked out. Otherwise, I would have said it was a masterpiece, but it's still good for watching once.

Suitable for:

Tween, Teen, Adult, All

Final verdict:

Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent

Similar movies:

[I really don't know any similar films, sorry!]

External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
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