nicnik6 Reviews

All In (2003)

All In for Life and Love

[10/10 · 16 October 2021]

I watched All In (2003) in 2021, 18 years after its release, and after having seen all sorts of Korean dramas, many of which are truly great, others of which are not so, after having seen Ji Sung in other series, Lee Byung-hun in 2018's Miseuteo Shunshain (2018) , and at least one other drama directed by Yoo Cheol-Yong - Taeyangeul ssamkyeora (2009) . So I don't know what I was expecting, but All In (2003) surprised me in more than one way. It surprised me 18 years after its conception.

It is the story of a gambler (Kim In Ha) always out of luck in life, but unbeatable at cards, a love story so beautiful to watch and two different friendships that he forms and struggles to maintain throughout his life. It is also the talent of these actors who were oh so young, a sight for sore eyes, and one great song by another never-to-age Korean artist, Yong-ha Park , gone (in 2010) but not forgotten... It is a series about endurance and faith, which spans on two continents and almost a decade, announcing some great (young at the time) Korean actors.

You people, go ahead and watch All In (2003)! It's a classic of action, drama and love. Three-in-one, all in.

Swallow the Sun (2009– )

Good Acting and Fantastic Music

[9/10 · 28 February 2021]

Orphans, mercenaries, gansters, fishermen, casinos, diamonds, and gambling in style, you have them all. Apparently the film was shot on at least three different locations, the Jeju Island, Las Vegas and South Africa, so the dancing fountains of the Bellagio together with Cirque du Soleil, the African jungle, and the winds of the island intertwine throughout the series to create a diverse setting for the action. Yes, there are action scenes, there are flashback scenes, there's lovely scenery in places, and a very sad story whose ending, well... I suppose that you'll have to see. Among all of the above, there's some very good acting, and I am so glad I have discovered actor Jun Kwang-ryul. Ji Sung I already knew. Jun Kwang-ryul plays a very strong character whose fate is unfortunate from the very first episode, but whom we can completely sympathise with. Ji Sung plays the rest and he is who brought me here, so I truly cannot understand why this series was/is not more popular. I suppose the repetitive twists and turns of the plot are something all soap watchers condone, and they should not deter us from learning a well -presented story.

The secret of the title lies in the lyrics of the theme song , Fate, but I don't understand enough Korean yet to clinch it. Apparently it means doing virtually anything, even an impossible feat such as swallowing the sun, in order to prove either your loyalty or your love, or both - which is the case in Swallow the Sun. Speaking of songs, the music licensed here is extraordinary, and I am going to mention Dance Like An African, Everything Must Change- the Todd Gordon version, D'inverno by Luigi Rubino, some incredible pieces by Zdenek Bartak and an OST by TRAX + Air of which Fate, and That Place are my two favourites.

In my opinion, all fans of Ji Sung and all those fond of K drama must see Swallow the Sun.

Robber (2008– )

SEE IT OR GET ROBBED OF A GOOD STORY

[10/10 · 20 February 2021]

Of course, we all saw Chuno (2010) before watching Robber (2008), but I wonder how many non-Asian viewers were able to recognize Lee Da-Hae as the female lead in both these series. I was not. Once an actress has a different hairstyle and is cast in a role on modern life (as opposed to a period drama), I can no loner identify her. This proves not only how versatile these actors are, but also how important costumes and make-up are in movies. What is more, these dramas are so carefully wrought that seeing them 10 or 15 years after they were released (which is my case with Robber - I saw it in 2021!) still brings surprise and force on the table, whether the theme is recycled or not.

Robber (2008) is an underrated K drama which presents love in more than one sense: there's mother love, there's sister love, there's gay secret and sacrificial love, there's requited love, unrequited love, all these and more than these.

The film begins so funnily that you find yourself laughing out loud, unawares, but as it progresses, it becomes more and more dramatic that during the last episodes you can't help crying. It is incredible (and probably unrealistic) how the main character ends up being paradoxically loved, even adored, by everyone around him, despite the robbing he repeatedly commits. I think one of the best adaptations of the original title (romanized Bulhandang) I have come across is Robber of Hearts, because he robs everybody not only of their money, but also of their hearts, as he had been robbed of his life in the past and is now forced to live off others all the time. What a role for Jang Hyuk!

Shine or Go Crazy (2015)

Shine

[10/10 · 16 January 2021]

Between "shine" and "go crazy" I choose "shine." Although the theme of the cursed prince is not new in Korean dramas (see The Kingdom of the Winds, for instance) and the talent of Jang Hyuk pulled at my heartstrings ever since I first saw him in Chuno, watching Shine or Go Crazy was such a joy! The humour of this series, the unexpected turns for the better in some of the antagonistic characters, the hope that is nourished and demolished and then flourishes again, all these make it special among period dramas; all these make it a little bit (just a little bit) less heartbreaking, all these make the ending more tolerable; all these set a lighter, more pleasant tone than other stories of the kind. I was so nervous and worried about watching the last episode that I couldn't believe I actually felt at peace with it. It was so rewarding to watch!

I agree with the ( only to date) other reviewer here that "Gaebonga, you rascal" is the leitmotif of the film, but isn't it a great one? Doesn't he utter it so lovingly? Jang Hyuk annoying? Oh, no, he is just so so ( or shall I say So So?) into his role, which he plays brilliantly. He shines. We, as his audience, can only go crazy. ( For him and not only.)

Memories of the Alhambra (2018–2019)

A Game and Then Some

[10/10 · 9 January 2021]

Memories of the Alhambra is a fascinating, totally engrossing TV series, whose main character is at times confused or even lost (as is the viewer) in his pursuit, because the boundaries between reality and augmented reality are often blurred in the film. The world of state-of-the-art technology blends with that of ancient warriors and primitive weapons in a way that constantly keeps the watcher's attention on the edge. What is truly intriguing is that the plot is not predictable: when you think you can anticipate the next move, something goes amiss and you are again trapped in the labyrinth of the story, just like in a video game.

The continuous overlapping of the two realities is an interesting concept in that it proposes a brand new future to video-gaming. Although I could not identify myself with the hero because I am not a gamer, I can instead imagine that players will be able to do it. Also, to help a little, there's a fine line between the world of people and that of sci-fi, and this threshold is created in terms of atmosphere. The colorful streets of Granada, the girl's house, the guitar shop, are all so lively and hopeful, while the realm of the game is always preceded by thunder and storm, or even light rain, anyway things that cloud not only the eye, but the mind as well, trapping the users into a deceitfully similar, but actually completely different place.

As for the ending, it is quite powerful. While it does leave room for season 2, I personally do not think there will be one, nor does it need to be. I cannot decide whether, as the last message of the film clearly states, " faith is the magic that changes the world, not technology -"which is obviously the clue for Jin Woo's fate - or, especially because the game goes on, it is actually the other way round...

Crime Squad (2011– )

Corruption Disclosed

[10/10 · 19 October 2020]

Given the fact that a bunch of people cared to rate this title, I am surprised none of them has written a review so far, so I am going to do it especially because I liked the series. It presents a team of detectives who try to solve their cases, out of which one in particular seems to connect their lives through unknown threads, over a period of five years.

I would say that the strong point of the film is the story itself, a story whose end we can't really anticipate and whose resolution we will only find in the final episode. The acting is also remarkable, and I can't help noticing how versatile an actor Song Il-Guk is. Song Il-Guk and Song Ji-Hyo are a couple we ship ( apparently not for the first time!), and a good thing is, again, you won't know what happens to the fans' desire until the final scene. Not being an expert in the making -of the movies, I really couldn't tell how good the editing is, but somehow I expected something better from the scene where the characters fall from a high building.

The plot has a few twists which make it interesting to watch, so all in all I would recommend the series if you want a break from period dramas.

The Kingdom of the Winds (2008–2009)

A Story Like So Many, a Story Like No Other

[10/10 · 4 October 2020]

Based on the false foresight that a baby was born under an unlucky star that will make him cause the death of his family and his country, The Kingdom of the Winds features a yarn of love, war and patriotism, rather fiction than historical fact, which starts more like a fairy tale under the sign of a foreteller, but becomes less so as it unfolds, and we discover that its characters are people like you and me, not endowed with fabulous powers, but who come together through unbreakable blood ties and strong friendship, changing their destiny. The values they hold and the traditions they follow are as old as times, making them perfectly credible.

Compared to Emperor of the Sea, The Kingdom of the Winds is a little lighter on the heart, more storylike, conveying a childhood feeling, mixed with a little fantasy and with moments of suspense that keep you on the edge of your seat, when fights are fought or when secrets are learned. There are moments in the film that counterbalance the many sad ones, and reward the viewer with a sort of unpredictable joy; such are the scenes in which one or the other of the princes does something really beautiful for their younger brother; such is the scene in which a princess invites a man into her chambers; such are the scenes in which the king restores, one by one, all the rights his abandoned-for-the-sake-of-protection son should have benefited from; and such is when a trusty friend takes someone somewhere to allegedly help them forget their sorrow, but he actually helps love conquer against all odds. You can't not love the funny Mahwang, or how Muhyul's guard (his best friends) look like musketeers, or how they ride in droves just like in dreams, in the wind, in their land of the winds...

The characters' occasional flashbacks remind the viewer of this or that scene they may have forgotten along the series, reinforcing the plot line; as well, these flashbacks enhance the characters' emotions offering us the necessary insight towards understanding the entire piece; they also round up the diverse happenings of the film, creating a clearer picture in the mind of the audience. Landscapes, music and costumes, together with a lot of good acting combine in this Korean drama to stir that emotion of sheer beauty which is quite difficult to find. The talent of Yun-a Oh (Hye Ap) or that of Jin-young Jung (King Yuri) can't go unnoticed; how they managed to shape up so perfect a character as Muhyul I don't know, and I must admit that choosing Il-guk Song to play the part is inspirational.

The prince says , whoever can wield the Sword of Paradise (the spiritual symbol that protects the people) might change their destiny in their favour; I say, whoever can wield the resources of filmmaking to create such a masterpiece has already made history.

Emperor of the Sea (2004–2005)

Yeom Moon Shines Through

[10/10 · 4 September 2020]

This is the first Korean TV series I have watched, after hearing many praise them, and I must say they were right because this film is mind-blowing. I don't know whether to start with the costumes, the music, the plot or the acting, but the truth is all of these make for an emotional story of fate, love, war and friendship, strewn with bits of history and culture that no viewer can deny. I mean considering the conventions of a TV series such as this.

The frenmity between what should have been the best friends of the story is the catalyst of the all the happenings, good or bad, it is what makes the viewers hope, cry and rage, and then forgive and understand, but it is heartbreaking. Then the different pieces of the soundtrack fall like a bomb over the impossible loves, over the doomed-never-quite-accomplished friendship, shattering your horizon of expectations.

While many characters are very well-developed and carefully wrought, we recognize of course that the men are powerful and expert in Martial Arts, and the ladies are so delicate and dreamy, but somehow always present in the most dangerous contexts. I was surprised both by the beauty and by the cunningness of Madam Jami, I enjoyed the couples of funny men (whose names I can never remember) who accompany the lead characters as helpers and trusty subjects throughout the story, I simply loved Goong-Bok/ Jang Bogo for the genius that he is, for his kindness, his ambition and his endurance, for the way he loves and for the way he trusts, I admired the two ladies that revolved around him, for their patience and their wisdom, but the one that truly convinced me is Yeom Moon (Song Il-Kook). This Moon that shines all through the film, misunderstood and lonely and longing for companions, this fate-born pirate turned treacherous friend and protector, this silent lover whose look and tears just devastate you.

I think anyone should try and watch a Korean drama series in this life, and since this is so, why not try Emperor of the Sea? The powerful tension and incredible feelings of empathy you will get from the excellent acting are something worth all the while.

Away from Here (2014)

Victim and Accused

[27 January 2019]

All the time I was watching this film, the acclaimed 2012 "The Hunt" came to mind. Same theme, same feeling: that the victim is actually the accused. What is different is that there the character was perfectly honest and open about the whole happening, while here he must keep it a secret, be it through his own will or through the force of the very first events the movie presents.

I came across this title because I like Alicia Witt, and was very surprised to discover Nick Stahl whom I had previously seen, I think, only in Terminator 3. He is an incredibly talented actor, very believable in this role; despite his rather reserved character here, one of the most powerful scenes in the movie is when he confronts Ray Wise's character in which he probably recognizes his wrongdoer. Albeit the film is (also) about forgiveness.

Without giving anything away, I would just like to mention that you will find the explanation of the title in the end of the film, which I recommend to any movie lover as a strong piece of courage and soul beauty.

Move On (2012)

Quite a different movie

[9/10 · 15 February 2015]

For the life of me I don't understand why this movie has such low ratings. I truly enjoyed it. I couldn't care less about the producers' intention and whether or not they are advertising something. If they manage to do so through this superb film, good for them. What matters to me is the effect the whole journey has on me as a viewer, and this was something rather addictive. I just couldn't get enough of these road trips.

Professional as the character is, his mission is not without danger. He is not exactly Frank in the Transporter movies, nor is he Jason Bourne, nor James Bond on a recovery pursuit, although he is a little bit of all of them. It seems so sad to me that people expect a purpose out of it all. It's not the end that matters, it's the journey in itself. Had that case ended somewhere else, I would have been worried and disappointed. By the looks of it and all the technology and secrecy that are involved, we can have a pretty good (or maybe a rough idea) of the contents of the case, and if it is what I think it is, where would we want it most than on the bottom of the most unfathomable hole?

This film is like a song playing through lovely European scenery, with cars, smart phones and precise instructions almost lulling you to sleep despite the urgency of the whole trip. And if I got it wrong, if I got it all so wrong and this is only a piece of crap, there still remains one strong element which makes it all well worth watching: the incredible presence of Mads Mikkelsen. But do I really need to mention this?

Open Hearts (2002)

An incredibly credible story

[10/10 · 1 February 2015]

As an amateur movie watcher I don't know much and I care even less at this point about visual effects and studio gimmicks, and I didn't even know about the 95 manifesto until I read some of the reviews for this title; instead, what I care about is the story and the message it sends, how and indeed if it manages to do so, and how the actors act. And for all those, this is a masterpiece.

This is a story about how life gets, the message is that love just happens, it just happens to some of us at the weirdest of times, and, if one cares to understand this, it's for the better, while if they don't, they will just suffer anyway. It is not the first Susanne Bier film I see and this is the sort of message she knows how to convey.

As for the acting, it is brilliant. Just thank God for Mads Mikkelsen. If you like this actor, see Open Hearts today! There is at least one scene which you will rewind. More than once.

The Door (2009)

There are no other worlds, unfortunately, for the ones who lose a loved one

[10/10 · 23 January 2015]

This is a film in which the main character has to kill himself, carry the weight of his own body (and guilt-ridden mind), bury himself, unbury himself, flee from the sad truth and save what he can, but what can he? The sad truth, the conclusion of the movie is, for the ones who want to understand, that there are no other worlds, unfortunately. There is only one world, or only one truth in any better possible worlds, and this truth is that once somebody is dead, you cannot undo that, you cannot bring them to you and live with them in the same world. Not together, no! But to understand this you have to watch the film up to its final moment and see that the two are still bereft and nothing is actually better, except for the fact that now they realize it too. They think they have changed something. They want to think this and they need to think this, and so do we, as we all want our second chances.

Mads Mikkelsen is an outstanding actor, incredible in every way, and while I admit I watched the movie just to see him perform in one more role, I must give credit to this story which is so full of symbols and so full of meaning. I strongly recommend The Door both for its theme and for its actors. It is perfectly watchable and it will give some food for thought even to those who don't really appreciate science fiction and/ or mystery.

The Lake House (2006)

Time Is Just a Detail

[10/10 · 22 February 2014]

When I first saw The Lake House I didn't understand it. I just watched along because of the actors, who are so good, despite my frustration at the fact that something was slipping through my fingers, that I can't quite catch it... Even so, there were moments in the film that gave me the goose bumps, at which point my frustration intensified beyond understanding, for how could I feel like that without actually getting the meaning? Anyway, I left the film for years.

When I saw The Lake House the second time I set out from the very beginning that I would endeavour to pay more attention to as many details as I could in order not to lose track of the events again. The more I was realizing that at least part of the plot was impossible, the more convinced I felt that it can be virtually (and actually)possible. Paradoxically possible. It was also when I decided to rate it 10 stars out of ten.

When I saw The Lake House for the third time (very soon after my second view) I saw it pencil in hand writing down facts and dates and stopping the recording to make sure I hadn't got it wrong, in an attempt to prove to myself and the world that it IS possible. It was also then that I decided to read what other people thought about it, both critics and amateurs, and was thrilled to see how many viewers had enjoyed the film.

When I saw the Lake House the fourth time I was playing it for my teenage students as a Valentine's Day's surprise, with a short introductory warning not to expect logic, chronological plot or anything of the kind, and advising them to pay attention to details, what the characters wear, their surroundings, etc., and also urging them to be patient if they felt they didn't get it and renounce for the moment any attempt at it, but instead let themselves swamped into the strong romantic impulse this film conveys.

Now, if you like romance, go see The Lake House! If you want a challenge, try it! If you like Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves together, don't miss it! If you only like one of them, don't miss it! And if you think Keanu is a versatile courageous actor, please do watch it! You won't be disappointed. But above all, don't be tricked by time. "Time is just a detail."

Man of Tai Chi (2013)

In One Word, Entertaining

[9 February 2014]

I will not rate this film (yet), but I will write about it. This is one about martial arts in their purest meaning, that is about the fact that they teach us something: that having power does not mean having control.

Tiger Chen is the representative of the Tai Chi, exquisite in his style. He is coveted by the king of underground fighting, Donaka Mark, who convinces him to fight in these illegal contests, without, however, ever revealing to him the whole truth about the next combat, because... "does it matter?" Had it not been for the last fight of the movie, I would have said that, although omnipresent through the nature of his role (Donaka Mark), Keanu Reeves is the great absent of the film. But the best scene of the entire production is just the final confrontation between the two main characters, one which presents us a very different Donaka. What can I say, being tall and staring Keanu could kill virtually anybody by means of looks only, but in this scene he actually fights. For a while I felt like in the Matrix again, but without the visual effects, stunts notwithstanding. How much of it was genuine and how much stunt is not important. What is is the fact that it looks genuine from behind the screen. I also liked the quick motion slow motion combination because it gives viewers time to relax and internalize the whole action.

In a nutshell, Man of Tai Chi is a modern flick about an ancient sport and it's nice to look at. Well done, Keanu!

Henry's Crime (2010)

Incredibly entertaining

[9/10 · 6 February 2014]

Henry's Crime is about a man without a purpose caught in the middle of a thing he is blissfully and stupidly unaware of. Preposterous as it might all seem when you begin to understand what he is going to do, this film actually seizes the viewer into watching it till the end.

Keanu Reeves plays Henry, the one who finally understands what life should be like, drawing on Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard and its symbols and values. (I guess the people who are also into theatre will appreciate the screenplay even more.)While trying to give meaning to his own life, he also does so for his only true friend, Max, superbly performed by James Caan, and for an aspiring actress whom he falls for, Julie, again wonderfully rendered by Vera Farmiga. All these characters help each other in the movie and are bound together through this unexpected but appropriate association with Chekhov's play.

I found myself laughing as in a real comedy a few times during the film, and I can honestly say that it is worthy of Guy Ritchie's comical gangster plans. If you liked LSTSB and Snatch, give this one a try as well. It's different, but it's also there. And Keanu is a good actor. A good actor!

Redemption (I) (2013)

So surprising I had to see it again!

[10/10 · 16 January 2014]

Maybe I wasn't in my best state of mind when I tried to watch one of the Crank movies and couldn't, due to the violence and speed at which some of the images were rolling, for I normally do watch Jason Statham films simply because I like him. But I watched Hummingbird two consecutive evenings and still I feel like I want to see it again. Why can this be? Why, this is a beautiful movie, and a must see if you ask me.

Set in the dark streets of London roamed by the homeless and in a fancy apartment owned by a rich absentee, Hummingbird features a troubled ex-soldier who fights for justice and feels attracted to a woman we wouldn't suspect could be who she is. Jason Statham and Polish actress Agata Buzek meet in this movie to form one of the strangest, unexpected and most beautiful couples one can see.

Whether you like films about troubled characters or not, if Chinese bosses bother you and seem too violent for you, if homeless people make you sick and sad, then just watch this movie for the incredible role Statham manages here, for three or four scenes where what happens between him and this charitable woman will just leave you breathless.

In conclusion, I will just say that I will certainly watch Hummingbird (or Redemption - both titles are appropriate for this story)a third time and God knows how many times again and I will definitely try and sit through Crank, if only to grasp even better the difference between these roles that Jason Statham so surprisingly manages to mix!

Hollywood Homicide (2003)

Underrated

[10/10 · 3 January 2013]

Hollywood Homicide is well worth seeing. One could start with analyzing the title and end up with criticizing the driving, but are these really what make the audience like or dislike a movie? They are not, in my humble opinion. Remember that if your horizon of expectations is not met, this is reason enough to chew on what you have just watched. To me, this movie was unexpected. While others may want to call it a bad detective movie, I like to call it a lovely comedy, a parody of both Hollywood industry and the police world. While Josh Hartnett can be unexpected in many of his roles, Harrison Ford really outdid himself playing such a part. So people, if you want to unwind after a bad or tiresome day, do watch this one. It's underrated!

Chinese Box (1997)

photoreporter loves Hong Kong local but political freedom and inner freedom clash while he discovers something new about himself

[9/10 · 1 July 2012]

This film is indeed a Chinese box containing some separate stories nested within the movie's frame: there's Vivian's story, there's Jean's story, and there's of course John's dramatic one, but then there's also the story of the Hong Kong island and its inhabitants and how they take the 1997 political change. I haven't seen very many Jeremy Irons films and in the ones I've seen him he plays supporting roles, but I particularly enjoyed his part in this film, especially because it seems an atypical one for him. John's friend Jim is fun to watch (see the bolero scene)although he is predictable all through. The two girls are both strong characters, even if their stories are quite different (or are they?)and I was relieved to see that their womanly instincts prevailed when it came to understanding John. All in all, "The Chinese Box" left me a very good first impression and I would recommend it to all Jeremy Irons fans.