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Reviews
Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida (2004)
MY SASSY GIRL it ain't
It's no secret that Korean romantic comedies of late have been in sad phase. Right after MY SASSY GIRL broke out in 2001, every romcom seems to imitate that incredible pic in various degree (the latest one, 100 DAYS WITH MR. ARROGANT, is a total crap). What makes it wrong is that Kwak Ja-young, SASSY's writer-director, tries to imitate his own masterpiece with this mediocre & overlong effort, complete with the Sassy Girl herself, Jeon Ji-hyun. And it is inevitable that people would compare both pics.
The story is about a brave-in-borderline-crazy female police officer who in the line of duty bonds with a weaker male teacher. They fall in love, but fate has it that they have to separate.
The 1st part of the movie is funny, but not as hilarious as SASSY. The 2nd part is full-on drama. The last part, well, I'm not sure where the last part actually begins. It has too many endings, too many climaxes to really work.
However, Kwak's subtle touch is there and the "dancing in the rain" send-up is funny. But this doesn't justify its 124-minute running time.
Jeon, probably the most gifted young actress in the world today, is back with her sassy persona, which is great, actually. And the lead actor, Jang Hyuk is game too. But he's no Cha Tae-hyun (SASSY's lead actor), either. And the chemistry's not there.
Oh, talking about SASSY, if you're one of the movie's fans, don't miss the final minute of the movie. I wouldn't know what your reaction would be, but it'll surely make you smile. To me, it (and the two leads' performance) almost save the movie. Almost.
**1/2 out of ****
Salinui chueok (2003)
nothing prepares me for this masterpiece
I read a review about this movie and am aware what business it made in Korea, but nothing (I mean NOTHING) prepares me for this great work. With the exception of, perhaps, SE7EN, serial-killer movie has never been this good. The story (about real-life killings of 10 women in Korea during the 1986-1991) is compelling enough, but the actors (Song Kang-ho cuts you deep even when he's silent, and his big-city partner offers emotional jolts at the end), the director (effectively plays some scenes in docu-style approach), the cinematography (a shadow creeps out in the paddy field will give you, well, creeps. big one.), and the music (haunting) are welcome bonuses.
One scene that impresses me most is the crime-scene midnight chase between a suspect, 2 local detectives, and a big-city detective (who doesn't know his local partners are there watching him). Humorously intense, or intensely humorous, whichever serves you well.
The only regret is I saw this one on DVD, while I believe a movie this big (in many senses) deserves to be seen in theaters. Korean movies rarely touch Indonesian theaters.
**** out of ****
Try to listen the song SAD LETTER in this movie and tell me it's not haunting you. A magnum opus.
Biarkan Bintang Menari (2003)
nice try
watching this movie in a packed theater, i rejoice the movie as a teenage musical. a rare breed, indeed. the story, as it is, is nothing special. but the sight of a musical, in Indonesian, no less, is a relief. it indicates that any genre could speak for itself in Indonesia.
since it's about two people in love, the quality of this movie really depends on the its 2 leads. Ladya Cheryl (great in ADA APA DENGAN CINTA?) should be a big star by now. Her natural acting, her smile, her tenderness, her jolly moves are what the movie needs. Ariyo, as a novice actor isn't too bad, either. But they have no chemistry together. instead, the chemistry comes in the form of father-son relationship between Ariyo and his father El Manik (great actor, this one).
But, hey, it's not a complaint.
The complaint is rather on the songs and the music. in the dolby era, the
sound still centered in the middle front. it's like watching a movie in the 70's theater. The songs are too poppish to be musical numbers. And, oh, Memes (as Ladya's mother), boy does she wears a staggering make-up.
still, for director indra it's a major improvement from his earlier movies. and he's genius for casting Ladya, really. that girl can act. and beautiful. and, in this case, the savior of the movie (along with El Manik, of course)
so, nice try. 6.5 out of 10.