PrettyCarEye's Profile - MyDramaList.com

7 days ago 1 of 1 episodes seen 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Love, in Between

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 7
- Story 7
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 4
I liked the premise of the story because I imagine many women who've been cheated on do have that irrational curiosity about the other woman. And what this film is good at is building up that anticipation. What will she find out? What will she do?

It keeps you engaged & guessing, but sadly disappoints you with a very anticlimactic third act. I was expecting a more explosive resolution, but all I got was ... that's it?

Never a good place for an audience to be.

I've seen both lead actresses in dramas before & they play quite convincingly against the type of roles I'm used to seeing them in. The main actress got a lot of work done and it's obvious. She was nevertheless able to inject (no pun intended) the right amount of emotion into her facial expressions.

Overall, I liked the story, and to some extent how it was executed, but I wanted a more satisfying climax after all that good build-up in the first and second acts. read more
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9 days ago 1 of 0 episodes seen 9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Love 911

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 8
- Story 7
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 8
A cute romantic dramedy about a foul-mouthed firefighter & a good-natured, down on her luck doctor who fuss & fight until they fall in love. The story is pretty familiar (read: unoriginal), a bit far-fetched in parts even, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Generally speaking I dislike silly romcoms that have no substance whatsoever. While it's no secret that I love the romance genre, I prefer it packaged with a lot of thought-provoking, heartfelt drama. The movie Always with So Ji Sub & Han Hyo Joo (who also stars as the female lead in this movie) is a good example.

Love 911 fell somewhere in the middle of this preference. It had the usual tropes of a light, brainless romcom, but with an undertone of melodrama. I would've preferred just pure drama (without the melo), but I'll take whatever I can get.

If you watch this genre as much as I do, you'll know Korea doesn't make enough films like Always & Love 911. That is, dramatic romances with happy endings. Movies in this genre are more times than not tragedies and or stories about morally corrupt, cheating spouses that will squash even the slightest of belief in love you ever allowed yourself to entertain.

Love 911 is, therefore, a nice change of pace from all that dreariness. The couple here had amazing chemistry & I had fun watching them get under each other's skin.

The male lead, Go Soo, was like ... wow! Soooo cute! When he allowed people to see the real him, he had this boyish gentleness to him, but in the next breath he could be ALLLLL man! I loved it! And he wasn't too bad of an actor either. He was able to convey an array of heart stirring emotions, even while you wanted to slap him for being a boor. Moreover, I'm sure his reason for being prickly is bound to win over most women! Han Hyo Joo was just as much a delight to watch as she was in Always. So far she hasn't disappointed me in anything I've seen her in.

This is a must watch for any romance fan. It has all the right ingredients: nice, if unoriginal plot, a very likable, sweet female lead, your typical brooding alpha male hero with the heart of gold & man candy galore. Could the makers of this movie be a tad more creative with the story? Sure, but overall this was a whole lot a fun to watch & re-watch. read more
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15 days ago 1 of 1 episodes seen 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Happy End

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 7
- Story 7
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 6
The cheating spouse theme has been done to death in Korean romantic drama films, but this movie is notable for putting the proverbial shoe on the other foot. Instead of the unrepentant, philandering husband it's the woman who cheats, and the man, a dedicated family guy and doting father, is left to pick up the pieces. As with every drama that deals with cheating you feel bad for the person being wronged.

The ever popular Choi Min-sik, of Oldboy & I Saw the Devil fame, delivers a solid performance as the scorned, emasculated house husband. The juxtaposition of gender specific traits in his character, nurturing femininity vs aggressive masculinity, was particularly well played in my opinion. It shows how, in the heat of passion, one can really act against type.

The reversal of stereotypical gender roles, especially in a strongly patriarchal society like South Korea, is always interesting to watch. I did enjoy the film, but can not score it higher than 7 because with the exception of the cheater being female, the storylines are essentially the same for pretty much every film I have seen in this genre. The movie is definitely worth a watch for Choi Min sik and reversing the role of who cheats, but don't go in expecting any clever twists. There are none. read more
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17 days ago 1 of 1 episodes seen 2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Sweet Sex and Love

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 8
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 7
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 7
Sweet Sex and Love is a far deeper movie than what meets the eye. At first watch you might be tempted to dismiss it as pure decadence, softcore porn, but allow yourself time to absorb the underlying themes, and you'll be surprised to realize there actually is something of substance there. Something that tells you this isn't just a movie about two people who's got the horny, but that it has something to say & says it in a way that's pretty subtle and understated that you just might miss the message if you don't pay close attention or if you allow your own preconceived notions to bias your viewing.

This is a movie about opposites attracting. Both parties jump into the relationship with gusto and are more than happy with their arrangement. As time goes by, true natures and motives are revealed, and they begin to realize they might have bitten off more than they bargained for.

Sweet Sex and Love is truly a well executed case study of how disastrous a relationship between a man and a woman can be when there's no communication of expectations on either side. When one, sweet sex or love, is given full reign to dominate, to the neglect of the other.

I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded in this story. It's one of the better movies on opposites attracting that I've seen in a long time. The script, the direction and the editing are all cleverly done. For once the pacing isn't as slow, and just as grating, as fingernails on chalkboard. The director deftly controls what you see, feel and experience until just the right moment. Nothing is revealed prematurely. No dialogue or sequence squandered arbitrarily. You're taken on a journey where you're inundated with one truth for almost the entire duration of the film, until just like the characters you get the rug pulled out from under you. HARD. (No pun intended)

Certain themes that you never thought to associate with this type of show begin to surface with stark clarity and force; valuable lessons, on sweet sex ... and love, emerge. Everything falls into place. The title begins to make sense, the explicit internal dialogues, what you may have dismissed previously as a repetitive sex manual ... all begin to take on a whole new meaning.

Very nicely done indeed.

Certainly a good movie for audiences who enjoy a more mature exploration of the complex relationship between men and women. If there's any kind of sexy movie I love, this is it. read more
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20 days ago 1 of 1 episodes seen 4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Rules of Dating

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 3
- Story 3
- Acting/Cast 5
- Music 3
- Rewatch Value 1
It took me from start to finish about 3 months to complete this film. It is a mystery to me why it's called 'Rules of Dating' when in fact it has very little to do with dating.

It tells the story of two teachers: a rather selfish and unscrupulous man who is also a liar and a cheat; and an emotionally unstable woman with such low self-esteem & clear mental issues it's a wonder she didn't off herself during the course of the show.

With a pair of damaged, rather unlikable protagonists it doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict the train wreck of a relationship that is about to culminate between them. Unlike the Japanese movie, Happily Ever After, where you meet equally tragic individuals trying to figure out the meaning of life & love in a poignant, slightly hopeless, but always heartwarming journey, you'll struggle to understand why the heck Choi Hung & Lee Yoo Rim in Rules of Dating are together because they clearly shouldn't be. It's a very co-dependent, unhealthy, immature relationship between two people who literally have NO redeeming qualities. The acting inspired very little empathy or faith that these characters will grow into better people.

Overall the plot and overarching story seemed very ill-conceived, as if the film's only purpose is to say the world is filled with some pretty strange effers. If like me you weren't born yesterday, and thus already knew this, this movie offers nothing in the way of an engaging plot, likable leads or a memorable ending. In fact when it ends you'll just be glad it did, if only so you'll never have to see these weird ass people again.

Music - what music?

Rewatch value: 0 read more
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Apr 14, 2013 1 of 1 episodes seen 3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Love and Honor

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 8
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 4
- Rewatch Value 8
The third and final installment in Yamada Yoji's Samurai trilogy, which includes The Twilight Samurai (2002) & The Hidden Blade (2004). This review will focus on Love & Honour, but will draw upon the similarities in all three films.

Through an unfortunate twist of fate Mimura Shinnojo's life is never the same again after he discovers poison in food meant for his clan's lord. It causes a series of events that would rock the resolve of the strongest of men. For me, Love & Honor was the most entertaining of the 3 films. Where the other two films were slow-paced & preoccupied with portraying the mundane, everyday lives of low caste samurais Love & Honor was more fast-paced, though not by a lot, and more developed to keep the viewer wondering what would happen next.

I kept watching The Twilight Samurai and The Hidden Blade because I became attached to the characters and wanted to see what happened to them even though the pacing of their stories would have bored a less patient viewer. Love & Honor was slightly different in that the story pulled you in as much as your affection for the characters.

And let's face it, the fact that Kimura Takuya is the star of the movie makes it a worthwhile watch, but the film is anchored on it's own merit by having an engaging plot as well.

Performance wise everyone delivered. Kimura played a disabled man in this film. I'm tempted to give him high scores all around because I love the guy so much, but if I'm entirely honest his 'disability' was perhaps the weakest point in his act. I wasn't totally convinced. I've seen movies where other actors were more authentic. Having said that the lovely Mr. Kimura delivered on all other counts, with the usual charm, emotion and dedication he's known and loved for. He plays a very vulnerable character in need of tender, loving care in the movie. So for lady viewers he's bound to awaken your nurturing instincts because you just want to reach in, give him a hug & a kiss and tell him everything is going to be alright. :)

The other actors did well too. In particular the actress who played Mimura's wife.

Overall I found this movie to be more emotionally gripping than the other two, and in order of preference Love & Honor would be my first, followed by the The Twilight Samurai and then The Hidden Blade.

All three films tell the stories of low caste samurais struggling to survive. There's an element of romance in all of them, and the added bonus of all 3 films in the trilogy ending on a very satisfying note.Samurai films are almost always synonymous with death, in my experience, but another reason to love this trilogy is that they follow a different path in this regard.

Love and Honor, in particular, puts a lot more emphasis on the romance than The Twilight Samurai & The Hidden Blade. It packs a stronger emotional punch, and is thus one of the reasons the film worked so well for me.

The films are all similar in mood & tone, though L&H is slightly more upbeat than the others which felt more melancholic & dreary. The charm of these films, in my opinion, is that they're very good in portraying the not so glorious side of Samurai life. Therefore, if you're looking for a Samurai movie with the sweeping, epic battles these are not the films for you.

Here the Samurai profession is not as 'pedestalized' as it normally is in other films. Many of the Samurais featured are poor & barely earning enough to support their families. The heroes of these movies are simple men wanting simple pleasures out of life, but by their lowly status are forced to live under the thumb of brutal feudal lords. They work as Samurais not necessarily because they want to, but because they have no other choice.

I think the trilogy is well worth the watch, but if you're not given to the Japanese's affinity toward slow paced narratives then I'd say prioritize Love & Honor, if nothing else. The films are independent of each other so you won't be missing anything if you choose to watch one and not the other. read more
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Apr 9, 2013 1 of 1 episodes seen 4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Happily Ever After

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 9
- Story 9
- Acting/Cast 10
- Music 6
- Rewatch Value 10
Happily Ever After is a love story like only the Japanese can make. Calm, contemplative and quirky on the surface, thought-provoking and nuanced in its subtext. It's a story underpinned with optimisism & hope even whilst its packaging is tinged with darkness.

I loved this movie for it's many layers. Abe Hiroshi and Nakatani Miki in the lead roles offered up some stellar acting. Their performances did not disappoint at all.

For about two hours we're transported into the dreary, uneventful lives of Isao and Yukie, two lost souls, co-dependent, broken ... both trying to claw their way towards a better future but not knowing how. Their relationship is not the healthiest you'll ever see, but somehow they make it work, together, in all its dysfunction. There's a lot of love there, even when you're just about convinced there isn't.

I loved the strong sense of loyalty and acceptance of each other that existed between Isao and Yukie. These characters dared to show each other who they were: the rawness, the imperfections without fear of rejection or judgement. At the same time, they epitomized the saying 'can't live with you, can't live without you' so well it's beautiful.

Another thing that pulled me into this story even further was it's rich commentary on life and our need as human beings to feel a sense of purpose, acceptance and belonging. The movie argues that these are important requirements to living a contended life, happily ever after, and I tend to agree.

With all round wonderful performances and a beautiful story of new beginnings there's no way I could score this less than a 9.Moreover, Japanese happy endings are the best! They're always sweet, poignant and whimsical, just the way I like it.

NOTE: If you choose to watch this film, and I hope you do, please keep in mind that there's one final sequence AFTER the credits roll. It's one of the best scenes in the movie so you won't want to miss it! :-) read more
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Apr 6, 2013 1 of 1 episodes seen 12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Rich Man, Poor Woman in New York

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 9
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 9
- Rewatch Value 7
The special picks up where we left off in the Season 1 finale. Toru is reinstated as President & CEO of Next Innovation; Asahina is paroled and living a simple life as a software engineer; and Makoto is a world away in Brazil, pursuing her dream of becoming a research scientist.

For one week she returns to Japan to be with Toru, who can't seem to make up his mind about what exactly she is to him.

I thought these two were already officially dating, albeit long distance, but turns out this is not the case. In the special they're given a chance to develop their relationship from a question mark to a period. Their journey is, of course, fraught with professional obstacles, miscommunications & Toru's eccentricities. Like with every new relationship having another person share your life, your personal space is an adjustment for both parties. But Makoto learns to ask for what she needs & Toru learns to compromise.

Sometimes I watch TV couples and think if they were real they'd never make it beyond TV land. But I feel good about this couple. I love their bicker and banter. They already seem like an old married duo.

Along the way there were moments when I wanted to blow Toru away with a shotgun. I mean how obtuse, stubborn & cantankerous can one man get? Everything worked out for the best though.

The ending was nice. Left a huge grin on my face. I even started to hate Asahina a little less. I didn't take notice of the OST before, but here it was very fitting. The theme song is actually quite beautiful.

Overall, this was a nice addition to the series. I enjoyed it more than the drama because there was more focus on the development of Toru & Makoto's relationship. Hence the 9 scoring. Not everything was as I had hoped for, but I still really, really liked it. Now I just hope they produce a season 2 because even though we got some closure on the couple's relationship their story still feels incomplete.

I'd love to see them again, juggling life, career and love, and preferably living under the same roof. But this is a Japanese series we're talking about. I won't hold my breath on that happening even if they do make a S2.

Anyway, give this a go. You can watch it without having seen S1. You'll still be able to follow. Would I re-watch? Yes. I don't know exactly when it happened, but these characters have really grown on me. I'll never get tired of seeing them together. read more
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Apr 6, 2013 1 of 1 episodes seen 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Unstoppable Marriage

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 6
- Story 5
- Acting/Cast 7
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 1
This was a cute movie, but also a little boring. I'm willing to bet my left foot that you've already seen this scenario: 'young people meet and fall in love, meddlesome parents try to break them up but love prevails'.

Yawn. Right?

For a romcom, it sure was light on the humour. Mom's tendency to lace her speech with hilarious sounding, heavily accented broken English did produce a few chuckles but that's about it.

It isn't that it was a horrible story or that the acting, though nothing spectacular, was bad. It's just that nothing about it really stands out. The story has been done to death, the acting is acceptable but under the radar, no good kisses or noteworthy physical interaction between the leads (they are supposedly in love but tend to sit miles a part from each other), no eye candy, no good soundtrack.

Of all the movies out there to watch there's no real incentive to pick this one. You've seen it before, and nothing new or fresh happens to warrant a second viewing. Just the same old trope. But if you have 1.5 hr to waste go ahead and give it a go, if you insist. read more
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Apr 3, 2013 58 of 58 episodes seen 4 of 7 people found this review helpful

Unexpected You

by PrettyCarEye
- Overall 4
- Story 5
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 8
- Rewatch Value 1
This drama requires a huge time investment so I thought I'd share a detailed version of my opinion of it to better assist you in deciding if this show may or may not be for you. For this reason I hope you'll read to the end in spite of this review’s length.

First a brief introduction because the one here on MDL doesn't really sum up the show well enough:

Unexpected You is about driven career woman Cha Yoon-hee, who is newly married to the dashing Korean-born, American-bred doctor, Bang Gwi-nam. Because Gwi-nam was raised in the US he’s presented as prime husband material. He's willing to follow his wife's lead & capitulate to her every wish. Yoon-hee's pleased with herself for having landed such a "perfect" man, and best of all? NO worrisome in-laws to fuss and fight with since his adoptive parents are back in the States. Life’s sweet for our Yoon-hee. With a cute, somewhat neutered husband & no pesky children running afoot she can focus on her work AND rule her roost the way she sees fit. As fate would have it, however, Yoon-hee's blissful existence comes to a screeching halt when they unknowingly move in across the hall from Gwi-nam's biological parents.

Sounds like fun to me. So I used my one week Easter break to watch this drama. I jumped right in hoping for a hilarious, heartwarming family drama.

Let me now explain to you why these hopes were dashed.

What I Liked:

1) The fact that we had an established couple who were happy & affectionate toward each other for the entire drama. I haven’t seen that many dramas, but this is a first for me.

2) In the long run I didn't care for the character she played, but I do like lead actress Kim Nam Joo. Mature actresses tend to get a raw deal whether they're in Hollywood or Korea. However, KNJ proves that dramaland is better off with older artists whose life experience adds layers to their performances. I think in a better role, where she's not trying too hard to push an agenda & prove a point, she'd be great.

3) Lee Hee Joon as the witty, smart talking, smooth operator, Chun Jæ Yong. He turned into a lovesick fool toward the end, but for the majority of the show he was absolutely hilarious. I thought he was very well cast in this role. Just the way he spoke, his mannerisms, provided some really good comic relief.

4) The youngest Bang son & his family. My mom always tells me to look at a man's heart, not his face. Jung-bæ and his family are like a visual reference of this lesson. The guy isn't much to look at by any means & his wife is a complete ditz who a lesser man would have come to belittle & ridicule over time. But in Jung-bæ she couldn't have found a more devoted and loving husband.

5) This drama broke away from the usual clichés. Not completely, but for the most part. And whilst the story itself never quite took off for me, most secrets & lies were revealed within a 10 episode interval which was nice. I hate it when they drag things out until the very last minute before everything’s out in the open.

What I Disliked:

1) The script - it had a few great moments. I thought the overarching story of the lost boy who reunited with his real parents was pretty okay. But the individual stories of the Bang women were underwhelming & frustrating. There were a few twists & turns in the plot that made you go WTF? The script felt constructed, rather than fluid. As a result, characters, both old & new, appeared out of nowhere at the most inopportune times in the most inopportune of places & caused the story to go off on a tangent that was better left unexplored.

2) This drama had an agenda & it got very, very preachy - Now don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the show's attempt to challenge gender stereotypes and the sexism Korean women face in their society. I'm all for female empowerment and bettering the status of women, but beating your audience over the head with all this stuff defeats its purpose. Every woman has her own definition of "empowerment" so a tad more subtlety would have engendered more of my support for the women’s situation. There was too much righteous grand standing. Characters literally preaching at each other -- and thus the audience -- about gender equality, what they should think & believe. Too much. It got very annoying. Furthermore, it's funny that this drama is about empowering women, and yet most of the conflict arose from pitting women against each other.

3) This drama was dripping wet in cheese & not the good kind - Those who know me here on MDL know that I'm a romance junkie. I love love. I do. I love when my heart is touched by a good love story, but please don't go overboard. I get that, in Gwi-nam, the writers wanted to present a man that’s more sensitive & supportive of his wife’s needs as opposed to the old-fashioned, insensitive, uncommunicative Korean man. But it was too much, especially for a couple who, though newly married, has been together for a while. Instead of making me sigh, I was gritting my teeth while skipping that sh**. All the grand romantic gestures came off very inauthentic and felt too much like wish-fulfillment rather than a realistic portrayal of love between two grown people who've long since left the playground.

4) The women - This drama was very popular in Korea & if I had to take a guess maybe it's because the drama was an outlet for frustrated Korean housewives who harbour grudges against their in-laws & husbands. For me, as an outsider who doesn't live the same reality, this show was somewhat burdensome to watch as it was a complete & utter whine fest.

That's also probably why I couldn’t identify with any of the women. At the start I liked Yoon-hee a great deal. She was put on this pedestal as the ultimate woman's woman, and at first she did project an aura of strength that I liked. I also sympathized with her struggles in a very sexist work environment. But as the series progressed she slowly took on a cloak of victimhood & wore it like a trophy, especially when it came to dealing with her in-laws.

I really have a problem with shows in which women wallow in victimhood. If Korean women want to be the only queen in their hen house, make a drama that encourages them to break with tradition & live on their own with their families. To me it's a better solution than pitting woman against woman the way this drama does, albeit unintentionally.

By the end of the show my perception of Yoon-hee was that she had turned into a shrill, selfish, entitled and conceited woman. Pretty much everything had to go her way ALL THE TIME. She bullied her husband with emotional & sexual blackmail. And ironically, instead of sympathizing with Yoon-hee, I ended up feeling like the mom-in-law was the real underdog.

The other women weren't any better. One, a self-centered, spoiled, bratty gold digger; another a clueless, childish virgin who was sooo hot & cold it's a wonder any guy was able to put up with her; the mother who is filled with covetousness and resentment toward her husband and children; the older daughter who casts herself in the shadow of a man even though she says she wants to be an independent woman. They were all very human characters, but given that I encounter these people every day in real life, I'd rather not spend time with them in my entertainment too.

5) Last but not least Bang Gwi-nam, the female lead's husband - At first I liked him, but he seemed to lose his manhood as the show went on. He’s incapable of standing up to Yoon-hee, even when she’s out of line. To me Gwi-nam was not an ideal partner. Sure, he's a gentleman, but he was also a complete wuss. I fear most men in real life will never be able to live up to his lofty ideal, not for long anyway. So I'm not sure planting such unrealistic expectations in women's minds is a good idea. Moreover, guys like Gwi-nam end up like the desperate housewives who capitulate and sacrifice too much until the day they cheat, walk out or both.

This is a drama for women, but not a woman like me. That said, I wouldn't encourage people NOT to watch this because there’s a chance this drama was made for a woman just like you. read more
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