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"This too shall pass"
Unforgivable starring Kim Jung Hyun sporting some sexy facial was a dark and tragic story of how one assumption and ill spoken word could start a domino effect of cruelty, death, and gruesome torture.Detective Lee is called to a bloody crime scene in a public bathroom. Inside the victim’s mouth is wedged a note. Before long Lee and his young partner, Detective Kim aka Professor of Statistics, are hip deep in bodies tracing back to bullying incidents in high school and the military. The person with the biggest grudge is removed from the suspect list as he committed suicide 10 years prior.
Unforgivable once again trod through the national trauma of school and military bullying and how the governing forces are complicit by their inaction. The kind of nightmarish acts that cause victims to commit suicide were difficult to watch. Everyone tied to the case was involved in some manner to Choi Young Hoon, a nice young man who bore the whispers of being gay. Even the hint of being attracted to the same sex was enough for Choi to be ridiculed, shunned, beaten, and eventually driven to his death. Those involved in tormenting him began to be executed by an avenging angel. Detective Lee harbored his own guilt related to Choi that would cause him to break his rule of never becoming emotionally involved with a case.
Unforgivable was in many ways a standard Korean crime drama, which is not a knock, most of them are quite watchable. (Down below I’ll give my reason for bumping it to an 8, above average for my scoring.) Kim Jung Hyun was compelling as the dogged detective and also showing Lee’s downward spiral of guilt upon discovering his connection to the crimes. This film will not be for everyone. The crime scenes were grisly and there was a disturbing sexual assault. In a just world all the tormentors would have faced the legal system and been given serious jail time for their actions. In a better world, Young Hoon would have had access to protection from his bullies and before things escalated, the perpetrators would have been disciplined and deterred. In a more perfect world, there would have been no bullying and people would have accepted Young Hoon for who he was. In Unforgivable’s world, if justice wasn’t an option, neither was forgiveness.
27 May 2025
Trigger Warnings:
Suicides, a rape scene, and gruesome crime scenes
Spoilery thoughts following:
*
*
*
*
I bumped my score up .5 for the film following through with the revenge to the end instead of leaving the Big Bad alive to answer with the courts as so often happens. I never had a doubt who the killer was, the person most in need of justice for Choi Young Hoon and who also realized their own complicity in his lonely life.
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"Let's find out our fate"
Thai Cave Rescue is a drama that I rated more on feelings than subjective evaluation. This was the first production to be given permission by the boys and their families. Best to remember when watching this that while they strove for authenticity, events and people were changed for dramatic effect. If you are too young to have heard about this real-life event or had no interest in the worldwide reporting at the time, my comments may be spoilery.I remember hearing about the boys lost in the cave near the Myanmar border with Thailand back in 2018. When they had gone into the cave like they had done before, they didn’t know that a monsoon rain was incoming that flooded much of the cave while they were inside. Like others around the world, I prayed for them every day and scoured the news often to see if they had been found, hoping they were alive. When they were found I rejoiced! But my joy was tempered with the news that getting the boys out of the treacherous cave was close to impossible.
At first it seemed the Thai government had been resistant to foreigners helping but those closest to the scene brought in expert cave divers from around the world. Hydrology specialists, drillers, no stone was unturned in trying to find a way to safely bring the boys out. What the drama didn’t tell was that when the divers were searching for the boys, they found four men who had been working in the cave and struggled to rescue them because the men thrashed around nearly causing death to all of them. Bringing 12 boys and their coach who had been stranded without food for over a week through 4 km/ 2.5 mi of some of the most dangerous underwater paths seemed an insurmountable task. There were underwater openings so small that it required the divers to squeeze through, other places stalactites and stalagmites were like stone teeth. Silt in the water made visibility low. And every day the rescuers raced against the clock as the rains caused the water levels to rise.
This drama did a good job of focusing on certain aspects of the Wild Boars team and the rescue efforts. Even at 6 episodes, the rescue efforts were enormous with 10,000 people on the ground outside the cave. Resources poured in from around the world. People gave of their time, their expertise, their money, and in the case of Thai farmers--their crops. People volunteered with food stalls to feed the people working around the clock to save the boys. The parents were shown in their anguish, praying for their children to once again be held in their arms. The governor dealt not only with his own personnel, but foreigners, the parents, reporters, and higher-ups afraid of losing face if the operation was a failure.
Most importantly, the boys were shown as the children they were. Their young coach taught them meditation to ease their minds and hunger pains. As one of the divers said to him, “You saved these boys, now it’s up to all of us to rescue them.” The Thai Navy SEALs stayed with the boys as others hashed out plans to bring the boys home. The drama didn’t shy away from the hard truth that bringing the boys out might have a low percentage of success. The estimates of success were as low as 30% of the boys surviving.
Beam Papangkorn Lerkchaleampote gave a beautiful performance as the Wild Boars’ coach who was willing to do whatever he could to protect the children in his care. The young actors gave very natural, unpolished performances which actually worked for this documentary style drama. Many of the older Thai actors had the complication of performing in both English and Thai with mixed results. Ek Thaneth Warakulnukroh as the Governor gave a complex performance as the man dealing with maddening officials, heartbreaking parents, overwhelming choices, and Mother Nature’s wrath.
Partially filmed in the actual cave and even the boys’ own homes, the drama felt real. The ever pouring rain could be felt dampening everyone’s spirits. The caves that had been so beautiful as the boys initially walked through became a dark watery monster as the waters rose. And yet people risked their lives, pitched in however they could, and always fought for these boys as if they were their own. It was beautiful to see how people could pull together when there was nothing to gain except helping 13 strangers.
In many ways, the Wild Boars became the world’s children as people rallied around them both physically and in spirit. “I’ve seen Buddhists, Christians, and animists, heads bowed in prayer. I’ve even bowed my own. Whatever you believe, believe in these boys.” Amen, Governor, amen.
20 May 2025
Spoilers:
RIP
Retired Navy SEAL Saman Gunan died underwater in the cave when he lapsed into unconsciousness.
Navy SEAL Beirut Pakbara died months after the rescue from a blood infection he incurred at the cave.
Beam died in 2022 before the drama premiered, found unresponsive in his bed by his family.
Real Wild Boar captain, Duangphet Phromthep died at the age of 17 in the UK by suicide in 2023.
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"I will devour them for you"
Every once in a while, I need a wish fulfillment drama like Kurosagi aka The Black Swindler. Where much like in Leverage, capable people punish and stop swindlers and criminals who often evade prosecution. Kurosaki Koshiro had a strong need for revenge after the deaths of his family members due to a swindler and worked with a powerful man who may or may not have been his enemy to accomplish his goals.Kurosaki goes by many alias all beginning with Kuro. He is a Black Swindler who devours White Swindlers who prey on the vulnerable and fleece them of their money. He shares his take with Katsuragi, a sweet shop owner and launderer of illicit money. Katsuragi sells Kuro information on swindlers who are drawing the wrong kind of attention. In going after one white swindler, he meets a man much like his father who has lost everything. The man’s daughter, Tsurara, is vehemently against Kuro helping her dad. She is studying to become a lawyer so that one day she can be a prosecutor. Another fly in Kuro’s anointment is detective Kashina, who much like Tsurara is overly enthusiastic, judgmental, and living in a black and white world. Each time Kuro thinks he’s taken down the person who helped destroy his father, he finds a deeper level of swindling deceit.
I like to visit a world where there is someone who gives criminals their comeuppance. Not everyone in The Black Swindler felt the same way. Tsurara and Kashina seemed far more offended by Kuro who brought down swindlers than the actual swindlers themselves. Kashina who banged on about the need for law-and-order beat Kuro just for the heck of it at one time. Pretty sure assault on a citizen was a crime. Then he followed Kuro to Shanghai to prevent him from taking down a Big Bad and somehow managed to find Kuro on a remote street in a city of 25 million people. I have trouble finding my husband when we get separated in the grocery store! Also guessing China would frown on a foreign officer doing business clandestinely on their soil. Kashina and Tusrara with their shouting and breathless earnestness came close to spoiling my viewing experience. What made up for them were the more well written characters. Hirano Sho gave Kuro the emotional depth this single-minded character needed. Miura Tomokazu as the world weary and creative dessert chef Katsuragi was the perfect reluctant father figure and foe. I enjoyed every time Yamamoto Koji came on screen as the enigmatic and humorous Shiraishi. Nakamura Yuri’s character didn’t have much depth as Katsuragi’s assistant, but was skilled enough to take down the bad guys quietly and efficiently.
There were stand alone cases Kuro faced and those that tied back to the swindlers he was hunting. The cases were interesting and Kuro always got his man, even when he was a woman. The solutions may have been over simplified but I didn’t care, it was nice to see the schemers give Kuro a good meal as he devoured them and their ill-gotten gains.
8 January 2025
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Delicately crafted and emotionally engaging
If you've had a bad day or are feeling down, I can't recommend this short film enough. Come walk with a 90-year-old woman as she puts on her best dress and shoes to go out and buy tangerines in A Day.Grandmother finishes the last tangerine for her breakfast as the good spirited, but invalid Grandfather lies on his mat. On her way to the fruit stand to purchase more tangerines she meets women in various stages of life---a child singing on her tricycle, a harried woman in her car, a middle-aged woman hustling for every cent, and a young girl creating paper airplanes out of memories. Grandmother observes and interacts with them with humor and generosity.
The acting is beautifully natural and compelling with few words spoken. Gentle, classical music flows in the background. History reminisced becomes reality rewarded with a tangerine. An undercurrent showing the hardships of elderly poverty never drives away the hopeful mood. Oozing with kindness and bittersweet reflections, A Day is a day trip worth visiting.
“All the time it is the same, ‘Tick tock, tick tock.’”
20 November 2024
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Neomu masisseoyo!
Jinny’s Kitchen S2 added a new cast member and took the show to scenic Iceland. With cold winds whipping across Reykjavik, the team served up nourishing hot soups to warm their customers.Lee Seo Jin-“Boss Dimples”, Yung Yu Mi-“Queen of Serenity”, Park Seo Joon “Ace Pitcher”, Choi Woo Shik-“Class Clown”, Go Min Si-“Rookie MVP”, and Relief Dishwasher-“Mr. Beanie” manned the dining room and kitchen doing their very best to give Iceland delicious Korean dishes. Unlike Mexico where the crew served up very simple dishes, the cast took cooking lessons to be able to prepare the more complicated soups which required more prep work as well. Also, unlike Mexico, where Woo Shik had to try and drum up customers on the boardwalk, the line wrapped around the block on the first day much to the cast’s surprise!
Once again, the cast showed off their cooking skills, this time under greater pressure with a continually full dining room. My absolute favorite was Go Min Si. She was quite impressive as a prep chef, Dolsot Bibimbap preparer, dishwasher, and pretty much anything else the head chef of the day needed. She never complained and simply stepped up and did whatever needed to be done no matter how tired she was. Yu Mi was the epitome of calm and organized as usual. Seo Joon managed 6 or more burners with his intense organizational skills. Woo Shik had his day as head chef dancing and joking but also taking the food seriously. He and Seo Jin also took care of the customers in an orderly fashion.
There was a wide variety of customers, both Icelandic and tourists. For the most part English was the communal language for customers and cast. On the first day an Indian American showed up. While familiar with some of the cast, she’d been in Iceland for 48 hours and hadn’t had any rice and was looking forward to the meal. A Korean American customer had lived in Iceland for 4 years and as he ate said he felt most Korean when eating Korean food. People from all over the world settled in and enjoyed the different dishes and drinks. Most assuredly, the popularity of season 1 on Prime brought people to the restaurant eager to be on television, but most weren’t too overt about it. The show didn’t share how much the dishes were this time which I was quite curious about. The only bill I saw revealed was for two women which came to 20,000 Kronur/144 USD which seemed a bit pricey.
While this year was more hectic than last year, I thought it had its own charm. The pop-ups and music made for a lively kitchen scene. Min Si was a great addition as she learned quickly and made the head chef’s job easier. Of course, each of the cast members played to their own strengths and kept things positive with humor and camaraderie. Jinny’s Kitchen is a hidden gem no longer and wherever they might go for S3 they can expect their global audience to show up.
Some of the menu items to tempt you:
Beef Galbijjim
Dolsot Bibimbap
Dakgalbi
Sundubu Jjigae
Ttukbaegi Bulgogi
7 September 2024
*Neomu masisseoyo-So delicious! (according to the subtitles)
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"Your love has sustained me"
Long lasting love was explored in Netflix’s My Love: Six Stories of True Love. Couples from six different countries who had cohabitated from 40-60 years were shown going through their mundane days and facing challenges that arose in their lives. The couples were a mixed bag with something for everyone.1-USA. Ginger and David
“First time I saw her, I loved her.”
The focus of Ginger and David’s segment seemed to be on the financial aspects and paperwork for dealing with aging and dying. The large family gatherings and business on the farm were also highlighted. This segment wasn’t my favorite and some aspects felt staged.
2-Spain. Nati and Augusto
“You have to be strong at this age---like a warrior.”
I loved this couple, they were by far my favorite. They teased and goodheartedly bickered as they showed the importance of humor and companionship in a successful relationship.
3-Japan. Kinuko and Haruhei
“Alone it would be hard for you but together we can manage if we try.”
This couple faced a lifetime of discrimination because Haruhei had developed Hansen’s disease/Leprosy as child. For 15 years he’d been institutionalized even after he was cured. They showed how perseverance and hope sustained them as they faced negative attitudes, fought for justice, and dealt with a terminal illness.
4-Korea. Saeng Ja and Yeong Sam
“I still feel young at heart. But my body can’t keep up.”
Saeng Ja suffered debilitating back pain from decades of hard work and abalone farming. Yeong Sam scolded her whenever she did too much. Their surviving son didn’t want to take over the business and the two were left wondering if they had enough money to survive without the farm and boating business. The loss of a child, regrets, and physical ailments took a toll.
5-Brazil. Nicinha and Jurema
“Dreams are built, little by little.”
The two women had been together for 43 years and lived most of it with their children and grandchildren in a dilapidated house on the crowded hill of Rocinha with a view of the ocean. Three hours away in a quiet village they had bought a small plot of land where they were building a house little by little for retirement. Regardless of their poverty and age they had a determination to fulfill their dreams. An interesting couple that unlike the others were open about infidelity.
6-India. Satyabhama and Satva
“We are getting older but the work doesn’t cease.”
Satyabhama and Satva lost their millet and cotton crops during an unexpected deluge. Their grown children were forced to leave to work in the factories along with everyone else their age. Only the old and the very young remained. The couple were too old to handle the fields themselves leaving them in a precarious position. This segment focused on the “ceaseless cycle of migration.” This segment felt overproduced and the names of the couple weren’t authentic so I was left wondering how much of it was real.
Each story had a different director which showed in how the episodes were developed. At over an hour, some of the episodes were too long with not enough compelling material to fill them. Others went by quickly. The first and last episodes were the weakest for me as they both felt overly staged. Many of the couples faced a lack of financial resources as bodies aged and were unable to work like in their youth, illnesses, and their own mortality. Regardless of their circumstances all but one of the couples were still close and supportive of each other even after decades of dealing with life's challenges which was encouraging.
18 August 2024
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Michelle Yeoh and non-stop action!
In the Line of Duty: Royal Warriors showcased Michelle Yeoh’s rising star power. Only twenty-four at the time she had no problem carrying this film. Sanada Hiroyuki joined her making for an appealing and high kicking duo!Flying home to Hong Kong, Officer Michelle Yip and retiring Interpol agent Yamamoto become involved in a high jacking. Air Marshall Michael Wong is along for the ride as well. After defeating the two criminals, they are hailed heroes. What they don’t realize is that the now deceased “Tiger” has buddies who are seeking vengeance. From there family members are murdered, a break neck car chase takes place, later a shootout in a nightclub raises the body count, and finally an explosive battle determines who will live and who will die.
Royal Warriors was a quintessentially 1980’s cop film. It was ultra-violent, there were numerous explosions, it had a destructive high speed car chase, and a shootout in a nightclub with flying glass and bodies everywhere. You did not want to be the loved one of a cop in this era because the odds of you making it out alive were zero to none. And the nostalgia factor also shown through for me. There was a poster for my favorite movie, LadyHawke, in the background. Items you don’t see anymore like audio cassettes, boom boxes, video tapes, phone booths, and cell phones that resembled WWII walkie-talkies made their appearances.
The complex fights were no problem for Michelle Yeoh as she was athletic, fast, and agile making the moves look natural. She was in great form in this film. Sanada Hiroyuki was also able to deliver fists and kicks believably. Mang Hoi’s choreography made for thrilling fights as the two officers battled the different bad guys in deadly confrontations. No two fights were alike and the stars of this film were exciting to watch. One fight even included a chainsaw and another, a coffin! There was also plenty of gunplay for those who prefer their violence to be packed with not just punches but high-speed lead.
Lam Wai and Michael Chan conveyed their villains in quiet deadly fashion. Pai Ying preferred to chew the scenery with his maniacal “Bandana”. As I mentioned, Michelle and Hiroyuki played their roles quite well. Michael Wong’s Michael seemed out of place. Everyone else was in a brutally violent film and he acted like he was in a romantic comedy. The character seemed badly out of place. I suppose the writers felt the need for some humor in the dark and deadly film, but Michael came across as annoying instead of funny. The attempt at a romance also failed.
Though the technology and ultra-violent deaths for civilians date it, the movie largely holds up today. The action was nearly constant and well choreographed making for an entertaining movie. The writers did Michelle a solid and didn’t make her have to be rescued or have the male lead take down the bad guy in the end as so many films have done with strong female leads. There were no histrionics, just a powerful woman doing her job and taking out the trash. Michelle Yeoh shone brightly and would develop her screen persona even more after this film. If you like martial arts films, 1980’s crime films, or the girls with guns genre, this is one try.
4 March 2024
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"You are responsible for what you do"
The Last Emperor was epic in scope with filming for the first time in the Forbidden City, stunning costumes, and an enormous cast. It covered sixty years of Chinese history largely through the eyes of one man…the last emperor of China.The film bounced back and forth in Emperor Pu Yi’s life in chronological order from his coronation at the age of 3 with his future life as a prisoner of the PRC. From the time he ascended the throne he was told he could do anything, anything that was except leave the Forbidden City. All of his needs were taken care of with the exception of having no friends, his company primarily old eunuchs. As he aged, he was given a Scottish tutor named Reginald Johnston with whom he became close. While safely ensconced behind the city’s walls, different factions gained and lost power outside. Instead of escaping those walls, he escaped into marriage with his Empress and concubine.
After the Beijing Coup in 1924 he bid a final farewell to The Forbidden City and was sent to Tientsin where he lived a hedonistic lifestyle. The Japanese army convinced him and/or coerced him into becoming the emperor of Manchukuo, previously Manchuria and Pu Yi’s ancestral home. Instead of finally becoming the ruler he had dreamed of being, he found himself a puppet of the Japanese. Things went from bad to worse there when the Japanese lost WWII and were looking for the exit door. Pu Yi was captured by the Russians and later turned over to the PRC where he was imprisoned for ten years in order to be “re-educated”.
As glorious as the sets, scenery, and costumes were, Pu Yi wasn’t always the most fascinating character. He went from being a figurehead to a puppet to a prisoner. He had no say in the government and often led an insular life. Dramatic events in China and globally impacted him on the periphery but politically speaking he was as impotent as his eunuchs had been. Prison gave him new insights into himself, others, and the war. A person who had his share of damaging tantrums, he had to learn to grow up. He’d never put toothpaste on his toothbrush or learned how to tie his shoes, soon he had to also learn to pee correctly and to garden. While imprisoned Pu Yi was shown a WWII film demonstrating how the people had suffered and the terrible atrocities committed. After the reality check his reformation and realization began to take hold.
I wish Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci had briefly explained some of the political upheavals better instead of just showing another set of beige uniforms in charge. The cinematography was good and maybe it was because they were trying to show a more realistic view of the places Pu Yi lived in or perhaps it was mood lighting, but many scenes seemed abysmally dark. The version I watched had most of the dialogue in English with some Japanese in a few scenes which was disappointing. I would have much preferred for the dialogue that was supposed to be Chinese dubbed in Mandarin. The Last Emperor’s greatest achievement was not the long glossed over historical events covering six decades, for many in 1987 it was the first look into the magnificent 9,999 room palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Joan Chen’s performance as Wan Rong plumbed emotional depths as the Empress became more isolated and dependent on opium. John Lone did his best with Pu Yi, but the character was one I felt little sympathy toward. The wars and tragedies never really touched him except for preventing him from being sole ruler over China. The late Peter O’Toole showed up in the role of Pu Yi’s tutor adding some gravitas to the cast.
The film didn’t touch on the cost to Pu Yi’s people during all of the political upheavals. Even during the various battles and revolutions he ate and dressed well, always had whatever he wanted while many of his people struggled for safety and daily needs. The film ended with Mao’s rule and cult of personality. Despite eliminating the imperial court, they traded one Emperor for another of sorts.
13 February 2024
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"The evening sun shined on us like a freshly picked orange in the sky"
Orange Days brought out the sweet and sour times for five students in their final year at university. This coming-of-age drama explored friendships, hardships, romance, and finding their place in the world. I watched Orange Days during its 20th anniversary year and its stories of life and love still hold up even if the technology and styles were dated.Kai, Shohei, and Keita are friends at university. Kai and Shohei are still trying to figure out what they want to do when they graduate while Keita knows his future is in his family’s wedding business. One day Kai comes across a young woman, Sae, playing the violin and his world is turned upside down. Sae and her friend Akane are slowly integrated into the group, eventually called the Orange Group which has its own spiral notebook in the lounge for the members to write down their thoughts for each other.
I was pleasantly surprised that the male lead, Kai, was a nice guy. Too often in older dramas, the MLs were cold alphas. Sae was the cold and volatile character in this story. A musical prodigy and on her way to fame and fortune she lost her hearing which caused her to close her heart off. Shohei was the player of the group, but Akane quickly sussed out that he had a heart of gold under his sarcastic exterior. Poor Keita ended up being the fifth wheel, unlucky in love but still supporting the others.
True to life at university, the characters were struggling to figure out who they were and where they were going. Having a degree and knowing exactly what to do with it are often two different things. And much like in real life, the lovers often made mistakes, sometimes stupid ones as they discovered what made each other tick and what ticked each other off. The group began to learn sign language so that Sae would not feel left out. If there was anything that didn’t feel realistic it was that a lot of people became fluent in sign language quickly when it would be like learning a foreign spoken language. Sae's desire to cling to her gift of music provided for numerous violin and piano solos along with the classical background music which I greatly enjoyed. The drama didn’t shy away from showing how her disability affected her skill sets.
Tsumabuki Satoshi gave a gentle performance as Kai with the porcupine hair who wanted to be a handrail for people to help them up and be their best selves. Shibasaki Ko had the more difficult role of Sae, conveying all of her complex emotions without saying a word. I tried to not give up on Sae. She could occasionally come across as a temperamental toddler, her volatile moods swaying back and forth. Her character growth was slow and as often happens she took a dramatic step backward in the last episode which was nearly the breaking point for me. For the most part, Kai would call her on her selfish actions and cruel words.
Orange Days highlighted the time in life when the bonds of friendship were vibrant and love could be elusive, rapturous, and excruciating. The group attempted to squeeze all of the joy and meaning they could out of their days, knowing that they were on the cusp of adulthood. If I could change anything it would have been Sae’s impulsive and self-protective decisions in the last episodes. But as in real life, change is hard and takes time and most people will slide back into old behaviors before making lasting transformations. Watching these young people face their unknown futures with hope and enthusiasm was addictive and comforting, well worth trying out.
9 January 2024
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This review may contain spoilers
To live and dye in Taiwan
If you created a weave out of a screwball rom-com and a gangster film with vulgar humor, you might end up with something like Miss Shampoo. Vivian Sung and Daniel Hong certainly gave it their all and they did make a strange but fitting couple. Hair warning, if you are looking for a sweet rom-com of opposites attracting, the humor is quite crude. And yes, there may be a few styling puns plugged in hair and there.On a dark and stormy night, a wounded gangster stumbled into the shop where Fen was a shampooer. She managed to cover for Tai when the assassins barged in searching for him. Tai later returned with enormous gifts and had Fen cut his hair. Soon all the gangsters and those dependent on them were coming into the faltering shop to have her work on them. She was either a visionary or a terrible stylist as the cuts were often vibrant and bizarre. It took nearly half the movie for the two to finally hook up which was actually pretty funny as it included an introduction to her equally odd family. They didn’t have a problem with her dating a “hard working” gangster as long as he didn’t become scary and kill the family if they broke up. The gangster plot included finding the murderer of the previous boss, an urban renewal project with election ramifications, a lieutenant’s dissatisfaction with the direction of the gang, and lopping off fingers-so many fingers.
Daniel Hong was a good sport as was his gangster boss Tai. He wore several hideous wigs, including a bizarre bowl cut mullet, blonde dreadlocks, and a 1990’s ahjumma perm. Vivian Sung made for a perky shampooer with a strange vision for hairstyles. Tai had a soft side and Fen had a wild side which brought the couple closer together until the classic misunderstanding was inserted between them which would take time to straighten out. The uneven humor did have some highlights. There were unspoken dialogues that were quite funny---one between Tai and Fen’s mom and one between Tai and his lieutenant, Long Legs. Some of the humor was too crass for me and there were many crude sexual references. The director didn’t wave away the brutal lifestyle of a gangster and the permanent retirement plan for the bosses. A two-hour run time was also a drawback for this film. Few violent rom-coms can withstand 120 minutes of tangled plot progression. That’s not to say there weren’t entertaining moments and even touching ones because there were when the plot moved at a nice clip. The story even threw in an emotional twist near the end.
Miss Shampoo could be bubbly and bloody, hairlarious and cringe-worthy. The lovers both dealt with living on the fringe of society, unable to move ahead socially. While the movie gave supporting characters memorable moments it was too long and was in dire need of a cut. If you don’t mind lewd humor braided into a romance with a side of bobbed fingers this might be a movie worth giving a curl.
28 Dec 2023
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This review may contain spoilers
"Life itself, shines down on its own"
Ghost Walk told the story of an unremarkable woman who became entangled in rather remarkable supernatural and natural events. The film was more of an exploration of Hye Jung’s existential dilemma than horror. Though there were high stakes for several characters involved, the movie played out like a gentle slice of life.The story began on October 8th, Korean Thanksgiving. Hye Jung works at a textile factory and has cut all ties with her family hoping to make it on her own and be free of them. After work, a co-worker walks her home, gives her a birthday gift and declares himself. She tells him she's incapable of having a relationship and turns him down. In fact, she has no close relationships with anyone, including her roommates. Three days later she wakes up to find to find those roommates being questioned by the police and a large blood stain soaked into her bedroom carpet. From there her un-life will become entwined with a little girl, a loan shark, and her roommates. Each day she wakes up one day earlier than the previous day as she discovers how they are all linked.
Ghost Walk may have had a murder mystery to solve, but it seemed to focus more on the isolating nature of financial and familial social pressures. Hye Jung preferred being alone and suddenly she was well and truly alone. To her credit, the reserved young woman handled the supernatural events in her life with aplomb and without breaking down. The effects of gentrification also played a small role. Hye Jung’s connection to the world was Soo Yang, the daughter of the loan shark, with their destinies depending on one another. The music, like Han Hae In’s acting, was never overwhelming, never loud, only softly and mildly accenting the action in select places.
There were times the film attempted to be too clever and enigmatic, especially the film’s ending quotes. It's unhurried pace will not be for everyone. Ghost Walk didn’t break any new ground, this type of story has been told before but it was a quiet ghost story that helped an unremarkable woman gradually break out of her shell. Whether her actions would aid her or anyone else remained to be seen.
10/9/23
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In this fantasy drama, the most unbelievable thing for me was not the sex crazed and pervy ghosts lurking about, it was that the lovely Lee El and Kang Kyung Joon, 37 and 36 years-old respectively (in 2019) were supposed to be playing university students. I might have bought it if they were working on their second PhD or if they’d been professors, but as youthful as they appeared they didn’t look like college kids.
Despite the distracting age issue, the actual love story was sweet, funny, and bittersweet. Unfortunately, it didn’t take up enough time so more time was given to middle-aged people banging all day or the cops trying and failing to play ghostbusters. Son Byung Ho who usually plays wealthy CEOs, played a shaman with a good heart in a nice change of pace. The comedy was hit or miss and the sex romps began to wear thin. I really wish they’d devoted more time to the budding romance, it would have strengthened the story greatly. If you’re looking for a ghost story with humor (some funny, some not) and pathos, with a short running time, this might be a film to check out if you keep your expectations low, real low.
10/9/23
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"So many people have died, even hell is packed."
The Flowers of War was released shortly after the 74th anniversary of the Nanking Massacre. A drunk Westerner with no political alliance, a dozen church school girls, and a dozen prostitutes take refuge in a cathedral compound as the rest of the city lies in ruins. Surrounded by Japanese soldiers, the unlikely group of people will have to work hard to find a way to survive.This film is not for the faint of heart. Dead bodies line the streets and civilians are shot whenever found. Children are raped and adult women are gang raped, tortured, and murdered. Where this film did not work for me, and I say this as an ardent Zhang Yi Mou fan, there was too much sexual flirting and beautiful images in such a stark and unsavory story. The film was based on a novella inspired by an American missionary's diary. The missionary, Minnie Vautrin, fought to protect students and refugees at Ginling College where she was president. Instead of someone like Minnie, we were given John Miller, a drunken reprobate. He transformed into a heroic knight willing to do whatever was necessary to save the girls overnight. His character growth was shockingly unbelievable. The prostitutes had the same saintly transformations just as quickly. We never learned the names of most of the school girls or prostitutes. It ended up being simple. Virgins must be saved. Prostitutes are expendable. I thought John's makeover time came across too lighthearted when the mortician was basically working his magic on women who were going to a terrible death. The Japanese were almost uniformly categorized as evil. It's not surprising. With a national trauma of 200,000-300,000 killed and countless women raped, that's a wound that does not heal easily.
Christian Bale was serviceable as John. Though a big name, his acting style doesn't appeal to me. John wasn't a very sympathetic set of western eyes to view the atrocities through. Ni Ni in her first role showed she had acting chops, even more impressive in a role that called for her to speak English much of the time. Her Yu Mo was seductive, strong, and sorrowful. I hated that they had Yu Mo fall for the uncouth John, it was more relatable when she used him for his western face to help save her and her friends. Huang Tian Yuan as sweet George made the most of his pivotal and heroic role.
Every action in this film was designed to elicit an emotional reaction and get the viewer's tear ducts flowing. It felt too contrived most of the time. It was hard to emotionally bond with female characters, both young and older, who had no names. The time was catastrophically devastating and those who survived the murderous onslaught faced horror after horror, there's no easy way to put that on film. Had there been more believable character growth and fewer flirty moments, I could have gotten on board with this film better.
9/27/28
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"Tastes of life"
My Wiggly Friend takes viewers on a taste tour of rice noodles in China. The documentary covered different dishes as well as the devoted chefs who lovingly prepared them. Each short episode focused on three different restaurants from three different regions. First developed in Jiangxi 1800 years ago, Jiangxi alone produces more than 1.4 metric tons of rice noodles a year! Suffice to say this documentary only opened the door to a wider array of noodle creations.Episode 1 covered Sour Noodles made by a bad-tempered chef with tomatoes that had been fermented for a year. The dish was garnished with Litsea oil. In another city, two brothers created River Snail Rice Noodles with pickled bamboo shoots. The draw for customers was the "stinky" aroma. I'm not sure if it was a bad translation but the narrator called the pickled bamboo shoots a "biochemical weapon." At the last place, an older couple made Old Friend Rice Noodles out of pork and chicken, fermented black soybeans, and fermented bamboo shoots. The "stinky" soup was said to make you "sweaty and full". All of the dishes were described as strange which could have been a subbing problem.
Episode 2 began with truck drivers stopping at a 24-hour truck stop where Mutton Rice Noodles were served by a mother and daughter. The soup began with a goat skeleton being used to make the broth. Scalding Rice Noodles was the next stop with father and son chefs. They were known for their spicy tripe noodles. The father tested his son's ability to make Rice Noodles with Eel Gravy before agreeing to hand the restaurant over to him. Finally, Termite Mushroom and Chicken Rice Noodles was cooked by an older chef for his wife using his family's traditional method of slow cooking it in a wooden chest.
Episode 3 began with a family famed for their Lard Stirred Noodles made with lard extracted from pork belly. Next a bickering mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sold Spicy Noodles out of their food truck to hungry office workers. Lastly, was the bland but strong Brine Soaked Noodles with crispy pork and pickled string beans described as something of which you "cant dodge the strong smell".
Episode 4 was for the more adventurous as it featured a small breakfast shop in a market across from an open-air butcher. The sour and bitter soup was made using cow intestines with the digested grass still inside-Beef Sapei Noodles. It was accompanied by fried beef skin. From turf to surf, the next culinary adventure was Seafood Rice Noodles made with fresh seafood and sand worms. The last stop in the episode was food from the mud-Cattail Root Rice Noodles made from Cattail roots and jellied pork blood.
Episode 5 explored different shaped rice noodles. The first up was a dish made by a rice roll master who filled Cloth Rice Rolls with meet or eggs, like one might a crepe or burrito. Stop 2 featured Diamond Rice Stir Fry and also a beef bone soup with rice lumps. The final visit was to a place where the chef made Duck Soup with Rice Pellets. Said to have a mild flavor, it was good for children and older people because it required little chewing.
Most of the restaurants shown were run by families or friends and had been in business from 20-50 years. Some of the people gave back by teaching a new generation the old techniques. The people running the businesses and cooking, like hard working people in the food industry everywhere, worked long hours. They were all doing something they loved and found rewarding, but it was time consuming. The documentary could be heavy-handed with the older couples being romantic and glossing over the families where the children of the busy owners missed out on attention. I did feel bad for the son being tested on the eel rice noodle dish. He'd been cooking since he was twenty and it took his elderly father over twenty-five years to give him a compliment!
I can't say that the majority of dishes made my mouth water but I'm fascinated with what people eat and how they prepare the dishes. It was also interesting how different places utilized the local food sources whether it was termite mushrooms or sand worms. The photography was skillful during the food preparation scenes and also gave glimpses into the varied cities and villages. Word of warning: if you are a vegan or squeamish you may want to avoid this show as there were butchering scenes and numerous animal prep scenes.
I enjoyed the insight into the creative and dedicated cooks who not only worked to keep traditions alive but innovated as well. If you enjoy food documentaries, this ode to China's love affair with rice noodles would be worth a try.
"Those who work hard definitely have some good luck."
3/25/23
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We are the stories we tell
Taipei Exchanges is a gently introspective slice of life about two sisters who ponder what stories hold value when they set up a barter system in their coffee shop. This film is not for everyone. The changes in the sisters and their customers are small and quiet and will go unnoticed if you don't pay attention from your table in the corner of their café. If coffee and discovering the meaning behind the stories people tell about their lives and belongings interest you, pull up a chair, order a coffee and cookie and see where the film and memory takes you.If someone gave you the money to do one thing, which would it be? Use the money to study or travel?
Doris is practical and has always wanted to open an elegant coffee café. When she finally has the opportunity fate turns her dream into the quirkiest shop in Taipei. Without giving too much away, on her opening day she ends up with a plethora of calla lilies and invites people to bring something to exchange for them. Afterwards with their shop full of junk, her sister has the idea that customers can bring something to exchange for whatever is in the shop thinking it will create more foot traffic and people will stay longer and drink and eat more. Doris reluctantly agrees hoping it will lead to financial freedom for her. Josie wants a car for herself and a set of bone china for her mother.
Along the way, the sisters find that what things are worth is a deeply personal belief. What is the story behind it? Love letters, songs, a mirror ball, stuffed alligator, and even cleaning out the backyard drain are up for exchange. As Doris hears the stories of the places people have traveled, a shift begins to take place in her.
What do you treasure the most?
Doris makes a decision that seems radical and perhaps it's radical self-love to realize that what we value may change over time. The sisters believe that whatever you are looking for, someone has and it's only a matter of time before the need to have and the need to release meet each other. Often our lives can be changed by one small incident and decision, in Doris' case a fender bender with a small truck full of calla lilies led to small change after small change leading to a larger change in her life and the lives of those around her.
Taipei Exchanges is beautifully and thoughtfully shot, within the store and around Taipei. The OST is soothing and won't jar you out of the existential questions that arise over what we value, why, and what is our inner value to ourselves and others. For the most part the acting is natural and the sisters have good chemistry in the way that sisters who love each other still bicker. Some of the basic business issues are touched upon when starting up a business, but don't weigh the story down. People off the street answer two of the questions above and though some may sound more scripted, others are quite relatable.
Everyday we tell ourselves stories about our failures, hopes, dreams, and even the lies about ourselves that help us sleep at night. We cherish the stories behind an object or even despise an object because of the emotional baggage that it carries. Is a song worth a book? A Barbie dollhouse worth a mirror ball? What happens when people exchange goals and dreams? This film will not turn your world upside down, but it may cause you to take a moment to look around and even within yourself and wonder what has value and why?
If you had the choice between money and calla lilies, which would you take?
2/24/23
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