I find myself in watching Korean movies that I always end up wishing someone had made these into dramas, and that is never more true than of Penny pinchers. I could have definitely devoted 16 episodes to this story. The side characters are under developed quite a bit in the movie, but the storyline doesn't suffer because of it. In fact, the only two characters you even want to know more of were the leads.
All in all, this movie is a delightful way to waste two hours, and you get to hear Song Joong Ki singing, which to me, even if I hated the movie, would make it worth it :) I was surprised by how enjoyable this was, so you should give a shot and you might be surprised too!
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It turned out good overall. I specifically like the flashback plot. And I appreciate this version of story about a girl and a werewolf.
But one thing for sure, Song Joong Ki's acting here is DAEBAK!!! Love you, oppaaa...:*
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The story, although very original, gives you a warm sense of familiarity. Everyone can relate to a story about first love.
The acting was outstanding. By far greater then I ever expected. I found myself at times screaming at the screen in disbelief. I probably used an entire half of a tissue box alone watching this.
I would rewatch this any time. Probably multiple times. And it's one of those movies that you don't have to be into Asian movies to see the beauty of. I recommend it to anyone.
take care ^^
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Acting/Cast: All of the characters seemed perfectly portrayed by their respective actors. There was no overacting, nor was there any wooden acting. Overall, spot on.
Music: To be honest, nothing too memorable. The end song was cool, and none of it was bad, but that's about it.
Rewatch Value: Super easy. It helps that its a relatively short movie.
Overall, I liked it. I would have honestly preferred a bit more romance at certain points, but other than that I don't have much to criticize. Its definitely worth watching.
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The best detective movie I have ever watched. From the start right to the end, I'm never bored. Acting were great, from the lead roles up to the supporting roles. Awesome plot. Really, when it comes to this genre, Japanese are the best.
Definitely recommended!
And Galileo Season 2 is coming up! Will definitely keep a close eye on this.
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The show was great. I prefer watching comedies and light-hearted movies, so this one was a good pick for someone like me.
I gave 8 to story, 'cause it's nothing new or different. We've seen something like this in Gokusen, too. Rebellious kids against considerate adult- common. But still, story, was good, so that it won't make you feel bored.
I gave 9 to cast and acting, but I was considering 10 points too. Since I don't give 10 points easily I decided on 9. Cast was good. I was charmed by gang leader (how come I didn't knew of such a cutie before?). Police officer also did a good job. Overall cast/acting was good.
I didn't really payed attention to the music so I cant say much.
Since I like this kind of light movies I think I'll watch it again with my friends, so yeah, worth 10 points.
Overall it was great. If you're looking for something that will make you lough you should definitely watch it.
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The unique story line of this movie grabbed my attention. I watched this movie twice and each time I am amazed and shocked by the unforgettable outcome. Ji Jin Hee does a superb as the leading actor in this dark mesmerizing fantasy movie.
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Movies are like card houses. All pieces must fit perfectly together for the house to stand: story, performance, production values. Take away one or the other and the house falls down.
This is pretty much what happened in Helter Skelter.
What started off as an interesting premise for a movie -- namely a character study of a lost and broken young woman's longing for human connection -- meandered off into bizarre twists and turns that could have been cut to make the movie more effective.
Many people think this movie is about the protagonist's addiction to plastic surgery, but to me the PS is just the effect, not the cause of her downward spiral. If you factor out plastic surgery this girl is battling some pretty serious personal issues stemming from her childhood and the potent influence of a callous, almost sadistic mentor. But while the plot may have been dubious at least there was some story there, so check.
What about performance? Well, it felt very stilted to me, as if the actors rehearsed the scenes to death, one too many times. For a movie so dark and edgy to have any impact at all on it's audience the acting has to come from an organic, natural place. In my opinion, that didn't happen in Helter Skelter.
With all that said, though, the thing that bothered me the most was the production values on this film, or rather ... the lack thereof. I didn't believe the story being told to me. The direction lacked vision and purpose. The production design and cinematography were tacky and amateurish. I mean animated, fairy butterflies in a world of darkness and deprivation? Come on. Moreover, where was the glamour of Lilico's world? After all, she's a major superstar, isn't she? Japan's own Cameron Diaz. We should have been totally immersed in her glamourous existence by the movie's tone and mood so that we, the audience, can better appreciate the toll fame and fortune has had on Lilico's psyche. Instead what you got were set designs akin to a tacky porno movie rather than a bird's eye view into the lifestyle of Japan's rich and famous.
After spending 2 hrs watching this film I came away from it thinking what the hell had I just watched? And not in the good sense. I doubt I'll be seeing this again, ever.
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Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame
1 people found this review helpful
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Writing reviews for movies seems to be a tad harder than writing reviews for dramas. With dramas, you have invested 16+ hours of your life, there is always more to be said about them than people actually want to read. I Am A King was a pretty funny movie, though, it is really kind of gross humor for the most part. Every time they congratulated the prince for something every person does, I laughed more because of the shock value than anything else!
For the most part, the version I watched had extremely bad subtitles, so there was quite a few times that I just had to guess what was going on. But even so, the movie wasn't hard to follow, and Joo Ji Hoon really showed a side of him I hadn't seen in any of his dramas or movies before. The difference between the slave and the prince were stark, it was easy to tell them apart, so I was pretty impressed with how he did.
As I am a self-professed lover of all things even slightly romantic in nature, maybe that might be why I didn't like the drama more than I did. It did not have any romance in it at all, which is fine. If there had been, the drama would have been all over the place. As it was, it was a fine way to waste some time, and if you like Joo Ji Hoon, then it's a must watch :)
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I start watching it and was suprised when I realised that this would be a sad movie. But I couldn´t stop watching. It was so touching. I cried a lot. Sometimes the story irritated me on some parts, maybe you will know what I mean if you watched it. The actors were great and the music managed a sensitive atmosphere. Later I will watch it again, because I want to show this fantastic movie to a friend of mine.
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