Where do i begin....Love 911@ Bandage is directed by Jeong Gi-hoon and features Ko Soo and Han Hyo-joo
What is this movie about?
Kang-Il (played by Ko Soo) is a firefighter who is completely dedicated to saving lives. A little too dedicated, bizarrely enough. He has very little regard for his own security and willfully forces himself into dangerous situations. Mi-soo (played by Han Hyo-joo) has the opposite problem. She's a doctor who's willfully forced herself not to show empathy with her patients. The worst thing that can happen to a doctor's career, after all, is admitting any kind of fault- it's a major opening to lawsuits.
Not that Mi-Soo's a cold-hearted person by any means. She's bubbly, cheerful, and very forward- when she's with people she's allowed to empathize with, anyway. Contrast with Kang Il's character. He refuses to have any fun under any circumstances. Yes, the life of a firefigher often involves danger- but it's also a job where they may be called on to do any other weird random task that no other public department is really designed for. In an early scene, the full squad has to ride out to a part of the freeway with gigantic bug-catching nets, for a purpose that's just about impossible to guess until they actually get there. It turns out to very comical and adorable.
The dynamic between the two leads in "Love 911" constantly skirts around these boundaries. Kang-Il isn't just a sour guy who refuses to have fun. His past is such that it's difficult for him to process the idea that he's even allowed to have fun. He's a nice (and handsome) enough guy otherwise- but it's clear that he hates himself way too much for his own good. His co-workers in the fire department recognize this, and very deliberately enable Mi-Soo's aggressive flirting as much as possible. This leads to many funny situations similar to the one above- since Kang-Il could be rid of this annoying woman forever if only the rest of the fire department stopped helping her.
Mi-Soo gets just as much from this relationship. We see that she's a woman full of life and compassion, and can guess that this is why she wanted to become a doctor. Then we get a sharp contrast with her demeanor in the hospital scenes. She and Kang-Il both are taking their work too seriously- but for markedly different reasons that are surprisingly difficult to clearly compartmentalize. For them, simple platitudes aren't enough. They need contrast, and find it in each other.
The chase is really fun. There are some sweet moments, but mostly funny moments. I couldn’t recall if I ever watched Han Hyo Joo in such a comedic role. She’s so funny when she screams like a man with that pretty face!:D
That's what "Love 911" is about centrally. The effort that needs to be put into relationships, and the full appreciation of what you have and may some day lose- but not today, not if at all possible. It also recognizes that work and love are not independent spheres of our lives. Loving a person means being the best possible you so that they can be happy, too. It means that sacrifice has to come from that desire- not out of some determination to appropriately assign blame. It all makes for a very human message about relationships.
BUT, things aren’t as easy as they seem. Kang-Il has something from his past that he couldn’t forget. Now, it’s Mi-Soo’s part to heal that heartache–to put a bandage on his past. On the other hand, Kang-Il has to teach Mi-Soo what’s really valuable and what are not. As their lives got entangled, I laughed and I cried—but mostly, I laughed!:D
"Love 911" has the laughs and drama necessary to be great watching on its own. But it's this deeper meaning that lets it linger on in my mind. Overall, I love this movie and I recommend that you watch it, too!:D
An ex-special agent CHA Tae-shik's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-shik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. The gang promises to release them if Tae-shik makes a delivery for them, however it actually is a larger plot to eliminate a rival drug ring leader. When Hyo-jeon's disemboweled body is discovered, Tae-shik realizes that So-mi's life may also be in danger. Tae-shik becomes enraged at the prospect that So-mi may already be dead and prepares for a battle, putting his own life at risk.
Wow....
Compelling, passionate, thrilling, heart-warming, dark, and above all well-acted, it is no surprise why The Man From Nowhere (aka Ajusshi) swept the board with awards in 2010/2011. The partnership of Won Bin and Kim Sae-Ron is excellent, and their chemistry as mysterious man and the little girl who loves him is incredible.
This movie is beautifully constructed in both visual and story aspects. The sheer emotion this movie elicits is simply unspeakable: from the pain of societal rejection, to hopelessness, to unadulterated anger, and finally a sense of what it means to purely love. It is definitely a must-see.
The premise of The Man From Nowhere centers around a mysterious Ajusshi named CHA TAE-SHIK (Won Bin), who is very solitary and largely stigmatized as a societal outcast. He is befriended by his neighbor’s daughter JUNG SO-MI (Kim Sae-ron) who is also looked upon with disdain because of her socioeconomic status. So-mi’s mother gets involved in a complex drug ring that leads to her and her daughter’s kidnapping, and the only person who can rescue them is Tae-shik.
He goes to any lengths to save the one little girl who believes in him. It is an action-packed, roller coaster of emotions that will grab hold of you until the very end.This movie is wonderful from a multitude of aspects that I will try my hardest to capture in this review. First and foremost, I must call attention to the extensive pool of talented actors.
We meet our hero, Tae-shik, who looks a little disheveled and very much like an outcast, but despite his appearance he still manages to show a sweet side admiring some white flowers. He arrives at his residence where we meet So-mi for the first time. She is an energetic girl, talking to Tae-shik despite his refusal to respond with little more than monosyllabic answers.
I love this duo because it’s so unexpected, but they fit each other so well. He’s so silent and solemn and she’s so energetic and youthful. They also don’t act like they have a typical adult/child relationship, but they’re more like argumentative best friends. So-mi is without a doubt a wise little girl because despite what everyone thinks of the mysterious Ajusshi, she can see that he is a good person underneath all the gruffness. Sigh. I wish I could have Won Bin as my best friend and mysterious neighbor!
Won Bin as Cha Tae-shik really should be called the “King of Expression.” There are numerous moments in the movie in which his eyes tell you more than any dialogue could. I have been a long-time fan of Won Bin so I have come to expect this amazing level of acting, but he truly did step it up. You can see the pain in his eyes, the heartache, the regret, and for those few moments, even happiness and relief. I have to say that by far Won Bin contributed most to the emotional rollercoaster that made this film so moving.
Kim Sae-ron as Jung So-mi is a relatively new actress whose performance was really enjoyable. I loved how quirky and cute she was. The emotional parts that she had to do, which I’m sure must be hard for any actress, let alone a child actor, were simply brilliant. She made me cry a few times, and I consider myself made of stone, so you can imagine! Sae-ron is definitely one of those child actors to be on the lookout for, because with acting abilities like hers, there is no telling what the future holds.
What made the movie really special though was the excellent chemistry between Won Bin and Kim Sae-ron. The duo was quite eccentric, but somehow managed to be adorable at the same time. They played off of each other really well and most of all their friendship seemed natural, not at all forced. The movie would not have been the same without this pairing, and the tender/tormenting moments would not have been as emotionally charged . The pair was honestly really cute together and I found myself wishing I had a mysterious Ajusshi neighbor that would come to my rescue! I guess dreaming of one will have to do.
In one of the most important scenes in the movie, So-mi gives Ajusshi her most prized possession: a Yu-gi-oh card called Dark Night which she says “beats everything.” She turns to leave but faces him one more time to say:
So-mi: Ajusshi! I embarrass you too, right? That’s why you ignored me? It’s okay. My teacher and all the kids at school do that, too. Mom said that if I get lost, I should forget our address and phone number. She gets drunk and says we should die. Even though that pig called me a bum… You’re meaner. But I don’t hate you. Because if I do, I won’t have anyone I like. Thinking about it hurts me here (she pounds her chest near her heart). So I won’t hate you.
This is by far one of the saddest speeches I’ve heard in a long time. She pours out her soul to him, revealing her hopeless situation. This is really one of the turning points in the movie because this is where we find out that she really needs Ajusshi. He’s important to her, and although not readily apparent, he needs her too.
Aside from the main characters, the secondary characters were also quite brilliant.
Kim Sung-oh, who plays evil drug baddie Jong-seok, was really surprising. I’ve seen him in minor roles in Secret Garden and Midas, where both times he played a silly/not-so-well-off-intellectually type of person, but his role here was drastically different. He plays an amazing sadistic evil guy, with a bit of a psychopathic edge. I like it when an actor is not a one-trick pony and delivers lots of range. He was actually one of my favorite characters just because of how demented his character was.
Kim Hyo-seo, as So-mi’s drug addicted and negligent mother, was probably the biggest surprise. She was incredible in the scene that displayed the horrors of drug addiction. The representation of drug world is drastically real. We see the conditions of drug abuse, the treatment of children as cattle, and even the violent and often relentless business that is drug dealing. The movie is so good at capturing experiences/real life situations, like addiction, violence and sadness. The ecstasy on the mother’s face as soon as she injects the heroin is stunningly real and I must give proper recognition to Kim Hyo-seo for her incredible acting in the role of the drug-obsessed, negligent mother. I think I’m going to keep a closer eye on her from now on.
Other notable actors included Kim Tae-hoon, who played the lead detective Kim Chi-gon, and Kim Hee-won, who played super evil drug baddie Man-seok. Tae-hoon was good at playing an all-time serious detective, but his character in all honesty did not pique my interest as much as the others. Hee-won was by far one of the most dynamic characters in the movie and really worked the angle of loathed drug tycoon really well. There was also the inclusion of funny man Lee Jong-pil, as detective Noh, and Thai actor Thanayong Wongtrakul, as a psychopath with a knife Ramrowan, who spoke perfect English.
Now for the really juicy stuff: the plot and production value. At first, I thought the plot sounded mundane; super mystery man gets involved with the underground drug world leading to danger and sadness, but ultimately ends up saving the day. Man was I ever wrong. The plot itself is not contrived and is in fact well-written.
The premise is pretty classic: hero needs to save people from evil guys. But that’s where the classic nature ends. Relationships are built that give rise to the action. We connect to the characters in such a way that draws us into their world, and as a result we become invested. But I think it is safe to say that the movie itself was truly
enhanced by the incredible degree of acting. Won Bin is a master at
expressing emotion with his eyes. Without many words he was able to take
us from melancholy to surprise, to misery, to anger, and finally to
relief and happiness. Whether it was tears of sorrow or tears of
contentment, I truly think the powerful facial expressions of Won Bin
made the movie that much more special.
From the beginning, the film manages to set up the relationship between So-mi and Tae-shik, defining every aspect of this movie. And let me just say I am so glad that a romantic relationship was not the main focus for at least one movie I have seen in the last year. The production crew manages to capture the eccentric yet realistic relationship between mysterious/kind stranger and youthful/spunky misfortunate girl (if you can imagine that). This is a talent that you will see is noticeable throughout the film: the ability of the production team, as well as the actors, to capture epically realistic and emotionally charged scenes really well.
The story centers on a very mysterious Ajusshi, and we gradually learn more about him as the film progresses, and see what led him to his present state. His backstory is really kind of tragic, but that tragedy allows us to connect as viewers to his story. He might be a recluse, but he has one friend in So-mi, equally jaded, despite being such a young girl.
What I thought was one of the most brilliant aspects of this movie was its strategic (and not overwhelming) use of action. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen a Hollywood blockbuster that simply pounds the action at you every minute and never develops its characters or storyline. Thankfully, The Man From Nowhere does not follow in their steps. Storyline and character development are first and foremost, followed by the use of action as a supporting device to further the story.
From explosions to fight scenes and even portrayal of death, action did play a big part in the excitement factor of this movie. I will admit, had action not been involved, this movie would have been a huge melodrama cry-my-eyes-out-until-I-dehydrate parade. The action though, provided a great sense of thrill. Some of the fight scenes were some of my all-time favorites because the fighting was actually visible.
The graphic nature of the killings — an axe to the head, a knife to the mouth, even organ removal — was really well done. I truly was not expecting that. And from then on, the explicit nature of the scenes only grows. Deaths became bloody and violent, revelations even more shocking and the action sequences much more involved.
The hair cutting scene is very symbolic and crucial to this movie’s incredible second half. This is the crux when our hero, who has been so disadvantaged for the entire movie, turns the tables. He transforms himself back into the person he used to be, releasing what I like to call the hidden beast. He’s willing to give up everything to save this little girl. I love the symbolic nature of the actions the writer-director employs because it helps the viewer understand the stages of his development.
In terms of cinematography, this movie was definitely in a class of its own. The angles, the lighting, the scenery, and even the set design were truly marvelous. In fact, I think a big part of what made this movie great was the acuity of the camera work. At times it was clean and focused so we could see every detail within the frame, and at others, when the action was chaotic, was face moving and even dizzying, but still visible. It was the camera work that made the fighting scenes so realistic.
Overall I think writer-director Lee Jeong-beom was spectacular. He had the vision and skill to execute this dream film with such finesse and artistic aptitude that it really was inspiring. I hope that we see more great works from this writer-director, preferably more action films, although other genres wouldn’t disappoint. (Imagine what he could do with a romantic comedy!)
The Man From Nowhere is a must-watch and I promise you won’t regret.
Title: Cocktail
Language : Hindi
Produced by: Saif Ali Khan & Dinesh Vijan
Co Produced by: Sunil Lulla & Andrew Heffernan
Directed by: Homi Adajania
Written by: Imtiaz Ali & Sajid Ali
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone & Diana Penty.
Story:
The movie opens with the ever flirtatious Gautam (Saif Ali Khan) in a flight, who doesn't even miss a chance to get close to hot women around. We also get introduced to Meera (Diana Penty), the sweet, petite lady, who gets dumped by her husband Kunal (Randeep Hooda). And, then finally, enters the most wanted hottie Veronica (Deepika Padukone), whose never seen, smashing avatar is sure to captivate millions. Things turn better for the helpless Meera after she meets the wild cat Veronica, who gives her shelter at her home. Though poles apart, in terms of character, the two females start staying under the same roof in London. Gautam, who gets a dream job in London, too moves in with them, under the same roof. The film beautifully defines enjoyable, entertaining and entangled friendships along with bitter turmoils that friends can go through. Though different from each other, these three are perfect friends, staying under one roof. They all have a blast, until love happens. The perfect friendship turns confusing, and love becomes complicated. But, with whom does Gautam finally ends up - Is it going to be Veronica or Meera, or will they all live together? Watch the movie to know the suspense.
Opinions:
The look, peppy music and the feel-good factor in Cocktail will go down extremely well with the audiences. Saif, Deepika, Boman Irani, Dimplae Kapadia delivers marvellous performances. And if the music and look is not enough to tempt you, the dialogues work as an added enticement. A few scenes make you smile and laugh. Dimple Kapadia, the desi, Indian mom, wants her son Saif to get married soon. On the other hand, Gautam is completely not interested in marriage, the dialogues explains his sorrow comically. That's just hilarious to watch. We also crack up when Gautam's mom chides Deepika for not dressing appropriately.
Cocktail follows the basic Bollywood genre-geometry of a love triangle. The good part about this one, unlike most love triangles, is that the three protagonists get to know who loves whom pretty early in the picture and the revelation isn't stretched till the climax. However, beyond a point, the film isn't able to use this element to its merit and falls for the regular range of spite-to-sacrifice sentiments of any triangular love story. Cocktail, basically, is the same prose with new grammar.
Genre:Action and Adventure
Director:Tony Gilroy
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, Scott Glenn, Stacy Keach, Oscar Isaac
Writers: Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy
♥ Synopsis ♥
The narrative architect behind the Bourne film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise that has earned almost $1 billion at the global box office: The Bourne Legacy. The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. For The Bourne Legacy, Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac, while franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn reprise their roles.
♥ My Opinion ♥
The Bourne Legacy is straightforward to its storytelling, but unlike the first three, this is not quite swift. The exposition mostly leans on the dialogue. Disappointingly, it is not as action packed as the usual Bourne films. The action only shows up in some parts, but when it goes there, it becomes a lot more entertaining. They may be few but all of them are thrillingly exciting.
It could have been a little shorter, though. The runtime feels like a stretch. But thanks to the director and the actors for making sure that things won't go dull. Jeremy Renner has the looks of an action hero. Some will say he's just a generic bland actor but they didn't realize that there is a hidden talent in him. He can do more than just physicality. He actually gave more personality to his role. The director seem to slow things down, but he keeps the non-action scenarios gripping.
Renner’s an actor I’ve had my eye on since the low-budget indie biopic Dahmer (2002), in which he played the flesh-eating serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer not as a cool Hannibal Lecter archvillain but as an unspeakably damaged, desperately needy young man. I also loved his movies such as SWAT, The Hurt Locker, The Town , Thor, and Mission Impossible( Ghost Protocol). At 41, Renner is a late-blooming action star, in a way I find pleasing; though he’s built up his compact body to the required degree of gym-bunny buffness, what makes his Aaron Cross a formidable opponent is what seems to be going on in the actor’s head.
It's practically reasonable why some did not like The Bourne Legacy. The major reason is the element that made the series remarkable is rare in this film. We didn't see anything fast and ridiculous until the third act. But if you have more desire to know the other story behind The Bourne Ultimatum then this will keep you interested. In general, The Bourne Legacy is as gripping as the others. It's true that the main legacy of the series is little here, but if you are not concern about it then you'll think this as a decent blockbuster.
Genre:Action and Adventure
Director: Len Wiseman
Cast:Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, John Cho, Bill Nighy
Writers: Kurt Wimmer, Mark Bomback
♥ Synopsis ♥
Total Recall is an action thriller about reality and memory, inspired anew by the famous short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick. Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he's got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police - controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world - Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.
♥ My opinion ♥
I did knew this movie is not the same as the original one.This movie's storyline is in between the old one and their innovative ideas hence it is like a half remake. It cannot satisfy neither those expecting an extension or an upgrade of the old movie nor the people who would take it as a whole new movie. The negative part of the action sequences is it is too rapid, the positive side it is different. The visuals are fantastic. There is lot of flaws but it is still a good movie.
Let's start with the good things. The visual effects are just marvelous. The buildings, cities, and everything was just jaw-dropping. It's full of energy. Everything that is part of the set is just so energetic and bright. This is certainly a triumph over the remake. And the action sequences come along with the visual effects. You'll be satisfied with the action sequences as there are more than enough presented here. You have action all the time and you can only catch a short break before explosions run all over the screen again.
Colony-dwelling sad sack Doug Quaid (Colin Farrell) dreams of a more exciting and glamorous life—he even reads a James Bond paperback as he commutes on the Fall (which, this being the end of the 21st century, is very retro of him.) Ignoring the warnings of his co-worker (Bokeem Woodbine), Quaid insists on visiting the offices of Rekall, where he pays for a chemical implant that will give him a false memory of a thrilling past. And here’s where the story bifurcates and the whoa-dude sci-fi ideas kick in: What happens next, and for the rest of the movie, could be either Quaid’s paranoidpost-implantation delusion or a real quest to liberate the Colony from its conniving occupier, Cohagen (Bryan Cranston) while being pursued by a ruthless assailant who, up until that very morning, Quaid had assumed was his loving wife.
The icily impenetrable Kate Beckinsale, Wiseman’s wife in real life, plays a woman so dedicated to her task, she starts to resemble a video-game villain—whenever there’s a lull in the action, out she pops from the shadows for another round of kickboxing. Jessica Biel, as the nice girl (or maybe just a hologram of a nice girl) who helps Quaid adjust to his new identity, is so physically similar to Beckinsale it’s sometimes hard to tell them apart—perhaps a deliberate choice on the director’s part, but if so, he should have included more scenes that played on the resemblance. As for Farrell, his sad-eyed, permanently quizzical face is well-suited for playing a character whose identity keeps becoming subject to erasure.
Just because it’s rarely original doesn’t mean Total Recall is never any fun; this is a taut, serviceable sci-fi thriller with a couple of neat visual ideas, and if you’re not familiar with either the Schwarzenegger version or the original story, the brain-bending twists alone will take you a reasonably long way.
TOTAL RECALL is very different from the 1990 film starring the 'Arnold' and personally, I like this version much better.
Title: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Release Date: 09 Sep 2011
Genre: Comedy - Romance
Language: Hindi
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Cast:
Imran Khan as Khush Agnihotri
Katrina Kaif as Dimple Dixit
Ali Zafar as Luv Agnihotri
It's more than obvious with a self-explanatory title like Mere Brother Ki Dulhan that the story of the film would be about a guy falling for his brother's bride-to-be. Predictability seeps in this Yash Raj romantic comedy from the title itself!
When Imran Khan does a takeoff on the three ruling Khans of Bollywood in the opening credits, you somehow sense that the film has defined its domain. And it isn't long before you realize that the narrative is taking the route of Shah Rukh Khan's Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge . By the time the boy comprehends his love for the girl, she is already engaged to someone else. Only this time it's the boy's brother – so it's more of an inhouse affair!
Luv (Ali Zafar) is the casanova brother of Kush (Imran Khan). Luv works in London, while Kush is an assistant director in Hindi films. After one more of his many break-ups, Luv phones his brother asking him to find a bride for him because he wants to marry before Christmas and he has proved to be a failure in choosing the right girl.
Luv's reasoning of asking his brother to find him a dulhan is simple - their tastes have always been similar. As kids, they both loved Madhuri Dixit! I am not very sure on how to react on that as a reason for sure...
It was predictable..but I watched it because it was funny and entertaining!! Here is the teaser:
Movie: SIU / Special Investigation Unit
Director: Hwang Byeng-Gug
Distributor: Lotte Entertainment
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea
Synopsis:
Sung-Bum (Uhm Tae-Woong) is a hot-tempered detective who relies on his intuition to crack cases. He rarely comes across a case that he cannot solve. The body of a police officer is then discovered in a burned out car near an abandoned building. Drugs are also found near the dead officer. To catch the killer the police department sets up a special investigation unit for the case. Sung-Bum takes part in the investigation.
Ho-Ryong (Joo Won) is a young, confident man who works as a criminal profiler. He trained with the F.B.I. in the United States. Ho-Ryong is also assigned to the special investigation unit. Ho-Ryong relies on evidence rather than instinct. Detective Sung-Bum takes an immediate dislike for Ho-Ryong.
Sung-Bum goes to his own sources to track the origins of the drugs found near the murdered police officer. Ho-Ryong joins Sung-Bum as he goes into a seedy Chinatown neighborhood. Sung-Bum's informant reveals that a Thai man has become involved in dealing drugs. Sung-Bum and Ho-Ryong are able to arrest the Thai men after a violent struggle. Through their interrogations of the Thai man they learn the identity of a Korean woman who bought drugs from them.
As Sung-Bum and Ho-Ryong chase the Korean woman they learn that some of their own police officers might be involved in the case ...
My opinion:
The film revolves around the Special Investigation Unit of the title, formed after a cop is found dead with drugs scattered around his body. The team is lead by two men with very different approaches, grumpy, rule bending veteran detective Sung Bum (Uhm Tae Woong) and fast rising young psychological profiler Ho Ryong (Joo Woon). Although the two are soon butting heads over their contrasting methods, they are forced to pool their efforts when it becomes clear that the trail of drugs and dead bodies leads back to their own department.
Whilst “SIU” certainly does stick to the formula, the director generally manages to focus on what fans love about Korean cop buddy films, successfully attaining the all important balance between action, tough cop drama and humor. Similarly, although both Sung Bum and Ho Ryong are fairly broad, instantly recognizable genre figures, the two actors are on good, likeable form and the sharp script gives them plenty to work with. Their relationship is predictable but fun, and the director never overplays their differences for the kind of cheap comedy which might have undermined their believability as police officers. To be fair, the film does work in a few character development twists along the way and for these do work well to help keep things interesting.
Frankly, I took the initiative to watch S.I.U because of Uhm Tae Woong ( Starred in The Devil) and Joo Won ( Raising star of the Bridal Mask).
It’s probably just as well that the film’s characters are relatively simplistic, since the plot itself crams in an incredible amount of scheming, manipulation and deception, with pretty much every clue or lead the protagonists follow up leading to another. Although this means that the film is never boring, and the director definitely wins points for vision and ambition, things do get a bit confusing and convoluted at times, not least due to almost every member of the large supporting cast being highlighted as a suspect at one point or another. This does make the film rather exhausting, though everything comes together fairly neatly at the end, the final act coming to a satisfying, if unsurprising conclusion. The corruption theme is well handled, and the film benefits from a few touches of non-judgemental humanism along the way, offering a convincing depiction of the moral difficulties inherent in police work.
The director offsets the film’s at times gratuitous complexity by throwing in a fair amount of action, with plenty of shootouts, chases and fight scenes. This keeps the film from ever getting too dry or tangled up in its labyrinth plot, and it moves along at a decent pace, with only a few lags during the exposition heavy middle section. His direction is slick and stylish, though at the same time with a hard edge, nicely complimenting the film’s themes and overall gritty feel.
There’s certainly enough here to please buddy cop or police drama fans, and though not offering anything new besides an exceedingly intricate and involved plot, “SIU” makes for entertaining viewing in the style of the genre. Korean cinema has shown itself particularly skilled at this kind of film over the last couple of decades, and the director's debut is a worthy addition to the roster.
Cast : Hyun Bin ... Kang Jae Kyung
Lee Yeon Hee ... Choi Eun Hwan Release Date : 2006 Director : Kim Tae Kyun
Writer : Kim Eun Sook
A Millionaire's First Love presents the cliche story about a girl and a boy falling in love…again. However, the catch is: the girl is soon to die and the boy is soon to lose his inheritance.
Hyun Bin plays the arrogant millionaire who would soon lose all of his grandfather's money unless he graduates from some unknown high school in the suburb. Lee Yun Hee plays the innocent school girl who doesn't know her mother and father and has a terminal disease. They both meet and fall in love and discover that they have met years and years before. The story goes on to how they cope with Lee Yun Hee's hovering death.
What is disappointing about this movie is not only the typical and overused plot, but it is also how the writers and directors cultivate the story. There are many many movies and dramas out there that have the seemingly boring and typical plots but manage to pull themselves out of the stereotype with how they develop the stories. Truthfully, at first, this movie is quite intriguing. The pairing is a bit unusual and fresh. Unfortunately, as the movie unfolds, it becomes clear that this is just another tear-jerker wannabe movie.
Having said all of that, I have to bring some positive points to focus. The actors. Hyun Bin’s days as Sam Shik in My Name is Kim Sam Soon have long gone. His acting improves significantly and it matches well with the aura of the movie. Actress Lee Yun Hee also shines. She can ooze the innocence persona very well and make it believable. When you see her character, you would not think that she is a celebrity because she is able to look so simple yet still sweet.
All in all, this movie is good enough to fill out your spare time if you absolutely have nothing to do. And, set aside the fact that it is very much typical but look for the bittersweet interactions, beautiful setting, and of course the hotness of Hyun Bin.
Language: Hindi
Year: December 21, 2007
Actors: Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tanay Chheda, Vipin Sharma
Director: Aamir Khan
Producer: Aamir Khan
Screenplay: Amole Gupte
Music: Shankar, Loy, Ehsaan
Taare Zameen Par is one film that makes you peep into a child's mind and how some parents, in their pursuit to make them 'stronger' academically, forget that there's hitherto untapped talent that needs to be nourished and encouraged.
Taare Zameen Par drives home a strong message, making you empathize with the kid, compelling you to draw parallels with your life, making one realize that some of the renowned geniuses were once scoffed at, but the world had to bow down to their intellect later.Sure, Taare Zameen Par boasts of a story that strikes a chord, but most importantly, it has been treated with such sensitivity and maturity that you're left shell-shocked in amazement by the sheer impact it leaves in the end.
Taare Zameen Par heralds the birth of a topnotch storyteller -- Aamir Khan. To choose a story that's a far cry from the mundane stuff that's being churned out like factory products, requires courage and conviction and to execute it with panache is a rarity. Those who somewhere nursed a grudge that the camera follows Aamir in all his films, will chew their words once they watch Taare Zameen Par. Yes, Aamir has a key role to portray as an actor, but the camera captures the child's emotions like never before in a Hindi film. Also, let's also clear the myth about Taare Zameen Par being a kiddie film. It's not! It's about children. Note the difference!
In a nutshell, Taare Zameen Par serves as a wake up call for every parent or parent-to-be. Also, it heralds the arrival of a magnificent storyteller -- Aamir Khan. At the end of the day, it's not difficult to choose who's better -- Aamir, the actor or Aamir, the director. Taare Zameen Par is a triumph all the way from the director's point of view.
Ishaan Awasthi [Darsheel Safary] is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colors, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class.When he gets into far more trouble than his parents can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to 'be disciplined'. Things are no different at his new school and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family.
One day a new art teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram Shankar Nikumbh [Aamir Khan], who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of 'how things are done' by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan.
Nikumbh soon realizes that Ishaan is very unhappy and he sets out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.
As the story unfolds, you realize that the story peeps into the mind and heart of a kid, his interests, his hobbies, his strengths and weaknesses. The director opens the cards at the very outset, when you realize that the kid is just not interested in books/studies. And his interaction with his stern father, doting mother and lovable brother is straight out of life.
There are several moments in the first hour that make you moist-eyed. The bonding between the mother and son is remarkable. These moments effectively capture the special bonding, making you realize that a mother's mere touch can act like a soothing balm on a troubled soul.
Aamir takes the courageous stand of placing the story on Ishaan's shoulders right through the first hour and not once do you feel that the kid doesn't have the power to keep your attention arrested.The second hour is equally challenging and most importantly, motivating. The introduction of Aamir's character, Aamir spotting the indolent Ishaan, Aamir traveling to Mumbai to meet Ishaan's parents and then citing examples of extra-ordinary men who were ridiculed by their contemporaries/peers -- these moments linger in your memory even after the show has concluded.
But the best part is reserved for the finale -- the art competition in the penultimate twenty minutes. The emotions reach an all-time high as the kid regains his confidence. The finale would melt even the stone-hearted!
On the whole, Taare Zameen Par is an outstanding work of cinema. To miss it would be sacrilege. It has everything it takes to win awards and box-office rewards!Do yourselves a favor. Watch Taare Zameen Par with your child. It will change your world. It will also change the way you look at your kids!
In a yearly ritual, two friends from India and Pakistan (Anupam Kher
and Dalip Tahil) meet and pit their local teams to win the `Aman
Trophy’. Beaten nine years in a row, Kher’s character summons his
London-based cricketer son and uses every emotional trick in the book to
use his cricketing talents for a win. The team’s owner, played by Anupam Kher, turns to his son Rohan, played
by Shahid Kapur. Rohan, who plays county cricket in England, is at first
reluctant but eventually he takes over as coach and captain. He also decides to hold auditions
for new players. Seeing this as an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Veera
decides to try her luck, but is shunted out. That’s when she decides to
disguise herself as a man and show `em what she’s got.
Conclusion:
Dil Bole Hadippa, directed by Anurag Singh, is set, in a mythical Punjab where fields are always swaying in the wind, colourfully dressed men and women are always waiting to break out into a vigorous dance, and everyone cheerfully chomps on sugarcane and drinks lassi.
Among the aspirants who hope to play under the new captain is Veera
Kaur, a feisty, cricket-mad-girl, played by Rani Mukherjee. She becomes
Veer, the most delicate Sardar you’ve ever seen, and joins the team.
What follows is love, misunderstanding and of course a climactic triumph
of the will.
Dil Bole Hadippa is inspired by the 2006 high school
romantic-comedy titled " She’s The Man" , in which a girl disguises herself as her brother
to get on a soccer team. Of course the story has been thoroughly
modified to meet the Punjabi culture and life style...
And Dil Bole Hadippa! is nothing without Rani Mukherjee.
Excelling in every sphere from her fab dance act as a man, or her comic
timing, or convincing us of her character’s commitment to the game,
Mukherjee is astounding. Add to that her new look complete with a
trimmed down figure, dazzling eyes and a never-ending smile. Shahid
Kapoor as the no-nonsense captain is delightful as well, and the two
lead actors share a mischievous, crackling equation.
Eventually , Dil Bole Hadippa… is worth seeing for the sweetness and charm that Rani and Shahid Kapoor ( he is an eye catch for sure) conjure up. Catch it if you have nothing else going on this weekend!!
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born on the 11th November of
year 1974 in Los Angeles, California, United States. He is an actor and
a film producer. His career started in the year 1989. He became the
limelight with his film Titanic. He has been nominated for the Golden
Globe Award around eight times and he won it once for his performance in
the movie ‘The Aviator’. These are some of his finest work to date...
10. BLOOD DIAMOND
A South African mercenary and a Mende fisherman find their fates
forever intertwined as they embark on a quest to obtain a rare and
highly coveted pink diamond in director Edward Zwick’s frantic adventure
drama. Ripped from his family farm and forced to toil away in the
sweltering South African diamond fields, Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou)
discovered an extraordinary rough stone of immeasurable value. Danny
Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a hired gun who specializes in the sale of
so-called “blood diamonds” that are used to finance rebellions and
terrorist organizations, and is currently serving time for smuggling. As
a bloody civil war rages in Sierra Leone and Archer learns that Vandy
has safely hidden the diamond in a place where no one would ever
suspect, the pair enlist the aid of disillusioned American journalist
Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) in recovering the treasure that has the
power to save Vandy’s family and provide the desperate Archer with a
much-needed chance for redemption.
9. ROMEO + JULIET
Longtime rivals in religion and business, the Montagues and the
Capulets share a page from the Jets and Sharks of West Side Story when
they form rival gangs. Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is aloof toward the
goings-on of his Montague cousins, but after he realizes that Juliet
(Claire Danes) is a Capulet at the end of one very wild party, the
enmity between the two clans becomes the root of his angst. He relies
heavily — and with serious consequences — on his rebel gender-bender of a
friend, Mercutio (Harold Perrineau Jr.), and Father (not Friar)
Lawrence (Pete Postlethwaite) for protection and support. Romeo is, of
course, exiled, and it looks like Juliet will be forced into an arranged
marriage with the bland Paris (Paul Rudd).
8. THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
The tyrannical King Louis XIV desires the beautiful Christine, so he
orders her suitor to face death at the front. Louis’ twin brother
Philippe is the man in the iron mask, held prisoner for the past six
years. Arthos and Porthos plan to free Philippe and put him in Louis’
place on the throne.
7. GANGS OF NEW YORK
In 1846, as waves of Irish immigrants poured into the New York
neighborhood of Five Points, a number of citizens of British and Dutch
heritage who were born in the United States began making an open display
of their resentment toward the new arrivals. William Cutting (Daniel
Day-Lewis), better known as “Bill the Butcher” for his deadly skill with
a knife, bands his fellow “Native Americans” into a gang to take on the
Irish immigrants; the immigrants in turn form a gang of their own, “The
Dead Rabbits,” organized by Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson). After an
especially bloody clash between the Natives and the Rabbits leaves
Vallon dead, his son goes missing
6. SHUTTER ISLAND
The film opens in 1954 as World War II veteran and current federal
marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner, Chuck
(Mark Ruffalo), ferry to Shutter Island, a water-bound mental hospital
housing the criminally insane. They have been asked to investigate the
disappearance of Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer), a patient admitted to
the asylum after she murdered her three children. As Teddy quizzes Dr.
Cawley (Ben Kingsley), the head of the institution, he begins to suspect
that the authorities in charge might not be giving him the whole truth,
and that a terrible fate may befall all the patients in the spooky Ward
C — a unit devoted to the most heinous of the hospital’s inmates.
Complicating matters further, Teddy has a secret of his own — the
arsonist who murdered his wife is incarcerated on Shutter Island.
5. THE AVIATOR
Martin Scorsese directed this fast-moving, epic-scale biopic
documenting the life and loves one of the most colorful Americans of the
20th century, Howard Hughes. The Aviator follows Hughes (played by
Leonardo DiCaprio) as the twentysomething millionaire, having already
made a fortune improving the design of oil-drilling bits, comes to
Hollywood with an interest in getting into the picture business. It
doesn’t take long for Hughes, with his passion for airplanes, to jump
from producer to director of his first major film project, a World War I
air epic called Hell’s Angels
4. THE DEPARTED
As the police force attempts to reign in the increasingly powerful
Irish mafia, authorities are faced with the prospect of sending in an
undercover agent or seeing their already frail grip on the criminal
underworld slip even further. Billy Costigan (Leonarrdo DiCaprio) is a
young cop looking to make a name for himself in the world of law
enforcement. Collin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a street-smart criminal who
has successfully infiltrated the police department with the sole
intention of reporting their every move to ruthless syndicate head Frank
Costello (Jack Nicholson). When Costigan is assigned the task of
working his way into Costello’s tightly guarded inner circle, Sullivan
is faced with the responsibility of rooting out the informer before
things get out of hand.
3. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high
school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother,
Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr.
(Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the
Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass
himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge
work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon
discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing
himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney.
2. INCEPTION
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) doesn’t steal things, he steals ideas.
By projecting himself deep into the subconscious of his targets, he can
glean information that even the best computer hackers can’t get to. In
the world of corporate espionage, Cobb is the ultimate weapon. But even
weapons have their weakness, and when Cobb loses everything, he’s forced
to embark on one final mission in a desperate quest for redemption.
This time, Cobb won’t be harvesting an idea, but sowing one. Should he
and his team of specialists succeed, they will have discovered a new
frontier in the art of psychic espionage.
1. TITANIC
102-year-old Rose (Gloria Stuart) reveals she’s the person in the
portrait; she is summoned to the wreckage site to tell her story of the
56-carat diamond necklace and her experiences of 84 years earlier. The
scene then shifts to 1912 Southampton where passengers boarding the
Titanic include penniless Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and society
girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), returning to Philadelphia with
her wealthy fiance Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). After the April 10th
launch, Rose develops a passionate interest in Jack, and Cal’s reaction
is vengeful. At midpoint in the film, the Titanic slides against the
iceberg and water rushes into the front compartments. Even engulfed, Cal
continues to pursue Jack and Rose as the massive liner begins its
descent.
Kisah bermula dengan Izzah, gadis yatim piatu yang kematian ibu dan
ayah akibat kemalangan jalan raya. Justeru itu, ayah saudaranya, Taha,
mengambil tugas memelihara Izzah. Isteri Taha cukup tidak senang dengan
kehadiran Izzah dan menuduh Izzah membawa bala dalam keluarga mereka.
Pada masa sama, Pak Cik Taha banyak berhutang. Disebabkan kesempitan
wang dia sanggup menjual Izzah kepada seorang tauke kelab malam. Izzah
terpaksa mengikut kehendak ayah saudaranya walaupun hatinya meronta.
Di situlah dia berkenalan dengan seorang pelanggan bernama Hariz. Hariz
sanggup ‘membeli’ Izzah dengan harga yang mahal dari tauke kelab itu dan
mahu membawa dia keluar dari neraka jahanam itu. Atas permintaan Izzah,
akhirnya Hariz berkahwin dengan Izzah, tetapi dengan syarat semuanya
mesti dirahsiakan. Kehadiran Mila Amylia, anak Tan Sri Rashdan, model
dan pelakon terkenal akhirnya menggugat kebahagiaan Izzah dan Hariz.
My Opinion:
I read the book OMBAK RINDU by Fauziah Ashari few years ago after a friend of mine told me its a very interesting book. I was so excited when I got to know that they are producing a movie based on the novel.
What attracts me the most is the list of actors, such as Aaron Aziz ( Hariz) , Maya Karin (Izzah) , Lisa Surihani( Mila) and Bront Palarae. Overall the movie shows a good mixture of emotions. Some scenes were so touching. In the beginning, it portays Hafiz as a playboy who certainly has negative character. As the movie flows, it bring us into the life of Izzah and how she plays the game of life with so much determination and love, which eventually brings love in the heart of Hariz. Its definitely a worth watching movie.
