A Tale of Two Sisters (장화,홍련)

• Title: 장화,홍련
• English Title: A Tale of Two Sisters
• Language: Korean
• Trailer: Here

Plot: When two sisters, Soo-mi and Soo-yeon, return home after spending time in a mental institution, they are coldly greeted by their stepmother and all but dismissed by their father. Strange things begin happening in the house, and Soo-mi begins to suspect the stepmother is abusing Soo-yeon. When Soo-mi confronts the stepmother, she is reminded of a previous meeting between them, and her reality begins to fall apart.

After I watched this movie, I was very surprised to find out that this movie was remade into The Uninvited, an American turd attempting to be as glamorous as its Asian counterpart.

A Tale of Two Sisters is a psychological horror masterpiece that kept me guessing all the way to the end. I had an idea of what was going on, but the final reveal was more than I was expecting. It’s not about ghosts and grudges; It’s about how the past can haunt you, and how trying to forget can make things worse.

If you have a chance to see this movie, I highly recommend that you do. And, by all means, avoid seeing the remake.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Every war has a beginning.

Plot: The prequel of the series, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans tells the story of the first Lycan half-breeds and the start of the war between Lycans and Vampires. Lycans were bred as slaves and day protectors of Vampires, until Lucian (Michael Sheen, Underworld), a well-trusted Lycan, leads a revolt against the Vampire captors. With the help of Sonja (Rhona Mitra, Doomsday), Vampire princess and daughter of Viktor (Bill Nighy, Underworld & Underworld 2), Lucian’s revolt against the Vampires becomes the start of the war between the two races.

When it comes down to it, Underworld 3 has simply retold a more detailed version of the story presented in Underworld. If you’ve seen Underworld, then you know the story of Underworld 3. TV spots, based on a single critic’s review, claim that Underworld 3 is the best of the series. I wouldn’t go that far. It would be more accurate to say “Underworld 3 is a movie in the Underworld series.” It was a great addition, but it wasn’t the best. Continue reading this review »

Inkheart
Every story ever written is just waiting to become real.

Okay. I’m a few weeks behind on my reviews, but I can’t say this movie was worth a review to begin with. Inkheart wasn’t a bad movie, but that does not mean that it was a good one, either.

Plot: Brendan Fraser (of the Mummy franchise) plays the silvertongue, Mo Folchart, who is able to summon things from books just by reading them aloud. However, Mo has no control over what comes out of the book he is reading, and there is the unfortunate trade that is required. When something is read out of a book, be it an object or a character, something – or someone – must enter the book. When Mo begins reading Inkheart to his daughter, Meggie (Eliza Bennett, Nanny McPhee), not knowing his special abilities, his wife is drawn into the book and three Inkworld characters are read out: The villain Capricorn (Andy Serkis, The Cottage),  the evil Basta (Jamie Foreman, Botched) and the fire eater Dustfinger (Paul Bettany, The Da Vinci Code). Now, 10 years later, Mo – with Meggie in tow – is searching for another copy of Inkheart so he may read his wife back out of the book.

Read the review »

My Bloody Valentine 3D
Get your heart broken

I was very excited when we got our digital print in early enough on Wednesday to get it loaded up and cued for screening. I was even more excited when I started watching the movie, and the 3D was the best I have ever seen.

Plot: Ten years after the massacre that claimed the lives of several of his friends and classmates, Tom (Jensen Ackles, Supernatural) returns to his hometown to sell the family mine. Soon after his return, people begin dying – apparent victims of the murderous miner Harry Warden. Except Harry Warden has been dead for ten years. Tom becomes suspect number one, and the only one who believes that he is innocent is his former high school sweetheart, Sarah (Jaime King, Sin City), who is now married to the town sheriff, Axel (Kerr Smith, Dawson’s Creek). My Bloody Valentine 3D is a remake of the 1981 film.

You can view the trailer here.

Read my review »

I’ve decided to stop adding trailers to my movie reviews. Instead, I will post a link to the trailer on YouTube. Or, in the case of foreign films, a link to wherever I find the trailer is available for viewing.

It’s not a matter of bandwidth, it’s a matter of necessity. I’ve had less than ten combined views of the trailers I have posted, so it doesn’t make sense to add them. They are not necessary.

A Man Who Was Superman
(슈퍼맨이었던 사나이)

• Title: 슈퍼맨이었던 사나이
• English Title: A Man Who Was Superman
• Language: Korean
• Trailer: Here

Plot: When a small-time producer for human interest stories is saved by a man claiming to be Superman, she decides to follow him and produce Superman Saves the World. Unfortunately, Superman has lost his powers because “the bald man” placed kryptonite in his brain. So he doesn’t forget who he is, Superman performs his acts of heroism without powers, in the hopes that one day the kryptonite will come out and he will be able to fly again.

As a comedic drama, most of the movie spends it’s time on the comedy side of the line. When it comes to saving the world from CO₂ emissions, finding lost puppies, and catching purse snatchers, he does everything just as Superman would do it – if Superman did not have powers. When it’s time for the dramatic, the comedy steps aside, however, and the story plays out like a drama should. The reporter uncovers what makes Superman so special, and discovers what it really means to be human.

I really enjoyed watching this movie and I would recommend anyone looking for a comedic drama to give this movie a chance.