Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Review: Marathon (2005)

📆 Tuesday, April 26, 2011 • ⌚ 8:20 PM • 😇 rossetteayu

“We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming - well, that’s like saying you can never change your fate.”

― Amy Tan, The Hundred Secret Senses

Meet Cho-won, a 20-year old mentally handicapped man unable to fully relay his emotions or understand those of the people around him. A man who is incapable of communicating with others, often pitied or ridiculed, who only finds solace in either zebras or choco pies or running... a liberty that keeps him occupied and less different than other people.

Being a disorder that affects the family in so many ways, autism is a theme that is difficult to depict inside and out of the screen. Jeong Yun-Cheol's 2005 movie "Marathon" though was successfully able to bring to life a mother's anguish over having an autistic son, a brother who feels rather abandoned and neglected just because, and a father, who is absent all through out these struggles.

Image via Naver Movie.

Based from the real life story of autistic athlete Bae Hyeong-jin, Marathon accounts the hardships Cho-won encounters as a special child, and how he successfully ran through these hurdles towards the realization of a dream he didn't actually mean to or want to fulfill. The film, as a whole, is a heart tugger in all aspects — it pulls your heart in ways unexpected it would be hard not to connect with Cho-won. Add to that the ever so realistic portrayal of Jo Seung Woo, it dishes out a successful box-office hit that captured the truth behind people with autism, their families, and how the world sees them as a whole.

It is rare to come across a movie as sentimentally inspiring as Marathon. Had it not been for Jo Seung Woo, I wouldn't have encountered such a gem that touches the most difficult and delicate issues of today — autism. His portrayal as Cho-won was as authentic as humanly possible. His gestures, facial expressions, even his voice! I was left totally astounded after watching him, all the while contemplating how absolutely talented he was for someone quite young at that time. No wonder he brought home that best actor award.

Overall, Marathon is a solidly executed film that captures the poignancy of human emotions and the immense strength of the human spirit. Definitely a recommended watch.

Review: Love Phobia (2006)

📆 Monday, April 25, 2011 • ⌚ 2:45 PM • 😇 rossetteayu

What lengths can you go through for someone you love? Can you wait for someone for so long even without the assurance of ever coming back?

Image via Naver Movie.

A 2006 movie directed by Kang Ji-eun, Love Phobia is a bittersweet romance that revolves around a girl named Lee Ari who claims that she is "cursed", telling stories about people experiencing bad things upon touching her, saying things that are fairy tale like and that sometimes doesn't make sense. It also revolves around Cha Jo-kang, a gullible man who didn't mind if Ari was telling the truth or not, because he believed in her anyway. A man foolish enough to wait for her for about half his lifetime, because he loved her anyway.

Just like any other korean melodrama out there, Love Phobia follows the tried and tested path of detailing the romance between a man and a girl who is about to die. Cliche, I know. Yet despite being cliche, what sets it apart (for me) among other melodramas out there is it being beautiful in its simplicity. It isn't as cute or dramatic as other movies are, but still pretty much delivers.

I also love how clever it was in its use of aliens and myths as a means for Ari to run away from that harsh reality of having AIDS. Life is not always rainbows and butterflies, and at these lowest points in time, there's got to be something to hold on to in order to move on with life — a point which the movie was able to lay out pretty well. But I've got to say that somehow, I didn't like how the movie went literally mystic at the very end. I get that narratively speaking it was a pretty clever trick that goes well to the theme of running away from reality, in that Jo-kang would rather think that Ari was actually fetched by aliens than cope with the fact that she died, because that way, he'd be able to move on easier with his life. It was clever, really, but seeing it visually for the first take is sort of disturbing and somehow upsets the tone of the movie as a whole.

That aside, everything else was a pretty good watch. Jo Seung Woo was stellar as always, and I love how he played Jo-kang with such subtlety and heart that radiates through the screen. And his handsome smile? That was a stealer. Kang Hye-jung was a good actress too, though I wasn't able to invest in her character so well as I was pretty much distracted into thinking which Filipina actress does she resemble most. I came up with Jennylyn Mercado combined with Donna Cruz, but heck, I'm still not sure. Anyway, I also loved that kid actress playing little Ari, 'cause aside from being very cute, she was just so full of life... which is ironic, since she's supposed to be sick. Heh.

All in all, Love Phobia is a complete roller coaster ride that will make you laugh, cringe, cry, and believe in love so poignant and pure. Worth one afternoon rest day break.

Jo-Kang: "Love is remembrance... Sometimes, I open up my chest of memories, hoping to keep them locked in my heart forever."

Review: Iljimae (2008)

📆 Friday, April 8, 2011 • ⌚ 4:30 PM • 😇 rossetteayu

There's no place in this world I can't rob, because I am... (drum rolls)

"Iljimae"

Image via SBS.

A 20-episode historical action drama loosely based on a comic strip published between 1975 and 1977, Iljimae depicts the story of a black-swathed Robin Hood-esque man who robs from corrupt government officials to help the poor, leaving behind not a single trace of his identity save from a painting of a branch of red plum blossoms—an integral element of his former (tragic) life, and the reason for him being the hanbok batman.

Because you see... it wasn't really his best intention to help the poor. That just came along, a very convenient camouflage to his search for the person who had killed his father after being wrongfully accused of plotting treason.

Pretty good premise, right? Ha. I wonder where that pretty good premise went...

Iljimae was a lot of things to a lot of different people, and while I might be one of those people who successfully sat through it, it still doesn't erase the fact that the show was pretty much flawed especially as it neared its end.

Like seriously. That's it, Choi Ran?

I'm not saying Iljimae was literally that bad because it wasn't. It had a pretty engaging storyline and I actually enjoyed how the fight scenes were done (very well orchestrated). Plus, the pre-Iljimae years slayed me with the sadness and the cute.

However, as the show went on the suceeding episodes onto the ending became somewhat of a big letdown. Like, you know... I think I have lost quite a number of hair from all those pulls I did while trying to make sense of what the hell just happened after episode 20. Really now, Iljimae? You're ending with that? I've been cheated! 😡

I don't think it makes sense. Like, can't you be any clearer, show? But come to think of it, at some points Iljimae rarely did make sense. Invisible cloaks, armor knowledge out of the blue, hideous masks, hidden weapons... yada yada yada. I get that it's a fusion sageuk and that writer-nim could do whatever in it, but Iljimae could've been a lot better had it been wrapped well.

On a lighter note, it wasn't literally that bad because I still have been entertained. And no, it wasn't just because of Lee Jun Ki. Sure I like him, but the ensemble of cast's acting wasn't anything short of decent either. Save from Han Hyo Joo, among others, who was a really really beautiful wooden stick (or was that just me? I'm sure I loved her in Dong Yi). And Park Shi-hoo, who was just so wrongfully full of angst. Lee Moon Shik, on the other hand, is a gem that stole the screen just by having soooo much heart.

And as for Jun Ki, I am one of those very few people who liked him for being goofy. It was cute, yes, but not his strongest point in my opinion. I like my oppa badass, like... hoo-ha. 😅 Yet other than that, everything else was pretty, pretty good. I loved him best in all those emotionally driven scenes, especially those where he was so in dire need to cry, but suppressed his tears to hide his pain just like when his sister had died.

And woot for the Jun Ki eye candy. That alone is entertainment at its best.