historical_account Reviews

Yeonae (2005)

Very Real

[8/10 · 6 April 2007]

A woman in a tough financial situation with a deadbeat husband and two children is trying to do the best she can to get by in life. Due to various situations, she ends up working as a call girl for karaoke bars (for those that know Asia, sort of a Snack Bar where the women are requested as opposed to being the ones that run and work at the place).

This movie covers the period of time when from before, to a little while after, she moves into this new line of work. There was no glorification, romanticizing, or exaggeration of her story, yet it was very engrossing. I'm very glad I watched this, for it gave me an idea as to what someone else's life may very well be like.

Lost in Translation (2003)

those brief, intense relationships that end

[9/10 · 29 February 2004]

Good flick, but don't expect a whole lot because it isn't there. Basically it is about 2 people that are at a stage in their respective lives when they need someone to talk to and with whom to spend some time 'enjoying life'.

If you've ever had a relationship (in any form) that was alive and full of energy and lasted only 48 hours (or so) because you and/or the other person had to go back to their real life, then this film will resonate with you.

Yes, there were a few flaws such as why they had to leave a bar all of a sudden, a scene that could have easily been left out without any detriment to the mood or story. As a matter of fact, it may have actually dampened the mood and story since it didn't seem to fit at all. Other than that, the scenes and story developed very smoothly, logically, and believably.

09/10

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Shallow

[4/10 · 7 September 2003]

This movie had a lot of potential, but the story was rushed (one line here or there to explain *a lot* such as why the groom isn't happy with the girls he's typically been dating), then there was the development of bride/groom meeting which was very 'forced', it just didn't seem natural.

Then there were the families and friends that were one-dimensional stereotypes. The groom's parents were almost non-existent and each of the other cast members had a token, rushed scene to develop who they were. The only supporting character that had any real depth was the bride's mother.

As a cross-cultural married couple (American & Japanese), we found that much of the real good territory available for exploring (such as perceived expectations in social situations, who pays for what in a wedding, or the differing life and social goals, etc.) was noticeably absent.

Thus we have to view this film as shallow and give it a 5/10.

Crimson Tide (1995)

Dull

[5/10 · 15 June 2003]

An underachieving script with very poor characters. If you don't understand the military and how things work there, then you might find this flick interesting, but if you do understand the military and how one gets promoted, then the Captain's actions were so unbelievable that it was painful.

Basically, this movie relied on numerous extreme stereotypes at the critical plot junctures in order to move into the next phase of the story and then reverted back to believable characters at the points in-between. This created a stop-start sense where you couldn't put your finger on who the characters were and how they really fit into the whole scheme.

Add in there a healthy dose of social activism and you have a real dull flick.

Deep Rising (1998)

Fun! (...and nothing more)

[7/10 · 1 June 2003]

If you are looking for meaning, creativity, originality, or some sort of cosmic significance, look elsewhere.

This is a fun movie for that brainless Saturday evening in which you just want to relax. A fast paced ride with lots of guns, explosions, bright-red fake blood, and a big monster.

This film is for those who wish only to be entertained. Perfect after a long hard week and you need to relax.

Recommended.

7/10

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Lot's of Fun!

[8/10 · 10 May 2003]

This movie was truly a pleasant surprise. With many Disney movies pushing "social issues" we were afraid that this movie would follow right along in that same pattern.

As the movie started the 'New Age/World' music gave us the impression that we were right, but then it went away never to be revisited. From that point onward, the movie was a relatively fast paced, warm, and enjoyable flick with believable characters that weren't too stereotypical. These well-developed characters made the standard, straightforward plot invisible because of viewer empathy.

We heartily laughed numerous times, felt that the choice of Hawaii as the location was a nice change of pace, and felt good after watching this film. Very recommended.

8/10

Memento (2000)

It ended no!

[10/10 · 24 April 2003]

When this film ended, the first thing that hit us was the shock that it had ended. It was that engrossing. At first, we weren't sure if the telling of the story backwards would work, but after the movie started, we found ourselves fixated on the screen trying desperately to put the pieces together so as to understand what led to the initial scene and then, just when we thought we had it figured out, the movie ends leaving a finger of doubt in our minds. We then began about 10-15 minutes of discussion that was permeated with a feeling of being incomplete and a little on edge.

If you don't like ambiguity, we don't think you'll like this film, for that is where it derives its impact and strength. If you are looking for a crazy and unpredictable ride at the end of a long week, throw this in and be taken away from the routine of life.

10/10

Below (2002)

Keeps you watching and guessing.

[7/10 · 20 April 2003]

From the beginning, a very good movie that keeps you watching and guessing. Nothing is as it seems, nor is the truth very far-fetched. Actually, when the truth is revealed, we found it to be a refreshing change from the typical movie storylines. This movie takes plot elements from numerous other stories and weaves them into an interesting and *just* unpredictable storyline that makes for an engaging movie.

Is it a horror flick? No, but the use of the unknown does a fine job of providing that element.

Is it a war flick? No and the use of the WWII setting provides only a small taste for War movie buffs.

Is it suspense? Yes, but because of the horror and war elements, it has a different flavor than the standard suspense film.

Although the story was enjoyable, there were a few stereotypical elements that seemed artificial such as the guy that is heavily into the supernatural, the one Officer's actions immediately following the mirror scene, and the over-all modern tone of the characters compared to what one would expect of people actually living in the 1940's.

Then there was also the hasty resolution of the German ship hunting the sub. A little too vague considering all the trouble this ship gave the sub and this made for a great secondary antagonistic element that wasn't developed very well.

Because of these weaknesses, we give this movie a *very* recommended 7/10.

A Bug's Life (1998)

Predictable and Forgettable

[6/10 · 5 April 2003]

Don't let the 'One Line Summary' fool you, we enjoyed watching this and chuckled quite a few times, but the story line was so standard and predictable, it looked like it was put together from a kit.

Everything about the characters and the story line was so stereotypical and two dimensional that this movie easily blends into the memory of so many other movies and it is then easily forgotten.

If you have kids, they'll enjoy it and you will as well (at least on the first viewing). If you have time to kill and this movie is lying around, throw it in and kick back.

We wouldn't recommend it though. 6/10

The Ninth Gate (1999)

Interesting story that falls apart

[6/10 · 29 March 2003]

We found ourselves engrossed by the story for the first half of the movie but as the story progressed, there began to be too many convenient coincidences and by the end, the story just seemed to unravel and ultimately felt rushed.

One of the great aspects of this movie is that it doesn't depend on gore to keep you on edge, but instead uses the sense of the unknown and the resolution of a mystery to develop the tension.

We recommend this for those nights when you want something different than the standard Hollywood fare and you aren't too picky about what it is.

7/10

Hero (2002)

Great story supported by Stunning Cinematography

[10/10 · 23 March 2003]

WoW! That's all we could say after watching this. Throughout the movie we kept stating our amazement that this was a Chinese film since the cinematography was on par with Hollywood.

Beyond the stunning imagery (which I dare say comes close to "Lawrence of Arabia" quality), the storyline was simple, classic, and developed very well.

Don't watch this if all you want is non-stop fighting. You'll be disappointed since this movie has more depth than fighting.

If you like a good story, and a historical flavor, then you will probably enjoy this gem.

10/10

Equilibrium (2002)

Fun 'LA style' B-Grade Sci-Fi

[7/10 · 1 March 2003]

We loved this and I've always enjoyed the Grade B Sci-Fi that typically comes out of LA these days.

By LA I mean, lots of explosions, gunfire, slick looking characters, fast paced, and a few other things I just can't put my finger on at the moment. (Example, not 5 minutes into the film and you have had 1000+ rounds fired and then Mr. Slick-Dress-Me-In-Black enters to produce 15+ dead bodies.)

This was a fun, visually-entertaining film with some significant weakness in the storyline (how does one get married & have kids w/out emotion?).

The best way for me to describe this movie is as follows:

10% Fahrenheit 451; 10% THX-1138; 25% Matrix 45% LA Grade B Sci-Fi; 8% Nazi Germany; 2% Demolition Man

If you are a fan of the above movies, then this is a Highly Recommended 7/10.

The Italian Job (1969)

What a ride!

[8/10 · 3 January 2003]

This thing starts moving and doesn't let go of you until the end, at which point you wish you were still on the ride going. We were surprised that we'd never herd of this before, especially since so many scenes are in video games these days (and times past).

This isn't one of those movies you spend your time thinking about, just sit down, watch, and let the movie unfold before you. If you're looking for good entertainment, this is it. If you are looking for meaning and some sort of significance, look elsewhere.

Good fast fun! 8/10

Railroad Man (1999)

A Work of Japanese Art

[10/10 · 28 December 2002]

We made the mistake of not having any tissues next to us while watching this. This movie does a brilliant job of portraying the life of a railroad worker who is so dedicated to his job, that the greatest joys of his life pass him by and he only realizes it when it is too late.

It helps if the viewer has an appreciation of Japanese culture and the importance of dedication to one's company (especially among the older generation) to really feel the impact of this movie. If you do not view this film from that perspective, then you will have difficulty empathizing with the main character and therefore miss the beauty contained therein.

Brilliant, beautiful, and poignant. 10/10

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

WOW!

[9/10 · 24 December 2002]

We had no idea what to expect and were we in for a great ride. The unfolding of the storyline was incredible to see play out and the raw nature of it just added to the fun.

We had seen "Snatch" and loved it, so we enjoyed seeing many of the same actors in this movie.

We gave this a 9 out of 10 because of the storyline development, the acting, and the sheer fun of the movie.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Like revisiting family.

[8/10 · 8 December 2002]

We just finished watching this and thoroughly enjoyed it. The target audience is definitely kids, but the storyline is not so simple as to be a bore for adults. This movie is very comfortable to watch and we left the movie feeling as if we had just finished revisiting relatives we had not seen in a while.

We'd love to give this movie an 8.5 because of the story consistency and development, but since that is not an option, we settled for an 8. The movie's plot is just too in favor of HP and the characters are too stereotypical to give it a 9 in our opinion.

The Scorpion King (2002)

Grade C for "Cheesy"

[4/10 · 1 November 2002]

Were we disappointed. We were expecting the story to be the long version of the brief Scorpion King description presented in the second Mummy movie and instead we were served typical bad Hollywood prehistoric tripe.

Very difficult to take serious or even light-heartedly and the only reason we watched it to the end was because there was plenty of material to at which joke and poke fun.

Look, why oh why is it that whenever Hollywood wants to show some sort of pre-technological society there is a rope bridge in there somewhere? Well Scorpion King has one and it goes NOWHERE! That's right folks, to create the 'ancient mood' the makers of this film made a rope bridge that only crosses the street, but hey, it sure gives you that 'out of the can' primitive feel.

I'd be real upset if I paid to watch this in the theater.

Joint Security Area (2000)

More than we expected

[9/10 · 7 September 2002]

We both went into this movie with different preconceptions of what it would be like and when it was through, we both liked enough to give it a 9.

We would have given it a 10 if it weren't for the weak acting on the part of the westerners and the female lead, but the story was so good that it still resonates a week after watching it.

This is not really a mystery, but a story of humans caught in something larger than themselves and the decisions they make to remain human.

The Others (2001)

A shadow of another popular movie

[7/10 · 3 August 2002]

We really enjoyed this movie and believe it was well done, but had to give it a 7 since it was pretty obvious that it was the shadow of another popular movie (name below in spoilers). If we had not seen that other popular movie, we would have given this movie a higher rating.

In the end, do see it. It is a good flick.



----> SPOILERS <----

The Others is a shadow of the movie Sixth Sense and thus our rating of 7. If we had never seen Sixth Sense, we would have given The Others a higher rating.

The Time Machine (2002)

A wonderful opportunity...missed.

[5/10 · 21 July 2002]

Well, we were hoping for an entertaining movie and for the most part, we got it. Unfortunately, you could see the blatant rush through the plot, thus making this a half-hearted attempt at a great story.

There was so much to work with in the way of the special effects, the story, the characters, but the story was chopped for brevity and this had the effect of making the characters rather shallow. The special effects were great, but they alone can't make the movie. Also, the music was dated and that kind of made us feel like it was a second rate job.

This was an opportunity missed and we gave it a 5. Watch it to fill some time, but don't expect much.

Meet the Parents (2000)

Annoying Characters - Quit watching after 30 minutes

[1/10 · 8 June 2002]

The characters were stereotypical enough that we were annoyed and quit watching the film. How can we empathize with characters that are stereotypes of people we wouldn't associate with in real life? Who cares what happens to them?

Jey: I like DeNiro and he did a good job in this one as Dad, but it was the type of person I'd make a point of avoiding.

Also, the movie made attempts at being funny, but they were not original and the movie tended toward the negative side of situations. This made it real dull and a waste of time.

We gave it a 1.

Howaitoauto (2000)

Bad Acting, Bad Script, Bad Plot Development

[3/10 · 26 May 2002]

This movie sucked. The acting sucked, the script sucked, and the movie overall sucked. There were two threads in the movie that were not developed and the viewer had to do a bit of work to figure out what was happening.

I'm not saying that it needs to be spelled out, but you suddenly find things happening and being said as if you have the slightest clue as to what they are. Examples:

The heroine's negative comments about the hero. The audience is never shown how she even knows anything about the guy and how he is tied into her fiance's death. The viewer has minimal exposure to the guy's death as well.

Also, all of a sudden there is a scene with a bunch of guys loading up and cocking machine guns and that is all you see before cutting back to the other scenes. No explanation what-so-ever about the guns and the folks with them.

We gave it a 3 because we didn't feel like we wanted our time back. It was fun to bad-mouth the movie while watching it, so it at least gave us a bit of entertainment. ;-)

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

We stopped watching after 25 minutes...

[1/10 · 26 May 2002]

Cliché, dull, uninspiring, and even bad by TV standards. This movie was very predictable and not at all interesting. Even the 'big heist' in the beginning did nothing to make us interested. The roles played were predictable and never had you empathize with the characters.

This movie sucked. We want our time back.

K-PAX (2001)

Touching and Engaging

[9/10 · 16 March 2002]

We really enjoyed this movie and were moved more than we thought we would be. The tone of the movie was excellent and the building of the plot, while predictable, kept you engaged enough that you did not notice that you could predict what happens next.

The feeling of ease, comfort, and sadness we felt throughout and at the end were great and why we gave this movie a 9.

We're still not sure exactly what the truth is and that is the best part.

Highly recommended for sharing with that special someone on a Friday night after a long hard week.

The 13th Warrior (1999)

Uh, yeah....

[5/10 · 8 March 2002]

The movie has a very interesting concept that is poorly developed. After we watched it, we felt like we missed something. It was hollow and didn't seem to have any point.

We will say that it had great visuals and is a big budget type film, but the story was pretty weak and it was predictable.

At the end of the movie we felt empty and that we had wasted our time.