7ZEN Reviews

A Moment to Remember (2004)

This is my 4th time watching this movie... (and still amazed)

[10/10 · 18 March 2021]

Quickly: Son Ye-Jin is my favourite Korean actress! Period. And though that sounded biased, I assure you, this movie will take you through an amazing journey, which you'd want to revisit. Like I have. The storytelling, cinematography and acting are simply spectacular!!! Let me put it this way: this movie is in my top 5 films list (with Pulp Fiction being No 1, just to have an idea...)! For all the reasons above mentioned, and not only, I really hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. And still do. Gomawoyo!

Mr. Queen (2020–2021)

One of the funniest K-TV series ever!

[9/10 · 7 March 2021]

I've always appreciated Shin Hye Sun's acting, but this TV series storyline takes it to another level! All you need is watching the first 25 minutes of the first episode, and you will know whether this K-drama is for you or not. It's that simple! Everything else - storyline, acting, cinematography, soundtrack & sound effects - wouldn't matter after this 25 minutes, if you aren't already hooked! This is a very entertaining TV series. I highly recommend it!

Hush (2020– )

Pleasantly surprised by the star-studded cast! On top of that, a compelling story!

[8/10 · 25 February 2021]

As a fan of K-dramas, this title wasn't on my list for a while... Yet, when I started watching it - mostly curious about Yoona's role - I got caught into this story. Not only because of the story itself, but because of the script, which is very rich and deep, offering each of the cast a chance to show their abilities of expressing diverse emotions, frequently in the same scene. And they deliver. This is not your average K-drama, breezing through it in a couple of evenings... But it's a drama anchored in Korean reality, not easy to talk about and often brushed by other titles. At the same time, the societal issues addressed are quite universal, and they're tackled in a smart and involving way.

I highly recommend it. Cheers,

Chernobyl (2019)

History lesson by means of a TV series

[10/10 · 13 February 2021]

"{Legasov} I went willingly to an open reactor. So I've already given my life! Isn't that enough? {Khomyuk} No, I'm sorry, but it is not!" How do you tell the truth in 1986's USSR, about the deadliest nuclear accident ever happened? Well, definitely not by the means of a TV series, 33 years later! Nevertheless, you can try. Fiercely! And so they did! Marvelously. This is NOT a documentary of the Chernobyl disaster. It's a TV series, but the effort put in to replicate the event, oh man, was extraordinary! So, don't pick on slight enflourishments used to add dramatism to the story. They're there because you're watching a movie, not a documentary, and you want to see that. With that in mind, you can appreciate the visceral depiction of the events that preceded, and followed a disaster which should never happen again (well, 2011 Fukushima happened, but that was because of a tsunami)... The attention to the detail is astonishing! Sets, costumes, props, all are incredibly accurate. At the same time, the cast is perfect - Harris, Skarsgård, Watson & co - they're all getting immersed (and getting us immersed!) into a gripping storytelling! The cinematography and sound are top notch, and Johan Renck, the director, has done an amazing job to accentuate the gravity and the gruesome effect of the disaster. In conclusion, this is one of those TV series that are so well done, that they compel you to research and learn more about the subject, which is more than enough for a TV series to un-forget history.

The Undoing (2020)

Now this what I'm talking about!

[9/10 · 22 January 2021]

Yep, this TV series has it all: gripping story, visceral cinematography (using a lot of depth of field and bird-eye view), sound, and great acting! Compelling, in only 6 episodes, without stretching the storytelling.

Warrior (2019–2023)

Brawling, visceral depiction of San Francisco, US, 1900s!

[9/10 · 12 January 2021]

The series is very entertaining!!! Story arcs, fight scenes, settings, cinematography, sound effects and acting, all concur for a solid storytelling, getting you emotionally involved into the all-grey political and economic area of the immigrants who got to US at the beginning of the 20th century, all filled with hope for the better lives, but, once they got to the "promised land", seeing all hopes crash into an all-menacing racist threat, with everyone fighting for themselves and, of course, for power.

Alice in Borderland (2020– )

Isekai TV series

[8/10 · 6 January 2021]

A TV series which is both entertaining and meaningful. I watched it dubbed and in original audio, 50/50, appreciating both for their quality. The storyline is good, but what is great is the effort the show creators have put into translating an "anime isekai" kind of story into a TV series. For that alone, but not only, it's worth watching. Acting is good, cinematography and sound are good also. My suggestion: if you wanna taste something different, tasty nonetheless!, you can definitely go for it! I surely hope to see a second season.

On the Rocks (2020)

Murray / Coppola showcase

[8/10 · 11 December 2020]

I may be biased, but... Bill Murray is like wine, getting better and better with age... Combine this and the incredibly-clicking collaboration with Sofia Coppola, and you get an effortless display of excellent acting, subtle cinematography and sound, with great blending from the rest of the cast (Rashida Jones & co), and thus, another great movie-telling.

The New Mutants (2020)

urghhh...

[3/10 · 17 November 2020]

Mediocre cinematography, lousy acting, lazy direction... Yep, zero effort put into it. The perfect example of "how to turn an idea into garbage".

Parasite (2019)

"Parasite" is a movie library title

[10/10 · 9 September 2020]

First of all: directing, acting, cinematography, story: 10! There is no second of all. This is a masterpiece, in the same class as " The Godfather", "The Shawshank Redemption" and " Pulp Fiction" (my all-time personal favorites). Why?...you may ask. It's simple. A family of four, 2 parents and 2 reaching-adulthood kids, struggle to make ends meet in Seoul. Their luck changes when one meets a wealthy family and from there on, they do their best to profit from this opportunity that might improve their livelihood. But there's much more to it. You just have to watch the movie. I assure you it's worth it!

Mulan (2020)

There's something missing in every aspect of it

[4/10 · 9 September 2020]

Poor acting, mediocre directing and storytelling, lacklustre all the way.

The World of the Married (2020)

Brilliant!!!

[10/10 · 22 July 2020]

Life is complicated and we all know and feel this most of the time... Surprisingly, this K-drama delivers a very compelling and realistic glance at those intricate relationships and charged moments one married faces, while gets involved into an extra-marital relationship. Acting, sound, cinematography and emotional involvement - worth it!

This Is Us: Strangers (2019) Season 4, Episode 1

Kintsugi...

[10/10 · 27 October 2019]

Kintsugi accomplished by and through golden "strangers'.

Arthdal Chronicles (2019–2023)

Interesting, but it could have been so much more... :(

[6/10 · 16 September 2019]

A story of mythical races, and humans!... As usual, humans are weak, but inventive (read sneaky) enough to overthrow the more powerful race around and chase down any trace of it. Mixed-blood still live around and try to learn the ways of the new human world and a way to fit in. Bottom line... if you enjoy Kdrama, you'll like this series! But... if you want an original series which is NOT leaning so much on others' series successes tropes - like GoT - then go for something else.

Stranger (2017–2020)

Intricate, high-paced, not-your-average K-drama!

[9/10 · 6 September 2019]

An unemotional prosecutor is trying to reveal a deep-rooted mystery, involving a murder, high-up prosecutors, big money, and everything in between. He's assisted by a sharp woman detective in this endeavour. Great script with good twists, great acting (from most of the actors), good soundtrack... all-in-all an awesome series!

Knocked Up (2007)

Brilliant!!!

[9/10 · 31 August 2019]

This is my 5th time watching this movie! Why? Because it's one of those awesome movies, with intricate and clever allusions, combined with really well-paced scenes and great acting, and, best of all, outstanding dialogues! This is one for ages, a culture-cult movie!

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

"If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it!"

[9/10 · 19 June 2019]

Spider-Man: Homing is a brilliant Spider-Man comeback into the superhero universe! The review title is just a tiny link of many to connect Spider-Man to the Avengers and this movie does a great job doing that... among other things. ;) I'm not very skilled at writing reviews, but... after seeing this movie for the 4th time, I felt compelled to say something about it: this movie is a TOTAL REJUVENATION of Spider-Man universe, up-to-speed with the world we're living in and a great point to continue the Spider-Man journey from. I really can't wait for "Far From Home"! Great casting, good acting, awesome Easter eggs!... This is definitely the most entertaining Spider-Man movies I've seen so far!

Veep (2012–2019)

"The Office" version of White House. Therefore, genius!

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

Hmm, so... brilliant! Just so you'd know, I've just finished the first season. I know... it's a bit late, but I've never been so excited to get through the next ones as I am with "Veep"! You have the awesome Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an iconic comedy actress, accompanied by an (in)competent team, who delves into the elusive, grinding and callous realities of American politics... but please, don't let this description holding you back from watching the show! Because it's all too real, albeit the amazing comedic note. Kudos to the writers and the actors, along with the filming style which enhances the deadpan delivery.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

BRILLIANT!

[10/10 · 23 March 2019]

The perfect homage to Stan Lee &Kirby and their legacy! A must watch, for the visionary way of translating comics into a movie. It might, just well, set a standard for future titles.

Reply 1988 (2015–2016)

An authentic portrayal of the 85-90's period!

[10/10 · 23 December 2018]

Initially, I would have started this review with "first of all"... but it would have been inconsistent with the tens of "first of all" I'd started with. Why? Because this Korean drama is amazingly accurate in depicting the '85-90's period and idiosyncrasies!... And this appreciation comes from a non-Korean, non-Asian, Hollywood movie-goer, >30's person. Nevertheless, I have never seen a more realistic depiction of common people and their struggles throughout that particular period. I know what I'm talking about because I've experienced it in my neighbourhood and with my family. Because of this and others more, I felt compelled to add my unacquainted review to IMDb. Bottom line... if you really want to see some great acting (Kudos to the actors!!!) and get an amazing feel of the 85-90's (and this is coming from a non-American, non-Western point of view), I highly recommend this series!

La La Land (2016)

Selfless Love

[10/10 · 16 April 2017]

One of the most uplifting movies ever made and inherently actual, La La Land is a joy to watch, seamlessly cruising through the choices the main characters have to make in order to become successful, though their paramount achievement is becoming better persons. And the way to do that is simple: Selfless Love.

Game of Thrones: The Winds of Winter (2016) Season 6, Episode 10

Epic!

[10/10 · 28 June 2016]

The finale episode of season 6 was absolutely outstanding!

Poetic and gorgeous, yet precise cinematography, season 6's finale was the perfect preparation for what's going to happen next, clearing the non-essential characters (a bit stretched, but nonetheless true) and making room for the Clash of Queens, along with the truth-knowing Three- Eyed-Raven and the much suspected blue blood Jon Snow / Stark / Targaryen.

This amazing episode has lighted up fans' imagination enough until next April, when most probably we will see out favorite characters returning. As I'm still in awe, I need to say it again: absolutely stunning cinematography and story-telling! This episode is the ultimate expression of why we love Game of Thrones!!!