Pethushka

The story couldn't be much simpler, except that sometimes simplicity is beauty. What the film definitely excels at, though, is Hyeok Jang and his talent for martial arts. For him, this role was quite introverted and silent, but it suited him without the loud laughter and determined speeches. In this case, he just acted. And fans of sword fighting will definitely enjoy his moves. I just have a weakness for guys who save little girls, so I might be a little bit turned on by it as well. 4 stars.

The ending made me sad again, but I'll try to go back to the days when I promised myself I'd be at least a little harsh in my reviews. I read somewhere recently that up to 60% of the budget in Korean soap operas goes to the lead actors. That would be pretty fitting here. And since there are two people in charge of directing, I suspect that one of them slacked off at times while the other made up for it at key moments (I could easily guess which one :)). Also, if we leave the romantic storyline aside and address the "action" one, there are an incredible number of blatant plot holes in the script. And that goes for the make-up artists as well. Someone should explain to them what a kidnapped person can't and shouldn't look like after a few days. And the writers should know that hypnosis still has its limits. It also annoyed me that the circus was eventually forgotten and the main character only came to work to sit at her desk and chat with her colleagues. But the most tragic part was the acting of the doctor, who basically just whined and repeated the same thing over and over again. Likewise, the main character's father had the same lines and expression for half the show. Seung-joon Lee was also a bad choice in my opinion. Honestly, by the time the plot was reaching its climax I couldn't stand most of the actors. Towards the end, the series (fortunately from my point of view) changes a lot and starts to revolve basically only around the main couple, there I found myself gradually forgetting about the below average acting of the supporting characters. As a whole I enjoyed the series, at first I even thought it was underrated, but then I realized where it had been stumbling. If the creators had played around more with some of the episodes in the middle, fixed the plot holes, worked on the script, maybe even tweaked the editing, it would have been immediately better in my opinion. I'm probably inclined towards three stars, but Bin Hyun and his dimple just won't let me. 3.5 stars.

Okay okay, Jeong-beom Lee has bestowed far better work on the world of cinema, but in my opinion Jo Pil-ho is definitely not a fail. The cards are still laid out the same way – on one side a likable (but not entirely unblemished) main character and against him a defenseless, but not very lucky, girl. Their fates intertwine to create a touching, action-packed story full of blood, but also understanding and love. 3.5 stars.

I Am Not an Easy Man will definitely not appeal to everyone. In fact, it's quite a brave undertaking that must have anticipated the "haters". Nothing here is as society's setup says it "should be". Everything is the opposite, and I believe that a part of the audience (and it won't be small) will not accept that. And I'm talking about even the more "advanced" or tolerant individuals. Because the creators didn't back down, they just went all in on the exchange, with everything they had. Okay, at times I felt it was a bit much, but the idea is great and the execution is, as I said, bold to say the least. Plus, I love it when a movie makes me think.

The documentary is engaging enough that even though I only planned to watch one episode, I ended up watching all three episodes in one sitting. Granted, I have a lot of things waiting to get done, but I just had to see how that as*hole would be punished. I don't have the slightest sympathy for anyone who even thinks about abusing an animal, so I only went into the series because I knew beforehand that I wouldn't see much of the kitten abuse. Still, I found the first episode challenging at one point. And that's why I just can't give it five stars.

Sensitively filmed, superbly acted. And especially from Vanessa, who is – and I'm certainly not saying this for the first time – absolutely fantastic. The film is all about her, and her character is very interesting. Her movie husband – if I'm not mistaken – said about her at the beginning that she's always cool. And that's how she came across to me, a strong and emotionally stable woman. What happens to her and to those around her when she's faced with such a difficult life situation? You can see that for yourself. I know I'm going to be one of the few, but I didn't find Shia very likable in his role. But to be honest, I almost always feel that way about him.

I guess it was on purpose that they cast a not very likable guy in the lead role who doesn't really excel at anything except singing. Because of this, I was constantly teetering between a state where I was flattered that I could put myself in his shoes as the viewer because of his ordinariness. On the other hand, though, I didn't understand – especially at one particular point – how anyone could build a show around a character who is not only a total loser, but also a pretty selfish moron. All in all, I was more entertained than not. A weaker 4 stars.

I just have a soft spot for this grape. Because Terezka, who I'd watch in just about anything, because Hádek, who doesn't talk much but I like him anyway, because vines... There's no point in speculating whether the second or third film was better, neither installment disappointed me. Even though there’s room at the top only for the first one. 3.5 stars.

I'm trying to think of at least some positives and reasons to watch the movie, but nothing comes to mind. The girls – apart from being able to talk dirty – are pretty much uninteresting and unhappy women whose conversations don't entertain you or offer much of anything. Plot-wise, it resembles your average party of bored neighbors in the living room. But even that would have been more interesting. If you're expecting an incredible comedy, don't waste your time. Definitely the weakest film I've seen in a long time. 1.5 stars

Another movie I'll be happy to binge on (and not just at Christmas). Emma and Luke have great chemistry with each other and kept me entertained from the first moment they run into each other. From that time on I became a serious fan of their relationship. And if it weren't for the Americanized ending, I'd easily give them the full number of stars since the movie was not just beautifully romantic, it was funny. Just the way I like it, 4 stars.