Title
Head/헤드 (He-deu) - Action, Thriller
Cast
Park Ye Jin
Ryu Deok Hwan
Baek Yoon Sik
Oh Dal Soo
Plot
Dr. KIM Sang-chul who is a world renowned genius medical scientist is killed by himself and his head is cut and missing in his funeral. While a dispatch rider, Hong-je, delivers Dr. KIM’s head, he is kidnapped by Baek-jung and his elder sister, Hong-joo goes head to head with him to save Hong-je.
More info at Hancinema .
What I Liked
I couldn't help myself and saw this without subtitles. Might make a review at some point, after they are out. This movie is simply epic. It's black comedy, in a sense. Meaning, it's a thriller, but the characters are all kooky and there's a lot of funny scenes in it too. It's action, it's suspense and wicked fun. The cast is wonderful. I never thought I'd like Park Ye Jin. The only thing I had seen her in was My Princess and that series and her performance were so dry that I really had bad first impressions. I loved her in Head though. She is wonderful. Her character is not a tough woman, but she manages to keep as cool as possible and go for it. Park makes her very likable. Ryu spends most of the movie tied down, but he's really good with panic and fear-for-dear-life. You really feel he's in danger. Good performance. I love this movie. I think it works perfectly for what it is. Can't wait for subtitles.
Title
Suicide Forecast/수상한 고객들 (Soo-sang-han Go-gaek-deul) - Comedy, Drama
Cast
Ryu Seung Beom
Seong Dong Il
Park Cheol Min
Jeong Seon Kyeong
Plot
The best insurance king Bae Byeong-woo once dreamt of becoming a baseball king. One day he is suspected in helping out a suicide. He remembers a strange contract he had with some clients a few years ago and goes out to find them. Depressed solo dad and head of department Oh, child head of the household So-yeon who is bad tempered, pretty beggar Young-tak who says nothing but swear words and widowed mother Bok-soon who has four children. Byeong-woo goes through hell and sweet talks them with some bluff to extend the lives of these people who seem like they will jump into the Han River the minute they are out of sight.
More info at Hancinema.
What I Like
A good cast. And an interesting plot. I'm really fond of Ryu Seung Beom and seeing the trailers for this and the rest of the cast, it seems very interesting. Good ground for some wacky comedy and potentially some nice things to say about people and life too. I love such movies. Like Hello, Ghost. They move you, have something nice to say and leave you with a smile and a lighter soul as well. I'm hoping it will be this kind of a movie, or at least a good comedy, if it doesn't have something poignant to say about life.
Title
Hindsight/푸른 소금 (Poo-reun-so-geum) - Drama, Film noir
Cast
Song Kang Ho
Sin Se Kyeong
Cheon Jeong Myeong
Esom
Plot
A humane but tough, charismatic gang boss Du-heon. Se-bin, a girl with a mysterious identity, approaches him to kill him.
More info at Hancinema.
What I Like
When you see Song Kang Ho in the cover or cast list, you take a closer look. I did. I like the story and yes, I'm a sucker for a good poster. This has tragedy all over it, but at least I'm prepared for it and if it's done in a meaningful way, I'll like it. I only disapprove of death in works if it's done just for the sake of doing it. Just because people think having it in is enough to somehow elevate the work and make it poignant. It doesn't. Give me a meaningful death or give me a happy ending and don't depress me. Whatever it is, it will be interesting. Good trailer.
Title
The Crucible/도가니 (Do-ga-ni) - Drama
Cast
Gong Yoo
Jeong Yu Mi
Kim Hyeon Soo
Park Hye Jin
Plot
Based on the original by writer Gong Ji-young, this movie is about a true story that happened in Gwangju, about a teacher who was newly appointed in a school for the deaf, and reveals to the world the secret violence and tragedy that had been going on in there.
More info at Hancinema.
What I Like
For all the modernity South Korea is exhibiting, some seem to be very backwards thinking and in denial sometimes. And I mean those vocal netizens who comment on works, not everyone, of course. Those "Let's not show happy gay people on tv. It will make our kids gay or we'll have to face the fact that they exist and can be happy and well-adjusted" types. So, when the movie industry, which is more serious and more capable than the television one, does something that comments on the dark sides of the society it is made in, I'm on board. Not discussing about problems or branding an issue as taboo, sick, abnormal or whatever will not make it go away and will not help those involved. I hope this movie will have something useful to say and will be brave and humane in its approach.
I find Gong Yoo a very good actor. He is also someone very expressive in his works. He really lets you connect with a character and you need an actor who can draw you in for such a movie. I didn't like his latest post-army movie, as I found it too disjointed and not romantic at all. I'm hoping this work will have a bit more substance.
Title
Camellia/카멜리아 (Ka-mel-li-a) - Omnibus, Drama
Cast
Kang Dong Won
Song Hye Kyo
Seol Kyeong Gu
Yoshitaka Yuriko
Michael Shaowanasai
Plot
The film is composed of three different love stories: "Love for Sale" (JANG Joon-hwan), "Kamome" (YUKISADA Isao) and "Iron Pussy" (Wisit SASANATIENG). "Love for Sale", set in the future world where romantic memories can be easily traded for money, talks about a romanticist couple who was once obsessed with love, but learns how to let it go. "Kamome" is about a Korean cinematographer who accidentally meets and falls in love with an angel-like Japanese woman named Kamome amidst a troublesome film shoot. And "Iron Pussy" is a Thai drag queen who comes to Busan in the 1970s as a secret agent, and who becomes romantically involved with anonymous Korean man.
More info at Hancinema.
What I Like
Well, I've talked about this quite a lot (and I'll keep talking about it) so just look at one of the previous posts by clicking its tag on the top of this post. Kang Dong Won and Iron Pussy. That sentence pretty much sums up why I want to see this. I like Song Hye Kyo too, but she wouldn't get me to see an artsy movie all by herself. Good to have the cast that this has though.
Photos and information from Hancinema.
