Pethushka

Seung-gi Lee is one of those guys who – I thought – I could probably watch all day long. That's why I was surprised that for the first time ever he didn’t light my fire. I didn't believe him in this role. He would occasionally shout hysterically and get stuck somewhere because of it, like right when he was in the crosshairs or a bomb was about to go off. After a while, I began to suspect that maybe he was eager to be taken out, and I gradually lost the desire to root for him. It really bugs me, but I consider this work a waste of his talent. Yet he can be so convincing at other times. Suzy, in my opinion, handled her role a bit better, but she couldn't take her Gu Family Book partner down a notch even in the less action-packed moments. There were no sparks flying between them, no one going weak in the knees. They were just side by side. Yes, I am indeed complaining about a lack of romance here, even though I know that for the vast majority it's a plus, and maybe the reason they liked this series compared to others where there's too much unnecessary love. I guess I'm not the target audience. But just so I'm not complaining, and it doesn't sound like I didn't like the series at all... The story is interesting, it excels in a lot of ways, but the creators got carried away in the action scenes. I'm awfully happy to ignore that stuff if I'm enjoying everything around me, it's just that Vagabond didn't have enough depth for that. A nice soundtrack and a few interestingly drawn characters just isn't enough, 3 stars

I don't understand how the same person who can make films that are on the edge of perfection can then come up with a dud like this. I fear there was a lot of work behind it, but I do not at all see why something like this had to be made. And that it got such a huge following? It's a mystery. For me, an almost unwatchable film. Barely 1 star.

There are some TV series that I only get a faint idea of from the posters or a very brief synopsis. The Best Hit was one of them. I've known of its existence for some time, it often crossed my path since it involves some of my favorite artists, and the high ratings here also piqued my curiosity. That last point doesn't quite apply nowadays, as to date the series is below 80%, which I consider to be a pretty "normal" yet still high rating. I wasn't really into the series though, due to the fact that I'm not into this "teen" stuff lately, where someone is trying to make it in show business. Since – as I said – I didn't do much research about the series beforehand, I was quite surprised to find out that the main plot here is something else entirely (I'm deliberately not giving it away in case anyone else wanted it to be a surprise, too). Plus, the characters aren't so "teen", and there's more to deal with than breaking through to the peak of fame. And no surprises here, one of them is love. I don't think I can recall any other show where I’ve guessed so little about where the relationships were headed. When things started to go a certain direction, I didn't understand for a long time what the creators were thinking. But that made it all the more real in the end. After all, I don't usually get to choose who's with who in life, do I? One little nitpick at the end – Shi-yoon isn't bad, but I don't need to see that ponytail of his again. 3.5 stars.

Tune in for Love is definitely not a movie whose script kept you in tears or that you had to send out to all your romantically inclined friends. It's basically a question of whether you like the atmosphere of the film and whether you can connect to the actors and their desires and emotions. I was only partially successful at that. I like both actors a lot, but I've seen them in better, more heartfelt roles. From my point of view, this is a pretty ordinary love story. But because I felt like someone had achieved their dreams, I still had a smile on my face at the end. A weaker 3 stars.

Hyo-jin Gong as a single mother is a big YES for me. She had already showed once before that she's well suited to such a role in Thank You. (Pretty cool that after twelve years, she's taking on the role of a mother of a child almost the same age, and you'd hardly know the age difference.) She's amazing as Camellia, just like she was as Bom's mom back then. But this treasure of a show is definitely not just about her, it's about the whole Ongsan gang. And trust me, you won't get bored with them. And I bet you'll be impressed and surprised more than once. Anyway, Camellia is 5 stars for me, and I definitely consider it one of the key TV series of the past year. Its "multi-genre" quality is unique. Moreover, the enthusiasm just oozed from the cast, and they all managed to squeeze every last bit of themselves into perfect small-town characters.

Joker gave me goosebumps sometime in the first few minutes, and then repeated the phenomenon a few more times for me. It's possible that it was just a well-written character that any good actor would have excelled at portraying, but for me, something this well-acted is a minor miracle. Joaquin Phoenix blew me away with his performance and I don't think I'll ever forget his pained smile and laugh, it was etched deeply under my skin. 5 stars, one of the best of the past year. I can see myself rewatching it again very soon.

If there's anyone in the American film industry who is irresistible, it's Margot. I don't care if Harley Quinn has a strong enough story or personality to pull off her own movie, because Margot Robbie does. And her Harley is damn watchable, cool enough, and cute to boot. Plus, she's not exactly on her own. In comic book movies, it's always the same script anyway, good guys versus bad guys, backstory, big final brawl, boom, ending, promise of a sequel. Whether any comes about in this case, I have no idea. Anyway, I enjoyed the movie, I'm happy with the cast, the editing was great, the music suited me. They’re weaker ones, but there are five of them. Stars, I mean.

It might seem lately like I'm voluntarily getting into Korean B-movies I might have known beforehand I wouldn't be very excited about. But believe me, I had good reason to, and now I promise I'll be choosing my own movies again for a while. Exit is a pretty bland film that you can definitely do without as a viewer. On the other hand, it’s not lacking in wit, hyperbole, and a bit of suspense. The duo of Yoona and Jeong-seok don't show anything spectacular apart from the stunts, but hand in hand, they dance their way together to an ending that makes you smile and say "not bad". A weaker 3 stars.

A fairly original relationship drama that’s all about the characters. They’re written meaningfully, and very in depth. So if you fancy a peek into the realistic, truly feasible stories of five very different people who find themselves in a common "situation", don't hesitate to watch it. 4 stars.

Okay, on one hand I enjoyed the desire for a woman to get revenge against another woman with the help of still another woman, but that's really the only strong point of the film. Although the opening scene at the station looked promising, after that we get into a very simple and illogical investigation that is somewhere on the edge of what I can tolerate from the writers. I can't say that I was rolling with laughter either. Fortunately, it's at least pretty decently acted. It's enough to shorten a long wait, but I probably wouldn't spend time on it again. 2.5 stars