Pethushka

It doesn't get any worse. Extremely unnatural acting, really lame dialogue, not to mention the stupid plot and low IQ of the characters. Curiosity drove me to this movie, as I know this piece has figured in various Netflix movie charts. I'm realizing for a moment that I don't need to see everything. I'm only giving it a star because I finally – despite requiring multiple attempts – finished watching it.

I was drawn to the series by Esther, but I'm leaving excited because of Cecilia. The actors are without a doubt the best thing about this series. But the dense atmosphere that the creators have managed to create – also thanks to the soundtrack – is not to be overlooked. I see a bit of weakness in the script, which isn’t followed through. Though it was fine anyway, it's still a pity they didn't take it further.

I'm having some kind of a golden touch with Korean movies right now. I certainly don't consider it the norm for a story to be this well written, well thought out, and – most importantly – unpredictable. The actors are also very well cast, and the lead Woo-seong Jeong is convincing in his role and more himself than he’s been in a long time. There was just the right amount of violence, or at least it didn't go over the top as Koreans are sometimes wont to do. I enjoyed untangling the tangled ball around the bag and the ending was very, very satisfying.

I'm not saying this is a completely original piece of work that hasn't been done before, but I almost can't understand how they managed to keep the story from being predictable. Whenever I started to feel like I knew what was going to happen next, it turned out differently. Suspenseful from start to finish, very well acted. I don't think I'll elaborate any further, so as not to give too much away. Anyway, if you want a good thriller, you can find one here.

Spain is pouring in series after series and I can't stop gaping at the quality of the work they're doing. Maybe one day I'll grow tired of the character of a slightly unstable, willful detective with a painful past and a pouty face. But not yet; for now, I'm enjoying it and I want more. The main character, i.e. The Innocent, both irritated me and aroused my sympathy in equal measure. And I'm glad for that in the finale, because the more charisma he lacked, the more the other characters stood out. A beautifully crafted script with unexpected plot twists. Well written, acted, and directed.

Apart from Chang-wook Ji and Ji-won Kim, what drew me to the series was my curiosity about how the series from KakaoTV would differ from those of their competitors. Of course, I won't draw any conclusions after a single series, but this work definitely won't keep me from exploring further. The shortened episodes aren't a bad thing, and it makes the series go by like water. Another reason why I had Lovestruck in the City on my radar was the writer Hyeon-jeong Jeong, whose work has always been a great fit for me so far. And it's true this time as well. The plot may not be anything groundbreaking, but she just knows how to come up with those relationship problems. And I really liked how Seoul is depicted here. Finally, someone left it like it is. This is what I think Seoul looks like today, and I felt like I was there. In this case, I'll be happy if there is another installment. And I'm guessing there will, though maybe without the main couple.

Seaspiracy brings up a lot of facts and information I didn't know before. The interviews where the spokespeople for the organizations that have taken it upon themselves to protect the ocean fail on simple questions are so comical it beggars belief. The documentary has made me take another look at sustainability and I believe it will, in part, influence my thinking on the subject. I believe the filming was often very emotional for Ali, but personally I would have cut out his fictionalized emotions that seemed unnatural. After all, he's not an actor, so why go into scenes where he's staring trembling at the ocean? I also don't like how the documentary underestimates the viewer and the way it presents information. For the most part, people who are interested in this issue or ecology will watch the documentary anyway. And such people usually already know the basic information, so I find the dramatic tone unnecessary. I’m not sure whether the film isn’t too one-note from the very beginning to attract and convince people who don't care about the future of the planet. I see a lot more potential to engage a wider audience in David Attenborough's A Life on Our Planet, which doesn't push the envelope as much, has a much more enjoyable narrative, and offers the viewer beautiful nature shots alongside the scary predictions. Which, in my opinion, awakens a desire to hold on to the beauty. But maybe that's just me. As for the dolphins, I definitely recommend the decade-old documentary The Cove, where Ric O'Barry (who also appears in this documentary) goes on a quest to save them in Taiji, Japan. That one offers equally (maybe even more) shocking content, but I liked the format a lot better. Still, I'm rooting for Ali and the other makers of this documentary, and I'm grateful that there are people like this who won't let the future of the ocean rest.

An unhappy relationship with a most unhappy ending. This two-part documentary presents the whole case, with proponents of both camps, and those standing somewhere in the middle, having their say. I found the whole thing quite fair and not favoring either side. Basically, it is a nicely crafted presentation of the case. I found it a bit unnecessary to include the voices of the public, but at least you are reminded about the influence of the media and how little the mob needs to know in order to get things straight. I got a sense of it, of course I have my opinions, but I'm glad I don't have to be the judge. Michelle is definitely not an innocent little girl, her texts speak volumes; but on the other hand, the relationship wasn't toxic from one side alone.

Intoxicating, incredibly intoxicating. A film that perfectly captures all the phases around alcohol. The positive ones, when booze miraculously makes us more fun, more cool, more relaxed people. But also the negative ones, when we wake up in a different place than we want or (according to our sober selves) should. In a state where we're not as well as we were a few hours ago. Now imagine if someone could translate all of this into a movie and film it exactly how you feel during these phases. It's hard to say why I’m not giving it the highest score. Maybe when I'm shivering around my apartment, glass in hand, to the final song and feeling like I own the world, I'll mark it up. Or after it airs on TV. We'll see.

At first I was a little annoyed with the production. You know, too "Netflix-ish", pretending to be America too much, not Korean enough. And since it's been a long time since I've seen the director's earlier (and for me back then, really well done) work, I don't remember if his work was in this vein back in the day. What I did remember, though, is the almost boundless brutality that Park's films are full of. I don't think anyone in Korea can match him for it, either. While I don't enjoy brutality, I have to admit that the ending pretty much made the film good. So if you're tempted by beautiful Jeju, tainted with hectoliters of mafia blood, you should probably see this. Once was good enough for me, 3 stars.