Pethushka

I love these two so much I'd give them full marks for pretty much anything. And even here I could if I wasn't mindful of all the perfectly well thought out and amazing films. But yes, this is how I would imagine the "most common romance" of our time. With an ordinary plot, an occasional hangover, and a frequent blackout. I could put up with (and wish for) plenty of those in a year. That's how I like it best anyway. 4.5 stars

This was very good. All in all. Amazingly acted and directed, the script is well thought out and offers some interesting twists that I didn't figure out beforehand. Joon-gi and Chae-won fit together nicely, you believe them and root for them though all those years together. The excellent musical score took several scenes to heights that left me with tears in my eyes or goosebumps. A very, very successful piece within the genre. I have nothing to complain about. 5 stars.

I totally agree that the existence of a film about Milada Horáková is necessary and essential. I’ll give it a star for the fact that someone tried to make one. But I can't do much more than that because cinematically it was one big dud that didn't touch me despite the strong story the filmmakers were trying to tell. I hope and believe that this topic is not yet closed to the cinematic world.

I'm almost ashamed of how much I underestimated Doctor Crush, and how long I put off seeing it. Part of that was Shin-hye Park's unconvincing acting, who for me keeps jumping between the category of actors I love and the ones I can't even stand to look at. And it’s true, in half of the series I've seen with her I couldn't get enough of her, in the other half I couldn't stand her. Anyway, this is the former. And maybe her best role ever. She was wonderfully complemented by Rae-won Kim, who I currently see as one of the most enjoyable actors in Korea. He's matured nicely since the "angry" guy from Rooftop Room Cat, though, where he was also excellent, and I actually thought he was absolutely perfect. He and Shin-hye were a perfect match. Their relationship was healthy and made me happy. And so did the rest – or at least the vast majority – of the cast. I have nothing to complain about; it was brilliantly acted, written, filmed, and musically scored. 5 stars.

A lovely film with a wonderfully naive and offbeat plot. The quartet of likable actors and a few decent jokes don't make for a perfect film, but one that will definitely please many a romantic. The film also has a nice soundtrack and Clovis Cornillac is without a doubt the French Leonardo DiCaprio. 3.5 stars.

Not that I had a problem finishing the series or forcing myself to watch it, but I think I wouldn't have missed much if I had watched the movie. The character of the main hero is interesting at first, after all he is the plot of the whole series and the whole story is based on his mysterious behavior. But it very soon turns out that it's not enough. His charm faded with time and all that was left was a cold and not very charismatic boy who can't express himself. Baek In-ho gradually won me over completely. His sister, on the other hand, is a total disaster. I don't think I've ever seen such an affected character in anything. I have to take a star off because of her. The final denouement wasn't bad, in some ways it was actually quite bold, but it still doesn't save my overall impression. I'm wondering how and why the webtoon is so popular, because in series form it's not much to my liking. A weaker 3 stars.

It's definitely not a perfect series and a lot of things bothered me about it, but none of that changes the fact that more often than not I simply couldn't tear myself away from Pasta. I watched episode after episode in every spare moment, even at the expense of sleep. Just like old times. Which I got nostalgic for a few times while watching this, but though not all of them. I'm wondering if such harsh discrimination against women in Korean shows used to be common or if I'm just more sensitive to it now. It's been a pretty big topic in Korea lately, and I'm kind of scratching my head if even back then, the writer's intention was to show the viewer how horrible a woman's status is, not only at work, but also in the family. Or if it just seemed normal to the screenwriter. My impression is that in this country, the main character could sue her boss for a number of things, including physical violence. Whereas in Korea it’s nothing more than a story. I don't know how much this may have changed in ten years, but at the very least, I feel like they don't dare pull that kind of behavior in today's shows anymore. Anyway, much of the Korean romance that once made me fall in love with Korean culture involves – like it or not – a successful guy who treats his sweetheart inhumanely at first, only to turn into a lovelorn good guy later. Well, here's another crazy choleric that got me. I wouldn't bet on this actor, but I'm afraid I'm getting from my initial aversion to his voice to the point where I want to hear more of him. I won't miss his screaming, though. Hyo-Jin has been a favorite of mine for years and I just enjoy her natural style. A few of the staff members didn't sit well with me, but not enough to spoil my viewing. On the contrary, I liked how sensibly the screenwriter handled some situations. I'm happy with how the main characters turned out, but otherwise the last episode was a bit much for me. I have my reservations, quite a few, but my heart hasn't skipped a beat like that with anything in a long time. 4.5 stars. If you liked the series, I recommend Wok of Love. It's even better. :)

A wonderful odyssey of food. It's all about people who love food, led by one who can declare three dishes to be the best in the entire world in a single trip and a single episode. Oh, how I understand him! It's practically impossible not to love Phil and his expressions.

So this is what it looks like when two extremely shy and introverted people get together and fall in love? That would work. Granted, I was worried they'd soon get sick from all the coffee, but otherwise I was comfortable with them all those days in the warm, welcoming environment of the bookstore. I'm just can’t help thinking that if they hadn't had that forest next door, which I'm sure even Little Red Riding Hood must have passed through, the plot count would be close to zero. That’s not including the aunt's past, which I probably enjoyed the most out of all the characters. And also the main character's sister, she was probably the only truly extroverted character, so naturally she stood out. Otherwise, the series has a very slow and melancholy atmosphere combined with the ideal (for me) reading group where there are no age or gender restrictions. How could I not enjoy the company of such people? Some of the reflections and conversations grabbed me by the heart, and I liked how the director empathized with village life. However, that slow pace could also be a drawback, as at times – especially towards the end – it dragged on too much and boredom set in. 3.5 stars.

The Italians have managed to create a very good and appealing script. How else can you explain that more than ten countries have already made their own version of this film based on it, and more are planning to do so. There should be an English-language one among them. In France, they didn't invent anything new either, sticking almost perfectly to the Italian model. And I think that's a good thing, because the script is of such high quality that it doesn't stop entertaining me, perhaps even after watching all the remakes. The same problems, the same characters, the same crazy idea. The only things that change are the names of the characters, the food served in the evening, the jokes told, and a few minor cultural differences. And that's probably what I enjoy most about it. Anyway, I liked the French version, a strong 4 stars.