Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Finders Keepers


Finders Keepers turned out to be a great read/listen.

Spoilers:

But I think a younger Stephen King would have killed the mother. But I like happy endings better (maybe because I'm getting old too) 

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Descendants of the Sun

Photo credit: www.sweetnara.com

Descendants of the Sun is a Korean drama and the way it is most special to me is that is was finished before it was sold to TV. They usually keep on the series when the earlier episodes start to air and if the ratings are good they extend it. So this was good even before it started. Furthermore the two leads are two of my fave S. Korean actors Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo (no relation). I love these two and they are very organically pretty so it was visually very pleasing to look at them. And to my further delight they have great chemistry. The age difference between them is addressed but not presented as a big deal. And Song Hye Kyo looks really young but Song Joong Ki looks even younger. You can put him in high school and no one would bat an eye.

Also it is a testament to their acting skills (and Song Hye Kyo is a great comedic actress who is wasted in melos imho) that I believed delicate, tiny Song Joong Ki is a special ops soldier who beats people up. The writers are wisely inspired by Meredith Grey for Song Hye Kyo's successful surgeon and we have an adorable secondary couple who are even more in love with each other than our primary couple. And there are no misunderstandings here (a very common trope in Korean dramas) couples communicate clearly and discuss their issues without third party interference being necessary.

The whole thing is pro military and nationalistic but I liked it and I have cried and laughed and enjoyed my viewing very very much. 

Ted 2

Photo credit: neighborhoodview.org

Ted 2 was not as funny as the first one. But I laughed out loud a few times (and it is a lot more than I usually do, I like Seth MacFarlane's humour) 

The Brave One


The Brave One was not to my taste (and I remember I didn't like it that much when I watched it in theater) despite loving Jodie Foster. 

Surviving Christmas

Photo credit: nypost.com

Surviving Christmas I remember watching this film in theater and not liking it a lot. Now that I have rewatched it I remember why. It is such a stupid premise and the film kind of takes itself seriously and wastes good performances. Anyway, I don't recommend (my mother kind of liked the ending I guess??)

Enoshima Prism


Photo credit: asianwiki.com

Enoshima Prism turned out to be one of those Japanese high schooler travels through time films and for some reason I'm not that interested in time travel, at least not as much as the majority of film goers seem to be. Anyway it was nice to see "Kotoko" in a side role and I only fell asleep once and I cared enough to rewind and watch again. 

I, Daniel Blake

Photo credit: www.independent.co.uk

I, Daniel Blake ended up being a very powerful film that nearly broke my heart. Ken Loach is a director whose films I admire rather than like. This one however touched a core and I loved every single bit of it. I have cried and thought about how I could help to people like him. The last words especially were so effective.