42 posts tagged “review”
So who isn't happy about the Golden Bell result, especially for Best Actor?
Now, for best actor, I was hoping, and expecting, Zaizai to win.
Okay, Zhao You Ting (Mark) was good but I agree with most netizens' observation that the GBA panel seemed to have judged him based on his being a newbie. For a newbie, certainly, Mark acted well.
BUT.
His role was one-dimensional, it did not show depth in characterization. On the other hand, Zaizai's role was more difficult to do. He was good and at the same time bad. He was funny, at the same time pathetic. And Zaizai managed to get across the constant struggle of his character.
That is why I think Zaizai deserves the award more.
Ah well, another year, another GBA. They don't fail to disappoint anyway, always.
Let's see now if there's truth to the GBA curse. That would be unfortunate for a newcomer like Mark who still has a lot to offer though.
I finally got to watch Cape No. 7, the movie that swept Taiwan last year.
I didn't blog it not because I was lazy but in deference to recent circumstances.
The movie did not disappoint though there was absolutely no chemistry between the leads.
Quite ironic since the two are supposedly dating in real life.
I like the soundtrack and DON'T WANNA, sang by Van Fan, the lead actor, is my fave.
I specially like the opening when he rams his guitar on the pavement and shouts: "FUCK YOU TAIPEI!"
So many times I've tried
Put in my heart and soul
Never good enough for you
I'm sick of all your lies
It's time to realize
I'm better off without you
Don't wanna be a fool and a slave
To satisfy your needs
Not gonna waste my time and my life
To settle in your dreams
You said it's over
It's never over
It's time for something new
I tried so hard
To get this over
To follow something new
So many times I've tired
Put in my heart and soul
Never good enough for you
I'm sick of all your lies
It's time to realize
I'm better off without you
Don't wanna be a fool and a slave
To satisfy on your needs
Not gonna waste my time and my life
To settle in your dreams
Your said it's over
It's never over
It's time for something new
I tried so hard
To get this over
To follow something new
Your said it's over
It's never over
It's time for something new
I tried so hard
To get this over
To follow something new
Today is a holiday in the Kingdom because it's the Queen's birthday.
I just finished watching Black&White and am I glad it's over.
And the most unacceptable factor for me is the basic foundation of this drama. A would-be-president, his illegitimate son, the love of his life, his best friend, the best friend's daughter and the daughter's love interest. The ties just defy logic. And the romance just brought down the entire story. It was totally unnecessary and completely annoying (now I hate not only the lead female character but Ivy Chen herself)!
Zaizai is good as the bumbling cop with a mysterious past, he provided the much-needed comic relief. Of the F4, I liked Zaizai the least but I found myself liking him more here. Of course Zhao You Ting is the biggest discovery of the year in Taiwan and for a newcomer, he can really act. Where do I get a number to be Mrs Zhao?
I admire Tsai Yue Hsun's work but he has the tendency to over-extend things until they become too exaggerated for comfort. The first half of this drama was fun and riveting to watch but everything falls apart in the second half when all the conspiracies and complicated ties start to unravel. Too many subplots to handle. All in all though, still a good one to watch. Not really looking forward to the movie but will still watch it when it comes out.
... to avoid confusion.
I was at Kino quite early yesterday and was just browsing idly when I saw Yu Dan's book, Confucius from the Heart. Sold more than 10 million copies (in China alone, I would find out later)? I got curious naturally and flipped through the pages wondering if it's a good read.
I was going through something yesterday that made me feel angsty. And when I read the line: "Out of 10 things, eight or nine will not go as we wish, but one or two do go as we wish." For that alone, I was sold on the book.
I'm into chapter two so far, there are six chapters explaining Confucius' anaclets in layman's terms and applying it to modern times. So far, I'm liking it but it makes me realise I'm so far to being a junzi (free from worries and fears).
Of course some of her prose are not original and we may have heard before (At least one reviewer thinks so), but I like reading this than those self-help books with condescending tones.
I also like the paintings before each chapter. Let's see if Confucius can change me.
But in Chicago the musical, I liked Velma Kelly (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie). Velma was just more funny onstage.
On a side note on the opening of the musical here in BKK, there were a lot of stars in attendance; even more star-studded than Cinderella. But we didn't know anyone... oh except for that actress whose giant movie tarpaulin was hanging over the stairs going down from the theatre. I am a useless stalker of Thai stars.
Disclaimer: It's a free world and what's written here is just my opinion and not meant to "badmouth" the Korean production.
I really tried to like Boys Over Flowers. But...
Ko Hye Sun is too old for the role of Jian Di and her feistiness annoys me. A friend (I won't mention who you are just in case you don't want to be identified) said she is channeling Nodame in acting as Jian Di and I agree. The original Makino Tsukushi is supposed to be feisty and cute, not a weed you'd really love to step on so she would stop annoying you.
Lee Min Ho's Joon Pyo... I have no words for those hot rollers curls. Oh I have one. Peluka. He does look like Jerry Yan and perhaps that was the main factor why they picked him. But for some reason, he's just good looking but not quite there as Domyoji Tsukasa. Jerry, for all his stiffness, was a funny Daomingsi. Matsumoto Jun, undoubtedly, owned the role and while he may have been short to be the perfect Domyoji, he made up for it with how he combined dorkiness and arrogance and came up with perhaps the most endearing portrayal of the famous rich idiot.
Kim Hyun Joong as Ji Hoo reminds me of a white lady, not only because of his complexion, but like a ghost, he has no expression. He looks through you, he even looks through water. I mean, Hanazawa Rui was laidback but never this lifeless.
Kim Joon is passable as Song Woo Bin perhaps because I never really care for the role. I mean, Vanness Wu made a very entertaining Mei Zhou but he was the only one who shone in the role IMHO.
Now, Kim Bum as So Yi Jung is perhaps the only reason why I would like Boys Over Flowers. I always have a soft spot for the role because both Ken Zhu and Shota Matsuda were good as Xi Men/ Soujiro and Kim Bum is as equally good.
Overall, I can't understand what the scriptwriter and the director are trying to achieve. First, Domyoji is supposed to be unwittingly funny but why is it that I can't laugh at Joon Pyo's lines? Is it because the script itself falls flat or is it that Min Ho falls short at giving his role the right ounce of bakaness? Then there is the whole feel of the drama itself. I read that there was a change of camera director and the one who's doing the job now has a documentary background. What the hell right, this is supposed to be a light-hearted romance drama not Christiana Amanpour on CNN. The Korean production really needs to lighten up, including Min Ho and Hye Sun then maybe they'd be more fun to watch.
I'm done watching Worlds Within (except for the ultra heartbreaking episode 11 where Ji Oh wanted to break up and the SP) and it was actually a pleasant experience. Except for that glaucoma thing because I felt that's where the drama fell into Korean melodrama territory. Perhaps the production panicked at the low ratings and wanted to inject something melodramatic to it to rein in the audience but that route of one of the leads becoming ill and wanting to break up has been used countless of times before it doesn't work anymore. Besides, if you're so sick, would you still think of breaking up? I don't think you can even think of anything else but to get better, how much more break up with someone. Aiyshe.
My fave characters are (from left below) Uhm Ki Joon (sharp tongued, egocentric and high rating drama director who's the son of a politician), Lee Seo Woo (the eccentric scriptwriter), Park Yun Sup (the drama CP who pokes his nose in everyone's business and is just outrightly funny... imagine an old man who is gossipy). I'm guessing the lady with Park Yun Sup is writer Noh Hee Kyung who's responsible for the meaty lines in this drama.
I was just reading through the forums on WW and many people were really disappointed in it huh? The concept about behind-the-scenes of a drama production is not exactly new (they did it with On Air which rated really high). But I guess people got bored with all the talk, which ironically, is the gem of this production, aside from the cinematography. If one is looking for mindless, senseless drama just for the sake of drama, then I suppose this is not the one to watch.
I have started watching Worlds Within (The World That They Live In) and while it's not so outstanding, it is not so bad either that it does not merit the low ratings it received while it was airing in Korea. It has a very interesting premise and offers a glimpse on what happens behind the scenes in a drama production. I still have to decide if there is major chemistry between Hyun Bin and Song Hye-kyo but I love the support cast. Some of the characters are funny and interesting and the lines are funny too.
Assistant director Yang Soo Kyung to director Joo Joon Young (played by Hye-kyo):
Aren't the dramas you film like this?
If the main character just raises his hand, a taxi appears.
There's always an empty spot in the parking lot.
Nobody goes to the bathroom.
Nobody dies from any deadly injury.
And wherever you are in the planet, the two leads always meet.
There's no reality at all.
To which Joon Young replies:
Then you can film a drama with such reality.
The main character is injured in a fight and dies.
The hero has to meet the heroine but can't find a taxi so they never meet.
The hero goes to the bathroom every hour.
If you don't film this type of drama, you'll die in my hands.
My favourite characters so far are the quirky scriptwriter (and her dog), the grumpy senior actress who's always picking on Yang Soo Kyung, the old man drama executive who loves poking in other people's business and the tomboyish assistant director (who reminds me of Coffee Prince).
