Reviews

This movie made me laugh so hard I had stomach cramps after.

Suckseed is a Thai Romantic Comedy film centered on friendship. It's a story of three high school boys who wants to make it big as a rock band even though they obviously don't have talent in music. This is the second Thai movie I watched and I love the simple yet endearing stories of their films.

I have mix opinions with this film. I liked it but it isn't enough for me to love it. The story is okay and the funny scenes are remarkable. I only have problems with the characters. I'm not really a fan of selfish, self-centered, bashy people.

Okay pessimism aside, there are still things I liked with this film.

First is the soundtrack. I love the songs! Music is the strength of this movie. I also loved the way they incorporated the original artists who sang the soundtracks in the film. It's as if you're just watching a music video. The songs reminded me of our local rock bands. It's a bit the same and I'll never get tired of listening to them.

Second is the setting. Their school reminded me of my high school Alma matter. Almost similar without the shorts for boys (I mean they wear pants). I went to a public high school in Pangasinan and the time I spent there was the craziest and most memorable years I had.

Third is Ex—the drummer. I don't like him because he's cute or anything. I like him because he squeals like a girl! Hahaha. He has a very manly introduction in the movie—then boom! He screamed! That was amusing.

I recommend this movie to all rock music fans out there. If you're looking for a good laugh, I guarantee SuckSeed is a good choice.

I waited for the series to end in GMA 7 before making this review. I watched the original Korean series with English subtitle but I didn't enjoy it. I don't know if it was the actor's or actress's voice or the subtitle but I really didn't find the series appealing. So when I saw the teaser from GMA 7 a few months back, I decided to give it another try. I watched Hyun Bin from the series My Name is Kim Sam Soon and I love him ever since. That's why watching it twice was not a bad idea.

I wasn't disappointed. I liked the way the Filipinos dubbed the series. The "kalye" language they used was very appropriate for our culture and made the series more natural. I definitely love the "saltik" term Jamie used to call Owen. It became an endearment. (How was that possible? You should watch the tagalized series.)

Secret Garden was one of the most popular drama series to hit mainstream Korea. It has high ratings and continued to be on top of the charts till the last episode. I won't argue with that. It was really funny. I understand why the Koreans loved it because after watching the tagalized version, I fell in love with it too. I thought that the series was like a Korean remake of the movie It's a Boy Girl Thing (2006). I'm not saying it was the same but I think the concept was derived from this movie. The Koreans just expanded the concept and made the story suitable for Asian audiences.

Hyun Bin's portrayal of Owen's character was very smooth but I was more amazed with Hyun Bin's acting when the swapping of bodies occurred. He has to act as Jamie and that basically requires him to act like a girl— he was very effective. The change in characters was drastic but Hyun Bin pulled it off. It was not awkward. The acting was very natural. And as a viewer, I believed that Jamie's soul was in Owen's body.

On the other hand, Hai Ji Won's acting may not be impressive but she improved very well since she started in the business. I first had a glimpse of her acting prowess in the movie 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant and she was not good. I found her acting in that movie very novice but that would be in another review. I don't think there's much difference from her Jamie-self and Owen-acting when the switched occurred. She already has as strong, tomboyish character at the beginning of the series, so I didn't find it exceptional.

The series in general was slow-paced. I understand that they wanted to build the characters in the first ten episodes to make the viewers acquainted with their attitudes so by the time the swap happens, the viewers will easily see the changes. However, I was bored to death waiting for the swap to happen. This was supposedly the core of the series. Why haven't they shown it yet? When it finally did, instead of feeling ecstatic, I was relieved. At long last, the moment I've been waiting for took place.

Hey, wait up! It's not all negative. There are a couple of things I love from the series.

First, Owen's trademark track suit. That sequenced blue track suit was probably the most popular item ever copied and mass-produced in Korea. It looks funny in Owen but it looks adorable in Hyun Bin. (The analogy is difficult to explain. Ha-ha)

Second, the unexpected kiss between Owen (with Jamie's soul) and his cousin Oska (Yoon Sang Hyun). I find that scene remarkable! I can't forget it. I know Hyun Bin was acting Jamie's character but still in reality he is who he is and Oksa is Yoon Sang Hyun and they shared a kiss?! I can't take that off my mind for a few days.

And last of all, Owen's attitude with love. If there's a guy out there like him, pwede akin ka na lang? (Can you please be mine?) He fought for what he wanted. He didn't give up on love. Even if Jamie threw him out, physically and emotionally hurt him—he stayed. He showed the cold, afraid and aloof Jamie what it means to love and be loved.

Full Review posted @ shanatalks.wordpress.com

The first 15 minutes of the movie was the introduction of the characters and the situation the characters were in. The story is centered on an average, plain-looking and dark-skinned girl named Nam (Baifren Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul) who is secretly in love with an older Grade 10 guy named Shone (Mario Maurer). Shone, a new student, a rumored troublemaker and a photography enthusiast, easily becomes a popular student in school because of his good looks and soccer-playing skills.

The movie was like a real life adaptation of the Ugly Duckling. Nam was well aware that she has slim chances of being noticed by Shone because of her physical looks, but does not give up easily. With the help of her close girl friends, Nam tries everything to make herself more beautiful and outstanding in school, hoping that Shone will like her someday. Nam's transformation each year was a refreshing scene you'll look forward to in the movie. In every change in her look, you'll wonder if by this time Shone will finally see her efforts and hope that he'll reciprocate her feelings.

Another character that indirectly helped Nam in her transformation from an ugly dark-skinned girl to a glowing lovely growing up lass was her domineering but comical teacher Inn (Sudarat Budtporm). She was one hell of a comedian. I was really laughing hard every time she has a scene from the movie. She's like Pokwang. Her acting and funny antics were effortless! I can say that she was one of the characters that will sustain your interest in the movie.

Aside from the comical part of the movie, its tear-jerky scenes are really worth your tears. The most painful part for me was when Nam finally had the courage to reveal her true feelings for Shone. However, upon seeing a note in Shone's shirt that Shone and Pin, a girl from Shone's class who once defended her from bullies, are in a relationship, she gets heartbroken and weepingly wished Shone and Pin the best. She even fell in the swimming pool! Baifren Pimchanok acting for this scene was awesome. She was able to portray the right emotion needed for the scene. You'll feel sorry for her and share her pain, and at the same time makes you remember the first time your heart was broken.

Mario Maurer's acting on the other hand, was very consistent. You really wouldn't notice that he's hiding something from his cool facade. Midway in the movie, I even thought that Nam should just give it up because I think Shone would never like her. There was no hint whatsoever that he likes Nam too. So the twist in the story was really a revelation for me. When the POV shifted to Shone's, it was unveiled that Shone likes Nam since she was an M.1 student. That was really unexpected! Of course, I knew that it would have a happy ending since this is romance but I never thought Shone has feelings for her too even when Nam was still not pretty. Ah… The beauty of first love.

Okay, I was really into the movie. But… there are still some parts of it I don't like. First, Nam's friends. For the whole of the movie, they look the same. I mean, look at Nam! She developed herself in every step of the way but her friends never even changed-not one bit. They don't have to make them all beautiful because that will make the movie unrealistic but they could have made them look different for every passing year. It was like they were stuck with their appearance from 1st Grade.

Second, Shone's appearance after nine years and again Nam's friends. The dark-skinned Shone doesn't look nice. I know they want him to look mature so they curled his hair and made him tanner but for me it he turned out "baluga". They could have made him mature in so many other ways. Nam friends had changed but it was too drastic. I know nine years was a long period but the change in them seems too sudden. They tried to show that one of her friends became a pilot or something but it didn't fit. If they made the changes throughout the movie, then their sudden change at the end wouldn't be a shock.

Lastly, I was not contented with the ending. Yes, it's a happy ending but after all they've went through, I was like, that was it?! The ending was okay but it was very brief. It left too many questions. It's as if the director and the writer just wanted to end the movie and raise the curtains so they made them meet on a television show. I was happy that they met again and their feelings were finally revealed and in national television but again it was not enough. There's the nine years gap of what happened with their lives and the explanation of the black book. Maybe it was probably even better if they included a little teaser at the end showing what happened after their television appearance. Well, at least there'd be a sequel for the movie so might as well stop bitching about the ending now.

I fell in love with the story. Watching the movie was like riding a train back to memory lane. It made me remember my own craziness in high school. The beauty of first love, friendship and dreams. It was a refreshing movie from what I usually watch here in the Philippines. I just wish we can do something like this—very light but very meaningful.

I'm not a Justin Bieber fan. I listen to his songs when it's being played and I wouldn't change channels when his music video is on MTV but I'm not a hard-core-bieliber. I really couldn't understand why there were girls crazy over him.

If I probably have 100 reasons why I don't like him, his fans would definitely have 1001 (and beyond) reasons why they adore him. So it's a wonder why I watched his Justin Bieber: Never Say Never movie on one weekend at 1 in the morning. And surprisingly, I found myself enjoying it and even watched it twice.

Honestly, I was not really interested in watching the entire movie. Since it's my habit of checking the ending first (not always but I do that, ha-ha), I decided to check the last 5 minutes of it. What I saw was an arena full of screaming female fans (majority of it) making the love heart sign with their hands and chanting Justin's name. I can't explain why but even without seeing the full movie yet, I felt over-whelmed. And that made me decide to watch it—thoroughly.

I thought it was just a simple-concert-turned-movie kind of crap but I was wrong. It was Justin's story. It's a narration of his humble beginnings as an aspiring 14 year old artist, his struggles of entering main stream US music industry, and his success as a 16 year old music icon who conquered the music world in barely two years.

When I heard Justin's first single "One Time", I initially thought that he was just another Aaron-Carter-wanna-be and for sure his popularity will not even last a year. His voice was very young and his songs were suitable for audiences of Nickelodeon or Disney. Scooter Braun was right when he said that DJs wouldn't play a record of a 15 year old kid. So they decided to work on another plan. They've let Justin perform live in different radio stations all over the US whether they play his record or not. This was where I saw how Justin and his group started from scratch and broke my notion that since Usher was co-handling him—everything came his way-it wasn't like that. He and his team worked hard for it.

What I really like about this documentary was the sincerity of the people behind Justin Bieber's success. No matter how talented or how charming he maybe without these people, he wouldn't be who he is now. I know that they get millions of dollars now from Justin, but when he was still starting, there was no guarantee if he'll succeed. Nevertheless, they stood for him and gave him their 101 percent support.

They also knew the importance of Justin's fans. They knew that they owe Justin's success to them. And the good thing is they never forget that. Let's admit it, with what's happening with the global economy right now, not everyone can afford to buy a ticket for the front rows or anywhere within 10 meter distance from the stage. Some can't even pay for the tickets at all. Imagine what a die-hard fan would do if she gets a free ticket very close from the stage—Yeah, you're right—you get screaming fans. And this was what the team did.

Now for the funny part, the avid fans. I really find most of his female fans annoying and overacting. Hey, I'm not being mean okay? I'm just being honest. Hello?! He's not from outer space! He also has the same organs as you do. He eats the same food as you do (it's just probably more expensive). He breathes the same air as you do. He lives on earth as you do. And above all, he p**ps too. So I don't get it why these toddlers, middle school kids and teens think he's the hottest guy on the planet. I was once a kid. I also had my share of artist crushes and time to time craziness but not all the time! I have nothing against Justin Bieber fans. They just go overboard most of the time.

I know a lot of Justin-haters or simply avid movie goers don't like the movie. I respect that. We all have different perceptions. I'm still not a Bieber fan and I'm certain I wouldn't get the so-called Bieber Fever. However, after seeing this documentary-concert-movie, I somehow understood why his fans adored him so much. There are only few people who are naturally born charmers and Justin was one of them. He has a commanding presence on stage and he really is adorable. I also realized that he is human too and he is like any other teenager. He just got lucky. Ha-ha. :)

Though I liked the movie, the little critic in me won't give this a full ten. There are some shots that just suddenly pop up out of nowhere and it makes the movie a bit confusing. I found those annoying. Justin fan or not, I'll score this 2 starss.