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Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)
Speak to me, Brother. [Spoilers.]
There are a few things you, the reader, should know about me before reading on: 1. I am Korean and proud of it. 2. I don't know a lot of Korean history. 3. I am very emotional and sensitive. 4. I don't like war movies.
Okay, now that's out of the way, let's get started shall we? "Taegukgi" is a Korean war/drama about two brothers who are forced to join the Korean army after the North Koreans attack the border and try to invade South Korea. Over the course of the war, the two brothers find themselves drifting farther and farther apart as the older one quickly moves up in rank in the army. It starts in the present when archeologists find the skeleton of the older brother and they call the younger brother about the discovery of his brother's body.
While the fighting style, the guns, the explosions, the missing limbs and the overall bloodiness of it reminded me so much of "Saving Private Ryan", "Taegukgi" concentrates on the characters more than the actual war. In the beginning, both of the brothers are happy-go-lucky guys living a normal life in rural Korea. As the war progresses, we can see the psychological change as the older brother becomes more focused on gaining more for himself from the war rather than hoping it would end. I cried several times during the movie, especially at the end (yes, I know I'm a complete sap.).
"Taegukgi" isn't meant to be taken as a war movie that only focuses on the war itself. It's much like "Pearl Harbor". It's the story of two brothers and the war is just the current that pulls us along with them on their journey throughout the three years of the Korean War.
At the end, when we are brought back to the present, the younger brother's anguish and grief is expressed in one small speech he delivers (I cried when he said this, too): "I waited 53 years, brother. I shouldn't have left you there. Say something. Speak to me, brother."
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
I believe there's a hero in all of us.
Before I launch into my review of this movie, I'd like you (the reader) to know a few things: 1. I have never read a Spiderman comic book before. 2. I'm NOT a fan of action/superhero movies. 3. I'm NOT an immature thirteen-year-old who watched this movie for the pure purpose of seeing Tobey Maguire shirtless. But, I wouldn't mind. Hehe. 4. I have a brain. A working one.
Okay, so, getting on with this review...I saw the first Spiderman movie and I could not believe how amazing it was! So, naturally, I was quite excited when I found out about Spiderman 2.
The basic synopsis is this: it's two years after Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) gained his superhuman powers after getting bitten by a radioactive spider. He's failing college, his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) isn't doing too well, his best friend, Harry Osbourn (James Franco), is obsessed with finding Spiderman to avenge his father, and of course, Parker can't tell the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), that he's Spiderman.
Alas, woe is Peter. Tobey Maguire's acting has this special little spark that makes you really empathize with him. Of course, Parker's life will probably never happen to me. But, there was something about the way Tobey played Peter that made me really connect with his character. James Franco plays brilliantly as his character, Harry Osbourn, slowly goes insane with his crazy obsession over Spiderman. Kirsten Dunst is delicious as Mary Jane Watson. Even though she becomes engaged, you can tell that she knows that Peter is the one that she loves and she's trying to cover it up. Kirsten Dunst wonderfully portrays that angst within, which is quite a challenge for even the best actresses out there. Rosemary Harris was probably the most inspirational character in this movie. She delivers this inspiring and heart-touching speech where she tells Peter about heroes and what it means to be one.
Ah, but who can forget about the infamous villain? Alfred Molina plays Dr. Otto Octavius. However, the villain is just as complex as the superhero. After his mechanical arms are permanently welded onto his body, he says, "These monsters should be at the bottom of the river. Along with me." He isn't necessarily evil. He's just like Spiderman. They're both motivated by a single purpose, which leads them to do what they do.
In Spiderman 2, Spiderman is much less of a comic book figure and more of an actual human with superhuman powers. The effects and fight scenes are mind-blowing and breath-taking. I was cutting off my brother's circulation in his arm during the intense fight scenes. There was so much chemistry between the actors, especially Mary Jane and Peter Parker, you could almost see bubbles rising and popping.
All in all, Spiderman 2 was an inspirational film. At the end, the movie made me feel so wonderful and whole. It was more than just a film. It's an inspiration for people who've hit rock bottom and need to realize that the only way left is up.
Arahan jangpung daejakjeon (2004)
Buckle your seatbelts.
Being of Korean descent and a huge film buff (especially Harry Potter), but having no knowledge of Korean films (which my parents find is a disgrace), my father thought it would be good for me to watch "Arahan". It's set in a modern-time period, but takes martial arts and special effects to a whole new level with characters running down the side of buildings, jumping great distances and even having this power called "jangpung", which is blasting objects out of the way. Normally, I would have called this cheesy, but the director and writers actually made it funny. Now, the main character isn't a typical superhero. He's a deadbeat cop with no self-esteem whatsoever. You follow him as he's recruited by the Seven Masters and trained into shape. He falls in love with one of the Seven Masters, Eui-Jun. An evil spirit takes human form and looks for this legendary sword. It's your typical Asian action movie, but it's also extremely funny and fast-paced. I recommend this movie to fans of Asian action and/or comedy.