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Reviews
Kwa-sok-seu-kaen-deul (2008)
Cute, bittersweet, and enjoyable
Able to humor an audience even though there is a cultural gap for non-Korean viewers. Manages a couple of laugh out loud moments in a mostly G-rated family oriented film. If you have no problems with subtitles or situational comedies, this movie is worth your time.
The film stays away from preaching its value set. Rather spending the 108 minutes of run time on the situations that have been created out of the characters choices.
Tae-hyun Cha creates a solid performance. In a role that could have been an unlikeable character, yet he keeps the main character fun. Bo-yeong Park plays her role down the middle. A solid performance from the side-kick role, Ji-ru Sung appears to steal every scene he is a part of.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Weak Script & Great special effects equals a forgettable ride.
The Good: Tobey as Parker. Sam Raimi's direction and camera style. The Special effects. Topher Grace as Brock. J.K. Simmons as Jameson. Bruce Campbell's cameo is a script highpoint. Did I mention the special effects?
The Mediocre: Venom, interesting design and special effects, but not a developed story arc. What could have been impressive, comes off flat because of the depth. Thomas Haden Church also had little to work with, was as good as the script allowed him to be. James Franco did what he could with the script as well, but his part became so cliché because of the script, it was almost laughable by film's end. James Cromwell is under used.
The Bad: The script. Treads into numerous clichéd areas. The villains are underdeveloped, special effects can't carry a C script into an A grade. Too much occurs with too little depth, characters occur shallow or callow at times. Gwen Stacy's parts are so poorly written and conceived, that Bryce Dallas Howard is unable to salvage anything from her screen time. Which is a shame.
The Unforgivable: If there is a Spiderman 4, please for the love of all that is unholy, don't bring Kirsten Dunst back. By film's end I suspect 1/4 of the theater would have attempted seppuku if Dunst had sang yet another song.
Grindhouse (2007)
Worth your money, if you enjoy cinema
Rodriguez & Tarantino together for a film that glorifies grind house cinema. Only the pair that brought you Miramax Films and Dimension Films, the Weinstein brothers, would dare to fund a dream this large.
And Grindhouse works. It doesn't work in an, "omg this is the best movie ever!" way. Rather, it works as a homage to schlock seventies cinema. A solid tip of the hat, from 2 masters, having fun at what they do. Providing a nice touch of atmosphere throughout the movie, are trailers and little easter eggs. Complete with missing frames and grainy aging filters applied to the film print.Grindhouse isn't meant to be taken serious or as serious work from either director.
Anyone that goes into this experience expecting Pulp Fiction or Sin City won't have fun. The overall effect is just short of brilliance. As it was intended to be.
Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" seems to have fared the worst of the two pictures in early reviews. Those reviews are flawed. Planet Terror is a hell of a ride for anyone that experienced the splash & splatter films of the late 1970 to mid 1980's. Rodriguez uses laughs and gore and absurd images to assault your senses. If you've ever recited dialog from a cult movie when among friends, this movie is for you.
Tarantino decided to take on the road exploitation film. "Death Proof" falls a little short of the mark. The first act either misses the mark entirely or runs a hair long, that will just depend on your viewpoint. The pacing during the first act can be slow. Strap in for the last 2 acts, you will get intimately acquainted with Death Race, Duel, Vanishing Point, and Gone in 60 seconds. Not the remake, the 1974 version.
Death Proof is filled with Tarantino dialog that makes the process worthwhile. Deliberate and intentional with methodical pacing this vehicle idles at times. And throttles to the floor at other times. Kurt Russell steals the scenes in bursts.
Grindhouse as whole might be a little much for the average film goer to absorb in one sitting. Rodriguez & Tarantino aren't for the average film patron though. And you certainly aren't the average film patron. Otherwise, why would you read an article about Rodriguez & Tarantino, hosted on a site devoted to theater? Break out your wallet and prepare to get retro, if for only 3 hours.