The Host

The Host Sypnosis: (from http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr)
Gang-du is a dim-witted man working at his father's tiny snack bar near the Han River. One day, Gang-du's one and only daughter Hyun-seo comes back from school irritated. She is angry at her uncle, Nam-il, who visited her school as her guardian shamelessly drunk. Ignoring her father's excuses for Nam-il, Hyun-seo is soon engrossed in her aunt Nam-joo's archery tournament on TV. Meanwhile, outside of the snack bar, people are fascinated by an unidentified object hanging onto a bridge. In an instant, the object reveals itself as a terrifying creature turning the riverbank into a gruesome sea of blood¡¦ Amid the chaos, Hyun-seo is helplessly snatched up by the creature right before Gang-du's eyes. These unforeseen circumstances render the government powerless to act. But receiving a call of help from Hyun-seo, the once-ordinary citizen Gang-du and his family are thrust into a battle with the monster to rescue their beloved Hyun-seo.

My comments:
I feel so outdated for catching The Host now, which is mega blockbuster of 2006 in its home country, S.Korea. Can’t blame me, a movie about a sea monster (a yucky looking one by the way) harming humans is not my type of movie. But I have to say that it’s a a pretty good and enjoyable movie overall.

This movie is more about family members who didn’t seem to be in good terms with each other, uniting together with only one goal: to save the little Hyun Seo. It’s heartwarming to see them willing to sacrifice their lives for that goal. The creature didn’t have a lot of screen time but everytime that this thing appears, it’s very creepy. I had a little sympathy for the monster when he (or is it a she?) was sitting lonely near the river. It makes you think, is it really the creature’s fault or is it more the fault of the guys who dumped the toxics in drain which caused this…My only complaint is the hospital scenes that gave me some laugh, which I wondered if they were meant to be comic relief…

Woohoo ~

I woke up earlier than usual this morning looking forward to the nomination list of the upcoming 金曲獎. Here's the partial nomination list:

■ 最佳年度歌曲獎
- 無與倫比的美麗《無與倫比的美麗》／林暐哲音樂社
- 達爾文I《Goodbye & Hello》／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 青花瓷《我很忙》／杰威爾音樂有限公司
- Love Song《Wonderland未來》／華納國際音樂股份有限公司
- 逆光《逆光專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 一眼瞬間《STAR專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司

■ 最佳國語專輯獎
- 無與倫比的美麗／林暐哲音樂社
- STAR專輯／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 逆光專輯／科藝百代股份有限公司
- Goodbye & Hello／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 拉活…／新力博德曼音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 我很忙／杰威爾音樂有限公司

■ 最佳音樂錄影帶導演獎
- 徐筠軒／左邊《無與倫比的美麗》／林暐哲音樂社
- 陳宏一／學會《Ivana首張國語創作專輯》／種子音樂有限公司
- 周格泰／崇拜《崇拜》／相信音樂國際股份有限公司
- 區雪儀／WHY《范曉萱+100%樂團 / 2007突破影音專輯》／吃草的魚傳播有限公司
- 鍾偉權／我就是這樣的《我在存在》／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳作曲人獎
- 吳青峰／無與倫比的美麗《無與倫比的美麗》／林暐哲音樂社
- 蕭煌奇／愛這首歌《真情歌》／黑色吉他工作室
- 曹格／一眼瞬間《STAR專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 蔡健雅／空白格《Goodbye & Hello》／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 周杰倫／青花瓷《我很忙》／杰威爾音樂有限公司
- 林倛玉／慶幸有你愛我《慶幸擁有》／華納國際音樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳作詞人獎
- 葉國居／髻鬃花《髻鬃花-鄭朝方的文學音樂》／新福休閒股份有限公司
- 廖瑩如／逆光《逆光專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 小寒／達爾文I《Goodbye & Hello》／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 張懸／畢竟《親愛的...我還不知道》／新力博德曼音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 方文山／青花瓷《我很忙》／杰威爾音樂有限公司
- 齊秦,張震嶽／思念是一種病《OK》／滾石國際音樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳編曲人獎
- 吳青峰，史俊威，謝馨儀，劉家凱，何景揚，龔鈺祺，林暐哲／無與倫比的美麗《無與倫比的美麗》／林暐哲音樂
- 社小安／特務J《特務J專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- Martin Tang／逆光《逆光專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 陳建騏／崇拜《崇拜》／相信音樂國際股份有限公司
- 黃中岳／達爾文I《Goodbye & Hello》／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 涂惠源／起床歌《Super Sunshine》／滾石國際音樂股份有限公司
- 鍾興民／青花瓷《我很忙》／杰威爾音樂有限公司

■ 最佳專輯製作人獎
- 黃連煜／2007 BANANA／貳樓音樂工作室
- 曹登昌／依拜維吉／詮釋音樂文化事業有限公司
- 蔡健雅／Goodbye & Hello／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- Terry Chan／拉活…／新力博德曼音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 曹格、涂惠源／Super Sunshine／滾石國際音樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳單曲製作人獎
- 鍾成虎／pussy《pussy》／好小氣音樂工作室
- 陳建良／傻瓜《熱浪》／種子音樂有限公司
- TANK／反恐小組《延長比賽》／華研國際音樂股份有限公司
- 阿弟仔／特務J《特務J專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 馬毓芬／一眼瞬間《STAR專輯》／科藝百代股份有限公司

■ 最佳國語男歌手獎
- 陳奕迅／認了吧／上華國際企業股份有限公司
- TANK／延長比賽／華研國際音樂股份有限公司
- 信／我就是我／艾迴股份有限公司
- 楊培安／楊培安II／擎天娛樂事業股份有限公司
- 曹格／Super Sunshine／滾石國際音樂股份有限公司
- 方大同／Wonderland未來／華納國際音樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳國語女歌手獎
- 張惠妹／STAR專輯／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 孫燕姿／逆光專輯／科藝百代股份有限公司
- 梁靜茹／崇拜／相信音樂國際股份有限公司
- 蔡健雅／Goodbye & Hello／亞神音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 莫文蔚／拉活…／新力博德曼音樂娛樂股份有限公司
- 蔡淳佳／慶幸擁有／華納國際音樂股份有限公司

■ 最佳樂團獎
- 櫻桃幫／乖乖／環球國際唱片股份有限公司
- 這位太太／是誰／喜瑪拉雅音樂事業股份有限公司
- 蘇打綠／無與倫比的美麗／林暐哲音樂社
- 旺福樂團／旺福 青春舞曲／豐華唱片股份有限公司
- 范曉萱+100%樂團／范曉萱+100%樂團 / 2007突破影音專輯／吃草的魚傳播有限公司
- 拷秋勤／拷！！出來了！！！／參拾柒度製作有限公司

■ 最佳演唱組合獎
- 大嘴巴／大嘴巴同名專輯／環球國際唱片股份有限公司
- 南拳媽媽／藏寶圖／阿爾發音樂股份有限公司
- Soler／Soler《X2》／上多利國際娛樂有限公司

■ 最具潛力新人獎
- 蕭賀碩／碩一碩的流浪地圖／碩果音樂工作室
- 閻韋伶／傻孩子／上多利國際娛樂有限公司
- 呂莘／心動的時刻／喜國娛樂事業有限公司
- 羅思容／每日／大大樹音樂圖像有限公司
- 吳听徹／徹夜未眠／我董娛樂經紀有限公司
- WOW／頭號人物／新力博德曼音樂娛樂股份有限公司

■ 演奏類 最佳專輯獎
- 托斯卡尼 我想起你／風潮音樂國際股份有限公司
- 絲竹空／絲竹空爵士樂團Mr.比布／彗智數位影音有限公司
- 不能說的˙秘密／杰威爾音樂有限公司

■ 演奏類 最佳專輯製作人獎
- 李欣芸／托斯卡尼 我想起你／風潮音樂國際股份有限公司
- 彭郁雯／絲竹空／絲竹空爵士樂團
- 周杰倫／不能說的˙秘密／杰威爾音樂有限公司
- 阮丹青／阮丹青 陽光海岸／典選音樂事業股份有限公司

■ 演奏類 最佳作曲人獎
- 李欣芸／西伯利亞的風《鹿女 永恆的追尋》／肯園國際股份有限公司
- 章世和／神鍠震九疆《霹靂開疆紀原聲帶》／無非文化有限公司
- 周杰倫、Terdsak Janpan／琴房《不能說的˙秘密》／杰威爾音樂有限公司
- 阮丹青／陽光海岸／典選音樂事業股份有限公司

Additional thoughts:
Music is subjective so some will like this list and some will not. I think it’s a well balanced list between mainstream and non-mainstream. For me, this year should be interesting because three of my favs: Jay, Khalil and Gary are nominated here and there and in some categories, they are against each other…ouch, I’m torn! I’ll be watching this award show on July 5 with my popcorns ready…hehe!

A few surprises:
1) The judges really like Jay and Sodagreen this year, it’s not anything bad though
2) Lee Hom is completely shut off this year and to a certain extent A-Yue too, who was highly regarded as a hot favorite this year
3) I was worried that Khalil will not get nominated at all and I’m so relieved to see him in the list but I’m a bit disappointed that he’s not in the composer, arranger and producer category.

* List from GMA Official Website

Happiness

Happiness Synopsis: (from http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr)
When stricken with a terminal disease, Young-su leaves his careless high life in the city, live-in girlfriend and dwindling business. He retreats to a sanatorium in the countryside in order to treat his illness, where he meets a young woman who is a resident patient there. Soon they develop feelings for each other and leave the sanatorium together to live in a small but cozy farm house. Their health improves dramatically but when Young-su’s friends from the city come for a visit, he starts to wonder if he should abandon mundane rural village and return to his former lifestyle.

My comments:
Hmmm… I’ve seen director Hur Jin Ho’s previous One Fine Spring Day (a bore) and April Snow (a sleeping pill) so how is Happiness? It wasn’t that bad, at least I didn’t have the urge to fall asleep. It’s a very simple story about two patients bonding and then falling in love but one can expect how it will end. It is indeed sad so the movie title, Happiness, is quite ironic to the whole movie.

Really great acting from the leads. Hwang Jung Min is really good in the role, he’s not exactly likeable but very human since there are times that I felt like knocking his head for what he did. He also changes his physical appearance quite a few times during the movie, which makes you wonder if you’re watching different actors playing the role Young Soo. I’m not too fond of lead actress Lim Soo Jung but it was very heartwrenching to see her sob painfully like she did in the movie. Watch this if you’re in the mood for melodrama…

Playboy Cops

Playboy Cops Synopsis: (from Yesasia)
An extremely brutal armed robbery case has brought two very unusual young detectives together in Hong Kong. Both men have been known not to follow the usual rules of conduct in solving crimes. Lincoln, the younger brother of the deceased, an ex-policeman in China, has sworn to find the man who has murdered his brother. While he investigates the murder on his own in Hong Kong, he meets Michael, a CID officer on suspension. Michael has often been warned against insubordination, and for pulling stunts such as using his own private helicopter to capture criminals on the run...


My comments:
With a movie poster and a title like that, can you take Playboy Cops seriously? I didn’t when I watched the first third of the movie because it looked like your usual buddy cop movie. Two cops who are at odds at first and interested in the same girl but later became the best partners at solving the case…geez, that’s very new...

A large part of the movie focused on Shawn and Aloys looking, walking, fighting and posing cool. If you’re a fan girl, you’ll be pleased. Unfortunately, I don’t consider myself one, so I’m a bit bothered by that. At first, it was exaggerated and unrealistic about how Shawn handled matters by using money to solve everything, which I can’t take it seriously but then the movie switched tone at the end and became very serious, violent and even traumatizing. It was very easy to guess who was the murderer but this person’s sick and mad behavior is cringe-worthy. I didn’t feel good at the end because of the violence used on a woman and one of the main cast die unexpectedly (oops, big spoiler!). I’ll admit that I did cry…Well, it’s an okay popcorn movie if you have time.

Last Scandal

I had this phase of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ with Korean dramas these past months… Last Scandal (MBC, 16 episodes) is my first completed Korean drama this year!

Last Scandal Synopsis: (from Dramawiki)
Hong Sun Hee is a strong, happy go lucky housewife who accidentally meets her first love, Jang Dong Chul, again. But now he is known as Song Jae Bin to the whole entire world. Dong Chul became a famous star and didn't recognize Sun Hee the first time that they met because she looked like an old ahjooma. But back in high school, she was the prettiest girl. Sun Hee is already married to a man who always lands their family in debts.

Cast:
Choi Jin Shil as Hong Sun Hee
Jung Joon Ho as Song Jae Bin / Jang Dong Chul
Byun Jung Soo as Lee Na Yoon
Jung Woong In as Jang Dong Hwa
Kim Byung Se as Ahn Yoo Sik
Han Bo Bae as Ahn Ji Min
Lee In Sung as Jang Hoon

My comments:
A mature version of Full House! Who would thought watching an ajusshi and ajuhmma bickering can be this fun as well? I had a good time watching Last Scandal even though it resembles to Full House in some aspects (eg. house cleaning/cooking scenes, an amusement and skating passage) but Last Scandal is less repetitive comparing to Full House. There is some slapstick humor at the beginning, which I don’t quite enjoy; luckily we don’t see that later.

You know who would end up with up from the beginning of this drama but I wouldn’t mind if Sun Hee ends up with Dong Chul’s brother Dong Hwa instead. He’s absolutely a good catch. What a good brother and boss he is. I thought that Dong Chul and Dong Hwa’s brother relationship was odd, cold and distant at the beginning, like they are just using each other for work benefit. You don’t see them talk Therefore, it was endearing to see their brother bond to protect Sun Hee and brother talk/drink plus getting playful at the end. The husband of Sun Hee is the character that makes me fume, what a shameless jerk but a jerk without guts…roll eyes…

I’ve seen a number of Jung Jun Ho’s movies but I couldn’t really recognize him in this drama, maybe he had some works done to his face, he looks like Ji Jin Hee now. Despite that, I like his character even though he can be rude, inconsiderate and immature but still a cute ajusshi whenever he’s jealous. It’s just so funny to see him imitate his brother and Sun Hee. Choi Jin Shil still looks radiant for her age. For those who doubt about the main couple’s chemistry, watch the last episode…

Virgin Snow

Virgin Snow Synopsis: (from http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr)
Min moves to Japan following his professor father. One day at a local shrine, he meets a beautiful Japanese girl with innocent eyes. Her name is Nanae, and she is an aspiring painter. Min falls for her at first sight, and soon learns that Nanae attends the same school to which Min has just transferred. They become friends, and despite the culture and language barriers it is an intense friendship. When his grandmother suddenly falls ill, Min hastily returns to Korea but can’t get in touch with Nanae beforehand. After his grandmother regains her health, he hurries back to Japan to reunite with Nanae, but she is nowhere to be found. Had his true feelings for Nanae not been apparent to her? Why has Nanae disappeared without a word?

My comments:
Err…I totally felt that I wasted 100 minutes on this bad movie. It’s so mediocre that I don’t even want to write about it. Beautiful scenery and a young/good looking cast couldn’t cover its weak, blank and shallow story. I think the whole thing is so fake and unnatural. I was bored and indifferent most of the time and I was hoping the movie would finish soon. About the acting, Lee Jun Ki and Miyazaki Aoi gave their average performance but even so it failed to move me at the crucial moments. For a romance movie, it’s a total failure; perhaps I’m too old for that movie.

Playlist of early May

- 復刻回憶 - Fiona Sit & Khalil Fong => A Mandarin cover of a Japanese song and remember this classic Jacky Cheung song with the same melody? This new version is quite soothing and sweet and probably the one and only K song that Khalil will sing. The only thing that bothers me in this song is Fiona’s high pitched singing. Fans of Khalil are already worrying that he will take the mainstream and commercial path…My reaction - ~roll eyes~, I’m not worried yet.

- 女人們的咖啡 - Joi Chua & Jin Hai Hsin => Reminds me of 談情說愛 in terms of feel and style, also very relaxing and comfortable.

- 17度 - Kay Tse => The old Kay is back! I read about the meaning behind 17 degrees but still cannot retain it...oops!