THE SMURFS

J: As promised, a 'light' plant.

M: The smurfs??? Do I look like a child?
J: This is not just for kids, the humors for adult and there are moral lessons too.

THE FACTS:

The Smurfs is a 2011 American 3D family film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by Peyo and the 1980s animated TV series it spawned. It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, and Sofía Vergara. It is the first CGI/live-action hybrid film to be produced by Sony Pictures Animation and in The Smurfs trilogy. During early production the film was known as The Smurfs Movie.
After five years of negotiations, Jordan Kerner bought the rights in 2002 and was in development with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies until Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation obtained the film rights in 2008. Filming began in March 2010 in New York. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/) 
THE CAST

   (taken directly from http://en.wikipedia.org./)   

       Live action actors:

• Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick Winslow
• Jayma Mays as Grace Winslow
• Hank Azaria as Gargamel, the arch-nemesis and antagonist of the Smurfs who plots to use the Smurfs as part of a spell which would turn lead into gold. As opposed to the television show where Gargamel's goal is use the Smurfs as the key ingredient in an alchemical formula to create gold or eat them or destroy them, in the film he wants to capture them to serve as charms, "whose mystical essence will make his inept magic more powerful — and dangerous". To look the part of Gargamel, Azaria wore a prosthetic nose, ears, buck teeth, eyebrows and a wig (to make the process easier, he shaved his head). The initial make-up test took three hours, but by mid-production the process took 90 minutes to complete. Azaria was transformed over 50 times and spent approximately 130 hours in the make-up chair.
• Sofía Vergara as Odile Anjelou, a Mexican American executive at Anjelou Cosmetics who is the boss of Patrick.
• Tim Gunn as Henri, Odiel's Executive Assistant at Anjelou Cosmetics.

      Voice actors:

• Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf. Winters provided the voice of Grandpa Smurf in the 1981 cartoon series. Jonathan Winters and Frank Welker are the only original cast members from the TV Series who returned for the movie.
• Katy Perry as Smurfette. About gaining the voice role, Perry said: "They had done a blind test where they took certain voices from previous interviews and matched them with the character. They liked my voice without even knowing who it was, and when they found out it was me, they thought that would work out. My personality was just a plus!"
• Fred Armisen as Brainy Smurf
• Alan Cumming as Gutsy Smurf, one of three Smurfs created specifically for the film and who is Scottish, wears a kilt, and has sideburns. The character is also described as the "action hero" of the film.
• Anton Yelchin as Clumsy Smurf. Yelchin commented on his character's personality change from the cartoons series saying, "I was familiar with Clumsy from the TV series, where he had that Southern twang. I went back and watched that, and then Raja, Jordan and I talked about it. We decided to make Clumsy a little simpler, a little sweeter. His voice is pitched higher than my normal speaking voice – it's full of joy, optimism, and enthusiasm for life. Clumsy isn't trying to mess anything up for anybody — he's just clumsy, and actually, he‘s tired of being clumsy".
• George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf. To prepare for his role of being "grouchy", Lopez did not drink coffee, made sure he had bad breath and picked the busiest time to get to the studio.
• Jeff Foxworthy as Handy Smurf
• Paul Reubens as Jokey Smurf
• Gary Basaraba as Hefty Smurf
• John Oliver as Vanity Smurf
• Kenan Thompson as Greedy Smurf
• B. J. Novak as Baker Smurf
• Joel McCrary as Farmer Smurf
• Wolfgang Puck as Chef Smurf
• John Kassir as Crazy Smurf, the second Smurf created specifically for the film
• Tom Kane as Narrator Smurf, the third Smurf created specifically for the film
• Frank Welker as Azrael, Gargamel's cat.Welker provided the voice of Hefty Smurf in the 1981 cartoon series. Four Orange tabby cats played the role of Azreal with some scenes being created with CGI by Tippett Studio. Animal trainer Larry Madrid had a "rare Burma cat" that was used to educe snarls from the other cats since they did not like him.

THE PLOT

We begin with an introduction of the smurfs and their smurf village.

The smurfs are tiny blue beings, about 3-apples tall, living in a mythical mushroom village-a happy place where no one knows sadness and where even being blue is a happy thing.

 

They use smurfs for almost everything and their name is associated with their character traits.

 The Smurfs get ready for the Blue Moon Festival singing the La la la la Happy song. Then comes the over-energetic yet clumsy, Clumsy, ruining the mood.

Clumsy

In his home, Papa Smurf sees a vision of the Smurfs in cages, Clumsy Smurf holding a dragon wand, and Gargamel being powerful.

Papa Smurf

Gargamel

He refuses to allow Clumsy to pick Smurf Roots, but Clumsy disobeys Papa Smurf and does it anyway. However, Gargamel and Azrael see him and follow him into the village. The Smurfs all flee, and Clumsy runs into a forbidden falls. Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Grouchy, Brainy and Gutsy notice this and hurry after him. They find him at the edge of a cliff, and while trying to help him up, they are sucked into a gigantic vortex, leading to New York City, where Anjelou, a beauty company is having a party. Gargamel and Azrael follow them.

They are amaze of what they call a gigantic village, gaping over the giant princesses in the billboards.

Patrick (who works at Anjelou) and Grace, a married and expectant couple and their Basset hound Elway, befriend them and allow them to stay in their apartment while they find way to go back home.

Grace

Patrick

Elway and Clumsy

In order to find their way home, Papa Smurf needs a Stargazer (telescope). Brainy Smurf upon knowing that Patrick do is to 'predict' market trends thinks he is a Fortune Teller, ergo their are lot of stargazers in his office. As humans who understand the human world better, we know Brainy is so wrong, thus, they ended up pissing up Patrick in his work with their noise. He called Grace to pick them up but on their way home, they pass along a toy store seeing a poster of STARGAZER! (I like the tone of excitement when they say the word, it's as if their whole life depend on it.) Grace is in panic and immediately calls Patrick. Gargamel bumped unto him as he was racing to the toy store and his acolyte cat, Azrael recognizes him. An hilarious chase ensued.

They got lucky and escaped. Lovable as they are, in just a short while they build friendship with the couple. But one night, as Patrick is about to send his proposal to Odile, his boss. Clumsy trips into the keyboard thus, sending the wrong file.

Papa Smurf learns that he will be able to get them all home in a couple nights. But first, he must figure out the spell to do so. Patrick tells them that there is an old book store in the city. As they are about to head there to get a spell book, the missend advertisement, (the blue moon), is now over the billboards. Clumsy guiltily accepts his mistake,but its to no avail cause Patrick is now angry and shouted; "this is why I hate little people running around!" which hurts Grace. This give as the idea that Patrick is not yet ready for the responsibility of being a father.

The smurfs headed to the old library in Chinatown (Is using this part of town become a trend to Hollywood movies nowadays?) After lots of searching, they find one of their own comic books, containing the spell. Gargamel hears where they are, so he sneaks into the book store and finds a dragon wand, which he then steals. He uses the dragon wand to abduct Papa Smurf. The Smurfs promise Papa Smurf that they won't try to save him.

Meanwhile Patrick is pressured by Odile to fixed what he'd done wrong. His feet lead him to the park where he see a happy family, a father embracing his little daughter. This brings him back to memory lane and contemplate on what Grace said; "Did you stop for a while Patrick and see that this blue moon is about us? That of all people, those blue beings choose us?" Accepting he's wrong, he go back home and apologizes to Grace in an emotional phone speech to Odile, promotion be damned.

The four smurfs come back relating the bad news and the promise to Papa Smurf that they will not try to rescue him. Clumsy who stayed behind with Grace and Elway and Patrick who says that they are not involved in the promise, plans a rescue. The other Smurfs agree to help. (Since promises are made to be broken right? in times like this)

Meanwhile, Gargamel is going to remove the "Smurf essence" from Papa Smurf and charge it into the dragon wand, which would make him more powerful than anything else in the world.

Patrick and the Smurfs battle Gargamel while Smurfette fights Azrael and saves Papa Smurf. They, too, join the fight. Also, Brainy reads the spell and opens up the portal, allowing him to go home and round up his friends.

Gargamel captures Papa Smurf again and throws him into the air, but Patrick catches him. Right before Gargamel can destroy them both, Gutsy knocks the dragon wand out of his hand. Clumsy tries to catch it, and Papa Smurf believes that he will fail, but, much to everyone's surprise, he manages to catch it.

Without his dragon wand, Gargamel is powerless, and Papa Smurf destroys the wand once and for all.

The Smurfs return home safe and sound.

Patrick was not fired from his job instead promoted and praised by Odile for giving her what she want and not merely what she like. (Cause seriously there is much difference on that?)

Patrick and Grace have a baby boy, whom they name Blue to honor the Smurfs, and the Smurfs rebuild their houses to look like what humans have.

MY COMMENTS:
M: Looks like "Alvin and the Chipmunks" minus the Chipmunks Voice to me.

J: But you are laughing all along.

M: That's not my point, my point is it's recycled.
J: I don't agree. Same genre but its way too different from other CG-live movies. First story is different.
M: Correction that's just the difference.

J: Look at this next picture. Isn't Patrick to be credited for pretending there are smurfs singing along?

M: He looks idiot to me.

J: Your rude! Same as those expert reviewers out there.

M: See, the experts have spoken.
J: But, I did enjoy watching it. Can we just base it on that and not on technicalities?
M: Well, experts can't do that. If that happens they'll end up bias and grading their preferred movies a 10.

J: But were not experts.

M: Aren't we?

J: Nope. So it's okey to admit you like this movie.

M: Oh! I love the Smurfs, soooo cute and lovable. In fact,  I want to have them as pets. I can endure hearing them singing  the Happy song the whole day tending our plants in the garden with their blue thumbs. 

Smurfette

J: That's what I'm saying! The script is humurous.
M: That is if you understand humor itself.

J: Gargamel is a hilarious character. He looks dumb passing through the exhaust in New York City saying he looks mysteriously evil passing through its smoke (laughs). 

M: Not just hilarious, Dumb Hilarious.His cat, Azrael is even more intelligent than him. The cat saying; Are you dead (then laughs)?hahaha..makes me laugh too.

J: But what really makes me plant this are the lessons. One is knowing how to decide and being ready to accept responsibility. Papa Smurf said; knowing that your ready does not come from the mind, but from the heart where it matters the most. It lodge into my system really, especially because it is said with such a soothing soft tone of Jonathan Winters.

The voice behind Papa Smurf

M: Winter's voice is just right for a papa. As for me I like what Patrick said. It's not just a moon, but a blue moon, once in a blue moon. It means that there are only few magical and meaningful moments in our life, and if we hesitate and be afraid, those blue smurf moments will leave us behind.

J: YEAH! But nothing beats this message from Grace; We can be whoever we think we are! 

M: Hero Smurf? why not?
J: I'm too hard to be a hero. Can I just be Writer Smurf?

M: Oh I love that!

J: So overall I'll rate The Smurfs a 9/10. How about you?

M: 9 too.
J: At last we smurfily agreed!

DAISY

                               

J: I watch the movie in youtube due to curiosity. Reviews of the movie online are I can say, majority negative. Nevertheless, there are still many who love it, and I am one of them.

M: Will I like it too? Enough of your Korean melodramatic movies. My eyes seems to come out crying. And oh, my heart? My heart's tearing apart.

J: Promise, I'll plant a lighter movie next time.

M: OK. I seems have no choice anyway.

FACTS:

Daisy (데이지) is a 2006 South Korean-Hong Kong co-production film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Andrew Lau of the Infernal Affairs trilogy, and starring Jun Ji-hyun, Jung Woo-sung, David Chiang, Lee Sung-jae and Cheon Ho-jin.
 Daisy is an urban romantic melodrama between a young art painter, Hye-young (Jun Ji-hyun), an Interpol detective, Jeong Woo (Lee Sung-jae), and a professional hitman, Park Yi (Jung Woo-sung). With a twist that is bound to make its audience think about their own perception about love, Daisy is produced by iFilm and opened in South Korean cinemas on March 9, 2006.
 There are two versions of Daisy: an Asian cut and an international cut.

The PLOT:
Shot in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the movie stars Hye-young (Jun Ji-hyun) an street artist who makes her living by sketching portraits of people for 30 euros per portrait, Park Yi (Jung Woo-sung), a professional hit man who works for a Chinese big boss and an Interpol detective, Jeong Woo (Lee Sung-jae).

Hye-Young, The Street Painter

One day, while Hye-young is trying to cross a small channel connected by a narrow log, she falls down and loses her art bag, which contains all her painting equipment. Park Yi, who had been watching her from a distance, immediately runs to her rescue; but by the time he gets there, Hye-young is gone. He finds the bag she lost and gets the log replaced with a bridge. The next time she comes to paint, Hye-young is taken by surprise at the sight of the new bridge. Though, initially, she thinks the bridge is a coincidence, she is moved when she finds her lost bag hung in the middle of the bridge. She completes her painting of the meadow of daisies and leaves it in place of her bag as a gesture of thanks for the person who had built the bridge for her.













From that day on, she starts receiving daisy flowers daily at 4.15 pm sharp. Unknown to her this is the date when she went to the mountain to paint, APRIL 15. As the days pass, she is touched by the humor of the person who is sending the flowers and develops a soft spot towards the person. On the other hand, Park Yi is afraid she might be hurt if he gets close to her, because of his profession. He subdues his feelings and just feel contented watching her from afar.

The pot of Daisy Hye Young receives daily at 4:15

Park Yi, The Assassin

The story takes an interesting turn with the introduction of Interpol detective Jeong Woo (Lee Sung-jae) in the movie. Jeong Woo is associated with cracking a case concerning drug mafia. One day, on his way to track the activities of the drug dealers, he encounters Hye-young and her portrait stand. He carries a pot of Daisies giving Hye-young the wrong idea that he is the one sending her the flowers. He asks her to paint his portrait as he surveys the crowd for suspicious activity; this continues for a few more days until one day the drug dealers come to know his hideout.

Jeong Woo, the Interpol

Hye-young who  starts to believe that Jeong Woo is the one sending her daisy flowers instantly falls in love with him. Jeong Woo also hides the fact for the fear of blowing up his entire cover.
On the other hand, Park Yi who has been constantly keeping an eye on Hye-young and Jeong Woo's activities notices a few mafias advancing towards them with armed pistols. Park Yi instantly grabs his sniper and starts shooting the mafia.
The situation takes a worse turn when Park Yi accidentally shoots Hye-young in the neck by mistake. This leaves Hye-young voiceless for her entire life and Jeong Woo is gushed with guilt for he considers himself responsible for this entire episode.
Jeong Woo is transfered back to Korea from Netherlands and Hye-young is left alone, heartbroken. Park Yi can’t help himself with Hye-young's condition and starts showing up and moving close to her. Hye-young is still in love with Jeong Woo and can't forget him.

After a year, Jeong Woo comes back to the Netherlands and surprisingly shows up on Hye-young’s doorsteps.Park Yi is in Hye Young's house that day and misunderstanding that she had moved on and find a new man, he just apologizes to her and leaves. The fact that Hye Young is voiceless makes it difficult for her to explain and stopped him. She just sat there, crying a river of tears while Park Yi watched also in agony,as he come to realize that the person he love the most love another man.

Meanwhile, Jeong Woo's boss, who wants to solve the case behind this whole episode, tells Jeong Woo to catch the guy who shot the mafia with a sniper. Further investigation reveals the shooter's identity as professional hit man and they plan to catch him red-handed.
Jeong Woo's boss contracts the Chinese Big Boss to kill Jeong Woo.

Park Yi and his Big Boss

A pot of black tulips (a sign that Park Yi has a job and that is- to kill someone) then arrive at Park Yi's doorstep. It turns out that Big Boss has given the job to kill Jeong Woo to none other than Park Yi.

All will be set and the day on which Jeong Woo is supposed to be killed arrives. Jeong Woo shows up in a car surrounded secretly by many undercover cops. Park Yi suddenly shows up and asks Jeong Woo for a private talk. Knowing Park Yi as Hye Young's man, he ask him to hop inside the car.
Jeong Woo stalls all the cops saying he is going around with a friend and is later found head shot with in an isolated place.This leaves the viewers believing Park Yi kill him.

Jeong Woo's boss hints the activities of the killer who killed Jeong Woo to Hye-young in Jeong Woo funeral. Hye-young instantly comes to know the person behind Jeong Woo's murder.

Meanwhile Jeong Woo's boss sketches a much tougher plan to catch Jeong Woo’s assassin by contracting himself for contract killing.

Jeong Woo and his boss

On the other hand, one night, while watching a movie, Park Yi boasted to Hye Young that he can understand what the characters in the movie are saying by just reading their lips

The day to assassinate Jeong Woo's boss come.
Hye-young wake up in Park Yi's house. She is intrigue by the room,whom Park Yi  forbid her to enter.
She goes in  and sees the same painting she left on the bridge.

The Painting

Park Yi who is all set to assassinate Jeong Woo's boss is taken by surprise when Hye-young shows up bringing the painting and with all efforts tell him to stop. (She's voiceless right? so how can she tell him?)
Well, she just speak there voiceless while Park Yi looking through his sniper glass, read her lips (this is just my favorite part)

Park Yi instantly shows up but a stray bullet, shot by the assassin responsible for Jeong Woo’s death, that was supposed to hit Park Yi is intercepted by Hye-young, who had seen the reflection of the car that the assassin was in on a building opposite, and she dies.

Park Yi takes his part of revenge by killing and dissolving his entire gang responsible for Hye-young's death. Park Yi is later found stumbling out of the building, limping down the street.
A flashback of the scene where Jeong Woo then was killed is showed. Although Park Yi admits his the hit man he refuses to kill him. Jeong Woo is shot by some other assassins of the Chinese Big Boss.
The epilogue shows Park Yi, Jeong Woo, and Hye-young standing in a crowd under an overhang, waiting for the rain to stop. When they spot each other, they smile. As Park Yi, hold the flower up to the sky a delivery man's voice shouts; FLOWERS!

Seeing they're all together, it can be assumed that Park Yi had died from his wounds as well.

MY COMMENTS:
M: Now that's what you called, scene per scene.
J: Cause I like this too. As I have said at the beginning, this movie was criticized and was dislike by many. Since I have almost read negative reviews, I'll give this a 9 for JWS-oppa's moral support.
M: I'm bored to the max!

J:Yes, I can't help but agree that the pacing is slow but I don't mind, cause due to it's slow pace, I appreciated the beautiful views of Amsterdam, get enough of Jung Woo Sung's hotness, and admired my sassy girl's unique Asian beauty.

M: Your sassy is not at all sassy here, she looks dying.Too weak. I never like weaklings.
J: It's the character. She manage to fit in.
M: Ah don't get fooled by JWS sexy eyes. The movie is a failure. Will putting a little fun hurt? And the ending, WTF letting Hye Young live is better.

J: The movie is a pure melodrama and so serious in its tone to make the viewer's cry. Perhaps the writer and director wants to concentrate on this genre so, viewer's should not expect zany characters or a happy ending. The writer maybe, just wants to send a message that though many sympathize to Park Yi as an assassin inlove, in reality, killers can't live a happy life.

M: That's being just rational again.

J: (Totally ignores M) The music is touching and add more to feel the heavy emotions. Editing of the scenes sequence  is fantastic. It's adds intrigue and make your mind work to guess what happened. I don't know how many cameras they use in one scene, especially when they show Park Yi on top of the building and Hye Young painting on the park,  if there is just one, then I think it can be attributed to editing.

M: Wow that sounds professional eh!

J: Overall what I admire the most  is the cinematography.The beauty of Amsterdam is captured so greatly by the camera. Aerial views especially when Hye Young is in that mountain full of daisies is breathtaking. The turning of camera when Hye Young  is shot by the sniper make my heart stopped to wait what will happen.

The staircase scene when Park Yi takes his revenge can be greatly attributed too to cinematography and editing.

M: Fine I lost. I respect your opinion. I'll give this a just a 6 and you have to respect that too. 

J: *Head Shakes* Make it an 8, maybe I'll agree with you.

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER

M: Oh for goodness sake! Korean again?

J: I'll give this a 10.

M: A 10? Intriguing. Since you gave it a perfect score, I'm on.

A Moment to Remember is a great movie depicting a love story being hindered by perhaps the most cruel illness of all-- Alzheimer's disease. 

This is one of the movies that make me cry to the extent that you can't imagine (laughs).

Also known as Eraser in My Head this is an adaptation of a Japanese television drama Pure Soul.

THE PLOT:
The movie starts with a romantic comedy love story of Su Jin and a man named Chul Soo. 
Su Jin went in a convenient store to buy a can of soda after being stood up in a plan to elope with her boss in a train station. She seemed distracted by her emotions that she just left forgetting her soda and her wallet at the counter. 

She just remember that she forget it when she realized she had no money to pay for the bus fare. She bumped into the super-hot in his rugged look (swoon)Chul Soo who had a soda at hand and without a word, thinking the soda is hers, grabbed it, gulped it, bottoms-up and return the empty can to the  too-shocked-and-amazed -to-say-a-word Chul Soo, only to feel ashamed later when the cashier give her the soda and wallet.

They meet again when she accompany her father to the construction site where Chul Soo also work, as the hard-headed and arrogant contractor. It is followed by other meetings some with Su Jins effort and some seems purely destined. They fall in love, only to be separated again by the threat of their social class.(you know the common you-can't-marry-my-daughter-cause-we-are-rich-and-your-poor stuff)

They married despite her fathers abomination. He had also taken the architecture board exam and subsequently pass and become an architect.

There married life seems to be so perfect until Su Jin displays forgetfulness.A series of events then happen and perhaps the most serious is when  she forgot she's cooking and a fire break out.These lead them to seek medical help. A series of questions are asked by the doctor including her sister's birth date but alas!she doesn't know or if she does, she is unsure. The doctor tell her to come back at a certain date,only for her to forget again. She come back, not as the agreed date and the doctor is now certain that it's Alzheimer's.

Su Jin distracted with emotions decided to hide the fact from her husband until she fainted in the street and seen by her ex-boyfriend/boss ( I forgot the name),who now realize that he love her and wanted her back. Due to her illness, she thinks that today is two year's ago when Chul Soo does not exist yet in her memory and her ex-boyfriend is the one she love.

Her disease become worst (as worst as forgetting where she lives) as time goes by.

These make Chul Soo asked the doctor himself. 
The doctor tell him everything about Alzheimers. How cruel it is by taking one's memory and which ultimately leads to death. As a usual reaction for someone who hear a bad news,he rejected the idea and blame the doctor for telling Su Jin the truth. But upon hearing the doctor (who look like Einsten, burrying himself to find cure for Alzheimer) said, "Believe me.... cause my wife was taken by it too" he seems no choice but to accept it and be ready.

By being ready we now see their house full of small papers and pictures of them stick to the walls with notes and reminders. Even their stove was change by Chul Soo.She was also advice to just stay home and resigned at her job.

But worst come to worsier when Su Jin call him in her ex-boyfriend name and worsiest when as Chul Soo fight fist-to fist with her ex-boyfriend Su Jin takes her ex-boyfriend side and stab her dear husband by her cooking knife.(I can't help but to sympathize with Chul Soo, I feel his heartache.(sobs))

(And just when I stopped crying comes this scene)A lucid interval (not that she's crazy but because I'm at lost for word at the moment) come to Su Jin's senses and make her remember what she had done.She started to write a letter to him asking for forgiveness...explaining...and saying good-bye (guess you have to watch it for yourself  cause you'll greatly appreciate it with the background music). Then to not burden him anymore, she decided to leave him and live afar (as in both literally and unliterally)

Chul Soo beg her father to tell her where she is. But stubborn-daddy won't tell him, instead he honestly say that he opposed to their marriage not because of social class but because of this reason. He added that he know of her illness ever since and don't like her to be hurt and just respect her decision.

Days passed, then a letter was send for him from Su Jin saying she was okey where she is and tell him to not look for her.

But Chul Soo will not just give up.Driven by so much love, he look for the clues in the letter and go from one hospital to another asking for Su Jin. At last he find her somewhere in a hospital in the mountains. She don't recognize him obcourse and so he introduce himself. The hurt is recognizable from his eyes upon seeing her. He saw a picture of them posted in her wall, her nurse saying that its the only one she decided not to tear up and her drawing book full of sketches of no other than- his face.

Change scene and we see them in the canteen. There she smell Chul Soo's unique scent and says that it's familiar. Then she remember bits of her past, the baseball stuff...etc. As she was saying it Chul Soo started to cry but when she ask why he was crying, he just wear his dark glasses and pretend with all efforts to smile.(outch!!!)

Hoping that there is still 'hope' for here to remember even the slightest memory, he decided to bring her to the convenient store where they had first met, re-enacting the same scene of the soda stuff. In the scene we can note that the ones re-in-acting are her family, her mother crying and the doctor himself as the cashier.

The movie ends as they drive in a car, Su Jin smelling his unique scent, finding her mini-face-sculpture and smiling at him, giving me hope that she remembers him as he say....saranghaeyo (i love you!).

MY COMMENT:
M: Since you rate this a 10 and its your Jung Woo-sung movie, I'm expecting lot of pictures.

J: That's the point, since this a 10, I want people to watch the movie themselves. 

M: That's a little bit of weird reasoning. But don't take it against your perfect 10, I found this movie depressing. 
 

J: When I was young, I also hate the tragic form of arts especially movies cause it can causes my eyes to swell crying, my heart breaks and I feel so depressed after watching them.

M: Exactly! Prolonged agony. Killing you softly. That's self torture!

J: But now it is different, I like them. My eyes still swell from crying, my still breaks but I don't feel depressed, I'm touched and I am inspired.

M: Please elaborate? 

J:The story of A MOMENT TO REMEMBER  is inspiring albeit tragic.

M: It is touchy for me. How comes inspiring?

J: The threat of Alzheimer is real, it can happen,but how a person having it and the people surrounding him will react varies. Su Jin reaction to her illness is in majority normal; forlorn, afraid, hopeless. Thus, in order not to hurt the ones she love she try to escape.

M: Well, death is a horrible topic especially if it is untimely,and yeah I admit my reaction will be like that too.

J: Majority will, but the point is, no one can get away with death. Thus, death per se doesn't matter that much, what counts is how we spend our life living. And Chul Soo's reaction is how it should be; positive and full of hope. Although he know she will  forget him and eventually will die, he keeps pushing and do things to help her remember. He never loses hope, he continue loving her ...and that is what's inspiring. 

M: I'm speechless. 


J: This movie once again prove how good So Ye-Jin as an actor. She's one of only a few actors that can fit to any roles. Her lead, Jung Woo-Sung  also did his job. He can act both the rugged and neat side of his character. His eyes can act. And for that, I'm glad that I'm admiring an actor not just with looks and hotness but with talent as well. The two leads has that certain chemistry. They are not too pushy in executing that they are a loving couple.  

M: Still speechless.

J: The mother of Chul Soo in the movie is my choice for the best supporting character. She acted the character of a mother who seem not to care for Chul Soo but when alone shows  the opposite.The movie used a lot of SYMBOLS and I like it. For me, symbols are actors too,they may no act per se but they shows a lot. Some of the symbols that exudes great impact are the soda stuff, the mini-face-sculpture, the hermit look of the doctor, and the scent of the cologne. 

The music is good and appropriate. Editing is just fine. There are emotion transformation, at the start you'll laugh and fall in love in their love story but on the second half, you'll cry and your heart will break. 

M: The ending is just so open quoted that causes viewers to have different perceptions.

 J:  I guess that's just the writer's point. So, what's your verdict?

M: I'll agree to your 10. It's a much watch. But be sure to prepare a lot of water and tissue paper, you may die of dehydration crying. The air is just too thick, I'm dying here.

 

 J:  Your OA!

April Snow

APRIL SNOW
 

APRIL SNOW

J: I admit that I watch this movie simply because I've seen that the lead actor is Bae Yong Joon of Endless Love Winter Sonata (one of the great Korean drama I've watched so far) and Son Ye-jin. I've read write ups that they are superstars in Korea.

M: J, it seems it's becoming a habit of yours to select movies because of the leads. Are you sure this isn't those melodrama kind again? To top it all, this is Korean again.

J: M, I promise you'll not get disappointed. The story tells about adultery, the pains it cause and how they learned to get revenge in a very ironic way.

  
THE PLOT:
APRIL SNOW  is about two married people In Su and Seo Young. When their spouses was involved in a car accident they found out that the two, In Su's wife and Seo Young's husband have an affair.

While they are in a coma, In Su and Seo Young created an affair of their own, In Su saying jokingly that it's the best way to get revenge to their respective spouses. But what was once an affair evolved into love as they occasionally approach each other for help.

Eventually In Su's wife recovered while Seo Young's husband died. Seo Young decided to part ways believing that their love is so impossible that it has to snow in  spring for it to come true.

The two continue with their lives,In Su tending to the recovery of his wife while working as a lighting director.
Then one day,while In Su is packing along with his team from a successful open-ground concert--- it started to snow. News report said that it is very unlikely that during April, when the spring flowers are in bloom the snow will just bury them. It added that global warming is the likely cause.
The movie ended with Seo Young watching the snow from a glass window and a conversation between the two, In Su asking where to go,while they drive into the road, now full of snow.



MY COMMENT:
M: You said this isn't melodrama?

J: I never said that. I said you'll never get disappointed.

M: If not for the love scene and BYJ abs,I've slept.
J: It's the love scene and the abs that woke you up? Huh, I never thought your that kind.
M: (laughs). You know me, it's just  that I'm surprised,that's all, considering that I don't saw much of them in many Korean dramas and movies that I already watched,kudos to the director who made it still look decent in comparison to some American and Mexican dramas and movies which are sometimes overly "passionate".
J: Why does it sound more like an excuse to me?
M: C'mon don't be naive, where adults here, before we go on talking on topics we shouldn't discuss, let's just comment on the movie.

J: Escaping tactic huh!

M: Will you not really let me get away with it? Let's talk about adultery.

J: Adultery is a sin and a root of other sins.It is not a taboo for me. I've read a lot about it, watched a lot of TV dramas and movies with it and  I've even seen real people committing it.

M: You've seen???  That's gross!

J: That's not to be taken literally, your really been 'green-minded'. Disgusting!

M: Touchy?

J: Stare.Ominous.

M: Okey I'll stop. I am not completely against it.

J: About what?

M: Aren't we're talking about Adultery?

J: Oh, but it's a sin. Yes, there are situations where you can say that its acceptable, but the point is Adultery per se is wrong no matter how you look at it. It's just like a white lie, no matter how white it is, it is still a lie. 

M: But what about love? 

J: Love itself is not an excuse to do it. I remember this line from a TV drama; Daughter: What did I do wrong, I just loved? Mother: Child, if someone is already affected that love is wrong. Adultery causes pain, self-degradation to the other party, breaks families and ultimately more often than not,it leads to revenge. 

M: Well said, but we're talking about April Snow here.
J: The method is still wrong.
M: That's just rationality, not the real thing. Let's test your stand; the ending is too open quoted how will you end it?

J: Come on, it's obvious! In Su's wife creating an affair with another man is a proof that she don't love him anymore, so the least thing she can do to make it right is to let him be happy. 

M: See, there is always an exception.That's why BYJ abs is worth talking than your idealism.

J: Oh for the love of God move on with the abs?

M: Well, aside from the BYJ abs, I admire his 'casual' acting, It's not acting at all, he seems the character. So as So Ye Jin. There are not too pushy. They look like a real couple.

J: But like Daddy-Long-Legs, pacing is slow.

M: Your the one who chose this remember?

J: Well, it's still worth it. I'll grade it a 7.

M: I'll give it an 8, +1 is for the abs (laughs).