"The Brotherhood of War" - Tae Guk Gi

4.5 Potatoes

I just read comments on the post "The Man from Nowhere" (2010) - Ajeossi and promised to post the info on this film "The Brotherhood of War" (2004) - Tae Guk Gi by Je-gyu Kang.

The story is about the 2 brothers who are separated by the Korean War. It shows how people can easily brain washed during the time of misery and anger.

The film stars Bin Won and another Korean star Dong-jun Jang. The director also directed the film "Swiri" (1999) - SHIRI, an amazing spy movie. Both films are MUST-SEE.

Highly Recommended.


Synopsis: Jin-Tae (Dong-gun Jang) shines shoes, hoping to save enough money to send his younger brother, Jin-Seok (Bin Won), to university. Their mother runs a noodle shop and wishes the best for her two sons, even though things have been tough since her husband died. But all bets are off when the Korean Warerupts and Jin-Seok is unwillingly conscripted into the war, which forces Jin-Tae to enlist just so he can save his brother. (NETFLIX)


USA: Available on DVD

"Drive" with Ryan Gosling

3.5 Potatoes

I just saw the new film "Drive" (2011) by Nicolas Winding Refn. No expectation nor knowledge about it before I went to the screening. Only one thing I knew about this film was that the director won the Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

Surprisingly, I really liked it. The movie had a touch of the 80's cheesiness and I also thought the film was somewhat influenced by Claude Lelouch's "Roman de Gare" (2007), especially the driving scenes and the music which goes along with them. But that didn't bother me really. I thought the film was well executed and Ryan Gosling is an actor that truly can act without dialogues.

Highly Recommended.


Synopsis: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. (IMDb)




USA: In Theater Everywhere on Friday 09/16/2011

"The Debt"

2 Potatoes

The film "The Debt" (2011) by John Madden had an early release to gain the box office. Was it successful? Well for me not, at least...
The story of Mossad was very interesting but they made Mossad like weeping puppy compare to how the film "Munich" (2005) by Steven Spielberg portrayed it...

Unfortunately it was very under directed.


Dear Madam Helen Mirren,

You are not really a Femme Fatale, please stay as a Queen if you can.

Sincerely yours,
Operation Couch Potato aka Femme Fatale wanna be

Synopsis: The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished - or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.


Official Website & Trailer: http://www.focusfeatures.com/the_debt/


USA: In Theaters Now, BUT recommended on DVD...

"Love Crime"

2.5 Potatoes

The final film of Alain Corneau "Love Crime" - Crime d'Amour (2010) with Kristine Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier is finally released in Los Angeles this weekend.

It is just typical backstubbing movie, women, competition, just like any other day in Los Angeles... The music was horrible, that really distracted me from concentrating on the film. And I thought it didn't show the best quality of Ludivine Sagnier either... very unfortunate.

I liked the one-sheet though...


Synopsis: Ruthless executive Christine brings on Isabelle as her assistant, and she takes delight in toying with the young woman's innocence. But when the protégé's ideas become tempting enough for Christine to pass one as her own, she underestimates Isabelle's ambition and cunning -- and the ground is set for all out war. (IMDb)


Synopsis (FR): Dans le décor aseptisé des bureaux d’une puissante multinationale, deux femmes s’affrontent… La jeune Isabelle travaille sous les ordres de Christine, une femme de pouvoir qu’elle admire sans réserve. Convaincue de son ascendant sur sa protégée, Christine entraîne Isabelle dans un jeu trouble et pervers de séduction et de domination. 
Ce jeu dangereux va trop loin… jusqu’au point de non retour. (AlloCiné)

USA: In Theaters in N.Y. and Los Angeles
Also Available on VOD

"Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life"

3 Potatoes

For all the Serge Gainsbourg fans! This is a must see movie. "Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life" (2010) by Joanne Sfar. This was shown at COLCOA last year, and I was so surprised how much resemblance the actor Eric Elmosnino had to Gainsbourg.

It is purely fun and interesting, you would not regret it.










Official Site and Trailer: http://www.gainsbourgaheroiclife.com/

USA: In Limited Theaters / L.A. at NuArt 9/2-9/8/2011

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

3 Potatoes

Last night's screening was a double featured. After watching the film "E.T.", I also watched "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) by Steven Spielberg. I didn't remember much of the film except the tune, and it was hard for me to follow the film at the beginning. Then slowly I got sucked in to it.

Still, it wasn't too memorable as "E.T.", but once again, it was very enjoyable to see it again on the big screen.



DVD Available Everywhere 

"E.T." come home!

5 Potatoes

I just saw "E.T." (1982) by Steven Spielberg again tonight, but on the big screen at Aero Theater. What an amazing film it is! This time it was a different cut, some new scene was added and some deleted, but the great quality was still there.

©1982 & 2002 - Universal Studios

Everyone is looking so young, especially Peter Coyote! And the amazing performance of the little Henry Thomas still touches your heart. He surely turned out to be a one fine actor. Not to mention, how big of a star Drew Barrymore became. Even though this film ruined her life in a way, she overcame the obstacle and became very successful and one of the most likable actress in Hollywood.

Did you know? Most of the grown ups' faces are not shown through out the film except the mother and Peter Coyote? Finally towards the end of the film, you will see some of the faces, inevitable I guess...

©1982 & 2002 - Universal Studios

I wish Spielberg didn't produce the film "Super 8" and made "E.T." now and after instead...

Oh the children's fantasy is the grown ups tearjerker!!!

P.S. There is a great behind scene on DVD, a footage from the casting scene with Henry Thomas. This is a must see, it blows your mind!



DVD Available Everywhere