Bokura ga ita (2012)

Bokura ga ita ~zenpen~ 
Country: Japan
Format: Movie 
Genre: romace, youth
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Takaoka Sousuke, Motokariya Yuika, Komatsu Ayaka, Asou Yumi, Sudo Risa, Emoto Tsuku, Imura Kumi, Yamashita Yorie, Nomaguchi Toru, 
Synopsis: Motoharu Yano is the most popular boy in high school, with 2/3 of girls falling in love with him, so it is only natural that Takahashi Nanami finds herself in a place were she is starting to develope feelings for him, despite that she also finds Yano annoying and laid back person. Yano seems to be a very optimistic and cheerful guy, but Nanami is able to see the sadness in his eyes. The sadness which was caused by his girlfriend's sudden death in a car accident.
Rating: 5/5
I have seen the anime. I have the manga too, but I have not brought myself to actually read it. It is reaaallly great live-action - no big changes from original script, no important left-outs or character changes, etc. I bet I do not spoil things for you if I say that the first movie ends in the same spot as anime.

This is the first time I saw Yoshitaka Yuriko and she is so cute, a bit reminds me of Ueno Yuri. She is exactly how I think Nanami would look like (and how she is described) - childlike, sweet, honest and mentally strong. Even though few reviews ago I said that I hated that weird voice that Japanese girls tend to do, then this time it was sooo cute, but maybe it was because Nanami has that kind of voice in anime too. It just really suits her personality. I like that she is not some crybaby or crazily in love, but she actually has her hesitations but at the same time she is able to think about herself and how much weight she is able to carry on her own.

Now it's Yano's time. I think that they have made really great choices with actors, because there is no other actor who would suit into Yano's role better than Ikuta Toma. He is sooo great in this movie. Okey, he is great actor in every movie. In manga, Nanami said that whenever Yano looked at her and smiled, then her heart stopped/beat faster and she forgave everything to him. When Ikuta Toma looked right into camera, then the same happened to me.

At first Yano was lying to others and to himself about his real feelings, but I find that thanks to Nanami he began to forget all the bad (but then had to come someone who reminded him all the **** that happened) I can totally understand Yano's feelings and actions, but you can really see how much he falls for Nanami in the end. To come to think of it.. I might be really similar to Nanami - not able to hate someone or be resentful.

Takeuchi.. I actually hoped that someone more ikemen will act his part, but Takaoka Sousuke was

 okey too. Despite that I still find that Takaoka Sousuke was the weakest in the cast, because his lines  seemed to be more like just studied by heart. I did not feel like he WAS Takeuchi, like with others, but he really just played his part. Takeuchi's character was without any changes as were other characters too. But there was one thing I did not understand about him - he was so certain that he can make Nanami happy, but how can you make someone happy for a lifetime, when she does not even love you? I could never be truly happy with someone for the rest of my life, when I actually do not love him - and I do not believe that stuff that maybe I will grow to love him.

And the last characters who I should mention in this part of review are the Yamamoto sisters. Nana was not shown as annoying as she was in manga - in manga and anime she was total crybaby and childish and she never seemed to think of anything seriously. That was why her character was so pitiful. Even though she was older than all the other characters in movie, she was like a small child, who would cry if you take her candy away. Woah, that reminds me my ex-dorm neighbor  who cried and screamed "He does not love meeee~!" x5 in the middle of the night... She was a person who did not stand by herself.

At the same time, Yuri was much more annoying. I think that she had serious mental problems, because she was so certain of some things which actually were only in her head. And she was really good at manipulating with other people, especially Yano, due to the past. I feel like she was one reason why Yano's life was so messed up.

I remember one thing that was different from manga/anime, Yano and Nanami broke up only one time, not again and again.
If you watch the first part, then actually you can even watch it as one movie, no need to watch the other part if you do not want. But then the movie would have really sad end..
Well.. now to the other part of the movie :) 

Bokura ga ita ~kohen~
Country: Japan
Format: Movie 
Genre: romace, youth
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Takaoka Sousuke, Motokariya Yuika, Higa Manami, Komatsu Ayaka, Asou Yumi, Sudo Risa, Emoto Tsuku, Imura Kumi, Yamashita Yorie, Nomaguchi Toru, 
Synopsis: 6 years have passed since Yano moved to Tokyo. Even though they tried to make the long-distance relationship work, but as time passed Yano contacted her less and less, until there was no contact between them. Six years later Nanami is searching for job in Tokyo with Takeuchi supporting her. But some things are meant to be while others are not, so with life's unpredictable roads they meet again.
Rating: 5/5
As I said, the second part starts 6 years later. Nanami has fulfilled her promise and lived a happy and hard-working life to finally go to Tokyo, even though she knows nothing about Yano.

So since one moment the movie shows how Yano's life went after he moved to Tokyo - it is almost like a storytelling by Akiko and Takeuchi to Nanami. As Sengenji Akiko is the only new character, then more about her. She was Yano's classmate in Tokyo and actually she fell in love with him, but as she saw how much he was in love with Nanami, then she was okey with being his best friend (which she became too).  She was mental backup for Yano and she helped him a lot. Of course she knew almost nothing about Yamamoto sisters and all the other **** happening.

Now this part might contain spoilers.. To start with, Yano's life became total hell. His mother was so

 crazy and ruining his life. I have seen only the anime before, so I did not know the things that happened in this part. Yano's mother should have been put to a mental hospital, but she was dying anyway. And of course when Yano's life was messed up enough, then Yamamoto had to stalk him out and pressure him -.- I understand why Yano acted as he did later, I bet every person would have behaved the same way.

But I did like one thing that Takeuchi said to him in the end, which I think made him really think everything through. It was that "why can't you see that actually Nanami is drowning too?". Nanami was so strong and showed her bright side always, but she knew that she was unable to love anyone else no matter how much time passed or what would have happened, Yano would still be the only one she would be looking for in the masses, even when she knew that the chances are almost down to zero.

I really liked both movies and it was a great way to spend time while riding a bus from one city to another. Ride was 2,5 hours long and one movie is 2 hours, so I was able to watch one on the way there and other on the way back. Anyway.. Definitely watch it, because in last 3 months it has been the most romantic movie I have seen. :D

Deranged (2012)

Also known as: Yeongasi
Country: South-Korea
Format: movie
Genre: thriller, horror
Cast: Kim Myung Min, Mun Jung Hee, Kim Dong Wan, Lee Honey (Lee Ha Nui), Eom Ji Seong, Yeom Hyum Seo, 
Synopsis:  Jae Hyuk was once a professor in biochemistry, but due to wrong investment he has lost his reputation and money. His younger brother Jae Pil, who advised him to enter into stock market, is working as a detective in order to pay the money back to his brother. One day a dead body is found in river and by the next day the Han river is covered with weird looking bodies. As investigation is on, they discover that these deaths are cause by mutant parasitic horsehair worm/ yeongasi, who controls its victims brain to make it eat for days, then drink only water until the victim drowns himself/herself into water.
Rating: 3/5
Rather unique way to use people's fright - in 2009 there was a documentary about hairworm shown in Korea, which led to all kind of thoughts about what happens if human get infected? For your information, this kind of parasite does exist, but it is only on insects. And this is the background information why director Park Jung Woo started to search more about it and did a movie like this. The biggest emphasis is put on making things realistic and I admit that it seems realistic.

Main character Jae Hyuk, played by Kim Myung Min, is disappointed in life and because of that he is mad at everybody. He was the perfect example of when things do not go well, then they won't turn out well even if you have tried for already 5th time! One of my friends actually commented after the whole room had been silent for too long that he did not understand if the whole point of this was to be as depressing as it can, because it was reeeeeaaaalllly depressing. I more think that the scriptwriter and director of the movie were not able to choose out the one way how Jae Hyuk could get the medicine for his family, so they decided to put all options into the movie. What a great idea, if only it would not be so hopeless. Of course, that was able to make me cry for a moment, because you can actually feel the love between the family members. What if such a disaster would happen to your family? would you not give your best even if you can hardly recognize your family?

Kim Dong Wan played the part of Jae Pil, brother who is working at detective company, man who is almost hated by everyone, but in the end does everything for his brother. I actually liked his character the most, because he cared about other people and he was rather good detective. I felt like he was the only one who brought in at least a bit of sun into the movie. Even though I am familiar with Korean bands and music, I did not recognize that he is a member of Shinwa.

I was a bit fascinated by Lee Honey - if you do not know, then she was Miss Korea 2006, the 3rd runner-up to Miss Universe 2007, but it was not her first time acting. Her role as Yun-Joo is so annoying that it is brilliant. Every scientific movie needs one character who is the "Mother of morality" - and that's exactly who Yun-Joo is. Even when the time is running up, she is trying to hold back the crew just because "we do not know what consequences might come with medicine which has not been tried out yet. I was like "SERIOUSLY?! There are two options at the moment - you try to save them and see the outcome or you just let them die anyway." Of course her actions turned out great, but she was still annoying.

Compared to the actual story, it is much interesting to read about the making of the movie. For the dead bodies they actually used specially made dummies, who need rescuing from the water after some minutes, because the dummies started to drown, but after rescuing them, they froze within 5 minutes, because the movie was filmed in winter and early spring.
One last thing - I would not call this movie so much of a "HORROR", because for me horror movies are connected to supernatural-ghost-psychokillers, but "Deranged" is a story of human actions, which can happen in real life. You may say that it is total utopia, but just search how many things have become real which were "utopia" 50-100 years ago. Well, I hope you will watch the movie yourself and give me your opinions on it!

Haunters (2010)

also known as: Psychic
Counrty: South-Korea
Format: movie
Genre: surreal, action, absurd
Cast: Gang Dong Won, Ko Soo, Enes Kaya, Abu Dodd, Jung Eun Chae, Byun Hee Bong, Yang Kyung Mo,
Synopsis: Kyu Nam starts working at small pawn shop after being hit with a truck on his birthday and loosing his job at junk ward. One day the dreamlike work at pawn shop ends, when one man walks into the shop - everyone seems to be frozen and do not seem him. Cho In grew up with a brutal childhood with abusive father and unstable mother, whose problems where caused by Cho In's supernatural ability to control all the people who are in sight of his view. But at the moment in pawn shop he understands that Kyu Nam is not a normal person either as Kyu Nam does not surrender under his control. A war where only one of them can live starts between two supernatural men.
Rating: 3/5
A Superhero movie from Korea - rather unexpected. While I watched it, I really did not get it whether it was supposed to be an action movie or a comedy. There are scenes that are dead serious, but next ones are absurdly funny. The superhero parts make it similar to M. Night Shyamalan's film "Unbreakable" (2000), which is the reason why many times these two are compared. (I have not see "Unbreakable", so no further comparing by me)

Firstly, Koo Soo plays the part of Kyu Nam - ordinary man who suddenly has superpowers. The movie does not explain where he is from or how did he get those neither if he has had those powers since birth. But the thing you understand, is that he cannot die! No matter how serious the damage is, he is able to come out of it, which for me made it veeery absurd. I know I am not the person, who likes those unrealistic superheros. Kyu Nam takes it as his responsibility to kill Cho In, who is "harmful" to the human race. But Koo Soo acting is great and I know that he has many fans, who watched it especially because of him.

Playing Cho In was Gang Dong Won's last role before enrolling into the army (now he is back and ready to get into entertainment business again).  Even though Cho In was villain, who caused innocent people's deaths, I found him pitiful, because he was not the usual bad guy. He did not want to rule the world or get extremely rich - he just wanted to live, which was difficult in this society considering his power, because it took time to finally have a control over it. Same as Kyu Nam, we do not get to know where he got his powers from, so the best thing is to think that they were just born with those. At first I did not understand why he searched Kyu Nam after meeting him for the first time. If he really wanted to live, then he must have gone far far away, but I think that he searched for Kyu Nam because of curiosity and to test his limits. Those two characters are built on character differences - they are each other opposites in every way.

The star characters of the movie are Ali and Boba - one from Turkey and other from Ghana. It is great to see actors from other races too, because you do not see them much in Asian movies. These two made me feel like I am watching some funny epic comedy or even parody of the thriller-action supermovie.. I meant superhero movie. Well, they light up the serious and depressive atmosphere. If we would cut all their parts and edit movie into two parts, then we will get exactly two movies - parody and serious thing. Must mention that Enes Kaya and Abu Dodd have very good Korean, but there is almost no information about them. (I do know that Abu Dodd also acted in a movie called "Pacemaker" in 2011) 

The camerawork is great, actors and script are good, but the movie itself does not have any development inside it. It is all just about Kyu Nam and Cho In fight. I know that many watchers have liked it, critics have enjoyed it, I am "so-so" without any real emotions about it. If you watch it, then watch, if not, then don't. But I recommend it to watch it with a lot of food and great company to enjoy it.