Thank you PunditKitchen.com for keeping me laughing!
KMK: Sumsei Terrarium
21 hours ago
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
"Summon the Heroes"
Since my first week in Korea I was yearning to see a baseball game. I've read and heard that the games are enjoyable and extremely cheap. At first I was surprised, as you can get bleacher seats for $3, behind the plate and baselines for about $10, and VIP box seats for $30. (As a Red Sox fan, I could only dream Fenway's tickets were that cheap!) However, after seeing a couple of games on TV, I'm not as surprised to the low cost of the aforementioned tickets. The Korean teams skill levels are the equivalent to our minor leagues - and maybe that is being too nice. The pitchers seem to throw everything right down the middle of the plate, and the bats are swinging left and right. Most games I've seen are pretty high scoring. (Plus I can recall one game where there were 3 errors in one inning - maybe that's just a fluke, but I doubt it.) So maybe the ticket prices are acceptable, as the farm teams back at home are just as cheap.
Three months have past, and as a treat for myself, I decided I was going to venture out and watch a game. The stadium is about an hour away on the subway, and I gave myself extra time to get there early in order to buy a ticket. (You can order them online, but I don't know how). The subway was packed though, and I didn't get there much earlier than the rest of Seoul.
The game I went to see was the Doosan Bears vs. the Kia Tigers. The Doosan Bears share Jamsil Stadium with another home team the LG Twins. (Yes, Korean baseball teams name themselves after conglomerates and not cities). According to many sources, the Tigers are the equivalent of the Yankees - having won many championships, and therefore the Doosan Bears are closest to the Red Sox. Ergo, I'm going to despise the Tigers from now on and am adopting the Bears as my team. Unfortunately, just like the Red Sox/Yankee games - this one was completely sold out! I tried to get a ticket, but to no avail! I'm going to have to recruit my co-teacher to helping me buy a ticket online before the season ends in October.
Korean baseball follows the same rules as MLB baseball (except I'm not sure if they follow the AL or NL rules). The unique thing to baseball in Asia (as I've heard this is the same in Japan) is that the fans contribute to the game using chants and songs, and use 'thunder sticks' along in unison. The fans get really quiet and respectful when their team bats, and gets really loud against the opposing team. Every Korean has not only their favorite baseball player, but cheerleader as well. They lead the songs and dances for the crowd, and contribute to the environment.
After picking myself up from this huge disappointment and taking a handful of snapshots, I went across the highway (via the subway terminal of course) and strolled through "Asia Park" located near the "Asian Player Village" It wasn't all that exciting, so I just decided to play with the camera and try and practice my photography. I believe I'm getting better.
Three months have past, and as a treat for myself, I decided I was going to venture out and watch a game. The stadium is about an hour away on the subway, and I gave myself extra time to get there early in order to buy a ticket. (You can order them online, but I don't know how). The subway was packed though, and I didn't get there much earlier than the rest of Seoul.
The game I went to see was the Doosan Bears vs. the Kia Tigers. The Doosan Bears share Jamsil Stadium with another home team the LG Twins. (Yes, Korean baseball teams name themselves after conglomerates and not cities). According to many sources, the Tigers are the equivalent of the Yankees - having won many championships, and therefore the Doosan Bears are closest to the Red Sox. Ergo, I'm going to despise the Tigers from now on and am adopting the Bears as my team. Unfortunately, just like the Red Sox/Yankee games - this one was completely sold out! I tried to get a ticket, but to no avail! I'm going to have to recruit my co-teacher to helping me buy a ticket online before the season ends in October.
Korean baseball follows the same rules as MLB baseball (except I'm not sure if they follow the AL or NL rules). The unique thing to baseball in Asia (as I've heard this is the same in Japan) is that the fans contribute to the game using chants and songs, and use 'thunder sticks' along in unison. The fans get really quiet and respectful when their team bats, and gets really loud against the opposing team. Every Korean has not only their favorite baseball player, but cheerleader as well. They lead the songs and dances for the crowd, and contribute to the environment.
I was really looking forward to this game, and even though I knew this was a possibility, I decided "Oh well, if I can't get in, at least I'll get to see the Olympic Stadium area". For those of you young people out there, the Olympic Stadium was built for the 1988 Summer Games. There actually wasn't much to see because you can't get into the stadiums, and everything was blocked off for concerts and events. I did, however, get to take some photos of the area.
As usual, click the pics to enlarge
After picking myself up from this huge disappointment and taking a handful of snapshots, I went across the highway (via the subway terminal of course) and strolled through "Asia Park" located near the "Asian Player Village" It wasn't all that exciting, so I just decided to play with the camera and try and practice my photography. I believe I'm getting better.
When I got home not too long ago, I really wanted pizza. This is something that is everywhere in Korea, but I had still not tested it. After I fended off some Korean missionaries that really wanted me to join their church, I had the fortune to go to a small place called "Pizza Club" right across from my building. They actually turn out a decent pizza, and you can get a medium for only $5! It comes with sweet pickles as well, which aren't half bad. I think this will be a regular thing before I go out on Friday or Saturday night as it's cheap, yet filling for all that mek-ju and soju!
This note is for my best friend Patrick - I saw an Volvo S80, so I had to take a photo for you of one with Korean plates). By the way - since Hyundai is a Korean made car, I see about 100 Santa Fe's a day, so it's nothing special!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
"Speak"
I've been trying to increase my vocabulary as well as try to read Korean or Hangul (한글) at a faster pace. It actually is a fairly easy language to read once you get the basics down.
Hangul is organized into syllabic blocks. Each block consists of usually two to four of the 24 Hangul letters, and contain at least one each of the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. These syllabic blocks can be written horizontally from left to right as well as vertically from top to bottom in columns from right to left.
For anyone who wants to learn to read, I highly recommend using these pictographic PDF's which you can also find here. They have helped me immensely!
![[Korean Consonants]](http://www.wright-house.com/korean/korean-graphics/korean-consonants.gif)
![[Korean Vowels]](http://www.wright-house.com/korean/korean-graphics/korean-vowels.gif)
For example you might see this: 커피 - the first 2 letters are [ke'] and [ô] and the second are [p'] and [ee]. Add them together and you get kopee - or coffee. Now, that's all fine and dandy (yes, I just used the word dandy) if you're reading something that is derived from the English language. (aka Konglish)
As a side note, most words end in vowels and when Koreans try to speak just about any English word, they add a vowel to the end. I can't tell you how many times I've been called "Nick-ah" or "Teach-ah" when sitting at my "desk-eh".
I've noticed that there are different rules sometimes that you may only figure out by being corrected by, or having a native speaker with you. There is a lot of trial and error, which probably isn't the best thing when you're trying to order food or ask a question to a native speaker, but they usually get the point and try to help you the best that they can.
The best thing I have done recently is establish my new classroom rules of forcing the kids to write down vocabulary in their notebooks. Since I have them say the words aloud in English, I also have them repeat it in Korean to make sure they understand. After teaching the same lesson for a week, I can repeat the Korean translations of many of the vocabulary words I give to them. They learn from me, I learn from them. It's a great system if you ask me. Just don't ask me in Korean - at least not YET.
Hangul is organized into syllabic blocks. Each block consists of usually two to four of the 24 Hangul letters, and contain at least one each of the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. These syllabic blocks can be written horizontally from left to right as well as vertically from top to bottom in columns from right to left.
For anyone who wants to learn to read, I highly recommend using these pictographic PDF's which you can also find here. They have helped me immensely!
For example you might see this: 커피 - the first 2 letters are [ke'] and [ô] and the second are [p'] and [ee]. Add them together and you get kopee - or coffee. Now, that's all fine and dandy (yes, I just used the word dandy) if you're reading something that is derived from the English language. (aka Konglish)
Another example of this would be:
아파트 [a] [pa] [teu] or "apartment"
For those who are wondering, the [ㅇ] is silent at the beginning of words - it's a silent consonant like the "h" in "heir", but unlike the letter "h" is it is always silent at the beginning of words. When found at the end of a syllable it makes an "ng" sound.
Another example of this would be:
콩글리시 [kong] [geul] [re] [see] = kongeulresee (or konglish)
I've noticed that there are different rules sometimes that you may only figure out by being corrected by, or having a native speaker with you. There is a lot of trial and error, which probably isn't the best thing when you're trying to order food or ask a question to a native speaker, but they usually get the point and try to help you the best that they can.
The best thing I have done recently is establish my new classroom rules of forcing the kids to write down vocabulary in their notebooks. Since I have them say the words aloud in English, I also have them repeat it in Korean to make sure they understand. After teaching the same lesson for a week, I can repeat the Korean translations of many of the vocabulary words I give to them. They learn from me, I learn from them. It's a great system if you ask me. Just don't ask me in Korean - at least not YET.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
"Hibi No Neiro"
This music video 'Hibi no Neiro' (Tone of everyday) was shot for a Japanese band called "Sour". It is from their first mini album 'Water Flavor EP'. The cast were selected from the actual Sour fan base, from many countries around the world. Each person and scene was filmed purely via webcam.
SOUR official site: http://sour-web.com
Sunday, August 23, 2009
"Let's Get It Started"
My short vacation is over, and I'm back to work. (insert sarcastic "yippee!" here)
I suppose it's a good thing that I only have to teach one lesson a week! It is the start of a new semester, which in Korea goes something like this:
Semester 1: March - Mid-July
Summer Vacation
Semester 2: Mid-August - Late January/Early February
Winter Vacation
Winter vacation is about a month long, and out of that I have 15 days paid vacation. However the other 15 I might have to teach a winter course, unless for some miracle the principal decides against it and I get another 15 days of vacation. (crossing my fingers!)
Anywho, since it is the start of a new term, I decided to be a little more organized and keep my expectations for my students high. My biggest issues when I first began teaching (for only 3 weeks before their summer vacation) was that the students were not bringing notebooks, not writing any notes (if they even bothered to bring a pencil) or would be completely inactive and just try to sleep in class. My classroom rules are simple now. I only have 5 rules.
1. Always bring your English notebook to class.
2. Always bring a pencil or pen to class.
3. Always write the English Vocab words in your notebook (I have them write the Korean equivalent as well, and then they use the notebook as a dictionary for when I give them pop quizzes or writing assignments when they'll need the vocab.)
4. Always raise your hand to answer a question. (They normally just yell out to you - so I'm training them that if they just raise their hand and are quiet, they can win candy. But the kids who yell out I don't even call on).
5. Try to speak English 1st, Korean 2nd. (I am a firm believer that they should try. I have heard that some hagwons don't allow the kids to speak Korean in the English classes, or if the teachers try to speak Korean they can get into trouble. I don't think this is productive at all, and when you have a class of 40 students of extremely mixed ability the kids who don't understand a lot are going to fall further behind and then not even care anymore.)
As for those sleeping kids I mentioned earlier - it's not easy to fight against, as many students are up very late studying or going to private lessons that their parents push on them. Even the Korean teachers cut these students a little slack and let them put their heads down and nod off during class.
To be fair though, for some of these students going to public school is the easiest part of their day, and a nice break. I even asked the students "How was your summer vacation? Did you have fun? Are you happy to be back at school?" Most of their responses were surprising. They were actually happier to be back at school than on vacation because either their parents were making them sit at home and study or they were taking multiple private lessons in every subject. At least at public school they can see all their friends, and again the classes are easier. One girl told me all she did was study and go to private lessons for a month. Her mother is home all the time and with such close living quarters its easy to enforce the no TV or computer rule. Sometimes I really feel bad for these kids - they are pushed way to hard and need to some fun and relaxation.
Ok, that's enough about the schools.
As a side note, I'd like to give a shout out to Google Analytics, a tracking gadget I've put on the blog. It shows me where my audience is logging in from, some which I find surprising. I've had visitors from Belgium, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, South Korea (besides me), and a multitude of states - primarily CT, RI, NY and MA as expected.
This gadget also helps me see where my traffic is coming from. Most of it is from family and friends who have saved the website in their bookmarks or are referred from Facebook or other sites. I'm starting to gain an audience from www.reliableteacher.com. This site had contacted me asking to use my blog on their site. I had not responded and actually wasn't too keen on the idea of all these random people peering into my life - but they posted it anyways. (and I don't even teach at a hagwon --- odd). I'll just have to be more careful about what I post and try to appeal to a broader audience than just family and friends back home.
Anyways, as long as I'm getting the traffic, I guess it wouldn't hurt to make some more posts like this one that would help new teachers, or those thinking about coming to Korea. Although, I can think of many sites far more helpful than mine.
I'll leave you now with this funny video that I can't seem to stop watching and have found my self singing from time to time. (I recommend turning on Closed Captioning because the lyrics are funny). Enjoy! (John Williams is the man!)
I suppose it's a good thing that I only have to teach one lesson a week! It is the start of a new semester, which in Korea goes something like this:
Semester 1: March - Mid-July
Summer Vacation
Semester 2: Mid-August - Late January/Early February
Winter Vacation
Winter vacation is about a month long, and out of that I have 15 days paid vacation. However the other 15 I might have to teach a winter course, unless for some miracle the principal decides against it and I get another 15 days of vacation. (crossing my fingers!)
Anywho, since it is the start of a new term, I decided to be a little more organized and keep my expectations for my students high. My biggest issues when I first began teaching (for only 3 weeks before their summer vacation) was that the students were not bringing notebooks, not writing any notes (if they even bothered to bring a pencil) or would be completely inactive and just try to sleep in class. My classroom rules are simple now. I only have 5 rules.
1. Always bring your English notebook to class.
2. Always bring a pencil or pen to class.
3. Always write the English Vocab words in your notebook (I have them write the Korean equivalent as well, and then they use the notebook as a dictionary for when I give them pop quizzes or writing assignments when they'll need the vocab.)
4. Always raise your hand to answer a question. (They normally just yell out to you - so I'm training them that if they just raise their hand and are quiet, they can win candy. But the kids who yell out I don't even call on).
5. Try to speak English 1st, Korean 2nd. (I am a firm believer that they should try. I have heard that some hagwons don't allow the kids to speak Korean in the English classes, or if the teachers try to speak Korean they can get into trouble. I don't think this is productive at all, and when you have a class of 40 students of extremely mixed ability the kids who don't understand a lot are going to fall further behind and then not even care anymore.)
As for those sleeping kids I mentioned earlier - it's not easy to fight against, as many students are up very late studying or going to private lessons that their parents push on them. Even the Korean teachers cut these students a little slack and let them put their heads down and nod off during class.
To be fair though, for some of these students going to public school is the easiest part of their day, and a nice break. I even asked the students "How was your summer vacation? Did you have fun? Are you happy to be back at school?" Most of their responses were surprising. They were actually happier to be back at school than on vacation because either their parents were making them sit at home and study or they were taking multiple private lessons in every subject. At least at public school they can see all their friends, and again the classes are easier. One girl told me all she did was study and go to private lessons for a month. Her mother is home all the time and with such close living quarters its easy to enforce the no TV or computer rule. Sometimes I really feel bad for these kids - they are pushed way to hard and need to some fun and relaxation.
Ok, that's enough about the schools.
As a side note, I'd like to give a shout out to Google Analytics, a tracking gadget I've put on the blog. It shows me where my audience is logging in from, some which I find surprising. I've had visitors from Belgium, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, South Korea (besides me), and a multitude of states - primarily CT, RI, NY and MA as expected.
This gadget also helps me see where my traffic is coming from. Most of it is from family and friends who have saved the website in their bookmarks or are referred from Facebook or other sites. I'm starting to gain an audience from www.reliableteacher.com. This site had contacted me asking to use my blog on their site. I had not responded and actually wasn't too keen on the idea of all these random people peering into my life - but they posted it anyways. (and I don't even teach at a hagwon --- odd). I'll just have to be more careful about what I post and try to appeal to a broader audience than just family and friends back home.
Anyways, as long as I'm getting the traffic, I guess it wouldn't hurt to make some more posts like this one that would help new teachers, or those thinking about coming to Korea. Although, I can think of many sites far more helpful than mine.
I'll leave you now with this funny video that I can't seem to stop watching and have found my self singing from time to time. (I recommend turning on Closed Captioning because the lyrics are funny). Enjoy! (John Williams is the man!)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
"Carrying the Banner"
South Korean's have been abundant in the news this week.
Korean golfer Yang Yong-eun made PGA Tour history, becoming the first Korean and Asian player to win a major championship. Tiger Woods was a favorite, but Yang Yong-eun defeated him late in the final round.
In keeping with it's normal mood swings, North Korea has decided to try and resume projects that North and South have worked on previously. This includes work between Hyundai and North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and talks to resume tours to Mt. Geumgang located in the North. South Korea's government is as usually remaining cautious about the projects, but hopes for a positive outcome.
This afternoon, Former President Kim Dae-jung (김대중) died of complications to pneumonia. He was SK's 15th President (1998-2003)
"He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts at reconciliation with North Korea, including a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The fighter for democracy endured abduction, torture and multiple arrests while engaging in the pro-democracy movement.
During his more than 40 years in politics, Kim survived several assassination attempts, one of which left him with a permanent limp.
Political analysts say it was just short of a miracle that Kim won the 1997 presidential election. His inauguration marked South Korea's first power transfer between rival parties."
Lastly, Dae-sung, a member of the K-pop group Big Bang was in a car accident and is going to need surgery. He had "his nose and orbital bones broken in the accident that took place near Pyeongtaek", which is about 20 minutes from me via subway.
You can read about more Korean news here (The Korean Times)
Korean golfer Yang Yong-eun made PGA Tour history, becoming the first Korean and Asian player to win a major championship. Tiger Woods was a favorite, but Yang Yong-eun defeated him late in the final round.
In keeping with it's normal mood swings, North Korea has decided to try and resume projects that North and South have worked on previously. This includes work between Hyundai and North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and talks to resume tours to Mt. Geumgang located in the North. South Korea's government is as usually remaining cautious about the projects, but hopes for a positive outcome.
This afternoon, Former President Kim Dae-jung (김대중) died of complications to pneumonia. He was SK's 15th President (1998-2003)
"He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts at reconciliation with North Korea, including a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The fighter for democracy endured abduction, torture and multiple arrests while engaging in the pro-democracy movement.
During his more than 40 years in politics, Kim survived several assassination attempts, one of which left him with a permanent limp.
Political analysts say it was just short of a miracle that Kim won the 1997 presidential election. His inauguration marked South Korea's first power transfer between rival parties."
Lastly, Dae-sung, a member of the K-pop group Big Bang was in a car accident and is going to need surgery. He had "his nose and orbital bones broken in the accident that took place near Pyeongtaek", which is about 20 minutes from me via subway.
You can read about more Korean news here (The Korean Times)
Monday, August 17, 2009
"Teach Your Children"
Many occupations exist out of pure necessity. Jobs like doctors, scientists, and farmers have, and always will exist. Thankfully, in Korea, teaching English (as well as proof reading) is still needed - as proven by LOTTE (one of many Korean conglomerates).
Recently an advertisement put up at a Lotte Department Store in Jeonju has gotten attention on the internet. The store intended to write not “Bitch” but “Beach”.
Also...
When I started teaching, I was told about a movie named "Our School E.T." that was supposed to be very good and explained a lot about Korean culture, teaching, students, and the school systems (at least those in the rich Gangnam area). I finally found it on YouTube, and I have to say - it is one of the better movies I have seen in a while. It's funny and heart-warming at the same time. Enjoy!
NOTE: This is Part 1 of 12 - you'll have to go on YouTube and click the subsequent links that follow, as I'm not going to post all 12 parts here. But here is the link.
Recently an advertisement put up at a Lotte Department Store in Jeonju has gotten attention on the internet. The store intended to write not “Bitch” but “Beach”.
Also...
When I started teaching, I was told about a movie named "Our School E.T." that was supposed to be very good and explained a lot about Korean culture, teaching, students, and the school systems (at least those in the rich Gangnam area). I finally found it on YouTube, and I have to say - it is one of the better movies I have seen in a while. It's funny and heart-warming at the same time. Enjoy!
NOTE: This is Part 1 of 12 - you'll have to go on YouTube and click the subsequent links that follow, as I'm not going to post all 12 parts here. But here is the link.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
"Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat"
After my long day at the zoo on Friday, I decided to meet up with Ashley and we went out for drinks to Pirate Bar. I met some more foreigners, and we all seemed to have a good time. Ashely told me that on Saturday she was meeting some teachers from her hagwon (Areum and Nira). She invited me out to join them on a tour of the Han River. Overall it was a nice, relaxing day, and we got to take some nice photo's of the polluted river and the smoggy city.
Here is a map of our excursion. We traveled from roughly Yeouido to Sincheon.
Friday, August 14, 2009
"Zoo Station"
As my short vacation has officially started, I awoke early and took the train to Gwacheon (Seoul Grand Park). From what I've seen online, it looked like a relatively small place. Boy was I wrong! This place was huge! It not only incorporates a ginormous zoo, but also has a botanical garden, National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul-land Amusement Park, and probably more.
I decided to only go to the zoo and museum for now, as it was scorching hot (I have a lovely sunburn now). I'm not a big fan of amusement parks anyways, and I figured it would just be a ton of kids and lines. I didn't bother taking the available tram (which was only about 50 cents) and decided to walk, as on the map, the place doesn't look that large. Wrong again - as it was about a mile from the subway stop exit to the zoo entrance. Thankfully I had bought a liter of Gatorade to get me through the day!
I was able to get some nice photos around the zoo, and even splurged ($2) to see the Dolphin and Seal show. It lasted only about 15 minutes, but was cute and entertaining. Below is a video of the highlights of the show as well some photos and a link to more zoo photos.
Here are a couple of shots from the Museum of Modern Art (at the same link as above):
I decided to only go to the zoo and museum for now, as it was scorching hot (I have a lovely sunburn now). I'm not a big fan of amusement parks anyways, and I figured it would just be a ton of kids and lines. I didn't bother taking the available tram (which was only about 50 cents) and decided to walk, as on the map, the place doesn't look that large. Wrong again - as it was about a mile from the subway stop exit to the zoo entrance. Thankfully I had bought a liter of Gatorade to get me through the day!
I was able to get some nice photos around the zoo, and even splurged ($2) to see the Dolphin and Seal show. It lasted only about 15 minutes, but was cute and entertaining. Below is a video of the highlights of the show as well some photos and a link to more zoo photos.
Here are a couple of shots from the Museum of Modern Art (at the same link as above):
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
It's not like me to do two posts in a day, (so please read the one before this). But I just witnessed the most perfect rainbow outside my window and had to share it with you all. Enjoy!
I just wish I could have had a better angle and a cleaner window to shoot out from (I only dangled the camera out the window for a couple shots - it's a long drop and an expensive piece of technology).
I couldn't get the entire arc, so you'll have to take my word that it was like something you'd see on an 80's lunchbox (minus the flying horses and Sprites of course).
Here are a few samples: Please click on the pic for the large version
At one point you could make out a double rainbow as well.
(above: it's kind of faint and to the right)
I just wish I could have had a better angle and a cleaner window to shoot out from (I only dangled the camera out the window for a couple shots - it's a long drop and an expensive piece of technology).
I couldn't get the entire arc, so you'll have to take my word that it was like something you'd see on an 80's lunchbox (minus the flying horses and Sprites of course).
Here are a few samples: Please click on the pic for the large version
At one point you could make out a double rainbow as well.
(above: it's kind of faint and to the right)
"Scared of the Moon"
It's my last days of summer school! For only being a 4 week session of 1/2 days, it sure felt longer.
My treat for my students is showing them a movie and bringing them snacks. My Friday classes usually were treated to movies such as The Simpson's Movie and Eagle Eye, but my Tuesday and Thursday classes haven't had the pleasure yet. After perusing the local DVD rental store, and looking up running times on my cell phone, I finally found a movie they seemed to love. 1408. (Thank you IMDB!) Koreans love horror films for some reason, and the student watched wide eyed (except for the majority of the girls who covered their eyes when they thought something really scary was going to happen -- it's cute).
As a side note for those who care: As it is in every country, Korean DVD's are coded to work only on DVD players that are in the same region. (ie, Region 3) This provides copyright protection and tries to thwart selling cheap pirated DVD's. There are ways to get around it, such as hacking the region codes, or downloading DVD player programs for your computer that are region free such as Windows Media Player Classic. My computer at work had issues with this though, so I have decided to keep my computer at work set to the Asian region code, and my personal computer to the US region code. I figure if I want to watch a movie on my computer at work, it's most likely it'll be a Korean film or I downloaded it and therefore has no region code. On the negative side, I can't rent a movie to play on my personal computer. Not a big loss.
This past Monday night, Jordan and I took the train into Gangnam-gu to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (aka HP6). It has left most theaters (including the one attached to my building which apparently is lousy), so we only had a limited time to see it. It was playing in the COEX mall, which I'm told is the largest underground mall in Asia. It doesn't seem that big at first, but in reality is is pretty darn big for all being underground. The theaters in Korea are a little different than back home. I have read that it is a lot harder to get tickets to movies as they are sold out well in advance. But since HP6 was on its way out of theaters we didn't have a problem. Ticket prices range from about 5000W for matinee's to 8-9000W for night shows. Relatively cheap compared to the $10 prices back home. You purchase your seat (such as B4, B5) rather than sit wherever you want. We were stuck up front, but it wasn't bad. Snacks aren't too bad either. You can get 2 sodas, popcorn and a hot dog for about 7000W.
COEX Mall
(above: outdoor view of Gangnam/Mall entrance)
(below: underground shopping area)
(above: outdoor view of Gangnam/Mall entrance)
(below: underground shopping area)
The movie itself was really good. I've never read a Harry Potter book besides the first one (after I had seen the movie). This probably is the best way to go, as I wasn't in for much disappointment. It's pretty cliche to state that the book is better than the movie. It's hard not to find someone who thinks of that for ANY movie based on a book. Either way, I think it was really well done, the special effects were realistic and not too over the top, the storyline was understandable, and even without knowing the book I could still infer on smaller aspects that were not explained. The only part of the movie I thought was weird was that Hogwarts seemed to be basically just a place for wizards to make-out without any adult supervision. There was more sexual innuendo placed in the script than in the past, which I found amusing. But overall, the movie is not for younger kids (not like they would understand the innuendo anyways). Maybe that, along with the scary themes, (ie, the freaky underground lake full of corpses) is why it gets an Adult (R) rating in Korea.
You may go ahead and disagree with me - but I'm willing to bet those who do probably read the book first!
Monday, August 10, 2009
"Late in the Evening"
This past weekend was pretty tiring, but I am getting used to going out and socializing into the wee hours of the morning now. Sadly, it really is the only way to get to meet people around my area. Foreign men go out late to party to meet Korean women and Koreans (women and men) work ungodly hours and unwind starting from 11 and usually wrapping things up around 3-4am.
On Friday night, Jordan was going on a date with a gorgeous model (Mi-Su), and seeing how double/group dating is more popular here than one-on-one, he invited me along. My date was gorgeous as well (Miona). The odds were in my favor so I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed as, in my opinion, most Korean women are beautiful. Miona is an art/design student at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea. To me, they are all prestigious as if you compared them to a lot of the universities back home you would see how much harder the students have to work. Even to get into a university is quite a difficult task in comparison, as I have heard the entrance exams they take in late high school are brutal.
Anyways, we treated the ladies to a nice dinner of samgyupsal at a restaurant in Hongdae. Samguypsal is a popular pork dish that is grilled on a hot plate with kimchi, garlic or onions. Hongdae is one of the post popular night spots in Seoul full of night clubs, bars, restaurants and norebangs.
After dinner we trekked through the back streets and found a hopping bar and ordered one of their specials - a bottle of tequila, peaches, nachos, Coke and Cider (Sprite). We played a couple of drinking games that Koreans seem to love, and chatted the night away in broken Korean/English. Overall, it was a fun and tiring night.
On Saturday night, Jordan had another date, so we did the same - this time with a different Korean girl (Her English name is Lindsey) who I have met on a couple occasions at different bars, and her friend (I forgot her name as it was too hard to pronounce). They had gone for dinner and I met up with them at one of the popular Japanese bar chains called Warawara in downtown Sanbon, where we had some more broken Korean/English conversations, and drank some Soju cocktails. (they squeeze or blend fresh fruit and add it to a bottle of Soju - tasty and strong!) Afterward, I suggested we go to a pool hall where we taught them how to play. Unfortunately, my date and I lost, and I had to pay for our beer at the next bar, where we played some darts, and chatted some more.
After the girls left, we stumbled across some other foreigners we knew and a new girl named Ashley who has been here for 2 weeks. The best part is she lives in my building! Finally, someone who is only a couple floors away - as I felt as if I were the only white person in my entire officetel. (An officetel is an apartment building that has stores built into it. Mine contains a cinema, cell phone store, 7-11, coffee shop, retail clothing shops, multiple restaurants, and a small bank). Ashley (who is from Iowa), was a little drunk, and offered to bake me cookies seeing as it is the neighborly thing to do (at least it is in the mid-west where people are polite). Too bad she didn't realize until later that we have basically the same apartment and we don't have ovens. (her next offer of fried or microwaved cookies was quickly turned down). Yuck!
Anyways, this is my last week of summer camp, so my short 5 day vacation is quickly approaching. I'm trying to make plans, and will probably hit up a few museums, and some other sites. I really can't wait until the autumn gets here and I can really explore the outdoors, hike a moutain or two, and get some fantastic photos of the changing leaves around a palace!
On Friday night, Jordan was going on a date with a gorgeous model (Mi-Su), and seeing how double/group dating is more popular here than one-on-one, he invited me along. My date was gorgeous as well (Miona). The odds were in my favor so I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed as, in my opinion, most Korean women are beautiful. Miona is an art/design student at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea. To me, they are all prestigious as if you compared them to a lot of the universities back home you would see how much harder the students have to work. Even to get into a university is quite a difficult task in comparison, as I have heard the entrance exams they take in late high school are brutal.
Anyways, we treated the ladies to a nice dinner of samgyupsal at a restaurant in Hongdae. Samguypsal is a popular pork dish that is grilled on a hot plate with kimchi, garlic or onions. Hongdae is one of the post popular night spots in Seoul full of night clubs, bars, restaurants and norebangs.
After dinner we trekked through the back streets and found a hopping bar and ordered one of their specials - a bottle of tequila, peaches, nachos, Coke and Cider (Sprite). We played a couple of drinking games that Koreans seem to love, and chatted the night away in broken Korean/English. Overall, it was a fun and tiring night.
On Saturday night, Jordan had another date, so we did the same - this time with a different Korean girl (Her English name is Lindsey) who I have met on a couple occasions at different bars, and her friend (I forgot her name as it was too hard to pronounce). They had gone for dinner and I met up with them at one of the popular Japanese bar chains called Warawara in downtown Sanbon, where we had some more broken Korean/English conversations, and drank some Soju cocktails. (they squeeze or blend fresh fruit and add it to a bottle of Soju - tasty and strong!) Afterward, I suggested we go to a pool hall where we taught them how to play. Unfortunately, my date and I lost, and I had to pay for our beer at the next bar, where we played some darts, and chatted some more.
After the girls left, we stumbled across some other foreigners we knew and a new girl named Ashley who has been here for 2 weeks. The best part is she lives in my building! Finally, someone who is only a couple floors away - as I felt as if I were the only white person in my entire officetel. (An officetel is an apartment building that has stores built into it. Mine contains a cinema, cell phone store, 7-11, coffee shop, retail clothing shops, multiple restaurants, and a small bank). Ashley (who is from Iowa), was a little drunk, and offered to bake me cookies seeing as it is the neighborly thing to do (at least it is in the mid-west where people are polite). Too bad she didn't realize until later that we have basically the same apartment and we don't have ovens. (her next offer of fried or microwaved cookies was quickly turned down). Yuck!
Anyways, this is my last week of summer camp, so my short 5 day vacation is quickly approaching. I'm trying to make plans, and will probably hit up a few museums, and some other sites. I really can't wait until the autumn gets here and I can really explore the outdoors, hike a moutain or two, and get some fantastic photos of the changing leaves around a palace!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
"Pump Up the Jam"
On the serious side:
First of all, I think it is great that the DPRK has finally pardoned and released the two female journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. They had been found guilty of entering North Korea's borders illegally in March and sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp. Fortunately, former President Bill Clinton ran into a phone booth, exited as Superman, and flew to their rescue to quickly exchange for their release home. The DPRK has had the state run North Korean News Agency declare that this shows the "humanitarian and peace-loving policy" of the DPRK. (bullsh*t) You can read more about it all here if you don't know the news already.
On the lighter side:
I've gotten to actually enjoy some K-Pop that I'm actually willing to post some more videos of some decent groups. However, as much as I still think Japanese Pop (J-Pop) is a little better, K-Pop is slowly giving it a run for it's money.
Enjoy!
First of all, I think it is great that the DPRK has finally pardoned and released the two female journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. They had been found guilty of entering North Korea's borders illegally in March and sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp. Fortunately, former President Bill Clinton ran into a phone booth, exited as Superman, and flew to their rescue to quickly exchange for their release home. The DPRK has had the state run North Korean News Agency declare that this shows the "humanitarian and peace-loving policy" of the DPRK. (bullsh*t) You can read more about it all here if you don't know the news already.
On the lighter side:
I've gotten to actually enjoy some K-Pop that I'm actually willing to post some more videos of some decent groups. However, as much as I still think Japanese Pop (J-Pop) is a little better, K-Pop is slowly giving it a run for it's money.
Enjoy!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"Best of What's Around"
"Sometimes it is too damn hot to do anything."
This has been my mantra during these past few weeks of summer classes. It has been either way to hot or humid to really go out to see and do things that I want to do around Seoul. I'm putting a lot off until the autumn when I can actually enjoy being outside for more than a half-hour at a time without having a hallucination of a comfy, air conditioned apartment. That, and the combination of that the Korean teachers (who I want to spend time with as my tour guides of the area) are on summer vacation, makes for rather dull afternoons. So dull sometimes that I end up watching WAY too many movies. (I won't get into how I viewed these though for my own protection.) ^-^
Anyways, I've done a lot of catching up on movies I haven't seen within the past few years (or more), and I think this is as good a time as any to pretend that I am the next Gene Siskel. So, strike up the band, and break out the cue cards: here it is...
Religulous: This was a funny, but also insightful docu-mocu-mentary presented and directed by Bill Mahr. His basic premise for the film is questioning world religions and ideals whilst poking fun at some of the absurdities and things people tend to believe. (not to mention a funny crack at Scientology). I found it hysterical, but unfortunately very one sided. Mahr's main achievement for me was this: "The irony of religion is that because of its power to divert man to destructive courses, the world could actually come to an end. The plain fact is, religion must die for mankind to live." - a good point in my opinion. However, his failure in the movie is to interview reputable theologians on the meanings behind the ideals he mocks. I don't think he was fair to criticize without finding out the whole story - and then build upon by editing the film to make people look pretty darn stupid.
I Love You Man: The main plot is this: "Friendless Peter Klaven goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding. But when his insta-bond with his new B.F.F. puts a strain on his relationship with his fiancée, can the trio learn to live happily ever after?" (IMDB). I found this movie only "so-so" funny (sometimes it seemed they were trying to hard), but I could also could relate to the story on how awkward it can be to make male friends. There are many funny one-liners and antics in this film and Jason Segel and Andy Samberg steal the show from the lead of Paul Rudd, but rightly so, as they are just funnier people.
Gran Torino: Most likely, the best movie I have seen all summer. Plot: "Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino." This movie was very touching and eye opening, as it shows a weird balance of bigotry, but human decency at the same time. All the Hmong cast members, sans one, had never acted before, but give a wonderful performance. A must see in my opinion.
Valkyrie: Plot: "Based on actual events, a plot to assassinate Hitler is unfurled during the height of WWII". Not the greatest WWII movie, but a pretty suspenseful one that highlights the assassination and secretive coup to overthrow Hitler and make a new Germany before Hitler destroys all that it used to be and stand for. Tom Cruise gives a decent performance, but overall, the film wasn't that great. There are many slow points that are trying to be historically accurate without being entertaining enough.
Defiance: Based on a true story: "Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants." A fairly good movie that is suspenseful and exciting at the same time. The acting is well done, and story is well told. It's a good movie and something I would watch again.
The Soloist: "A Los Angeles Journalist, befriends a homeless Julliard trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper." The acting in this film was superb, as Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. have excellent interplay. The storyline is slow however, and there are many references that try to make political statements against the Bush Administration that aren't necessary for the story. It does, however, give an eye opening insight to the homeless of L.A. and treatment of the mentally disabled.
17 Again: "About a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life." This is basically the same movie as 13 going on 30, or any of those age reversal movies. Although it was probably a film made for screaming teenage Zac Effron fans, I actually though it was light and humorous in many ways. The acting was pretty bad, the plot was obvious, and the teenage cast was annoyingly stereotypical, but it still was pretty funny. Overall, a good movie to watch if you just want to laugh and feel good.
Bridge To Terabithia: As many of you know the book, I don't feel as though I need to go into the plot. The movie was pretty well done, although the CGI characters were really fake looking. I thought it was tastefully done and made me smile to reminisce about my childhood. The movie didn't stick fully to the book, so there was some disappointment there, but it didn't change my overall feeling towards the film. It pretty much brought my imagination to life and made me yearn to be a kid playing in the woods again.
Dan in Real Life: Plot: "A widower finds out the woman he fell in love with is his brother's girlfriend". I mainly watched this because I remember it was being filmed in Rhode Island when I was living there. I even recall they were shooting a scene not far from the Johnston and Wales University and Dane Cook was around chatting with locals and we were all staring out our office windows hoping that maybe they would film on your street. Anyways, this film was hilarious in my opinion. Dane Cook and Steve Carell are two funny men who know how to entertain you in the most awkward ways. I highly recommend this film both as comedy and as a romance film. It has its cute moments immediately followed up by sprays of hilarity. Also, it's a good movie to watch over and over especially if you are trying to find Rhode Island landmarks in Newport, Jamestown, and Narragansett.
The Bucket List: "Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die." This film was all I expected it to be. A very simple and predictable storyline. The acting was good - as you would expect from the two great actors of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, but even though you can pretty much know the ending after the first minute into the movie, it still made me feel sympathetic to the characters as it was very touching once you got to understand them and how they were dealing with the lives and deaths in different ways.
Benny and Joon: So, it's an older movie, but I had never seen it - and I'm glad I did. "A mentally ill young woman finds her love in an eccentric man who models himself after Buster Keaton." The story line is pretty simple, but there are so many quirky and funny scenes that I was delighted by - mostly by Johnny Depp's character that imitated Buster Keaton classic scenes. The dialogue is well done, but it's just a good movie with memorable scenes which don't need words.
Public Enemies: Keeping with Johnny Depp, this film is about the later life of the notorious American gangster John Dillinger. The film is well done and makes you feel like you are in the 1930's. If you know the story behind John Dillinger you won't be disappointed as it is very accurate to the details of his later life and death. The only thing that brought this movie down was Christian Bale's role. (I honestly think he's doing way too many films at once, and all his characters are blending together.)
Stranger than Fiction: "An IRS auditor (Will Farrell) suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death." A funny film in a weird sort of way, and it also contains a little romance with a woman who is completely the opposite of the by-the-book, uptight character that is Will Farrell. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like 90% of Farrell's films, but this one I found surprisingly enjoyable (probably because Farrell doesn't play a complete idiot for a change).
An Inconvenient Truth: Al Gore's presentation on climate change, global warming, and the grim future we face if we keep on the same path we are on today. This film is pretty eye opening to some of the facts of Global warming. Granted some of the statistics could probably be slanted in the oppositions favor, but Gore makes a compelling argument that I think everyone must hear. I did feel that Gore tried to put himself on a pedestal as a leader of climate change that no one heeded advice from, when plenty of people had done this before him. He also made himself to be a victim of the 2000 election when he 'lost' to Bush, and throws in some criticisms of the Republican party that are unnecessary for making his arguments on the environment.
Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara: "A film about the former US Secretary of Defense and the various difficult lessons he learned about the nature and conduct of modern war" An interesting documentary hosted by the late McNamara that explains and tries to justify many policies of his creation throughout his career. I applaud him for looking inward to disagree with some of his decisions of the past especially in Vietnam. But overall, I think he makes some decent points, although sometimes the film feels like it is a cheap version of his memoirs and focuses on his accomplishments, rather than showing some of his failures.
The Pianist: "A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II." An extremely well done movie starring Adrien Brody. I kept putting myself in his characters shoes, and was held in suspense and yet sad-horror throughout his scenes of suffering. I think this is a must see for anyone who wants to experience a viewpoint of someone living in a Jewish Ghetto rather than all the other WWII Holocaust based movies.
Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism: "Documentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided." This documentary is pretty much biased against FNC, but rightfully so. The film points out the blatant right-wing agenda of FNC and how journalism has suffered because of the lack of ethical journalism (or lack thereof) that FNC brings to the world. I don't agree with some of their statistics, but I do agree with the anger of FNC's marketing ploys, lack of fact checking, one sided arguments, and use of commentators of journalists just to make their point. My favorite scene was the focus on Bill O'Reilly and his hatred of the son of a 9/11 widow for his views against the Bush Administration and War in Afghanistan. Frankly, I think Bill O'Reilly needs to be taken off the air as soon as humanly possible.
Apocalypse Now (Redux Version): Ok, so some of you are going to yell and scream at me for saying I think this is an awful movie. I get it. You don't think Francis Ford Coppola is capable of making a bad movie - I mean, the man made the Godfather! But still, I hated this film. Here's the plot: "During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe." First off, this movie is based on the book "Heart of Darkness" which by reading about it, seems much more entertaining than the Vietnam War adapted version. I thought the movie would probably be enjoyed if you were high on shrooms (which actor Sam Bottoms actually was during the time of filming). Overall, I didn't find it entertaining except for one scene (probably the most popular one too) where Robert Duvall's character strikes an NVA stronghold just so he can go surfing, and throws out the "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning!" line. I was completely disappointed in this movie based on its high reviews and Oscar wins. And I really don't recommend the Redux Version as it was over 3 hours long. ZZZZzzzzzz
Watchmen: "In an alternate 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it." Maybe it's because I never read the comic book, but I didn't find this movie that entertaining. I had decent special effects, but that was about it. I didn't understand why one of the superhero's (Dr. Manhattan) had such a hard time dealing with his emotions for humanity for such a supreme being that was once human. I think I'm missing out on a lot by not knowing the comic, but overall, I didn't find it that entertaining, and expected a more intricate plot with more action - as it is a comic and superheros. Turns out it was more like a boring crime drama.
Terminator Salvation: "After Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, a group of survivors led by John Connor struggles to keep the machines from finishing the job." Christian Bale stars in this 4th Terminator flick of which, the only highlight is the special effects. The plot is the same as all the others - destroy the machines, stay alive, blow stuff up. There are just too many holes based on the info given in the first 3 Terminator films. I honestly think they should have stopped after the first 2. Please - don't make a 5th unless you're going to kill off all the characters.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Probably one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. The special effects were cool and all, but the story made no sense and was riddled with holes. My favorite 2 mistakes are 1. When the Decepticons go under water to revive Megatron, the navy states that 5 "objects" go under water. If one of the Decepticons was killed in order to bring Megatron back to life, there couldn't have arisen 6 "objects" from the water (that's just simple math), and 2. The main characters go to Washington DC's Air and Space Museum to bring a jet to life as a Transformer, and upon exiting the building are seen among many other planes in the desert. (I never knew there was a desert on the Mall in D.C.)
The Secret: "Interviews with leading authors, philosophers, scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives." This is a spiritual guidance documentary about how "The Secret" aka the Law of Attraction with give you what you want. Basically, it says, if you focus on what you want, the universe will give it to you. If you are negative about things, the universe will bring you that as well. My problem with this film is it is just nuts. It's a bunch of loons talking about how you can get anything in the world if you think positively about what you want, ask for it, think about it, and you will receive it. Yet these people are authors, teachers, philosophers, and new world academics. You'd think if this really worked then they'd be making millions and getting everything they ever wished for. Frankly, if I were some of the people in this film, I'd wish (using the Law of Attraction) that my face was better looking for film.
Across the Universe: This film is basically a montage of Beatles music set on an acid trip. Nothing to write home about. I don't recommend watching it at all, rather just listen to the music. It has no real plot, it just follows some characters in an annoying love story throughout the 50's-70's and puts the music in perspective to the time it was written.
Twilight: Based on the popular teen book series, the movie is about a teenage girl falling in love with a vampire. What makes it a weird movie is the vampire is about 100 years old in a twenty year olds body (and still in high school for the bazillionth time). Oh, and he falls in love with a 17 year old girl who smells like a really tasty meal to him. Can we say "creepy cradle robber"?
The Hangover: Ok, so this is a movie that is actually pretty funny, but I've seen it before. It's a really dumb movie that has been repackaged. This explains it better than I do. <--Click it!
Made of Honor: "A guy (Patrick Dempsey) in love with an engaged woman tries to win her over after she asks him to be her maid of honor." I'm mixed on this film. It had some funny moments, and was overall entertaining, but I didn't feel like the guy should have gotten the girl in the end. (You'd have to be an idiot to think it wouldn't happen, so I'm not really ruining anything here). Why do I feel like the guy shouldn't have gotten the girl? Well, 1. He had a strict rule about dating women and was completely against commitment in any form but slept with what seemed like every woman in New York. 2. He was a rich, arrogant, good looking, know it all. 3. He didn't know he loved his best friend until she was taken, and was using her for her company, but not as a potential life-long partner. Basically, these are all the signs of the villain in a love story. Meanwhile, the poor fiancee was a nice guy, simple, foreign, rich too, (but a little too perfect). I just don't think Patrick Dempsey's character was worthy enough for the girl, and I didn't feel bad for him when his love interest fell in love with someone and seemingly broke his heart. Too bad!
Journey to the Center of the Earth: Basically the plot of the book, but unites a uncle and his nephew on a journey to find the nephew's lost father. My issue wasn't the story - it was entertaining and actually quite funny. It was the special effects I didn't enjoy. For this day and age, they were too cartoony and fake. Get with the program, and don't make me feel that every move is a CGI image on a green screen!
This has been my mantra during these past few weeks of summer classes. It has been either way to hot or humid to really go out to see and do things that I want to do around Seoul. I'm putting a lot off until the autumn when I can actually enjoy being outside for more than a half-hour at a time without having a hallucination of a comfy, air conditioned apartment. That, and the combination of that the Korean teachers (who I want to spend time with as my tour guides of the area) are on summer vacation, makes for rather dull afternoons. So dull sometimes that I end up watching WAY too many movies. (I won't get into how I viewed these though for my own protection.) ^-^
Anyways, I've done a lot of catching up on movies I haven't seen within the past few years (or more), and I think this is as good a time as any to pretend that I am the next Gene Siskel. So, strike up the band, and break out the cue cards: here it is...
My Top Movies That I've Seen This Summer That May Or May Not Be New, But Of Which, Are New To Me. *whew*
(I know some of you will disagree with my opinions, but remember this is MY blog and MY opinions, so hush!).
The Best (In no particular order)
Religulous: This was a funny, but also insightful docu-mocu-mentary presented and directed by Bill Mahr. His basic premise for the film is questioning world religions and ideals whilst poking fun at some of the absurdities and things people tend to believe. (not to mention a funny crack at Scientology). I found it hysterical, but unfortunately very one sided. Mahr's main achievement for me was this: "The irony of religion is that because of its power to divert man to destructive courses, the world could actually come to an end. The plain fact is, religion must die for mankind to live." - a good point in my opinion. However, his failure in the movie is to interview reputable theologians on the meanings behind the ideals he mocks. I don't think he was fair to criticize without finding out the whole story - and then build upon by editing the film to make people look pretty darn stupid.
I Love You Man: The main plot is this: "Friendless Peter Klaven goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding. But when his insta-bond with his new B.F.F. puts a strain on his relationship with his fiancée, can the trio learn to live happily ever after?" (IMDB). I found this movie only "so-so" funny (sometimes it seemed they were trying to hard), but I could also could relate to the story on how awkward it can be to make male friends. There are many funny one-liners and antics in this film and Jason Segel and Andy Samberg steal the show from the lead of Paul Rudd, but rightly so, as they are just funnier people.
Gran Torino: Most likely, the best movie I have seen all summer. Plot: "Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino." This movie was very touching and eye opening, as it shows a weird balance of bigotry, but human decency at the same time. All the Hmong cast members, sans one, had never acted before, but give a wonderful performance. A must see in my opinion.
Valkyrie: Plot: "Based on actual events, a plot to assassinate Hitler is unfurled during the height of WWII". Not the greatest WWII movie, but a pretty suspenseful one that highlights the assassination and secretive coup to overthrow Hitler and make a new Germany before Hitler destroys all that it used to be and stand for. Tom Cruise gives a decent performance, but overall, the film wasn't that great. There are many slow points that are trying to be historically accurate without being entertaining enough.
Defiance: Based on a true story: "Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants." A fairly good movie that is suspenseful and exciting at the same time. The acting is well done, and story is well told. It's a good movie and something I would watch again.
The Soloist: "A Los Angeles Journalist, befriends a homeless Julliard trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper." The acting in this film was superb, as Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. have excellent interplay. The storyline is slow however, and there are many references that try to make political statements against the Bush Administration that aren't necessary for the story. It does, however, give an eye opening insight to the homeless of L.A. and treatment of the mentally disabled.
17 Again: "About a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life." This is basically the same movie as 13 going on 30, or any of those age reversal movies. Although it was probably a film made for screaming teenage Zac Effron fans, I actually though it was light and humorous in many ways. The acting was pretty bad, the plot was obvious, and the teenage cast was annoyingly stereotypical, but it still was pretty funny. Overall, a good movie to watch if you just want to laugh and feel good.
Bridge To Terabithia: As many of you know the book, I don't feel as though I need to go into the plot. The movie was pretty well done, although the CGI characters were really fake looking. I thought it was tastefully done and made me smile to reminisce about my childhood. The movie didn't stick fully to the book, so there was some disappointment there, but it didn't change my overall feeling towards the film. It pretty much brought my imagination to life and made me yearn to be a kid playing in the woods again.
Dan in Real Life: Plot: "A widower finds out the woman he fell in love with is his brother's girlfriend". I mainly watched this because I remember it was being filmed in Rhode Island when I was living there. I even recall they were shooting a scene not far from the Johnston and Wales University and Dane Cook was around chatting with locals and we were all staring out our office windows hoping that maybe they would film on your street. Anyways, this film was hilarious in my opinion. Dane Cook and Steve Carell are two funny men who know how to entertain you in the most awkward ways. I highly recommend this film both as comedy and as a romance film. It has its cute moments immediately followed up by sprays of hilarity. Also, it's a good movie to watch over and over especially if you are trying to find Rhode Island landmarks in Newport, Jamestown, and Narragansett.
The Bucket List: "Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die." This film was all I expected it to be. A very simple and predictable storyline. The acting was good - as you would expect from the two great actors of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, but even though you can pretty much know the ending after the first minute into the movie, it still made me feel sympathetic to the characters as it was very touching once you got to understand them and how they were dealing with the lives and deaths in different ways.
Benny and Joon: So, it's an older movie, but I had never seen it - and I'm glad I did. "A mentally ill young woman finds her love in an eccentric man who models himself after Buster Keaton." The story line is pretty simple, but there are so many quirky and funny scenes that I was delighted by - mostly by Johnny Depp's character that imitated Buster Keaton classic scenes. The dialogue is well done, but it's just a good movie with memorable scenes which don't need words.
Public Enemies: Keeping with Johnny Depp, this film is about the later life of the notorious American gangster John Dillinger. The film is well done and makes you feel like you are in the 1930's. If you know the story behind John Dillinger you won't be disappointed as it is very accurate to the details of his later life and death. The only thing that brought this movie down was Christian Bale's role. (I honestly think he's doing way too many films at once, and all his characters are blending together.)
Stranger than Fiction: "An IRS auditor (Will Farrell) suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death." A funny film in a weird sort of way, and it also contains a little romance with a woman who is completely the opposite of the by-the-book, uptight character that is Will Farrell. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like 90% of Farrell's films, but this one I found surprisingly enjoyable (probably because Farrell doesn't play a complete idiot for a change).
An Inconvenient Truth: Al Gore's presentation on climate change, global warming, and the grim future we face if we keep on the same path we are on today. This film is pretty eye opening to some of the facts of Global warming. Granted some of the statistics could probably be slanted in the oppositions favor, but Gore makes a compelling argument that I think everyone must hear. I did feel that Gore tried to put himself on a pedestal as a leader of climate change that no one heeded advice from, when plenty of people had done this before him. He also made himself to be a victim of the 2000 election when he 'lost' to Bush, and throws in some criticisms of the Republican party that are unnecessary for making his arguments on the environment.
Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara: "A film about the former US Secretary of Defense and the various difficult lessons he learned about the nature and conduct of modern war" An interesting documentary hosted by the late McNamara that explains and tries to justify many policies of his creation throughout his career. I applaud him for looking inward to disagree with some of his decisions of the past especially in Vietnam. But overall, I think he makes some decent points, although sometimes the film feels like it is a cheap version of his memoirs and focuses on his accomplishments, rather than showing some of his failures.
The Pianist: "A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II." An extremely well done movie starring Adrien Brody. I kept putting myself in his characters shoes, and was held in suspense and yet sad-horror throughout his scenes of suffering. I think this is a must see for anyone who wants to experience a viewpoint of someone living in a Jewish Ghetto rather than all the other WWII Holocaust based movies.
Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism: "Documentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided." This documentary is pretty much biased against FNC, but rightfully so. The film points out the blatant right-wing agenda of FNC and how journalism has suffered because of the lack of ethical journalism (or lack thereof) that FNC brings to the world. I don't agree with some of their statistics, but I do agree with the anger of FNC's marketing ploys, lack of fact checking, one sided arguments, and use of commentators of journalists just to make their point. My favorite scene was the focus on Bill O'Reilly and his hatred of the son of a 9/11 widow for his views against the Bush Administration and War in Afghanistan. Frankly, I think Bill O'Reilly needs to be taken off the air as soon as humanly possible.
The Worst (In no particular order)
Apocalypse Now (Redux Version): Ok, so some of you are going to yell and scream at me for saying I think this is an awful movie. I get it. You don't think Francis Ford Coppola is capable of making a bad movie - I mean, the man made the Godfather! But still, I hated this film. Here's the plot: "During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe." First off, this movie is based on the book "Heart of Darkness" which by reading about it, seems much more entertaining than the Vietnam War adapted version. I thought the movie would probably be enjoyed if you were high on shrooms (which actor Sam Bottoms actually was during the time of filming). Overall, I didn't find it entertaining except for one scene (probably the most popular one too) where Robert Duvall's character strikes an NVA stronghold just so he can go surfing, and throws out the "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning!" line. I was completely disappointed in this movie based on its high reviews and Oscar wins. And I really don't recommend the Redux Version as it was over 3 hours long. ZZZZzzzzzz
Watchmen: "In an alternate 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it." Maybe it's because I never read the comic book, but I didn't find this movie that entertaining. I had decent special effects, but that was about it. I didn't understand why one of the superhero's (Dr. Manhattan) had such a hard time dealing with his emotions for humanity for such a supreme being that was once human. I think I'm missing out on a lot by not knowing the comic, but overall, I didn't find it that entertaining, and expected a more intricate plot with more action - as it is a comic and superheros. Turns out it was more like a boring crime drama.
Terminator Salvation: "After Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, a group of survivors led by John Connor struggles to keep the machines from finishing the job." Christian Bale stars in this 4th Terminator flick of which, the only highlight is the special effects. The plot is the same as all the others - destroy the machines, stay alive, blow stuff up. There are just too many holes based on the info given in the first 3 Terminator films. I honestly think they should have stopped after the first 2. Please - don't make a 5th unless you're going to kill off all the characters.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Probably one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. The special effects were cool and all, but the story made no sense and was riddled with holes. My favorite 2 mistakes are 1. When the Decepticons go under water to revive Megatron, the navy states that 5 "objects" go under water. If one of the Decepticons was killed in order to bring Megatron back to life, there couldn't have arisen 6 "objects" from the water (that's just simple math), and 2. The main characters go to Washington DC's Air and Space Museum to bring a jet to life as a Transformer, and upon exiting the building are seen among many other planes in the desert. (I never knew there was a desert on the Mall in D.C.)
The Secret: "Interviews with leading authors, philosophers, scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives." This is a spiritual guidance documentary about how "The Secret" aka the Law of Attraction with give you what you want. Basically, it says, if you focus on what you want, the universe will give it to you. If you are negative about things, the universe will bring you that as well. My problem with this film is it is just nuts. It's a bunch of loons talking about how you can get anything in the world if you think positively about what you want, ask for it, think about it, and you will receive it. Yet these people are authors, teachers, philosophers, and new world academics. You'd think if this really worked then they'd be making millions and getting everything they ever wished for. Frankly, if I were some of the people in this film, I'd wish (using the Law of Attraction) that my face was better looking for film.
Across the Universe: This film is basically a montage of Beatles music set on an acid trip. Nothing to write home about. I don't recommend watching it at all, rather just listen to the music. It has no real plot, it just follows some characters in an annoying love story throughout the 50's-70's and puts the music in perspective to the time it was written.
Twilight: Based on the popular teen book series, the movie is about a teenage girl falling in love with a vampire. What makes it a weird movie is the vampire is about 100 years old in a twenty year olds body (and still in high school for the bazillionth time). Oh, and he falls in love with a 17 year old girl who smells like a really tasty meal to him. Can we say "creepy cradle robber"?
The Hangover: Ok, so this is a movie that is actually pretty funny, but I've seen it before. It's a really dumb movie that has been repackaged. This explains it better than I do. <--Click it!
Made of Honor: "A guy (Patrick Dempsey) in love with an engaged woman tries to win her over after she asks him to be her maid of honor." I'm mixed on this film. It had some funny moments, and was overall entertaining, but I didn't feel like the guy should have gotten the girl in the end. (You'd have to be an idiot to think it wouldn't happen, so I'm not really ruining anything here). Why do I feel like the guy shouldn't have gotten the girl? Well, 1. He had a strict rule about dating women and was completely against commitment in any form but slept with what seemed like every woman in New York. 2. He was a rich, arrogant, good looking, know it all. 3. He didn't know he loved his best friend until she was taken, and was using her for her company, but not as a potential life-long partner. Basically, these are all the signs of the villain in a love story. Meanwhile, the poor fiancee was a nice guy, simple, foreign, rich too, (but a little too perfect). I just don't think Patrick Dempsey's character was worthy enough for the girl, and I didn't feel bad for him when his love interest fell in love with someone and seemingly broke his heart. Too bad!
Journey to the Center of the Earth: Basically the plot of the book, but unites a uncle and his nephew on a journey to find the nephew's lost father. My issue wasn't the story - it was entertaining and actually quite funny. It was the special effects I didn't enjoy. For this day and age, they were too cartoony and fake. Get with the program, and don't make me feel that every move is a CGI image on a green screen!
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