Reviews

This has all the elements necessary to become a cult hit; adorable lead playing the role of a likable misfit, hipster music and dirty jokes. However, the pacing was a letdown and the execution of the plot left something to be desired.

Carla is perfect as Helen, a tomboyish girl rough around the edges with a chip on her shoulder. As with Juno portrayed by Ellen Page, Carla's Helen is a girl with seemingly not a care in the world, walking to the beat of her own drum. As with both, we realize that their attitude is only a front, and both are incredibly vulnerable beneath the surface. This vulnerability makes Helen endearing, and the scene in which Helen's (crazy) mother convinces her to leap into her arms then lets her fall is very powerful.

Unfortunately, the sharp jumps between dirty humour and heavy drama don't work, simply feeling too abrupt and ill-planned. This movie could have been a heart-wrenching dramedy but it feels like the director did not know exactly how he wanted to put all his thoughts together. While it felt like there was too many heavy scenes, I still left the film feeling that I hadn't gotten that deep into Helen's psyche, other than gaining the knowledge that her strange behavior stemmed from rebellion against her mother due to her parents' divorce.

A good example of dramedy done well (in my humble opinion) is the television series Girls in Love, which contrasted Ellie's dreamy pursuit of boys with her melancholic memories of her mother in hospital. Sugar Rush (which coincidentally stars the same lead actress) is another show did well to balance humour with drama.

The nudity in this film did feel gratuitous at points, and I got a bit weary of the sheer amount cramped in the film mere minutes apart. Did I think it necessary for the full frontal nudity of four men jerking off onto a pizza? No. But Helen skating down the hospital corridor with her butt out did make me chuckle, and fit well with her personality.

Carla Juri will go far for sure, being beautiful, likable and talented. I cannot wait to see her star in more films in the future. I also hope to see more of director David Wndendt's work and will probably take a look at his older films. With better editing, his future directorial efforts will probably be winners.

This movie feels a lot like the Hunger Games mixed with the Lord of the Flies, so the concept and content is already a winner but the pacing is awful. We don't get a chance to feel the boys' relationships grow. Things happen too fast in a way that makes the it hard for me to feel empathy and emotional attachment to the characters, rather than making the movie more exciting.

The acting is not that great-the lead is very stiff and unnatural in many parts of the movie, and the curly haired kid's death was badly acted as well. Kaya was not that believable in this movie too, and neither was the blonde scientist.

However, the concept and execution of the maze was very nice to watch. I had to strain my eyes badly to make out what was happening during the night scene when Grievers attacked, but otherwise I found the movie quite visually appealing.

I'd say this movie is worth watching and is a good way to pass time, but I am still a bit disappointed by the execution. The director had a great story to work with but didn't make it come through that well. Between this and the Hunger Games, I'd say HG beats this in all aspects.

It feels like I'm watching an incredibly mediocre sequel to My Sassy Girl. Jun Ji Hyun is playing practically the same character, but while it was funny in MSG because she and Cha Tae Hyun had hilarious chemistry together, the characters in this show simply lack any charm. Rather than a "sassy girl", she comes off as an arrogant bitch. Sure, we'll find out about her dad later and that will be used to stir up sympathy for Song Yi, but I simply don't see any of the characters growing on me. Many deadpan characters exist in movies and drama serials, but for some reason Do Min Joon is simply not likable. All the humor in this drama is beyond forced, and hence made me unable to even crack a smile much less laugh. While some of the special effects are good (like when time stops), others fall below the mark (the opening scenes with the UFO, flying foliage etc). I know a "1" rating seems too biased, but to give it more than that requires a reason (which I do not have). The soundtrack is cheesy and as subtle as a sledgehammer. The younger version of Song Yi looks nothing like her. The pace is too draggy to sustain interest. Nobody has any chemistry, and even the delightful Jun Ji Hyun can't redeem this drama for me. All in all, I don't know why the serial is so popular and highly rated.

Most of the episode centers around the origins of Reverend Lovejoy's apathy and Marge's taking over of the church hotline. This will satisfy people's curiosity, for those like me who wondered why he acts the way he does. Children and fans looking for cheap laughs all the time may dislike these flashback episodes, but they make the characters a lot more 3 dimensional and gives the show heart and empathy.

Yet while I enjoy learning about the backgrounds of the characters with episodes involving flashbacks, it can be a bit heavy at times. It was in the subplot whereby Homer finds a box bearing his face that this episode really shined.

This bit has such gems as "Hello Chief let's talk, why not?" and "I'm disrespectful to dirt! Can't you see that I am serious??". The rest of the episode is more serious than comedic, but people should at least see the hilarious Mr. Sparkle advertisement, if nothing else. Those who have watched zany Japanese commercials will definitely find it an incredible parody. Plus the logo was pretty ingenious too!

I rated it 9 because it deserves much more than the 5.6 it has at the moment. The songs are catchy and meaningful, and the acting is commendable. Although the first time i watched it (I've caught it over 4 times) I found Sam a tad irritating, it's easy to relate to the feeling of living in someone's shadow.

The graphics in the internet highway and Sam's imagination were really good, but during performances or the dinner date, the graphics looked a bit too exaggerated and cheap. (perhaps as not to be taken seriously) Another thing that could have been changed slightly would be the dance routines which did not really work with the songs. Other than these very small "faults", the show was very touching and as with all Disney movies, there is a moral to the story. Very much worth watching as a filler for a Sunday evening with the family or friends.

Before i geared up to watch this movie, I hadn't expected much (which perhaps fuelled my enjoyment even more) as other reviews on the internet promised bad fighting sequences and flat acting. I beg to differ, however. The korean lead brings with him a series of quirky expressions and is very likable, and Shu qi's stoic attitude makes his wild expressions stand out all the more.

Despite not knowing each other's mother tongue, it is altogether believable that their marriage would work out, given Shu qi's entourage's quirky mistranslations that turn anything they say into sweet nothings. (Think about it, they would never have the chance to argue!) I entirely recommend watching this, as it had me rolling around in laughter. The first 5 minutes or so may be a bit of a drag, though-however, it is well worth enduring.

My advice for anyone who has yet to watch it? Don't take it too seriously!