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Reviews
Saltburn (2023)
Overrated, much?
Modern films simply do not know what true substance is anymore. Everything in this age is a show, a pretty little veil that hides lackluster emptiness underneath. "Let's make everything bright and shiny, novel and confusing, so we can distract viewers from how bad the movie is!"
Even understanding that this is a stylized film intended on making some obvious commentary on the classes and poking fun at the so-called elite, it just falls completely flat. There is no refinement or subtlety, and the characters are incoherent, and not just because they were written to be "complex." And the moments for shock factor were completely unnecessary.
The 3 stars is for the effort, at least it wasn't a complete waste of time, and some of the acting was commendable.
Seon-san (2024)
A deep dive into familial relationships wrapped in a thriller
It absolutely baffles me when shows like this get rated below a 7, whereas other completely mindless, horribly written ones with atrocious dialogue and acting get much higher ratings.
Albeit no "Train to Busan," most of Yeon Sang-ho's works post that blockbuster were all compelling in their own rights. Hellbound tackles the issue of religion and the dangers of cultish behavior, Jung-E is a family story packaged in an action drama, and this one, once again tackles familial relationships but in a much different arena. And there's always something humane at the core of these shows that grounds them, despite some of the outlandish scenarios. What happens when absolute devotion to your family pushes you to do irrational things; what happens when lack of devotion creates similar outcomes? This is a wonderful exploration of the complexity of what family means, should be, could be, shouldn't be, is expected to be, etc.
The acting is superb, and the characters are complex and dynamic. Highly recommended.
The Brothers Sun (2024)
Misses the mark on everything
After trying to push past episode 2, I gave up. The show is so flawed I'm surprised it even got greenlit.
None of the characters are believable and the acting across the board is subpar at best, no one feels comfortable or lived in. I used to adore Michelle Yeoh, but these days it feels like they're just using her to get funding and "a name" for a project. The 3 of them (Charles, Bruce, and Mama Sun) have very little chemistry as a family, which should be the heartbeat of the story.
All the "badass" characters are beyond cliche and nothing they say is truthful nor convincing- just because you slap on some tattoos and give a good sideeye does not make you threatening, and I've rarely seen a less convincing DA.
The comedy falls flat and the supposedly genuine moments have no weight or sincerity. For an action comedy, it just isn't funny nor that entertaining. The Chinese is all over the place. The tone is all over the place. The acting is all over the place. The only consistent aspect was this tangential emphasis on food.