Better Romance films
In the States, there are lots of bad romantic comedies. These left a bad taste in my mouth, experiencing these poor films in my youth. As I've become an adult, I've built an appreciation for the romance film genre. These are the films that made that happen.
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- DirectorGi-hoon JeongStarsGo SooHan Hyo-jooLee Dong-kyuWhen a doctor gets sued for misdiagnosing a patient, she reaches out to a dedicated firefighter to be a character witness for her. An unlikely romance sparks between the two of them.
- DirectorSang-woo KimStarsUhm JunghwaDaniel HenneyHolly Karrol ClarkA Korean company analyst rear-ends an American man's car then discovers he's her new boss. Unlucky at love, she begins to take romance lessons from him in order to seduce him.
- DirectorHo-joon KimStarsKim Rae-wonMoon Geun-youngAhn Sun-yeongA teenage girl tries to continue her normal social and school life, after her grandfather forces her into an arranged marriage with a man in his twenties.[2021년 1월 8일 오전 12시 55분]
Sweet, cute and one I can recommend to anyone I know (whereas others on this list are not for the readily flustered.)
All the characters are top notch. Everyone's acting their butts off. You believe the performances and experience the solidifying of a childhood crush into a adult relationship: there's flaw, but there's also commitment and sincerity.
I've been looking forward to rewatching this one. Hopefully in the near future - DirectorKwang-shik KimStarsLee Chae-eunWon-tae ChoiChoi Gwi-hwaAn unlikely romance brews between Dong-chu, a tough-acting thug with a tender heart, and his bookish, and recently single, IT consultant neighbor, Se-jin.
- DirectorYoung-Mi LeeStarsJang Seo-heeJeong Seok-wonLee Pil-mo40-year-old Sociology professor Hye-jung falls for a 21-year-old Usang, a male student who helps her project research on women's extramarital affair. Their prohibited love and secrets are watched and told by two secretive observers. They are her copy machine and his digital camera.[2021년 1월 8일 오전 12시 35분]
This is really intense, the whole way.
There are some hardcore sex scenes, heartbreaking conversations (I cried), hilarious monologues, and a really strong cast.
A re-watch may be due, to see if it still rates highly with me - or if I was distracted by how hot some aspects of the film were.
The romance that runs the course of the film is mainly one-sided, involving an older woman with a younger man - her student hire, IRC. There's a parallel story telling that contrasts our leading lady's life and that of another woman that had a much hotter - more dramatic - experience with a younger man. Yet, for a large swath of the film, it's a mystery investigation into this student's life and our lead's wonder if he cares.
That's only Act 1 and 2. Act 3 retells the story from our lead's student's perspective. There's a great scene where he's about to make a move, but seeing the scene from both perspectives let's us into each character's heads.
The film does an excellent job with immersion, as you'll empathize with these characters, shout "just kiss!" at your TV (don't worry, you won't be frustrated), and ride the emotional rollercoaster with them.
Only 8* because there are some flaws: one of the sexual scenes is "out of character" for what we know of the characters involved, the film can feel too short and too long, and I don't recall the conclusion being satisfying. But sometimes it's about the road less behind, and not where you are now. - DirectorCameron CroweStarsOrlando BloomKirsten DunstSusan SarandonDuring a hometown memorial for his Kentucky-born father, a young man begins an unexpected romance with a too-good-to-be-true stewardess.
- DirectorJo Kyu-JangStarsMoon Chae-wonYoo Yeon-seokHan Cheol-wooA womanizer and a cute woman (in a 10 year relationship going nowhere) on business trip are seated next to each other on a full train from Seoul to Busan. They start talking when she accepts she can't escape him.
- DirectorHo-Cheung PangStarsXun ZhouXiaoming HuangYi-Lin SieWhen a woman decides to take it upon herself to win back the love of her live, she realizes she'll have to sink to using her female prowess -- and becoming what she despises the most -- a woman who flirts.[2021년 1월 8일 오전 12시 18분]
Funny throughout, with several literal LOL moments.
The movie didn't take itself too seriously and expertly poked fun at the rom-con genre.
Only a 7* because the ending is incomplete without the post-credit scene, the translation needs a few fixes (my Mandarin is weak, but I could tell when a few lines were altered for ease of translation), and I've seen other rom-coms be either both sexier and funnier, sweeter and funnier, or heartfelt with wittier (as opposed to whacky) humor.
A+ protagonist all the way. I really identified with her and I'm curious of other work from this actress.
The film threads the line with the actual romance and comedy, deploying comedy from the protagonist's friends, romance in flashbacks, and two scenes that touch "sexy". It concludes with a strong message about individuality and pursuing your ambition. The ending puts a grin on my face, and I recommend this movie, but I'm not clamoring to go on this journey again.