Foreign Film Review (Top 5)

A Story by MandaBear

I am going to give you a list of the foreign movies I have seem so far. (Part one) (Movies listed are not appropriate for small children viewers discretion is advised)

First off let me tell you I never thought I would watch a foreign film. Not to say that wasn't in the realm of possibility but at the time it wasn't likely. I however have been proven to be wrong. I also have come to the realization that I do in fact enjoy watching them! Little known fact I think Korean movies are the best!(Don't tell the other movies I said that) So I thought in my infinite wisdom that I would share my picks for my favorite foreign films. Let's get started Shall we? (I am using sushi instead of stars) (1-5 sushi) (1 sushi being bad and 5 sushi being good) (You will notice "set back in the 19th century" a lot lol)

Snow flower and the Secret fan

(5 Sushi)

This movie is one of my favorites. It's actually 2 stories intertwined. It starts out in 19th century China with two girls one named Snow flower and the other Lilly. The girls are bound together for eternity "Lao Tong" ( A Lao Tong -relationship is made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity. A marriage is not made by choice and has only one purpose- to have sons) or "Old Sames". Isolated from their families they come up with a secret language(nu shu) between the folds of a white silk fan. Meanwhile, in the present day Shanghai, their descendants (Snow flower and Lily) Sophia Liao and Nina Wei struggle with the intimacy of their own childhood friendship. As teenagers Sophia and Nina were introduced to the idea of Lao tong and they singed a traditional Lao tong contract.Eventually they are separated but come together again when Sophia falls into a coma after being struck by a taxi while cycling. Reunited, they must come to understand the story of the ancestral connection, hidden from them in the folds of the antique white silk fan or lose one another.

So you now you know the basics of the movie let me tell you what I thought of it. I can't tell you how much I love this movie. The story is amazing and the execution is awesome. I fought every step of the way for the girls to learn they need each other. I really liked the combination of the old century and the new century. The flow of the two stories really did well and added to the story being told. You could see why did things and how back then helps them with the present day problem. I also liked that they made up their own language and was able to put their thoughts on a fan how creative!And the fact that it survived as long as it did. It made me want to start that with my friend too. If you like a mixture of old and new and friendships lasting through time. Then this movie is for you!

More Than Blue

(5 Sushi)

This movie made me cry! This movie is about K (yes that is his name) and Cream (yes that is her name). K was abandoned by his mother after his father died of cancer while Cream lost her entire family in traffic accident. K watches Cream switch from boyfriend to boyfriend as he keeps his own feelings from her. While also hiding he has terminal cancer. Creams biggest fear is being alone so instead of telling Cream how he feels K urges to marry a kind and healthy man. Meanwhile, K has his heartbroken even though he is satisfied that Cream has met her ideal partner. And that's all I am going to say.... Mean I know.

I would tell you more but I would ruin the whole story. This one made me cry I wanted so much to go through the screen and give them each a hug! For so many reasons I don't want to say because I don't want to ruin the magic of this amazing movie. However, if you want a great story and a good cry this movie is for you! My advice bring lots of tissues your gonna need them!

Bangkok love story

(4 Sushi)

A loner gunman named Maek(cloud) is assigned to Kidnap a police informant named lht (stone)

but Maek had a change of heart and when he takes lht to the "hit house" in order to kill lht until be discovers he isn't bad. A gun battle ensues during which Maek is wounded. Lht grabs the gun and shoots their way out of the mobsters headquarters. Maek later finds himself attracted to Lht. While giving Maek a bath Lht kisses him and other things happen. Again this is where I am going to stop. I don't want to give away to much more.

Now, I must say this movie is nothing something I would pick right off to watch. Not that I am against love stories but when you are a shall we say "used" to the man women love story that a man to man love story would be shocking for a lack of a better explanation. I literally cried at the end of this movie. (I am emotional lol) Some parts of the movie I wanted to slap them but all in all the story was good. I will say the story is a little choppy well more like rushed maybe. I think I would have liked to have more development of the story. I think that would have made it a 5 star movie. Otherwise not a bad movie at all. So if you want to experience something out of your comfort zone then this movie is for you!

Forbidden Quest

(4 sushi)

The man on the right of this poster you see above (Yoon-seo) he works for the King. He goes to the King where the King hands him a special assignment. The woman you see (Jung- Bin) had painting she has drawn mounted but it was replaced with exact copy she only realized this because of the lack a scribble she has drawn on the back. The King wanted Yoon Seo to find the culprits. Yoon Seo was impressed by the talent of the artist who made the fake copy. Jung Bin was impressed by Yoon Seo's knowledge on the subject and invites him to talk to her about it another day. Yoon Seo teams up with Lee Gwang-Hun (left side of poster) an inspector who likes to torture people in his dungeons to try to hunt down the culprit. Yoon Seo encounters an old man transcribing an erotic story book. And lets just say the idea's start to flow (No pun intended)

This was an interesting one to say the least. I learned so much more than I intended. You know when they say their nothing like Love, Sex and Rock and Roll? Well, I can say Love and Sex are a part of this not so much the rock and roll. There is plenty action and murder, blood. The story is good. This one many not be for every one but those that have strong stomach's I think I would definitely recommend this movie.

Sword with No Name aka The Last Empress

(4 sushi)

Set in the middle of the 19th century and tells the biopic of Korean Empress Myeongseong and her deep lifelong friendship with a Joseon dynasty headhunter who tracks down fugitives and lives off their rewards. The friendship begins when the headhunter Moo-myoung encounters a beautiful noble girl Ja-young and falls in love with her. A few years later the noble girl enters the royal palace marries and is crowned Queen Myeongseong. Devoted Moo-myoung manipulates his way to become the personal guard to the queen in order to be closer to her. He stops at nothing to protect her when she finally realizes his love for her is as deep as the kings.

This movie was awesome! Some parts I could have done with out but that only being because I don't like blood and I like some people find it quite icky. Other than that the people captured my heart and I really felt something for them in the end. I found that my eyes never left the screen for one second (except for the blood) and was entertained the whole time. While I am not going to tell you what happened for fear of ruining the end. I will say if you like action packed love stories then this is the movie for you!

Here are some honorable mentions - Most of these had 5 star ratings and I had a hard time picking which ones to put here. Without further wait......... the honorable mentions

Pavilion of women Hwang Jin Yi

Untold Scandal Innocent Steps

A Moment to Remember