Pasha's Film Reviews Etc.

3 1/2 /5 Thomas is awake without memories in the iron cage going up the shaft. When it surfaces he finds himself surrounded by the crowd of teenage boys in a glade, in the middle of a maze, which changes every night. Why are they here and how do they find a way out, considering that the labyrinth is full of deadly monsters called Grievers? The plot of THE MAZE RUNNER is simple at its core, with a "big reveal" being solely disappointing. There are only a number of ways the ending could play out and if you had ever seen a fantasy movie you will probably figure it out the way I did. However there's a strange charm to the premise, and the setting and characters look mysterious enough to keep you interested. Director Wes Ball, who had started his career as a visual effects specialist, is to be praised for his work on  THE MAZE RUNNER - i f the film is any good it is thanks to him and three screenwriters who penned the script.  THE MAZE RUNNER  the b...

5/5 Cheon-hi is 14 year old. She is different from everyone in the class and her classmates feel it. One day she comes back home after school and hangs herself without leaving a note. Her mother and older sister blame themselves for not recognising the signs of the approaching tragedy and try to figure out the reason for Cheon-ji suicide. To get to the bottom they will need to follow the thread of lies elegantly woven by Cheon-ji's classmates. THREAD OF LIES is one of these rare films that combine the best of many genres. Bitter sweet drama at heart it is also a detective story. It is an honest and brave film that does not turn away from painful issues, dealing with the problem here and now and not letting go until the final truth is revealed. For a film dealing with such a hard and painful issue as teenage suicide the thread of lies is surprisingly uplifting. Maybe because after the initial shock of the first ten minutes (it's pretty confronting even knowi...

2 1/2 /5 Oh Young is an aspiring actor who is looking for his big break, but does everything wrong. His desire for constant improvisation is also a threat to the careers of his fellow actors. Things are about to get very bad, when a producer appears at his door to turn it all around. Oh Young is reluctant to obey the rules but takes his chance to succeed. It's not long until he becomes famous, but how long will it last? And is the fame a real reward for a true actor? ROUGH PLAY (the real name is AN ACTOR WILL BE AN ACTOR) has a confusing structure. It's sketchy non-linear narrative makes it difficult to focus on the story, and the opening scene is hard to place even after the movie's final. From the beginning you are given a taste of what's to come, but it's just not enough to get you hooked. The story could have been interesting to watch if at least some of the characters were likeable, but they are all presented under the worst light possible, a...

4/5 74 year old Oh Mal-soon  is  not a very nice person. She is stingy and stubborn, she constantly fights with fellow seniors and ignores the love stricken friend, who had been in love with her since they were teens. To top it all she bullies her daughter in law so badly the poor woman ends up in hospital. I seems everyone had enough of this tyrant granny, so she is bound for the old people's home. This is when Oh Mal-Soon magically transforms into her 20 year old self. Also it comes as a surprise, the elderly lady finds this second youth tailor made for her. Quickly joining her grand son's rock band she takes it to the top of music charts. But even given a second chance, would she live the life any different? MISS GRANNY (direct translation is A SUSPICIOUS GIRL) is number 13 in all time highest grossing films on South Korea, but does it work for a western viewer? The film is an enjoyable run, but most jokes and gimmicks fall on deaf ear because of their dis...

5/5 A successful middle class family from Seoul find themselves visiting poor suburbs with unexpected consequences. The head of the family Seong-Soo is a stitched up bourgeois, suffering from mysophobia (the fear of containing germs) and guilt for abandoning his brother and letting him live in absolute poverty. It is the reason why Seong-Soo finds himself so far away from the life of the riches, discovering that his brother is long gone, together with many residents of a run down apartment block. It seems that the killer is on the loose.  When happy family returns back to the city life, someone is following them from the suburbs. Now Seong-Soo has to uncover the mystery of his brother’s disappearance in time to save himself and the people he loves. The first interesting thing about HIDE AND SEEK, a low budget Korean mystery / horror flick, which has become one of the highest grossing films of the last year in its home country, is how unlikable the protagonists ar...