Jo-hannah's Weekend Movies
Hello MDL friends. It’s been a while since my last movie recommendation list and I wanted to bring something different this time. I hope you enjoy this weekend picks!
For this weekend's movie recommendations, I'll be sharing three films that are told from children's point of views. I simply love watching child actors/actresses who have outstanding acting skills and who deliver beautiful, believable performances. It's stunning to see how a little kid can handle such a wide range of emotions and can display them so naturally on-screen. These kids are adorable, talented and I know that these movies will definitely delight your heart and will maybe make you shed a couple of tears. Enjoy!
A Brand New Life
Country: South Korea Year: 2009 Genre: Drama
What it feels like to be abandoned by the person you love the most when you’re just nine years old? One day Jin Hee is taken by her dad on a “trip” but instead of that, she is left on her own in an orphanage. There Jin Hee has to learn what starting a brand new life from abandonment is and she has to find a new reason to trust and be happy again as she adapts to her life at the orphanage which is a completely different world for her.
This movie is based on the real life story of French-Korean film-maker Ounie Lecomte.
Kim Sae Ron does a beautiful, touching and convincing performance in this movie. Our little girl Jin Hee goes through the struggle of abandonment and she takes us with her on the journey of finding hope in the middle of frustration and despair. This is an honest story about adoption told from a kid's perspective. I loved watching this film because it felt like I was little Jin Hee myself, I could feel her pain and understand her thoughts, I could feel how scary it was for this child to find herself overnight in a place she never imagined, surrounded by people she had never seen before and forced to live a whole new lifestyle.
If you want to watch a touching story with beautiful acting, you should definitely watch this film.
Little Cheung
Country: Hong Kong Year: 2000 Genre: Comedy, Drama
1997 in Hong Kong when Hong Kong was still a British colony. There's a bustling neighbourhood in the city and there's a mischievous and smart nine-year-old boy who lives in this neighbourhood. People know him as "Little Cheung" and he delivers take-outs for his family's restaurant on his bike every day. His best friends are his grandmother, a Filipino maid and an illegal Chinese immigrant called Fan. Along with Fan he lives many adventures around the city from going to brothels to deliver food to fighting "the bad guys" with childish tricks. There's also a disowned brother, a famous Chinese opera singer, a not-very-intimidating thug, a TV turned on all the time, a controversial political situation and basically life happening.
I think the trailer describes the pace and style of this movie very well. This is not a popular film and is an old one too, but this movie surely left a great impression on me. Nothing big, crazy or extraordinary happened in this film, just life happened. Probably that's the reason why I found it so touching and hard to forget. I grew to love Little Cheung as I was watching the film and I didn't even realize that I did.
I must say that this movie is not for everyone because it isn't outstanding in quality or scenery and it sometimes feels like a homemade tape (and that's exactly the charm of this film I believe), all the actors are not even professional actors but are ordinary people. That's why this movie feels so real. As time passes, it doesn't feel like you're watching a movie anymore but real people just living their lives.
Starry, Starry Night
Country: Taiwan Year: 2011 Genre: Friendship, Romance, Life, School, Youth, Drama, Family, Fantasy.
Mei and Jay are both lonely 12-year-old kids who are slowly watching how their families are falling apart. Mei loves solving puzzles, loves her grandpa and with her great imagination manages to escape for a few minutes from her reality. Jay is shy, creative and also has his own ways to escape from his world through his drawings.
When these two kids meet, they become best friends and discover how powerful and healing their bonding can be. They find hope and comfort in each other as they become wiser and stronger.
This is based on the book "The Starry Starry Night" by Jimmy Liao.
Probably this one is my favourite movie of all the movies above. I seriously LOVE this film. Words to describe it? I can think of many but the one that fits best is "magical". This movie is touching, creative, heart-warming and simply beautiful. The cinematography is delightful to watch, the music fits perfectly well with each emotion each scene portrays, the acting is very good and natural. The story is well written and well-paced.
If you haven’t watched this movie, please go and watch it now. You won’t regret it. I promise.
Well that was it for this time! I hope you guys enjoy these films as much as I did.
Have a nice weekend!
