The thing about Nodame Cantabile is the very different and creative way the story is told. It is a refreshing mix of comic book slap stick and lovely maturity with really solid and well written relationships underneath. I’ve never seen anything like it. Add to that the constant and beautiful music that is the focus of Nodame and Chiaki’s world.

This show and particularly the movie, are so much more than just your average drama. I have already reviewed the Jdrama Nodame Cantabile and I would only add one really important thing you should know. Nodame and Chiaki live in Paris and their journey is set in a much more adult world past college into apprenticeship and learning to become Pro. They have a new group of friends, harder challenges and also a deeper, more mature place in their relationship.

But trust me, it hasn’t lost all of its comic book slapstick and silliness. I think the way the writers made both Chiaki and Nodame grow up is very smart of them and cool for us viewers. This movie is a fun. Because Nodame is still sloppy and she still has all of her core craziness intact. Chiaki is still a stuffy, cranky commitment phobic but he is also still tender and kind of a sucker for Nodame. They have become in my mind eccentric because they are genius and geeky, not because they are comic manga characters with no depth. Again, the writers of this show/manga are smart.

Of course the cinematography is great. They are in Paris! Everything looks great, all the time. (Accept Nodame’s apartment.)

The music is a 10. It’s Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Revel and on and on.

If you haven’t watched the Nodame Series, you should give it a try but
I suggest definitely watching before you watch this movie. And when you do, you’ll think this movie is the best part of the series.

Lire davantage

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge is a drama with not a lot of sticking power. That does not mean I didn’t like it. It has some really good episodes but overall it didn’t leave me with that joyful feeling of watching something great. It didn’t leave me feeling a little sad it was over.

The writing was uneven. There was a fun supernatural element along with the premise of 4 flower boys living in a mansion and charged with turning a goth girl into a lady. The friendships were portrayed nicely and the love story was cute. Some episodes were good. But some were just bad. The last one left me cold, with a twist I did not like.

The acting was uneven. Some gave pretty good performances. Kamenashi Kazua was a standout. But he’s been pretty good in the three dramas I have seen. Oomasa Aya was good as the girl who loves blood and skulls and death. The others were a little choppy but I got passed it because I liked the friendship between the four boys.

I think I have seen too many really stellar dramas to fall in love with this one. But having mentioned the negative things let me mention a few things that I liked: I loved the relationship development between Kyohei and Sunako. They truly had some very funny moments together and some very touching and cute ones as well. I liked how fast he came to accept her even if he took a long time to sort out his feelings. Sunako truly had some fun/funny personality quirks. The dynamic of friendships in the house between everyone was enjoyable and kept me watching until the end. I loved that house! I want it!

The music was forgettable except for one little detail: The bar/café they frequent has a very fun detail, almost easter egg to watch for. I’m not going to spoil it here but watch closely. Once you figure it out…It’s very fun to keep your eye out for.

The rewatch value is low for me. I probably won’t watch this again.
This is a cute drama…it has it’s value and it’s place. If you like supernatural elements in dramas and a cute love story, this is one drama you may like.

Lire davantage

I had been meaning to watch Ikigami for a long while and finally watched today.

If you like novels like 1984, Lord Of The Flies, The Giver or Hunger Games...You may like watching Ikigami, The Ultimate Limit. Set in an unknown but familiar looking future time; the population is contained and controlled by random selection. Children are inoculated when they enter school and sometime during their young adulthood; the 'chosen to sacrifice for prosperity' are given 24 hours notice of their death. The story begins here for the viewer. We get to follow one man (Shota Matsuda) who's job it is to inform the chosen that their death is nigh.

I found it incredibly interesting; the different reactions people had to this news. This story is more about the human condition, human reactions in the face of death with nothing left to lose. It is not a rousing tale of the populous rising up to over throw the oppression. It is dark, sad and really touching.

The color pallet of the film lends itself to this feeling. Dark blue lighting, cloudy days, windowless rooms and dank underground work places. There are glimpses of light just as their are glimpses of hope in the lives of those lived and those left behind.

I've never read the manga but I am curious now. I recommend this film highly and not just because I am a rabid fan of Matsuda Shota. But I am a fan for a reason besides the superficial. He is a great actor, with a rubber face, fearless emoting and the ability to go very dark. He can turn it on a dime and be comedic too but for that you will have to watch some of his other films and dramas.

The whole cast was stellar. I particularly loved Yuta Kanai and Yamada Takayuki. Their acting was amazing and their stories touched my heart.

This is a cool movie. Give it a try if you are in the mood for darker fare.

Lire davantage

Capital Scandal is a fun period piece drama set in the 30's during the Japanese occupation of Joseon. In this mix are the rebels who wish to free Joseon from Japanese oppression and immersion, The Japanese police and their ilk and the middle grounders (I made that term up), the people who just want to live under the radar, embrace the fun of the times and the modernization of Seoul. It is at its core, the story of a playboy who has run from all forms of obligation for most of his life and how the love of a woman changes him. And while this may be an archetype that Kang Ji Hwan has played before, I found myself loving his character anyway. I've seen him step away from this type in movies and I hope he does continue to stretch himself in the future.

I liked how deep this story became as the episodes moved along. There are nuanced and complex relationships that flesh themselves out completely and are not left hanging. While not every character gets a picture perfect conclusion, you do get the satisfaction of ends tied up nicely. There is a lot of fun, smart and snappy dialog in this drama that I don't feel was lost in the translation of the subs. The love story between the two leads was very sweet. I liked their antagonistic start, middle and end. They had a kind of old Hollywood Hepburn/Tracy feel to them.

The cinematography, color palette, clothing and music were all added delights of enhancing the feel of the time period. The Concubine Cha Song Joo had so many costume changes my head was spinning; but it was wonderful!

It struck me as I was watching Capital Scandal that even as it must have completely stretched the truth of the Japanese occupation of Joseon, (it was much worse, of course) if not over westernizing the time period; this drama speaks to the sense of pride Koreans have of their long, ancient history as a people. They deserve to feel that pride. When I think about all the ancient civilizations that remain intact, I hazard to say that Asian cultures seemed to have remembered if not kept their traditions better than most. As an American mutt, I envy the purity of that tradition and the ability to go back thousands of years tracing your family and owning your people's history. After I watched this drama I dug a little and found out just how close Korea came to being lost by that occupation. God Love Ya Japan...but I'm so glad you lost that war.

Capital Scandal is not perfect but it is a fun show. Lots of intrigue, funny situations, intense drama and a lovely little romance wrapped up in Kang Ji Hwan's special brand of bad boy comedy.

Give it a try!

Lire davantage

I liked this movie a lot. I heard about it last year on a blog somewhere and it piqued my interest right away. When I wasn't able to find it with English subs I sort of forgot about it for a while. Then I started to notice Uhm Tae Woong. I'm glad I did.

Like the synopsis say,s the movie is about a troupe of down on their luck actors who open a dating agency and utilize their skills to help people win the object of their affection. It's fun watching the tricks they come up with to hook the prospective mate for their clients. Things take a complicated turn when a man comes in hoping to acquire their services and the woman he fancies is the ex love of Byung Hoon (Uhm Tae Woong).

The story obviously plays on the theme of Cyrano De Bergerac and it's done quite well. But this is not a re-telling or even a moderization of the old classic.

The set design is wonderful. I wanted to hang out in the old theatre where the troupe has their head quarters. The dynamics of the troupe and their interactions were some of my favorite scenes. Although this is not strictly a comedy, there were times when I laughed out loud. I consider it a success when a movie can draw a spontanious loud laugh from me rather than simple amusement. Uhm Tae Woong does a great job here as well as Park Shin Hye (that was a surprise).

The main themes of this movie are love and trust and which is more important? There's also friendship and learning to let go.

The director did a good job of setting the mood of this film and telling the story in way that flowed at an even pace. It is a fairly light movie and I can see why it did so well at the box office.

If you're looking for a fun movie to watch that isn't too dark and yet not overly light and fluffy, this one is a great pick.

Lire davantage

This review is hard for me to write. This drama was a little difficult for me to finish. Which threw me. I expected to love this drama and for the first half I really did love it. I liked the premise of the lovers meeting in the 70's and their children meeting and falling in love in present day. The first few episodes in that world were awesome!

The director of this drama really knows his stuff. The cinematography, set design and costumes were stellar. I wish MDL had a ratings section for the technical aspects of dramas because I would have given that a 10 plus. This drama was nothing if not beautiful to look at, both technically and aesthetically.

I really enjoyed Jang Geun Suk in this role. He has improved as an actor and really seemed mature. His acting wasn't as stiff or forced as I have felt from him in other dramas/movies I have watched. I adored Joon during so many moments of this drama. I enjoyed Yoona too. Their characters and their love story was in many ways adorable!

But somehow the writing of this drama fell flat for me...grew redundant and boring. It was likable but I am still confused as to where it went wrong for me. I think somewhere around episode 16 I began to struggle to keep my interest unless the main pairing was on screen together. The plot just didn't grab me and follow through in an exciting way. The final episode was cute but also at the same time, a bit choppy and didn't flow smoothly.

The Older Couple just made me kind of sad and I wish I could have felt the passion carry over in the adult version of the pair that I felt from them during the scenes from the past. It seemed that in every conversation they said the same thing over and over.

I liked the music but nothing really grabbed me, made me groove or move me emotionally.

Ultimately I would have to say that if I could condense this drama down to 16 episodes and keep the main (modern day) pairing on screen I could have given this a higher score. Gah! I wanted to LOVE Love Rain!

And because I was fond of this drama and because of the main leads...I am bumping this up to an 8 when realistically in my head, I think it probably deserves lower.

My re-watch value is set at 5...middle of the scale. I know I probably won't watch again.

But I say this...I have much more respect for Jang Geun Suk as an actor. He was also extremely adorable... And the director really did a great job. If only I could say the same about the writing and plot.

*sigh*

Lire davantage

My numbers are all over the place....Just like this drama. I figured I would jump on the band wagon and add my review.

Lie To Me...It was purely the chemistry between the actors Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye that had me watching. If I based my review simply on the high I got from watching them interact and kiss, my mouse would be hovering over the 10s every time. But I can''t...

The writing was almost abysmal. Even where our leads were concerned. It did their acting such an injustice. The switch around episode 11 did nothing but confuse the watcher and had the actors making, sometimes huge, personality changes that had me scratching my head. I focused solely on scenes with the two leads and had no interest in the plot. You could see so glaringly, where original intended storylines were dropped. Sang Hee and Yoon Joo became useless filler. Characters completely disappear with no explanation. The dramatic tension is pulled from the air and makes almost no sense.

Ultimately, there is nothing that bothers me more than when great actors are wasted by a crappy script. Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye tried their very best. They succeeded in their interactions and I place no blame on their shoulders. I cannot help but compare this to Mary Stayed Out All Night. Same scenereo...Great Cast! ~ Unfortunately wasted.

But here is the thing. I have watched some of these episodes multiple times. I repeatedly watched certain scenes between the to lovebirds because they were so enjoyable to me...And so my final verdict is this. If you want to turn off your brain and watch two actors make falling in love fun, sexy and cute. If you''re stressed and have no will to be critical while watching... Watch This! This pairing really had something magical.

Lire davantage

An explanation on my points given and why I am so dreadfully disappointed with this drama.

Story: This story was awful. There were so many plot holes and inconsistencies that any good points in the narrative and any episodes I enjoyed were completely killed by an ending that was incomplete and worse...an ending where the writers treated their audience as stupid. There is no greater crime a writer can commit. If you see the last two episodes you will understand with glaring clarity what I mean. Too many major things were left unsaid and left undone. Horrible story and a terrible thing to do to loyal watchers who will have wasted 16 hours of their life investing in nothing.

Now, I know I sound harsh but the writers deserve it...and I am actually a fan of the Hong Sisters...But I give no quarter as I cannot judge this crap work based on other dramas I have thoroughly enjoyed. Skip this and watch The Greatest Love, Hong Gil Dong or My Girlfriend is a Gumiho.

Acting: As harsh as I am on the sad and enraging outcome of the story, I cannot be harsh with the acting. I place no blame on the actors of this drama. Gong Yoo was wonderful playing Kyung Joon; a boy trapped in the body of a 30 year old. And I would go so far as to say that his younger counterpart, Shin Won Ho did a good job playing Kyung Joon as well. He was cute and charming and I even felt chemistry between him and Gil Da Ran at the beginning. I would have loved to have seen more of him...especially toward the end. I like Lee Min Jung. I have seen her in several dramas and some movies too. I think she is a talented actress and while her part was written to be a bit weepy, like Gong Yoo, I find fault with the writing, not her acting. Suzy was much improved and Bae Sung Hyun who played Choong Sik was totally winning and adorable.

It is really a shame when a talented cast is wasted on crap writing.

The music was forgettable. I don't remember one song and never did I find myself humming a tune or looking up the OST on YouTube. Which is a bad sign because I do that a lot when a drama has a good OST. (see Me Too Flower and Coffee Prince)

Overall, I walked away from this drama feeling cheated; out of a resolution for the characters, out of what could have been a fun story if it were written better, out of a Gong Yoo comeback drama that actually did not WASTE his talents and finally out of 16 hours of time that I want back.

I won't watch this again and I caution anyone who hasn't watched to even begin.

Lire davantage

Perhaps I should have waited a few days to cool off before writing this review. But I can't seem to stay my hand.

This show started out a slap stick farce wherein a tomboyish girl, through a set of wacky circumstances, and who loves the (blue) Seagulls, has to bodyguard for an arrogant, temperamental player on the Red Dreamers team. Comedy heaven right? You would think so!

The first few episodes were fun! I was excited as to where this show would go. I loved Lee Dong Wook's character of Moo Yeol and the interactions, sparks and animosity between he and Eun Jae. The acting and chemistry between them made me voracious for each new episode that came along.

The serious subplots were back burner and seemed only there to propel these two closer. The mysterious stalker, the ex girlfriend showing up again...These things were played pretty well at first and seemed to have an okay balance with what we were all tuning in for! A Comedy! I was right on board! And then right at episode 12/13 things started going south. The writers didn't seem to know exactly how to finish off the series. How to ramp up the peril and push along the angst. Every episode turned maudlin and over done. Some of the characters started acting really stupid. The writers treated the audience as stupid.

The side characters each had their place and with only a few exceptions, I liked them all. Especially Manager Kim and Dong Ha. Unfortunately, even the good acting and chemistry of the two leads could not save this drowning mess. Oh Man Suk is horribly wasted and the actress who played his wife a sad, downer of a character that I lost all sympathy for.

I wish so much I could have given this show a good review. Up until around episode 9/10 I would have thought I was going to in the end. There is nothing worse than a good drama gone horribly wrong and Wild Romance is in that sad class of Kdramas.

It is rare I do not recommend a drama. But I just can't with this one. Sad, that! Skip it and don't waste your time.

Lire davantage

This drama has Jang Geun Suk, Moon Geun Young and Kim Jae Wook! It was supposed to be largely set in Hongdae, the little indy music neighborhood that could! It had a contract relationship set up that sounded deliciously drama inducing.

It started out incredibly cute and promising and then it went so wrong. I am not sure why the writing went downhill faster than a snowball in hell. All I know is that the first few episodes started out and I could not wait for the next one. Then all of a sudden I was watching and thinking; I just want to turn this off, watch repeats of Secret Garden and thinking "Hey, maybe Hyun Bin's sparkly track suits will blind me enough that I can go back and watch MSOAN and start to like it again?"

This could have been so great and it so was not. The acting was good. The leads were super cute. Kim Jae Wook was wasted. Bummer.

Lire davantage

From start to finish I loved this Drama. It's funny because I put off watching it thinking the political storyline would bore me. When will I learn that Kim Sun Ah can never bore me? What I liked about this drama was foremost the chemistry between the two leads but the way the storyline developed was so evenly paced. The characters and the romance built along with the storyline in this really believable way. I found it interesting how much I came to love Jo Guk even though he was flawed and not at all a perfect cookie cutter leading man. Whoever wrote and directed this drama they deserve some applause. Very well done! Jo Guk and Mi Rae rock.

Lire davantage

Okay, here's another one that maybe someone, somewhere will find fault with. Not me! This show is pitch perfect. Hyun Bin is so much more than a pretty face. The man can act. Comedy or Drama. There is such a great mix of that here and it's all done very well. It is Hilarious! (See episode 3 for one example...you'll know when it happens, trust me.) The chemistry between the leads is smokin'. Joo Won is soooo flawed! Whew is he a hilarious mess. And his Hyung Oska...oh those boys. Ha Ji Wan is great. I loved her. This show is one of the best I've seen so far. I enjoyed every minute! So Fun. A great send off for Hyun Bin.

Lire davantage