Reviews written by numinair
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Today and the Other Days (DVD) (Korea Version)
Today and the Other Days (DVD) (Korea Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$22.99List: US$28.99Save: US$6.00 (21%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:March 16, 2010 Jacqueline ‘Says’As Jacqueline (Hee-kyeong Ha) rides her bike to her rustic childhood home amidst a redevelopment zone she’s almost hit by an overtaking lorry. She doesn’t hear it, but after falling from her bike the lorry driver stops and gets out of his vehicle to slap Jacqueline about the head. She cowers, hard memories manifesting by the sudden violence. Jacqueline is deaf and mute, a derivative psychological trauma due to her father (Jae-jin Jeong) beating her and her mother over past ‘flirtatious’ encounters. As Jacqueline reaches her home she then begins her daily caring duties in feeding, dressing and bathing her dementia-suffering father. Jacqueline is obedient to his needs, but remains indifferent due to her traumatic childhood, remembering her mother being institutionalised due to her father’s violent temper, with Jacqueline also ending up mute and deaf. Although mellowed by age, Jacqueline’s father is easily irritated, like stealing a young local boys telescope due to the lad spying on him. Although indifferent Jacqueline cares for her father’s dementia condition and plays cards (hwatoo) each night after bathing him. But Jacqueline struggles with repressed sexual emotions, psychologically fantasizing to release her sexual tension, like when she rests in mud water and elatedly OBEs herself into spiritual and sexual freedom. Even daydreaming fairy-tale type fantasies of her mother and father normally together again and sometimes ‘seeing’ angels appear that wish to take them to heaven.
Based on a Korean novel, “Today and the Other Days” portraits a cruel life of a woman’s repetitive caring for a sick father who’d beat her as a child, manifesting abnormalities and sexual repression by the austerity, paranoia and domestic violence. The sexual ‘releases’ are quite explicit, so certainly an adult film. Also dark humoured. Like when the father and the boy look through a photo album to identify someone resembling an escaped convict (who’d accosted Jacqueline and stole her father’s clothing as they hung to dry) with the boy pointing to one of the grumpy old man’s younger photos as a resemblance to the convict! Acting is superb and Hee-kyeong Ha is fantastic, especially when Jacqueline breaks down emotionally and uses her sign language to vent anger to her father for his foolish misconduct that had left her mute and deaf and her mother mad – incredible! A brilliant adult tale of sexual frustration in womanhood and the repercussions of negative anger.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Kara 3rd Mini Album - Lupin
Kara 3rd Mini Album - Lupin
(3)Our Price: US$11.99List: US$15.99Save: US$4.00 (25%)Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
March 10, 2010 Hallo! Great Lupin Kara-ctersNow listened to Kara’s “Lupin” and certainly found this a right move direction. Kara’s black image is classy with their cool Japanese short hairstyles and they dance excellently (their heart and souls have gone into this! :D) The songs are still sweet and upbeat, but have a stronger main song in “Lupin” with its dark synth line and trendy beats giving fans something fresh amidst the 80’s candy pop electronica, plus a cool Kara cosplay dress code! “Lupin” seems like a ‘we’re going places with K-pop’ song, too; Hallo Tour Bus! “Tasty Love” is Kara in their traditional catchy dance pop mode, which still reflects well for easy on the 80s beats and mainstream appeal. “Rollin” is cute with nice group vocal appeal by the girl’s sweet ‘rock and rollin’ harmony refrain. “Umbrella” is the second big dance song bridging the cute and dark, but overall Kara’s Third mini sounds bright and like outake songs from “Revolution”. It’s a new strong Kara image, but keeping safe with the previous Kara song format. I suspect Japanese anime “Lupin the Third” influenced Kara’s new concept and being the ‘third’ Kara mini album. Kara go to Japan middle of 2010 and the girls being big J-pop and anime fans, ‘anime 007 lupin’ would make sense. Still, all influenced by Arsene L’s vibes!
Spotted the Lupin and Umbrella dance routines via You Tube and Kara improved by each new performance. Great energy! (Never seen Arsene Lupin do the Emergency Exit dance though : 0). Seung-yeon, don’t worry about your stage fall, even Beyonce and Metallica’s bass guitarist Jason Newstead have gone whoops a daisy to gravity gremlins and plenty others, too. You’re not alone! : D You fell and got straight back into the song - true professionalism. What next Kara? Maybe something on the lines of alter ego anime characters: Gyuri (Belldandy Goddess*), Seung-yeon (Gizmeatech) Nicole (Ghost Adopter), Hara (Effluxia Gavotte), Jiyoung (Spirit Mover). Maybe knitted Kara Lupin characters, too, similar to Big Bang’s knitted selves on a recent video spoof. Knitted Kara-cters! (UK comedian Harry Hill’s TV Burp show as these, too!). The booklet features the promotional stealer photos seen on the net, including Gyuri wearing some death skulls on her jacket. D: But there’s contrasting pictures of Kara in sweet and frivolous amidst the cool black. :D Thank’s Kara for being you..God bless you guys!
* Oh, okay! Super Gyuri Gorgeous Goddess of the Galactic, then! ^_^Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
A Light Sleep (DVD) (Korea Version)
A Light Sleep (DVD) (Korea Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$22.99List: US$27.99Save: US$5.00 (18%)Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:March 10, 2010 Daydreaming Past Memories of LoveFrom the onset as Yeo Lin’s (Ah Jin Choi) boyfriend Joo-go (Yoon Chan) affectionately visits her house at night, lying beside her as she sleeps and takes a digital photo of them together (to some emotively touching music), you consider a sweet romantic movie. Actually the film then flashbacks, showing Yeo Lin immersing herself into personal daydreams; ‘flying’ in a bus and certain other surreal moments reflecting her creative childlike mind, such as Yeo Lin prodding Joo-go’s photo image on her mobile phone and watching him ‘dance’ in her own satisfying imagination. However, this ‘light daydreaming’ is Yeo Lin’s safety mechanism relating to her parents being tragically took away from her by a hit and run car accident, leaving Yeo Lin to look after her little sister Da-rin (Hyeon-bin Ryoo). Blighted, Yeo Lin suffers chronic insomnia and takes medication to help her sleep after the trauma. To pause here I must stress how affectionate scenes of special love between Yeo Lin and her younger sibling. Yeo Lin’s little sister Da-rin (who is a dar-ling!) will melt many a heart and by the added tragedy, it’s troubling and touching indeed.
The crux of Yeo Lin’s escape from bleak reality is her mental way of maintaining a sort of ‘happy go lucky’ nature, by her contrasting state of aloofness and her creative, imaginative inner (although fractured) joy. Yeo Lin often daydreams with a distant fascination for Joo-go, even buying her own digital camera to take secret photos of Joo-go and envisage dreamy scenes of him onto the photo images, evoking romantic feelings as Yeo Lin re-forms her ideal love. But by Yeo Lin’s remoteness, she plays Joo-go up by dissing him after a brief date and telling Joo-go his family photos are boring, but contradicting this Yeo Lin loves Joo-go’s good conduct and conservative love for his parents. Joo-go though is also loved by Soo-jin (Ah-reum Hong) Yeo Lin’s school friend who also as trouble with her emotions and confidence and finds Yeo Lin, albeit quite remote, a crucial friend. However, Soo-jin sets up a party date so to woo Joo-go. Yeo Lin’s troubles though intensify when a drunken uncle molests her and Da-rin to be sent to an orphanage. Soon the gentle, steely Yeo Lin sits and cries. Actress Ah Hin Choi is incredibly brilliant as Yeo Lin reminding me of “Boys Over Flowers” actress Hye-sun Koo in ways. She’s also in “Get Up”, the TV one disk school drama with Min-ho Lee. Here though is a lovely, sad and superb film!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Yoga (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version)
Yoga (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3
(2)Our Price: US$29.99List: US$35.99Save: US$6.00 (17%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:March 8, 2010 Imprisoned Within Vanity Ruins“Yoga” is the second movie I’ve watched recently from the Yeo-go-kuei-dam Girlsghoul factory (last one WC 5!) when I’m immersed in a PSP survival horror game. This time Silent Hill - Shattered Memories. Hmm, maybe it’s the timing. Anyway to Yoga, which straightaway I’ll emphasise is a great dark K-horror DVD to get for your collection!
Losing her TV shopping hosting job for women’s fashion products, Hyo-jung (Eugene) for not looking appealing enough, (Eugene not appealing, don’t make me laugh!), decides for some beauty therapy at a yoga school. This drastic change is triggered by Hyo-jung’s old school friend Sun-hwa (Young-jin Lee) requesting a new model for her lingerie product, but was once upset and humiliated by Hyo-jung in their school days when Sun-hwa’s hand of friendship being rejected by Hyo-jung who hated Sun-hwa’s poverty and ‘ugliness’. Unfortunately, Hyo-jung’s nature can deem anyone below her standard an underling, until her own pride becomes challenged. When Hyo-jung meets Sun-hwa at the TV company, she finds Sun-hwa as changed into a chic and darkly looking business woman. Seeking to be beautiful and better her own derisive state of being, Hyo-jung takes up Sun-hwa’s recommendation to use a Yoga school to upgrade herself. Given the address Hyo-jung locates the school and meets Na-ni (Soo-yeon Cha) an emotionless looking tutor who warns Hyo-jung of the intense yoga program. Hyo-jung determined for beauty and rid her negative pride agrees to Na-in’s training rules and joins 4 other desperate women with similar obsessions. In-seon (Eun-ji Jo) a eating disorder, Yeon-ju (Han-byul Park) a mirror hooked narcissist, Bo-ra (|Seung-eon Hwang) a depressive and Yu-kyeong (Hye-na Kim) a plastic surgery junky. Na-ni instructs that to gain immortal beauty the women must abstain from unauthorised eating, mobile phones, over washing, looking into mirrors (although there are water pools) or leave the school so to avoid ‘shrouding the essence within’. But rules are broken, as the women desperately crave to eat, wash, look into mirrors etc. Soon a sinister evil encroachs upon the women’s souls with terrible ordeals like Yu-kyeong’s ‘shower horror’ and In-seon’s awful food transformation. This is no ordinary yoga school and the founder Mi-hi Khan, a once popular 80s actress, as reached a state of ‘pure spiritual beauty’, which one of the 5 women will likewise reach after completion of their training. Foreboding pictures of Mi-hi look on.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Yoga (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version)
Yoga (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3
(2)Our Price: US$29.99List: US$35.99Save: US$6.00 (17%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:March 8, 2010 A Horror Yoga SchoolYoga can be relaxing (so I’m told - all that body bending! D: ) But when the heights of emptying the soul for enlightenment are for negative reasons, yoga either results in total nirvana or someone looking like Linda Blair from the Exorcist. Well, it’s certainly the latter in “Yoga” when Eugene and five ladies get conned into the lair of a soul stealing evil spirit! In fact “Yoga” could be also titled ‘The Vanity Ladies and the Contortions of Doom’ by the thematic nature of beauty, pride and vanity. Really, these women should have gone to JeJu Island for a chill out instead! ^o^
Although “Yoga” depicts female vanity related to performance art (a TV host, singer et al) to improve idiosyncratic disorders, “Yoga’s” actresses (for example) are ironically generally far removed from such haughty and childish states. Eugene and the gang are mature actresses with neutral participation in the arts to portray fictions based on strong negatives of society (jealousy, pride, murder etc) and aren’t neurotic just because they’re actresses (please…you’re NOT are you guys?). But in “Yoga” seven vain women with manic personalities stand little reasoning to convince them that their pursuit for self perfection is a ticket to hell, with the source behind their school of yoga an evil (Homunculi?) spirit. The ‘kundalini’ here is just another form of greed! Of course not all vanity is bad and self worth by beauty practice is pure and soul benefiting (coffee and chocolate helps the skin apparently). The point to “Yoga” is how negative traits of craving power and self-containment can poison the soul. Love offers little to a protected wall of self and only give-take equilibrium is the key to a beautiful soul. Excessive want is the worm of disease, which, alas, the poor Yoricks in “Yoga” are riddled with. No, “Yoga” isn’t Kundalini or normal positive ways to improve self, it’s ‘dark powers of revengeful evil’ here.
Eugene acts brilliant and better by each new movie (looks gorgeous too!) and it’s great to see a collection of top drawer actresses together making for essential viewing ;) . The “Yoga” vain free actresses aren’t concerned me saying that of course, but it’s nice to favour beautiful performers so life doesn't get too boring. Anyway, a bloody good K-horror with some darn good freaky bits and all the dark gothic, long haired Korean femmes you love (gorgeous Yeon Cha here, too...why tears in the making of YC? T_T) for anticipated K-ghoulish appeal. Great!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Mother (2009) (DVD) (2-Disc) (Special Edition) (First Press Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Mother (2009) (DVD) (2-Disc) (Special Edition) (First Press Limited Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3
(1)Our Price: US$27.99List: US$37.99Save: US$10.00 (26%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
March 4, 2010 A Mother’s BotherTo be philosophical, a mother is certainly the most treasured person in anyone’s life. But what happens when not-so-normal things lead a mother to do anything to protect her son. Such the tale here, where Do Joon (Bin Won) a mentally backward young man is dotted on by his long suffering mother (Hye Ja Kim) who raises him alone, sees her son arrested and whisked away in a police car for the murder of a local schoolgirl. Do Joon had followed the girl to an abandoned house one night after a drinking session. But when the girl throws a rock at him for following her (no chance of a kiss there!) Do Joon decides to go home, but drops some stolen golf balls he’d written on. The next day the girl is found dead folded over a roof rail as if hung out to dry and because of Do Joon’s misplaced golf balls makes him seem as guilty, of murder to police and town folk, like a messy puppy beside freshly made poo. So Do Joon’s life weathered mother turns sleuth to find the truth, convinced Do Joon is innocent and incapable of killing anyone.
Joon Ho Bong’s “Mother” is dark with dry humorous undertones having an opener of Do Joon’s mother walking solemnly in a field only to pause and then start slowly dancing on the spot. This weird little intro hints at Ja Kim’s protagonist to be a frustrated and tortured soul, with the whole film a flashback up to this unusual dancing moment. The dance is a respite to the constant overbearing stress of her son’s social misdemeanours. Similarly the exasperated mother assumes Do Joon’s violent friend Jin Tae to blame for the murder, discovering a red smeared golf club in Jin Tae’s wardrobe and quickly taking it to the police station as evidence to free her son, only to discover the red smear was lipstick from Jin Tae’s girlfriend. The golfing artefacts come from Do Joon and Jin Tae’s revenge on some bankers at a golf course, after Do Joon was hit by them in a hit and run and getting briefly arrested. Later Do Joon is arrested again and sent away to prison for the murder of the schoolgirl, a deed he denies and cannot remember. A logical ending awaits amidst a sleepy town’s neutral evils; social apathy, angry young men at rich society, schoolgirl promiscuity (abuse), dim-witted police logic (ending) and a young man foisted with mental aberration. Some people out of this rugged social mix go a little mad. Acting of course is excellent. Interesting extras, too, with Do Joon ‘dancing on the spot’ instead. Essential viewing!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
2PM 2nd Single Album
2PM 2nd Single Album
(10)Our Price: US$10.99List: US$14.99Save: US$4.00 (27%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
March 1, 2010 Times Do ChangeOut of the two 2.00 o’clock K-pop JYP B-boy band boy leaders (bit of a tongue twister that), Jeabeom and Jo Kwon, its Jo Kwon from 2AM that’s took my attention. Mainly due to JK’s very funny dance antics on a TV show in front of his ‘bride’ Ga-in from BEG, dancing like a cross between Jarvis Cocker from Pulp and Mr Bean and it’s a miracle Ga-In didn’t have to run promptly to the ladies for laughing too much! Yes, 2AM’s Jo Kwon is a very funny and talented guy and brilliant together with shy and funny girl Ga-In (I’ve certainly seen Ga-In in a new light now. Like how she doesn’t give a fig about looking kooky or anything - that’s my cool, I mean, Jo Kwon’s girl!). Give them more show time, somebody! But to 2PM’s second single (I don’t have a 2AM CD to review yet!). The single is mainly “Again and Again” written and arranged by JYP with two versions, the main plug and a more slower bass-drum predominant R&B version, along with an instrumental of the original. “Again and Again” as a good light mid-paced electronic hip hop melody with gentle ‘raindrop’ synth and rap near the finish. T3 is an interchange of slow ballad and rapid drumbeat with T4 a ballad. Mostly, 2PM’s single is a gentle collection of K-pop boy band sensibilities (TVXQ, SS501) and love songs with interpolated amounts of rap and hip-hop.
Its unfortunate Jeobeom is no longer with 2PM and being an admirer of K-pop more than any given band (although BEG and Kara have won me over), I can sympathise with hardcore 2PM fans over an important member no longer gracing the band. But I’m sure the music and style of future 2PM releases will win the day, even if the boys are called “Meridian” or something to start afresh! Some given grace here with a bit of tongue in cheek wit to cheer fans up, within a number of rock songs I’ve been playing lately that may ironically reflect the situation. For 2PM fans “Since You Been Gone” by Rainbow for the fan’s heartache rendered by Jeabeom leaving 2PM, “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake for the thoughts from Jeabom himself and (more whimsically) “Run To The Hills” by Iron Maiden for poor Mr JYP and the ‘fun’ he's getting at the moment. JYP doesn’t desire Jeabeom to go and probably feels like Homer Simpson. JYPE’s 50% contribution is the foundation for 2PM or WG. Time for Change, but everything that goes around, comes around again (think of rock bands that have split up and reformed!). All I can say is patience, love and peace and God bless you all!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
See Ya - Rebloom
See Ya - Rebloom
(1)Our Price: US$11.99List: US$15.99Save: US$4.00 (25%)Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:February 26, 2010 Don’t Forsake See Ya MK2!Ya know, K-pop girl band See Ya by their 'goodbye for a while' name made me think similarly to K-pop girls T-ara. What, you might ask?! Well ‘ta-ra’ (as in Tack and Rather) can be English slang for ‘see ya, matey’, ‘bye bye for now’ or ‘catch you later’ or as its known in some slang bending areas of the English Isles, ‘ta-ra a bit’. I know, T-ara is pronounced Tiara, the diamond encrusted regal headpiece for ‘Oh My Goddess’ Gyuri from Kara to adorn. But, anyway, what’s with the kooky related K-pop girl band, thingy? Well, prompted by related vocal beauties of See Ya’s Yeon-ji and “Brown Eyed Girls” Jae (wow, like a K-pop girl party this review!), are two brilliant female RnB, soul and ballad vocalists in K-pop, right? The gals made a collaborative CD single in 2006 called “To My Lover” and although it didn’t quite reach the heights it should have done, it would be a shame not to see these two talented ladies collaborate again, and pour out more gorgeous goose bump inducing ballad soul (or electro!). As of course it’d be tragic for See Ya to fade to grey, as these girls are equally talented and mature pop as BEG.
Which (eventually) brings me to See Ya’s mini album “Rebloom”, or See Ya Mk 2 due to Kyoo Ri no longer gracing SY and with new member Soomi. Certainly “Rebloom” is a far more upbeat dance set See Ya album than their previous ballad outings (although I haven’t heard See Ya’s “Brilliant Change” yet). Certainly a good mini with 6 quality songs that excel with the likes of bright disco pop number “T-GANA” and the superb guitar, funky T6, with its very uplifting refrain and blend of Tyrolean/Abba/Divichi style melody. Like the trend of the moment, opener “That Guy’s Voice” (Min Soo Lee of BEG’s Abracadabra) is an electronic dance song with some ‘auto vocal distortion tune’ to please or annoy, but a very catchy song. “Accha!”, too, is nice upbeat dance with booming acoustics, spacey electronics and soulful melody. “Queen of Tears”, is the only ballad, but a strong classic SY one to air Yeon-ji’s vocal skills. Liked all songs, but 2, 3, 5 and 6 especially. A bit Divichi in style here, who the latter collaborated with See Ya and T-ara for “Wonder Women”. Packaging is a DVD case and photo booklet housed in a flaps-and-slots card case. Plenty of moody, serious looking See Ya pics in ‘rock chic’ mode. Hopefully “Rebloom” will bring See Ya MK 2 with more mixs of upbeat and ballads to come. Anyway, gotta dash to hear “Brilliant Change”.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Paju (DVD) (2-Disc) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version)
Paju (DVD) (2-Disc) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3
(1)Our Price: US$32.99List: US$39.99Save: US$7.00 (18%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 23, 2010 A Rock and a Hard PlaceHaving no idea what to expect, Paju can be a little confusing by story flashbacks and figuring out what the central crux of the matter is. As it begins, Eun Mo (Seo Woo), is a passenger in a taxi cab, returning to her hometown of Peju and pensively looking from the car window at one of Paju’s seedy night clubs; a place evoking troubled memories over the death of her sister. The scene changes to Jong Shik (Seon-gyun Lee), who is hiding from certain imprisonment for his political anti demolition leadership concerning corruptive land investors (gangsters) that are kicking local people from their humble Peju apartments for profit and greed. Jong Shik shares this trouble with a fellow female activist he lives with and her baby child. They share tense bedroom passion, simultaneously oblivious of the woman’s baby getting scalded by a pan of hot boiling water on a kitchen stove. Panic and arguments ensue between Jong Shik and the woman about the baby’s burns, political transgressions and a now broken relationship. Situations then flashback 8 years, before Eun Mo’s tragic past of losing her sister and Jong Shik’s obsession in stopping unscrupulous property gangsters. Eun Mo and her elder sister had to sell their parents home to make ends meet, Eun Mo being taught at her school by Jong Shik , the son of a Christian preacher. Jong Shik marries Eun Mo’s elder sister and helps Eun Mo with her education and monitory support for his new wife. This creates despondency in Eun Mo, believing her sister had married Jong Shik for money, but then subtle love is unrevealled. After Eun Mo’s sister had died (by car accident she is told), Eun Mo suspects foul play in how her sister really died.
There’s much more to this! But as the plot unravels, with flashbacks going back and forth, the onset shifts away from the obliquely opaque to a more clearer picture about Jong Shik and Eun Mo; that crux which lies between a somewhat ‘forbidden’ love shrouded in broken relationships, tragic accidents, home relocations and social corruption and the ironic truth behind Eun Mo’s sisters death. All wrapped in semi dreamlike sequences of past and present in the town of Peju. Its oblique, with an ending that leaves you pondering the final silent thoughts of Eun Mo’s revelation of love. Its a good film though; moody, political and brilliantly acted by Seon-gyun Lee and Seo Woo and a film for repeat viewing, so to discover more about Chan Ok Park’s depth and clarity.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Rainbow 1st Mini Album - Gossip Girl
Rainbow 1st Mini Album - Gossip Girl
(1)Our Price: US$12.99List: US$16.99Save: US$4.00 (24%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 22, 2010 Rainbow Rising? The Chocolate Girls!The DSP Rainbow girls look so sweet in the booklet pictures that I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re all fans of sweet potatoes like Seohyun from Girl’s Generation, too. The delightful seven look so sweet, they could melt in your ears (probably their 'Leather Vixens from Planet Underworld' image should follow). Seven beautiful Korean roses! I found it funny though that Rainbow, by their dichromic band title concept, are amidst the predominant colours of chocolate brown and baby blue. I can see that chocolate delights concept, but if sweet confectioneries why not the multi coloured varieties. Or seven rainbow coloured fondant fancy cakes maybe. Mind you, chocolate here makes more sense and the girls all look very nice behind their baby blue silk sheet (should have been a gradient of rainbow colours though, to be pedantic).
Anyways, Rainbow’s “Gossip Girl” is yet another K-pop mini album of 80s synth pop variety, inclusive of four sprightly computer dance pop beats and one calming ballad to finish and, albeit the generic variety, not a bad mini album. Its upbeat with plenty of 80s Human League type synth handclaps, drum beats, electronic disco melodies and lightly ‘Love Action’ vivaciousness. The opener “Not Your Girl” certainly ousts the boys by Rainbow’s “I am/we’re not your girls” refrain and bass-drum synth beats. Ouch! Likewise the girls keep to the varied dance beats with “Gossip Girl” (cute English vocals), “I Believe” and “Kiss”, which by the latter song the girls become a bit more lenient with the boys by the “I wanna be your baby, I wanna be your girl” line (if that lines meant for boys, of course!). Finally the Magnificent Heaven check out on a ballad format with track 5. For me, I like many variants of pop and this album is a simple and catchy fun pop format (quite liked “I Believe”) with some added coy naughtiness. The girls, however, have quite light vocal harmonies, which may limit them, but reflecting their air of innocence (baby blue) amidst the seductive delights of the dark chocolate. As Rainbow are also DSP stable mates of Kara, they should transform into something more interesting with projects to come (more colours, too, hopefully), so keep your eyes on ‘em and check out this CD. The album is a CD sized box with the disk placed in the box’s circular foam holder and includes a 32 page photo booklet of the Rainbow gals in their chocolate brown and baby blue. Sigh!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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My Song is...(DVD) (Korea Version)
My Song is...(DVD) (Korea Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$19.99List: US$27.99Save: US$8.00 (29%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 19, 2010 The Monochrome SongHee Chul’s (Hyun Ho Shin) poor life is a bleak monochromatic one. Moderately even-tempered, Hee Chul is blessed with a calm pleasant nature, but born into a dismal lifestyle. He lives alone with his alcoholic father, after his overworked grandmother leaves them due his father’s obnoxious drunkenness and Hee Chul languidly missing his college entrance exam. Day to day Hee Chul works for small money, running errands on his scooter for a food shop and at the beck and call of one of his ‘friend’s’ who often demands to temporally swap Hee Chul’s smart duffle coat for a tatty anorak, so his ‘friend’ can look cool on dates. A beam of hope shines, however, when two student filmmakers, Yun Ju (Se Yeon Min) and Sang Uh (Se Min Yoon) ask Hee Chul for assistance in making a ‘real life’ dissertation film. So they film Hee Chul’s daily routine (usually including his scooter) and even Hee Chul rapping as he walks down a street. This opens a new colour door for Hee Chul, creating his interest in filmmaking. It also motions a brief love interest for the young female student who takes a shine to Hee Chul. This love-struck gets swamped though by Hee Chul’s harsh reality, like when Hee Chul gets mistaken for a child abuser as he jostles Yun Ju’s lost camcorder tape from a little girl. His dad perpetually demanding Hee Chul’s wages for his drinking and womanising habits and even throwing Hee Chul naked out of their house after an augment between them. Eventually Hee Chul loses his cool, long suffering temperament and decides to leave home, his job and his duffle coat demanding ‘friend’ for one of optimism; that maybe Hee Chul could do better; in a vocation the two students had intrigued him with.
Director Seul Ki Ahn’s indie movie paints a monochromatic picture of poverty life with Hee Chul representing one of S Korea’s unfortunate underclass. The angered and the frustrated, not knowing what directions to take in life by their brittle fragilities of fractured home life and an unbalanced stark suburban backdrop. The colour sequences are those shot by the student filmmaker’s camcorder showing a future hope and 99% in social bleak black and white. Its said to understand people you have to realise the plights of the poor to fully understand your own humanity, by grappling the reasons of the poor which most of us would dread to imagine ourselves within. Here “My Song is...” gives you some insight, and of the colourful hope it can bring.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Pink Elephant Vol.1 - Pink Elephant
Pink Elephant Vol.1 - Pink Elephant
(1)Our Price: US$13.99List: US$18.99Save: US$5.00 (26%)Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:February 19, 2010 Fantastic 60's/70’s New Wave Rock!To explain the sound of Pink Elephant’s melodic rock 'n' roll album here is to think of middle ground retro rock, an amalgamation of 60’s catchy rock melody’s and 70s new wave punk, with certainly an emphasis on the latter. But Pink Elephant’s style blends neatly with 10 accessible compact melodies that you could so easily hum on the tube train to work or school. The band’s juxtaposition of retro 60’s/70s sound are lightweight, have an accessible form of rock that emphasis easy melody and rhythm.
All 10 songs are extremely catchy with gentle vocals and harmonies. Plenty of speedy electric guitar riffs and nasally 60’s David Bowie type vocalizing (tracks 4, 5 and 7). For a debut album PE certainly have punch and likeability with riveting, melodic and richly energetic 2-3 minute songs that are very appealing. Rouge edged but neatly styled! Most are fast tempo but do change to slower rhythms, but maintaining the distinctive momentum of 70s new wave and 60s style throughout. Some of the songs lyrics are also in English.
There aren't any pictures of the band in the booklet though, so you’d need to check them out on the net! It’s certainly become one of my favourite Korean rock CD’s. Korean rock music is rare, but very high possibilities with Pink Elephant’s debut here and every track is top excellent! No fillers just great nostalgic rock sounds and a beacon of light for Korean rock! Try this - its part of a milestone in S Korean music. A praise worthy Korean rock band indeed and I just cannot emphasis enough how good this album is! Overall, fabulous slabs of energetic rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia. Highly recommended if you love 60s/70s catchy rock new wave. Will look forward to their next album, too!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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T-ara Vol. 1 - Absolute First Album
T-ara Vol. 1 - Absolute First Album
(8)Our Price: US$13.99List: US$18.99Save: US$5.00 (26%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
February 16, 2010 Tara’s absolute hit K-pop album!K-pop is about fun (never forget that!), with 80s electro, hip hop, rap and disco synth dance fusion to brighten the senses and create happiness in the soul, with songs that are overly enjoyed by the guys making them as much as us people listening and buying. Okay, electronic computer pop may be a bit well used (the best dance sound at present though..and I like it!) and maybe it’d be great in future to see Narsha from BEG (actually, everyday would be great to see Narsha from BEG! OoO!) play a six string guitar or a piano synthesizer of her own compositions, or a recent K-pop singer-dance group harness a creative project of sounds, theatrics, songs et al, to produce something special of their own (a ‘personalized’ album fusing reggae, folk, electro dance, ballad, rock, ska...maybe?). The Progression Set! K-pop as good instrumentation bands with “CNBlue” and “FT Island”, but the singer-dance set of girls and boys enjoying themselves to concept video pop/dance as great value also, and could grow into something more visually theatrical or story driven. Bite sized video songs are only part of it.
Okay, to T-ara’s album! Certainly Mnet’s schooled debut “T-ara - Absolute First” as lashings of electro pop and most in the dance beat, hip hop-rap modes many will be familiar with. (think 4 Minute, f(x), 2NE1 and even Davichi here). The beats hardly ever take a breather, either, with “One & One”, “Like the First Time”, “Bo Peep Bo Peep”, “Tic Tic Toc”, “Bye Bye”, “Lies” (dance), “T.T.L.” all having lively techno energy with contrasts of serious dance and the more cuter ‘baby’ K-pop variety. Some songs bring Davichi to mind although with more vocal harmonies of course. I like Hitman’s electro song “Like the First Time”, (Hitman writes cool stuff of course), “Tic Tic Toc”, “T.T.L.” and “Bye Bye” but T-ara’s songs should cater to various tastes. Alternative versions of “TTL Listen.2” and “Lies” (slow) stand in their own right as much as the preliminary versions, too. If you love gal groups from the land of K-pop, hesitate ye not about getting T-ara’s CD, it’s a B.O.B. of the K-pop albums. The girl’s sing well together, too, with richly mature vocals blending into their cuter childlike variants! The hardback book reflects an album certainly, having lots of photos of T-ara members in those two crucial K-pop forms - sexy black and cute knitted pastels for the contrasting reflections of a growing modern K-pop culture. Essential K-pop!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Hello My Love (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version)
Hello My Love (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3
(1)Our Price: US$27.99List: US$34.99Save: US$7.00 (20%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 15, 2010 Love is needed for ALLRadio station agony aunt Ho-jung (Jo Anne) is an ‘All you need is love’ sort of girl by her ethical outlook; sweet and fresh optimism where other people’s troubling relationships and marriages are concerned, giving positive suggestions through the airwaves to those love battered hearts in need. But when Ho-jung discovers her childhood boyfriend Won-jae (Min Suk) as returned from his two year military service with a male friend from Paris and opening together a wine shop business, her own relationship suddenly becomes the problem. For Ho-jung decides to pull a nightly surprise visit at Won-jae’s parents house (whose mum dotes on Ho-jung) and finds him kissing his male friend Dong-hwa (Sang-wook Ryu). This causes the fat to hit the fan with Ho-jung upset beyond belief that her boyfriend now has a gay lover. Determined not to let Dong-hwa take Won-jae away, Ho-jung propositions her boyfriend to date her and Dong-hwa for a complete month and then decide who he truly loves. With Ho-jung’s radio station boss also fancying a date with Ho-jung, her relationship world suddenly becomes quite a complicated one. “Hello My Love” is a mix of light drama romance and ironic comedy, with a good aesthetic cast to please (Jo Ann..sigh...blimey...lol). Ironic comedy being Ho-jung’s ‘invisible ether’ of love enabling Ho-jung to mysteriously ‘know’ what Won-jae is doing away in the military, apart from, eh?, Won-jae’s gay affair (Ho-jung must have had a gay filter blocker on her ‘ether’ firewall then).
I’m neutral about gay movies (as I’m not gay), but its certainly erroneous to ostracise people with genetic imbalances or inert feelings for the opposite sex. Love isn’t constrained to boundaries of gender, sex and marriage; love is for ALL in caring, trust, and togetherness (heterosexual men just don’t hug each other enough, that’s all). Open Our Eyes! But even so Jo Anne is at her prime best here (and I needed asbestos eyeballs when seeing JA in her black skimpy bits). A rainbow of hope here, too, illuminating love as happy friendship than living on mere intimacy (angst) alone (and love’s un-revealed ways by a ‘new age’ wine symbolic). Rough rivers can be crossed, even when a gals’ childhood sweetheart as goose bumps for another fella. Anyway a good film and see what you think of the final beach scene with the three together. Extras are a few trailers and MVs with Jo Anne singing La Mer by Charles Trenet and Albert Lasry.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Kara 3rd Mini Album - Lupin
Kara 3rd Mini Album - Lupin
(3)Our Price: US$11.99List: US$15.99Save: US$4.00 (25%)Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
February 15, 2010 Kara! For Mr Lupin..Hwaiting!Normally I never like to mention anything about a music CD or movie DVD I have yet to hear or watch, but I must say this new Kara mini album release of “Lupin” as intrigued immensely and raised the bar for Kara 100 fold with me. “Lupin” sounds all conceptual and related to Arsene Lupin the French master thief written by Maurice Leblanc, but maybe an influence to Kara also from Myung-Se Lee’s movie “M”, which of course features the mysterious figure of Arsene Lupin... mysteries of love and sadness. Or, girls, is it due to watching too much Dong-won Kang (Hallyu actor in 'M')? Like the new Kara black sultry and mysterious image shift, too. Anyway, you’ve won me over (again!) girls and will certainly look forward to hearing Kara - The Mysterious Lupin - a concept album that should be a steal. Are Kara all in black looking for one of Lara Croft’s crowbars? We shall have to see when all is revealed (well maybe some aspects kept illusive) soon!
Will give you guys a proper comment when I’ve received your new mini (4 stars for the concept already!). Seung-yeon, Gyuri, Nicole, Hara and (no way least) Ji-young - “Good prosperity (Hang-u-nŭl bim-ni-da!) for 2010”Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
SHINee Mini Album Vol. 3 - 2009, Year Of Us
SHINee Mini Album Vol. 3 - 2009, Year Of Us
(19)Our Price: US$11.99List: US$15.99Save: US$4.00 (25%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:1 people found the following helpful
February 11, 2010 SHINee’s punky image popSHINee are a fine bunch of guys I’ve come to like in their songs and by catching K-pop groups on Korean TV shows (rarely when I can), via kindly people who subtitle You Tube videos. I spotted Shinee on a show with SNSD and Kara last year, which was interesting and, well, yes, really nice fellas. SHINee’s third mini “Year of Us” features more danceable tunes from the synth pop floor that parallel recent K-pop songs like “Sorry Sorry” by SuJu and “Chu” by f(x), not in the comparable sense, but in the continual K-pop trend of synth pop hooks. A bit different to SHINee’s more previous ballad boy-pop stuff. Here though song “Ring Ding Dong” (or Ding Dong Merrily?) does have an African sound motif, but electronic dance as emphasis. Although I never tire of synth pop I feel fresh danceable K-pop techno sounds might be needed, and some experimentation from song producers. Merging discordant waveforms and down mixes to serendipitously birth some incredible new(ish) funky electronic dance jives.
But anyway, SHINees’s mini album is good and I liked “Jo Jo” and “Get Down” in the main. “Y.O.U. (Year of Us) as a slower beat and more family friendly boy band sound, but SHINee should try (with the help of song writers and production) electronic ballads as much as K-pop ones, than only switching on the computer synth for the more vibrant dance floor tunes. Maybe more funky acoustic pop and reggae fusions, too. Shinee’s “Y.O.U.” packaging is a landscape paperback again with loads of photos of the guys wearing red and black. (I’ve noticed SHINee wear some cool Tees on their mini albums). The boys fashion photos are interesting, though, as they reflect a fusion of modern K-pop interests with punk rock postures of 1977 (SHINee wearing Sex Pistols and The Clash tees) and pretty boy post-punk new romantics of the 80s (Duran Duran, synth pop). Nothing wrong with that. SHINee look like they’re in a new wave era concert club, with punk attitude softened by SHINee’s more muted fashion mode. SHINee’s tees, ironically, have Andy Warhol pop-eats-itself motifs, too, so interesting references in a retro modern juxta-posing sort of way. So nice jackets and nice songs, guys, but that title “Ring Ding Dong” could make us blush in the U.K.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Written (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version)
Written (DVD) (First Press Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$22.99List: US$28.99Save: US$6.00 (21%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 9, 2010 Written in a Book of StrifeThe film begins with a man waking up in a dingy bathroom, lying in a bath full of water and his own blood, possibly drugged with one of his kidneys missing. He sees a message on a wall written in English saying “Get to the hospital”, he clutches his wound, feels lost and isolated to where he actually is. He meets another man (an actor?) sitting at a desk in an adjacent corridor with a female secretary, but the actor only probes the confused man about himself (the secretary tends to her nails). The plot then alternates to two filmmakers and a screenwriter, cogitating what becomes of the man, showing this as a figment of imagination; a character lost in the mind of a film director and a female screenwriter. But the dark surreal isn’t simple; the ‘character’ (the man) confronts the female screenwriter in a more ornate room (blurring fiction and reality), frantically asking her where he is and of his missing kidney. Is he captive? The woman tells the character he exists in her mind, and what ever she writes to the ‘plot’, decides his fate and outcome; his escape or death. She warns the character about an actor, a ruthless and restless man who needs to unlock the unknown truth or ‘ending’ of the character’s fate. Likewise do the filmmakers, but only the screenwriter moulds the outcome of the story, hiding the plot ending within the man. But if the character encounters the actor who is to emulate him, the character will die.
“Written” is a metaphysical type (think “Eraserhead” meets “Teenage Hooker Becomes Killing Machine” surreal) that lies outside the boundaries of normal reality. In fact anticipate a nightmare world of metaphysical reality and allegorical juxtapositions of filmmaking and character identity. The film plot constantly revolves around a character, scrutinised by an actor, screenwriter and director. Throughout, like a recurring nightmare, the scene of the blooded bath and the confused character are described intricately in 4 parts. By the character, the screenwriter, the director and finally the actor, where the ‘actor’ struggles with the ‘characters’ plight. It’s Looking Glass surreal that’s for sure, especially concerning filmmakers and surrealists, but for a normal audience this is challenging stuff. It provokes the thinking; is the man-actor struggling within himself, a suicide, an analogy of the ‘lost’, paranoid schizophrenia? It could be all, it could be some, or All could be One. Be warned not an easy film to slip into.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Kung Fu Dunk (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Kung Fu Dunk (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3
(12)Our Price: US$10.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:February 8, 2010 Effectively SlapstickPersonally, I liked this and when you get to the nightclub fight scene, albeit layered with juicy CGI effects, you can’t help enjoy the riveting action. You get a good bit of energised slapstick fight action, as Fang Shijie floor mops up all the bad guys. Certainly the biggest highlight from this action flick. The story is no more than a fun filled bit of nonsense otherwise, that really needs to be taken as lightly as possible (feather duster light would be about right). Its high school theme of college bad guys and Zhen-il’s team of hope battling it out (basket ball style of course) is like a cross between Sholin Soccer, comic strip manga and even some Superman 2, considering the three powerful mystical elders and Fang Shijie’s time warping finish at the Varsity v Big Bad Guys in Black university basketball competition. The repartee between hustler Zhen-il and Fang Shijie can be endearing and funny at times, too, cliches aside. The added wit gives it a pretty decent charm.
Everyone’s ‘likeable chum’ Charlene looks as lovely as ever, too, and reminding me of that Agent Yomiko Readman from the Japanese anime R.O.D. with her studious glasses and pigtails, and although taking a supporting part here its always great to see her. Charlene is certainly one of the nicest and likeable women on the planet, and I’m happy to see CC in anything with her personality. Still, I couldn’t help thinking that although playing the romantic element, Charlene’s character seemed more like Fang Shijie’s mum at the school sports event, egging her favourite son on. I could imagine her shouting, “Move your bloomin a**e!” if ever Fang Shijie wasn’t dunking enough points into the net. In Chinese of course, not My Fair Lady cockney slang.
The DVD is a superb two-disk set with a wealth of extras including English subtitled interviews (nothing to moan about there). No English subs to the making off sadly (well maybe a bit of a moan). So, okay, not a kung fu classic, but some exciting bits and plenty of entertainment to enjoy with that nice fella Jay Chou. Don’t approach martial arts connoisseur expectations, but do anticipate fun to fill a Friday night in with some pop corn (or biscuit dunks - whatever you fancy). If you like sport themed films certainly try Korean film “ Forever the Moment”.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
In Between Days (DVD) (Korea Version)
In Between Days (DVD) (Korea Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$17.99List: US$26.99Save: US$9.00 (33%)Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 8, 2010 Aimee’s needful love storyAimie (Ji-seon Kim) lives a lonely life in North America, where she immigrates with her single mother. She muses daily thoughts of her new alien life to her absentee father; the diverse people she meets, her difficult school life and her wish to see her father again. Aimie’s absence of a father figure brings a need to substitute that love in her life. A void is partly filled though when she meets Tran (Tae-gu Andy Kang) a young Korean teenager who also likes Aimie. Aimie becomes smitten and tattoos Tran’s back shoulder, begins to date him and finds herself in the cliché teen girl/boy relationship, at least in part. This is the crux - a puppy love romance of the highs and lows of teen romance, paralleling Aimie’s reflections to her missing father and her uncertain shifted new life.
Quite a moody romance - Aimie is bored, doodles in her exercise books, finding the isolation of her icy snow NA surroundings quite foreign to the place she should be in. But when Aimie meets Tran her life takes on some colourful contrasts. They both guardedly get to know each other, Aimee giving subtle presents to Tran like her chain key ring and going to party dates, and shyly indulging themselves. (Interesting part when Tran gels up Aimee’s hair for a party date and how she looks). Frictions happen; Tran touches Aimee’s breast as she sleeps, but their romance remains platonic, none effected - probably due to Aimee’s quite subdued nature and Tran’s young hormones getting the better of him. Tran finds an alternative attraction in two NA females he parties with, Aimee also gaining the attention of a male Korean. Tran also as a penchant to stealing from cars, taking fancy cigarette lighters and radios, at one point causing concern for Aimee when she sees the car owner’s loving photographs and reflects on their affectionate ‘away from home’ letter. But although a fragile relationship, Aimee becomes needful and affectionate to Tran, constantly ringing his mobile phone to keep contact, paralleling ‘contacts’ she makes to her ‘invisible’ father in thoughts of her lonely life. “In Between Days” signifies struggling love and need in between days of young romance (maybe love exists somewhere in between days) and alienation. Aimee is absent of the normal, by her foreign life style (away from Home) lacks a father to fulfil her happiness. Aimee clings for a moment to the stolen car photograph and letter of home, yearning for that contact from her gone away father.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Seven 2 One (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Seven 2 One (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$14.99Usually ships within 1 to 2 daysRelated promotions:February 5, 2010 Disadvantage pointsAlthough the DVD seemingly depicts some sort of media scandalous wotnot, “Seven 2 One” is quite a wider berthed movie to muse about, of how separate people’s negative social interactions, in dark unfelt chorus, connect and contribute to two peoples deaths; a robbery and tragic brutal killing at a convenience store followed by a tragic road accident. The two deaths are shown at the beginning, followed by an introduction of a succession of characters that have direct and indirect cause and effect to the tragedies, shown in compartmentalized and ever revealing flashbacks. All protagonists suffer problematical social issues; Ling works as a bar girl to make money to help her in debt gambling boyfriend who owes money to a loan shark, two female convenience store workers get ‘rubbed up the wrong way’ by their lecherous employer, a policeman arrests a man for murder at a bar and conflicts with his brother about street offending problems, two young men ‘prank’ a perverted store owner for sexually harassing their girlfriends and two lesbian lovers find some male attention causing dire friction and jealousy between an already love tiff gal relationship. Varied incidents from the shadows of the metropolis that become interconnected as bar girl, police, gambler, shop girls, lesbians, street urchins and perverts get lead up the garden crossed-paths to partake in a final culmination of tragic death.
“Seven 2 One” as similarities to Japanese film “A Stranger of Mine” by director Kenji Uchida, another disadvantage point type. Like media news and its bite sized neutral limits make for partial perception, here vanilla acuity is a stabbing in a convince store between a customer and a comic masked thief, but more is beneath the mask of obscurities here. Going beyond the ‘see’ superficial to see other parallel onion layer motions that bring a wider understanding of ‘why’. Okay Danny Oxide may have borrowed ideas here, but this film is active, fluid, coherent and well made. Characters make you think what ‘if’ these guys could 'awaken' and see how erratic impulse is contributing to an already upside down picture of themselves, and avoid adverse tragedy by an overview of negative pedantic focus; jealousy, greed, self-interest and so forth. For a collective of HK poppettes (too many to name, alas) the acting is very good and Elanne Kong as Ling is doing champion at the movies now (Rebellion also). Done before, but a good HK film!Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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