Married to the Mafia-Enemy in Law (KR Movie 2005)

Married to the Mafia-Enemy in Law (KR 2005)

Kim Won-Hee and Shin Hyun-Jun in Marrying the Mfia 2. (credit:lovehkfilm.com)
Marrying the Mafia #2 Enemy in law, I caught last night. According to some net research, this sequel surpassed Married to the Mafia aka Gamunui Yeonggwang. It was a fun movie that had its comedic moments but what made the movie was the acting by the lad Shin Hyun Jun and Kim Won Hee.

Cast:
Shin Hyun-Jun, Kim Won-Hee, Kim Su-Mi, Tak Jae-Hun, Lim Hyeong-Jun, Kong Hyeong-Jin, Shin Yi

(Sanjuro 2006 review from http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/marrying_the_mafia_2.html.)
Jeong Young-Ki, director of the Asian horror flick The Doll Master, tries his hand at comedy with Marrying The Mafia 2: Enemy in Law, the hit 2005 sequel that was so popular it actually surpassed the impressive box office receipts of the 2002 film that spawned it. This wacky gangster comedy shifts its focus to a new mob family and centers on the marital situation of the clan's number one son, Jang In-Jae, played by actor Shin Hyun-Jun, last seen in High Dharma 2 and Face. It seems that In-Jae's mobster mother (Kim Soo-Mi) takes an active role in her three sons' lives. Whether it's faking her own kidnapping just to time their rescue attempts or simply trying to marry off In-Jae before he becomes an old bachelor, Mama Jang clearly wants to see her sons do well. However, the blind dates aren't working out for In-Jae, as no woman seems to compare to Jin-Sook, his beloved high school sweetheart. As luck would have it, after yet another unfulfilling blind date, In-Jae catches a glimpse of Kim Jin-Kyung (Kim Won-Hee), an attractive young woman who just so happens to be the spitting image of the dearly departed Jin-Sook But despite their similarities, Jin-Kyung isn't In-Jae's girlfriend come back to life, but is instead a chief prosecutor! In-Jae spies her just prior to her participation in a sting operation to take down a nefarious gangster, a man whose organization just so happens to be a rival of the Jang family. But when Jin-Kyung ends up drugged and defenseless, it's lucky for her that In-Jae is in the vicinity to step in and save the day. With Jin-Kyung knocked out cold, In-Jae has little option but to take her home until she awakens, a decision which, of course, results in the expected Three's Company-esque misunderstandings before a real romance between the two can properly develop.

Strangely enough, from this point forward, the film becomes increasingly bipolar in terms of tone. In one respect, it becomes a wacky "anything goes" comedy worthy of the best and worst of Wong Jing's oeuvre, full of out-of-place boob jokes and over-the-top penis sight gags that literally have to be seen to be believed. In the case of the latter, at one point, In-Jae's member gets injured so badly that he's forced to wear protective gear during his day-to-day activities. Here's the rub: the resultant bulge makes it seem like he's happy to see, well, just about everyone. The former joke involves legal eagle Jin-Kyung stealing some confiscated Chinese breast enhancement cream, which she eventually applies to her pixyish frame, only to find that there really was a reason why her office confiscated it in the first place. The film also contains some amusing flashbacks, including one in which In-Jae suspiciously resembles a spastic Howie Mandel! Other jokes rely heavily on Korean pop culture references, which while perhaps funny for native speakers, will likely go directly over the heads of non-Korean audience members, this reviewer included. Even so, there are plenty of funny moments that aren't lost in translation, one of the best being a situation in which the ultra suave In-Jae comically loses his cool when a romantic trip to the movie theatre goes horribly awry.

But even as all this utter zaniness is going on, there's actually something quite curious occurring in between the laughs - a fairly serious story about a mobster who's grown tired of his criminal life and longs for something more. Genuinely worried about what his lawyer girlfriend thinks and concerned for her career, he turns over a new leaf, but finds himself thwarted at every turn, first by his own brothers, and later by his criminal rivals. It's a testament to Shin Hyun-Jun's acting ability that these constant shifts in tone don't prove off-putting. Even as his character's personality haphazardly shifts to suit the demands of the script, he's able to deliver a convincing performance as a badass gangster, as a horny and somewhat infantile man-child, and even as a handsome romantic lead. Shin Hyun-Jun plays each "type" with considerable aplomb, which helps make the somersaults in tone bearable, if not entirely believable.

The conflicts, both personal and professional, within the film comes to a climactic head when a vicious crime boss frames the three Jang brothers, and they are put on trial by Jin-Kyung's colleague/wannabe boyfriend (Kong Hyeong-Jin). After learning of In-Jae's criminal past, will Jin Kyung defend her boyfriend in court? Or will she leave him high and dry? Of course, anyone even remotely familiar with filmic conventions will know exactly what will happen next, as the film climaxes with a trial that's somewhat reminiscent of Stephen Chow's early courtroom comedies. Sure, the ending comes courtesy of an altogether convenient deus ex machina, but if you've been laughing hard enough at that point, Marrying the Mafia 2 probably won't warrant that level of scrutiny.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing about Marrying The Mafia 2: Enemy in Law is how the character of the Jang family matriarch is handled. From her overdone makeup and larger than life presence in the opening sequence, one almost expects a cutthroat Mafioso-type, who would stop at nothing to break up her son's relationship with the lawyer, perhaps even going to extreme measures to protect her own interests. At the very least, considering how Korean comedies and melodramas tend to play out, one would expect some major league conflict between mother and daughter-in-law that may or may not result in reconciliation. But here, that's not the case at all. Thankfully, the film doesn't ask its audience to jump through these tired formulaic hoops. Rather than give us the typical domineering old harridan who thinks that no woman - particularly the story's heroine - is good enough for her boy, we get a mother who just wants her son to be happy. When he's found the love of his life, she just has to figure out a way to make her family come off as the Korean version of the Cleavers, a deception that proves to have fairly comic results.

Although the plot could use some work, and the romance could have been developed further, the fact remains that I did laugh quite a bit during Marrying the Mafia 2. It's wacky fluff with an occasional serious edge, but thanks to a strong performance from leading man Shin Hyun-Jun, Marrying The Mafia 2: Enemy in Law is a gangster comedy worth taking a shot at. (Sanjuro 2006)

Our Happy Time Together (KR2006) 우리들의 행복한 시간

(Hancinema)

Our Happy Time Together (Aka Maundy Thursday) Woo-ri-deul-eui Haeng-bok-han Si-gan (2006) 우리들의 행복한 시간 was a top hit #7th overall in South Korea in 2006. I rented this movie not knowing anything about the plot except that the title was "Our Happy Time Together". At a glance, I was thinking "oh this will be a light hearted romance". Boy was a totally wrong!

The first few scenes, I saw quite the opposite! It tells the story of Yu Jeong, an University Art Lecturer who is from a privileged back ground and only teaches for fun. But she has tried to commit suicide but has failed a few times. She dislikes her mom and has a hard time being around her family. She decides to talk to her aunt Monica who happens to be a nun. She follows her to the prison that aunt Monica volunteers her time. There she meets a convicted killer on death row Yun Soo. Yun Soo had wanted to meet her due to his little brother always saying Yu Jeong had a voice of an angel. He too has given up on life and just wants to end his.

Slowly through their time together, these two people are drawn together to spend time to heal and learn from each other. Unfortunately, Yun Soo's path is definite but Yu Jeong and he learn alot about on another and gain a deeper understanding.

I give props for Kang Dong Won in this role being a murder. I am used to seeing him as the handsome male lead. With his bad haircut and "acting up" in the prison he does a credible job but he still has a baby face. Lee Na Young as Yu Jeong plays her job credibly telling you she is just not another pretty model trying to act.



CAST
Kang Dong-won (강동원) Yun Soo

Lee Na-young (이나영) Yu-jeong

Yoon Yeo-jeong (윤여정)

Kang Shin-il (강신일)

Jeong Yeong-sook (정영숙)

Fun Movie (KR 2002) 재밌는 영화

(asiandb.com photo credit)

My thoughts on this 2002 Korean Movie called Fun Movie or Funny Movie 재밌는 영화 is the first Korean Parody movie. It is obvious it is a parody. I liked it but I admit I am not a novice to Korean flicks but nor am I an expert. I did not get all the "inside" jokes to get the full humor. Overall the movie does seem very messy if you do not get how it jumps around here and there. In fact, the reviewer below is correct in saying avoid this film if you have no Korean cinema knowledge.

Cast: (ILOVEHKFILM.COM)
Kim Jung-eun, Im Won-hee, Kim Soo-ro, Suh Tae-hwa, Park Kyung-lim, Lee Won-jong, Lee Mi-yeon (cameo)


Fun Movie is entertaining crap - if you've seen the films it mocks. Some of the parodies are brilliant, but the plot endlessly drags trying to pull one gag out of the bag every five minutes. The leading trio is terrific, though Suh Tae-hwa certainly isn't.

Reviewby LunaSea (ILOVEHKFILM.COM):
It was inevitable that someone would come up with a film like Fun Movie. Korean Cinema has become famous enough to be on the receiving end of a parody, and this is the country's first attempt to tackle the genre. If your knowledge of Korean Cinema (and culture) is good enough to get 3/4 of the jokes, you'll often be amused. Otherwise, it's likely Fun Movie will seem like a huge mess, and not a very interesting one, to boot.


The film drags even from the first portion. It doesn't have enough panache to sustain a pace of its own. It always needs to go back to the parody, otherwise it'd bore you to tears. Talking about a plot here would be silly. It takes the main theme of Shiri (this time it's Japanese extremists instead of North Korean ones), and intertwines parodies from just about every successful Korean film of the last ten years. Some are done in a subtle way, some rather obviously. The most successful parodies are those from Nowhere To Hide (the forty steps murder, only they use tempura and sauce to kill!), My Sassy Girl (Kim Jung-eun is brilliant as The Girl), and Green Fish (the phone call home and the final car scene are recreated to hilarious perfection).


The most disgusting parody is the one merging the baseball bat scene from Lies with Ahn Sung-ki's "unusual" investigative methods in Two Cops (Don't watch this while eating - I'm warning you). While the three main leads are tremendous in their timing, delivery and body language, Suh Tae-hwa is a disappointment. His acting is bland and stiff, and he seems out of place. He's been consistently mediocre in one too many films (with the notable exception of Friend, where his blandness was perfect for his character).


At almost two hours, Fun Movie is overlong, and it drags way too much to be as enjoyable as it could have been. It has no lasting effect as a whole, but some memorable scenes will remain in your mind. If anything, the film highlights the industry's current wave of success and creativity, and could be a fun test of your knowledge of recent Korean Cinema. However, if all you've seen is Musa: The Warrior and Shiri, I'd stay away. Fun Movie is not the right film for you if you're just starting to explore Korean Cinema. (LunaSea 2002)

Name that Movie:
This list shouldn't be considered a spoiler, since you still have to find the actual scenes. The following is a list of parodies I've found in the film. Some of them last just a few seconds, so blink and you'll miss them. The movie advertises 28 parodies, so - if they're telling the truth - this list is almost complete.

1993 Sopyonje (D: Im Kwon-taek) Two Cops (D: Kang Woo-suk)
1997 Contact (D: Jang Yoon-hyun) Green Fish (D: Lee Chang-dong) No. 3 (D: Song Neun-han) Beat (D: Kim Sung-soo)
1998 Christmas in August (D: Hur Jin-ho) A Promise (Kim Yoo-jin) Whispering Corridors (D: Park Ki-hyung) Dachimawa Lee (D: Ryu Seung-wan)
1999 Shiri (D: Kang Jae-gyu)Nowhere to Hide (D: Lee Myung-sae) Attack the Gas Station (D: Kim Sang-jin)The Spy, Lee Chul-Jin (D: Jang Jin) Lies (D: Jang Sun-woo)
2000 Joint Security Area (D: Park Chan-wook)The Foul King (D: Kim Ji-woon) Bichunmoo (D: Kim Young-jun) Ditto (D: Kim Jong-kwon)The Scissors/A Nightmare (D: Ahn Byung-ki)The Isle (D: Kim Ki-duk)Peppermint Candy (D: Lee Chang-dong)
2001 Friend (D: Kwak Kyung-taek)My Sassy Girl (D: Kwak Jae-yong)Kick the Moon (D: Kim Sang-jin)Bungee Jumping of their Own (D: Kim Dae-sung)


Note: There's also a poster of The Last Present (a 2001 film with Lee Jung-jae and Lee Young-ae) in one of the scenes, but I doubt that counts as a parody.

시간 / Time (Shi gan) [2006] (Korean Movie)

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Kim Ki Duk's movie TIME movie trailer

Director Kim Ki-duk (김기덕) in his film from 2006 called "TIME" (Shi Gan)

I have seen Kim Ki Duk's films and this one incorporating Plastic Surgery was a bit harrowing and sobering. But overall a great film and there was alot dialogue in comparison to his other films. Great acting and the plot was good. It makes the viewer assess what their thoughts on relationships and looks. Seh Hee realizes that her two year long relationship might a bit be boring for her boyfriend Ji Woo whom she loves obssessively. One day she disappears without a trace from him to get plastic surgery.

During her six month absense, he is alone and missing her. He wants to be comforted by other women but it somehow never happens. Then he meets at the coffee shop a gal named See Hee (Seh Hee under her new name). They start dating but soon she realizes that Ji Woo is haunted by Seh Hee, whom he still loves. See Hee becomes insanely jealous of herself.

What happens when Ji Woo discovers the truth of See Hee? The tables are then turned on her and results in an interesting ending.

I loved the sculpture park on the island Ji Woo and Seh Hee liked to go to. I really loved the hand they would sit on.

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From Avistaz Asian Torrents review:


To save her relationship, a woman puts herself through extensive plastic surgery.
Prolific author and enfant terrible of Korean cinema Kim Ki-duk plumbs the depths of obsessive love in Time. Kim plays with the craze for plastic surgery that has invaded our lives, as magazines and television shows such as “Extreme Makeover” have streamed together into a nightmare of eternal youth and beauty. Kim’s unpredictable genius takes a fashionable issue to extremes in order to probe the dark, jealous core of a relationship gone wrong.


Attractive Seh-hee (Park Ji-yun 박지윤) is having problems with her boyfriend, Ji-woo (Ha Jeong-woo (하정우). After two years, their love has entered a period of weariness. Though faithful to his fiance, Ji-woo eyes other women and, in bed, seems to get excited only at the thought of making love to other partners. Seh-hee can’t cope with the mounting jealousy tainting her life and decides to dramatically change her look - to become a new woman, with whom her boyfriend can again fall in love.


She enters a plastic-surgery clinic and then vanishes for six months - long enough for the scars to heal - leaving Ji-woo hurt and confused by her disappearance. Resurfacing as the new waitress at the coffee shop Ji-woo frequents, Seh-hee - now calling herself See-hee (Seong Hyeon-ah (성현아) ) - tries to seduce him. But between them stands the spectre of Ji-woo’s lost girlfriend, with whom he is still very much in love. Jealousy once again creeps into the shaky existence Seh-hee has artificially crafted.


A clean style guides the circular syntax of this extreme tale of love. Set mostly in coffee shops and bars, where the intimacy of a lovers’ discourse is shared by curious clients, Time is steeped in a quiet, disturbing violence that censors feelings and mutilates the soul through body surgery. As if trapped within a meandering, irrational mind, the script follows a complex rhythm that mirrors the obsessive tone of the film and displays once again Kim’s talent for transforming high-concept ideas into incandescent cinema.


AKA - Time (International: English title)
Year - 2006
Genre - drama/romance
Directed - Ki-duk Kim
Country - South Korea
Audio - Korean
Subtitles - English
Run Time - 97min
Links - IMDB , @hancinema
Cast: Sung Hyun-ah, Ha Jung-woo, Park Ji-yun