Grave of the Fireflies (1988)#*@

There are certain movies that are simply more just a movie. 'Grave of the Fireflies' is one of the most haunting and brutally honest movies I have ever seen. Also one of the most depressing movie as well. War is not pretty and it makes no attempt to hide the fact. Its images and message will always be in my memory. Set in Japan during WWII, the film tells the story of young brother and sister who loses their mother during a bomb raid. Seita and Setsuko lose everything they have and are left to do whatever they can to survive on their own. The animation is gorgeous and it captures both the good and the bad times perfectly. This is a movie that you just have to experience on your own to get a feel for it. It's always hard to rate a movie like this one and frankly I don't think it really matters. I highly recommend that you give it a try in the future.

#IMDB- 8.3/10 (#124 of 250)

Rotten Tomatoes- Critic-96% Audience-93%

* One of 1001 movies you must see before you die

@Ebert's Great Movies

Yong's Rating- 5/5

Schindler's List (1993) *#@

Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List doesn't attempt to explain or provide answers to how something as horrific as the Holocaust could take place. There is no way any single movie can effectively tackle the immense issues of morality and tragedy brought on by the Holocaust. Spielberg simply uses World War II as a backdrop to tell the compelling true story of Oskar Schindler. The war provides the perfect opportunity for Schindler to make a big profit running factories for the war effort using Jewish workers. At the start of the film, you get a sense that he is simply a manipulative businessman only out to make money. However, as the movie progresses you can see that he truly feels compassion for his workers and the suffering of the Jewish people. Schindler goes out of his way to provide refuge for his workers by using his factories as a safe haven for them. Schindler's (Liam Neeson) compassion and kindness to the helpless workers show the goodness that a person is capable of even in the darkest of times. On the other hand, General Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) personifies the evil that we are also capable of.

Schindler's List tells the story it intends to tell very well and provides an emotional authentic experience for its viewers. It moves slowly and builds up to an emotional climax. The use of black and white for this film perfectly serves to show the gritty and dark nature of the time period. The true legacy of Oskar Schindler is passed on through the Jewish survivors that he helped to save and the future generations of their family.

#IMDB-8.9/10 (#7 on the Top 250)

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-97%, audience- 96%

Yong's Rating- 9/10 (highly recommended)

@- One of Ebert's great movies.

*One of 1001 movies you must see before you die

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)*

There are certain movies I always like to watch during the holiday season. I'm going to review some of those movies in the next few week. I'm starting off with Hannah and Her Sisters, written and directed by Woody Allen. I believe that Hannah and Her Sisters represents Mr. Allen at the top of his game. The writing, cast, acting, music, and cinematography are all excellent. It is the perfect combination of comedy, drama, and intellect. The film is composed of series of vignettes surrounding a group of characters. It flows effortlessly, thanks to the brilliant screenplay, perhaps Allen's finest.

There is Hannah and her sisters, played by Mia Farrow (Hannah) , Dianne Wiest (Holly), and Barbara Hershey (Lee). The relationship between the three sisters is much more complex than it seems at the beginning and as the film progresses the nature of the complexity is explored. Michael Caine plays Mia Farrow's husband, a glorified accountant who lusts after his wife's sister, Lee. Woody Allen plays Mickey, who is Hannah's ex-husband. He is semi-successful television producer. Allen plays the character that he has perfected, a nervous, neurotic hypochondriac. After having to face his own morality, he goes on a search for the meaning of life. It was his search for answers for a reason to continue living through books and religions that I found most interesting and entertaining. And in the end maybe he does find some closure just as he suggests in the movie, "Maybe the poets are right, maybe love is the only answer."

If you are only going to watch one Woody Allen movie, then I highly suggest you make it this one.

IMDB- 8.0/10

Rotten tomatoes- Critics- 93% audience-88%

Yong's rating- 10/10 (must see)

*(one of 1001 movies you must see before you die)

North by Northwest (1959) *#

North by Northwest is my first Alfred Hitchcock movie, and yes I have a lot of catching up to do. North by Northwest is an excellent action thriller starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. A mistaken identity leads an unsuspecting man to be thrown into the world of spies and government agency. When Roger Thornhill (Grant) is mistaken for a government agent by a gang of spies, he finds himself in a situation where he can't talk his way out of. Suddenly he is on the run from both the spies and the government across the country in an attempt to clear his name and figure out what is really going on. Along the way, he gets a little help from a beautiful stranger (Saint), who also becomes a part of his adventure. Hitchcock truly knows how to build up suspense and keep you entertained throughout the movie. Most of you probably have already had the chance to see this classic film. If you haven't, be sure to check this one out sometime. Any recommendations on which Hitchcock movie should be next on my list?

#IMDB- 8.6/10 (#38 on Top 250)

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 100%, Audience-93%

*(One of 1001 movies you must see before you die)

Yong's Rating -9.5/10 (must see)

Into the Wild (2007)#

Into the wild chronicles the true story of Christopher McCandless, who upon graduating from college decided to give up everything in society to go on a journey to be one with nature. Emile Hirsch does an excellent job in this movie, and shows a lot of potential. This movie also features a very good soundtrack. Frustrated with the society's obsession of materialistic goods and the hypocrisy of his parents, Chris leaves his identity behind and hits the road away from society. His main goal is to spend time in the wildness of Alaska and survive off the land. Along the journey of self-discovery, Chris comes across wonderful group of people who he develops lasting relationships with, and discovers some valuable life lessons as well. This movie is a touching personal look into one young individual's search for true happiness. Watch it and you just might learn something from it as well.

#IMDB-8.2/10 (#144 on Top 250)

Rotten Tomatoes- critics-82% Community- 90%

Yong's rating-7.8/10 (worth a look)

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)*

The Good, the Bad, the Weird is a korean movie following the tradition of old spaghetti westerns. The film is set in the 1930's Manchuria. There we find a group of outlaws, the japanese military and a simple thief all chasing after one mysterious treasure map. The exact specifics surrounding the true nature of the map isn't clear, but with the fervor everyone involved in the chase go after the map, you can be damn sure that it's pretty valuable.
The movie has three main characters; the good (Jung woo-sung)), the bad (Lee Byung-hun), and the weird (Song Kang-ho). Out of these three, Song kang-ho's performance stood out the most for me. You may be familiar with him from his roles in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Host and Thirst. Song has that special on-screen presence that only a certain group of great actors command.
Overall, this is a very fast-paced action fun rolled up into a nice package with a Korean touch. However, i felt that it lacked character development. there just wasn't much there for the audience to development any strong connections to the characters. I really wanted to care about what was going on in the screen, but in the end, i couldn't really care less what happened to them. The movie does provide great entertainment and is definitely worth your time, but just don't expect to be blown away.

IMDB-7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes- critics- 83%, community 80%
Yong's stars- 7.8/10 (worth a look)
*One of 1001 movies you must see before you die

Oldboy (2003)*#

This week i'm recommending a korean movie which has quickly developed a cult following here in the states. Oldboy has a style that would make even Quentin Tarantino proud. It has a feeling of a Tarantino film with its mixture of violence and an unique, engaging storyline.
this movie is about revenge, which is a theme director Park Chan-wook uses frequently in his movies. the main character of the movie is kidnapped and prisoned in a hotel room for 15 years. when he is freed, he tries to make sense behind the reason behind his imprisonment, and to seek revenge at all cost. if violence isn't your thing, than is movie probably isn't for you. but, if you are in mood to try something different and aren't afraid of some disturbing images than i think you should give this movie a try. you'll understand why it has developed such a big cult status. also there's a rumor that this movie is going to be remade by Spielberg starring Will Smith. i don't see why you would mess with something that isn't broke, but that's just me. anyways, you can be cool in front of your friends and say you saw the original Oldboy before hollywood messed with it.


#-imdb-8.3/10 (#118 in top 250)
rotten tomatoes- critics-81% community- 93%
Yong Stars-10/10 (must see)
*One of 1001 movies to see before you die

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)*#

Imagine yourself trapped inside your own body. you can't move, you can't speak, a simple blink of the eyes is all you can manage. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is based on a remarkable true story of the former France Elle editor, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffered a stroke which left his body paralyzed. The film moves slowly and truly gives you a sense of what Bauby is going through. Cinematography does a great job of giving the audience a chance to view life from Bauby's own eyes. What stood out most for me in this movie was the way Bauby chooses to live out his life despite his condition. It makes you realize just how fragile life can be, but with the right attitude and a great imagination, you can find ways to persevere even during the toughest of times.

#-Imdb- 8.1 (Top 250: #203)
Rotten Tomato- Critics: 94% Community-95%
Yong's Stars-8.5/10 (highly recommended)
*one of 1001 movies to see before you die.