'Always Be My Maybe' (2019)

   'Always Be My Maybe' is the new Ali Wong romantic comedy featuring an all Asian cast. It tells a love story between two childhood sweethearts. Marcus (Randall Park) and Sasha (Ali Wong) are next door neighbors who become very close friends. As it often does in life, Marcus and Sasha lose contact once they graduate from high school. After more than 10 years apart, the two meet when Sasha comes back home on business. The chance meeting allows the two to reflect on their past. And more importantly, it gives them a chance to re examine their current situations. They must decide what values and priorities are important to them in their lives. It is difficult to find someone you can depend on to go through all of the messy obstacles life has to offer. Marcus and Sasha must determine if they really are meant for each other.
  It was very refreshing to see so many Asians playing major roles in a movie that wasn't specifically made for an Asian audience. The writing and the acting wasn't the greatest (let's just say it won't get any Oscar nominations), but the core of the story is something most people can relate to. And it's just a very cute, enjoyable movie. So if you like romantic comedies and have some free time, go check out this movie on your friend's netflix account.

IMDB- 7/10
Metascore-67/100
Rotten tomatoes- Critics-90% Audience-not yet available
Yong's score-3.5/5

Magic in the Moonlight (2014)

 I think deep down even the most pessimistic of us out there would like to believe there's some magic left in the world. The important question is, how far are you willing to go to let yourself be completely immersed in it. In the latest Woody Allen film, he explores how love can affect even the most cynical of us. Colin Firth plays a famous magician with the speciality of debunking fake mystics. When he is asked by a close friend to help him debunk a young American girl (played by Emma Stone) who is about to swindle a wealthy family of their fortune, he agrees to prove that there is no such thing as real magic in the world. His interactions with the young, beautiful American makes him question his dark view of the world and makes him wonder whether there is some magic in the world after all.

IMDB-6.9/10
Metascore- 54/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 50% Audience- 56%
Yong's Rating- 3/5 Stars.

Ruby Sparks (2012)

What if you can dream up your perfect girlfriend? And somehow she appeared right in front of you just the way you imagined her. Her smile, the way she moves and even her quirks are all you imagined her to be. Too good to be true? In 'Ruby Sparks', a young writer, Calvin's (Paul Dano) world is turned upside down when a mysterious girl appears in his house. Turns out the girl is Ruby (Zoe Kazan), the very girl he was writing about in his new novel. Once Calvin figures out the identity of the mysterious girl, he can't help but fall in love with her. The movie explores the rocky relationship between the writer and his work of fiction.
'Ruby Sparks' is an entertaining love story that is smart and unique. The story does take some time to develop, but if you let yourself get engaged with the storyline, I think you'll find yourself a very nice movie.

IMDB- 7.2/10
Metascore- 67/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 79%, Audience- 77%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 Stars

To Rome With Love (2012)

'To Rome with Love' is Woody Allen's latest romantic comedy. It continues Woody's recent trend of filming in Europe. Set in the romantic city of Rome, the film tells the stories of an eclectic group of people brought together by the magical city. The ensemble cast features notable actors like Judy Davis, Roberto Benigni, Alison Pill, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, and the return of Woody Allen. And as with any Woody movie, the city itself becomes one of the characters. Each of the stories feature light hearted fun mixed with romance, drama, and philosophical thoughts explored in many of Allen's films. While 'To Rome with Love' may not be one of Allen's better films, it's something his fans would definitely enjoy, especially seeing him back on the big screen.





IMDB- 6.5/10
Metascore- 55/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 45% Audience- 49%
Yong's Rating- 3/5 stars

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

After seeing the trailers for 'Crazy, Stupid, Love', I walked in the theater expecting just another 'Hitch' type generic romantic comedy. Boy was I wrong. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' delivered much more than I anticipated with its stellar cast, plot, and that feel good after taste.

Cal's (Steve Carell) life gets a sudden wake up call when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) asks for a divorce. Cal ends up at a bar to get some drinks for his sorrow and someone to talk to. Jacob (Ryan Gosling) takes notice of Cal. A badly dressed, drunk middle aged man babbling on and on about why his wife left him to anyone in his vicinity. Jacob takes pity on the poor guy and offers him his guidance to rediscover his long lost manhood. Just when you think this movie is just about a recently divorced middle age man learning to pick up hot chicks, it changes pace and ties in other character's story lines into the mix. What you get is a delightful mix of love, drama, and even a few laughs.

Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling share very good chemistry together. I also enjoyed Julianne Moore and Emma Stone's performance very much. The talented cast make this movie a very good ensemble piece and a joy to watch. If you are in a mood to leave a theater with a smile this summer go check this one out.

IMDB- 8/10

Metascore- 68/100

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-75%, Audience- 86%

Yong's Rating- 4/5 Stars

No Strings Attached (2011)

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher star in 'No Strings Attached', a romantic comedy about two young people agreeing be each other's sex buddy, with only one rule. No real commitment allowed. Portman plays Emma, a medical resident and Kutcher plays a fun loving all-around good guy. One thing about this movie got right was casting the part for Kutcher and Portman. They really seemed believable for the roles they were portraying.

From the start, you can tell that the no strings attached business really wasn't going to work out well between the two characters. Kutcher character was clearly falling for Portman from the start. And you just got a sense that she just didn't feel he was good enough for her. Overall, 'No Strings Attached' has all the elements of a good romantic comedy, but doesn't really bring anything extra to make it great.

IMDB-6.2/10

Metascore- 50/100

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-48%, Audience- 59%

Yong's Rating- 2.5/5 Stars

Midnight in Paris (2011)

'Midnight in Paris' is the latest Woody Allen flick featuring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. This may be one of his most commercially successful film in years. Mr. Allen continues his recent trend of filming away from his home base in New York City. Set in Paris, 'Midnight in Paris' starts with a gorgeous ode to the beauty of the romantic city. Woody Allen just has a way of making any city a part of his cast of characters. You could definitely see the love affair he has with Paris, it almost felt like he was cheating on New York City.

Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams play a newly engaged couple away on a vacation in Paris. Gil (Wilson) is infatuated with the city and has fantasies of moving to the city and writing. His fiancé is set on living the suburban life in Hollywood and doesn't understand what is so great about Paris. Gil is a romantic who longs for the simpler times of the past and wishes he was born in a different era. He is in love with the 1920's and walking around the city in rain. When Gil wonders off one night to just walk the beautiful city and clear his mind, a little loss of sense of direction leads to a life changing adventure. Without giving away too much of the storyline, 'Midnight in Paris' mixes in elements of fantasy and romance that is sure to delight and seduce the viewers. It was reminiscent of 'Purple Rose of Cairo' and to some degree 'Stardust Memories'. I believe this is one of his better movies in recent years. Owen Wilson played the 'Woody Allen character' very well and seemed like a natural for the part.

I found myself enjoying this movie very much. I couldn't help smiling the whole way through. I just loved how beautiful the city looked on the screen as well as the performances of the wonderful cast. It is a terrific mixture of charm, fantasy, romance, and comedy. Go see for yourself.

IMDB-7.9/10

Metascore- 81/100

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-92%, Audience-77%

Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars

The Switch (2010)

I did not think it would be possible for me dislike Jason Bateman. There was no way I would ever think ill of the Michael Bluth. Well, 'The Switch' proved me wrong. In 'The Switch', Jennifer Aniston plays a single woman who feels her time to have a child is running out. Being busy with work and having bad luck with men, she comes up with the perfect idea of turning to a sperm donor. Jason Bateman plays the best friend who obviously has a crush on her. Kassie (Aniston) decides to go through with the insemination against Wally's (Bateman) disapproval. She even throws an insemination party to celebrate the inception of the baby. Mix some alcohol, pills, and unfortunately placed sperm sample. What do you get? The perfect formula for the switch. Kassie gets pregnant and leaves town. When she comes back a few years later with her son, Sebastian, Wally starts to remember the night of the insemination party and realizes that he is the father. The rest of the movies deals with how the revelation of the truth will effect the relationship between Kassie and Wally. And I will leave that up to you to find out.

Overall, this movie just felt very flat. There was just no life. I was initially interested by the premise, but it just failed to keep my attention. 'The Switch' may be worth a look if you are a big fan of Jennifer Aniston or Jason Bateman, but I think you should just stay away from this one.

IMDB-5.9/10

Metascore-52/100

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-52%, Audience-45%

Yong's Rating- 2/5 Stars

My Sassy Girl (2001) '엽기적인 그녀'

If you are an asian teenage girl, you've probably already seen this movie multiple times and cried your eyes out. This review is for those of you who have never heard of this movie or have made the unfortunate mistake of watching the American version first. If there's one thing Koreans do well it's making sad/emotional soap operas and movies. Trust me.

'My Sassy Girl' is one of the most successful movies in South Korea and East Asia in recent years. It tells the story of a very unlikely couple. Cha Tae Hyun is a lazy college student with no direction in life. A chance meeting with a mysterious drunk girl in the subway changes everything. Cha is forced to take care of the passed out drunk girl when the passengers mistakenly believe him to be her boyfriend. The mysterious drunk girl is played by Jeon Ji Hyun. And as the title suggests, she is very sassy and not afraid to speak her mind in front of anyone. After the incident, the two meet each other and start seeing each other regularly. Dating Jeon is not easy. She must get everything she wants when she wants it. She does not take no for an answer. The movie is told from Cha's perspective and recounts his crazy (and sometimes painful) experience of dating his sassy girl. I believe the film is based on a true story.

Jeon Ji Hyun and Cha Tae Hyun's charisma and comedic timing really make this film a very fun experience. Sure there are some references that gets lost in translation but what foreign movie doesn't that. I'm not going to lie, this movie sets up to play with your emotions and pull at your heart. So if you are not into the melodrama then I suggest you skip this one. Watching this movie is kind of like riding an emotional roller coaster. It'll have you laughing out loud one moment and then have you holding back your tears few moments later. There are several memorable scenes that will be hard to forget. My favorite scene was Cha Tae Hyun listing off his suggestions for dating Jeon Ji Hyun to her blind date. That had to be the emotional climax of the movie. 'My Sassy Girl' is one of my favorite korean movies and if you are a fan of romantic comedies and want to try something a little different I highly suggest you give the sassy girl a try. You don't want to make her mad.

IMDB-8.2/10

Rotten tomatoes- N/A

Yong's rating-4/5 stars

When in Rome (2010)

When in Rome is a romantic comedy featuring Kristen Bell. This movie is exactly what you'd expect it to be. It's an average romantic comedy at best. Bell plays Beth, a career oriented woman who only cares about her job. Guess what? She's a gorgeous woman who has bad luck with relationships. Where have we seen that before? Pretty much every generic romantic comedy out there. When Bell accidentally steals some coins out of the fountain of love in Rome during her sister's wedding, she unknowingly casts a love spell on a group of guys. Apparently its a common knowledge in Rome that if you take coins out of a fountain you make the person who threw in the coin fall in love with you. With a group of love crazed suitors following her, Bell must decide whether the man she fell in love with is really in love with her or just under a spell.

The only thing that may have saved this movie was Kristen Bell's charisma and charm. But, her talents as well as that of the cast seemed wasted due to the poor writing and bad premise. There isn't much to see in this movie that you haven't seen before. Skip this one unless you are a big fan of Kristen Bell or some of the cast members.

IMDB-5.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 16%, Audience-44%

Yong's Rating- 5/10 (Skip it)

Love Actually (2003)

When is it more appropriate time for a heart warming film than the holidays? If you are looking for that feel good movie for this time of year, look no further than Love Actually. This British romantic comedy revolves around the lives of a group of individuals from all walks of life searching for love during the holidays. Whether it is a young shy boy worrying about his first crush or a man being madly in love with his best friend's girl, there's sure to be a storyline that will capture your attention.

This movie is smarter and funnier than the majority of romantic comedies out these days. Even those of you guys who dread rom-coms may find this watchable. The cast is excellent with extremely likable roles. The overall message of this film is that love actually exists everywhere and all you have to do is just look hard enough. Whether you believe that or not, it's good to feel that people are capable of so much love especially during this time of the year.

IMDB-7.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes- critics- 63% audience- 71%

Yong's rating- 8.5/10 (recommended)

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)

Garden State (2004)

Zach Braff showed so much potential with Garden State, I was ready to consider him as one of the best young directors working today. Except, he hasn't done much since then. I hope he continues to make good movies. But then again, if you are going to go out with just one movie, Garden State isn't too bad at all.

Garden State is a modern love story starring Zach Braff and my favorite actress, Natalie Portman. Braff plays Andrew Largeman, a withdrawn small time actor who comes back home for his mother's funeral. Portman plays Sam, who is a complete opposite of Braff's character. She is full of life and affection. Her character complements Braff's character very well, and helps to bring him out of his shell. From the beginning of the movie, you get a feeling that there is something a bit off about Braff. From his immense amount of medications and his unhappy job, you see a man who is numb, with no emotions simply going through the motions of life. Things start to change when he meets Sam and just learns to let things go and starts to feel life for the first time.

What made this film so great for me were the small idiosyncrasies of the all the scenes that just added to the overall experience of the film, as well as the great soundtrack. My favorite scene was at the pool where Braff talks about the idea of home. I have gotten to that point in my life where the place I grew up doesn't really feel like home anymore. And maybe the idea of home really is a group of people searching for the same imaginary place they can claim for their family. Garden State is quirky and surprisingly insightful movie that is definitely worth your time. You gotta go watch this one. It'll change your life, I swear.

IMDB- 7.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 86% Audience-87%

Yong's Rating- 10/10 (Must See)

Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Do you have a movie you like to watch whenever you are having a bad day or a week to help cheer you up? For me that movie is Everyone Says I Love You. Watching this musical romantic comedy about a quirky upper class New York family always has a way of brightening my mood. This is one of those special movies that I can watch over and over again and it makes me smile every time. The dance scene under the bridge by the moonlight is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time, it's just magical. I think that's what draws me to movies so much, it's for those magical scenes and moments in films that just grabs you and makes you forget about all your troubles even for just a few minutes or even seconds. So, what movies do you like to watch to cheer up?

IMDB-6.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 78%, audience -63%

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

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is Woody Allen's newest work, which centers around a dysfunctional family looking for love and happiness in all the wrong places. As a typical Woody film, the cast is excellent. It features top actors like Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Lucy Punch, Freida Pinto and Antonio Banderas. This movie touches on themes all familiar in other Woody Allen movies, yet there isn't that special magic to make it stand out among his best works.

The movie starts out as we watch an older woman (Gemma Jones) heartbroken and lost after her husband (Hopkins) dumped her after 40 years of marriage, because suddenly she has gotten too old for him. Then, there is her daughter (Naomi Watts), who wants nothing more than to start a family and have a successful career. Her plans, however are stymied by financial troubles due to her struggling writer husband (Josh Brolin). All the characters in this movie, desperately seek out their passions and happiness through any means they see fit. Whether they be spiritual, magic, lust, adultery, or even deceit. Whatever they see is necessary to bring them happiness. The narrator states this Shakespeare quote at the beginning of this movie,

"It is a tale told by an idiot,full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

And as this quote suggests, it seems no matter how hard these characters struggled to change their fortunes, in the end, none of it really matter much at all. Even though this isn't one of Woody's best work, I still found it refreshing and it kept me interested throughout the movie. If you are a Woody Allen fan like me, then I think you can expect a good time at the movies.

IMDB-6.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-48% Community-39%

Yong's Rating-7/10 (worth a look)

New in Town (2009)

New in Town is a romantic comedy featuring Renee Zellwger and Harry Connick Jr. The premise is pretty simple, an independent business woman from the big city gets transferred to a small town and falls in love with the town cutie and the town, and becomes a better person in the process. There isn't anything ground-breaking about this movie. In fact, you can pretty much guess what is going to happen. Maybe I was in a good mood, but I thought this was a very sweet movie that is worth watching if you are in a mood to just relax and have a few laughs.

IMDB-5.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-28% community- 40%
Yong's rating- 6.9/10 (worth a look)

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Stranger than Fiction is another wonderful film directed by Marc Forster. Harold Crick (will ferrell) is a lonesome and quiet IRS agent who suddenly starts to hears his own life being narrated by a very well spoken british woman. Unknown to Harold and the author is that he is a main character in a novel being written by the author (emma thompson). Along with help from an English professor (dustin hoffman), Harold is forced to find out the identity of the mysterious narrator and whether his story is a tragedy or a comedy. In the process, harold learns to appreciate all the little things that have been missing or simply being unnoticed in his life. it is never too late to pursue your dreams and passions no matter how silly they may seem. i mean, isn't life rather too short to fill it with regrets and what-ifs? all the actors give a very solid performance and the writing is excellent. go check this out if haven't yet.

IMDB-7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-72% community-82%
Yong's Rating- 10/10 (must see)

Date Night (2010)

Date Night is a really cute movie that's hard not to like. Perhaps it's because it stars two of the most likable people in Hollywood, Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Now that i got that out of the way, i gotta be a little critical with this movie. I just didn't feel there was much chemistry between the two. They seemed like two really good comedians at a improv class playing a boring couple looking for a little excitement to spark their marriage. Except it's on the big screen. Fortunately, the two stars have enough charm and charisma to carry this film and make it enjoyable. It was just too hard to dislike steve carrell and tina fey, and in the end i was won over by their cuteness. I'm sure they will get to you too.

IMDB-6.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes-critics-67% community-59%

Yong's Rating-7/10 (worth a look)

Leap Year (2009)

I have always had a soft spot for the romantic comedy genre. To me there's nothing better than watching a well-made, intelligent romantic comedy when it comes to movies. Well, Leap Year is not one (feel free to read on if you want to know why).

Being a fan of Amy Adams' work, i decided to give Leap Year a try.The movie is about a woman (Amy Adams) who has everything in her life going according her plan. Successful career, comfortable lifestyle, and an ideal boyfriend. The only thing missing in her plan is the wedding. When her boyfriend (Adam Scott) goes on a business trip to Ireland, Adams character comes up with the perfect plan to propose to her boyfriend on leap day(Feb.29th) based on an old Ireland tradition. However, getting to her boyfriend is not as easy as it seems as she runs into some transportation problems. And, with time running out, she must seek help from a local inn keeper (Matthew Goode) to get to her boyfriend on time.

This movies does have some beautiful shots of Ireland, but i guess that really isn't that hard to do. The storyline is very predictable, and the acting is mediocre at best. Leap Year is just one of many generic romantic comedies the studios are turning out these days. But, to its credit, it's slightly better than the average generic romantic comedy. So, if you are in a mood for a simple romantic comedy flick, where you can just sit back and not have to think very hard, Leap Year just might make your night.

IMDB-6/10

Rotten Tomatoes- critics-20% community-50%

Yong's Rating-5.5/10 (skip it)

Ghost Town (2008)

Ghost town is about a mean lonely dentist who only cares about himself. Dr. Pincus's (Ricky Gervais) favorite part of being a dentist is not having to listen to people talk while he works. he's not a people person. then, one day after a slight mishap (dead for slightly under 7 minutes) during a routine operation, Pincus can see dead people. naturally to Pincus' dislike, he is approached by ghosts wanting him to do things all ghost want people who can see them to do. help them finish their unfinished business. he is forced to do what he must to get the ghosts to leave him alone. Ghost town is full of quirky and dry humor provided by british funny man, Gervais. overall this movie is very light and enjoyable with a good message. it also teaches us that dental humor always works on the ladies.


imdb-7.3/10
rotten tomatoes- critics- 83% community- 90%
Yong Stars-7.5/10 (worth a look)