Recent flicks I caught...

Recent flicks I watched....
I love my all region dvd player. Thanks CC for hooking me up! My mini DVD player is rotten. UGGGGH. But I am stuck with it.
Anyways, complaint aside (not worth being unhappy about as life is too short and I would rather be HAPPY!) I caught some interesting films some better than others.
I think my fave was FORBIDDEN QUEST then MISSION SEX CONTROL with DREAM HOLIDAY coming in last.
FORBIDDEN QUEST (2006) 음란서생 (Eum-ran-seo-saeng)



Forbidden Quest음란서생Year: 2006Director: Kim Dae-Wu
Actors: Han Seok-Kyu, Lee Beom-soo and Kim Min-jeong Length: 139 min

Synopsis:Yun-seo, a world weary Korean aristocrat, and Gwang-heon, an old enemy of Yun-seo’s family, come together in the story of the Heukgokbisa, one of Korea’s most famous and lurid novels. The historical drama follows Yun-seo as, chancing upon an erotic novel, he decides to publish his own—and enlists Gwang-heon to illustrate it. When the Heukgokbisa starts circulating at court, the scandalous story takes on a life of its own.


This film was very long but did not seem so for me. I loved the costumes and how Yun Seo is very scholarly and honest to a fault. Even after his brother was punished, he did not join them in their revenge. But later when he is bored and discovers the underground network of lurid novels he is intrigued and joins in. For me, I enjoy period pieces a lot. I think it is the etiquette, costumes and just overall feel. The film is actually pretty tame in terms of what is insinuated but overall an interesting film.
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Holiday Dreaming (夢遊夏威夷)

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/12/10/2003214571
Above link talks about HOLIDAY DREAMING a Taiwanese film from 2004
Holiday Dreaming is by first-time director Hsu Fu-chun (徐輔軍) about two friends who are about to end their time in the military. But before they do so, they are told to go on "vacation" but really to catch an AWOL soldier Kuen He who stole a rifle. Kuen He just cannot accept that his girlfriend does not want to be with him any longer. Ah Zhou has a weird dream of his old crush that she died. So while on their 'vacation' he searches her out to discover she is not whom he remembers her to be. While his friend who is a womanizer gets his share of troubles.
I have to say I was not feeling this movie. I have to say for Taiwanese films I don't like the majority but from Ang Lee or Hao Hsiao Hsien (I love both of them). But is hard for me to enjoy other films from Taiwan.
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Mission Sex Control (2006) - 잘 살아보세 (Jal Sal-a-bo-se).
Directed by Ahn Jin Woo, Live Good, a.k.a. Mission Sex Control, takes a tongue-in-cheek look at 1970s Korea. Starring Lee Bum Soo and Kim Jung Eun

In 1971 birth control was a major policy drive of the Korean government. Nevertheless, one poor farming village went against the trend, boasting the highest fertility rate in the country. This peaceful Yongdu Village receives an unwelcome visitor, the national family planning officer Hyun-joo, to oversee the villagers nocturnal pleasures. However as a single lady with little experience of her own, Hyun-joo finds it nearly impossible persuade the residents to use contraception. She finally appoints the village head Suk-gu as the local support officer and thus begins the '0\% Birth Rate Project.' Appointing him brings more turmoil to the villagers and when the President comes to inspect...
(www.sazuma.com ---Mission Sex Control excerpt credit)
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I loved the campiness of this film. Seeing Lee Beom Soo in this film is different than his role in "Forbidden Quest". It was interesting seeing how all the missteps and difficulties the villagers are having when trying to follow this birth control initiative to intense disapproval and lack of support. But through her perserverance and the assistance of Suk-gu (a local villager) they are on their way to being the worst to the best statistics with this new campaign. It was kitschy but enjoyable with some moments of humor.