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Platitudes put forward in an unpretentious way
This is a wonderful reflective source, with wisdom articulated in an unpretentious way. Unlike many 'self-help' gurus, Haemin Sunim is a Buddhist monk born in Korea and educated in the US, and he practices what he preaches.
Offering advice on everything from handling setbacks to dealing with relationships, he combines his teachings and translates them into simple messages. And while much of his advice are things that we may be aware of but dont necessarily put in place, it's laid out clearly in a non-obtrusive way. A pleasant read.
Offering advice on everything from handling setbacks to dealing with relationships, he combines his teachings and translates them into simple messages. And while much of his advice are things that we may be aware of but dont necessarily put in place, it's laid out clearly in a non-obtrusive way. A pleasant read.
Ed R (53 KP) rated Battle Born in Books
Mar 7, 2021
Characters (1 more)
Premis
Lack of action (1 more)
Pace of story
It was ok but important to read for other books
I'm a big fan of Dale's books but this one is just very slow with a disappointing amount of action that it builds up to. I like how he's thought about the reunification of Korea and it would be nice if that's how it happened (minus the nukes) but there's little action compared to a lot of his books.
However, it introduces a lot of themes and characters that become very important in later books so I definitely recommend reading it if you're going to read more Patrick McLanahan books!
However, it introduces a lot of themes and characters that become very important in later books so I definitely recommend reading it if you're going to read more Patrick McLanahan books!
Bostonian916 (449 KP) rated Parasite (2019) in Movies
Aug 3, 2020
An exceptional take on current climates of glamour obsession that currently faces much of the world.
Bear in mind, this movie is made in South Korea, and as such is entirely subtitled. If you normally aren't interested in this format but are thinking of giving it a go, this is definitely a great first effort.
Bong Joon-ho does (as always) an amazing job of adding layers to each character that makes you genuinely sympathize with them, even when they are a bit on the crazy side of things. Pay attention to the little things, for they are not as little as they appear.
Bear in mind, this movie is made in South Korea, and as such is entirely subtitled. If you normally aren't interested in this format but are thinking of giving it a go, this is definitely a great first effort.
Bong Joon-ho does (as always) an amazing job of adding layers to each character that makes you genuinely sympathize with them, even when they are a bit on the crazy side of things. Pay attention to the little things, for they are not as little as they appear.
Awix (3310 KP) rated A Hill in Korea (Hell in Korea) (1956) in Movies
Feb 8, 2019
Gritty, old-school British war film, where keeping a stiff upper lip is at least as important as seeing off the enemy. During the Korean War, a patrol runs into trouble and must take shelter on a hill-top with no way down; the enemy close in. Sort of a bit like Zulu, I suppose, it certainly has the same sort of cast (many well-known faces on the way up) and feeling of sweaty heroism in extremis.
Good performances and well-staged, authentic-feeling action; Portugal stands in for Korea, not especially convincingly. Most likely a bit problematic by modern standards: cast consists entirely of white dudes, one of whom is unconvincingly made up to be the patrol's Korean guide. But it was the 1950s, after all.
Good performances and well-staged, authentic-feeling action; Portugal stands in for Korea, not especially convincingly. Most likely a bit problematic by modern standards: cast consists entirely of white dudes, one of whom is unconvincingly made up to be the patrol's Korean guide. But it was the 1950s, after all.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Colossal (2016) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Sudden change in direction at the end (1 more)
Odd plot
I missed this at the cinema so gave it a watch as it's on Netflix currently. It comes across as quite a quirky odd film. A girl with a drink problem has to go back to her small town home after being kicked out by her boyfriend. She randomly discovers she has a connection to a giant monster that appears in South Korea.
The problem with this film is it doesn't feel it's going anywhere. What's the connection and why? Why does the lead character make some of her choices? It just doesn't add up. Then the last 15 minutes have a very different change in direction and tone that just didn't fit with the rest of the film. One for those who like quirky films.
The problem with this film is it doesn't feel it's going anywhere. What's the connection and why? Why does the lead character make some of her choices? It just doesn't add up. Then the last 15 minutes have a very different change in direction and tone that just didn't fit with the rest of the film. One for those who like quirky films.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Train to Busan (2016) in Movies
Jun 4, 2021
Fair play, Korea does not fuck about when it comes to zombies.
Train to Busan is a proper ride from start to finish. Its action is well paced, unrelenting when it's happening, and the quieter moments are brimming with wonderful character building, as well as some horribly tense scenes to keep things moving.
The zombies themselves are pretty full on, breaking their own bones to get where they need to go, not even eating people, just biting and moving on, spreading the disease, in all their scary ass rabid-ness.
The train setting that takes up the majority of the runtime is claustrophobic as hell, and gives the movie a unique feel.
Overall, Train to Busan is a film that proves that the zombie genre isn't as tired as one might think. Extra points for nearly making me cry during the homestretch.
Train to Busan is a proper ride from start to finish. Its action is well paced, unrelenting when it's happening, and the quieter moments are brimming with wonderful character building, as well as some horribly tense scenes to keep things moving.
The zombies themselves are pretty full on, breaking their own bones to get where they need to go, not even eating people, just biting and moving on, spreading the disease, in all their scary ass rabid-ness.
The train setting that takes up the majority of the runtime is claustrophobic as hell, and gives the movie a unique feel.
Overall, Train to Busan is a film that proves that the zombie genre isn't as tired as one might think. Extra points for nearly making me cry during the homestretch.
KyleQ (267 KP) rated The Host (2006) in Movies
Jul 22, 2020
A really entertaining creature feature!
A mutant creature emerges from a river in South Korea, kidnapping a young girl, her family races to save her.
Directed by Bon Joon Ho (Parasite, Okja, Snowpiercer), The Host blends horror, drama, and comedy seamlessly together.
When it was released in the USA, The Host was dubbed over, oddly enough. Generally, I hate dubbed live-action movies because they're always so cheesy, but the cheese really fits into this movie, making it more fun.
The films lead is Kang-ho Song (Parasite) who does a great job, he is believable, likable, and humorous. I empathized with him, surprisingly.
I did wish that the pace was a little quicker and that the monster would've been in the film more. But in general, I enjoyed the movie. I would recommend it to fans of monster movies, but really I'll recommend it to everyone.
Directed by Bon Joon Ho (Parasite, Okja, Snowpiercer), The Host blends horror, drama, and comedy seamlessly together.
When it was released in the USA, The Host was dubbed over, oddly enough. Generally, I hate dubbed live-action movies because they're always so cheesy, but the cheese really fits into this movie, making it more fun.
The films lead is Kang-ho Song (Parasite) who does a great job, he is believable, likable, and humorous. I empathized with him, surprisingly.
I did wish that the pace was a little quicker and that the monster would've been in the film more. But in general, I enjoyed the movie. I would recommend it to fans of monster movies, but really I'll recommend it to everyone.
AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated Strike Back - Season 5 in TV
Aug 11, 2020 (Updated Aug 11, 2020)
As an insomniac, I struggle with finding ways to entertain myself for hours... enter my new now tv subscription. And discovering Strike Back. I am not exactly watching them in the intended seasonal order.
Strike Back (season 5) Legacy is a ten part high octane fuelled, action packed explosive drama series, featuring some very familiar faces, some bad language and lots of guns.
This season sees Stonebridge, Scott and the team go through some highs and lows travelling the world from Thailand to North Korea and then Switzerland and the US. They take on a number of bad guys, in completely impossible situations bring some sex and comedy to the mix. It’s hard not to like these two and their antics. Expect some loss, heartache and heroics.
If you are after all out action, easy to follow story lines and basic entertainment, this is the show for you
Strike Back (season 5) Legacy is a ten part high octane fuelled, action packed explosive drama series, featuring some very familiar faces, some bad language and lots of guns.
This season sees Stonebridge, Scott and the team go through some highs and lows travelling the world from Thailand to North Korea and then Switzerland and the US. They take on a number of bad guys, in completely impossible situations bring some sex and comedy to the mix. It’s hard not to like these two and their antics. Expect some loss, heartache and heroics.
If you are after all out action, easy to follow story lines and basic entertainment, this is the show for you
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Manchurian Candidate (1962) in Movies
May 8, 2021
Conspiracy thriller. In the early 1960s, war hero Raymond Shaw is feted across America for saving his comrades during the war in Korea - but those comrades are troubled by strange nightmares suggesting something completely different may have happened. Shaw has been conditioned by the Communists to become the perfect assassin, something not even he is aware of, and his new operators are about to send him into action...
Sounds a bit like a Red Scare movie, but surprisingly apolitical: the main villain seems to be more fascist than communist, and even the Russian characters appear to have corrupted by American consumerism. Instead, the focus is more on character, and the damage done to people by their experiences in wartime. An intelligent and cynical movie, well-played for the most part, and with an astonishingly good turn from Angela Lansbury. Inevitably linked in the culture to the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers in the 1960s, but still feels remarkably un-dated.
Sounds a bit like a Red Scare movie, but surprisingly apolitical: the main villain seems to be more fascist than communist, and even the Russian characters appear to have corrupted by American consumerism. Instead, the focus is more on character, and the damage done to people by their experiences in wartime. An intelligent and cynical movie, well-played for the most part, and with an astonishingly good turn from Angela Lansbury. Inevitably linked in the culture to the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers in the 1960s, but still feels remarkably un-dated.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea in Books
Nov 15, 2017 (Updated Nov 15, 2017)
Unflinching tales from North Korea
The Accusation shines a light on the dark half of the Korean peninsula with stories that are as readable as they are important. Written by a North Korean dissident still living in the country, the book is extremely unique - the manuscript having been smuggled out of the country by a fleeing relative.
Bandi, (not his real name) focuses on the period between 1989 and 1995 when Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il were in power. Seven short stories, each pointing an accusing finger at the ruling regime, shine a light on North Korea's truly fathomless darkness. While most of the stories are fictional, they are based on real events, but names have been changed to protect identities. It is almost Orwellian in nature, it's unbelievable that there is a place in the world where 1984 is a reality.
The seven stories aptly convey the hardships and constant trauma that people face in a country cut off from the rest of the world. Written with deep emotion and elegance. A sensational read.
Bandi, (not his real name) focuses on the period between 1989 and 1995 when Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il were in power. Seven short stories, each pointing an accusing finger at the ruling regime, shine a light on North Korea's truly fathomless darkness. While most of the stories are fictional, they are based on real events, but names have been changed to protect identities. It is almost Orwellian in nature, it's unbelievable that there is a place in the world where 1984 is a reality.
The seven stories aptly convey the hardships and constant trauma that people face in a country cut off from the rest of the world. Written with deep emotion and elegance. A sensational read.