Film reviews

Return to Seoul Review

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Return to Seoul shed some loving realizations from the plot and the context of the story alone. From the in-depth opening the themes of loneliness and disconnect are apparent. There is also a sense of reconnection through the film’s compelling story. However, the film does not provide all the answers its audience will expect. Return To Seoul has a juxtaposition where most of the film goes downhill. Five words to describe Return to Seoulare, “A turn for the worse.” That turn is due to the main character who fails to take steps to resolve the underlying problems which consume her mind.

The film is focused on a girl named Freddie who is in her mid-twenties. She is Korean but was raised in France. She was adopted by a French couple when she was young. She decides to embark on a journey to track down her biological parents which proves to be emotional. She has two weeks in Korea and what she can to locate her real parents. She has some luck, but it is not what she expects. She meets her father played by Oh Kwang-rok. Freddie does not speak Korean, so her friend Tena (played by Guka Han) translates for her. Freddie also has an aunt played by Kim Sun-young. In Freddie’s eyes, her father and her aunt seem oblivious which causes Freddie to feel disconnected.

Unfortunately, the film lacks positive revelations because of how Freddie’s behavior starts to worsen when she is dissatisfied with the results of meeting her biological family. Freddie is increasingly frustrated as she continues to spend time with her biological family. All of this creates sadness on her journey with no bright light. Return to Seoul is a portrait of how life can be without biological parents. For Freddie there are traditions she has never been part of, a language barrier with her biological family which causes her to believe that there is no benefit to establishing a real connection.

The film does have some qualities that are appealing in style when focused on Freddie. Return to Seoul paints a clear picture of her emotions. The opening emphasizes her introverted modeand the audience also sees her modes of being a social butterfly as well as someone who has potential to do a lot with her life. All the positive qualities that Freddie seems to possess continue to deteriorate when meeting her biological family goes awry. As she tries to make a meaningful connection, the disconnect she experiences only heightens her sadness.

The film also portrays tensions caused by cultural differencesbecause Freddie has been raised in France, but is Korean. Freddie is told she has, “Pure Korean traits,” and she is also told,“If you learn Korean, it will be easier.” This adds fuel to the fire in Return to Seoul and leads to a path of destruction for Freddie.From my perspective, the film does not have to take such a drastic turn for the worse.

I thought the film Return to Seoul would tell a more meaningful story of reconnection. It may in some brief moments, but overall, there is a sad outcome. While Freddie’s world is turning against her, she is also turning against herself. The film is lacking in positive aspects. Two and a half stars for Return to Seoul.

Film reviews

Of an Age Review

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Feelings of love and connection can be realized at first sight. Of an Age is a film of acceptance that examines the stressors caused by feelings of attraction. The film’s setup of two men falling for each other raises many questions. Although the bond between the two men is strong, the reality is they may be viewed differently due to the family backgrounds they come from.

Of an Age takes place in 1999 in Australia. Kol (played by Elias Anton) is a boy from Serbia and is a ballroom dancer. He starts to fall for Adam (played by Thom Green), the brother of one of Kol’s friends. As they go on a car ride together, they realize they are emotionally connected and captivate each other. Kol and Adam fall in love, but they question how life would be if they share with the world that they are in love with each other. The film jumps to 2010, and many things have changed between the two lovers. Kol is struggling and Adam is doing alright. But should they accept the reality of keeping their relationship a secret?

The bond between Kol and Adam is where the emotions lie in Of an Age. Adam can accept his love for Kol being kept a secret, but Kol cannot. Adam finds himself more accomplished career-wise, and Kol is facing hardships with his career. Of an Agemakes it clear that one can handle responsibility in life more cautiously, where another is more likely to hit plateaus. The film paints a picture of what the considerations are for the couple moving forward. For Kol, however, getting on a positive track is harder than it is for Adam.

As the emotional questioning of the ties between Kol and Adam tends to linger, there are sad moments that focus on Adam’s life. Adam does not get the support he deserves for being honest about his sexuality with his family. As I mentioned above, the stressors caused by feelings of attraction cause major anxiety for Adam, but also the audience. Kol expresses his emotions, but Adam hides his and never opens up as much. With all the emotional setbacks for Kol, there is an important message to remember from Of an Age. It is, in fact, a reminder to people that they matter. Adam can do this better than Kol. Of an Ageportrays the struggle for Kol to learn to love himself.

The matter of Kol and Adam accepting themselves is a two-way street in Of an Age. Adam is more accomplished, and Kol has many different problems in his life. Their struggles, however, do not diminish their love for each other. The power of love and friendship in Of an Age is displayed in a poetic fashion. The film makes clear that there is light for the two. The light may not be what either of them want, but, both Kol and Adam will be alright.

I believe everyone should see Of an Age. This is a film where acceptance and love took my cinematic journey in a new direction. It is authentic in its approach towards how hard love can be. It also is a film that has an artistic narrative which proves that those in love can find what is right. Truly, it is a movie where I felt hopeful that Kol and Adam would find a way to make their situation right. Four stars for Of An Age.

Film reviews

Marlowe Review

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The timeframe is the 1930s and the setting is Bay City, California. Our main character, a detective, has an authoritative vibe. The film opens with him having his coffee with noir music in the background, and his radio is playing news related to Adolf Hitler. Liam Neeson is Philip Marlowe, and the filmcarries the noir-like feelings from beginning to end. Marlowe is a much-needed change of scenery for Neeson. Instead of playing a character who is saving someone or something, he is playing a private detective in a bygone era. Marlowe is well-suited as a crime and mystery flick in which the conversations play an enticing role in the film’s hidden puzzles.

In Marlowe, Philip is the detective assigned to find a missing person. The one who assigns the case to him is Clare Cavendish (played by Diane Kruger). The missing person is Nico Peterson (played by Francois Arnaud). Philip’s style as a detective is quiet and organized. While he plays by the rules, Philip suspects that there are some fishy aspects to Clare. Her mother is Dorothy Cavendish (played by Jessica Lange) and the Cavendish family is loaded.  They have horse stables, a huge mansion, and all kinds of luxuries. Philip questions Clare’s thinking as she is concerned about Nico missing. She appears lacking in focus and consistently exhibits hesitations. Philip is determined to find the answers. The film shifts to full detective mode as Philip talks with Floyd Hanson (played by Danny Huston). Floyd owns a high-end country club, and that is where Nico spent much of his time. Floyd is familiar with Nico’s case but does not disclose much to Philip either. The correlation, however, involves criminal activity.

Nico was known as an agent for movies, but it is clear he did side gigs to make ends meet. His side gigs were troublesome. The biggest enemy of the investigation is Lou Hendricks (played by Alan Cumming), a man who earns his money on criminal schemes. Philip Marlowe uncovers a trail with right and wrong answers, but this does not mean that everyone is telling the truth. In fact, everyone is hiding something. In Marlowe, the investigations have keys which often lead to the wrong answers and ultimately it is in the hands of Marlowe to put the pieces together of what happened to Nico. Neeson portrays an overwhelmed detective very effectively.

In its moments, Marlowe makes one aspect hold true to its timeframe. That would be that the wealthy come first. Many of the people that are in discussions with the case are wealthy or come from tons of money. That is why there is a conspiracy in Nico’s disappearance. The writing and the directing of the film prove that the wealthy characters find a way to cover their tracks. Not only their tracks, but their operations. Can Philip Marlowe find those operations on top of Nico’s disappearance though?

The film’s action and suspense are well timed, usually when the time for situations is heated. In all matters, Marlowe gets into a deeper hole of danger as the revelations throughout the investigation start to hold true. Not everyone is innocent, not everyone is being honest, and everyone lacks a sense of confidentiality. Marlowe will reveal all kinds of darker truths.

Marlowe is dry in its opening, but Neeson’s performance invigorates the film. The unexplained criminal conspiracies start to become a more important focus than the missing person situation. This approach was captivating because it gives perspective into how other parties might be involved in an unexplained crime. With the many shady personalities and the many trails of lies, Marlowe is a thriller that requires patience, but showcases expertise. Three stars for Marlowe.

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