Minari

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Minari
  • IMDb: link

Minari movie reviewMinari gives us a look at the American dream through the eyes of a Korean-American family relocating from California to rural Arkansas where Jacob (Steven Yeun) hopes to make his fortune growing and selling Korean vegetables across the region while he and his wife (Yeri Han) temporarily make due with jobs at a nearby hatchery. Although his wife is far from certain about his plan, or their new double-wide mobile home, the family works to put down roots and begin a new life. And life is what Minari is all about.

The semi-autobiographical film by writer/director Lee Isaac Chung showcases the family’s ups and downs in 1980s Arkansas far from anything or anyone that remind them of home. At times amusing, such as dealing with the couple’s rambunctious son David (Alan S. Kim), at times uncomfortable, such as the couple struggles over Jacob’s priorities putting the farm above the family, and at times heartbreaking, as the family struggles with misfortune, Minari is a well-crafted slice of life from an unique perspective that feels lived-in and real. Chung’s love of the time and place is palpable in every scene of the film as he wistfully peers back through the years for home.

…

MinariRead More »

Minari Read More »

Prodigal Son – Bad Manners

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Prodigal Son – Bad Manners
  • IMDb: link

Prodigal Son - Bad Manners television review

While Malcom (Tom Payne) and Jessica (Bellamy Young) both worry about Ainsley (Halston Sage), the murder of the week gives the daughter of the Surgeon (Michael Sheen) the inside track on a big story involving a killer targeting failed debutants from her old finishing school. “Bad Manners” is most notable for the creepy doll maker (Christopher Denham) and the manner in which the victims are displayed after death to hide perceived imperfections. The episode also ties back to JT‘s (Frank Harts) run in with a racist cop, which seems to conclude here (although it’s possible there could be lingering consequences down the line). The experience, in which Ainsley almost dies by taking a huge chance and walking into a murderer’s lair, gives Malcolm second thoughts on whether keeping the truth from his sister is the best thing for her. His parents, on the other hand, may have their own plans on how to best protect their daughter.

…

Prodigal Son – Bad MannersRead More »

Prodigal Son – Bad Manners Read More »

John Doe – Pilot

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Equalizer (2021) – The Equalizer
  • IMDb: link

John Doe - Pilot television review

Throwback Thursday takes us back to the early 2000s and a man who knows everything… except his own name. The 2002 Pilot episode of John Doe (Dominic Purcell) introduced us to a character awaking on a deserted island off the coast of Seattle. Color blind, with an odd scar on his chest, and with no memory of his past, John Doe does seem to have a remarkable knowledge and understanding of everything else. With the help of a few bets at the horse track and some Wall Street trades, the protagonist puts together some quick cash but is no closer to an answer to who he is or what happened to him. Seeing a missing girl in color, John obsesses on her case bringing him into contact with Police Detective Frank Hayes (John Marshall Jones) and Lt. Jamie Avery (Jayne Brook), both of whom are initially skeptical about accepting his help. Identifying that the girl was taken by her father, who had faked his death, Doe is able to return her safely but never discovers why he saw her image in color.

…

John Doe – PilotRead More »

John Doe – Pilot Read More »

Legacies – Salvatore: The Musical!

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Legacies – Salvatore: The Musical!
  • wiki: link

Legacies - Salvatore: The Musical! television review

Legacies offers its version of a musical episode with “Salvatore: The Musical!” Unlike how several different shows have handled the concept, the characters don’t suddenly burst into song. Instead, all the musical numbers are saved for the second-half of the episode in which the show puts on its first musical. The episode’s events are caused by the release of a Sprite from Malivore, taking the form of the school’s guidance counselor Robin Goodfellow (T.J. Ramini). The monster distracts the students for a time while playing with MG (Quincy Fouse) who keeps discovering the Sprite’s secret only to forget before he can tell anyone else, which provides one of the best running gags of the series. Although Goodfellow’s actions are initially cruel, pushing characters apart and causing conflict and anger, ultimately they are able to bring several characters closer together.

…

Legacies – Salvatore: The Musical!Read More »

Legacies – Salvatore: The Musical! Read More »