Two new Korean drama series came out this week June 19 and 20, 2020. 16 episodes
Backstreet Rookie
It's Okay To Not Be Okay streaming on Netflix
Wow! Cinematography, setting, actors, story are beautiful and mesmerizing. The animation parts and music remind me of 2 dark-themed animated movies Coraline and Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart.
These 2 new series might become my favorites of 2020.
tags: Dean Koontz, gifted dogs, horror, mystery, thriller
from GoodReads
From Dean Koontz, the international bestselling master of suspense, comes an epic thriller about a terrifying killer and the singular compassion it will take to defeat him.
Woody Bookman hasn’t spoken a word in his eleven years of life. Not when his father died in a freak accident. Not when his mother, Megan, tells him she loves him. For Megan, keeping her boy safe and happy is what matters. But Woody believes a monstrous evil was behind his father’s death and now threatens him and his mother. And he’s not alone in his thoughts. An ally unknown to him is listening.
A uniquely gifted dog with a heart as golden as his breed, Kipp is devoted beyond reason to people. When he hears the boy who communicates like he does, without speaking, Kipp knows he needs to find him before it’s too late.
Woody’s fearful suspicions are taking shape. A man driven by a malicious evil has set a depraved plan into motion. And he’s coming after Woody and his mother. The reasons are primal. His powers are growing. And he’s not alone. Only a force greater than evil can stop what’s coming next.
Kipp is a Golden Retriever and one of the main protagonists in the book; yes protagonist. There are other adorable gifted dogs in the book, Bella is a favorite. She has her own Bellagram to communicate with other dogs. Oh, and she also reads books and sometimes walks on hind legs like a human when nobody is looking. So cute. Dean Koontz has once again delivered a bone-chilling thriller, a fight between good and evil, but at the same time full of tender Disneyesque moments with Kipp and his humans.
Highly recommended for Dean Koontz fans and dog lovers.
This Agatha Christie-style murder mystery tried to entertain but failed horribly. Everything about it is horrid - acting, script, setting, and even the music. I can't believe this was written and directed by the same person who wrote Brick which I thought was brilliant. This murder mystery is amateurish as though written by a 5th grader. No kidding.
Viewers who gave it 1 or zero star were more offended by the left leaning and woke bent but I didn't mind it at all. I am more appalled by the childish script, the boring presentation, the contrivance of each family member, the lame attempt at humor, and the annoying and mystifying fake southern accent of Daniel Craig that people likened to Foghorn Leghorn. They are not incorrect. It hurt my ears and gave me a headache. I can't understand why the director made him talk in an inauthentic southern accent which highlighted his inability to act. I always thought Daniel Craig is abysmal and this movie just confirmed it. I read that Johnson is writing a sequel with his character Foghorn Leghorn Blanc as main character. What?!! Geez Louise! It would have been acceptable if the movie is a spoof or parody but it isn't; it's just a 2 hour snooze fest that will put anybody with functioning brain to sleep.
Murder mystery is one of my favorite genres in fiction movies and books and I have seen and read hundreds of them so I believe I know what is good and what is less than inferior. This was written and made for first timers, those who haven't read a good Agatha Christie book or seen a good movie adaptation of her books.
The 1976 movie Murder by Death, a spoof of Agatha Christie-style mystery, is way more intelligent and highly entertaining than Knives Out. The script, actors, and acting are top notch; there's never a dull scene in the entire movie. Even the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston Murder Mystery on Netflix is superior to this overrated and over-hyped movie.
2 movies that have similar themes: children trained by secret government section to be assassins. Both are extremely gory and with the most awesome lead characters and plot twists. The main twists of both movies are identical.
THE WITCH: SUBVERSION
tags: Korean, Netflix streaming, 2018, thriller, 3 part movie series
from IMDB
A high school student with amnesia tries to uncover what has happened to her. All leading her into deeper troubles ultimately revealing a darkness she could not have imagined.
Rookie but gifted Korean actress Kim Da-Mi is awesome as a young female assassin and her character reminds me of Eleven. I can't wait to see Parts 2 and 3. Check-out Kim Da-Mi's 2020 Korean drama series, Itaewon Class, currently streaming on Netflix.
tags: action, Japanese movie, Tak Sakaguchi, 2016 thriller
from AsianWiki
Toshiro runs a convenience store in a small town. He lives with his young niece Sachi. In his past, Toshiro was known as "Ghost" and was a lethal member of a special covert force.
His peaceful life is soon upturned by members of his former special ops team. Sachi is kidnapped by the group and Toshiro is determined to get her back.
I can't believe Tak is 20 years older since I saw him in Versus, one of my favorite weird Japanese movies. It has comedy, fantasy, vampires, zombie ninjas, yakuza,, romance, blood and gore. I have seen probably a dozen of his movies including the equally weird but most entertaining Death Trance.
He still has his laconic acting style which I like. He wrote and directed the movie and employed his daughter Makoto as Casper, one of the child assassin trainees. She's also good at martial arts although really tiny at less than 5 feet tall. This movie is really really violent and gory. Slit throats galore like chicken at the slaughterhouse. Guns are useless because Tak's character known as Ghost, is able to dodge every bullet which ends up with the enemies killing each other. So one soldier shouted "Stop using your guns!" Knives vs guns, knives won. Lots of knives.
Both movies are highly recommended for fans of thriller full of blood and gore.
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
Why does Amazon publish badly written novels? I know, they are free for Amazon Prime subscribers but do they have to be horrible? The book is as fresh as a stale 1980s soap opera script, stiff and unnatural, and mostly based on contrivance.
2009: The 22 years old girl Lindsey couldn't land a job appropriate for her major in college and has no choice but to accept a job as a nanny to a family with a 14 year old girl and 5 year old boy. They will be staying at their summer house in Martha's Vineyard for the summer break. The mother doesn't work so why do they need a nanny? There won't be a story then if she's capable of looking after 2 children.
The author tried to underscore the difference in status between the rich and people like Lindsey, making the rich spoiled brats and just plain abhorrent. And all the men are sex maniacs except for one townie. Townie! Didn't I say this is like a 1980s soap? It doesn't help that Lindsey has humongous breasts and the author reminds the reader that she is a walking cantaloupes on a human body. She mentions them at least once in every chapter lest you forget. Oh, for Pete's sake!
I've seen a total of four Tye Sheridan's movies starting when he was a very young boy: Mud (with Matthew McConaughey, Joe (with Nicholas Cage), Dark Places, and Ready Player One. I liked him in all 4 movies.
He is also very good in this movie playing Bart, a 23 year old with Asperger's. He works the night shift in a hotel where he installed cameras in one of the rooms, not to be a peeping Tom but to practice how to respond and speak to people, imitating what the guest says then practices answering them. He set up the camera to have a live feed to his bedroom. He is already home after his shift and sees the lady who just checked in starts fighting with a man. The guy hits the woman so Bart drives back to the hotel to help. Outside the door of the room, he hears a gun go off and he is frozen to the spot. The other hotel employee finds him calmly sitting on the bed saying the lady looks dead. He becomes the main suspect.
tags: British dramedy series, Netflix streaming, Ricky Gervais
The second season of After Life is now streaming on Netflix. I really like this dark comedy regardless of f and c bombs. Ricky Gervais as Tony who was suicidal after his wife died from cancer is simply brilliant. The story is very sad but somehow optimistic. The entire Carpenters' song Top Of The World playing when Tony is walking his dog belies what he feels but he is trying to be "zen", not to be a total ahole, and to look forward to a happier life without Lisa, his deceased wife. I hope there will be a season 3.
Top Of The World - The Carpenters
Such a feelin's comin' over me There is wonder in 'most every thing I see Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes And I won't be surprised if it's a dream
Everything I want the world to be Is now comin' true especially for me And the reason is clear, it's because you are here You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation And the only explanation I can find Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around Your love's put me at the top of the world
Somethin' in the wind has learned my name And it's tellin' me that things are not the same In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me
There is only one wish on my mind When this day is through I hope that I will find That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me All I need will be mine if you are here
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation And the only explanation I can find Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around Your love's put me at the top of the world
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation And the only explanation I can find Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around Your love's put me at the top of the world
Highly recommended if you don't mind f and c bombs, and other cussing.
tags: Amazon First Reads, soap opera