Let's Talk About: HYH's July Movie Picks

안녕 (Annyeong)! It’s me again, your fangirl-y fellow drama lover/enthusiast and this time I'm giving Movie Recommendations for those weekends where all we want to do is turn on a film and relax. Sounds great already! Let's get into this. I tried very hard to keep everything spoiler-free (though you should always go in being aware I might make a mistake), so no warnings for the article itself. If a film has a warning, I will label it within the summary and review.

    Summary:     In 645AD a young officer Sa Mool (portrayed by Nam Joo Hyuk) is sent by Yeon Gae So Mun (portrayed by Yoo Oh Sung) to assassinate a military commander Yang Man Chun (portrayed by Jo In Sung) due to his refusal to surrender to Yeon after hearing news that Yeon has assassinated the King.  But after Sa Mool's arrival, things take a turn for the worst and he must decide if he should follow through with the order he was given or fight alongside the commander in an epic battle against the Tang forces.

    Why I would recommend it:     Though historical accuracy might not be something I can attest to in this (especially since there's very little known about the battle), I thought it was nice seeing the action scenes happen on screen (comparing to what I have read about on the Siege of Ansi) with such well-done shots/cinematography. The film seems to be on such a large scale with how many actors it took to make such a visually striking and moving film. Also for that time, I had no problems watching and feeling very immersed in the film itself. Initially, I had gone in due to the praise that Nam Joo Hyuk had received for his role in it as well as the 5 wins the film received during award season [source: wiki], but the film happened to be one that has stuck with me since. It is intense and very hard to watch if you do not like seeing battles or war. Although I have some difficulty watching both, I do not regret seeing this at all. An absolute must-see.

    You should not watch if you:     Do not like watching battle scenes, blood, gore, etc. Also, the development of the characters has been seen as an issue for some as well as the script when not focusing on battle.

    Summary:     After student Kim Dong Hyun (Jung Jin Young) falls from a rooftop and lands on Pan Soo (Park Sung Woong) a charismatic leader of a gang-turned-conglomerate, the two wake up in the hospital but in each others' bodies rather than their own. They are forced to live the life of the other. With bullying, criminals and exes being completely oblivious to the switch, will these two be able to survive through it?

    Why I would recommend it:     I have never laughed so hard during a film in my life. Also, not only is the comedic aspect of the film hilarious, but you truly do find yourself wondering what exactly is going to happen between these two characters who are so vastly different. And this has to be one of my all-time favourite films in general (out of over 1k films seen thus far).

    You should not watch if you:     Honestly, I have nothing to contribute to this. Though if you have reasons not to watch, please let everyone know in the comments!

    Summary:     Yosano Suzume, a naïve, country girl,  moves to Tokyo to stay with her uncle while attending high school. On her first day, she sees a shooting star during daylight and faints. Shishio Satsuki helps her by taking her to her uncle's place and she later finds out that he happens to be her new teacher. She soon begins to develop romantic feelings towards Shishio Satsuki. Meanwhile, Mamura Daiki, Suzume's classmate who is a gynophobe, finds himself slowly falling for her.

    Why I would recommend it:     It's a really nice film to see during summer or near the end of it. There's something in the atmosphere that gives off a really calming and relaxing vibe while watching those characters go through what they do.

    You should not watch if you:     do not like school settings.

    Summary:     While out on his bike, a young postman blacks out, falling off. While at the hospital after the incident, he is told he has a quite severe brain tumour that might be cancerous and is impossible to operate to remove. Although he is advised to be hospitalized due to the fact that he could die any second, he refuses. When he returns home after the consultation, he meets a man who looks exactly like him -- only claims himself to be the "the devil" or somewhat similar. He makes the dying postman an offer that each time that he can come up with something for 'the devil' to remove as if it never exists, he will live one more day. Will he believe him? If so, would he take this devil up on the offer?

    Why I would recommend it:     This is one that I believe is best for those of us who like to think a lot about what we watch and try to understand where the characters come from or what leads them to specific choices/etc. I really found that I enjoyed watching the characters act/react in their situations. It's something best for watching at night or on a rainy day because the mood is more sombre than others I have watched. The meaning behind the film, the sheer purpose of what the plot shows us, is the #1 reason I would choose to recommend this.

    You should not watch if you:     Would rather not go down the route of over-thinking.

Sound off in the comments! Give your heart a voice and rant, rave, discuss! Some ideas to get the discussion flowing:

    If you have watched one of these films:     Did you enjoy it? If not or if so; Why? Who is your favourite character? Would you recommend it? If so/not why?

    If you have not watched these films:     Will you watch one? If not or if so, why?  If you could give someone reasons not to watch, what would they be and why?

Let’s talk about it, whether we like, love or hate it or if you’re neutral.

That's all from me for now... until we give our heart a voice again, thank you for reading, my fellow drama lovers and enthusiasts! 화이팅 (Hwaiting)!

[Author notes] The images used are from the official sites of each film mentioned or Google or IMDb. Some photos have been edited to be sharpened/resized to fit. All graphics have been created under the fair use copyright law 106 and 106A.

      Other Articles by HideYourHeart can be found here.