Pleasantville (1998)
Kajang Botongui Yeonae (Crazy Romance) (2019)
Chimmook (Heart Blackened) (2017)
A Christmas Prince (2017)
Binteumeotneun Sai (My Worst Neighbor) (2023)
Multiplicity (1996)
River Wild (2023) ///
Pleasantville (1998) Playfully realized with a determined balance of knowing humor and manipulated emotion, brother and sister Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon are tossed into idealized morality of 50s TV, bringing passionate color and rebellion to black-and-white repression. Arresting visuals, simplistic themes.
Kajang Botongui Yeonae (Crazy Romance) (2019) Alcohol and office gossip provide potent brew for combative, wary relationship between jaded Kong Hyo-jin and broken Kim Rae-won. Immensely likeable leads and fluid style make for easy if unremarkable comedy, with drama grounded by characters' past scars.
Chimmook (Heart Blackened) (2017) After unstable Lee Soo-kyung is charged with stepmother's murder, wealthy, controlling father Choi Min-sik determines to manipulate her innocence, including use of hopeful lawyer Park Shin-hye. Always involving and boasting fine performances, glossy production meanders before acute narrative twists and corrupt, crushing emotions.
A Christmas Prince (2017) Fleeting moments of emotional release punctuate otherwise perfunctory romance as spirited wannabe journalist Rose McIver is sent to dig up gossip on playboy prince Ben Lamb. Flat visuals and stilted pacing only accentuate strained credulity and predictable narrative / character twists.
Binteumeotneun Sai (My Worst Neighbor) (2023) Smart visuals and appealing leads accentuate comedy and romance as aspiring singer-songwriter Lee Ji-hoon and reclusive designer Han Seung-Yeon are new neighbors with paper-thin walls. Uneven rhythms overcome with thematic and narrative sincerity.
Multiplicity (1996) Impressively conjured VFX and cleverly spun performance(s) from Michael Keaton mostly compensate for undeveloped concept of duplicates coping with stressful needs of modern work and family life. Confused Andie MacDowell supplies charm; leisurely tone misses inspiration for potential visual and thematic mayhem.
River Wild (2023) Unpretentious visuals invigorate swiftly handled action and bursts of violence as hurting Leighton Meester joins encouraging brother Taran Killam and snarling childhood friend Adam Brody on tourist whitewater rafting trip. Remains engagingly muscular even if surprises are few.
