Reviews

In line with the Fado,no singer can just be its interpreter without context. There has to be some sort of history attached, the difficult life of a hyper-sensitive and highly emotional constitution to bring the sadness and pain of its songs. Not many people can understand that. These is the love and influence of the soap opera, a genre that latins like...and that runs in primetime! Yes, it is over-the-top, sentimental, passionate, sometimes tacky. But if you don't understand that, you are missing much of what latinos feel and are. And that includes Portugal.

For those who grew up in a Latin country then, the apparent corny excceses could very well pass as realistic. We have seen it, we have lived it, it's the culture.

One of the worst movies I've seen in my life. Bad... acting, directing, script, editing, music (none, except a Wagner overture). I watched just because it was short.

Witty and engaging. Laura is the Movie. Better than most such movies out there.

Some movies are so bad, it is worth watching them once. The list of flaws is enormous. Even one musical theme is a travesty of Mancini Pink Panther. This comes from 1982 and looks like the Sixties. It makes Jackie Chan look like James Bond.

Christian or not there is no excuse for bad acting. The dad should go back to acting class or just quit.

Nice surprise. Way above most of the garbage that has been filmed in recent years pertaining to the subject. Starting with the acting.

I don't know why is this happening but all these Canadian seasonal movies are becoming worse every year. Bad script, bad acting, bad direction. Bad bad bad. If I give it two stars is because it is just a tad better than whatever Christmas movie I have seen this season (2018)

Do not let the cheesy title of this series fool you. This is extraordinary from many points of view. Historically, it is based on an actual setting, something very few people in this country would know about Korea, Japan and the USA. Within that framework, the clash of cultures, where values are different and honor prevails. The aesthetics of the production are something to marvel at. And then, the characters, who behave in accordance to strict rules surely strange to us behaving in ways that are, ultimately, quite fascinating. The love relation develops strangely, slowly and far from any courtship you could ever imagine. That gets performed by the two main characters in rather fascinating fashion as well. I do not recall seeing a picture where a still face and a minimal movement could unload so much expression. Actress Tae-ri Kim packs more beauty and feeling in still silence than any actress I can recall; she deserves stardom just for such incredible skill. I have seen five episodes, and I am mesmerized.

The attractive part of this series is definitely the interaction between the characters. Bilson is quite adorable in spite of the stereotype she plays, her male lead constantly proven to be rigid, prejudiced and... wrong. Still, he caves like a reasonable man. My only disturbance is very personal: when I watch the leads I cannot stop thinking about Brian Williams and Marie Osmond together!

Many of the reviews here included are as good as anyone needs. Therefore, I will not waste your time, nor mine, writing a subjective take on what is a 6 to 8 point movie. What compels me to write, however, is a correction: the music was not written by Thelonious Monk, as is stated in at least two reviews. The credit goes to pianist Duke Jordan (1922-2006), contemporary and friend of Charlie Parker, except of course, that Jordan lived a much longer life, the last 25+ years (since 1978) in Denmark. For those who are interested, the full line up in the soundtrack includes: Sonny Cohn trumpet, Charlie Rouse tenor sax, Eddie Kahn bass, and Art Taylor drums. And, if you excuse a bit of trivia: Duke was married with jazz singer Sheila Jordan from 1952 to 1962 (at this writing, Ms Jordan is 89 years old and still performing!). Concluding, this movie has arguably one of the best jazz soundtracks of the time, not an uncommon event in French film during the 1950s and 1960s (e.g., Miles Davis, Art Blakey). This cool, post-bop, hard bop era was a great creative time for jazz, no doubt. Memorable and rewarded by time till this day.

This was rather painful to watch in spite of the cute story. Mediocre writing and poor acting become too evident while watching.

This series takes you along relentlessly. It is full of interesting characters and, of course, anything Carey Mulligan and her smirk are in will be memorable. Personally, I like the line that goes "Labour might never make it again"...with their horrible anti-semitic characters. Four gripping episodes. Fabulous.

Usually the most violent and idiotic series, where a nipple is forbidden but bullets and knives not, comes from Hollywood. This one comes from Canada. It reminds me of the style of that other Canadian series "The Artful Detective". Maybe this is a proof that a violent act does not have to reveal cruelty, perversion, and overkill. Or that smart thinking should precede shooting. Almost as on those Westerns from the 60s and 70s. In that regard I find this to be good entertainment, well acted and with a smart plot. I am sure millions of Americans find it silly and dull.

Fell in love with the music score! The composer none other than Stanley Black of LP Phase-4 reputation. CHANDOS, please take note!

This is the type of film that we can only see in the Evangelical channel, what shame. In a time of cynicism and mistrust, hatred and division, someone should put the monetary interest aside and put out this movie in DVD. Shame of us.

I have been also quite touched by the lady who played the original Rachel dropping a line on this site. It says great things not about her but about the gap the IMDb is filling amongst film, music and art lovers. Such work should be encouraged and supported. Thank you.

As a Spanish speaker myself I can assure you that Jack Black's accent when speaking English is better than any American actor I can recall. I was pleasantly surprised at such talent. For those who think the movie racist, I can only confirm to them how little they know about the rest of the world. That is typical Latinamerican humor: irreverent and straight (e.g., calling such a nice kid 'Chancho':Pig, as nickname). Tongue-in-cheek Latinamerican comedic humor indeed. Here in wonderful USA we don't do those things, oh, no... we just think them! Give me a break, PC land. This movie IS funny. And to be annoyed at Mr Black's accent is the same as to be bothered by subtitles in a foreign movie --- which, most of you, no question, are too lazy to read --- because you prefer (awful) dubbing.

Wagner will throw you to a wonderful never-land of drama through music, but this is the real thing. Totally -- and wonderfully -- non American in flavor; the kind of picture you will not see in your (US) neighborhood movie theater. Which means I caught this film in HBO today, never before having heard of it. The film is beautifully done all around: no excess of anything good or bad (e.g., nudity or violence) no pursuit of effect for effect's sake. The acting, direction, photography and music are all quite memorable. Isolde (Sophia Myles) is the real thing also; beautiful and believable of her time; not a slender bombshell of mere curves. Even the script has a few jewels for those suckers, such as I, who have felt such passions at some point in their lives (o lucky we!): "You were right. I don't know if life is greater than death. But love was more than either." Loved it, yes.