Green Days: the Dinosaur and I / <소중한 날의 꿈> 2011

Directed by: Ahn Jae-hoon and Han Hye-jin / 안재훈과 한혜진
Release date: June 2011
Better translation of the title: Dreams from a Precious Day.

It is the 1970s and Yi-rang is a high-school student in a country town. Her dream is to become an Olympic athlete but she fakes a collapse during a race rather than lose the race. Her new best friend will be the quirky and precocious classmate Soo-mi who comes from the big city of Seoul. Yi-rang will also experiment with a first love with classmate Chul-su who dreams of becoming an astronaut. They all plan, ponder, and dream of who they will be when they grow up. 

 

I love this film! A thoughtful and sumptuous, yet gentle, animated depiction of growing up in a small town in the 1970s, rich with detail of small town life and high school days from that era, with an awesome musical score as well.

My take: CCC

The dream: a friendly little dinosaur frisks around Yi-rang's legs.
The days and years go by and the dinosaur will grow up
and go where Yi-rang can't follow.

Revolver Gangster’s Gang / <육혈포 강도단> 2010

Directed by: Kang Hyo-jin / 강효진

Release date: March 2010

Three elderly widows dream of visiting Hawaii and work to save up the funds, sometimes by nefarious means. They get the money and take it to the bank, only to get stuck in the middle of a bank robbery, have their money stolen, and get stonewalled by stingy bank officials who won’t make up their loss. In desperation, they themselves begin training to rob the bank to get their money back. Their adventures are hair-raising, including a hostage-taking situation and a high-speed chase. On the way, they strike a blow for “gray power” but will they make it to Hawaii?

I loved this film! The suspense of how the three would get out of each pickle they get themselves into kept me on the edge of my chair and the humor had me falling out of it. My take: CCC

A toast, for a day well-spent earning money

bringing the three friends a little closer to their goal
(Kim Soo-mi, Nah Moon-hee, and Kim Hye-ok).

Suicide Forecast / <수상한 고객들> 2011

Directed by: Jo Jin-mo / 조진모

Release date: April 2011

Mr. Bae is a rising star among insurance salesmen until he falls under suspicion of having helped one of his clients to commit suicide. Thinking back over some of his more questionable insurance sales, Bae hunts down these old customers to make sure that they don’t commit suicide, which could ruin his career.

Apparently the film is trying to say something about current social problems—such as social alienation and unethical business practices—but makes heavy going of it and while it is supposed to be a comedy, the film is not humorous either. We bailed half-way through. Furthermore, it was one of the most unappealing characterizations for one of my favorite actors, Ryoo Seung-beom (류승범). My take: DD