Tangpriest
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K-Movie: The Host (괴물)
The Host, the highest ticket-seller in Korean history, is part of the line-up of films being screened during the American Film Institute film fest Nov. 1-12th.
It stars one of my favorite actresses Bae Du Na, who has been in several dramas. It also stars Song Kang Ho, one of Korea's top actors.
THE HOST
Fri, Nov 3rd 10:00 pm
ArcLight Theatre
$12.00
Sat, Nov 4th 1:00 pm
ArcLight Theatre
$12.00
A creature emerges from the waters of the Han River and terrorizes the citizens of Seoul, South Korea. Director Bong Joon-ho rips up genre conventions by focusing on a family caught in a crisis—the human factor left out of most Hollywood monster films—and adding a hefty dose of pointed social and political satire. At turns frightening and tragic, THE HOST is infused with comic absurdity.
http://filmguide.afifest.com/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/country-detail.php?Range=SV&ShowShorts=Y&ShowPast=Y
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대 한 민 국!
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10/19/2006, 5:21 am
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Tangpriest
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Saw The Host on Friday night. The theatre was packed. The film was terrific. The director did a Q & A afterward. On a side note, MBC interviewed me asking me about the film and how Americans would feel about how the US military is portrayed in the film. The interview should air in Korea in a few days. Not sure if it will air here in California MBC channel.
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대 한 민 국!
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11/6/2006, 6:34 pm
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Tangpriest
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Re: K-Movie: The Host (괴물)
After watching the movie, I thought MBC was coming from the perspective that maybe the film was being disrespectful to Big Brother....so to speak, and that maybe Americans might take offense to how they're portrayed in the film considering our military is there to protect Korea should N. Korea decide to attack.
In many conversations I've had with Korean friends, they seem to feel that the US is a big brother who behaves as such. If you need someone to protect you, you get your big brother. And just as big brothers have always bullied, taken advantage of, etc. their little brothers, so has the American military in Korea. Though the analogy is very simplistic, I don't think it's too far fetched.
Really, depending on how old the person is you talk to, you'll get a different opinion about the American military in Korea and how Koreans feel in general about the US. The grandparents of my students are grateful to America for ending the colonization by Japan, the parents are mostly concerned with the economic and political influence US policy has on Korea, and college-age students feel that Korea should be completely separate of the US and stand on its own. And all are disappointed that Koreans had no influence when the country was split during the Korean war.
I don't think anyone here would care how the military is portrayed - the whole film is really more like a live action comic - it's in the genre as Spiderman or Superman, only it's a mutant monster (which grew as a result of chemical dumping into the river by the American military) from the Han River. I would highly recommend seeing it. We thoroughly enjoyed watching.
I don't think the interview aired as I haven't heard from any of my friends in Korea that they've seen it. It's just as well. It was kinda goofy to ask me the questions they did when I hadn't seen the movie yet....
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대 한 민 국!
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12/6/2006, 8:58 pm
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hantaejun
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Re: K-Movie: The Host (괴물)
Saw the DVD recently, and liked it. Didn't care for the America bashing, but according to the interviews on the companion DVD, the chemical dumping is loosly based on a true story. As usual, the American actors were not very good, acting wise.
Now on to the things I liked. Monster, great CG. Cast, interesting combination to play the family. It's not really a monster movie, as explained in the second DVD, but really a kidnapping film, which just happens to have a monster. lol.
Music, good, particularly the slapstick scene in the parking garage as the "family" make their escape from the authorities.
The interviews on the second DVD really help to explain a lot of the symbolism and details in the story. All in all a good action-adventure flick. I give it two thumbs up. 
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"Sometimes the truth hurts..." - Henry Rollins
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8/11/2007, 10:27 am
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robbo4
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Re: K-Movie: The Host (괴물)
Though I thoroughly enjoyed 99% of this movie, the ending completely ruined the experience for me. 
Both times!!! 
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1/25/2008, 9:26 am
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11/30/2009, 6:04 am
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class spoiler his character also has his daughter die
Las Vegas Vacations