The Victim (Phii Khon Pen)

Year : 2006
Runtime : 108 Min.
Genre : Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director :Monthon Arayangkoon
Movie Stars : Pitchanart Sakakorn, Apasiri Nitibhon
Country: Thailand
Language : Thai

This should could have been two movies. The first part in it's own could have been a mystery where Ting is an aspiring actress who is haunted by the ghost of a beauty queen wanting to free her wrongly accused husband and get justice. I think that's been done before...anyways. The second movie should have been about a very famous and beautiful actress who is acting in a film about a ghost possession while fighting her own ghostly possessions. Instead the director took a different route and mashed these two films together.

Thinking back on it I believe this was a good idea because it's not the same-old-same-old ideas filled with a same amount of Thai culture and reinvented for a different market/generation. I know a movie within a movie is not a new idea but the director's take of a movie within a movie is what makes the film a hit. The Victim is not my favorite Asian or Thai horror film, but I did enjoy watching. The first half of the film is my favorite. During the second half everything drags on till the last 20 minutes when everything picks up speed again. I did not fully understand the ending at first watch, but after the second watch I understood.  I explained the ending at the bottom of this post if you are still confused after watching.

Tesis

Year : 1996
Runtime : 118 Min.
Genre : Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Director : Alejandro Amenábar
Movie Stars : Fele Martínez,Eduardo Noriega,Ana Torrent
Country: Spain
Language : Spanish

Wiki: Ángela (Torrent) is a film student at the Madrid's University Complutense. Searching for research material for her thesis (hence the film's title) on audio-visual violence, she attains the friendship of Chema (Martínez), a fellow student and introvert with an encyclopedic collection of violent and pornographic films.
After her professor dies while watching a film she steals the videotape, discovering that it is a snuff film featuring a girl whom Chema recognizes as a former student at the university - and a former associate of current student Bosco (Noriega). Investigating the origins of the tape, they are drawn into the operations of a chilling snuff ring.

I did not known whether I wanted to watch this movie or not because of the year it was made. I usually do not like to watch films made around the year I was born. I don't know why maybe it is because of the differences in hair and clothing styles that puts me off. Anyway, I decided to give this movie a chance because of the trailers. I loved it! It kind of reminded me of a Lifetime mystery movie but ten times better.  I loved the plot. It definitely kept me guessing as to who the killer(s) were. I would love to use a time machine and transport myself to 95 Spain to see what the Spanish thought of this film because I don't believe there were many like it back then.

A few points: The film was made with a low budget and was shot in 5 weeks! WOW. Many films with high budgets and long filming times are not as good as this. Eduardo Noriega (played Bosco Herranz) also stars in The Devil's Backbone. I knew I saw that face somewhere! Fele Martínez (played Chema) looks just like Johnny Depp in this film. I barely recognized him from his later film Bad Education.
Rating: 5/5

Mother (Madeo)

Year : 2009
Runtime : 126 Min.
Genre : Crime, Thriller, Mystery
Director : Bong Joon-ho
Movie Stars :  Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin
Country: South Korea
Language : Korean
Watch Online: StageVu
Quality: Good-Great
Subtitles: English

Another great film for the super hit director Bong Joon-Ho. It explores the intense relationship between a single mother and her son as she attempts to solve a murder and prove her son innocence. The film did not blow my mind or anything but it was any interesting watch and I would recommend this to anyone.

The film opens up to a woman, the mother, dancing and waving her hands in the air in a care free manner. That made me say okay and wonder what I've gotten myself into this time, but the film quickly set in motion the murder. Yoon Do-joon's mother treats him as her baby and prize as she watches over her shy and somewhat mentally disabled son who hangs with Jin-Tae, a local 'bad seed'. Do- Joon is quiet and calm but reacts violently when called 'retard'. Wondering drunkenly in the dead of night he walks across Yoon Je-Moon, a high school girl with a secret. He calls out to her aimlessly till she turns a corner and tosses a rock at him. Do-Joon wonders away to his house. Later he is arrested by the police after Moon's body is discovered on the top of a roof. I was utterly annoyed by the 80s style police methods that were used on Do-Joon. It was quite clear that Do-Joon is not the brightest crayon in the box. Any educated person could have guessed that he was mental disabled so his confession and lack of memory should have been disregardful. I'm not saying that he should have been treated like an angel but the everyday criminal was a bit harsh.

After being charged with the crime Do-Joon is sent to jail. The mother, who remains nameless, is sure that her son is innocent and sets out to find the real murderer and free her son. In various attempts to get her son to remember the events of that faithful night The Mother finds herself in a world that she simply can't handle and forced to the breaking point of their mother-son relationship.

Plot
A mother must free her son and discover the real murderer after her mental disabled son is sent to jail.

Pretty Little Liars- Episode 15

The new episode of Pretty Little Liars just premiered a few minutes ago. The show is totally starting to heat up now!

QUICK RECAP
Aria and Ezra plan their first date. It's in a new city with new people. Totally safe to be seen in public together. How could it get any better, right? Hanna receives a text from A stating that if she were to get Aria's mother to just happen to show up at the show money would be the reward. Included in the envelope is a ticket for the show. Hanna is against it from the start but when she comes home to a mother near tears from an unexpected phone call from the unknowing loaner of the money saying that they need to talk. Hanna changes her mind and gives the envelope to Aria's mother via her school mailbox saying it's from the PTA. Hanna later regrets this act and tries to stop Ella but is unable.

Emily joins the swim team again. Problems soon arise when the captain (Page)  and Emily exchange some harsh words about Emily's sexuality. Spencer takes it upon herself to tell the coach. As a result new turmoil starts between Page who firmly believes Emily wants to take her place as head of the team.

Ella (Aria's mother) is on her way to the show when her car stops. Aria's dad shows up to try and assist because apparently their triple A allowance is out. Byron (father) tries unsatisfactorily to fix the kill brake which is the source of the car troubles. In the end Byron drives Ella to the show but instead of going to the show she makes her own by kissing Byron. I wonder if their marriage can be saved now? Questions is what this show is about. It is later revealed that Caleb, Mr. Bad Boy, messed with Ella's car. Hanna tries to pay him but he refuses saying that he'll think about what he wants and get back to her on that.

Aria looks beautiful in her red dress and is picked up by a limo with the awaiting Ezra inside. Aria and Ezra have a wonderful time.

REVELATIONS
1. Allison's older brother spend the summer of her disappearance in his room getting high with Wren, Melissa's husband.
2. The picture of Allison in last week's episode was taken from inside Allison's house. Spencer confronts Jason about this, but he says he doesn't remember taking the picture on account of him being high all the time.
3. Spencer finds the shop that the phony Allison bracelet found in the woods in an earlier episode was made. She is told that by the shopper owner that the person who had the bracelets made was a Spencer Hastings. Spencer is shocked. But really? Really? Do you really think someone that technology smart as A could be so dumb as to use their real name?At the end of the episode the shop owner is talking to A. She says " I did it. I did as you told me." I'm guessing it is referring to the bracelet inquiry by Spencer.