Hrm...The Host (spoilers maybe)

[MrAngryFace]

I'd give it a B-/B overall.

I think the monster scenes and the tension during those scenes was REALLY good. Really played against my expectations of a monster movie. I also understand the political symbolism in the films larger events (Thanks to TVC for filling me in), but what I dont understand are the characters.

None of the interplay within the family was consistant (aside from them all acting distinguished mentally-challenged), and sometimes wasnt even coherent. At some point the dad is rambling about judging his kids mood on his farts. I mean I get it, thats asian humor. I just watched SARS WARS for gods sake. The difference, however, is that SARS WARS entire mood was humor, while the humor in The Host just clashed against the underlying tension from a film trying to be an honest to goodness monster flick.

[Van Cruncheon]

ask tvc if i can borrow it. i want some k-brand kaiju cinema!

[MrAngryFace]

If I were to judge it strictly against other movies from Asia it would fare quite a bit better, its honestly a solid film despite its issues.

[TVC15]

Of course you can borrow it.

[Mr. Gundam]

Nice review, MAF. I absolutely loved The Host, but I also realize that it wasn't perfect.

[MrAngryFace]

I did like how they didnt try to hide the monster in shadows or anything, you always say it, and it was a damn cool lookin monster.

[Shuri]

Featuring the same main actor, check out Memories of a Murder, a much more serious crime drama sets in the '80. There's also The Show must go on, it was released recently; it's about a gangster and how he deals with his gangster life and his home life. It was pretty interesting.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Asian films do tend to skew towards the melodramatic.  Hell, The Host is practically restrained to most mainstream Chinese/Korean cinema.
I really liked it, and I didn't find the tonals shifts jarring at all.  For being such a goofy comedy at times, I found it to be surprisingly affecting.  And yeah, the monster is cool as shit.

B+/A-, depending on my mood.

[Mr. Gundam]

Boy, you sure as hell know that in an American remake, the

spoiler (click to show/hide)

daughter wouldn't die.

[close]

Luckily, there are still no talks about an American remake of The Host.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Boy, you sure as hell know that in an American remake, the

spoiler (click to show/hide)

daughter wouldn't die.

[close]

Luckily, there are still no talks about an American remake of The Host.

the remake rights were bought by the same dude who sheperdard The Departed (and The Ring, The Grudge, The Eye, Dark Water, The Lake House, Eight Below, pretty much every Asian remake from the last decade) through its early development.  But nothing has happened since then, so its not likely to happen, but never say never.

[MrAngryFace]

I dunno how they could top the monster segments, to be honest.