The Host - Gwoemul (South Korea, 2006)

Yes!! It is really possible, there can be a great monster movie. A movie that is exciting, thrilling, emotional, intense and funny. Everything is in it and in what kind of a way! I'm talking about 'the host' directed by Joon-ho Bong.

It's a story about a a mutant that grows in the poisoned Han river in Seoul.

He suddenly appears eating people and spreading a virus, so the infected have to go into quarantine, and yes, also our heroes of this movie.

The monster is appropriate unrealistic in appearence. This movie is maybe a bit too unconventional to the American audience but damn, this a wonderful movie! The characters (a perfect strange family with an weird father, his daughter who wants a new phone, an educated but alcoholic uncle who has this brilliant line realted to problems in Korean society: "I gave my youth for the democratism of this country and now I can't even get a job" and an aunt who is always too slow, al hold together by the grandfather) are in a brilliant way introduced and the storyline follows these people. The story is great already, but for a monster movie it's almost beyond good. Every feeling there is in this world can be experienced in this movie. Ofcourse it's funny, but it really gets serious and emotional. It's the story of the characters that lift this movie into great heights!

And yes, some strange American doctors and politicians are really evil and arrogant! It is the cherry on the pie.

The acting is superb. Kang Ho-Song impresses very much and with Ah-Sung Ko a new star could have been born.

Please do yourself a favour and watch this unique, brilliant and refreshing monster movie!

The wind that shakes the barley (Ireland, 2006)

The wind that shakes the barley is a film about the war for freedom (in the twenties of the last century) in Ireland by Ken Loach stars Cillian Murphy. It won the Palm D'or at Cannes in 2006.

The story is about the anti-brit rebellion in Ireland and we see two brothers who join an underground movement to get rid of the British soldiers in their country. After there is some kind of a peace proposal the story is about the starting of the civil war between the people who are still want to be part of the UK and the people who want to be completely free. The two brothers chose both a different way, so they become enemies.

It's beautifully filmed, especially when you see people wandering over the hills. The director must have paid much attention to the light, and it results in beautiful scenes. The story is dark and tragic but this fits perfectly well with history. It's also an interesting story about the rise of the IRA.

I am Legend (USA, 2007)

This film directed by Francis Lawrence stars Will Smith.

The story is about a remedy for cancer, this remedy is in fact an modified measles virus. Nothing really goes the right way and it mutates into a virus which kills most of the people and turn other in light-phobic monsters.

Will smith thinks he's the only survivor in New York City and he tries to make an antidote for this virus.

The first part of the film is maybe most interesting when we see will Smith walking through an empty city where the only sound is heard by him putting some music on or talking to dolls or his dog. Or.... when the mutants attack. The world is a place of fear and loneliness.

The story evolves in a battle between mutants and Will Smith. It looks like Will Smith feels more confident in these action scenes than in the scenes where he is a doctor, though he acts pretty good in this movie!

An interesting movie about the outbreak of a virus and a lonely world, but remind yourself it's a blockbuster and there will be action in it too. I agree with most people that it could have been a longer movie, 90 minutes is a bit short for this one.