Here's a South Korean zombie movie on a train (mostly) with a sad ending.

They really got me with this one.

Not just with the end, but with how flexible actors they managed to find for the initial zombies, with the flaming train, with the double Wii, with the comedic bits and pieces interspersed with the sadder moments. With the real tears. With a lot of things here.

It's in the details. It's in the emotion. It's in the desperation. It feels real.

I did not however feel entirely convinced by the masses of crashing glass, or the big crash, or the wreckage. Some bits came across a bit fake. Maybe they're aged, as this really isn't the newest movie anymore either.

But it was GOOD. That ending...

 rated 4.5/5: almost awesome

It's a little slow. It's a little casual. It's a little... not sure what, but it doesn't go all the way.

And when I see the old buildings I'm suddenly thinking how that's what those old buildings look like today. How we're remaking history with these.

Each time you see old locales in a new movie - where they haven't actually made a whole new set for said movie - we're not conveying history as it were, but actually remaking it.

It's history as it is now. Old buildings carefully selected as to still seem old, and new actors playing old roles, and when you see it like that... I'd much rather actually watch an old movie, where the locales really were locales of said time. Not the refurbished and remaining.

Cinema history's living history.

Even if the premise of whatever movie you play deals with the past or present in regard to said time, they still convey it with the mannerisms - and with the people - of the time at which it was filmed.

Especially back in the day when the setups weren't as complex it's like traveling through a portal; into another era.

But setting all that aside this is not bad.

It's a spy drama/romance movie dealing with a particular protagonist, David Tennant, who's stationed in Warsaw, who spies on the Nazis before the war really breaks out, and falls in love with a girl, and you know there's bound to be a twist or quirk in planning somewhere along the line...

Won't spoil that. It's classy. It feels suitably authentic. It ends...

 rated 3/5: not bad

AKA Il cinico, l'infame, il violento.

It's a grimy Italian seventies crime movie. Let me give you a sample.

The Chinaman (writing): Frenk... How do you spell Frenk, with an E?

Goon: No, with an A.

Chinaman: Then why do you pronounce it Frenk? Frenk...

...

The blood might look like paint again, the zoom-in's sometimes a bit cheesy, and the punches not all like real punches but still... it's gritty in a good way.

They have a somewhat elaborate heist bit. The cars look great. The sceneries are great. The characters exhibit strength and charisma and the pace isn't bad either.

Was thinking I might skim but this one kept me in. Feels a bit like The Good, The Bad, The Ugly but in the city, not the wild. Dirty Harry-like.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was inspired by both of those.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle

I really wasn't prepared for where this movie would take me!

Who would've thought an ordinary German with a knack for cracking safes, recruited by a group of international heist partakers in the middle of a brewing zombie apocalypse - to crack a series of safes inspired by Richard Wagner's Opera, would take this route?

The scenery's beautiful. The filmography's polished. The characters are great. I didn't know most of the cast, but then suddenly there's Ana de la Reguera in the middle of it all, and Bautista with a quick cameo. The things you expect the least...

I feel like some of the action scenes could've been choreographed better - the bullet wound in particular looks like a paintball splash - but the drama's definitely there. Along with a strange kind of comedy, which feels as refreshing as the theme itself, like they're finally deciding to open some new doors in the stagnant Hollywood brewery, but also... gets slightly depressing.

Whatever happened to those girls? It doesn't feel complete without them.

Still this movie's great. It's different. Don't let the title fool you.

 rated 4.5/5: almost awesome

Watched this one with Buddy Bear. Random choice for the night.

It's atmospheric, with intricate props, a spiritual undertone, a lot of blue special effects, limited cast, fragmented plot, and unfortunately pretty mediocre script/dialog and drawn-out runtime that in the end made it feel like... not the best way we could've spent these particular two hours.

I did love the prop design. I loved the monster. I loved the soundtrack.

I also enjoyed how much intensity the main character managed to summon in some scenes - though unfortunately the lack of intensity around her sometimes made for an almost comical contrast.

They re-used a lot of the scenery too.

You see the artificial womb maybe one too many times. They show up their background gadgetry like they're proud they made it, and want to give it a little more runtime in the movie, and I do get their want but... it comes across a little repetitive.

They show buildings from a down-looking-up perspective a bit too many times too. One too many car rides through the same city where those buildings indeed do loom above your head. Somewhat dystopian. I get it.

If they were going for a Cyberpunk kind of vibe with the lack emotion and at times somewhat apathetic tone they unfortunately didn't manage all the way. It comes across a little bland. They have some redeeming qualities, and the props and filming really were on point, but the rest...

It's missing something. Or could've used less of something else.

 rated 3.5/5: not bad at all

He looks a bit like Chow Yun-fat, doesn't he? Henry Golding.

Similar charisma. Similar features. Maybe even better fighting skill? Potentially similar superstar in the making!

The fight choreography here is kick-ass, though it feels like he let go of his vengeance a bit too easily. People overall flip too fast. They don't convey the signs that they're about to. It's awesome but: a little inconsistent.

The truck with all the swords through the windshield though: that's one memorable bit. And the credits. But there's also plenty of cliché.

Good watch overall.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle