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Reviews
Isanghan byeonhosa Woo Young-woo (2022)
Parent of Profoundly Gifted Autist
Before I get to the critique part, I just want to say that I love this show, I think it's brilliant and the lead actor is truly exceptional! It is one of the best representations I have seen of an Autistic character, but with caveats (below). Probably the best I have actually seen is Asa Butterfield's character in the film "X+Y".
However... as the parent of a gifted Autistic son with similar IQ as the main character, who is at University aged 14, I can say there is quite a lot wrong with the representation of Autism here. This depiction is filled with clichèd stereotypes. It's as though she has taken every trait any individual Autistic person has ever experienced and put them into one person. That's not how it works; it's very much a spectrum, and each individual experiences this neurodivergence differently (and differently at different times). This performance is very exaggerated, particularly in the light of the fact that such high IQ Autistic individuals often hugely compensate with their intellect, and also develop very good masking ability. This is especially true of females on the spectrum; they often present quite differently and are sometimes not diagnosed until significantly later as a result... even more so when they are profoundly gifted like this character. The fact that she is completely 'out' with her Autism (not the diagnosis itself so much, but the physical manifestations) would be highly unusual; there is an expectation that people conform to the 'norm' in society, and I shouldn't think that's so different in South Korea.
That being said, I understand it may not have had the same impact or humour had they made the characterisation more subtle, and whilst the manifestations themselves are largely exaggerated (at least while she's in public), they are truthful aspects of what it is like to be Autistic. The lead actor's delivery and timing is superb, the rest of the cast are excellent, and the show is a complete joy.
The Dark Tower (2017)
I give it three stars, one for each of the lead actors; as this train-wreck is not their fault
I'm not sure how this is 'based' upon Stephen King's wonderful (though often confusing) series of books.
Aside from the characters, this film has very little resemblance to the books; it was just an amalgamation and mishmash of vignettes from the books, without logical or chronological sequence, and totally lacking the plot. It was though they tried to squash 7 books into 90 odd minutes, but without any respect to the story. Just ghastly.
The three principal actors were all good, and so it was very disappointing that their considerable skills were wasted in this utter hotch-potch of what was, as novels, a pretty decent piece of work. The producers should be ashamed of themselves for wasting such an opportunity, and at best, unless you are Peter Jackson, this would have been better served as a TV mini-series. (Because you are NOT Peter Jackson...)
If you are a fan of the books, I'd suggest skip this; it will only piss you off.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Can't believe there was no acknowledgement of Danny Kaye
I thought this was a terrific film, but I am totally thrown at the lack of acknowledgement of the legendary Danny Kaye, who completely embodied this role. Danny Kay IS Walter Mitty; always has been, always will be.
The fact that he wasn't acknowledged in any way, seems smug... and so rather disrespectful. Ben Stiller did both a great job in the leading role, and also as a director. Very nice to see him working to capacity (as he did in Reality Bites), instead of continually playing the fool; never impressive. It was a good film, but really the GREAT Danny Kaye should have certainly be referenced or at least acknowledged along the way.
The Great Gatsby (2013)
A somewhat peculiar adaptation...
7 because both Toby Maguire and Joel Edgerton were very, very good in this...
Peculiar, because it completely moves away from the POV of the narrator in the novel; Nick Carraway. The novel has the narrator, although first person, telling the story in almost a third person POV; he is rarely seen in the story at all. He is the outsider looking in, and it is quite detached; it is this that makes it such an interesting and unusual novel.
Baz has chosen to do something quite different here, and unlike the novel, and the first cinematic version starring the great Robert Redford as Gatsby (I love DiCaprio... but not the same), Nick Carraway's character, the narrator, becomes much more centre stage. In fact, this seems to be a study in what the viewers/readers would see, if this character was much more visible, rather than narrating from the sidelines.
I thought that was an interesting perspective and idea, which worked well because Toby McGuire is so fine in the role... but it did focus on him so much, that it detracted from the original plot quite a bit. It stands alone as a good film, but loses some of the original depth, especially the enigma that is 'The Great Gatsby', because it's really Nick Carraway that takes the main role here... and there's no real reveal of Gatsby (and what is shown, seems rather trivialised). In the original (and the novel), a sense of pity, or at least empathy, is easily elicited for Gatsby – who is, in the end, a rather forlorn character... I didn't feel the same was induced at all in this production, and so it seems to have missed the point.
Unlike Moulin Rouge... I hated the music choices here; there are so many fine jazz choices that the decision to use rap, house, and other inapt music really, really jarred. It was a wasted opportunity to include some of Australia's finest musicians (Goytye, my friend, Wally, in the closing credits, the exception, of course!).
Overall enjoyed it, but far from a masterpiece...