MattBirk

* This was South Korea's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Oscar of 2016. There were four, notable SK movies released in 2016 and this movie was the one officials felt was the best to submit....boy were they wrong. Both "The Handmaiden" and "The Wailing" are simply superior in just about every reguard.

* The movie is not bad by any measure, it's technical merits (cinematography, acting, production design, etc) are all great. The movie has a great stoic, 1920s feeling to it. And Song Kang-ho is outstanding (no surprise here). This was clearly well planned and organized by top workers in SK. It just didn't have a strong story behind all the great acting and camera-work.

* It's the story that feels just a tad underwhelming. It ends up going exactly where you expect it to (with a few MINOR surprises along the way). But right from the get go, you know where this one is heading. And it's this predictability and makes the 2 hours and 15 minutes feel a bit long.

* When all's said and done, this is a good movie from South Korea, but not great. It's not among the all time greats (and boy there are a lot), and it's not even the best movie from South Korea in 2016. But if you are a fan of period dramas (this one is light on action), then this is something you should check out.

* TBD is an interesting film that is GUARANTEED to polarize horror lovers. It's a very simple narrative from a story standpoint, but what it lacks in narrative it's saved in spades by atmosphere and mystery. This is more of a psychological-thriller than a splatter-fest or hack-and-slash.

* So let's get the obvious out of the way, yes, it's a slow movie. It's a slow burn and I'd even say the climax is rather tame (not lame) in terms of gore/excitement/reward. Yes, it builds to a somewhat bloody climax but it's not balls to the wall crazy, so I'm afraid some will think the slow burn 70 minute build up isn't worth the wait.

* The movie is a classic case of style over substance. The gray color palette and dreary snow gives the movie its potent atmosphere. Throw in a great soundtrack/score (note: the music isn't like "It Follows" where you can listen to individual tracks). This movie's music perfect compliments specific scenes and builds some tension. It's a great addition even if it's not something I would go to Youtube and listen to compared to other horror soundtracks.

* This is a good slow burn horror movie, it's not perfect (mostly because the story is bare bones), but it's definitely watchable thanks to the three female leads. All of them are fantastic! So if you think you can handle a slow burn (with a more thought provoking climax opposed to a splatter fest) then this is something you should check out!

* Disclaimer - If you are familiar with South Korean Cinema you should come to expect some silly/oddball humor thrown into a serious thriller (which this film is). Most will find it off putting and I admit I too at times find it rather off putting. But once you get past those moments early on in the movie (an epic 2.5 hour runtime), you'll be rewarded with one of the year's best films!

* The movie is all about the foreboding sense that something sinister is coming. Numerous scenes tease this feeling and it's simply bliss. Characters interact with the antagonist early on and you know it's a mistake that is sure to have consequences. It's refreshing to see this type of structure.

* "The Wailing" is one of the best movies of the year. Period. It features one of the best exorcism scenes of all time, mostly thanks to a cultural difference (coming from outside the USA). The movie leads you in one direction only to pull the rug out from under your feet and throw you in a new direction. It's a movie that keeps you guessing till the final frame, never letting you get too comfortable trusting any specific character. The deceit and misdirection in the movie is simply brilliant!

*** An impressive 9/10 (only negatives are those 'silly' comedic relief scenes that feel completely out of place at times) ***