Christmas In August (1998)

The first time I saw this I was sorry that I did. The subject matter--the premature death of a middle-aged man of no account--left me depressingly devastated. Still, I gave the film a second chance, partly due to my puzzlement as to why the film made me feel the way it did and partly due to the respected opinions of two anonymous souls who begged to differ.

My verdict? It won't be long before I see it for a third time, which might make you wonder why I gave it pathetic music rating. I gave it a pathetic music rating because there is no music to speak of, none, zilch, nada, not unlike_No Country for Old Men_. Alas, unlike _No Country for Old Men_, _Christmas in August_ has nothing to commend itself in terms of a suspenseful plot, cinematography-rich settings,or a villain so compelling as to make your skin crawl.

What it does have is a reality which you would not have known could ever have existed and conveyed with such subtlety and nuance that you're reaction upon viewing would probably be along the lines of "What?!" To be sure, it's a thinking man's film,one if you could ever get your head wrapped around, you might experience what I did the second time around: an ineffable sorrow which shedding tears for would be vulgar in the extreme.

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Slice of life

26 years after the the premiere of this movie, this movie mentioned by main couple in 2024 drama The Atypical Family. They argue about the colour of cardigan used by the female lead of this drama.

So the next day I spend my free time to watch this drama in 2x speed. With a mission to know the cardigan colour. But I end up savour this movie. It's a simple, seems mundane, beautifully shoot movie. What I'm not expect is... it left me with a... sorrow feeling? Longing? The feeling is indescribable... But it left something that will last long in my heart.

It's not a dramatic movie. You can read the premise of the movie and think this will be tear jerk movie. But no, it just a slice of life. They approach everything so casually and realistically. It's like a memory of a past lover that we remember 40 years after it past. It's meaningful but not important enough to disturb your life. Mundane but you keep that in your heart. Then maybe some scene will make us reflect about life.

Being technical. The cinematography is really great, the colour and the mood, the camera work. It capture the life of that time in the best way possible. The music is not fantastic but fit the movie so well. The acting and script are so natural. Han Seok Kyu was and is a charming person.

I end up spend another 15 minutes to write this review. I want to write it while the feeling last. But it's confuse me how I should rate this movie. It's a simple movie, nothing seems special. But that what make it special. I enjoy this movie so much.

*It's blue

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