2009 BEST CHRISTMAS TOYS

A scene from Yim Phil-Sung's HANSEL AND GRETEL, playing at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival, April 23 - May 7, 2009.


SFIFF52- HANSEL AND GRETEL-
Director YIM Phil-Sung
Cast: Chun Jeong-Myoung, Eun Won-Jae, Shim Eun-Kyoung, Jin Ji-Hee

Showtimes: 4/30 7:00 roxie

The Grimm fairy tale is given a scary twist with the children who lure the adults to their 'gingerbread' home.

The handsome star, CHUN JEONG-MYOUNG) crashes his car in the woods and finds a 'KINKADE' home which seems to have the perfectly normal home with everything a kid would ever ever want. Toys, tv, sweets, christmas tree, well, everything just looks so perfect and fun.

and doesn't the sign in front of the house say HOME OF THE HAPPY CHILDREN...
JEOUNG-MYOUNG tries to leave only to find that he is 'trapped' in the maze of the woods, and keeps ending back up at the 'fairy tale' house.

Then the 'parents' want to leave, and are replaced by some other couple...only to find the previous 'mother' as a life-size doll in the attic ...

the replacement parents, seem to get on the nerves of the children...and are soon missing...

only to be replaced by a creepy preacher and his wife...only to....oh oh....they want someone to stay and be their 'uncle'...

why...and why is the TV playing the same TV show over and over and its not plugged in...the old 1960's phone doesn't work....

and was that really 'beef stew' they had for lunch?

and who is making all those cakes and cupcakes and sweets that are constantly on the table?

can 'uncle' escape this suger sweet jail?

Beautiful filmed with that incredible South Korean angles and color saturation that ASIAN film lovers worship...The angles and movement of the camera make this a movement as well as a visual delight. An art and set decoration masterpiece.

An incredible ride with how and what the hell...hell being an operative word , folks...

Best lines:
"Mother is dying, but don't worry, I don't like my mom much. "

"The snow keeps falling on my desparate hope."

"Why hasnt help come to us? Becasuse heaven is too far from here."
"You have already become part of OUR story."

Not a slasher-bloody horror film but a film that slowly crawls under your skin and doesn't provide clues until the near end, which you will absolutely never forget...

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED---4 SPOTLIGHTS...and don't forget....Bring a nice cupcake one with lots of sprinkles and frosting...just like those wonderful treats you remember as a child or like HANSEL AND GRETEL remember...

Hands down, this is the Holy Grail of decked-out and well-lit homes for this holiday season, or any in recent times.

My Uncle Brian took me here last year to see what the fuss was all about. I've never seen any house so close to my home (And the city of my birth) as tricked out as this place.

I've heard that the person that lives here works for Pacific Gas and Electric, so they've had the outside wiring main box custom-rigged. I'd hate to have their power bill, though.

One picture can't do this house justice. I've taken several - Some good, some a bit dark, some shaky, but all awe-inspiring.

(Yes, I like trains, real ones, toy ones, they had two going on a track that encircled the entire outside display! One of these days I'm returning to Old Sacramento to the California State Railroad Museum with The Big Gun and snapping until my fingers give out, or the camera does, or at least until the 8 GB memory card fills up.)

Enjoy, and have a safe and happy holiday season, no matter what your beliefs (or non-beliefs thereof) - Stay safe, try to be good to one another.

Love and Peace,

Michael (Raider3)