Hana Kimi / 花ざかりの君たちへ

Hanazakari no Kimi Tachi E

2007 JDorama that starred Oguri Shun as Sano Izumi, Mizushima Hiro as Nanba Minami (2nd Dorm Leader), Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu Shuichi, Kimura Ryo as Senri Nakao, Okada Masaki as Sekime Kyogo, Yamamoto Yusuke as Kayashima Taiki, Igarashi Shunji as Noe Shinji, Mizobata Junpei as Saga Kazuma, Sakimoto Hiromi as Kyobashi Arata, Chiyo Shota as Yodoyabashi Taichi, Tajima Ryo as Arashiyama Jyo, Shimegi Enoku as Tannowa Kyoichi, Okada Hikaru as Takaida Riku, Ikeda Jun as Kamishinjo Itsuki, Shibasaki Keisuke, as Minase Manato, Ishigaki Yuma as Tennoji Megumi (1st Dorm Leader), Takahashi Mitsuomi as Daikokucho Mitsuomi, Takeda Kohei as Kitahanada Kohei, Suzuki Ryohei as Akashi Soichiro, Sato Yuuichi as Tetsukayama Shota, Hayakawa Ryo as Gotenyama Sakyo, Matsushita Koji as Shojaku Ren, Nishiyama Sosuke as Shichido Soma, Hagiwara Tatsuya, as Ishikiri Hiroto, Kyo Nobuo as Himejima Masao (Oscar M. Himejima, 3rd Dorm Leader), Kato Keisuke as Yao Hikaru, Watanabe Toshihiko as Imamiya Sho, Takahashi Yuta, as Shijo Haruki, Matsuda Shoichi as Kuzuha Junnosuke, Miyata Naoki as Saiin Tsukasa, Furuhara Yasuhisa as Ogimachi Taiyo, Ojima Naoya as Kaizuka Kohei, Suzuki Kota, as Uenoshiba Kanata, Nakada Yuya as Katabiranotsuji Ken, Kawakami Yu as Korien Genji


and Horikita Maki as Ashiya Mizuki - a high school chick from America who runs away to Japan in order to help Sano Izumi (Oguri Shun) return to his former glory as a high jumper.

I know I'm super-late with this, and that everyone around the globe has already watched Hana Kimi at least five times already - but, whatever ... the storyline never appealed to me, and I had no idea it was so, freakin' FUNNY, either.

Even if this revolves around Shun's Sano-sama, and the unlikely but inevitable romantic relationship between him and Mizuki; for me, it was Ikuta Toma's Nakatsu Shuichi who stole the show.

I adored him in Majo Saiban, and now I really want to see him in the rest of what he's starred in.

Guy's got talent, an interesting presence, and staying power along with his unusual, good looks.

In Hana Kimi, he's supposed to be Sano's best friend, but at the start of this campy adaptation of yet, another manga/anime, they are struggling to maintain that relationship when, after a trip to America, Sano is injured, forcing him to have to let go of his high jump career for awhile.

Sano turns into a brooding mess of angry emotions while his Ohsaka Gaikusen buddies continue on their merry way through high school dorm life, soaking up all the revelry and mayhem it has to offer.

(now, I ask you - WHY would the chick at left want to wear a bikini bottom like that?)

Along comes Miss Ashiya Mizuki turned Mr. Ashiya when she decides to enroll in the all-boys high school so that she can undo the wrong she thinks she's done to Sano-sama since it was because of her that he was injured in America.

She wants to see him smile again, but more important to her is the goal of getting him to return to the high-jump sport so she can finally exhale.

Of course, the in-house Doc is the first person to notice something ain't right about our new student, but the bi-sexual with eerie, blue eyes decides to give Mizuki a break since she's there for noble reasons.

Mizuki ends up sharing a dorm room with Sano, and at the same time, our heterosexual Nakatsu struggles to maintain his coolness when the closer he gets to Mizuki, the more attracted to him he becomes until he believes he is gay and wants to accept that fact just to be intimate with him/her.

Japanese humor is ridiculous without being insulting or over-stressed, and I like that.

Timing is the key, I think, and they've mastered it.

Belly laughs are a good thing - especially if you're in the mood to lose some weight, and hopefully I shed a few pounds over the weekend, because Hana Kimi had me laughing out loud to the point of tears at least a dozen times an episode, and there were twelve, along with a lame-ass special always meant to clear up loose ends - but this one failed big-time.

Shun's character almost seemed out-of-place in this one, but that was the whole point.

Mizuki meant to make him smile again, and she almost succeeded, too - but, I think that occurred in the special, I don't really remember.



He returned to the playing field, and he broke his own record shortly before Kagurazaka Makoto (Shirota Yu) broke it again, but Sano never smiled much during this drama.

He made ME smile, though ...

Oguri Shun as Sano Izumi in Hana Kimi


Another character whose performance helped to make this a winner was Yamamoto Yusuke's Kayashima Taiki.

Yamamoto Yusuke as Kayashima Taiki in Hana KimiThe guy who reminds me a lot of Mick Jagger and whose style is beyond hip can also act damn fine and knows how to do the is he/isn't he thing as if almost down to a science.

Speaking of questionable gender or preference, this drama was rife with curiosity in that regard, but I know it's just the thing to do over there - to behave as femme as possible without stepping over that imaginary line.


Which was probably why Mizuki had such an easy time slipping past the guys, who obviously don't possess gay-dar in Japan the way they (heterosexuals, anyhow) do over here.

That I kept noticing how 'female' Mizuki behaved despite herself is probably neither here nor there as well ... since the Metro-sexual attitude abounded in this drama, and I was hard-pressed to decide what was real and what was make-believe in that regard.

Sano only mentioned the fact that baking cookies wasn't a cool thing for a dude to do, but what about her overly feminine concern for his health, his welfare, his mind-set, and his personal issues with the old man?

Wasn't all that stepping over the line, too; at least from a guy's perspective?

The fact that she kept chasing after him the way a love-sick girl would do seemed like a huge indicator of her true sex as well, but I seemed to be the only one to notice or care, so what the heck.

Do guys do those kinds of things with their homies in real life?

Yeah, yeah, so Sano already knew he was a chick from the start, but the others accepted him/her without noticing anything funny, and perhaps that was a bit of a stretch, but whatever - the show was too, damn funny for me to care.

Hana Kimi was another of those make-believe, comic-come-to-life stories everyone (me included) wishes could be more like reality; especially when it concerns such mundane but necessary things as school and/or work ... to have constant excitement in your life, to be surrounded by buds who actually DO care, and to have adults around who truly want to see and hope you do succeed.

Accepting everyone for who they are and not poking fun at them because they're NOT like you seems to be a running theme with most manga turned anime turned drama from Asia, but it's an underlying theme hidden rather subtly by the stars of the show, who go through life's pangs & woes while striving for perfection, or at least a better outcome to their seemingly bleak future.

We could all do with a bit of this from time to time ...



... but, wouldn't it be totally cool if, for once, they did this for the gals and had a bunch of slobbering males standing outside an all-girl's school waiting for the precious cuties to appear?

Refreshing (for me anyway) was that Hana Kimi chose to dis the pop-chicks and make them look as stupid as they really are, and that when push came to shove (as it always does), the pop-chick who thought she was all-that didn't do anything overly unrealistic to our Mizuki when she could have but chose not to.

Why don't I like this guy?

Don't mean to sound mean, but I don't think I've ever liked him in anything he's done - which is probably opening a huge can of worms and likely to cause protest among his billions of fans.

I don't know what it is or why it is I don't care for him, I just don't.

He's probably the sweetest thing to come along since candy and the most appealing of dudes to a lot of bubble-gum chewers, too ... but, for whatever reason, I can't warm up to Mizushima Hiro.

Actually, I think I do know the reason; and it's kind a like my reason for not getting into Bae Yong jun the way the rest of the women of the world have.

Mizushima-san looks a lot like another boy from my childhood, and Luke wasn't a mean boy or unpopular; we actually got along rather well back in the day - but, I couldn't say there was even the slightest hint of sexual attraction going on inside me for him the same way I can honestly say Mizushima-kun does nothing for me in that regard, either.

Considering the fact there was only one Asian boy in my childhood, you'd think I knew a lot of them based on my comparisons with today's hot actors and the boys I grew up with here in Michigan ... which, to me, says a lot about the way of the world.

Or at least my lop-sided view of things, who knows.

Should I take a chance on the Taiwanese version, which I hear is a thousand times better than this one?

Maybe after school lets out in late April and I'm totally free to waste away a few, more days of my life without the thought of readings, study guides, term papers, and final exams looming over my head to distract me.

Okay, so here are the rest of my pictures from the show, and YES, I highly recommend you watch Hana Kimi if you haven't already.

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식객 (食客) / Shikgaek

Gourmet

Well-deserved 5 hearts for this 2008, 24-episode Korean drama that starred Kim Rae won as Lee Sung chan, the unassuming and reserved, young man who is the rightful heir of a famous, traditional Korean restaurant started by his great-grandfather; the last, royal chef of the Joseon Dynasty.

He is born into poverty, though, and lives in the forest with his humble appahji, who collects wild herbs and sells them for a way to take care of adorably chubby, little Sung chan.

The current owner/proprietor of the famous restaurant attends teenaged Sung chan's father's funeral and then offers to take in the orphaned boy, luring him effortlessly with the promise of a hyung in the bargain.

Years pass and the restaurant still thrives, with high-rollers from around the world stopping in for world-class yet authentic, Korean fare.

The old man and his two, good buddies decide its time for Sung chan to realize his destiny, so they announce to the kitchen staff that a contest will be held to decide the rightful heir to the throne, and Sung chan, his older step-brother, (Kwon Oh joong as Oh Bong joo), and a miscreant of a sous chef, (Won Ki joon as Min woo) end up as the three finalists.


They are expected to participate in and win 3 challenges made up by the current owner of the restaurant, their appahji and mentor, and the last one standing gains the coveted 'ownership' prize.


From start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Gourmet, and though I wished I hadn't first watched Le Grand Chef (the movie version of this drama), it didn't detract from the show or my viewing pleasure at all.

In fact, I completely forgot a majority of the movie and learned much, more about Lee Sung chan than I ever did from the movie.

NOT that Le Grand Chef was bad or a waste of time, of course, because I remember enjoying that movie - I just wish I had watched this first, but now it doesn't, really matter.

Another surprising aspect about this drama was that I liked BOTH, female leads and thought that they were gorgeous in their own, appealing way, too.

Nam Sang mi as Kim Jin soo, the feisty reporter who ends up working at the world-class restaurant and becoming romantically entangled with our handsome Sung chan-shi, and Kim So yun as Yoon Joo hee, the restaurant's manager who is expected to be in love with and eventually marry Bong ju.

Sang mi has that girl-next-door appeal without being too snooty about her supposed virginity while the polar opposite, So yun, is every white man's dream of a mail-order bride.

Jin su walked around in the hooker apparel while Ju hee wore stylish and painted-on garments befitting her high-brow position in uppity, Asian society (not to sound gay or anything, but she's got a really nice ass - envy, I suppose).

Still, I laughed every time they showed one or both females traipsing about a sandy beach or through the rugged woods in spike heels.

I mean, c'mon now ... it's virtually impossible to walk straight in the sand bare feet or sandals, much less high heels - and you can SO forget about hiking through the woods in them, too.

Get real for once in the continuity department, PLEASE!

115,036 total views at aznv.tv, and a majority of the comments were favorable, with most agreeing that the food was what drew them in and kept them watching for the duration while I, as always, had to disagree.

For the first half of this drama, it grossed me out completely to have to watch Sung chan consume copious amounts of RAW BEEF ...

gag

While it seemed, to me, like the main theme of this story was to present and then promote Korean 'cuisine' to the rest of the world, I can tell you right now they went about it all wrong, and using Japanese sushi as an excuse won't fly, either.

E.coli is a particularly harmful bacterial found in some raw beef; salmonella poisoning is a danger in raw fish and in raw eggs.

Intestinal parasites, in other words.

Sure, it was a high-brow establishment with, no-doubt, the country's best meat selection at their fingertips - but, it really doesn't matter when you take into account the number of fingers touching the food, the air quality, transportation, and so-on.

YUCK plain and simple, and no-thanks, but I'll pass on the Korean version of fine dining, thank you very much.

I love my steaks medium-rare, but not my burgers, and while sushi ranks high on my list of must-eats at least once a week, I stick with tuna or salmon unless I'm eating at an authentic, Japanese restaurant where ordering eel, squid, and other raw materials don't scare me or make me sick.

Putting a raw egg on top of raw, ground beef - to me - is the epitome of courting disaster, and I, for one, won't take such a chance regardless of the adventure-seeker in me goading me to at least give it a try.

The sea food and veggies are enough to satisfy me, and the way they prepare the mother-earth ingredients blows my mind - but again, why must they boil the crap out of it?

Every, single Korean drama or movie I've ever watched that had even the slightest amount of food in it has always been a heaping, stone pot of bubbling over stew of some sort that sounded oh, so delicious until the final presentation, when it's bubbling like a witches brew, and then it turns me off completely.

While everyone else is enjoying their meal, I'd return a half-hour later to consume what was left (if anything) - at a more palatable room temperature, thank you very much.

Grilled meat on a hibachi attached to your table is BEYOND cool and something I know would take off like wildfire here in the states, and every time I watch the actors wrap that slice of bacon or rib in leafy greens, it makes my mouth water.

Dipping rice in that red hot sauce, too - YUM!

Bulgogi has GOT to taste as ab-fab as it looks, and their version of curry rice has its appeal as well.

See, there are plenty of menu items from that country that would appeal to our 'so-called' uppity palate, yet this drama failed to fully return to its roots, so to speak, in the form of natural, basic, and what we might deem to be 'poor man's' or peasant food.

Gotta take the heads, legs, and 'whisker' like things off the animals, too - sorry.

No one loves shrimp as much as me, but I'd be hard-pressed to dine on them like potato chips if I had to first pick off the whiskers and decapitate every one of them, though.

Americans were never proponents of having their meal stare back at them, I guess.

This drama brought to mind the shameful and unnecessary behavior of tourists to that part of the world, who are thoughtless enough to voice their opinions in the direction of those trying to cater to their needs.

I can't imagine anyone in their right mind making a sour face at or actually spitting out food presented to them by a street vendor, but it has happened enough to the point where most Asian vendors won't, even serve the white man their offerings anymore.

There was a poignant yet humiliating scene in an episode of No Reservations on The Travel Channel where Anthony Bordain (the show's host) went to Hong Kong with a native buddy of his, and Anthony had to stand away from the street vendors cart or the proprietor wouldn't serve even the native Hong Konger any food.

Makes the rest of us look bad, more's the pity.

In another episode, he traveled to South Korea with an intern from the show, and for a majority of the episode, he complained about not wanting to be there since he wasn't sure that Korea had anything to offer in the way of interesting, if not palatable, native fare.

I thought he behaved a tad, too smug, but then at the end of the show, she took him to the coolest, cave-like place that served real, home-grown, ancient recipe stuff that made him take back everything he had previously said about Korean food.

I hesitate to use the word cuisine, because, to me, this stands for high-class, high-price, minimal portion food not even a sparrow would fill up on - with presentation being 99% of the meal's actual worth - and that DOESN'T spell Korean food in any way, shape, or form - nor should it, if you ask me.

BACK TO THE SHOW

So, this is about a young man whose lineage is pretty high-class, though he isn't aware right away of his birth-right: the keys to the kingdom - until the old man lets the cat out of the bag and suddenly things begin to spiral out of control until all hell breaks loose, words that can't be taken back are fired off one after the other, friend turns against friend, hyung against bro, and son against father.

Sung chan walks away from it all, roaming the countryside in a pick-up truck designed to house a host of delicious, fresh-picked veggies, fresh and dried fish, and the like, which he sells on street corners to all the gushing ajummas who want him to meet their eligible daughters.

Since hyung is the most important person in the world to him, Sung chan thinks he's doing the right thing by walking away from his rightful position as head chef and owner of the ancient restaurant.

Bong ju resents the fact that he's been kept in the dark all this time, and since he knows for sure his father wants Sung chan to succeed, he sets out to take over the restaurant and change everything on the menu - but, his ultimate goal is to bring Korean fare to the world market.

He's also pretty certain that Sung chan has a thing for his girl, and that she is in love with Sung chan and not him, which only adds fuel to the fire.

Another thing about this drama that I found refreshing as well as delightful was the fact that the supporting actors did as much to help this succeed as did the key players.

Everyone from the mysterious butcher, his angry daughter and her abiding fiance, the goofy lady in charge of all the crocks of soy sauce, pastes, and hot sauce at the restaurant, the editor of the magazine where Jin su worked, her friend at the magazine, the angry meat man who had a decidedly European-looking face, to the gay-or-was-he replacement and silly but loyal Rock Head all did terrific, convincing, and memorable jobs as supporting players.

The two, old men and the ornery, old lady chef who makes a mean fish stew had as much appeal for me as did Sung chan and Bong ju combined.

Every story within a story was entertaining, thought-provoking, tear-jerking, and believable.

Their appahji (Choi Bool am as Oh Seung geun) brought tears to my eyes even when he wasn't being attacked by his son, forced out of business, or even when he was dying.

He's got that lovable, likable, and adorable face that makes you want to reach out and pinch his chubby cheeks - with a laugh that can't help but be returned measure for measure.

How dare anyone think to upset a guy like him!

Bong ju needed a spank, or at least a good punch in the face to wake him from his delusional state of mind, and I was ready to deliver at least twice an episode, too.

The history of Kimchi proved fascinating as well - having always known it was simple peasant food concocted to stave off hunger during the long dead of winter, but the tradition of making it for others was an amazing discovery and one that I hope never goes out of style.

See, even that old, senile lady was adorable and memorable.

It also brings to mind a characteristic of Kim Rae won, the man, and not so much his character, Sung chan.

She insisted he not refer to her as halmoni, so chuckling, he called her noona, and with a bright, beaming smile on her still pretty face, she said yes, that's who she was, and he is her hyung.

The way he chuckled during that encounter says a lot about his personality, and I can only imagine the fun they had while making that drama together.

He seems genuine, considerate of others, yet laid-back enough to know he's as human as the rest of us and no, big deal except that he's got a great face, a nice bod, and mega-talent in the acting department.

Ah, and as for continuity ... well, y'all know how I am about things like this, and I wish I had written down the episodes for you, but there were 3, different scenes when you can clearly see the 'crew' working behind the scenes - but in front of the camera.

One is in the kitchen, one is while Sung chan is driving along a road, and another is during one of many forest scenes.

You'll see a boom operator, a cameraman, and a female staff member standing where they shouldn't be standing.

Funny stuff.

Speaking of driving scenes ... ever notice how Koreans tend NOT to pay attention to the road; even when it's a winding mountain pass, raining like hell, or on a bridge a couple, hundred feet above the water?

Scary stuff.

I know - they're sitting inside a vehicle propped way, too high above the road being towed on a flat-bed ... I KNOW!

Still ... continuity and common sense would dictate that ... well, that the person behind the wheel keep his eyes facing forward regardless of the conversation taking place in the vehicle, or the exposed leg of some gorgeous female at his side, or whatever.

Always a nail-biting experience for me to have to watch an inattentive hot dude driving a car in a Korean drama or movie.

Kim Rae won impressed me with this one, and now I'm anxious to see more of what he has to offer, even if it will be going back in time to do so - I don't care.

WINNER

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Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle / Kim-chi-jeon-jaeng

2010 Korean movie that once-again pits our hero, Sung Chan, against a rival chef in another cook-off - this time, Kimchi.

It's a new actor portraying the descendant of a royal chef, but strangely he somehow resembles Kim Rae won in that he could definitely pass for a younger brother.

The guy from Le Grand Chef reminded me of Kwon Sang woo.

Anyhow - in this version of the saga (based on Korean manga) "Sik Gaek", our humble chef still sells staples from the back of his truck on street corners, traveling around the countryside learning more and more about his natural talent.

He's returned 'home', however - to an adopted mother who runs a traditional but popular restaurant from her home.

She's ill and there are creditors hounding her to relinquish the land and restaurant when her world-famous chef daughter decides to leave her posh job and return to Gwangju, to do-in her omanee for all the shame she suffered as the child of a husband-less mother.

Her intent is to destroy the restaurant, but it is already closed - and since Sung chan intends to do whatever it takes to keep the place running, Jang Eun decides to challenge her in-a-round-about-kind-of-way adopted brother to a Kimchi cook-off.

If she wins, he has to turn-tail and leave so she can dismantle the restaurant/house piece by piece - but if she loses to him, she has to forget about her plans for revenge.

I was very confused throughout this movie since the writers decided to stray from the original plot - and suddenly our Sung chan had a mother; his father isn't mentioned at all, and I have no idea if it's the same Sung chan from the first movie who is the descendant of a royal chef, or if he's just some kid off the street with mad culinary skills.

To be honest, I've only had kimchi once in my life, and it came from a jar sold at a Chinese outlet store somewhere in Ann Arbor - and when I opened the jar, the smell hit me in a way that was less than pleasant - which may have ruined it for me, but the taste was beyond disappointing and I never finished my meal.

That incident is being removed from memory, and I have every intention of trying again, but at an official, Korean restaurant this time - where I will insist that they serve me traditional, Korean food and not their idea of what I, an American, would like to eat.

I want the real thing, and since there isn't likely to be a chance for me to fly to Korea and eat the real thing, I'll settle for places like Goram, Hana, and Korea House for my dining pleasure.

In this movie, they again used Russians, Germans, and Australians to represent Americans - something I'm growing to resent now - and regardless of where they find these 'white' people to represent 'me' - they are NOT me, and I don't appreciate being lumped into a generic category of stuffy fools with no taste buds or sense of adventure.

Okay, so Kimchi Battle was interesting, and the characters our Sung chan encountered in order to gain more life experience were touching - enough to bring tears to my eyes on occasion - but, the confusion about just, who was Sung chan supposed to be this time took away from any amount of true enjoyment for me.

... hence the three flowers out of five.

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Futari ~ Watashitachi ga Eranda Michi / ふたり ~私たちが選んだ道~

2003 Japanese movie about a young couple who fall in love, get married, and start out their expectant lives together when tragedy strikes and they, along with their closest relatives, are left to face some interesting if not predictable and oft-times unrealistic decisions about the future.

Futari stars Nagase Tomoya as Kamagata Yoshiyuki, the husband, and Fukada Kyoko as Kamagata Mutsumi, the wife.

He's got an office job and she is a nurse at a hospital, and they live in a nice apartment.

On the eve of a much-anticipated weekend get-away in the country, Kamagata-kun gets into an accident on his motorcycle and ends up in a hospital other than the one where his wife works.

He's paralyzed from the waist down and will never walk again, and so our story begins here, where for about two hours we walk along at baby steps pace with our newlyweds as they struggle to come to terms with the twist fate handed them in a split second.

The only reason I chose to watch Futari is because of Nagase-san.

He may be old to a lot of you, but to me, he's fine as wine and oh, so easy on the eyes - even if he does remind me of Johnny Depp.

He's been around awhile, with an impressive list of film & drama credits to his name, along with the fact he's the lead singer of a group I have yet to listen to, so shame on me in the slacker department - gotta get my hands on some of their music and make a judgment call about his talent in Tokio.

I was wrong to pre-judge this film, and I appreciated the fact that the writers chose to remain realistic while also capturing just a tad of the sappy silliness no-doubt meant to take away some of the heaviness from the serious content of the storyline.

It's been around for awhile now, but if you haven't seen Futari yet, I recommend you give it a go and find out for yourself how simple yet complex, entertaining yet serious a Japanese movie can be.

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Mr. Socrates

2005 Korean movie that stars Kim Rae won as Ku Dong hyuk, a street dog with mad fight skills and no conscience who even has no issue with his begging money off his old man, a wastrel behind bars for a string of petty theft crimes.

Oppa Kim is great, though, and despite the feral character he portrays, one can't help but smile and insist it can't be true of a guy like him - because he's got that kind of a face.

You know, the eyes with a hint of a smile behind them, clean-shaven handsome mug, and even in scruffy garb, you can't help but get the feeling that he reeks of suave sophistication.

Early in this movie, and after he's beaten down a number of no-accounts, Ku is kidnapped in the same, abrupt and violent fashion as he's been living since they put away his father.

This is where the title comes into play.

Guys at the top with lots of money and little in the way of brains are doing shady things, like recruiting thugs and transforming them into upstanding citizens who will work for them or suffer the consequences.

They've chosen Ku as their latest disciple.

Being stubborn, he refuses at first and is beaten horrendously while also being made to suffer some pretty intense forms of torture until at last he acquiesces, studying daily to pass a high-school equivalency exam before going on to become a street cop.

This was actually kind of funny in places, and like I mentioned earlier, Kim's eyes make you want to giggle anyhow.

After studying his profile, it surprised me to note that this was the first time I ever saw him act - but that ...ing, Love Story at Harvard, Say You Love Me, Attic Cat, What Star Did You Come From, and My Love Patzzi are and have been on my list of 'watch' for awhile now at aznv.tv.

I like him, too, because for one thing, he's no Ken doll, and for another, I think he'd be the type of guy to make me laugh for no, other reason than to see me smile.

I worried, too, that Mr. Socrates was going to be one of them bloody messes filled with violent gore that turn my stomach and make me regret having watched, but it wasn't - despite the violence, torture, and seemingly mindless death scenes interspersed throughout this interesting movie.

No random sex scenes or the down-n-out hot chick for our leading man to mess around with, either!

The ending didn't come as much of a surprise, but it was still a good one.

I recommend Mr. Socrates to anyone with a few hours to kill who has the time to concentrate on the movie and nothing else, or you're liable to miss the whole point.

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