Cello (2005)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

"Are you happy? You should be.", 2008-12-14
Hong Mi-ju is an accomplished cellist who gave up playing after she was involved in a car accident that killed her best friend. She now works only as an instructor, and after an unpleasant encounter with a former student, bizarre things begin to occur in her life. The family dog behaves oddly and then dies suspiciously, a grisly "present" appears in Mi-ju's school locker, and she receives ominous, untraceable messages on her mobile phone. Her older, developmentally disabled daughter displays a sudden interest in learning to play the cello. br / br /The viewer is led to believe a number of things may be happening, from retaliation by the disgruntled student, to possession of the daughter. Or does it have something to do with the mysterious new housekeeper who has a tragic past of her own? However, this is one of those movies that doesn't really make sense until the very end. Red herrings and misdirection are fine, but if not handled well they can seem like a bunch of things are just happening randomly. Even the cello itself is something of a MacGuffin. At the end, when the true story comes out and several details shown earlier in the film are given significance, the other elements still felt gratuitous. br / br /It's not a bad film, and I give it extra credit for being willing to kill off two small children (one of them in a fairly bloody manner.) It may, in fact, play better on a second viewing. Mild recommendation. br / br /The DVD features commentary, director interview, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and trailers for this and other Tartan Asia Extreme releases.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Boring. Bad Acting, Bad Directing Most Of All, 2008-11-15
The suspenseful setting was set in place, only thing missing was that this movie really just didn't have it. br / br /The scary ghost lady in the movie isn't even scary! I make plain reviews just to go right out and say it. I'm not going to fabricate everything with complicated words. br / br /This movie was boring and unoriginal. At least make the ghost/demon look scary, it just looks like a normal lady with wide eyes. Honestly, all these Asian chicks look like the ghost, they're all Asian folks with a scary faces. It's like sometimes I can't tell the difference if I'm either seeing a demon or just another Asian chick in the movie. You know the movie is bad because they can't even make a good enough ghost to help you tell the difference. br / br /Don't waste your time, but if you want to watch it out of curiousity, go ahead. I thought it was going to be great, boy was I bored out of my mind.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Cello - Well Done, Misunderstood, Probably Underrated Due To Asian Remake Backlash, 2008-10-14
If you judge the movie Cello based upon the glammed up DVD cover or the recent string of sub-par Asian horror remakes, you are bound to miss the subtle nuances that make this a very good movie. True, the movie is based upon some common horror suspense themes. Yes, there is a revenge aspect and an element of the beyond. But there is also a very well crafted story of guilt and regret, as well as an intriguing plot structure that is full of small details expertly sprinkled throughout. And contrary to a common belief that seems to be held about this movie, as far as I can tell the cello is not haunted. br / br /The film is shot beautifully and makes equal use of darkness and light for various scenes. There is a somewhat mixed use of CG darkness (you will have to see for yourself to understand what I mean) that sometimes seems to be an add-on. But overall, this is a slick looking film. br / br /The cast is made up of some big stars of Korean film, as well as some relative unknowns. The results are very impressive and the entire cast does a good job. br / br /The film makes greater use of plot and character development to build suspense. There is some use of special effects but not really too much gore. This is a slow moving movie that is meant to be analyzed. If that's not your kind of horror, then you have been warned. br / br /Conclusion br / br /The final scene of the movie does bring to mind Asian horror remakes like The Grudge and it might be the reason why so many have judged this movie harshly. Despite the similarities with other movies, this one still is very well executed. It was definitely entertaining and it was fun to figure out the riddles behind what was going on. I recommend it. br / br /Enjoy. br /

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Cello Asesino, 2007-12-12
solo para fans del terror asiatico,no es una gran produccion pero esta entretenida,es la clasica del fantasma que regresa del mas alla a saldar cuentas

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

What's Next, Haunted Red Shoes?...Oops!, 2007-10-24
Once again, Korea has given their viewers a beautiful film in terms of cinematography. In fact, I find most Korean films these days visually stunning. However, this has never been a problem. What many of these horror films lack are real scares. Sure, ambiguity is nice once in awhile, and the revenge factor works now and then. But how about something totally different? Now, in all fairness, I do believe that Korean horror and suspense films are still a notch above what we in America churn out on a daily basis. But, these films are becoming so formulaic, that I find it hard to really like many of the films coming out of the Korean horror industry these days. That is not to say that some viewers will not like this film. br / br /For me the film itself lacks the suspense and horror that I really look forward too in this genre. Having written this, I will write that "Cello" is better than many films that have been released in recent years from Korea--yet that is not saying much, as so many are so similar. Yes, they are much better than most of the horror films here in the States, but one keeps hoping that they will make a breakout with some really captivating and scary films that will capture the world with the same unique quality that their dramas, and suspense films have been able to do. Moreover, the talent in both the acting, and the directing is definitely there. Yet, by continuing to churn out the same formulaic horror films at a rapid rate, they are going to suffer the same fate that American horror films now find themselves in: Stale and turgid. br / br /"Cello" is not that bad of a film. If anything it is watchable. I would just like something a little bit more than "well it was worth a watch." Anyway, the films narrative is more like a drama, with very little to non-existent horror. The film centers around a woman named Hong Mi-ju (Hyeon-a Seong) who is a former Cello player. Due to a tragic car accident, she injures her hand---and as a result, she gives up playing the Cello, and instead becomes a music instructor. [One more thing I would like to add, the Korean horror/suspense genre has pretty much played out the classical music in their films, however, the sound of the cello is beautiful]. Further, there is something that still haunts Mi-ju in regards to her past: For it was in this car accident that her good friend and cello rival Tae-yeon Kim (Da-an Park) was also killed. br / br /Trying to forget this terrible incident and get on with her life, she finds herself saddled with a difficult student who is upset with the grade she has been given. Given a cassette tape from an unknown source, her past begins to haunt her again. Is Mi-ju being haunted by the spirit of her dead rival? And what about the student? How does she fit in? But there is more to the narrative. With a new servant in the house who is mute, and a daughter who begins learning how to play the cello, the film veers into more of a dramatic suspense film with the various characters that are introduced into the film. The film does drag a bit, and plays out more like a drama. And if you have seen Korean horror or thriller films you will notice there is nothing really new here. Once again, this is not a bad film, but it is not a good film either. Somewhere in between. I recommend that viewers rent the film first. It may not appeal to many viewers. [Stars: 2.5]