The Host

Were this a Hollywood film, the giant mutant would have been rampaging across the city, destroying anything that came in its way.

Were this a Hollywood film, it would have been all about government machinery versus the mutant.

Were this a Hollywood film, an old grandfather, a drunk Dad and a grumbling uncle would have barely got a look-in.

Were this a Hollywood film, this story would have been about triumph against yet another scientific misadventure, rather than about the tragedies which manifest it.

So thank God this isn8217;t a Hollywood film. It8217;s a South Korean look at what happens when a monster, created by toxic elements thrown into Seoul8217;s Han river by a Western scientist, drags away the 12-year-old child of a family that has little going for it.

In the process it also explores what happens when the West, particularly the US with its special interests in Korea, quickly jumps into the picture, believes the worst of an Asian crisis in this case, classifying it under the broad definition of SARS and gives it a global dimension, with little consideration of its repercussions on the local populace.

Watch out for the scientist who eventually 8220;confides8221; to another that the whole virus scare may be a hoax.

So while its monster may not be the most elegant thing to come out of the murky depths of a river, its dubbing may be far from passable and its politics a little too obvious, but with its nice characterisation, some fine acting and small touches which put it apart the mutant eventually dies not by a tank but by a Molotov cocktail, as people become increasingly suspicious about their Government, the film lifts itself from being yet another Godzilla-esque blockbuster.

Yes, The Host is scary, full of suspense and lots of people are eaten alive, as fits a film of its genre. But as it ends with yet another death, with a mechanical voice blaring in the background 8220;Agent Yellow successfully accomplished8221;, it is also a comment on all such films of its genre.

Because I Said So

Cast: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore

Director: Michael Lehmann

If The Host dunks most of the clicheacute;s of a monster horror film, Because I Said So leaves none of a romantic comedy that it doesn8217;t co-opt.

Okay, let8217;s try it. Suppose you have a mother who interferes in all aspects of your love life because she thinks you are a miserable failure in it, and she happens to be the smart and smashing-at-60 Diane Keaton. Suppose she picks a guy for you who is a good-looking successful architect with family money behind him and trips to Italy on the itinerary. Suppose another good-looking man fancies you, and he is a not-so-rich, not-so-successful musician who has a way with words.

It boils down to whom you pick of the two. And just so that no clicheacute; is left out, the musician has a cute little son who says the most irritating things which are supposed to be funny coming out of the mouth of an eight-year-old.

You go out with both, and while the first one woos you with his penthouse apartment and his heirlooms, the other one is always doing things like stepping in for a colleague so as not to let down some trainee musicians who have just learnt to play E minor, or introducing you to your son.

While you cook chocolate souffleacute;s for both you happen to run a catering service, at the cluttered house of the musician, they turn out perfect. In the sparkling, spotless kitchen of the architect, they come out burnt.

Guess who do you end up with? Let8217;s just say: 8220;I told you so.8221;