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SECRET SUNSHINE (MIRYANG)Movie Reviews
Korean language comedy drama about a young widow who relocates with her son to a new town and subsequently encounters troubles of a new kind. Cast:Jeon Do-yeon, Song Kang-ho, Jo Yeong-jin, Kim Mi-kyung, Kim Yeong-jae, Ko Seo-hie, Park Myeong-shinDirector:Chang-dong LeeRelease Date:December 22, 2010DVD Release:June 4, 2010From:IFCLength:2 hr 22 min
Secret Sunshine (Miryang) played in limited release to excellent reviews. • Bill Stamets wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times, "Lee Chang-dong creates an indelible character wracked by grief... more a portrait of a young woman coping with bad luck than a critique of Christianity." • And Patrick Z. McGavin wrote for Cinema 24/7, "...finds an emerging director refining his craft, and a wonderful and brilliant actress..." More Reviews Below...
Secret Sunshine (Miryang) has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (5 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...has the kind of emotional depth and thematic complexity that rewards repeat viewings.... the cinematic equivalent of prose that is clear, elegant and lyrical... great..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 12/22/10
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Director Lee Chang-dong's soulful, affecting film is as quiet as a tomb and has a disturbing, critical underside that's hard to shake off."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 133 words, 12/24/10
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...features an amazing performance by Jeon Do-yeon... Jeon's performance is powerful enough to keep 'Secret Sunshine' from drowning in an ocean of tears."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 220 words, 12/21/10
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Lee Chang-dong creates an indelible character wracked by grief... more a portrait of a young woman coping with bad luck than a critique of Christianity."(See all of Bill Stamets's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 336 words, 01/07/11
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: OUTSTANDING "...one of the year's best... doesn't just posit grief but probes the hidden biology of it, like a parasite slowly chewing up its host from the inside."(See all of Michael Atkinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 12/22/10
KEY CITIES (1 Review)
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Take the time to decode its subtle poetry and your effort will be handsomely rewarded. South Korea produces some of the world's finest films these days; this is further proof."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 304 words, 02/04/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: OUTSTANDING "...one of the year's best... doesn't just posit grief but probes the hidden biology of it, like a parasite slowly chewing up its host from the inside."(See all of Michael Atkinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 12/22/10
Noel Murray, AV Club: EXCELLENT(cg) "Lee crafts scenes that show how people lie to themselves, in ways both subtle and deeply disturbing.... a frequently beautiful film with a cold, dark heart..."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 361 words, 12/21/10
Kevin B. Lee, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "Lee has a rare gift for depicting how the minor dissonance of everyday interactions eventually explodes into public displays of rage and despair... emotionally bracing..."(See all of Kevin B. Lee's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 519 words, 09/22/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (1 Review)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...has the kind of emotional depth and thematic complexity that rewards repeat viewings.... the cinematic equivalent of prose that is clear, elegant and lyrical... great..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 12/22/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Derek Elley, Daily Variety: MODERATE "...ambitious, almost novelistic... Credit amassed by pic's slow-burning beginning and interesting mid-section is dissipated by a long final act in which the air is let out..."(See all of Derek Elley's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 720 words, 05/28/07
Patrick Z. McGavin, Cinema 24/7: EXCELLENT(cg) "...finds an emerging director refining his craft, and a wonderful and brilliant actress providing the purest, most direct means to mediate tragedy and its discontent."(See all of Patrick Z. McGavin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 933 words, 05/27/07
A.O. Scott, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...has the kind of emotional depth and thematic complexity that rewards repeat viewings.... the cinematic equivalent of prose that is clear, elegant and lyrical... great..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 12/22/10
18.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Secret Sunshine (Miryang)'s reviews are separated by an average 18.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Secret Sunshine (Miryang) (10 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Secret Sunshine (Miryang)'s reviews cover 10.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,671 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 467 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 79 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Secret Sunshine (Miryang)'s reviews on average broke 79 days before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Secret Sunshine (Miryang)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Secret Sunshine (Miryang) (10 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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