Seongyong's Private Place

Nobody’s Daughter Haewon (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : She’ll probably be all right in the end.

Posted on March 5, 2013 by kaist455

“Nobody’s Daughter Heawon” is another small, lightweight work from South Korean director Hong Sang-soo which does not escape from our expectation much. Again, we are treated with the familiar elements from his previous works: drinking, problematic romantic relationship, and funny sights of human foibles including male pettiness. As usual, all are playfully handled with sly humor hidden inside its minimalistic approach, and we get some small laughs from them.

The story revolves around a young college student named Hae-won, played by a lovely actress Jeong Eun-Chae. After the funny opening sequence involving the special appearance by Jane Birkin, we see Hae-won spending some private time with her mom(Kim Ja-ok), who will leave South Korea tomorrow for living with Hae-won’s brother in Canada. While it is not directly mentioned, it seems that her mother has divorced from Hae-won’s father, and the mother tells her daughter that she will be happy in Canada because now she can do anything she has wanted to do, including walking barefoot on streets.

They move around at a nearby park while having a nice time together, but Hae-won becomes a little depressed after they part with each other. She later meets Seong-joon(Lee Seon-gyon), who is a film director and a lecturer in her college. It is gradually turned out that they previously had an affair, and, although it was ‘over’ about a year ago, they may begin their relationship again because of the unresolved feelings remaining between them.

Regardless of whether their meeting is for break-up or re-unite, the timing was pretty bad for them. While looking for a place for drinking, they coincidentally come across the students who attend Seong-joon’s class along with Hae-won, and they join the drinking party while lying to the students they ‘accidentally’ meet each other. With many bottles of soju, popular Korean distilled alcohol beverage, and the glasses ready to be filled on their table, their situation is far more than enough for generating the moments of embarrassment, and everyone in the room soon comes to know more than they need to know about Hae-won.

Seong-joon is particularly upset to know that Hae-won had an affair with one of his students after they broke up. Technically, or ethically, there is nothing wrong about Hae-won’s behavior, but Seong-joon becomes quite petty about this fact. When they hang out together in the fortress park near Seoul several days later, their mutual feeling seems to return while they hear the music from Seong-joon’s cassette player, but Seong-joon eventually lets out his angry pettiness toward Hae-won. She is deeply hurt by his accusation, and it seems their relationship is now beyond repair.

Around its third act, the movie becomes more playful, and it naturally reminded me of Hong Sang-soo’s previous films, which were not so different from this movie. While watching Hae-won and other characters moving around the same areas on different days, my mind went back to “The Day He Arrives”(2011), which was about a film director who seemed to be stuck in a sort of time loop. It looked like his days did keep passing by, but he kept encountering strangely repetitive situations with some little variations. Maybe because of drinking, this guy never seemed to be aware of being on the joke, and that was the main source of my amusement.

While not as amusing as “The Day He Arrives”, “Nobody’s Daughter Hae-won” provides several small moments of humor. Because of my ill condition during the first viewing, I watched the movie again on the next day for a more accurate judgment, and I found it more amusing after the second viewing. As suggested by the narration through Hae-won’s diary, some parts of the movie may be not real, and I liked how the minor objects and characters are rearranged or modified later in the story. For example, Hae-won meets a successful film professor at the cafe just like she met a nice young man at the same spot few weeks ago, and, again, their conversation revolves around the used books sold in front of the cafe. He not only gives a nice pep talk to her but also proposes to her even though they meet for the first time. Isn’t he too good to be true?

In the end, we are left with a ‘surprise’ ending while not knowing a lot about Hae-won, but Jeong Eun-chae gives a charming performance as a young vulnerable woman who is uncertain about her future but who can be sensible and strong even when she feels really hurt. When Seong-joon treats her unfairly, she directly points out to him what is wrong with their relationship(well, how far can their relationship can possibly go if one of them is still married?), and she does what any sensible women should do in her circumstance.

The supporting performers, some of whom have previously collaborated with the director, are amusing to watch in their respective roles. Lee Seong-gyoon is pathetic as a married lecturer who turns out to be more immature than his student, and Kim Ee-seong is Seong-joon’s possible mirror image. Yoo Joon-sang and Ye Ji-woon are another couple in illicit love affair; when this couple meets with Hae-won and Seong-joon during one scene, it is pretty apparent that they are Hae-won and Seong-joon’s future – if they keep continuing their affair.

“Nobody’s Daughter Hae-won” does not feel fresh compared to Hong Sang-soo’s other films, but I enjoyed the movie, and I can see Hong Sang-soo is making small forward steps in his on-going self-repetition as shown in “Oki’s Movie”(2010) and “In Another Country”(2012). Although the movie is ended rather abruptly, there remains sadness behind its humorous story, and I cared about Hae-won and her wishes. I don’t know what will happen to her next, but I think she will probably be all right in the end. After all, she is really pretty, isn’t she?

Posted in Movies | Tagged Affair, College Student, Comedy, Professor, South Korean Film | Leave a comment

Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : I wonder how these big guys reproduce

Posted on March 2, 2013 by kaist455

To be frank with you, I had no particular expectation on “Jack the Giant Slayer”, the latest offering from the recent trend of ‘re-interpreting’ fairy tales/folklores into Hollywood blockbuster films. The results from this trend have been unsatisfying like “Mirror Mirror”(2012) and “Snow White and the Huntsman”(2012), or dreadful like “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters”(2013), or modestly good like “Alice in Wonderland”(2010), and, as far as I remember, most of them were not particularly memorable.

A good news is that “Jack the Giant Slayer” will not waste your money if you just expect a simple fun peppered with some amusement. Although this fantasy movie eventually switches its gear toward your average CGI action spectacle mode filled with lots of noises and bangs for its climactic finale, there is enough sense of fun and wonder in the movie for overlooking its weak points for a while, and the movie is more enjoyable than I expected in spite of my reservation generated after the end credits.

As many of you know, the story is inspired by two fairy tales “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Jack the Giant Killer”. Between the earth and the sky, there is a hidden place where the giants live, and these big creatures are not very nice dudes. As shown in the prologue sequence told in a bedtime storytelling fashion, they once terrorized the land of the humans not only with their brutality and but also with their insatiable taste for human flesh, but they eventually retreated to their world after the humans found a way to have them under control.

Our young peasant hero Jack(Nicholas Hoult) was a big fan of this legend when he was young and his dear widower dad was alive to tell the story to his son every night. Now Jack lives alone with his grumpy uncle in their shabby house, and, because of their recent hard economic situation, they have to sell their horse, and it is Jack’s job to take the horse to the city and sell it at a reasonable price.

Of course, Jack coincidentally encounters a monk with those magical beans in the city. He exchanges the horse with the beans just because he is promised that he will be paid by the monk’s colleagues for delivering these valuable beans to them, and Jack’s uncle is naturally not so pleased about this deal. Although the monk warns Jack of the beans’ dark power, one of the beans is inadvertently sprouted by water below Jack’s house, and it rapidly grows into a huge green beanstalk towering over the plain like the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai.

Unfortunately, the princess Isabelle(Eleanor Tomlinson), who escapes from her suffocating environment alone for having her own adventure, happens to drop by Jack’s house at that moment, so she is swept along with the house by the rapid growth of beanstalk. Jack does not like high place much, but, for bringing her back to the earth, he joins the rescue team which includes a valiant knight named Elmont(Ewan McGregor) and an obnoxious prick named Roderick(Stanley Tucci), who is going to marry Isabelle and also has a secret plan for satisfying his big ambition.

After several hours of climbing, they arrive at the place where they have only heard about through the legend, and they soon meet the giants, who have been waiting for the chance to begin another reign of savage terror. Even though we can clearly see that they are CGIs, the movie depicts these cannibalistic creatures with amusingly gross and grotesque details which make Charles Bronson looking like a Prince Charming compared to them, and there is a funny moment involving their dirty kitchen where McGregor’s character is rolled into a dough crust and then put into an oven along with live pigs. I am sure the cook will never get an approval from any public health inspectors, although he will probably eat them first.

Their lifestyle is unpleasant to say the least, but their habitat looks pretty nice with forests and rocks and waterfalls. While observing these landscapes, my logical mind became curious about how this magical place is possible. I know it is certainly maintained by magic or some supernatural force, but where the hell does the water come from? And, considering that the place is pretty high above the sky, shouldn’t this place be cold?

I know I should not be that serious about a fairy tale and its fantastical premise, but my mind kept finding interesting questions, and I kept wondering about how these big dudes have been living in their world for many years. Because I did not see any female or infant giants in the movie, I wondered at point whether they reproduce asexually like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a.k,a. budding yeast – is General Fallon(played by Bill Nighy), the leader of the giants who has two heads, an example of botched asexual reproduction?

Anyway, the movie delivers its loud action spectacles as promised in its trailer during its third act, and the director Bryan Singer, the director of the first two X-men movies, handles the big CGI action sequences with sufficient thrill and excitement although the story drags at some points. Nicholas Hoult and Eleanor Tomlinson play the least interesting characters in the story, but they are adequate background for their co-actors who are more fun to watch, and they all look convincing amidst the special effects on the screen. While Ewan McGregor maintains the sense of fun even when his character is very serious as he should be, Stanley Tucci is entertainingly arrogant and despicable as an opportunistic villain whose big ego will not be satisfied with only one kingdom. Ian McShane has small humorous moments as Isabelle’s concerning father, and Bill Nighy is also good behind his CGI character(my private observation on his two-headed character: “Masturbation is certainly not a lonely business for him.”).

“Jack the Giant Killer” is an average fantasy blockbuster film you will probably enjoy a little more than I did. Although the movie is rated PG-13 in US, the movie has some frightening moments to stimulate the young audiences’ imagination, but it is a mostly bloodless entertainment you can watch with your family. It does not feel fresh enough to be recommended, but I appreciate that the movie did answer one of my personal questions with a good lesson; like tobacco, magical beans are harmful for your health, folks.

Posted in Movies | Tagged action, Adventure, Beanstalk, Fairy tale, Fantasy, Giant, Princess | 1 Comment

Stoker (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Uncle Charlie visits home

Posted on March 1, 2013 by kaist455

Although its interesting but flawed story does not make sense at times, Park Chan-wook’s first English-language film “Stoker” is wonderfully tense and creepy enough to hold our attention at least during its running time. Starting from a conventional thriller premise, the movie gives us interesting characters to observe, and their dark, compelling interactions are subtly presented with the anxious ambience suggesting something malevolent lurking beneath the screen. Like any Hitchcockian thrillers, we can see something bad will happen sooner or later, but what will exactly happen in the end?

The story is mainly viewed through the eyes of a 18-year-old girl India Stoker(Mia Wasikowska), who has just gone through a terrible situation on her birthday. When she and her mother Evelyn(Nichole Kidman) were waiting for him at their comfortable and well-decorated house, her dear father Richard(played by Dermot Mulroney in flashback scenes) died in an unfortunate car accident. The funeral is held few days later, and the friends and relatives come for showing condolence to this sudden tragedy, but our poor neurotic girl does not seem to get much comfort from them.

One of the condolers at the funeral is Charlie Stoker(Matthew Goode), Richard’s younger brother. Neither India nor Evelyn knows a lot about him except that, according to what they are told, he is a businessman who has traveled a lot for his work outside US. Regardless of whether he is really Richard’s brother or not, or whether he is really what he seems to be, this charming guy quickly insinuates himself into the household even before India starts to sense that there is something not so right about her uncle Charlie.

The dynamics in their interactions are apparently inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s great thriller film “A Shadow of Doubt”(1942), which was about an innocent girl psychologically entangled with an evil man who happened to be her beloved uncle(and his name was Charlie in that movie, by the way). In “Stoker”, a similar relationship is quickly developed between India and Charlie; although they have never met each other before, both feel a certain connection forming between them when they first meet. Both see through each other, and that considerably disturbs her. Is it another familiar case in which the opposites are attracted to each other? Or, is it something far more insidious than that?

As toying with these ominous possibilities in an approach both stylish and playful, the movie gradually accumulates the creepy tension churning below its calm surface. Like the director Park Chan-wook’s previous films, many scenes in the movie are filled with details and careful compositions to draw our eyes, and the movie tightly focuses on its main characters and their house even when their mutual interactions indirectly or directly affect the world outside. The unstable psychological dynamics between India, Charlie, and Evelyn feel increasingly palpable as a result; while getting more intimate with his niece day by day, Charlie also approaches to Evelyn, who sort of accepts his seductive approach as a lonely widow.

As their plot thickens, the movie strikes us with several sudden bursts of violence. Compared to “Oldboy”(2003), which was Park Chan-wook’s major international breakthrough, the violent scenes in the film look relatively tame, but they are strikingly effective because of the calm but suspenseful atmosphere surrounding them. They are not mere tools for driving plot; they are driven by the dark impulses of the characters we are interested in, and we become more engaged while wondering what will happen next.

I must point out that the screenplay originally written by Wentworth Miller is not entirely implausible due to many plot holes in its story including the unconvincing behaviors of Richard’s aunt Gwendolyn(Jacki Weaver), who, considering what she knows, should have looked more alarmed to see Charlie hanging around India and Evelyn and should have not done something not so recommendable to do in thriller film.

But “Stoker” is still a stylish psychological thriller story decorated with many disturbing moments, and its inherent weaknesses are compensated by its solid lead performances. Mia Wasikowska has never stepped back in her career since drawing our attention for the first time in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”(2010), and she is impressive as a neurotic teenager girl who sees the darkness inside her through the other darkness tied to hers more than she and we initially thought. As the opening scene suggests, this thriller also works as a twisted coming-of-age drama, and Wasikowska deftly handles the emotional turmoil and following maturation inside her teenager character even when her view becomes less reliable.

Her two co-performers are also good. While Evelyn is a relatively underdeveloped character, Nicole Kidman is well-cast as a mother who feels more distant and perplexed about her daughter than before. Evelyn knows well that her daughter was far closer to her husband while enjoying routine hunting trips with him, but India becomes more alien to her even after his death, and she does not know what to do with her daughter while drawn to the seduction of a dark, handsome stranger.

Matthew Goode, in his most diabolical turn since “Lookout”(2007), is simultaneously suave and menacing as a charming but possibly dangerous man. His avuncular behaviors to India are always tinted with that stealthy mannerisms of a predator approaching to a prey, and he and Wasikowska have a particularly memorable moment when their characters play piano together(The score is composed by Clint Mansell, but the piano music is composed by Philip Glass as requested by the director – both of them do nice job here).

“Stoker” is as distinctive as other notable films in Park Chan-wook’s admirable filmography. Sometimes the movie goes a little too far with its style and symbols, but it is enjoyable to watch, and it certainly proves that Park Chan-wook can make an English-language film while his own touches remaining intact. I do not know whether he will make another film in US, but, considering his achievement in this well-made thriller, I think we can safely have some expectation if he does it.

Posted in Movies | Tagged Family, High School, Horror, Mother and daughter, Murder, Teenager, Thriller | Leave a comment

The Last Stand (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : An entertaining B-action movie with Arnold

Posted on February 23, 2013 by kaist455

“The Last Stand” is a flawed but entertaining B-action movie which could have been disappeared without notice if it had not been for two notable things. First, the movie is directed by Kim Jee-woon, a South Korean filmmaker who has made good impressions on us through “A Tale of Two Sisters”(2003), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”(2008), and that infamous bloody revenge film “I Saw the Devil”(2010). Second, its starring actor is none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had retired from his acting career for a while due to his political activity and then has been making a gradual comeback recently.

Now he is not that muscular guy any more who used to take care of many unfortunate bad guys in his action movies during the 1980-90s, but Schwarzenegger, who is 65 at present, is still capable of holding our attention despite his wrinkled appearance. Though that does not mean that his acting quality is enhanced(his distinctive accent is same as before, by the way), he still retains some of his star quality, and, above all, he looks believable and vulnerable as an aging tough guy in this movie.

Schwarzenegger plays Ray Owens, the sheriff of a small border town named Summerton, Arizona. He came to this town after many years of his police work in LA(of course, we hear later that his last case was very tragic), and he has been enjoying the peacefulness of this remote town where nothing much happens(one character complains that only major case in the town during the last 4 days was rescuing a cat from a tree). The town becomes quieter as most of the residents including the mayor leave for a high school football game in the other town, and Owens is only annoyed by a goofy arms collector Lewis Dinkum(Johnny Knoxville), who has some loud fun with Owens’ deputies outside his certified arms museum.

While moving around the town as usual, Owens notices something very suspicious. There are sometimes strangers passing by his town, but two strangers particularly draw his attention. Not so surprisingly, they are indeed bad guys, and they are hired by a notorious drug cartel boss Gabriel Cortez(Eduardo Noriega), who, according to the federal agent John Bannister(Forest Whitaker), is the worst criminal figure since Pablo Escobar.

Cortez has been being held in FBI custody, but he makes a daring escape in Las Vegas, and, with a modified Chevrolet Corvette which can speed up to more than 200 mph(320 km/h), he will soon arrive at Summerton for crossing the US-Mexico border. I think they could have devised a better escape plan, but never mind, because his car is a good suspense device as an approaching danger and it is always nice to see a speedy sports car zooming across the big screen.

When Agent Bannister notifies him of the news about Cortez’s escape, Owens realizes he must do something to stop Cortez, so the stock characters in his town are accordingly assembled under his leadership: a plucky female deputy who is a good shooter, a jailed ex-marine who finally finds a chance to redeem himself, and, of course, a bumbling deputy who functions as a comic relief along with Dinkum. Dinkum gladly provides them the weapons from the vast storage of firearms in his museum, and I must say it looks like a vintage heaven for any ardent NRA member – he even has an old-fashioned machine gun from World War II.

While the quality of its screenplay is below average due to flat characterization and plot holes, the movie delivers its goodies as pushing its plot to the arrival point with considerable energy. Although the pace is dragged at times by its flaws including mediocre dialogues, the movie is seldom boring as a trashy action movie handled with the sense of fun and excitement, and the action sequence at the center of the town will certainly not disappoint you if you just want to have a mindless fun with explosions and bullets.

And Schwarzenegger acquits himself nicely in the movie. In these days, old guys like Bruce Willis or Sylvester Stallone appear in action films in spite of their age, and Schwarzenegger, who amusingly appeared with them in “The Expendables 2″(2012), shows us that he still can fight and shoot on the screen. It goes without saying that they used stunt doubles during the production, but I must say Schwarzenegger looks less cartoonish than before with his weariness, and he even imbues some gravitas to a generic moment when Owens talks about his experience in LA to a young rookie deputy who is eager to get out of his boring town.

Compared to his previous works, “The Last Stand” looks less distinctive, but the director Kim Jee-woon does some interesting things in his movie while doing his job like a hired director. There are several moments of offbeat humor, and the movie becomes a little more creative than before during its climax car chase sequence involving a vast cornfield where the escape route for Cortez is prepared.

Despite its fair share of entertainment, the movie remains as an average action film which will disappear from your memory within few days after you watch it. The familiar veteran actors including Forest Whitaker, Peter Stormare, Luis Guzmán, Eduardo Noriega, and Harry Dean Stanton merely do their jobs as paid in their limited roles; Stormare and Noriega are suitable as nasty villains, and Whitaker is mostly stuck in his thankless role, and I sort of welcomed Stanton’s brief appearance, which reminded me that he is still active in his career.

2013 will be an interesting year for the South Korean audiences because three prominent South Korean directors respectively made English-language film outside South Korea. I think “The Last Stand” will likely be regarded less favorably than Park Chan-wook’s “Stoker”(2013) and Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer”(2013), but this is not a total failure. Although I am not sure about whether it will help Kim Jee-hoon’s career in US or not, the movie is at least better than its poor US box office result suggests.

Posted in Movies | Tagged action, Escape | Leave a comment

New World (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : In their ruthless new world

Posted on February 23, 2013 by kaist455

South Korean crime noir film “New World” mixes many familiar elements from its genre into its story, and you may recognize some of them if you have seen its seniors such as “Internal Affairs”(2002) or “The Departed”(2006). For instance, one of the main characters is an undercover cop whose loyalty and allegiance are frequently questioned not only by the others surrounding him but also by himself, and there is also a complicated plot about the deadly struggle for power and survival inside the crime organization he ‘belongs’ to. In such a circumstance, it is no wonder that he cannot trust anyone – including himself. He says he wants to get out of his work, but is it really possible for him? And does he really want that?

The major crisis in the crime organization, which is said to be the biggest one in South Korea, begins with the sudden death of its top boss, who has recently been acquitted of some criminal charge involved with his ‘corporation’. While everybody in the organization feels uneasy and suspicious about the questionable aspects of their boss’ demise, some of the ‘executives’ are very eager to fill the empty throne, and the conflict comes down to two leading contenders: Lee Joong-goo(Park Seong-woong) and Jeong Cheong(Hwang Jeong-min).

While the tension is accumulated between these two powerful criminal figures, Mr. Kang(Choi Min-sik), a police chief who has been watching on the organization, sees a golden opportunity in this situation and concocts a secret plan with other high-ranking police officials. If they cannot get rid of the organization, then how about secretly influencing it from the behind through their man who has been successfully planted into the organization?

Their man is Lee Ja-seong(Lee Jeong-jae), Jeong Cheong’s trusted right arm. He has managed to hide his true identity from the organization members while doing his secret job in the darkness for several years, but now he is exhausted and conflicted as a man between two worlds. Jeong Cheong has trusted him like a brother, and his sincere trust and affection make Ja-seong feel more morose about his work even though he is well aware of that Jeong Cheong will kill him without any hesitation if his identity is exposed. He cannot reveal his true identity even to his wife, and her recent pregnancy does not help their estranged relationship much.

The people on his side do not help him a lot either. Ja-seong is frustrated to learn that his work is extended again because of another assignment. Mr. Kang, his direct boss, keeps promising him that Ja-seong will be pulled out of the mission as soon as the new boss of the organization is determined, but he does not tell everything to Ja-seong. It is possible that Ja-seong is not the only undercover cop infiltrating into the organization, and he knows he may be more expendable than he thinks.

While the movie keeps the tension in its story in constant level, these shady main characters interact and clash with each other in predictable but engaging ways as struggling in their dark, dangerous world. The failure is not an option for any of them, and that aspect is well reflected by several bloody violent scenes in the movie. If they are not careful enough, they may end up being at the bottom of barrel buried in the sea and nobody will look for them.

The director/writer Park Hoon-jeong is no stranger to such a gritty, desperate drama like that. He previously wrote the screenplay for Ryoo Seung-beom’s “The Unjust”(2010), which was about an ever-shifting conflict between three untrustworthy guys in their corrupt system. His first directorial effort was “The Showdown”(2011), and it was another story about a conflict between three characters who do not like and trust each other even when a big danger is approaching toward them.

While his story does not surpass the stereotypes and conventions of its genre, Park Hoon-jeong made a compelling crime drama which can hold our attention even in its predictable turns. Even though I came to get a pretty good idea about what would happen in the end, I followed the story with interest, and the movie competently delivered its payoff as expected.

Although there is always the distant feeling toward the broad characters who mainly care about their survival and benefit, the good performances ably support the story. While Lee Jeong-jae looks a little too bland compared to his more colorful co-performers, he is adequately neutral as a man accustomed to hiding his inner conflicts from his ‘colleagues’, and he has a good scene in which Ja-seong must hide his feelings no matter how he feels about the doomed fate of a certain supporting character.

Lee Jeong-jae is assisted well by a bunch of flashier performances surrounding him. Choi Min-sik is a shabby but wily man who pushes and manipulates others for getting his work done; he does not like what he does, but he also knows well what should be done for the mission supervised by him, and he is willing to do it by any means necessary. Park Seong-woong is effectively aggressive as a substantial supporting character in the story, and Hwang Jeong-min gives the best performance in the film as a flamboyant but ruthless gangster who turns out to be more loyal than we thought. There is a crucial scene between him and Ja-seong later in the story, and we do not need explanation about Ja-seong’s subsequent decision because everything is shown through the two men having the most honest moment in their friendship.

I have some reservations about the movie because of its several notable flaws(the female characters in the story are mostly flat and they are more or less than the accessories to the story), but I enjoyed the performances, and I appreciated its slick, competent handling of the genre conventions. It still looks like an imitation of crime noir film, but it is a good one none the less.

Posted in Movies | Tagged Gangster, Police, South Korean Film, Undercover Cop | 1 Comment

My FFC review for National Security (2012)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by kaist455

My Far-flung correspondent review for “National Security”(2012) is recently posted.

If you want to read it, click here.

The review was revised from my original review written in November 2012.

Posted in Movies | Leave a comment

My FFC reveiw for The Taste of Money(2012)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by kaist455

My Far-flung correspondent review for “The Taste of Money”(2012) is recently posted.

If you want to read it, click here.

The review was revised from my original review written in May 2012.

Posted in Movies | Leave a comment

My prediction on the 85th Annual Academy Awards

Posted on February 19, 2013 by kaist455

We have had some unexpected reversals during the Oscar season of this year. We thought “Argo” would be the Best Picture winner around last October, and then “Zero Dark Thirty” suddenly got a strong buzz in last December while “Lincoln” was steadily gaining its momentum. And then “Zero Dark Thirty” was suddenly attacked by the heavy criticisms on its depiction of enhanced interrogation technique, and, when the Oscar nominations were announced, “Lincoln” got 12 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director while, surprise, other strong contenders like “Argo”, “Zero Dark Thirty”, “Django Unchained”, and “Les Misérables were not nominated for Best Director. So it looked like “Lincoln” would be the winner for a while, but, what do you know, “Argo” stroke back with its unstoppable parade of victories at the major award ceremonies and it seems none of its rivals can stop it at this point.

But there is always the possibility of surprise at the ceremony, and the same thing can be said about the other several categories besides Best Picture. As I said before, my prediction will not be very correct, but it is always fun to talk about who will win or who should win before our fun is dissipated with the final result, so let’s have some fun when we are waiting for the ceremony, folks

Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Academy Awards | 1 Comment

Girlfriend Boyfriend (2012) ☆☆☆(3/4) : She loves him, He loves him, He loves her…

Posted on February 17, 2013 by kaist455

Describing that the relationship between three main characters in Taiwanese film “Girlfriend Boyfriend” is complicated is an understatement. As they get close to each other during their youthful years, they slowly realize how much their relationships are disjointed and entangled while also feeling how much they care about each other as friends. They want to be happy, but they are in an impossible situation, and they only come to see what cannot possibly happen, as they become older, wiser, and less idealistic than before.

After the prologue scene in 2012, we are introduced to Liam(Hsiao-chuan Chang), Mabel(Gwei Lun-Mei), and Aaron(Rhydian Vaughan) when they were young and rebellious as the students of a high school in the south region of Taiwan, 1985. It was the time when the Taiwanese government was oppressive to its people with its martial law, and that social aspect is reflected through the strict regulation of the student activities at the school. The school magazine is always censored before publication and distribution, and the female students always need a permit whenever they want to go out in the evening.

When Liam and Mabel are together, they look good as lovers to others. Mabel, a charming spunky girl who can mischievously cause a trouble and then can slyly take care of it later, is surely in love with Liam, but, although they spend a lot of time together while selling ‘used books’ outside the school, this good-looking guy does not talk a lot about what is in his heart except his sincere affection toward her.

We gradually come to see where his heart is directed while they hang around their mutual friend Aaron. Liam cares about Mabel, but he cannot love her as she wants, because he secretly carries a torch for Aaron, who, as a heterosexual guy, loves Mabel. As one South Korean critic said, this is indeed a perfectly circling triangle relationship; she loves him, he loves him, he loves her, and…

Their circumstance remains unresolved even when they graduate and go to the college as close friends. While they participate in the student demonstration demanding more freedom to the government, the shift in their relationships happens. Mabel’s heart is moved to Aaron, and that makes Liam feel more pains in his closeted heart. Drunk and frustrated due to what’s going on between his two dear friends, Liam attempts a very unwise thing at one night and dearly pays for his recklessness.

More years pass by. The things have changed around them in 1997, but their relationship is still stuck in where it has been since 1985 while they now become the members of the society with which they once clashed in the past. A good example is shown through the transformation of Aaron, who was a defiant student activist but now becomes a submissive son-in-law of some wealthy businessman.

The director/writer Ya-che Yang’s screenplay is sometimes murky about the details of his characters while trying to look at the bigger picture of the social changes they go through. The storyline feels discontinuous at several points because of that, but, thanks to its three talented actors who fill the gaps in the story, the movie mostly works as a wistful romance drama about youth and its inevitable decay. I must point out that they are a little too old to play high school teenagers(like me, Gwei Lun-Mei and Hsiao-chuan Chang were born in 1983), but they are engaging to watch; we get accustomed to them as their characters get older along the story, and the changes their characters go through during 27 years are believable in their good performances.

I noticed Gwei Lun-Mei for the first time in “Secret”(2007), a fantasy high school romance movie I enjoyed but did not like enough, and she looks here as lovely as she did in that movie. Her best moment is when her character comes to see what will not happen and then makes a sensible choice; it hurts, but she knows what is best for her recently changed situation.

Two lead actors are also crucial in making the development of the complicated relationship on the screen look convincing. While Rhydian Vaughan’s character is the least-defined one of the trio, his likable performance makes us understand a bit about why Mabel gets involved with him even after he is married. Hsiao-chuan Chang is poignant as a frustrated gay man who is more or less than being in the closet even when he finds someone else to love besides Aaron. He and his co-performers have one emotionally intense moment when their characters try to recapture their happy time in the past but bitterly discover that they and their friendship are not the same as before.

Because of the appearance of a more aged main character in the prologue sequence, you can probably guess what will eventually happen to them in the end. Although the story is not connected well to its determined ending which provides a little too easy exit for the story, the good performances compensate for its weaknesses, and I came to care about the characters.

Watching them aging and changing in one way or the other, I thought about how temporal youth is in our life. When you are young, everything looks so good and lively, and it looks like it will go on forever for you and your friends. But the time flies fast as it always has been, and you suddenly discover your youth belonging to the past – and you also find that you are not a girl/boy you remember any more, as watching another cycle of youth defiantly blossoming in front you.

Posted in Movies | Tagged College, High School, Homosexuality, Romance | Leave a comment

How to Use Guys with Secret Tips (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Don’t judge it by its cover

Posted on February 15, 2013 by kaist455

I have never read those self-help books, but I know one thing for sure: they are pretty useless guides which only waste your money and time. Although I must confess that my nerdy life of 30 years are mostly filled with books and movies, I can tell you without hesitation that real experiences and common sense can help you a lot more than them. Besides, why do you have to read those superficial books if there are good fictions which not only can entertain you but also can tell you many valuable things about life and human nature? Check out Jane Austen’s novels, and you may be a little more sensible about choosing your boyfriend/girlfriend after having a good time with their stories.

Anyway, that inherently absurd aspect of self-help books is a fertile ground for comedy, but, sadly, Hollywood has disappointed us with bland romantic comedy films such as “He’s Just Not That Into You”(2009) and “Think Like a Man”(2012). Fortunately, “How to Use Guys with Secret Tips”, new South Korean romantic comedy film, knows how to draw good laughs from its fictional self-help guide and other fun elements in its witty story, and the result is smarter and funnier than its rather corny title suggests. I must say I had little expectation due to its trailer, but I enjoyed it more than I thought, and I found myself frequently laughing even though I was aware of its cheerfully campy absurdity.

Our heroine in question is Choi Bo-na(Lee Si-yeong), a talented but overlooked assistant director who has been doing many thankless jobs in an advertisement production company for 5 years. Her obnoxious boss and her male colleagues pay little attention to her while handing her many tasks whenever she is in their sights, and she is not so popular at her workplace due to her ‘ungainly’ clothes and blunt attitude. She has somehow maintained the hope of her career advancement, but she is getting tired of receiving little reward for her diligence, and she almost runs out of patience at present. I have heard a lot about how difficult it is for South Korean women to work with men, and I think there are many female audiences who can identify with Bo-na a lot.

The latest project she and others have worked on is a TV commercial to be shot in a beach town with Lee Seung-jae(Oh Jeong-se), who has been a rising new star during last 5 years. Oh Jeong-se has lots of fun while brandishing his character’s silly arrogance. Seung-jae is actually in a difficult circumstance due to the lack of advancement in his career, but, full of vanity and pettiness, this slick star still behaves as if he were a king to be served by the director and the crews including Bo-na, and that rudeness of his annoys Bo-na a lot because she remembers well when Seung-jae was virtually nobody 5 years ago. When they previously met, he pathetically tried to impress her with his lousy dance for getting a job, and now he does not seem to remember that time at all as pompously demanding many things to Bo-na and others on the set.

Tired as usual, Bo-na falls asleep on the beach around the end of shooting, and then, because the crew has left without her, she suddenly finds herself left alone when she wakes up later at night. While trying to find a way of going back to Seoul, she comes across Dr. Swalski(Park Yeong-gyoo), a con man selling various self-help guides at his well-decorated stand with many little light bulbs shining in the darkness. Quickly persuaded by him, she eventually buys a self-help video guide set named “The Guideline for How to Use Guys” with one “Where’s Waldo?” book for 500,000 won(It’s around $450, by the way).

She regrets in the next morning(and it’s VHS! – when is the last time you saw a VHS player?), but, to her surprise, she finds that the video guide is actually helpful to her career and daily life. Along with the delightfully hammy performance by Park Yeong-gyoo in the series of funny video lectures on how to handle men and how to be more confident and attractive as a woman, the movie gives us many hilarious moments as Bo-na applies the lessons to her daily life, and we laugh because 1) they are mostly handled with good comic timing and 2) they reflect the truth that we sometimes need some strategies to survive and advance in our reality. In fact, I think you may find some of the advices in the movie useful if you have problems with your boss and colleagues, though you cannot always depend on them.

The movie is saturated with overblown colorful style and broad characters. You can sense from the start that this is no more than a fantasy(Bo-na’s home looks like a production designer’s wet dream even though she does not seem to earn that much), but the director/writer Lee Won-seok goes all the way for laughs, and he really knows how to make funny scenes. For example, when one character gets in a trouble because he is nearly naked during one certain scene, we naturally expect an inevitable moment of embarrassment and humiliation to follow, but, when we get it, the movie surprises us more than expected, and that was why that scene resulted in a big hearty laugh from me and the others in the screening room.

The lighthearted tone of the movie is well maintained by Lee Si-yeong’s lovable lead performance. While she is actually a pretty actress to say the least, she is convincing as an ugly duckling in the office even with her ‘ungainly’ clothes which actually look nice to me, and the movie works mainly because her transformation and growth through her video guide is also equally believable. While excited about her career boosted by it, she also realizes that it cannot always solve her problems, and we can say that is the most important lesson she gets from it.

While finally advancing her career with the tactics learned from the video guide, Bo-na finds herself getting closer to Seung-jae. Although they have relatively less chemistry between them as a romantic couple during the second part than as an exhausted employee and a lazy star during the first part, the lively interactions between Lee Si-yeong and Oh Jeong-se are always engaging to watch. Seung-jae still does not look like a good guy even in the end, but I sort of began to like him because at least he has some good sides despite his many flaws.

Like many romantic comedy movies, the movie suffers from ‘the third act syndrome’ as expected things happen and the situation becomes more serious than before as a consequence, and it feels dragged at times during the last 30 minutes. I think the movie could have been funnier if it had been more focused, but the movie supplies plenty of amusement and laughs during its 116-minutes, and I am really glad that somebody finally made a good comedy about self-help guide. It may look silly to you at first, but, folks, please don’t judge it by its cover.