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Basically a nerd, basically a film blog.

INTJ

Catharsis is my favorite feeling.
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Posts tagged "Korean cinema"
Memories of Murder (2003) Bong Joon-ho I struggle with wondering how to talk about a film I don’t particularly like that is based largely on a true story. It may be that that’s how events really transpired, and that’s how those policemen really were. But as a film, I found the character archetypes and the subsequent flip to be a little too…obvious? Clear-cut? I don’t know, something. Additionally, I have a hard time in general with stories of gross incompetence (and self-delusion is another one) to begin with - you know, that which you hate the most being your greatest fear/weakness etc. etc. So, although I thought that there were maybe some problems with the way the characters were written, whether that’s truth or not, I recognize that part of my dislike is definitely just my personal preference.  The title of the film is important - memories of murder, at several layers. This speaks to the story elements of the people involved in the investigation, the witnesses, the escapee. The close brush with death. The false memories. But it also speaks to the country’s memories of those murders and their effects. Perhaps this film is, in a way, an apology. When I watched The Chaser, I remember having found a review written by a Korean guy, and he really went into the history of that type of police action that ties into the cultural need to save face - I wish I had saved that link. But so I think that that may be a really big part of the film, an apology for things gone wrong in many ways. I know there are lots of people who love this movie. If you can get past the possible character issues, then yes, there is a lot to love. Both Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung did a great job with their roles. It is also very beautiful. But as a thriller, it’s not really very thrilling, even less of a slow-burn than Zodiac (but still unsettling). I recommend it, but with reservations. #145 - 6/28/2012

Memories of Murder (2003) Bong Joon-ho

I struggle with wondering how to talk about a film I don’t particularly like that is based largely on a true story.

It may be that that’s how events really transpired, and that’s how those policemen really were. But as a film, I found the character archetypes and the subsequent flip to be a little too…obvious? Clear-cut? I don’t know, something. Additionally, I have a hard time in general with stories of gross incompetence (and self-delusion is another one) to begin with - you know, that which you hate the most being your greatest fear/weakness etc. etc. So, although I thought that there were maybe some problems with the way the characters were written, whether that’s truth or not, I recognize that part of my dislike is definitely just my personal preference. 

The title of the film is important - memories of murder, at several layers. This speaks to the story elements of the people involved in the investigation, the witnesses, the escapee. The close brush with death. The false memories. But it also speaks to the country’s memories of those murders and their effects. Perhaps this film is, in a way, an apology. When I watched The Chaser, I remember having found a review written by a Korean guy, and he really went into the history of that type of police action that ties into the cultural need to save face - I wish I had saved that link. But so I think that that may be a really big part of the film, an apology for things gone wrong in many ways.

I know there are lots of people who love this movie. If you can get past the possible character issues, then yes, there is a lot to love. Both Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung did a great job with their roles. It is also very beautiful. But as a thriller, it’s not really very thrilling, even less of a slow-burn than Zodiac (but still unsettling). I recommend it, but with reservations.

#145 - 6/28/2012

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The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) Kim Jee-woon I wanted to watch this movie a second time, immediately after it ended. Pure cinematic entertainment. I think the proper phrase is, “a rollicking good time”. I found it to be a genuinely funny, earnest homage to the spaghetti western (even seeing it referred to as a “kimchi western”).  Aside from just being a lot of fun, the settings and cinematography are great, the score is perfect, and I really loved The Bad and The Weird (I’m not sure I ever really felt like I got to know The Good very well, but minor complaint). #123 - 6/9/2012

The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) Kim Jee-woon

I wanted to watch this movie a second time, immediately after it ended. Pure cinematic entertainment. I think the proper phrase is, “a rollicking good time”. I found it to be a genuinely funny, earnest homage to the spaghetti western (even seeing it referred to as a “kimchi western”). 

Aside from just being a lot of fun, the settings and cinematography are great, the score is perfect, and I really loved The Bad and The Weird (I’m not sure I ever really felt like I got to know The Good very well, but minor complaint).

#123 - 6/9/2012

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The Host (2006) Joon-ho Bong I love when expectations are not met, but surpassed in a completely different way; I was crazy surprised by this film. I didn’t know anything about it, other than that people like it, and I put it on because I was in the mood for a scary movie. Although it wasn’t very scary, I was surprised to find an honestly touching, very funny, excellent examination of family with some thrills. While I am in the mood sometimes for true shocks, thrills, and jump scares, I love this breed of horror movie that is more unsettling, more about the horror of being human. The monster as The Other, as a reflection of what we truly find scary. And even though the monster isn’t very scary, I really dug the way it moved, and it looks pretty good. I was really astonished at how the film achieved its laughs - it’s really fucking funny, but I wouldn’t call it a horror comedy like I would Shaun of the Dead. Tonally, it’s just something completely different, yet still completely successful. Of particular interest to me was the Korean family dynamic. There are definitely times when I wonder about my life had I not been adopted. I would have grown up like that girl, with a poor single mother who worked in a restaurant. If I was lucky, I would have a parent trying to save pennies to buy me a trendy cell phone. I also thought it was interesting within the context of South Korea’s history of unwanted (mostly female) children, and guilt over the same. But probably just reading into it too much. Jesus, someone explain my fucking history to me. #73 - 4/8/2012

The Host (2006) Joon-ho Bong

I love when expectations are not met, but surpassed in a completely different way; I was crazy surprised by this film. I didn’t know anything about it, other than that people like it, and I put it on because I was in the mood for a scary movie. Although it wasn’t very scary, I was surprised to find an honestly touching, very funny, excellent examination of family with some thrills.

While I am in the mood sometimes for true shocks, thrills, and jump scares, I love this breed of horror movie that is more unsettling, more about the horror of being human. The monster as The Other, as a reflection of what we truly find scary. And even though the monster isn’t very scary, I really dug the way it moved, and it looks pretty good.

I was really astonished at how the film achieved its laughs - it’s really fucking funny, but I wouldn’t call it a horror comedy like I would Shaun of the Dead. Tonally, it’s just something completely different, yet still completely successful.

Of particular interest to me was the Korean family dynamic. There are definitely times when I wonder about my life had I not been adopted. I would have grown up like that girl, with a poor single mother who worked in a restaurant. If I was lucky, I would have a parent trying to save pennies to buy me a trendy cell phone. I also thought it was interesting within the context of South Korea’s history of unwanted (mostly female) children, and guilt over the same. But probably just reading into it too much. Jesus, someone explain my fucking history to me.

#73 - 4/8/2012

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The Man from Nowhere (2011) Jeong-beom Lee

Have you seriously not watched this yet?

This film has made its way into my top 3 actual favorite films, and I have been struggling over this post for days, trying to put my finger on why. I suspect that, in the end, it’s a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Plot-wise, there’s nothing terribly original. But the characters and the acting are what really stand out for me. Everyone (suspension of disbelief firmly in place) actually seems like a real person, with real motivations. And I cannot get enough of that fucking bromance; I could watch Cha Tae-sik and Ramrowan fight and exchange looks all day long.

I think the film works especially well since the titular Man from Nowhere’s objective scales - in saving one particular child from the organ harvesters, he’s also saving other children. It’s a comment on Korea’s history of unwanted children. It’s the personal writ large.

And the action sequences…oh, the action sequences. They’re the stuff that dreams are made of.

#71 - 4/7/2012

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A Better Tomorrow (2010) Dir. Hae-sung Song Like Romeo and Juliet, but with brothers, and terrible. Korean re-make. Good action sequences, especially the one at the end. However, the weak plot demands great acting and only one of the actors comes close to delivering. Interesting solely in its very minor N Korean/S Korean subplot, but not even enough of that. #6 - 1/6/012

A Better Tomorrow (2010) Dir. Hae-sung Song

Like Romeo and Juliet, but with brothers, and terrible. Korean re-make. Good action sequences, especially the one at the end. However, the weak plot demands great acting and only one of the actors comes close to delivering. Interesting solely in its very minor N Korean/S Korean subplot, but not even enough of that.

#6 - 1/6/012

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