Turnabout

As promised, way back when, things are finally returning to form. This time, it's a film from The French New Wave with Bande à part, and a taste of Hong Kong horror in the form of Troublesome Night 6. As I mentioned, things are back to normalishness (it's a word, now) with lengthier descriptions of the films. Enjoy.

Bande à part
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Anna Karina, Sami Frey, and Claude Brasseur.

Odile (Karina), a bored and beautiful young woman, discovers that a guest in her aunt's house has a large amount of money stored in his room. She lets slip to Franz (Claude Brasseur), a classmate in her English class, that the large sum is often left unattended. In turn, Franz tells his friend Arthur (Frey). Soon, Franz and Arthur hatch a plot to steal the cash, with Odile's help. As they plot with one another to steal the money, Arthur plots against Franz to steal Odile's heart.

"All you need for a movie is a girl and a gun." - Jean-Luc Godard

Staying true to the mantra he first followed with his feature film debut À bout de souffle, Godard creates yet another masterpiece. The deceptive simplicity of the film allows one to become immersed in the fictional world, perpetuating the familiarity of the rebellious nature of The French New Wave, of which Godard was a founder. For an example of The French New Wave, for an immersive fimic experience, or just for a good time, pick up a copy of Bande à part.

Troublesome Night 6
Directed by Herman Yau, starring Louis Koo, Simon Liu, Gigi Lai, Amanda Lee, Wayne Lai, Nadia Chan, Ng Chi-Kwan.

Koo and the gang star as cops in the sixth installment of the Troublesome Night series. For the outing, the story revolves around a group of tabloid reporters who are being killed off by the ghost of a former celebrity. In the previous year, the reporters had hounded the ghost when she was still corporeal, leading her to take a swan dive off the roof of a club.

Having been a celebrity fills the ghost with an exorbitant amount of ectoplasmic ego, leading to her self-righteous retribution. The only thing standing in the way of the murderous spirit and the completion of her quest are Koo & Co. The Tanned-One and his fellow detectives must find a way to stop the angry apparition to save the reporters, save the police deparment's image, and save one of their own.

As with Troublesome Night 1-5, Yau, Koo, and everyone else involved have created an enjoyable, if unnecessary, film. Though it lacks the silliness of some of the previous Troublesome Night films, Troublesome Night 6 is a fairly good flick, with a creepy feel to it. With the silliness gone, and a group of seasoned actors, Troublesome Night 6 proves to be a decent HK horror-flick.

Next time:
My Dear Enemy
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring

Running

This time, a slew of films of varying quality. Coincidentally enough, the same description can be used for my commments on the films, which are all fairly short again. Anywho, on with the films:

Overnight
A documentary about the rise and fall of Troy Duffy, director of The Boondock Saints. If you haven't heard the tale of Duffy's dream-like rise to hollywood fame, and his even more famous fall from the limelight, you should check Overnight out. Though there are some minor issues, such as the quality of the equipment used, Overnight is a decent documentary. However, Troy Duffy is pretty much a horrible person.

Driving Miss Wealthy
Directed by James Yuen, starring Lau Ching-Wan, and Gigi Leung.

Somewhat entertaining crap.

Playboys Cops
Directed by Jingle Ma, starring Shawn Yue, Aloys Chen, Shaun Tam, and Linda Chung.

Rich kid-cops investigate a murder. Playboy Cops is over-the-top, but it's still a decent cop drama.

Mr. Cinema
Directed by Samson Chiu, starring Anthony Wong, Ronald Cheng, Karen Mok, and Teresa Mo.

Chiu and Co. have crafted a fine film about family and differing perspectives.

Curiosity Kills the Cat
Directed by Zhang Yibai, starring Carina Lau, Hu Jun, Lin Yuan, Liao Fan, and Song Jia.

A good, though somewhat muddled thriller from one of China's best directors.

Red Sorghum
Directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li, Jiang Wen, and Ten Rujun.

An excellent film. Just watch it.

Hélas pour moi
(aka Oh, Woe Is Me) Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Gérard Depardieu, Laurence Masliah, and Bernard Verley.

A intelligent film about belief. What the belief is (or isn't) in depends on the viewer.

Troublesome Night 4
Directed by Herman Yau, starring Louis Koo, Pauline Suen, Cheung Tat-Ming, Lai Yiu-Cheung, Simon Liu, Timmy Hung, Emily Kwan, Marianne Chan Miu-Ying, Karen Tong Bo-Yu, and Aya Meder.

Mediocre Hong Kong horror flick starring the Tanned One, Louis Koo, before he became a household name in select households in some parts of the world.

Troublesome Night 5
Directed by Herman Yau, starring Louis Koo, Amanda Lee, Lai Yiu-Cheung, Simon Liu, other people from the Troublsome Night series of films, and some other actors.

Another mediocre Hong Kong horror flick from Yau.


Next time things should be back on track with longer posts that offer insightful commentary, or something like that.

Stirrings of Memory

Yet another shorter post, because I'm still lazy and apathetic. Which begs the question, "If you're so lazy and apathetic, why bother with this blog?" Good question.

Anywho, on with the films. This time, American adolescent horror with The Monster Squad, China's current big hit Ip Man, Korean existential drama Welcome to Dongmakgol, Hong Kong horror near it's worst in Here Comes a Vampire, HK (remake of Hollywood's Cellular) actioner Connected, and Chinese drama Lost, Indulgence.

The Monster Squad
Directed by someone, starring some adults, mostly kids.

The Monster Squad is The Goonies, except with monsters instead of thieves. If you haven't seen it, you aren't missing much.

Ip Man
Directed by Wilson Yip, starring Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, and Gordon Lam.

"Wing Chun, Ip Man." If you don't get all kinds of excited at the thought of Donnie Yen saying the preceeding phrase, I don't like you. Also, you probably won't like Ip Man. Loosely based on Ip Man (aka Yip Man), and his life during Japanese occupation of China. Ip Man is fast and exciting, with plenty of kung fu action, and a bit of drama too.

Donnie Yen stars as the man-who-would-be Bruce Lee's Wing Chun instructor, and puts forth a fine performance, with minimal preening. The rest of the cast is good, and the film itself is a solid flick, that provides action, drama, comedy, and a fun way to spend one's time. Say what you will about Donnie Yen's acting ability, he has an incredible presence onscreen. I'm looking forward to the already green-lit sequel.

Welcome to Dongmakgol
Directed by Park Kwang-hyun, starring Shin Ha-kyun, Jeong Jae-yeong, Seo Jae-kyeong, Lim Ha-ryong, Ryu Deok-hwan, Steve Taschler, and Kang Hye-jeong.

Three North Korean soldiers, two South Korean soldiers, and one shot-down American. During the Korean War, all six men end up high in the hills of Korea, in the unknown village of Dongmakgol. While there, they come to realize that no matter which side they fight for, they're still people.

Welcome to Dongmakgol is, at times, a bit silly, but still an incredibly watchable drama. The actors are all superb, and the direction is slick and assured. For a war-based film about humanity, that's engaging, and even a bit hopeful, Welcome to Dongmakgol is definitely worth a look.

Here Comes a Vampire
Crap with a captial "C". Other than unintentional humor and seeing Andy Hui and Sandra Ng in ridiculous roles, Here Come a Vampire is a waste of time. However, if, like me, you haven't the slightest idea of what to do with your free time, except watch films of varying degrees of quality, buy a copy of Here Comes a Vampire today! It's better than staring at a wall. I think.

Connected
Directed by and co-written by Benny Chan, starring Louis Koo, Barbie Hsu, Nick Cheung, Liu Ye, and Eddie Cheung.

With as many plot holes and contrived circumstances as a Hollywood actioner (of which it is a remake) Connected is about what you'd expect. Just about everyone overacts, and there's as much implausibility onscreen as there is product placement. That being said, Connected is still a pretty solid commercial flick, and is filled with unintentionally funny incidents, and more than enough drama. Plus, it stars Louis Koo. Who doesn't like Louis Koo? For a brainlessly good time, Connected is a great.

Lost, Indulgence
Directed by and co-written by Zhang Yibai, starring Karen Mok, Jiang Wenli, Tan Jianci, Eason Chan, Eric Tsang, Ma Sichun, and Duan Bowen.

Art-house cinema and commercial cinema collide in the latest from Chinese Director Zhang Yibai is really good. The direction and acting are top notch, and the story, though a bit too vague at the end, is intriguing. As confusing and engaging as is life, Lost, Indulgence is great, and well worth watching. I really, really liked it.

Next time: My laziness and apathy will have been overcome by my patience and positive outlook. Or, there will be another shorter post. I'd bet on another shorter post.

Terrific

I've been feeling apathetic and lazy as of late, so this will be another short post, with very little description of my opinions. Maybe that's a good thing.

Gran Torino
Directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, and Avney Her.

One of the best films I've seen in years. Really, really good.

Le Mepris
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Bridget Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, and Fritz Lang.

Aka Contempt, Godard's film features a fine cast and an engaging story.

Let the Right One In
Directed by Tomas Alfredson, starring Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, and Peter Carlberg.

A slow begining sets up the characters for a tense and gripping film.

Prison On Fire
Directed by Ringo Lam, starring Chow Yun-Fat, and Tony Leung Ka Fai (aka Big Tony).

Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung play two prisoners that become friends as they fight off gangs and the loneliness of confinement.

City On Fire
Directed by Ringo Lam, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sun Yueh, Carrie Ng, and Roy Cheung.

Chow Yun-Fat plays an undercover cop that wants off the force, but is forced to risk his life to stop a band of robbers that may be (inspite of their criminal actions) better people than some of the police trying to capture them. This is the film Tarantino copied/borrowed from/stole from/pays homage to with Reservoir Dogs.

Police Confidential
Directed by Raymond Lee, starring Simon Yam, Linda Wong, Fengyi Zhang, and Carrie Ng.

A good cop thriller, complete with corruption, frame-ups and murder. Simon Yam is excellent as usual.

3-iron
Directed by Kim Ki-Duk, starring Hee Jae, and Lee Seung-yeon.

An incredible film from Korean art-house Director Kim Ki-duk. Hee Jae stars as a man that breaks into people's houses when they aren't home. He spends the night and fixes things, before leaving to find another temporary home. One day, he comes across a home he believes empty, only to find a battered woman. The two then help each other find what has been missing from their respective lives. Better than one might think, and far better than my description. I liked it quite a bit.

Next time:
Monster Squad
Ip Man
and some other films

Short and Sweet

This time: Short and sweet comments (well, short anyway) on the films Peony Pavilion, Run Papa Run, Wo Hu, The Moss, Bangkok Dangerous, Spacked Out, The Contract Lover, and Gran Torino.

Peony Pavilion
Though it co-stars the always great Rene Liu, Peony Pavilion has a meandering plot that never really engages the viewer enough to make one care what is happening onscreen. An okay ghost story with decent acting.

Run Papa Run
Another film co-starring Rene Liu. Run Papa Run stars Louis Koo as a triad that spends as much time being a crime boss as he does trying to conceal that fact from his daughter. Good acting, casting, directing and a decent story make Run Papa Run worth recommending.

Wo Hu
If you like undercover cop dramas from Hong Kong, you'll like Wo Hu.

The Moss
If you like undercover cop drams from Hong Kong, there is a pretty good chance that you won't like The Moss. Derek Kwok's second film falls short of expectations, and it isn't half as good as his debut flick The Pye-Dog. I wouldn't suggest viewing The Moss to the average viewer, however, The Pye-Dog is really good. Hopefull Kwok's next film will be as good as his first.

Bangkok Dangerous
Not the Hollywood remake starring Nic Cage. That was a horrible piece of trash that should never be seen by anyone. Ever. The original Bangkok Dangerous is pretty good. It isn't the genre defining film that many claim it to be, but it is an interesting film that is far better than the remake.

Spacked Out
An intriguing look at a group of young girls in Hong Kong that live adult lives without the experience of age.

The Contract Lover
Cah-wrap. An absolutely awful film that is a complete waste of time.

Gran Torino
One of the best films I've ever seen. Go see it.

I may be less lazy with my thoughts on films next time. Probably not.

Coming up later this week:
Gran Torino (yes, it is so good that I've seen it twice already, and may see it again this week)
Le Mepris (aka Contempt)
Let the Right One In
Prison On Fire
City On Fire
Police Confidential (not on fire)
3-iron (also not on fire)
The Monster Squad (if I manage to finish watching it)
-and (probably)-
Lost, Indulgence
Connected
Driving Miss Wealthy

It is Written

It's 2009, in case you hadn't noticed, and I've started the new year with a slew of films (13 so far). The films: Slumdog Millionaire, City of God, Turning Gate, Dreams may come, and Valkyrie.

Slumdog Millionaire
Directed by Danny Boyle, starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, and Irrfan Khan.

Jamal (Patel), has gotten to the final questions on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". Being a poorly educated young man who works as an assistant at a telemarketing company, Jamal is thought to be cheating, and is wisked away by the police. What follows is a police questioning interspersed with flashbacks to Jamal's life, showing how he came to know the answers, and how he came to be himself.

Slumdog Millionaire is a great film. Director Danny Boyle brings style and energy to the proceedings that gel with the story. Dev Patel is excellent as Jamal, and the rest of the cast put forth good performances. With a good story, good direction, good acting, and a really great soundtrack, Slumdog Millionaire is definitely a film worth watching.

City of God
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen, Matheus Nachtergaele, and Seu Jorge.

Based on a true story, City of God chronicles the lives of a group of people living in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, as told through the eyes of one of their own.

Excellent direction, acting, music, locations, and story. I feel remiss that I hadn't seen City of God years earlier, but I am glad that I finally saw it. To say that City of God is a great film is wholly appropriate. I would go as far as to say that I think City of God is one of the finest films ever made.

Turning Gate
Directed by Hong Sang-soo, starring Kim Sang-Kyung, Chu Sang-Mi, Ye Ji-Won, and Kim Hak-Sun.

A man, Kim Kyung-Soo, takes time to look back at his life.

Turning Gate is a great film about self relfection, with strong performances, and assured direction. Most definitely worth seeing.

Dreams may come
Directed by Xu Jinglei, starring Xu Jinglei and Han Tongsheng.

Director, Writer, Actress, Xu Jinglei's third film, Dreams may come is an existentialist piece of cinema. All but a few seconds play out between just two characters, a director (Han) and an actress (Xu), who trade comments about each other, the film industry, and life as they infuriate and inspire one another through their friendship and loneliness. With an intimate and honest feel to it, Dreams may come is an excellent film from an excellent director.

Valkyrie
Directed by Brian Singer, starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard.

Based on the true story of a German resistance to Hitler's regime. Singer's latest since Superman Returns, Valkyrie features a sleek look, and a good plot, both of which one would expect from the talented director, as well suprisingly good acting from Tom Cruise. The other actors all perform well, but Cruise really steals the show as Col. Stauffenberg.

The only comlpaint I have is the variety of accents among the German military and government, as most of the actors seem to speak exactly as they would in real life. However, it is merely an annoyance, and one that hardly detracts from the film. Valykrie is a good, solid thriller, and one of the best American films I've seen in a very long time.

Coming up this week:
Peony Pavilion
Run Papa Run
Wo Hu
The Moss
Bangkok Dangerous
Spacked Out
The Contract Lover
Gran Torino

That's a Wrap

This time: It's all Hong Kong films with First Love: Litter on the Breeze, My Lucky Star, Invisible Target, Purple Storm, and Tiramisu. I'm feeling sleepy and lazy, so I'm going to put terribly short descriptions of each film. Enjoy.

First Love: Litter on the Breeze
Eric Kot's directorial debut is an incredibly post-modern film that is as exhausting as it is engaging. Worth a look.

My Lucky Star
Mind-numbing crap starring Miriam Yeung and Tony Leung (the short, older Tony). It's crap, (as I mentioned) but it is also entertaining, thanks to Miriam Yeung's comedic abilities.

Invisible Target
An action film that tries to be more than it is, Invisible Target attempts to wow while making the audience feel and think; neither of which are necessary for this film. At least there is plenty of action.

Purple Storm
An interesting film that possesses a kind of reverse Manchurian Candidate plot. Better than one might expect.

Tiramisu
Stars Karena Lam and Nicholas Tse are immensely likeable, and the tale of spectral love is endearing and enjoyable.

That wraps up the films I watched in 2008. Check back soon for how I started 2009. (Hint: Watching films)

The Films of Hur Jin-ho

This time: The films of South Korean Director Hur Jin-ho, Christmas in August, One Fine Spring Day, April Snow, and Happiness.

Christmas in August
Starring Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha.
A thirty-something photographer and an early twenties traffic cop find love and friendship with one another.

One Fine Spring Day
Starring Yu Ji-tae and Lee Yeong-ae.
A young sound-recorder and a radio show host find that it's harder to be friends than lovers.

April Snow
Starring Bae Yong-joon and Son Ye-jin.
The spouses of two unfaithful people involved in a car accident help each other find solace.

Happiness
Starring Hwang Jung-Min and Im Soo-Jung.
Two physically ill patients in a sanatorium struggle to live and love.

All four of Hur's features center around love in it's various forms. Whether it is love in bloom, love unrequited, love on the rocks, love on the decline, or love that wanes, it is a form of love that can be found in Hur's films. The reason for such short descriptions of each film is to show the simplistic structure of Hur's stories. Taking realistic approaches to realistic incidents, Hur crafts films that emote because of the believability within each tale.

That is not to slight the actors, however. Each of the films posses terrific acting from the respective leads. Hur's ability to generate engaging dramas with quality acting and identifiable problems is what sets his films apart from the standard melodrama. With great performances and Hur Jin-ho's direction, the preceeding films are all worth seeing.

Next time (tomorrow):
First Love: Litter on the Breeze
My Lucky Star
Invisible Target
Purple Storm
Tiramisu

Happy Monday

This time: My thoughts on the films YPF and Naked Ambition. Readers should know that YPF's actual title will be used, which contains explicit language.















YPF
Directed by and co-written by Martin Gero.

With a title (the full title is Young People Fucking) that is meant to get people in the theatre (or the disc in your dvd player) Young People Fucking's story is what keeps the viewer in front of the screen til the end credits roll. First time Director Martin Gero's film about young people and the trials they face in romantic relations is an intelligent comedy. While it is decently directed and possesses a good script, Young People Fucking is sorely lacking in the acting department. Most of the performances scream low-budget, and seem amateur at best.

However, the cleverness of the script makes up for the emotional emptiness, which may be Gero's intention. If so, he deserves to be lauded for the inferences that can be drawn from the hollow nature of the film. If not, Young People Fucking is still an interesting comment on society's view of sex. Either way, Gero has crafted an engaging and sly film.

Naked Ambition
Directed by Chan Hing-Ka and Dante Lam, starring Louis Koo, Eason Chan, Josie Ho, Niki Chow, Jo Koo, and Cherrie Ying.

An overstuffed and overlong comedy about two friends that start a porn magazine, and the difficulties they face as they struggle with ethics and morality. As passable entertainment, Naked Ambition succeeds. As a witty comment on society, or a touching tale of friendship, it fails miserably. That being said, for two hours of hit-or-miss comedy and emotion, with serviceable leads (pun intended) and beautiful actresses in annoying performances, Naked Ambition fits the bill.

Next time (tomorrow):
Christmas in August
One Fine Spring Day
April Snow
Happiness

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, a few days late (just like this post). I've been busy actually watching films, which has gotten in the way of my babbling about them. However, just for you dear readers of this blog, the babbling shall begin again with my thoughts on An Autumn's Tale, Mongol, Memories of Murder, and This Charming Girl.

An Autumn's Tale
Directed by Mabel Cheung, starring Chow Yun-Fat and Cherie Chung.

Hong Kong student Jennifer (Chung) travels to New York to study and to be closer to her boyfriend. Unfortunately for Jennifer, her boyfriend has moved on. Virtually alone in a new place, Jennifer is aided by her distant cousin Figurehead (Chow), who shows her how to navagate the city and life.

An Autumn's Tale runs the gaunlet of emotions, with action, comedy, drama, and romance. Chung puts forth a decent performance, as do the members of the supporting cast, but it's Chow that really sticks out. As the figurehead of a group of immigrants, Chow's smug demeanor and the brashness of his character exudes cool. Because of Chow's charisma and the charming story, Cheung's tale of longing and love is well worth seeing.

Mongol
Directed by Sergei Bodrov, starring Tadanobu Asano, Honglei Sun, and Khulan Chuluun.

Based on the life of Genghis Khan, Mongol follows the early years of Temüjin, chronicling his rise to power as leader of the Mongol Empire. Despite what one might expect, Mongol is not an action film. Though there is a fair amount of warfare, Mongol isn't as much about the warrior Temüjin, as it is about the strength of a man and the woman who loves him. Bodrov's use of breathtaking landscapes and human emotions makes the character of Temüjin feel less like a distant piece of history and more like a person. Whether true to history or not, Bodrov's take of the great Mongol leader is an engrossing film.

Memories of Murder
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, starring Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-Kyung, and other people.

Based on a true story about the first known serial killings in South Korea, Memories of Murder follows the lead police investigators as they fight against each other's differing investigative styles, and against time, to catch the killer and save lives. Bong and company have crafted a great, dark thriller, with excellent performances from leads Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-Kyung.

This Charming Girl
Directed by Lee Yoon-ki, starring Kim Ji-soo and Hwang Jung-min.

An excellent film about a girl that has closed herself off emotionally due to a trauma she is incapable of dealing with. Lee's direction and all the other aspects of the film serve as a backdrop for Kim's incredible performance. Kim's ability to portray a wide range of emotions with little dialogue and even less of a plot is nothing short of remarkable. Though it is a bit slow going, This Charming Girl is just as the title implies, and well worth seeing.

Next time:
YPF (beware of explicit language)
Naked Ambition