Today is Actress Kim Jung-eun's birthday. Happy Birthday to Ms. Kim! Since I find it highly unlikely that she reads this blog, on with the films, or, in today's case, the film.
Forever the Moment
Directed by Lim Soon-rye, starring Kim Jung-eun, and Moon So-ri.
Following the completion of the regular season of Women's Handball in South Korea, a group of veteran players are forced to evalute their lives. Though they won the league championship, their team has been disbanded, and there are hard feelings amongst the women, as some have been selected to play for the national team in the Summer Games, while most have not. And, for some, handball must take a back seat to the trials and tribulations of life.
Once those selected arrive at training camp, they have to deal with a seemingly unkind and uncaring coach. Having played with her players on previous national teams, the coach is seen as unworthy, and is treated as such. However, she soon wins the players over with her kindness and strength, only to be replaced as coach by another former player, who is also her ex-fiance.
With the encouragement of her former players, she joins the team as a playe herself, and they all help each other sort out personal affairs in preparation for the Summer Games. Unfortunately, being mentally ready and in good physical shape may not be enough, as the new coach has a chip on his shoulder, and a strong distaste for the veteran players. Facing the start of the Summer Games, the players and the coach must come to believe in themselves, and each other, in order to compete for gold.
Based on true events, Forever the Moment tells the filmic tale of the South Korean Women's Handball Team's preparation for, and participation in, the 2004 Summer Games. There's drama, determination, sweat, and, you guessed it, handball. While cinematic depictions of sports teams overcoming adversity are hardly a rarity, Forever the Moment does manage to go beyond standard fare, eschewing over-the-top high-impact action-oriented scenes for touches of drama and, dare I say, humanity. Suffice it to say, Forever the Moment is very good.
Check back tomorrow for my take on the South Korean films The Restless and Bloody Tie.
04 March, 2009
03 March, 2009
Crossing the Styx
Today, two films by South Korean Director Kim Jeong-kwon, with Ba-Bo and Heartbreak Library.
Ba-Bo
Directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, starring Cha Tae-hyun, and Ha Ji-won.
Once a respected pianist, Ji-ho (Ha) looses her self-confidence and returns to her hometown. Upon her return, she regains her friendship with childhood friend Seung-ryong (Cha), who is mentally challenged, and charged with taking care of his unkind teenage sister after their mother's death. Soon, Ji-ho and Seung-ryong unwittingly help each other find what is missing from their lives.
Based on a popular webcomic, Ba-Bo is a touching film that tugs at the old heart strings, while still managing a bit of humor to balance things out. Cha's performance feels genuine and respectful, while Ha's feels charming and honest. With honest performances and Kim's solid direction, Ba-Bo is an enteraining and thoughtful little film.
Heartbreak Library
Directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, starring Eugene, and Lee Dong-wook.
Fiesty and adorable Librarian Eun Soo (Eugene) flies off the handle when she happens upon a man tearing pages out of a generous amount of books that are OOP (out-of-print). Once the dust settles, Eun Soo finds that the man, Jun Oh (Lee), has been tearing out the same numbered page from all of the books. When Eun Soo sees him again, he tells her the reason behind his vandalism, he was searching for the truth behind his ex-girlfriend's feelings, which she had told him he could find in a book on page 198.
Touched by his story, Eun Soo takes charge of his search, and the two soon develop a friendship. Before long, Eun Soo and Jun Oh's friendship becomes something stronger, and they must dig deep within themselves to discover who they are, and find what they're really hoping to find.
Kim Jeong-kwon's second film of 2008, Heartbreak Library, spins a familiar yarn about beautiful young people lost within the world and themselves. However, the conventions don't weight down the proceedings, as Kim's assured direction highlights the actor's talents, bringing forth a fine film. Heartbreak Library isn't great cinema, but it should be given credit for managing to be an engaging film that slipped under the radar. I'm not a fan of surprises, but Kim's Heartbreak Library is a nice one.
Check back tomorrow for the fifth consecutive day of posts, with the film Forever the Moment, and, *gasp* a surprise.
Ba-Bo
Directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, starring Cha Tae-hyun, and Ha Ji-won.
Once a respected pianist, Ji-ho (Ha) looses her self-confidence and returns to her hometown. Upon her return, she regains her friendship with childhood friend Seung-ryong (Cha), who is mentally challenged, and charged with taking care of his unkind teenage sister after their mother's death. Soon, Ji-ho and Seung-ryong unwittingly help each other find what is missing from their lives.
Based on a popular webcomic, Ba-Bo is a touching film that tugs at the old heart strings, while still managing a bit of humor to balance things out. Cha's performance feels genuine and respectful, while Ha's feels charming and honest. With honest performances and Kim's solid direction, Ba-Bo is an enteraining and thoughtful little film.
Heartbreak Library
Directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, starring Eugene, and Lee Dong-wook.
Fiesty and adorable Librarian Eun Soo (Eugene) flies off the handle when she happens upon a man tearing pages out of a generous amount of books that are OOP (out-of-print). Once the dust settles, Eun Soo finds that the man, Jun Oh (Lee), has been tearing out the same numbered page from all of the books. When Eun Soo sees him again, he tells her the reason behind his vandalism, he was searching for the truth behind his ex-girlfriend's feelings, which she had told him he could find in a book on page 198.
Touched by his story, Eun Soo takes charge of his search, and the two soon develop a friendship. Before long, Eun Soo and Jun Oh's friendship becomes something stronger, and they must dig deep within themselves to discover who they are, and find what they're really hoping to find.
Kim Jeong-kwon's second film of 2008, Heartbreak Library, spins a familiar yarn about beautiful young people lost within the world and themselves. However, the conventions don't weight down the proceedings, as Kim's assured direction highlights the actor's talents, bringing forth a fine film. Heartbreak Library isn't great cinema, but it should be given credit for managing to be an engaging film that slipped under the radar. I'm not a fan of surprises, but Kim's Heartbreak Library is a nice one.
Check back tomorrow for the fifth consecutive day of posts, with the film Forever the Moment, and, *gasp* a surprise.
02 March, 2009
As the Oceans Are Deep
Today, Kim Ki-duk's Address Unknown and Breath. Enjoy.
Address Unknown
An earlier Kim Ki-duk film, Address Unknown is also one of his less accomplished films. The film features good direction, an interesting story, and good performances, but meanders a bit too much. The different elements of the film might have resulted in a better, more watchable film had the characters been a little less idosyncratic, and their lives a bit less bizzare. While Address Unknown isn't a horrible film, it's definitely something had to digest, and would probably play better with hardcore Kim Ki-duk fans.
Breath
Directed by Kim Ki-duk, starring Chang Chen, Zia, and Ha Jeong-woo.
Zia plays an artistic housewife whose husband (Ha) has strayed. Spurred by her loveless and repetitious life, she takes to being crazy, and begins visiting a suicidal death-row inmate (Chen). Her extramarital activites are questioned by her husband, who tries to reconcil, only to find she is unwilling to communicate with him. The love-triangle reveals things all those involved were unaware of, while simultaneously pushing them apart, and pulling them together.
Many of Kim Ki-duk's signature themes are present in Breath. Some characters are mute, or nearly so, the changing of the seasons holds a high level of importance to psychological development, and the lightness and darkness within people are in the spotlight. Though the first two themes aren't as fully realized as in 3 Iron and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring, the direction and performances in Breath make them work. Breath is one of Kim's most accessible films, and it's also one of his most enjoyable.
Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on Director Kim Jeong-kwon's Ba-Bo and Heartbreak Library.
Address Unknown
An earlier Kim Ki-duk film, Address Unknown is also one of his less accomplished films. The film features good direction, an interesting story, and good performances, but meanders a bit too much. The different elements of the film might have resulted in a better, more watchable film had the characters been a little less idosyncratic, and their lives a bit less bizzare. While Address Unknown isn't a horrible film, it's definitely something had to digest, and would probably play better with hardcore Kim Ki-duk fans.
Breath
Directed by Kim Ki-duk, starring Chang Chen, Zia, and Ha Jeong-woo.
Zia plays an artistic housewife whose husband (Ha) has strayed. Spurred by her loveless and repetitious life, she takes to being crazy, and begins visiting a suicidal death-row inmate (Chen). Her extramarital activites are questioned by her husband, who tries to reconcil, only to find she is unwilling to communicate with him. The love-triangle reveals things all those involved were unaware of, while simultaneously pushing them apart, and pulling them together.
Many of Kim Ki-duk's signature themes are present in Breath. Some characters are mute, or nearly so, the changing of the seasons holds a high level of importance to psychological development, and the lightness and darkness within people are in the spotlight. Though the first two themes aren't as fully realized as in 3 Iron and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring, the direction and performances in Breath make them work. Breath is one of Kim's most accessible films, and it's also one of his most enjoyable.
Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on Director Kim Jeong-kwon's Ba-Bo and Heartbreak Library.
01 March, 2009
Away Into the Dark
It's blog time. Regular-length posts are back, and will continue every single day until the end of the month. This time, South Korean horror-thrillers The Chaser and Public Enemy.
The Chaser
Directed by Na Hong-jin, starring Kim Yeon-seok, Ha Jeong-woo, and Seo Yeong-hie.
Jung-ho (Kim) is a pimp with a heart of gold. When a few of his new recruits go missing, he assumes they took advantage of his kindness and took-off with their signing bonuses for greener pastures. Being a former detective, Jung-ho soon finds a correlation between the missing girls, they all went to a customer with the same number prior to their disappearances. Jung-ho's investigation gets kicked into high gear when he learns that another one of his girls, Mi-jin (Seo), is on her way to meet the mystery man.
Thinking the women had been kidnapped and sold, Jung-ho sets about saving Mi-jin, and, with her help, stopping whoever is responsible. Jung-ho's plan quickly goes awry, and he must use everything he's got to find Mi-jin, while dealing with inept and uncaring police, and a viscious killer.
I'd like to be more descriptive about the film, but if I were to state anything more than I have, it would ruin the plot. Na Hong-jin's directorial debut is a dark, distrubring thriller, the likes of which I've not seen in quite some time. Unlike the current trend of Tortue Porn horror-thriller flicks, The Chaser manages it's frights without objectifying women. Lead actors Kim Yeon-seok and Ha Jeong-woo are incredible, and Seo Yeong-hie's performance is gut-wrenching.
With great starring performances in The Chaser, My Dear Enemy and Beastie Boys, Ha Jeong-woo is quickly becoming my favorite actor of this past year. Besides being an exceptional horror film, The Chaser is one of the best South Korean films of the year (2008), and one of the best films of 2008 in general. I don't know what Na Hong-jin's next film will be, but I can't wait to see it, and I'll be watching The Chaser again soon.
Public Enemy
Directed by Kang Woo-suk, starring Sul Kyun-kul, and Lee Sung-jae.
Detective Kang isn't a very good cop. He's basically a criminal with a badge, but, when he happens upon a series of murders, something stirs his inner gumshoe. With his newfound determination, Det. Kang sets about doing some actual detective work. His investigation begins to yield results, convincing Kang that squeaky-clean businessman Chul Gyu-Hwan is the killer. The dirty cop then relentlessly pursues Chul, placing his job and life at risk to stop a merciless killer.
Public Enemy simply kicks ass. Sul's Det. Kang is as badass as characters get, and Lee's turn as a bastard of a killer is chilling. While the uncompromising anti-hero and the unredemable killer are hardly strangers to cinema, Kang Woo-suk's film is anything but formulaic. Public Enemy is a stylish, engaging film that's more energetic than a child after two pieces of birthday cake.
Tomorrow: Director Kim Ki-duk's Address Unknown and Breath.
The Chaser
Directed by Na Hong-jin, starring Kim Yeon-seok, Ha Jeong-woo, and Seo Yeong-hie.
Jung-ho (Kim) is a pimp with a heart of gold. When a few of his new recruits go missing, he assumes they took advantage of his kindness and took-off with their signing bonuses for greener pastures. Being a former detective, Jung-ho soon finds a correlation between the missing girls, they all went to a customer with the same number prior to their disappearances. Jung-ho's investigation gets kicked into high gear when he learns that another one of his girls, Mi-jin (Seo), is on her way to meet the mystery man.
Thinking the women had been kidnapped and sold, Jung-ho sets about saving Mi-jin, and, with her help, stopping whoever is responsible. Jung-ho's plan quickly goes awry, and he must use everything he's got to find Mi-jin, while dealing with inept and uncaring police, and a viscious killer.
I'd like to be more descriptive about the film, but if I were to state anything more than I have, it would ruin the plot. Na Hong-jin's directorial debut is a dark, distrubring thriller, the likes of which I've not seen in quite some time. Unlike the current trend of Tortue Porn horror-thriller flicks, The Chaser manages it's frights without objectifying women. Lead actors Kim Yeon-seok and Ha Jeong-woo are incredible, and Seo Yeong-hie's performance is gut-wrenching.
With great starring performances in The Chaser, My Dear Enemy and Beastie Boys, Ha Jeong-woo is quickly becoming my favorite actor of this past year. Besides being an exceptional horror film, The Chaser is one of the best South Korean films of the year (2008), and one of the best films of 2008 in general. I don't know what Na Hong-jin's next film will be, but I can't wait to see it, and I'll be watching The Chaser again soon.
Public Enemy
Directed by Kang Woo-suk, starring Sul Kyun-kul, and Lee Sung-jae.
Detective Kang isn't a very good cop. He's basically a criminal with a badge, but, when he happens upon a series of murders, something stirs his inner gumshoe. With his newfound determination, Det. Kang sets about doing some actual detective work. His investigation begins to yield results, convincing Kang that squeaky-clean businessman Chul Gyu-Hwan is the killer. The dirty cop then relentlessly pursues Chul, placing his job and life at risk to stop a merciless killer.
Public Enemy simply kicks ass. Sul's Det. Kang is as badass as characters get, and Lee's turn as a bastard of a killer is chilling. While the uncompromising anti-hero and the unredemable killer are hardly strangers to cinema, Kang Woo-suk's film is anything but formulaic. Public Enemy is a stylish, engaging film that's more energetic than a child after two pieces of birthday cake.
Tomorrow: Director Kim Ki-duk's Address Unknown and Breath.
28 February, 2009
You Should Have Gotten a Snack
After a not-so-brief hiatus, the posts are back. This time, just a list of films that I won't be reviewing because I'm too lazy, and it has been too long for me to remember specifics about the films. However, I liked them all. Anyway, the films are:
The Beast Stalker
True Women for Sale
All About Women
The Good, the Bad, the Weird
Winds of September
Troublesome Night 7
Troublesome Night
Beastie Boys
The Letter
Cape No.7
till death do us part
In the coming days, check out regular-size posts for:
The Chaser
Public Enemy
Address Unknown
Breath
Ba-Bo
Heartbreak Library
Forever the Moment
The Restless
Bloody Tie
Road Movie
Black House
Shiri
You Are My Sunshine
The Beast Stalker
True Women for Sale
All About Women
The Good, the Bad, the Weird
Winds of September
Troublesome Night 7
Troublesome Night
Beastie Boys
The Letter
Cape No.7
till death do us part
In the coming days, check out regular-size posts for:
The Chaser
Public Enemy
Address Unknown
Breath
Ba-Bo
Heartbreak Library
Forever the Moment
The Restless
Bloody Tie
Road Movie
Black House
Shiri
You Are My Sunshine
07 February, 2009
Sitting on the Shelf
This time: My laziness and apathy take over, almost completely. Instead of giving semi-intelligent comments on the following 13 films, I'm going to give super-short comments. Thusly, this entry will be short, easy to read, and kinda lame. Anywho, on with the films:
Assembly
A great film.
Samaritan Girl
Pretty good, mostly weird.
Up the Yangtze
The best documentary I've seen in a long time.
9413
Good.
49 Days
Stupid, but an okay way to kill time.
The Twins Effect
Another stupid, but okay way to kill time.
First Name: Carmen
Jean-Luc Godard decided he'd made enough good films, so he tried his hand at making crap. He succeeded.
Jade Goddess of Mercy
A pretty good drama, with a great performance from Vicki Zhao Wei.
Ad Lib Night
A great, affecting drama from Lee Yoon-ki.
Comeuppance
An okay black comedy - drama from Milkway Image.
Public Toilet
Fruit Chan's entertainingly self-indulgent film about...something.
Super Troopers
Super funny.
Iron Man
For a film, Iron Man is pretty good. For a comic book flick, Iron Man is amazing. And yes, it's better than The Dark Knight.
Next time, assuming someone doesn't kill me for dissing the latest Batman film, things will return to normal with longer posts that feature a wealth of information, whether it's useful or not.
Assembly
A great film.
Samaritan Girl
Pretty good, mostly weird.
Up the Yangtze
The best documentary I've seen in a long time.
9413
Good.
49 Days
Stupid, but an okay way to kill time.
The Twins Effect
Another stupid, but okay way to kill time.
First Name: Carmen
Jean-Luc Godard decided he'd made enough good films, so he tried his hand at making crap. He succeeded.
Jade Goddess of Mercy
A pretty good drama, with a great performance from Vicki Zhao Wei.
Ad Lib Night
A great, affecting drama from Lee Yoon-ki.
Comeuppance
An okay black comedy - drama from Milkway Image.
Public Toilet
Fruit Chan's entertainingly self-indulgent film about...something.
Super Troopers
Super funny.
Iron Man
For a film, Iron Man is pretty good. For a comic book flick, Iron Man is amazing. And yes, it's better than The Dark Knight.
Next time, assuming someone doesn't kill me for dissing the latest Batman film, things will return to normal with longer posts that feature a wealth of information, whether it's useful or not.
02 February, 2009
Not Too Late
This time, it's all Korean films, with Director Lee Yoon-ki's latest My Dear Enemy, Kim Ki-duk's Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring, and melodrama Lost in Love. Unlike last time, these are shorter descriptions.
My Dear Enemy
Directed by Lee Yoon-ki, starring Jeon Do-yeon, and Ha Jung-woo.
A woman finds her ex-boyfriend and demands that he return money he borrowed from her a year before. She then follows him around as he borrows from various people he has met. Along the way, she finds out things she didn't know about him, and maybe a bit about herself.
An incredibly emotive film that is never boring throughout it's two-hour running time. Jeon Do-yeon is incredible, in a role that requires her to behave in an unlikeable manner, and yet still evoke sympathy and understanding. Walking the fine line of idosyncracy and realism, Lee's latest film is his best yet, and one of the best films of 2008.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring
Directed by Kim Ki-duk, starring Oh Yeong-su, Kim Ki-duk, Kim Young-min, Seo Jae-kyeong, Ha Yeo-jin, and Kim Jong-ho.
The circle of life wonderfully unfolds through the lessons learned and taught by a monk living in a remote area. The actors put for great performances, as does Kim in both his acting and directing capacities, bringing about an engrossing experience.
Lost in Love
Directed by Choo Chang-min, starring Song Yoon-ah, and Sol Kyung-gu.
A somewhat muddled melodrama about falling in love at the wrong time. The acting and direction in Lost in Love are both fine, but feel a bit manufactured, causing the film to wear thin over it's two hours. For a weepy about failed opportunties, Lost in Love is enjoyable, and at the very least, serviceable.
Coming up this week, I'll do my best to get caught up on the films I watched in January, by rambling on about:
Assembly
Samaritan Girl
Up the Yangtze
9413
49 Days
The Twins Effect
First Name: Carmen
Jade Goddess of Mercy
Ad Lib Night
Comeuppance
Public Toilet
My Dear Enemy
Directed by Lee Yoon-ki, starring Jeon Do-yeon, and Ha Jung-woo.
A woman finds her ex-boyfriend and demands that he return money he borrowed from her a year before. She then follows him around as he borrows from various people he has met. Along the way, she finds out things she didn't know about him, and maybe a bit about herself.
An incredibly emotive film that is never boring throughout it's two-hour running time. Jeon Do-yeon is incredible, in a role that requires her to behave in an unlikeable manner, and yet still evoke sympathy and understanding. Walking the fine line of idosyncracy and realism, Lee's latest film is his best yet, and one of the best films of 2008.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring
Directed by Kim Ki-duk, starring Oh Yeong-su, Kim Ki-duk, Kim Young-min, Seo Jae-kyeong, Ha Yeo-jin, and Kim Jong-ho.
The circle of life wonderfully unfolds through the lessons learned and taught by a monk living in a remote area. The actors put for great performances, as does Kim in both his acting and directing capacities, bringing about an engrossing experience.
Lost in Love
Directed by Choo Chang-min, starring Song Yoon-ah, and Sol Kyung-gu.
A somewhat muddled melodrama about falling in love at the wrong time. The acting and direction in Lost in Love are both fine, but feel a bit manufactured, causing the film to wear thin over it's two hours. For a weepy about failed opportunties, Lost in Love is enjoyable, and at the very least, serviceable.
Coming up this week, I'll do my best to get caught up on the films I watched in January, by rambling on about:
Assembly
Samaritan Girl
Up the Yangtze
9413
49 Days
The Twins Effect
First Name: Carmen
Jade Goddess of Mercy
Ad Lib Night
Comeuppance
Public Toilet
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