sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Ah, yes. So, to be clear ... violence that is nothing more than macho posturing is world wide. Little penis.
Recently Seen, Part 12 (January 2018)
- Thread starter ebossert
- Start date
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Korea does the actual violence really well. I do love that. There's a scene in The Villainess where a little girl hiding under the bed watches her father get killed. He falls down so they are face to face. Pretty wild. But then, they take a sledgehammer to his face, and a resulting incorrect amount of blood splashes the little girl's face. Great sequence. The sledgehammer really brought it home.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Why does that scene sound so familiar? I swear I've seen it in another film before, probably a Korean film too. I just can't remember what. Or maybe the weapon used was a gun, not sledgehammer.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
I can forgive a little TAP* in a movie, as long as it comes with SAK**.
*
**
*
TAP = Tiny Asian Penis
**
SAK = Silky Asian Kitty
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Tarantino did it in the animated portion of Kill Bill. Gun and samurai sword were used, to great effect.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Oh man, I never imagined the day will come that we'll be measuring penises here. I blame over-moisturized Jun Sung for that. lol Perhaps Song Seung-hun should better show me his BAP so I can assess and dispel the TAP claims of caucasians. You know, just for research purposes.
I think I remember almost seeing a SAK from The Treacherous. Still gives me nightmares til this day.
Ah yeah, I think I remember that. You sure it was in the animated part? I think I remember seeing it in live-action. But I've seen it waay back so I must have forgotten. But I also remember this scene from an Asian movie. I just can't put a finger on it. Or maybe it was a K-drama.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
That comment sounds like you're still talking about your unrequited, ahem, feelings for Song Seung-hun.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Bwahahahaha!!!! Good one. Well, ahem, sorry but I only have the purest intentions for him. I mean, as I've said its purely for research purposes.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Re Kill Bill: Yes, the scene I was referencing (little girl hiding under the bed watching her parents get killed, ala @sitenoise's example) was absolutely in the animated part of the movie. It was the backstory of O-Ren Ishii. I even seem to remember her coming face to face with one of her dead/dying parents while she was still hiding under the bed. Oh, but she got her revenge.
Of all the reaction a SAK could produce, "nightmare-inducing" would be way way down my list. Except for maybe Shu Qi's from Sex and Zen II. Oh, Shu Qi's SAK is a pleasure to behold, but in that movie she was playing the role of a gender-shifting sex demon, so, uh, it grew a male appendage toward the end of the movie. Now, Shu Qi sporting a demon phallus is the stuff of nightmares!
Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)
Surreal romantic comedy.
8/10
Godzilla: Monster Planet (2017)
I give it merit for trying a new approach to the series, but it drags sometimes.
5/10
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
Violent and cool.
7/10
Vampire Hunter D (1985)
5/10
Lust, Caution (2007)
Bored me to so much.
2/10
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
Highly Recommended
Stranger (aka Secret Forest) (2017) (Korean Crime Drama/Mystery Television Series) – The story essentially revolves around a murder case and the related corruption within a public prosecutors office. The most impressive aspect of this series is probably the scriptwriting, because it focuses almost entirely on the investigation and cuts out most side-plots (no romance component at all!). Seung-woo Cho and Du-na Bae are both really good in this quality K-drama (16 episodes, 70 minutes each) that avoids most K-drama cliches.
Survival Family (2016) (Japanese Drama) – After a world wide electrical outage occurs, everything that requires electricity comes to a stop. In response, a man and his family make a trek away from Tokyo in an attempt to find an area with power. This film by Shinobu Yaguchi has a bit of humor here and there, but is primarily a drama with an interesting premise. The script does a great job of exploring the situation and how a typical modern family would have difficulty finding the basic necessities of life, if they were denied the comforts of modern technology.
The Brink (2017) (Chinese Action) – A reckless police inspector (Jin Zhang) is on a mission to crack down on a ruthless criminal’s (Shawn Yue) gold smuggling scheme. This has solid fight scenes with hard-hitting choreography. During the final third, much of the action surrounds the sea and related storm activity, which is a bit different. Nicely shot, directed, and acted. Jin Zhang is no joke, and it’s nice to see Shawn Yue as a bad guy.
Recommended
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017) (Japanese Anime Action/Thriller) – After losing the war against the gigantic monsters, the human race explores the galaxy for another habitable planet, but fails miserably. They then return to Earth, only to find an ecosystem that is still dominated by Godzilla. This is a futuristic film that is set thousands of years into the future, making it feel more like a science fiction piece. The anime medium is also a nice change of pace. There is lots of strategizing by the protagonists, but minimal character development that limits the dramatic depth. There are some pacing issues and there should have been more action scenes, but the big finale is certainly fun to watch. There’s also an unexpected misdirection near the end.
Sleepless Night (2012) (Korean Drama) – A married couple of two years are just trying to get by in their daily lives and make things work. They think about having a child, but money is a concern and the pressure from those around them doesn't help. A fairly basic, low budget movie (that focuses on everyday life) that is executed well. Only 65 minutes long.
Not Recommended
Raw (aka Grave) (2016) (French Horror/Drama) – When a young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual at vet school, an unbidden taste for meat begins to grow in her. This entire film revolves around an incomprehensibly stupid environment that portrays every single side character as an obnoxious fratboy/sorority-girl douchebag who is also wafer thin and not the least bit interesting. It’s the French equivalent of watching a Rob Zombie movie, and that’s not a compliment. (Imagine a bunch of white trash degenerates in vet school. That’s what you get here.) The change in the lead protagonist comes from out of nowhere and is lacking in any nuance or development whatsoever. This film tries to be edgy using juvenile gags and shock value, but only comes off as insufferable. The “vitally important” vaginal hair trim scene is quite possibly the dumbest moment of any horror film from the past few years.
Stranger (aka Secret Forest) (2017) (Korean Crime Drama/Mystery Television Series) – The story essentially revolves around a murder case and the related corruption within a public prosecutors office. The most impressive aspect of this series is probably the scriptwriting, because it focuses almost entirely on the investigation and cuts out most side-plots (no romance component at all!). Seung-woo Cho and Du-na Bae are both really good in this quality K-drama (16 episodes, 70 minutes each) that avoids most K-drama cliches.
Survival Family (2016) (Japanese Drama) – After a world wide electrical outage occurs, everything that requires electricity comes to a stop. In response, a man and his family make a trek away from Tokyo in an attempt to find an area with power. This film by Shinobu Yaguchi has a bit of humor here and there, but is primarily a drama with an interesting premise. The script does a great job of exploring the situation and how a typical modern family would have difficulty finding the basic necessities of life, if they were denied the comforts of modern technology.
The Brink (2017) (Chinese Action) – A reckless police inspector (Jin Zhang) is on a mission to crack down on a ruthless criminal’s (Shawn Yue) gold smuggling scheme. This has solid fight scenes with hard-hitting choreography. During the final third, much of the action surrounds the sea and related storm activity, which is a bit different. Nicely shot, directed, and acted. Jin Zhang is no joke, and it’s nice to see Shawn Yue as a bad guy.
Recommended
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017) (Japanese Anime Action/Thriller) – After losing the war against the gigantic monsters, the human race explores the galaxy for another habitable planet, but fails miserably. They then return to Earth, only to find an ecosystem that is still dominated by Godzilla. This is a futuristic film that is set thousands of years into the future, making it feel more like a science fiction piece. The anime medium is also a nice change of pace. There is lots of strategizing by the protagonists, but minimal character development that limits the dramatic depth. There are some pacing issues and there should have been more action scenes, but the big finale is certainly fun to watch. There’s also an unexpected misdirection near the end.
Sleepless Night (2012) (Korean Drama) – A married couple of two years are just trying to get by in their daily lives and make things work. They think about having a child, but money is a concern and the pressure from those around them doesn't help. A fairly basic, low budget movie (that focuses on everyday life) that is executed well. Only 65 minutes long.
Not Recommended
Raw (aka Grave) (2016) (French Horror/Drama) – When a young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual at vet school, an unbidden taste for meat begins to grow in her. This entire film revolves around an incomprehensibly stupid environment that portrays every single side character as an obnoxious fratboy/sorority-girl douchebag who is also wafer thin and not the least bit interesting. It’s the French equivalent of watching a Rob Zombie movie, and that’s not a compliment. (Imagine a bunch of white trash degenerates in vet school. That’s what you get here.) The change in the lead protagonist comes from out of nowhere and is lacking in any nuance or development whatsoever. This film tries to be edgy using juvenile gags and shock value, but only comes off as insufferable. The “vitally important” vaginal hair trim scene is quite possibly the dumbest moment of any horror film from the past few years.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
A Quiet Dream (Zhang Lu, 2016) has the friendship of four characters as its beating heart. A Chinese-Korean immigrant cares for her stroke-affected bedridden father while running a low-key bar at the front of their rented house, and hangs out with her severely epileptic landlord’s son, a failed small-time gangster, and a North Korean defector. The plot is almost non-existent, often dropping the viewer in halfway through each episodic event, but the characters are so well written and played, and the bond between them is so real, that once I got into the rhythm of the film I wasn’t the least bit concerned about the lack of narrative. There’s plenty of poetry to be found in the smallest of gestures, frequently occurring at the edge of the frame – I suspect @sitenoise might like this.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Wow. Lovely lovely. It's a series of vignettes, some better than others. It transports you to the world of these people, thoroughly. I loved all the music and dance. A film has really gone to a special place when there's a scene of four people walking down the street who see themselves in a reflection. And they dance to it. Quietly.
This would have could have been a 10/10 if it would have ended on the last dance number. Just drift off into space. Such a cool piece of music. There's a deduction for not stopping there but I'm not going to say how much.
Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
The Vampire Doll1970
Fun and charming old j-horror. Girl was scary as fuck.
7/10
Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc: The Chirps of Light 2012
7/10
Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc: Cage of Flames 2011
Good remake of the Kyoto arc with improved animation
7/10
Samurai X: The Motion Picture 1997
6/10
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx 1972
Action is even better than the original.
7/10
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn – Episode 1: Day of the Unicorn 2010
3/10
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
I just watched A Quiet Dream again! It's like Cafe Noir for those who didn't go to university. I might have to go watch all this guy's films.
@plsletitrain don't let the Cafe Noir reference keep you away if this shows up at your convenience store. Yes, it's slow and lovably ponderous, and nothing happens, but it's funny and beautiful. And it knows what it's doing: the four characters go to an arthouse film and watch a guy peel an egg for a couple of minutes until one of them bursts out in unstoppable laughter--ironically, this character was kicked out of his gang when he burst out in unstoppable laughter at a fellow gang member's funeral.
I read up on this film: the three misfit dudes are all Korean directors. I kind of shouldn't be surprised by this, but the one character I liked the least, the guy with the pleated, high-wasted slacks and hairdo--the laughing guy--is the guy who wrote, directed, and starred in Breathless--a film I hated with every inch of my body. But he won me over in this, especially with his singing and dancing.
And speaking of Cafe Noir, and Black Coal, Thin Ice, for that matter ... ANY movie that can incorporate an improvised dance number near the end of the film, and make it work--I'm not talking Bollywood style here--is going to make me love it. Musical choice is a dead giveaway of which way a director's balls are hanging, even if it's a woman. I have to find out what the music is at the end of this film. I shut it off as it faded to black my second viewing so I don't know if the tagged on -- in color -- ending meant anything. I was so mad at it the first time I don't want to know.
Motorcycle man shows up. What a scene! Yeri starts dancing. It was so uncomfortably gorgeous. I wanted it to go on forever. And it should have.
@plsletitrain don't let the Cafe Noir reference keep you away if this shows up at your convenience store. Yes, it's slow and lovably ponderous, and nothing happens, but it's funny and beautiful. And it knows what it's doing: the four characters go to an arthouse film and watch a guy peel an egg for a couple of minutes until one of them bursts out in unstoppable laughter--ironically, this character was kicked out of his gang when he burst out in unstoppable laughter at a fellow gang member's funeral.
I read up on this film: the three misfit dudes are all Korean directors. I kind of shouldn't be surprised by this, but the one character I liked the least, the guy with the pleated, high-wasted slacks and hairdo--the laughing guy--is the guy who wrote, directed, and starred in Breathless--a film I hated with every inch of my body. But he won me over in this, especially with his singing and dancing.
And speaking of Cafe Noir, and Black Coal, Thin Ice, for that matter ... ANY movie that can incorporate an improvised dance number near the end of the film, and make it work--I'm not talking Bollywood style here--is going to make me love it. Musical choice is a dead giveaway of which way a director's balls are hanging, even if it's a woman. I have to find out what the music is at the end of this film. I shut it off as it faded to black my second viewing so I don't know if the tagged on -- in color -- ending meant anything. I was so mad at it the first time I don't want to know.
Motorcycle man shows up. What a scene! Yeri starts dancing. It was so uncomfortably gorgeous. I wanted it to go on forever. And it should have.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
OMG
Yeri, whose character uses her real life name in A Quiet Dream, looked familiar to me. Turns out she played the young pregnant girl in a masterpiece film no one here has seen or will see: A Blind River. She's un-credited on IMDb for the role. I remember back when I was blown away by the film and couldn't find out anything about it or the director. In my review of the film I wrote: "I'm not sure who plays the young pregnant girl (Kim Ye-ri?) but her performance is amazing. She practically steals the show and you will feel very strongly for her".
Yeri, whose character uses her real life name in A Quiet Dream, looked familiar to me. Turns out she played the young pregnant girl in a masterpiece film no one here has seen or will see: A Blind River. She's un-credited on IMDb for the role. I remember back when I was blown away by the film and couldn't find out anything about it or the director. In my review of the film I wrote: "I'm not sure who plays the young pregnant girl (Kim Ye-ri?) but her performance is amazing. She practically steals the show and you will feel very strongly for her".
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sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
A Blind River (Kwihyang) [2009] • South Korea
Director: Seon-Kyoung Ahn
9.99999999/10
Okay, damn. After experiencing Han Ye-ri who uses her real life name in A Quiet Dream, I had to give this one a re-watch. She's just a puffy cheeked little kid, but you can see she's got presence, charisma. She's the opening scene of the movie and I guarantee it is a scene that will make you recoil in your comfy chair, as will the later scenes of her literally crawling the walls of a dingy little motel room where she's going to squirt a little baby onto the floor. This movie is nuts. No way it could live up to how much it impressed me the first time.
Correction: Yes, Way! It's probably the most visionary (stylistically) and accomplished debut I've ever seen. It gets Lynchian dark and uncomfortable, but it's written/directed by a woman so it has motherhood issues instead of mommy issues. The first 20 mins of story setup kind of suck. You won't think the main male character, an Australian-Korean speaking English, will be able to pull off anything worthwhile. Then story takes a backseat to poetic framing and lighting (a dark blurry amber glow), beautiful fucking music, and general wtf-ness. It's powerful. It's dark. It's logic is emotional. Then it pulls back and finishes.
I've been waiting four years to see the director's 2013 followup, Pascha.
I wish this was a film we could all watch/re-watch together because after two viewings I still don't get it (completely). How many women in this movie are the guy's mother? If any. What happened in that first scene, exactly? WTF is the ending all about?
Is that scene where the guy, in one location, is crawling to his door while Ye-ri, in another location, is crawling toward her door ... is that too over-the-top ridiculous or freaking brilliant? The scene itself is unquestionably brilliantly executed, but after it's over and its metaphorical details are made explicit, do you facepalm or just wrinkle your brow?
I really can't believe how masterfully crafted this film is--for a debut or otherwise. And/but it does go to those Lynchian extremes where the over-emoting might derail it but I think the director successfully tilts the entire film sideways and normalizes it, assuredly (sort of the way Sono does it).
Director: Seon-Kyoung Ahn
9.99999999/10
Okay, damn. After experiencing Han Ye-ri who uses her real life name in A Quiet Dream, I had to give this one a re-watch. She's just a puffy cheeked little kid, but you can see she's got presence, charisma. She's the opening scene of the movie and I guarantee it is a scene that will make you recoil in your comfy chair, as will the later scenes of her literally crawling the walls of a dingy little motel room where she's going to squirt a little baby onto the floor. This movie is nuts. No way it could live up to how much it impressed me the first time.
Correction: Yes, Way! It's probably the most visionary (stylistically) and accomplished debut I've ever seen. It gets Lynchian dark and uncomfortable, but it's written/directed by a woman so it has motherhood issues instead of mommy issues. The first 20 mins of story setup kind of suck. You won't think the main male character, an Australian-Korean speaking English, will be able to pull off anything worthwhile. Then story takes a backseat to poetic framing and lighting (a dark blurry amber glow), beautiful fucking music, and general wtf-ness. It's powerful. It's dark. It's logic is emotional. Then it pulls back and finishes.
I've been waiting four years to see the director's 2013 followup, Pascha.
I wish this was a film we could all watch/re-watch together because after two viewings I still don't get it (completely). How many women in this movie are the guy's mother? If any. What happened in that first scene, exactly? WTF is the ending all about?
Is that scene where the guy, in one location, is crawling to his door while Ye-ri, in another location, is crawling toward her door ... is that too over-the-top ridiculous or freaking brilliant? The scene itself is unquestionably brilliantly executed, but after it's over and its metaphorical details are made explicit, do you facepalm or just wrinkle your brow?
I really can't believe how masterfully crafted this film is--for a debut or otherwise. And/but it does go to those Lynchian extremes where the over-emoting might derail it but I think the director successfully tilts the entire film sideways and normalizes it, assuredly (sort of the way Sono does it).
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
@sitenoise
Woah! You must like it very much for you to write 4 posts successively.
Not so sure about a Quiet Dream. You know all these Cafe Noir talk makes me run the opposite direction. And clayton's review makes me think this isn't my cup of tea. But I did watch the trailer and it sounds goofy cute. And this quote from you is not helping:
Woah! You must like it very much for you to write 4 posts successively.
Not so sure about a Quiet Dream. You know all these Cafe Noir talk makes me run the opposite direction. And clayton's review makes me think this isn't my cup of tea. But I did watch the trailer and it sounds goofy cute. And this quote from you is not helping:
I kinda like the synopsis for A Blind River but when I watched the trailer, I wanted to borrow that stone-kicking emoticon of yours. I bumped into your uploaded video (around 4 minutes) and I wonder what was it all about? What I mean is, why did you upload it in the first place????? Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hehehehe. Love you. I'm undivided on A Blind River but if the others will pick it up, I'll join the fun.