three, korean cinema

The Classic (2003)

The movie itself is a bit melodramatic and the ending is too neat for my taste, but i do love the music.

Deli Spice - 고백 (The Confession)

Attack the Gas Station (1999)

In the beginning the film reminded me of certain anti-social japanese films (the semi-nihilist characters, absurd humor, and wonton violence), but thankfully it got off that track--there was good comedy, explanation, and a satisfying ending! Actually, I do remember a Japanese movie released the same year, "Adrenalin Drive" (with Masanobu Ando!), which is similarly awkward funny and joyfully.

Shell - 작은 사랑 (A Little Love)

Le Transperceneige (2012)

"In a post-apocalyptic world, or what's remaining of it after a world war and glaciation, the few survivors find themselves in Earth's last remaining train, named Transperceneige. The train continues to move following a circle in a desert of snow and ice. And, while the poorest live in pathetic conditions, suffering the cold and hunger, those living in the 'premium class' lust, party and live like Kings. The Transperceneige continues to travel in this vicious circle, but one day one of the 'miserables', Proloff, decides to change status quo, discovering all the secrets behind Earth's last train." (Source)

How amazing is this premise? Based off a French comic*, the movie will be directed by Boon Joon Ho ("The Host", "Mother") and produced by Park Chan Wook ("Old Boy"). I am more excited by this lineup than if it were switched around. Boon has never disappointed me and I have confidence that he'll make it amazing.

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*in other news, the japanese are making a rurouni kenshin live-action. yuu aoi as megumi? but she's too cute...and awkward. cannot wait to see soujirou though i know it will disappoint.

study break

attempt to start a movie club at school was semi-successful. i reserved a study room on the fifth floor (like D-level in terms of function) of the library, but the projector was clearly made out for presentations not movie screening. so we huddled around my pitiful 15", glancing anxiously every now and then towards the door. our excuse had to do with criminal law...homicides.

thinking back on it, "fallen angels" was probably not the best thing to pick for a first movie gathering. unfortunately i couldn't find "in the mood for love" in time. i have watched this movie three times, once by myself. once with a few close friends who like art films. and this time with a group of new friends who are not well introduced to the genre.

being neurotic i was clearly most nerve-wracked with the final viewing. somehow i started finding the film too cool, too stylized, too empty of deeper meaning. i relaxed somewhat when takeshi kaneshiro did his comical routine as a night-time worker; it garnered a lot of laughs. but then the story went back to the hitman. silence and pretzel crunches. oh, why was everyone so crazy? did they always have to do slow motion and play "because i'm cool" for the pre-blood bath walk? is it necessary that she* looked completely unaffected in every scene?

by the end, i was half-twisting myself around trying to figure out why i liked the film in the first place. i dreaded the end of movie when i would have to face them under the light, see their stunned or worse bored faces, explain to them why i had to put them through this one hour and forty-minutes of torture.

after i launched into some preemptory apologies, gladly they said they enjoyed the film. it was different. it was good that they were introduced to this style of movie. they were never bored at any part. and then some light teasing regarding my personality...

and so, all in all completely not worth the anxiety...but i'm still getting inception for next time.


*i realized she looks like arimura ryuutaro's cousin. that nose!


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somewhat perfect place to put these photos from the most recent vogue china. tao okamoto by lachlan bailey. (full set here)

distance

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uta barth tinna heiska andy denzler

some inspired by elephant magazine ( a sample here).