Tony Rayns tells us in his KOFIC book about Jang Sung-woo that he once interviewed the famous director naked in a jjimjilbang. Rayns’s documentary film about Jang, entitled the Jang Sung-woo Variations, is bookended by extracts from the interview, with Jang being given a relaxing back massage; and in between are other extracts of the … [Read More]
Category: Film reviews and comment (page 27)
Korea’s top films and directors of the decade: the definitive list?
Over the course of this year various people have published their list of top 10 Korean films of the last decade. Here at LKL, we’ve collected those lists, analysed them and come up with a poll of polls – if you like, the definitive list: at least, that is, until another critic weighs in with … [Read More]
Kill Me (킬 미, 2009) review: a hitman, a deathwish, and an unlikely romantic comedy
While the concept of a hardened hitman gradually falling in love with his intended target is certainly nothing new, director Yang Jong-hyeon brings a freshness to the idea by turning it completely (and literally) on its head, allowing the film successfully to step away from predictability to become something much more original and memorable. [Read More]
Wendy Ide on Mother
“It's overlong and the pacing suffers from the unwieldy run time”. Wendy Ide on Mother (Now screening at Picturehouse and ICA). I'm trying to think of a Korean film she actually likes # [Read More]
Open City (무방비 도시, 2008) review: striking visuals, but predictable crime plot and thin characterisation
Despite its high-end cinematography and contemporary soundtrack, this crime thriller is undermined by an unimaginative plot and cartoon-like characterisations. While Son Ye-jin provides a nuanced performance as a sharp-witted gang leader, the film’s reliance on melodrama, unbelievable character motivations, and repetitive action tropes prevents it from achieving any genuine emotional or narrative depth. [Read More]
Road to the Racetrack gets there before Hong Sang-soo
Jang Sun-woo’s Road to the Racetrack: surprisingly entertaining for 140 minutes focusing on just two characters. Was their relationship just a fling, or is it for keeps? #. The film anticipates Hong Sang-soo’s output, and is more entertaining. [Read More]
Petal divides the audience
Mixed reactions to Jang Sun-woo's Petal at the KCC last night, as part of the Jang Sun-woo month. Two people walked out, but some of us were crying. # [Read More]
White Badge: Korea and the Vietnamese War
In a year that we remember the 60th anniversary of the first post-WW2 US military involvement in Asia, it was a great idea to invite Director Jeong Ji-yeong (정지영) to the UK. Jeong is known for a number of well-received films, including Nambugun, a film which gives a nuanced view of the Korean War from … [Read More]
Daisy (데이지, 2006) review: flawed but nice-looking romance-thriller
A Hong Kong / Korean co-production set in Amsterdam, Daisy would be a stunningly beautiful, engaging love story and suspenseful thriller if not for the lapses in logic and the fact that the narration pushes itself too far and takes itself a little bit too seriously. [Read More]
A Good Lawyer’s Wife (바람난 가족, 2003) review: a family having affairs
The Korean title only partially sets the scene: “A family having affairs”. On the surface, Im Sang-soo’s A Good Lawyer’s Wife positively pulsates with explicitness while, at its heart, beats a deeply intelligent critique of family and the scars that familial bonds can create. In short, an utterly astonishing film. [Read More]
Mother (마더, 2009) review: when devotion becomes obsession
Bong Joon-ho’s Mother explores the unsettling symbiosis between a protective mother and her mentally disabled son. The film highlights how guilt and desperation drive a parent to abandon moral guidelines, eventually transforming her into a “monster” to protect her child. A gritty, multi-layered critique of how easily the line between love and depravity blurs. [Read More]
Im Sang-soo’s Housemaid remake at Cannes
South Korea debuts remake of erotic shocker 60s film at Cannes – Boston Globe and Mail on Im Sang-Soo’s Housemaid http://bit.ly/cjlQpl #. The film gets a rave review from Todd Brown at Twitch [Read More]
“Best North Korean-themed football movie of all time” scores highly
By Michael Rank North Korean films are as hard to find as kimchi-flavoured ice cream, so Koryo Tours have done us a big favour by releasing on DVD Centre Forward, a highly watchable and fascinating Pyongyang production from 1978. It’s the tale of talented novice footballer Cha In-son (Kim Chol), who’s been on the bench … [Read More]
Death Bell (고死: 피의 중간고사, 2008) review: classroom carnage in mid-term exams
Death Bell is unlikely to cause viewers to alter their list of the best ever Korean horror films. But its old-school feel combined with nods to more recent horror fare, alongside references to the pressures that Korea’s school system places on pupils, parents and teachers alike, make it a welcome addition to the genre. [Read More]
Thirst (박쥐, 2009) review: vampirism, desire and the collapse of moral certainty
Park Chan-wook’s Thirst reimagines the vampire myth as a sensual, violent struggle between faith, desire and morality. Blending black humour, brutality and romance to question belief, free will and the nature of humanity, Thirst truly is a sumptuous film and the sum of its many parts utterly redefines the concept of beauty and the beast. [Read More]
The World of Silence (조용한 세상, 2006) review: trauma, trust, and a flawed but compelling thriller
Though flawed by the use of unlikely coincidences to move major plot points forward, worthy underlying theme discussion combined with engaging characterisation and some superb acting make The World of Silence a welcome addition to the serial killer/thriller genre. [Read More]