Just watched “Man with Three Coffins” (Lee Jang-ho, 1987) and am mightily puzzled. #. It’s one of those classic films that people rave about, but it’s going to take me more than one viewing to get to grips with it. [Read More]
Category: Film reviews and comment (page 30)
GI Joe – “utterly relentless”
“Big, dumb, loud and utterly relentless. Everything you could want from a summer blockbuster,” says Time Out on GI Joe (Lee Byung Hun) out now #. Actually, it’s rather good. [Read More]
The Fox Family (구미호 가족, 2006) review: monsters, music and the meaning of humanity
At the same time, a horror film, a black comedy, a musical extravaganza and a love story, The Fox Family asks whether humanity is reserved for, and often wasted on, humans. A genuinely funny and engaging film which, like its characters, has more to it than initially meets the eye. [Read More]
Il Mare (시월애, 2000) review: classic time-spanning romance via mysterious mailbox
Telling a time-spanning romance between two lonely individuals who connect through a mysterious mailbox, Il Mare is unashamedly romantic but never resorts to being sappy. Warmth exudes from the characters, the dialogue and the screen imagery and the whole film feels like it could be real – quite something considering the other-worldliness of the story. [Read More]
Memories of Murder (살인의 추억, 2003) review: a masterpiece of tone and tension
Bong Joon-ho’s Memories of Murder is a masterful blend of black humor, procedural intensity, and poignant social commentary. Based on Korea’s first serial killer case, the film follows a bumbling local detective and a focused Seoul investigator. With subtle direction, haunting cinematography, and exceptional acting, it transcends the genre to deliver a deeply sincere, atmospheric experience. [Read More]
My Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀, 2001) review: the rom-com that started it all
Slapstick and melodrama combine in this romance between an aggressive, wounded heroine and her devoted partner. With engaging characters, witty dialogue and some truly laugh out loud moments My Sassy Girl makes watching a sociopath beat up her boyfriend more fun than you could ever imagine. [Read More]
Natural City: are stunning visuals enough?
Saharial reviews Natural City, a film which has had a mixed reaction from critics. Set in the distant future after a great war has ravaged the city, R (Yu Ji-Tae) attempts to find a cure for his dying lover, Ria (Seo Rin), a dancer cyborg who is close to expiration. R however is also a … [Read More]
Save The Green Planet (지구를 지켜라, 2003) review: funny, brutal, moving… and bonkers
Save The Green Planet follows Byeong-gu, a traumatised man on a mission to save the Earth from Andromedans. Beneath its sci-fi comedy surface, the film explores mental illness, moral responsibility and the human cost of corporate power, constantly shifting audience sympathy and genre expectations. It’s incredibly funny, viciously brutal, genuinely moving and completely nuts [Read More]
Fallen heroes – two contrasting Korean war films
June last year at the KCC saw the screening of two contrasting Korean War films from the 21st century. This year we saw two contrasting films from the last century, with very different perspectives. Lee Man-hee’s The Marines who Never returned takes a heroic look at the South Korean forces as the allied troops move … [Read More]
Diary of June (6월의 일기, 2005) review: above average serial killer fare let down by poor pacing
Though certainly not a perfect film (if such a thing exists), Diary of June still has much more to offer than standard serial killer fare, detailing, within its story, a fairly taut critique of the school system, bullying and the pressures placed on children by parents, and vice versa. [Read More]
Korea’s least-known best films?
Mark Morris from Cambridge University’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies discusses two films shown at the Barbican on Sunday. The International Buddhist Film Festival (IBFF) chose the Barbican Centre for its venue between 7-17 May. Two remarkable Korean films stood out among an eclectic mix of documentary and narrative films. The 1949 Hometown … [Read More]
Lovers’ Concerto (연애소설, 2002) review: love remembered, hearts broken
Framed through memory and regret, Lovers’ Concerto follows a young man reflecting on a formative relationship with two women. Openly melodramatic and often contrived, it nonetheless builds deep empathy through measured direction, strong performances, and emotional unpredictability, culminating in an unrelenting portrait of love, loss, and heartbreak. [Read More]
Uninvited and unwanted? Hollywood’s Two Sisters remake
The latest remake to come out of Hollywood, The Uninvited, opens in the UK this week. There’s a school of thought which says that once you’ve seen the original you won’t want to bother with the remake. There’s another which says any remake is good if it makes you want to watch the original. But … [Read More]
The divers of Jeju-do
LKL digests Barbara Hammer’s documentary “Diving Women of Jeju-do”, which screened in a recent film festival in London. Barbara Hammer’s brief documentary Diving Women of Jeju-do (2007) provides an intimate portrait of Cheju-do’s famous diving women, the haenyo. Barbara Hammer goes diving with the women, and took trouble to get to know their ways. She … [Read More]
April Snow (외출, 2005) review: betrayal, grief and mirrored desire
After discovering their comatose spouses were lovers, two strangers are drawn together by grief, jealousy and damaged self-worth. A melancholy tale of love and betrayal, April Snow may not be as instantly accessible as some of Hur Jin-ho’s other films, but is a worthy addition to his CV, nonetheless. [Read More]
A Moment to Remember (내 머리 속의 지우개, 2004) review: a manipulative melodrama rescued by the lead actress
While the plot of A Moment To Remember is contrived and manipulative, it still, somehow, manages to be affecting – with Son Ye-jin’s astounding performance selling every line – and as the credits roll, you’ll find yourself thinking that you should have known better, but a part of you will secretly be glad you didn’t listen. [Read More]