Change Your Image
terrifiedcitizen
Reviews
Boksuneun naui geot (2002)
SK that different than NK?
I'm afraid that very few of my hip and flowery fellow reviewers would fall in line and agree with my assessment of 'Sympathy For Mr Vengeance', but I just don't feel right about this film...
Yeah, Park is so courageous to bring such brutal frankness in such beautiful and inspirational film work, with such talented directorial technique, that he just must be a genius.
But this is my review and assessment, and if my art-house loving colleagues don't agree, then I certainly support their right to disagree with me along with their right to view this kind of work the way they want.
This is a film about average-Joe working-class Korean citizens running around carving each other up and spilling enough blood to make 'Goodfellas' look like a nursery rhyme. Even a supposedly legitimate government employee (I won't name the character) decided it was just a grand idea that a father grieving over the loss of his child should watch while the child was carved open and the internal organs removed.
It would still be awful, but perhaps more expected if this type of horrific slaughter was committed by the Geondal, Jopok or any number of other notorious South Korean Mafioso; but if Park is expecting us to believe that these characters truly represent what the average Korean citizen is like under pressure or when faced with tragedy, then what if anything distinguishes South Korea from the culture we are told represents North Korea?
I'm assuming that this director feels that life in SK isn't so different than what he is showing to the world, that these events couldn't possibly happen there... and among the common working people at that!
Even though this is film, art or whatever other rosy name you want to refer to it as, I think it is meant to reflect a slice of life that is possible in any major SK city... and it begs the question; why are we still involving ourselves, at great cost in lives and dollars, in the politics and strife of cultures we don't truly understand?
Chef (2014)
Cool Change
Looking over the reviews, maybe the haters need to get back to their dark dramas and sex romps and leave the precious little half-way clean fare left in the world for people who still have a soul to critique.
Guess what, not only is there nothing wrong with a bright and cheery story with some unabashed emotion, but we simply have so little of it in cinema anymore that we're forgetting how to feel about it.
This type of entertainment has become so rare anymore that professional moviegoers seem to have lost their point of reference; try not to over-analyze this as though you are attempting to pigeon-hole it for an awards show and simply enjoy it.
I mean good grief, tantalizing food, loyalty between people, a passion for finding what you do well and enjoying the journey, wonderful music and some truly sexy women... What does it take to entertain you?
A Harlot's Progress (2006)
Not Quite Technically Prime Time
My disappointing rating for this period piece is not altogether for the writing, as there were some bright spots in the writing as well as in some individual performances. However, it is my belief that it is the overall product in its completed form, replete with all of its many aspects, artistic and technical that establish what we hope will be ultimately a fulfilling viewing experience. A few historical inaccuracies can be tolerated in even some of the best period films, and this is no exception. It does have mistakes. And in the interest of entertainment, we are often expected to overlook sometimes excessive departure from actual historical record or that of an original authors work. And it does ask us to do that. But the straw that broke at least my back was the absolutely terrible audio control... or rather the absence of professional audio control. The narration when present, climbs high and dips low, climbs high and dips low, well you get it. In parts of the story, the background music all but blots out the narrative or immediate dialogue altogether, making one wish that English close captioning was provided in English to provide some small guide in following the plot progression. My hearing has checked out fine, and the speakers on my receiver can translate every slight nuance of even often unintelligible rock operas, but were of no assistance in following 'The Harlots Progress'.
In the Cut (2003)
Get a Life
If you have a real life and are able to relate to others in a real and genuine way, then this movie is definitely not for you; I got a little way into it and realized it was nothing more than a smutty schoolboy fantasy for perverts and a vehicle for Meg to supposedly show us how she has shed her innocent image and become all grown up for us.
Exploring a world like the one in this movie is for people who have failed miserably in their own and have become disillusioned with life in general. Although ridiculous, I've read some of the entertaining positive rave reviews herein by the few who hilariously justify entertainment such as this film; it's hogwash.
Much like Washington is showing us, living the 'real' life primarily for our own self-centered prurient interest not only depresses one, it leaves you empty inside, and unable to fulfill the higher and many times more rewarding joy of producing works that lift people from the cesspool of this kind of hazy dark and lost type of life and form positive and meaningful relationships for you and those you love.
If you want smut, buy a magazine and just climb back into your hole.