Foreign Goodness

Am I becoming an Asian cinema fan-boy? Perhaps. Three...Extremes is a brutal, violent assault on your stomach and eyes. Each sequence is straight out of an acid-fueled, hallucinatory hell, it seems- a surreal nightmare vision. I won't bother reiterating what can be found out by perusing any review on line. I will say that I enjoyed the hell out of Cut, although the ending was a definite "huh?" moment. Dumplings was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. Its lack of a solid progression is forgivable, since in a trilogy of shorts made to push the boundary back, director Fruit Chan succeeds admirably. Box is flooded with a strange atmosphere and ends on an equally strange note, and was probably the least memorable of the three.

How they managed to get an R rating from the MPAA boggles me, and I wonder again why on-screen sex is so much more taboo in america than this kind of violence?

Chan Wook Park's first in the Revenge Trilogy. Solid film-making. Park juxtaposes the peaceful imagery and horrific violence to create a powerful and intriguing tragedy.

The only reason this fails to get 5 stars is that the gruesomeness of the situation and the violence are a bit excessive at times. It will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Oldboy and come up a bit short, but keep in mind that this is Park's first installment in his trilogy.

Another stylishly directed mind-fucker from Chan-wook Park. :) Unfortunately, I'll have to see it again to tell you if I understood the plot or not- definitely not good to watch the first time with "chemical enhancement" :P

Easily one of the finest examples of film-making I've ever seen, Oldboy is not only stylish and brutal, but stylish and brutal for the purpose of the story. I cannot begin to express how deeply affecting this movie is- a tragedy on an epic scale. Absolutely gorgeous, perfectly paced and so much human depth, this is a movie like none that I've ever seen. I came away from it in a daze.

An intriguing idea, interesting plot and multiple twists at the end made this a pretty good show. I think something might have gotten lost in traslation though- while subtitled, it was almost impossible to follow some of the little nuances in the plot.

Frenetic, extremely stylized and loaded with violence, Versus is ridiculously over-the-top, and even though it may be a bit of a Highlander/Evil Dead/Dead Alive rip-off, every minute is thoroughly enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I saw the "R-Rated" version (the only one available at my local rental store) and the cuts are very noticeable- also, there were some typos in the English subs. I look forward to finding a copy of the unrated version, as well as the rest of Kitamura's films.

Beautiful. A heart-warmer in the truest sense of the word (phrase?). The first movie I've ever seen that's made me feel all gushy and closer to my girlfriend. Evoking these emotions are some wonderfully written (always interesting) and beautifully directed short films about falling in love in Paris.

Of particular interest are the films by Van Sant and the Coens, as well as elijah wood's role as a man smitten by a beast in Vincenzo Natali's piece.

The question is, is Byeong-gu crazy, or is he really on to something? Over a frenetic 118 minutes, Byeong-gu tries to pry a confession out of a man he believes to be one of many aliens bent on destroying humankind by creatively torturing him. The set up is perfect for this over-the-top black comedy from South Korea, and never once does it fail to be interesting and exciting. There is something poetic about the madness, but unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of meaning behind it- but that didn't stop me from loving it. Just be warned- it's not for the weak of stomach.

Let me start by saying that, while I'm recommending this film, I don't necessarily believe you will enjoy it. But it's too unique for me to pass up.

Romance is a movie about a woman who resents her need for men- the men in her life are tools for sexual pleasure more than anything else. Filled with graphic sexuality, layers of possible interpretations, and completely un-erotic, Romance is intriguing as hell. It views all of it's sexual content with an icy distance- the camera becomes a Cronenberg-esque observer. I found myself drawn into Caroline Ducey's amazing (and taboo-breaking) performance, driven by her inner monologue that runs through the entire film. Does she ever stop thinking and just enjoy life? No. Is there something to learn in all of this? Probably not. But it's a very crazy film and one that I would watch again.

The reason I don't think many will appreciate this film is that it is quite similar to a hardcore porn stuck in an art film- the sex is not simulated, but it's definitely not arousing.

This is one helluva monster movie. Blending genres as most Korean films I've seen do, The Host is not just a monster movie- it's a dysfunctional family movie, a government conspiracy movie, a disaster movie, and a creature flick all wrapped up in a nice tight blanket of humanity. Sad and touching while wildly entertaining. Repeat viewings are very rewarding.

Those damn asians and their stylishness. Once again, I am enthralled by the atmosphere these three directors fill their films with. And while I expected to (and did) enjoy the South Korean film Memories , I was more than happily surprised to find The Wheel completely hypnotic, despite it's campy storyline and lack of any truly emotive moments. Going Home is one of the most beautiful meditations on the apparent finality of death, and works well as a tragedy.

Not "extreme" in the traditional sense but extreme in terms of concept- non-traditional story-telling, no clear-cut villains and heroes, and a nice blanket of humanity might make this trip a bit too personal for the squeamish. Amazing use of sound and music in each one.

Two sisters return home from an institution to find their father reserved and distant, and their mother at times overbearing and confused, other times sadistic and brutal. The father looks on with a detached eye, handing out pills to who ever needs them.

This movie is confusing to watch for the first time. Since it is told from the point-of-view of a disturbed young girl, who may or may not be fully in touch with reality, the writer is able to warp said reality with reckless abandon. However, upon a second viewing and a lot of analysis, there really is a story to the madness, a coherent story that fits. As icing on the cake, the direction and cinematography are gorgeous and exciting. Of particular note is the house itself, which comes across as a cold, dark, beautiful place, similar to what I'd expect a museum would look like after the main lights went out.

Fear of the unknown- when normal is terrifying. This movie is awesome.

Despite cheesy low-budget FX, Tsukamoto's vision is a lush experiment in industrial horror.

A Cronenberg-esque transformation melding flesh and metal causes much distress for a man in this violent and engaging film. At just over 60 minutes, this movie is a snapshot of chaos and the pace is excellent throughout, jumping wildly from a near stand-still to frenetic, surreal stop-motion animation. It wildly refuses to explain itself. It is a hallucinatory hell in which sex is a mechanical act of violation and strange beauty. All in all, a bizarre experience; a movie that, despite obvious influences (including a shot taken almost directly from Eraserhead), transcends it's heritage and makes it (mostly) its own.

Tsukamoto's films will be getting a good look soon.