sitenoise ! (sitenoise)

We had a THIRST party and we're all sitting there silently in shock and awe for the first thirty minutes or so and then someone asks "Why is this film so annoying?" Another responded: "For one thing, the sound design is childish at best." What's with all the slurping sounds? Someone else offered: "If they don't kill that one guy pretty soon they better at least teach him to wipe his nose or I'm gonna puke." Well, one of those things happened. I won't spoil it by saying which one, suffice to say it had no impact at all. This film has low-budget written all over it. Sure, Park spent a few bucks on a couple scenes but overall it feels cheap. And don't go suggesting that someone drive in here with the metaphor assistance team to give it some depth and all will be well, because it is still unpleasant to endure. The only good part is Ok-bin Kim's lust towards her newfound lifestyle but then even that comes too late and plays itself out way too long to the point of indifference. Yike-o-rama! This film is awful.

I don't know if the science fiction elements of this reach any hifalutin heights (an Aliens-esque greedy galaxy corporation blah blah, cloning blah blah) but the surface play out of it is fun. The film looks good in all its sparseness, so no complaints there, but the real treasure of this movie is Sam Rockwell. It takes him a while to get going while the film is creating its context but as soon as his place in the world is established and he's split in two, he soars, so convincing in his random deterioration he doesn't seem like he's acting a part as much as putting up with the things that are happening to him. The ending is a little abrupt and if you want this to be some big statement about something you may be disappointed, maybe not, but for a film with one guy in it, it's a great performance piece.

I will call this my all-time favorite movie. I don't think I'll ever tire of watching it. Such a smartly written film.

Poetic. Dreamy. Surreal. There's just something about the way Sion Sono puts together a film that appeals to me. The assemblage maybe more than the film.