Blog Archives

Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (2005)

Until you’ve seen a Park Chan-wook film, you’ve never been gruelled. Not even slightly. You may think that other films are raw or powerful or harsh, but other film-makers are novices compared to Master Park. And although Sympathy For Lady Vengeance is visually beautiful, you’ll still be in for a good gruelling.

That said, I’d have to say that this is the gentlest of the Vengeance trilogy (Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and Old Boy being parts one and two … (read more)

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Last Present (2001)

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This is a movie about two people who never find the right words to say to each other. Jeong-yeon, devoted though she is, always seems to be scolding her husband, while he in return pretends not to care.

It takes a while to get going. For this grumpy-faced reviewer, the scenes in the babies wear shop that Jeong-yeon owns were about as appealing as baby food that’s already been through the baby. My heart, in short, was not warmed. And … (read more)

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One Fine Spring Day (2000)

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Some of the most satisfying love stories involve people just that little bit too odd to be able to find romance either easy or lasting and One Fine Spring Day goes about establishing this premise with a bittersweet grace that makes it at times almost breathtakingly beautiful to watch.

Lee Sang-wu, played with sensitivity by pop star/model Yu Ji-tae, is a composed, introspective, somewhat artless young man living with his father, aunt and slightly senile grandmother. Working as a recording … (read more)

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