A True Mob Story (1998)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Mark Morrison

This one plays like a Chinese Goodfellas. Andy Lau is a small time mobster who goes ape with a cleaver one night to rescue his boss Prince from rival triad Crazy Ball and his gang. As a consequence he is promoted way beyond his station and his courage. Gigi Leung is the lawyer who represents him when he gets into hot water, much to the consternation of her special agent boyfriend. Andy is just trying to get by, but … (read more)

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The Uninvited (2003)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by James

Low-key supernatural thriller, psychological courtroom drama, Jeon Ji-hyun in a serious dramatic role … The Uninvited arranges a complex story that intrigues at first but fails to reward viewer patience with a coherent finish.

Most will watch this for Jeon’s performance in a role far removed from her halcyon My Sassy Girl days. For those of us who enjoy her as a manic honey/enemy, it might be a surprise, if not an annoyance, to discover that Jeon barely raises a … (read more)

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Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Alison

You can guess by the synopsis that this is a difficult film to write about: it wriggles about like a live thing, refusing to be pinned down by genre, plot, or style. And that alone makes it interesting. Add in a simple yet unusual plot, a ghost story, realistic characters played ably by a talented cast, and you’ve got a fine film.

First, though, I must make a confession: it took me three sessions to get through this film. Yes, … (read more)

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Chihwaseon (2002)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Alison

Chihwaseon is major-league arthouse painted up like a travelogue. The story of a famous painter, set against the backdrop of political upheaval in Korea that also echoes turbulence worldwide, sometimes slides into the background because of the breathtaking scenery.

For a truly heavyweight arthouse flick, it’s surprisingly watchable. Its credibility was demonstrated when it won the Prix De La Mise En Scene at Cannes, although it lacks the dreary quality of many arthouse films. A fair amount of arthouse often … (read more)

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Face (2004)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Eugene

Do you see dead people? Do you ever wonder whether what goes bump in the night is something that is not quite real? Does everything you perceive fit nicely into your neatly organised rational world view?

Well, if you answered yes to any of the above three questions, then Face may very well be a film you have sympathies with. It seems to be quite fashionable in Korean films to involve the supernatural and the dead in a very real … (read more)

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Ghost in Love (1998)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Alison

This rather sweet Korean flick shows the effect of the Korean government’s decision to stimulate their film industry by pouring money into it (and setting quotas, and whatever else). It’s polished, entertaining, intriguing, has some nice CGI effects, and is generally a professional piece of work.

The story is simple: a “suicide squad” of ghosts (because suicides can’t go to heaven) recruits new members into a sort of post-existential pyramid scheme of retribution. We follow the main character, a girl … (read more)

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Guns and Talk (2002)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Ching Yee

Do you want to know what love is? Well, whether you do or don’t, you will understand it a lot better after watching this film. Sorry for being cryptic, I will be direct from now on. So let’s get to it by starting at the end.

Rating: Guns and Talks gets a 7 out of 10 from me.

Check one point for creating having a good first 15 min where there’s enough eyepopping action to keep you interested. Explosions, high … (read more)

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Last Present (2001)

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Posted on February 24, 2005 by Alison

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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