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Reviews
The Mist (2007)
A Surprise Package
It was mostly my appreciation of Tom Jane that led me to this otherwise little-promoted Stephen King book-cum-movie, despite the fact that I'm not much of a horror buff. In respect to him I was certainly satisfied with the movie. But there's more to it than that ...
A formulaic horror movie sequence sets the premise for the film - a bunch of people trapped in a building and subject to the whim of a mysterious monster (or something). From the remainder of the film a number of points can be raised. Filmcraft-wise, the CG is not particularly amazing. The monster(s) work much better when hidden behind the mist. A number of times early on their texture doesn't really match the rest of the scene. The mist itself was used an a great way though, with enough people disappearing into it, and appearing from it to properly convey the "in here and out there" feel that the captives would be feeling. The direction was quite good with plenty of slow zooming and panning that I thought worked well.
Religion was also brought into the mix to provide a complicating element within the shop to supplement the ones outside. Apart from losing some of my faith in people, it served well to identify the required human reaction to horrific circumstances. I thought this was done a little bit too conveniently, but it didn't step over the edge, even though it went close.
The acting was reasonable without being exceptional, probably my fondness for Tom Jane leads me to think he was quite good.
The final point I'll raise deals with the end. There are comments that call is a homage to a B grade film. I thought quite different when I saw it. I felt it was a very non-Hollywood ending, that wouldn't sit well with many in the audience, and I appreciated the intent.
In summary, I wasn't expecting much and what was presented was mostly well executed (no pun intended - never mind) and the ending was enough to make it more memorable than it otherwise would have been. Definitely see it if you like horror, and no harm in watching it if you like Tom Jane either.
Swiri (1999)
Appreciate it for what it is
Spies, big bombs, secret weapons and fish. A break-away success in Korea, Swiri has many things going for it, and a couple of things that may disappoint some viewers. Most of these things have been covered in other reviews, so I'll try to find my own little niche.
One of the first big-budget films made in Korea, this movie set records at the Korean box office. Why? Some may argue that Koreans were proud of how well they could make Hollywood-type movies. Plenty of action, explosions, some snappy direction and a decent soundtrack don't attempt to hide the Hollywood aspirations of the movie-makers. And whether that benefits or detracts from the movie is arguable.
Having said this, the film is still Korean in many ways. At times the drama may seem somewhat overdrawn and the circling camera work may get to an easily-affected stomach. But mostly the direction is good. One of my favourite aspects of Korean cinema is the use of shading. I don't know whether it's the hair or not, but I think blacks are very well used in this and many other Korean movies.
To appreciate this movie, perhaps one has to have a little grounding in Korean movies up to this point. It was a break from tradition and that's partly what drew the crowds.
It's action all the way, from start to finish. And if you sit back and enjoy the ride (without analysing the storyline too much) it's more than likely that you'll enjoy this one.
Oldeuboi (2003)
Please watch it
A man is taken, imprisoned and just as escape is imminent, released. By whom? Why and why again? It's a simple premise (based on a Japanese comic book), but it's the start of a complicated, involving movie. And I promise, it only gets better from there.
The main character of this movie is acted out by the amazing Min-sik Choi, who earlier appeared in the Korean box office hit, Swiri. He deserves every acting award (and even some to be created specifically for this role) for the mind-blowing rendition of Oh Dae-su - who undergoes a drastic change during his imprisonment. For such an impossibly difficult role, he performs brilliantly - almost inhumanely. I hope to see more meaty roles such as this (not the popcorn Swiri type) come his way in the future.
Perhaps it's hard to appreciate this movie against the history of Korean movies. It's such a new direction in many ways - basically all ways. The direction will blow you away - the shades of light, patterns and other bits that almost escape you, such as a fight scene along a hallway done in one long take. Chan-wook Park (whose previous works include JSA) has done an amazing job. The more I watch this movie, the more I notice and appreciate of his style and vision.
Perhaps I am biased in some way, because I find it hard to see fault in this movie - the acting, direction and camera work are brilliant. Having said this, be prepared for some violence, sex and some pretty lurid themes. If you feel like being surprised, watch this movie. Watch it a couple of times. It will blow your mind every time.
I trash many movies, this one I worship.