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BishoptksKnight
Reviews
Road to Perdition (2002)
Too long and misses the mark
To see Sam Mendes team up once again with Conrad Hall is see and hope for the same excellent result in filmmaking which was accomplished with American Beauty. Somehow though, it did not happen. Road to Perdition is too long and misses the mark, the idea of fathers and sons and redemption vs. perdition, is one that could have been used with a much more poignant and visceral message and deliverance. What's more, the right actors were all there for Mr. Mendes. Finding oneself in the company of Paul Newman, Tom Hanks and Jude Law certainly gives one room for superior performances, but there is no punch to the story and the actors all seem somewhat misused (not to be mistaken with miscast) by the slow pace of the film and the lack of a definitive or strong arc in story.
Mr. Hall, as per usual, shoots the film with beauty and style, yet it is frustrating to watch the camera not come in close at moments that could have been so much more if we were allowed closer to the faces in frame. But it is the director's picture, so I find Mr. Mendes to be the one at fault for this oversight. I also thought the editors could have done a better job in the cutting room. While I have no problem with movies that run long, I do have a problem with movies that run long due to not being trimmed down to the essence of the story. The film, in that sense, was somewhat vague and rambling.
All of the above being said, both Paul Newman and Tom Hanks were right on the money. So also was Jude Law, although it seemed as if his part in the film was not maximized to what it could have been. Close ups or no, Conrad Hall hits paydirt with his cinematography and given that this was his last film, it is a consoling thought to think that he left at the top of his game. One of the best, he weaves a dark tapestry with careful use of light to convey the world of his subjects.
Certainly not a bad film but a little disappointing given the expectations going into it. And for $80 million dollars, I believe they could have done a much better job than this.
Go-yang-i-leul boo-tak-hae (2001)
A fascinating look at girls coming of age in another culture
and another country. The place is Korea and the story follows 5 friends that just having finished school must learn to make it in the real world. The transitions in their relationships and closeness with each other as they each go their separate way and through their own dilemmas is realistic enough to sometimes make one feel depressed as to how childhood friends grow apart and how adulthood changes the chemistry and makeup of the magic that once was. As an westerner, I must say that I have found a real love of Korean film - it's fresh and different and seems to be in a renaissance period at the moment. When I think of some of these films having their scripts translated directly to English and played by English speaking actors, I find there probably wouldn't be anything special about them. But in their native form, with the backdrop of Seoul and the culture, they are a refreshing and mind provoking break from the drudgery of American cinema. The story is quite a simple layout but the issues that they each deal with, no matter how 'everyday life' they appear are complex to each character, just as life truly is.
I really enjoyed this film. I especially liked the innovative way that the director used the cell phone usage between the girls graphically. The way when they were texting each other, he would incorporate it in writing on the side of a building, or across a table. It fit perfectly with the film and didn't jar it or seem out of place. He also incorporated this for when one of the girls scenes when she is typing for a poet with cerebal palsy. A really unique use of how to truly convey the daily use of text messaging in Korean society.
Like I said, I really enjoyed this film. A stimulating break from most of the choices I find myself having to watch in this country and a great coming of age/dealing with the pressures of identity and the grown up world film.