Asian Movie Challenge

jiraffejustin, instead of just "feature films" you should allow entire series -- but only listed as one entry. of course i'm thinking of all those chinese cartoons.

I wouldn't consider this an Asian film even though most of Russia is technically in Asia it's an European country in the cultural sense (although different from Western European countries).

Memories of a Murder - Joon-ho Bong Wow. This movie should be required viewing for the Asian movie challenge for those who haven't seen it. It's just that good. The truth is I like these types of movies, but so often they are just so badly done that I feel a little bit dumb for watching them. I think I even might have said that I was done with the whole thriller/cop genre. Thank you, South Korea for giving us directors that no how to put together decent detective thriller.

I've only seen three of Bong's movies (he doesn't have a whole lot more in his filmography) but I list him whenever I talk about good directors and I get excited when I hear his name. He's in top form with Memories. Bong is a rare director that can give you complex and real characters, good story, taught and tense atmosphere and infuse the whole thing with his brand of humor.

The lead is a ridiculous, brutal not-so- bright detective way in over his head. His partner is more brutal and even less bright than he is. Bong is skilled at letting the characters piss you off, make you laugh and then eventually find sympathy for them. I even liked the main character quite a bit by the end. Credit goes to Kang-ho Song as well who is becoming one of my favorite actors.

As ridiculous and humorous as the two characters might get sometimes, they are always grounded and real. They never venture over into cartoon character territory which happens so often with less skilled directors and actors. They are off-set by a well educated smart detective from Seoul who has come to work the case. The relationship between the men is an important part of the movie and is just another plus to tack on the the many good things I can say about Memories.

Oh, and the ending is excellent. A+

My Asian Movie Count 13

The Life of Oharu (1952) - Kenji Mizoguchi +
There are quite a few Hollywood classics that I don't like as much as most people - The Maltese Falcon, Vertigo, Sunset Boulevard, Citizen Kane, etc., so I guess it makes sense that it would be the same with Japanese movies. I'm not a big fan of Rashomon for example and The Life of Oharu was another that left me feeling flat. It was so melodramatic - basically a collection of scenes where over and over life kicks Oharu in the teeth. Unfortunately it all got too much and I stopped caring. I loved Sansho the Bailiff and I'm sure I'll love other Mizoguchi movies but not this

Well, I didn't like The Bad Sleep Well for some reason. I loved The Life of Oharu though, it's in my top 200, it's a very powerful drama film (well, that's the typical characteristic of Mizoguchi's films).

The Man From Nowhere-Jeong-beom Lee I thought this movie was pretty crappy, really. Anything the movie has to offer has been done much better elsewhere. Parts of the movie put me in mind of the much better movie The Chaser. The protagonist must save a wayward mother and her offspring. A friendship develops between child and protagonist. It's handled with much heavy-handedness and manipulation where in The Chaser, it felt a lot more genuine.

This is funny. If you switch the movie titles, that'd be how I felt. Granted, both of them I felt were manipulative.