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This is based on an actual string of brutal rapes and murders in the Gyunggi Province of Korea, and is not your typical crime drama that shows the brutality of the scenes. This movie focuses much more on the detectives, 2 from the area, and a detective from Seoul who came to help the investigation, and were not very successful. And excellent and enjoyable film about the changes this case made in the detectives, and focus heavily on police procedures.
The film follows rural cop Park Do Mang (Song Kang Ho 송강호) and Seoul detective Su Tae Hoon (Kim Sang Kyung 김상경) as they attempt to solve a series of brutal rapes and murders. Park and his local partner spent most of their time beating confessions from local suspects, while Su uses his head, and they eventually realize they will have to work together to solve the crime.
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I just finished watching the Region 3 Korean DVD of OLD BOY by Park Chan Wook. Wow, what an experience this film was. Not only is it amazingly compelling, but it also one of the most disturbing and disgusting films I have ever seen. And I think everyone should see this film, though it will certainly be way too intense for many. To think that this directed did JSA, which I loved, (and is as well made, though certainly not as disturbing), but SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE was certainly more along these lines. Wow. It is still running though my brain. This is a powerful film, by one of the best directors in the world. After seeing this film I will never miss a film by Park Chan Wook, because he is just that good of a director. This film is so well controlled, from the camera, to the production design to the amazing acting. Choi Min-sik (최민식) pulls off the performance of his career, and one that should have been recognized worldwide, as you initially see him as not too pleasant, and he becomes a monster, but not of his own creation, and he does have a heart, and you do grow to like and even love him, which makes the ending of this film so much more hard hitting. Kang Hye-jeong (강혜정) as the love interest is quirky and fascinating, and you really see her emotions, feeling and seeing her love for for Oh Dae-su, and how much she needs him, and needs to be loved. And Yoo Ji-tae (유 지태) is really a monster in this film, and I will never be able to see him the same way. This is certainly one of my top 10 films off all time, and a must see for anyone, though certainly not for the faint of heart, but I have never shown this film  to anyone who did not love it, and did not want to see the rest of Park’s films. I got the Tartan blu-ray and it looks amazing, much topping the old DVD I had, and being a nearly perfect transfer, really showing all the background detail, and showing off the miriad paterns that are seen in the wallpaper and sets in this film.

Oh Dae-su [Choi Min-sik (최 민식)] starts the film drunk out of his mind in a police station, causing trouble for him, the police and anyone else in the police station, and not being home to give his little daughter her birthday present, a set of angel wings made from real feathers. Finally Oh Dae-su’s friend No Joo-hwan [Ji Dae-han (지대한)] shows up to take him home, but first gets him to call his wife from a phone booth in the rain, but when No steps into the booth to assure Dae-su’s wife that he will have him home, but when he turns around Dae-su is gone. Dae-su wakes up locked in a single room with no outside contact, except bringing him the same dumplings every single day, and a television. Dae-su attempts not to go mad, practising fighting against the hard walls, and writing about his experience, and his life before in journals, as he tries to figure out who did this too him. And when he gets an extra metal chopstick he starts to dig his way out, having to hide the hole when the music plays, and they pump nock out gas into the room. During the period Dae-su learns from the television that his wife has been murdered and he has been blamed and his duaghter has been sent to another country to live. Finally after 15 years Dae-su gets through an outside wall, and feels the rain. That night they gas him, and a hypnotist [Yoon Jin-seo (윤진서)] comes in and hynotises him, and Dae-su awakens in a trunk on a rooftop, which is exactly where the phone booth was. Dae-su finds a man who was about to commit suicide, and tells him his story, then leaves, as the man jumps to his death.

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I just finished watching the Region 3 Special Edition DVD of director Kim Sueng’s film PLEASE TEACH ME ENGLISH starring Lee Na Yeong and Jang Hyeok. This was an enjoyable romantic comedy, and I recommend it. Sure it follows the formula that the leads don’t kiss until the final scene, though here they actually kiss twice. I enjoyed this one because it was taken seriously, while the silly elements were some animated sections that are supposed to be the thoughts of the woman.

This movie is about a 29 year Public servant (who eventually takes the English name Candy [Lee Na-young 이나영]) who is plain and normal, and who wears glasses, and who is decided by the people at her company that she will be the one person to take English. The class is taught by a cute Australian girl, and the guy in class (who takes the name Elvis [Jang Hyeok 장혁]) likes the teacher.

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I just finished the region 3 Chinese DVD of the Korean film WINDSTRUCK directed by Kwak Jae Young (곽재용) and starring the gorgeous Jeon Ji-hyeon (전지현) as well as Jang Hyeok (장혁). I enjoyed the film in a goofy Korean way too melodramatic sort of way, but it really didn’t live up to MY SASSY GIRL or THE CLASSIC, but still a good and enjoyable film if only to watch Jeon Ji-hyeon.

Let me preface this by saying Korean love stories seem to be able to be the most melodramatic films ever made. And made even worse when the romantic leads never even kiss. Not once in the entire film, and yet they are such heavily star crossed lovers.

Still, as I said I enjoyed this film, if mainly for the performance of Jun Ji Hyun. Not only is she gorgeous, but she does a really good job with the material available to her here. She can really get those tears flowing (maybe she learned that from the same school as my girlfriend), and it really does bring this material above the actual script.

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