"The Dark Knight" Review (2008)

Unlike most people, I find "The Dark Knight" to be the most overrated film ever. This film has the sheen of 00s Hong Kong crime dramas such as the "Infernal Affairs" films. Unlike the Hong Kong crime dramas though, this one costs hundreds of million dollars. To be honest, there is nothing on screen that suggests this film costs more than $30 million. The pace is slow, there is very little humor and the performances are good but nothing special. Heath Ledger's Joker though is excellent and his Oscar is well deserved. He will be missed. In my opinion, this is a letdown from "Batman Begins". The earlier Christopher Nolan film was not perfect but fun and stylish. "The Dark Knight" is deadly serious and deadly dull. This is a mediocre film that has a reputation that has been blown up to inconceivable proportions. Or, maybe I just don't get it.

Aspect Ratio: 2.35

Rated PG-13 for disturbing violence

"Nabi" Review (2001)

"Nabi" means butterfly in Korean. The film is definitely very Korean with its pathos and pervasive sense of doom and gloom.
It is also a very experimental film shot in DV giving it a rather rough look.
The look suits the film fine as it is a curious sci-fi about the near future, where an unnamed Korean city has acid rains falling constantly. Among this backdrop, tourists from the world flock over to get infected with the Millenium virus. This virus erases people's painful memories.
Anna (Kim Ho-Jung) is a German Korean who had a painful miscarriage and wants to earase this memory and comes to the city seeking the disease. The tour guide Yuki (Kang Hye-Jeong) is pregnant and also has lots of pains in her life. The third character is the taxi driver K (Jang Hyeong-Seong) who is in search of his birth parents throughout the city. This joins the three characters together and they begin to bond and discover some happiness among all the dreariness going on.
Director Moon Seung-Wook studied in Poland with Polish auteurs and this film evidently shows much of Polish Cinema's influences. However, its pathos, doom and gloom are definitely Korean. Does Anna get to catch the disease and take the easy way out or does she learn her lesson and choses to face life? The anwer is not as easy as it seems as there is some plot twist near the end.
It is exciting to see a rather original film. It is not a masterpiece but this film does make one think about the mysteries of humanity.
Not Rated with some nudity and language
Aspect Ratio 1.85
Korean

"Serenity" Review (2005)

I must admit that I have never watched the "Firefly" television series. Therefore I went into this film not knowing anything about its universe other than it looked like an interesting science fiction film. To be fair, "Serenity" is a decent sci-fi with some interesting ideas and pretty well made, considering that it was not a big budget production. "Serenity" reminded me of the original "Planet of the Apes" and Issac Asimov's Foundation novels.
On the other hand, "Serenity" does not really stand out in the realm of sci-fi as it has elements of "Start Wars", "Star Trek" and "Dune" among others. Joss Whedon has made a solid entertainment. Nothing truly memorable though.
The plot deals with a group of futuristic swashbucklers taking a couple of special people who has secrets the bad guys want as well. Shades of "The Hidden Fortress" and Han Solo abound.
Rated PG-13 for some violence
Aspect Ratio 2.35

"Vital" Review (2004)

Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo, Gemini) is an exciting filmmaker. All of his films, good or bad, are interesting and fascinating.
"Vital" is no exception, and it is a great one. Much more than I expected from a film about medical autopsy on corpses.
Tadanobu Asano stars as a medical student who loses his memory after a fatal accident where his girlfriend was killed.
On the positive side, he becomes a better student and seems to be really interested in being a doctor whereas he was not so enthusiastic about his future profession before. In class, he meets an oddly bright girl (Kiki) who becomes obssessed with Asano. However, Asano is much more fascinated with a female corpse. This leads to some pretty grisly revealations about the two main characters plus another person from Asano's past....
"Vital" has a morbid subject matter. It is not really a horror film but a rather creepy drama. The film is somewhat downbeat but not overtly so like David Cronenberg's "Dead Ringers" for example. In fact, the film makes a statement about how we should move on from grief and loss. It also urges that people should appreciate life more and enjoy it to the fullest. I know that uplifting does not sound like something Tsukamoto would normally endorse but once you see the film, you will know it is him at the helm. Uplifting or not, "Vital" is a strangely emotional one. Asano gives a rather expressionless performance, yet you could see his eyes coming alive as the film progresses. Definitely highly recommended.
Rated R for disturbing images and aberrant sexual behaviors
Aspect Ratio 1.85
Japanese

"Jarhead" Review (2005)

Sam Mendes is a virtuosity film technician. "Jarhead" has an unique, slightly muted but shimmering visual flair that is quite stunning to look at. There is a sequence near the end where the Marines are running toward burning oil fields in Kuwait/Iraq, that is simply breathtaking. It is very unfortunate that all the visual excitement is in the service of a very pointless exercise.
For I have no idea what this film is trying to say.
"Jarhead" is set in the first Iraq War, which was a rather anti-climatic war to base a film on anyway. It follows the protagnist Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he joins the Marine (not sure why) and gets sent to Kuwait/Iraq. Once there, he befriends a fellow Marine Troy (Peter Saarsgard) who is obssessed about killing the enemies and seeing some action. Jamie Foxx shows up as a staff sargeant to spice up the film. At one point, Foxx says that he loves this job. However, the film never shows that he enjoys anything that is going on. The film shows lots of exercises, boredom and more boredom before they are sent to a mission that is noticeably without much ado.
Is "Jarhead" an anti-war film? Is it making a commentary about wars and marines in general. In the film, there are references to two great anti-war films, where all the Marines seem to know and love them. "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter".
I find it really hard to believe that a group of thrill seeking gung ho Marines would love these two films as they are both rather unflattering portraits of the military. I think it has more to do with Mendes paying homage to them and "Full Metal Jacket" as well, as the beginning sequence is clearly inspired by it. All three films were much more successful in getting their points across.
I really believe Sam Mendes is trying to say something with this film. It maybe that I simply missed the boat on this one.
However, I find "Jarhead" a rather pointless exercise in mega budget filmmaking.
Those burning oil fields sure looked really cool though.
Rated R for nudity, strong sexual content, language, violence and war images
Aspect Ratio: 2.35

"Kinsey" Review (2004)

Director Bill Condon's "Kinsey" is an okay film biography of Dr. Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson), the pioneering sex research professor from Indiana University. This film focuses on Dr. Kinsey, his wife Clara (Laura Linney) and the team that participated and created the Kinsey Reports. "Kinsey" starts with his childhood, being smothered by his conservative father. When he becomes a zoology professor, he marries one of his students (Laura) and discovers that they have some sexual issues. This sparks his life long obsession with human sexuality and research.
The acting, directing, script and technical aspects are all solid. The film is actually more lively than the subject might suggest. Although, the film does not offer any profound insight into human sexuality, the film does theorize that more people need to open up and be frank about sex. Beyond that, there does not seem much that needs to be discussed about this film.
Rated R for nudity, strong sexual content and language
Aspect Ratio: 2.35

"One Missed Call" Review (2003)

Takashi Miike is one of my favorite filmmakers. "Audition" and "Ichi the Killer" rank as some of my most beloved films of all time. To be fair though, Miike also made some terrible films such as "Izo" "City of the Lost Souls" and "Dead or Alive:Final", films that are pretty unwatchable. "One Missed Call" falls somewhere in between. It is watchable and suspenseful but you can tell that Miike was not on the top of his game.
"One Missed Call" is Miike's take on the J-Horror trend that is becoming less trendier now days. Elements are lifted from "Ringu", "Ju-On", "Cure" and "Pulse/Kairo". Unlike "Cure" or "Pulse/Kairo", this film has no philosophical insight or even tries to be anything but a standard horror show. The only sequence that yells Miike is the surreal final hospital sequence, which is up for interpretations for the meaning.
Basically, "One Missed Call" follows a heroine and a hero through a series of deaths of their friends. They must follow clues to search for answers and stop the cursed cell phone ringtone. The gimmick is that someone gets a missed call voicemail from him or herself in the future and hears his or her own death. The victim knows exactly the time and date of death and there is no escape! Some creative death scenes are shown including one on live television which is pretty hilarious.
Let's hope Miike was just amusing himself before pumping out more memorable films like "Visitor Q", "Gozu" or "The Happiness of the Katakuris".
Rated R for violence and gruesome images
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
Japanese

"Eyes Without a Face" Review (1960)

Georges Franju was a pioneer in the horror genre. Watching this film, I realized where many modern horror films got their inspirations. I can see where "Eyes Without a Face" inspired films such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "The Hills Have Eyes", "Halloween" and "Face/Off". There are probably numerous other films that this has inspired including many Dario Argento films. Stunningly shot in poetically crisp black and white, the whole film looks and feels elegant. The gruesome images in this film are not compromised and would not be out of place in a Rob Zombie film.
The most fascinating aspect of "Eyes Without a Face" is the family of villains, the professor, the lover and the daughter who is going crazy. Unlike countless other films where the villains are mutants or the drecks of society, this film shows them as the upper crust of France living in a huge mansion. There is one chilling sequence where you think the daughter is not aware of the horrors going on and she will be shocked by the insanity. Then you realize slowly that she is not only not shocked but an active participant of the horror show. Powerful filmmaking indeed.
The story follows a surgeon/professor who is trying to fix her daughter's disfigured face. Which is noble and all but wait until you see how he and his lover do this for the sake of the beloved daughter. Starring Alida Valli, Pierre Brasseur and Edith Scob, Franju's horror classic awes the audience with some horrific but truly beautiful sequences of mayhem that are unforgettable. The ending has echos of "Frankenstein" and presents a sequence of madness that is as pathetic as it is lyrical.
This definitely ranks up there with "Psycho" as the seminal masterpieces of the genre.
Not Rated but recommended for adults for gruesome images and violence
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
French

"Public Enemy" Review (2002)

This violent and crude Korean action film has an interesting premise. The hero (Sol Kyung-Gu)is a dirty cop who looks ragged, swears a lot and acts like a total loser. The villain/psycho (Lee Sung-Jae) is a wealthy professional who looks great and everyone admires. This is an interesting dynamic as we kind of grow to love the loser cop who actually has a good heart. On the other hand, we gradually realize how demented the good looking psycho is internally despite a pleasant exterior.
This film directed by Kang Woo-Suk centers on the hero investigating and chasing down the serial killing psycho with much hardship and challenge as everyone thinks that the cop is off the deep end. The film could of been better if taken a little bit more seriously and had less bathroom humour. Overall, it is an okay film with a strong performance from Sol Kyung-Gu as Detective Kang. Sol is becoming one of my favorite Korean stars after this and "Peppermint Candy". Definitely worth a look if you are into the Asian action genre. Visually and technically, the film looks fine but nothing stands out. Sol is pretty cool though.
Rated R for sexual content, strong violence and language
Aspect Ratio: 2.35
Korean

"Dolls" Review (2002)

Takashi Kitano is one of the coolest presence in world cinema. In front or behind the camera, Kitano is one powerful presence. He delivered memorable performances and directed himself in great movies like "Sonatine", "Hana-bi" and the remake of Zatoichi. "Dolls" is kind of a surprising project coming from the hard boiled Kitano, however, as the film progresses, it is evidently very Kitano. Which is to say that it is funny, weird, sweet, touching and unexpectedly violent.
The story is based on a Japanese puppet show (sort of) as the prologue and ending shows an actual puppet show performance. The main story itself takes place in modern day Japan. There are three loosely interconnected stories about 1.) a man who deserted his fiancee for a rich girl and then has a fatal case of guilt when the fiance attempts suicide and becomes crazy. 2.) an old gangster remembers the love he abandoned years ago and revisits the place where they used to meet and finds that she is still waiting for him. 3.) a construction worker who is obssessed about a teen pop idol in the most unexpected way. As with other Kitano films, the ending is kind of grim but the film feels sweet overall.
I believe Kitano is trying to make a point that extreme love is mad and that people cease to reason and live when love dominates everything. In a way, this movie is a cautionary tale about how obssesive love can destroy lives. It is overall a pretty pessimistic film but peppered with genuine feelings and gentleness. I wish the role of the old gangster was played by Kitano himself, as he is not acting in this movie. That would of been really cool as his presence would of made the film edgier.
Overall, an important work in the Kitano cannon but not one of his best. The performances are somewhat wooden, doll like (maybe intentional) and restrained even by Japanese standard. There are some really good images in this film and the music by Joe Hisaish is sweet and haunting.
Rated PG-13 for some violence
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
Japanese

"Gingko Bed, The" Review (1996)

"The Gingko Bed" is a Korean fantasy, time travel romance from Kang Je-Gyu. Kang is later known for his Korean blockbusters "Shiri" and "Taeguki". Just as those later films were heavily influenced by Hollywood (Taeguki) and Hong Kong (Shiri) films, "The GIngko Bed" is also similar overall to 90s Hong Kong commercial films directed by Tsui Hark and Ching Siu Tung. In fact, "The Gingko Bed" is very similar to Ching Siu Tung's "The Terracotta Warrior". Both deal with a love that would not die and both deal with one person being reincarnated and another traveling through the supernatural world to find that love.
"The Gingko Bed" does have its Korean-ness if you will though. Just like no one produces spectacles like Bollywood, no one produces melodramatic but effective tear jerkers like the Koreans. Witness the popularity of K Dramas. In this aspect, "The GIngko Bed" does have an interesting love triangle about a Princess, an evil but infatuated General and a sensitive court musician. Korean star Han Suh-Kyu does a good job playing the sensitive court musician and in a dual role, the re-incanated modern artist. The film does look dated and the special effects are quite poor. Worth a look as one of the earlier Korean blockbusters before the Korean Film Industry became hot. Just don't expect greatness.
Rated R for strong cartoon violence, sexual content and nudity
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
Korean

"Peppermint Candy" Review (2000)

This is a great film from South Korea made before Christopher Nolan's "Memento" and Gasper Noe's "Irreversible" but using the same storytelling device as those two better known films (Reverse Time Sequences). The film starts with the main character Yongho (Sol Kyung-Gu) lying under a railroad bridge for a brief scene. Then the movie moves into a scene where it seems that Yongho is barging in onto a group celebration. It turns out that the celebration is a reunion of old friends and Yongho in suit looks drunk and out of place. Yongho ruins the party by being rude, volatile and apparently crazed. He goes up to the railroad bridge platform and faces a coming train that does not stop. As he is nearing his pending doom, he yells that he wants to go back in time. The story then does indeed go back in time and we find out how and why he is this way. "Peppermint Candy" becomes a story about lost innocence, lost love and the wrong decisions we make in life that bind us in corners.
Director Lee Chang Dong's fascinating film is a thesis on the effects of human choices and how time is indeed irreversible. The film starts with devastation and ends with a beautifully tranquil sequence. It is a happy ending technically, except that the timeline is reversed so we know how much pain and suffering the antihero is going to face in his life.
"Peppermint Candy" is also a film that describes the volatile political and historical landscape of South Korea in the 80s and 90s with all the significant events corresponding to the main character's story arc. Yet, this film is rather universal as the politics never overwhelm the human story. Which is about an idealistic and innocent young man full of hope and love becoming a irrational lunatic scarred by life, history, society and choices. Lee Chang Dong is a tremendous filmmaker and this film deserves wider attention.
Rated R for nudity, sexual content, language and violence
Aspect Ration: 1.85
Korean

"Pulse/Kairo" Review (2001)

Pulse/Kairo is an interesting horror film that is more interested in existentialism, loneliness and how technology is making us all zombies than actual horror. That is not to say that this film is devoid of scares. There are several creepy scenes including one with a wobbling ghost that is pretty disturbing. You will know when you see this sequence. What Kiyoshi Kurosawa succeeds with this film whereas many other Hollywood horror films fail is in the pervasive sense of doom and unease throughout the film. Frightful images are teased and shown selectively not explicitly, therefore making the audience imagine more. It is also amazing how that even though Tokyo is one of the most populated cities in the world, Kurosawa makes the city seem extremely sparse, empty, drenched in rain, clouds and industrial gloom. This is even before the people started to disappear in the film.
The story itself is rather simple and maybe influenced by other J horror flilms like "Ringu" and "Ju-On". Something is happening to a bunch of lonely internet users and they start to disappear or kill themselves in irrational fashions. Two parallel stories, involving a young woman and a young man converge to form one near the end. It is a ghost story about how the realm of the dead is full and the dead are invading our world. It gets all confusing and somewhat moot because I don't think Kurosawa's main obsession is with the ghost story. Rather, Kurosawa seems fascinated by irrational behaviors, loneliness and the mysteries of the unknown. Similar to his great "Cure" and the frustrating "Charisma". "Pulse/Kairo" ranks somewhere in between. Not as enigmatic and powerful as "Cure", but definitely a film worth seeing. It does ask questions about what humanity's future will be when technology will replace all human interactions. Is techonology bringing humans together or driving us further apart making us lonely souls who are like ghosts? I wonder....
This is the most polished looking Kurosawa film to date with some pretty fancy effects and solid production values. The acting is fine overall but similar to other J-horror films. Definitely a must see for fans of horror and supernatural.
Rated R for frightful images
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
Japanese

"Garden of the Finzi-Continis, The" (1970)

Italian maestro Vittorio de Sica made a haunting movie with this film about a group of Italian Jews during WWII. The setting of the film takes place in a huge manision and compound owned by the Aristocratic Jew family FInzi-Continis. While Italy is turning fascistic and allying with the Nazis, the family acts oblivious to the outside world. This is symbolized by the young, vivacious but nostalgic daughter Micol (Dominique Sanda) and the nice, ailing and weak son Alberto (Helmut Berger). There is a sense that these young people have already given up and irrepairably tied to the past, a past that is disappearing soon. Against this backdrop, a family friend Giorgio (Lino Cappolichio) falls hard in love with Micol. It is evident that Micol loves him too, however, she is in denial and will not let the relationship consumate. Instead Micol has a meaningless sexual encounter with another boy she feels nothing for while letting Giorgio watch. Giorgio is heartbroken and when his father comforts him afterwards, the theme of the film becomes evident. The father tells GIorgio that it is good that poeple die once in their lifetimes so they can restart their lives. The father also says that it is good to die while one is young so one still has time to live a new life while many people die too old and it is too late for them to restart. It is a metaphorical death in discussion but also meant for that we have to let things go in life. It is not healthy or wise to cling on a past or loss without facing the future. The film works in many layers, however, the main reason why this film will last is this aspect. The aspect that life is cruel and heartbreaking, humans hurt each other and destroy each other, humans deny love and deny happiness by being attached to ideals, principles or notions. The Finzi-Continis are tragic figures who eventually succumb to the changing world without adapting. In a way though, Micol's seemingly irrational behaviors toward Giorgio saves him and he finally lets Micol go and starts anew. Although, Micol will be in Giorgio's memory forever.
There is a scene in the film where Giorgio rides his bicycle through the wintry Italian countryside. The sun is shining and the trees are shimmering against a backdrop of snow covered but sunny afternoon. Giorgio smiles and looks happy, life is indeed beautiful no matter what.
Poetically filmed with strong performances all around, this classic stands the test of time.
Rated R for sexual content and brief nudity
Aspect Ratio: 1.85
Italian

"Barbarella" Review (1968)

Roger Vadim had impeccable taste in muses. Brigitte Bardot was a fantasy come true at her prime when Vadim directed her in "And God Created Women" and Jane Fonda in 1968 was also a spectacular sight to behold. In "Barbarella", Vadim films Fonda in various stages of undress and nudity all within the confines of a PG rating. "Barbarella" was the inspiration of many cheesy Cinemax soft core sci fi films and probably many other pornos. Despite the fact that the sex scenes are pretty tame, this movie has only one thing on its mind, Sex! Every Jane Fonda encounter with a male character ends up in a sex scene and even an encounter with a woman character implies sexual tension. Colorful and cheesy, it looks like everyone had a good time making this film. I would even bet that everyone was on drugs while filming it. A plot summary is pointless, this movie is really dated and silly. There is some rumor that Robert Rodriguez is doing a remake. I am sure the remake will be better than the original in every aspect except that it would be hard to find an actress in her prime now that would look as smashing as Jane Fonda was in this sci-fi cheese epic.
Rated PG for nudity and sexual content.
Aspect Ratio: 2.35

"Rent" Review (2005)

This glossy adaptation of Jonathan Larson's Broadway hit is based on "La Boheme" by Puccini. While the film has a good message "Forget regrets or life is yours to lose" and strong lyrics "Without you" song etc, it is overall a film lacking in excitement. Part of the problem may be the director Chris Columbus. Columbus has never directed a film that I ever got excited over. Some of his earlier screenplays like "Gremlins" and "Young Sherlock Holmes" were pretty strong but Joe Dante and Barry Levinson directed those. "Rent" feels like his two Harry Potter fllms, well made, pleasant and watchable but offering little insight or excitement. It does not help that the cast is very forgettable and the film looks too sanitized and neat. Not at all looking like the sewer that lower Manhattan is. The film did bring back memories of my year in lower Manhattan attending NYU and living the life of a Boheme with other equally idealistic and pretentious friends. However, other than that this movie lacks maturity and sophistication. The love stories are filmed like music videos with little vive. It is an okay film I guess, nothing to stir the blood and nothing to really excite the senses. I am sure the Broadway show felt a lot edgier and vibrant. Basically this film is about a group of young people (men, women, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, Black, White and Hispanic) struggling to pay rents at a particular run down apartment complex. The landlord's son in law is a sold out ex-Boheme and he is trying to stop a protest by a performance artist named Maureen. The colorful characters include a saintly gay, a fun transvestite, a tense lesbian, a drug addict exotic dancer named Mimi, a struggling musician who can't forget his dead lover and a principled film-maker who looks like he is from a Harry Potter movie. The cast sings, dances, fights for ideals and learn lessons about true love and compassion. Maybe they should of let someone like Alan Parker direct this. Chris Columbus shows no passion in this or any other film he has made.
Rated PG-13 for adult contents
Aspect Ratio: 2.35

"Lust, Caution" Review (2007)

Ang Lee is truly one of the greatest filmmakers alive today. At first, I was not sure what to make of this seemingly gentle and quiet director of such films as "Pushing Hands", "Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman". His films were wonderful slices of life and were definitely well made with solid scripts. I thought, okay an Asian Woody Allen maybe. Then he made a movie with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet called "Sense and Sensibility". It was a film I loved as Ang Lee showed me that he could do visual flair with an English cast. I was surprised and delighted by that Jane Austen adaptation. Still, I was not convinced that Ang Lee was a master on the level of Zhang Yimou or Wong Kar Wai. Despite his solid film making foundations, visually and thematically, I was questioning Mr. Lee. Subsequently, Lee made other small films such as "Ice Storm" and "Ride with the Devil". Both films were ok to me. I liked them but I did not love them. These films seemed to confirm my suspicion that Ang Lee wll never do something truly exciting. How much was I wrong?
With 2000's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and 2005's "Brokeback Mountain", I finally realized that Ang Lee is a film maker to be taken seriously. The 2000 Martial Arts epic entertained as well as established his auteur themes of impossible love and loneliness. The 2005 landmark gay romance epic built on that theme and despite its slow burning pace, truly touched people all over the world, gay or not. Even his much maligned attempt at Hollywood blockbuster "Hulk", was not as bad as people remember. It was maybe misguided but sincere and special.
Now Ang Lee has finally risen to the top of the game with this adapation of Eileen Chang's novella. I don't know what the future will bring but currently Ang Lee is a cinema god up there with the best. Let me explain why "Lust, Caution" is such a masterpiece.
There is little doubt that such films as "Casablanca" and "Notorious' are regarded as masterpieces of cinema. Yet, those films are very flawed, just as any movie including "Lust, Caution". "Casablanca" only superficially touched on the prices real human beings pay for patriotism, love and lust. RIck (Bogart) was suffering because of his lost love, but he was a tough guy who finally sacrificed everything for the good of humanity against the Nazis. Elsa (Bergman) was in love with both men, the noble Lazlo and the carnal RIck. The movie never seared deeply into the hearts of these characters. Same can be said about "Notorious", Cary Grant had to sacrifice his love to catch the Nazi. Meaning, sending his lover to sleep and seduce the enemy. Yet these movies never touched on the sex, the human cost of Bergman(in both films) and the psychology of the characters. Restricted by the rating system at the time and the notion that cinema is an escapist medium. Difficult questions were only implied and could not be analyzed upon. This is where Ang Lee achieves his greatness with "Lust, Caution".
"Lust Caution" is about a group of patriotic and idealistic young Chinese during the Japanese occupied China (Hong Kong and Shanghai) circa WWII. The charismatic and handsome leader Kuang (Wang Lee Hom) comes up with the plan to assasinate a traitorous Chinese collaborator played by Leung Chiu Wai in Hong Kong. He uses as the bait, a rather lonely and naive girl Wang Jiazhi played by Tang Wei, she is recently abandoned by her father and lives alone. It is clear that in the beginning that Wang is doing this to impress the group and perhaps get more attention from Wang, whom she is clearly infatuated with (maybe even in love). Kuang's passion is to save the country from the Japanese, shown with a sequence showing a melodramatic play the group put on to move the masses. These kids are way over their heads. The one in the line of fire is Wang, she really gets into her role as the fictitious Mrs Mak (her cover character). Wang befriends Mr. Yee and Mrs. Yee. You can see that both of them are charmed by Mrs. Mak. A surprise turn of events end this first part of the failed assasination with some pretty sobering consequences for the group.
Two years later, Wang is an impoverished student in Shangahi. She gets recruited by the previous group again, this time with some official help from the resistance. Wang agrees to the re-ignited assasination plot and the group goes all out to trap Mr. Yee and gather information about the Japanese. It becomes clear that Mr. Yee is very drawn to this charming girl and they have sexual chemistry. They start to have an intense sexual affair. It starts very violently and as the affair goes on, it becomes less violent but still intense. The film features some of the steamiest sex scenes put on a maintream film. These sex scenes are crucial as you can see during these scenes that Mr. Yee becomes alive and you can feel his passion and humanity. At this point, the movie takes on the next level. Are these two damaged people falling in lust or in love. Is Wang really in love with Mr. Yee? Or is it Mrs. Mak, the character that Wang plays in the movie in love with Mr. Yee? Near the end, the two characters both do acts of true love (debatable) that bring the movie to an understated yet powerful conclusion. This film's central question is that what price do we pay for lust, love and country? At what point, do we have to pay with our hearts and at what point do things go too far? What is morality and can one fall in love with a monster? Heavy quesitons indeed and I dug every moment of this film.
It should be noted that both Leung Chiu Wai and Tang Wei give brave and baring perormances (physically and emotionally). Both characters are complex and fully drawn with mysteries around both. The supporting characters are solid as well, especially from Joan Chen and a 2 scene cameo from Bollywood legend Anupam Kher. The script is as tight as ever expected from the Ang Lee/James Schamus team. The production values are high and techinically perfect. This is a haunting film. It is also long and slow but never boring as I was completely into this world. "Lust, Caution" is one of my favorite films of all time, it is not perfect as no movie is. I think Ang Lee erred in not showing some toruture scenes to establish Mr. Yee's evil. Wang Lee Hom, the pop idol, playing a crucial part, did not communicate his inner turmoil very well. But, on the scale of things, the movie shook me hard. It is a mature and powerful take on classics like "Casablanca" and "Notorious". There are no easy resolutions like those two classics but in a way, this movie adds psychological insights to those films which many might of glossed over as entertainment. "Lust, Caution" taken this way, is a homage but also makes its own impact. Just like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" which was a re-imagining of the martial arts genre with an emotional core, "Lust Caution" is a re-imaginging of the spy, romance genre with a psychological core. Ang Lee has crafted a movie that I will love for years to come.
Rated NC-17 for strong sexual content, nudity and violence.
Aspect Ratio: 1:85
Mandarin Chinese

Film Reviews Coming Up!

I love films, I love all kinds of films from all over the world. From classics to blockbusters, from art films to animated films, from films that show great art to films that are meant to tiltillate or exploit. There are great films from every genre and every culture. My reviews will be different than others you will see. I am not a film snob and I am not a film geek. Films to me are meant to do two things: 1.) storytelling and 2.) create an effect on the viewer. Films can be great art and films can simply entertain or take you to another world. There are poetic films like Ozu's "Tokyo Story" and Resnais' "Hiroshima Mon Amour", there are primal epics of the heart like Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum" and Satyajit Ray's "Pather Panchali", there are gaudy and colorful Bollywood epics like "Devdas" and "Veer Zaara", there are surreal classics like David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive", there are exploitation masterpieces like Takashi Miike's "Audition" and Takashi Kitano's "Zatoichi" remake.
Countless films I love. These films all leave a lasting impact in my life. This is what I am searching for. Not films to put on pedestals, not films that are techincally perfect, not films that are prestigious. I want films that move me. In other words, films that I love in all its imperfections and cumulative cohesive glories. I love films. This is how I will go into each review. The first review I will post is Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution". I will post that as soon as I can.