Check out:
Having seen 3 of Kim Ji Woon’s movies (be sure to check out The Good The Bad The Weird) I kind of knew what to expect…
But Bittersweet Life still delivers.
We see violence, we see killing, and when it all ends up in a bloodbath, it doesn’t feel like a compromise.
I think I’ve forgotten how to write about films… and part of my tooth fell off today
Kind of fitting given the content of this film.
Perhaps I should feel lucky I wasn’t buried alive.
I had no idea selling my Sennheiser MKE300 would yield such results.
But, I forgot how much of an amazing singer I am.
Let’s make sure this photo never disappears!
Miss Clare 2003.
Every year I get gift vouchers for Waterstones, or HMV.
But I never spend them, because buying online always beats the high street.
however, is that really sustainable?
If everyone bought online, then there wouldn’t be any shops.
I can only imagine that manufacturers would then set up “style stores”, existing to sell the brand, and the products, rather than directly expecting you to part with the cash.
But, with such a high cost to setup and maintain such places, you’d end up with the major brands dominating.
(this is already the case somewhat, but for different reasons, such as the “promotion fees” charged by book stores, and various other conflicts of interest)
But anyway,
my point is this;
I recently bought a camera from Jessops for £6 more than Amazon. I felt good about myself. But then I found the same camera on Pixmania, used, but as good as new. Took it back, and ended up saving £70! Sorry for killing you Mr Highstreet.
Kim Ki Duk is a great director.
I loved The Isle, I loved Samaritan Girl, but somehow I forgot to watch the rest of his films.
I’m really glad “Bad Guy” fell into my lap.
I don’t know how you come up with such a story.
“A guy love a girl. She hates him. So he frames her for theft, and forces her into prostitution.”
How does that happen?
How do you think that up?
But for Kim Ki-Duk, that’s a comparitively optimistic outlook on the world.
It’s a great film.
You’ll probably be shocked by its overtly chauvinistic subject matter,
and that’s difficult to defend,
but I love film, and Kim Ki Duk makes films like noone else.
I’d go to Korea, but I fear I’d be made into a prostitute (or die)!
Anyone know of any decent Ruby/Python jobs in Korea?
We all know Zhang Yimou for his super-blockbusters Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower.
Millions of extras choreographed, parading around grand, colourful sets.
He was the perfect choice to direct the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
But Zhang Yimou is much more than this. Take a look at The Road Home or Happy Times and you’ll see.
Happy Times starts out seeming less than pure of heart.
A middle-aged man, “Manager Zhao”, devoid of genuine love, tries to woo a nasty fat lady.
The nasty fat lady would marry him, if only he had loads of money.
So he sets up a Love Hotel in an old bus.
But things take a different turn, and the real story emerges.
It ends up being a tragic, beautiful tale of make-believe, as Zhao tries to convince a young blind girl that he is, indeed, a successful business man.
In many ways it echos Goodbye Lenin.
And the effect is very similar.
It’s a touching tale of the quest for love, and of people working together to make life better.
I was going to compare it to Life is Beautiful, and in the process found this - a live-action Pinocchio - gotta be worth a watch!
It’s not often I find a film I can’t watch,
but this week I managed to find two.
Celine and Julie Go Boating was 3 hours of randomness
But Dans Ma Peau was something very different.
Marina de Van manages to truly challenge with her film about her own body, and a series of events that leads to extreme self-harm.
The first time I was a little drunk on the train, and couldn’t stomach it.
The second time was on the way to work.
Standing up on a train watching harrowing images of people cutting themselves is not an easy thing.
But I’m glad I watched it.
Depicting extreme violence in such an honest way is quite a feat.
Marina de Van also has a writing credit on 8 Women. I need to watch that again!
WOW!
I love the BBC’s latest high energy show.
High Altitude follows a professional skiier and snowboarder doing crazy stuff in the mountains.
Sky Diving onto the slopes,
or pulling themselves along a rope between two mountains’ peaks,
it’s a wild ride.
This week it was speed skiing
Men dressed as super-smooth monsters, rocketing down a mountain at 150mph!
Watch it in the next week, before it gets wiped from iplayer forever!
