Author Topic: Bondo's 200X  (Read 42492 times)

Holly Harry

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #100 on: April 16, 2010, 11:26:51 PM »
Yeah, but that's not really a flaw per se. (I haven't seen Inland Empire, but not every movie needs a coherent plot. Logic is overrated).
"Political questions, if you go back thousands of years, are ephemeral, not important. History is the same thing over and over again."-Woody Allen.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #101 on: April 16, 2010, 11:28:09 PM »
Well that doesn't make any sense at all.

zarodinu

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #102 on: April 17, 2010, 04:24:56 AM »
Inland Empire (2006)

Inland Empire, like Mulholland Dr., seems to center itself around a meta film about film narrative and then he gets up to his Lynch shenanigans of random crazy stuff with bright lights flashing and loud noises and no seeming bearing on what is reality and what is dream and what is a trip. To me it just plays faux-deep. It is a stuffed shirt; style without substance that is meant to dazzle or confuse into reverence. And given all his supporters, he seems to get the reverence. More power to those who can appreciate this I suppose.

Only thing redeeming about this film; two words, dancing prostitutes.

Rating: 1/5

Yeah, it kind of went over my head as well.  I still think he was at his peak with Eraserhead.
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1SO

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #103 on: April 17, 2010, 09:26:26 AM »
Please don't attempt Werckmeister Harmonies next.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #104 on: April 17, 2010, 10:48:20 AM »
Please don't attempt Werckmeister Harmonies next.
But it's awesome! You should check it out Bondo.

Bondo

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #105 on: April 17, 2010, 12:16:24 PM »
Please don't attempt Werckmeister Harmonies next.
But it's awesome! You should check it out Bondo.

I think he just wants to get me into a better mood before I tackle something like that. Now that I've exhausted the instant watch selections the marathon is on hold until I clear up a few of my other marathons. I'll make sure to watch some of the more traditional fare (Descent, Magdalene, Bloody Sunday) before I get back to Werckmeister.

Bondo

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #106 on: May 13, 2010, 11:40:19 PM »
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (2004)

Rest assured, not only can I still occasionally like a movie, I can even like a quiet Asian one. The highly acclaimed Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring takes place completely in a single, beautiful valley, filled with a lake and a floating room, serving as a monastery. It is an absolutely serene setting, and I was in a meditative (or perhaps just sleep-deprived) mood that fit. However, I would not call this a serene film.

In the initial segment, we see a young boy tie rocks onto various animals, giggling at their struggles. Given the role of animal cruelty in the early childhood stories of a lot of serial killers, I joked that, "oh, this is a serial killer movie." And while clearly it doesn't play as one, in more ways than I expected, it kind of is. It is the most abstract and peaceful version of such a story in existence, because what is a serial killer but the opposite of the Buddhist ideal. A serial killer is all about control and ownership of that around him. Buddhism is about the rejection of such possession and desire.

Indeed, from wikipedia we get this:
Quote
The quiet, contemplative film marked a significant change from [the director's] previous works, which were often criticized for excessive violence and misogyny.
The only other film from Kim Ki-duk that I have seen is 3-Iron, which I liked quite a bit and was indeed a bit violent. The idea that this one is a significant change from previous works however is a notion that I seem to be disputing. I can't say exactly, not having seen any of the prior work, but it is a change in tone more than subject.

Anyway, there is so much of interest here and I can't claim that it all meant something to me. The doors without walls for example catch my attention, but I'm not exactly sure what is being said through that. I think the film is a bit of a cypher and can be read in many ways...and I choose this one particular interpretation. Either way, I highly recommend this and having now seen two of Kim Ki-duk's works I am intrigued to visit more of them.

Rating: 4/5

zarodinu

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #107 on: May 14, 2010, 02:29:08 AM »
Great review Bondo, this film has a huge following here.  If you want a good example of early Kim Ki Duk (yes very violent and some would argue misogynistic) watch The Isle its stylistically similar to Spring Summer, but alot grittier and in my opinion a superior film.  Also even more beautifully shot.  Its from 2000 and Instant watchable.     
I’ve lied to men who wear belts. I’ve lied to men who wear suspenders. But I’d never be so stupid as to lie to a man who wears both a belt and suspenders.

Bondo

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #108 on: May 19, 2010, 11:43:15 PM »
A Bittersweet Life (2005)

A Bittersweet Life says to the Vengeance trilogy "Why so serious?"

This is a revenge film, a story of a man who through one choice sees his life fall apart and must fight back. It is a form of violent ballet with action scenes that can be rather impressive both with the choreography of the actors and the cinematography. I guess what I'm saying is that if it has to do with graphy, this film does it pretty well. It also does it with a bit of tongue planted in cheek. I'm not quite prepared to say it is a comedic film, but it is a film that doesn't take itself so serious as to avoid a quirky moment here or there that has real payoff.

Emotionally, the story has a nice, restrained pace in the first half. In public policy there is what is called the punctuated equilibrium theory. That things enter a sort of stasis and then have short bursts of activity. This film is a bit like that. We'll get a long scene of the main character driving in his car and then a quick fight. For a while the story remains delightfully small and personal. Into the second half it introduces far too many characters and it weakens the connection to the story so that by the end, while enjoying the action, I don't feel as invested as I had hoped. Still, an enjoyable film.

Rating: 3/5
« Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 11:46:08 PM by Bondo »

1SO

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Re: Bondo's 200X
« Reply #109 on: May 25, 2010, 06:34:24 PM »
How did you review A Bittersweet Life without once using the word 'cool'?

 

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