kyletrail Reviews

Zebraman (2004)

It's okay, I guess

[6/10 · 13 December 2005]

I was really expecting more out of this film.

I understand that it was an attempt to help people understand that they can be whatever the want by believing in themselves, but I just plain didn't believe in this movie. And I really wanted to badly. It just didn't happen.

And by the way, it's 2004. Shouldn't we be able to see effects in a Japanese film that look at least like the best from the U.S. in 1999??? Again, I like the idea of an uplifting Miike film. I am a Miike fan through and through. If you want to see him do something positive and upbeat, however, go watch "The Bird People In China". It may just be his greatest film to date.

If You Were Me (2003)

Very Interesting mini Film Festival!

[8/10 · 8 December 2005]

I could not find this for sale anywhere on the web, so I ended up downloading it and watching it on my PSP.

It's really a neat collection of 6 films from Korean directors (yes, including Chan Wook Park).

I know another review here claimed that all films are about Human Rights, and that's true for the most part, but not all of them. I see them more as six narratives (even though Park's piece could be considered a documentary as well as a the "Tongue Tied" piece) that span the various types of people and situations in Korea currently.

I would highly suggest you see this if you can. Good luck too as it's extremely difficult to find.

Judgement (1999)

Interesting

[7/10 · 5 December 2005]

Well, this is a short film by Chan Wook Park.

The main storyline is that there are various natural disasters happening all over Korea (and the world I presume) and people are trying to collect insurance monies by claiming their loved ones were killed.

How are they collecting money you ask? Well, insurance companies are ponying up as the structures built to withstand disasters aren't holding up.

The story takes place in a morgue with a husband and wife (claiming the dead woman is their daughter), a government official (overseeing the process of identification), a reporter and the forensics doctor. While going through the motions, the forensics doctor recognizes the deceased as his own daughter who disappeared seven years prior. Thus begins a battle of sorts between the supposed parents and the supposed father.

This is a dialogue driven piece with some well placed cuts to people injured and killed in natural disasters as well as imagery of natural disasters themselves. It is very similar to the time transport montages in "Old Boy" when showing these things.

I enjoyed it and there are some very crass and cynical turns in the story along the way that are vintage Chan Wook Park for sure. I won't spoil it should you get the chance to see it sometime.

I only rate it as high as I did because it's him.

Shark (1969)

Wow! This was really in theaters?

[4 October 2004]

A friend of mine gave me this as a joke when he moved from the midwest and I have to tell you it is the worst film in the history of film-making. Note Burt's beard in the chase scene early on in the desert. Also, check out the bazaar chase scene when the kid steals his watch. Did you really need to crash into that table?

Anyway, if you love bad movies then this one is for you. That's how we came across it actually. We used to have a bad movie night once a week. This won hands down. As a matter of fact, we stopped doing it after this one. Nothing could ever compare.

Sometimes I intentionally watch a bad film or two to purge my system in preparation for a good one. Well, this is like the Ex-Lax of films for this type of activity.