If Zhang Ziyi’s own words are to be believed, then women should not be directors. Why, you might ask? Because it’s too hard. Aww, let me play you a sad song on the world’s smallest violin:

Tell this to Kathryn Bigelow, director of films like Point Break and, more recently, The Hurt Locker, the latter of which is easily one of the very best films in recent memory. Or how about Korean director Kim Mee-Jeong (김미정), who wrote and directed one of my favorite Korean films -  Shadows in the Palace (궁녀). Then there’s Chinese director Xu Jinglei (徐静蕾), who rose above her critics who claimed she was nothing more than a pretty face and whose sophomore feature Letter from an Unknown Woman (一个陌生女人的来信) won best director prize at the 2004 San Sebastian International Film Festival. Aren’t you glad these women ignored any thoughts they might have had about “directing is too haaaaaaaaaaard”? I know I am.

Kathryn Bigelow totally rocks

Sophie’s Revenge – 非常完美

Director: Eva Jin

Cast: Zhang Ziyi (章子怡), Fan Bingbing (范冰冰), So Ji-Sub (소지섭), Peter Ho (何润东)

Hilarious! Inspiring! Wholly imaginative! Heartwarming!

These words, and other positively connotative adjectives like them, do NOT describe Sophie’s Revenge. Zhang Ziyi’s much hyped debut as an actress in a comedy and as a producer is a total mess of a film from start to finish. What the filmmakers have done is to make a love story that says absolutely nothing about love. It’s not hard to pinpoint WHEN it all goes wrong, because it’s from the opening credits which quite literally give away the ending (not that the ending should come as a shock to anyone with half a brain), but it is hard to narrow down just how the film, which I’m sure began with the writer’s honest intent to make an amusing love comedy, turns into a cliched, disingenuous, unoriginal, generic, unfunny, and frankly stupid waste of money, time, and collective energy – “hard” in the sense that there are many aspects of the film which speak to its rank idiocy. Should I begin with the characters’ shallow nature? The filmmakers’ stereotypical views of women and relationships? Or how about the insulting way it deals with the psychological after-effects from which some people suffer after a difficult breakup? Rest assured, all of this and more will be covered. But to close out this little intro, let me clear about this film’s implications – Zhang Ziyi should 1.) stop producing films and 2.) stop acting in comedies. No, that is not multiple choice. She has no gift for comedy and no mind for recognizing talent as a producer.

The Celebrity and Poor Taro – セレブと貧乏太郎

Producer: Tsuchiya Ken (土屋健)

Directors: Matsuda Hidetomo (episodes 1-2, 5, 8, and 11), Ishikawa Junichi (石川淳一, episode 3), Sato Genta (佐藤源太, episodes 4, 7, and 10), and Kitagawa Manabu (北川学, episodes 6 and 9)

Cast: Ueto Aya (上戸彩), Kamiji Yusuke (上地雄輔), Kuninaka Ryoko (国仲涼子), Kashiwabara Takashi (柏原崇)

(note: even though this is a Japanese drama, it will still be classified under Japan Film Reviews)

Ok, now THIS is going to be difficult. Anyone who is familiar with Japanese dramas knows that part of the fun of any particular drama (especially the romantic comedies such as this) is realizing that with a multitude of characters through the 9-12 episodes or so, some are bound to fall in love, and yet they never admit it until the next-to-the-last or the very last episode, sometimes in the last 30 minutes of the last episode. So I’m going to attempt to succinctly review this 11-episode drama without giving too much away, hoping that the silly premise of an insanely wealthy socialite befriending a poor-as-dirt nobody will be enough to attract readers to this review and viewers to the drama… because both are very good.

The Ring Virus – 링 바이러스

Director: Kim Dong-Bin (김동빈)

Cast: Shin Eun-Kyeong (신은경), Lee Seung-Hyeon (이승현), Jeong Jin-Yeong (정진영), Bae Du-Na (배두나)

The Ring Virus is a curious film. A hot-on-the-heels follow-up to Hideo Nakata’s Ring, this film is proof that adherence to the source material, Koji Suzuki’s original novel in this case, does not always produce a superior film. Less scary and even more self-serious than the original film, The Ring Virus follows journalist Sun-Joo as she tries to uncover why her niece and three of her friends died mysterious deaths at the same time but in different locales. What follows is the now-typical investigative framework wherein Sun-Joo comes into possession of a video tape that kills those who watch it and attempts to get to the bottom of its origin. The film is well-intentioned in its horror ambitions, and it certainly beats a lot of the torture porn and downright silly horror that is currently available from any number of countries, but it’s a little too sedate and generally less polished than its Japanese predecessor. But hey, it beats the hell out of the later American remake if that makes a difference to anyone.

I realize this has nothing to do with my blog’s stated purpose, but… I’m an astronomy nut. Sue me.

Today is a monumental day, a day which marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. A challenge put forth by President John F. Kennedy at the beginning of the decade, it was met by NASA, fearless test pilots and astronauts, and literally hundreds of thousands of technicians working behind the scenes to ensure that we successfully put human beings on the surface of another planetary body. It was without a doubt the single greatest achievement in human history, and I can only hope that we continue to rise to meet other, more difficult challenges in the decades to come – if only for the astronauts around the world who have given their lives in the pursuit of knowledge and exploration.

Buzz Aldrin photographed by Neil Armstrong on the surface of the moon

Memories of Murder – 살인의 추억

Director: Bong Joon-Ho (봉준호)

Cast: Song Kang-Ho (송강호), Kim Sang-Kyung (김상경), Kim Roe-Ha (김뢰하), Byeong Hui-Bong (Byeong Hee-Bong, 변희봉), Park No-Shik (박노식), Park Hae-Il (박해일)

Every so often, a film comes along that is utterly mindblowing in its storytelling, characterizations, and lasting impact. For me, Memories of Murder is such a film, one that compels the viewer to contemplate what they are watching as they watch it and one that greatly impacts those that take the initiative to understand its importance as both a masterpiece of filmmaking and a distinct and notable South Korean text. To those who are unfamiliar with Korean culture, popular culture, and history, I hope this film will motivate you to learn all that you can. No jokes whatsoever, this tale of South Korea’s first recorded serial killer is an absolutely remarkable film, thanks in part to what is perhaps Song Kang-Ho’s best performance to date, atmospheric cinematography, and a chilling score from Taro Iwashiro (岩代 太郎). But easily the film’s most outstanding features is the relationship between the characters and the time and place in which they inhabit. In the midst of a military dictatorship, detectives from different parts of Korea do all in their power to catch a murderer in spite of societal limitations. The portrayals of the detectives in this manner and the development which they undergo cast a critical eye on misguided law and order with a biting sense of irony.

Goddess of Mercy (aka Jade Goddess of Mercy) – 玉觀音

Director: Ann Hui (許鞍華)

Cast: Vicki Zhao Wei (赵薇) , Nicholas Tse (謝霆鋒), Liu Yunlong, Chen Jianbin

Ann Hui is a pretty consistent director in the world of Hong Kong cinema in terms of quality. She made a name for herself early on with films such as The Story of Woo Viet (胡越的故事) and Boat People (投奔怒海), and she has continued to shine in recent years with just a few missteps along the way. With Goddess of Mercy, Hui takes on a complex character study of An Xin (Vicky Zhao Wei) and examines her tragic life. Borrowing themes associated with Guan Yin, the Buddhist deity of mercy and compassion, An Xin’s progressive suffering is used in a narrative sense to reveal more about her as a character and about the human experience, which is often fraught with tragedy and unpleasant situations. It’s an interesting film, but actually not one of Hui’s best, as An Xin’s tragedies become increasingly thriller-esque and parodic in nature and lose some of their dramatic punch.

Only Yesterday – おもひでぽろぽろ

Director: Isao Takahata (高畑 勲)

Voice Cast: Miki Imai (今井 美樹), Toshio Yanagiba (柳葉 敏郎), Yoko Honna (本名 陽子)

I am extremely happy that my first review for an animated film is the astounding Only Yesterday, from master director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies – 火垂るの墓). I’ve been a fan of Takahata’s work since first watching Grave of the Fireflies years ago and crying my eyes out when it was over. BEFORE it was over. Yes, I cried. The level of humanity with which he approaches his films is a welcome relief from the glut of  animation in general, where filmmakers seem to regard their products as Saturday morning fodder amidst a sea of competing mediocrity. With Only Yesterday, Takahata has painstakingly painted a picture of one young woman’s transition to adulthood, where she reflects on her formative years as a child and discovers who she really is. And he has done so with such care and such grace that it’s hard not to admire the film. The beautifully conceived ending, rousing in its emotionality and unfettered idealism, only seals the deal.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak

Cast: Kristin Kreuk, Chris Klein, Neal McDonough, Robin Shou, Moon Bloodgood, Josie Ho (何超儀), Taboo, Michael Clarke Duncan, Cheng Pei-Pei (鄭佩佩)

I really wasn’t planning to actually write a review of this film, or even admit that I saw it, but while watching it, it became painfully obvious that the movie is actually in keeping with this blog’s intent – to review, critique, and analyze Asian and Asian-related entertainment. And since this movie features a number of Asian and Asian American stars, was shot in parts of Hong Kong and Bangkok, and features choreography from Dion Lam (林迪安), then I thought it only logical to voice my opinions. So yeah, consider this a review – a review that can be summed up in one short phrase: this movie sucks.

Election – 黑社會

Director: Johnnie To (杜琪峯)

Cast: Simon Yam (任達華), Tony Leung Ka-Fai (梁家輝), Louis Koo (古天樂), Nick Cheung (張家輝), Wong Tin-Lam (王天林), Maggie Siu (邵美琪), Lam Suet (林雪)

Johnnie To knocks it out of the park yet again! Election is a fresh take on the triad genre, a perennially popular subset of Hong Kong cinema. Temporarily sidelining his stylized and expertly choreographed gunplay scenes, To relies on compelling characters, a finely tuned story, and an amazing attention to detail and history. This film and its sequel (Election 2, to be reviewed later), are exceptionally important films for their chronicling triad society within Hong Kong without resorting to glamorizing frankly evil people. These guys are not Ekin Cheng cool (but then again, who is?). They are manipulative, competitive, and backstabbing despite their oath to their brothers, and the result is a gritty and uncompromising film with some shocking scenes of violence used to amazing effect.