Friday, March 14, 2008

Homebound Korean Movie Reviews or Sicky and the Laptop


I've been off work for the past two days, sleeping most of the daytime hours away. By late evening, I would get a tiny burst of energy which I would use to crawl out of my room, shower, eat something instant and disgusting, and then return to the cave to watch a film.
I watched two Korean films that had been recommended to me by friends. I'm too lazy to learn how to download films, so I watched them online.
'My Sassy Girl' was the first of the two films. The story of a bumbling student who gets tangled up with a fiery, abusive and troubled girl one night on the subway.
I thought it was charming at some points, but I think I might have missed out on something. The girl, who is unnamed throughout the film, is an exciting but difficult girlfriend. She is constantly making a scene in public, getting too drunk and passing out and assaulting the male lead.
One great scene of the film (which was generally a little to schmaltzy for my taste) has the Sassy Girl confronting two young girls in a restaurant who she overhears prostituting themselves to their older male companions.
"Are you PROSTITUTING?" she says.
"Leave us alone. What is it your business?"
"Let me see your ID!" she demands of the girls.
"These are just our friends." The men respond.
"Do you take your friends to a hotel?? Shame on you!"
To the girls: "You shouldn't be prostituting yourselves!"
To the men: "How old are you?! Get out of here!"
I liked this scene a lot, but didn't quite understand the appeal of the Sassy Girl. If I knew someone who was in a relationship where their partner was as volatile, inconstant, and troubled as the Sassy Girl, I would most likely tell them to DTMFA.
6/10

The second film was quite different. The King and The Clown is set in the 16th century and tells the story of a troupe of minstrels that insult their way into the Imperial Palace. Once there, they put on risque plays that amuse while highlighting the corruption in the King's Court.

Lee Jun Ki , perhaps the prettiest boy I've ever seen, does an excellent job playing the more effeminate clown. Interesting homosexual undertones and fascinating examples of classic minstrel skills and diversions of the past. Rope-walking combined with sexually suggestive comedy, shadow puppet shows and old-time slapstick.
7/10

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