1996 / Derek Yee > There’s something strangely charming about this satire about the Hong Kong Category III—or softcore porn—industry. It’s not the naive and sexy Shu Qi, although that certainly helps. And it’s not exactly Leslie Cheung’s pinning down of his semi-aloof failed-director-forced-to-go-softcore character either. It has more to do with Derek Yee’s ability to make fun of both himself as well as the industry as a whole while still trying to convey a serious message. It’s unfortunate that the production quality is a little subpar, and some of the comedy comes across a little forced. Otherwise, this is a Hong Kong gem that’s considerably more intelligent than its peers.
Category Archives: 2.5
The Break-Up
2006 / Peyton Reed > Both Hollywood and the independent film market have generally been a little less than successful in dissecting relationships without pretension. Recent ventures Closer, Prime and the Korean Rules of Dating have been considerably more successful by taking a more mature perspective. While a valiant effort in the same vein, the problem with The Break-Up is its failure in keeping a straight face by delving into cheap laughs. Maybe this is an issue with the casting of Vince Vaughn, whose nature is befitting of such humor, but unfortunately it creates a lack of focus that slows the film down. Not only is the humor often forced, but the film also becomes predictable in its obstacles. The idea is there, the overall execution is good but some of the meat, in the end, is quite rotten and should be excised.
A Dirty Carnival
2006 / Yu Ha > Arguably a casualty of high expectations, Yu Ha’s follow up to Once Upon a Time in High School and Marriage is a Crazy Thing ultimately fails to deliver. The first half runs very much like a Scorsese-inspired gangster drama, unfolding with a mixture of monetary issues, family camaraderie and dealings within the hierarchy of a mafia-esquence organization. However, the primary underlying conflict that Yu develops as the film goes on feels a little silly. In progression, problems are created out of thin air even before existing problems are resolved. While succeeding in remaining poetic and refined, A Dirty Carnival is undoubtedly his weakest entry of the decade.
Dog Bite Dog
2006 / Cheang Soi > Violence for the sake of violence has become a bit of a bore lately. So, once in a while, we get a film that tries to justify its grotesque level of blood and gore as if there’s a greater meaning to it all. Sometimes it succeeds (see Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). But as is the case with Dog Bite Dog, chances of a failure is more probable. The glue for the film are the acting feats pulled off by one of the pretty boys of Hong Kong here: Edison Chen, and the immaculate conception of dramatic skills by the usually effervescent Sam Lee in his role as a misunderstood cop hot on the trail of the aforementioned Mr. Chen.
The film is not completely without merit. The violence is gruesome, but at times you can’t help but feel for both sides of the law. The line between good and bad is not often clear, and some of the situations the characters face are surreal enough that it’s hard to put one’s self in such a position. Unfortunately, the film is plagued by an elongated ending that stretches beyond a reasonable conclusion and holds the viewer at a standstill for what is, essentially, a filler finale.
13 (Tzameti)
2006 / Gela Babluani > A true testament of a great film is its replayability; however, with 13 (Tzameti), it feels like once you know the central plot twist (which has been widely given away in trailers and other promotional material), the film is an ultrapredictable romp through what is essentially a derivative, somewhat hollow script by first-time director Babluani. His filmmaking skills, however, are not in doubt. As a debut feature of a 26 year-old, the film is technically superb and warrants attention to be placed on his future projects.
Silent Hill
2006 / Christophe Gans > At the hands of the director of Brotherhood of the Wolf, I expected more: At the very least, I imagine, a level of depth that gives meaning to the film outside of its video game universe. The tone of the film evolves from abject horror early on to a psychological metaphor of oppression and injustice. And while that may be a brilliant wavelength to follow, the underlying foundation doesn’t satisfy. Once I got past the so-called conventions of a proper film, however, the perverse beauty of the villains and their inversely gorgeous surroundings, together with a polished shine on the overall product, combine into a relatively memorable experience for an otherwise mediocre event.
A Scanner Darkly
2006 / Richard Linklater > It’s pretty simple: Without the witty back-and-forth prose/dialogue that Philip K. Dick originally wrote in his short story, A Scanner Darkly would be half the film it is. This banter, often engaged by the characters of Woody Harrelson and Robert Downey, is what keeps much of the film from being a snoozefest. Keanu Reeves is innocuous as usual, which takes away from the level of impact a character like his could have had. The rotoscoping works exactly as intended, and should truly be noted for its creative flexibility as well as its budget-cutting capabilities. As for the basic plot and climatic sequence, it’s all a bit too cliche for this day and age. The final feel of the film is a nice, contemplative one, but that comes only after one hasn’t dozed off somewhere in between.
Edmond
2006 / Stuart Gordon > David Mamet’s first script since Spartan feels forced and archaic, not surprising as its foundation was penned ten years before the wittiness seen in Glengarry Glen Ross. Dealing with a middle-aged man’s downward spiral into the night, William H. Macy gives a striking performance, especially in the short scene with Julia Stiles. The film itself, however, begins to falter soon afterwards as irrational plotting sequences lead to an anticlimatic and inevitable ending. It tries to be deep with its dialogue, but even at barely 75 minutes, tends to drag on without much material substance. Necessary for Mamet fans, but only passable for most.
Hard Candy
2006 / David Slade > There is little doubt in my mind that Hard Candy is an exercise in sensationlism. It reeks of judgment, and lures the viewer into a world where minds have been made up about what is right and what is wrong. That is the bad part; fortunately, Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson put on such an incredible show that it’s hard to turn away from the ridiculousness that follows. The character study of the two is stupefying, changing at the velocity of a ping pong ball. Aside from them, the cinematography is simple and beautiful sans a few unnecessary editing techniques that often feel gimmicky rather than functional. In the end, however, there is a disturbing emptiness due to the absence of any proper social/moral commentary.
My Scary Girl
2006 / Son Jae-gon > With a strong beginning, My Scary Girl hints of something different: a slightly offbeat dark romantic comedy that could stand out from the crowd. As the film goes on, however, the pacing stutters and the introduction of new characters gets messy. Moreover, a lot of the verbal wittiness in the film seems to have been lost in the translation. A great case of contrast would be against last year’s Rules of Dating, where the relationship between the primary characters drove the film. Here, unfortunately, there is too much dependence on the gimmick of the girl being a “murderer” and its necessary exposition.