gilbert seah

Film Review: MISS HOKUSAI (Japan 2014-2015) ***

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miss_hokusai_poster.jpgMISS HOKUSAI (Japan 2014-2015) ***
Directed by Keiichi Hara

Starring: Yutaka Matsushige, Anne Watanabe, Erica Lindbeck

Review by Gilbert Seah

The Japanese animated feature MISS HOKUSAI is set in 1814 in Edo,where peasants, samurai, merchants, nobles, artists, and courtesans live together in apparent harmony. It is also just the time that marked the end of the samurai era when Edo was renamed Tokyo – an important period for the Japanese, that unfolds here for the education of the westerners.
The artist is the film’s subject.

Accomplished artist Tetsuzo spends his days creating astounding works, from a giant Dharma portrayed on a 180-metre-wide sheet of paper to a pair of sparrows painted on a single grain of rice. Short-tempered and with no interest for saké or money, he (Hokusai) would charge a fortune for any job he is unwilling to undertake. But it is his daughter, O-Ei who is sane and completes the work her father leaves unfinished.

As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai, the artist’s daughter O-Ei toils inside his studio, creating masterful portraits and erotic sketches that — sold under her father’s name — are coveted by aristocrats and journeyman printmakers alike. Shy and reserved in public, in the studio O-Ei is brash and uninhibited, but despite this fiercely independent spirit she struggles under the domineering influence of her father and is ridiculed for lacking the life experience that she is attempting to portray in her art. This film is her story (the young woman behind one of history’s most famous artists) and it shows her coming-of-age in a precarious and difficult situation.

Based on the manga Sarusuberi by Hinako Sugiura, MISS HOKUSAI is carefully crafted animation, similar to the type Ghibli Studio produces. The animation is impressive especially during the fire and water (very difficult to animate) scenes but the film lacks dramatic drive. The characters often appear just coasting around, like the objects of a painting. The fact that a lot of mythical elements are introduced does not help the film’s credibility either.

The film was first screened during the Real Asian film festival in Toronto in 2015 and is finally getting a screening run at the TIFF Bell Lighbox. There are two versions – I saw it in the original subtitled version. The other is the inferior dubbed version.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nj1rwo_d-s

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Film Review: THE ACCOUNTANT (USA 2016) ***

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the_accountant_poster.jpgTHE ACCOUNTANT (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Gavin O’Connor

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor

Review by Gilbert Seah

Directed by Gavin O’Connor (WARRIOR, PRIDE AND GLORY) and written by Bill Dubuque, THE ACCOUNTANT is a action thriller that strives to be stylishly different. For one, it centres on an accountant, one that cooks the books for dangerous drug cartel members. He is hunted down by Revenue Federal agents. Is THE ACCOUNTANT a good or bad guy? How can he be made into an exciting action hero? How can he be made into a more than special human being? All these factors are infused into Dubuque’s script, which often appears to be trying too hard, resulting in a film more confusing and complex than need be.

As the film stars Ben Affleck who plays a human fighting machine, the film feels like a BATMAN with numbers.

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a mathematics savant (autistic) with more affinity for numbers than people. His childhood is traced, in flashback till the present. As a child, Christian’s military father believes that difference is perceived as a threat to most people. To protect his son, he forces Christian to better himself in martial-arts.

Grown up, Christian is a top-notch accountant who uses a small-town CPA office in a strip-mall as a cover. He makes his living as a forensic accountant for dangerous criminal organizations. With a Treasury Revenue Agent, Ray King (Oscar winner J.K. Simmons from WHIPLASH ) hot on his heels, Christian takes on a state-of-the-art robotics company as a legitimate client. As Wolff gets closer to the truth about a discrepancy that involves millions of dollars, the body count starts to rise. With the help of a new Revenue recruit, Median (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) who Ray blackmails into helping, Wolff’s identity is revealed. The showdown finally takes place in the mansion of the company owner (John Lithgow) who turns out to be the villain of the piece.

Besides Dubuque’s clumsy script, the film contains too many unintentional funny moments. The result is the promo audience laughing at too many parts during the climax. Median’s character could also be eliminated from the script for a leaner film, without much effect.
Affleck delivers an almost perfect low-key performance as the stoic accountant, whose body movements are basically stationary unless absolutely necessary as in the action scenes. Of the remainder of the cast, Jeffrey Tambor shines as Wolff’s cellmate, who was also involved with the drug cartels. Thankfully, the audience is spared the torture scenes, though a few hints (like the sight of a blow torch and damaged face) are enough to make anyone shudder.

Near the end, the film suddenly decides that it has to provide some message on autism. This results in one of the film’s most awkward segments with the music tuned to ‘melancholy’. For a film supposedly positive towards autism, the film contains some really disturbing scenes involving strobe lights and loud sounds.

Despite all its faults, THE ACCOUNTANT is a well-mounted film, with very exciting actions segments aided by crisp editing that conveys the accountant’s martial-arts training. THE ACCOUNTANT at least, attempts to put in some originality into the well-worn action genre.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ

 

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Film Review: ART BASTARD (2016)

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art_bastard_poster.jpgART BASTARD (USA 2015) ***
Directed by Victor Kanefsky

Starring: Robert Cenedella

Review by Gilbert Seah

“Art from day one for me was the special part of life – the part of life that was above the gutter.” – Robert Cenedella. In a madcap art world obsessed with money, fame and hype, how does an artist driven by justice, defiance and his own singular style thrive? Cenedella was the contemporary of Andy Warhol, but in reality was anti-Warhol.

When ART BASTARD begins, the camera takes the audience through a tour around the NYC Transit where a few of the subject’s paintings are seen. The artist, obviously the ART BASTARD referred to in the film title is a little known artist known as Bob Cenedella.

So who is this Cenedella? Fortunately Cenedella is still alive. Director Kanefsky allows Cenedella maximum screen time to introduce both himself and his works. His family members are interviewed too along with art experts in order to put Cenedella’s work into perspective.
Foremost, Cenedella’s paintings are introduced. The main characteristic of his paintings is the inclusion of many, many faces crammed into a scene. The year in which the paintings were drawn and a good detailed shot is provided.

Examples of these include:

Fun city 1979
The Fight 1964
Give to Cenedella 1977

The film contains a few diversions. One is an examination of contemporary art and what it means. Several art experts give their view in the context of Cenedella’s paintings. A discussion also follows on what art rises and what art fails. The individuals are pawns who can hardly make a difference. Cenedella also discusses family life. He is clearly upset about his father and the film contains quite a few scenes with him and his son. Cenedella claims it is not hard to become a good father.

Cenedella’s character is also revealed on screen. He is shown to be an artistic person. He loves Beethoven and made quite a bit of money in his youth selling Ludwig pins. He does not like Elvis. His joy as a teen are his weekly visits to the New York Metropolitan.

The film’s best scenes are those that show Cenedella actually painting and teaching it. “Holding a bush is one of the greatest disciplines in the world”, says Cenedella convincingly.

As a fair bit of the film’s running time is devoted to Cenedella’s family, some insight is added into his paintings. When Cenedella was young and his mother very drunk one night, she told him that his father is not his real father. He therefore felt like an outsider within his family. Similarly, he despised the art scene feeling like an outsider too and hence the film title ART BASTARD. Cenedella finally meets his biological father finding him to be a bit weird with a huge sense of humour. His painting in 1964 entitled ‘The Fight’ shows his father and stepfather battling each other in a boxing ring. Another one, called ‘The Third Movement’ one of his series of ‘orchestra paintings’ shows all the characters fighting each other. His paintings often are inherently funny, satirical and often contains a deeper meaning.

One can hardly complain about ART BASTARD as a documentary. Director educates his audience with interviews, archive footage of films and photos while explaining quite a few of the paintings. The film though serious in most parts, contains a bit of humour,primarily because Cenedella had a good sense of humour.

ART BASTARD is an interesting, entertaining enough documentary in which everything one wanted to know about the artist is dished out.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXhy5prz83k

 

 

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Film Review: RETOUR CHEZ MA MERE (BACK TO MOM’S) (France 2016)****

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back_to_moms_poster.jpgRETOUR CHEZ MA MERE (France 2016)****
Directed by Eric Lavaine

Starring: Josiane Balasko, Alexandra Lamy, Mathilde Seigner

Review by Gilbert Seah

There is one good reason to see the new comedy that is a number one hit in France this year. The reason is Josiane Balasko, France’s favourite actress and indeed mine as well. Her most famous films are GAZON MAUDIT (FRENCH TWIST), THE HEDGEHOG, FRENCH FRIED VACATION and TROP BELLE POUR TOI. She won the Cesar for Best Script for her film GAZON MAUDIT. Balasko is a comedy heavyweight and she plays ‘la mere’ in the movie, carrying the movie and making the audience laugh out loud many times when she appears.

The title gives away the plot of this new charming French comedy. Forty-year-old Stéphanie (Alexandra Lamy) is compelled to return home to live with her mother (Balasko), after she loses everything her job, her husband and all her money. She is welcomed with open arms: she can enjoy the over-heated apartment, Francis Cabrel stuck on replay, furious games of Scrabble and precious maternal advice on how to sit at the table and how to live her life. Both women must exercise infinite patience to cope with this new situation. And when the rest of the clan turns up for dinner, settling of scores and family secrets follow on one from the other in a most joyful way.

Besides the comedy that works, the film’s charm comes from the story derived from real life. Everybody has a family of sorts and they all meet, sometimes occasionally for dinner. North Americans have Thanksgiving and Christmas, so they can relate. The film also digs deep in the heart. When the sibling quarrel and fight at the dinner table, mother finally remarks for them to go home repeating that this was the worst night of her life. Lavaine’s (BARBECUE) film is able to evoke drama though occasionally dousing the film with a little sentimentality.
Besides the obvious family dinner gathering, there are other prize comedic set-ups. One is the mother trying to get away from Steph to be with her lover who stays in the upstairs apartment. She tells Steph she is taking the train to Avignon, but Steph insists on accompanying her to la gare, with mother trying to lose her at every move.

This is the kind of French comedy like THE WOMAN IN RED, THE DINNER GAME. TAXI and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES that Hollywood will remake into successful hits. RETURN TO MOM’S is an ideal fit. Like all the other originals, the French version is the best. And no one can replace Balasko as the mother.

RETOUR CHEZ MA MERE takes a bit of time to get on its feet, perhaps a third of its running time. But besides being a comedy, it is foremost a film about family. With this strong grounding, the film can not go wrong. Lavaine’s film turns out to be an extremely entertaining crowd pleaser and it is no surprise it became a hit in its home country.. And in the words of Lavaine during an interview: “This is a story of a woman who has decided that there’s more to life than kids, even if they’re moving back in forty years after making them.”

Clip (en Francais pas sous-titres): http://cineuropa.org/vd.aspx?t=video&l=en&did=306750

 

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Film Review: AMERICAN HONEY (UK/USA 2015) ****

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american_honey_poster.jpgAMERICAN HONEY (UK/USA 2015) ****
Directed by Andrea Arnold

Starring: Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough

Review by Gilbert Seah

The fifth film and fourth feature (I have seen every one of her films) sees British director Andrea Arnold covering similar material in a total different setting. All her films have a disgruntled female as the central character often living a life in the outskirts of a city, one that the protagonist strives to get out of and make something of herself. Her first short, WASP, had a middle-aged woman go to her ex-husband’s home to beat up his woman and take her children out. She ends up leaving her children outside a pub while she goes in for a drink hoping to pick up a man. Her next two films RED ROAD and FISH TANK were hard hitting dramas, both of which were excellent, but her last film, a modern adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS did not work and was plain awful. Her new film AMERICAN HONEY, that premiered at Cannes (that also won her the Jury Prize) is her first film set in America, about a 18-year old teenager, Star (newcomer Sasha Lane who was pick up from a beach by Arnold for a screen test) following a crew of hard-partying teenagers criss-crossing the Midwest while working as travelling magazine salesmen.

Star leaves her mother and her siblings, after being enticed by Jake (Shia Labeouf) who she meets at Walmart to work as a magazine sales crew. The crew is a hilarious gang of misfits: slugging hard liquor in the backs of vans, crashing in rundown motels, and selling fraudulent magazine subscriptions. Star and Jake are ecstatic in each other’s company. They begin dreaming of a house and family to call their own. But their relationship offends the crew’s queen bee, Krystal (Riley Keough).

Arnold knows how to film confrontation – the film’s best scenes are the confrontations between Star and Krystal.

One can see the fascination America has for British director Arnold. She shoots the lead characters first meeting at an American icon – a Walmart. Arnold loves the landscape of Kansas City and the barren landscapes that the van passes during their sale trips. Her verite style can be seen in the film’s loose plot and her frequent use of the hand-held camera.

Arnold is also fascinated by insects as revealed in many of the film’s scenes. Star is seen twice saving insects, a bee from a window and a ladybug from drowning in a lake. A pretty butterfly is also filmed while Sasha falls in a bog in another scene.

But the film has its English roots. The gang is immediately reminiscent of the gang of pickpocket and thieves in Dickens’s OLIVER TWIST. The character Krystal is a cross between Fagin and Bill Sykes. But redemption here, unlike in the Dickens story is up to Star herself, with no one to help. It is a hard life on the American road, even for veteran salesman Jake who Krystal finally gets bored with as a sex object.

` The film’s soundtrack varies from E-40 to Rihanna to Bruce Springsteen with the song AMERICAN HONEY used in the soundtrack at the end of the film. Star and Jake also meet to the dance beats of Calvin Harris and Rihanna’s 2011 smash “We Found Love”.

This is Arnold’s longest film, running at 2 and a half hours, an epic opus to life of American youth living on the outskirts, as seen by a Brit.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1SpWZm1PLc

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Film Review: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (USA 2016) ***

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the_girl_on_the_train_poster.jpgTHE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Tate Taylor

Starring: Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Luke Evans, Justin Theroux, Edgar Martinez

Review by Gilbert Seah

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN is based on the best selling novel of the same name by British author Paula Hawkins. The suspense mystery revolves around Rachel’s daily trip on the train to work in London. The film is adapted to a setting in the U.S. with the train now travelling along the Hudson.

The film and book is divided three chapters – Rachel, Meghan and Anna in that order. It makes sense in the novel as the story is told from the three points of view of the three women. In the film, however, it is not and while unfolding totally from Rachel’s (Emily Blunt) point of view, it is told in non-chronological order, flipping back and forth from the present to 6 months ago, to 4 months ago to 2 months ago again back to the present. The titles appear, which is really redundant and confusing. One title of 6 months ago should suffice, with all the events now occurring in chronological order. The film’s mystery is heightened artificially by these antics coupled with blurry images of Rachel’s memory.

The film opens with Rachel Watson travelling on the train. It is revealed that Rachel is an alcoholic (reason not given except perhaps to make her a sad and pitiful protagonist) who divorced her husband Tom (Justin Theroux) after she caught him cheating on her. During her daily journey, she sees through the train window and fantasizes about the relationship of her neighbours, Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan Hipwell (last seen in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN). That all changes when she witnesses something from the train window and Megan goes missing and is presumed dead.

One can see the attraction of the story. It is also one of redemption – the redemption of the sad, alcoholic Rachel. She goes to the detective (Allison Janney) with her story of what she had seen, hoping to do some good. This of course backfires. The story, full credit to the book, is very intriguing where truths and secrets are hidden and images are lies. For those who like a good yarn, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN will not disappoint. But director Taylor is unable to prevent unintentional laughs (as observed in the promo screening) during a few of the film’s key scenes.

The film is aided by excellent performances, the best of which is provided by Blunt in the lead role. Janney is also outstanding as the disbelieving detective.
But the film is totally geared towards a female target audience (i.e. film is a chick flick to put it crudely). All the female characters are strong like the detective and those who are not, finally get it together at the end as in the characters of Rachel and Anna. The men are all male idiots who cannot keep their dicks (the doctor, Tom and Scott) in their pants. The actors playing them all have great bodies. No female should complain about the eye candy. The only male who has a good character is a fellow passenger on the train who ends up saving Rachel from two thugs when she passes out. Even then, he is also told to “fuck off” when Rachel comes to. Enough said about a film with main female characters in a female novel written by a female with a script adapted by a female. (The director of one of my outlets has already told me I have female issues).

The film does have a few good sinister moments. The best is the one where a victim (not to be revealed in the review) is about to be murdered. She is half-conscious and being pushed under the vegetation in the woods. It is an excellent scene as she looks at her killer, knowing that she is about to die and unable to do anything.
Apart from a few over melodramatic segments, THE GIRL ONTHE TRAIN is a satisfying mystery with a credible solution with the bonus of the sad heroine’s redemption.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkoEE1i0CX8

 

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Film Review: DENIAL (UK/USA 2016) ***

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denial_poster.jpgDENIAL (UK/USA 2016) ***
Directed by Mick Jackson

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall

Review by Gilbert Seah

DENIAL refers to the denial of the existence of the holocaust. The film is a courtroom drama that contests the case.

After historian Deborah Lipstadt (Oscar Winner Rachel Weisz, THE DEEP BLUE SEA) publishes her book on the Holocaust, she is challenged by David Irving (Timothy Spall), a once well-regarded historian. Irving began citing the pseudoscientific Leuchter report as proof that the Holocaust was a hoax. Lipstadt explicitly labelled him a denier in her 1993 book Denying the Holocaust, and he sued her for libel. But since the burden of proof in English libel law lies with the accused (a point very clearly stated in the film as a difference between American and British law), it bizarrely fell to Lipstadt and her legal team to demonstrate that one of the defining events of the century did indeed transpire.

There are a few reasons to see this film. Besides extraordinary performances from the top three in the cast (See photo inset), the script is written by director and famous British playwright David Hare (THE READER and THE HOURS) which he adapted from the book by Deborah E. Lipstadt “History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier”.

The villain of the piece is Irving played with evil relish by Spall epitomizing the banality of evil while gloating in all the publicity he receives. The film also shows the amount of preparation that goes into a case, and even more for an important a case as this one. An important fact too is the fact that a client’s trust in her solicitor is key to the winning of the case. DENIAL is one of the rare courtroom film that shows more of the goings-on behind the scenes.

DENIAL besides being a film about the truth triumphing over lies, is also one that reveals a lot about the individuals involved in a fight. DENIAL is all an entertaining well-shot period drama.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH7ktvUWaYo

 

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Film Review: MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

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miss_peregrine_posterMISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (UK/USA 2016) **
Directed by Tim Burton

Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Allison Janney, Terence Stamp, Chris O’Dowd

Review by Gilbert Seah

Based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Ransom Riggs, the film has a few similarities with the HARRY POTTER films which is likely the reason the rights of the book were quickly picked up for a film adaptation. Like Harry Potter, the boy with hidden powers, the hero of the story is a young 16-year old, Jake Portman (Asa Butterfield) who might or might not possess hidden powers. The orphanage home is a sorry replacement of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. But Jake also stumbles across a home with magic as well as evil forces.in the background. The story here is so-so and can nowhere be compared to the depth and imagination of J.K. Rowlings. The film, however has the benefit of being directed by Tim Burton and it is no surprise then that the film has a NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS dark look.

If one is a Tim Burton fan, there is a lot of Tim Burton to enjoy in the film, a part of it even feeling like ALICE IN WONDERLAND but do no expect anything new. Burton trudges along his storytelling in this film, with special effects, just going through the motions with his past methods. The film is also overly long at over 2 hours.

The film begins with the death of Jake’s grandfather (Terence Stamp). 16-year-old Jacob “Jake” Portman is forced to travel to a mysterious island in order to discover the truth of what really happened. The film jumps frequently from the U.S. to England so often that it becomes confusing. One has to remember for example that when the pier is seen, it is Blackpool and no longer the Tampa Bay area.

Jake stumbles into what seems to be a different world. Jake is introduced to the extraordinary Miss Peregrine (Eva Green) and her peculiar children at Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But when what seems to be a fairytale takes a horrific turn, Jake is forced to make a life altering decision in order to protect the ones he loves from the monsters of his grandfather’s past, the creepy Hollows and the dangerous Wights led by the terrifying Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson).
The parts of the story in the film also feels unrelated and dumped together. These include among other curiosities unexplained in existence: World War II destroying the orphanage; the connection between Jake’s father and the monsters; Miss Pedegrine’s loops and her ability to change into a bird.

Bright moments are provided by Samuel L Jackson as Mr. Barron who as expected delivers another over the top performance. His under-his-breath curses each time Jake evades him are priceless. This is also one film Jackson does not get to utter his famous ‘mf’ phrase. He does, utter, however,”What the f…” under his breath.

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN is rightly released just before Halloween to draw a family audience with the film getting a boost once the 31st of October comes around. It should do ok box-office numbers.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_IhWE4LP0

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Film Review: OFF THE RAILS (USA 2016) ***

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off_the_rails_poster.jpgOFF THE RAILS (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Adam Irving

Starring: Charles Bilal, Courtney Brown, Sally Butler

Review by Gilbert Seah

OFF THE RAILS is the story of a black man who has spent a majority of his life on the NYC subway and buses. But he is not an employee but a transit worker impersonator who has landed himself in jail 32 for criminal impersonation of NYC Subway workers, hijacking trains and buses, endangering the lives of the public and a whole lot of assorted charges.

Why make a documentary of such an unimportant person and who would want to watch a documentary on such a person? Co-writer and director Irving makes it a point to make his documentary on Darius McCollum one of the most intriguing and entertaining documentaries that it won the prize of the top 20 Audience Popular docs at Canada’s Hot Docs Festival.

Irving has clearly done his homework. He has assembled everything about Darius and has shown him to be a most unfortunate victim of the U.S. system. One cannot help but feel both pity for the man yet wanting to punish him for his deed. But there is more……. Darius McCollum is revealed as a man with Asperger’s syndrome who cannot help himself.

A patient with Asperger’s is one who can deal with objects better than human beings. But Irving includes two human beings that affect Darius the most. One is his mother who is interviewed on film. Their letters of correspondence while Darius is serving sentence are read aloud. The other woman in his life, an immigrant from Ecuador who can hardly speak a word of English is also interviewed. Here, the audience sees that even true love cannot alter Darius’s obsession with the NYC Transit System.

Like many a successful documentarist, Director Irvin know how to rally his audience’s emotions. Irving has as his target the U.S. judicial system. Darius is an unfortunate sick man who has not done anyone any harm, though it is made clear that he could have, given the opportunity. Darius offers the police information on the weaknesses of the transit in order to better protect citizens from possible terrorist attacks on the subway. Yet because of fear of being contacted by terrorist while incarcerated, Darius is put into solitary confinement. His lawyer clearly states that no system would punish a man who has helped them in this way.

OFF THE RAILS is not without humour. Irving parodies jail with the transit system. “The doors are closing,” is heard in voiceover as the jail doors automatically close shut. The way in which Darius manoeuvres his way around the system is quite hilarious.

OFF THE RAILS is a very thorough examination of Darius McCollum. The origin of his sickness is shown to be catalyzed from a stabbing by a pair of scissors in school when he was a kid during a snow day. Asperger’s experts also explain Darius’s behaviour in impersonating transit personnel and his comfort within the transit system.

An obvious solution is to have Darius hired by NYC Transit. But Transit has replied that Darius is a risk and Transit cannot have the safety of the many millions of riders lie in the hands of someone who never obeys the rule book.

OFF THE RAILS finally emerges as both an entertaining and absorbing documentary about an ordinary person with a problem. The doc is tremendously effective because that ordinary person that is the subject in OFF THE RAILS could be any one of us.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/160158306

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Film Review: THE AGE OF SHADOWS (South Korea 2016) ***1/2

festreviews 2016 movies, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , ,

the_age_of_shadows_poster.jpgTHE AGE OF SHADOWS (South Korea 2016) ***1/2
Directed by Kim Jee Woon

Starring: Byung-hun Lee, Yoo Gong, Kang-ho Song

Review by Gilbert Seah

THE AGE OF SHADOWS (original title SECRET AGENT) marks the second hugely successful patriotic South Korean film released this summer. The first OPERATION CHROMITE was far too serious failing to convince audiences with its plausible plot despite having Liam Neeson as General McArthur in the cast. THE AGE OF SHADOWS is a much better film because it improves in the credibility department.

Asian patriotic films are often a problem with western audiences. For one, westerners are unfamiliar with Asian history such as the Japanese/South Korean conflict in this film. Asian patriotic films are often confusing. This one is a little at the start, and runs a little too long (2 hours and 20 minutes) for its own good.

THE AGE OF SHADOWS thankfully, contains lots of intrigue, like the best of spy movies. The beginning segment has an exciting chase amidst rooftops that ends dramatically with the victim’s big toe being taken off.

If one wishes to complain that audiences may be aloof at the film’s historical content, there is a full torture scene with a red hot iron that will will make anyone wince.

A crucial portion of the plot involves Captain Lee (Song Kang Ho from THE HOST), initially a spy for the Japanese switching to the Korean side. A fair amount of screen time is devoted to this important subplot. Captain Lee is shown with the Resistance Leader drinking a whole barrel of liquor before taken night fishing. Important words are exchanged: “You can’t trust words; you can only trust in deeds…..To which side (country) will you write your history?… etc,” do the trick efficiently.

As for espionage suspense, the train sequence is one of the best that even Hitchcock will be proud off. The Resistance fighters are on board carrying the explosives, followed by the Japanese and Captain Lee who has jet switched sides with the Resistance. As the Resistance changes plans, the new plans are immediately known as there is a rat among them. Included is a standoff that ends with a shoot out in the train carriages with the wind blowing right through the train’s broken windows.

One problem this film might incur is its inherent racism. Besides the Koreans played as good looking (the men) and pretty (the women), the Japanese are portrayed as evil and creepy. The torture segment would be deemed too effective that it might incur more hatred by the Koreans towards the Japanese.

Of all the actors, supporting actor Tae-Goo Um stands out as the super creepy (complete with pencil-thin moustache, crooked nose and over high cheek bones) Japanese agent ordered to bring in the Resistance. His tongue-in-cheek performance perfectly compliments Song’s seriousness as Captain Lee.

The film also benefits from an authentic period atmosphere together with costumes and vintage cars, trains and other props. The landscape of the Korean countryside also adds to the film’s rugged beauty.

THE AGE OF SHADOWS emerges as a film several notches up from OPERATION CHROMITE. Despite a non-white cast, the film should appeal more to western audiences as well.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iII68QCGEDo

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