Sunday 20 February 2011

Awesome Korean Cinema

I'm a huge fan of Asian cinema - see my post about some amazing Japanese films here - and have recently been getting back to it in a big way, most notably with South Korean cinema. Here are three I've watched in the last few days, all of which happen to star one of my favourite actors, the amazing Song Kang-ho.



Memories of Murder has actually been one of my favourite films for a while now and it just gets better with every watch. Based on Korea's first major serial killer case back in the 80s, MOM sees a small town shook by a series of grisly murders. The local police force don't have the resources to deal with such a case and resort to extreme measures to try and please the press and catch a killer. The acting in this film is superb and the story is gripping and bleak; don't let that put you off though! It's currently being remade in the States so catch the original first.



The Good The Bad The Weird is brilliant, pure and simple! Set in 1930's Manchuria, a bounty hunter, a hired killer and a thief cross paths as they all become involved in a treasure hunt. The direction in this film is fantastic; very kinetic and inventive and it's obvious that the actors are having a great time too. This is a mere £2.99 on Amazon and more than worth that price; very highly recommended!



Vampire films have been done to death but Chan-wook Park has managed to revive a tired concept. A priest volunteers at a remote hospital to find a cure for a virus and after almost dying, is given a blood transfusion from blood belonging to a vampire. He becomes involved with his friend's wife and everything goes wrong from there! Brilliant film; no sharp teeth, fantastic acting from Song Kang-ho and just a different take on the vampire genre.

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