For me there are three types of films. The class ‘A’ executive film, class ‘B’ managerial film and the class ‘C’ administrative film. Each is categorized according to their intent. That intent could be to generate blockbuster income, putting a high cheek-boned-twenty-something with a known veteran or see if an up & coming cast can hold their own as the main stars. Well director Chris Gorak’s new film, THE DARKEST HOUR, definitely falls in the class ‘C’ category while getting a solid ‘A’ for effort.

Emile Hirsh plays Sean, a young software executive who is traveling to Moscow to present a new Smartphone application. However, after being undermined by a trusted partner, he and his co-creator/best friend, played by Max Minghella, decide to indulge in some liquid consultation and blow off steam. The night progressed with pep talks, confrontations, and girl hunting. And who better to aim your sights than the Hepburn-like poise of Olivia Thirlby or the hypnotic grace of Rachael Taylor. But no time was wasted on boyish charms and girly flattery because the aliens came raining down…literally!

THE DARKEST HOUR was a totally unique concept on alien invasion. An absolutely original screenplay by John Spaihts, co-writer of the new film PROMETHEUS. Finally someone did their homework and portrayed an angle of superb creativity with half-way decent computer graphics. Unlike aliens of past films these made an entrance via a beautiful shower of flowered proportions but ravaged the city with an invisible heat wave that burned at the cellular level. In truth, a surprisingly entertaining film. Why? Because we never know what an alien will look like or what capabilities it will possess. What we do know is that our imagination gives us the liberty to create and that liberty was conceived and nurtured in this sci-fi feature.

I consider this film a ‘C’ class motion picture because the main casts were young actors who haven’t had many leading roles. Despite that fact, the acting was most secure in its delivery. This film won’t break blockbuster records but it did prove that the cast can be counted on for great suspense, tearful encounters, and heartfelt loss. I enjoyed what I saw and I know that the unique spin will be parodied and copied in due time because it was undoubtedly an inceptive thought. One interesting aspect is the segue for the sequel. I’m in no way opposed to seeing a second or even a trilogy of this story. I believe it has all the ingredients to be a three way powerhouse if done correctly. Having said that, we all know how fickle Hollywood can be.

I personally don’t want to see this film fall through the cracks. So many times films aren’t given a second chance when extenuating circumstances come into play, i.e. competition with other films, weather, season placement by MPAA. I believe that any margin of profit makes a film worthy for consideration of a sequel. Hopefully, THE DARKEST HOUR won’t be great for only a bright minute.

For the past few years I have started to contribute my Best of the Year list and article, something I never used to do because (a) I didn’t write about current cinema and (b) I never saw enough new films from a given year to make a worthwhile list. That has been changing, and this year I’ve already seen well over fifty films and seasons of television. There are two reasons for this. One is the two major festivals that I attend here in Korea, one in May in Jeonju and the other in October in Busan. The other is the greater availability of media in digital form. Of my favorites of the year, most were seen at festivals, and a few of the others through downloads. The regular multiplex is becoming an increasingly rare place to see great cinema, with only one such example for me this year. Of course, I still haven’t seen all of the major releases as they are unavailable here, but overall I think my list is strong, with some films that are otherwise ignored by mainstream critics in North America. With that said, here is the year in film/TV from a Canadian ex-pat in Korea.

5 stars: This year there were six films that I considered masterpieces, an extremely high number (last year there were two), probably the most five-star movies in any year since the 1970s.

1. THE KID WITH A BIKE

2. A SEPARATION

My two favorite films from the two festivals, THE KID WITH A BIKE at Busan and A SEPARATION at Jeonju. These two gain the top spot for me because of their combination of social commentary with intense immediacy. Simply put, no two movies excited me more this year and delivered the visceral thrill of these two “art movies”. I give the Dardennes brothers the slight edge because of the incredible feeling of movement they were able to capture in their focus on their young protagonist. But I would hesitate to underrate A SEPARATION and neglect its tight, controlled direction of its family drama. These are two films to seek out and two that will be remembered come 2020 and best of decade lists.

3. THE TREE OF LIFE

4. THE TURIN HORSE

The two best examples of pure cinema in many a year, from two masters, Terrence Malick and Bela Tarr, who are likely entering the end of their careers (Tarr has claimed this is his last film). THE TREE OF LIFE had more emotional impact and had scenes of immense beauty, but THE TURIN HORSE is an experience unlike any other, and the type of cinema that we are likely to lose the full impact of as we transition to digital.

5. THIS IS NOT A FILM

6. ALL WATCHED OVER BY MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE

The two most intellectually stimulating of this year’s films. Jafar Panahi, under house arrest, improbably produced one of the greatest works of meta-cinema ever created with THIS IS NOT A FILM. Unable to direct under government orders, Panahi talks about the film he would have made, attempts to give an impression of this lost film, decides its a failure, and then stumbles upon a story that allows him to make a real film in spite of the circumstances. ALL WATCHED OVER BY MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE is a three-part series by Adam Curtis, produced for the BBC, that starts by examining computers but ultimately deals with a great deal more. Some found it too scatter-shot, but I think the connections and the breadth on display are remarkable, and Curtis continues to make more and more leaps forward in his directing style. Far from the traditional documentary in both style and content, and probably the best work Curtis has produced so far.

4 1/2 stars: A tier below the 5 star but nonetheless great films that I would have no problem defending against detractors.

7. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

8. THE INTERRUPTERS

9. LOUIE SEASON TWO

10. RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

11. PROJECT NIM

An eclectic group here: Lynne Ramsay’s  WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN really stayed with me, with her impressionistic direction providing a needed counter-balance to the melodramatic material. THE INTERRUPTERS is the latest doc from Steve James, and may even be the equal of his earlier  HOOP DREAMS, dealing with Chicago gang violence and those inside the community who try to stop it. The best TV show of the year was Season 2 of LOUIE, a half-hour comedy show that is filled with more creative cinematic ideas than most features. A very strong year with few weak episodes or even segments. And finally, with RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES and PROJECT NIM (not to mention the third part of Curtis’ doc), it was in many ways the year of the ape. The reboot of the APES franchise was the most pleasant surprise of the year and the best Hollywood summer blockbuster in a long while, and PROJECT NIM provides a great non-fiction companion piece.

Most overrated:

DRIVE has been a film on many Top Ten lists, which continues to mystify me. It makes the 80s genre pieces it is riffing off, such as MANHUNTER, look profound by comparison, and is nowhere close to the work of its earliest influence, the great Jean-Pierre Melville. And while I guess I can understand the appreciation of its empty style, those that actually try to argue it has anything to say about violence and masculinity are deluded (although it does show how fetishizing violence can woo many critics).

And here are the rest of the films/TV I viewed this year, in order of preference.

4 stars

I WISH

BREAKING BAD SEASON 4

THE DAY HE ARRIVES

GOODBYE

MELANCHOLIA

TABLOID

PARKS AND RECREATION SEASON 3

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SEASON 5

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 1

MEMORIES OF A MORNING

UNGUARDED

CATCHING HELL

50/50

TYRANNOSAUR

3 1/2 stars

THE IDES OF MARCH

MONEYBALL

MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE SEASON 2

ATTACK THE BLOCK

SOURCE CODE

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM SEASON 8

CEDAR RAPIDS

BRIDESMAIDS

FROM SEOUL TO VARANASI

THAT SUMMER

THE GOOD WIFE SEASON 2

HANJI

TO THE DEVIL

COMMUNITY SEASON 2

RED STATE

3 stars

CRAZY, STUPID LOVE

SECRETS, OBJECTS

ARI ARI THE KOREAN CINEMA

THE KILLING SEASON 1

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER SEASON 6

MODERN FAMILY SEASON 2

2 1/2 stars

THE DREAM OF ELEUTERIA

THE OFFICE SEASON 7

DEATH IS MY PROFESSION

AN HEIR

2 stars

DRIVE

KING OF PIGS

HALL PASS

ENTOURAGE SEASON 8

Starting next Thursday, Jan. 12th and continuing until the end of February is one of the best events of the year for Seoul cinephiles: The Cinematheque Friends Film Festival. Every year, numerous Korean directors, actors and other supporters of the institute select a film to screen, and usually arrange a day in which to discuss the film as well. Unfortunately, most of this is in Korean and without translators, but it is still a great chance to see a wide and eclectic selection from cinema history. This year’s festival includes 33 films, many of which are in English or with subtitles. The full list is below, in my order of anticipation, with links and screening dates/times. The link to the cinematheque website is here.

This list includes only the films in English or listed as having English subtitles:

Hitler, A Film from Germany (Hans-Jurgen Syberberg, 1977) A rare chance to see this seven-hour epic on the rise and fall of the Nazis, a film usually cited as one of the masterpieces of the New German Cinema but rarely screen or seen even by devote film fans. It is divided into four parts and screening on two different days in case you can’t handle the whole thing in one day.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel, 1972)

Jules and Jim (Francois Truffaut, 1961)

Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999)

Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)

Dr. Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)

Hiroshima, Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959)

The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)

Mulholland Dr.(David Lynch, 2001)

Scarecrow (Jerry Schatzberg, 1973)

Clean (Olivier Assayas, 2004)

A Time to Love and a Time to Die (Douglas Sirk, 1958)

Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch, 1995)

Not Reconciled (Jean-Marie Straub and Danielle Huillet, 1965)

Deep Blue Night (Bae Chang-ho, 1985)

Lost Highway (David Lynch,1997)

Love Streams (John Cassavetes, 1984)

Scarface (Brian DePalma, 1983)

The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

Mysteries of Lisbon (Raoul Ruiz, 2010)

The Horse Soldiers (John Ford, 1959)

The Tailor of Panama (John Boorman, 2001)

Pelle the Conqueror (Bille August, 1987)

Coming of age films were a huge part of the Korean breakout hits of 2011.  These dark horses have not only won film critics’ praise for months but have had audiences talking too.  One of the main ones among all the buzz was SUNNY (써니).  SUNNY is officially one of the highest grossing films of 2011 in Korea.  The funny thing is no matter how much I heard about the film’s popularity I could never quite get an idea of what the movie was about.  Some people said it was a musical, some said a comedy and some said a drama.  After seeing it, I would say it’s a mixture of all three but still not the best film as a whole.  I’ll get into that later but now lets talk about the people behind the movie.

First off there’s the director, Kang Hyeong Cheol (강형철).  This year, there also seems to be a trend for novice directors gaining immense notoriety, especially for scriptwriters turned directors. This is only Kang’s second film, and script, and look at the outcome.  SUNNY follows the same style as his first film, SPEEDY SCANDAL (과속 스캔들), although, in terms of story and continuity, I think SPEEDY SCANDAL was better executed.  When talking about the cast, the story goes between the past and the present so the cast has a mixture of age and experience.  Each member of the cast had their moments but I think the stand outs were 17 year old actress Shim Eun Kyeong (심은경) as young Nami and well-known character actress Go Soo Hee (고수희) as Jang Mi.  I personally like performances that have a free-spirited nature to them and I found that with both of these actresses.

SUNNY is the story of a group of high school friends who have parted ways after growing up.  Nami (Yoo Ho Jeong – 유호정) runs into the leader of her group, Chun Hwa (Jin Hee Kyeong – 진희경) while visiting her mother in the hospital.  Chun Hwa is dying from cancer and her last wish is to see the whole group of friends again.  Nami then hires a detective to find the women and in the process reminisces about the past and reinvigorates her own dull life.

Now on to the story.  Honestly, I wasn’t impressed.  I may have mentioned before that I’m not a fan of films that don’t have a natural progression.  If not, I’m saying it now.  It’s a huge pet peeve to see movies that jump from people just meeting to suddenly being the closest of friends.  The whole reason why they care is missing.  Maybe it was a problem with the script or it could be editing but, for me, that left a big hole in this movie.  I’m not saying the film as a whole was a failure.  It definitely had its positive points where I was pulled in but I have no idea how it came to be one of the biggest films of the year.   Please see for yourself but I was expecting a lot more with SUNNY and, I have to say, that I feel like it came up short.

In recent years my love of romantic comedies has waned.  Yes, even us women can get overwhelmed with the unrealistic sappiness, but if the story seems interesting then I may give it a chance.  Especially, if it’s a blending of genres.  You would think that some genres are impossible to blend.  A thriller may occasionally be funny and a comedy can sometimes be sad, but you would never think that a romantic comedy could also be scary.  Even if they could be combined, any attempt of doing so would be a disaster.  Right?  Actually, no.  Let’s look at the current box office sensation CHILLING ROMANCE (오싹한 연애).  Also going by the name SPELLBOUND this movie is the brainchild and directorial debut of scriptwriter Hwang In-Ho.  For an idea that would seem to revolve around shock value, CHILLING ROMANCE turned out to be quite a fun experience.

Yeo-Ri (Son Ye-Jin) is a recluse with a dark secret.  She can see ghosts.  Not only can she see them but she’s perpetually haunted by the ghost of her dead best friend from high school.  This ghost blames her for her death and aims to keep her alone for the rest of her life by scaring or threatening anyone who gets close to Yeo-Ri. This has resulted in Yeo-Ri isolating herself from all of her friends, family and any possible love prospects.  In enters Yeo-Ri’s boss Jo-Gu (Lee Min-Ki) who hired her to play the ghost in his death themed magic show and, despite her efforts to push him away, gets pulled into her scary life.  First, he stays with her out of sympathy, then friendship and finally love.

This whole concept baffled me going in.  I’m not a fan of movies that have a bad flow or that try too hard to push their concept on the audience.  As I said before this is the first film Hwang In-Ho has directed but I think his experience in scriptwriting, and the fact that he actually wrote this script, helped him get his actual vision on paper onto the screen.  There was a balance between the two elements and, most importantly from my viewpoint, they connected.  They also functioned well on their own.  I laughed when I was supposed to and I covered my eyes when I felt I needed too.  The two main characters also had a good build in their relationship and the actors had good chemistry.  I’ve read that this was Son Ye-Jin’s comeback role and she came back strong.  Honestly, I thought that part of the film’s success in the first couple of weeks was because of  star power and the public’s curiosity but after watching it I can say that it’s a good solid film that’s worthy of the attention.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it.”   What would happen if an agent said “NO?” Would they be fired?  Is this an act punishable by death?  Well, like it or not, Tom Cruise accepted and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol has arrived. Cruise is Ethan Hunt as he leads a new team of agents to save the world from nuclear crisis.  With a notoriously brutal enemy and being framed for the explosion of the Kremlin, the IMF team has to infiltrate and succeed.  They have to do so with limited funding, malfunctioning equipment, and the looming truth that if caught they will be branded as terrorists.

This film was entertaining but still had its not-so-impressive moments.  Although the action was impeccable I was expecting a bit more cloak and dagger, especially with such a perplexing title.  I was thoroughly thrilled to see such a fresh cast with the seasoned character of Ethan Hunt.  The new faces to the IMF team were a welcomed addition of humor and cat-fight-sexiness that gave the audience the mouth watering comic relief that’s necessary for any film. The one member of the team that stood out was agent Brandt, played by Jeremy Renner. In my opinion his performance was a marketing tactic to see who could replace Tom Cruise as the new team leader.  My vote…YES!! Renner brought a certain jagged humor to the role that pretty- boy Cruise never had.  The amazing choreography and witty banter was just a cherry on top of the cake for the seasoned actor.

As the fourth installment of Mission Impossible I give Ghost Protocol a seven point nine.   It doesn’t receive higher marks because of its lack in originality and creativity of the action sequences.   While I knew I was watching a Mission Impossible sometimes the film felt like it was having a Bourne Identity crisis while trying to obtain its Quantum of Solace.It’s difficult for any writer to best the previous sequel, but you gave me an action film relying on the reputation of its title.  Scenes felt like hyped up remakes and that’s not Mission Impossible.  The element of anticipation is what should make these films great.  However, most of my anticipation was used up with agent Hanaway, played by Josh Holloway.  Seriously Paramount, he needed way more screen time!  Don’t give us just any action movie; I can get that from every director with a 20 million dollar budget.  Give me what takes my breath away and redefines filmmaking.  Give me a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.

War. The word alone can evoke images of bombs, gunfire and broken homes. It’s sad that these images also make for some of the most captivating movies. Jang Hun’s THE FRONT LINE (고지전) should go down on record as one of the most captivating of all. Since it’s the winner of South Korea’s Oscar, the Grand Bell Award, for best picture and South Korea’s 2012 Academy Award submission you better believe I started watching this movie with high expectations. Director Jang Hun has only got three films under his belt as director, including this one, and having seen his previous works I knew that there was only a 50/50 chance of me liking this film. He has now made me a fan.
THE FRONT LINE is set during the Korean War in 1953. Although a ceasefire has been in order since 1951 the North and the South continue to battle over Aerok Hill. The piece of land is a strategic point in marking the border between the North and the South and the battles for it become more and more vicious as the ownership of the hill constantly changes hands between the two countries. Soldier Kang Eun-Pyo, played by Shin Ha-Gyun, is dispatched to the the front line partly as punishment for insubordination and partly to investigate a suspicious case. When he arrives he is reunited with his old friend Kim Soo-Hyeok, popular actor Ko Soo, whom he thought was missing in action for 3 years. While he’s there he gets caught up in the fighting frenzy and sees how it’s changed his once sensitive old friend into a cold war machine.
Director Jang Hun has had incredible success in making films centered around male “frenemies,” so much so that he is often criticized for his lack of female roles. His previous films SECRET REUNION (의형제) and ROUGH CUT (영화는 영화다) were both box office successes centered around the same theme. If it continues for too much longer it will become old but for now it’s his magic charm. It’s not that the formula itself hasn’t been attempted, it’s just that his talent for adding subtle twists and turns keeps his films from becoming too predictable. With this one, it kept me on the edge of my seat. You think you know what’s going to happen. You think you’ve seen it all and got the whole movie figured out. Surprise! You don’t. The way the character’s stories link them to their allies and their enemies is just plain heartbreaking. You see how both sides share the longing to go home and that their fight is purely a duty they have to carry out. They aren’t even fully aware of the reasons. It’s almost like they walk around saying, “It’s nothing personal, but I have to try to kill you today.” I felt as if I was on front line with them, desperately wanting the war to end as much as they did. Outside of the two main characters the cast was a mix of veteran, seasoned, and new actors. All of them did a superb job. Most impressive was up and coming actor Lee Je-Hoon as young, drug addicted Captain Shin Il-Young. The war has taken him to the point of no return and he pulls off both the strength and the vulnerability needed to command under such circumstances.
There’s no way for me to sum up this movie without gushing. I think it deserves all the success it’s getting and I’m anxious to see how it does at the Academy Awards. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a must see. Go rent it today.

VICE founder Shane Smith returns to North Korea, then boards the Trans-Siberian Railway to travel deep into Russia to expose NK secret labor camps that are essentially operating as modern day slave compounds. Check out the rest of the episodes on the Vice website.